Edward's brows furrowed tightly.
This "bat-like" spirit world creature—he had seen it in the future as well. It was Akasha's messenger.
But hadn't I already sent her back to the Sanguine's headquarters at Feynapotter?
With a marquis for a great-grandfather, what kind of danger could she possibly encounter?
"Bernie, I have something urgent to take care of. Let Dubois send you home, alright?"
"Okay!"
Edward hurried back to his room and entered the Sefirah Castle, immediately performing a divination regarding Akasha's plea for help:
"Akasha is in danger."
After silently repeating it seven times, the green divination crystal began spinning counterclockwise.
No danger?
Then why cry out for help?
Frowning, he tried another casting:
"Going to Feynapotter to find Akasha will be dangerous."
This time, the green crystal slowly rotated clockwise. Though the movement was sluggish, it still signified danger.
"Akasha is fine, but it's dangerous for me…That letter is nine out of ten chances a trick of the Sanguine elders."
In that case, I might as well see for myself. Wasn't this the very reason I began approaching those vampire siblings in the first place?
After all, with my method of praying to myself and answering myself, if things go badly, I can always cut off the summoning and forcefully return.
With that thought, Edward descended from the Sefirah Castle and began his prayer.
The last time he had come to Feynapotter, it was night: the entire city was steeped in scarlet-tinted darkness and silence.
By day, however, Feynapotter bustled no less than Trier or Backlund.
Walking along the streets, it wasn't unusual to see handsome men and beautiful women with scarlet eyes. As the heartland of the clan, vampires here were nothing out of the ordinary.
Using dowsing, Edward soon found himself before a massive villa in the northern part of the city. Compared even to the luxurious future estate of Count Hall, this one was larger—and far older, exuding the weight of centuries, perhaps millennia.
Edward once again drew out the green crystal. Its motion remained the same: a slow, clockwise turn. Danger, but not immediate. He stepped forward cautiously.
"Mr. Klein Sparrow?"
A middle-aged vampire in a sharp suit came out to greet him, his expression mild, his smile courteous.
"That's me."
"Please, come in."
The man gestured politely and walked beside Edward into the courtyard.
"Akasha and Arlde are my children. I must thank you for taking care of them recently. I am their father, Beckson Punk."
"No need for thanks."
Hearing this, Edward couldn't help but study him more closely. In the future, both Akasha's grandfather and great-grandfather would fall to the Shaman King, Klarman.
But when exactly would that happen?
"I'm sorry for contacting you in this manner. It wasn't Akasha who betrayed you—it was we who forced her hand. The one who wishes to see you is my grandfather, Marquis Punk of Sanguines."
Edward feigned puzzlement, asking deliberately, "May I know why the Marquis wishes to meet me?"
"That I do not know."
Beckson shook his head.
Together they entered the ancient villa. Everything Edward saw confirmed the classic image of a vampire's residence: a dim, timeworn castle interior, oil portraits hanging everywhere, opulent furnishings rich with age.
Soon, they reached the third floor, stopping before a massive, weighty wooden door.
"My grandfather awaits you inside. Please."
Edward stepped forward and knocked. The door swung open on its own.
Inside was the same heavy dimness. Though a great window loomed, it was shrouded with strange coverings, letting only thin slivers of sunlight seep through.
This was clearly a study—or rather, a private library. Shelves stretched up to the ceiling, crowded with books of every sort.
"Welcome, Mr. Klein Sparrow."
A voice sounded as an old man descended the ladder. His hair was snow-white, a short beard bristled on his chin, and he wore a simple robe, looking for all the world like a harmless old man—if not for the faint glow in his blood-red eyes.
"Phew."
He blew the dust from the leather cover of a tome in his hands, then stepped closer and opened it.
"Thank you for looking after Arlde and Akasha. Though they've each lived for centuries by human reckoning, to us, they're nothing more than children."
"You flatter me," Edward replied politely.
"Apologies, I don't keep chairs in here. You'll have to stand with me."
Edward waved his hand, transfiguring two sofas.
"Fortunately, I always come prepared."
"Heh, much obliged."
The two sat down. The old man, Marquis Punk, spoke calmly, "Mr. Sparrow, surely you know why I've asked to meet you?"
"Actually, I'm not sure." Edward shook his head. "When I received Akasha's plea for help, I suspected it might be one of her elders wishing to see me. But as for your reasons—I truly had no idea."
After a brief silence, Marquis Punk said softly, "It is because of the Ancestor Lilith."
He continued, voice low yet steady, ""We have been out of contact with Her for thousands of years. Some claim She perished in the Second Epoch, betrayed by the Elf King and the Giant King. Yet some of our elders believed She never truly fell, merely concealed Herself somewhere."
"This speculation seemed to find proof in the Fourth Epoch, when our Ancestor, after millennia of silence, once more responded to our prayers. But…we could not comprehend what She was trying to convey."
"Not until the end of the Fourth Epoch did She deliver a clear message at last—ordering our clan to relocate to the newly-founded Kingdom of Feynapotter, where we remain to this day."
Edward listened quietly, then asked, "May I ask, Marquis, why you are telling me this?"
"I only wish to make clear that our clan has never abandoned the search for Ancestor, nor ceased our attempts to contact Her. We care deeply for any information tied to Her." He paused. "So when you told young Arlde that you'd once met a Beyonder who called herself 'Lilith'—was that true?"
"Of course."
"Where?"
"The Rorsted Archipelago."
"That Beyonder, the one who called herself 'Lilith'—did she do anything, or tell you anything?"
Edward shook his head. "No. It was just a chance encounter."
"Do you believe she was truly connected to the Ancestor Lilith?"
"Marquis, how could I possibly know something like that?"
Marquis Punk pondered for a moment, then pressed: "And beyond that, do you know anything more about the Ancestor?"
"I do not."
"I see. Then tell me this, Mr. Sparrow—what you were hoping to learn from Arlde when you sought to approach our clan?"
By this point, everything was laid bare.
Edward answered frankly, "I want to know—when your Ancestor responded to you in the Fourth Epoch, what exactly was that incomprehensible message She conveyed? And later, when She gave you clear instructions, did She ever explain the earlier message?"
"May I ask why you wish to know this?"
Edward hesitated. From the Marquis's reaction, it seemed the Sanguines truly knew nothing of that other 'Lilith' who had once existed.
Looking back at the wars and chaos of the Fourth Epoch, the blood clan's presence seemed oddly muted. Especially after the fall of the Goddess of Beauty, Auernia, they had almost vanished from the stage altogether.
"Before I answer, allow me one question: during the millennia-long wars between the Northern and Southern Continents in the Fourth Epoch, your clan seemed largely absent. Why?"
Marquis Punk was startled, then replied, "Not entirely absent. Before the War of Four Emperors, our 'Blood Moon Queen,' Lady Auernia, led part of the clan into alliance with the Night Emperor through marriage. Sadly, when that war erupted, the Night Emperor perished, and Lady Auernia fell soon after. Those clansmen who followed her were nearly annihilated."
Hm?
Only part of the clan?
That description didn't quite match the accounts in the original story…Was it simply a vague part of the chronicles, or had history itself been tampered with?
Curious, Edward pressed, "I've heard it said that your clan emerged from its dark age precisely under the Blood Moon Queen's leadership. Shouldn't she, with a single call, have rallied all Sanguines to support the Night Emperor? Why only a portion?"
"That I cannot say—I was not yet born. But in my understanding, there were two reasons. First, after the Progenitor's disappearance, our clan's overall strength lagged far behind humanity's. Second, relations between humans and vampires in the Fourth Epoch were nothing like today. In earlier eras, we were often mortal enemies."
He paused.
"Now then—will you answer my question?"
Edward nodded. "I am searching for someone. She appeared in the Fourth Epoch. And her name…happened to be the same as your Ancestor's. Lilith."
"…"
Marquis Punk's expression did not shift, but his aura rippled subtly.
The next instant, a pitch-black coffin manifested abruptly within the small library. It was wreathed in grass, flowers, wheat, even insects. Yet each was grotesque: the grass had mouths like tears, spewing fibres; flowers used their leaves as arms to harvest nectar; heavy wheat grains wept with faint cries; insects bore snake heads or bird faces…
Marquis Punk immediately rose and bowed.
"Duke Olmer."
He then introduced gravely, "Mr. Klein Sparrow, this is one of the three great Dukes who rule our clan. He is an ancient being who existed before the Cataclysm, one who once followed the Ancestor Lilith herself!"
From the coffin came a mellow, ageless voice, chuckling softly, "Young man, why do you seek that Lilith of the Fourth Epoch?"
Edward gazed at the coffin.
"She is my friend."
"Friend?"
Duke Olmer sounded faintly surprised. "Ah…then I was mistaken. You, like me, are one of those old fellows who have lived far too long."
"Since you were her friend—and since you've gone to such lengths to seek her—your bond must run deep. That makes things simple. She once caused our clan heavy losses. You shall repay them in her stead. How does that sound?"
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.