The Brokolak Clan (3)
Swoosh
"Gasp!"
Heinz, unwilling to delay any longer, grasped the nape of the subdued Frizia with one hand.
As his five fingers deeply penetrated her slender neck, blood flowed out through the wound.
In this manner, Heinz injected "Purified Blood Essence" directly into her bloodstream where it touched.
"Argh! You! What on earth are you doing...!"
Was it indeed blood control?
Even while subdued, she managed to control her own blood, isolating the blood that had come into contact with Heinz's "Purified Blood Essence" to prevent it from spreading throughout her body.
Her ability to respond to the situation was commendable.
'Of course, it's futile resistance. Let's see how long she can last.'
The continuous injection of "Purified Blood Essence."
For Frizia, already weakened, there was nothing she could do about it.
Moreover, since it entered through a vital spot like the neck, there was a limit to continuously controlling the blood there.
"Ugh..."
Eventually... the anomaly starting from the neck quickly spread to her brain and heart, and from there, it diffused throughout her body.
'This madman! Forcing his own blood into me! What on earth is he planning...?'
Why go to such lengths instead of simply killing her gently?
The introduction of blood, especially from someone stronger than her, would cause severe mental contamination.
Sure, she might become slightly stronger, but going insane would render it meaningless.
'Could it be, he intends to use me to destroy the capital?'
Otherwise, there was no need to go to such lengths.
Blood is the source of a vampire's power; why would he complicate matters by expending his own power?
'I won't let it go his way!'
Originally, it was impossible to affect a true-blood like her with such a small amount of blood.
However, for some reason, the blood that entered her body was continuously affecting the surrounding blood, changing the vampiric factors.
Feeling her blood heat up and pain surge throughout her body as if venom had entered, she clenched her teeth and struggled to maintain her sanity.
Crack Snap!
Instead of mental contamination, an inexplicable change was happening in her body.
'...What is this? Was the effect of cannibalizing one's own kind this beneficial? Or, is it not just an increase in blood magic?'
Frizia, who had mastered control over her body over many years, quickly realized.
Her physical abilities, including strength, agility, and flexibility, had explosively grown.
Not only that, she became much better at handling her blood magic, and its efficiency was on a completely different level.
Her mind, focused on countering mental contamination, finally began to objectively analyze the situation.
The blood introduced from outside caused the vampiric factors within her to mutate en masse.
...It was a change so dramatic it could rather be called an evolution.
And then, the words Heinz had said came back to her.
'Have you no desire to follow me? I can make you much stronger than you are now.'
It seems his words were not madness after all.
"You! What on earth have you done to me...?"
Frizia, looking perplexed, continuously examined her transformed body.
Her mind remained clear, and now she felt no pain.
And without any sense of foreignness, she was much stronger than before.
Heinz observed her closely and quietly nodded his head.
'Fortunately, it works on true-bloods as well. It did consume quite a bit more of the "Purified Blood Essence" compared to others, but compared to the effect, that's nothing.'
He had been on edge, ready to deal with her immediately if it didn't work, but fortunately, a subservient relationship seemed to have been smoothly established.
"It seems you're alright now. Then, shall we get up from here?"
"What exactly are you planning? Just because you did this, you think I'll follow you..."
Frizia, who had been coldly staring at him, obediently stood up from her seat.
"Ah...?"
It seemed she finally noticed something odd, looking back and forth between her body and Heinz.
Then, as she suddenly stretched out her arm towards him, she froze in place as if she had turned to stone.
'She must have realized. But now, she can't attack me.'
That was the basic effect of 'blood subservience.'
"How... Why? How can you? What?"
No matter how hard she tried, her hand wouldn't move further. Having checked it herself, Frizia was plunged into confusion.
It was a natural reaction for someone of the Brokolak's true-blood, who had become subservient to someone she met for the first time today.
***
"Now, we can have a calm conversation."
"How... How is this possible? Even with holy blood, this shouldn't be possible..."
No, it seemed she was not yet ready to engage in conversation.
"Focus on the conversation, Frizia."
"Ah!"
Only then did she prepare to listen attentively to Heinz, meeting his gaze, and he nodded in satisfaction.
As he had done before, he revealed his intended status and persuaded her that following him would grant her greater power.
Of course, her reaction was as negative as expected.
"Brokolak is one of the 'Origins of Bloodlines.' Moreover, it's one of the few bloodlines that still has holy blood remaining. And you, a distant relative, intend to rule it?"
Unexpected information also emerged.
I knew Brokolak was a source flowing from the beginning, but I was unaware of the story of holy blood.
'After all, I only received about a week's worth of education as a remnant.'
I hadn't had access to such high-level information before, but now things were different.
"Tell me more about this holy blood."
"Ugh... So..."
The holy blood, also an ancestor of the Origin of Bloodlines.
They were beings of immense power, named just as grandly, but over the long years, one by one, they disappeared, and it's assumed only a few remain today.
The succession of holy blood was extremely difficult, which is why its power hadn't properly passed down to later generations.
"Is there anyone who has succeeded in inheriting the holy blood?"
"...Decades ago... I heard that a lord from the Yufersh clan had succeeded. I'm not sure if it's true..."
I had heard of the Yufersh clan during my education.
It was said to be one of the top clans in Outerica, along with Brokolak.
'But from her cautious tone, it seems that they might be a stronger force.'
"And our ancestor, 'Brokolak,' has been in slumber for a long time, waiting as long as possible for a successor to whom he could pass on his power."
This was information only the true blood of the clan could know.
However, even they kept the location of the slumber a secret, so she did not know where the holy blood lay dormant.
"But if the awakened holy blood finds out that his lineage has passed to a distant relative... You, you won't die a peaceful death!"
"So, he's in slumber for now. And no one knows when he'll wake up?"
"Uh... It was a means to endure for a long time in the first place. Only he knows when he will wake up, but it won't be anytime soon."
Then it didn't matter.
Whenever that gentleman wakes up, by then, there wouldn't be any need to worry about it.
Now, it was time to persuade this woman.
To easily reach the Lord of the Brokolak Clan, her active help was needed.
"So, Frizia. Are you satisfied with the current situation?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Living a life hiding to avoid being discovered, unable to proudly reveal who you are, constantly anxious under the scrutiny of the religious order."
Frizia's face hardened.
While gathering other vampires under my command and collecting information, I had heard a lot about her.
The side of her I came to know through them.
Of course, it's risky to make assumptions based solely on what others have said, but one thing was clear.
She longed to live proudly in the sunlight.
Despite being a true-blood, frequent outings under the uncomfortable sun.
Indulging in luxury through expensive shopping, forming relationships with humans through frequent social gatherings.
And through that, enjoying the flattery and admiration of those around her, living the life of a human.
But all of those were no more than precarious illusions that could disappear at any moment.
She must have been acutely aware of that fact.
Having had to abandon everything she had built up until now and create new identities several times.
"But, that's an unavoidable problem! We are a race that cannot step into the sunlight by nature."
"Who decided that?"
"...The perception of humans and, practically, the judgment of the Church..."
"Why should we be afraid of the Church?"
"Because they are powerful! How many in this continent can oppose them? Unless you're on the level of an empire or a Magic tower alliance, there's no chance!"
Even those entities maintain a favorable relationship with the Church, so effectively, it's as if they don't exist.
Heinz nodded at her response and spoke.
"So, you're saying we lack power."
"...I acknowledge that your abilities are impressive, but this isn't a problem that can be solved just by a few becoming stronger."
"What if it's not just a few?"
"What do you mean?"
He looked at Frizia with a small smile on his lips.
"For example what if all the vampire clans on this continent could come together and unite their strength?"
"That's impossible! That's nonsensical..."
"Why is it nonsensical?"
"Each clan is an independent organization. Proper cooperation is unlikely, and at every turn, they will unite or divide based on their interests, and it would quickly collapse."
Heinz still smiled and slowly nodded his head.
There wasn't a single thing wrong with her words.
"Right. Then, what if... there was a Lord with absolute power, capable of controlling all of them?"
"Ha! That's impossible, even for a holy blood... I... mean?"
Frizia's voice trailed off with a sense of dj vu.
Of course.
That was the same thing she had muttered to herself shortly after becoming subservient to Heinz.
Looking down at her, who was staring at him with a dazed expression, he leisurely continued.
"That's my ability. Through this blood, I can unite all the vampires of this continent under me... into one. And all of them will become stronger, just like you."
"Ah..."
"How long are you going to live in hiding? Without the unity of the already few vampires, you will always be oppressed."
Frizia's eyes wavered.
It was clear she was conflicted.
"Then, what about our Brokolak..."
"Of course, Brokolak, being the first force to come under my command and the origin of my blood, deserves its due treatment."
She was almost convinced.
This was the end.
"When I become the king who reigns above them, you too will enjoy glory by my side."
And so,
Frizia Brokolak completely submitted to Heinz II.
***
Deep within the mansion of the Duke of Bright in the Kingdom of Talia,
A man sat in a large armchair in the dark, receiving a report from a middle-aged man.
Mullo Brokolak, the Lord of the Brokolak Clan, lightly swirled the wine glass in his right hand and looked at the man who had just finished his report and respectfully stood up.
"So, the situation is turning out to be quite ambiguous."
"Yes. In fact, they are seeking our cooperation regarding him."
"Hmm, the Immortal King has resurrected, they say..."
"From what I've gathered separately, the atmosphere within the Church is quite unusual lately. It seems to coincide with the time when the elite of the order were hastily moving through our temple. Something went wrong then."
There was confidential information secretly shared only among the upper echelons of various forces by the Church.
It was about the resurrection of the Immortal King and urging to prepare in advance, along with a message that a meeting for a more detailed discussion would be held soon.
"Keep trying for now. The Immortal King is one thing, but we can't just let the Church grow stronger."
"Yes, I'll consult with the nobles under our command. My Lord."
"You may leave."
"Have a peaceful time."
The middle-aged man, who had bowed cautiously and quietly left the room without making a sound, wiped the cold sweat from his brow and swallowed the sigh rising in his throat.
Even a sigh was not free in this place.
This mansion, though named after him, was not his to do as he pleased.
As the middle-aged man, the real power behind the Kingdom of Talia, Duke Bright, quietly crossed the hallway, he stopped upon seeing people approaching.
"Lady Frizia, greetings."
"Oh! Isn't it Father? Are you well? It seems you were reporting to the Lord."
Frizia's cover identity was as one of the Duke's daughters, and she always addressed him as "father" whenever she saw him.
Of course, this formality was nothing but a burden to him, who would have preferred her to speak informally.
"Yes, I was just on my way back from reporting about the Church matter."
The Duke glanced at the person beside her.
Though a complete stranger to him, the Duke did not show it and bowed slightly before stepping aside.
With the true blood of the clan, Frizia, by his side, he had to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to any matter.
"I'll go see the Lord now. Father, you should go in and rest too."
"Yes, then I'll be off..."
The Duke bowed again and exited the corridor.
And the two who passed by the Duke,
Unhindered by anyone, entered deep into the mansion where Mullo Brokolak was.