Trina watched the horizon, her thoughts heavy with the weight of what she had to do. It was time. She had seen Rae's potential—her power, her resourcefulness—but Rae was still unprepared for what lay ahead. Yet time was not a luxury they had. Rae would have to learn after she became the one. Despite Rae's status as a Royal of Bermone, destined to inherit the throne one day, Trina believed Rae's true path lay elsewhere. She was meant to take the place of the vampire queen.
Memories Trina had inherited from her predecessors swirled vividly in her mind. Among them was the tale of a time when two vampire queens ruled simultaneously. They had been twins, born identical in every way, destined to lead together. At first, the arrangement seemed harmonious, but as the twins grew, the kingdom splintered. Factions formed, alliances broke, and the demon race as a whole teetered on the brink of civil war. To prevent total collapse, the Lucille duel had been invoked. Established by Queen Lucy herself, the duel was meant to ensure that the strongest member of the royal family would rule—a queen capable of protecting her people from external threats.
The duel was a sacred tradition, pitting a crown vampire princess against another female of royal blood. Sometimes, it even occurred between a reigning queen and a princess. The victor claimed the throne, while the defeated relinquished all claims to it. Queen Lucy had believed that strength and power were the ultimate qualities of a ruler, and the duel was her method of securing them.
Trina turned to Rae. "Rae."
Rae jumped slightly, spinning around to face her. "Trina! You've got to stop appearing out of thin air. It's really... how do I say... creepy! It freaks me out every time."
Trina offered a faint smile. "Sorry. I can't help it. Living in the shadows, being a former assassin and all, it's second nature."
Rae sighed, folding her arms. "Okay. So, what's up?"
"I need to tell you something."
"About what?"
Trina hesitated, the weight of her revelation pressing against her. "Before we leave this town and arrive at Carmine Village, there's something important you need to know about being a vampire queen."
Rae frowned. "I'm listening."
Trina's gaze hardened. "The existence of two vampire queens is a threat to our kind. To fix such a situation, we must duel for the title."
Rae's eyes widened. "WHAT?! WHY?"
"Calm down, Rae."
"How am I supposed to calm down when you're telling me we have to duel? Wait… Is this why you've been so hard on me during training?"
"Not exactly," Trina replied, her voice steady. "The duel isn't about personal vendettas. It's for the good of the vampires."
Rae shook her head. "Why can't we both be queens?"
Trina's expression softened as she prepared to recount the tale that would answer Rae's question. "Long ago, there were two sisters named London and Paris. They were identical in appearance but polar opposites in character. Born to a vampire queen, they were both destined to rule. Paris was bold, confident, and fiery, while London was timid, meek, and reserved. Despite their differences, they shared a deep bond. Paris was fiercely protective of London, and the two were inseparable.
"As they grew, so did the kingdom's divisions. When the sisters came of age, they agreed to share the throne, but this decision didn't sit well with many within the kingdom. Factions plotted to eliminate one of the sisters. London, the more vulnerable of the two, fell victim to an assassination attempt. She was poisoned and nearly died. If not for their mother's intervention and the regenerative power of a monster's blood, she would have perished.
"The incident made it clear that their dream of a joint rule was impossible. To preserve stability, the Lucille duel was invoked."
Rae's voice trembled. "What exactly is the Lucille duel?"
Trina explained, "It's a duel between two female vampires of royal blood to determine the next queen. It must be authentic to count, or there will be dire consequences."
"So that's what you want? For us to duel?"
Trina nodded. "Yes. The winner will be the true vampire queen."
As the journey continued, Rae's thoughts churned. The carriage rattled along the road, but her mind was elsewhere. How was she supposed to fight someone like Trina? Trina's combat skills were leagues beyond her own. Rae could barely defeat her father in training; Trina could defeat him effortlessly. The prospect of losing gnawed at her, but Trina's warning about the consequences of an inauthentic duel loomed large in her mind. Whatever those consequences were, Rae didn't want to find out.
Eleanor, seated beside her, noticed Rae's unease. "Lady Rae, are you okay? You don't seem well."
Rae forced a small smile. "I'm fine. Just something on my mind."
"It must be serious. You've been like this since we met up with Master Trina."
"It's nothing to worry about, Eleanor," Rae replied, hoping to deflect her concern.
Eleanor's sharp grey eyes lingered on her for a moment before she relented. "If you say so."
The carriage slowed as Trina's voice rang out. "Rae! Do you feel that?"
Rae's senses sharpened, and she nodded. "Yeah. There's an ominous mana in the air. A large horde of monsters, maybe?"
Trina leaned out of the carriage. "Daphne, stop the carriage."
The group disembarked, and Trina addressed the gathered adventurers. "Thank you all for joining this campaign against the monster attacks. Many of you have felt the surge of miasma in the air. That can only mean one thing: a horde of monsters is nearby. I know you're tired, but we must muster our strength and thin their numbers before they cause significant damage."
The adventurers roared their agreement, rallying to her call. Inspired by their determination, Rae leapt into action, activating her wind magic to propel herself toward the source of the miasma. Trina, ever the faster and more ruthless fighter, quickly outpaced her, leaving a trail of carnage in her wake. By the time Rae reached the scene, Trina was already cutting through the monsters with brutal efficiency. Despite their overwhelming numbers—nearly eight hundred, with fifty upper-rank monsters—the adventurers and Rae joined the fray.
Rae fought valiantly, her daggers and magic thinning the ranks of the lower-tier monsters. But then she saw them: two minotaurs and an ogre, their menacing forms towering over the battlefield. As one minotaur charged at her, Rae's instincts took over. The battle was fierce, but her speed and magic gave her the edge. With a final, precise strike, she beheaded the creature.
The remaining two monsters, sensing her threat, charged together. Rae used wind magic to propel them apart, breaking their coordination. She focused on the ogre, dispatching it quickly, but the second minotaur took advantage of the chaos, fleeing toward Carmine Village. Rae gave chase, determined to stop it. The pursuit was grueling, the minotaur's speed forcing Rae to push herself to the limit. Finally, she caught up to it—just in time to see it attacking a dark elf and Miss Merle, who lay injured on the ground.
Rae's heart raced as she intervened, quickly beheading the minotaur. Her eyes met the dark elf's—a silver-haired woman with sapphire eyes that stirred a strange familiarity in Rae. She couldn't place where she had seen her before, but there was no time to dwell on it. She rushed to Merle's side, healing her wounds.
After ensuring Merle's safety, Rae and the others returned to the battlefield. Most of the monsters had been defeated, and the survivors had fled. Cheers of victory rang out, but Trina's expression remained grim. She turned to Merle. "I need to speak to Mr. Harold immediately. It's an emergency. I think I know why the monster activity has been so unusual."
As they headed toward Carmine Village, Rae's thoughts lingered on the duel. What was Trina planning, and when would their fateful battle take place?