The nights in the Kingdom of Arnold are completely different from those in Santa Fe City. Under the illumination of the God of Light, evil has nowhere to hide, and the common people of Santa Fe City hold celebratory parties, making it lively and bustling.
As night falls in the Kingdom of Arnold, even the streets of the royal city are deserted, with not a single light on, creating a terrifying silence.
Hidden beneath the extravagance of the royal palace are dilapidated slums and an ever-present threat of death.
In the darkness, a homeless mother and daughter huddled together deep in an alley, the mother holding her child tightly, her teeth clenched in despair.
"Mother...."
The young girl huddled in her mother's arms, her eyes filled with fear. She clutched the hem of her mother's worn-out clothes tightly and called out to her mother, seeking some sense of security.
"Shh!"
The mother covered the girl's mouth the moment she heard the sound, her face filled with terror.
"We've found you."
A sinister male voice echoed in the darkness, sending a chill down one's spine.
As swarms of bats flew by, the mother and daughter vanished completely from the spot. The sun would rise again tomorrow, and no one would care about their disappearance, after all...
Every day, many people disappear from the slums, and beggars without even a registered address are not even reported to the police.
"Food? Or blood servants? Your activities have been increasing lately; the Duke will take notice."
The man had just landed when a charming female voice suddenly rang out from the clock tower.
Edith plans to shut that Holy Maiden of Light up tonight.
As the moon rose at midnight, its light illuminated the man's pale skin and sharp teeth in the shadows.
"No wonder she was once a queen, she's really bold."
A delicate female voice drifted from high above, accompanying her as she descended. Her slender high heels touched the ground with a crisp sound. The woman slowly walked up to the man, her dark gothic dress paired with a lace parasol making her look like a terrifying doll from an ancient castle.
“The Duke wants to completely control the Kingdom of Arnold, and he needs the Third Prince to become a puppet. Edith has no choice.”
The man glanced at the woman indifferently, his tone cold.
"I heard that this Holy Maiden of Light is nothing but a good-for-nothing, and leaving her alone won't make a fuss."
The woman shrugged, her tone arrogant and haughty.
"Underestimating your opponent is not a good habit, Lilia."
The man's expression carried a hint of warning.
"Well, you're such a boring man. I wish Edith all the best for her plans tonight."
The woman called Lilia looked indifferent, seemingly ignoring the man's words.
"The seal on that being in Thorn Castle has recently shown signs of revival. The Duke will be unhappy to hear this news."
Lilia twirled her curls with her fingertips, offering a kind reminder to the man.
"...Understood, I will retrieve the drop of 'Night Blood' from the Green Tower as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this news, the man frowned slightly, and his voice revealed a hint of weariness that was barely perceptible.
"Good luck."
Lilia's voice was melodious and alluring, but in the darkness of the night, it sounded like a deadly banshee, inexplicably frightening.
Clouds drifted across the sky, obscuring the moonlight, and darkness once again spread through the alley. The two figures who had been talking earlier had vanished without a trace.
...
In the stillness of the night, the entire palace was asleep. Maggie changed into her nightgown and lay quietly in bed.
The room's window was open, the curtains were rolled up, and Maggie had her eyes closed. Moonlight shone on her face, her curled eyelashes cast shadows, and her skin was so translucent it almost glowed white, like the beautiful white porcelain of the ancient East, so beautiful it seemed unreal.
The moonlight accentuated her exquisite features, making her even more stunning and beautiful. One couldn't help but want to reach out and touch her, imagining how delicate and smooth her skin must be. It made one wonder what beauty she would have if she could open her eyes.
The quiet room, where only Maggie's even breathing could be heard, was suddenly disturbed by the sound of flapping wings as night approached. A dark shadow with red eyes flew in through the castle window and headed straight for Maggie's room.
"..."
The being hidden in the shadows transformed into a slender, frail woman. Her crimson eyes opened, and her gaze fell on Maggie's face.
He stared at Maggie, intently, for what seemed like an eternity. Maggie remained completely unresponsive, as if she were fast asleep. Only then did he finally remove his gaze from her face.
The woman's gaze returned to Maggie's fair and delicate neck, her eyes revealing a hint of longing and hunger.
She bent down, revealing sharp fangs, and without hesitation pierced Maggie's skin.
At the same time, Maggie's eyes suddenly opened, and she struggled to open her mouth, but no sound came out.
Blood was flowing out of her body in large quantities, and Maggie could feel that her body, which was already extremely cold due to the curse, was now even colder, with the chill almost penetrating to her bones.
So this is what it feels like to be sucked by a vampire. Blood flows out of your body, as if your life force is being devoured, and you can almost see the image of death before your eyes.
Maggie closed her eyes. Even in this near-death experience, she did not struggle. She merely acted as if she were controlled by a vampire, allowing the Queen to drink her blood.
At the same time, she secretly cast a tracking spell on the Queen. As always, the Little Ghost's creations are of the highest quality. Unlike the current tracking spells, this one is a dark magic of the same origin as vampire magic. Even if the Earl himself investigates, it will be difficult to detect.
Having sucked so much of her blood, it's impossible for him to do so without paying a price.
The Queen cannot live in the Rose Labyrinth forever; her departure from Arnold's capital city does not mean the matter is over.
Maggie will make her vomit up every last bit of what she ate.
The day she becomes powerful will be the day the queen dies.
If someone were to push the door open at this moment, they would see an elegant noblewoman lying on top of a beautiful young girl, a scene so beautiful it's almost unreal.
In reality, this scene, which resembles a painting, is actually a scene of vampires hunting.
Time passed slowly, and when Maggie could barely hold on any longer, the woman slowly got up and gracefully took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.
"Saintess of Light... going against the vampires is not a good choice. If it weren't for your identity, there would only be a corpse in the room tomorrow."
When Maggie saw the woman's appearance, compared to the much older emperor, the queen before her was plump and noble, with a young and beautiful face. If it weren't for her overly pale skin, she would be no different from a modern noblewoman.
You wouldn't guess she's almost fifty; that's the near-eternal life of a vampire.
"You... vampire...."
Maggie's eyes were filled with terror, and she was barely breathing, looking as weak as if she were about to die.
This time, her fear was feigned; her impending death was real. The Queen had truly drained far too much of her blood, far more than she had imagined, exacerbating her already unhealthy condition.
The curse, coupled with massive blood loss, caused Maggie to reach out to grab the Queen's hand, but she only managed to hold it in mid-air before falling back onto the bed.
"The price of meddling is to stay in your position as a decorative vase and let others do as they please. Don't always try to struggle, or next time, it will be your death."
Perhaps seeing that Maggie herself was as cowardly and weak as rumored, a useless good-for-nothing, the Queen scoffed at her and then stopped talking, turning into a bat and leaving.
At the same time, Maggie's expression vanished completely, returning to her expressionless state; she couldn't be bothered to pretend for even a second longer.
"...I'm really going to die..."
After the Queen left, Roy quickly darted out from the corner, pulled down the curtains, and blocked the moonlight shining on Maggie.
The worry in his expression was impossible to hide.
"Maggie, don't do such dangerous things again next time."
Without the moonlight, the power of the curse subsided, and Maggie felt slightly better, but only a little.
She felt as if she was being constantly washed from head to toe by a mixture of ice and water, without stopping for even a moment.
Maggie forced a smile at Roy, offering a reassuring one.
"I'm fine."
Roy felt heartbroken but helpless, while the little ghost's gaze towards Maggie became strange, whether he was looking at her with newfound respect or becoming more wary of her was unclear.
Maggie paid no attention to the little ghost's reaction. Her arm rested limply on her forehead, her face pale, and she muttered to herself with her eyes closed.
“This time… the Third Prince and Yarlin have no reason to suspect me.”
This time, she didn't come away empty-handed. She wondered if the Queen was working for the vampire duke, Mansfield Ellery. Many people might be interested in the vampire's lair.
For example... Blood Hunter?
After she leaves, put the coordinates on the black market. I believe the vampires will be upset for a long time.
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