Chapter 71: Me?

Lierna’s willingness to let her go came far more easily than Pelleti had expected. She staggered back into the Fantasia Courtyard, her body returned—but her mind still felt nailed to that ruined cliffside.

Like an empty shell stripped of its soul, she wandered in a daze until she found Ailbana. She only vaguely mentioned the disturbance in the kitchen; everything about Lierna was instinctively swallowed back down her throat.

The banquet had already descended into chaos. The nobles, who usually carried themselves with elegance and pride, had shed their composure. Pale-faced, they crowded together, their eyes filled with panic.

Pelleti watched them, a chill rising in her heart.

So even these lofty figures… feared death.

She avoided the crowd and walked alone to the steps at the entrance of the courtyard. Her strength seemed drained as she dropped down to sit.

The heavy clatter of armored boots echoed beside her—guards rushing back and forth to protect the nobles. But Pelleti knew clearly: in the eyes of those they protected, these soldiers were nothing more than expendable numbers.

A weight like a lump of coal pressed against her chest, suffocating her.

She thought of her father’s lifelong belief—equality before the law. She thought of ordinary people running tirelessly for the safety of nobles. A sharp, indescribable pain spread through her veins.

“Big sister… are you okay?”

Feiye’s soft voice sounded beside her. She had been sitting there for a while before cautiously reaching out to gently stroke Pelleti’s back.

Pelleti suddenly looked up, meeting the undisguised concern in Feiye’s eyes. The emotions she had been holding back instantly collapsed, tears almost spilling over.

She tightly grasped Feiye’s hand, her knuckles turning white.

“I… I don’t know what to do anymore. My chest hurts so much… Feiye, I don’t understand—why would humans harm their own kind just for selfish desires? Have they ever, even for a moment, treated those beneath them as equals? Can status alone really decide someone else’s fate?”

Her voice trembled, as if something burned within her chest, scorching her insides.

“My father worked his whole life… Was the fairness he believed in just a lie? If ordinary people truly have no rights of their own… then what was the meaning of everything he stood for?”

“I…”

Pelleti clutched her chest, tears finally falling. Her vision blurred, and Feiye’s figure seemed to grow distant and vast. Her body gave way, collapsing into Feiye’s lap.

After a long while, she gradually calmed down. Her voice was hoarse from crying.

“Feiye… you’ve been to the vampire lands. Can you tell me what it’s like there?”

Seeing her willing to speak, Feiye’s eyes lit up immediately.

“The vampires value their kin very highly! They’re just as greedy as humans, but they would never harm their own kind. Bloodline is extremely important to them—they know how rare kinship is. There’s only one country, ruled by a single queen. When I was there, harming your own kind was the greatest crime. As for other things… even blowing up the royal palace wasn’t a big deal.”

“…Blowing up the palace?” Pelleti blinked. “Who would even do that?”

Feiye scratched her head, smiling awkwardly.

“Um… that was me. I was learning magic from the queen and accidentally blew it up… hehe.”

“Pfft—” Pelleti couldn’t help but laugh.

Her tightly wound nerves finally loosened a little.

“Honestly… that sounds like you.”

Encouraged, Feiye eagerly began recounting more of her past mishaps in the vampire lands. The lighthearted stories gradually pulled Pelleti’s thoughts away, easing the heaviness in her chest.

After Feiye finished, Pelleti gazed up at the dark sky.

“Is the ruler still that queen you mentioned?”

“Probably! She’s lived for thousands of years. Whether in bloodline or strength, she’s the strongest among the vampires.”

“I see…” A hint of longing appeared in Pelleti’s eyes. “I’d really like to go there someday.”

The image of the vampire world matched her longing for an ordinary life perfectly. There, beings were elemental in nature—just like her. No one would judge her for being different. No one would treat her as an anomaly.

After thousands of years of development, their understanding of food must be advanced. If she could hide her affinity for light…

Maybe she could truly live peacefully there.

The thought made the vampire world increasingly appealing.

“Of course!” Feiye said immediately. “If you want to go, I can take you there anytime!”

At that moment, a postman came running over, panting heavily, clutching a letter.

“Misses! Is Miss Ailbana Aisackson here?”

Pelleti sat up from Feiye’s lap, puzzled.

“She’s inside. What’s wrong?”

Feiye shot the postman an annoyed glare—he had interrupted their conversation.

Noticing Pelleti’s luxurious attire, the postman straightened respectfully.

“It’s urgent—very important!”

“There’s been an incident inside. You won’t be able to get in—give it to me, I’ll pass it along.”

“Then please—I beg you, deliver it to Miss Ailbana personally!”

The postman sat down on the steps after speaking, clearly intending to wait. It really was urgent.

Pelleti took the letter and reentered the venue with Feiye.

Inside, most of the nobles were gone. Only members of the Holy Light Church remained, searching for traces of the Gluttony cult. Many nobles had likely already been escorted to the church for treatment.

“How’s the search?” Josuna asked anxiously.

A church member shook his head. “Aside from traces left behind, we haven’t found a single cultist.”

“Tch… they ran fast,” Ailbana muttered, staring at the wrecked courtyard.

Pelleti walked over, glancing at the heavily armored knight kneeling nearby, her tone slightly teasing.

“So, how’s it going on your side, Ailbana?”

She already knew the cultists had retreated—Lierna had told her—so the lack of results didn’t surprise her.

“Miss Pelleti!” Count Joleidi hurried over with a smile. “I heard from Irene. Thanks to your vigilance, everyone was saved.”

Pelleti gave him a faint glance. The coldness in her eyes made him falter, unconsciously withdrawing his hand.

“Your letter.”

She handed the envelope to Ailbana.

“My letter?” Ailbana looked surprised. But when she saw the family seal, her heart skipped a beat.

Please don’t let something have happened…

She took a deep breath, opened it, and read carefully. The further she read, the darker her expression became.

“What’s wrong?” Josuna asked.

Ailbana forced out a strained smile.

“Our reconnaissance team at the vampire border went missing two months ago. Over thirty members… their fate is unknown. Most likely—they’re all dead.”

“What’s the problem with that?” Pelleti asked, confused. “Isn’t it normal for reconnaissance teams to be wiped out near the vampire border?”

“It’s not the same.”

Ailbana’s temples throbbed; her voice tightened.

“Every member of that team was at the Bright Moon tier. Ordinary vampires couldn’t wipe them out without anyone noticing. And that team had been scouting for five years—there’s never been any movement from the vampires before.”

She paused, then added:

“This likely means… they’re preparing for war.”

“The current human territories were originally taken from the beastfolk and the vampires—mostly from the beastfolk. Unlike them, vampires are powerful and always feared. Among human nations, only the Empire borders them, separated by a single line. For years, reconnaissance teams have monitored them without incident…”

“But now… something’s changed.”

Josuna’s expression turned serious.

“Then what do we do?”

“Josuna, you handle the aftermath here,” Ailbana said decisively. “I’ll take Pelleti to see the Pope. This must be reported immediately!”

“…Me?”