The messenger stood before Reina, bowing slightly. "Your Majesty, I bring urgent news from the front lines."
"Speak," Reina said, her tone firm but composed.
"One of the cities we captured has been reclaimed by the humans."
Her expression tightened. "Which city?"
"The city of Mesomia, Your Majesty."
"Mesomia?" Reina's voice sharpened. "When did this happen?"
"Two days ago."
"How?" Her words carried a cold edge. "I was under the impression Victoria and her forces had executed Norn's plan perfectly."
"They had, Your Majesty, but a new problem arose."
Reina leaned forward. "What problem?"
"The humans brought reinforcements."
"Reinforcements?" she repeated, her brow furrowing. "How many?"
The messenger hesitated, then replied, "Two."
"Two?" Reina's voice rose in disbelief. "And with just two reinforcements, they reclaimed an entire city? Were they knights of extraordinary power?"
"Not exactly, Your Majesty," the messenger admitted. "One was a young girl, around twelve years old, and the other—"
"A twelve-year-old girl?" Reina interrupted, her tone laced with skepticism. "That doesn't make any sense."
The messenger cleared his throat nervously. "The girl had crimson hair, Your Majesty. It is highly likely she is a vampire queen."
Reina's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
"The girl is a vampire queen," the messenger repeated. "And the other individual with her is believed to be her dragon."
Reina's fingers curled into fists, her voice dropping into a low growl. "How many soldiers did we lose?"
"Approximately six thousand, Your Majesty."
"Six thousand?" She rose from her throne, her voice filled with restrained fury. "Describe their strength."
The messenger's voice trembled slightly. "They annihilated six thousand soldiers in mere seconds. Forgive me for being presumptuous, but I believe defeating that girl will require all of our generals."
Reina's gaze hardened. "You believe she's that powerful?"
"I do, Your Majesty. The girl also delivered a demand."
"A demand?" Reina's eyes narrowed. "What does she want?"
"She demands we hand over Miss Victoria and the overseer. If we fail to comply, she has threatened to obliterate our entire army. I know this may sound like an empty threat, but I truly believe she has the power to carry it out."
Reina exhaled sharply, pacing the length of the chamber. "She's a vampire queen… Of course, she has that power." Turning back to the messenger, she added, "How long do we have to respond?"
"She gave us one week, Your Majesty."
Reina nodded curtly. "Then we don't have much time. Send word to all my generals. We must devise a solution quickly."
"At once, Your Majesty." The messenger bowed and exited swiftly.
As the door closed behind him, Reina sank back into her throne, her thoughts churning. A twelve-year-old vampire queen... If that's the case, she isn't the one who killed my parents. But that changes nothing. The vampire queens have oppressed my lineage for centuries, and her death will be the first step toward vengeance.
Reina's thoughts drifted back to her father, a man born into the cursed lineage of the progenitor's son. For generations, the males of her family had sought to right the wrongs done to them. Her father's hatred for female vampires, especially those of royal blood, was deeply ingrained—so much so that he had chosen a celestial as his wife, rejecting all ties to vampire women.
Her parents' union had been a rare love story, defying the enmity between their races. Yet, when Reina was born, her father's disappointment was palpable. He had hoped for a son to inherit the family's vendetta, but instead, he was given a daughter. To him, Reina's birth had squandered his only chance to fulfill their bloodline's mission.
Though he tried to build a bond with her for the sake of his relationship with her mother, the tension never fully dissipated. Their fragile happiness was shattered the day Reina's mother was found dead, a lock of crimson hair by her side. Her father's grief and anger transformed into cold disdain for Reina, though he still trained her, saying, "Even though you are a girl, you are my child. You will inherit this will. Avenge your mother for me. Make the vampire queens pay for their centuries of oppression."
Those were the last words he ever spoke to her. Soon after, he vanished, only to be found dead in the same manner as her mother. That day, members of her mother's celestial kin appeared to her for the first time.
A celestial man offered her a path to revenge. He promised to train her, to guide her, and to one day bring her into the celestial realm as his adopted daughter. Desperate for vengeance and a place to belong, Reina accepted. Her training began at the age of seven, and by twelve, she had been tasked with assassinating the Demon King—a critical step in her mentor's grand plan.
Disguising herself as the Demon King using illusion magic, Reina took his place and carried out her orders. For five years, she ruled the demon kingdom, steering it toward war with the humans as part of the celestial man's strategy. Yet, with every step forward, her vengeance against the vampire queens remained elusive.
Now, the vampire queen herself had appeared—crimson-haired and powerful. She may not be the one who killed Reina's parents, but her death would suffice to balance the scales. Reina clenched her fists. Her blood will repay the deaths of my mother and father. Once she falls, I will take control of her clan and break the curse of the progenitor. But first…
Reina's thoughts turned practical. She had a duty to her people, and this vampire queen was no ordinary foe. First, I must consult my generals. The lives of the demons under my care must not be squandered. Revenge can wait a little longer.