"Are you Louise?"


    "Y-yes?"


    "Who are you?"


    Cecilia eximed in surprise as she didn''t even notice another high-ranking spirit, like her, entering the room without her knowledge. She didn''t sense or notice thedy-like spirit.


    But one thing she did know was that whoever this spirit was, she was on par with her if not stronger. Luckily, she could also feel that the green-haired spirit''s nature was more akin to nature itself reminiscent of the forest, so fighting her wasn''t a problem.


    As a fire spirit, she would have the advantage. The only reason she didn''t burn her right away for suddenly approaching Louise was that she could feel no animositying from her.


    "Hmm… are you two the spirits my master kept telling me to be wary about?" asked Meralda curiously as she scanned the gigantic stone gori and the gigantic ming serpent.


    Meraldanded on the floor and lifted the ends of her dress upwards with both hands while gesturing a graceful bow. "Nice to meet you, oh great spirits. Nice to meet you as well, Lady Louise. My name is Meralda, the great spirit of the forest. My master, Adrian, has sent me here to aid you for the time being that he''s away."


    "But it seems you didn''t really need me to begin with…." Said Meralda as she looked at the abandunce of people in the room right now.


    And looking at the way Louise looked Adrian''s worry for neglecting her for a week wasn''t really necessary in the first ce.


    ''It seems she can take care of herself and she even has a lot people looking after her, master''s worries weren''t really necessary huh, well I guess it''s a good thing to make sure, as I was one of the reasons as to why she got neglected in the first ce''


    "Nice to meet you as well… But wait, Master Adrian? Are you Adrian''s spirit? Why did he send you? And what do you mean away? Is he noting back yet?" said Louise as she stood up, finding it absurd and worrying about what happened to Adrian and what''s taking him so long.


    He didn''t even tell her or anyone, for that matter, where he had gone after the incident. Louise was also slightly furious as to why Adrian never told her he was contracted with a high-ranking spirit.


    ''Just where is that big dummy? And how many more secrets does he have? First, I found out he has some weird portal-like ability, as well as the fact that he can use aurasparable to high-ranking knights. Now Iter find out that he''s in a rtionship with the saintess''


    ''Although Aria never confirmed it, her subtle actions and the way she never confirms nor denies fondness over Adrian made it obvious that she had a thing or two for Adrian''


    ''Not to mention Lady Lilliana in front of me right now. Adrian was hiding too many things, and above all, most of it was questionable, especially his rtionship with Aria and Lilliana''


    Although Lilliana, Aria, and everyone else in the room were slightly creeped out when Louise spoke in mid-air upon mentioning Adrian''s name, everybody''s attention was captivated.


    Recognizing that the situation was bing moreplex, Meralda materialized herself, unveiling her ethereal beauty to every ordinary person in the room. Lilliana, Aria, Analise, and Salik were all taken aback, surprised by the sudden appearance of the stunning green-haireddy.


    With a graceful bow, Meralda introduced herself once again, her emerald eyes glinting mischievously. The reactions of those in the room varied, providing her with some amusement. Lilliana, in particr, regarded her with a hint of bloodlust, prompting Meralda to wonder what might have irked the elegantdy.


    ''What did I say that made her mad?''


    As for Aria, her response was peculiar. Meralda caught her grumbling, "I don''t care at this point," while shooting her an odd stare.


    Analise, on the other hand, greeted Meralda''s introduction with a warm smile, radiating a genuine friendliness.


    Salik, the ever-reliable butler, appeared momentarily taken aback by Meralda''s ethereal beauty, his usualposed demeanor showing a crack.


    "So where exactly is Adrian?" asked Louise in a serious voice.


    Everyone in the room waited for Meralda to answer.


    …..


    With heavy breaths, a girl as pale as freshly fallen snow and eyes as deep and crimson as the finest rubies, abruptly woke from her slumber. Her long, beautiful, and slightly curly blonde locks cascaded down her back as she swiftly raised her body in a fluid motion. Taking in her surroundings, all she could perceive was an imprable darkness that clung to the air.


    The red gleam in her eyes intensified for some inexplicable reason. Despite just rousing from her sleep, an unquenchable thirst gripped her very essence, a longing so profound that it surpassed the capacity of consuming an entire barrel of wine. It was a thirst that seemed to reach into the very core of her being, hinting at a profound and mysterious nature.


    "So, you''re awake…."


    Uttered a voice that slithered beside her. The girl instinctively covered her ears, as though the gentle tone carried the weight of thunderous resonance, causing difort to echo through her senses. Turning her gaze to the source, she found a woman with fiery crimson hair, possessing a simr ethereal paleness.


    The crimson-haired woman''s mouth seemed to salivate at the sight of the blood coursing through her neck. Strangely, though, the girl couldn''t muster the will to attack. Instead, an overpoweringpulsion to serve the person standing before her dominated her thoughts. The inexplicable force held her in thrall, bending her will to the mysterious figure.


    Suddenly, a searing headache gripped her skull, threatening to shatter it into a million pieces. As the pain intensified, a flood of images rushed into her consciousness – memories that had been dormant until now. Overwhelmed, she recoiled from the figure before her, instinctively crawling backward. However, her retreat was abruptly halted by an imperceptible barrier.


    "Where am I? Who are you?" she stammered, her confusion evident.


    "Me? Let''s just say I''m your mother for now," the enigmatic figure replied.


    "Aghh!" The girl screamed in response to the voice, its intensity piercing through her mind like a relentless siren.


    "Are your senses experiencing overload? It makes sense, considering you aren''t a natural-born vampire. Those newly upgraded senses must be overwhelming for you at the moment."


    Suddenly, the crimson-haireddy snapped her fingers, capturing Schwi Heiron''s attention. The red-haired woman''s eyes glowed a deep red, and she locked eyes with the bewildered girl.


    "Schwi Heiron, daughter of Duke Heiron, remember well, you are human," the mysteriousdy dered.


    "I... am... human" Schwi repeated slowly, her mind processing the revtion as she momentarily drifted into a daze before returning to her senses.


    As she looked around, everything seemed clearer, the noise, the itchiness, and even the overwhelming thirst were gone.


    "Feeling better now?" the crimson-haireddy inquired.


    "What did you do to me?" Schwi asked with a hint of suspicion.


    "Don''t worry. I simply applied a bit of hypnosis with my natural charm to make you think and believe you are human. Though your strength is still that of a vampire, so be cautious with things you grip; you could probably crush a stone with your bare hands right now."


    "Hypnosis, vampire... Don''t tell me?" Schwi''s voice trembled with disbelief.


    "What did you do to me!?" she screamed, attempting to rise, only to be forcefully brought back to her knees.


    Charlotte knelt down and patted the fallen Schwi with a somewhat sarcastic p. She looked at Schwi with an air of pity.


    "Yes... Congrattions, Schwi Heiron. You''re probably the first person in history to be a mid-ranking vampire after just waking up. Maybe you were born to be a vampire?" Charlotte remarked, her toneced with a hint of irony.


    "Now then rise up…... someone''s waiting for you"


    "W-wait"


    Schwi couldn''t even resist as the red-haireddy grabbed her hand dragging her out of the dark room against her will.


    In reluctantpliance, as they walked inside the smoke of darkness the scene changed and Schwi found herself being led through abyrinthine corridor. The air was heavy with an unsettling atmosphere, and Schwi''s senses, though numbed by the mysterious hypnosis, still tingled with an unexined tension.


    As they walked, Schwi stole furtive nces at her captor. The crimson-haireddy, Charlotte, exuded an air of regality mixed with an unsettling allure. Her movements were calcted, and every step seemed deliberate, echoing a predator''s grace.


    Questions swirled in Schwi''s mind, a tempest of confusion. ''Where am I? What is this ce? And why does this woman im to be my mother?''


    The revtion of her vampiric nature added anotheryer ofplexity to her already befuddled state.


    Finally, they reached a grand chamber, adorned with opulent decorations. In the center, a figure stood shrouded in shadows. Charlotte released Schwi''s hand, allowing her to approach the mysterious presence.


    As Schwi stepped into the dim light, the figure revealed itself – a man with dark hair and piercing grey eyes that seemed to pierce through the veil of her confusion. His gaze locked onto Schwi, and a sly smile yed on his lips.


    "Y-you???"


    "Wee, Schwi Heiron long time no, see?"