My Vampire Harem Will Dominate Everything - Chapter 382

Chapter 382: Princess Akiko of the Nightmare Court
Sariel stood stiffly in front of the Monarchy’s mansion. Her expression was neutral but her hands were clenched behind her back, betraying her true feelings.

Gathered and arranged behind her was a small but proper welcoming party of Monarchy elites present in the Crossroads, their uniforms pressed and gleaming under the light of the sun.

The breeze blew, tugging at the edges of Sariel’s cape as she waited, her mind scrambling for a way out of the closing box.

Even with everything going on with her, to the untrained eye, she looked calm, like a still lake.

The courtyard was silent as they waited, nobody making any noise.

Today’s guest was special. Well, special was an understatement. It was Princess Akiko of the Nightmare Court.

The title alone was enough to demand reverence, but what truly set Akiko apart was the relic she wielded. The fourth relic from the Book of Darkness.

“Nihil.”

With the relic’s ability, there was nothing Princess Akiko could not hide on the face of the earth and this relic was one of the things that made her so invaluable to the Monarchy.

If she decided to and had enough vitality for it, she could probably hide the whole of the Monarchy from the world.

Sariel stood as the knowledge kept gnawing a hole in her gut. According to the princes and princesses, every relic had been accounted for except one.

The last relic of the Nightmare Court.

But Ezra Matten’s arrival and claims of his being the final prince unsettled her.

If Ezra truly had the last relic from the Book of Darkness, her ambitions–no, her very reason for aligning with the Monarchy–would crumble to dust.

Sariel had always known her path to power would not be an open road free of challenges, but she had staked everything on the Monarchy being the perfect chance for her to ascend to royalty.

The arrival of Ezra, a potential prince with a direct claim to the Nightmare Court, was a threat she couldn’t ignore.

The rage that simmered in her gut was difficult to suppress. She didn’t know what to do except hold on to her anger. Killing or attacking Ezra Matten would probably mean her death.

Not only was she not confident in her ability to defeat him but even if she did, there would be punishment for the one to kill the most wanted vampire in the Vampire Society.

She was finally jarred out of her thoughts by a low whistle. Humans wouldn’t be able to pick up the sound but she was a superior being.

A few seconds later, she confirmed what the noise was telling her. The convoy had arrived.

She straightened as the lead hover car slowed to a smooth stop in front of the mansion.

The car door opened, and Princess Akiko stepped out, moving with grace like she was made from water.

She was smaller than Sariel had imagined, her slight frame wrapped in a dark, elegant gown that shimmered faintly with each step.

Her features were delicate, almost doll-like, but her red eyes held the cold confidence of a predator.

Sariel bowed deeply at the sight of the woman. “Welcome, Your Highness. It is an honor to have you here.”

Akiko’s lips curved into a smile that somehow said nothing of if she was pleased or not. “Thank you, Sariel. I trust everything is in order?”

“Of course.” Sariel replied, gesturing toward the mansion. “Your suite has been prepared with the finest accommodations. Please, allow us to escort you.”

With a nod of approval, Akiko moved forward, her presence as immutable as reality itself despite her diminutive stature. That was the aura of a seventh ringed vampire.

Sariel followed without another word.

As they moved through the halls, Akiko turned her head slightly to look at Sariel as she spoke. “Tell me, Sariel, what are your thoughts on Ezra Matten?”

Sariel hesitated, the unexpected question causing her to stumble minutely before she caught herself.

What should she say? Should she really speak her thoughts? Or should she play her part as every other Monarchist?

“He is… an anomaly, Your Highness. His presence here has certainly disrupted many expectations.”

Akiko smiled at her words. “An anomaly. A polite way of saying he is a problem.”

“I didn’t mean to overstep.” Sariel replied quickly, her tone careful.

Akiko waved a delicate hand dismissively. “Do not worry. Honesty is valuable, Sariel. I’ve heard much about Ezra, and the chaos he brings with him.”

Her eyes flicked toward Sariel, who couldn’t put a label to what she was seeing in it. “Tell me, do you fear him?”

The question caught Sariel off guard, but she didn’t let it show on her face. Thankfully, the whole situation already had her on guard.

“I fear what he represents, Your Highness. If the rumors are true… if he truly holds the final relic…” She trailed off, her meaning clear.

With the Monarchy complete, the Society might not sit still. The war brewing on the horizon might finally begin.

Akiko’s smile widened but there was no sense of warmth in it. “If he holds the final relic, then the Court’s plans will shift dramatically. But tell me, Sariel, what do you plan to do about it?”

Sariel’s hands clenched at her sides but sahe kept any emotion out of her voice. “My loyalty is to the Monarchy, Your Highness. I will act as I am commanded.”

Akiko let out a soft hum of amusement. “A loyal servant to the end. Admirable. But loyalty without ambition is a dull blade, Sariel. I wonder which path you truly walk.”

The silence that followed was uneasy. Sariel’s mind worked. Did Akiko know how she really feels? Or was this just her way of probing her subordinates?

Sariel dared not respond, knowing any answer could be interpreted as dangerous.

As a vampire of the seventh ring, Akiko was currently the weakest of the Nightmare royalty. That was probably why she’d been assigned to deal with the whole Ezra matter.

But Sariel knew even the weakest Nightmare royalty wielded power far beyond what she or Ezra could contend with.

Not to mention the seventh ring ability, foresight, which she was probably using now to lead the way to her suite even as this was her first time here.

Akiko’s possession of Nihil only made her more dangerous.

The procession moved through the mansion until they reached the suite reserved for Akiko.

It was the finest in the estate, its expansive space filled with the most luxurious of everything present.

The windows also offered a sweeping view of the Monarchy’s side of the Crossroads, and a beautiful yet faint scent permeated the air.

Sariel bowed again as the princess stepped inside.

“Please let us know if there is anything you require, Your Highness.” She said.

Akiko glanced around the room before her eyes finally settled on Sariel. “You’ve done well. That will be all for now.”

Sariel nodded and excused herself, her frustration burning within her as she left the suite.

She wanted to scream and rage against this injustice.

She’d been a loyal servant of the Monarchy yet it was one Society lackey nobody had ever heard of that seized the final relic.

Her steps were brisk as she walked to her own suite.

She had played her part of a contented servant flawlessly, but the knowledge of Ezra’s potential claim to the relic… to the throne… was a bitter pill she could not swallow.

She’d have to do something about this feeling.