Volume 2, Chapter 21 – A Sudden Change

Following Fia’s advice, the convoy successfully entered the city.

Although there was a lot of chaos on the streets, it was no match for [Fairy Fire]. The only difficult part was dealing with the chaos hiding in the buildings along the streets, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

However, [Wind of Exploration] could penetrate buildings to a certain extent. Fia, maintaining her flight, only needed to use [Telekinesis] to violently demolish the buildings and incinerate the chaos inside.

Although this destroyed some of the houses, the houses on the streets were already rendered uninhabitable by the chaos’s corrosion. In a situation that could not get any worse, Fia throwing a few fireballs would have no effect.

What’s strange is that the situation inside the city is exactly the same as what Estelle investigated: there are still people on the brink of death hiding in the ruins. It had been four days since the magical disaster. With chaos having already spread throughout the city, except for the “sanctuary” in the northwest corner of the city, these dying people should have been covered and killed by chaos, just like the small nobles who fled in the carriage. However, they had survived until now. Fia even saw chaos flowing right beside the dying people, but it would not climb onto their bodies at all. Furthermore, there were no traces of the chaos’s scorching on the dying people, which was hard to understand.

Because of these survivors, Fia slowed down the speed of cleansing the chaos on the streets. Coupled with Estelle’s convoy resting outside the city for a considerable amount of time, by the time the group arrived at the “sanctuary” in the northwest corner of the city, it was already late in the evening.

A reunion like being reborn.

Fia could describe the people in the sanctuary that way.

The sanctuary was not a single house, but an entire block. There were about five hundred people in the sanctuary, a rather large number. For the past few days, they had been surviving on the food they could find in the ruins. But with the well water contaminated by chaos and chaos everywhere on the streets, the only thing they could do was wait for death, a situation that had driven them to near despair. So, when they heard Fia say that Estelle’s army was right behind them, they all burst into a cheer as if they had been reborn. People hugged each other and wept with joy, grateful that their lord had not abandoned them.

It was worth mentioning that the reason the sanctuary had maintained order was that there were nobles who had worked under Count Oro leading them. And with such a leader, the process for Estelle to understand the situation inside the sanctuary was much simpler.

Now, with the army taking over the task of guarding the sanctuary’s defense line, the people who had relaxed sat on the ground and ate the food Fia had brought—the inedible bread could be boiled into a paste, and the salted fish could provide salt and meat.

Due to a lack of sufficient fuel and a very limited supply of food, the people in the sanctuary had been facing the problem of hunger. So when they saw the soldiers bringing large pots, making a fire in the open space, and boiling the bread into a paste, and heard Estelle announce that this food would be provided twice a day from now on, their faces were all filled with hope. People lined up to get their food, sat on the ground, and enjoyed a hot meal in the evening sunset. The entire sanctuary was filled with a lively atmosphere.

However, the only ones who were happy were the ordinary people who did not know the truth. For Estelle, who had a grasp of the current situation, the real challenges were yet to come.

“Does the Third Miss mean that we are the only ones left in the entire city?” The voice was filled with disbelief. An old man standing near the food distribution point asked Estelle. “Only these less than five hundred people are still alive?”

“Mm.” Looking at the long line of people not far away, Estelle nodded with a grave expression. “Besides here, all other places have been corroded by chaos. The castle was not spared either. Thank you for your hard work, Abel. I’ll take it from here.”

Instead of being happy with Estelle’s words, the old man, with his white hair, turned pale as if he had been struck by lightning. His expression was wooden, and he collapsed onto the ground.

“Two hundred thousand people. Two hundred thousand people are all dead… My wife and children… What about Lord Count? What happened to Lord Count? And Lady Noreen! Last night, Third Miss, you asked me if Lord Count was here. Don’t you know where Lord Count went either?”

Norton at the side quickly helped the old man up, and Estelle bit her lips, answering with difficulty.

“…I don’t know.”

“When the disaster happened, weren’t you in the castle?! Lord Count and Lady Noreen should have been in the castle too! They’re not with you…”

Coming to a conclusion in his heart, the old man’s body trembled.

“They’re all dead… Oro City is finished…”

“Calm down. There are still people who fled the city. As long as we drive the chaos out of the city, we can rebuild Oro City. Don’t let your people see you like this.”

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Norton shook the old man, trying to make him pull himself together. However, the old man, like a person who had lost all hope, roared with a red face.

“How can we rebuild! The people of the entire city are gone! With just this many of us, if those black monsters just come over a little, we’ll all die! Without Lord Count and Lady Noreen, where will we get the power to resist!”

“We have help.”

Angered by the old man’s self-deprecating words, Norton’s expression became impatient. He pointed at Fia, who was standing next to Estelle—at Estelle’s request, Fia had not dispelled the light wings created by her [Flight] magic.

“You saw it, didn’t you? The scene of the elf princess creating food and destroying chaos just now! Lady Estelle has invited the Seventh-Tier elf princess! Even without father and sister Noreen, Lady Estelle can take charge on her own! She is the future Count Oro!”

“Nonsense. That bastard from who knows where—”

“Bastard.”

Before the word “bastard” could be said, Norton, with a face full of fury, punched the old man in the face. With a dull thud, the old man collapsed onto the ground.

“I treated you as a respectable elder, yet this is how you think of Lady Estelle!”

Although he was knocked to the ground, the old man did not back down. Instead, he raised his upper body and, with a trembling finger, pointed at Estelle, who had a complicated expression, and shouted hysterically.

“It must be her! It must all be her! She brought the Darkborn and those black monsters over! As long as Lord Count and Lady Noreen are gone, this bastard can inherit the title! She’s probably already fantasizing about becoming Count Oro! How can a person like this avenge Lord Count and Lady Noreen, how can she give the two hundred thousand dead people of Oro City justice!”

“You—”

With the sound of a longsword being drawn, Norton swung his sword at the old man.

But before he could, Estelle stopped Norton. She pulled Norton to the side and walked towards the old man with a blank expression.

The old man involuntarily backed away a step.

“What are you going to do?”

“I thank you for maintaining order here, but I will not allow you to insult my status and bloodline. I am a pure-blooded vampire born to Gareth Oro and Bellmore Oro, the third daughter of the House of Oro. Anyone who insults my bloodline deserves punishment, and you are no exception! But I will give you an answer to your accusation!”

Estelle snatched the sword from Norton’s hand. Under the gaze of the people who had turned to look due to the commotion, she resolutely let the blade slice her palm.

The blood did not fall to the ground. Instead, it formed a blood-red magic circle in Estelle’s palm. As if to display it, Estelle raised her right hand high.

“I, Estelle Oro, swear on my soul that no matter who caused this disaster, even if I turn into a despised undead, I, Estelle, will make them pay in blood!”

A solemn voice echoed through the streets.

Estelle’s golden hair, tied back with a ribbon, danced in the wind. Her determined gaze, full of resolve, was like the blazing sun, making people afraid to look at her directly.

And as if to respond to Estelle’s words, the blood-red magic circle on Estelle’s palm lit up with ominous dark red patterns. The light pierced through her palm, and with a sizzling sound of burning skin, a strangely patterned tattoo was engraved on the back of Estelle’s hand.

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This was a Blood Oath.

A contract that only vampires could use, guaranteed by their soul. Any contract guaranteed by a Blood Oath could be seen as an unbreakable vow. The Blood Oath was connected to a vampire’s soul. As long as a vampire broke their vow, the Blood Oath would destroy their soul. Even if the vampire had an ability that was close to resurrection, they could not escape death under a Blood Oath.

And now, if Estelle could not avenge Count Oro and her sister Noreen while she was alive, she would turn into an undead under the Blood Oath, forever having to run around to fulfill the Blood Oath.

Low murmurs spread through the crowd. People exchanged glances, not knowing what to do.

Norton wanted to rush forward and stop Estelle, but Anastasia held him back. A Blood Oath was an incredibly sacred and resolute ritual among vampires. For Norton to stop her would be to tarnish Estelle’s resolve.

With a stunned expression on the old man’s face, Estelle’s blood-colored eyes showed contempt.

“Are you satisfied now? I am a pure-blood, a descendant of the House of Oro of the Bart Duchy. I will fulfill my duty to become Count Oro and avenge my father, my sister, and the two hundred thousand people of Oro City. Get out!”

“Hurry up and take him away!”

Norton’s angry roar made the soldiers react. They quickly went forward and dragged away the old man, who had opened his mouth, trying to offer a powerless rebuttal.

The street was now filled with people who were exchanging glances and soldiers who were filled with worry and unease.

“Sister—”

Without Anastasia to stop him, Norton rushed forward, but Estelle turned her palm towards him, gesturing for him to be quiet.

“My mind is made up. There is no need to say more.”

Giving the sword back to Norton, Estelle glanced at the people around her. Everyone’s eyes had been on Estelle just now, but now when Estelle looked back, no one dared to look at her directly.

They were afraid.

Estelle’s actions had proven her resolve. The existence of the Blood Oath was enough to make all questioning voices disappear. No one dared to criticize Estelle’s determination to seek revenge anymore. Although she had not yet been recognized by the king, she was now the new Count Oro.

“Continue with your tasks. We will begin cleansing the chaos in the city after dawn. With the Eldest Princess of the Elf Kingdom, chaos is not an unconquerable enemy!”

No one dared to answer aloud, but their actions had already given Estelle her answer. The soldiers returned to their posts, and the people waiting for food began to line up again. The difference was that people were much quieter, afraid that a loud voice might be seen as a sign of dissatisfaction with Estelle’s rule.

With order restored, Estelle turned around, her expressionless gaze on Fia.

“I apologize. I must take my leave for a while. If you need anything, you can find Norton,” Estelle’s long eyelashes trembled, and her gaze shifted to the ground. “I want to be alone for a bit.”

Saying no more, Estelle walked off by herself.

◇

As the sun sank in the west and the last hint of purple light receded from the horizon, night finally fell.

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It was midsummer, and even the evening breeze could not bring any coolness. The heat, which had not yet subsided, was wrapped in the wind and hit her face like walking into a steamer.

Even though there weren’t many living things left in the city, things like mosquitoes were still everywhere.

Fia clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction in the corridor. Just a moment ago, she had used [Telekinesis] to crush a mosquito that was buzzing around her. Elf blood was exceptionally popular with mosquitoes. Ever since she left Aurora City, she had been fighting with mosquitoes. Although a mosquito’s proboscis could not penetrate Fia’s skin, a mosquito was annoying enough just by the buzzing sound it made, not to mention seeing it perched on her skin. It was hard not to feel the urge to crush it.

After incinerating the mosquito’s corpse with fire, Fia, walking in the corridor, sighed quietly.

The place she was in now was a well-preserved two-story building in the sanctuary. Originally, it was a house that a merchant had bought to rest in and store goods. Now that the merchant was gone and the situation was special, it had been requisitioned by Norton.

Although it was a bit simple compared to the slave trader’s mansion where Fia had first stayed, given the current situation, having an enclosed room and a bed was a great luxury.

I wonder how Estelle is doing.

Fia murmured in her heart.

Since Estelle had made the Blood Oath in the evening, Fia had not seen her. She only knew that Estelle was in her room on the second floor and had refused all visitors. Even the dinner that Anastasia and Liti had sent to her was politely returned by Estelle. According to Liti, Estelle’s mental state was not very good when she opened the door, which made Fia a little worried.

From the perspective of a leader, it was a bit unbecoming to show a reluctance to meet people right after arriving at a new camp. It would make the people who had just gained hope feel uneasy. If Estelle had given a speech during the evening food distribution, she would have been able to rally the people. Unfortunately, she chose to leave by herself.

However, from Estelle’s personal perspective, Fia could also understand her behavior. The old man who worked under Count Oro, named Abel, was willing to stand up and maintain order in the sanctuary during a special time, which was a testament to his sense of responsibility. He was clearly different from those small nobles.

However, even a person like this had publicly called Estelle a bastard and said she was not qualified to be the Count’s successor, even believing that Estelle was the one who had orchestrated the tragedy and that she could not avenge Count Oro. This had forced Estelle to make a Blood Oath to prove her innocence, which was undoubtedly a blow to Estelle.

Estelle was not a mature person. For her, at only fifteen years old, everything was too heavy.

Fate can be so cruel.

Besides lamenting the unfairness of fate, there was nothing Fia could do. She couldn’t make Estelle’s other wing grow out, nor could she change the past of Estelle’s mother. The hardships Estelle’s mother had faced and the fact that Estelle only had one wing had led people to believe that Estelle was a bastard from outside. This was an undeniable fact that no one could change.

That being said, Fia still chose to go and check on Estelle at this time—which should be around nine or ten at night.

Even just asking if Estelle was okay would be better than completely ignoring her. Tomorrow, there were many things waiting for Estelle. She couldn’t continue to be depressed. She had to quickly make a detailed plan.

Sighing again, Fia stretched her neck and stopped in front of Estelle’s room.

I have to think of what to say.

Fia took a step forward, preparing to knock on the door.

Then, the frown that had been on Fia’s face moments before suddenly deepened.

A faint, repulsive smell wafted into Fia’s nose.

It was like missing a step when going down the stairs. Fia’s heart skipped a beat, and her chest tightened.

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“Estelle!”

Without any hesitation, Fia used [Telekinesis] to forcefully break open the door. Immediately after, a thicker, rusty smell rushed into Fia’s nose.

Blood was splattered everywhere on the ceiling and walls. Things on the cabinets were overturned. The blankets and bedsheets were on the floor. Clear signs of a struggle were before Fia’s eyes. The entire room was dyed red with blood.

There was no sign of Estelle in the room, but the window was intact.

Could it be—

Just as a bad premonition arose in Fia’s heart, she felt something touch her ankle. Fia reflexively moved to the side and looked down at the object that had touched her ankle.

It was Estelle, who had collapsed against the wall.

Like a corpse on the brink of death, Estelle’s face and hair were completely stained with blood, and her skin was covered in stab wounds.

The thing that had touched Fia’s ankle was Estelle’s bloody hand.

“…Help.”

The weak voice had just sounded. As her fingers fell limply, Estelle’s whole body went still.

“Hey!”

Fia immediately crouched down. Disregarding the blood on Estelle’s body, she picked Estelle up in her arms. She then used [Mana Vision] and [Wind of Exploration] to scan the room.

Although there were no enemies in the room, Estelle had clearly been stabbed. This place was not safe. Fia, holding Estelle, exited the room, forcefully broke a window in the corridor, and flew straight to the carriage.

In the blink of an eye, she was in the carriage. Without time to answer Anastasia’s questions, Fia pulled open the curtain and laid Estelle flat inside the carriage. She used a spatial hand to take out the silver dagger from her waist, pricked her finger, and let her blood drip onto Estelle. Then she used her other hand to check Estelle’s breathing and heartbeat.

Thank goodness, she’s still breathing.

As long as she had a single breath, the nanomachine body could save her.

As the nanomachine body began to work, new flesh began to visibly grow on Estelle’s wounds. Fia, relieved, began to unbutton Estelle’s blood-soaked dress.

I apologize for the intrusion, but this is to find out where she is injured.

While apologizing in her heart, Fia’s eyes swept over Estelle’s blood-stained, well-proportioned body, checking for injuries. At the same time, Anastasia, who had been feeding the eight-legged horses outside the carriage, also rushed into the carriage. Upon seeing the blood-soaked Estelle, her expression froze.

“Your Highness, what happened to Miss Estelle?”

“It was an assassination. Someone got into Estelle’s room while the guards weren’t paying attention.”

“…The tendons in her hands and feet were severed, and there are multiple stab wounds all over her body. It looks less like an assassination and more like intentional torture. Who did this?”