Damien leaned back in the plushy chair and attempted to keep a straight face as he reviewed the legal document with the seal of the King plastered at the bottom. It stated that he would become an official Duke of the kingdom, a promotion from his previous rank of honorary Duke.

It seemed the King was turning a blind eye to the potential issues of offering such a high rank of nobility to a prince of another kingdom without marriage. 'Does he really feel that much pressure?' Damien peered over the document briefly and eyed Edward Greentail, current head of the Greentail family and ruler of Kassinki. He hid it well, but Damien could see past his noble facade. Edward was tired and broken; dark circles hidden by wrinkles from age lay under his eyes that were slightly bloodshot.

Edward was clearly desperate.

Sitting beside the King was his beloved daughter, Princess Emilia. When their eyes met, she gave him a sly smile, which made Damien curse inside. 'I wanted nothing to do with this kingdom. Dispose of Prince August, put Princess Emilia on the throne, and then I can focus on my land up north... But being tied to the kingdom through the court was a good move by Emilia.'

Damien put the document back on the table and gracefully picked up a wine glass that a maid had generously provided him. 'But Vanity said she wanted everything... maybe I could become the King of Kassinki? Nah, too much effort. Too much predefined noble politics and a tower filled with powerful mages that may object to being ruled by a vampire.'

"Sir Nightshade." Edward coughed lightly in his hand to draw his attention. "Are the terms of the contract agreeable? You will be provided a noble title, land in the capital, and a large monthly allowance, and in return, you have to attend court and provide your expertise to help improve the kingdom...." Edward leaned forward slightly, "I have heard praises about you from my daughter, and the knights who visited your land also agreed there has been rapid progress."

Damien took a sip of wine and answered with perfect noble poise. "Your Majesty, you flatter me with praise. But there is a big problem with this contract."

Edward raised a brow. "And that would be?"

"My land is too far north to manage remotely from the capital. If the vampires were to attack Blackthorn, only my presence would be enough to deter them. As a Prince of the vampires, I have such control over the lesser vampires; they cannot oppose my will..." Damien only partially told the truth, but the humans didn't know that. "Either I become a sitting duck here in the capital and assist with court duties and leave Blackthorn to rot, or I return to my land and continue to strive for prosperity."

Damien saw Emilia scowl in the corner of his vision. Obviously, this was a ploy by her to tie him to her family without marriage. 'Does she know I plan to use her as a pawn and abandon this city?' Damien concentrated back on the King and kept the pressure up on the tired old man. "Both you and I know all the supposed benefits you provide me are golden shackles to tie me down. I am a vampire with my own land and kingdom. I care not for gold or a house I will barely use. Nor do I care for a slightly upgraded title that provides me with nothing new other than artificial status within the kingdom."

Edward let out a long sigh. "That is unfortunate, and here I thought you would be as easy to manipulate as all the other nobles. Alright, go on. State your conditions."

Damien smiled. "How about this... You be upfront with the real reasons you want me to be in your court, and then ill state mine." Damien could practically see the life leaving the old man. Even with the B-grade mana flowing through Edward's body, Damien could tell Edward was feeling the weight of the city on his back at this moment.

Edward looked around. The room was rather large, and a few maids stood beside the doors. Sensing the King's gaze, the maids bowed and left the room, making sure to close the door behind them.

Damien suddenly felt a little worried. Why was the King being so secretive? His plan was so close to fruition that it would be terrible if it were to fall like a house of cards now.

With a final glance around, Edward leaned forward and said in a low voice. "Listen, I am only telling you this since you are an outsider, and my daughter has faith in you. Unfortunately, my kingdom has become a nest of snakes under my neglectful rule. If I let down my guard for even a second, they will bite my leg and poison me. My people call me a foolish King, but my father left me a broken land filled with factions that refused to see eye to eye. In my youth, I relied on my family's legacy to keep them at bay, but that only festered the seed of revolt." Edward took a long breath. "Only now, as the capital descends into chaos, have I woken up. I can feel my end coming any day now..."

"Father!" Emilia put an arm around her old man's back with a worried look.

"I am fine..." Edward said warmly and patted Emilia's leg. "But you won't be if I leave the kingdom like this. I resented my father for making me pick up the pieces all my life, and now the thought that you will have it even worse than me breaks my heart."

"Me?" Emilia blinked her eyes? "Won't brother be the one to take over the kingdom?"

Edward hissed through clenched teeth. "That creature is not my son. I have let him devour my kingdom from under me for far too long. But no longer am I under that boy's mother's spell. I can see clearly now. But look at my rambling." Edward leveled with Damien. "Listen. I only tell you this since you are an outsider. I have no idea who I can trust anymore. So why do I need you in the court?" Edward's hands balled into fists. "I plan to declare Princess Emilia as the heir to the throne, and I need more support."

Damien couldn't believe what he was hearing. For days he had mused over how he could convince the King to declare Princess Emilia as the next heir. Yet he was willing to do it himself. "Why?" Damien couldn't hold back the question; everything he knew from the game pointed away from this set of events. 'Actually, the King always died near the start of the game. So I never actually learned much about his personality.'

Edward clenched his teeth. "On the day before my birthday, a werewolf appears in the city's center. The area the werewolf appeared is a district infamously under my son's control, and if that wasn't suspicious enough, Prince August has been missing for days. I suspect a nefarious plot aiming for my life is afoot. He has hinted many times at aiming for the throne and has ramped up his efforts in spreading his influence this year. I mentioned in passing to my wives that I would declare who would be the heir at my birthday this year, and then all of this happens the day before?"

Damien and Fay looked at each other. Damien blinked in confusion, 'Prince August is missing? Wait... if Vanity left him locked up in prison, it's no wonder the King hasn't seen him in days.' Everything happening was so far from the script that Damien was lost for words.

"So..." Damien turned back to the King. "If there was a way to banish your son, would you take it?"

"In a heartbeat." Edward snapped back. "That vile piece of shit of a son has led me by the nose for far too long." Edward leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. "They call me a foolish King, but what can I do? He is stronger than me, has half the court on his side, and is even willing to unleash a werewolf within the capital to ruin my birthday?"

"Your Majesty." Damien interrupted the old man from his depressed ramblings. "It doesn't matter if Prince August is behind the werewolf attack. We can use it to frame him. I won't explain my methods, but if I can get a recording of Prince August admitting to being behind the attack, what would you offer?"

Edward narrowed his eyes. "By tonight?"

Damien nodded.

"State your price." Hope bloomed on the old man's face, and a new burst of life seemed to fill him. "Without your help, I truly believe my life will end tomorrow. I will declare Emilia the heir, but Prince August would kill me before I utter such words."

"There's only one thing I desire." Damien looked at Emilia. "Your daughter's blood."

Emilia, Edward, and Fay shouted, "What!?" simultaneously.

"Calm down..." Damien took another sip of wine and ignored the three sets of eyes staring at him. "Fay will be my one and only wife. Of course, I don't want your daughter's hand in marriage, but I have an ability unique to vampires." Damien let the words tickle their imagination for a second before continuing. "I can obtain a person's affinity through their blood."

"You can... what?" Edward was flabbergasted.

Damien nodded, "I was born with Blood Magic, like all vampires, and I also have a talent for Psychic Magic." Damien counted down his fingers, "I gained Spatial Magic from Imyrll and Darkness Magic from a mage that Prince August sent to kill me."

A flash of anger passed Emilia's face. "You dare ask for blood from me after what happened to Imyrrl? I don't wish to become a brainless puppet."

Damien waved her off. "All I need is your blood, no need for mind control. All I desire is the luna affinity."

"Is that truly all you desire, Sir Nightshade?" Edward had brought out a blank sheet with his royal seal at the bottom, and a fountain pen rested in his hand.

Damien thought for a second. 'Since the King plans to live, I don't need Princess Emilia to be my puppet on the throne. Therefore, I need to secure Blackthorn's autonomy.'

"For saving your kingdom, banishing your son, stopping a revolt, and preventing your death... I also demand Blackthorn become independent once everything settles down here. We will forever be trade partners and allies. I was already not paying taxes, and the land was a wasteland without my constant management. A vial of your beloved daughter's blood and the loss of a northern wasteland is a small price to pay for salvation. So. What do you say, your Majesty?"

Edward's pen hovered over the paper, giving Emilia a side glance before turning back to Damien. "Honorary Duke Nightshade, if you can provide the recording by tonight, I will sign on those conditions. Do we have a deal?"

Both men rose from their seats, and a handshake was exchanged over the table.

"Deal."