The Blood Feast and a Father’s Warning

The Blood Manor today was particularly heavy with killing intent.

Even from Emes Town, several miles away, one could distinctly see a malevolent purple aura continuously coiling around the manor nestled within the forest.

Staring directly at the manor from a distance might only induce a chill down one’s spine. Yet, drawing even slightly closer would reveal an intense, suffocating pressure, tightly constricting the body as if a throat were being squeezed.

Under this oppressive aura, ordinary adventurers dared not step beyond Emes Town. Even the most seasoned veterans only cautiously explored the anomalies within the manor’s periphery.

However, if one were to enter the manor today and only encounter this soul-crushing malevolence, they would genuinely be considered fortunate.

For today, at the Blood Manor, the vampire count per square meter was exceptionally high.

****

Evening, deep within the Blood Manor.

Unprecedentedly, the massive, perpetually sealed gate, which separated the inner sanctum of the Blood Manor from its outer reaches, now stood wide open, presenting an inviting facade.

This grand gesture was made because today, the Blood Manor was to host the grandest feast among vampires—

The Blood Feast.

“Welcome…”

“Welcome, please allow me to serve you…”

Amidst the maids’ welcoming calls, like a teeming school of fish, vampires who were usually elusive now appeared en masse within the Blood Manor to partake in the grand event.

Most of them were renowned vampire nobles, immensely powerful, with [Epic] and [Legendary]-tier experts numbering like grains of sand.

Should any unfortunate adventurer stumble into such an infernal abyss, it would be a miracle of unknown proportions to escape with their life.

As the manor’s mistress, Iqiyah stood directly before the grand entrance, adorned in a magnificent, jet-black evening gown. She skillfully employed various protocols, extending a welcoming hand to vampires arriving from diverse corners of the world, each with their own customs.

‘Hmph~’

Observing Iqiyah’s practiced politeness beside her, Seraphina, clad in a black evening gown, felt a touch of surprise.

‘She truly lives up to being the Scarlett family’s eldest daughter, doesn’t she? Despite staying home for countless years—millennia, even—she’s surprisingly proficient in all sorts of etiquette. She looks utterly flawless~’

However, to Seraphina’s astonishment, Iqiyah’s composed demeanor crumbled not long after.

A distinctly loud series of footsteps echoed—

“Welcome, Miss Redester.”

“Oh, dearest Iqiyah, it’s truly been too long.”

Disregarding the maids lining the path, a tall, well-endowed vampire with white hair sashayed through the manor gates with an exaggerated, alluring gait.

“Why do I feel… you’ve grown a little shorter than before?”

Reaching Iqiyah, this Miss Redester vampire offered a flippant smile.

“You’re only a touch taller than me, Shest. We’re six of one, half a dozen of the other.”

Looking up at her slightly taller kin, Iqiyah’s composed demeanor vanished without a trace.

At this moment, she appeared listless, as if utterly unwilling to entertain this arrogant lady, her face a mask of indifference.

“Honestly, dearest Iqiyah, still so cold, aren’t you?”

As she spoke, Shest thrust her chest forward, instantly presenting a pair of “cannons” noticeably more generous than Iqiyah’s, directly confronting Iqiyah’s own chest in stark contrast.

Only then did Seraphina truly scrutinize the newcomer’s appearance.

She had short, snow-white hair, graceful almond-shaped eyes, delicate red lips, and a small, pert nose. Clad in a form-fitting, snow-white garment resembling a qipao, it subtly accentuated her voluptuous figure.

Though roughly Iqiyah’s height, she exuded a distinct aura of maturity, a stark contrast to Iqiyah’s youthful demeanor.

‘Not only that… she even has a tear mole at the corner of her eye! A tear mole! She definitely looks like the type who’d ‘oh-ho-ho’ at people…’

“…If you merely wished to flaunt your figure, there was no need to travel all this way.”

Confronted by a physique superior by hundreds, if not thousands, of times, Iqiyah’s face visibly trembled. Though her expression appeared calm and serene, her inner world was likely raging with turbulent waves and crashing thunder.

“Hmph, dearest Iqiyah, how cold your words are.”

Likely sensing Iqiyah’s indignation, Shest smiled maliciously, her gaze sweeping over Iqiyah from head to toe.

“Heh heh, after hundreds, even thousands of years, your complexion has certainly deteriorated.”

“Whether it’s your strength, magic, or stamina… they’re all considerably lower than a century ago, dearest Iqiyah…”

“You even have dark circles under your eyes. Have you been staying up late recently? Could it be… there’s something so important that our Lady Iqiyah needs to personally exert herself over? Hehehe…”

“If you don’t wish to be thrown out right now, then shut up, Shest.”

Faced with Shest’s blatant mockery, Iqiyah didn’t back down, but her opponent’s insight into her was far beyond what she’d imagined.

“What… Iqiyah, with your current strength, do you truly intend to challenge me?”

Shest scoffed disdainfully.

“Whether it’s your injury and coma, or your blood essence imbalance… this information has already spread like wildfire among the vampires~”

‘?’ Upon hearing this, Iqiyah’s brows instantly furrowed. “How do you know?”

“That’s impossible to tell you, Iqiyah.”

After a prolonged standoff, Shest finally started to move.

“As the wielder of the [Fragment], you should be aware…”

“Every single moment, ten thousand eyes eagerly watch you, seeking any trace of weakness…”

“Their goal is to replace you.”

Walking beside Iqiyah, Shest deliberately paused.

“Hundreds of years have passed again, Iqiyah…”

“This time, can you still protect your [Fragment]?”

“…”

In silence, Shest, with the same graceful and dignified steps, slowly moved away from Iqiyah.

“Iqiyah… are you alright?”

Watching Iqiyah, head bowed and silent, Seraphina felt she should step forward to comfort her.

Although Seraphina was utterly bewildered by the previous conversation, she could sense the palpable tension between the two women.

“…I’m fine.”

Iqiyah didn’t even register Seraphina’s address.

“That woman was truly outrageous,” Iqiyah fumed, glaring at Shest’s retreating back. “To dare mock me like that, she truly has no sense of propriety!”

“Iqiyah, a woman like that is no ordinary opponent; you must hit her with a heavy fist!”

Contrary to Seraphina’s expectations, Iqiyah showed no reaction to her passionate words of encouragement.

“Seraphina.”

“To me, that’s not important.”

She turned to Seraphina, a desolate smile gracing her lips.

“Do you know what the most important thing to me is?”

“Let me guess… the honor of the Scarlett family?”

‘After all, Iqiyah used to talk about it constantly.’

“No, that’s mere fleeting fame, something my father should concern himself with.”

“As for me… to me, the most important thing is…”

She didn’t finish.

From beyond the massive gate, a fierce, violent gust of wind suddenly roared, pouring into the manor like a flood and forcing the maids to bend over, clutching their unruly skirts.

Ohm—

As a prolonged, deep, and raw horn blast echoed, everyone inside the manor turned to look outside the gate.

From within the shadows, an exceptionally tall figure suddenly emerged.

“It’s the Prince, everyone quickly prepare to welcome him!”

Levian quickly led the maids to stand on either side, preparing to receive the distant Prince with unprecedented solemnity and meticulous standards.

‘The Prince…?’

The Prince, a leader among vampires, a primary participant and organizer of the Royal Court Council, held a supreme position within the vampire hierarchy.

Yet, to Seraphina’s surprise, despite the newcomer being a Prince, she felt a strange sense of familiarity emanating from that towering figure.

“Iqiyah, do you know him?”

“…Of course I do.”

Seraphina turned to Iqiyah, finding her eyes downcast, brows deeply furrowed, and nose scrunched. Her expression was even graver and more strained than when she faced Shest.

“Seraphina.”

“Hm?”

“Promise me something.”

Seraphina felt the warmth of Iqiyah’s hand in hers.

Grasping Seraphina’s hand, Iqiyah squeezed with such force that her nails almost dug into Seraphina’s flesh.

“Whatever you do, absolutely do not get involved with him.”

“? Why?”

“He will kill you.”

“???”

“Because…”

Under Seraphina’s bewildered gaze, Iqiyah stared intently at the tall, dark figure before them, rambling on with baseless words.

“To others, he is indeed the Prince…”

“But to me, he is merely Father.”