Chapter 97: The Crimson Arm’s Legacy

“But if I agree, will you truly heal my mother?”

This was the Black-haired girl’s paramount concern.

‘Since you wish to reclaim your power, you will inevitably destroy the organization I serve, won’t you? What then will become of my mother?’

The Black-haired girl understood she had only two paths before her.

The first was to die here; she knew Nikola would never let her live if she refused to cooperate.

The second was to sign a contract with Nikola, ensuring her mother’s survival for at least some time, regardless of what the future held.

However, for her to choose the second path, she needed more hope and assurance.

“As you can see, I am also a Nun of the Church, and even the mentor to the Church Saintess. Arranging for a nun to heal your mother would be a simple matter.”

“But aren’t you truly Bloodkin? Will your identity not be discovered?”

“There is always a possibility of discovery, of course, but nothing in this world is truly certain. If I were to let you go, could your organization guarantee your mother’s safety? I will not offer promises I cannot keep, but I will do everything within my power to fulfill my word.”

“You speak truly, and I, too, have no other choice now.”

The Black-haired girl nodded, ultimately agreeing to Nikola’s terms, for she truly had no other option.

Nikola’s proposal appealed to her not only because refusal meant certain death, but also because Nikola’s demeanor seemed genuinely sincere. She offered a pragmatic solution without making extravagant promises, which, in the Black-haired girl’s estimation, made her words far more trustworthy than any grand, empty assurances.

“Hmph, wise choice.”

Nikola chuckled softly, then lightly tapped her fingertip forward. Instantly, a massive crimson magic circle erupted beneath her feet, encompassing both Nikola and the Black-haired girl.

“Follow my guidance; do not resist.”

Nikola pricked her fingertip, allowing blood to slowly well and then drip into the magic circle. The same occurred with the Black-haired girl. Two drops of blood traced the intricate patterns of the magic circle, converging gradually towards the center.

There, they merged, and the array immediately pulsed with a scarlet glow.

This was a master-servant contract exclusive to the Bloodkin. Nikola had not anticipated it could actually be applied to an Incomplete Bloodkin like the Black-haired girl.

The contract allowed the stronger party to dominate the weaker, but Nikola was bound to diligently ensure the healing of the other party’s mother. Failure to uphold this condition would result in a severe backlash for Nikola.

With the contract sealed, Nikola finally learned the Black-haired girl’s name: Olivia.

The magic circle silently dissipated. Olivia’s heart skipped a beat as she noticed her wounds gradually beginning to heal.

After signing the master-servant contract with Nikola, she had astonishingly gained the power of self-regeneration.

“It seems you’ve grown stronger, Olivia. Tell me everything you know.”

“Yes, Master.”

Olivia’s tone was somewhat stiff, evidently still unaccustomed to the address. Slowly, she began to speak, revealing details about the organization she served.

“The ones secretly creating Vampires are the Hille—”

‘Just as I thought.’

Hearing this answer, Nikola showed no surprise. From the Arcane Technology weapons Olivia had produced, Nikola had already been able to deduce as much.

Across the continent, both humans and Fantasy Creatures generally held a resistant attitude towards Arcane Technology weapons.

Human professionals considered such items useless, suitable only for commoners. Fantasy Creatures scoffed at them even more, viewing them as mere toys concocted by ordinary humans yearning for power.

Even the firearms Nikola possessed were merely trinkets Liliana had created for her self-defense, combining Bloodkin magic with Arcane Technology. In a true life-or-death battle, they would undoubtedly prove inadequate.

Therefore, anyone specializing in combat with Arcane Technology weapons was highly likely to be from the Hillebach Duchy.

“Several decades ago, a vampire bat incident occurred within the Hillebach Duchy. A mountain range suddenly surged with countless vampire bats, causing significant destruction to nearby towns and villages.”

Olivia continued her recounting to Nikola.

“The Hillebach Duchy dispatched its army to deal with these vampire bats. They annihilated the bats completely, then followed their tracks up the mountain, eventually arriving at a cave.”

“It is said that cave was terrifying. The stone walls and ground within were inexplicably stained crimson, and numerous animal skeletons littered the interior.”

“The army pressed deeper, discovering mutated creatures with crimson eyes. Though their strength and speed were considerable, they were ultimately contained by the high-ranking professionals, preventing any widespread harm.”

“Upon reaching the cave’s terminus, the army made an astonishing discovery: a crimson left arm bone. It wasn’t merely stained red; it was inherently crimson, a hue so vivid it seemed like fresh blood, slowly dripping downwards from the skeletal arm. It was this artifact that had dyed the entire cave’s interior.”

“The bone proved incredibly resilient. No matter what methods the army’s professionals employed, the skeletal arm could not be destroyed. If simply left aside, it would stain nearby objects red.”

“Some animals that touched the bone were quickly desiccated into mummies, while a small fraction became extraordinarily powerful, much like the vampire bats.”

“Unable to destroy the bone, the Hillebach Duchy stored it within the national treasury, regularly cleaning the crimson residue that accumulated around it.”

“It was only in recent years, after the new king of the Hillebach Duchy ascended the throne, that the military secretly began utilizing this skeletal artifact.”

“The military believed the bone’s power could be harnessed to create formidable human warriors. Thus, they covertly recruited test subjects. The experiments had a high mortality rate; blood dripping from the bone, when injected into an ordinary person, would cause death within minutes.”

“Only a small percentage of individuals survived after being injected with the bone’s blood. To secure treatment for my mother, I voluntarily participated in the experiment. Had I not survived, the military had pledged to care for my mother for three years.”

“To my surprise, I miraculously survived, gaining power far exceeding that of an ordinary person. Before the experiment, I was merely a commoner, not even a professional. Afterward, the military crafted new equipment for me and dispatched me to infiltrate the Arcadia Kingdom.”