Chapter 650: Ever Renewed, Immortal

Hearing this greeting that others could not understand, but that made the person involved feel deeply chilled, Thales uncontrollably twitched the corner of his mouth.

Katerina Corleone...

The terrifying night in the birch forest seven years ago returned to his mind, and Thales had no choice but to use all his strength to resist the urge to touch his neck.

Li Corleone bowed again, respectful and proper, yet giving off an inexplicable chill.

"Forgive me. For reasons known to all, I can only visit Emerald Palace on suitable nights, and thus came late to pay respects."

Zayen looked at Thales, then at the vampire count before him, thoughtful.

"Good. Very good. Extremely good." Thales coughed. "Well, Her Majesty Katerina and I..."

"Admire each other, with everlasting friendship," Li said decisively, allowing no dispute. He took a letter from his chest. "I present her letter here."

Admire each other.

Everlasting friendship.

Thales bit his lip. With complicated feelings, he squeezed out a smile and reached out to accept the letter under Zayen's strange gaze.

"Her Majesty also had me bring one sentence," Li seemed to think this was not enough. "The Inner Sea agreement remains remembered and unforgotten."

Thales's expression stiffened.

"Inner Sea? What Inner Sea?" Zayen could not help speaking.

Sunset, could he stop being connected to these blood-drinkers?

"This, uh..."

The prince looked at the blood fang emblem on the letter and chuckled.

"I do not need to read it now, do I? Do I need to reply after reading? Which side should I send the reply to? Is there a fixed letter crow? Or a directional stone in a crow house?"

But Li turned directly to the other side and ignored him.

"Zayen Covendier."

The Duke of the South Coast nodded gently in response.

"Count Li, or regent."

"Good, understood." Thales, ignored by everyone, muttered quietly. He shook the letter in his hand and silently retreated to his seat on his own.

Li stared at Zayen. His gaze was especially cold and seeped out an inexplicable pressure.

"Over the past three hundred years, many dukes in Jade City have borne this name. I have met two of them."

But Zayen seemed unaware, his smile unchanged.

"And I have long admired your great name, Count Li beneath the Blood Sea Throne. My family has records: you are the most self-restrained Corleone. Human blood before you, yet you remain unmoved."

"I roughly know where such records come from." Facing praise, Li was unmoved and answered coldly. "I only hope you do not act like your great-grandfather, who invited me to a banquet, yet arranged eight menstruating girls to serve wine and food at the feast just to see a vampire lose control from thirst."

What?

Thales frowned and looked toward the duke.

Zayen coughed and quietly said to Thales:

"My great-grandfather was only nineteen then, and he was severely punished afterward."

Thales narrowed his eyes.

"In short, this shows that our two families have a long friendship and rich history." Zayen quickly skipped over the awkwardness and went straight to the point. "But because of some trivial matters seven years ago, the Covendiers and Corleones have not communicated for a long time. This cannot be called anything but regrettable."

"Trivial matters?" Thales muttered quietly, unsurprisingly receiving Zayen's angry glare.

"Indeed, Your Grace," Li nodded, his words without any fluctuation. "Her Majesty the Queen especially regrets it, especially that she almost lost her throne, and even her life."

Thales nodded solemnly from the side.

Zayen was somewhat speechless, but he quickly picked up a wine cup with one hand, blocked the face Thales was making beside him, and sighed long.

"Yes, I apologize for the accident back then, Count. For this, I am willing to compensate you, but I also know no compensation can repay it... However, long-term separation harms both sides and benefits neither, especially when we stand at two ends of the best trade-wind circuit on the End Sea..."

Before Zayen could finish, Li spoke again:

"Therefore, Her Majesty believes that before the two families resume contact and restore cooperation, we must first settle old debts and clear away grievances."

After speaking, he stared straight at the Duke of the South Coast.

Settle old debts and clear away grievances.

Zayen frowned.

But in the next second, he changed face and laughed loudly.

"That is only natural! As you can see, even His Highness Thales, one of the parties present back then, has already buried the hatchet with me and shares a table and drinks with me..."

"What?" Thales poked his head out, incredulous.

Zayen smiled and turned his wine cup, blocking Thales's face from sight again.

"Then between our two families, the Iris and the Blood Fang, what old resentment cannot be untied?"

What?

Thales widened his eyes.

You can do it like that?

Your skin can be that thick?

This time, Li remained silent for a long while. His gaze was quiet and dead, made even more unsettling by the lively banquet around them.

But in the next second, Thales's vision blurred.

What was going on? The prince was startled and instinctively awakened the Sin of Hell's River inside him.

"Cecil!"

Zayen's voice rang out, stern and alert.

When the voice fell, Thales came back to himself.

Only then did he discover that at some unknown time, Li had acquired a cup of wine in his hand.

Beside Zayen, Butler Ashford frowned at the wine tray before him. One cup was missing from it.

"Please do not be nervous, Your Highness, Duke," Li said expressionlessly. "I was only thirsty and took a cup of wine."

Zayen stared warily at the vampire and took a deep breath.

Several seconds later, he waved behind him.

Behind the duke, Knight Cecil, who had appeared at some unknown time, snorted angrily, sheathed his sword, and sat back down.

The surrounding guests continued drinking as usual, and the music remained heated. It seemed no one had noticed the danger in that instant.

In the distance, Mallos lowered his fist, and several familiar faces from the Star Lake Guards seeped back into the crowd.

Li raised the wine cup and slowly drank it empty, then slowly put it down, seemingly deliberately avoiding a repeat of what had just happened.

Zayen merely watched him quietly and waited for a response.

"Then I am willing to believe in Covendier's sincerity and wait and see," finally, the vampire with a Far Eastern face slowly spoke. "I hope your compensation is sufficient."

When his voice fell, Zayen exhaled in satisfaction, while Thales sighed in regret.

"No problem. We can discuss anything. Mithril crystal, everlasting oil, or other things. You should know, the End Sea is very large."

"Very good." Li bowed to the Duke of the South Coast. "With a wise lord such as you, the Covendier bloodline will surely rule forever."

Zayen put his smile back on, as though he had forgotten what just happened.

"May the Corleone family bloodline also rule forever."

"Turning enemies into friends. Truly moving." Thales said sourly from the side, drawing Zayen's displeased gaze again.

But just then, when everyone thought the tension had passed and the threat was gone, Li's head instantly twisted like a puppet turning, looking to the left.

"Li Corleone, capable general under the Night Lord. What a surprise!"

Thales and Zayen were both startled. At some unknown time, a young noble around twenty years old, dressed in luxurious clothes, had appeared beside Li, his face full of pleasant surprise.

This young man was handsome, with a bright smile. His brows, eyes, and facial lines had clearly been carefully groomed, and his eyes were bright and full of spirit.

He held a cup of wine, but Thales noticed that the surface of the wine in the cup was perfectly still.

"Bad," Zayen frowned and whispered.

"What is wrong?" Thales whispered to him, but received only a shake of the head in response.

The young man smiled broadly. Casually, he sat down beside Thales and lifted his wine cup.

"How has the Nightwing King been lately? Have you found him? It has been two hundred years. Is he sleeping in seclusion or out for a walk? Do not tell me he was caught by the Sunlight Temple. Of course, if he was tricked by vampire hunters..."

"You are not qualified to speak with me, junior."

Li spoke in a low voice. His speed was not fast, but it interrupted the young man at just the right time, and there was a faint warning in his words.

"Bring your mother, or old Mavolo, and it would be about enough."

The handsome young man's smile stiffened.

"Tsk, tsk. Age discrimination really harms people."

He looked at Zayen and Thales, shrugged helplessly, then looked back at Count Li.

"But please rest assured. I will certainly bring these words to my mother and the old speaker's grave, or into the grave."

Li did not answer. He only coldly watched this uninvited guest.

Thales was unrelated to the matter, but watched the situation with interest.

Zayen clearly knew the young man and cautiously reminded:

"Yannick."

But the young man named Yannick seemed not to hear. He leaned forward and stared at the vampire before him without restraint.

"Be careful, Lord Zayen. These are the famously mad and violent lower seven branches of the Night Kingdom. Once they get angry, Jade City will bleed."

Li's gaze sharpened.

"Gentlemen!"

Zayen raised his volume, his smile unchanged.

"Today is the Strife Banquet, one of Jade City's most celebratory days."

Yannick and Li looked at each other.

"Ha, only a joke. After all, in this city," Yannick laughed, "who would have the ability to make the Iris bleed?"

Li snorted coldly.

Zayen breathed a sigh of relief.

But the young man suddenly turned back and extended a hand to Thales.

"My name is Yannick, Your Highness Thales, from Feast Fief."

Thales could only return the courtesy and take the other party's hand.

"I am Thales Jadestar... oh, your hand is truly cold. Wait, Feast Fief?"

Thales remembered something and instinctively released the other party's bone-chilling hand.

"Yes, correct. That is why I can only come at night as well." Yannick smiled faintly and withdrew his hand, not offended.

He looked toward Li, his meaning pointed.

"And am equally unwelcome."

Feast Fief.

Thales's smile disappeared. He thought of Western Continent geography. Feast Fief and Wild Vast Mountain were both locations on the Golden Corridor, adjacent to the city-state of Revol. However...

Feast Fief was the mysterious territory of the vampires who remained on the Western Continent after the Battle of Eradication, managed and ruled by the Night Council composed of the upper six branches.

He was a vampire.

Thales frowned at Yannick, but the vampire did not mind at all. He smiled and spread his hands, letting Thales examine him.

No wonder he needed makeup.

Otherwise, his complexion would probably be like Li's, making anyone know something was wrong at a glance...

Or like Nicholas's dead face.

Zayen coughed and gestured toward Yannick.

"Thales, this is Yannick Holier from Feast Fief, a member of the Night Council..."

"Ah, Your Grace, we changed our name. We are no longer called the Night Council." Yannick's eyes lit up, and he interrupted Zayen. "Now, we are called the Immortal Council."

Zayen frowned.

"Immortal Council?"

Li's eyes also moved.

Yannick smiled and nodded.

"Exactly. You know, warm-blooded species always have fear and bad associations with night. They always feel darkness is evil and terrifying. In addition to long-standing misunderstandings about cold-blooded species, we passed a resolution and no longer call ourselves the Night Council..."

Li sneered, seemingly disdainful.

Zayen adapted immediately and changed his wording.

"Very good. Immortal Council. Thales, allow me to reintroduce him. This is Yannick Holier, seventh councilor of the Immortal Council, representing the Holier clan among Feast Fief's upper six branches."

Night Council, Immortal Council.

Seventh councilor.

Holier clan.

Countless terms quickly flashed through Thales's mind, but he noticed another point.

"Councilor Yannick, earlier you said warm-blooded species and cold-blooded species?"

Yannick nodded happily.

"Ah, I am very glad you noticed that, Your Highness. In the past, we liked to call ourselves 'long-lived species' and call humans 'short-lived species.' I used those words myself when I was young... but without a doubt, those are oppositional terms formed by history. They lack respect and reflect narrow and outdated thinking. It is time to eliminate them."

Yannick looked kindly at the duke and prince.

"So, you are warm-blooded species, and we are cold-blooded species. Your Highness, I believe these are more objective, more respectful, and friendlier terms, helping to eliminate misunderstandings, estrangement, and hatred between humans and vampires over many years."

Warm-blooded species, cold-blooded species.

Thales understood.

"Disregarding thousands of years of the pride of long-lived species, willingly becoming base, binding your own hands and feet, degrading yourselves," Li sneered from the side. "Simply inviting humiliation."

Zayen frowned.

But Yannick's smile did not lessen.

"Oh, is that so? But in my view, Count Li, perhaps calling ourselves 'long-lived species' is the true self-humiliation. No matter how long-lived and undying vampires may be, compared with immortal elves, isn't our lifespan still missing half?"

Thales asked in confusion:

"Which half?"

Yannick turned back and smiled easily.

"Daytime."

Thales understood.

"Childish. Naive. Ridiculous."

Li Corleone continued sneering. He said disdainfully:

"Boring games of juniors."

Zayen coughed heavily, but it clearly did not help much.

"I am sorry, but this is not childish, not ridiculous, and certainly not boring, Corleone." Yannick swirled his wine cup and shifted into a more comfortable sitting posture. "This is based on realistic political considerations."

"Political considerations?" Thales asked.

"We are different from our relatives on the Eastern Continent, Your Highness Thales. Feast Fief is a place where vampires and humans, cold-blooded species and warm-blooded species, live together and even rule together. We need to deal with the outside world, not only by sword."

Yannick smiled.

"Therefore, respect is necessary and mutual. If vampires no longer want to be called the disgusting word 'bloodsuckers,' if we no longer want to be treated as enemies by humans, if we no longer want to be isolated by the world, if we no longer want to endlessly suffer hatred and fear in a cycle of hatred, then we must change outsiders' impressions of us and change our attitude toward the world."

"Just like your kingdom. After the Battle of Eradication, the Renaissance King no longer appeared as an imperial prince, and only then could he discard the evil name of tyrants and tyranny and allow the Kingdom of Stars to stand in the Calendar of Eradication."

Thales's eyes shifted.

Zayen laughed softly, seeming helpless.

"But the world never lets that point go. Seven hundred years have passed, and they still mock us as 'imperials.'"

Li from the Night Kingdom snorted disdainfully.

"Respect is not obtained by begging humbly," this Corleone said coldly, killing intent pressing. "It is obtained through power, death, fear, and the blood of enemies, the thing on which we survive, fourth-generation junior."

"Yes, hiding in bunkers, hiding among fog, taking in utterly wicked robbers and bandits, turning the surroundings dark, terrifying, and forbidden to outsiders, then calling yourselves the 'Night Kingdom,'" Yannick mocked. "Permanently hostile with surrounding countries, endlessly slaughtering wave after wave of crusaders, living by robbery, murder, threats, enchantment, extortion, and coercion."

The vampire councilor of Feast Fief lifted his head, preparing to drink.

"That truly wins so much respect, old second-generation fellow."

But in the next second, Li suddenly reached out and firmly seized Yannick's wine cup.

Yannick frowned tightly and exchanged a glance with Li.

"Gentlemen, please." Zayen sighed helplessly. "I cherish my banquet, and I also cherish the reputations of both your sides."

Li stayed silent for a while, then slowly released the other's wine cup.

"Laughable."

"If not for His Majesty Lanly's cross-sea campaigns in the past, if not for his terrifying battle record, if not for his proving the role of vampires in large-scale war," Li said coldly, "could the relatives in Feast Fief live so comfortably on the Western Continent? Could they survive until now on the complicated Golden Corridor?"

"Look at Wild Vast Mountain's fate. After the wolf enemies, are there still werewolf communities on the Western Continent?"

Yannick pursed his lips.

"There are, I believe," the councilor said somewhat lacking confidence. He smiled helplessly at Thales. "Just... relatively rare?"

"If not for the Renaissance King founding Eternal Star City on old Shaven land, if not for Black Eye's bloody conquest over several decades, if not for the Blade King's rolling iron hooves advancing west and south," Li pressed harder, continuing, "how did the Kingdom of Stars obtain its present territory and position? By changing the name for Eckstedtians to 'good brothers of the north'? Or by calling themselves 'the harmless little darling of the empire' to the outside?"

Thales blinked.

Yannick frowned.

"But Stars is not..."

"Remember this, fourth-generation junior. Verbal and formal hypocrisy cannot change the cruelty of reality. We are still vampires, still competing with the surrounding races. Our enemies will not love us like family and live harmoniously with us just because a term has changed."

Li said coldly:

"Only war can win respect."

Yannick was temporarily speechless.

"Perhaps."

But Thales's voice rang out at that moment.

"Perhaps among those who won wars, some won respect."

"But that does not mean war can win respect."

Zayen, Yannick, and Li all looked toward him.

"Yes, Black Eye won wars. At least, he won most of them. But he did not win respect. After his death, Stars was a sea of fire, split into pieces," Thales sighed. "The one who won respect was his son, Kessel the First, the 'King of Peace.' It was his exhausting work of recuperation and the national policy of 'better to spend wealth than move troops.'"

Zayen sank into thought.

"Blade King Tomond the Second also won wars, but he still did not win respect. After his death, thieves swarmed Blade Fief, and the Western Desert was almost hell." The prince thought of his history lessons and Gilbert and could not help feeling sad. "Those who won respect were the later 'Benevolent King' Sume and 'Eight-Fingers' Horace, and even later, the Iron Thorn Queen Mother and Sume the 'Jackal.' It was their support, governance, and pacification over several generations."

Li still did not move, but Yannick's gaze toward Thales had changed.

Thales exhaled, sat properly, and looked toward the two vampires.

"What war can win is only the conditions for obtaining respect, and only one condition among many."

"But that is absolutely not respect."

Thales was firm, increasingly certain of his own thoughts.

"Never."

"If we stop there, then respect is even more out of reach."

Silence came to the seats.

"Forgive my poor sight, Your Highness," Li suddenly spoke, staring tightly at Thales. "You still resemble the Renaissance King a little more."

"Then His Highness is destined to build achievements, correct?" Yannick smiled.

Li turned toward his kin on the Western Continent and snorted coldly.

"Continue, junior. Abandon the pride of the long-lived species, indulge in comfort, willingly degenerate, bow and scrape, speak humbly. You will pay the price sooner or later."

"Those accustomed to standing high naturally think nodding is bowing and scraping," Yannick's smile disappeared. "Those who are inferior in their bones always think lifting their heads is speaking humbly."

He leaned forward.

"Which kind are you Corleones?"

"Everyone!"

Zayen finally could not bear it anymore. He forcefully interrupted their conversation and lifted his wine cup.

"How about we drink a cup? For today's gathering, this combination may be rare in a hundred years."

The Duke of the South Coast looked at Thales, then at the vampires from east and west. His gaze was stern, and his expression was full of, "Give me face."

"No need," Li snorted coldly. He glanced at Thales and turned to leave. "In any case, I am unwelcome here."

Yannick sat calmly in place and even raised his cup toward Li's back.

"Uh, that should not be my fault, right?"

Zayen, who had finally repaired relations with Corleone, sighed and stood.

"Let me see you out, Count Li," the duke said helplessly. "We can discuss resuming communication..."

Zayen left with Li Corleone, not forgetting to give Thales a warning gaze that said, "Do not ruin my party."

What?

Thales innocently spread his hands back at him.

Were you not the one who wanted me to maintain a hostile relationship with you?

"Now I know why the Iris invited me." Seeing the host and enemy leave, Yannick's smile slowly vanished. "For balance."

Thales smiled politely.

But Yannick sighed and continued:

"It is said that in the imperial era, the Nightwing King, before he had that title, when the clan called him 'Unyielding Lanly,' was the symbol of the new generation and reformers."

Thales's eyes moved.

Unyielding Lanly?

"He grew tired of the increasingly rotten rule of the vampire progenitor and the first-generation elders. He brought young clansmen, my mother among them, and took the lead in resisting the powerful Elder Council. The slaughter continued for three hundred years before they obtained freedom and new life, laying the foundation for today's thirteen vampire surnames."

Lanly rebelled against the first-generation elders and laid the foundation for the thirteen vampire surnames.

Thales nodded.

"But now," Yannick's words were full of feeling, "the Nightwing King and his clansmen have become the oldest, yet also most conservative, most inflexible vampires in the world, enemies of all."

He looked at Thales and shook his head with a smile.

"Ironic, isn't it?"

But Thales smiled faintly and shook his head.

"Common enough." The prince thought of King Nunn and felt the same. "Humans have more of it."

Yannick watched the prince and extended his hand again.

"Yannick Fraser Holier, or you can just call me Yann. It is very good to meet you, Your Highness." The young vampire's eyes were sharp. "Before my mother ends her slumber, I am the acting master of Feast Fief's Renewal Court. You are welcome to visit."

"Very good to meet you, Yann."

Thales adjusted his mood and held Yannick's hand. This time, the other party's hand was just as cold, but Thales did not reject it, much less release it early.

"Thales Selangerana Kessel Jadestar. You can also call me Thales. I am temporarily staying at Star Lake Castle. Uh, there are many small animals there, and it is dirty and messy, so I will not invite you."

"Understandable."

"Fine, I will tell the truth." Thales held back for a while and sighed deeply. "The main thing is that the hospitality budget is insufficient."

Yann froze when he heard this, then burst into laughter.

"I must say, Thales, you are one of the more special humans, hm, warm-blooded species, I have met."

"Likewise, Yann. You are also one of the special suck... cold-blooded species I have met."

"You wanted to say bloodsucker, right?"

"Sorry."

"Hahahaha!"

"Are all vampires in Feast Fief like you?"

Yann paused when he heard this.

"I certainly hope so, Thales." The vampire shook his head. "But I must also say, that would be overestimating us."

He clicked his tongue.

"Just like humans, there are always people whose mouths are full of benevolence, righteousness, and morality, yet whose bellies are full of theft and lust. Some vampires may look gentle and polite on the surface, but behind the scenes they are barbaric and bloodthirsty."

Look gentle and polite, but actually barbaric and bloodthirsty...

Thales remembered something and frowned.

"I... truly know one like that."

Yannick nodded.

"So I have always believed that whether human or vampire, when facing the self, the difficult test before us is the same: defeating our own desires."

"That makes a lot of sense."

The two were silent for a while.

"I guess Li should have left by now," Yannick said in a low voice. "My mother once said that Li Corleone could be called one of the clansmen most able to restrain himself and adhere to reason. But ironically, he is utterly loyal to the cruel and violent Nightwing King."

Thales thought of the Corleone twin sisters and nodded with lingering fear.

"Of course, perhaps he is right. The meaning of changing terms is indeed limited," Yannick sighed. "Words are pale. What brings us balance and gives us a place is only power."

"But words have power precisely."

Thales's words made Yannick lift his gaze.

"Changing terms may not help. It cannot change the power system behind them, cannot change the substance of the relationship between humans and vampires, and cannot change thousands of years of resentment and killing."

Thales thought of something and said firmly:

"But at least, in the experience of being mentioned and used again and again, it can remind every user: We have realized the predicament history has given us, and we are working to solve it."

Yannick's gaze moved slightly.

"Do you truly think so?"

Thales smiled at him.

"At worst, it is still an attitude, a gesture, an action."

"And the power of words relies on exactly this kind of utterance that many people dismiss, relying on repetition, emphasis, and explanation again and again, leaving a sound in history and carving a scratch to tell later people: We at this moment are coming from somewhere, and we intend to go somewhere, just like the story of 'Unyielding Lanly' that you heard as a descendant."

Yannick's expression slowly changed.

"Rather than holding the attitude of 'this cannot change the root,' 'it is useless anyway,' 'form is greater than substance,' 'hypocritical political correctness,' and simply rotting away, pretending to be deaf and mute, getting by day by day, or even acting nobly opposed, as if reducing the efforts of people who want to do something to worthlessness can conceal one's own cold-blooded heartlessness and numb inhumanity and make oneself seem clever."

Thales exhaled.

"Or going to extremes, treating violence and terror as faith, treating fear and disgust as respect, thinking that this can win dignity."

He was somewhat absent-minded.

"Forgive me for speaking directly, but that is the true condescension and self-righteousness."

This time, Yannick watched him and remained silent for a long time.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

He sighed, putting down his wine cup.

"That old fellow just said you resembled the Renaissance King?"

"Perhaps. I do not know. In any case, I do not look like the portraits." Thales curled his lip. "What do you think?"

"I do not know. I have only seen the Renaissance King in portraits as well." Yannick shook his head.

He gazed at Thales.

"But I have seen the wise king."

Thales froze.

Only after several seconds did he react.

"Oh. Thank you."

Yannick smiled again.

"To be honest, before I came, an acquaintance of mine hated you. Hated you so much her teeth itched."

Thales frowned.

"An acquaintance? Hates me?"

Yannick nodded.

"But after meeting you today, I dare say she is biased. It should be private grievance or personality at work, causing her to make an irrational evaluation of you."

Thales grew even more puzzled.

"She?"

Yannick smiled faintly and sat properly.

"Grand Duchess Selina Corleone, the true master of the Blood Sea Throne, self-proclaimed," the vampire before him bowed, not forgetting to raise his hands in quotation marks, "asked me to greet you. 'May dear Thales be healthy, richly nutritious, and as nourishing as ever.'"

Se, Selin...

Richly nutritious, as nourishing as ever...

Thales mechanically blinked.

Selina Corleone?

The prince shuddered in shock and stood uncontrollably.

"What did you say?"

Yannick rolled his eyes.

"She said that if you do not believe it, there is a secret phrase here. Uh, I remember it seemed to be..."

"'No blood until death'?"

Yannick scratched his head, puzzled.

"Or 'die if no blood comes out'? Sorry, I am not familiar with Eastern Continent allusions..."

But the Duke of Star Lake had no attention to spare for him.

At that moment, Thales felt his neck hurt even more.

What was going on?

After a long while, Thales finally twitched his face and said:

"Ugly, ugly face... Selina is in Feast Fief, with you?"

Yannick neither confirmed nor denied it. He happily took out a letter.

"Her letter. I wish you joy upon opening it."

Thales numbly accepted the letter and discovered a bright red lip print left on the envelope. His heart could not help seizing.

The prince pursed his lips painfully and stuffed it messily into his inner pocket, where there was already another letter. He discovered that even the style of the stationery was the same.

They really were sisters.

Sisters my ass.

Seeing Thales's expression, Yannick instantly understood.

He smiled handsomely.

"I do not know what grudge you and Grand Duchess Selina have, Thales. But I dare say it was not your fault. I do not like her either."

"But I hope we can become friends, Thales."

The vampire stood.

"I suppose no one at this banquet wants to drink with me, and the only clansman here..."

Yannick Holier of Feast Fief shook his head.

"Then we shall meet next time. At night, of course."

Thales, speechless and choked, sighed. He was listless and only felt his chest heavy as a mountain.

"All right. Goodbye."

The vampire looked around.

"Please be careful. I can feel that Jade City is full of undercurrents right now. Quite a few dirty things are here."

Dirty things.

These words changed Thales's expression. Just as he was about to ask further, Yannick winked his right eye. His footsteps were not fast, but his figure strangely flashed through the crowd in several seconds and vanished outside the door, with no one noticing.

"For this, I wish to give you the clan words of the Holier clan, one of Feast Fief's upper six branches, Your Highness Thales."

The vampire left. Only a special light laugh entered the youth's ears:

"Cycle after cycle, immortal and ever renewed."