“I’m not good with politics. I wanted to ask you about it.” Arad said, looking at them, “And no, don’t use my firewood chopping block for that.”

Baltos smiled as he approached, “So, what is this about?”

“I hear business talk.” Alina’s lord joined in quickly.

****

Mira stood upstairs, staring down in Arad’s direction.

“What are you doing?” Eris approached her, “Ah, he’s talking with the king.”

Mira blinked, looking back at her, “Who? Arad, no, I’m not looking at him.” She shook her head.

“Come on,” Eris giggled, “No need to hide it,”

“No, really, look at the chairs behind him. They are a bit crooked.” Mira pointed.

Eris took a look, “You’re right. Now I can’t unsee it,”

“Want to help me take them out?” Mira asked, “Nobles are really picky, and I don’t want anyone noticing them, especially since this is Arad’s house, and I’m the one who made them.”

“Didn’t we check everything?” Eris scratched her head.

“They must have got crooked afterward, probably bad nails or glue.” Mira walked down with Eris on a mission to sneak some chairs out of the party.

***

Nina approached Arad’s house with Jona and her grandmother, reaching toward the door.

“Is this Baron’s Arad house?” A voice came from behind them.

Nina turned around, seeing a tall woman with long black hair, faintly glowing purple eyes, and skin that seemed to reflect the moonlight as she spoke in a gentle voice. From her clothes, she seemed like a farm girl from the village.

“You live here?” Nina asked.

“Sorry, but I didn’t get an invitation,” The woman bowed, “But, can I get inside? I just want to see him once.”

Nina stared at her for a second. She didn’t feel threatened. Not having an invitation letter while not being someone anyone knows could be dangerous.

But, with Arad’s strength and the countless world-level powers in the house, that was very unlikely.

“Fine,” Nina smiled, “But we’re informing Tina. The decision is up to her.”

“Of course,” The woman bowed again, and Nina approached the door, “Tina, are you around?”

“Lady Nina, I’m here.” Tina immediately rushed toward the door, “Did you need anything?”

Nina pointed at the woman with her thumb, “No invitation, but want to get in,”

“Arad said everyone is allowed to come in and eat. The only limitation is if it is crowded inside.” Tina smiled, “But.” She stared at the woman, “Be careful and mind your words. The king and prince almost just executed some nobles on the spot,”

“That’s scary,” The woman gasped with a wry smile and looked behind Tina at the bustling ballroom.

Jona and Nina’s grandmother walked inside as she looked back, “Come in, what are you waiting for?”

“I just got a bad feeling,” She smiled, walking inside after them, “As if something is amiss,”

“Like what?”

“Left my son alone, and his father isn’t here at the moment.” She replied, “He recently killed some bats in the barn, and I fear he might get bitten by them.”

“Bats?” Nina looked at her, “Those pesters were dealt with in this area, it’s been a while since I heard of them.” She thought, “I’m getting some people from the guild to investigate and eliminate them.”

“They are dangerous, aren’t they?”

“You’re right, they transport diseases, and that’s a problem,” Nina replied as the two of them walked into the ballroom.

****

Out in the bushes, a pale woman growled, glaring at the keep where Arad was holding his noble party.

^Don’t rush, keep calm,^ Her eyes glew red as she glared through the window, fixed on Arad. ^I don’t know if Lord Vlad survived the blast, but my mission now is clear, search and destroy.^

She looked back, ^I could kill this village and the whole of Alina to empower myself, but that would expose me. I’d lose the surprise attack.^

She took a deep breath, lying on the ground, prowling around the keep. ^Keep quiet and to the shadows, strike from the darkness and send the target to death in a splatter of red.^

She put her hands together, ^Charge it, use all that you have,^ She closed her eyes, the blood in her body rushing across her veins and bones.

^I was out on an investigation in the human kingdom. Did I survive the blast with luck, no, it’s fate.^

^The lord of murder is no more, so it’s an offering to lord Vlad, my this fool’s blood pleases you,^

***

Inside the ballroom. CLING! Kayden pushed his blade slightly out of its sheath with his thumb, his six eyes shifting aside and glaring in the woman’s direction.

Tap! Cain touched his hand, pushing the sword back in its sheath, “Well, well, calm down.”

“That’s a true-born vampire,” Kayden glared at Cain.

“There is no need for us to help this time,” Cain said, his eyes almost looking like an endless black abyss.

“Fine,” Kayden closed his eyes, “If anyone dies, it’s on you.”

The music started, and everyone started dancing. In the middle of the room. Arad moved with Aella holding his hand. One step at a time, their shadows danced over the windows.

“He’s a quick learner,” Dalla said, sitting beside the elvish queen.

“Even so, those dance moves are as awkward as I expected,” The elvish queen took a sip from her wine glass, “His big frame isn’t helping him dance with Aella. She’s far shorter and smaller than him.”

Arad spun Aella away, extending his hand to shift to Merida as she was the only one he could see in the room. Mira and Eris were busy sneaking chairs out, and Nina was on the other side of the ballroom, stuffing herself with food. Merlin is actively dodging that halfling called Lilia, and Amber is hiding upstairs as she has shifted into a small fairy.

Arad danced with Merida. Her moves were far faster than Aella’s, sharp and snappy that he could finally relax a bit. It was clear that she had far more skill at it than him.

TAP! Arad shifted from Merida, reaching with his hand to the crowds. Mira was supposed to be around. But she still didn’t get back. He intended to drag Tina or Dalla if he reached them. One is his maid, and the other is the one who taught him how to dance. 𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝘮

TA-TAP!

The black-haired woman took a step in, grabbing his hand and pulling back into the middle of the ballroom.

Arad blinked. ^Who’s she?^ That long smooth black hair and purple eyes, he couldn’t quite comprehend where she came from.

****

Outside, the vampire woman growled, ^Damn it, get out of the way,^ She growled, her blood boiling as it charged in her fingers.

^Cattle.^ She grunted, ^I could pierce through her, but that might give him a chance to dodge. I need to make sure he’s giving me his back. And that at least one of his wives is facing him so he won’t dodge and attempt to block instead.^

TAP! Each time Arad was about to get in a straight line between the vampire woman and one of his wives, the woman pulled him aside. Each of her steps looked far too strange for a dance, and he only kept up with her due to his learning speed.

“You’re quite strong, aren’t you?” She said with a smile.

“If you’re from the village then you know,” Arad replied, trying to step aside, but she pulled him toward her.

“Well, that’s true,” She giggled, “Tall, wide, and strong, you remind me of someone,” She looked around at the girls who stared at them, confused, “And you even got a lot around you.”

From the side of his eye, Arad saw Mira and Eris walk into the ballroom, so he tried to wrap the dance out. This only happened to keep it going with no one to dance with.

Arad pulled away, but the woman pulled him back into the dance by the hand, “Are you scared of me? Don’t worry,” She smiled, “Relax,”

“You know I need to go dance with them?” He stared at her.

“I know,” She replied, “I’m taking you for a while. They can wait,” She took a step, walking to his back, and then spun him back, sliding into the crowds.

Arad stopped, searching for her, but she was nowhere to be found.

“Arad,” Mira approached him, “Who was that?”

“I don’t know. I lost track of her. Did you see her?”

“She slid between the nobles, but she isn’t there anymore,” Mira looked around, “Isn’t it strange that you of all people lost track of her?”

****

The vampire woman outside smiled, her blood charged, and the perfect situation presented herself. Arad gave her his back with Mira standing right in front of his chest. He either takes the hit or she dies.

On top of that, with how strong a sense of smell vampires got toward blood, she could tell immediately, ^That woman is pregnant. That’s even more reason for him to take the hit.^

Tap! At that moment, a foot landed on her head, gently pushing it down a bit. “Who do we have here?”

The vampire turned as fast as she could, but her head got stomped to the ground.

“You! That woman,” She could see it, stepping on her face. The same woman that danced with Arad glared down at her with glowing purple eyes.

The forest burned into darkness as the stars shifted, aligning into a massive dragon eye.

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