Chapter 203: The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral! (Part 1)
Edward's words weren't exactly wrong. Right now, the object Roy had wheeled out—clearly bearing traces of magi-tech alchemical refinement—looked, no matter how you sliced it, like a giant LCD television.
Sure, Edward understood the concept of what this thing was. But no matter how hard he tried to wrap his head around it, he simply couldn't figure out how it had been made.
After all, whether it was movies or television, both were just practical applications of imaging crystals. Maybe with some teleportation magic tossed in for flair, but nothing that screamed high-tier, cutting-edge tech.
And yet this thing before them—absurdly thin, and equally absurdly huge—had clearly gone far beyond the known boundaries of current technology. It wasn't just about slapping an imaging crystal together anymore; not even teleportation arrays could be engraved into something this precise.
As Edward stood there, stunned and trying to mentally dissect the tech behind it, Roy—off in the distance—gave him a faint, knowing smile. One that seemed to say: "Finally found something that surprises you, huh?"
Soon enough, under the astonished gazes of the assembled nobles, Roy pressed what looked like some sort of switch. Immediately, the screen came to life—bright and vivid—and the picture quality was so crisp it made Edward's jaw drop.
"Just how the hell does this even work...?"
The more he stared at it, the more impossible it seemed. And just as his brain was short-circuiting trying to figure it out, he caught a glimpse through the crystal panel at the back of the television—and saw an incredibly intricate web of magical arrays carved into it.
In that one instant, he couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
The density of those runes… It surpassed anything a normal mage could possibly handle. Honestly, even a top-tier Grand Mage would struggle with something like this.
'Don't tell me… Did Administrator Hohenheim make this? But I haven't heard a single whisper about something like that…'
His mind spiraled deeper into confusion, but before Edward could even voice his doubts, the lights in the hall suddenly went dark.
"What the—?"
The nobles all froze, stunned into silence. Sure, the Southern Nobles' Annual Gathering occasionally had some unexpected hiccups, but this kind of situation? For most of them, it was a first in their entire lives.
Of everyone present, only Edward had some inkling of what the Southern Territory Grand Duke might be planning. And even then, it still shocked him—because he wouldn't have the guts to pull something like this in front of so many nobles.
Whatever the case, as the hall was plunged into pitch black, only one source of light remained—the massive television screen, now casting an eerie glow.
And then, a faint magical signal began pulsing from the device.
Before anyone could process what was happening, glowing text appeared on the screen, clearly visible to all, including Edward.
[The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral!]
In that moment, every noble present realized the shocking truth: this strange alchemical artifact was a television. And it was currently playing the newest episode of The Garden of Sinners—released today.
"Wait a second… Was this whole annual gathering timed just for this?"
Edward muttered to himself, totally dumbfounded. Just then, from behind him, came the sound of soft footsteps.
A calm, unfamiliar female voice spoke:
"No. I didn't time it deliberately. The date of the annual gathering has always been the same. This… just happened to line up by coincidence."
"A coincidence? Wait… who are you?"
He spun around quickly—and what greeted him was a woman with hair of shimmering gold that reached all the way to her heels. She wore a white dress that seemed to glow faintly in the darkness. Though the lights were out and her face was obscured, Edward could still sense an almost divine elegance radiating from her.
For a split second, he assumed she must be the Southern Territory Grand Duke's wife—Daphne's mother.
But then he noticed something strange.
Daphne, standing right beside him, was completely stunned, her expression total confusion. She clearly had no idea who this woman was.
"Then… who—"
Just as Edward was about to ask for her name, Grand Duke Viktor finally reappeared from the far end of the hall.
Taking advantage of the darkened hall, Grand Duke Viktor hastily stepped forward, coming to a halt beside Edward. And then—with a reverence so deep it bordered on sacred—he addressed the golden-haired woman standing silently next to Edward.
"Your Excellency, True Ancestor… why have you suddenly come out in person? Today isn't a Moonless Night. Moving so openly could be dangerous…"
"True Ancestor…?"
The words struck Edward like a thunderclap. He froze on the spot, completely blanking out for several long seconds.
The woman—whose presence Grand Duke Viktor treated with such awe—simply shook her head gently, then turned her gaze toward Edward with a soft smile and spoke, her voice calm and melodic:
"You must be Edward Durin. I'm quite fond of the movies you've created—they've done a fine job of alleviating the unbearable boredom of my long, long years."
"Uh… thank you?"
"Fufu~ You look very confused. Perhaps it's only fair that I give you some answers."
She gave a light curtsy, her every movement elegant beyond belief.
"Pleased to meet you, Edward Durin. I am Arcueid Viktor—the first Duke of the Southern Territory, one of this Empire's original pioneers… and the last remaining True Ancestor in the human world."
"True Ancestor? You mean…?"
"That's right. In the words you're most familiar with… I am a vampire. One who has lived a very, very long time."
"…"
Edward was stunned speechless.
He'd thought the Southern Territory Grand Duke's earlier display was shocking enough—but this? This was something else entirely.
A vampire had just casually shown herself in the middle of a human noble gathering—and what's more, she'd declared herself as the original Southern Territory Grand Duke? That wasn't just a bombshell—it was a direct hit from an orbital strike.
And yet… for some reason, none of it felt unbelievable. Not even a little.
There was no sense of denial. No instinct screaming "this is nonsense."
It just felt true.
Sensing the disbelief radiating off him, Grand Duke Viktor sighed heavily before offering a further explanation.
"Her Excellency's existence is one of the highest secrets of the Viktor family. Normally, she resides within a sealed dimensional space, completely cut off from the human world. Her lifespan is fundamentally different from ours, and she has long watched over the development of the Southern Territories—guiding our family's successors, ensuring they do not stray from the correct path."
"Traditionally, once a successor is chosen, Her Excellency enters a deep slumber, awakening only for the next generation's trial. But… last time, I happened to be playing a movie in the ducal estate. And by pure chance…"
He trailed off, but there was no need to finish.
Edward could guess the rest easily enough.
Come to think of it, another not-quite-human guest—Latisha, the Arch-Lich—had also been drawn to his films, and had even ended up joining his Film Studio.
And now it has happened again.
"Wait—so the first Southern Territory Grand Duke was a True Ancestor…? Then your entire family must be—"
"No, not at all." The current duke shook his head firmly.
"Our bloodline isn't vampiric by nature. Our original ancestor was merely an ordinary human—one who was turned by Her Excellency's Embrace. But as the story goes, he was eventually restored to humanity, given the name 'Viktor,' and entrusted with rule over the Southern Territories. Since then, our line has carried that legacy forward."
"Her Excellency, on the other hand, has never aged. Generation after generation, she's watched us grow from afar… and has served as a silent protector, not just of the South, but of the entire Empire."
"…"
Edward could hardly imagine the magnitude of what must have happened back then. His mind was a storm of questions, ready to pry into the past.
But before he could say a word, the golden-haired vampire—Arcueid—had already turned her attention fully to the screen ahead.
And at that moment, the picture flickered to life again.
The screen glowed brilliantly in the darkness, drawing every eye in the hall.
Across the Southern Territories and the Imperial Mage Academy, a single broadcast began simultaneously—
The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral.
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