"Haa."
"Tsk."
"Just ruined my mood. Let's go back!"
"No matter how lowly we may be as border nobles, we are still her vassals."
"We gave our loyalty to the kingdom, and this is how we're treated in return?"
"If we're not part of her banquet guest list, it seems we're not even considered proper retainers."
As the wedding ended and the nobles began exiting the grand cathedral, all that could be heard were complaints and grumbles.
Some spat on the ground or irritably called for their attendants, openly venting their frustration.
"Wow, look at that tense atmosphere."
Standing close beside Isaac, Sharen clicked her tongue as she looked around at the nobles.
They all knew how disrespectful it was to speak that way toward royalty—and how such words could get them arrested—but that didn't stop their anger from pouring out.
It was a clear Insult.
And the fact that the wedding had been used as a political ploy made it feel all the more malicious.
Isaac first headed toward Karen. It was her one and only wedding as a bride—being used like this must've left her feeling awful.
"Hrk."
Sure enough, when he reentered the bridal waiting room, Karen was on the verge of tears, while her groom was doing his best to comfort her.
"I still thought… Her Highness would at least congratulate us on our marriage."
"Karen, it's okay. As long as we live well, that's what matters."
A bitter sight.
The woman who should be the happiest today was instead in tears. It was truly heartbreaking.
'I'm sorry I can't do anything for her right now.'
All he could do was hope her husband would take good care of her. Isaac himself had nothing he could offer her at the moment.
The two stepped back outside.
"Her Highness was too harsh."
Even though she was young, Sharen was still a woman. She had her own dreams about marriage, so seeing Karen in such a state must've deeply affected her.
In contrast, Isaac felt perplexed.
'Did Princess Adeline really write that?'
The Adeline he had personally met was certainly someone obsessed with talent.
She favored her own people and treated them exceptionally well, but…
She didn't seem like the type who would openly belittle or dismiss other nobles.
"I need to go and meet her directly."
"Her Highness?"
"Yeah, I need to ask. That congratulatory message was just too strange."
"…But what if it really was written by her?"
If that's the case—
"Then that's the limit of Princess Adeline's capabilities."
Using someone else's wedding just to deliver a snide message to border nobles to 'do their jobs properly'? Sorry, but that's something that casts doubt on her fitness as a leader.
A ruler shouldn't be passive-aggressive or speak behind people's backs. They should lead with confidence.
Just as Isaac was thinking of asking Clarice to arrange a meeting with Adeline…
"…By the way, Isaac—where's Jonathan?"
"Hm?"
At Sharen's question, Isaac looked around and frowned.
"Didn't he say he was going to the bathroom earlier? He still hasn't come back?"
"If he's been gone this long, he must've fallen into the toilet and died or something."
"…"
"I-I'm just saying, you know?"
A little while later.
As more and more people left the grand cathedral and it started to grow quiet…
There was still no sign of Jonathan.
***
"Hehe."
It was a chilling laugh, yet strangely, to Jonathan, it sounded more like someone humming a tune.
'Why did I follow her all the way here without saying anything?'
It was hard to call it a kidnapping.
After all, Jonathan had followed the blood demon on his own two feet.
It felt like he was under some kind of spell, and the strange woman calling him her "younger brother" had somehow implanted a bizarre instinct in him—one that said he must not defy her.
Where were they even going?
Wondering that, Jonathan finally arrived at what looked to be a noble's mansion.
Not just any noble's mansion—this was the residence of none other than Commander Veros, head of the royal guard.
Jonathan followed behind the blood demon, who entered like it was her own home.
'Why do I keep following her like this? Ah… Baron Logan and Lady Sharen must be worried sick.'
His head felt clouded, as if a fog had settled in his mind.
He couldn't even clearly recall where he had come from moments ago, or his connection to Isaac and Sharen.
Once inside, the mansion's servants came out to greet them, and soon, the master of the house—Commander Veros—appeared.
"…What is it this time?"
"Oh, just happened to come across a fateful connection, so I brought him along."
The blood demon smoothly stepped aside to present Jonathan.
"Jonathan, greet him. This is your future father-in-law."
"Father-in-law?"
Jonathan blinked in confusion.
Father-in-law?
Did she mean someone renowned in a particular field?
"The man who is to marry my daughter… is him?"
Thanks to Commander Veros's follow-up, Jonathan finally understood what she meant.
"M-Marriage?!"
Jonathan exclaimed in shock, but the blood demon paid him no mind and continued speaking to Veros.
"Yes, that's right. Believe it or not, he's a knight from Helmut. He was quite active in the north as well."
"…"
"His background might be a bit lacking, but his achievements as a knight are impressive. He has great potential too."
"Hmph."
"He's not like those who just talk about honor. This boy takes up his sword and charges into the battlefield with real courage."
Jonathan looked bewildered at the sudden praise, while Veros observed him as though measuring something.
Then suddenly, something seemed to come to Veros's mind.
"Helmut, you say… Would you happen to know Baron Logan?"
"Oh! He's practically my swordsmanship teacher. I've learned so much from him—he's guided me greatly."
Hearing a familiar name, Jonathan instinctively responded with joy. Apparently pleased by the mention of Isaac, Veros's attitude noticeably softened.
And then, finally—
"…Very well. You may proceed with the marriage to my daughter. So then—when will the treatment take place?"
Even though this was the long-awaited answer, the blood demon deliberately took her time responding.
"Oh my, such impatience."
"…"
"Well, if someone shuts their mouth tight, what can I do? I'll perform the treatment on the day of the wedding. So we should probably pick a date soon, right?"
Grit.
Veros clenched his teeth but eventually gave a heavy nod.
"As soon as possible. We'll set the date quickly."
"Great. And I have a couple of other requests too."
"…."
At this point, it was abundantly clear who held the upper hand.
Veros remained silent, implicitly signaling her to go on.
"First, don't attend the next banquet."
"What? So you were trying to drive a wedge between me and Her Highness!"
Veros looked ready to draw his sword at any moment. But the blood demon remained relaxed.
"Come on, skipping it once won't hurt, right? You need to save your daughter, don't you?"
"…Damn it."
"Just this once. I promise I won't ask again after that."
This time, Veros nodded weakly.
It was almost unheard of for him to skip a banquet, but not entirely impossible. Claiming to be sick could work once, at least.
"And the next one?"
"Oh, this one's more personal."
The blood demon pointed casually to two maids standing nearby.
"Keep those ugly ones out of my sight. They make me want to kill something."
"…!"
She valued beauty dearly.
And just as strongly, she abhorred ugliness.
This wasn't a joke—she genuinely looked ready to tear apart any woman who didn't meet her standards.
"…Understood."
"Good. Then set a date and let me know. Jonathan here is ready anytime. Aren't you?"
"Ah, yes."
It wasn't the kind of answer he chose to give. It would be more accurate to say he was compelled to say it.
Jonathan responded as if under a spell, and the blood demon smiled in satisfaction, then led him outside.
The two strolled through the streets as naturally as any couple.
Despite the fact that a woman as beautiful as the blood demon was walking by, the people around them didn't even glance—almost like they couldn't see her at all.
"The human world… I really like how blue the sky is. Isn't it beautiful?"
"..."
"I love it here. Everything is so beautiful. The sky, the sun, the breeze, fate, dreams…"
"…I think I finally understand why you're really my sister."
Jonathan finally spoke.
The blood demon stopped walking, spun around, and smiled.
"Right? Blood demons are very sensitive to blood. I could tell the moment I saw you—that you were my brother."
"Th-Then… can I ask something? What is your goal in doing all of this? I… I can't take your side."
Because he was a knight of Helmut.
Jonathan had joined Helmut in the hopes of overcoming his blood and his nature.
But the blood demon only smiled gently, as if she found his effort endearing.
"Brother, that's why I've made preparations."
"…Preparations?"
"You're going to become the son-in-law of the commander of the royal guard. Among knights, that's one of the most respected and high-ranking positions. As his son-in-law, you'll be positioned perfectly."
"…."
"Of course, you'll be a strong candidate for the next royal guard commander. And when the current commander retires, if you've racked up enough military achievements—perhaps using your blood demon powers—then you'll naturally rise to the top."
She spoke like a parent proudly mapping out their child's future.
Jonathan looked bewildered.
It was as if she had already charted out his entire life for him.
"Jonathan, you see… we blood demons are in an unprecedented crisis right now. We must drink blood to survive. But in the Abyss World, the population is dwindling, and the blood we can drink—"
Just then, as the blood demon touched his cheek and whispered in a hypnotic voice—
"…Jonathan?"
A gentle, pure voice interrupted the flow.
A woman dressed in a nun's habit.
"S-Sister Bell?"
It was a woman Jonathan could almost call his mother—someone he happened to meet while walking through the streets.
*
*
*
[TL Note]
This novel is now complete! If you'd like to read all 49 advanced chapters, you can find them on my Ko-fi page.
Link: https://ko-fi.com/astrascans