Chapter 31: Chapter 31

After a long journey from the City of the Crimson Moon to the city of Nocturnus, Scarlet’s territory, the carriage stopped in front of a... mansion? Building? House?

Lucien didn’t know how to describe it: the place was so enormous that any word seemed inadequate.

He looked around carefully.

Yes, it was probably a mansion... but an absurdly large mansion.

However, despite its imposing size, silence reigned. There was no movement, no noise, no voices... only the night breeze slipping between the walls.

"How many vampires are there in this place?" he asked curiously.

"There are ten vampires, including me," replied Walter, who was walking behind them. Then he calmly added, "And with you, there are now eleven of us in total."

"Why so few?" Lucien asked, raising an eyebrow. In such a vast place, he expected to see at least a dozen servants milling about.

Walter let out a slight laugh, more like a tired sigh. "Unlike other noble families, Mrs. Scarlet can’t stand incompetent servants. That’s why this mansion often seems empty," he explained in a neutral tone.

Lucien nodded, understanding... although he couldn’t help thinking that the solitude made the place feel even more mysterious.

"Hmm... And why doesn’t anyone attack her?" he asked, his hand on his chin. That should be normal, right? With so few servants, the other noble families must be eager to devour her.

"Attack me, I wish they would, so I could reduce them to ashes, but they’re just a bunch of old men clinging to power," Scarlet snorted with disdain, despising that kind of cowardly attitude.

"That’s what my wife says. Being the only vampire who can control fire makes her quite special, not to mention very strong," added Walter; you could even hear the pride in his voice.

"Hmm~ so my wife is quite strong," Lucien smiles, because he doesn’t know much about his wives’ lives: "But you don’t have immunity to the sun," he said curiously.

Walter’s expression freezes when he hears "wife," and seeing that Lady Scarlet does not deny it, he sighs and cannot help but evaluate Lucien. What did Scarlet see in a newborn like him? What is so special about him?

He knows how demanding his master is when it comes to vampires and people in general; that he accepted a young man like Lucien was a big surprise.

Lucien notices Walter’s gaze, but seeing that he does nothing, he loses interest in him and looks at his red-haired wife.

"Controlling fire is not the same as being immune to the sun," says Scarlet, crossing to the right, and they step out into a large garden.

The garden was extensive, about the size of a soccer field, with a small forest in the distance, and everything was flat. There were no flowers or a fountain—just a small black table for drinking tea.

Two women with long black and silver hair are drinking red "wine" while looking at the two moons.

"So why did you kill that group of vampires?" Melenia, the black-haired woman, asked the silver-haired woman next to her in a neutral voice.

The woman next to Melenia wore a silver dress and high heels.

"They came to say they were Scarlet’s husbands, and more," she explained.

"Indeed," the woman nodded.

"Adele, why do you bother killing them? Wouldn’t it be better to capture and torture them? I already suggested that..." Melenia smiled sadistically. "How long ago did I suggest that?"

"Three hundred years ago." Adele sighed, taking a sip of red "wine."

"Yes," Melenia smiled softly. "My memory is failing me a little," she said, laughing amusedly.

Adele simply rolled her eyes at her friend’s attitude:

"I just forget about it, since they always come up with the same thing. Because they can’t think of a better excuse. Lady Scarlet may be a countess, but she can’t be that desperate."

"Ha ha, despite being 600 years old, you have quite a childish side." Melenia smiles amusedly and adds, "Why don’t you torture them, then hang their heads on the mansion door?"

"I’m not childish," Adele snorted, crossing her arms elegantly. "But... It’s not a bad idea to hang those bastards’ heads."

"Right? My ideas are always good." Melenia lifted her chin slightly.

"How to turn a human into a husband? Do you think that’s a good idea?" Adele’s face was one of pure disgust. Turn cattle into husbands? No, thank you.

Melenia rolled her eyes at her friend’s attitude: "You haven’t been looking for a husband for a hundred years, so why not create one?"

"I don’t want to create a ’husband.’ After all, that’s not going to be something ’real’ like what I’m looking for."

"That’s why you killed all your previous boyfriends."

"It’s because all those worms only approached me to get to Lady Scarlet," Adele snorted, annoyed.

Melenia soon lost interest in the subject and looked toward the garden entrance; a smile spread across her face.

"Our lady has arrived, and it seems she has brought a guest."

"Why did you bring me to this place?" Lucien asked, looking around with some curiosity.

Scarlet took a seat. With a slow movement, she crossed her legs, so naturally and provocatively that it seemed deliberate. The most update n0vels are published on novel•fire.net

"When we first met," she said with a sensual smile, "you asked me to train you, that you wanted to learn more about vampires, remember?"

Lucien smiled faintly, intrigued by the sparkle in her eyes. "Yes, I remember."

"Good." Scarlet’s smile widened, and a spark of amusement, almost predatory, flashed in her eyes. "We’re here to fulfill that."

She turned her head elegantly. "Walter."

"Yes, my lady." Walter appeared behind them and bowed impeccably.

"Take charge of teaching him the basics. Let him learn to use his powers correctly; the way he does it now is too... crude." Her lips curled into a slight frown of disapproval.

Then she looked back at Lucien, leaning forward slightly.

"This will be your initial training," she said in a deep voice. "You will learn to control your power first, and then we will move on to the next phase."

Lucien and Walter moved away from Escarle to the center of the garden, where they could use their powers freely.

Upon entering Nightingale, Selene realized she was back home: "Those bastards, I told them to send me to Scarlet’s territory," she muttered angrily.

Just as she turned to leave, she heard a cold voice:

"Daughter, you have finally deigned to return home."

Hearing the voice, she sees a woman with long black hair, blue eyes, a curvaceous body, and F-cup breasts, wearing an elegant black dress that highlights her entire figure; it was her mother.

"Hello, Mother... Well, I’m leaving!" Selene began to run toward the mansion’s exit, passing by her mother Liliana.

"Wait a moment, you just arrived and you already want to leave," Liliana grabbed Selene by the arm, "Your father has been very sad since you went to the human world, go say hello to him."

"Ugh..." Selene looked at her mother angrily: "Why is it a problem to go see my darling?" she muttered with an expression full of rage.

"Wait... what did she just say?" Liliana stopped, looked at Selene, her blue eyes turning blood red, "...You did the ritual..."

"Lies!" a man’s loud voice calls from the mansion’s entrance.

Selene sees her father, Luan, with short white hair, a muscular and athletic build, and a handsome face that draws attention. He’s about 6’1" and wears a simple black suit.

"Princess, tell me that what your mother said isn’t true..." Luan was trembling. His eyes were teary, but he still clung to his dignity.

Selene slowly turned her head, began to whistle, and looked at the ceiling as if it had suddenly become extremely interesting.

"Honey..." Liliana said in a voice that sounded like she was announcing a natural disaster, "it looks like our daughter... performed the ritual."

Luan stood still. An uncomfortable silence filled the air.

Then something inside him cracked. As if his soul had broken right down the middle.

With a smile so forced it looked painted on, Luan lowered his head and said in a kind voice, "Oh, how wonderful... how delightful." His lips trembled. "Tell me, dear daughter, what is his name... the lucky one?"

Selene turned around with a sparkle in her eyes and the enthusiasm of a teenager: "Lucien! He’s incredible, Dad~ He always kisses me, hugs me, he’s my darling..."

Luan’s left eye began to twitch.

Liliana slowly backed away. Her husband was entering emotionally collapsing father mode.

"I see..." said Luan, still smiling suspiciously steadily. "It seems that... you’ve found a good... vampire..."

"Yes!" Selene jumped up and down with joy.

The sound of Luan’s brain shattering echoed throughout the room.

Liliana sighed, crossed her arms, and said quietly, "There it goes again..."

Luan straightened up very slowly, his hair began to float with pure contained fury, and a spear of ice formed in his hand.

"Tell me." His voice changed to that of a vengeful god. "Where is that bastard? How dare he marry my princess?! I’M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

Selene sighed, rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms.

"Dad, Lucien is kind and handsome. Besides, we’re husband and wife now."

Luan froze. Literally: the ground began to freeze beneath his feet. Then he exploded as if he had been told that his daughter had married a werewolf.

"WHAT?! THEY’RE ALREADY MARRIED?! WITHOUT MY BLESSING?!"