44 - Oblium, The Land of The Dead

Kingdom of Oblium, Capital City of Blaelphis

Beatrice drags her fingers across the water's surface with nothing short of amazement.

It's warm… And wet… It feels so real…

Despite understanding her real body is somewhere in her room, laying on her bed where she left it (hopefully still untouched), submerging her Eden avatar in warm water after her "talk" with Evelyn feels simply divine, and Beatrice finds herself slowly relaxing as she inspects her opulent, if dimly lit surroundings.

According to Evelyn, the communal bath Beatrice currently occupies was reserved for the "Chosen of Ekla"; Recently arrived human players who happened to drink from the blood basin, if Beatrice's deductive guess is correct.

Thankfully, despite the room's gigantic proportions, no other players are currently making use of its services, permitting Beatrice to maintain her modesty intact and to have a full, unobstructed view of the translucent pool as she allows her body to slowly sink up to eye level in its warm content.

Wow… It's nice not having to worry about her hair being ruined… She doesn't, right? How does that work, anyway?

In the eerie silence permeating the communal chamber, Beatrice's gaze wanders in its matron's direction, a similar statue of Ekla to the one she saw in the Goddess's temple, if lacking in size and blood.

Strangely enough, the statue depicts a woman of fairly average build and appearance… Not exactly what Beatrice would've expected from a vampire Goddess.

"It's a simple representation. After all, since no one has seen the Goddess in the flesh, carving an accurate statue would prove rather difficult."

Beatrice jumps, releasing a high-pitched scream as she swirls toward the voice, hushing to cover herself.

"W-w-w-what-"

From the pool's edge, Evelyn stares down at Beatrice with unconcealed amusement. "Trust me, lovely as you are, you've got nothing I haven't seen before."

"T-that's not the point!"

Far from looking ashamed, Evelyn simply laughs, elegantly crouching as she drags her fingers across the water tentatively and hums softly. "Shame… I'd be rather tempted to join, were we not pressed for time."

Staring daggers toward the taller woman, Beatrice sinks until only her eyes remain above water.

Evelyn laughs. "Consider this your first lesson, Child. Blaelphis is known as the City of Shadows; While within its walls, never assume you're alone, or that you'll hear them coming."

Noted…

Beatrice's response produces several bubbles through her mouth and nose.

Evelyn snorts. "Better to learn it from me than to find a dagger stuck on your back. Now, I know you're enjoying your bath, but we must move on with our schedule."

Evelyn snaps her fingers sharply, and, from the shadows beyond her, a black-dressed, masked woman walks, holding a large robe and a towel.

"This is Janae. She'll help you prepare to stand in the queen's presence."

Evelyn stares at Beatrice expectantly, and then, once realizing she has no intention of moving, with exasperation. "When I heard of your people's coyness from the others, I thought they were joking, or at least, exaggerating. No matter…" Releasing a long sigh, Evelyn turns her back to Beatrice. "Does this help?"

Beatrice glances toward Janae, whose downcast gaze seems utterly devoid of interest.

She… She was dressed by maids before… This is the same, right?

Several awkward seconds later, Beatrice stands with the robe firmly closed around her figure as she glances toward Evelyn's straight back. "T-thank you, Miss Evelyn… And you too, Janae."

Evelyn looks at her, expression neutral, while Janae shows no reaction.

"Evelyn will do. Now, Janae will guide you to your room, where I'll meet you in a couple of minutes… And by the love of Ekla, I do expect to find you ready by then, yes?"

Beatrice nods.

"Good. Janae?"

The black-dressed, silent woman curtsies, gesturing toward the corridor she walked from.

"O-of course, after you," Beatrice murmurs.

The woman nods.

Walking through the castle's dimly lit, large corridors for a second time, Beatrice is quick to notice how oddly quiet the place is, even if one ignores the lack of city-like sounds surrounding it.

Its maids, though unmasked, unlike the servants of Ekla she saw at the temple and Janae, carry the same eerie silence Janae does, their gazes downcast and carefully emptied of emotion as they perform their tasks with silent steps and outlandish precision.

Weird…

"Er… Excuse me?" Beatrice whispers, "You… Can speak, right?"

Janae glances over her shoulder, though she doesn't stop. "…If necessary."

"Oh." Beatrice laughs nervously. "Sorry. I was just wondering… Why is everything so quiet? Am I not supposed to be speaking?"

"…Speaking is permitted."

"Great! I'd hate for it to be forbidden… So, you guys just like quiet, is that it? Not that there's anything wrong with that! …Is that a part of the whole vampire vibe?"

"…No."

"Oh. Aren't there supposed to be like, you know, guards and such? And nobles?"

And other players?

Janae stops, prompting Beatrice to immediately do the same.

"D-did I say something wrong?"

Janae glances at Beatrice, turns, then curtsies, gesturing toward the door next to which they stopped.

"Oh… Oh! Right, of course... Wait, you aren't actually going to help me dress, right? Because I stopped needing help about a decade ago… No offense."

"…It's morning. Miss Swain will find the castle much livelier at night… And Miss Swain may call if my assistance is needed, otherwise, I'll be waiting outside."

So the silence was a part of the whole vampire vibe!

…Not that she'd dare to say that out loud.

"R-right."

"Miss Swain must not fear for her security inside the castle."

"O-okay."

After a moment of awkward silence, Beatrice finally grabs the door handle and pulls, entering the room before quickly closing the door again as she releases a sigh of relief.

Creepy maids… Not exactly her idea of fun, but she has to admit they do fit the setting.

Beatrice inspects her assigned room with the immediate and depressing realization it is about as big as her new apartment. Otherwise, the room is decently decorated, containing what one would expect from… Well, a spare room in a castle.

How many of these do they have available anyway? Enough to house a sudden intake of hundreds of players…? How big could the castle possibly be?

Beatrice snorts. With how real everything feels, it's easy to forget this is all a game. Though, game or not, she'd much rather not know what would happen if Evelyn arrived to find her still undressed.

Walking toward what appears to be some sort of antique wardrobe, Beatrice hums while opening its doors.

…Two dresses. Well, she can't exactly expect them to keep every wardrobe in the castle filled to the brim, meaning these must have been arranged by Evelyn while she bathed… She should thank her later.

Long minutes of struggle later, after concluding the wonders of modern clothing are extremely underappreciated, Beatrice finally manages to fit into a long, sleeveless emerald dress, short boots, and arrange her hair into a loose braid.

Staring into the mirror after finishing, Beatrice nods to herself.

Not bad, all things considered, if she ignores the red glow her blue eyes now seem to carry. And seeing as her reflection is still very much visible, mirrors are officially crossed from her list of possible weaknesses. Speaking of which…

Beatrice smiles, then opens her mouth, staring in fascination at her now elongated canines.

They weren't always like this, right…? No, they're definitely bigger now. Would they… Would they grow even more if she's about to bite someone, like… Like in a movie?

Polite-sounding knocks bring Beatrice out of her musings. She is quick to run toward the door.

"Coming!"

Unsurprisingly, Evelyn is found on the other side, giving Beatrice a once-over immediately as the door is opened.

After a moment, the tall woman nods approvingly. "…It'll do, I suppose. I'm glad I managed to guess your size correctly."

"…Thank you for the dress, Miss Evelyn. And for the boots."

"Don't mention it. Now…"

Evelyn offers Beatrice a large key dangling from her finger.

"Your room's key. Do remember it'll be dropped if your body is destroyed, or if you fail to reach a statue of Ekla before returning to your world… As will your dress, and boots. If you need help to find your way, a new set of clothes, or a spare key, consult one of the maids."

"O-okay…"

Beatrice is still looking for a place to keep her key when she realizes Evelyn is already walking away. Needless to say, she rushes after the older woman.

"Where's… Where's Janae? I don't see her around…"

"She has duties to perform."

"Oh, of course. I thought she might be Miss Evelyn's personal maid… Silly me."

Evelyn sighs. "She is. Alas, enough chitchat. I'm sure you have pertinent questions regarding Valeria and Oblium."

As she struggles to keep up with Evelyn's long legs and hurried steps while traversing the castle's corridors, Beatrice bites her lips. "I'm still not sure what's expected of me, Miss Evelyn."

"For now, you'll be assigned simple missions by our queen, or by me, in which I'll supervise you. Manly, you're expected to learn, and level, so that one day you may become a useful asset. Later… It depends on how useful you'll prove yourself."

"Were every, uh… Every chosen also assigned a Mother?"

Evelyn glances down, meeting Beatrice's gaze as she smiles slightly. "We may be a matriarchy, but we still have men in our midst. Traditionally, boys are assigned Fathers, and girls are assigned to a Mother. Being a vampire is… A complicated existence, to put it lightly. Eventually, our queen thought it wise to have our young thought by our own, rather than find themselves persecuted on the streets by mobs of ignorant from the day of their rebirth."

"Was that queen…?"

"Valeria? Her predecessor. Valeria has done many great things, but our people were already on their way to prosperity when she ascended… Perhaps a simple summary would be that, while her predecessor was a guiding hand for our people in troubled times, Valeria has always been the sword we need in order to keep our enemies at bay, allowing our people to build something lasting."

"That's… Kinda scary, honestly, considering we're about to meet her. She won't bite me, right?"

Evelyn stops, her gaze snapping toward Beatrice during a brief second of silence before she bursts into laughter, resuming her rushed walk.

"B-bite… Bite you! Oh my, the scene!"

"H-how should I address her?"

"…V-Valeria or Queen shall suffice," Evelyn murmurs as the last vestiges of laughter eventually leave her voice.

"But-"

"We're family. Titles are reserved for outsiders, and Valeria has never cared much for such things anyway. Do not purposely insult her, and you'll be fine, I promise."

Right. Meeting the Legendary Vampire Queen when you're Beatrice Swain and all you've ever done in your life is antagonize others. What could possibly go wrong?

…No. Old Beatrice died with her family name. She's here to find Seijuro, not to make an embarrassment of herself.

"Miss Evelyn, you wouldn't happen to…"

"Oh, for Ekla's sake, drop the miss already!"

"…h-have met a girl about this high," Beatrice says, showcasing what she means by raising her hand about a head above her own, "She has long black hair, black eyes, and smooth white skin."

"I can't say I was able to have a good look at every new arrival yet, as I was away these past few days. But don't worry, if she's here, you're bound to meet eventually. Is she someone you know from your original world?"

Beatrice nods. "She's the reason I came, actually; I think she might have something… She might need my help with."

"I see. Well, considering you're both immortal, I would say your chances of finding each other here are… How should I put it…? Exceptional."

"T-thank you."

"Ah, he we are. Prepared?"

Beatrice stares toward the spiral staircase leading up as they both stop in front of it.

"…No?"

"Good."

Without further ado, Evelyn moves on, climbing two steps at a time as Beatrice rushes to follow in her footsteps.

"Ah, Miss Evelyn! I forgot to ask…!"

"Thank Ekla it is not too late yet, then. Go on, ask away."

"Well… I'm still not sure what being a vampire means, exactly. Should I be afraid of the sun?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Didn't I tell you to look through your skills while bathing?"

After a pause, Beatrice laughs awkwardly. "It was… a very nice bath."

"I saw it. Now, to answer your question, sunlight will weaken your attributes considerably, you'll thirst more often, and your regeneration will become nonexistent… That being said, you won't burst in flames spontaneously, so it is technically possible to move about in sunlight as long as you're certain of your safety."

"We are… Underground, right?"

"As a matter of fact, Oblium in its entirety is. You'll see."

And, as if on cue, the staircase reaches its end by an arc made of stone flanked by two masked women wearing black. Beyond them, Beatrice sees an open space beautifully decorated in onyx, marble, and large statues, as well as several shallow pools, currently emptied of any occupants.

The guards do not step in their way, and Beatrice finds herself staring amazed toward the giant space… Looking up, she realizes that, rather than a large hall, they seem to have arrived at the castle's rooftop, or, at least, a small section of it, surrounded by several large towers disappearing into the dark and many entrances similar to the one they arrived through…

"Speak your purpose," a woman's voice speaks up, causing Beatrice to nearly jump.

Thankfully, a hasty look toward the sound reveals she wasn't the one being addressed, but rather, a group of people standing before a large throne upon which sits a woman of stunning, ruby red hair, and eyes tainted by red which seem to pierce anything they stare at.

"Valeria," a man starts, bowing before the throne. At his back, the group, seemingly led by him, is composed of four of the masked women holding down another man on his knees, head lowered, and a confident-looking boy of blond hair.

A player and… his Father?

"Why is one of my subjects on his knees, Sebastian? Explain yourself, and hurry, the sun already rises high."

"Very well," the man, Sebastian, straightens himself as he replies, turning his eyes toward the prisoner. "Care to explain your actions, House Master Venou Bothorel?"

Venou remains still and silent, his eyes downcast.

"…Very well. In that case, I shall explain it myself," Sebastian continues, "Recently, the disappearance of several women throughout the city caught the attention of our Captain of the Guard, and, after finding the discarded, drained body of one of them, he brought the issue to my attention, fearing it pertained to one of our own."

Valeria's expression sours. "Continue."

"As I'm sure you remember, my House is tasked with preserving relations with the locals, as it is House Bothorel and House Morvan. It is worth noting that few things hurt our standing more than-"

"The point, Sebastian."

Sebastian clears his throat. "Apologies. We caught him in the act, my Queen."

"Were you seen?"

For a moment, Sebastian remains silent, his expression showcasing surprise, followed by understanding. "…My Queen, as one of the people supposed to be watching over them, the crime he committed is-"

"Enough! I will not repeat myself."

Sebastian flinches. "We… We dragged him here. It was late, but I assume some of the citizens must have seen us…"

Valeria's eyes widen in fury, though only for a moment before she closes them and averts her face in an obvious attempt at controlling her emotions. Then, she stares at Sebastion once more, having regained her previous controlled coldness.

"…Do you understand your mistake?" she speaks, slowly.

"I… I believe do… I'm sorry, I didn't consider-"

"No, you didn't. Alas, what is done is done…"

"May I s-speak, my Queen?" the blond boy interrupts, some of his confidence visibly faltering as the queen's gaze snaps in his direction.

"…Yes, you may."

The boy clears his throat. "Though some citizens might have seen us, they do not yet know exactly why Master Bothorel was apprehended. Some of them might be aware of the disappearances, but I doubt they'll put two and two together unless we give them a reason to."

Valeria tilts her head. "…And what about the captain? You must have had help apprehending Bothorel alive."

"We did indeed use the Guard's help in order to apprehend him," Sebastian interjects, now slightly excited sounding, "But he mentioned something about making an announcement tonight… Perhaps there's still time to keep this under wraps… We must speak with the families, and the Guards who help us…"

"Make up a story about the disappearances, one about Bothorel's arrest, and brief me on them once you've convinced the relevant witnesses to stay silent. I trust you understand what must be done?"

Sebastian bows. "I'll make sure the stories are unrelated, and the witnesses taken care of."

Valeria sighs. "I hope there's still time. Now go, the boy may finish telling me the details."

Nodding, Sebastian turns as he hurries toward the exit…

"Is he… Is he going to kill people?" Beatrice murmurs as she watches the man passing by without as much as a glance in their direction.

Evelyn simply snorts, nodding toward the commotion near the throne as she smiles and places a finger before her lips.

Beatrice turns back in time to catch the blond boy palling as he seems to also realize the implications surrounding the queen's orders.

"M-my Queen, I fear hurting the victims-"

"Stop," Valeria interrupts, sounding almost bored as she rests her cheek against a fist and stares down at him, "I'm well aware killing more citizens would only attract undesired attention to what happened, and so is Sabastian. He'll bribe those who can be silenced with money, and threaten those who cannot. As a last resort, he'll find an excuse to bring any exceptions for a brief stay at our dungeons."

"I-I see. Forgive me for assuming."

"Enough stalling. Describe to me how you managed to capture Bothorel, and what crimes exactly he's accused of… And reminded me of your name."

The boy bows. "I'm Alexander, my Queen. After arriving in Eden, I was assigned to Master Sebastian, who briefed me on the disappearances and asked for my insight… I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say I returned to my world to conduct research and discover an efficient method to catch the culprit."

Valeria raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Among the many I discovered, triangulating the positions of where the victims were last seen, and looking for connecting patterns among them seemed the most viable one, considering the resources available to us." Alexander glances toward Bothorel. "It seems Master Bothorel was interested in a very particular type of woman, and his hunting grounds pertained to four well-frequented pubs relatively far away from each other."

Valeria sighs. "These women… Frizzled black hair? Young? Short?"

"…Indeed, according to Master Sebastian, they in very much resembled Bothorel's late wife. I'm surprised you realized it, my Queen."

"Spare me the fawning. Continue."

"Well, there's not much else to tell. Once we stabilized his pattern, it was a matter of finding the right woman, have her serve as bait, and wait for the right moment… We were very lucky to find him on our first night."

Leaning forward, Valeria smiles predatorily, showcasing her fangs. "You downplay your achievements, Alexander. Sebastian will see that you're rewarded accordingly."

Alexander visibly blushes under the queen's attention. "A-aside from the plan itself, my Queen, I did little other than watch. The Guard and House Sira were the ones to put their lives on the line."

Leaning back on her chair, Valeria hums. "I see. Nonetheless, you did well. How many women were killed?"

"Seven, my Queen, that we know of, including the body found by the Guard, and the one we… Convinced to help us."

"You weren't able to save her in time then… Shame."

"Yes, I… I didn't really speak with her, but Master Sebastian promised her safety, and he was quite upset-"

Valeria waves her hand, silencing Alexander. "I'm sure he'll find a way to compensate her loved ones. Now, to the matter at hand… Venou."

For the first time since the conversation began, Master Venou Bothorel stirs under the sound of his name, though his gaze remains downcast, and his shoulder slumped.

"The man I knew would've never fallen into such an obvious trap… And it seems he's been long dead. Isn't that so?"

Slowly, almost as if moving pains him, Venou raises his head. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse, cracking at places, "I tried… To forget… To put up… It wouldn't go away… The pain… Never…"

Though Beatrice cannot see his expression from her position, the man's tears are made clear in his tone, and she finds herself moving uncomfortably.

He killed a lot of people… He should be sent to jail, right? Or, in this case, the castle's dungeon?

She shouldn't feel bad for him…

The masked women remain as silent as they've ever been. Alexander scratches his head, an awkward expression on his face. And Valeria… Valeria simply smiles.

"There are easier ways to commit suicide than by my hand. Revel thyself, and let us be done with this farce… You might want to take a couple of steps back, Alexander."

Alexander blinks, confused-looking, as Venou begins to shake violently.

What…?

Once Alexander does step back, two of the four masked women immediately move forward, drawing weapons that, far from striking true, are easily dodged by unnaturally fast movements from Venou, who jumps, bringing his chains to their maximum limit and, with it, stealing the balance from the two remaining women, thus causing them to crash against the other two.

Silently, the room bursts into frantic movement as the women previously guarding the room's several entrances rapidly collapse onto Venou, their weapons, long daggers of black metal, cutting the air with savage precision…

Breathing rapidly, Beatrice glances at her surroundings as she watches guards pouring into the room, running by her, and engaging Venou, whose movements become faster by the second, growing erratic and deadly.

Strangely, Evelyn seems unaffected by the scene, merely raising her eyebrow as Venou ducks under a dagger swing, headbutts his assaulter, breaking her mask, and pierces his arm through her chest, swinging her body toward the nearest cluster of approaching enemies.

"S-shouldn't we do something?!" Beatrice screams, watching horrified as more and more of the women are thrown, killed, or manned by Venou's supernatural movements, their bodies like broken dolls scattered across the grou-

They're… Rising?!

Indeed, Beatrice realizes after a moment that many of the women do not remain down for long, quickly rising in order to reengage their opponent, who screams in frustration.

Evelyn laughs. "Second lesson, Child: If you want to keep a vampire down, destroy its heart, or behead it. Nothing else will do it."

Evelyn points to some of the bodies on the ground, the one pierced by Venou in particular, which remains very much still, lifeless eyes staring blankly toward a statue of Valeria.

"S-still! Some of them are dying! And we're just watching!"

Evelyn smiles sadly. "It shouldn't be long now."

Something cracks, attracting Beatrice's gaze back toward the carnage as Venou's body distorts, his limbs growing elongated, and fingers sharper as his face grows monstrous, yellow eyes gleaming dangerously…

The women who are still in fighting condition, however, seem to have taken a more careful approach now, maintaining their distance as they defend themselves and strike at Venou's lightning-fast limbs.

And, for the first time since the battle started, Beatrice notices that Venou is far from escaping unscathed thus far, bleeding profusely from several wounds even as some of them close at noticeable speed.

"They're… They're protecting their fallen from him…?" Beatrice murmurs after watching the women's movements.

"Third lesson: Blood is our life force," Evelyn explains, "Without it, even the deadliest vampire will fall. Allowing a vampire to drink and replenish their strength during a fight will be your last mistake."

The battle continues under the watchful eyes of Queen Valeria, her expression almost bored-looking as she witnesses the woman gradually enclosing their circle despite Venou's increasingly desperate movements and screams.

"Is that all, old friend? You came prepared to kill me, and my guards are enough to stop you?"

Venou roars, but his movements are now sluggish and clumsy, the moment of distraction but a sign for the prepared women who immediately close in, cutting and stabbing with the same emotionless and silent deadly focus they've shown thus far…

Beatrice snaps her gaze away, quickly covering her eyes as she struggles to contain her urge to vomit on the spot.

Evelyn sighs. "…I'm afraid you'll have to grow used to the sight of blood if you're to remain here."

Soon, the wounded and unmoving women are dragged away hurriedly, while the ones still capable of fighting seem on edge, standing before the throne, daggers ready, as the place is eventually flooded by maids, half-dressed nobles, and even some people Beatrice manages to identify as players, their wide-eyed gazes being enough to confirm their identities.

Following Evelyn's lead, Beatrice finds herself standing below the statue of a six-headed beast while watching the commotion unfold, explanations being given, and Valeria's voice occasionally striking like a wipe whenever things seem about to grow out of control.

Her hands feel cold, and her breathing frantic, though she finds that she's unable to avert her eyes from the scene…

"I… I feel sick," Beatrice murmurs, "Why… You said she was strong… Why didn't she help…?"

"Valeria? Even as a warrior queen, she's still a queen first, and a warrior second. Besides, the Black Daggers are trained by the House of Ekla to deal with situations such as these. Their existence would be rather meaningless if they were unable to stop a direct threat against the throne when it happened right in front of their eyes."

Evelyn crosses her arms, throwing Beatrice a glance.

"Do you understand what happened?"

"He… H-he… N-no, I don't," Beatrice confesses.

Evelyn sighs. "Fourth lesson: I won't always be around to explain things. In this case, the answer has already been given to you."

She… She's not dumb. Just a bit choked…

Beatrice swallows, forcing her gaze to return to and analyze the scene before her.

…Venou's severed head, now cradled by a crying woman on her knees, still shows signs of his monstrous transformation. Around her, many raised voices fight for the queen's attention, who seems to have given up on controlling the situation. Alexander, on the other hand, sits below a statue of Valeria, his gaze vacant and his face pale.

"This… Tutorial mentioned something about corruption. Xiaris…"

Beatrice gives Evelyn a hopeful glance, who sighs.

"It's a start. Go on."

"He… Master Bothorel must have been corrupted. He killed the women, and allowed himself to be captured in order to approach the queen… Valeria…"

"Close enough, I suppose. But Bothorel has always had access to Valeria, which means he must have drained the women for a different reason. My guess is that he wanted to strengthen himself before attempting to fight Valeria… Foolish, but the corrupted are not exactly known for their rationality. He must have become tainted after the death of his wife."

"Is that… How does that even work? He just… Woke up one day and decided it'd be a good idea to commit murder?"

Evelyn chuckles. "Maybe. In truth, nobody really knows. After our Gods failed to defeat Xiaris permanently, its corruption has been ever present, constantly growing, perverting the world. First, our animals, our plants, and now, our people. Some say there wasn't always a need for levels and stats, but rather, they were tools gifted to us by the Gods in order to fight the corruption."

"And when that failed…"

"Your people were summoned. Allegedly, for your immunity regarding said corruption."

"So…"

Evelyn shrugs. "Who knows. They don't exactly share their reasons with us, mere mortals."

Beatrice finds consolation in that she wasn't summoned to save the world; Elysium was. Well, if you ignore the fact this is all a game, of course… A very realistic one.

"What now?" Beatrice asks. "Should we… Return later?"

"I wish. Alas, a friend of mine has been growing increasingly frustrated, and I'd rather not find myself blamed for not having intervened."

Evelyn walks toward the commotion without waiting for an answer, and Beatrice decides to follow after a moment of hesitation.

"The bodies must be cremated! We don't know how fast the corruption might spread!"

"Nonsense! There's no proof it spreads as a physical disease would!"

"One of our own… A House Master, no less…"

"That's enough!" Evelyn screams, attracting the attention of those present, Valeria's included, as she stares from face to face. "Our queen has had a long night, which, must I remind you, ended in an attempt against her life. Your concerns shall be addressed by nightfall."

Silence follows Evelyn's proclamation, silence underlined by the kneeling woman's inconsolable sobbing, whom Beatrice finds her gaze attracted toward… Until Venou's now vacant yellow-stained eyes meet her gaze, causing a shiver to descend her spine, and she quickly averts her eyes again.

…After this, she's never going to sleep peacefully again, is she…?

"This… How do you expect us to remain idle after what happened?!" a woman speaks up, whom Beatrice recognizes as the one who spoke about cremation earlier.

The vampire nobles, Beatrice notices, aren't only composed of humans as she initially presumed, but rather, a mixture of elves, beast… people? And even a dwarf. And although not exactly beautiful, none of them showcase signs of aging. Their pale skin, smooth under torchlight, looks more healthy than sick, and their gleaming eyes, accompanied by movements almost erratic in nature, speak of a seemingly endless amount of vigor…

It's like being surrounded by a pack of hungry, supernatural wolves… Not that she has ever had the pleasure, of course.

"I expect nothing from you, Liria. And I suggest you leave my sight, before that changes."

As they exchange glances, the small groups of vampires formed midst the commotion are a dead giveaway as to who belongs to the same House as whom, including the shocked-looking ones surrounding the kneeling woman, whom Beatrice can only assume are members of House Bothorel.

"House Master Nagle, surely we mustn't delay our response in such a time of crises," another woman steps forward, attracting Evelyn's gaze, "House Bothorel will need a new Master, and we must come up with an explanation regarding Venou's death… Unless you wish for the truth to reach the common folk? Their trust in us is already-"

Evelyn snorts. "As if it was possible for the lot of you to keep your mouth shut about something. Here, let me put it this way: I'll count down to five, and those remaining within my sight shall be presumed to have been tainted as well, and therefore disposed off as a safety measure."

"…You… That's… You can't be serious?!"

"Five," Evelyn counts, raising a single hand.

"Valeria?!"

Despite the many gazes rapidly thrown in her direction, Valeria remains silent, her expression carefully neutral.

"Four."

"This… This is madness!"

"Three."

People begin to move, whispering among themselves as they quickly head for the many exits around. Surprisingly, before long, besides House Bothorel's members and the castle's staff, only Alexander and another man remain, who smiles toward Evelyn daringly.

"Nicely done. Would you truly have killed them?"

Evelyn lowers her three remaining fingers. "Without a second thought. One must know how to handle the rabble in our line of work. Speaking of which…"

Evelyn snaps her fingers and points at some of the maids idling around. "You. Clean this mess, and make sure it is properly disposed of… Including Venou's body."

"Is that really necessary?" one of House Bothorel's members says, stepping forward as a maid attempts to approach the mutilated House Master's body. As the maid stops, the man gazes at Evelyn. "We're capable of disposing of it ourselves. Allow us some time to mourn."

The man who smiled at Evelyn earlier steps forward. "Xiaris's creatures are unpredictable. As we all know, a normal vampire won't regenerate after having its head removed, but we cannot be certain the same applies to a tainted one. It could revive, or contaminate one of you… It's a stupid risk to take, Nathaniel."

After a moment, Nathaniel (Bothorel?) closes his eyes and releases a sigh. Glancing at the now silently crying woman, he steps toward her and kneels, placing his hand softly upon her shoulder.

"…Marian, it's time to let go," he whispers, "Your father wouldn't want to endanger you, or the House. Let him find peace, if there's still peace to be found."

The woman takes a while to respond, though she does stop crying. With shaking hands, she-

Beatrice turns away, swallowing hard.

It's… IT'S TOO MUCH! WHO'D DESIGN AIS SO STUPIDLY REALISTIC?!

"What now?" Nathaniel asks.

"House Bothorel shall remain under house arrest until we can ascertain none of you have been contaminated," the other man continues, "And I suppose we'll have to go through the other Houses as well, now that it became clear we're not, in fact, immune to Xiaris's influence."

"Very well," Nathaniel concedes, "I'll inform the others. Now, if you excuse us… Queen Valeria, House Master Nagle, House Master Rosa…"

The man bows and the others follow his lead, helping Marian stand before exiting the hall.

"Alexander, correct?" Evelyn calls, as Alexander perks up at the sound of his name, "You've earned yourself some rest, Child. I'm sure Sebastian will want to know details about what happened here when he's back."

Still pale-looking, Alexander rises as he nods. "I'm sorry. I… I froze up…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Evelyn reassures, "Now go. Back to your world, if you must."

He nods, gaze sliding toward Beatrice, then a strangely quiet Valeria, as he heads for the exit.

Once Alexander has left, Evelyn throws the eccentric man, the last remaining non-servant except for Beatrice and Evelyn, a glance.

He laughs. "I suppose this means I have work to do. We'll catch up some other time, Eve."

Evelyn grimaces. "Walk carefully, House Master Rosa."

"Dangerous times, these we find ourselves in. And strange," he adds, throwing Beatrice a brief glance, "But I'll try. Anyway, I'll inform you, Valeria, of what came from the search first thing by nightfall. If Venou has been corrupted for this long, I suspect there must be others… Am I to assume I have permission to kill on sight?"

"Do what you find necessary," Valeria instructs, her voice plain, "And have your children sweep the city while you're at it. Quietly."

Master Rosa bows. "I'll see it done."

Evelyn's gaze follows the man until his figure has disappeared amidst the shadows.

"I see you still haven't forgiven him," Valeria comments after of moment of silence, waving her hand in a soundless command toward the Daggers, who return to their previous positions as if nothing happened, despite the slight, yet noticeable, decrease in their numbers.

So creepy… And scary…

"I'm sure you've noticed by now, but I'm not exactly the forgiving type," Evelyn retorts, her gaze meeting Valeria's with an easiness denouncing familiarity, "And he has never apologized."

Valeria chuckles. "I suppose I don't have a right to lecture you regarding pride. But I do ask you to remember we have sacrificed much to build this kingdom, Adrian included. Why not enjoy the piece it brings while it lasts?"

Evelyn sighs. "I see sitting on a chair all day has made you wiser. Truly, the end must be upon us."

"Wiser… Perhaps. It certainly hasn't improved my authority. They seem to listen to you more than they do me these days."

"They're young. They do not know you as something other than queen, and they do not know war as we do."

Valeria smiles melancholically. "I wish our children could remain as they are... But let us not be boggled by reminiscing, for now. I assume she's the one?"

Veleria's gaze slides toward Beatrice, causing a shiver to descend her spine before she hurriedly averts her eyes by curtsying.

"I'm B-Beatrice, Your Hi- I m-mean, my Queen!"

Valeria hums thoughtfully. "I'm glad you decided to move on, Evelyn."

"I didn't," Evelyn retorts, voice slightly bitter, "It was a matter of chance. I was curious, and my curiosity cost me, as it often does."

Valeria laughs. "Our laws regarding the subject are old. You could've left her for another, I'm sure, and no one would've brought it against you."

"I would," Evelyn says, "Considering I was there when they were written, and it was my approval, as well as yours, which made them possible."

"So serious… Now that you're back, you must join me for wine soon. We have much to discuss."

Evelyn nods. "Indeed. We've kept our people in the dark for long enough, and now that they know the truth… There'll be panic, and with it, stupidity."

Valeria laughs, then sighs. "I'd like to think we've raised them better than this, but you're probably right. Well, the night has been long for the both of us, I'm sure. I'll send an invite soon, my friend."

Evelyn curtsies, and Beatrice hurries to do the same.

While exiting the open hall, Beatrice forces herself to not glance at the blood, or the masked women standing guard. Her steps feel light, and strange, though she doubts the game is to blame for it…

"Here we are."

Having descended a different corridor than the one they arrived through, Evelyn stops near a statue of Ekla as she turns toward Beatrice and raises her eyebrow.

"I'd ask you to stay for a while longer, but after what happened, I can tell you're about to reach your limit."

"Oh… I-it's past my usual bedtime, I guess?"

Evelyn blinks, then bursts out laughing.

Face heating, Beatrice pouts as she watches the taller woman attempting, and failing to contain her laughter.

"O-oh, I needed t-this…"

"I-it's a normal thing to have. I don't see what's so funny."

"P-please stop, I can't take it…!"

Giving up, Beatrice rolls her eyes and turns toward the statue. "So, I just have to touch it and it'll save my progress?"

"T-that's a way of putting it, I suppose… A-ah, I do hope you return, Beatrice. This place could use some laughter."

…She's not a jester.

But… Beatrice, huh? Was that the first time Evelyn used her name?

"Miss Evelyn…"

"Yes?"

"Things like… Like what happened to Venou, do they happen often here?"

"They do. More and more often as of late, in fact."

She could… Just not log in again. She already has so much on her plate… And this was just an experiment, after all…

"Miss Evelyn…"

The woman smiles knowingly. "I can tell you're thinking about running away. I don't blame you… I'm sure this is much scarier than what you're used to."

A world of make-believe? Scarier than her life…?

"No, it was kinda fun, actually…" Except for all the death, that is. "But… You should find someone else to help you, Miss Evelyn. I don't have a lot of free time, and I'm not exactly great at fighting eith-"

Evelyn places her finger over Beatrice's lips, silencing her midsentence.

"I'm used to working on my own, but I'm willing to give this a chance because I like you."

For the first time, underneath the red, playful light of the vampire's eyes, Beatrice notices a gleam of green.

"I'll wait here tomorrow, and only tomorrow, around the time you showed up today. If you're interested in what this world has to offer, I suggest you do not make me wait."

Evelyn smiles as she steps back.

"Have a good night, Beatrice."