The Queen's Blood and a Child's Promise
When Werner collapsed, I lost my mind without realizing it and began to rampage. Even if it was only half, vampire blood flowed through my veins. And not just any blood—the blood of my mother, the queen of all vampires. The whites of my eyes turned black, fangs sprouted from my gums. My strength surged to a level incomparable to before, and blood wings burst from my back. That was the vampire rampage.
My fury naturally turned toward Camellia and that brat Airi, who called herself Werner's disciple. If they hadn't shown up, today could have been the second greatest day of my life. The first, of course, would have been the wedding that followed our engagement ceremony. But they had stormed in and ruined everything. And on top of that, Werner had collapsed. It was all because of that damn girl Airi.
Just before my sword could reach Airi's throat, she let out a short sigh and quietly began chanting a spell. It became a race—would my blade strike her neck first, or would her magic engulf me first? But Mother used her control over blood to seal Airi's mouth, and Father blocked my sword with one arm.
Airi raised both arms in surrender. I couldn't accept it. She was nothing but a pest that only brought harm to Werner's life, and yet here she was trying to brush everything off with that attitude. I couldn't tolerate it.
Mother seemed pleased by Airi's attitude and released her binding. But that only ended the matter between Mother and Airi. It didn't resolve things between her and me.
"Get over here! I'll kill you!"
Airi sighed and began looking at me with pity in her eyes.
I couldn't hold back my rage and charged at her. Normally, I would have been able to brush off that level of provocation. But the vampire blood that had begun to rampage would not tolerate it.
"You... with that gaping mouth of yours right now...!"
Even as I rushed her, Airi didn't take any defensive stance. She simply kept both hands raised. I didn't understand why, but I had no desire to understand her reasons. Without hesitation, I swung to cut her down—and in that instant, a heavy impact smashed into my forehead. The one who delivered the blow was the queen of vampires, Melissa. My mother.
"Mother, please step aside...? Even I... am having trouble controlling this power right now... I might not be able to hold back..."
Mother let out a sigh and began patting Father on the back.
Father, carrying Werner in his arms, along with Airi and Camellia, ignored me completely and began to leave.
"Stop right there!"
I ignored Mother's words and chased after them, intending to cut Airi's breath short. But Mother created a spear of blood and hurled it at me. I barely managed to dodge, nearly getting skewered in the process.
"Step aside, Mother. Before I really decide to fight you."
There was no choice. I would have to knock Mother unconscious with the flat of my blade. I adjusted my grip on the sword and charged at her, but a fierce slap struck my cheek. I slammed straight into the wall. Since I hadn't raised any guard at all, the taste of blood filled my mouth.
"Cough..."
I had no choice. At the very least, I thought, I would have to slash past her vital points and then cut off Airi's breath. As I raised my sword and lunged at Mother, she placed her hand on my forehead and spoke.
Then Mother simply pushed me with her finger, and my body was slammed into a massive stone statue. As my consciousness began to fade, Mother lifted me up and continued.
My throat was parched. I had already been confined to this room, bound, for several days now. All under the pretext of punishment for defying Mother. She would bring meals and water at set times, but it was nowhere near enough. I swallowed hard, desperately trying to endure the thirst.
Then suddenly, there was a knock, and the door opened. I felt a flicker of joy, thinking Mother had come with more water and food. But the one who entered was someone hundreds of times more welcome than that.
She was certainly smaller and more youthful than when I first met her, but there was no mistaking it—this was Werner's childhood form.
"Sir Werner...?"
Only then did Werner approach me with a worried expression.
"Lady Glacia, are you feeling alright...?"
To be honest, every muscle in my body was screaming. The price of rampaging with vampire blood was heavy. Once I went into that state, I would suffer from muscle pain so severe I couldn't even move for several days.
"I heard you went into a vampire blood rampage."
"When Sir Werner collapsed... I lost control of my reason without realizing..."
My voice cracked without warning. It seemed my throat had become hoarse from going so long without water. To show such an unsightly side in front of Werner made me want to die of embarrassment.
"Ahem... I'm sorry. My throat suddenly..."
I had tried to undo the restraints, but the blood magic bonds Mother had created herself weren't easy to break. Especially since Mother was the queen of vampires, their power was even more effective against those like me who carried vampire blood in their veins.
"Huh...?"
Werner closed his eyes for a moment, brought his hands together, and began to chant.
"O pure water, gather within my hands."
⟨ Create Water ⟩
Clean water suddenly shimmered in the young Werner's small hands. As always, his magic was fascinating to watch.
"You created even a spell like this...?"
The water held in those tiny, delicate hands was far less than what he used when embracing me, but it was more than enough to quench my thirst. The water was sweet and warm.
"Would you like some more?"
"No... this is enough."
After a moment, Werner hesitated briefly before speaking again.
"The capital...? Why would you need to go there of all places?"
From what I remembered, Werner clearly hated the capital. He was sick of the rotten nobles and authoritarianism that filled the place.
I couldn't understand. I had worked desperately so he would never have to be treated that way again. So that if Werner became my husband, no one would dare look down on him. Yet here he was, willingly walking back into that den of filth.
"What reason could possibly make you want to return to that place?"
"Then how important must this reason be... that you're willing to leave here?"
If there was a reason he had to return to that place he despised so much...
"Then I will go with you."
"Pardon...?"
If it was a place he had to go, I would follow him even if it were the fires of hell rather than a garbage dump.
"Most of my work can be handled from the capital using messenger birds or communication orbs."
After all, the entire reason I had fought to inherit my title was for Werner. Without him, that title would mean nothing.
Suddenly, Werner leaned in and kissed my forehead. I couldn't see myself in a mirror, but I was certain my cheeks had turned bright red.