According to a long-standing rule, the internal affairs of the vampire race would be handled together by active primogenitors. Those who weren’t primogenitors would have to be assigned such authority by the Queen of the Night even if they were a great dark monarch. Even though Habsburg had illuminated a blood seal, it was only after Lilith’s personal recognition that older great dark monarchs like Medanzo had nothing more to say.
There were two active second-generation primogenitors in the race. First was Medanzo, but there was clearly something wrong with him. The other one was Habsburg, but as the person in charge of the holy war, he had always worked closely with the council. It was currently difficult to say who was a friend.
There was recent news of Dark Gospel Howard’s awakening. He was different from the Azure King in that his lifespan wasn’t at its end yet. Being able to wake up on his own meant that he could still act independently for a period of time.
Howard and Medanzo had never seen eye to eye, so much so that the former didn’t appear in public this time. If Howard had gone back to light slumber, it was likely that the demonkin would see him as an objective to attack. That was because Howard was a second-generation primogenitor who could wake up at any moment, and he also possessed the ability to awaken Lilith, a difficult variable to control.
At the thought of this, she found answers to many questions she had in the past. The demonkins’ actions on Twilight Continent almost seemed crazy, but their likelihood of success was quite high.
They were using the council’s investigation into wartime misconduct as an excuse to persuade the werewolves and arachne to join their operation. Those two races wouldn’t refuse this opportunity to weaken the vampires, destroying their altars and capturing their blood ponds. The werewolves might be even more proactive since they had suffered greatly in the centuries of war.
This operation was probably commencing on various fronts at the same time, using various methods to destroy all methods of communication with the Queen. The Azure King had passed, and Medanzo and Hasburg’s stance was unclear. Under such circ.u.mstances, it was all too easy to make sure that sleeping second-generation primogenitors would never wake up. Ordinary vampires would never even realize what had happened.
By the time the Queen of the Night woke up one day, everything would be too late.
Nighteye was filled with killing intent after realizing these things. She was just about to kill Marquis Lynch when Qianye stopped her. “What’s this new order you speak of?”
Lynch said, “The Demon King believes that the vampire race has been slowly leaving the darkness origins since the Daybreak Rebellion. He says our bloodlines have been tainted, and that’s a sin. The River of Blood’s recession is the best proof of this. The vampire race must wash away our sins and return to the darkness origins to be reborn.”
“Nonsense!” Qianye was furious.
“Yes, yes!” Lynch nodded repeatedly.
Qianye was in no mood to keep asking. Thoughts were a strange thing—whether Lynch’s betrayal was due to a fear of death or if he truly believed the demonkin’s words was fairly difficult to discern from words alone. Even the man himself might not be able to say for sure.
Qianye glanced at Nighteye and saw the chill in her countenance. He exerted more force, sending a thread of blood that crushed Lynch’s blood core.
“You guys said… you won’t kill me…”
“Did I? I’ve forgotten.” Qianye tossed the marquis’ corpse away. He then jumped out of the window with Nighteye and eventually vanished into the night.
The duo traveled through the darkness after leaving the castle, crossing mountains and rivers across great distances.
Qianye suddenly asked, “What do vampires feel about family? Why would Marquis Lynch submit to someone who cut off his father’s blood supply.”
“This is unrelated to the race. Long-lived races might be less sentimental, but they do have feelings. The greater reason would be power and benefits. I have zero impression of this person in my knowledge about their family, which means his siblings were much more talented than him. And yet he had become the head of the family. I’m sure humans also see cases of fratricide for power.”
Qianye felt a bit better after listening to her explanation. “Am I considered a vampire now? Why do I feel nothing different?”
“Of course you’re a vampire. Your human part is now at the bottom of the Book of Darkness, Reynold cannot be wrong.”
Qianye said gloomily, “Why did my body become fully vampire?”
“Reynold said your human body was too weak. You were technically already dead back then. Only a vampire constitution can be repaired and thus allow you to come back to life. Also, only a vampire could use his Pond of Azure Darkness.”
Qianye had already guessed even without Nighteye’s explanation. He shook his head with a sigh.
All of a sudden, they saw a pillar of fire burst into the sky. The blaze illuminated a burning ancient castle. The ferocity of these flames meant that the fire wasn’t natural.
Qianye and Nighteye exchanged glances. “This is the third castle now. Aren’t we already quite a distance away from the Mueller’s Castle?”
Nighteye narrowed her eyes. “Clearly, not every family is willing to give up.”
“What do we do? Shall we help them?”
Nighteye clenched her teeth. “No! We must hurry to the Byrne Clan territory!”
Qianye glanced at the burning castle. “Those are Monroe lands.”
“I know… we’re not saving them.”
Qianye spoke no more and merely followed Nighteye toward their destination.
They still had a long way to cover before reaching the Byrne clan’s core territory. At one point along the silent journey, Nighteye said, “Do you think I'm cold-blooded for not saving my clan members?”
Qianye said honestly, “Imperials would probably stop to help.“ Howard’s potential danger was still a conjecture at this point. What they had seen before them was true peril and death. Only on the battlefield did one have to face such choices.
Nighteye said after a while, “Long-lived races have different perspectives when it comes to these things. A human heavenly monarch can ensure a hundred or so years of peace at most, but crown princes and great dark monarchs can protect a race for hundreds if not thousands of years. Throughout the passing years, rank differences become more important than anything else. It can be said the Dark Gospel is more important to the vampire race’s fate than all the other marquises combined.”
Qianye said, “Very well, I’ll try to digest this.”
Nighteye came to a stop so sudden that Qianye almost ran past her. He barely managed to find his footing beside her.
Nighteye looked into his eyes. “You… should go.”
“Where?” Qianye was puzzled.
Nighteye sighed. “The neutral lands or Fort Continent, there are many places you can go to. Just don’t go back to the Empire or Twilight Continent.”
“Then how about you?”
“I must go to the Byrne Territory.”
“Then I’ll follow you of course.”
Nighteye shook her head. “No, this is not your war. You’re not a true vampire. This enmity between the vampires and demonkin, we will resolve it ourselves. But, you have to promise me not to return to the Empire. You’re already a full vampire now, so there’s no telling when they will stab you in the back.”
Qianye looked serious. “Did you sense something?”
