35 Countess

[Prison Area]

Mark sat in the open area nearby the prison in the night just the day Lady Francine left. He sat there dressed in a stream-lined titanium armor while a sheathed blade rested on his lap. The prisoners here were curious as to why that is but they sat still not sure what the Town Lord was planning. While the Third son and the commander was shivering in the corner in fear along with the remaining subordinates.

He had shown his capabilities earlier by giving them a chance to be free if they could land three hits on him each. But not was able to even if he had faced ten of the soldiers of Marienberg. Mark had touble fighting beastmen in a 10v1 stage unarmed but facing humans were easier as his martial arts were built for the reason of fighting humans.

Thus the other prisoners witnessed a beat down live and it made them more eager to repent in their crimes. The men were like kids being bullied by a veteran soldier, they pitied the men of the Third son as well as the commander who now realized how foolish it was to antagonize the Town Lord. He was even internally cursing the stupidity of the Third son in offending such a scary person.

"I've been waiting." Mark's cold voice sounded out in the open area. He turned his head as he stared at the shadows. " I know you are hiding, it would be better for us that you reveal yourself."

"*Giggle*My my how perceptive of you, it seems our sources has not been doing their job lately." A sultry voice sounded out as a beautiful voluptuous Lady came out the shadows dressed in a late Victorian style of clothing that did nothing to hide her voluminous assets. Mark was more impressed at the small buttons holding out thinking who made them so sturdy holding so much like that. She walked forwards in a flirtatious manner that it enraptured the prisoners in a daze but not Mark.

"Ara, it seems you are not affected. My is it because you have not yet experienced a woman young man? Don't worry, this big sister would take care of that." said the mature looking woman as she felt confident that she had put everyone in a daze with her magic. She walked slowly towards Mark admiring the handsome young man feeling pity inside as to why she had to kill a handsome fellow. But she was shocked immediately as Mark stood up and said something shocking.

"It seems I have been graced by Countess Melissa herself. I see your Queen see me in high regard to send such a person of your stature." Mark smiled as he stood up and did a gentleman's bow towards the vampire. Countess Melissa herself was stunned as she didn't understand how she was recognized immediately.

But that momentary pause gave Mark all he needed as Countess Melissa was already in striking distance. He did not reach for the swords as it was a decoy so they would not put their guards up for a sheathed blade. Instead he went for a strong right hook as a brass knuckle appeared on his hand as it went towards the beautiful face of the Countess.

*BANG!!!*

The Countess was not able to react at all as she felt her head hammered suddenly by a force equivalent to a bear's slap. Strong as the vampires may be, it was not so strong that it could ignore such force yet point blank. As her body got raised backward due to the strike, Mark followed up chasing with a left hook before the body flies away.

*THUD*

Mark also equipped a brass knuckle on his left hand as his fist landed on the soft mounds on the chest of the Vampire. The prisoners woke up already during the first Punch so they were able to see the second which made them lament as to why those bunnies were not treated gently at all. But Mark didn't care as he did not want to bullshit to people wanting to take his life, he did not opt for the kill because he wanted more information from the Vampire.

So he kept delivering Blows as he chased at the not floating unconscious body. This much won't kill a vampire but at least it would immobilize them. Seeing the Countess was already out to dreamland Mark stopped and took out a chain made from tungsten connected to a large metal ball made of the same metal. It weighed almost a ton that Mark was not even able to hold it properly, he then tied the battered up woman and dragged her towards his house.

"You Monster!! How dare you treat a lady like that!?" the third son shouted as he felt it was a waste to beat up a beauty like that. Mark stopped and stared coldly at the young man which made him shudder alongside his father's men. Mark raised his fist at the level of his face and said.

"You see this fist?" which made the young man gulp feeling like he would get beaten up. But what Mark said next made the other prisoners feel more fear.

"They are Gender Neutral so it's equality for everybody." Mark then turn back and dragged the unconscious woman towards his home. His last words made every person sweat including some female offenders who were caught stealing, as they were afraid of the Town Lord their admiration to him went to a new high.

"~Aang~ I want the Town Lord to treat he hard like that." Said a woman

"Girl calm your tits!!" said a younger girl

"Speak for yourself, you wet yourself watching him didn't you?" bickered an old woman.

"You hag don't got any say to this!" answered another woman.

"I'm not old just more experienced than young bean sprouts like you" answered the old woman. Soon a cacophony of women bickering as well as men lamenting the poor state of the beautiful Lady started in the prison cells. The only sober one would be the Red Wizard who was given a single cell all on his own with private amenities and all.

"That woman, was a vampire." The wizard's face was serious as he muttered by himself. Other's might not realize it but being a wizard he has access to information unknown to the public. Thus he realized the magic used by the woman as well as seeing her still alive despite the beating she received from the Town Lord himself. He sat there deep in thought as he realized that they might have been pulled in a vortex of troublesome matters.

He looked towards the young son of his Lord and sighed, even if they are struggling it was still hard to eliminate a family as rich as the Van Daleens. They were even able to hire him when their city is still occupied by the Duke of L'Anguille. But he was still loyal as the Baron still funds the research that he has been studying, even if his son is a piece of crap.

[Mousillon City, The Duke's Mansion]

"Traitors!! Traitor the lot of them!! Captain have your men prepared by tomorrow! We will punish these traitorous vassals of mine for coveting my position!!" An Old man looking like he was in his 50s hollered in anger as he received the report of his daughter. He had realized that he had been played for a fool thinking his vassals were indeed having trouble with beastmen attacks.

But to think they were fooled by a group of vampires made him mad, thankfully the vampires could not get near any Holy Object and since other than being a Duke, he was also a veteran Knight so he has adorned holy object in his presence. He looked at his daughter and felt he might be indeed hasty in his decisions on marrying her. If not for her then his Realm might have been a battle field and become playgrounds for the undead.

"Francine my daughter, could you tell me more of this Town Lord that I have recently assigned." He shamelessly said like Mark was given his position by him. Years of being a Duke had indeed given him some arrogance but lately it might just have subsided a little. Before he might have said my subordinate which would show that Mark was his pawn to begin with.

But the Young lady did not notice as she excitedly told her father of her experience in that town even if it was brief. She talked about how Mark was born with Magic but his parents could not afford to lose him or send him to a magical academy thus was sent far away and instead landed in Cathay. She also said that Mark was Loyal to the Duchy which calmed the Duke.

He was quite tired having heard his men were planning to oust him in the event he leaves with his fleet. He felt indignant as to why their family's long ally tried to play them like that but he was more afraid at how an ancient group of vampires were influencing these events in the shadows. He knew what such power entails and he felt more insecure, hearing a vassal still loyal gave him a little bit of warmth.

He watch his daughter talk in an excited manner but he knew there was another feeling there. That glint he could see in her eyes, it seems she like the town Lord. He felt it was not proper that the status was so far apart but there would be vacancies sooner so maybe he could manipulate strings to get that young man closer. He had spent months drowning in lavish parties but he knew it was just a way to show power but now he has another way given to him by the traitorous rascals themselves.

This time he'll show how a Duke is supposed to be and maybe after that he could finally focus on his family. It seems he has been neglecting them for far too long. Since when did his daughter grow up to be a fine young lady like her mother. He sighed internally as he also had been neglecting his wife, he was pressured as he had not seen a proper successor.

So he went to train his sons from his concubine but all he received were self-entitled brats. The Future of the Duchy is indeed grim, he just hopes he could bring stability to the realm so his family could live and continue their name for the future. He smiled as he patted her daughter's head which made Francine stunned as she had long forgotten how her father pampered her.

"Go on my dear daughter, I would like to hear more of this Young Lad Mark."