“Princess Ardein has arrived?”
The woman stretched languidly, savoring a sip of wine-red blood. The natural curve of her thighs captivated onlookers. Despite her prominent chest drawing attention, the messenger remained unfazed, awaiting further instructions.
“What nonsense is this?”
Duke Vlad Shimira clearly didn’t believe the report. Frankly, even he couldn’t believe it. The most plausible explanation was that the underlings had made a mistake, but there was evidence. A stranger had appeared, claiming to be the princess, and the strongest proof was her display of the Dragon Form Technique.
“She showed the Dragon Form Technique, a symbol of the royal family.”
“Belron, I’ve never even seen a dragon.”
Duke Shimira chuckled dismissively. To her, this matter wasn’t even worth her attention.
“These lowly vampires, not even nobles, think they can recognize the Dragon Form Technique?”
“Still, her ability to wield such power techniques proves she’s no ordinary figure.”
Belron, a vampire lord, bowed to the queen and continued, “In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should meet them. We need to know why they’ve come to you.”
“That can’t be her. That troublesome woman should be on her last legs. Even the Three Divine Gods couldn’t cure her. The emperor tried everything, but nothing worked. I still remember when the old emperor asked me if I could cure leprosy.”
If even the gods couldn’t provide a solution, the emperor had turned to the demons, even sending envoys to Grimudo. But when asked if turning humans into non-humans was an option, he gave up.
In any case, the emperor sought help from those usually considered taboo, including Harmail and Duke Vlad Shimira. If such a method existed, it would have been a political move, but if even the Three Divine Gods couldn’t help, what could the demons do? Though demonic healing and surgical techniques were advanced, they still couldn’t match divine power.
Despite trying every remedy, Ardein’s condition remained unchanged. All medicines proved ineffective.
“That woman is alive and well, standing before our territory? Why here, and why now?”
The information came from a spy within the capital. The news that the current emperor’s death was imminent was no longer a secret. By now, even Emperor Harmail would know.
The empire’s intelligence capabilities had declined, and such matters were hard to conceal.
“Even if she’s truly cured, she’d want to see her father’s final moments.”
Because the princess had always coveted the throne, and she still did. Missing the emperor’s deathbed would risk the will being manipulated. If she had ambitions for the throne, she’d need to be there, even if only to shed tears and leave a good impression on the ministers and subordinates.
Once labeled as unfilial, it’s hard to shake off. No amount of filial piety can undo a single act of disrespect.
An unfilial and unjust person as emperor? How harsh would they be to the people and officials? Such a reputation would make seizing the throne even harder, with many viewing the princess with suspicion.
“If she truly is the princess, how do you plan to treat her?”
“What else? I’ve been looking for a gift, and a good one has rolled right to my feet.”
The woman, having emptied her glass of blood, smiled brightly.
“As a surrender letter to the Demon Emperor Harmail, the empire’s first princess would be a perfect gift. If we’re to switch sides from humans to demons, we’ll need such a gesture.”
Once the emperor dies, the empire will fall. No other royal family member can replace him. Is Duke Shimira so loyal as to stay on a sinking ship? Loyalty? Nonsense!
She was the only vampire who still remembered the glory of the vampire race. Long before her birth, when vampires ruled the continent.
That era’s glory was something her grandmother and mother always reminisced about. They couldn’t forget, no matter how much they wanted to. They always told her, the young girl, that she must be the one to restore their family’s honor.
“The Curse of the Sun…”
Duke Vlad Shimira gritted her teeth.
“If it weren’t for this damn curse, I wouldn’t be satisfied with this small territory! I’m the queen, the progenitor of our race. And yet, I have to hide in this wretched place?”
In that glorious era, vampires treated humans and demons like livestock. They drank blood whenever thirsty and turned the clever ones into their servants.
That seemingly eternal paradise was a time before dragons even set foot on this land, yet it was an era all vampires longed for.
Except for one. A being so powerful that calling it a demon was almost an insult. The Primal Demon King was someone even the vampires of that era feared and dared not provoke. Some arrogant ones had tried to provoke Grimudo, but none survived.
It wasn’t Grimudo or the dragons that destroyed that glorious era. Not even the Primal Body, which periodically caused cycles of destruction. During such cycles, the rationality of sentient beings was already overwhelmed by the instinct to survive.
If one was lucky enough to survive the cycle, they’d find their memories blank. The history of the cycle became a blank history.
In any case, the Primal Body wasn’t part of the vampires’ history. They didn’t even know of its existence. And they didn’t need to. It wasn’t the Primal Body that caused their downfall.
The Goddess of Light, Elysia, governs the realm of light, but she herself is not light. That’s the domain of the Ancient God. When the universe was born, so was the Ancient God of Light, who noticed a man and made him the Saint of the Ancient God. This man freed himself from the vampires’ bondage, formed a resistance, and waged war against the continent’s ruling vampires.
“Damn that Ancient God. I don’t know what made a mere human do such a thing, but he’ll pay for it. He will!”
If they had lost that war, it wouldn’t have been so frustrating. The ancient vampires easily crushed the resistance and won. The unnamed man who became the Saint of the Ancient God also died in battle. Everyone thought the threat was gone, but the real threat hadn’t diminished at all.
The Ancient God, having lost his saint, was enraged. He abandoned his self and cast the most fatal curse upon the sun.
The Ancient God is the Law of the Universe. For the law to act on its own, a price must be paid. But once the law changes, nothing in the world can escape it. The Law of the Universe is the most powerful force in the universe, and when used as a weapon, nothing is exempt.
The sun, which originally had no significance, became the vampires’ natural enemy as the Law of the Universe changed. No matter how strong they were, it didn’t matter. Queens, lords, progenitors—what did their individual strength matter when the Law of the Universe had changed? What meaning did it have?
In an instant, the law changed, and vampires who once basked in sunlight turned to ash. Using magic or blood power to block the sunlight was futile. That too was part of the vampires’ power, and it turned to ash as well. Even barriers were less effective than using an umbrella. Only a handful of vampires survived this great calamity.
Everywhere they looked, there was only ash, and the survivors were in shock. But that was just the beginning. The moment their former slaves were exposed to sunlight, the curses and restraints the vampires had placed on them melted away like ice.
The newly freed turned their swords on the vampires, and a difficult era began. The vampires never regained their former glory.
A single act of murder, a single curse, returned as a fatal blow that destroyed their civilization and brought their race to the brink of extinction. This was the power of the Ancient God. It was also why Grimudo let Kyle, who had once dealt him a great blow, escape.
He himself witnessed the vampires’ downfall during this calamity. Though Grimudo considered himself strong, the Law of the Universe was a different matter. He had no desire to face such a threat.
“There’s something else I need to report.”
It was the Ancient God’s doing. The Law of the Universe had already changed. No one could reverse it, not even the one who caused it. Because the price for the Law of the Universe changing on its own was the shattering of the god’s self.
The Law of the Universe, existing merely as a law, couldn’t sustain a self. Changing it would tear the Ancient God’s self to shreds. If that weren’t the case, the Law of the Universe would change several times a day, and not even proper stars, let alone life, could exist.
Of course, the Ancient God is immortal, with or without a self. A new self might emerge someday, but it wouldn’t be the same as the one that caused the change. Would a new self, at the cost of its own destruction, change the law again for the vampires? Nonsense. The new self would have no interest in the vampires.
“A priest believed to be of the Ancient God has appeared. He healed wounds inflicted by the Power of the Sun.”
Even so, only the Ancient God could mend what the Ancient God had done. Only another law could bypass the Law of the Universe. Though it wasn’t the same Ancient God, the appearance of a priest of a new Ancient God was a serious matter.
The usually composed Duke Shimira froze for a moment, then straightened and looked at Layton.
Anything related to the Ancient God made every problem more serious. The vampires, having experienced it firsthand, knew this better than anyone.
“Can you be sure?”
What can oppose the Law of the Universe? Only another Law of the Universe. In other words, one law can nullify another. Perhaps there’s a way to free themselves from the Curse of the Sun.
Compared to this, whether Ardein was real or fake was irrelevant. The empire was doomed anyway, and the princess was weaker than her.
Though she was a vampire, in terms of pure strength, she could rival a human master. The problem was that exposure to sunlight would weaken her, and direct exposure would kill her instantly.
Given that a torn garment during a daytime battle could lead to instant death, she rarely fought outside but still took pride in her abilities. Even at the princess’s peak, she wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Honestly, I can’t be sure. Neither you nor I have met a priest of the Ancient God, so it’s just speculation. But if a god grants us divine power, it’s hard to think of any other god.”
The Three Divine Gods don’t favor vampires. Of course, other gods aren’t bound by such rules. The problem is that these are the main gods, and other minor gods who defy their will could face dire consequences. The will of the Three Divine Gods is not to be taken lightly.
The Heavenly God Aldehir and the Evil God Oberta are exceptions, but they too dislike vampires. Essentially, all gods have abandoned the vampires. Which god would grant them divine power?
A newly born god, ignorant of the world, or a god so great that even the main gods can’t oppose them. The latter would be the Ancient God.
“Even if he’s not a priest of the Ancient God, it’s not bad for us. Bring him here. Politely.”
If he truly is a priest of the Ancient God, this is a matter of reverence. If not, treating him poorly would be unwise. A god who grants divine power to vampires is rare. Treating him as an honored guest might benefit her or her daughter someday.
‘Perhaps, if this god grants divine power not just to us but to demons as well…’
It would be another gift to catch Emperor Harmail’s eye.
“Layton Valencia volunteered to bring them here. May I ask for Your Majesty’s permission?”
“Layton? Ah, that guy. He might do it. He could use some divine power. That insolent brat, hiding such a hybrid from me.”
The appearance of such a priest had already unsettled one of her subordinates. Duke Shimira, having grasped the situation, smiled.
“Belron, go relay my orders to Layton.”
To trap the princess, a tempting prey, much preparation was needed. For Duke Shimira, this was also entertainment.
“Bring them to my castle with utmost respect.”
Though it might be his last task.
The duke added.
