Despite the earlier incident, Valred arrived home earlier than usual since he had left the academy ahead of schedule. During the journey, he chatted with Anne, who, now without her armor, was no longer the aggressive knight who had confronted him on the bridge. Instead, she was as docile as Valred's pet cat, Elsa, answering his questions obediently. Valred found this quite satisfactory.
"It's good timing. My sister has been away for a while, so having you here will liven things up," Valred said to her. Anne seemed pleased to have gained Valred's approval, and the earlier tension between them had already faded.
When they arrived at the castle gates, Valred stepped out of the carriage first, then helped Anne down. The future Count of Castaigne took the opportunity to hold her hand, much to the discomfort of Maya, the maid who had been waiting for Valred's return.
"Master, you're back," Maya greeted, feeling a bit neglected as Valred and Anne walked past her, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Valred simply responded with a "Hmm," leaving the maid on the verge of tears.
Of course, as the master, Valred could ignore the maid's feelings, and he did so without hesitation. A vampire of his own age and lineage was far more important than a young maid of another race.
Though Valred had heard stories of human men who would slaughter billions of their own kind for the sake of an elf maiden, he was not that kind of person. Valred was a noble, idealistic, moral, cultured, and capable vampire—a "four-haves" new vampire. So, he continued to ignore the teary-eyed maid and took Anne on a tour of the castle. When Anne pointed to a previously empty guest room on the second floor and said, "This will be my room," Valred followed her in.
Anne's room was sparsely furnished, with only a hard bed, a wooden desk and chair, and a wardrobe. To an outsider, it might seem like the Castaigne family was mistreating their guest, but Valred knew this was typical of the Abhorashin family—a group of ascetic knights dedicated to martial training. He offered to replace some of the furniture, but Anne declined, and Valred didn't press the matter.
In stark contrast to her minimalist living quarters, Anne's collection of armor and weapons was extensive and of high quality. Besides her Blood Dragon Knight armor, lance, sword, and shield, the outer room, which served as her armory, was filled with other sets of armor. There was mithril plate armor used by dwarf lords, elven chainmail and scale mail, and even a full set of black iron armor modeled after the Empire's style. Her weapons were equally impressive, filling four weapon racks with everything from halberds and pikes to greatswords, elven blades, and dwarf axes and hammers. Crossbows, bows, long guns, short guns, and even pistols were part of her collection.
In addition to these individual weapons, Valred also saw models of larger war machines—Sylvania's Screaming Skull Chariots, Empire and Dwarf cannons, and even legendary dwarf gyrocopters and steam tanks. Her collection could easily be the foundation of a small military museum.
As Anne proudly introduced her collection, Valred nodded, gaining a deeper understanding of her passion for martial arts. After the tour, they returned to the main hall, where Valred recommended his favorite blended juice, and the two engaged in a lively discussion, mostly about combat techniques.
Anne was visibly excited. She explained that in the Abhorashin family, no one her age could match her skill, leaving her with no one to talk to. Meeting someone like Valred, who was both skilled and knowledgeable, was a rare treat.
Through their conversation, Valred realized that Anne wasn't just skilled in combat; she also had a keen interest in military strategy. Though her theories were flawed and her ideas somewhat naive due to her lack of experience, her enthusiasm made her insights valuable.
"Given time and a few battles, she could become a competent commander," Valred thought to himself. Meanwhile, Anne was also forming her own opinion of him:
"His personality is great, his manners are impeccable, his skills are impressive, and his looks are beyond perfect…" Anne had already given Valred a high evaluation.
The evening passed pleasantly, and Valred felt he had done his part. However, not everyone shared his perspective. Maya, who had been trailing them, interpreted Valred's actions as deliberate flattery and favoritism, quietly shedding a tear.
As they talked, time flew by, and before they knew it, the clock struck seven. Valred invited Anne to dinner and, during the meal, instructed the head maid to assign two servants to attend to Anne's needs.
Later, Valred's mother, Lady Winsa, returned. Anne expressed her gratitude, and the three chatted for a while before retiring for the night. It was another peaceful and harmonious day—or so it seemed.
"What do you mean?!" Valred exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief, as he stood in Lady Winsa's room late that night. "While I have a good first impression of Anne and acknowledge that she's a rare beauty, getting married at this age is far too hasty!"
"Not marriage, just an engagement," Lady Winsa replied with a smile, seemingly unfazed by Valred's reaction.
"That's not the point! I'm only thirteen, and Anne is about the same age. Don't you think this is absurd?!" Valred continued to protest, unwilling to accept the situation.
"From an ethical and emotional standpoint, it does seem a bit rushed. But from the perspective of responsibility, Sylvania, and the vampire race, this is a very appropriate arrangement. Producing heirs is one of your responsibilities to Sylvania, the vampire race, and the Castaigne family—and a very important one at that. In fact, besides Anne, the Necrarch and Lahmian families will also be sending a girl soon."
Valred sighed, his tone softening. "What's going on here?!"
"Intermarriage among Sylvania's nobility—Castaigne, Necrarch, and Abhorashin—has been a tradition for generations. The Lahmian family is the exception, as it's a matriarchal lineage. Each generation's Count of Castaigne marries a female heir from the other families to ensure Sylvania's stability and unity," Lady Winsa explained. "Having the bride and groom interact early helps foster feelings and ease their future marital life. You and Anne seem to be getting along well, so keep up the good work."
"Getting along well? She ambushed me on the bridge and nearly killed me!" Valred complained loudly. "Besides, didn't Father only have one wife—you? How do you explain that?"
"There were three initially, but somehow, I ended up being the only one," Lady Winsa replied, her smile unchanged, though Valred detected a hint of something else in her expression.
"Mother, I've never asked… What's your family name?"
"Lahmian."
Of the four Sylvania families, the Lahmian family was the only one ruled by women, and it had thrived for thousands of years. The Countess of Lahmian was often referred to as the "Queen of the Night." The family was known for its expertise in poison, manipulation, and psychological control. The world's description of them—beautiful on the outside, venomous on the inside—was an apt portrayal.
Valred took a sharp breath, silently mourning his late father for three seconds.
Noticing her son's unease, Lady Winsa chuckled and reassured him, "Don't worry. I'll help you with this. But ultimately, it's up to you to make it work."
It seemed she was supportive of her son having multiple partners, a sentiment perhaps shared by many mothers who wish for their sons to have many descendants while also hoping their husbands remain faithful. This seemingly contradictory mindset was, upon closer inspection, quite natural.
The former was a wife's way of restraining her husband, while the latter was a mother's way of loving her son.