The First Vampire

The end of October brought biting cold winds to Winterfell City.

Every gust seemed to lower the temperature by one degree.

Frost had already touched the walls of Lion Roar Castle’s, which was perched at the highest point of the city, glinting like a rainbow under the sunlight.

Although the chill had swept over the castle’s rear garden, leaving everything desolate and bare, the inside of the greenhouse still retained vibrant colors.

The greenhouse was not large, but it was intricately built with natural crystals, letting the bright sun pour through the crystal dome onto the entire room. Small holes in the copper pipes that wound around the room spouted warm steam, maintaining a spring-like warmth in the greenhouse.

Only this way could they preserve a hint of vitality in the dying autumn.

The most abundant flower in the greenhouse was the blood rose.

Ever since returning from Silver Moon City, the blood rose had become the favorite flower of the lady of the castle.

Blossoming clusters of blood roses set the entire greenhouse ablaze, like a roaring fire.

She wore a loose white dress, her swollen belly impeding her movements. Despite this, Vera declined the help of her maids, choosing to prune the branches by herself.

Her eyes were bright and focused, beads of sweat trickling down her smooth, fair forehead. Her straight, beautiful nose and slightly pursed red lips conveyed a quiet elegance, while her fuller pregnant figure glowed with maternal warmth.

After a while, she set down her scissors and carefully examined her masterpiece, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. Her pure and sweet smile was so powerful that it seemed to silence the howling autumn wind outside.

But this smile quickly disappeared.

Vera stared blankly at the blood rose in front of her, her beautiful brows knitting together again.

The maid standing by her side opened her mouth, but was unsure how to offer words of comfort.

Ever since news of Marquis Garcia’s death reached Winterfell City, Vera had been immersed in sorrow.

Knowing that her grief wasn’t good for the baby in her belly, she tried to distract herself and tried to cheer up, but the effects were always less than satisfactory.

Plop.

A pearl-like tear splattered on the bright red rose petals, shattering.

“Madam…”

“I’m fine.” Vera reached for a handkerchief from her maid, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. She caressed her swollen belly as she took deep breaths, trying to control her emotions.

Knock knock.

Just then, the room door was gently knocked.

“Come in.”

The butler entered the room, quickly closing the door behind him to prevent the cold air from entering.

“Basti, what’s the matter?”

The butler bowed slightly, saying,

“Madam, Duke St. Chapman has entered the city.”

Vera was taken aback before she remembered her husband had changed his surname, and she responded with surprise:

“So soon? Why didn’t he send someone to notify us?”

As she spoke, she quickly headed towards the exit.

But the butler dissuaded her, saying,

“Madam, the reason Duke St. Chapman didn’t notify us is because he didn’t want you to greet him. After all, you are pregnant, you should wait here at the castle. Duke St. Chapman should be arriving at Lion Roar Castle soon.”

“Then I will go wait for him at the gate of the castle.” Vera said, as she continued towards the exit.

The butler, helpless, allowed the maid to help support Vera.

Before the group could reach the castle’s entrance, they met the returning Colin.

Vera’s eyes welled up again, and she quickened her pace, throwing herself into her husband’s arms like a homing swallow.

Colin carefully embraced his wife, barely daring to tighten his hold on her, saying:

“Let’s quickly get inside, it’s windy out here.”

Vera lifted her head, tears falling like pearls falling from a broken string, sobbing:

“Where…where is uncle’s… remains?”

Colin tenderly wiped her tears away, and kissed her smooth forehead, saying:

“I rushed home as quickly as I could, but the Marquis Garcia’s coffin probably won’t arrive for two or three days.”

Only then did Vera nod, and under Colin’s support, made her way towards the castle.

“About Marquis Garcia…I’m very sorry.” Colin, with his arm around his wife as they walked through the corridor, spoke in a somber tone, “I know he felt guilt over the withdrawal from the Westland, and I had even dissuaded his attempt to commit suicide outside Storm Fortress, but I didn’t think…”

“You can’t blame yourself.” Vera leaned into Colin, “In fact, when I heard the news of the withdrawal, I suspected that my father would not be able to stick it out. He was too proud, too lonely, and carried too much burden…”

“Moreover, I increasingly feel that when my father adopted such an effective but extreme strategy, he was already prepared to atone with his life, or more so, maybe that was what he wanted. Because I’ve always felt that my father… had a severe tendency towards self-destruction…”

“Self-destruction?” Colin looked at his wife’s profile in surprise.

“Yes. Since I can remember, I’ve seldom seen my father truly laugh with happiness. Others think he has a loner nature and is hard to get along with, but from my grandmother, I learned that he wasn’t always like this.”

“As a child, he was lively and cheerful, even mischievous – a headache for my grandmother.”

“Really?” Colin blinked, clearly surprised, “So how did Marquis Garcia become… so quiet and introverted?”

“I asked the elders in the family, and they all told me that after my father went to Sky Ice Plain, he became a completely different person.”

“So, war changed him?”

“Possibly.” Vera snuggled closer into Colin’s arms, and added, “But I believe it was more than just that…”

“Oh? What do you think then?”

“I once asked my father about my mother…”

Colin raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, “Did Marquis Garcia tell you?”

Vera shook her head, “My father did not say. He only said that he owed my mother… and at that time, I could clearly feel his sorrow and guilt. I even sensed his wish to die…”

“So, that is why you think he had a tendency towards self-destruction…”

“Yes. And I’ve learned about some of my father’s experiences on the Sky Ice Plain. His behavior in the battlefield was said to be beyond brave, it was madness!”

“He had no regard for his own life, always charging to the front lines in every battle…”

Colin had witnessed this firsthand.

Perhaps Marquis Garcia’s reverence in the Dark Cavalry was due to his fearless spirit.

Looking at it this way, it was somewhat peculiar.

As a direct descendant of the St. Hilde family, Marquis Garcia had no need to risk his life on the battlefield.

Maybe it was really because of Vera’s mother, the woman Marquis Garcia never liked to mention, that turned him from a naughty young nobleman into a warrior on the battlefield.

But it was also because of Marquis Garcia’s bravery that the invincible Dark Cavalry came into existence.

“Do you think Marquis Garcia’s self-destruction tendency was because of your mother?”

“Yes.” A profound sense of loss swam in Vera’s eyes, “But what exactly happened between my father and mother… I’m afraid I will never know…”

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