Chapter Ten: The Flesh and Blood Royal Court

Page 1/3

Amidst the wilderness and dense forest, on a rural path, Kana and another hurried forward.

“Let’s take a detour here to avoid running into monsters near Cape City,” Kana said, pointing slightly to the right ahead. “That way leads to a small river, if I recall correctly. Let’s go clean up there—we’re far too filthy.”

The two were covered in grime: dried mud stains, unidentified leaves, and some blood smears. Since fleeing the village, they hadn’t felt like resting.

“Your Highness, how do you know this place so well?” Aliris asked, puzzled.

How could he not? This was a level-three training ground he knew intimately. Though the monsters weren’t the same as those two years from now, the terrain was largely unchanged.

Of course, he couldn’t say that outright. Instead, he replied casually, “I’ve been here before.”

No sooner had he spoken than Kana suddenly froze in place.

A faint ringing in the ears swept over them both, and Aliris mirrored his motion without hesitation.

The ringing gradually subsided.

From afar came the sounds of cries and roars.

“Sounds like someone’s fighting them,” Aliris said.

“Let’s go check it out.”

Approaching, they soon spotted a group of people by the riverside under attack by blood creatures.

It looked like a refugee caravan, with many women and children.

Facing the blood creatures were several soldiers and a few mercenaries.

“Your Highness, they might not be a match,” Kana observed.

On the blood creatures’ side were three giant bats and six ghouls.

The refugees had barely ten able-bodied fighters between them.

Some elderly women were paralyzed with fear, and several had begun fleeing in panic.

“We’ll join the fight.”

At Kana’s command, Aliris charged forward first.

Kana hesitated briefly, then slit his own arm with a knife.

Instantly, a wound appeared, blood flowing out, accompanied by sharp pain.

But with the pain came power.

“Don’t eat me! Please save me!” a frail farmer screamed in terror as he fled.

Kana leapt beside a ghoul and kicked it squarely in the abdomen.

The creature was sent sprawling, rolling several times before it could react.

Before it could recover, its skull was pierced.

The surge of power was unmistakable; his attacks felt far stronger.

Page 2/3

With their help, the battle was swiftly resolved.

Two of the giant bats were struck dead from afar by stones hurled by Aliris.

The third was felled by a soldier’s crossbow bolt to the head.

The ghouls were easily dispatched with two additional fighters.

“Uncle Arochi, come quickly!” a soldier shouted, tending to a wounded comrade on the ground.

Among the refugees, a gaunt middle-aged man hurried over, his face still etched with panic. Judging by his attire, he was an herbalist.

Unfortunately, there was only one injured.

One mercenary and two civilians had perished.

A soldier approached. “Thank you both for your help. Without you, we might have died here today.”

“I’m Nickum, captain of the soldiers from Cape City. You two escaped from there, right?”

Aliris was about to speak when Kana cut her off, addressing Nickum, “We fled all the way from the royal capital. We were doing some dirty work there before.”

Nickum nodded knowingly, then apologized, “Now’s not the time for talk. I need to organize the group quickly; those monsters will be back soon.”

Kana smiled and nodded.

While the refugees regrouped, the two went to the riverside to wash off the grime.

Once clean, the caravan prepared to depart.

Kana turned and caught sight of Aliris, also freshly cleaned.

Her short golden hair fell loosely, her freshly washed face still glistening with water droplets.

Though trained as a knight for years, her skin was fair and smooth, and her large eyes paired with slightly chubby cheeks gave her a pure yet charming appearance.

Retracting his gaze, he said, “Let’s go.”

As they headed towards the caravan, Nickum approached.

“Want to come with us?”

Kana nodded and followed, casually asking, “Where are you headed?”

“Where else but Fawn? The port was the first to fall into chaos. Those monsters targeted it first. I escaped from there.”

Hearing this, Kana nodded in agreement with the situation.

“Those damned skinless monsters—no clue where they came from. And those nobles who deserve to be hanged—I hope the monsters eat their brains.”

Nickum vented his frustration.

Kana thought otherwise—most nobles were either dead or transformed into blood creatures.

Truth be told, most escapees were civilians and some city guards.

The defensive and combat troops had been the first to be converted.

That process was ongoing.

…

Safro Royal Capital.

Once a foreign imperial city, it had now become the blood creatures’ court.

The entire city reeked of decaying corpses and blood.

A shadow hung over the city as if all storm clouds had gathered, blocking sunlight.

In the gloomy weather, swarms of giant bats flapped their wings overhead.

Within the city, countless ghouls roamed the streets, now the majority of its inhabitants.

Pale-faced knights with deathly complexions and glowing crimson eyes patrolled atop blood-red armored horses.

Their guards, in similar states, accompanied them.

Deep within the city, atop a cliff, stood the royal palace castle.

The blood creature nobles had gathered there.

“Are preparations complete?” In the throne hall, a robust blood creature king sat on a lavish throne.

Surrounding him were many nobles and officials, dressed in once-opulent garments.

Their pale, almost bluish skin and expressionless faces showed they, too, had become blood creatures.

“Your Majesty, all three ports have been reclaimed, and four cities fully subdued. Vast numbers of civilians and corpses await conversion to power,” a noble official knelt before the throne.

The blood king asked in a low voice, “Four cities?”

The noble hurriedly added, “One more remains—Count Varnshar’s territory. He… the count…”

“My son, what has he done?” the king asked, his voice unreadable.

“The count executed the tailors and blood mages in his lands who refused transformation into blood creatures. He’s rallying soldiers for resistance, gathering refugees, and leading them to the Kingdom of Coen.”

“Hmph, he truly refuses to embrace the new order.”

Though angry, the king was less furious than expected, as if he had anticipated this.

He turned to his side. “Walter, my son, I told you long ago not to be so lenient with your brother.”

Walter was Kana’s father.

The previous king of the country, while the one on the throne was the founding emperor.

Clearly, Walter had not died as usual but had retreated behind the scenes.

“He betrayed my trust and your grace, Father. Let me capture him—I will make him a worthy blood noble.”

Hearing his son’s words, the king waved dismissively, “You have other matters. Martin, my most loyal knight, lead your men and bring me my son’s head.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With the clatter of armor and heavy footsteps, the knight left the hall.