CHAPTER 143: TOUGH TITTIES

Caius nodded,

"Splendid," he said and looked back at Kerwin to give a shrug and address the resistance still so clear to see on his face,

"I could go on and on about how Arlette spent decades with ’Ophiuchus’, completing multiple missions to aid your ’cause’ but that would hardly be convincing. You have many more who have spent even more years in your service and they certainly are not qualified to call the shots.

Hell, this Council convenes but the decisions are ultimately yours so no one can realistically be qualified to oversee you.

So you’re right. This is nepotism.

There’s just nothing you can do about it because the decision isn’t yours to make.

It’s mine and I’ve made it.

Any questions?"

Kerwin pressed his lips together and shook his head stiffly.

"None, My Lord," he said, and then when Caius raised a brow, he directed his eyes to Arlette to give a small bow that he tried to make as sarcastic as possible,

"Oversee away, My Lady."

Arlette smiled at the attempt at sarcasm and nodded.

"Yes, I’ll try. And there is so much to know before I can do that efficiently. I know a few ’Ophiuchus’ bases but I’ll need to learn about all of them. I’ll need to know of those placed in charge of each one as well as all currently ongoing contracts."

"Well, that’s not actually something we discuss at this council. It’s small-time stuff, My Lady," Kerwin said.

"Oh, so you’re not aware of any of it?" Arlette asked.

"I am aware of it all. It’s just never been important enough to be discussed here. It’s why I have members of the Coven in charge of it. They send regular reports but I trust them enough to run things well. They’ve done it for centuries by now, after all," Kerwin said.

"Really?" Arlette asked.

"Yes," Kerwin said with a nod, "This council is reserved for more important matters."

"Such as what?" Arlette asked.

"Such as our take-over of the Acheron Empire which I assume will continue despite new Leadership," Kerwin said and looked at Caius.

"Oh, that’s on hold for now," Caius said.

"What? Why?" Kerwin asked.

"Because it won’t succeed," Caius said.

Kerwin frowned.

"I’m confused, my Lord. You offered me your title in case I won our duel because you said it was the only thing missing to succeed in my goals. You have that title and you command our forces, so why exactly can’t we succeed?"

Caius smiled lightly.

"The Noble Title only really comes into play after you’ve established your Vampire rule over the Empire. The problem is you’re not going to get that far.

You don’t know nearly enough about the world up there to succeed. All that ’Ophiuchus’ has gathered through their shady dealings is merely the tip of a massive iceberg.

The Von-Helsings for one could prove to be the biggest obstacle and they will be only too happy to rip through your Vampiric forces."

"But My Lord," said Roxanne Leopold, the honorific sounding so natural from her lips,

"Aren’t you a Von-Helsing?"

"I am," Caius answered.

"Then why would your family be against Vampires?"

"It’s tradition. We’ve hunted Vampires for generations. The fact that I am also one doesn’t change that.

Also, I only know of my Father and while he’s the most famed living Von Helsing for Vampire killing, he’s far from being the only one. I’m sure you all know this. If you’ve been planning a takeover, you’d be foolish to have ignored that."

Lucian and Caius were not the only living Von Helsings. For one, Lucian had an elder brother who inherited the Duchy the Von Helsings had been granted for their millennia of meritorious deeds.

Kerwin frowned and interlocked his fingers on top of the desk, leaning forward slightly.

"We know of the Von Helsing Duchy and their vampire-hating ways. For a moment, when you arrived and introduced yourself, I thought it could be about that but your being a Vampire confused that stance. Then again, you did kill six of us brutally and threatened to get rid of us all so who can tell, really?

In any case, I’d have assumed that you now leading us makes the Von Helsings our allies."

Caius sighed.

"As I’ve said once already, I’m eighteen and just starting school.

As such, I don’t have an actual say in the proceedings of the larger Von Helsing extended family who all reside in the Duchy.

I live in the Capital, in the Von Helsing Estate, where the only Von Helsings to live there are my father and I. And speaking of my father, he very much still hates Vampires. He blames them for what I have become..."

"A power-usurping Vampire Killer?" Kerwin interjected here and when Caius just looked at him, he shrugged and said,

"Well, that *is* what you are, My Lord."

Caius rolled his eyes and continued,

"The point here is the Von Helsings are not Vampire allies. Not at the moment anyway. And I while I don’t know many of them, I have no desire to see them die which will happen if you’re to continue your plans of takeover as is."

"So you’re shutting it down? Centuries upon centuries of careful progress all to be thrown out because you’re being sentimental to a family that would gut you like any of the rest of us?"

The one who spoke was Roxanne’s partner. His annoyance for that moment Caius and Roxanne seemed to have shared finally came out in a moderately angry tone.

When Caius looked at him, the Vampire’s eyes twitched a bit and he could not help but amend with the required honorific,

"... My Lord."

"What’s your name?" Caius asked.

"Lorton Leopold," he said.

"Well, Lorton, I know for a fact that you’ll die in the takeover."

"What?" Lorton asked, looking surprised.

"Why do you look surprised? Were you making plans on the misguided thought that there’d be no casualties?"

"Of course, there’ll be casualties, it just won’t be..." Lorton started to say but Caius cut him off.

"It won’t be you? But it could be her?" He asked, pointing at Roxane who was now staring intensely at Lorton.

"It won’t be anyone at the council," Lorton said like he was assuring her and then he looked at Caius and repeated,

"It won’t be anyone here."

"But it can be any of those who’ll fight for you?" Caius asked.

"Well, it’s why they’re here. Subjects are supposed to die for their Lord," Lorton said confidently.

Arlette frowned at that. She remembered how she had told Caius she didn’t plan to die in anyone’s war and he had asked her if she’d even have the chance not to. There was something about Lorton so confidently claiming he’d survive because the members of ’Ophiuchus’ and maybe the other Vampires of the Coven would die for him that left a bad taste in her mouth.

Sure, it was normal. A subject IS supposed to die for their Lord, but why should she be that subject?

She clenched her hand into a fist but then, Caius grabbed it and soothed her until she unfurled her fingers. It was like he had been able to tell what she was feeling at that moment. The comfort she got from his touch got her looking to the side at him.

Caius kept his smile as he looked at Lorton and nodded.

"You’re right," he said, "And who exactly here, is your Lord?"

Lorton’s eyes widened.

Caius continued,

"You all gathered at this Council are some of the strongest in the Coven, if not by Magic Circles, then it’s by centuries of experience even if you’ve spent it all cooped up here.

When, during your misguided takeover, we face off against enemies stronger than the Coven at large and the Mercenaries of ’Ophiuchus’ can handle, I’ll toss you at them.

And you will die.

Every single one of you

Because as you said, subjects—which you all are to me—are supposed to die for their Lord."

As he spoke, Caius looked at everyone in the council one by one until he was looking at Kerwin.

Kerwin pressed his lips together hard but said nothing.

Caius looked at Lorton then with a light smile.

"And by the way, I’m not shutting down your goals. Not completely anyway.

I’m just ordering that you hold off on your planning of it which will see millions dead and cause turmoil that would make this Empire a bore to live in and navigate. All the while, leading to an unsuccessful attempt anyway.

I think that’s pretty reasonable. And if it’s not, tough titties ’cause your opinion matters very little or not at all here.

Are we clear?"

There was a moment of silence and then a unanimous bow as they all chorused as one.

"Yes, Lord Von Helsing."