The First Vampire

“Have you heard? The Dark Cavalry is nearby and they’ll send someone for us soon!”

“Dark Cavalry? Really?”

“Of course it’s real! I saw a scout from the Dark Cavalry enter our camp last night. Miss Vera even greeted him personally!”

“So, are we safe then?”

“Of course, with the Dark Cavalry nearby, do you think the Trolls have the guts to attack?”

Similar conversations were taking place in every corner of the camp.

The tense atmosphere vanished entirely, replaced by a sense of excitement, of surviving against the odds.

It seemed as if the term ‘Dark Cavalry’ possesses some magical power. Their presence nearby represented absolute safety.

The reason was simple.

The Dark Cavalry was the most formidable force of the Empire in the North Territory!

Yes, the most formidable indeed, unmatched by any other.

The troop was not very large; it only consisted of fifty thousand men.

But, it was an army made entirely of cavalrymen!

This army, composed of fifty thousand cavalrymen, is considered the Guardian of the North Territory and a recurring nightmare for the Trolls.

“Thud, thud, thud….”

Approaching noon, the earth suddenly started trembling.

A dark torrent appeared at the horizon and quickly surged towards the River Bay camp.

Yet, no one in the camp panicked as everyone had already spotted the black and imposing Lion flag flapping in the wind!

The badge of the Lords of the North Territory, the St. Hilde family, is a Golden Lion, hence no other families in the North dared to use the lion as their emblem.

The newcomers were obviously from the St. Hilde family, but no ordinary member of the St. Hilde family would dare to change the Golden Lion to black.

There was only one exception.

He was the younger brother of the current Northern Duke, the supreme commander of the Dark Cavalry – Marquis Garcia Saint Hilde.

Unlike Duke Charles, the Duke’s first son whose nobility was titular, Marquis Garcia was a genuine lord.

He was indeed the only real Marquis in the North Territory.

His territory spanned nearly one-fourth of the entire North Territory. It was this vast piece of land that allowed Marquis Garcia to maintain the Dark Cavalry, a formidable force purely composed of cavalry.

As the army drew closer, Vera personally stepped forward to greet them.

Behind her gathered soldiers with a mix of excitement, zeal, and even fanaticism.

In the North Territory, nearly all ambitious young men considered joining the Dark Cavalry the highest honor.

But the recruitment standards of the Dark Cavalry are extremely stringent.

So much so, that it made people question whether they were interested in new recruits at all.

“Neigh…

Among the neighs of the horses, the Dark Cavalry began to slow down.

The knight clad in a black cloak and leading the group lifted his helmet’s facemask, revealing his majestic face.

“Uncle Garcia!”

Vera couldn’t help but exclaim with tears shimmering in her eyes.

All the hardships, battles, and loss she faced along the way on her escape had wore down this eighteen-year-old noble girl’s spirit. Seeing her strong pillar of support, it was inevitable for her to act a bit unrestrained now.

Marquis Garcia dismounted and walked up to Vera with a tender smile on his face.

“Welcome home!”

No longer caring about maintaining the nobility’s decorum, Vera rushed forward, throwing herself into Marquis Garcia’s arms.

“Ha ha ha!” Marquis Garcia burst into hearty laughter, gently patting Vera’s back, “It seems like you were indeed terrified by those Trolls. Don’t worry, your uncle will take revenge for you!”

“Uncle–” Embarrassment overcame Vera all of a sudden.

“Rest assured, none of the trolls who invaded the North Territory will return alive!” The Marquis, his eyes flashing coldly as he looked at Vera with her snow-white hair, declared, “That’s my word!”

Such almost arrogant words sounded quite natural from the Marquis Garcia.

No one in the room dared to doubt if Marquis Garcia had the ability to fulfill his promise.

This Marquis, who commanded the Dark Cavalry, was a deity on the battlefield!

“Honored to meet you, Marquis!” Knight Blis hurried forward to pay his respect.

“Knight Blis,” Marquis Garcia noted the man’s empty right sleeve, “I’m sorry for your lost arm…”

“My opponent is sorrier, he lost his head!”

“Ha-ha-ha! Good! That’s the spirit of a Northern Knight!”

Marquis Garcia forcefully smacked Blis in the chest a few times, not hiding his admiration.

Even the usually calm, even aloof Knight Blis, was showing rare respect and even fervor in the presence of this warrior god of the North Territory.

Not to mention the soldiers behind them, for most of them, this was their first time seeing the legendary Marquis of the North. Each one of them was flushed with excitement, as though waiting for Marquis Garcia’s command to follow him to their deaths in a charge against the trolls.

Even the usually arrogant Sael, standing there looking at the tall figure of Marquis Garcia, was almost unable to contain his excitement.

“I want to be like him!”

Sael silently declared in his heart.

After Marquis Garcia had dealt with the fervent soldiers, Vera finally found time to make her request:

“Uncle, there are many wounded in the camp, please arrange for doctors and priests to care for them immediately! Additionally, there is a knight who is severely injured and on the brink of death…”

“Don’t worry, after getting the message, I deliberately brought the army doctors and priests.” Marquis Garcia pointed to an old priest with white hair behind him, introducing him to Vera, “I even dragged the Archbishop Raven here.”

“It’s my honor to serve you!” Archbishop Raven bowed to Vera.

“Thanks for your help!” Vera sighed in relief, she didn’t know Archbishop

Raven, but she knew that an Archbishop was not just any ordinary priest.

In the whole North Territory, the Glorious Church had appointed only three Archbishops.

The profession of a priest was not a combat role, it was not powerful in battle.

Their main work was to serve the Lord of Glory, preach the Lord’s glory, conduct baptisms, and heal diseases and injuries. It was essentially a supporting profession.

Therefore, unlike warriors, knights, and mages – combat professions where strength decided their ranks, typically a higher position a priest held within the church, the stronger their healing ability would be.

In Vera’s view, this Archbishop Raven was perhaps an answer from the Lord of Glory to her previous prayers.

So, not hesitating anymore, she quickly led Archbishop Raven and the others to the tent where Colin was.

Marquis Garcia followed them as well.

He was very curious about the identity of the knight that had his niece so worried.

Upon reaching the outside of the tent, Vera and Raven went straight in.

But Marquis Garcia stopped.

“What’s your name?” He had noticed the man who had been standing guard outside the tent all along.

While everyone else was crowding around to greet him, this man had stay put here, not moving an inch.

“Honorable Marquis, my name is Raymond Mormon, a knight of the Angler family.”

“And the one inside is…”

“The one inside is the son of a Baron – Knight Colin Angler.”

Marquis Garcia nodded, gently patted Raymond on the shoulder in consolation, and then walked into the tent.

“So, how is Knight Colin’s injury?”

“Not good…” Archbishop Raven frowned, “Frankly, it’s a miracle that he’s still alive with such injuries!”

“Please do everything you can!” Vera pleaded on the side.

Raven looked at Vera, then exchanged a glance with Marquis Garcia, and then took out a delicate little bottle:

“Well, I suppose I can only try the holy water..”