The First Vampire

The restaurant was dimly lit, with a cold wind sneaking in from some unknown place, making the candles flutter.

The flickering, uncertain light cast on the faces of the two knights sitting by the long table made the room feel somewhat gloomy and oppressive.

It took Colin a long while to snap out of Walra’s unpredictable statements.

He stared at his brother-in-law, trying to discern whether he was genuinely revealing the truth or concealing ulterior motives.

Seemingly noticing Colin’s disbelief, Walra once again attempted to explain:

“Actually, when I first discovered this, I was just as shocked as you. And, to this day, I haven’t dared tell Kaitlin about it  ”

“How did you come across this?”

“I started to suspect after coming back from the battlefield.

As I just told you, I only remember being injured by a troll samurai. But when I came to, I found myself in Fallen Eagle City.

I’ve been trying to figure out what happened in between ever since.

I asked my mother, but she just told me that the people from the Tulip Chamber of Commerce found me abandoned on the battlefield and saved me.

But such a description was not convincing to me.

So, I deliberately checked the trade records of the Tulip Chamber of Commerce. I found out that a caravan really did return from the frontline to Fallen Eagle City around the time I was injured.

This caravan must have brought me back, but the timing was too coincidental, too coincidental for anyone to believe it was not premeditated  ”

“So, you suspect that Lady Penny has a secret connection with the trolls?”

“Yes. Of course, it could be just my overthinking, my mother might not have betrayed the interests of the North Territory. After all, the Tulip Chamber of Commerce has always been engaged in trade between the Troll Empire and the North Territory, so it’s not surprising they have some connections with the troll high-ranks. Maybe they really just happened to pass by the battlefield and ransomed me back.”

Walra defended his mother, but from his expression, he probably didn’t even believe his own words.

Colin sneered in his heart   Your “mother” has deeper ties with the trolls then you think!

But on the surface, he just nodded knowingly and then continued to ask: “What about the assassination attempt on me by Knight Carter? Why do you think your mother was behind this?”

Knight Walra paused for a moment, seemingly a bit hesitant, but then said:

“The caravan that brought me back from the front line had actually passed through Grey Castle Town. And the time was just a day before your assassination attempt.”

“Oh?” Colin’s eyes flickered slightly, “But this doesn’t prove anything, right?”

“I have checked the account book of that caravan, it recorded that they lost a valuable set of enchanted armor, and the place it got stolen   was Grey Castle Town!”

Only then did Colin understand.

This wasn’t a theft at all, obviously it was the reward given to Knight Carter for the assassination.

No wonder Walra suspected his own mother was the mastermind behind it all.

“Then what do you think, why did your mother want someone to assassinate me?”

“Probably for the nobility of Angler family.” Knight Walra couldn’t quite meet Colin’s gaze, his face showed intense shame, as if it was enough to hide his entire face.

“When the Baron was killed in the frontline, if you were also dead, then, Kaitlin would have become the first heir to the Angler family’s nobility, and I would therefore inherit some of our family wealth, and wouldn’t be ostracized every day in Fallen Eagle City.

This, maybe it’s what my mother was planning for all along

I’m sorry, Colin, I have failed you  ”

Walra’s frankness left Colin somewhat unsure of how to respond.

He had had a perfect plan for this banquet originally.

He planned to utilize the conclusion he had first deduced from inheriting red eyes, convincing Knight Walra that he was the true legitimate son of Count Uman, thereby inciting his resentment towards Viscount Lawrence and planting an unstable bomb within the Uman clan.

But who could have predicted, that things would turn out this way.

In an instant, Colin suddenly felt that he too, must change his line of thinking.

“Walra, my father looked past your illegitimate status and treated you like his own, even marrying off my sister to you. However, you failed to protect him, letting him die horribly on the battlefield while you lived. Does such behavior reflect the virtues of a knight?”

Before Walra could open his mouth, Colin continued to question urgently:

“Your mother tried to secure an inheritance for you by having an assassin attempt my life. Do you think a simple ‘I’m sorry’ would earn my forgiveness for such behavior?”

Under Colin’s questioning, Walra blushed with shame.

He suddenly got up from his seat, came before Colin, knelt on one knee, and raised the sword from his waist above his head, saying aloud:

“Viscount Angler, I ought to accept your judgment!”

Colin raised his eyebrows, sneering, “What? Walra, do you think just because you married my sister I wouldn’t have the heart to kill you?”

“No! My crimes have nothing to do with Kaitlin, nor would I presume that you would forgive me for her sake.” Walra’s face was firm, the hands holding the sword did not tremble, “In fact, as soon as I learned of my mother’s actions, I knew only my own death could atone for my sins towards Baron Angler, and towards you!”

Having said this, he looked up, calmly meeting Colin’s gaze, “Colin, please grant me liberation!”

Colin stared expressionless at Knight Walra, as if trying to deduce the sincerity of his words from his eyes.

Walra’s blue eyes were as calm and deep as a windless sea.

After a long time, Colin finally stood up slowly.

Clank

He drew his sword and pointed it at Knight Walra’s heart.

With a slight push, the sharp tip easily pierced through his thin clothing.

Bright red blood stained Walra’s chest, but his gaze held steady, and his body didn’t dodge.

Colin narrowed his eyes, his face expressionless as he asked, “Walra, do you have any last words?”

Walra’s eyes finally showed a trace of emotion, and there was a bit of attachment in his voice, “Please take care of Kaitlin, help her find a good man to remarry.”

“She is my sister, I will take care of her without you telling me to.”

Walra nodded, seeming at peace at last. He closed his eyes and silently awaited the arrival of death.

Colin hesitated for a moment, but still slowly thrust his sword into Walra’s chest.

His movements weren’t fast as if he was deliberately controlling his force, allowing the sword to pierce Walra’s chest bit by bit.

Throughout the process, apart from clenching his teeth in pain and reflexively trembling, Walra showed no signs of evasion.

Only when the sword completely pierced his chest, protruding from his back, did Walra slowly open his eyes, took a final glance at the world, and softly said to Colin, “I’m sorry.”

Then he slowly collapsed on the ground.

Colin sighed, seemingly confirming Walra’s sincerity at last.

Having witnessed too many who would stop at nothing for their benefit, a knight like Walra, willing to die to atone for his perceived sins, seemed like an an anomaly.

Looking at Walra on the ground, the life bleeding out of him with a sword through his chest, Colin couldn’t help but sigh again,

In the end, he took a bite anyway…