"Waaaaah—!"
The crisp, melodious shriek made the armored girls clutching fish bait look up simultaneously.
Three pairs of blue eyes met Avrora's mid-air gaze, and then...
Crash!
Four golden-haired girls with nearly identical features piled onto each other on the deserted, dark street.
Avrora, on top of the heap, scrunched up her face. The hard armor beneath her was making her delicate skin red and sore.
"Oww..."
Clutching her throbbing head, she wobbled as she got to her feet.
A pure white figure descended gracefully behind her. Arcueid landed softly on the ground, a smile playing on her lips.
"That looked like it hurt."
The moment she saw Arcueid, Avrora instantly flashed behind her, timidly peeking out from over her shoulder.
'If you're so scared of me, why did you charge off like that...' Arcueid patted her head, then suddenly paused.
Right, if Avrora was so afraid, then why...?
Her eyes fell upon the ice cream splattered on the ground not far away. She raised a delicate eyebrow.
"Don't tell me... you were rushing for the ice cream?"
Avrora didn't answer, only blinked and shrank further behind her.
Arcueid rapped her knuckles lightly on Avrora's head twice, then shifted her gaze to the girls across from them, who were slowly getting up.
Three golden-haired girls were kneeling on the ground, staring blankly at the overturned ice cream.
A sadness so palpable it seemed almost solid emanated from them.
When Avrora fell, she had knocked the ice cream over too.
Ahem... "Good evening, you three." Arcueid cleared her throat, putting on her most benevolent smile.
The girls, still frozen in place, silently looked up and exchanged glances.
Then, they turned and ran.
Arcueid blinked. With a slight wave of her hand, faintly glowing emerald vines extended from her palm.
"Can't let you get away now, can I?"
The vines instantly snaked around the bodies of the Blazing Banquet sisters, coiling tightly.
A sense of weightlessness flooded their minds. As if the girls had no mass at all, the supple vines lifted them high into the air and pulled them back.
"No need to be afraid, no need to be afraid."
Arcueid looked at the suspended girls and patted Avrora behind her. "Do you know her?"
The golden-haired girls looked at each other again and whispered in unison.
"...Number Twelve."
"Correct." Arcueid waggled a finger, her beautiful smile shining under the moonlight. "But her name is Avrora now."
She then produced a cup of ice cream, holding it before the three girls. "Want some?"
The smooth, creamy ice cream emanated a faint chill, its glossy texture utterly irresistible.
The golden-haired girls stared silently at the treat, their eyes shimmering with unconcealable longing.
'Hooked.'
A smug grin spread across Arcueid's face as she pushed the ice cream a little closer.
"If you come with us, you can have some ice cream~"
Her tone was gentle, almost like coaxing a child.
As the ice cream drew nearer, the girls' expressions began to waver.
But just before they were about to agree...
"How regrettable, my lady. I'm afraid they cannot go with you."
A cheerful voice interrupted Arcueid's attempted persuasion. Vatler emerged from the shadows.
He shot a glare at the wavering girls, then slowly turned his gaze to Arcueid.
And froze in place.
Golden hair, crimson eyes, white dress, pale figure.
A familiar feeling made him narrow his eyes.
"Your Highness, the 'White Princess'?" he inquired cautiously.
"Nope." Arcueid glanced at him, the smile fading from her face.
After a calm look at Vatler, she handed the ice cream she was holding to Avrora. Avrora accepted it with visible excitement and retreated behind Arcueid to enjoy her treat.
"That's your share for tomorrow gone, you know."
The smile that had just appeared on Avrora's face instantly wilted.
"This is the Twelfth... Avrora, correct?"
Seeing this Blazing Banquet sister beside the 'White Princess,' a look of understanding dawned on Vatler's face. This lady was probably a vampire from the White Princess's retinue, or perhaps a descendant.
He bowed his head in an impeccable courtesy.
"Even for you, my lady, I cannot allow you to take them tonight."
"Oh?" Arcueid tilted her chin up slightly, looking down at the vampire before her. "I'm in a rather good mood tonight. I shall specially pardon your impudence. Leave now, and no one gets hurt."
The aura contained within her was released.
An intense killing intent instantly made Vatler's body stiffen.
"Hahahaha... Such formidable bloodlust." He struggled under the weight of the murderous intent, a grin spreading across his lips. "But I still cannot let you take them."
He welcomed those who directed their hostility squarely at him.
"Nanda! Upananda!"
Vatler loudly called for his Beast Vassals.
A torrent of magical power surged from within him. Giant serpents materialized from the void, intertwining in the air and gradually merging into one.
'Merged familiars, huh?'
A smile of interest touched Arcueid's lips as she slowly stretched her limbs.
A grey steel dragon wreathed in scorching flames manifested in the night sky. Magical power rivaling that of a Primogenitor shattered the windows of the entire block, making the very air ripple like waves.
The merged familiar lunged at the golden-haired girl on the ground with ferocious momentum.
The violently burning flames not only illuminated the night sky but also lit up the smile on Arcueid's face.
The instant the merged familiar was upon her, Arcueid raised her right hand and casually swatted the attack aside.
Then, with a flick of her wrist...
Sharp claws tore through the massive merged familiar as if it were tissue paper. The raging magical power erupted in the air, leaving behind vivid, pinkish-purple claw marks.
Unable to maintain its materialized form, the merged familiar instantly returned to the other world.
"Well, I'll be..."
'Do all the vampires around the Fifth Primogenitor dislike using familiars?'
Vatler laughed excitedly, a torrent of magical power far exceeding his previous output erupting from his entire body.
Three giant serpents materialized from the void simultaneously, transforming under the confluence of magic into golden dragons with four limbs.
The miasma emanating from the dragons' bodies alone poisoned the very atmosphere. Trees along the roadside turned dark brown from the toxins, withering and dying.
The golden dragons stretched their bodies under the moonlight, their massive forms lunging at Arcueid with surprising agility.
BOOM!
Dust billowed, debris flew.
A greatsword, gleaming with a metallic sheen, appeared from nowhere, easily blocking the golden dragons' assault.
"Nothing stops a dragon charge like a greatsword."
Gripping the massive sword tightly, her slender arm wielded earth-shattering force as she smashed the dragons away.
The concrete ground shattered instantly. Surrounding buildings were tossed aside like flimsy building blocks.
The greatsword in her hand dissipated into dust. Arcueid brushed her hands together.
In the next instant, a violent thunderous onslaught engulfed her form.
--+--
T/N: Archetype Earth slams this verse
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.