Clement convulsed and collapsed in front of the crowd of vampires, quickly turning into a pale black corpse.
This shook the vampires to the core, after all Edward hadn't cast a spell or shot an arrow, he had just spoken softly and deftly and taken the life of a vampire.
Now, no one dared to doubt the authenticity of the branding function on the body.
"There are a few others who didn't rebel against the rules we set, but their words were unimpressed with the efficacy of the spell seals. Isn't that right? Your Excellency Reid? Your Excellency Bruno? Your Excellency Savas?"
Edward casually named a few names, and the vampires whose names were called then had their hearts fluttered.
These were all eavesdropped by the hunters who had spent a lot of energy and resources. Recently, the hunters had spared no expense in cross-dressing, tracking, and eavesdropping in order to get the information, always keeping track of the general movements of the vampires.
Edward felt that such a commitment was necessary to maintain stability. And because of that, they were able to lock up Clement quickly.
"Since these few are only complaining verbally, we will not punish them, but I hope you understand one thing: leaving your lives behind is our mercy to you, a mercy that can be withdrawn at any time."
When he finished speaking, he stirred up a wind of magic, causing the branding on the vampires' hands to resonate and emit a hint of dark red light.
The few vampires whose names had just been called immediately fell to the ground in fear, gambling and swearing their allegiance.
Driven by these guys, all the vampires present followed suit and bowed down together, mouthing, "By Your Excellency's command!"
Edward, seeing that they had shown obedience, announced that the gathering was over and the vampires could return.
When the crowd dispersed, he and a few elite hunters made their way to the Lord's room on the upper level of the castle.
Baldwin had collapsed into the chair that had once belonged to his brother, and the locket containing Lilith's relics had been taken down to the table.
"Finally, I don't have to wear this damn thing." The new lord gasped.
"What's wrong Master? This relic saved your life today."
"So I have it to thank for? Wearing this damn thing I always feel like there's a woman who keeps talking in my ear, and when I see a woman in red, there's still an urge to rush up and grab her clothes."
Baldwin was a little scared when he thought about the misogynistic way his brother had been dressed before he died.
"Master if you want to wear the red dress I can lend it to you." Evelie said with a smile.
"Aren't you afraid the Master will burst your skirt for you?"
The crowd bantered for a while, then got back to business.
"After all the forethought we've put into this, all the speculation about the possibility of betrayal, we really didn't expect any idiot to contact the Heretic's Inquisition. Is that Clement crazy? He's not afraid that those guys who hate all heretics will skin him." Chief Hector said.
Edward was also very confused about Clement's motives; how many years of brain damage did it take to figure out how to go to the Heresy Inquisition and snitch on them?
Hadn't the bastard ever thought about what it would be like to be a vampire in the hands of the Heretic's Inquisition?
"It shows that we haven't thought this through enough, after all, there are still a lot of people in this world who think contrary to normal." Edward said slightly bemused.
"But it's also thanks to Clemente that everyone else knows that our bottom line is not to be trampled." Baldwin said.
"Well, there's sort of a downside to that, speaking of which, Kayne how did you manage to kill him across the room?" Chief Hector asked.
"Use this." Edward tossed him a wristguard-like object.
"Is this the shackle you were talking about? Is it done?"
"Well, it's still a little big, but it's capable of being improved upon."
"It's still big, it's about as big as a normal wrist guard on your hand." Chief Hector said as he snapped it onto his wrist.
"Ah! Chief Administrator ...." Edward tried to speak up to stop it, but was still a step too slow, "You can't take this off if you put it on ...."
"Uh ...." Hector had a dark look on his face, a little embarrassed.
Once this wristguard was fastened, the internal mechanism would close permanently, and if it was forcibly removed, the silver needles inside would shoot into the wrist.
To prevent hunters from being bought into fraud, Edward didn't design this wrist guard to open at all.
"Can't this be destroyed?" The Chief Steward tried waving his arm a few times and found it uncomfortable.
"Yes, but you'll have to bear the pain."
Edward raised his hand and pre-released [Healing Hands] at the Chief Steward.
Then, before Hector could react, he pressed the twin-life runestone trigger in his hand, and the silver needles lurking inside the gauntlet shot out and lodged themselves into the chief steward's wrist.
"Uh, you wait .... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Chief Hector let out a strange cry.
By this time the wristguard had cracked on its own, Edward maintained the position of casting [Healing Hands] with one hand, and with the other hand he quickly helped the chief administrator to remove the half-removed silver needle that was stuck in his wrist.
Fortunately, the effect of [Healing Hands] was outstanding, and the small wounds were quickly healed before the Chief Steward stopped screaming in pain.
The comical look made the group of hunters laugh.
"Master Chief weren't you a unique hunter when you were young? Why are you so afraid of pain now?"
"Hahaha, it didn't hurt this much when Evely got stabbed in the leg, did it?"
"Chief Steward, you're not even as good as a girl now!"
Chief Hector huffed and puffed, picking up the half-dozen silver needles and throwing them toward the hunter who had made fun of him for being less than a girl, who dodged and dodged and continued to giggle.
"It's a good thing I'm not as curious as you are, Hector." Baldwin teased along with the hunters.
Chief Hector had nowhere to get angry, so he picked up the wristguard that cracked in half and threw it at Edward, "It's all because of you, a guy with a bad taste in his mouth, figuring out such a harmful thing."
Edward said with a playful smile as he caught the gauntlet, "At least it proves it's practical. Chief Steward, you can authorize money for us to mass produce it."
"Granted you, you little rich boy and you're hitting on the Guild's money!"
"You can't say that, you have to separate public and private matters in this matter, Chief!"
As Baldwin watched the two men bicker, he suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, speaking of money, Hector, how is the fundraising for the purchase of blood pills going?"
Chief Hector then stopped his banter with Edward and said, "A large portion of the vampires need to purchase blood pills, and even those who have the money to be able to store blood slaves don't dare to do this blatantly, and most of them tend to purchase blood pills. That's why about ten thousand gold coins were collected this time."
"So much money? Then can't the money for us to remodel the assembly house and cast the shackles come out of this as well?"
The Chief Steward, however, shook his head, "No, the black market merchant we contacted is asking for a ridiculously high price."