227. The Ranch Called Peace
"Don't move!"
Sisilia lay on the floor with a utterly unimpressed look on her face. The commotion had drawn the marquis's knights, who were now pinning down her arms and the back of her neck to keep her from budging.
"Lujerna! Are you all right?!"
"Yeah. It's just a scratch from a pathetic vampire like this."
"To take a stab straight through the heart and still be fine... As expected of Lady Lujerna."
The territory was already under her control, huh.
Sisilia could easily guess from the familiar rapport between Lujerna and these knights.
Lujerna sat quietly in the chair in front of her, gazing down.
"You don't think for a second that I'll bring peace."
"……."
"But you're not resisting. Because they're human?"
Lujerna found Sisilia fascinating in many ways. She had the power to shake off those knights' hands anytime. But Sisilia didn't move.
Then, one knight urgently asked Sisilia.
"Maria. Where's Maria?"
"Maria?"
"The maid! The one assigned to attend you!"
"I killed her."
The knight's eyes widened. He looked utterly dejected.
"……Why did you kill her?"
"Because she was a demon."
The knight said darkly.
"Maria's little sister was sick. It was so serious she could've died any moment. When Lady Lujerna learned of it, she showed mercy and turned her. Worried about leaving her sister alone, Maria chose the same path."
"No idea. Windsor doesn't spare demons their sob stories before killing them."
The knight's emotions boiled over, and he shouted.
"You killed an innocent, kind maid! Do you feel no guilt at all?!"
Sisilia ignored him completely and looked at Lujerna.
"What do you think?"
Lujerna threw both hands up high. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing a bit ragged. This was her favorite kind of human praise.
"It's a beautiful thing."
Demons had hobbies. Demons and humans alike lived for their goals. And this seemed to be Lujerna's hobby: witnessing human praises firsthand.
In another world, moderate demons like her were the most annoying. Same here.
For the record, Sisilia preferred radical demons. They were idiots who only knew fighting—honestly kinda cute. But moderate demons had zero cuteness. They seduced humans and complicated episodes. Complicated episodes were right up her alley of hate.
"So turning all humans into vampires—that's your idea of peace?"
"Humans fight because they die fast. Short lifespans breed greed; they want what they want now. True peace means removing the root cause."
Lujerna genuinely liked humans. So to live in harmony, she decided to neuter them. Unneutered humans were just too aggressive.
"You think everyone wants to become a vampire?"
Lujerna blinked as if it was obvious.
"Vampires can survive on just a sip of blood."
"Stay forever in their most beautiful form. For centuries, millennia even."
"That's what humans want too. I just granted their wish. Is that wrong?"
Lujerna asked with sincere puzzlement. They wanted to be vampires, so she made them. She didn't force it on those who didn't.
"Logically, no contradiction. You, on the other hand, killed that poor maid and left her sister alone."
"I'll kill the sister too, so no worries."
"……Can't you see the human knights cringing behind you? At least to them, I'm not the villain here."
At a glance, Lujerna's words sounded reasonable. Eternal life without pain or aging—who wouldn't want that? Especially for those with rare diseases or disabilities; it'd be a desperate dream.
But Lujerna's logic had a fatal flaw.
"So if you turn all humans into vampires, then what?"
"No need to worry. I've already been through trial and error."
In the past, Lujerna had once peacefully "saved" a human city.
"Even in those harsher times, some humans resisted becoming vampires."
So Lujerna had no choice but to force them. She built a vampire city.
But for some reason, Lujerna wasn't happy at all. Why? Humans vanished, and so did the stories they made. Sad.
"I'll make a ranch or something. Human blood is warm and not too fishy—delicious."
Sisilia rolled her eyes.
The knights showed no big reaction, as if they already knew. Silent agreement. They figured the ranch humans wouldn't be them.
"Won't the ranch humans make great stories too? That's payment enough for me."
Lujerna smiled happily just imagining it. Sisilia's eyes grew icier, though.
"Sounds great."
"Right? So how about we choose no more bloodshed?"
Sisilia just smirked.
"You'll just suck more blood. You and the marquis."
"……."
Thud.
One by one, the knights holding Sisilia collapsed unconscious. Freed, she slowly stood.
"M-Move and you're dead!"
Swords pointed at Sisilia as she headed for the door. But.
"If you try to kill me, I'll have to kill you too. And I don't wanna die."
No one had the heart to swing.
Sisilia sat by the window and sipped her tea again.
"Do whatever. I'm staying out of it."
Now I get why Lolimpress sent me here.
Lydia must've thought that after seeing the peace treaty. Some humans need to taste shit to know it's not miso. Turning their minds before they do is near impossible. Forcing them just breeds resentment.
With war looming, avoiding civil war makes sense.
Once something like this happens, stopping it doesn't guarantee it won't recur. Gotta let 'em get the measles over with.
Still.
Sisilia looked a bit glum.
"Mosquitoes suck, though."
**
"The magic stone mines are the core of the empire's economy and magic industry. Managing them well is defending the empire. I'm defending it. Same as always."
Edward, Beatrice, and Serepina were surrounded by countless knights. The Marquis lit his cigar with a match and puffed deeply.
"I regret any unauthorized actions in the land of such a loyal servant."
Edward couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
"What the hell are you doing, Marquis?"
"My job. You have two choices: politely escorted out of the territory, or die here."
The Windsor Knights usually barely maintained 50 members. Not few for a knight order, but not many either, given they oversaw the entire Liannen Empire. And this wasn't even the front lines, so even less expected.
The true power of the Windsor Knights—and their high knights.
"Even a Sword Sovereign couldn't survive this many troops. Even if you could, smashing a key territory would tank the crown prince's reputation."
The Marquis wasn't underestimating Edward. He just believed. In the power Edward craved.
People betray, but power doesn't—that's the world. That conviction, plus resentment from Edward's past slights, led the Marquis to this once-in-a-lifetime gamble.
"Who knows. A noble allying with demons vs. a knight who razes his territory. Even a rotten central nobility'd pick obvious."
"Crown Prince. Know what I've learned managing this territory for 40 years?"
The Marquis exhaled deeply.
"The center fattens on northern blood. Politics? Don't gut the goose that lays golden eggs."
In short: massive bribes prepped. Astronomical sums from magic stone management. No new lord means no more gold, so central nobles wouldn't betray.
Edward felt nauseous. Hated loudmouths like this. Useless yet hogging spots, blocking real talent.
"Makes me sick. But let me tell you—the demon definitely—"
"Lujerna sees me as a useful, fun pawn."
"You know and still let her use you?"
"Same for me. Necessary evil? Once more: I chose to protect the territory. No demon threat means 20% more output immediately."
The Marquis tossed his cigar.
"Talked too much. Choice time."
Not good momentum.
The problem: Marquis's play worked. Not just anyone manages magic mines. His house had centuries of know-how. Irreplaceable noble.
And sadly, he knew his worth. Trusted it enough to bet his life.
……Killing him and the knights here would trash his rep. Not what Edward wanted.
"……Called yourself the goose? Show value, and feedings aren't off the table."
The Marquis eyed Edward surprised, then smiled faintly. He bowed without hesitation.
"Crown Prince, Marquis Barten Carmot pledges to serve you. Wherever that may be."
Absolute loyalty oath.
"I accept. But departure's on my timeline. No warm welcomes till then."
Edward replied.
And that night.
Edward moved stealthily.
"Political fallout means we move quiet. From now, find a silent way to take down Legion Commander Lujerna."
Edward snuck over the mansion wall. Beatrice and Serepina followed.
Beatrice especially wore a -_- expression.
"……Captain."
"Voice down. You don't even know infiltration basics."
"Never done it."
Edward narrowed his eyes back.
"Problem?"
Nod nod.
"Honestly, sneaking into a mansion as knight captain feels lame."
"……."
"Worried about Sisilia now. Gonna check on her."
Beatrice saluted dismissively and headed Sisilia's way.
Edward twitched his brow. Seeing Serepina creep after her, he said.
"You're not even adjutant. Why go?"
"Uh, um… Sneaking into mansions is bad, right…?"
"……."
"D-don't worry. I'll pray hard."
Left alone, Edward flushed with shame. He ground his teeth, muttering.
"…Damn women."
Yet he didn't abandon the infiltration.