The First Vampire

The guards looked at each other, finally their gaze settled on a warrior fully clad in armor.

They knew that this member of Count Angler’s personal guards was the one who personally searched Duke Modewen. They didn’t know if it was an oversight, or…

Colin too noticed the direction of the guards’ gaze, and looked up at his personal guard.

The guard’s face was obscured by heavy armor, making it hard to see his expression. However, upon seeing Colin’s gaze, he immediately knelt on one knee, raising his sword above his head.

Even though he didn’t speak, his attitude was an admission of guilt.

Colin watched his personal guard with a cold gaze, hesitated slightly, but perhaps thinking of the severe consequences, ultimately took the sword from him and stabbed it straight into his chest.

The guard let out a dismal cry, then tilted his head, and was silent.

Colin waved his hand lightly with some lack of interest, and said, “All of you, leave. No one is to leak what has happened here!”

“Yes!”

When only Colin was left in the courtyard, the angry expression on his face vanished instantly.

The “killed” personal guard then stood up, completely ignoring the sword running through his chest. He removed his helmet, revealing a weather-beaten middle-aged face.

He still did not speak, merely stood quietly to the side.

Colin bent over and reached out to check Marquis Vincent’s pulse. As expected, this person still harbored a thread of life, but it was rapidly fading away.

So, he didn’t hesitate and leaned over to bite Vincent’s neck.

“Gurgling… gurgling…”

Wafts of blood-colored mist rose, condensing into mysterious and arcane patterns between Colin and Marquis Vincent.

Within the flickering bloodlight, an ancient and eerie ritual was underway.

…

After a long while, Colin lifted his head, taking a deep breath.

He finally had the time to check Duke Modewen and found that the man had utterly cooled.

This former half-elf prince was really honest, even in death, he was thorough.

Perhaps, William Modewen had really resolved to die.

Colin lowered his head, and quietly mourned for this man for a while. He then noticed Marquis Vincent’s fingers twitch slightly.

Seeing this, he quickly signaled with his eyes. The personal guard who was still standing by, the sword still in his chest, immediately collapsed onto the ground and played dead.

“I…what happened to me?”

Marquis Vincent shakily got up, seemingly still confused.

“You’re dead.” Colin said indifferently.

Marquis Vincent was taken aback. He looked at Colin, then at Duke Modewen’s corpse next to him, and finally understood. He said, urgently:

“Count Angler! This William Modewen wanted to kill me!”

After taking a few quick breaths, Marquis Vincent finally noticed the horrifying wounds on his chest and waist. He was about to ask Colin to find a doctor to treat him, but then he realized that the wounds seemed to be nothing serious.

No bleeding, no pain… It was as if the two wounds were just an illusion.

“What…what’s happened to me?”

Colin chuckled, again prompting, “Didn’t I tell you? You’re dead.”

Marquis Vincent’s face tightened, and he said awkwardly, “Count Angler, don’t joke about that…”

“I’m not joking.” Colin said with a straight face, “You did indeed die just now, and I gave you a second life.”

Marquis Vincent opened his mouth but no words came out readily.

In the past, if anyone dared to speak to him like this, Marquis Vincent would have slapped them squarely across the face on the spot, to bring them back to their senses.

But now, in the face of Colin’s “ravings,” Marquis Vincent found himself deep in thought.

He found that Colin was exuding an unnameable aura, a strength and holiness that seemed impossible to resist, even inspiring a heartfelt urge to bow and worship him from the bottom of his heart.

While a profound hatred for Colin still lay deep within his bones, it was being suppressed by an even stronger sense of reverence within him.

Moreover, Marquis Vincent had the inexplicable premonition that his life was now held in Colin’s hands; that Colin could easily grant him life or deal out death with equal ease.

His once mortal enemy had now become the master of his fate!

“What… What exactly did you do to me?” Marquis Vincent suddenly fell into a state of endless fear.

“I granted you a second life.” Colin said in a grand and lamenting tone.

Suddenly, as if something dawned on him, Marquis Vincent’s expression changed completely. As if moved by the Lord of Glory himself, all fear and doubt vanished from his face, replaced by infinite reverence and devotion.

“You are the chosen of God, the Apostle of our Lord!”

“Indeed.” Colin wore a pious expression and began to spin a tale, “I was tasked by our Lord to investigate the severed faith transmission channels in this world, and also to clean up the Church’s high ranking officials who are already corrupted.”

Now that Colin knew many secrets of the Glorious Church, naturally, he had begun to upgrade the brainwashing declarations that he had designed for himself.

In any normal situation, Marquis Vincent would never buy into such nonsense. But after experiencing the miracle of life coming back from death and discovering the irresistible holy light radiating from Count Angler before him, Marquis Vincent felt compelled to believe him.

So, the Eastern Marquis prostrated himself on the ground, kissing Colin’s toes, and said with an utterly devoted voice,

“Oh highest and supreme Lord of Glory! You have not forsaken your most devout, most humble believer! May your light shine again, illuminate all creatures, and sweep away all evil!”

Colin blinked, clearly a bit taken aback by how well these words worked.

While he was still stunned, Marquis Vincent looked up and said aloud, “What is the plan of the Lord, elected one? Please tell me, I will do everything in my power to help you complete it!”

Colin scratched the tip of his nose and said calmly, “I cannot reveal the Lord’s plan to you now. If you still remain loyal to your faith, then follow my arrangements.”

“Yes, elected one!” Marquis Vincent responded eagerly and without hesitation.

This left Colin somewhat suspicious that this fellow might have realized that his life was in Colin’s hands, and was worried that Colin might settle old scores with him, so he deliberately put on such an obsequious facade.

However, Colin didn’t continue to probe. After all, the heart is hidden behind the belly. He could easily kill Marquis Vincent by suppressing his bloodline, but he still couldn’t test whether the other party’s loyalty was reliable.

Unless he converted Marquis Vincent into a blood slave without self-consciousness.

But that would be a waste.

As for Marquis Vincent, Colin had great use for him.

Therefore, Colin changed the subject and asked, “What happened with that assassination attempt?”

Pointing to the corpse of Duke Modewen beside him, Marquis Vincent replied, “It was this guy, William Modewen, who suddenly pulled out a dagger and crazily tried to kill me! Oh right, not just him, I also felt the presence of at least a fifth order…”

As he spoke, Marquis Vincent suddenly noticed another “corpse” on the ground.

The guard that Colin had personally “killed.”

But when Marquis Vincent clearly saw the face of the guard, he was taken aback.