The First Vampire

“Viscount Angler, did you oversleep?”

Joyce teased, grinning at Colin who walked in.

Colin bowed, then chuckled and said, “I’m sorry, Young Master Joyce, I was kept awake by thunder last night and indeed overslept this morning.”

Joyce laughed uproariously and waved it off, demonstrating his magnanimity.

Archbishop Agani watched Colin with an intense gaze, suddenly smiling and saying, “Viscount Angler, weren’t you aware of the significant events that occurred last night?”

Instantly, sadness and regret permeated Colin’s countenance. He sighed, “I just heard about it, I can’t believe that Count Uman and Knight Thomas met with such misfortune…Ah!”

The old foxes present watched Colin’s performance, secretly ridiculing him in their minds.

They of course knew about Uman’s death. Colin was the prime suspect, but there was no evidence proving he was the one who murdered Count Uman.

“Viscount Angler.” Archbishop Agani walked lightly towards Colin, her deep blue eyes on him, simultaneously asking in a soft voice, “Have you heard of the ‘Winged Knight’?”

“I’ve heard.” Colin’s face betrayed no surprise, “Back in Silver Moon City, it was she who killed the former Half-Elf King. Why the sudden question?”

“Because, the ‘Winged Knight’ was involved in the assassination of Count Uman last night!”

“Oh?” A surprised look spread on Colin’s face, “So the Winged Knight is associated with the Dwarves?” he questioned, pointing towards the dwarf corpse in the central hall.

With her scrutinizing gaze, Agani watched Colin for a moment but discerned nothing, making her feel slightly disappointed, “Perhaps.”

Although she suspected the Winged Knight might well be Angler Family’s secret weapon, there wasn’t any substantial evidence, so the suspicion remained just that.

Agani initially thought of probing Colin more on the Winged Knight. Suddenly, the Archbishop’s face changed, showing an expression of disbelief and shock.

“Archbishop Agani, what’s wrong?” Joyce had never seen Agani so flustered and hastily enquired.

Meanwhile, intense jealousy welled up from the young man’s heart.

His goddess was losing her cool over another man!

Colin furrowed his brows, as Agani’s gaze had begun to unsettle him.

After a short while, Agani asked with amazement, “You’ve progressed to the fifth rank?”

Colin was slightly taken aback, he hadn’t anticipated her exceptionally acute perception.

Normally, it’s hard to discern a professional’s power attributes and rank unless they enter combat mode.

However, Colin had just ascended to the fifth rank and was admittedly struggling to control his inner holy light power, leading to some leaking out. He didn’t think she would notice it.

Seems like, this Archbishop isn’t just relying on her pretty face to get ahead.

“Yes, I was moved by the grand power of the Lord of Glory last night and ascended,” Colin had no intention of hiding his power. Seeing that Agani had already figured him out, he openly admitted it.

For a while, the way everyone in the conference hall looked at Colin changed.

A fifth-rank Knight!

And such a young one at that!

Quite a few people even started quietly recalling the holy knights throughout the history of the Glorious Empire. At Colin’s age, they probably had not achieved a fifth rank.

Agani stared steadily at Colin, her heart stirred.

At this moment, she suddenly felt, should she make some adjustment to her former plan?

“What’s so great about being a fifth-rank Knight? Give me a decade, and I will be one too!”

Joyce’s immature voice broke the silence in the conference hall.

This young man couldn’t accept being overshadowed by Colin; it left a sour taste in his mouth.

Colin laughed and nodded, “Yes, young Master Joyce, you’ll surely become a great northern Knight!”

Only then did Joyce nod satisfactorily and attempted to shift the topic, “So, let’s continue discussing who killed Count Uman, shall we?”

Everyone in attendance exchanged glances but stayed quiet.

Even Archbishop Agani remained silent, seemingly having lost interest in the ‘Winged Knight’ topic all of a sudden.

Colin gave a little cough, indicating the dwarf corpse, and said with a look of righteous certitude, “Isn’t it the dwarves?”

Everyone fell silent again.

The attempt to frame someone was honestly a bit rough…

Joyce frowned, about to speak, when a voice came from outside the hall:

“Who else could it be but those filthy, despicable dwarves?”

As those words resounded, everyone turned to see Viscount Walra Uman striding through the entrance of the hall.

First, he bowed to Joyce and stated, “My apologies for my late arrival, young master Joyce. I was discussing with my family’s knights about avenging my father.”

Visibly surprised, Joyce swiftly tried to calm the Viscount down, “I understand your feelings, Viscount Walra, but we have not yet established who exactly murdered Count Uman. I hope you won’t act rashly!”

“Young Master Joyce, I think you might be overcomplicating this,” Colin confidently interjected.

“A dwarf’s corpse was found next to the severed head of Count Uman. And indeed, last night there was a dwarf warrior who fought with Knight Chester. Moreover, the dwarf legion is inching closer to Winterfell City. I suspect they wanted to assassinate an important figure before the battle, to sow discord in our ranks.

So, we have a corpse as evidence, we have the motive… under such circumstances, isn’t it clear who murdered Count Uman?”

Derrington the butler raised an eyebrow and countered coldly: “Viscount Angler, there were three assassins last night, and only one of them was a dwarf. How did you conclude so readily that it’s the dwarfs who masterminded this assassination?

Moreover, the dwarf corpse that was found under the ruins of the warehouse… it’s too convenient, it smacks of a frame-up.

I rather think that the true mastermind of this assassination plot against Count Uman is not a dwarf at all!”

Colin chuckled and took several steps forward, Homing in on Derrington the butler, he asked in a deep voice, “Then, who do you think is the mastermind?”

The pressure of a Fifth-Rank Knight’s aura began to spread, and the air suddenly became stagnant.

Derrington felt as though he had been targeted by a highly dangerous beast. His heart began to pound uncontrollably as though ready to leap out of his chest at any moment.

However, he clenched his teeth without taking a step back.

Derrington understood that Colin was deliberately trying to pressure him, but he wouldn’t really dare to take action.

However, confronted with a threat as tangible as death, Derrington couldn’t mask the fact that he had lost his nerve.

He didn’t dare to voice his suspicion, and could only lower his head under Colin’s sharp gaze and mumble:

“This… requires further investigation…”

However, Colin was not about to let Derrington off that easily, he demanded sternly:

“Mr. Butler! With such damning evidence before us, why are you always so intent on defending the dwarves? What are you trying to do?”

“I…” Derrington was about to retort.

But Colin did not afford him that opportunity, interrupting him immediately: “I’m beginning to suspect that you’re colluding with the dwarves!”

Derrington’s face instantly changed, he defended himself angrily, “Viscount Angler, how can you make such unfounded…”

At that point, Viscount Walra also suddenly questioned, “Yes, Mr. Butler! Why are you always defending the dwarves?

They’re clearly part of the rebel forces!

They’re enemies!”

This time, Derrington was genuinely panicked, not because he was being wrongfully accused by Colin, but because Walra Uman was siding with Colin!

Colin’s attitude was within his expectations, but Walra’s…

As the newly acknowledged legitimate son and first heir of Count Uman, Walra was siding with Colin, accusing one of his “own”. This type of treachery not only dumbfounded Derrington, but caused Joyce, Agani, Louis, and the others to cast sidelong glances.

They all realized the seriousness of the situation. If the Uman Clan sided with Vera, then…

Just as these thoughts were flitting through everyone’s minds, Colin began to take action.

He lunged forward suddenly, unsheathing his knight’s sword which flashed silver in the air.

Swoosh!

Blood sprayed everywhere.

By the time everyone recovered, Derrington the butler’s severed head was in Colin’s hand!

“Co….Colin! What…what…what are you doing!” Joyce stepped back in fear, screaming in high-pitch panic.

Colin smiled faintly, stuck his knight sword into the ground next to him, and bowed slightly, “Young Master Joyce, I’m simply helping you rid the St. Hilde family of a traitor.”

“Traitor? What nonsense are you talking about! How could the old butler be a traitor!”

Colin, calmly and composed as ever, replied,

“If I’ve killed him, it means I have evidence.”