Chapter 61: Blood Rituals and Birthday Lilies

Crimson blood trickled down the curve of the man’s neck.

The faint rise and fall of his chest was the only proof that he was still alive.

“Ahh…”

The man’s face was contorted with terror as a weak moan escaped his lips.

His body was in such a terrible state that it was difficult to look at, and traces of the rough intercourse still clung to his lower body.

“Hehe.”

The count, who had been straddling the man, climbed off him.

Licking the mixture of blood and white fluid from his hand, the count turned his gaze toward the man’s neck.

For a fleeting instant, madness flashed through his eyes.

But it vanished just as quickly, and without the slightest hesitation, he slit the man’s throat.

Blood spurted out, splattering across his face, but the count paid it no mind.

He merely curled his lips into a crooked smile, his gaze utterly devoid of emotion.

“Not much longer now.”

After uttering those ominous words, the count wiped the blood from his face and collected the man’s blood in a bottle he had prepared beforehand.

A faint smile appeared on his face once he had filled it with the desired amount.

Watching the first faint light of dawn creep across the horizon, the count swirled the bottle of blood.

As its metallic scent spread through the air, his eyes filled with rapture.

This blood would bring him wealth, power, and eternal life.

Letting out a sinister chuckle, the count licked the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He poured the blood into a bubbling liquid.

Immediately, a cloud of steam billowed upward as the mixture began to boil violently.

Apparently satisfied with the reaction, the count raised the concoction to his lips and drank without hesitation.

With this, only nine remained.

Nine more sacrifices were needed for the count to obtain the complete power of darkness.

Since he had to drink the blood of those possessing divine power, obtaining priests within the Charlois Empire was by no means an easy task.

That was why the count had decided to exploit the political situation in the Beal Empire.

Knowing that the Second Prince held the real power, the count had entered into a secret agreement with the First Prince.

He had promised to support the First Prince once he regained political control.

In exchange, the First Prince would send children possessing divine power to serve as the count’s attendants.

Luring in a fool consumed by vanity and extravagance had been child’s play for the count.

The count smiled, his eyes gleaming with sinister ambition.

By absorbing the vital essence of adults possessing divine power and drinking their blood, he could obtain tremendous power and eternal life.

The ritual required a thousand sacrifices.

Among them, there had to be the blood of a special individual said to be born only once every thousand years.

The count recalled the young duke he had met most recently.

Remembering how the boy had angrily snapped at him while giving off such a delectable scent, the count stroked his chin regretfully.

“If only I could taste that brat’s blood…”

Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, the count broke off mid-sentence and snapped his fingers.

At his gesture, a shadow emerged from the darkness and knelt before him.

“Ah, yes. What happened to the one who failed?”

“He was dealt with as you instructed.”

“Stupid fool. I thought he might actually prove useful. Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, the count hurled the empty bottle onto the floor.

It shattered with a sharp crash, and one of the fragments sliced across the shadow’s face.

A thin stream of blood trickled down the long cut on his cheek.

“Didn’t he assure me that he would succeed this time?”

“My apologies, Your Excellency.”

“I have no use for worthless dogs who can’t do their jobs properly. And that applies even to you, my favorite.”

The count took a coat from where it hung on the wall and draped it over his shoulders.

Then he pulled a pouch from his pocket and tossed it toward the shadow.

It landed on the floor with a heavy thud.

The shadow hurriedly picked it up and tucked it into his pocket, as though afraid someone might see.

“Give that to him. Tell him I’ll pay him even more.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“And there’s something you’ll have to do yourself this time. Osh will undoubtedly try to bring the war to a swift end. If that happens, I’ll have a great deal more to prepare. We cannot afford to let this operation fail before then. Under no circumstances. You must make certain that the blame for this incident falls on the Kingdom of Beal. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Only then did the count nod in satisfaction.

With an irritated expression, he waved his hand dismissively, signaling for the shadow to leave.

The count rang a bell.

As though he had been waiting for the summons, the head butler entered.

Even the horrific sight of the room failed to disturb his expression.

He simply picked up the corpse and disappeared without a word.

Today, the body would be thrown to the beast the count kept on his estate.

A mutated creature that would devour every last scrap, down to the hair, leaving not a single trace behind.

The weather was clear, without a single dark cloud in the sky.

As planned, Kebel began preparing to go out.

He had barely managed to shake off Kapu, who kept insisting on accompanying him, but he couldn’t refuse the knights Cinnamon had forcibly assigned to his escort.

It seemed Cinnamon simply disliked the idea of Kapu worrying about someone else.

However, with Cinnamon stubbornly insisting that the escort was necessary for diplomatic reasons, Kebel had no way to refuse.

Kebel found the sudden increase in the size of his entourage nothing but troublesome.

Moreover, with knights dressed in uniforms identifying them as members of the royal guard conspicuously escorting his carriage, they were bound to attract attention.

“Haa…”

Kebel let out a weary sigh, his face clouded with worry.

Ida, who seemed to have been watching his expression the entire time, rode his horse closer to the carriage window and cautiously asked,

“If they’re making you that uncomfortable, shall I find a way to lose them?”

Kebel shook his head.

If he had intended to shake them off, he wouldn’t have brought the knights assigned to him in the first place.

In the end, Kebel decided against getting out and instructed the carriage to turn around.

He had originally wanted to visit the village to find yellow tulips, but since they weren’t a common variety even in the Empire, he wasn’t certain there would be anywhere selling them.

Instead, Kebel asked the coachman to take him to a nearby wooded meadow.

As soon as they reached the edge of the forest, Kebel stepped out of the carriage.

The moment he began walking, the knights waiting nearby fell into step behind him.

If Kebel took two steps, they took two steps.

If Kebel quickened his pace, they quickened theirs.

‘What is this, a mother duck taking her ducklings for a walk?’

Watching the knights mimic his every movement, Kebel grew increasingly irritated.

Eventually, he stopped and turned around.

At that exact moment, the sound of footsteps halting in perfect unison rang out behind him.

Was this some kind of rule or regulation among them?

When Kebel looked toward the captain, the man stood with his shoulders squared and his chest puffed out, wearing an unmistakably proud expression.

‘Why am I the one feeling embarrassed?’

Unable to bear meeting the captain’s eyes, Kebel looked away.

Just then, Bill approached and asked,

“Would you like some water?”

“No.”

Although they hadn’t walked very far, Bill apparently assumed Kebel had stopped because he was tired.

‘At times like these, Ida and Bill really are the only ones who know how to look after me.’

Kebel gave them a grateful look.

After sweeping his gaze around the forest as though surveying the surroundings, he approached the captain.

“I was thinking of picking a few flowers around here.”

“As long as you don’t uproot them by the handful, there are no laws prohibiting it.”

“I see. Then I’ll continue from here with my own knights.”

“My apologies, but we’ve been ordered to remain within one meter of you at all times.”

The captain’s expression made it clear that he was firmly determined to follow Kebel wherever he went.

A crease appeared between Kebel’s delicate brows.

The entire reason he had changed direction at the village entrance was because there were so many knights accompanying him.

Faced with the captain’s complete lack of flexibility, Kebel finally let out an exasperated sigh.

Then, his expression turning resolute and his eyes sharpening, he said,

“The knights I brought with me are perfectly capable of protecting me. Frankly, I think I should be able to move around on my own as long as I remain within your sight.”

“……”

“I understand that following orders is important, but wouldn’t it be better if we exercised a little common sense?”

Kebel finished with a sweet smile, allowing his words to linger meaningfully in the air.

Fortunately, the captain seemed quick enough to understand the hint.

He gestured toward the knights.

Immediately, they spread out in a single line, forming a wide circle around the forest.

‘That’s not what I meant……’

Kebel pressed his thumb against his throbbing forehead.

Still, at least he wouldn’t have to endure the oppressive sound of footsteps following him every time he tried to pick a flower.

Comforting himself with that thought, Kebel headed into the meadow with Ida.

The peaceful scenery, which he hadn’t enjoyed in quite some time, brought a smile to his face.

Fluffy clouds drifted across the sky, while birdsong gently filled his ears.

The vast expanse of greenery stretching before him like an endless meadow was so beautiful that Kebel couldn’t help but stare in wonder.

With every step he took, the soft rustling beneath his feet made his already buoyant heart flutter even more.

He had always gone on walks with Osh whenever summer arrived.

Perhaps that was why Osh’s absence felt all the more pronounced.

A faint smile appeared on Kebel’s lips as memories of those days grew vivid in his mind.

Then, a flower blooming in a shaded spot caught his attention.

Growing in a cool place where sunlight barely reached, it stood gracefully among the more extravagant flowers.

It was a lily.

Between its pure white petals, its pistil and stamens stretched proudly toward the sky.

Although he hadn’t managed to find any tulips, Kebel somehow felt that Osh would like this flower.

Making a silent promise to plant lilies as soon as he returned to the Empire, Kebel carefully selected four more unopened buds and picked them.

“If you need more, shall I find some for you?”

“No, it’s all right. It only has meaning if I gather them myself.”

“Ah, tomorrow is Young Master Osh’s birthday, isn’t it?”

“Mm, that’s right.”

Kebel brought the flowers to his nose.

He gently closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and flashing the two men a radiant smile.

“I don’t think a gift necessarily has to be something you actually give to someone. I believe that even celebrating someone from afar, like this, can hold a great deal of meaning.”

He turned toward Bill.

“What do you think, Bill?”

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