How to Live as the Vampire Lord - Chapter 309

“But that alone isn’t enough reason to allow it,” Count Rudiger said. He was cautious. After all, he still didn’t know if his letter had already been delivered to the crown prince, so he could not hastily rush into something unplanned.

“If the rumors spreading in the city turn out to be false, then you sirs will be committing an extremely serious diplomatic disrespect. You must know how great the consequences will be, right?” Count Rudiger asked. No matter how ignorant the knights were, they had to be smart enough to know.

The knights shared a gaze before speaking, “The rumors are likely true. No, they must be true.”

“What?” Count Rudiger said.

The knights responded with confident expressions, “There is a witness who said they saw a young man with black hair and red eyes taking a stroll at night in the mansion of the Rivoles Clan’s lord.”

“…!”

“Moreover, they said that Countess Verna, as well as the other vampire high lords, were nearby as if they were watching him. I’m certain that the King of Maren was detained by the vampire clan masters.”

Count Rudiger took on a somber expression at the words of the knights.

“If that’s really true… Then, it might be worth a try,” Count Rudiger said.

“Oh!”

“Then, we must immediately issue a challenge and—”

The knights quickly became excited, but Count Rudiger interrupted them in a cold voice, “However, it’s not completely certain yet, so let’s start by conducting a meeting with the King of Maren.”

“You mean…?”

“As the governor, I will write a letter to Master Rivoles inviting all the vampire nobles who had come to our city, including the King of Maren. Won’t everything be made clear by then?” Count Rudiger said.

“Then, let us do that.”

“But, please allow us to face him as soon as possible.”

‘These impatient knights!’

Count Rudiger hid his inner thoughts and responded with a smile, “I understand. However, whatever happens, you sirs must take responsibility as knights of the empire and continue to uphold honor and friendship to me and our city.”

“Of course…”

Count Rudiger finally felt at ease, knowing that he would avoid any loss regardless of the outcome.

***

Around the time when Count Rudiger was meeting with the knights, Eugene was speaking with Delmondo and Edmund.

“Your Majesty. Will it be okay to leave the masters alone?” Delmondo asked cautiously. He was rather worried, since he knew the power of the clan masters better than most people.

Eugene responded with a smirk, “Why? Are you worried that they might be plotting something?”

“My apologies,” Delmondo quickly realized his mistake and responded while bowing.

“They have completely submitted to me. They cannot have any other thoughts. To me, you and the clan masters are no different,” Eugene said.

“Ah…” It would have been considered absurd if anyone else had said the same words, but Delmondo was immediately convinced. After all, his master was the one and only Origin. If vampires had a god similar to the humans and elves, his master was the only one befitting of the title. Moreover, unlike other gods who conveyed their wills through proxies, the progenitor of all vampires was physically standing in front of him. He was literally the incarnation of the Vampire God. No vampire—including the clan masters—could ever disobey a living god, and all vampires would be equal in the eyes of God.

“However, this is truly shocking. I had never imagined that the emperor was being detained…” Delmondo muttered. Eugene had been quite surprised, but Edmund, a native of the empire, had been greatly shocked. Delmondo also hailed from the empire, but he had been transformed into a vampire during the reign of the previous emperor, so he had no more loyalty toward the empire and the imperial family. On the other hand, Edmund was an imperial knight who had been knighted along with his colleagues only around a decade ago. He had even seen the emperor personally from afar. Although he was now fully loyal to Eugene, he couldn’t simply ignore that the emperor he once served was being detained. After all, Edmund had once served the emperor and looked up to him as if he were the heavens.

“No wonder he did nothing when his third son was literally chased out of the empire, and even when the yellow bastard started running amok trying to kill his younger brother. It makes sense if he was being detained all this time,” Eugene responded.

“That’s right. Hmm…” Edmund nodded, then suddenly fell into contemplation.

After a moment, he raised his head and continued, “Your Majesty. Come to think of it, it’s kind of strange that the central church of the Caylor Kingdom and the knights of various countries had united to invade Brantia.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s common for such big events to proceed after getting permission from the Roman Empire. They should have at least consulted the empire, and visits from imperial knights or prestigious nobles from the empire would have been normal. A ceasefire and negotiations are almost always expected at the right time, and they had mostly always been mediated by someone from the empire,” Edmund explained.

“But it wasn’t like that when you participated in the Brantian expedition?” Eugene asked.

Edmund responded, “Yes. I had not thought much of it at the time, since I had naturalized to the Caylor Kingdom not too long ago. But now that I think of it, there were quite a few suspicious aspects. It’s just my guess, but—”

Eugene continued Edmund’s words, “The emperor was already being detained at that time?”

“Yes.”

Edmund nodded, and Eugene took on a solemn gaze. It had been several years since Edmund departed on the Brantian expedition and was taken prisoner. The events were even older than when Eugene first returned to the past and woke up in his cabin. What if the emperor was already being detained since then or maybe even before?

‘It means that the self-proclaimed Origins in the imperial castle have been plotting for a very long time.’

It also meant that the monster uprising hadn’t been planned overnight and that it was just a part of a long-running conspiracy. Most importantly…

‘The three beings in the imperial castle know me. No, they wouldn’t just know me.’

They had to be either his children or vassals, as he was the one and only Origin. And while he was struggling with his lost memories and had even experienced a mysterious return to the past, his three children or vassals were plotting to dominate the world from the heart of the Roman Empire.

‘Did they get rid of me?’

No. That was unlikely. If they thought he was in the way of their plans, they wouldn’t have stopped at only making him lose his memories.

‘Anyway, the emperor’s imprisonment, my memory loss, and my return to the shabby village… I’m sure everything is related.’

“Your Majesty. Shouldn’t we ask Master Helmond more questions?” Edmund asked cautiously.

Eugene shook his head after leaving his other thoughts behind.

“He’s only a knife as well. The ones who planned everything and gave orders are the ones above him. We won’t discover anything new by asking him more questions.”

“I understand. Phew. I never would have imagined that a vampire clan master would end up becoming just an accessory…” Edmund muttered. During his time as an imperial knight, it had been nigh impossible to meet with a vampire clan master. In fact, it was difficult to meet with even a vampire high lord unless they were prestigious, high-ranking nobles of the empire. However, as it turned out, even a great existence like the clan master was no different from a pawn on a chessboard.

“This is also a conspiracy that will determine the fate of the emperor. It won’t be strange if other clan masters aside from Helmond are involved in it as well,” Eugene said.

“That’s true. By the way, Your Majesty. I…” Edmund hesitated while glancing sideways at something. It looked as if he were slightly bothered.

“Kieeeeh… The Demon King… You need to become the great demon king… I need to become number two and return to the Spirit World in glory and honor…” the spirit mumbled while crouched in a corner and scribbling something on the floor.

Eugene clicked his tongue. “Just leave the crazy spirit alone. She has been completely dominated by absolute, utter nonsense.”

“Ah, yes.”

Knock, knock.

The door opened, and Verna entered before bowing deeply with a frightened expression.

“I have something to tell the great monarch,” she said.

“What is it?” Eugene asked. Although she was a count of the Roman Empire and a high lord among high lords, she was only a regular vampire in front of Eugene.

Knowing that, Verna responded even more politely, “Count Rudiger, the Governor of Petrucca, sent a messenger to Master, ah, no, my father.”

“Hmm? What did he say?” Eugene asked. He had deliberately gone for walks at night while staying at the residence of the Rivoles Clan for the past few days. Things were finally going the way he wanted them to go, but he asked as if he were ignorant.

“W-well… The governor said he wanted to see the g-great monarch in person,” Verna answered.

“He wants to see me? Why?” Eugene asked.

“M-my apologies, but this humble one doesn’t know,” Verna responded. Her posture was now so low it looked as if she were about to crawl.

“Well, I guess I will meet with him. When did he say he wanted to see me?” Eugene asked.

“He asked for it to be as soon as possible,” Verna answered.

“Then ask him for a meeting tonight. Do I have to go alone?” Eugene asked.

“He has invited the great monarch and the other nobles of our tribe as well,” Verna responded.

“Hooh?” A smile appeared on Eugene’s face at the unexpected answer. It appeared that the Governor of Petrucca was finally prepared to get things going.

***

It was a night dimly lit by the hazy light of the bluish moon. The vampire clan masters and Eugene arrived at the Government General[1] of Petrucca under tight security. The people of the Government General anxiously watched as the clan masters entered under the guidance of high lords and bannerets. They knew well that they would likely never get to see such a sight ever again. However, their gazes were focused elsewhere even as they stole glances at the masters. Soon, a figure appeared from the largest carriage. As soon as they saw the young, beautiful, black-haired man in antique clothes, they instantly realized that he was the rumored King of Maren. The young man was carrying a sword as well.

However, the onlookers felt disappointed and relieved to see that the King of Maren looked ordinary, unlike the knight with great achievements depicted in the rumors. Moreover, he seemed to be looking around with an anxious gaze.

‘The rumor was true!’

‘Master Rivoles has crushed the King of Maren!’

Otherwise, the clan masters, led by Master Rivoles, would not have treated the King of Maren as if he were just a ghost. The spectators weren’t the only ones with such thoughts either.

“That man is the King of Maren? Huh…”

Even the knights laughed in vain when they saw the King of Maren. They had been waiting in the middle of the building. Eugene simply looked too insignificant and meek to be a hero of those tales and legends.

“Maybe it’s all a lie. You know, the rumors about how he beat a troll with his bare hands and killed a wyvern?”

“That’s what I’m thinking. How could such a wimpy man…”

The knights spoke quietly, as the man in question was still the king of a country. However, the vampires could hear everything they were saying.

“…”

The masters of the clan—including Master Rivoles—flinched slightly every time the knights whispered.

‘S-stop it, you crazy fucking bastards!’

‘You insects dare to speak like that to the great monarch…!’

‘I’ll kill you. I will definitely cut off their heads and present them at the feet of the great monarch.’

However, the masters regained their composure while recalling Eugene’s order not to act out of place. The words of their God were absolute, and the fate of those who dared to show contempt to God was quite obvious.

1. This is apparently not a person, but something similar to the White House ☜