25. The raid at the Count's Place

The troop was in front of the manor.

Freki called the doorkeepers to open the door for them.

"Open the door right now, this is his highness, Grand Duke Alaric Fenrisulfur. If you do not open these doors within the count to ten, we will just break the doors and barge in.", Freki said loudly.

"Immediately, inform the butler and the lord, I am opening the door for now.", one of the wolf gatekeepers opened the door for the knight squad and the prince standing outside the manor. And the other one of them mind linked the butler to inform him about the prince's sudden arrival.

Even though Alaric was known as an abandoned prince, still he was a royal family member who wasn't ever officially abandoned by the royal family of the wolf kingdom, given the title of the Grand Duke of Whelpstrother. And to his notorious self, they can't just ignore such a person and made him wait outside.

Hearing his voice and warning, the doorkeepers immediately sent someone to inform their master and opened the doors for them. As the door opened Alaric knights ran inside the manor. They were ordered to immediately search for the vampire as soon as they enter taking the count off guard.

Seeing a lot of knights entering the manor, the servants were astonished.

Alaric commanded the knights.

"Check every corner of the mansion, not even a single place must be left. Divide yourself into a group of six and went in different directions.", Alaric and Freki knew where the vampires must be at this time, their people in the manor already informed him but they have to pretend to search all over the manor.

The knights did as they were told to, some of the knights went to the upper floors, some went straight into the manor and some went to the backyard of the manor and its garden.

Alaric got down from the horse, seeing him Freki also got plopped down from the horse. Six of the wolves' knights were still behind them, they followed the two and got inside the manor.

The count was in his room with the countess, he got angrier as he saw them barging into his room and plopping things here and there.

"Hey! how dare you barge in my room like this? From whose order you are doing this?"

The knights didn't say anything and kept searching the room. He got infuriated with their behavior.

He was about to scream at the knights when suddenly, the Count received a mind-linking message from his butler.

"My Lord, Grand Duke intruded on our manor with his knights. He is searching for something but didn't tell me what it is, he restricted all the servants and family members including me to move."

Hearing the butler's words Count's blood boiled in anger but he couldn't say anything as they were the royal knights of Whelpstrother.

Count Rodriguez with Countess Rodriguez came out of their room, the count asked his wife to stay with the children and came to the main hall of the house.

The count saw Alaric entering his house with more men.

"Grand Duke, What's this why are your men intruding in the manor?", the count said innocently as if he didn't know anything.

Alaric took a glance at him, he can tell how astonished he was.

"Count Rodriguez someone has reported that there is a murderer hiding in your manor disguised as a servant."

Obviously, the Count knew that it wasn't the case.

"Grand Duke, how can a murderer hide in my place, my servants are chosen carefully with their background checks. There's no need for a search.", the count said with a terrified expression.

"Count, I believe in your words. But I have to be responsible for the security of the people in Whelpstrother. Even if it's just a false report, I can't let it slide easily. I will be needed your cooperation.", Alaric said with a cunning expression.

"Guards take the Count with others. And keep him there until the search is completed. And yes, Freki, don't forget to use the magic which can stop the mid-linking for a while.", Alaric said smirking.

The knights did as Alaric said and Freki cast a magic spell around.

The count tried to contact others through mind-linking but failed to do so. He knew that searching for a murderer is just an excuse he is here for something else.

"Now, if you will excuse me I would like to do what I am here for. Please take care of the count here.", Alaric said with a grin on his face.

One of Alaric's knights came running to the hall, he approached Freki and Alaric to report something.

Alaric saw him coming.

"What is it? Did you find something?", Alaric said.

"His Highness! We have found a lot of vampires hiding in the backyard of the manor. And we have found count's guard to be with them. They tried to stop us from searching an area making excuses, but when we found vampires there none of them said anything.", the knight explained everything in detail.

"Oh! my Moon Goddess! What is this Count Rodriguez? Vampires?", Alaric said surprisingly as he didn't expect it, it was clear that he was teasing him.

"His Highness! I don't know anything about it.", the Count said.

'Huh! still trying to be innocent. If that's the way you want to go, then I will make it worse.', Alaric said to himself.

"You are right Count. How can that be possible? How can there be vampires, it isn't like the Count is keeping them.", he said with a vile expression on his face.

"In that case shouldn't we go and check them by ourselves and confirm it.", Freki said.

"His Highness, if there are vampires we can't ....", the count tried to stop them.

"Then, Let's go, and Count Rodriguez you are coming with us.", Alaric said with a smirk.

Alaric step ahead with Freki and the knights dragged the Count following the two.