CHAPTER 136: ALL YOU’LL NEED TO DO...

Kerwin Leopold tapped his fingers against the desk surface in front of him and then opened his mouth slowly to ask.

"Why are you here?"

If an attack couldn’t be made and he was currently at the mercy of this strange breed of Vampire calling itself a ’Noble’, then he might as well hear him out.

"I’m here to talk some sense into you," Caius said gravely.

Arlette looked to the side at him. When he said that was his plan when they were getting escorted across the Leopold Estate courtyard above ground, he had sounded like he was wondering if there was a better approach.

’You couldn’t think of any?’ She asked in her head but didn’t say out loud.

"Some sense into me?" Kerwin asked.

Caius nodded and then sighed as he said,

"It’s so silly what you’re planning. To take over the Acheron Empire? Dumb and shortsighted."

Kerwin’s eyes widened and his lips twitched like he was going to deny it or at least demand how this stranger knew the ambition his family had held for centuries. And then he decided that was pointless. That Knowledge was the least important thing happening right now. He decided to let Caius continue. Maybe learn what else he knew.

Caius noticed the twitch but continued as normal,

"The Acheron Empire is a bountiful hunting ground. As is any place with a population this massive. Vampires still prowl in secret trying to grab victims and only have to hide because humans are in power. Because Vampire Hunters are also on the hunt for them.

But take away the humans and have a Vampire in charge... Well, now then there’ll be no more reason to hide. No more Vampire Hunters. If you perfect your goals, every human that doesn’t serve as food will serve your cause in other ways and exist only for your pleasure and amusement.

All those prime, delicious blood sacks walking about will be for your leisure picking."

Arlette let her eyes roam and saw that every Vampire currently in the Hall had eyes gleaming at the thought of this ’wonderful’ future. They gulped at the thought of that future bountiful feast.

She looked at Kerwin and saw, despite his composure—with only his intense eyes to betray any real emotion—there was delight to be felt from the Coven Leader. He even allowed himself a subtle lick of his lower lip.

"And?" Kerwin asked, "You’ve not mentioned anything terrible."

Caius shook his head.

"Surely you can’t be this stupid," he said, "Once they’re able to act in public, and all threats to satisfying your blood thirst are gone, how long do you think it’ll take for a battle for territory control to break out?

Vampires are greedy, tyrannical, selfish, parasitic creatures and it would take barely a week before they begin to vie for superiority. Before other Vampire clans begin to fight you to control such a blossoming feeding ground."

Kerwin laughed. A short sound.

"And do you know how many we number? How strong our forces are?" He asked.

"It won’t be enough," Caius said and smirked,

"Certainly not against someone like me."

That caught Kerwin’s ears and they twitched as he asked,

"There are others like you?"

Caius nodded,

"Yes."

"How many?" Kerwin asked and an intensity in the look in his eyes betrayed his supposed calm as his mind began working furiously on this mind-blowing piece of information.

There were others like this frightening youngster who could control his actions with just his presence and use his words to make orders that could not be disobeyed?

Caius smiled at that reaction. It was essential for any of this to work.

"Less than fifty," he answered.

[To Kill A Demon Lord...] was very adamant that Vampire Nobles were not many especially since they had fought among themselves enough to reduce what was already a small number to an even smaller degree.

And there eventually came a moment in the story when they came together for an urgent council and that estimation was made.

"That little..." Kerwin said.

Caius nodded.

"Yes, yes," he said with a nonchalant wave and then became a little more serious even though he still had a smile on his face as he continued,

"It’s a very exclusive club. And I’m here to give you a chance to join it."

"Why?" Kerwin asked.

"Out of the goodness of my heart," Caius said with a shrug,

"I mean, really, I’m offering it because it’s the one thing missing that is absolutely vital if you are to succeed.

Otherwise..."

Caius trailed off now and let his eyes roam the Vampires seated at the Coven Council and his eyes fell on the female Vampire who had spoken before he ordered them all to be silent.

He pointed at her,

"Hey, you said something about taking their heads earlier. Well, now’s your chance," he said and gestured at one of the Vampires that led him and Arlette here,

"Kill him."

The female Vampire stood to her feet, thrust her hand forward and, driven by the order, cast her strongest spell.

Her target looked stunned and opened his mouth. The thought of casting a defensive spell didn’t even come to mind.

He never would defend himself against a Council member and was also too shocked to even comprehend what was about to happen before a spell circle appeared above his head and a platform descended to crush him so hard that when it fizzled away into mana, it left behind a crater and he was nothing but paste at the center of it.

Ordered to be silent, no one could say a word. The one who cast the spell had her eyes now round in horror. It wasn’t the fact that she had taken a life—that meant nothing to her—it was the fact that she had been made to do it against her will.

She looked at Caius but he was already pointing at another Vampire.

"Now, him next."

"Enough!" Kerwin yelled in the first instance of him raising his voice since this all began.

Alas, his word couldn’t override the order Caius had given so, once again, a spell circle appeared and a Platform descended to squash a second victim.

This one reacted but didn’t throw a defensive spell and rather tried to run from the range of the spell but he was too slow and the platform was too wide. He was squashed and a second crater was created so close to the first.

The others made to run now, trying their hardest to get away before they were targeted next.

Caius smiled.

"Well, since we’ve gotten started, let’s see this to the end, shall we?" he said, "Kill them all!"

The hall was large and despite using movement spells, neither of the Vampires attempting to get away was faster than the controlled Council-member’s spell-casting speed.

With Bang after Bang after Bang after Bang, Platforms descended, crushing one of the targets mid-run to a dead-pan silence all over the hall.

This time, it wasn’t because Caius had ordered it. It was because of the implication of this display. The Councilwoman who was being controlled to make the kills tried to look at her fellow council members but they were all avoiding her eyes. Worried they might be next.

And to make things worse, Caius’ order from earlier telling them to stay where they were, was keeping them from trying to make for the exit like the ones who were just crushed.

Caius eyed the craters and for a moment, it set in that he just caused the deaths of six living beings. But now was really not the time to think about it. He had been ready to do this ever since he came up with this idea.

There needed to be an incentive and when he turned around and saw that Kerwin Leopold no longer looked composed but rather, very, very angry, he knew he had succeeded.

He sighed.

"I would hardly need to raise a finger. You’ll kill each other at my order. Maybe I’ll have you do it yourself, Kerwin. After all, as their creator, they’re powerless against you.

I’ll have you do it with your hands. No spells. So you can feel your goal for Empire domination slip through your fingers just like their blood."

Caius paused here and eyed Kerwin who stared back at him but said nothing.

And then he continued,

"Against me and my kind, you need to become a Noble or you stand no chance.

I am prepared to give that to you.

All you’ll need to do to get it is defeat me in a Fair duel."