The throne room doors opened silently.
My first thought was that I'd walked into the wrong building. Instead of the cold, oppressive darkness I'd been bracing for, warmth greeted us with actual, comfortable warmth that spoke of deliberate consideration for guests who weren't undead.
The chamber beyond was vast, lit by hundreds of candles in ornate chandeliers that cast golden light across polished marble floors.
Colossall curtains lined the walls, rendered in intricate thread work that must have taken decades to complete. It was beautiful in a way that made me suspicious, because when something looked this inviting, in a vampire territory, you believe every possibility of getting poisoned or assassinated.
The throne rested on a raised platform at the far end. Dark wood laid with silver, carved with patterns that seemed to brighten in the candlelight. And seated upon was...
Damn!
Queen Carmilla.
Well, she was not what I'd expected.
I'd been prepared for a beauty that made you think of corpses preserved in ice. What I got instead was the kind of woman who could stop traffic in any major city and probably had, repeatedly, throughout history.
She was blonde, but not with the pale skin like all the female vampires I came across in her territory. Her hair were arranged with the kind of casual perfection that suggested she'd woken up looking like a Renaissance painting.
Her red eyes tracked our approach with sharp intelligence, and there was something hypnotic about that gaze.
And voluptuous didn't even begin to cover it. The crimson gown she wore was clearly custom-made by someone who understood exactly what they were working with and had decided to showcase her curvaceous body rather than conceal. It managed to be both regal and borderline scandalous, the kind of thing that probably caused rifts between kings, just by her existence.
My brain helpfully provided the observation that this was a vampire queen who'd survived eight hundred years by being smarter and more dangerous than everyone else in the room, and I should probably stop staring at her like an otaku seeing his waifu in real life.
She rose as we entered to greet us and the movement was purely graceful, which spoke of absolute confidence in her own power and herself.
"Welcome" she said, and her voice carried across the vast space without effort. Rich and commanding "Please, come forward. You've traveled far, and I'm grateful you accepted my invitation"
Right. Because we'd had so much choice in the matter. But her tone was warm, genuine even, and the slight smile on her lips seemed real enough, even though I knew it was a forced one for someone who looked down on every other race.
Elmenhilde moved to stand respectfully to the side, her posture shifting from escort to subordinate in three steps.
"Your Majesty" Benemune said with a respectful bow "Thank you for receiving us. I am Penemue, Chief Secretary of Grigori, representing the Fallen Angel faction. With me is Lavinia Reni of the magician organization Grauzauberer, and Isaiah, knight of Rias Gremory"
I bowed when my name was mentioned, keeping my expression neutral and respectful. Inside, I was thinking why do I have to bow to someone who wasn't even stronger than me. The way Carmilla held herself, confident, commanding, utterly in control of the room.
"Penemue-san," Carmilla said with a hum graciously "Your reputation precedes you. Azazel speaks highly of your capabilities, which is notable given how rarely he speaks highly of anyone"
A slight smile crossed Benemune's lips at that, but she remained silent.
Carmilla's attention shifted to Lavinia "And Miss Reni, I heard you are a wielder of Absolute Demise, unless I'm mistaken. It's rare to meet someone who carries such devastating power with such..." she paused, and her smile widened slightly "evident innocence"
"Oh! Um, thank you, Your Majesty!" Lavinia executed a curtsy that was more enthusiasm than a forced one.
Then Carmilla's gaze settled on me, and I felt the full weight of eight centuries of existence focused into that look. She studied me for a long moment, and I resisted the urge to say if I was the first man she laid eyes on.
"And you.." she said, her tone shifting to something more interested "must be the young man I've heard such intriguing things about"
She continued smoothly, as if she hadn't just casually dropped a bomb "Please, all of you, be seated"
She gestured, and servants materialized, arranging chairs in a semi-circle facing the throne. More servants brought a table with tea, wine, and various foods.
Once we were settled, Carmilla took her seat again. She draped herself across the throne with the kind of confidence that somehow made her look more dangerous rather than relaxed.
"I imagine you're wondering why I requested this meeting" she said, as we looked at her "The Carmilla faction has historically maintained distance from the broader supernatural community. We've prided ourselves on our independence, our self-sufficiency, our adherence to the old ways."
She paused, taking a sip from a goblet that had appeared in her hand.
"However" she continued "I am not foolish to let pride destroy what I've spent centuries building. The situation has changed, and I am willing to adapt when it's about the survival of Carmilla faction"
Her red eyes swept across us, assessing our reactions.
"There is a civil war going on" she said bluntly "between the Carmilla faction and the Tepes faction. It has raged for centuries, a conflict about who should be leading the Vampires. It's obvious that I am deemed to rule over the Vampires"
I saw Lavinia's eyes widen slightly. Benemune's expression remained neutral, but I caught the minute shift in her posture.
"For centuries, we continued to fight" Carmilla continued "Neither side could gain decisive advantage at winning this war. We were locked in eternal conflict but the overall balance remained unchanged"
She set down her goblet, and for the first time, I saw something other than perfect confidence in her expression.
"But, Six months ago, that balance finally shifted"
She stood, walking towards one of the windows.
"The Tepes faction acquired a Longinus wielder" she said, and even though she was facing away from us, her voice carried perfectly "A dhampir girl named Valerie Tepes. Half-vampire, half-human.....normally she would have been cast out or killed for her tainted blood. But she manifested the Sephiroth Graal"
I heard Benemune's sharp intake of breath as she registered this information.
"The Holy Grail itself" Benemune said, as Carmilla let her speak "Three golden cups that grant dominion over the principle of life. It can heal any injury, no matter how severe. It can enhance physical capabilities far beyond natural limits. And most critically, it can remove the inherent weaknesses that have always limited vampire kind"
Carmilla nodded as she glared.
"Sunlight. Holy weapons. Running Water. All the inherent vulnerabilities that kept us in chains, she can simply erase them. Not temporarily. Permanently, for as long as she maintains her enhancement"
"That's..." Lavinia started, then seemed to catch herself.
"Catastrophic?" Carmilla said "Yes. For my faction, it very much is. Valerie is enhancing entire battalions at once. My forces are facing opponents who cannot be killed by conventional means, who feel no pain, who fight with strength that should be impossible even for vampire kind"
She moved back toward her throne but didn't sit. Instead, she stood before it, and the candlelight cast over her elegant form.
"We have lost over eight hundred soldiers in the last six months" she said, and her voice remained steady "Half of territories that have been Carmilla faction had for half a millennium have fallen. At our current rate of attrition, the Carmilla faction will be extinct within the year"
The throne room fell silent.
I watched Carmilla carefully. She wasn't breaking down. Wasn't begging or showing weakness. She was stating facts with the cold precision of someone who'd already done all the calculations and accepted the results, whether it was in her favor or not.
"I have ruled the Carmilla faction for eight hundred and thirty-seven years" she said "I have weathered plagues, inquisitions, wars with every major faction in existence. I have survived this long by being smarter and more ruthless than my enemies, when it deemed necessary"
She finally sat, resting herself on the throne with deliberate elegance.
"But I am not too proud to recognize when I am outmatched. A single Longinus wielder has accomplished what centuries of conflict could not, she has brought the Carmilla faction to the brink of annihilation"
"Your Majesty" Benemune said carefully "I appreciate your candour about the situation. But I'm not certain how the Three Factions can assist with an internal vampire conflict"
"Because this isn't just an internal conflict anymore" Carmilla said with a gruffy huff "I believe you are smart enough to know about what happens if the Carmilla faction falls. The Tepes faction will consolidate all vampire power under them. They will possess a Longinus wielder with the ability to create armies of enhanced vampires. And the faction leadership, particularly those currently prosecuting this war, won't stop with just ruling over vampires"
She leaned forward slightly.
"They believe in vampire supremacy. They view other races as inherently inferior. Right now, they direct that ideology toward destroying my faction. But once we're gone?" She said "Where do you think they'll turn their attention next?"
Shit, I thought. She's right. A unified vampire faction with extremist leadership and god-killing capability, that's definitely going to be troublesome. And it would be better if we get rid of them before Euclid gets his hands on them or else we would end up in a way worse situation than peace treaty incident.
"You're suggesting the Tepes faction would become a threat to the broader factions across realms" Benemune said.
"I'm stating a fact" Carmilla corrected "Right now, two vampire factions keep each other in chains. Neither can act too aggressively without risking mutual destruction. Remove thesw chains, give them overwhelming power, and what exactly do you think stops them from acting on their ideological convictions?"
She stood again, and this time she approached us directly. Stopped at a respectful distance, but close enough that I could see the determination behind those red eyes.
"I am offering this peace treaty with Three Factions an opportunity to put end to this war" she said "Help me prevent the rise of a vampire empire led by extremists with a Longinus at their disposal. In exchange, the Carmilla faction will become accomplice to your alliance for eternity"
"You have my words for complete cooperation" Carmilla said " With the Formal peace treaty, I agree for trade agreements and territorial recognition. Military support in conflicts that threaten the Three Factions in future. Everything you've wanted from the alliance, I will provide"
"That's a very generous offer" Benemune said, and I heard the unspoken question, what's the price?
"It is" Carmilla agreed "Which should tell you how serious the situation is. I don't make such offers without putting thoughts to it"
She turned her attention to me, and I saw it from a miles away where she would be leading this conversation to next. I looked her in the eyes as if I wasn't scared in slightest which in fact I wasn't, contrary to what I expected, it seemed to be fascinating for her.
"You serve as knight to Rias Gremory, correct?"
"Yes, Your Majesty"
"Then you must be familiar with Gasper Vladi?"
"I am"
Carmilla's expression didn't change, but something shifted in her eyes.
"If I am not wrong, He is a dhampir like Valerie" she said "And possessor of a Sacred Gear known as Forbidden Balor View"
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind was already racing ahead. Forbidden Balor View. Time manipulation. The one power that could counter someone who enhanced entire armies, stop time before the enhancement activated. I had been waiting when she would be asking this, looks like she finally getting to point after talking shit about her enemies.
"His Sacred Gear grants him the ability to stop time within a designated area" Carmilla continued "One of the few powers in existence that could counter Valerie's Sephiroth Graal. If he could freeze time before she activated her enhancement. If he could halt enhanced Tepes soldiers before they reached our lines. If he could provide our forces with the tactical advantage we've lost..."
"You want Gasper to fight in your civil war" I said bluntly.
"I request his assistance" Carmilla said, and the distinction was deliberate "Not as a conscript. Not as a weapon to be used and discarded. As an ally whose unique capabilities could help prevent the extinction of an entire bloodline and the rise of a threat that would endanger everyone."
She moved closer, and I noticed she'd positioned herself so she was an inch away from my face.
"I know Gasper's history" she said "I know what he suffered through at the Tepes Faction. I know he found safety with the Gremory family, built a life there. I would not ask him to abandon that if the situation weren't dire"
I prompted her to continue, as she got back slightly as she noticed I wasn't daunted by her being this close.
"But since the situation is dire" she said simply "And sometimes we must choose between our comfort and the prevention of greater catastrophes"
I wanted to argue. Wanted to point out that Gasper had already suffered enough, that he didn't owe vampire kind anything, that asking him to throw himself into a war was fundamentally unfair.
But I didn't say anything to wreck this 'peace' talk.
"What exactly are you asking for?" Benemune asked.
Carmilla turned to face her.
"I am asking the Gremory family to lend Gasper Vladi to the Carmilla faction for the duration of the civil war. He would serve as a strategic asset, using his Forbidden Balor View to counter Valerie's enhancements and provide our forces with tactical advantages. In exchange, the Carmilla faction will sign a comprehensive peace treaty with the Three Factions, including all terms previously discussed."
"So, You're requesting to send Gasper into a war zone?" I said "Even if he might or might not want to?"
"All I'm asking, is to help prevent a worse outcome for my faction" Carmilla replied. She met my eyes "And I would ensure his protection. He would not fight on the front lines. We would deploy him strategically, in situations where his abilities provide maximum advantage with minimum risk for both of us"
Minimum risk in a war, yeah, what a believable thing to say.
"I understand your skepticism" Carmilla said, as if reading my thoughts "You think I'm asking you to trust someone who has every reason to use Gasper as a disposable tool. You're right to question my motives"
She returned to her throne.
"So let me be absolutely clear one last time" she said. "If Gasper is harmed while under my protection, the peace treaty will become void. If he is used recklessly, the treaty will become void. If any member of the Carmilla faction mistreats him for being a dhampir, the treaty will become void."
She leaned forward.
"I am offering the Gremory family and the Three Factions, every possible leverage to ensure I keep my word. Because I am not asking for a favor. I am willing to bind myself to terms that guarantee its fair execution"
Damn, She just turned 'send us your traumatized kid' into 'let's make a binding agreement with enforcement promises'.
"My Apologies. This isn't a decision we can make" Benemune said, adjusting her glasses "Gasper is a member of the Gremory household. Only Rias and her family have the authority to address his status for your request"
"I understand" Carmilla said "I ask only that you present my offer fairly. The situation I've described. The threat if the Carmilla faction falls. The terms I'm proposing. And my willingness to guarantee Gasper's safety through binding agreements."
"I'll relay your offer and tell you by tomorrow what's their decision " Benemune said
"Then let me state the terms once more, for absolute clarity" Carmilla said "I seek Gasper Vladi to serve the Carmilla faction for the duration of the civil war, using his Sacred Gear to oppose the Tepes faction's advantages. In exchange, the Carmilla faction signs a comprehensive peace treaty with the Three Factions, including trade, territory, and mutual defense. If Gasper Vlad is harmed or mistreated, all agreements will become void and the Gremory family may seek whatever reparations they deem appropriate"
She stood, and the movement seemed to signal the end of the formal negotiation.
"Elmenhilde will lead you to your quarters" she said "Please, rest. We can discuss further details at your leisure, or you may prefer privacy to consider what you've heard"
It was a gracious dismissal, but a dismissal nonetheless.
As we stood to leave, Carmilla spoke once more.
"One final thing," she said, and her tone had shifted to something more casual. "I hope you'll find your accommodations comfortable. Your quarters has been prepared with every amenity I could provide. You are honored guests, and I would have you treated as such"
We bowed and turned to follow Elmenhilde.
The doors closed behind us, and I felt some of the tension drain from my shoulders.
"Well, It went just as I expected"
. . .
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