Chapter 12 : Krul Tepes

After a day had passed...

The City of Vampires.

Within the city, there existed a vampire bearing the familiar characteristics of pale skin, black hair, pointed ears, and red eyes, which were the distinctive traits of every vampire. He donned the customary attire of his kind. However, upon closer observation, one would notice an exceedingly faint heartbeat—a phenomenon deemed impossible for a vampire.

Indeed, this individual was not a vampire, but rather a human cleverly disguised as one. And that person was none other than Arata, who had arrived to meet the Queen of Vampires, Krul Tepes.

Yesterday, Arata had contacted Krul and expressed his desire to meet her. Without hesitation, she agreed, as they had maintained a working relationship for the past two years.

Due to their frequent dealings, Arata had become a well-known figure among the vampires in Vampire City. Hence, he encountered no obstacles while making his way to the designated meeting place.

Upon reaching his destination, Arata pushed open a massive door spanning several meters and entered, only to find Krul lazily seated upon a throne, clasping a goblet filled with human blood.

Arata approached Krul, who lazily observed his every move, easily recognizing him with a single glance.

"Lady Krul, time has passed," Arata stated, leaning slightly towards her with his right hand placed upon his chest.

"It has been a while, Artful," Krul responded with a sardonic smile, clearly amused by Arata's attempt to appear impressive.

"Ugh... you're making me out to be a villain," Arata replied, clutching his chest as if Krul's words had wounded him.

"Aren't you one?" Krul countered, as though she had just made a revealing discovery, her smile still lingering.

"Of course not. Anyone you ask would vouch for my goodness and kindness," Arata asserted proudly, lifting his chin.

"If that's the case, then why did you deceive an innocent and adorable girl like me?" Krul inquired with a hint of pathos.

"I concede that you're adorable, but you've existed for over a thousand years, and it's a bit strange for someone of your age to refer to themselves as a little girl," Arata remarked, observing Krul, whose countenance darkened upon hearing his words.

"Huh, it seems you've become bolder since our last encounter," Krul remarked, an ominous aura emanating from her.

"Is it too late to apologize now?" Arata asked, forcing a smile that was visibly strained.

"What do you think?" Krul inquired, her smile exuding a sense of gentleness as she gazed at Arata.

As Arata beheld Krul's smile, a shiver ran down his spine.

'Damn my reckless tongue,' Arata thought, mentally preparing himself for the punishment that awaited him from Krul.

Under Arata's watchful gaze, Krul vanished from her throne, and he felt an immense force collide.

*Boom*

Like an arrow, Arata was propelled backward, crashing into the chamber's wall, which crumbled under the impact of Krul's blow.

[Resis Pain (B) >>> (B+)]

"This damn girl never holds back," Arata grumbled inwardly, feeling pain coursing through his entire body.

Unfortunately for Arata, it appeared that his comment about Krul's age had genuinely angered her, as she continued her assault, leaving him battered and bruised.

[ Resis Pain (B+) >>> (A)]

"..." Arata glanced at the notification, fighting back tears of frustration.

Krul's strikes were undeniably potent, causing excruciating pain throughoutArata's body. Though the pain was intense, he couldn't deny the power behind each blow.

'This hare, I'll definitely exact my revenge a hundredfold,' Arata vowed internally as he witnessed Krul's satisfaction after each strike.

"Did you just have impertinent thoughts about me?" Krul demanded, her gaze fixed on Arata with fury.

"Not at all," Arata quickly shook his head, fearing the girl's keen intuition.

"In that case, what is it that you want, Artful?" Krul asked, a raised eyebrow indicating her skepticism.

"As you know, calling me Artful won't change anything," Arata retorted, momentarily speechless as he realized that a year ago, while inebriated, he had confessed his ruse to Krul, prompting her to adopt the nickname.

Two years prior, Arata had revealed himself to Guren and, in order to secure his position in their deal and ensure his survival, he claimed to be Krul's partner, tasked with locating Ashura Tepes' elder brother on her behalf. This revelation left Guren and Mahiru powerless, as few were aware of Ashura Tepes' existence, thereby lending credence to the notion of a connection between Arata and Krul. Once their alliance was confirmed, Arata divulged the same information to Krul.

"I'm aware, but it amuses me to see you flustered whenever I use that name," Krul teased, her sweet smile irritating Arata to the core.

After engaging in playful banter for a while, Arata and Krul resumed their serious discussion.

"Then why did you come to Vampire City, knowing how perilous it can be?" Krul inquired, her tone now earnest after their lighthearted exchange.

"I came to inform you that Guren plans to initiate the second phase of his plan, and therefore, we must proceed with ours as well," Arata replied, an uncharacteristic seriousness evident in his voice.

"The second phase," Krul murmured thoughtfully, recalling the nature of Guren's scheme. "To create a situation that the First Ancestor cannot predict or control."

"Exactly," Arata affirmed as Krul contemplated the matter. "And our opportunity will arise when nobody expects us to strike, capturing Ashura Tepes."

"Ni-Sama," Krul whispered sorrowfully at the mention of Ashura's older brother.

"..." Arata fell silent, empathizing with Krul's pain. He possessed fragments of memories from Benimaru, who had known Krul long ago.

Sensing Arata's gaze upon her, Krul swiftly regained her composure, erasing any trace of her earlier melancholy.

"Did you come solely to deliver this message?" Krul inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I also wanted to warn you about the Seventh Ancestor, Ferid Bathory, and the Thirteenth Ancestor, Crowley Eusford," Arata responded, though Krul seemed indifferent to the former names until the last one was mentioned. "Additionally, Hyakuya Mikaela."

"Hyakuya Mikaela?" Krul's surprise was evident upon hearing this name from Arata. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"You may not be aware, but everything the First Ancestor has done, both presently and in the future, revolves around Hyakuya Mikaela," Arata disclosed, his tone turning cold at the mention of the First Ancestor.

"Don't be absurd, the First Ancestor vanished a thousand years ago. There's no way he could have any connection with Mikaela," Krul exclaimed, her mind racing to recollect events from a millennium past"I am not being absurd. Hyakuya Mikaela is, in fact, the son of the First Ancestor," Arata stated firmly, piecing together a few things based on Krul's reaction.

"Mikaela... the First Ancestor's son?" Krul murmured, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Yes, that is the truth," Arata affirmed, his expression unwavering.

Suddenly, Krul let out a scream of pain, clutching her head as if overwhelmed by an excruciating sensation. It seemed as though her attempt to recall memories from a millennium ago had triggered something within her.

"Calm down, Krul. Take deep breaths and try not to focus on those memories," Arata urged, quickly rushing to her side.

Following Arata's advice, Krul attempted to compose herself, gradually easing the intense pain until it subsided entirely.

"What was that just now?" Krul asked, bewildered and fearful, her voice trembling.

"I believe those were memories sealed by the First Ancestor," Arata conjectured, observing Krul's condition.

"Memories... sealed?" Krul echoed, looking at Arata with a mix of curiosity and trepidation.

"If your memories have been sealed, there is little I can do to help. However, be cautious of Hyakuya Mikaela," Arata advised, gently guiding Krul back to her throne. "I will take my leave now and ensure you do not attempt to recall those memories."

Krul remained silent, refraining from protesting. The pain she had just experienced was something she preferred not to endure again.

Arata's attention was abruptly drawn to a notification, prompting him to eagerly read the message and discover what he had obtained from his visit to Vampire City. The message read:

[Congratulations on logging in to Vampire City and obtaining the Ancient Blood Contract. ]

...

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