"With that settled, may we leave now?" the mercenary leader forced a smile and asked Valred.
"Of course, but before you go, you'll need to answer a few questions," Valred said. "Where are you from, and what brings you to Sylvania?"
The leader quickly responded, "We're freelance soldiers hired by Lord Hal from the Border Princes to escort him on a trade mission to your country."
The answer was clear enough, and Valred understood the situation—they were freelance soldiers from the Border Princes, one of the most chaotic regions in the Old World. Valred thought the term "mercenaries" suited them better, or perhaps the term others in the Old World used for them: "Dogs of War."
These were men who followed the scent of blood, selling their strength to survive. They had no morals, cared little for honor or reputation, and would work for anyone as long as the pay was good—whether it was the vampires of Sylvania, the Dark Elves, or the northern barbarians.
"Trade… So he's a merchant? You call him 'Lord'?" Valred smirked, his tone laced with sarcasm. The mercenary captain quickly picked up on the implication.
"To a true noble like yourself, no one could compare. But for us lowly freelancers, anyone who pays us is a 'Lord,'" the captain replied, subtly flattering Valred.
"Very well, you may leave," Valred said with another laugh. With a snap of his fingers, the tavern door swung open again, and the air inside began to flow freely. The mercenaries felt as if they had been given a second chance at life, only now realizing how oppressive the atmosphere had been—it was as if they had been trapped in another world. At the same time, the sight of a company of over a hundred Tomb Guards outside the tavern sent shivers down their spines.
They now understood that if they had clashed with the seemingly young vampire, they would have been the ones to perish.
"These bats are downright sinister. Damn it, I'm never coming back here," many of the mercenaries silently vowed, though their promises were as cheap as cabbage—easily broken if the price was right.
"Thank you for your mercy," the mercenary captain said, relieved that Valred had allowed them to leave. After expressing his gratitude, he quickly led his men away, moving as if a regiment of Ogres were hot on their heels.
"As for this one… Sever his limbs and hang him on the city walls. Let everyone know the consequences of offending us in Sylvania."
This last command was directed at the Tomb Guards who had arrived. Valred had summoned them through the winds of magic. After he spoke, Maya, his maid, gasped softly, clearly shocked by the order. But as usual, Valred ignored her.
The lead Tomb Guard drew his sword and with four swift strokes, severed the man's limbs. The undead soldiers saluted Valred before dragging the unfortunate man away, leaving a trail of blood. The sight of the limbless figure caused a brief wave of panic in the city, but it soon subsided.
Watching the Tomb Guards depart, Valred turned to the tavern keeper, who had witnessed the entire ordeal and was now slumped on the floor. "Is the milk ready yet?"
"Almost—almost ready—" the tavern keeper stammered, scrambling to his feet and nodding frantically. He turned to rush to the kitchen, but Valred chuckled.
"Never mind. If it's not ready, forget it. Maya, let's go back."
"Yes… Master," Maya replied, her voice trembling. The sight of the young master casually ordering such a brutal punishment had left her deeply unsettled.
Meanwhile, the mercenaries, having narrowly escaped with their lives, hurried back to their inn and recounted the events to their employer, the smuggler Hal, who had come to Sylvania to "do business."
Hal, who had traded with Sylvania multiple times, knew the gravity of the situation. When he heard that his ** mercenaries had offended a vampire noble, he was furious enough to consider killing them all. But when they described the vampire's age and appearance, Hal quickly deduced that it was Valred von Carstein, the sole male heir of the Carstein family and the future Count—a figure far more significant than an ordinary vampire noble.
Hal's first thought was to pack up and flee. The young master might not pursue the matter further, but other vampire nobles, upon hearing of the incident, would surely have him **.
But a second thought soon took hold:
He couldn't leave. Absolutely not. Not only was it uncertain whether he could escape this vampire-ruled land, but the losses from abandoning this trade route would be unbearable.
Due to the economic blockade imposed on Sylvania by other "righteous" nations, smuggling goods into and out of the country was highly profitable.
In fact, Hal, a fallen noble from the Empire of Sigmar and a major smuggler in the Border Princes, relied heavily on his trade with Sylvania for most of his income. He imported weapons and metals from the Empire to sell in the war-torn Border Princes, then transported **, bones, and luxury goods demanded by the vampires to Sylvania.
Finally, he purchased magical industrial products from the vampires and sold them back in the Empire. This triangular trade route could yield profits five times the initial investment. Compared to such lucrative gains, the risks seemed trivial.
Large merchants had more avenues for profit, and small merchants could easily recover from losses. But for a mid-tier merchant like Hal, losing this trade route would mean the collapse of over a decade of hard work.
"No—I must resolve this. I need to make amends. If I can satisfy the vampires, I might even turn this disaster into an opportunity," Hal decided. He resolved to use all his resources to win the favor of the young vampire noble, hoping to earn his forgiveness—and perhaps even forge a connection.
With this plan in mind, Hal selected gifts and personally visited the administrative office in Drakenhof. He sought out the official in charge of commerce, presented his gifts, and requested an audience with Count Carstein…
In truth, Valred had no intention of pursuing the matter further. He felt that punishing the man who had insulted him was enough. By the time he returned to the castle, he had already put the incident out of his mind. He sent the coachman to tend to the carriage and instructed Maya to tidy up the rooms, while he headed to the basement to conduct experiments in an empty alchemy lab.
Although Valred learned quickly, he still struggled to fully grasp the knowledge he had acquired. To bridge this gap, he had been spending a lot of time in the alchemy lab, conducting various magical and alchemical experiments to truly master what he had learned.
The experiments took considerable time, and after completing a few, Valred decided to call it a day. Vampires began leaving the underground workshops and labs in small groups, and Valred followed suit, returning to Drakenhof Castle to rest.
He summoned Maya again, asking her to bring him some juice, pastries, and the music box he had crafted a few days ago, which could record and play melodies. Once Maya had finished, Valred sat in a chair in the grand hall, sipping juice, nibbling on pastries, and listening to music.
After a while, the sound of a carriage echoed from the entrance. The castle doors opened, and Valred looked up to see not his sister Isabella, but his mother, Lady Winsor, entering.