Residing in a mansion located somewhere within Nightingale, a crimson-haired beauty gazed absentmindedly out the window. Dressed in a comfortable white dress, she gazed at nothing, yet her eyes seemed to search for something.
This was undoubtedly Kaitlyn Valentine from the House of Valentine.
"Lady Rose," a woman's voice suddenly interrupted her moment of silent reverie.
Kaitlyn lazily shifted her gaze from the window to the familiar figure of her personal maid, Sienna.
Clad in a traditional maid uniform, she stood with her platinum-blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, her pale skin as luminous as any vampire's, her height a striking 180 centimeters, and her eyes a vivid shade of green.
Without hesitation, Kaitlyn got straight to the point and asked:
"Did you get the information I requested?"
Sienna nodded and produced a document, neatly compiled with records on a certain individual.
"Yes, I have. But if I may ask, why are you interested in this particular demon?"
Kaitlyn shrugged casually.
"No reason. I'm just curious. Anyway, hand it over."
For a few seconds, Sienna eyed her skeptically, inwardly questioning the cause of her sudden interest.
Had she finally developed an interest in boys? Sienna arched a skeptical brow.
Well, her master was certainly at that "age," and it would have been understandable, if only she were a normal girl.
Throughout her life, even when she stepped into young adolescence, Kaitlyn had never shown the slightest interest in the opposite sex.
If that had always been the case, why would she start now?
With that thought, Sienna sighed and handed over the paper.
What a shame. This could have been the perfect opportunity to use her master's experience as material for a romance story.
Receiving the document, Kaitlyn calmly donned her rim glasses and began to scan through it.
It was an odd sight, considering that all vampires, herself included, naturally possessed enhanced vision as part of their racial traits.
But there was no practical reason behind it.
She simply enjoyed reading with glasses.
As for the document in question, it read:
[Subject File Entry: Cassian]
[Height: 180 CM (5'11") ]
[Age: 21]
[Classification: Lesser Demon]
[Demonic Species: Anathema-Born]
[Rank: Ninth Order]
[Description: A rare hybrid demon of unknown origin. Due to undisclosed circumstances, the subject appears to suffer from memory loss, possessing no knowledge of his ancestry. Archive searches have yielded no prior records regarding his existence, aside from a single entry noting his adoption by the Dream God Church, suspected of deliberately concealing information about him.]
Notes of Interest:
† While unconfirmed, it is heavily speculated that this demon's lineage may involve a succubus/incubus and a vampire, inferred from his strikingly attractive features and unnaturally pale skin.
† Despite his status as a lesser demon, subject exhibits exceptional intellectual capability, surpassing the typical standards of both lesser and noble demons. His magical aptitude, however, remains notably poor.
† Possesses a unique ocular trait identified as the "Eyes of Annihilation." The full capabilities and potential threats of this phenomenon are currently unknown. Further observation and analysis are strongly advised.
So his name is Cassian and he's a low ranking demon?
In just a few moments of reading, Kaitlyn had already noticed several glaring inconsistencies in the report.
First of all, what exactly was an Anathema-Born? The term alone raised countless red flags. There were many types of demon hybrids, in fact, her personal maid, Sienna, was one herself, but never had she encountered the term 'Anathema-Born'. Secondly, why would the Dream God Church go so far as to restrict information on a mere lesser demon? And most importantly, how could someone of the Ninth Order possibly possess a unique Mythic Eyes?
Had she not witnessed it herself, she would've dismissed the entire report as pure fabrication.
She could overlook the rest, but that last detail especially, she couldn't.
Feeling a little confused on the matter, after a bit of thinking, Kaitlyn turned towards Sienna and raised a question to confirm her suspicions.
"Sienna, is it possible for a lesser demon to awaken Mythic Eyes?"
"Eh?"Sienna blinked, taken back from the sudden question. "Of course not. If Mythic Eyes were that easy to come by, the entire Underworld would be filled with them. Most noble demons like yourself don't even have them."
Kaitlyn nodded thoughtfully, assured that her sense of reasoning hadn't changed or gone off.
"I understand. But if that's the case, then why does this report state that a lesser demon awakened one? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
Indeed, the idea of a lesser demon possessing Mythic Eyes was startling. If it were true, wouldn't that mean it had a one-in-a-million talent? More importantly, noble demons, especially vampires, were prideful creatures who would never accept that something beneath them had turned out superior.
"You're suggesting the report is inaccurate?" The blonde maid asked.
"No, not at all. I've seen this demon with my own eyes. I can confirm he's real and so is everything written in this report. And that's exactly what makes it so troubling."
Sienna's expression shifted slightly, perhaps from confusion, or perhaps because she had already grasped the disturbing implication. Then she asked quietly:
"Could the priests of the Dream God Church be planning something?"
Kaitlyn paused, considering the possibility. But after a moment of silence, she slowly shook her head. Adjusting her rimmed glasses, she said:
"That doesn't add up. The Dream God Church may be secretive, but they're not careless. If they were truly plotting something, they wouldn't leave such obvious traces, especially not a lesser demon casually walking around with unprecedented Mythic Eyes. No… if anything, he might be the illegitimate child of a clergyman. That wouldn't be too far-fetched. The Dream God Church is known for accepting anyone, even bastards from noble families."
She tapped the edge of the paper thoughtfully.
"And according to the report, there's speculation that he's part vampire, correct? He certainly has the pale skin typical of our kind, but beyond that… there's nothing else linking him to us. Not even his scent, it's off. I can't place it at all."
Seeing her master's expression, Sienna tilted her head and asked,
"My lady, what do you plan to do about this?"
Kaitlyn opened her mouth to speak but stopped. After a few moments, she let out a quiet breath, relaxed her shoulders, and leaned back in her chair.
"Nothing. At least, not for now. We'll watch and see how things go."
Sienna nodded, sensing her master's intent.
"Mmm. From what I understand, it seems you wish to make that demon into your servant and convert him into this household, is that correct?"
"Yes."
Sienna's brow furrowed with concern.
"But… are you truly fine with just watching? What if someone gets to him first or worse, if another demon eliminates him because of his potential threat?"
Just because they had noticed Cassian's unique traits didn't mean others hadn't. In fact, several demon clans had already taken interest in him, whether with good or ill intent, but were unable to act openly due to the influence of the Dream God Church.
That, at least, was fortunate for Lu Zhuoxing, who had adopted the identity of the mysterious demon in question.
In the end, it seemed he had been saved by Netherealm politics!
Kaitlyn, however, appeared unmoved by her maid's concerns. Instead, she asked with a faint smile,
"My lovely maid, have you forgotten what kind of beings we are?"
"!?" Sienna's eyes widened in sudden understanding.
Noticing her reaction, Kaitlyn's smile turned cold.
"We are vampires. We are not like wolves who protect their own. If the demon named Cassian dies, it only means he wasn't as special as we believed. Don't you agree?"
In return, her maid simply smiled. "Yes, that's absolutely right."
Kaitlyn continued, maintaining her somewhat pleasant smile.
"That's good. However, I don't like the notion of someone stealing my prey. I don't care if he's under the so-called protection of the Dream God Church. I will, certainly, steal him for myself. After all, wasn't the ordeal of his Majesty, The Dream God to become stronger than himself?"
As she spoke those final words, a fierce glint of madness suddenly flashed in her eyes. Her smile grew unnaturally and her sharp teeth began to show. A bloody atmosphere began to seep from the demoness's body. Slowly, the room began to chill, as though the temperature had dropped into the negatives. The once-luxurious chamber now felt like a frozen crypt, and even Sienna could not help but shiver.
The trusty maid already understood the personality of the young mistress all too well.
Compared to other demons and arrogant vampires, it could be said that Kaitlyn Valentine had a tame, caring and kind personality. If possible, she would even go as far as to say that the mistress was a good demoness.
Nevertheless, that changed when she was being challenged or when something she loved was being threatened.
How long had it been since she had seen such an expression on her?
Shaking the thought away, Sienna suddenly remembered the real reason she had come here, and her expression turned serious.
"My lady, I have important news to deliver."
Kaitlyn raised a brow.
"Important news? Is it from the surface world?"
The maid nodded. She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking the devastating words.
"It seems the stronghold of the Fulmin Clan has been completely wiped out by the Inquisition."
"!?"
At once, Kaitlyn froze in shock, her body stiff like a statue. A long silence followed, and then, in quick succession, her expression shifted; first confusion, then rage and finally, sadness.
All of this erupted within her at the mere mention of the word 'Inquisition.'
To summarize everything, the Inquisition was a powerful organization created by the Vaticans of the Saint Shinto Church to hunt the unholy. Just as demons wielded demonic power (魔力) and magic (魔鬼道), the Inquisition used holy power and sacred chants to inflict permanent damage on all demonic species.
This so-called holy power was drawn from the 'faith power' generated by worshipping the Saint Shinto.
Furthermore, they employed a ranking system distinct from the demons' Cycle of Destruction. Known as the Seraphic Order of Sanctity, it classified special individuals based on the strength of their faith in the Saint Shinto. Even so, it mirrored the structure of the Cycle of Destruction, with the Ninth Order representing the weakest rank and the First Order, known as the Saint, being the strongest, matching the Demon King's territory.
It was general knowledge that in direct combat, a Saint Shinto priest held the advantage over a demon, empowered by their sacred authority. This supremacy stemmed from the fact that the Saint Shinto was a being belonging to the Order Zero known as the "Oldest Sun God", the human savior who once led humanity to overthrow the dominion of the Ancient True Gods during the Third Epoch.
For this reason, the Inquisition remained a persistent and troublesome threat to demons, forcing most to retreat into the Netherealm, save for a few bold and powerful vampires who dared to walk the mortal world.
Even so, the priests of the Saint Shinto Church were relentless, rooting them out wherever they slipped up. And now, it seemed their gaze had fallen upon the Fulmin Clan. If it had been any ordinary vampire noble house, it would've been of little concern. But to Rose's dismay, this was the clan where one of her childhood friends belonged.
Gritting her teeth, Kaitlyn spat her words like venom.
"Those damn dogs of the church. If I get the chance, I'll rip them apart and feed them their own entrails!"
Sienna spoke worriedly.
"My lady, I understand you're angry and have every right to do so but please... don't do anything that might endanger your life, especially given your status."
Kaitlyn clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Tsk. You think I don't know that? Don't worry, I'm not some naive child."
She drew a deep breath, forcing herself to calm, then exhaled slowly. Turning her head, she asked,
"Has it been confirmed? Did Tasha fall as well?"
Sienna shook her head.
"No, my lady. Upon investigation, we found the human servants and maids slaughtered, along with several lesser vampires. But Mistress Tasha's body wasn't among them. It appears she survived the ambush and is now in hiding."
Kaitlyn exhaled in relief.
"That's… a relief, I guess. But the Inquisition is getting bolder, attacking the property of a noble clan? Are they seeking death?"
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "In any case, we'll have to avoid the surface until things settle down."
"Understood. I'll see if I can gather information about Lady Tasha's whereabouts."
"Please do."
With the message delivered, Sienna gave a slight bow and turned toward the door. Halfway there, she paused, tapping a finger to her lips with a soft "Ah~" as something else came to mind.
"Also, my lady, Countess Scarlett has requested your presence at the training ground."
Kaitlyn stiffened. Her face twisted in a grimace before draining of color completely.
"No, no, no! I'm not training with that monster ever again!"