Chapter 10: The Weight of the Past and a Present Obstruction

The pitch-black night shrouded the entire city. A crimson blood moon hung high in the sky. The scent of blood permeated the air, seemingly staining even the dark clouds above a deep scarlet.

“Thump… thud…”

Heavy, weary footsteps echoed from the street. Lucia, covered in blood, stumbled forward, cradling the unconscious Imeline in her arms.

Her nun’s habit was torn to shreds. Crimson blood dripped onto Imeline’s skirt.

‘Why… why won’t it regenerate…’

A gaping wound marred Lucia’s left forearm, from which blood continuously gushed.

They had encountered a formidable enemy unlike any they had faced before: a Bloodkin.

The Fourth-Order nun, who had been secretly accompanying and protecting them, and was on the verge of reaching the Fifth Order, had also been brutally murdered by the creature.

By some unknown means, the foe had pierced Lucia’s arm, rendering her unable to regenerate. Imeline, her magic and spiritual energy utterly depleted, had collapsed into unconsciousness. Only Attestor retained the capacity to fight.

Yet, before a Bloodkin, even immense physical prowess was utterly negligible.

Confronted by such a potent adversary, Attestor had urged Lucia to take Imeline and flee, while she herself remained behind to cover their retreat.

Aside from the slain nun, the closest accompanying sister was Lovelenica.

Thus, Lucia, still carrying Imeline, struggled to reach Lovelenica.

“Teacher… over there, there’s a Bloodkin… That creature killed another accompanying nun, and Attestor is still there… Please, you must save Attestor!”

Lucia, gritting her teeth against the searing pain, pleaded with Lovelenica.

However, Lovelenica’s gaze was utterly devoid of warmth, filled instead with an icy detachment.

“To be capable of killing those accompanying nuns, it must be at least an Impure-class Bloodkin.

We ought to wait for reinforcements.”

“No! Teacher!”

Lucia immediately fell to her knees before Lovelenica. Tears of blood streamed incessantly from Lucia’s eyes.

“You possess Fifth-Order strength; you can surely save Attestor!

I beg of you! If you can just save Attestor, I will agree to any request you make!”

“Oh?”

Upon hearing this, Lovelenica raised an eyebrow, inquiring.

“Any request?”

“Any request, truly!!!”

“Then… let us continue to patiently await reinforcements.”

****

Lovelenica recalled the original plot.

This monster-hunting exercise, scheduled for next month, was also the event that would further deepen Lucia’s hatred for Lovelenica.

By the time the reinforcements from the Knight Order and the Mage Association arrived, only Attestor and the accompanying nun’s corpse remained.

The accompanying nun had been dismembered, while Attestor had been drained into a desiccated husk.

Lovelenica, for her failure to provide timely rescue, was vehemently condemned by the Moreno Family, and even faced the threat of being brought to trial.

However, Lovelenica responded by asserting that she was unaware of the enemy’s true strength, and that her priority had been to protect Lucia and Imeline.

Ultimately, under the powerful protection of the Crimson Family, Lovelenica escaped any sanctions.

After all, there was some truth to Lovelenica’s words.

A Bloodkin capable of simultaneously engaging three Third-Order individuals and one Fourth-Order individual, and emerging victorious with such ease, must possess power far beyond the Impure-class.

Indeed, facing such an enemy warranted extreme caution.

Yet, it was Lovelenica’s utter lack of willingness to even attempt a rescue that truly chilled Lucia to the bone.

Consequently, Lucia’s animosity towards both Lovelenica and the Bloodkin deepened significantly.

Later, upon discovering Lovelenica’s true nature as a Bloodkin, Lucia had blamed Attestor’s death entirely on Lovelenica.

Now, however, none of these events had yet transpired. Lovelenica still possessed the opportunity to alter this grim fate.

Given that Lovelenica remained uncertain whether Lucia and Imeline harbored lingering suspicions towards her, saving Attestor was an absolute imperative.

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Just as Lovelenica lay on her bed, contemplating her next course of action, an abrupt and forceful knocking resounded at her door.

“Lovelenica! Open the door!”

‘Who is it?’

Lovelenica rose with a hint of impatience, thinking to herself, ‘The members of the Crimson Family truly possess no manners whatsoever.

These people are merely livestock raised by my sister, yet they dare to treat me this way.’

‘Who granted them such audacity?’

‘Or perhaps Liliana despises her own sister so profoundly that she cares not if these mere beasts trample all over her?’

Lovelenica opened the door, revealing Julie standing before her with a distinct look of displeasure.

“If it isn’t the Third Miss of the Crimson Family.

Do you require something of me?”

“Lovelenica! For the next two days, you are to thoroughly ‘treat’ Lucia for me!

It would be best if Lucia were unable to participate in next month’s monster-hunting exercise!”

Julie commanded Lovelenica with an air of haughty arrogance, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Lovelenica was her mistress’s own sister.

‘Oh? And why would that be?’

“Because people like Lucia are the true heretics!

How could someone like her ever be worthy of becoming a Saintess?”

Regarding Lovelenica’s true mission, only Theresa Crimson within the Crimson Family was privy to the full truth, and only Theresa possessed the privilege of direct communication with Liliana.

Consequently, the others remained unaware that Lovelenica’s task was to cultivate Lucia.

“Heh, run along and play, Third Miss.”

With that, Lovelenica moved to close the door.

“Wait, wait a moment!”

Seeing Lovelenica’s refusal, Julie promptly braced the doorframe, beginning her attempt at coercion and inducement.

“I know you enjoy drinking the B-type blood of young girls.

I could arrange for some blood to be drawn from the orphans at our family’s orphanage and brought to you.

How does that sound?”

The Crimson Family possessed numerous enterprises, among which were hospitals and orphanages.

However, their primary objective in establishing these hospitals and orphanages was not to aid the sick or shelter orphans.

Rather, it was to draw blood from these individuals, seeking out humans with particularly palatable blood.

Ostensibly, they conducted blood tests for health check-ups.

In reality, the blood draws served to screen potential targets.

If a human with a taste profile acceptable to Liliana was discovered, they would employ every conceivable method to transport that individual to the Bloodkin territories, where they would become a lifelong ‘blood bag’.

Naturally, Liliana would provide them with commensurate compensation.

In essence, this meant enhancing their family’s fortune, granting them greater luck and more opportunities.

This, in turn, was the very reason for the Crimson Family’s rapid ascent.

Upon hearing this, a surge of anger coursed through Lovelenica.

Prior to her transmigration, Lovelenica had been human, and even now, stripped of her powers by Liliana, she felt a greater kinship with humanity.

Thus, the mere thought of the Crimson Family’s hospitals and orphanages ignited a furious indignation within Lovelenica.

However, she found herself unable to voice her objections, for she, too, benefited from this macabre arrangement.

The blood she regularly consumed each month was provided by the Crimson Family.

Consequently, Lovelenica remained silent, persisting in her attempt to close the door.

“Hey! What is the meaning of this?

I’ve offered you such a generous boon, and you still dare to refuse?”

“Indeed, I simply won’t drink it.

I don’t particularly care for it anyway.”

Upon hearing Lovelenica’s continued refusal, Julie’s patience wore thin.

Since gentle persuasion proved ineffective, she decided to resort to harsher tactics, immediately invoking Liliana’s name.

“If you behave in this manner, Lady Liliana will surely be disappointed!

If you fail to comply, I will have my mother inform Lady Liliana!

Then we shall see how Lady Liliana deals with you!”