The Great Vampire General is a Girl! - Chapter 66

It was still bright when their party finally arrived at the border. But they hadn’t really arrived because the location they suspected was a bit deep in the forest.

They rode horses, there were more than seven selected knights from the Chastain house, including Chloe who looked excited. The other knights also looked excited as they were going to investigate with Raphael Chastain. So far they have only practiced together in the field. They never saw the prowess of their young master as the media often covered.

Raphael had many achievements in the military. Lately he conquered the state of Ithadurna. Even though it was barren land and there was debate that Florentia’s victory there might only cost the budget— Raphael still received credit for that.

Valerie never enjoyed riding horses. Because several times her back was sore and almost fell. Like this time.

“Careful,” Raphael caught her waist when he realized that Valerie’s body was getting out of balance.

“Thank you,” Valerie said uncomfortably. She was probably burdening Raphael at the moment for not being good at riding a horse.

Even though Valerie rode alone with her husband. The girl sat in the front and clung to the horse’s neck with the golden brown mane. While Raphael was behind her to guard her.

“Maybe you should have gone with Brianna in the horse-drawn carriage earlier, riding in the steep hills like this would hurt the back of someone who isn’t used to horse,” Raphael shook his head.

“I’m fine, I don’t want to share a carriage with her..I’m sorry, I know she’s your old friend. But she is spoiled and annoying. She already knows I’m your wife but she still spoils you. As a fellow duke daughter I am ashamed of her,” Valerie finally expressed her annoyance.

“Well, I can never be patient when it comes to dealing with her either..so I won’t blame you. But the Delacroux family is not like yours. Brianna doesn’t get enough attention because she has a lot of siblings. Some are also from different mothers with her. So, she will stick to anyone who pays attention to her,” Raphael explained.

“Oh, but I don’t have to sympathize with her right? That’s no reason to be annoying,”

Raphael smiled at her.

“You’re right, but there’s someone that may be more annoying than Brianna. Duke Delacroux isn’t an easy person to work with either..That’s why the Chastains are rarely available when he asks for help or wants to do business with us,” Raphael said.

“But you were engaged to Brianna,”

“Back then, my family wasn’t as prosperous as it is now. We had a large territory and minimal sources of income. The Duke family offered many business facilities and conveniences if Chastain was willing to marry into their family. That happened about ten years ago. Until finally we found the gold content in the mountain that we controlled. I can finally confidently ask for an annulment,” Raphael recounted as he spurred his horse to a more steady stride. Now they were beginning to tread the steep and rocky ground. Even the horses seemed to be careful without their riders commanding them.

“Brianna must be very upset,”

“She was very young then, she didn’t think carefully. Marrying a knight who was always on duty like me would not be fun for her. I don’t want to have a wife who always expects me to stay at home,”

“Because to you, the military is your life, your main lover, right?” Valerie laughed. She didn’t mean anything when she said it. Half of it was just small talk. But Raphael responded with a wry smile.

Raphael couldn’t refute it. Because for years, that was indeed the case. He only cared about military achievements or trying to be as useful as possible to Florentia. Raphael had a strong determination and aspiration for the prosperity and peace of the vampires.

It was just that he realized that his life’s purpose had now begun to shift since he met Valerie—The girl who originally disguised herself as a man and was always passionate about her knightly duties. Raphael couldn’t ignore her and was often worried about her. He was happy that Valerie had achieved such a proud achievement because he was her mentor. But he was also worried that the girl was facing increasingly dangerous things.

“How about you?” Raphael asked.

“What?”

“Why do you insist on wanting to return to the military? You’re the daughter of a duke and your family is very reluctant to let you return to service as a soldier. I know, being a cursed weapon user is a dangerous thing. The enemy can target you to join or kill you in the hope that the next Apollon heir will side with Avalon. But there are always ways to protect yourself. I mean, if you want to forget all this and live like an ordinary noble girl, you can do that. But why?” Raphael asked.

Valerie looked back, giving him a flat look using her beautiful eyes. Valerie wanted to tell a story, but it seemed that this was not the time.

“I have my reasons,”

“The impression I get from you, you’re definitely not a girl who likes all things military attributes let alone likes to fight. You cry a few times when faced with difficult situations but I realized that you quickly wiped your tears and got back up. This is not a pleasant thing for you, Valerie. Why are you forcing yourself?”

“Pushing myself? Do I look like that to you?” Valerie tilted her head.

Because all the danger and pain that Valerie experienced while joining the military was nothing compared to the torment of the knights of Avalon when she lost. If she didn’t fight enough, she could lose. Valerie didn’t want Florentia to lose. Even if she had distanced herself from the military, they could have come to Lapella and forced her father into submission. Valerie saw that things would be much worse if Avalon ruled the Vampire world.

“Yes Valerie, I got that impression from you,”

“But as a patriot, you still supported me to return to the military. You even married me so my family could no longer stop me. That means, you probably don’t care how I feel, as long as I can be of use to Florentia. Am I right?” Valerie looked cheerful when she said that.

Raphael just kept silent, he felt whatever he said would be in vain. Because that was the truth. At least that was what Raphael believed before he left for Lapella to pick her up. But the reason why Raphael married her, probably had nothing to do with the hope that Valerie could return to the military. There was selfishness and opportunism in it. There was a taboo desire, a desire he had never realized before and his reluctance to see Valerie side by side with another man, knowing that Duke Dubois was still busy finding a husband for her at that time. Raphael would never reveal His feelings to her. He was worried that Valerie would move away from him instead.

“Port Biram? Hey! Is the signboard I just read correct? This is the Village of Port Biram?” Valerie thought back to something. Again about her memories in the past.

“Yes, the port Biram where humans live is here..we will stop there. What’s wrong?” Raphael was confused about Valerie’s current attitude.

***

“Welcome to Port Biram, I’m the village chief here. Have you all had enough to drink?” A middle-aged woman greeted them. She wore an understated dress as she seemed to be from a farming family. Her hair was short to make it easier for her to work and her hands were rough because she used a hoe a lot.

There weren’t many men left there. It was said that they died because of the war at Taverin. Such villages could be found all over the continent. The men were forced to fight, the women became donors and the backbone to support their families.

“I need a donor,” Raphael said without further ado.

“What about me, sir?” said the village head.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ll harvest your blood now.” Raphael rolled up the woman’s sleeves and exposed the pale white skin and the blue veins that spread there. .

Raphael inserted a large sterile needle then let the blood drip into a crystal cup he was carrying.

Just one glass and he drank it in several gulps. Raphael then wrapped her hand in a cotton cloth to let it recover. Valerie also saw some knights doing it. They also had to drink.

“Do you guys have cows here? I’ll buy them,”

“Oh, we also have several sons. You don’t need to drink animal blood. We are willing to be donors,” said the village head.

“A cow is too big for you, Valerie,”

“Well, you’re right,” Valerie still felt guilty. She continued to drink human blood and she was worried that she would turn like the Avalons.

“You have to drink human blood, we don’t know what we’re getting into, Valerie,” said Raphael.

“No, I guess I’ll wait a few more hours. So where’s Brianna?” Valerie refused.

“She’s on a horse-drawn carriage, it’ll take her longer to arrive. I’ll go first with some knights to the forest to look for clues.. you stay here with Chloe and the others and wait for Brianna,” Raphael said to his wife.