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Chapter 30: Sunrise Over the Crimson Tower

“R-Revive her!?” Mary’s golden eyes went wide before narrowing in fury. “Are you out of your mind!? Do you not know what happened on the night of the Red Moon a thousand years ago!?”

“Maa maa, you worry too much. Nothing bad’s going to happen,” I said casually, waving her concern away. “Just relax, sit back, and enjoy the show. You’re about to witness the revival of your queen.”

Ignoring me entirely, Mary grit her teeth and lunged forward, sword gleaming crimson under the dim light as she aimed to cut me down.

I sighed, turned my gaze her way, and released a small fraction of my chakra. The air thickened instantly, freezing her in place.

“I said,” I murmured softly, “Sit. Down.”

Mary’s eyes widened again, this time in pure fear, as her body refused to obey her. “W-Who are you?” she whispered shakily.

“Akari,” I replied simply, brushing imaginary dust off my coat. “Now quiet down. Your Queen is about to be reborn, so show some respect.”

Turning my attention back to Elisabeth’s resting heart, I raised my hand to my mouth and bit my thumb until blood welled up.

“Please, don’t! You don’t understand what you’re doing!” Mary pleaded, her voice breaking with helpless frustration as tears threatened to spill.

“What are you so worried about? The moon isn’t even red tonight,” I said dryly, rolling my eyes. “Now hush.”

Ignoring her protests, I let three drops of my blood fall into the heart, each drop hissing faintly on impact, before stepping back with a satisfied nod.

“And now,” I said, folding my arms, “we wait.”

The silence stretched for a moment before the air itself seemed to thrum with energy. Elisabeth’s heart began to pulse, each beat louder and stronger than the last as color flooded back into it. Blood swirled in a spiral around the heart, lifting it into the air as if caught in an unseen current.

I smiled as her body began to regenerate — bones knitting together first, then muscle, flesh, and skin — until at last the fully restored form of Elisabeth hovered before us, her beauty as haunting as legend claimed.

‘Aaand she’s totally naked. Yep, checks out.’

“Elisabeth-sama…” Mary whispered in reverence, awe and relief mingling in her trembling voice.

The blood swirling around Elisabeth suddenly lashed out, forming dozens of tendrils that shot toward me like crimson whips. The amusing part was that she was still technically asleep, her body just reacting on instinct, driven by a vampiric hunger that refused to wait for consciousness.

“Thirsty, huh?” I mused aloud, more entertained than concerned. With a thought, dark tendrils sprouted from my own back, intercepting hers mid-air and coiling tightly around her body. In seconds, the Blood Queen, who once bathed entire cities in red, was neatly restrained like a misbehaving kitten.

“Elisabeth-sama!” Mary’s horrified cry echoed in the wind as she raised her blade. “Release her at once!”

“Relax,” I said lazily, glancing back at her with mild irritation. “She’s fine. I just stopped her from moving for a bit, I haven’t harmed a single hair on her body. You don’t want her rampaging through the city again, right?”

Mary hesitated, eyes darting from me to Elisabeth’s sleeping face. “…My Lady has always been… a late riser,” she muttered defensively.

“Heh, you do realize you just called your queen lazy, right?” I teased, settling comfortably as my shroud went to work silently on binding the petite vampire queen.

“I did not!” Mary snapped, cheeks flaring pink as she glanced at her queen to make sure she hadn’t heard the comment.

And so the two of us passed the next ten minutes chatting, or rather, me teasing and her fuming, until I felt a soft mental ping confirming the successful binding. With a thought, I dismissed my shroud and caught Elisabeth before she could fall, cradling her easily in a princess carry.

“Well, what do you know?” I said with a grin. “She really is a bit lazy when waking up.”

As if on cue, Elisabeth stirred, her elegant brows twitching faintly. She shifted in my arms, pressing her face against my chest and trailing her nose upward, following the scent of blood like a hound. A second later, her lips brushed my neck.

Then, without hesitation, she bit.

I barely flinched.

“Stop her!” Mary shouted, voice trembling in alarm. “If she keeps drinking, Elisabeth-sama will lose control! She’ll go on a frenzy!”

“Calm down,” I sighed, resting my cheek against Elisabeth’s crimson hair. “You’re really bad at following instructions, you know that?”

I was enjoying too much having Elisabeth’s petite and naked body pressed tightly against me, idly feeling her small breasts press into my shirt.

‘For someone that was dead not even a minute ago, she sure does have a pleasant smell.’

I could feel her sucking greedily, her fangs buried deep, but with my Drain Defense and regenerative abilities, it was nothing more than a pleasant tickle. I reached up and brushed a few strands of her hair away from her face as she drank, content and strangely peaceful for someone who was supposed to be a monster.

Thanks to my perks, this greedy vampire was about to be full for the first time in her life and that was not even the biggest perk. With Environmental Defense, she would even be able to walk under the sun like everyone else.

‘Hehe, I can’t wait to see her reaction upon finding out that specific detail. Should be entertaining.’

“Nothing’s going to happen to me,” I said evenly. “And if she did lose control, I’d stop her. I’m a bit stronger than your queen, you see.”

Mary stared at the scene, utterly bewildered. “H-How is this possible? My Lady should already be in a frenzy from the sheer amount she’s taken… yet she looks… calm. J-Just what are you?”

I chuckled softly. “Someone far beyond your comprehension. For your own sanity, I’d suggest you don’t think too hard about it.”

Mary blinked, uncertain whether to be insulted or terrified. “I can’t tell which is worse, that you’re lying… or that you’re telling the truth.”

I grinned wider, but before I could respond, Elisabeth finally pulled away. Her lips trailed along my neck as she licked away the last traces of blood, her eyes now open, gleaming a deep, entrancing crimson.

“…Good morning, kind sir,” she said with a melodic voice, her tone warm and somehow still sleepy, the remnants of a noble accent dancing through her words. “May I have your name?”

‘Her voice is something else. It’s so soothing and pleasant to the ears.’ I thought, savoring the sound of it. It matched her aura perfectly, elegant, gentle, timeless.

“Akari Tempest. So, did you enjoy your drink?” I asked with a smile as I gently set her on her feet… which is when I remembered that she was still completely naked and gave her figure another appreciative view.

Blinking, Elisabeth glanced down and finally registered her state of undress. A faint blush bloomed across her cheeks before blood rose around her like a crimson tide, swirling and hardening into an elegant red gown befitting her rank.

“Ahem… It was the most delicious blood I have ever tasted,” she admitted, voice going dreamily soft before she managed to gather herself and deciding not to comment on my gaze. “It was also the first time in my life I have ever been truly full. Thank you.” She bowed deeply, offering a graceful curtsy.

“Hm. At least you enjoyed it,” I said with a shrug, not bothering to hide the amused smile tugging at my lips.

“Elisabeth-sama!” Mary cut in, unable to hold back any longer as she rushed forward and dropped to one knee. “It is so good to see you again.”

Elisabeth turned toward her with a gentle, melancholic smile. “Mary. I’m glad to see you’re still alive.”

Instead of basking in the greeting, Mary bowed her head even lower. “I’m sorry, My Lady. I was unable to complete the last task you gave me… I have failed you.”

“None of that matters now, Mary. Please stand.” Elisabeth shook her head, not even a hint of anger in her voice, then turned her attention back to me.

“It seems I have this gentleman to thank for preventing me from falling into a frenzy. I can feel it just from looking at you… you are far beyond me in power. Thank you, Akari-sama.” She bowed again, deeper this time.

“Don’t worry about it. I was the one who revived you, so it’s only proper I made sure nothing went wrong,” I said, waving off the gratitude but not denying her assessment.

“That does bring up a question,” Elisabeth mused softly, studying me with quiet curiosity while Mary watched in tense silence. “For what reason did you revive me, Akari-sama? Surely someone of your caliber has heard of the Red Moon incident.”

“Yep. Know all about it, actually, I just don’t care,” I replied casually, hands folding behind my head as I glanced toward the night sky noticing that sunrise was only moments away now.

“As for the reason, that one is simple.” I lowered my gaze back to her, grinned, and extended my hand. “You wanted to build, or find, a utopia where all races could coexist, right? Join me, and that dream will become reality.”

I stepped closer, stopping right in front of her, then leaned down to match her height, tilting my head as I met her crimson eyes.

“You can already feel it, can’t you? My power flowing through you. That’s why you didn’t fall into a frenzy after drinking blood again. And that’s only one of the benefits.”

Elisabeth’s breath hitched.

Her crimson eyes widened just a fraction, barely enough for most people to notice, but I wasn’t “most people.” I saw the moment that realization clicked inside her. The moment her ancient instincts finally caught up with what her body had been quietly screaming at her since the second she woke up in my arms.

“…Yes,” she whispered. “I can feel it. Like sunlight… but gentle. Like something warm wrapped around my soul.”

‘That’s a strange representation of the binding, but to each their own, I guess.’

Mary’s head snapped toward her. “Sunlight? My Lady, what do you—?”

Elisabeth slowly lifted her hand. Pale fingers stretched toward the horizon where the first hints of dawn bled across the sky.

The light touched her skin.

She didn’t burn.

Her breath trembled in wonder.

“I… I feel no pain.” Her voice quivered, soft as falling ash. “For the first time ever… the sun does not reject me.”

Mary’s jaw dropped. “T-That’s impossible… My Lady, please step back! W-We don’t know what will happen—!”

“I know what will happen,” Elisabeth murmured.

She stepped forward, fully into the early morning glow.

Golden light washed over her face and her crimson gown, making her look less like a queen of blood and more like some ancient saint who’d wandered out of a forgotten temple.

“It feels warm…” She closed her eyes. “Real sunlight… so that’s what it feels like.”

Mary sank to her knees again, overwhelmed. “Akari-sama… just what did you do to her…?”

I stretched lazily, enjoying the almost comical expression on her face. “Gave her an upgrade. You’re welcome.”

Elisabeth opened her eyes again. This time, when she looked at me, her gaze held something softer, not fear, not awe, not gratitude.

Something closer to reverence.

“Are you a god, Akari-sama?” she asked softly, tilting her head in a way that made her look absurdly cute for a bloodsucking vampire.

Mary’s eyes widened as she looked at me, like the final puzzle piece had just dropped into place.

“I don’t consider myself one,” I said with a shrug, “but at the end of the day, that’s up to your interpretation.”

Silence stretched for a moment as Elisabeth and Mary processed that, Elisabeth especially, her thoughtful eyes fixed on me as if weighing the truth of the world itself.

Finally, after a few minutes, she stepped closer and extended her hand, a small smile playing at her lips. “I believe I shall join you. Something tells me I would regret it for the rest of my life if I passed up this opportunity.”

Grinning happily at securing the cute vampire queen, I gently took her hand, but instead of a handshake, I lifted it and kissed her knuckles, never looking away from those mesmerizing red eyes.

“Pleasure to have you, Queen Elisabeth,” I murmured flirtatiously, pleased to see a faint blush rise to her cheeks.

“I’ll be under your care from now on, Akari-sama,” she replied with a demure smile.

“Good.” I let her hand go and turned to Mary, who looked thoroughly embarrassed to have witnessed all of that. “Now come here, Mary. Let me empower you as well before I take you both to my current home.”

Blinking in surprise, Mary pointed at herself. “M-Me!? You want to empower me?”

“Yes.” I gestured for her to come closer. “My power does more than let you walk in sunlight. Besides, don’t you want to become stronger?”

Mary hesitated, then glanced toward her queen, who gave her a warm, encouraging nod.

“Go ahead, Mary. I myself have grown much stronger thanks to his power,” Elisabeth assured her.

“V-Very well.” Steeling herself, Mary stood and stepped forward.

“Now stand still for a moment.”

Without further warning, my Shroud erupted from my back again and wrapped around Mary from head to toe. Since she was willing, the process finished in seconds, and I willed it away.

“There. Now let’s get out of here,” I said casually, resting a hand on each of their shoulders, startling them before they relaxed. “I’ve been up all night and could really use a nap.”

“A nap does sound good.” Being the adorable vampire sloth that she was, Elisabeth found the idea instantly appealing and even let out a tiny yawn.

Mary shook her head in fond exasperation. “It seems you haven’t changed, Elisabeth-sama.”

“Mmn.” Elisabeth didn’t even pretend to deny it as she snuggled up against my side and closed her eyes. “Sleepy.”

Chuckling at the both of them, I took one last look around the Crimson Tower before snapping my fingers and teleporting us back to Alexandria.

‘Most of the recruiting is done now. Looks like I might finally get to take it easy.’

=====

Several Hours Later

After we arrived home, I guided the two redheads to an empty house to settle in before heading to bed myself. I grabbed a few hours of sleep, even if I didn’t technically need them, and woke up around noon when Marie came to fetch me for lunch.

“Where did you go last night after our mission, Akari?” Liriel asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as we all gathered around the table. Lilim sat with us too, watching everything with quiet interest and seemingly already fitting into the group like a missing puzzle piece.

“I went and recruited two others into our cause. I’ll introduce you all after we’re done eating,” I said, pausing mid-bite to answer.

“Are they strong?” Sara asked while chewing through a massive piece of meat she’d hunted herself. Thankfully it was cooked; it had taken serious effort to break her habit of eating things fresh off the bone.

“One of them is about as strong as you,” I said truthfully, “and the other is currently stronger than all of you.”

That made most of them freeze.

“Stronger than us? They must be something else if they’re that strong even after all the training you’ve given us,” Natsume said, her expression thoughtful.

The others looked mildly jealous but, to their credit, kept quiet.

“Haha, just wait until you meet them. There’s a reason they’re so strong,” I said, letting the mystery hang before returning to my meal.

Once everyone finished eating, we headed outside. I split off from the group for a few minutes to pick up Elisabeth and Mary, who were thankfully already awake.

After telling them I wanted to introduce them to the others, they joined me. I brought them to the training grounds, stepped ahead of them, and faced the group.

“Here are the two I wanted everyone to meet,” I announced, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. “First, we have Mary, an Ancient Vampire Hunter and a vampire herself. And then we have her queen… none other than Elisabeth, also known as the Blood Queen.”

I couldn’t help the grin when I saw all the stunned faces staring back at me.

“Please get along with each other, okay? From this day forward, we’re all comrades.”

Elisabeth stepped forward with a gentle smile and gave an elegant, flawless curtsy. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for having me.” She seemed blissfully unaware, or blissfully unconcerned, about the wide-eyed shock rippling through the group.