Obese Marquis

　　In the Duke clan, in Foggasak City, at Marquis Arthur's castle, Princess Stephanie had returned. 

　　Surrounded by her maids, she was making her way to her chamber. 

　　As soon as she stepped back home, the princess transformed entirely; gone was her sulky demeanor. Her stunning face radiated an innocent smile, and the light in her aquamarine eyes sparkled brilliantly, enhancing her already breathtaking beauty! 

　　"Hurry, hurry! Move faster!" 

　　She rushed ahead while turning back to urge her maids. 

　　The maids exchanged glances, sighing inwardly… Oh, princess, after wandering around for so long, weren't you even slightly captivated by the splendor and beauty of the outside world? 

　　Yet upon returning home, you seemed eager to dive immediately into a sea of books. 

　　The true nature of a homebody was laid bare! 

　　… 

　　Creak— 

　　Stephanie excitedly pushed open the door to her room, and what greeted her was a dozen empty bookshelves… Her smile slowly faded, and she suddenly felt unhappy. 

　　"Ahhh! How infuriating! Why hasn't Father returned my books yet?" 

　　Her beautiful brows furrowed, and she placed her small hands on her hips, her lovely eyes icy with frustration, her adorable silver teeth clicking together in agitation. 

　　"The head of the family is busy with official duties; he may have forgotten," a countess maid gently consoled her, knowing that the book-loving princess must be in an extremely foul mood, teetering on the edge of a meltdown. 

　　"You go! Bring my father here! He's been caring less and less about me; taking my books is like taking my life! He's gone too far!" 

　　Stephanie pouted, tears welling up in her eyes… Poor baby felt so wronged. 

　　She had gone along with her father's wishes to attend the ball at Hurst Castle, yet her hundreds of thousands of romance novels were still missing. 

　　"Stephanie! My precious daughter! You're back?!" 

　　Suddenly, a frantic shout echoed through the air. 

　　A shadow shot through the room as if breaking the sound barrier, entering almost instantly, leaving the surrounding maids stunned.

　　"Oh~ Ancestor Caitlyn, thank you for blessing my daughter." 

　　A plump, spherical figure enveloped Stephanie in a warm embrace, treating her like a precious piece of flesh. 

　　This large, round figure was none other than the head of the Duke clan, Marquis Arthur! 

　　"Ugh~ Father, let go of me! You… you're too fat; I can't breathe!" 

　　Stephanie struggled wildly. 

　　She was clearly displeased with her father's actions. 

　　Mainly because Marquis Arthur was indeed enormous, standing at nearly six feet three inches and weighing eight hundred pounds! 

　　He was essentially a ball-shaped being! 

　　But one should never underestimate this rotund marquis; his power was formidable, ranking among the top three terrifying strongmen among the heads of the seven major clans. 

　　His obesity was a result of practicing a high-level bloodline secret technique. 

　　"Ahem, alright!" 

　　Marquis Arthur quickly released her, the flesh on his face quivering like waves, revealing an awkward smile. "I'm just glad you're alright; I was so worried." 

　　Stephanie pouted, clearly unhappy. "Who said I'm fine? I have problems!" 

　　"What?" 

　　Marquis Arthur's expression turned furious. "Did that maniacal assassin hurt you? Where? Let Father take a look!" 

　　"What assassin?" Stephanie shot him a glare, indignantly huffing, "Just because I'm not physically hurt doesn't mean I'm fine! I'm upset; that counts as a problem too! I went to the ball to please you, so please return my books to me, or I'll really be mad!" 

　　"Okay, okay." 

　　Marquis Arthur nodded eagerly, then turned to the nearby maids, his voice regaining its usual authority. "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and bring back all of Stephanie's books!" 

　　"Yes, sir!" 

　　Several maids immediately left to carry out his orders. 

　　Though both Arthur and Devis were heads of the seven royal clans, it was evident that their personalities were vastly different. 

　　Devis was notoriously mad, while Arthur, in front of his daughter, was like a playful child! 

　　…

　　"By the way, what did you just say about an assassin?" 

　　Stephanie suddenly remembered and asked curiously. 

　　Marquis Arthur's expression turned extremely serious as he replied in a deep voice, "You probably don't know yet, but shortly after you left Hurst Castle, Hurst Jerome was assassinated. The assassin was a marquis-level vampire!" 

　　"Ah?" 

　　Stephanie couldn't help but exclaim, startled by the news. "That arrogant Count Hurst is… dead? Just like that?" 

　　She felt a shiver run down her spine and instinctively recoiled. 

　　Arthur nodded solemnly and said, "That's why I was so worried about you, fearing you might be in danger. After all, your personal maids could never match a marquis in strength… Thankfully, you're fine." 

　　Hearing this, Stephanie puffed out her chest with a sense of pride, raising her delicate nose. "Now you see the benefits of staying at home, right? Hmph! Let's see if you dare let me go out again. The day I get assassinated, you'll be left holding my corpse, crying and regretting!" 

　　"Sigh—" 

　　Marquis Arthur looked at his precious daughter with a doting gaze, then suddenly sighed deeply and said softly, "Stephanie, while I don't want you to be buried under piles of books every day, the situation in Poshia is indeed unpredictable. It's best if you don't venture outside." 

　　"A few years ago, the heir of the Joseph clan, Count Harold, was wiped out by a mysterious assailant, and to this day, the culprit has not been found." 

　　"And now another heir of the Jerome family has been assassinated… I suspect these two incidents are the work of the same person. This individual targets heirs of our royal families, and naturally, you could also become a target!" 

　　A fierce glint flashed in Arthur's eyes. "My choice to keep you in my castle all this time was right. I never agreed to let you live alone outside. Look at how Harold Joseph and Hurst Jerome ended up as cautionary tales!" 

　　In fact, that was true. 

　　If those two had stayed in their family's castle like Stephanie, it would have been nearly impossible for Caesar to kill them. 

　　"Father, you don't need to worry about me. I never offend anyone, so who would want to kill me?" 

　　Stephanie sensed Arthur's concerns and smiled to reassure him. 

　　"Ha ha ha! Stephanie, you underestimate me too much. As long as he dares to come, I'll make sure he never returns!" Arthur chuckled heartily, feeling reassured. 

　　…

　　The next day, Caesar walked along the bustling streets shrouded in night, surrounded by a lively crowd. 

　　Nighttime was when the vampires were most active. 

　　He made his way toward Marquis Arthur's castle. 

　　"Getting into the castle is simple, but taking the key from Stephanie right under the nose of a Six-Winged Marquis… that's quite a challenge." 

　　Caesar began to ponder his plan. 

　　In truth, the prince's tomb wasn't an absolute necessity for him. Comparatively, he preferred to find a quiet place to cultivate his skills. 

　　Moreover, Stephanie was the daughter of the old count. 

　　Even if Caesar wanted the key, he wouldn't resort to theft, force, or deceit. 

　　"Though the key is used for unlocking, for Stephanie, it's the only keepsake left by her parents, holding significant meaning… So if I want it, I must take it openly, allowing her to willingly hand it over to me." 

　　Caesar lifted his gaze to the imposing castle before him, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth. 

　　Princess, it seems we are to meet again!