kingnovel Chapter 784 - 784
Chapter 784 - 784
"I'm more than happy to have you here, so there's no such thing as disturbing me."Eiji stepped into the front courtyard of the monastery.
As soon as he entered, he heard a series of meows.
Looking around, cats of various breeds—calico, American Shorthair, Ragdoll, and more—had gathered in the yard. Each had its tail raised, either eating the cat food Kanon had brought or being cuddled in Nina Adelard's arms.
"I should also thank Brother Eiji for being willing to lend the monastery to these cats."
Kanon Kanase's cheeks flushed slightly as she expressed her gratitude for Eiji's generosity.
"No need to be so formal. This is your home too, after all."
Eiji gazed at the monastery before him.
Perhaps because it was situated in the woods, the monastery occupied a small area—quite compact compared to others. The courtyard was filled with all kinds of flowers, creating a beautiful scene. Cats of various breeds roamed among them, occasionally letting out a meow or two—truly a soothing sight.
Kanon Kanase simply smiled gently without saying a word, a trace of nostalgia flickering in her eyes.
The abbot of this monastery was a very kind person. Four years ago, it had taken in many orphans, and she had been one of them.
Up until four years ago, she had lived in this monastery.
But then, four years ago, an accident occurred here.
A fire had nearly destroyed half of the monastery at the time, and many of the children living there had perished in the flames—only she had survived.
No, to be precise, only she and Eiji had survived.
Because Eiji was also a survivor of that fire.
Afterward, someone had rebuilt on the ruins of that monastery, resulting in the structure that stood today.
"How has your guardian been treating you?"
"Ah... well, he's been very good to me. Brother Eiji, you don't need to worry."
For a brief moment, Kanon Kanase's expression turned slightly unnatural.
But she quickly waved her hand with a smile, smoothly changing the subject.
"What about you, Brother Eiji? Living with Ms.Nangong, is the pressure very intense?"
"Don't even mention it! That woman can't even cook—we eat takeout every day. And she's pinched every last bit of my allowance!"
Eiji muttered a few complaints under his breath, his face full of resentment toward his guardian.
If it weren't for his special ways of making money, he would have been tempted to cause some trouble.
Just think—Eiji, who had always managed to live off others in various worlds, had never suffered like this before!
"Alright, you two keep playing with the cats. I'm going inside to see the abbot."
Eiji glanced at Nina Adelard, who was squatting on the ground.
She was completely absorbed in petting the cats, her eyes filled with a melting happiness. She hadn't even noticed her master's arrival, let alone stood up to greet him.
"Cats... are divine."
Nina Adelard murmured softly.
"Alright, go ahead with your business, Brother."
Kanon Kanase nodded obediently and stepped aside to make way.
Passing through the front courtyard and opening the main door, Eiji entered the chapel-like main hall. Then, bypassing the main hall, he reached the backyard, where several dormitory rooms stood side by side.
Eiji entered the first dormitory.
"Master."
The voice that followed was one of utmost reverence.
As if she had known he was coming, the person inside knelt on one knee by the doorway, her expression solemn.
She was undoubtedly a beauty.
Her golden hair, nearly reaching the floor, was tied into a simple ponytail. She appeared to be only around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a distinct exotic charm. Her figure was in no way inferior to Akatsuki Mimori's, and her curves were even more graceful.
What was truly admirable was that every part of her body adhered to the golden ratio, exuding a strong, sculpted beauty that reminded one of exquisite handmade artwork.
"Get up, there's no need to be so reverent."
Eiji sighed.
"Yes, Nina understands."
The exotic-looking girl rose from the ground.
However, she didn't seem to fully grasp Eiji's meaning. Though her movements were no longer overtly submissive, her eyes overflowed with a humility that conveyed her willingness to offer everything for him.
And an unmistakable adoration.
"Never mind, just act naturally when we're outside."
Eiji stopped dwelling on the matter of her attitude.
Over the years, he had charmed more than just one or two people.
"Do you know the movements of the Fifth?"
"Yes, it has been confirmed."
Nina spoke respectfully, her tone full of confidence.
"After the Fifth was forced to retreat by Koyomi, I immediately sent a doppelgänger to follow her and quickly located where she was staying."
"Who is her master?"
Eiji asked gravely.
"The Primogenitor's Domain, led by Duke of Ardeal, Dimitrie Vatler."
After a pause, without waiting for Eiji to continue questioning, Nina proactively explained.
"It is said he is the vampire closest to a True Ancestor. Although he is not a second-generation elder, he once engaged in 'cannibalism' and devoured two elder-level vampires instead, making him exceptionally powerful. He ranks in the top tier below the True Ancestors!"
Though all are vampires, there are hierarchies.
The strongest vampires, of course, are the Three Progenitors: the Lost Warlord, the Eye of Annihilation, and the Chaos Princess. They are the origin of all modern vampires, and every vampire is their descendant.
Their strength comes from the accumulation of inherent stacked time over their long, immortal lives, which serves as their source of power.
For vampires, the longer the accumulated inherent stacked time and the more ancient they are, the stronger they become.
This concept is similar to the principle in the Type-Moon World where the older the mystery, the more powerful it is.
In simpler terms, the older they are, the stronger they become.
Below the True Ancestors are the elder-level vampires.
These are typically the Blood Servants directly empowered by the True Ancestors or their direct descendants. They are monsters second only to the True Ancestors, possessing vast accumulated time or blood.
Below the elders are the nobles.
Both elders and nobles, having lived for a long time and accumulated significant time and blood, are referred to as the "Old Generation." However, without direct empowerment from a True Ancestor, nobles are slightly weaker.
Vatler is a noble vampire.
Yet, he once defeated two elder-level vampires and even devoured them, accumulating even more powerful blood and becoming a monster second only to the True Ancestors. For this, he earned the admiration of the Lost Warlord and was granted the title of Duke of Ardeal.
Below the king, the ranks are duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron.
A duke is the highest rank of nobility, two ranks above Countess Kalyana, to which Veldiana belongs.
"As I recall, lower-ranked vampires cannot devour higher-ranked ones, right?"
Eiji mused thoughtfully.
"Indeed, due to differences in blood potency, if a lower-ranked vampire forcibly devours a higher-ranked one, they might instead be taken over by the other's blood and resurrected, while they themselves perish."
Nina's tone carried admiration.
"Therefore, Dimitrie Vatler is truly a heaven-sent genius!"