Sticking to the count's body, the vampires were sucking blood from him, the count was in his wolf form. Every knight of Alaric and the count's guard could see the dreadful scene. Alaric was looking at the dying count without winking his eyes.
After sucking all the blood from count's body the vampires left his body aside and stepped away from it.
A gasp left the mouth of one of the count's guards who were caged in a cell across the vampire's cell after seeing his corpse.
The body turned greenish due to the loss of blood, the ones were almost visible on his body as if they were just covered with a thin sheet of skin, and the eyes were sunken inside the wolf dog's body. No one could identify the count's face if the corpse is shown to someone.
"I think there is no question regarding them being a vampire, I guess.", Alaric said sarcastically turning around and looking at everyone.
No one utters a word.
The only thing one could think was his ruthlessness how can he say this after throwing him in the den of death, even Freki who knew that he would be doing so didn't like this attitude coming from him.
"Report that the Count was hiding numerous vampires in his manor, a servant reported the local police regarding the matter and as the case was related to vampires, I was immediately informed and has to take care of it right away. The count was caught in his mansion and during the raid, some vampires tried to escape taking it as an opportunity the count tried to escape but some vampires caught him and suck tried his blood.", Alaric said looking at the horrible sight.
He turned back to face his knights.
"Take out the count's body from there and call a mage to use a teleportation sigil to transfer all these vampires to the castle's dungeon with other vampires. And inform the countess and their children regarding the unfortunate death."
"Yes, your highness.", the knight said.
"I'll be stepping out from here, take care of everything. I will be checking the manor once more, to confirm there's no one left."
Alaric came out from the underground dungeon of the count's manor. Freki and some of his knights followed him out.
"Freki you come with me and the rest of you go ahead and help down there."
The knights bowed to him and went back there.
"Freki makes sure that the count's son will reign over his father's title without any problem and until his debut in the society the countess will manage the mine and the household. Pass on this order too."
"I will.", Freki kept his answer short.
"Are you mad at me for what I did?", Alaric said looking away from him.
"It's not like that, that man deserves his death, but I was thinking about your image in front of the knights and the words that will spread due to this.", Freki said in a concerned voice.
"I don't care much about the rumors, people always have new stories regarding me."
"But what about your knights?"
"They saw everything themselves, I can't control the way they think about him."
"I will try that the wave is on our side for this. And..... what are you thinking about the count's guards who are caged down there? I hope you are not thinking to kill them.", Freki said.
"They were just following orders from a wicked person, let them go but degrade their positions and tell the countess to keep a close eye on them. And make sure a proper funeral is held for the count.", Alaric started walking away from there.
"This is fine, I guess.", Freki said following him.
"Freki from the way those vampires run for his blood they must be bloody thirsty for days, so make sure to fill them up with enough blood. I don't want them to die or turn insane out of hunger."
"I will tell them to do that too. If you said these things down there, that must leave a good impression on there.", Freki said with a sigh.
"Not everything is done to make an impression and don't forget a person with a soft side can't be alive in the place where we are living.", Alaric said with a little smile on his face.
The two went back into the manor, the magic done by Freki was already lifted now except for the dungeon. The news of the count's death was already sent to the countess and other family members.
But to their surprise, no one was sad about his death. There was a feeling of remorse in the manor but neither the countess blamed Alaric nor the count's people.
"Your highness, I am apologetic for what my husband did, I will take full responsibility for my husband's deed. But I do not want my children to pay for this.", the countess said keeping her head down.
"Your children will not be the ones to pay for their father's sins nor you, the count already did that with his life. You have to take care of the county until the next heir comes of age.", Freki said these instead of Alaric. Freki knew that he will not say all this by himself and even if he did it will come out wrongly.
"Your highness, I am grateful for your kindness. Unlike the late count, I will be the subject of your trust.", the countess said. There wasn't any emotion to his words, yet Alaric cam says that she was sincere in her words, she must've opposed the count for everything he did and was out of love for him. She was more focused on her children who are too young yet.