Inside Odora's villa, Emlyn saw Cosmi, who was also a Baron like he was.
This Sanguine who seemed like a man in his prime was Nibbs Odora's spokesperson.
I'm also a Baron, and one that recently achieved adulthood at that... Emlyn mumbled inwardly. He got up from the sofa in the activity room and bowed.
"Good evening, My Lord."
Cosmi was just about to say something when his nose twitched. He then cast his gaze towards the wooden chest beside Emlyn's feet.
"The smell of fresh blood?"
As he asked in puzzlement, he seemed to connect the dots and added after a second of thought, "You killed another target?"
Emlyn curled his lips and shook his head.
"No."
Then, before Cosmi could ask further, his smile turned profound.
"Not one, but two."
Two? The middle-aged gentleman was taken aback as he watched Emlyn bend down to open the lid.
During this process, Emlyn's facial muscles winced a little as this series of actions had touched the wound on his right hand.
Holding back the change in his expression, Emlyn allowed his arm to hang down slightly, allowing the chest to tilt and reveal its contents to the Sanguine Baron opposite him.
Two charred, bloody heads were stuffed inside a pile of old newspapers. By the side were two transparent objects which resembled hearts—one red with vitality, and the other nearly black.
This impactful scene was reflected in Cosmi's eyes as he looked up in surprise, staring at Emlyn blankly as he blurted, "You did this?"
Although he had only managed to recognize one head being Galis Kevin's, but the two Vampire Beyonder characteristics couldn't be faked!
Emlyn put down the wooden chest and allowed his right hand to hang down naturally. Surreptitiously, he flicked his right hand very slightly along the corners of his trousers as he replied with a smile, "Of course.
"This is the thing: After receiving the 7,000-pound reward back then, I bought a particular Baron's legacy at a particular Beyonder gathering. With it, I advanced.
"I don't wish to use money to satisfy the murderers who hunt us Sanguine, but I didn't wish for this legacy to land in the hands of others; besides, the seller wasn't necessarily the hunter."
Taking this opportunity, Emlyn revealed the fact that he had already become a Baron. Furthermore, every word he said was the truth.
This was a technique he had learned from the Tarot Club.
I long knew that you were a Baron. Do you think your frequent purchases of all kinds of items with spirituality and the borrowing of books that explain potions would go unnoticed? If it weren't because of certain factors, we would've questioned you long ago... What I'm surprised about is your combat ability. You don't even have a single mystical item, and with you only wishing to buy dolls, it's not easy to hunt two artificial vampires without causing a commotion, even for a Baron... Even I would need to make plenty of preparations and acquire detailed intelligence before it's possible... Without anyone noticing it, Emlyn is already this strong? Cosmi Odora couldn't help but lampoon as he revealed a fake smile.
"So that's the reason...
"Emlyn, why did you hide it from us? Don't you wish to be addressed as ‘Lord' by the other Sanguine?"
Emlyn glanced at the Sanguine's expression and tilted his chin.
"I was planning on telling everyone, but since there was the hunting competition, I decided to give everyone a surprise.
"Cosmi, I've already hunted three of the Primordial Moon believers, and you gave five targets. Does this mean that I've won?"
He couldn't wait to change his form of address from ‘Lord' to ‘Cosmi.'
Cosmi's eyelids twitched as he chuckled.
"Yes, that's right. You can ignore the two other targets. Leave it to Rus Báthory and the rest. This way, they might still be eligible for a consolation prize."
Having said that, Cosmi found his attitude a little too cold, so he hurriedly asked in concern, "Were you injured?"
"A little." Emlyn raised his right arm and stretched his fingers.
To be frank, on his hunt that night, the worst injury he suffered was after he teleported out of East Borough. He had ripped apart his skin to wipe his blood across the cover of Leymano's Travels.
Cosmi didn't develop the topic as he said after a few seconds of silence,
"Congratulations on being the victor of this hunting competition. You will receive two prizes.
"First, if there's a chance to become a Viscount in the future, you will enter the final list of candidates, receiving free help for the ritual.
"Second, you will obtain a mystical item. It's a ring personally created by the Ancestor. Although it doesn't contain any godhood, it possesses potent and very mystical powers. As the Ancestor didn't name it, we all call it ‘Lilith's Ring.'
"Also, according to convention, these two Beyonder characteristics will belong to the entire Sanguine race. This way, we might be able to have two more newborns, and you would receive 3,000 pounds in cash in return."
A ring personally created made by the Ancestor... Although Emlyn was somewhat disappointed that the reward wasn't a Viscount's Beyonder characteristic, with it only being candidature and a free ritual, the ring made by Sanguine Ancestor Lilith herself was enough to put things right.
To a proud Sanguine with a sense of racial superiority, this was the highest form of honor!
As his joy was quelled, Emlyn, who had participated in several Tarot Gatherings and had completed two hunts, felt that things weren't that simple.
I was sent by the Ancestor to Mr. Fool, and now, I'm receiving a ring from the Ancestor? Isn't that too much of a coincidence? Emlyn thought for a moment and couldn't figure out the answer. He finally decided to pray to Mr. Fool later, describe the entire situation, and see what advice "He" could give him.
Noticing that Emlyn's joy had subsided and that he had remained silent for more than ten seconds, Cosmi cleared his throat.
"That ring and the cash will be given to you tomorrow.
"When the time comes, I'll summon Rus Báthory and company, officially announcing your victory in this hunting competition. Then, the ring will be given to you."
"No problem." Although Emlyn lacked the experience in such matters, he knew that "rewards" couldn't be given in private. It needed to be given in front of all the participants.
Without staying any longer, he bade farewell and left Odora's villa in a rental carriage.
As the carriage slowly drove off, Emlyn took a look at the crimson moon which was hanging silently in the sky. His mind gradually calmed as he couldn't help but recall everything that happened that very day. From that, he concluded lessons and gained experience.
Finally, he began counting how many Beyonder powers he needed to record onto Leymano's Travels.
I used all of the five Lightning Strikes... One Teleportation, one Door Opening, one Astromancy... A total of eight times. In addition to that, I need to pay two additional powers, making it ten.
This will be a little difficult. There are some Beyonder powers that probably can't be recorded; for example, my self-recovery powers... I can only repeat them... Heh, after I obtain the Ancestor's ring, I can try recording the Beyonder powers it possesses...
...
Lilith's Ring? Above the gray fog in the palace that looked like a giant's residence, Klein sat in the high-back chair belonging to The Fool as he quietly pondered over Emlyn White's prayer.
He had originally imagined that he would be woken up in the middle of the night, having to provide a particular inexperienced vampire help, but to his surprise, Emlyn had finished everything by eleven and had even "submitted" the mission in.
Back then, Emlyn prayed to The Fool because of a revelation from the ancient god, Lilith... Now, he has received "Her" ring... Regardless of who Lilith is, I need to be wary and observe... Klein seriously contemplated for a few seconds before replying to Emlyn's prayer in a staid manner, "When praying to me or participating in the Gathering in the future, take off that ring."
After giving his instructions, Klein returned to the real world. Without worrying about being woken up in the middle of the night, he slept till daybreak.
After breakfast and taking a rest, it was time for his etiquette lessons with Wahana. It was a special lesson for the ball he was hosting at his residence on the weekend.
Wahana's soft black hair flowed as the ends of her dress twirled while she led Dwayne Dantès into familiarizing himself with the opening dance.
In the brisk and comforting music, this etiquette teacher suddenly said, "I heard Ma'am Mary visited you yesterday afternoon?"
"Yes." As Klein poignantly reflected on how there weren't any secrets in the world of social networks, he nodded frankly.
Wahana nodded gently and said after two seconds of silence, "I heard that Ma'am Mary has pledged all her shares to the bank to borrow a large sum of money."
This is a warning for me to be careful, so that I wouldn't fall into a scam... The help I previously provided had not only allowed me to quickly enter the social circles in Böklund Street, but it has also continuously brought me benefits... However, Ma'am Mary's pledging of shares was to secretly acquire more shares... Klein listened in silence before revealing a warm smile.
"Thank you."
He paused and added, "I believe in the character of every friend, but in the field of business, caution is forever the first principle.
"I've already gotten Walter to hire an independent lawyer and accounting team to perform the due diligence, and come up with a proposal that can protect my interests and avoid taxes in the best way possible.
"Before that, I won't make any decisions."
Wahana raised her head a little and looked into Dwayne Dantès's deep blue eyes before suddenly sighing with a laugh.
"You truly are a wise person."
Klein originally wanted to attribute it to maturity, but thinking back to how Wahana's husband had previously been in a scam over his cloth, and he had only managed to reduce his losses thanks to him, such an answer easily made her imagine things and make comparisons. Since it would appear like a mockery, he changed his excuse and said with a chuckle, "My wisdom comes from the lessons I've received in the past."
"It's hard to imagine you being duped." Wahana chuckled as she lowered her head. "Is it due to all your experiences that you can appreciate the different kinds of charms for all kinds of ladies?"
When is this rumor ever going to end... Klein said with a helpless smile, "Every flower has something beautiful about it."
After familiarizing himself with the entire process and the corresponding dance, Klein walked Wahana out. Together with his valet, Richardson, he took up Ma'am Mary's invitation and headed for the Coim Company in Cherwood Borough.
