He fell to the ground pathetically, like a marionette with its strings cut off.
He coughed, and his shoulders heaved with every large intake of air. Both of his hands subconsciously reached toward his throat, but he immediately pulled back when he only felt pain. The skin around his neck was warm and tender.
"Brother," Venera called out.
It turns out that Venera had jumped off the throne, bounced down the long carpeted stairs, walked to Caius' feet, and lightly tugged at the corner of his clothes.
"Brother, you said that there would be no bloodshed today."
Caius unknowingly let go of his hold on Earl Fane's neck when he heard the little girl's soft voice and looked down at the face that was smiling like a blooming spring.
Her voice was soft but inexplicably held convincing magic. Magic that made it so that he would follow her words.
"Moreover, the blood will be quite hard to wash off."
The little girl's soft and innocent-sounding voice scratched Caius' heart like the soft and clumsy tap of a cat's paw. Impossibly cute.
Caius glanced at the pathetic nobleman on the ground. That light glance was his last and final warning to the man—the last and final warning from a ruler to his subject. The next time he dared to commit an offense, he would be silenced immediately without another warning.
He then turned around and squatted down to level his eyes with the little girl's.
"Vera, do you mind this matter?" This bloodthirsty madness of his?
At this time, Caius' blood-red eyes had turned back to their usual black. His eyes inevitably turned gentle whenever he looked at Venera.
"No," Venera said, shaking her head from side to side. "Why should I mind this matter?" She then tilted her head to the side in question and smiled; her voice was soft like a spring breeze. "Everything is all right as long as Brother accompanies me."
Her thoughts were simple: she is still a child who does not understand much of anything, but as long as Caius and Emily could accompany her in this new environment, everything was all right.
As long as Brother accompanies me...
This short sentence echoed lightly in Caius' mind.
Her words can so easily warm the hearts of others, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Venera did not know that the more she behaved like this, the more Caius wanted her to be his queen. Moreover, he had taken a liking to Venera. She is the only person in the past hundred or so years except Micah whom Caius has wanted to stay by his side so much.
"Vera is so good." Caius caressed her head ever so gently, and Venera squinted her eyes in comfort like a little kitten being stroked comfortably.
Caius then hugged the little girl in his arms, stood up, and looked at the other nobles with cold eyes that seemed as if he were staring deep into their very souls.
"The Blood Moon rite continues; anyone who dares not follow will be killed without mercy."
With that said, none of the vampire nobles dared to speak out their thoughts any further because their king always did as he said. Once they dared to refute the king's statement, their lives would be snuffed out as easily as blowing out the small light of a candle with a slight breeze.
Everyone went to their stations, and the castle servants moved about to prepare for the Blood Moon rite.
This solemn ceremony is the most sacred tradition of the vampire race, a ritual that only the noble daughters of the vampire race can experience when one is to be the vampire king's queen. And thus, it is an unprecedented grace for a human girl to be able to experience this ceremony as soon as she arrives in the vampire race.
What was even more unprecedented was the fact that she could get the favor of the cruel and bloodthirsty vampire king, who was known far and wide as an evil tyrant. This is a groundbreaking achievement.
So far, the vampire subjects could see that this human girl had gained the vampire king's preferential treatment. And whether this preferential treatment would last for a short while or for a long time remains to be seen.
Venera yawned as she watched the servants move about inside the throne room, slowly chewing on a candy that had almost completely melted in her mouth, taken from the human race. It has been hours since they started to move to settle the things needed for the Blood Moon rite.
Her small figure was enveloped in a red mantle belonging to Caius, and her body was cuddled closely against his, sending continuous warmth to his pale and cold skin. Her squinting eyes looked particularly adorable in Caius' eyes.
He slowly ran his hand along the little girl's long, silky black hair to make her feel even more comfortable in her position.
Soon, she will be his.
The gray sky had long turned black, and a pure white moon could be seen hanging up in the abyssal sky from the floor-to-ceiling windows—the only source of light, lighting up the altar in the middle of the humongous hall.
Caius picked up a wine glass filled with blood, took a sip, and smiled lightly. The glass glinted coldly in the illumination of the moonlight.
The top-quality blood is especially sweet and refreshing in his mouth. It flows down his throat and sinks into his stomach. Warm, comfortable, and welcoming, as if something is flowing through his limbs.
Caius stuck out his tongue and licked along his lips from one corner to the other corner of his mouth, so slowly and seductively. There was an evil smile on his face when he finished his actions. He was looking at no one in particular.
Venera only blinked when she saw him doing this action.
If Caius' eyes were not pointed at the altar, Venera would have thought that he was trying to seduce someone by catching their attention with such an inviting movement. After all, anyone who saw it would find themselves captivated by such a bewitching charm.