"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm actually someone who wants to help your father."
"Is this another one of your new tricks?"
The vampire looked behind him, trying to spot someone else, but only saw Corvina standing there. Having no trust at all in the person in front of her, she just stood waiting.
"Whatever, do what you want, bloodsucker. I'm not afraid, I've endured enough and I won't—"
She saw him take a vial and step back. The last time she drank from a vial, something horrible had happened afterward. She dug her toenails into his skin, drawing blood, while biting her lips so she wouldn't be forced to drink. When she saw him approaching, she shut her eyes.
"Looks like you've suffered a lot… it must have been horrible for you…"
She opened one eye and saw him kneeling, the vial still in hand. It looked like blood, and she was starving, but maybe it had something mixed in. Looking into his eyes, she felt a strange emptiness, as if he both understood and didn't understand at the same time.
"This is bad—if they gave you drugs, it'll be hard for you to drink… Maybe just the smell will help, so I'll keep the necklace away for a moment."
He moved the necklace behind his back and opened the vial. She tried to back away but ended up catching a scent—a smell she had never felt in her entire life. It was the best thing she had ever smelled. Her eyes turned red as she lunged forward, but the chains held her. Her skin tore against the shackles, but she didn't stop. She wanted it. She was certain that blood was divine, something that would make her evolve.
"Master, be careful! She's entering an uncontrolled state!"
"It's fine, Corvina… Ysabella Valessia, I will give you this blood if you decide to follow my orders."
"I ACCEPT, I ACCEPT!"
Her eyes burned with madness as she tried to get closer. It was unbelievable—just a drop of his blood could do this to vampires. He couldn't let enemy vampires ever sense this, or hordes would come after him. Worse, this blood could make them evolve.
"Then open your mouth."
Obeying, she let him pour the blood from the vial into her mouth. As it slid down, her eyes changed as if she had entered heaven itself—even though as a vampire she was destined for hell.
When the last drop was gone, she collapsed to her knees, staring at nothing as her eyes glowed red, almost shifting into a golden light around the edges. He thought of stepping closer, but the glow made him retreat immediately, Corvina rushing in front of him with her new weapon, a katana that Rina had taught her to use at Enrico's request.
"Whose blood is this? Where is he? I want it! I want it…"
She was on the ground, staring blankly. He had to admit, the situation made him uncomfortable—it felt like he had hypnotized her.
"He's not here, but he's with my master. If you want more, you'll have to follow us."
Before their eyes, the chains dissolved—likely because of the glow coming from her body. Opening her palms as she stood, she looked them in the eyes.
"Fine. I will follow your master."
"Good. Now answer me—you just evolved your circle, didn't you? The only reason destruction didn't follow was because you were chained, and the chains couldn't withstand the evolution…"
Ysabella looked at her hands as the scars healed away as though they had never existed. The other wounds on her body also vanished. Vampires could regenerate once freed from those shackles, but this was far faster than normal.
"I was almost halfway through Circle Four… and now I'm at Circle Five. I really need to meet the owner of this blood."
"You're acting like a bloodsucker."
"Never compare me to those vermin again—or you're dead."
Turning away, he ordered her to follow and help free some of the humans and elves. While the two women worked, Ysabella shattered bars with her bare hands. He thought to himself that what had just happened was absurd. How could she evolve so much from just that? If they drank daily, how long before they reached Circle Ten? It was insane.
'Too bad she'll have to wait at least a year before evolving with blood again.'
Vampires could evolve by drinking from different people, but it took nearly a month to evolve from the same source again, unless it was consumed in massive quantities. His blood, however, was different—on a level far beyond others.
'Well, they can still use it to strengthen their lineage, their bodies, or even as nourishment. Only its magical effect has a limit.'
The humans looked both terrified and relieved, as did the elves. Reaching further in, he asked Ysabella for something, and she nodded.
"Well, only the boy in the prison remains."
When they arrived, they saw the boy sitting, who immediately stood up when he saw him. Behind Sylas, the humans and elves were already free.
"You…"
"You'll simply be useful to me. Don't misunderstand."
Ysabella broke his and his sister's bars. Samuel rushed straight to her, hugging her with tearful eyes.
"I owe you my life—thank you so much."
"Alright, alright. Just get inside. Chaos will begin soon, so we'd better escape quickly."
"Thank you—I'll do everything I can to repay you… Let's go, Lin."
He nodded and began searching for someone along with his sister. Lin bowed politely and followed him, giving one last look back before leaving.
"Somehow, I feel like I've seen that girl somewhere before… could it be her?"
Shaking his head, he decided it wasn't the time. He could confirm later. Even if her magic looked different from the one that character used, if she was who he thought, it made sense for her magic to change in the future.
"Ysabella, did you take the useful vampires?"
"You're already giving me too many orders… Yes, I did what you asked."
"Good. Let's move quickly—we've got a few minutes before the first guard arrives."
They all entered the hole Corvina had opened, placing those skilled in magic at the front. Once everyone was inside, he sealed it and ran quickly to guard the last person with Ysabella.
Back in the dungeon, a guard approached to make his usual rounds. Entering, he noticed some prisoners missing and shouted:
"Guards! The prisoners have escaped!"
Hearing footsteps rushing, he prepared to search, but then several explosions erupted behind him, shattering every bar. It seemed to be blood magic—its crimson shine was so bright that it could only belong to that Circle Nine vampire his master's son had once tortured.
"Impossible… how could she?"
Shadows spilled out of the cells as all the frenzied vampires broke free of their chains. Taking a step back, he immediately called for the guards to fight.
"That cursed witch!"