Chapter 340 – The Fate of the Bloodline

After finishing our mushroom-filled lunch and relaxing for a bit, I took Harold and Cynthia on a tour of the Sirius. As expected, their main interest seemed to be the bridge with its various equipment like the speaking tubes and crystal panels, but I decided to show them the cabins and corridors first.

“Theodore here. Currently in the starboard forward corridor. Can you hear me, Your Highness Stephania?”

“Yes. I can hear you, Theodore. This is the bridge. How are things going?”

“Quite smoothly.”

We exchanged conversations with Princess Stephania and Princess Adriana on the bridge using the speaking tubes installed throughout the ship. Since I was guiding Harold and the others, I had the two of them stay on the bridge to respond via the speaking tubes. As expected, both of them happily accepted the role. I could also hear Irmhild and the others’ performances and singing voices.

“This is fascinating!”

My sister Cynthia’s eyes sparkled at the conversation through the speaking tubes.

“Amazing… It’s like a mansion floating in the sky,” Harold said, his eyes widening as he peeked at the interior and cabins.

After making a round of the ship, we returned to the bridge.

“Shall we take a lap around the lake like this?”

“That sounds lovely. The scenery is beautiful too.”

When I placed my hand over the crystal orb to project the outside scenery onto the crystal panel, the siblings’ eyes widened in amazement.

I lifted the Sirius and began circling the lake at a leisurely pace. Watching the passing scenery, the siblings seemed to be enjoying themselves. I decided to continue slowly circling while relaxing.

“By the way… are monsters in this forest area not a problem?”

As the flight was stable, I was steering while sipping tea from a wooden cup when Alfred asked me.

“They rarely appear around here. Since this is Father’s direct territory, the Count’s knights patrol regularly.”

The forest near the Barony of Silun was indeed a place where monsters frequently appeared, but perhaps because of that. They had forest garrisons stationed in the woods anticipating monsters flowing in from that direction, and also had patrols from the County side.

“Is that so? Well, since these two are gravekeepers and work in the forest, I thought it would be good if they could escape from monsters using magic tools.”

“Ah, that’s true. There are barriers for monsters around Mother’s house too, but having one just in case would be reassuring. Do you have Levitation Magic Tools?”

“I brought enough for both of them as spares. I anticipated we might have someone ride the Sirius. If we run out, I can make more.”

“I see.”

Alfred came prepared with work tools, it seemed.

Anyway, if he had spares, we might as well give them to the two.

So after making several laps around the lake, I parked the Sirius again and gave Harold and Cynthia the Levitation Magic Tools, also giving them instructions on how to use them.

The Levitation Magic Tools Alfred brought seemed to be belts with magic stones embedded in them.

“Could you wear these when working in the forest?”

“This is… what is it?”

“It lets you use magic to float things. Magicians use Levitation in various convenient ways… well, you can also fly to escape in emergencies.”

Showing an example would be faster than explaining verbally. I used Levitation to jump.

I flew a considerable distance from the lakeshore, grabbed onto a branch, and leaped up into the treetops. Then I moved from tree to tree through the canopy. It requires some practice, but it’s significantly faster than running away, and by moving at height you can create distance from enemies.

“That brings back memories. When I learned to use Levitation, I was also taught to use jumping to escape.”

Princess Stephania smiled seeing this, and Rosemary seemed to nod slightly.

It’s a fundamental technique, you could say. Rosemary also used Levitation for evasion when she fought me before… So the Verdgar royal family teaches Levitation usage that way.

“Th-this must be expensive, right?”

“We made them ourselves, so the materials didn’t cost much.”

“For now, rather than considering it a gift, think of it as providing work tools to help you continue your gravekeeping duties for Mother safely.”

“Work tools…”

Harold murmured while holding the magic tool. It’s just like the mountain knife hanging from Harold’s waist. These two do their work properly and wouldn’t treat it as a toy or show it off.

“Actually, you can use it even outside of emergencies. Like using Levitation to move fallen trees.”

“Though you’ll use up magical power accordingly.”

They’ll learn to gauge that and get used to it as they use it more.

“Understood. In that case, we’ll gratefully make use of it.”

“We’ll take good care of it!”

I smiled and nodded at the siblings’ responses. They immediately began practicing with the magic tools. Well then, I should explain the usage a bit more.

“First, practice jumping and landing in an open area to get used to the sensation. Once you’re comfortable, practice jumping to grab tree branches. After that, try moving from branch to branch. When your magical power runs low, you’ll feel a unique sluggishness, so you’ll know immediately. When that happens, refrain from using it that day.”

Since the magic tool responds to your will, it’s surprisingly intuitive to use. Things like cutting Levitation during descent and falling straight down won’t happen unless you intentionally do so.

“Understood.”

“Amazing, I’m jumping so high!”

After finishing the explanations, Harold and Cynthia immediately began happily practicing their jumps.

When considering where would be most suitable to create the stone monument for teleporting to Gartner County, the hidden room in Mother’s house would be best.

Since it’s originally covered by a barrier and no one can enter without me, Grace, or Father being there, and with it being a hidden room inside that, you couldn’t ask for better security.

I went to the study with Claudia and decided to have her install the stone monument in the hidden room downstairs.

Claudia raised her hand, and as green light gathered, a stone monument was created.

“It’s done.”

“Yeah. Now we can come to the County too.”

Next is the Marquisate of Broderick. I heard there’s a temple of considerable size there, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Hmm… Patricia’s study, is it?”

Old Sigmund closed his eyes while touching the table installed in Mother’s hidden room, as if pondering something.

“Was there a large cauldron set up here?”

“Yes. Mother’s notes were also here.”

“I see…”

Valentina also had a distant look in her eyes as she said that. Perhaps she was imagining Mother in her day, doing research here and such.

After gazing around the hidden room for a while, we returned to the living room where everyone was.

Then—a communication came through on the communication device. From Auria, the Guild Master of the Termwills Adventurer Guild.

“‘Tis Auria. Is this communication working? Regarding the vampire incident in the eastern countries, I investigated the information available at the Guild and wish to report the results.”

Auria sometimes attends meetings with adventurer guilds from various regions, and adventurer guilds record and share information about what kind of monsters appear where, especially for significant ones.

So I had contacted Auria to see if she could investigate the vampire incidents east of the Marquisate of Broderick. Partly as a precaution before visiting, and also because if any vampire-related incidents occurred in the east, they might be connected to Grace’s parents.

When we stopped by the Barony of Silun, I could have asked Beryne, but investigations take time, and in that regard, Auria, who has a communication device for coordinating against demons, doesn’t have such limitations.

“Yes, the communication is working fine.”

After I replied, the response came back after a short while.

“Hmm. Then… let us get to the main point. To conclude, it seems there was quite a powerful vampire in the eastern countries. There have been many vampire disturbances since ancient times, and most importantly, records from over a decade ago mention that a noble family was involved with vampires…”

…A noble involved with vampires.

“May I hear the details?”

“One day, the family head, his wife, and even their newborn daughter suddenly went missing. When officials and retainers searched for them, they discovered the basement of the mansion. Unfortunately, they encountered the vampire who had returned and suffered significant casualties. According to survivors… the vampire was the spitting image of a portrait of a family head from many generations ago displayed in the noble house.”

“Was the original missing family head a vampire?”

“I know not. The Guild investigated that point as well. Some had seen him out in the sunlight. But according to testimonies, around the time of his marriage, he became sickly and no one saw the family head outside. The vampire that attacked the search party disappeared along with a coffin from the basement, and since then, the number of vampire disturbances in the eastern countries has visibly decreased.”

That family head from many generations ago was probably the true master of the house. Having a noble family title would make various activities easier.

But isn’t this story connected to Grace’s origins? There are too many matching elements.

The decrease in vampire incidents… probably means they fled with their entire colony after their identity was exposed. Also because they let Grace and the others escape. We don’t know how much information was leaked.

But if that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any concern about approaching the east now.

The remaining question is… where that vampire fled to—

“Were there no increases in vampire incidents in the southern regions afterward?”

I asked through the communication device.

“The south? I shall investigate.”

“Thank you. There’s no hurry.”

“Hmm. Leave it to me.”

…Somehow, it’s just a hunch, but it’s possible they fled to the south and connected with Gardinis’s cult. Virginia also seemed to be a vampire with considerable power.