Episode 6: Moonlit Tea Party
“Is there something you need?”
In the pitch-black night, I summoned those four through one of the portal gates.
I was alone, without any attendants. Perhaps if I had brought Vio along, they wouldn’t have come. That seemed to contribute to the air of disdain coming from them.
Well, I have no intention of being modest now.
“We’re heading to a tea party. You all will accompany me.”
As I commanded in my noblewoman mode, everyone showed a different reaction.
Noir stared at me with suspicion, Ninette yawned openly, looking bothered, Fantine joyfully crushed ants underfoot while ignoring me, and Christina, maintaining a poker face, slightly widened her eyes upon hearing the word “tea party.”
First, the maid-in-training, Christina…
“We are heading to the Moonlit Tea Party.”
“What!? What nonsense… the invitation is no longer valid. Besides, if you disclose the invitation to others, you’ll…”
“No problem. Lady Mylene has graciously allowed me to bring up to four attendants,”
I said, showing the fourth invitation. Christina, after snatching it to read, cast a regretful glance at me. Oh, what a delightful expression.
“Young lady… we are quite busy. It’s not that easy, right?” Noir said.
“Yeah? Oh, okay.”
Noir seemed slightly interested upon hearing about the Moonlit Tea Party, but he seemed to be foolishly attempting to extract concessions. Ninette was just following her brother.
“Ninette, if you’re going to be a guard, you’ll need a sword, right? Is this not necessary?”
“What? What?”
Even though she sold it, she didn’t want to part with it. Her eyes lit up in surprise when I showed her the magic sword I had bought back.
“Hey, Ninette!”
“Noir, this is for you.”
“! !”
I showed the repurchased gold pocket watch, and Noir’s face turned pale.
“You’re a wise man, you know what this means, don’t you? “
“…”
Having presented evidence of embezzlement, Noir suddenly wore a sycophantic smile, taking the pocket watch.
If you steal from the Ducal house, even a child can be charged. By giving it back, did he think he could flatter me and be forgiven? Crafty as he may be, he’s utterly insignificant.
“Fantine, do you want anything?”
“Hmm? Do we get sweets?”
“Of course. Sweets and tea are said to be delicious. Take plenty.”
“Got it!”
Fantine is just like that. She has no malice, not even a heart.
“The carriage to pick us up has arrived.”
As the faint scent of roses lingered, the gatekeeper at the portal gate fell asleep on the spot. Silently, two fairy tale-like carriages arrived, and from within, a butler and a maid emerged, bowing respectfully.
“You all, board that carriage.”
Addressing the four who were captivated by the handsome butler, I directed them towards one carriage while approaching the frozen maid beside me.
“Will you escort me?”
“Yes.”
Her hands were cold and, just a bit… animal-like.
I wonder what kind of faces those four are making now? Anxiety? Joy? It doesn’t matter. The reason I didn’t let them go is simply to maintain my father’s reputation.
So, I’m giving them one last chance.
Regret, repentance, lamentation, despair – crawl on the ground, swear loyalty to Father, and lick my shoes in repentance until you die.
If you can’t do that… understand?
The carriage I boarded barely swayed. The Auber family maid just stared at my face, seemingly useless.
I can’t see outside, but… probably, it’s moving several times faster than a regular carriage. Is it flying too? Because it hasn’t turned once. Humans can’t create something like this.
The carriage arrived without any events…
“Princess. Welcome. Thank you for coming.”
Lined up like dolls, a beautiful butler and maid were there, with an eleven-year-old girl in the center, wearing a deep midnight-blue dress.
A captivating smile that gently enchants the hearts of those who see it. The four who were greeted by those jewel-like eyes stood there dumbfounded.
I stopped in my tracks, maintaining a faint smile as I observed her.
Greetings should come from those below, right?
“…I am Mylene, the eldest daughter of House Auber.”
My name is Eurushia. Will you show me around?
“…This way.”
With a fleeting, dissatisfied air, Mylene smiled and led me to the garden.
Now, let’s begin.
Let the monsters play tricks on each other.
**
Mylene had finally managed to welcome the coveted “Golden Princess.”
But something was off.
Eurushia, despite her young age, possessed a beauty beyond the rumors. The moment she appeared from the carriage, even Mylene’s entourage, who should have been accustomed to seeing Mylene and Camilla, showed signs of unease.
Even Mylene, who should have scoffed at such a situation, found herself breathless in the presence of Eurushia’s otherworldly beauty.
Frustrated with herself, Mylene impulsively used her “Charm” at the beginning. However, the four children, momentarily dazed, quickly snapped out of it. Instead of falling under the charm, Eurushia exerted pressure on Mylene.
(Could it be that Eurushia’s charm surpasses mine? A mere child outshining me?)
For a moment, Mylene felt anger rising but managed to regain composure.
(No, she is a “Holy Maiden” after all. Perhaps she’s accustomed to countering magic…)
The vampire’s “Charm” was not a skill but a unique dark magic. Therefore, resistance through counter-magic could break the charm, restoring sanity to the target.
Mylene chose to see it that way. She couldn’t admit that this young girl’s charm was superior to her own.
Count Auber and Camilla, hidden in the darkness, were observing, ready to inspect the sacrifice. Mylene had not disposed of the previous noble girls immediately; the emotions of the sacrifice enhanced the ritual, and Count Auber, an ancient being, knew the method well.
Even the companions who were supposed to conduct the inspection seemed captivated by Eurushia’s beauty, adding to Mylene’s frustration.
“Lady Mylene, where are the other participants?”
Bringing her attention back to her companions, Mylene quickly put on a gentle smile.
“Since Lady Eurushia has graced us with her presence tonight, it’s only fitting that others refrain.”
In the presence of such a premium offering, anything less would be unworthy even as an appetizer.
In that sense, those four attendants are the same. Despite their decent appearance, they would only serve as side dishes to adorn the main course.
Until now, they had sent back low-quality offerings to conceal the disappearances. But this time, as a token of appreciation, they might consider handing them over to the maids and butlers.
Those four are just children. While there was initial caution due to Eurushia’s exceptional nature, they now left her to enjoy the lavish treats, surrounded by beautiful butlers, maids, and exquisite sweets. The children, with faces filled with delight, were melting in the luxurious hospitality.
Watching this scene, Mylene also felt a sense of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her heart.
Upon reflection, it was only natural. Ordinary humans couldn’t remain composed when faced with their own appearance and eyes. Among them, Mylene and her two companions, being [nobles], were truly in a league of their own.
“─Ah.”
Yet, at that moment, Mylene felt a gaze directly on her.
Turning, she experienced an unusual sensation, akin to cold sweat running down her back. Eurushia, wearing an emotionless smile akin to a “doll,” was quietly staring at Mylene.
“Is something the matter, Lady Mylene?”
“No, I appreciate your concern for my attendants. However…”
As Eurushia calmly spoke, Mylene sensed an increased “pressure.”
“I would prefer if Lady Mylene focused solely on me. Would that be too much to ask, considering my selfishness towards the ‘Silver Princess’?”
“I apologize…”
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Mylene, who naturally lowered her head to the elegantly smiling Eurushia, found herself in awe of her own actions.
Until now, when bowing as a noble, it was merely a performance, a mockery in her heart of playing noble games.
Yet, for some reason, even as the one who invited and the guest, hearing Eurushia’s words, Mylene instinctively placed herself beneath her
Realizing this fact, Mylene gritted her teeth, glaring down while keeping her head lowered.
(How dare this mere human!!)
Mylene had also heard rumors about Eurushia.
The face of the Holy Kingdom, the [Princess] of the Grand Duchy. Although she rarely appeared in public, and some people at first underestimated her quiet and gentle nature, yet, still very young, she traveled far and wide, relieving the suffering, especially revered by some noble males as a goddess-like savior, a true saint.
However, the pure evaluations and the Eurushia in front of her felt strangely out of place.
“─Ah!”
Once again caught in the sea of her thoughts, Mylene hurriedly moved as she saw Eurushia in front of her absentmindedly polishes her nails with a stone-like object.
“You all, Lady Eurushia’s tea has gone cold. Hurry and replace it.”
She had never given such instructions before. The participants were all blissfully enchanted, and the maids and butlers were naturally attentive to the tea and sweets without being told.
However, they were all still fixated on the every move of the young Eurushia, enchanted by her beauty as if their souls were captivated.
(Not good. ……)
As someone newly bound as a follower, it was becoming challenging to maintain a human appearance in the face of Eurushia’s charm. Just as Mylene was about to stand up, trying to somehow conceal it, Eurushia’s voice stopped her.
“Enough with the tea. You can’t keep drinking tea. …… Right? “
“─”
What’s this? Mylene was perplexed by the difference between the rumors and the reality. Her attitude wasn’t that of someone invited to a noble society tea party.
“Being jostled in a carriage, not receiving any hospitality from the maids, and even being left alone after arriving… What did I come here for?”
“…I-I apologize.”
She apologized, at least as a formality. Mylene’s patience was nearing its limit.
In the plan, she had decided to capture Eurushia, break her spirit, and slowly devour her. But Eurushia’s attitude, deliberately provocative, didn’t allow Mylene to continue bowing down to this little girl as a transcendent being.
In the moment when she was about to lose herself in anger, something small rolled into Mylene’s field of vision.
“I find this ‘nail file’ difficult to use, so I’ll return it.”
” – ? “?
It was a large ruby, about the size of an adult fingertip.
One of the jewels Mylene had sent to gauge Eurushia’s mood, and Eurushia, in front of Mylene, dropped them on the floor with a surprise expression.
Mylene felt dizzy with anger.
(What is this woman!?)
Eurushia had repeatedly provoked to this extent, probably knowing about the kidnapping incident and suspecting something at this Moonlit Tea Party. Thus, she used this provocative attitude to try and bring something to light.
If you think about it that way, it makes sense. At the same time, Mylene realized Eurushia’s naivety.
With a pure heart befitting a Holy Maiden, she must have acted out of concern for this incident. But despite appearing intelligent, she was still a child. She brought not the knights but only her childlike attendants.
(Enough, I’ll kill her here!)
Eurushia had gone too far. In her attempt to expose evil, she would end up suffering the most gruesome and cruel death as retaliation.
But─.
“Do you know about the ‘Vampire Incident’ that happened a few years ago in the neighboring country?”
At Eurushia’s sudden words, not only Mylene but also the Count La Auber and Camilla, who had been observing from the shadows, had their expressions tense.
“…Eurushia-sama? What are you talking about…?”
In Mylene’s completely dehumanized voice, the four attendants, who had been in a dreamlike state, suddenly woke up, trembling as they clung to each other, realizing the situation they were in.
The music that had been flowing gently stopped, and the musicians, butlers, and maids, all stared at her expressionlessly, while Eurushia alone maintained a calm smile.
“It’s just a monologue. There were a few vampires, but in the end, they lost to humans and abandoned one of their own to escape. Pathetic…”
With that monologue, the maids and butlers distorted their faces like beasts, and intense anger spread throughout.
Especially Mylene’s anger was tremendous, and her overflowing malice instantly rotted the vibrant lawn and roses.
“What… are you trying to say?”
In Mylene’s trembling voice of anger, Eurushia, unfazed by the surrounding changes, casually tossed the invitation she took out onto the decayed lawn.
“Even the scent of roses, unfortunately can’t hide the ‘animal stench,’ you know?”
The next moment─
The butlers and maids, who had barely maintained their human forms, simultaneously bared their fangs. Not only that, even the musicians, who still had a touch of humanity, were covered in fur and transformed into upright beasts in the blink of an eye.
“Eek!”
Suddenly surrounded by supernatural monsters, the four attendants, finally realizing the situation they were in, clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces.
In this eerie, otherworldly mansion, the reason the four of them had not lost consciousness and still maintained their sanity was solely because their mistress, Eurushia, showed no sign of fear— that was the only reason.
The renowned Saint Eurushia wouldn’t abandon them. At least, they selfishly believed that she would buy them time to escape, trusting their “mistress.”
Mylene bared her fangs and laughed at Eurushia’s composure.
“To come here knowingly… You’re not the so-called Saint, and I’m delighted about that.”
“I never claimed that title, you know? I’m troubled by such grand names… I just want to live peacefully.”
In the presence of Eurushia, who, even in this situation, gently placed her hand on her cheek and sighed, two figures emerged from the darkness.
“If you give us that blood, we can make your life ‘easy,’ young lady.”
A middle-aged vampire with gray hair, Count Auber, classified as [Count Rank].
“The Saint seems quite at ease. Does she still think she can escape?”
A beautiful vampire lady with black hair, Lady Camilla, classified as [Viscount Rank].
“I’ll wipe away that smile and make you regret until you cry.”
The silver-haired vampire lady, Baroness Mylene, classified as [Baron Rank].
The vampire’s “rank” changes over the years, with older vampires gaining more power.
Count Auber, having lived for four centuries, held a strength positioned just below the possibility of a nation’s destruction, classified as “[Astral Disaster Rank].”
Even among [Astral Disaster Rank], Lady Camilla, a Viscount who lived for two hundred years, and Baroness Mylene, who lived for a hundred years, ranked above the possibility of the town’s destruction, classified as “[Catastrophe Rank].” However, when these three gathered, the threat surpassed even that of a great spirit causing natural disasters.
” ………… “
But Mylene couldn’t shake off the unease towards Eurushia, who still showed no signs of fear.
What was this strange feeling? It was like not realizing you’d buttoned your shirt wrong, or going out with mismatched shoes—a peculiar discomfort.
Since when? Since Eurushia appeared here? Since she sent the invitation? Or… since she came to this country.
(Nonsense… Impossible.)
Coming to this country was part of the plan since her time in this Kingdom.
This Holy Kingdom, Tatiteld, is a sacred land where saints and heroes are born, and its citizens are devout. It’s considered an ominous place for monsters and evildoers.
However, precisely because of this, Mylene and her companions chose this place. The Holy Kingdom attracts numerous sects, and no one would suspect that terrifying monsters had infiltrated the nobility.
Slowly, cautiously, quietly, they would infiltrate this Holy Kingdom, change places, positions, and appearances, and consume the blood.
There was no one who could defeat Mylene and her group. Even if Eurushia truly was the [Saint], without the corresponding [Hero], she couldn’t fight.
Mylene trusted the strength of her two companions in that aspect,
but at the same time, she felt a disgust so strong it made her sick.
When attacked by Tatiteld’s knights, if they had all fought together, perhaps there wouldn’t have been a need to sacrifice one person.
That’s why Mylene harbored resentment towards the two who fled first—Count Auber and Lady Camilla.
In this nest of monsters…
“Well then, let’s play a little game.”
Eurushia’s cheerful voice resonated.
As if a child excitedly coming up with a fun idea, she clapped her hands and smiled. Realizing that Eurushia’s words were an answer to Camilla’s earlier statement about “escaping,” Camilla was left speechless.
“Now, Noir, Ninette, Fantine, Christina…”
With each name she called, the shoulders of the three trembled. Finally, lifting her gaze to stare at Christina, Eurushia directed a gentle smile.
“You too, do your best to escape. If you manage to escape from them, I’ll also ‘forgive’ you.”
With a bright yet cruel remark, Eurushia spread her arms as if stretching.
“—[Let there be light]—”
In the midst of an unnervingly calm and natural action, no one could move.
At that moment, instead of dazzling light, [Black Light] spread around Eurushia, dyeing the surroundings in a true darkness that not even vampires could see through.
While the vampires, who had been on alert for sacred magic, were confused in the darkness resembling spilled black ink, Eurushia’s cheerful voice echoed.
“Hehe. Try catching me, won’t you?”
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