Morning Call

Hmm, that's not quite right. If we must find a comparison, there is one, though it might seem somewhat far-fetched. While their positions are worlds apart, they share one common trait: they are both young women.

To phrase it this way might sound a bit harsh, but it's undeniably impure! Leaving Maya aside for the moment—there are plenty of young masters in this world who enjoy playing various games with their maids. However, Isabella is the older sister of Valed! Though Valed may not emotionally acknowledge this relationship, it is undoubtedly true in terms of bloodline. In short, it's like saying one doesn't want it, yet their body remains quite honest…

Valed shook his head abruptly, trying to banish these chaotic thoughts from his mind. He then delivered a final remark, "In any case, keep it down. I'm going back to sleep." He turned away, shook his head, and slammed the door shut with a thud.

"Am I spoiling him too much?" Isabella pondered as she gazed at the closed door, a slight sense of loss creeping over her. Could it be time to assert more authority as an older sister and make this unruly brother of hers more obedient?

However, Isabella quickly dismissed the thought. As she had said before, the playful banter between her and Valed always ended with him emerging victorious. Every time she made up her mind to discipline him, she failed miserably. After spending just a little time with him, her resolve would melt away.

With that thought, Isabella felt somewhat deflated and sighed, "I'm truly a good sister." She shot a sharp look at Maya before turning and leaving. She descended the stairs and, after stepping outside, took a carriage to the academy for her classes. As for Valed's mother, Lady Windsor, she had left much earlier to attend to her duties, not even seeing Valed.

Since Valed's father passed away early, and he was only six years old, Lady Windsor had to act in place of the lord. She was busy managing affairs in Count Castain's domain daily. However, the countess herself was not exactly adept at governance and had little experience. Despite her best efforts, the management of the territory was less than ideal, sometimes even making things worse.

Still, despite the inefficiency, no one could accuse the countess of lacking effort. In fact, she was so dedicated that one could almost say she was pouring her heart and soul into it. Valed had often considered the reasons for her relentless efforts: one was her husband's death, leaving her without attachments, and the other was her desire to safeguard the estate for her late husband and her son. Valed couldn't help but feel grateful for her unwavering dedication.

"In ten years, when I come of age, you'll be able to rest properly," Valed had once quietly told Lady Windsor. But once the heavy responsibilities were passed to him, would she be able to continue living?

Valed forced himself not to dwell on these thoughts, for, truth be told, there was nothing he could do about it.

After his brief conversation with Isabella, Valed returned to bed and managed to sleep for another two hours. He woke up reluctantly, not because he had slept enough, but because it was already noon, and his tutor would be arriving soon. It would be quite rude not to greet her.

Reluctantly, Valed rose from the bed, shaking off the grogginess, and took the hot towel from Maya to wipe his face, feeling a bit more awake.

"Maya, what time is it?"

"It's just after eleven, young master." Maya recalled clearly that shortly before Valed woke, the bell tower atop the Dekkenhof Castle had rung twelve times—the world here still followed a 24-hour day and 365-day year. For Valed, who had lived in the cosmos, these concepts held little meaning. Earth, in his time, had long been relegated to memory and legend.

Though the technological level in this world was primitive, the widespread use of magic allowed the civilizations who understood this supernatural power to create reasonably accurate timepieces. These devices were not expensive, and their craftsmanship was simple enough for a beginner in magical artifact-making to produce.

"Has it really gotten this late?" Valed complained softly, reluctantly abandoning the tempting idea of returning to sleep. As he grumbled, he got up, washed, and, under Maya's assistance, combed his pale gold hair into a ponytail, donned his clothes, and began his breakfast—a meal consisting of toasted bread, ham, fried eggs, and a vegetable salad.

Of course, a special seasoning was added: blood. After finishing the meal, Valed rinsed his mouth with lemon water and then gave Maya's neck a gentle "kiss," sucking enough blood to alleviate his thirst and replenish his magical power.

The taste of fresh blood slowly spread in Valed's mouth, giving him an almost euphoric sensation. He reluctantly released her, savoring the lingering pleasure. If there was one thing that made Valed uncomfortable about living in Sylvania, it was the vampire's inherent thirst for blood.

This craving was unlike hunger or lust—it was more akin to a dependency on a drug. Without blood, the pain would become unbearable. For vampires, this was a fatal flaw.

Yet unlike those with fragile spirits who couldn't break their addictions, vampires recognized this flaw and had made many attempts to overcome the curse, or at least minimize its risks.

Before reaching adulthood, all vampires underwent treatment—or punishment, or trials—to break their blood addiction. They were locked away, given only food and water, with no blood, for at least a month. Only those who survived this trial could complete their coming-of-age ceremony. The longer one endured, the greater their willpower, earning more respect and admiration.

The blood dragon knights of the Abehrahcin family had been the most successful in this regard. These knights, with their iron will, could live an entire lifetime without drinking a drop of blood. These ascetic vampires were among the highest-ranking warriors in Sylvania, and it was said that their ancestor once single-handedly slew a red dragon.

But these were stories from long ago. Valed was only six years old, with still six to eight years to reach adulthood. Vampires were more lenient with those still in their youth and wouldn't lock him away in a small, dark room without food.

After completing his grooming, Valed checked his reflection in the mirror, nodding in approval. The mirror reflected a handsome, somewhat sickly-looking young vampire noble. He had emerald-green eyes, delicate features, and golden hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore a white shirt with golden buttons and tasseled cuffs, a black cloak with a red underside, embroidered with a golden chalice filled with blood in gold thread on the back. He wore black trousers and boots and carried a slightly shorter sword at his waist.

This image was the unmistakable appearance of a handsome, slightly frail vampire noble, yet Valed was satisfied with it. Despite this attire being somewhat commonplace among vampires, Valed was not one to care much about appearances. Even the strange groans Maya had made earlier and the lingering blush on his face did not concern him.

At 12:30 PM, Valed's tutor, Miss Tracy, also the primary instructor for Isabella's magic courses, arrived. Valed referred to her as "a good person."

At 124 years old, Miss Tracy had been a junior to Lady Windsor when she was in the academy, and it was said that the countess had taken care of her back then. Vampire families often invited friends to teach their children, which also helped strengthen their relationships.

Had Valed's father been alive, it would likely have been one of his close friends serving as his tutor. However, with his father deceased, the responsibility had fallen to his mother, and thus, Lady Windsor's close friend was invited instead.

Valed had no particular feelings about this. He was indifferent because, as a tutor, Miss Tracy was highly skilled, which pleased him. Though initially, she had expressed some concern to Lady Windsor—before agreeing to become Valed's tutor—at a banquet Lady Windsor had hosted for her, Valed had met her for the first time.

At that time, Valed's first impression of Miss Tracy was not favorable. He thought she seemed fragile and sickly, appearing unreliable. However, after hearing Lady Windsor's introduction, Valed realized he had misunderstood.