Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 495 - 457 - The Sole Walker
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"That ritual, Joshua’s transformation into the anti-Christ ritual, must be related to Karen. She’s a Purifier, and the origins of vampires come from the Paladins." Clasped fingers entwined, Lyle and Beatrice maintained their original sitting positions.
"Delaries mentioned baptism, and this castle has only one church where baptism can be performed." Beatrice looked at the blood-colored drapes hanging from the ceiling, her face calm, "Beneath the castle lies an underground crypt for slumber, and at its deepest point is a building, a church. I received my First Embrace there, Loshutar called it the Twilight Church. Karen must be there, in the Twilight Church."
"After we find a way to break the seal and call for help from the outside, we can go straight to rescue her..."
"Or we could hide until the ritual is about to start, and then we directly disrupt the ritual. You save that little knight, while I tear my ’groom’ to shreds."
"That will be very dangerous."
"They’re asking for it. Naslan’s fury, the humiliation I’ve endured, I need to vent it."
"If everything goes well, I’ll listen to you."
Beatrice hummed with satisfaction, and Lyle could feel her fingers make a few feigned grabs, the vampire’s freakish strength causing him to grimace in pain.
"As long as this damn seal is lifted, Naslan’s daughter will have a surefire way to win."
"Great, we just need to use our brains a little, to lift an unknown, powerful seal we’ve never seen in ten days, while we’re practically imprisoned and helpless to call for help."
"Not only that, we have to face the censure of the Loshutar Blood Clan." A shadow crossed Beatrice’s face, "Delaries really does dote on his children, but that doesn’t stop him from being a sly guy – gloomy, cruel, vindictive. He’s a typical vampire. Actually, I’m worried right now..."
"Worried about what?"
"My punishment. All vampires who err are punished, let alone a deserter like me. He will love me, but also hate me. However fond the vampire duke, he will not break his own rules; crime and punishment. I had originally thought that upon my return, I would face a whipping as punishment. Don’t be surprised, it’s the most lenient punishment from Loshutar, and for that, I even specially changed into black clothes so the blood wouldn’t look too bad."
"Beatrice," Lyle looked at her, his eyes burning with a fire that seemed plain, "you didn’t tell me you would be punished. How could you..."
"I’m the most suitable person. Now you are a member of Naslan, my family. And besides, I also hid the engagement, didn’t I? Think of it this way, we’re even."
"How is this... even? Aren’t you just hiding two things from me..."
"You still have the audacity to argue? Bastard! I should just kill you!" Beatrice stood up, her hands gripping Lyle’s collar as she shook him violently until he begged for mercy three times. Lyle’s face was ashen as if he were about to vomit, while Beatrice hung a wicked smile, panting heavily. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"Coming back to this castle is really depressing, I need to rest for a while, I feel a bit nauseous."
Beatrice walked toward the bed, her cheeks showing a strange flush.
"Go ahead, I didn’t know vampires could get sick."
"It’s not an illness, just a little discomfort. I haven’t felt like this in a long time... a long... time..." Beatrice stood frozen in place, her body trembling, as she wrapped her arms around herself in helplessness, "No... no... no!"
Beatrice rushed to the cabinet, her shaking body rummaging desperately through it, crying out in madness and sorrow, "No... none... no!" Her actions grew frantic, tearing down portraits, books, curtains as though she intended to dig through the walls.
The sudden outburst of madness in Beatrice caused Lyle to worry; he reached out, gently tapping her back.
"Beatrice, what’s wrong?"
A swift blow sent Lyle flying, "Don’t touch me!!!" Lyle hit the wall hard, his body responding to the impact with a shock, and suddenly his throat lurched, and a stream of blood trailed down from the corner of his mouth.
Beatrice stopped moving; she turned around stiffly, staring blankly at herself. The next moment, Beatrice was in front of Lyle, her heavy breathing spraying onto her collar.
Beatrice kissed the corner of her own mouth, licking the blood like a tame beast.
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"Beatrice?"
Her name, like an incantation, made her shiver all over. Beatrice raised her head again, locking eyes with Lyle, red pupils streaked with two trails of blood tears sliding down from the corners.
"I’m sorry, Lyle, I’m so sorry." Her body trembling, she stood up like an abandoned child, gradually backing away until she finally curled up in the corner of the room.
"My powers have been sealed, I... I am thirsting for blood... I’m in so much pain, I’m in such pain right now, your scent... it’s my punishment... get out... get out of here NOW!!!"
Beatrice raised her hands and lunged like a wild beast, but halfway, her body convulsed violently, and she fell to the floor like a powerless infant.
"Beatrice..."
"Go away! Get out! Don’t look at me! Don’t look at me!!" The girl’s voice, mixed with bloodied tears, was filled with pleading as her exquisite body twitched uncontrollably on the floor.
Lyle didn’t reach out to her but walked out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
The next moment, a thumping sound erupted against the solid door, followed by the grating sound of nails scratching the wooden panels, the unhinged Beatrice never considered how to open the door.
This was the punishment Duke Delaries had devised for her.
To let the bloodthirsty Beatrice share a room with Lyle, a human, watching her, tormented by her vampiric impulses, killing her own family. He didn’t harm Beatrice physically, but he inflicted a punishment that would scar her to her core.
With her power sealed, confined within this castle, Beatrice was tormented by her thirst for blood, and Lyle was left utterly alone.
Ten days, that was how long Beatrice’s torment lasted.
Tormented by her vampiric impulses or, after killing Lyle, by her own conscience. That was the agony Beatrice endured, a human couldn’t possibly survive ten days of a vampire’s need for blood, not even one day.
But there was another choice.
[I have placed it here, my child, you and your manservant can partake of it whenever you wish.]
The Blood-red Holy Grail, becoming an eternal wailing blood bag to satisfy Beatrice’s impulses. That was the mercy of Delaries.
Behind the door, the scraping sounds were still fierce, accompanied by Beatrice’s bestial howls, those nails scratching as if on Lyle’s very heart, causing it to bleed.
The dim candlelight illuminated the dark corridor; the scratching noises from the room stopped. The insatiable vampiric urge seemed to have finally drained Beatrice of her strength, pressed against the door, Lyle could hear her groans.
Lyle faced the door, his forehead resting against the panel, his palms placed where the scratching had been most intense, as if that way he could touch Beatrice.
Lyle spoke softly, "Beatrice, everything is going to be alright, I promise, you won’t be in pain much longer."
The gasping sounds had ceased, followed by extreme quietness.
"Don’t... Lyle... stay..." The voice inside had faded away.
Lyle didn’t hear her voice, for he was slowly walking away.
In the dim candlelight, a shadowy figure walked along the blood-red carpet.
Behind him, writhing shadows moved as if alive.
