323. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Three
Poison. Roman Crimsonfang had been poisoned. The boy was a noble. An important member of one of the Four Greater Vampire Families. The Crimsonfangs had a strong influence over many parts of the Eastern Kingdoms— a wide reach covering multiple city states and even larger nations.
But now, he was poisoned. During the meeting held by the Norwoods, no less.
“My boy! What did you do to my boy?”
Bonny— Roman’s mother— screamed as she cradled him in her arms. He wasn’t responding. His face was sickly green. The whites in his eyes writhed as his body jolted. Blood sputtered out of his lungs, gargling in his throat.
“We need a healer! Someone get—”
Saffron stood, frozen for a moment as her mind whirred. She considered the facts. The information. She remembered the two servants. She thought of the way Mardyth had been acting— the accusations he’d thrown at the Crimsonfangs a day before the meeting even began.
Her eyes narrowed as Garlen— Roman’s father— shouted.
“You bastards poisoned my son!”
He drew a wand from his belt, aiming it dangerously at Gannon Norwood. His bodyguards readied their weapons as the tension bubbled like the froth from Roman’s mouth. At any moment, the boy could die. At any moment, fighting would break out.
Gannon himself was still trying to cool the situation. He was a senator of Shedos— the Patriarch of the Norwood Family. If anything happened between him and the Crimsonfang Family, it would mean war.
War between the Vampire Families. More unnecessary bloodshed whilst the Primeval Demon rampaged. While Regnorex was at the gates.
No. Saffron wouldn’t allow it. She moved swiftly— deftly. Her gloved hands reached into her purse. An ornate Bag of Holding designed to be fashionable. And she produced a vial.
She approached Roman as he lay in his mother’s arms. Bonny wept, focused only on her son. Garlen tried to stop Saffron.
“What are you doing? Get away—”
“Do you wish to save your son?”
Saffron spoke simply. The man blinked.
“I-I…”
“We don’t have much time. This poison is fast-acting. We have to stall it until an antidote is provided.”
Behind her, the world seemed to slow. The stand-off was forgotten. All that mattered was the boy’s life. Garlen pursed his lips, stepping to the side.
“Fine.”
Saffron knelt next to the boy. She held up the vial as his mother blinked.
“W-what is that? Will it help him…?”
“It’s Demon’s blood. It should help.”
Bonny’s eyes grew wide as Saffron tipped it over. Thank you, Salvos. Saffron breathed deeply She slowly poured the black liquid into the boy’s mouth. Drop by drop. It mixed with the crimson blood, flowing down his throat. Saffron didn’t stop until the vial was empty. And when it was, she produced another vial of the Demon’s blood.
“It won’t do much. But he’ll level. And it’ll raise his Vitality.”
That was what they needed right now. A way to buy time. This was all Saffron could provide. That, and—
“Matthew.”
She called her butler to her side. He was behind her in an instant. Undoing her hairpin, she turned to face him.
“Please, could I borrow a bit of your blood?”
“Yes, Lady Saffron.”
She felt bad for doing this. But it was what needed to be done. Even after giving Roman two vials of Demon blood, he was still convulsing. He looked better. At least, he wasn’t still gargling his own blood. And his body was more limp. Although that could be a bad sign.
Saffron identified him, and she saw that the Demon’s blood had brought him up nearly ten levels. As expected, especially considering the source of the blood. But all that would do was delay. Just like what Saffron was doing now.
“I’m sorry.”
She winced as she stabbed Matthew’s palm with the hairpin. Her butler didn’t even blink. His blood dripped slowly onto Roman’s tongue, and a red glow came from the boy’s eyes.
This wasn’t Demon’s blood. It wasn’t Vampire’s blood. It was mortal blood. Human blood. The blood of someone who was nearly five times Roman’s level. His [Bloodlust] would kick in. It would heighten all his senses and abilities. And perhaps it would help him through this.
Saffron took advantage of the Racial Skills of a Vampire. She hoped it would be enough. Roman still had a pulse, and finally, the healer arrived.
“Excuse me— sorry!”
She stepped back as the healer got to work. Bonny clutched the boy’s arm the entire time. Now, she just had to wait. Garlen lowered his wand, looking at his son in worry.
“We can only hope now.”
That was all she said. Garlen clicked his tongue.
“Who would do this? How dare… I’ll make them pay.”
He spun around to face Gannon.
“If you really didn’t do this, I demand you find the one responsible. Else there will be trouble.”
“I…”
Saffron faced Gannon. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family shuffled his feet, clearly uncertain. Sighing, Saffron spoke as she walked between the two.
“I may know who was responsible.”
Her eyes flickered. She faced Zin who was standing and watching. The other woman’s eyes widened, and Saffron shook her head.
“Where is Mardyth Norwood?”
—-
“Unhand me right this instant!”
Mardyth Norwood, Zin’s brother and Gannon’s uncle, was dragged back to the garden by a familiar man. Feirdun Merryster. Saffron’s eyes glinted red as she caught sight of her injured brother.
“I found him sneaking his way out of Norwood Keep. I heard shouts, and I knew something happened.”
Mardyth glared as he shrugged Feirdun off. He faced Gannon.
“What is going on?”
“Is it true, Mardyth? Were you the one responsible for poisoning the feast?”
Gannon approached him. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family crossed his arms. Mardyth blinked, sputtering in indignation.
“Preposterous! What proof do you have of this accusation?”
“Where exactly were you going, lord Mardyth? Because it almost seems like you were planning on fleeing.”
Saffron held the man’s gaze. He narrowed his eyes at her,
“The Merryster girl…”
“And considering that your own wife isn’t present, I suspect that you had already made preparations to evacuate her, haven’t you?”
He shot a glare at Gannon.
“Are you really going to trust this scheming woman over your own uncle? Where is Zin? I have to speak with her. I knew this would happen—”
“You were trying to instill doubt in your own sister’s mind. You tried to make her believe that the Crimsonfang Family would assassinate their own son to provoke a war. That is ridiculous. The only schemer here is you.”
Saffron spoke over him. She knew what he was doing. He was accusing others of the very same things he was doing. But she wasn’t going to let him out of this.
“And if you want to speak with your sister so much, why not talk to her then?”
Mardyth frowned. He craned his neck, looking behind him. Zin Norwood was returning from the keep. She held under her arm a tome, and her face was pale.
“What…?”
“We checked his room as you suggested, Saffron.”
Her lips were pursed. She held up the tome— blood was staining its outside.
“We found this. It was written by Kolton, the [Cult Leader] of the Netherworld’s Communion. It’s a manual on Demon summoning.”
There were gasps. A susurration washed over the crowd. Even Mons and the rest of the Merrysters were surprised. Gannon stared at his uncle.
“This means… that assassin who attacked Norwood Keep…”
“That is correct.”
Saffron nodded. She thought it had been odd. How did an Archdemon break through Norwood Keep’s defenses without alerting anyone? The answer was simple— it came from inside.
“You were the one responsible for summoning that [Arachne], weren’t you? It only makes sense. It didn’t target Zin. It didn’t target any of the Norwoods. It came for my life, and for Roman’s. You accused the Crimsonfangs for doing exactly what you were planning to do.”
“That is ridiculous! I… I don’t know how that got into my room. It was planted there by the Merryster girl. Zin—”
Mardyth turned to his sister. But Zin didn’t budge. She shifted her feet and sighed.
“We also found… a corpse.”
This caught Saffron off-guard.
“What? A corpse?”
Well, that made sense. There had to be sacrifices to summon an Archdemon. But Saffron expected hundreds of corpses. Servants. But no— it was a single corpse.
“The body of his wife, Emeline, was found hidden in a secret passageway. It seems like she was his sacrifice to summon the [Arachne].”
There was a pause. Zin’s words washed over all those gathered. The Norwoods. The Crimsonfangs. The Veridians. The Merrysters. The lesser Vampire Families. They took it in. And they all exploded in outrage.
The first to speak was Garlen Crimsonfang. His wife was still tending to Roman with the healer, but he and his bodyguards drew their weapons.
“Have you no honor? Betraying our creed? Summoning a Demon? Slaying your own wife? You are a monster who deserves to be put down this instant!”
Crocus Merryster stepped forward as well.
“As the head of the Merryster Family, I cannot let this injustice slide. Emeline had been a proud Merryster before we entrusted her in your care! And you murdered her for your own gain!”
Even Gannon was upset. He faced his uncle with callous eyes.
“You have committed a grave sin, uncle. And for what?”
But Mardyth wasn’t apologetic. He clenched his fist and spat back at Saffron.
“Why? Because you Merrysters think you can come into my keep and make orders to my people? Isn’t that ridiculous to anyone else?”
He spread his arms wide, facing the crowd.
“What about you? Lord Garlen Crimsonfang? And you, lady Anya Veridian? Do you think it is right that this little brat can give you orders? I can understand my nephew’s foolishness. After all, he is infatuated with her after she ended their engagement. But the rest of you?”
He shook his head.
“Utterly ridiculous. I cannot believe you’d let a Merryster girl do this to you. Have you no pride? Are you lesser families or are you of the Four Greater Vampire Families?”
Saffron furrowed her brows. She watched as his words swept over the crowd. Garlen hesitated. The Veridians exchanged a glance. The silence was oppressive. The young noble knew that they saw merit in what Mardyth said. It was a compelling argument for those gathered here.
And it also served as her tipping point.
“I have had enough of this nonsense!”
Her voice reverberated throughout the garden. She met the gaze of every individual Vampire gathered here, speaking loud and clear for all to hear.
“These games have gone on for too long. What does politics and power matter when we’re all dead on the ground? Must I remind you that there is a Primeval Demon out there, rampaging throughout the Human lands? One that felled the entire country of Nixa? No amount of petty power you hold here matters in the face of that monster. And it is coming after us.”
She paused. Saffron looked down at her bloodied hairpin and closed her eyes.
“No— it is not coming after us Merrysters. We no longer have what it wants. It is coming after you, Mardyth Norwood. It is coming after you, Garlen Crimsonfang. It is coming after you, Anya Veridian. It is coming for the Treasures of Alexander. It will not stop until it has the entire collection. Worst of all? It is only a prefiguration of what is to come.”
With a deep breath, she opened her glowing red eyes and spoke softly.
“Regnorex is at the gates, and if we continue to squabble amongst ourselves, he shall come.”
Those words— it had become a common saying at this point among Vampire circles. The meaning was lost, yet it was quite clear what it meant. If the Demon King truly returned to the Mortal Realm, there wasn’t any hope left.
There was no [Hero]. No unified Human empire. Saffron feared it, and she believed that everyone present should too. But her words weren’t compelling enough.
“T-that’s more of her lies—”
Mardyth started. And she put an end to it.
“I have not spoken a single lie. There will no longer be any Greater Vampire Families if we refuse to cooperate today. But if you still won’t listen— if you still insist on this self-destructive insistence to cling onto your political power— then I shall take that away from you.”
He raised a brow. He wasn’t the only one puzzled by her words. Saffron placed a hand on her chest.
“I shall tell the truth to the world. The common man shall know of our influence. Of the treasures we are hiding. Perhaps it may lead to an end of our reign. Perhaps we will fall as the Slydrift Family did. But if that is what it takes to ensure the protection of the Treasures of Alexander, then I will do what I must.”
That finally drew their attention. Mardyth sputtered, wide-eyed.
“Are you insane, girl? We don’t even know if Regnorex is making a return! This is just some rampaging Demon! You are threatening to put an end to our ten thousand year long dynasty for this?”
“Yes.”
Saffron thought she’d be alone. Even Zin was caught by surprise by that. The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians started to protest, but Gannon placed a hand on her back.
“I support her.”
“You too, Lord Gannon?”
Garlen narrowed his eyes.
“You wish to throw away your entire family’s wealth and treasures for this?”
“This is a matter that affects the entire world, lord Garlen. I stand by her, and I’m sure the Merrysters do too.”
Her family— Mons, Crocus, and Feirdun— joined her side. They spoke as one.
“We do.”
Saffron stood tall with the rest of the Merrysters. Zin and a few of the Norwoods followed suit, standing beside her with Gannon. Saffron continued.
“We are Vampires. Demon Slayers. Are we going to just stand idly by as Regnorex threatens to make a return?”
The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians hesitated. But Anya Veridian pushed her family forward by joining the circle.
“We shall not.”
And all that was left was Garlen Crimsonfang. He opened his mouth.
“I-I…”
Saffron looked at him expectantly. The rest of the Vampires waited for his reply. He opened his mouth— and Mardyth snapped.
“I’ve had enough of this! I should’ve just dealt with her this way from the start!”
Mardyth pulled out a scroll.
“Grand—”
And Saffron flicked her wrist. Her hairpin went flying, tearing the scroll in half. It cut him along his cheeks and forced him to stumble back. Her eyes shone crimson as she watched him fall.
“H-how did you—”
“[Bloodlust].”
She licked her lips. Matthew’s blood gave her a small boost in her physical prowess and her instincts. Not as much as Salvos would, but it was enough to keep her on guard. She took a sip from her her hairpin, knowing that fighting might’ve come from this.
“To think you cannot even remember our Racial Skill… it seems you’ve truly forgotten what makes us Vampires, Mardyth Norwood.”
The old man just stared at her. At her glowing eyes. Feirdun seized him immediately after, alongside Gannon’s own guards.
“Take him to the dungeon!”
Gannon ordered. As Mardyth was forced to his feet, Saffron turned her gaze to Garlen Crimsonfang. She cocked her head, peering at him. Her show over. All that mattered was an answer.
“Now, Garlen Crimsonfang, will you work with us?”
And the man… nodded.
“The Crimsonfangs remember our oath. We shall work with the rest of the Greater Vampire Families to defeat the Primeval Demon.”
Saffron smiled. Finally, it was done. No more politics. No more petty arguments. They could finally focus on what they had to do.
“Good.”
She spoke simply.
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323. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Three
Poison. Roman Crimsonfang had been poisoned. The boy was a noble. An important member of one of the Four Greater Vampire Families. The Crimsonfangs had a strong influence over many parts of the Eastern Kingdoms— a wide reach covering multiple city states and even larger nations.
But now, he was poisoned. During the meeting held by the Norwoods, no less.
“My boy! What did you do to my boy?”
Bonny— Roman’s mother— screamed as she cradled him in her arms. He wasn’t responding. His face was sickly green. The whites in his eyes writhed as his body jolted. Blood sputtered out of his lungs, gargling in his throat.
“We need a healer! Someone get—”
Saffron stood, frozen for a moment as her mind whirred. She considered the facts. The information. She remembered the two servants. She thought of the way Mardyth had been acting— the accusations he’d thrown at the Crimsonfangs a day before the meeting even began.
Her eyes narrowed as Garlen— Roman’s father— shouted.
“You bastards poisoned my son!”
He drew a wand from his belt, aiming it dangerously at Gannon Norwood. His bodyguards readied their weapons as the tension bubbled like the froth from Roman’s mouth. At any moment, the boy could die. At any moment, fighting would break out.
Gannon himself was still trying to cool the situation. He was a senator of Shedos— the Patriarch of the Norwood Family. If anything happened between him and the Crimsonfang Family, it would mean war.
War between the Vampire Families. More unnecessary bloodshed whilst the Primeval Demon rampaged. While Regnorex was at the gates.
No. Saffron wouldn’t allow it. She moved swiftly— deftly. Her gloved hands reached into her purse. An ornate Bag of Holding designed to be fashionable. And she produced a vial.
She approached Roman as he lay in his mother’s arms. Bonny wept, focused only on her son. Garlen tried to stop Saffron.
“What are you doing? Get away—”
“Do you wish to save your son?”
Saffron spoke simply. The man blinked.
“I-I…”
“We don’t have much time. This poison is fast-acting. We have to stall it until an antidote is provided.”
Behind her, the world seemed to slow. The stand-off was forgotten. All that mattered was the boy’s life. Garlen pursed his lips, stepping to the side.
“Fine.”
Saffron knelt next to the boy. She held up the vial as his mother blinked.
“W-what is that? Will it help him…?”
“It’s Demon’s blood. It should help.”
Bonny’s eyes grew wide as Saffron tipped it over. Thank you, Salvos. Saffron breathed deeply She slowly poured the black liquid into the boy’s mouth. Drop by drop. It mixed with the crimson blood, flowing down his throat. Saffron didn’t stop until the vial was empty. And when it was, she produced another vial of the Demon’s blood.
“It won’t do much. But he’ll level. And it’ll raise his Vitality.”
That was what they needed right now. A way to buy time. This was all Saffron could provide. That, and—
“Matthew.”
She called her butler to her side. He was behind her in an instant. Undoing her hairpin, she turned to face him.
“Please, could I borrow a bit of your blood?”
“Yes, Lady Saffron.”
She felt bad for doing this. But it was what needed to be done. Even after giving Roman two vials of Demon blood, he was still convulsing. He looked better. At least, he wasn’t still gargling his own blood. And his body was more limp. Although that could be a bad sign.
Saffron identified him, and she saw that the Demon’s blood had brought him up nearly ten levels. As expected, especially considering the source of the blood. But all that would do was delay. Just like what Saffron was doing now.
“I’m sorry.”
She winced as she stabbed Matthew’s palm with the hairpin. Her butler didn’t even blink. His blood dripped slowly onto Roman’s tongue, and a red glow came from the boy’s eyes.
This wasn’t Demon’s blood. It wasn’t Vampire’s blood. It was mortal blood. Human blood. The blood of someone who was nearly five times Roman’s level. His [Bloodlust] would kick in. It would heighten all his senses and abilities. And perhaps it would help him through this.
Saffron took advantage of the Racial Skills of a Vampire. She hoped it would be enough. Roman still had a pulse, and finally, the healer arrived.
“Excuse me— sorry!”
She stepped back as the healer got to work. Bonny clutched the boy’s arm the entire time. Now, she just had to wait. Garlen lowered his wand, looking at his son in worry.
“We can only hope now.”
That was all she said. Garlen clicked his tongue.
“Who would do this? How dare… I’ll make them pay.”
He spun around to face Gannon.
“If you really didn’t do this, I demand you find the one responsible. Else there will be trouble.”
“I…”
Saffron faced Gannon. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family shuffled his feet, clearly uncertain. Sighing, Saffron spoke as she walked between the two.
“I may know who was responsible.”
Her eyes flickered. She faced Zin who was standing and watching. The other woman’s eyes widened, and Saffron shook her head.
“Where is Mardyth Norwood?”
—-
“Unhand me right this instant!”
Mardyth Norwood, Zin’s brother and Gannon’s uncle, was dragged back to the garden by a familiar man. Feirdun Merryster. Saffron’s eyes glinted red as she caught sight of her injured brother.
“I found him sneaking his way out of Norwood Keep. I heard shouts, and I knew something happened.”
Mardyth glared as he shrugged Feirdun off. He faced Gannon.
“What is going on?”
“Is it true, Mardyth? Were you the one responsible for poisoning the feast?”
Gannon approached him. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family crossed his arms. Mardyth blinked, sputtering in indignation.
“Preposterous! What proof do you have of this accusation?”
“Where exactly were you going, lord Mardyth? Because it almost seems like you were planning on fleeing.”
Saffron held the man’s gaze. He narrowed his eyes at her,
“The Merryster girl…”
“And considering that your own wife isn’t present, I suspect that you had already made preparations to evacuate her, haven’t you?”
He shot a glare at Gannon.
“Are you really going to trust this scheming woman over your own uncle? Where is Zin? I have to speak with her. I knew this would happen—”
“You were trying to instill doubt in your own sister’s mind. You tried to make her believe that the Crimsonfang Family would assassinate their own son to provoke a war. That is ridiculous. The only schemer here is you.”
Saffron spoke over him. She knew what he was doing. He was accusing others of the very same things he was doing. But she wasn’t going to let him out of this.
“And if you want to speak with your sister so much, why not talk to her then?”
Mardyth frowned. He craned his neck, looking behind him. Zin Norwood was returning from the keep. She held under her arm a tome, and her face was pale.
“What…?”
“We checked his room as you suggested, Saffron.”
Her lips were pursed. She held up the tome— blood was staining its outside.
“We found this. It was written by Kolton, the [Cult Leader] of the Netherworld’s Communion. It’s a manual on Demon summoning.”
There were gasps. A susurration washed over the crowd. Even Mons and the rest of the Merrysters were surprised. Gannon stared at his uncle.
“This means… that assassin who attacked Norwood Keep…”
“That is correct.”
Saffron nodded. She thought it had been odd. How did an Archdemon break through Norwood Keep’s defenses without alerting anyone? The answer was simple— it came from inside.
“You were the one responsible for summoning that [Arachne], weren’t you? It only makes sense. It didn’t target Zin. It didn’t target any of the Norwoods. It came for my life, and for Roman’s. You accused the Crimsonfangs for doing exactly what you were planning to do.”
“That is ridiculous! I… I don’t know how that got into my room. It was planted there by the Merryster girl. Zin—”
Mardyth turned to his sister. But Zin didn’t budge. She shifted her feet and sighed.
“We also found… a corpse.”
This caught Saffron off-guard.
“What? A corpse?”
Well, that made sense. There had to be sacrifices to summon an Archdemon. But Saffron expected hundreds of corpses. Servants. But no— it was a single corpse.
“The body of his wife, Emeline, was found hidden in a secret passageway. It seems like she was his sacrifice to summon the [Arachne].”
There was a pause. Zin’s words washed over all those gathered. The Norwoods. The Crimsonfangs. The Veridians. The Merrysters. The lesser Vampire Families. They took it in. And they all exploded in outrage.
The first to speak was Garlen Crimsonfang. His wife was still tending to Roman with the healer, but he and his bodyguards drew their weapons.
“Have you no honor? Betraying our creed? Summoning a Demon? Slaying your own wife? You are a monster who deserves to be put down this instant!”
Crocus Merryster stepped forward as well.
“As the head of the Merryster Family, I cannot let this injustice slide. Emeline had been a proud Merryster before we entrusted her in your care! And you murdered her for your own gain!”
Even Gannon was upset. He faced his uncle with callous eyes.
“You have committed a grave sin, uncle. And for what?”
But Mardyth wasn’t apologetic. He clenched his fist and spat back at Saffron.
“Why? Because you Merrysters think you can come into my keep and make orders to my people? Isn’t that ridiculous to anyone else?”
He spread his arms wide, facing the crowd.
“What about you? Lord Garlen Crimsonfang? And you, lady Anya Veridian? Do you think it is right that this little brat can give you orders? I can understand my nephew’s foolishness. After all, he is infatuated with her after she ended their engagement. But the rest of you?”
He shook his head.
“Utterly ridiculous. I cannot believe you’d let a Merryster girl do this to you. Have you no pride? Are you lesser families or are you of the Four Greater Vampire Families?”
Saffron furrowed her brows. She watched as his words swept over the crowd. Garlen hesitated. The Veridians exchanged a glance. The silence was oppressive. The young noble knew that they saw merit in what Mardyth said. It was a compelling argument for those gathered here.
And it also served as her tipping point.
“I have had enough of this nonsense!”
Her voice reverberated throughout the garden. She met the gaze of every individual Vampire gathered here, speaking loud and clear for all to hear.
“These games have gone on for too long. What does politics and power matter when we’re all dead on the ground? Must I remind you that there is a Primeval Demon out there, rampaging throughout the Human lands? One that felled the entire country of Nixa? No amount of petty power you hold here matters in the face of that monster. And it is coming after us.”
She paused. Saffron looked down at her bloodied hairpin and closed her eyes.
“No— it is not coming after us Merrysters. We no longer have what it wants. It is coming after you, Mardyth Norwood. It is coming after you, Garlen Crimsonfang. It is coming after you, Anya Veridian. It is coming for the Treasures of Alexander. It will not stop until it has the entire collection. Worst of all? It is only a prefiguration of what is to come.”
With a deep breath, she opened her glowing red eyes and spoke softly.
“Regnorex is at the gates, and if we continue to squabble amongst ourselves, he shall come.”
Those words— it had become a common saying at this point among Vampire circles. The meaning was lost, yet it was quite clear what it meant. If the Demon King truly returned to the Mortal Realm, there wasn’t any hope left.
There was no [Hero]. No unified Human empire. Saffron feared it, and she believed that everyone present should too. But her words weren’t compelling enough.
“T-that’s more of her lies—”
Mardyth started. And she put an end to it.
“I have not spoken a single lie. There will no longer be any Greater Vampire Families if we refuse to cooperate today. But if you still won’t listen— if you still insist on this self-destructive insistence to cling onto your political power— then I shall take that away from you.”
He raised a brow. He wasn’t the only one puzzled by her words. Saffron placed a hand on her chest.
“I shall tell the truth to the world. The common man shall know of our influence. Of the treasures we are hiding. Perhaps it may lead to an end of our reign. Perhaps we will fall as the Slydrift Family did. But if that is what it takes to ensure the protection of the Treasures of Alexander, then I will do what I must.”
That finally drew their attention. Mardyth sputtered, wide-eyed.
“Are you insane, girl? We don’t even know if Regnorex is making a return! This is just some rampaging Demon! You are threatening to put an end to our ten thousand year long dynasty for this?”
“Yes.”
Saffron thought she’d be alone. Even Zin was caught by surprise by that. The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians started to protest, but Gannon placed a hand on her back.
“I support her.”
“You too, Lord Gannon?”
Garlen narrowed his eyes.
“You wish to throw away your entire family’s wealth and treasures for this?”
“This is a matter that affects the entire world, lord Garlen. I stand by her, and I’m sure the Merrysters do too.”
Her family— Mons, Crocus, and Feirdun— joined her side. They spoke as one.
“We do.”
Saffron stood tall with the rest of the Merrysters. Zin and a few of the Norwoods followed suit, standing beside her with Gannon. Saffron continued.
“We are Vampires. Demon Slayers. Are we going to just stand idly by as Regnorex threatens to make a return?”
The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians hesitated. But Anya Veridian pushed her family forward by joining the circle.
“We shall not.”
And all that was left was Garlen Crimsonfang. He opened his mouth.
“I-I…”
Saffron looked at him expectantly. The rest of the Vampires waited for his reply. He opened his mouth— and Mardyth snapped.
“I’ve had enough of this! I should’ve just dealt with her this way from the start!”
Mardyth pulled out a scroll.
“Grand—”
And Saffron flicked her wrist. Her hairpin went flying, tearing the scroll in half. It cut him along his cheeks and forced him to stumble back. Her eyes shone crimson as she watched him fall.
“H-how did you—”
“[Bloodlust].”
She licked her lips. Matthew’s blood gave her a small boost in her physical prowess and her instincts. Not as much as Salvos would, but it was enough to keep her on guard. She took a sip from her her hairpin, knowing that fighting might’ve come from this.
“To think you cannot even remember our Racial Skill… it seems you’ve truly forgotten what makes us Vampires, Mardyth Norwood.”
The old man just stared at her. At her glowing eyes. Feirdun seized him immediately after, alongside Gannon’s own guards.
“Take him to the dungeon!”
Gannon ordered. As Mardyth was forced to his feet, Saffron turned her gaze to Garlen Crimsonfang. She cocked her head, peering at him. Her show over. All that mattered was an answer.
“Now, Garlen Crimsonfang, will you work with us?”
And the man… nodded.
“The Crimsonfangs remember our oath. We shall work with the rest of the Greater Vampire Families to defeat the Primeval Demon.”
Saffron smiled. Finally, it was done. No more politics. No more petty arguments. They could finally focus on what they had to do.
“Good.”
She spoke simply.
MelasD
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