The First Vampire

Just before the darkest moment of dawn, the heavy rain that had swept across Winterfell City gradually ceased.

Within a pitch-black, dilapidated warehouse, Count Uman struggled for breath.

Each breath he took now carried with it droplets of blood. A broken spine rendered him incapable of feeling anything below his waist, but the agony he felt in his upper half was enough to nearly make him faint.

But Count Uman stubbornly resisted unconsciousness. He still desperately held onto the faintest hope of surviving.

“Colin, it’s you, isn’t it?”

Count Uman stared directly at the shadowy figure before him. Even if he couldn’t make out the features hidden in the darkness, even if this person’s body shape differed completely from Colin’s, Count Uman was absolutely certain that—

This person was Colin Angler!

Half-crouched before Count Uman, Colin chuckled lightly. “Why are you so certain it’s me?”

Such a question was essentially confirmation of Count Uman’s suspicion!

A glimmer of determination flashed in Count Uman’s eyes, as he carefully maintained his composure and replied, “At this moment, in Winterfell City, you are the only person who wants me dead.”

“What if I’m just one of Colin’s underlings?”

“If you were Colin’s underling, you would have simply killed me swiftly. You wouldn’t be sitting here, watching me struggle on the edge of death, savoring the pleasure of revenge!”

Colin broke into laughter, nodding in agreement. “Your noble lordship, it’s admirable how you can still keep a clear head despite your condition.”

Ignoring Colin’s sarcasm, Count Uman continued in a hoarse voice, “Colin, it was wrong of me to attempt to assassinate you at Grey Castle. But you too have tried to assassinate me twice, once through Cynthia and once through Walra…

Although I don’t know how you convinced them to attempt to kill me, I believe we’re even now, especially since you survived the initial attack…”

“Even?” A scornful smile emerged on Colin’s face. “You surely don’t think I’d let you off the hook, right?”

“Why not?” Count Uman pleaded. “I can pledge my loyalty to you. I can hand over command of the Uman Clan’s army to you… ”

Chuckles echoed in response. “Your loyalty? Weren’t you also loyal to Duke St. Hilde? But that didn’t stop you from secretly collaborating with St. Sean, did it?”

“If you don’t trust a vow of loyalty, then what about a bond of interest?” Count Uman attempted once more. “You know that Walra is my biological son. I already acknowledged him as my official heir. Your sister married him, so we are family!

Colin, believe me, I can scheme for you! I can conquer lands for you!

Just give me this chance!

The current situation in the North Territory is still unstable, and the St. Sean Family is a huge threat. I have a deep-rooted grudge against them!

If you spare me, we can work together to thwart the St. Sean Family’s conspiracy!

Furthermore, Miss Vera is certainly the most fitting successor to the position of Northern Duke! As for Joyce, I can ensure he’ll have no chance of becoming a duke!”

Desperate to survive, Count Uman had now lost all sense of dignity, willing to accept any terms that Colin put forth.

Colin watched with a smile as Count Uman begged before him, his heart filled with the joy of revenge.

However, he disregarded Count Uman’s pleadings and instead began to interrogate him:

“When Vera and I reached the encampment of the Golden Lion Legion at Ben Liu River, their leading knight, Nelson, said they had received a letter in advance stating the duke’s remains that would soon arrive would be false.

Did you write that letter?”

Count Uman instantly distanced himself from the claim, “I was absolutely not involved with that!”

“Really?” Colin raised an eyebrow.

He initially suspected that the Uman Clan had been secretly colluding with the Morrison Family, which led to the substitution of the duke’s remains in Floral City and the attempt to prevent Vera from taking command of the Golden Lion Legion.

“Was it a plot by the St. Sean Family?” Up until now, Colin had thought the Morrison Family, having been closely allied with the St. Hilde Family for so many years and almost considered a side branch of the family, would be unlikely to defect. But now, it seemed not to be the case!

At this point, Count Uman said somewhat helplessly, “I had already broken ties with the St. Sean Family, and truthfully, I don’t know if the letter was part of their conspiracy. However, Mr. Ji values you greatly. If he knew you and Vera were trying to take control of the Golden Lion Legion, he would definitely try to stop it.”

Perhaps worried that his answer was not to Colin’s satisfaction, Count Uman immediately added,

“Moreover, I can even guess who Mr. Ji sent to steal the duke’s remains.”

“Who?”

Instead of giving a direct answer, Count Uman asked, “Did you make a stop in Floral City on your way to Ben Liu River?”

“Yes.”

“That’s it!” Count Uman insisted, “It must have been the Morrison Family who substituted the duke’s remains!”

Colin’s eyes narrowed. He had never mentioned the Morrison Family, so if Count Uman could guess correctly, he must know something.

“Why are you convinced it was the Morrison Family?” Colin asked without delay.

“Do you think the Morrison Family could never betray the St. Hilde Family?” Count Uman queried in return.

“There’s no absolute loyalty in this world. What I believe is, having been tied through marriage ties with the St. Hilde Family for so many years, and having almost become a branch of St. Hilde, their interests should align with St. Hilde. It would be difficult for St. Sean to bribe them.”

Count Uman sneered, revealing a hint of mockery. “Do you know the history of the Morrison Family?”

This question clearly stumped Colin.

He sifted through the memories of his previous life but found no useful information.

The son of the rural baron he used to be indeed lacked any worldly experience.

“Speak.” Colin ordered indifferently.

Count Uman, of course, didn’t dare to scoff at Colin’s ignorance and quickly explained, “Actually, the Morrison Family were not always the lords of the North Territory. They moved here just over five hundred years ago.

And before that, their lands were in the East Territory!”

“East Territory?” Colin instantly understood something.

“Exactly,” Count Uman nodded his head, “More precisely, in the Northeast Territory!”

The so-called Northeast Territory was a term used over three hundred years ago.

At that time, the East Territory was divided into two regions: the Northeast Territory and the Southeast Territory.

The lord of the Southeast Territory was the St. Prowse Family, the current masters of the East Territory.

And the lord of the Northeast Territory was the St. Sean Family.

“So, over five hundred years ago, the Morrison Family were vassals of the St. Sean Family?”

“Yes, and at that time, they fiercely pursued the daughters of the St. Sean Family in an attempt to purify their bloodline and bring forth a Holy Knight from their clan. Unfortunately, they were not successful.

Maybe they thought the bloodline of the St. Sean family was incompatible with the Morrison’s, and wanted to switch to a different Holy Knight Family.

Thus, the Morrison Family made a massive relocation to the North Territory, pledged loyalty to the Northern Duke, and began to fervently pursue the daughters of the St. Hilde family.

Ha ha, truly a group of obsessed lunatics!”

Colin was also speechless. The Morrison family was indeed… bizarre.

“However, this doesn’t necessarily prove that the Morrison Family is still colluding with the St. Sean Family, right? After all, it’s been over five hundred years, and the present Morrison Family is already tied to the St. Hilde family. Would they still remember past relationships?”

Count Uman shook his head and said, “No, I don’t think the Morrison Family would collude with the St. Sean Family simply out of nostalgic feelings.”

“What is the reason, then?”

With a deep gaze, Count Uman slowly stated, “Viscount Angler, you may not know this, but it’s not the first time the Morrison Family has stolen the body of a Holy Knight.”

“Oh?” Colin was intrigued and quickly inquired, “Have they stolen before?”

“Yes. When they were in the Northeast Territory, they attempted to steal the body of a Holy Knight from the St. Sean Family. However, they were found out.

The St. Sean Family let them go after they paid a heavy price, but expelled them from their lands.

This was another reason why they migrated the whole clan to the North Territory.

Therefore, when you were passing through Floral City with the Duke’s remains, the Morrison Family could not resist the temptation of the Holy Knight’s body!”

Only then did Colin understand. The Morrison Family didn’t have any sense of loyalty. Their family mission was to unlock the secret of the Holy Knight’s bloodline so that they could produce a Holy Knight within the lineage!

But soon after, Colin had another question: “How do you know the Morrison Family once attempted to steal the remains of a Holy Knight from the St. Sean Family? This information shouldn’t be public, right?”

Indeed, if this information was released publicly, the Morrison Family would become despised outcasts that everyone would want to kill. The North Territory would also never accept a family who had desecrated a Holy Knight’s remains.

“I saw this passage in the books of the St. Sean Family.” Count Uman explained, “Mr. Ji kept the books of the St. Sean Family in Fallen Eagle City. At that time, I thought it was a sign of his trust in me, but now I realize…

Ha ha, it was probably to educate his own son, Lawrence.”

Colin was stunned, apparently shocked by this news.

Lawrence was actually Mr. Ji and Penny’s son…

Alright then, Colin silently mourned for the cuckolded Count for a moment.

“Do you have anything else to ask?” Count Uman asked cautiously.

Colin shook his head, his gaze gradually becoming cold.

Feeling the ominous atmosphere, Count Uman hurriedly shouted, “Wait, Colin! Don’t kill me! I have a will left by Duke St. Hilde in my possession!”

“A will?” Colin was taken aback.

“Yes! And in this will, it was explicitly stated that Miss Vera should inherit the position of the Northern Duke!”

Having no choice, Count Uman had to drop a bombshell in an attempt to save his life.

Sure enough, Colin fell into contemplation.

After a while, he finally spoke out coldly:

“Where’s the will? Let me see it.”