The Vampire Empress.

Chapter 38. The Cold Blood-Coated Day.

 

As we dove deeper, the forest got a bit darker. The leaves that covered the forest grew thicker and like a blanket that covers both the sun and the skies, the smell of nature grew heavier. You could practically smell nature more than any part of the modern world combined.

 

“Mama, look there!” Ayaka pointed at one of the trees where a beautiful, red apple could be seen hanging with dozens more. The tree looked like an apple tree but with more colorful leaves, the branches were also thinner, “What’s that, Mama?”

 

“It’s an apple tree, Ayaka. It provides us with apples, you know those round, red and glossy food that you eat sometimes,” I answered before she looked at us confused.

 

“They aren’t grown from farms?” she inquired.

 

“In a sense, apple trees are grown in a different farm from the one that you know. They are grown in what is known as an orchard where they plant trees in specific positions and conditions, making it easier to harvest and maintain them,” I responded as she nodded several times, listening attentively before rustling sounds came from the side.

 

Almost immediately, Felice and Iona took out their swords in preparation for combat. Their swords were glowing bright blue indicating the use of mana as several people came out with wounds, scathed looks, and sad yet fearful and panicked gazes.

 

“Who are you people?!” Felice screamed to them.

 

“YOU HAVE TO RUN! SOLDIERS ARE COMING AFTER THE TOWN!” one of them who was a hooded female with a staff on her hand said with an exhausted gaze. My eyes went very wide as I turned towards one of the shadow knights that were nearby.

 

I felt a sudden nod from the direction where I sensed the shadow knight before its presence vanished as I looked at Felice and Iona who both had the same thought as she asked with her sword still drawn, “Calm down first, explain what you have seen and give us more details. Do you have any identification to go by?”

 

“If it’s identification then we can show you our party certification,” a bulky armored man stepped in with a parchment that showed their logo and their party name which was ‘Silver Friends’ which made me frown as the parchment showed that there are supposed to be 10 of them.

 

Yet when you count all of them together, there are only 9 of them which means one of them was left behind or is hiding somewhere. I couldn’t help but be suspicious as Iona asked, “Why are all of you missing one more member?”

 

Almost immediately, their faces darkened as bitter looks appeared on their faces. Faces that which showed deep regret and grief. I understood almost immediately from the gazes and the context over what happened to their other member.

 

“Our leader went ahead and distracted all the soldiers to allow us to escape… I don’t know if he is still alive or not, but I hope he is…” the bulky man bit his lip.

 

As he explained, a black flame appeared next to me as a dark-clothed person kneeled in front of me as the person spoke, “Milady, over two hundred soldiers are marching inside the forest. Their symbols are that of the Resa Kingdom, but a closer investigation shows they are fake badges.”

 

My eyebrows frowned from the report as I asked, “What are their average strength?”

 

“Their average strength is that of a weak adventurer, but their equipment and quantity make them enough of a force to take down a town at their scale. We believe their commander used only the right number of resources to specifically attack a town,” the person answered.

 

I became even more conflicted inside over what to do. I definitely understand that the town right now is far than capable of defending itself from this scale of attack… but what can I do? Do I have to borrow manpower from Helesta… should I use the shadow knights shamelessly and risk their lives?

 

“Felice and Iona, can you escort Ayaka and the others back to the town?” I looked at the two with a serious expression, “I want both the adventurer’s guild and the guards notified of the situation, allow those adventurers over there to give an explanation.”

 

“The shadow guards or knights as well, I will be asking all of you to escort them back safely. I don’t want to see a single one of them harmed at least a single bit. Also, don’t notify Helesta… she’s the last person that we want to inform of the situation…”

 

Both Felice and Iona were taken aback by my request as Iona asked, “What about you, my lady?! Are you going to stay here and delay them?!”

 

“What else should I do over there?” I stared into her eyes, “If it’s regarding leading a party to combat these barbarians then all of you are needed. I am not someone who is experienced with leading a party but that doesn’t mean both of you are as well.”

 

“Bu—” Iona tried to refute as I glared at her.

 

“Are you underestimating me right now, Iona?” I asked, “Are you trying to disobey orders from your master, are you trying to rebel against my decision right now?”

 

She was a bit taken aback as Felice patted her shoulder, “You should trust our lady more, Iona. How confident are you in beating our lady, are you confident in being able to protect our lady and the little lady at the same time?”

 

Iona looked at Felice with a bitter smile as she shook her head before looking at me as she saluted, “I will respect your order, my lady. Please come back safely… we will bring backup as soon as possible…”

 

“Thank you, the two of you…” I said before looking at the adventurers as I asked, “Which direction are they coming from?”

 

“From there,” the bulky knight responded as I nodded.

 

“Mama, are we leaving?” Ayaka looked at me confused as she glanced at the worried faces of everyone around us.

 

I touched the adorable cheeks of Ayaka before kissing both of those fluffy cheeks of her one at a time, “Mhm…. I will be doing some work here really quick, wait for me at the town. Go help Iona and Felice prepare our dinner, okay?”

 

Without hesitating, she nodded as I looked at the others with a nod before walking towards the direction that the knight pointed. I quickly summoned my scythe which I haven’t summoned in ages, its bloody and phantom appearance made it look ominous.

 

I turned around and watched as the others quickly ran out from the area. The decision I made was truly under impulse but having understood the defenses of the town the most, if I don’t put a stop to the enemies before they reach the town… many people will suffer again.

 

“Haaa… I really sometimes regret being transferred into this world. I should have smacked that idiot god to bring me back to my world during that time…” I bitterly laughed while walking towards the direction that was pointed.

 

I wasn’t walking fast nor slow, taking as much time as possible which I consolidated my heart for the worse and after a few minutes of walking, the heavy scent of blood assaulted my nostrils. My heartbeat rapidly climbed as I took a few more steps before heavy laughter and flesh piercing entered my ears.

 

The sound of armor rattling and crazed laughter… I didn’t know what to expect as I made my way towards the direction of the sound before the horrific sight of dozens of knights stabbing an armored person’s body hundreds of times while laughing maniacally came to my view.

 

“LOOK HERE! YOU BRAT CAUSED US QUITE SOME DAMAGES, WHY DON’T YOU ENJOY YOUR BODY BEING PLAYED AROUND A BIT?” one of the soldiers who had his foot in the dead person’s head spoke before he stabbed it again and again with his sword.

 

My heart was burning hot for some reason. I didn’t know what was happening to me. The scent of blood grew even thicker as it continued to assault my nose. It felt like something inside of me was awakening… I don’t know what it was.

 

The sound of manic laughter echoed inside my head constantly like some kind of tunnel. My head started to ache violently. My eyes were turning darker and darker as dizziness consumed me slowly but surely.

 

I felt hungry… thirsty. My throat was thirsting heavily as I looked at my scythe unconsciously before some horrific laugh escaped my throat which caught the attention of all the soldiers at the front.

 

“WHO ARE YOU?!” the soldier who had his foot on the dead person’s body screamed in my direction.

 

My mind continued to ache maniacally as dark thoughts ran throughout my mind.

 

‘Why don’t you kill them already, Aya?’ a voice echoed inside my head, ‘Aren’t you hungry? Look dear, have a look at the meal in front of you. Aren’t you thirsty?’

 

‘If you kill them, all of this hunger and thirst that you feel will definitely vanish. Kill them all, Aya. You are the heiress of the strongest race, why are you hesitating?’

 

“COME OUT!” the soldier screamed.

 

‘My dearest Aya, look at your beautiful hand trembling. You are excited to kill them, aren’t you?’

 

‘Go ahead and be free, dear Aya. Bring about a blanket of blood, enjoy the delicious taste of blood. Come on, dear Aya…’

 

I was confused but for some reason, I felt like the voice’s words were correct as my body moved by itself, coming out from where I was hiding as joy and excitement ran throughout my body. I felt like smiling as I glanced at all the soldiers in front of me.

 

“Hey, hey… why don’t we play a bit?” I dematerialized my scythe as the soldiers immediately started drooling over my body. I felt disgusted… My body was already itching to kill them all and that only made the thirst to kill greater as the soldier nearest laughed.

 

He walked over towards me with a disgusting smile, “You sure are one brave woman! You want to play with us, we’ll give you the best entertainment!”

 

As he walked closer, my fingernails started to grow before he took another step as I immediately closed in with my hands piercing through his chest. I didn’t know what was happening to me right now, but I felt happier than ever.

 

“YOU—YOU…” the soldier looked at his chest before I took out my hand and sliced his neck straight off as all the other soldiers took a deep breath before reacting almost immediately.

 

“ENEMY ATTACK!” one of them screamed as they ran in my direction.

 

A sinister sounding laugh escaped my throat as a larger smile appeared on my lips, my body moved by itself as it ran straight towards the rushing group of soldiers, reaching one of the soldiers almost immediately as I stabbed straight towards his head, creating a hole before throwing his body towards another group which knocked them all back.

 

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!” I continued to laugh unconsciously as my body continued to massacre through the hundreds of soldiers that were coming after me.

 

Time continued to pass as I continued to kill all of them mercilessly, obeying the words of the voice inside my head. I couldn’t count how many I had killed. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed by as I continued to kill them without hesitation.

 

“DE—DEMON!!!” one of them screamed only to have his head flying away as my claws sliced through his neck like butter.

 

‘Yes, like that. Kill them all, Aya…’ the voice inside my head continued to praise me.

 

As more and more time passed, the numbers of the soldiers went from the hundreds to a complete zero as I stood in a pool of deep and dark blood. I didn’t know what was happening to me as a dark black flame appeared in front of me, revealing a beautiful black-haired lady with her wings out.

 

“Haaa… I should have known it was a full moon today,” the lady sighed before she took a step towards me, creating a bit of a wound on her neck as her eyes looked at me, “Aya, come here and wake up.”

 

My mind was going crazy over that little drip of blood on her neck. I couldn’t hold myself back and immediately pounced towards her neck, biting into the wound with my fangs as her arms held me tightly. I could feel delicious blood flooding my mouth… my eyes grew heavier each passing moment that I sucked into her neck.

 

“Tch…” a small click entered my ear which snapped me back to reality as I immediately backed off with my eyes wide open as Helesta stood there with a sigh.

 

I looked around me as a giant pool of blood came into my view. Hundreds of corpses laid around me as the thick scent of blood covered the entire place. I couldn’t hold the shock inside of me as I looked at Helesta who I had bitten earlier as she showed a wry smile.

 

“Did I do all of that…?” I asked in a trembling voice before she shook her head.

 

“You did do it but also didn’t do it. It was just pure timing that it was a full moon today. I don’t know though if your race is the same as the vampires here, but vampires here needs to drink enough blood before a full moon to resist their bloodthirst urges,” she answered, “I also don’t know when was the last time you drank blood, but all I know is your bloodthirst urge really overwhelmed you…”

 

“I—... I am sorry!” I apologized before she simply smiled, “I forgot it was that time of the year again…”

 

“You didn’t do anything bad, at least you prevented a potentially chaotic situation from happening. Let’s first head back and clean you up before everyone gets suspicious of your race,” she said before reaching her hand out as I nodded.

 

I quickly took her hand and grabbed it before she whispered into my ear, “By the way, I heard that the first person a vampire sucks blood from should be their spouse. Does that apply for you, as well?” with a smug on her face.

 

Before I had the time to react, our surroundings immediately changed into that of a beautiful room with golden accents and all those luxurious things.