Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 183 - 174: The Angry Sisters

"Ahhhhhhh! Sister!!! Sister!!!! Sister!!!" In the ballroom, Beatrice’s pained screams sounded like a lute’s melodious tune suddenly snapping its strings.

The joy, the music, the wine, the dream—all came to an abrupt end.

Vampires do shed tears, and two streaks of blood traced down from the corners of Beatrice’s eyes to her chin, falling to the ground.

"What’s wrong, Beatrice?" Kevin rallied his companions together.

Just as Beatrice was about to leave in search of Alianna, she suddenly knelt on the ground in a loss of composure, letting out a heart-wrenching wail.

In agony, she clutched her head, kneeling on the ground as her tears of blood stained her pristine white gown.

Kevin did not receive a reply from Beatrice, but something else instead.

The heavy doors slammed shut with a sound like the downbeat of a piano concerto’s opening.

Lola Shaffer stood atop the dais in elegant noble attire, his posture proud and dignified, completely unlike Beatrice’s distressed state. At the center of his costume, a Blood Droplet Stone emitted a dazzling light.

He smiled at Kevin, a bloodthirsty yet graceful smirk.

"Midnight has arrived, Master Kevin, the real revelry begins. Dance with my children, and then join my family," he said.

No sooner had his voice faded, than the frenzied piano rhapsody filled the air. The restless music, with its hurried pace and touch of madness, stirred every heartbeat.

"Fresh hearts, exquisite blood." All the gorgeously dressed nobles transformed. Their bodies swelled, revealing insect-like black abdomens; their noses turned into sharp proboscises, and their delicate hands became mantis-like forelimbs with serrated edges. Their skin peeled away, exposing the raw, bloody flesh beneath—a swarm of monstrous giants resembling enormous mosquitoes.

The dancers in the ballroom, who had never stopped for a moment, now appeared even more frenzied. As they mutated, they tore at their dance partners with claws and teeth. The once loving and graceful display had become a desperate fight for survival, eating each other’s flesh, drinking each other’s blood. Perhaps due to a profound love for one another, they wanted to merge and become one.

As the mad banquet of gluttony came to a close, all those eyes glowing red shifted towards Kevin and his group, their chilling gaze dimming even the bright lights.

Under the illumination of Lola Shaffer’s Blood Droplet Stone, all the Monster Nobles were bathed in a red glow.

Roar!

Heinz’s body transformed rapidly, with white spine-like branches sprouting from within, turning him into a monstrous bear draped in armor of pale wooden plates, flames of white fire igniting within his head’s crown, standing like a wall at the forefront of the group.

He smashed his massive paws onto the ground, and from beneath the floorboards, twisted black plants emerged, ready to entangle the approaching monsters.

Under the influence of that red glow, however, the writhing plants shrank back.

"They’re immune to the forces of nature, it must be the red light’s effect!"

Heinz stood on two legs, his massive bear paw brutally swatting away a charging servant; the transformed attendant was bowled over like a pin, never to rise again, as the fallen monsters were devoured by those around them. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Physical attacks work, but they need to be forceful; blunt weapon strikes are best!"

William cast several fireballs, merely charring the skin of the monsters.

Ice Walls and Earth Walls rose one after the other, transforming the spacious area into a bottleneck. To enter, one had to evade Heinz’s powerful swipes.

"Elemental Damage is ineffective, but the physical shock it causes can still disrupt them."

"Holy Light also has no effect, there’s something wrong with the red light," Eliane added a few blessings to Heinz, helping him maintain his strength longer.

"Kevin! Take Beatrice and fall back, we need to tighten our defense!"

Just as Kevin was about to help Beatrice retreat,

she stood up on her own, her beautifully combed hair now disheveled from clawing at it, long strands hanging over her face, with only the tears of blood still falling.

Beatrice’s body was exuding a chill, and Kevin’s instincts told him not to disturb her.

"...unable to control their blood, isn’t that just perfect, my blood, as much as you need."

Sharp nails pierced her own chest, Beatrice seemed to be crying and roaring at the same time.

"My heart, it hurts so much... it feels like death."

Beatrice’s chest was torn into a massive wound, with blood splattering and forming two blood wings in the air.

Her white pristine gown was now stained red with blood, and on her smooth back, two huge bat wings had torn through her shoulder blades.

Beatrice floated in the air, her blood wings and bat wings fully spread, her blood-red dress swaying in the air as she faced those monsters head-on.

Blood enveloped her arms, wrapped around her bat wings.

She roared, issuing her decree of judgment.

"The agony my family suffered! I will inflict it upon you a hundredfold, a thousandfold! Your malice! It shall become your torment!"

"With my sorrow and rage, I’ll burn your arrogance! Burn, my blood!"

Beatrice became a blood-red sun, charging toward Lola Shaffer. Many Monster Nobles spread their wings, attempting to intercept her in the air.

Her wings ablaze with flames sliced through their bodies and, at the instant of cutting those wounds, drained their blood to fuel Beatrice’s blood fire.

They flew up full of blood, only to become withered fragments that fell.

Having dealt with the obstructions, that arrogant humanoid monster was now within reach.

Beatrice’s fingertips drew even closer.

At this moment, Lola Shaffer let out a mad laugh.

"Fool, did you think the blood of gods was so easy to consume? Every cup in this castle is filled with Blood Brew I’ve made, it is our sustenance, our blood, and our life itself."

"And you, you’ve already been soaked in it! Vampire! You’re one of us now."

"Now, Hamlet’s child, my angel, show your new form, and turn your blade against your friends!"

Just as he had said, Beatrice’s body began transforming uncontrollably. Bearing it all, her face twisted in agony as she desperately stretched her claws toward Lola’s body.

Lola Shaffer elegantly watched, cup in hand, enjoying the moment, as the young girl struggled in his web.

Ah, is it over? The futile struggle.

As he expected, Beatrice’s contorted expression began to change; her face gradually calmed, as if accepting the transformation, she was slowly becoming his child.

"Fooled you, fool." Beatrice suddenly opened her eyes, her claws piercing straight through.

Lola Shaffer had no chance to resist, for he saw a shadow.

A shadow that embraced Beatrice appeared on her body, ghostly arms caressing her, calming the restless blood within her.

Then, the shadow turned her head, giving Lola a glance.

Beatrice tore Lola Shaffer into pieces.