28th of the Golden Star

Nether Storm Archipelago

Blossom County, Blue Rose Manor

Head of the Nemia Academy, Sonia Ma, was welcomed in by a pair of tall entities with folded bat wings.

Their frightening appearance notwithstanding, the servants treated her with absolute respect and escorted her inside.

The interior of the large estate was exquisitely decorated with paintings, statues, and massive golden chandeliers. However, the place felt eerie, especially due to how utterly devoid of souls it was.

Already used to this unsettling atmosphere, Sonia was taken deeper inside.

The servants guided her to a spacious dining room, in which a man was waiting for her.

“Ah!”

He had a glass filled with fresh blood, which he quickly put down before standing up and elegantly bowing.

The man, who was actually a Vampire, was dressed like a gentleman and looked like an aristocrat.

Count Dracule Blossom, was a bearded black-haired middle-aged man with a kind-looking face, a pair of blood-red eyes, and a commanding jawline.

He was fairly handsome, and though his facial features masked his real age, he was practically indistinguishable from a normal human. Only if you look closely would you notice the long fangs behind his lips, but even those could be hidden at will.

“Pardon me, I was thinking about something.”

He warmly welcomed the Principal and even pulled a chair for her before sitting across from her.

Sonia softly smiled, “It’s fine. We’re not strangers anymore, Count Blossom.”

“Then why do you insist on speaking so formally?”

“I have to take seniority into account.” She rebuked while keeping her manners.

“So be it..” He unceremoniously waved his hand while giving up on the minor argument.

After a brief bout of silence, Sonia tapped the ring on her index and took out the genuine Alchemy Scripture.

“Here it is, Count Blossom.”

The Vampire accepted it and nonchalantly put it to the side, “I heard you’ve met with some trouble while I was gone?”

“Everything has been dealt with.”

“I hope I didn’t bother you that much. I simply couldn’t leave the Alchemy Scripture hidden here. It felt safer in your care.”

“It’s the least I could do. You helped me create the Nemia Academy and even allowed me to build it in your territory.”

“How could I have refused a genuine plea from a hard-working and slightly stubborn young lass? Hahahaha!”

Sonia faked a cough as she averted her gaze, too embarrassed to look him in the eye after he had mentioned the past. She had grown wiser and had gotten rid of her hot-bloodedness, but during every meeting, Dracule would remind her.

“Anyhow, I’m going to stay home for a while, so, if you ever need help, just call me.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for such words, Sonia. You and I go a long way, and preserving the stability of the archipelago is a must. None of the three nations are allowed to try anything.”

“...”

Sonia frowned, but she didn’t ask. Dracule Blossom had always been a mysterious man, but the fact he was different from the rest of vampires made her feel at ease.

He wasn’t part of the five Originals, nor was he their descendant, yet he was monstrously strong. So much so that he had been ruling over the archipelago for centuries.

Whether it was the Empire, the Despot Collective, or the Militant Syndicate, none bared their fangs at him. Although it wasn’t public knowledge, so to speak, the three knew what the Vampire was capable of.

Furthermore, the Nether Storm Archipelago was an odd place, to begin with. Its history was shrouded in secrets and the abundance of strong monsters lurking everywhere purged any thoughts of invasion from the three nations’ minds.

“The Brutal Prince Order, the Sun Alchemists, and even the Unholy Blasphemers. There was a parasite too, right? I’m not speaking about Nader.”

“Yes. He was quite annoying to deal with.” She responded while grinding her teeth. She had spent a fortune in buying the Alchemy Scripture, all because of Arthur’s little ‘stunt’.

“Whether you did it wittingly or not, it was a good idea to let Nader go. He’s not someone you could handle.”

“What’s his deal, anyway?”

“Trust me, Sonia. The less you know about him, the better. He can be pretty terrifying, even for the likes of me.”

Unfortunately, the conversation was cut short when one of the servants appeared and whispered something to Dracule.

“My other guest arrived before schedule, it seems.”

Understanding the situation, Sonia excused herself and was escorted outside. However, at the entrance, she saw a tall and hooded-man.

Even though he hid his appearance, Sonia recognized him with a glance.

‘Terden Sidus?’

…

“It’s good to see you!”

The Duke was welcomed by a tight hug from Dracule Blossom.

Terden wryly smiled and removed the hood, a sigh escaping his lips.

“You look weary, and I need not guess why.” Remarked the Count as he poured some wine for his guest.

“Less than two months remain. Things are getting hectic.”

Terden paused for a bit and then cursed, “That fucking whore. Colluding with a Demon Lord!”

“Personally, I find her tactics pretty good. She played her cards well and actually convinced the other Seats.”

“That’s because she fed them a bunch of lies!” Rebuked Terden as she emptied his glass and breathed heavily, unable to contain his frustration.

“Well, it’s left to be seen whether her plot will work or not… here you go”

Dracule threw the Alchemy Scripture towards Terden and added,

“I’m not a fan of that young alchemist friend of yours. Still, if he is as good as the rumors claim, he should benefit from the scripture and help you bolster the city’s defenses.”

“Thank you, Dracule. I will never forget this favor.”

“Favor? That’s a huge exaggeration! I’m merely helping an old and honorable friend. Were it not for you, I would have perished in the Fishland War.”

“...”

Dracule sat next to Terden and, with a serious expression, continued talking,

“There will be heavy resistance, Terden. Expect at least three of the Seats and their armies to come for you. Since they’ve come this far, they’ll want to show the populace that the translocation was a success and that Blakcrest has been razed to the ground to get rid of the plague.”

“Abrigel will be the problem. Even for me, a Demon Lord is too much.”

“It won’t actually be him. It’s either an apparition or a simulacrum, both of which are troublesome but not undefeatable. You and the alchemist make a good team, but maybe you’ll need another strong ally.”

Terden nodded in agreement, but there was literally no one to help. The fall of Blakcrest would be favorable for the Northern Empire and the Despot Collective.

30th of the Golden Star,

Eldest King City

“Eve, you can’t really be serious!”

Jack was facing Evelyn and trying to persuade her to stop, but she had already made up her mind.

She had already been thinking of quitting Faceless Death, and now was as good of time as any.

Aerin was an eccentric individual, but his comical offer to help did change her mind about him. He couldn’t have guessed the presence of the Nether Grass and Manticore Heart coincidentally.

Something was off about him, and the fact Number 0 sent everyone after him convinced her to switch sides.

“I told you… I no longer want to do this job. I’ve grown tired of all of this and want to chase after what I want. There’s no happiness to be had in such a life.”

“...”

Neither Jack nor Rebecca had any good counter-arguments. They looked at each other, unable to stop their friend.

They didn’t resort violence and simply watched as she unbound the captive.

“Strong and sincere words, my fair lady! I dare say they resonated with me. Isn’t it great to be honest and listen to your heart?”

“Shut up and follow me.”

Evelyn looked one last time at her confused and helpless friends.

“Jack, Rebecca… I truly wish the best for both of you. Listen to me and leave.”

“W-wait… Eve!”

Jack wanted to stop her, but Rebecca held him back and solemnly shook her head.

“Maybe she’s right, you know.”

“Right about what? Do you think it’s easy to leave just like that? We’ll be hunted like dogs!”

“They already know we got the target. If they come and don’t find him, we’re screwed. I know a safe place to the North-West, near the Red Wyrm Dojo. We can stay there for a while.”

“...”

Jack anxiously paced around before resolutely nodding his head. He grabbed Rebecca’s wrist and hastily stormed out of the room.

“You remind me of a woman I met a long time ago.”

As he was being dragged from one alleyway to the other by Evelyn, Aerin kept talking without a care in the world.

“She had a special soul, you see… the kind of cursed soul condemned for misfortune. Reincarnation after reincarnation, her past memories would resurface and she would repeat the same mistakes. Even so, her resolve was truly… fascinating, for want of a better word.”

“Shut up and walk faster!”

“Although she ultimately never got the happy ending she so desperately sought, she did engrave her name in history. I could tell you more details, if you want. I’ve got a good memory.”

Evelyn didn’t give a response as she navigated through the complex streets of the city, planning to leave it as fast as she could.

“Do you know in what way you’re similar to that woman? Don’t worry, your soul is perfectly fine.”

“...”

“It’s that determination in your eyes. So vibrant and beautiful. It’s the look of someone who has found their purpose. Whether it’s for weal or for woe, that’s left to be seen, of course. Still, I think you got it in you, my fair lady.”

The poet stopped talking and, while rapidly following her, he grabbed his harp and softly pulled the strings. He had a rare, non-sarcastic smile on his face.

“As always, I will do my part. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get to witness another memorable story.”