Chapter 120 119 Fighting for You, My Lady [5960
Chapter 120 119.Fighting for You, My Lady [5960
“What is this strange discovery that requires me to go over there right now? Is it hard to find out that that bastard Salokdar is still alive, so I’m invited to go over and make up for it?”
Tris walked out of the tent with great dissatisfaction.
She was in the middle of a very important psychic energy interference test, and after hearing Maxim’s report although she was whining because she was interrupted, she quickly packed up her things and rushed towards the Blood Wyvern Cloister that had collapsed under Bonnie’s escort.
Too weak to even call out Bloodwing, Tris naturally took time to leg it.
And this was all in Murphy’s plan.
After seeing Lady Tris leave, Maxim didn’t dare to delay and immediately headed to the tent where Knight Lord Paranor and the three Blood Alliance Knight Scouts were.
But to the loyal servant’s surprise, by the time he arrived at these people’s tent, they had all already changed into the midnight ceremonial attire needed to attend a formal occasion, as if they had long anticipated what would happen this night.
“Why the look of surprise? Your master is not the only beautiful thing in this world who possesses the beauty of wisdom.”
Carefully wearing a dew-stained midnight rose on the chest of his regalia the Palanorian knight reached up and ruffled his long, curly blonde hair, an expectant smile on his handsome face.
He glanced again at Maxim, whose arm was slung in a bandage, and looked up and down the loyalist, who was out of place in appearance with any other human.
After several seconds of judgment, the sensual Knight-Lord stepped forward and reached out to place his hand on Maxim’s injured arm.
He whispered:
“To have such unswerving loyalty without the bond of blood is also a rare beauty in the world, yet foolish loyalty with only courage but no wisdom severely diminishes your beauty.”
The tips of Paranor’s fingers flashed with scarlet psychic energy.
That power seeped into Maxim’s wounds, causing Maxim’s wounds to heal rapidly in the vampire’s manipulation of blood.
He said:
“Right now you are not yet fully out of your ugliness not enough for me to bestow a rose, but hopefully you will be out of your skin by the next time we meet.”
“Thank you for the reminder, my lord.”
Knowing that this was Lord Paranor’s way of reminding him, Maxim leaned down and thanked him.
But the arrogant descendant did not return the greeting.
He magnificently ignored Maxim and flew into the night sky with three more of his escorts under the darkness of the night, spreading his bloody wings.
The Midnight Batwings of the Cappadocians were no different from the other clans; they were short, decorative wings that could only provide a brief period of stalling and gliding even at the Gold rank, and were nowhere near as beloved by the sky as those Midnights with the Lexumbra family name.
The loyal servant lifted his head in place, moving his newly healed wounds as he watched these honored ones disappear.
He was rather dismayed at the sight of the short batwings, it seemed that even a man as perfect as Lord Paranor was not always handsome, or at least far less graceful than Lord Murphy’s dilemma when flying.
But his reminder came at just the right time.
Though he was overbearing in an unpleasant way, he had called himself “The Arrogant One”, and to say a few words about something he didn’t approve of was already enough respect.
It was clear that the image of Lord Paranor in the eyes of the others was very different from the image he had in Murphy’s eyes.
“Wisdom…”
Maxim mused in his mind as he rolled onto his horse and hurried through the darkness to the cloisters:
“That has always been something I have lacked, and perhaps I should do my best to make up for that shortcoming as well in order to better follow Lord Murphy’s glory and be worthy of that heavy trust.
Learning!
I must learn from Lord Murphy, whom I respect above all others.”
On the other hand, Tris soon reached the Blood Wyvern Cloisters below midnight.
Since the spiral steps to the underground were all damaged, she could only be led by Bonnie holding her hand and flying her below, and following the guidance of the Kardmanian Self-Rescue Army soldiers stationed in the tunnels, allowing Tris to quickly arrive beyond the secret treasure trove that had been unearthed.
She left Bonnie alone outside and entered it herself to check out the situation.
As a result, just as she entered, she saw that Murphy was placing a lady’s crown on the table that he had packed out, and on the chair next to it, there was also a luxurious archduke’s cloak with a scarlet scepter polished out of moonlight crystals all over the body.
The top of that thing was carved into a mysterious gesture of night bats fused with blood vultures, like a stone ghost squatting at the edge of the church, looking rather low-key but with a kind of introverted luxury.
Tris had seen this before!
This is the accessory that Salok Dar used to show off his status, it is the finely crafted-[The Only] Juggernaut Grade Scepter that Murphy had just retrieved from the glorious “sea” of gold coins in front of him.
It wasn’t just pretty to look at!
It was also the highest grade Spiritual Energy Crystallization on the continent, second only to the Miracle Creation.
This scepter called “Serenade” is said to be a treasure specially made for Salokdar by an elder of the Secret Blood Clan, and it is also the activation core of the “Serenade” city boundary of Cadman City.
Unfortunately, Salokdar himself was a powerful Midnight Sword Saint and Scarlet Huntress, and he was not proficient in the use of spiritual energy, so in his hands, this good thing could only be reduced to a status symbol.
How smart was Tris?
When she saw that Murphy was not injured, and he himself was collecting these “horrible” things, she immediately realized that something was wrong, her face changed and she turned around to run, but in the next instant, she was pulled by Murphy’s wrist from the back.
“You have come, what to run.”
Murphy helplessly said:
“I don’t believe that with your intelligence, you can’t judge that this is exactly the best choice right now.”
“You let go of me! You’re doing me a disservice do you understand?”
Tris was really anxious and screamed as she flung her wrists:
“How can I inherit the Grand Duke’s throne as a powerless invalid? What’s more, even though I am of Salokdar’s blood, I am not his designated successor! Kudeldu is more qualified than me, this is against the rules and will be reprimanded by Venerable Lord Paying.
Besides, what kind of a clan is the Blood Vulture now?
It’s not a Grand Duke’s throne, it’s a pyre coveted by many eyes.
Murphy!
I’ve been so good to you, I haven’t wronged you in any way, you can’t do this to me! Hey! This is the Grand Duke’s cloak. Don’t put it on me! Don’t put it on me, Murph!
I command you, stop!”
However, how could she, a powerless, wasted vampiress, be faster than her own bad-hearted heir who was now a different person?
It was like a scarlet whirlwind wrapped around Tris, and in a matter of seconds, the cloak was fastened, the crown was slung, and the serenade cane was placed in her hands.
Murphy stood in front of her, cocking his head to look at Tris’ current costume with a satisfied nod, and then just as Tris was about to excuse herself again he took two items out of his psychic bag and placed them in both hands, handing them over to Tris’ eyes.
In her left hand was the mechanical case containing Salokdar’s heart, and in her right hand was a crystal clear blood-colored liquid that was held in a delicate crystal bottle.
He looked at Tris and said:
“Power and freedom! You can have it if you reach out your hand, there is no need to feel guilty much less have doubts about tomorrow, it is all you deserve and the best gift I can give to my honor as an heir.
The former is an apology that Salokdar must repay to you.
The latter is a blessing that fate has bestowed upon you by my hand.”
Looking at these two things in front of her, Tris was silent for a moment.
The Archduke’s Heart could restore her strength, while the purified source blood could release her from her blood contract with Salokdar, and even though the latter was dead, the weakness brought about by that linking contract was still plaguing her.
But those two things were not the point!
The point was that Murphy just casually took them out, and what that meant was that this little guy must have started planning all this a long time ago.
Even before Salokdar’s death.
The fact that he had been tricked into coming here was not the beginning of his plan, but a symbol of the successful conclusion of his plan. This little thing said that he wanted to take revenge for the pain he had endured for more than a hundred years, he actually wasn’t joking!
He was playing for real!
“You’re doing me a disservice.”
In the face of Murphy’s heart, Tris really couldn’t think of a reason to refuse, she took a step back and sat down on the jewel-encrusted chair, somewhat helplessly saying to Murphy:
“You know I don’t want this at all, maybe I used to chase these cravings madly and viciously, but now I’ve settled down in time, and I’m already very satisfied with having enough wine every day that can make me drunk.
I shouldn’t be chasing after things that are no longer mine.
Murphy, to the outside world, I’ve been dead for over a hundred years; you can’t pull the dead out of their coffins who are already lying there to be resurrected; the dead should die obediently, not wander capriciously through the world of the living.”
“Good argument!”
Murphy shrugged his shoulders, he broke into a smile, and said:
“Yet this is not my decision alone, nor does it come merely from the love of a scion for his honored elder.” Behind her, the door to the secret treasure vault was pushed open once more, and with Lady Adele’s assistance, the still somewhat weakened Missy stepped into the place she had visited a few times before, and she saw the two items that Murphy had placed in front of Tris’ eyes by holding them up with his psychic energy.
After making brief eye contact with Murphy, Femis nodded as well.
As Tris watched in dismay and even more helplessness, Missy removed the last item that was part of her certificate of being an Archduke.
One of the seven parts of the vampire tablet that represented the origin of the Blood Vulture Clan, an ancient object called the “Shard of Desire”, she held it in front of her body and handed it to Tris’ eyes.
Missy said softly without any psychological pressure:
“The traces my father and I left on it have dissipated with his death, and the Shard of Desire is waiting for its true owner, just as the Blood Vulture Clan, which has fallen into the muck, longs for a true leader to lead us back into the darkness of the night.
I don’t deny that I thought Murphy needed to take on this role before.
But now I understand.
You, the former Scarlet Witch, the rare genius and intellect of the vampire species, the one who has risen to great heights and fallen to great heights over the years, but has never succumbed to destiny, may be better suited to lead us in this time of great adversity.
Your knowledge, your insights, and your connections are all things we desperately need.
There will never be a more suitable leader in this dark land than you, Lady Tris, so be sure not to refuse this praise and following.”
“You honestly!”
Tris asked in a disgruntled manner as she sat in her chair and pouted, staring at Femis with a subtle look:
“Did Murphy coerce you into saying that! I know he always has plenty of ways to get what he wants, and it wasn’t even out of my teachings, I obviously tried to teach him to be a good boy.”
“It wasn’t.”
Femis explained rather seriously:
“It’s just that being a forbidden thing I just didn’t have the courage or the qualifications to inherit it all, and Murphy was the right and proper choice I mean, while there are no specific strength requirements to serve as an Archduke of the Blood Clan, it does seem a bit too undignified for an Archduke of the Black Iron rank to pass on.
Strength does not mean power.
But there must be a shadow of power in power.
Even from the sanest point of view, I am quite in favor of Murphy’s decision.”
“This is your father’s heart! Even though he has been reduced to a monster, he still gave you life, as a daughter shouldn’t you see it as a final memorial?”
Tris was still making her final “struggle”.
She pushed the Archduke’s Heart in front of her, but this time, Femis took a step back and looked at the heart that seemed to be still beating in front of her with a complicated look.
She shook her head and said:
“I have decided to forget the past and start anew with a life that belongs only to me, and thus all these remembrances of the past are but heavy burdens to me.”
“Mrs. Tris, you’ll just have to go from there.”
Lady Adele behind Murphy and Phineas said softly:
“There are only a few of us left in the Blood Vulture Clan nowadays, who else besides you is more qualified to sit on that throne?”
“Who said that!”
Tris retorted with difficulty and pallor:
“Obviously there are still a lot of family outsiders alive, they are spread out in the small towns of Transylvania’s borderlands, and there are many silver ranked powerhouses among them, they are just hiding”
“Well, I assure you, my lady, they won’t be a problem for you anytime soon.”
Murphy said in a subtle tone.
The gesture was gentle and light, but the smell of blood in it was almost drawn out.
Obviously it was once again showing the attitude that this Blood Vulture Archduke was not recognized by him by anyone other than Tris! Whoever dares to come and grab it will have to be prepared for a severed head and bloodshed.
“Yes, those scumbag traitors who enjoy the family’s shelter but sit back and watch the family fall to a lowly state, thinking only of staying alive, they will soon not be a threat to anyone. I give you my word on that as well, my lady.”
Next to him, Phimis picked up in a cold tone.
Gotta!
Now the tragic fate of those on the fringes of the family was sort of finalized in the one-two punch of these two guys.
Such a cold-blooded tacit agreement made Tris’s lips move, but she couldn’t say any more reasons, and in the face of the two men who were determined to push her to the top, her fingers that were clasping the scepter loosened up as if they had lost their strength.
After a few seconds of silence, Tris whispered:
“You two go out first, I want to have a word with my heir, don’t worry, you have convinced me that I will fulfill my duty.”
Satisfied, Phimis and Adele left also closing the door behind them.
The secret treasury was once again quiet.
“Come here, Murphy.”
Tris called out.
Murphy stepped forward and stood in front of her with his head bowed, seemingly ready to be reprimanded.
But the imagined reprimand didn’t come; a cold hand was placed on his cheek, lifting his bowed face so that those eyes met Tris’s sultry ones.
The once scarlet witch stared at him.
In a four-eyed stare, she said:
“I will become Archduke Bloodwing as you wish, but you must promise me one thing.”
“Well, as long as it’s your wish.”
Murphy spoke softly.
He then heard Tris say to him:
“You have already drunk the source blood, you can break the bloodline contract between you and me anytime you wish.”
“Yes, I can, but that doesn’t mean I need to.”
Murphy replied in a relaxed tone:
“I think it’s fine the way it is now, let’s be close, let’s trust each other, let’s work together as a team, let’s be mindful”
“Disarm it!”
Tris said in a hushed voice:
“That’s all I ask.”
“Huh?”
Murphy’s eyes widened.
He looked at Tris with a wave of disbelief in his eyes, and then he heard Tris say to him:
“I don’t want the tragedy of Salokdar and I to repeat itself between you and me, Murphy, and I don’t want the bloodline contract to influence your judgment and decision-making afterward. You think that everything you think now is out of your own reasoning, but you ignore the fact that the judgment itself was made based on the influence of the linking contract.
You must be rationalized again!
You must also reevaluate your relationship with me without any influence.
Trust me.
This is important to you and to me.
If you want me to become an Archduke of the Blood Vulture, then dissolve the bloodline connection between you and me.”
“But but I think…”
Murphy wanted to retort.
But then a slender finger tenderly pressed against his lips, blocking all he had to say.
Tris had taken hold of the Archduke’s Heart, and she looked at Murphy and said:
“A true leader cannot be constrained, young Murphy, I have fallen into the darkness before nor can I be sure that I will not fall into it a second time because of the lure of power. But the least I can do is make sure that whatever happens to me will not involve you!
You see, I still care for you, I still love you.
That doesn’t change just because the pact is broken, and you should believe that the year or so that you and I have been dependent on each other has been enough to cross over all blood ties.
So be good. Okay?
Consider this your Archduke’s first command to you.”
Murphy was silent for a few seconds.
He took a step back and looked at the smiling Tris in front of him, then nodded, placing his hand on his chest in a standard blood vulture salute as he spoke softly:
“As you wish, then, my lady.”
(End of chapter)