The long, exhausting day was finally over. In just these past two days, Bai had already been worn out, but thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary happened in the days that followed.
After that incident, Yalbera had completely disappeared, not showing up at all throughout the day, nor did she ever use the Blood Slave Mark to summon Bai.
For the past few days, it had just been Bai alone, busying herself around the manor, including but not limited to tidying up the courtyard, cleaning the study, and studying Magic.
Although her current mastery of Gravity Magic wasn’t enough to move the heavier stones, it was more than sufficient for clearing weeds and the like.
Unfortunately, after running a few tests, Bai realized that the magic power in her body could only sustain about fifteen minutes of Gravity Magic use.
Any more than that, and she would collapse to the ground, drained of all strength.
On the fourth night, after a day of hard work, Bai lay on her bed, let out a long breath, and began to mutter to herself.
“Tomorrow I’ll finally be going back… I wonder how Uncle Skarn and Sister Aurelia are doing. I wonder if all the Knights have already returned.”
The memory of the Vampire Beast attack from a few days ago was still vivid in her mind. Blood, screams, and the despair of the dark night lingered fresh in Bai’s memory.
Especially those Vampire Beasts and Vampires—this was her first time seeing such terrifying, grotesque monsters, somehow entangled with the Blood Clan.
Even though Bai had served the Blood Clan for five years, she’d only ever met the True Ancestor and the Noble of the Blood Clan.
They were powerful and proud, nothing like the sort of people who would create those kinds of monsters. In fact, she imagined they’d be disgusted by such things themselves.
Undoubtedly, those “Vampires” active among humans must have just been ordinary members of the Blood Clan. Bai had never seen that kind before.
“But any Blood Clan that would make monsters like that can’t be good people…”
She whispered to herself, closing her eyes as she prepared to embrace the freedom of the coming day.
***
At this very moment, in the Castle of Yalbera Bella.
Aiersha stood in the castle, gazing into the distance. Her eyes were lowered, as if lost in longing.
“It’s only been a few days since I last saw little Bai, but I already feel unbearably lonely… I wonder if little Bai is doing well wherever she is, or if she’s being bullied by that person.”
She spoke with worry, sounding like a fretful old mother.
“But soon, just wait a little longer, Sister will rescue you, and then we’ll be together forever. By then, no one will ever be able to bully you again.”
She silently vowed in her heart.
And as for that Flying Lord, ever since being humiliated by Yalbera, she’d been acting like she was going through menopause—irritable to the extreme, finding fault with everything.
When Aiersha went to the human world to find her new Blood Servants—Pureblood Elves, Royal Nobles, and so on—she’d switch them out batch after batch.
Every time Aiersha brought her fresh blood, she’d just take a sip, then spit it out without hesitation and start complaining.
…Aiersha had no idea how little Bai had put up with it for so long.
She was starting to feel sorry for Bai.
Aiersha sighed in distress.
She was missing her again.
Just then, a massive black figure descended from the sky, landing steadily beside Aiersha.
It was a Black Dragon, its enormous body covered in scales as deep as the night and gleaming with a metallic sheen.
When it spread its wings, it seemed to block out the sky itself.
The edges of its wings were sharp as blades, and its crimson pupils burned like fire, as if they could pierce through anything.
Yet Aiersha remained unmoved, her face still full of sorrow as she gazed into the distance, missing and worrying about the one in her heart.
The Black Dragon let out a low rumble, its voice booming like thunder.
“Boom boom boom”
“Oh, you didn’t know? Little Bai is gone.”
Aiersha replied.
The Black Dragon seemed stunned for a moment, then rumbled again.
“The human world? Of course not. Little Bai was taken away by Yalbera. To be precise, she’s now Yalbera’s Blood Servant. I’m afraid you’ll never see her again.”
Aiersha said.
The dragon’s pupils trembled. It stopped rumbling and nearly roared out loud.
Aiersha answered casually, “Of course it was your dear Master who drove her away. She got tired of Bai’s blood, so she kicked Bai out. Your Bai, she’ll never come back.”
As her words fell, the Black Dragon let out a furious roar toward the horizon.
The sound rolled out like a tidal wave, shaking the entire domain.
It rumbled again, its red eyes blazing with anger, as if questioning her.
Aiersha said nothing more, merely raised her slender finger and pointed toward the Forest.
The giant dragon flapped its wings, stirring up a wild gale, and in the next moment, its massive form transformed into a streak of blackness, shooting straight toward the Forest.
And Aiersha, she smiled faintly.
Her plan was only just beginning.
***
The Teleportation Gate slowly opened in the Forest.
Bai poked her head out first, her eyes alert as she scanned the area.
Only after confirming there were no Vampire Beasts did she step out with relief.
She looked up. It was noon, the scorching sun burning her skin, but the long-missed warmth made her whole body feel comfortable.
“The Blood Clan’s Domain never sees the sun. Bai almost suffocated in there.”
She took a deep breath and looked around. She vaguely remembered this was an area near the Camp.
She’d clearly left from the Camp, so why did she end up here upon returning? Does that mean the Teleportation Gate’s location might shift a bit?
She shrugged—no big deal anyway. Bai then headed off in the direction she remembered.
First things first, she needed to check if they were still at the Camp.
After about ten minutes, Bai carefully parted the undergrowth, only to find the place had already become an empty field.
All the tents, large and small, had long since been packed away.
Yet the scorch marks from the campfires on the grass, the dried bloodstains left from the battle with the Vampire Beasts, and the postholes from the stakes all attested that people had been here.
Bai stood dazed, feeling as if she’d stumbled into another world.
She steadied herself and let out a breath.
“Time to go, Bai. Sister Aurelia and the others must have already gone back…”
Pulling herself together, Bai walked along the forest path.
She had to leave before sunset.
***
The forest’s shade blocked out the blazing sun, but the muggy air made Bai restless and uneasy.
Plus, the terrain was uneven, making the trek exhausting.
Luckily, she didn’t encounter any more Vampire Beasts along the way.
After about three hours, she finally emerged from the forest.
Pushing aside the branches, she was greeted by a vast, boundless plain, blue sky, green grass, and the magnificent, towering kingdom that rose on the horizon.
At the heart of the kingdom stood a majestic, towering Castle, its high walls seeming to divide earth and sky, guarding the entire realm.
The Castle’s lofty spires pierced the clouds, their golden tips shining dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Around the Castle, the Church’s spires rose high, solemn and sacred under the sun’s rays.
From afar, they stood quietly amidst the city, echoing the Castle’s towers, only slightly shorter than the tallest spire.
Bai was so shocked she couldn’t speak.
This was the first time in five years she’d seen such a grand structure—far more magnificent than her hometown of Aitansiya!
“So this is the Kingdom of Novalia that Sister Aurelia spoke of.”
Bai couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
She stood there for a long time before finally mustering her courage and heading toward the kingdom.
No one knew that the new chapter of this story was just about to begin…
(Kingdom Arc Begins)
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