Chapter 35: Vampire World. (1/2)
A dark city with architecture that reminded me of medieval times. A place where the sun never rises; a place where every corner is an unknown danger; a city that was built thinking about the nature of vampires. That was the impression I had when I first looked at this city.
”Welcome to Nightingale, The City of Moonlight, Stranger~,” I heard the girl's voice.
I look at her and ask, ”Who are you? And where am I...?”
”Me? My name is Lacus,” She replied, but suddenly another voice added:
[Lord Victor, you are in the world of vampires, be careful when acting.]
”Kaguya?” I called confused, I look around, and I don't see her, but when I looked at my shadow, I saw Kaguya's shadow; she seemed to have a slight smile on her face.
”Kaguya...?” The girl looked confused.
”Nevermind,” I said, trying to change the subject.
I look down and see that I was in a nightgown, ”Where are my clothes?” The girl didn't say anything, she just pointed to a spot.
I look at the place and see a small dresser with black clothes on top; I walk over to the clothes and pick them up, ”Black suit, black shirt, and black gloves...” I look at the woman:
”Why is everything black?”
”Mother ordered it” She spoke in a neutral tone.
”Scathach…” I said with a smile on my face.
The girl's red eyes suddenly glowed blood red, ”It's Countess Scathach for you ... Have respect, stranger.”
”Heh,” I smiled with a distorted face and said, ”Where's Scathach?”
Suddenly the woman's killing intent exploded, she opened her mouth, and I could see that her teeth were sharper.
I just looked at her with a smile on my face as I thought; her killing intent is much weaker than Scathach...
[Sigh, Did Lord Victor acquire suicidal tendencies when his evolution ended? Why are you teasing her?]
”I just didn't like the way she talked to me; that's it,” I spoke out loud while ignoring the girl and putting on my clothes.
After experiencing the pressure of my mother-in-law, I got numb; I think this girl is strong, but my instincts don't scream danger like when I faced my mother-in-law.
Finishing dressing, I looked at the girl who was still staring at me, ”Won't you guide me?” Finally, the girl's pressure disappeared, and she looked at me with a bit of shock on her face.
”What?” I asked
”Why aren't you being affected?”
”Oh?” I smiled a sharp toothy grin at the girl:
”After feeling the pressure of my mother-in-law, I got numb, and it doesn't seem to affect me anymore.”
”M-Mother in law?” She stuttered in shock.
”Yes, I'm Ruby's husband, didn't you know?”
”N-No! Mother just threw you in here and told me to keep an eye on you!” She practically yelled red-faced.
Why was she embarrassed?
”That's something she would do, now... Will you guide me?” I asked.
”Yes! Hahahaha, if I knew you were my sister's husband, I wouldn't treat you like that! Come on; I'll take you to my mother!”
The girl's attitude suddenly changed when she found out I was Ruby's husband… And why did she believe me so easily? Isn't she very innocent?
...
Walking through the house, building... Mansion... I don't know anymore; this place is too big...
I look around; I think this is a mansion...
And, despite being a massive mansion, it was very empty.
”How many vampires live in this place?”
”Me, Pepper, Siena, Ruby, and our mom... There's Ruby's personal maid who is Luna, but she's doing something for my mom now.”
”I see,” I actually didn't understand why this place was so empty, but she didn't seem like she was going to explain anymore.
Soon I hear Kaguya's voice:
[Unlike other Count houses; Countess Scathach doesn't have many subordinates. After all, just her alone is enough to sustain the title of vampire Count...]
”Strange, why aren't any Count houses attacking her?” I asked out loud as I ignored Lacus' confused face.
[They are afraid of retaliation. Countess Scathach is just too strong, and the Count houses are prohibited from fighting each other on the orders of the king.]
”But that doesn't apply to noble houses, huh?” I spoke when I remembered that my wife Sasha's family lost the Count title through a 'game'.”
[Yes. Any noble house can request a 'game' with a Count house, but they must be prepared for retaliation if they lose.]
”Oh? Explain,” I was interested.
”Are you crazy, brother-in-law? Why are you talking to yourself?” Lacus asked.
”I like to talk to myself,” I reply, smiling.
”Oh...” She turned her face and kept walking, but I could hear, ”Is Ruby right in her head to choose this madman as a husband?”
My smile almost broke when I heard her calling me crazy...
I hear Kaguya's voice again:
[The rules are simple, houses with the title of Counts cannot fight each other, nor can they request a 'match' for the noble house, after all, this would be considered an abuse of power. Because typically vampire Counts are vampires who have lived over 1000 years and have already accumulated a lot of influence and strength.]
[If the noble house loses the game with the Count's house, they have to be prepared for retaliation. Vampire Counts are prohibited from attacking the lowest nobles, but there is a rule where this does not apply when the noble house attacks the vampire Count's house]
Hmm, as I understand it, it's a system that benefits the noble houses, the families that have the title of 'Count' cannot fight each other, and they can't ask for a 'game' to fight the noble houses that have no title either.
But the houses of nobles that have no title can ask for a 'game' with the houses of Counts at any time.
Hmm… ”What are the consequences of losing this 'game'?”
[If the 'game' is betting a nobleman's title, and both parties agree... The consequences of losing this game are everything...]