Chapter 412: Is it Truly Not a Sin?!

The reason vampires obey the Progenitor is simple: in a species where blood is both power and origin, the dominion of a superior vampire is absolute.

And among them, the power and symbolism held by the Progenitor is beyond comparison.

Bloodcraft grants direct control over a vampire’s body to the master who shared their blood.

Even Elders cannot control the Ancillae of other Elders.

Only the Progenitor could exert absolute control over all vampires.

Of course, Domination doesn’t only come through Bloodcraft.

“What’s with this clueless fool? My sis is finally spending time with her beloved, yet you dare interrupt? An Ancilla? You clueless fool!”

Strength and fear are also methods of control—like what the Bloodweaver Kavila was doing now to Jazra.

Even an immortal vampire is helpless when the opponent is of higher standing.

A superior vampire can interfere with the Bloodcraft of a lesser, the source of their regeneration.

The bone saw digging into Jazra’s body twisted his blood.

Barely restraining the rampaging blood, Jazra gasped.

“Kh…! Lady Kavila, why…?”

“Why? Heehee. You’re asking why?”

Kavila narrowed her eyes and twisted her wrist.

The bone saw embedded in Jazra’s body fed on his blood and flesh.

Kavila hissed coldly.

“Simply daring to ask why is the reason you need to die. Die. Die. Just die.”

From Jazra’s point of view, it was unfair and infuriating.

He had only come to petition the Progenitor, and now he was on the verge of death.

｢…The Blood Shackle. That which makes vampires obey the Progenitor and rules over their vassals… if even the Progenitor has broken free from it…｣

Realization struck Jazra, and with it came despair.

｢Lyre Nightingale breaking free is nothing compared to the truth. If the Progenitor has indeed severed the Blood Shackle, she intends to abandon us all—! If I know this now… there’s no way I’ll be allowed to live!｣

They say people grow braver in the face of death… but that’s rarely true.

Most creatures deny death until the end, flailing to survive, dying wrapped in fear.

But Jazra was a vampire.

A high-ranking Ancilla who had seen and endured much.

With his heart already stilled, he coldly accepted reality. Death was his only fate now.

｢Lord Luscynia! Please forgive this inadequate vassal who could not avenge your death…!｣

The growing bone saw pierced through his body.

Most of Jazra’s blood had been consumed.

But as a true Ancilla, he controlled the last handful of blood within him and shouted.

“The Progenitor… has abandoned us…! She broke the Shackle…!”

That was his final act.

The bone blade pierced through his head.

Jazra, once a member of a great vampire lineage and a figure in the history of the Duchy as an Ancilla, was annihilated—leaving behind only a handful of blood dripping down the bone saw and dark ash smudged with flame.

A wind blew from somewhere.

The ash that had once been Jazra rose into the air as if his soul were ascending.

Whether it was rising to the heavens or dissolving back into the pure darkness of the Duchy of Mist, no one could say.

“Big sis, there’s no need to go easy on trash like that. Step on them when needed and crush them to remind everyone who’s in charge. Luscynia went and died on his own, and with no Elder left, the Ancillae are running wild.”

Kavila retrieved the bone saw, now grown to the size of a tree.

Smoothing her vicious expression, she spoke in a friendly tone—so much so, that one would never believe she had just executed a fellow vampire.

“So cheeky. As if sis would ever abandon us. Isn’t that right?”

She was a master of Bloodcraft, perhaps even more technically skilled than Tyr herself.

Though no Elder voiced it, they all felt it: the Progenitor’s dominion over blood had weakened.

Tyr composed herself and nodded.

“Of course. If I intended to abandon you, I would not have returned in the first place.”

“I know it. I know it well. You—who split your body to cover the sun and drained your blood to share it with all of us—you would never leave us. You are our god, our life, and our nation.”

Kavila stabbed the massive bone saw into a teddy bear’s belly.

Despite the bone saw being much larger than the plushie, it disappeared as though it were swallowed whole.

With the grotesque weapon hidden away, Kavila walked up to Tyr with a sweet smile.

It was the innocent grin of a child, but after seeing the execution that had just happened, I couldn’t take it at face value.

Scary.

The vampire world is terrifying.

I’m so glad I’m a normal human.

“Big sis, may I ask just one thing? What happened to your dominion over blood?”

“I have regained my heart.”

“Your… heart?”

“Yes. Long ago, during my first life, the Sanctum killed me. I recalled the beat of that forgotten heart and recreated it through Bloodcraft. The time that had stopped now flows once again.”

Tyr placed a hand over her chest and murmured.

“Thanks to it, I have gained emotion. A wild, unrestrained heart leads me to unknown places. It shows me feelings I never knew. Yes… I have found life again.”

“Your life…”

Chewing over Tyr’s words, Kavila soon beamed and took her hand.

Taking this opportunity to fondle it for her own satisfaction, she pretended to sympathize.

“I’m glad, sis. You’ve always sacrificed so much for us, and now you’ve found your life again.”

“Thank you. I will find another way to manage the Shackle. I’m not too worried. There are still Elders to govern the vassals…”

But thinking of the Elder who wasn’t there, Tyr’s expression darkened.

“…Except for Luscynia. This matter must be resolved swiftly.”

“Exactly. Let’s deal with this nuisance quickly and throw a grand feast at Plenilune Castle. Summon the cattle, bring in some blood, and properly celebrate your return!”

“Yes. Hu. Let’s finish our conversation… once we arrive.”

Kavila’s eyes shifted to me.

She wore the same innocent smile she had shown Tyr.

Under the weight of their gazes, I nodded stiffly.

“…Sure.”

…Vampires feel emotion lightly.

Being able to control their entire bloodstream, it’s hard to surprise or delight them.

If a vampire shows emotion, it is a carefully crafted performance.

Kavila’s smile was exactly that—a performance.

Scary. Really scary.

I’m so very glad I’m a normal human.

The procession to Plenilune Castle was prepared. As per Tyr’s wishes, it was grand, but not noisy.

One enormous carriage guarded by three people and a single Elder, with a few vassals trailing behind.

Few in number, but immensely powerful.

Aside from the fact that Ralion was pulling the carriage, nothing about it was typical.

It was larger than a luxurious two-story house, painted pitch-black, and had no wheels.

Instead, solidified darkness floated beneath it, lifting it up.

Like gliding across polished ice, the carriage moved swiftly and smoothly.

It was a comfortable ride, enough to make you forget you were even traveling.

With no shaking or rattling… maybe a little too comfortable.

“The Progenitor’s consort!”

…Or maybe not.

I turned to see Lunken glaring daggers at me. Since we’d probably be seeing each other a lot, I replied as politely as I could.

“What is it?”

“I’ve heard you’re the King of Humans! I’m curious about the power of the so-called Lord of all Creations! What do you say, shall we test our strength in a duel?!”

“I said no. Didn’t I already tell you? I don’t have any power.”

“Why not—!!”

“I said I don’t—!”

We yelled at each other.

Lunken, who’s charmingly simple—or annoyingly dumb—wouldn’t understand unless you shouted directly in his face.

And thankfully, he didn’t take offense when humans yelled.

He just grumbled, genuinely upset that I wouldn’t fight him.

“Hrgh. Are you carelessly leaking your power somewhere? The King of Humans should at least know how to keep track of his strength!”

“Like I said, I didn’t lose it. My great-great-great-great… ugh, I’m out of breath—my predecessor lost it without asking. I’m a victim too.”

“You don’t even know where you lost it? If it’s nearby, I can help you find it!”

“That’s the most helpful thing I’ve heard all day. Go find the nearest Divine relic. If I collect them all and awaken as the true King of Humans, you’ll be the first I’ll fight.”

“Haha! Excellent—! A man’s promise must be kept!”

Well, now I had one more ally in the search for Divine relics.

Not that he’d be any actual help.

Lunken nodded vigorously and flung open the carriage window.

“Divine relics—! Come out at once—!”

As I expected, Lunken was completely useless.

He didn’t even know where to begin looking, let alone how to approach the matter.

I just raised his affinity a bit, that’s all—I never expected anything real.

While watching him scream at the sky, Kavila hooked her bone saw around his neck and yanked him backward.

“Did some pig just get its throat slit?! Big Sis is trying to enjoy her journey and you’re ruining the mood?! Shut it and sit down! Try showing some patience—even if it’s just a pig’s tail’s worth!”

Apparently, even hanging someone by the neck with a saw counts as minor mischief among vampires.

Even as his neck got sliced, Lunken didn’t seem too bothered, casually brushing it off with a grumble.

“There’s nothing to do in the carriage! Might as well look for Divine relics on the way!”

“Your ‘searching’ involves squawking at the sky?! You really have nothing better to do! If you’re that bored, go race Ralion or something!”

“Hm! That’s a great idea!”

Of course, she was joking—but who would take jokes literally?

Lunken did.

He leaped out of the carriage, somehow kept his balance, and began sprinting on two legs.

– Thud thud thud.

The sound of the boar-man’s feet echoed nearby.

But no matter how fast he ran, Ralion was on four legs.

Naturally, Ralion left him in the dust.

Lunken, who had taken off so confidently, began falling behind.

“Hah! Hah! Ralion, you are indeed fast! I don’t think… I can catch up—”

– Slam.

Kavila shut the window in Lunken’s face.

Silence fell over the carriage.

The darkness-infused windows swallowed up all sound.

“Sis! I’ve removed the noisy nuisance. Now your journey can be peaceful again!”

Kavila reported this with a grin, clearly hoping for praise.

I, too, was thankful for the sudden peace.

Apparently, so was Tyr.

“Now that it is quiet, we can finally discuss more serious matters.”

Tyr, seated right next to me, turned to stare at Hilde, who sat calmly across from us, nose in a book.

She had stacked a small mountain of thick volumes and was flipping through the pages, pretending not to notice. Eventually though, she couldn’t ignore us any longer and glanced our way with a sigh.

“Your gaze is so intense it’s going to burn a hole in my book~ What is it, Tyrkanzyaka~?”

Tyr gently pressed the issue.

“Hilde. It is time for you to speak of this ‘matter of national importance’ you mentioned.”

“While riding a moving carriage?”

“There is no better place to discuss weighty matters. Eavesdropping here would be harder than in Plenilune Castle.”

“I suppose that’s true. Very well. I’ve been itching to say it anyway~”

Hilde shut her book with a snap.

Resting her chin on clasped hands, she transformed in an instant from a whimsical reader to a seasoned stateswoman.

Looking Tyr straight in the eye, she spoke.

“To be blunt, I want a formal alliance between the Military State and the Duchy of Mist.”

An alliance with the Duchy.

It was certainly a matter of national significance.

But Tyr’s reaction was lukewarm.

“Is that all?”

How many nations had tried to borrow the vampires’ power?

Perhaps in another era, it would’ve been a daring proposal, but in the span of a thousand years, plenty had tried.

For Tyr, alliances were mundane, uninteresting, and practically useless.

But Hilde had a twist prepared.

As if she’d anticipated this reaction, she smiled and turned to me.

“With Father as the King of the Military State, of course~!”