The Great Vampire General is a Girl! - Chapter 57

The vampire lords snickered, crystal glasses held high in their hands. They moved to another room, which was also still in the Dubois residence. A large hall with marble floors greeted them with luxury. There were large pillars carved with art reliefs and supporting the high dome roof, and carpets made by hand and imported from faraway lands.

All noble families like to flaunt their wealth. The Dubois family was no exception. For them it was not a form of arrogance but an affirmation of their power. Shows that their family deserves respect and credibility. There was nothing wrong with being extravagant as long as they were responsible for the source of their wealth.

Different reactions would be obtained if someone was lavish with the proceeds of deception or because of an illegal business. Because of that, those who were engaged in such business usually rarely appeared at noble parties. Hosting lavish parties, inviting fellow vampire aristocrats and being royal by holding charity auctions could only be done by nobles with clean records.

A group of musicians, mostly human, were seen playing the piano and violin to accompany the guests’ dance. Of course Raphael and Valerie had to be on the dance floor too. They were the guest stars on tonight’s show. All attention would be on them.

“So can you dance?” Valerie asked, being guided by her husband to the dance floor. By now, they had already changed into reception attire. Valerie wore a maroon dress with black sequins and elegant jewelry.

Raphael hugged her waist with his left hand, saw her beautiful eyes and grabbed his wife’s right hand to start the dance.

“I’m also a noble, this is a basic skill that must be mastered,” Raphael said calmly.

“Oh, I thought you were only good with sword or martial arts skills,”

“I’m not a barbarian,” responded Raphael, before starting to move his feet, starting a dance to the beat. Valerie also did not look stiff when dancing.

“Oh really? But you don’t seem to read much. Did you know that there is a drug that can delay pregnancy for vampires? a kind of contraception by means of consumption similar to burning tobacco,”

“Why are you discussing this?”

“Because you said you didn’t want to touch me because you were worried that I might get pregnant too soon,” Valerie responded.

“And you yourself know that it doesn’t always work,” said Raphael again.

“There are many other ways,”

“What do you mean?”

“There are many ways, movements and timing of intercourse if we want to delay pregnancy and—”

Raphael could no longer maintain his flat expression. He looked embarrassed again.

“Damn, Valerie..You’re a lady, how do you know such things?”

“Over the past few weeks I’ve been forced to take wedding preparation classes. They taught me a lot about how to please my husband..Now I have too much theory in my head and I have a husband to put it into practice. But now you’re saying you don’t want to touch me?” Valerie explained what she was thinking honestly.

“I remember before the procession you were very pale and nervous, why do you look calm now? After all… Girls should be ashamed to say something like that,” Raphael couldn’t hide his awkwardness.

The dance was over, they bowed to each other to end it. Then Valerie took his arm again. She looked back at Raphael and smiled at him.

“They say communication is important for husband and wife, I’m just saying what I think.”

“Not for now,” said Raphael.

“What? Then, when?”

“Later, when you’re an adult,” Raphael said half seriously.

“Huh? but I’m already nineteen!” Valerie sounded annoyed. She thought that all this time Raphael was good and even proposed to her because he liked her enough. Did he really marry Valerie because of his sense of responsibility as a commander? He Just didn’t want Valerie’s talent as a cursed weapon user to be neglected? It seems Raphael still didn’t see her as a girl.

“Lady Valerie!” Kyle greeted her a little enthusiastically. He was like a boy who had just come from the village to the city. He was an ordinary civilian who didn’t really understand the customs of the nobles. But Valerie still smiled kindly mixed with surprise at him.

“Kyle? Gosh, why are you in Lapella?”

Raphael whispered to Valerie asking for permission to leave her for a moment. He wanted to visit his other guests. Then Valerie went back to talking to Kyle. Currently he is wearing a Florentia uniform. He looked dashing and friendly. To Valerie he also smelled more delicious than usual. Maybe because he has been practicing a lot lately, his body is more robust and physically healthier.

“I went with commander Chastain from Taverin. He came to Lapella on purpose to pick you up back into the military. He said he would do anything to get you back to Florentia..but I didn’t expect that I would meet the two of you in this situation.” Kyle scratched his head. He was still trying to digest the situation, even though he had accepted the invitation three days earlier.

“Yes, I understand your confusion..our commander is so patriotic that he was forced to marry me in order to bring me back into the military,” Valerie nodded.

“What do you mean by force? Sir Raphael is clever enough to take advantage of his position, he may have reason to want to take you back to the military when he does really want to marry you,” Kyle theorized.

“What? Haha that’s impossible. Raphael doesn’t see me as a girl,” Valerie shook her head. She was annoyed at the thought of it.

“Impossible, I heard a lot of rumors about you Lady Valerie, they say you are the most beautiful noble girl in Lapella, your family standing is also high, Duke Dubois accepts proposals for you almost every day,” Kyle flattered.

“Kyle, you’re exaggerating. It’s just a rumor,” Valerie laughed gracefully.

“Then also, it turns out that your chest isn’t flat at all! I’m amazed how long you’ve been hiding it while disguised as Valor?” Kyle asked seriously. Valerie hit his head.

“It’s my wedding now, if you want to feel my punch again, wait a little longer, ok?” said Valerie, annoyed and half seriously.

“Lady Valerie, I’m sorry. But I can still be your blood donor right? Kyle groaned regretfully.

***

“So, are you married?” Edgar, Damian and Rupert were three of the seven members of the elite Jaguar team who had the opportunity to fulfill Raphael’s wedding invitation.

“All of you keep urging me to get married, I do as you please,” Raphael said casually.

He was in another room. A place where vampires gather to discuss business with their respective circles. They were smoking cigars and drinking blood. There was not much a vampire could consume other than blood. They couldn’t even drink water. Only the occasional tobacco smoke could be their entertainment.

“But with lady Valerie Dubois,”

“That famous Valerie,”

“She’s the daughter of a Duke of Lapella,”

“Your family must have paid a huge dowry to make them willing to marry off their daughter to you.”

“Not really, it’s because I’ve known Valerie for quite a while. So, it’s easier to persuade Duke Dubois,”

“What? So this isn’t an arranged marriage?”

“Are you dating her?” Edgar urged him.

“Damn it! How do you know lady Valerie? You know you only practice swordsmanship!” Damian snapped.

“Maybe because Raphael knows Valor. Was it Valor who introduced her to you? But hey! Why can’t I see Valor here? I heard he was seriously injured during the war yesterday and went home first to Lapella. Is he okay?” Rupert asked.

“Valor is fine,” Raphael replied.

“Then, about your wife again. I mean, she’s the rumored Valerie. The prettiest and the role model of the other girls in Lapella..She’s often said to be gentle and a man’s dream because she’s the perfect example of a noble’s wife,” Damian said.

“Pfft… What rumor is that?” Raphael couldn’t help but laugh. Because the Valerie he knew was certainly not that elegant.

“And her body—” Rupert hesitated about it.

“Well—amazing. It’s a pity, you’ve got to be out in the service often, Raphael. You might have to pay a lot of female knights to look after her. You know a lot of seductive men like to seduce wives whose husbands have left at war,” suggested Edgar.

“Oh no. I don’t have to worry about that,” said Raphael confidently.

“You can’t completely trust women. They get lonely easily and change hearts when someone pays attention to them,” advised Edgar.

“Then, how about you guys? Did you guys think about flirting with my wife when I’m not around?”

“Seducing the wife of a Raphael Chastain? The one who did it must be tired of living,” Damian replied, to which all his friends nodded.

“It’s good that you understand..then, before you go further to discuss my wife which might make you embarrassed and regretful. I need to explain a few things to you guys.”

“Sir Raphael, ah, are you all still here? A maid sent us here. What’s wrong?” Kyle asked. Behind him followed Valerie, in her maroon reception dress. She looked around with her eyes before seeing the familiar faces there.

“Oh, sir Rupert, Damian and Edgar, welcome to the Dubois residence,” Valerie greeted them cheerfully with a slight bow.

The knights looked at her confused. How could Valerie know them? Why was she also so familiar with the human Kyle?

“Valerie, sit here next to me,” Raphael asked her to come.

Valerie obediently put her arm around him.

“No need to hug my hand,” Raphael reminded. He felt he had to maintain his authority as a commander. Behavior that was too intimate between husband and wife was sometimes considered inappropriate if it was exhibited by the nobility.

“Okay,” Valerie pouted and sat a little further away.

“So you’ve known her for a few months. She’s Valerie, aka Valor. . .. wielder a cursed weapon and she will officially join the Jaguar team this summer,” Raphael introduced Valerie formally.