Master’s Smile

C135 – Assembly of True Ancestors

A somewhat amazing-looking conference, named the Assembly of True Ancestors, has begun.

…Though, It wasn’t anything unique like what the name suggested.

They were just discussing solutions for simple problems in the vampire territory, with an addition of the occasional bickering between Vampir and Litricia….

The princess of Evans Kingdom…or is it the queen now? There was something more solemn when accompanying Queen Neena to her meetings while I was her escort.

In comparison, this Assembly of True Ancestors was…somehow very clamorous.

It might be due to the difference in the weight of responsibility.

Queen Neena was performing her official duties with the determination and responsibility to improve her kingdom.

No wonder her meetings and other events were taken so seriously.

On the other hand, the true ancestors, who were supposed to decide the future of the vampire territory, had little sense of that responsibility.

“The true ancestors basically only think about their own desires, so there’s probably no one who is seriously thinking about the territory.”

Before I knew it, Mel came up and explained to me.

Heee, so my hunch was right after all….

What’s even stranger is the small number of true ancestors gathered.

The conference is called the “Assembly of True Ancestors”, yet only three people are present.

Vampir, Litricia, and Gehirnneid.

…Isn’t this too few?

“Not at all. Rather, this much is normal as it would be a pai-…a huge problem if there were so many true ancestors with their monster-like power gathered in one place.”

…As I thought, Mel still has a strong hostility towards vampires, even though she is one of them.

I guess that’s not surprising recalling how I met Vampir and Mel back in the day….

I see…. So this is normal, huh?

As Mel and I were talking, I suddenly noticed another attendant.

Vampir and Litricia had brought their own servants with them, them being me and Mel, respectively, and Gehirneid seemed to have also brought one as well.

Like Mel, she was dressed in a maid uniform, but she did not approach us.

She just stood behind Gehirneid, listening to the conference with a blank expression on her face.

…She’s probably almost completely under his control.

If she were to be completely controlled, she would not even be able to act of her own volition, including her consciousness.

Vampir has Mel as her follower, but she doesn’t control her that much.

Hence, it was possible for Mel to be Litricia’s current attendant.

…As for Gehirneid, I’m not going to say anything since I don’t think I’m qualified for it.

I’m only Vampir’s servant here, and I have no intention to constrain the actions of every other true ancestor.

I’ll just let them do as they please, as long as they don’t mess with “Yelquchira”.

“Well then, I think we’ve covered all the topics.”

Gehirneid said.

Oh, are we almost done?

I followed Vampir here to see how she was doing on her job, and I was…80% relieved to see her usual demeanor and 20% a little disappointed.

It’s great that she was able to work freely without killing her heart, but she was behaving in her lady-like manner as always and I couldn’t see any unusual aspects of her.

Moreover, she was more prone to argue with Litricia during the meeting.

“Ara? May I have a word then?”

As the meeting was coming to an end, Vampir suddenly raised her voice.

Oya? Is she going to say something?

Litricia and Gehirneid were also curious and looked at her.

Vampir, who now had the attention of many, finally opened her mouth.

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“May I claim the title of Vampire Lord?”

The hall fell into sudden silence.

No one uttered a single word.

As everyone was looking at her with rounded eyes.

…Eeeh, why did she suddenly say such a thing…?

“(Whew~! I had forgotten that Anat told me to take control of the vampire territory. Truly just in time! Safe!)”

What in the world was Vampir thinking?

Even I, who had known her for a long time, had no idea.

“Surely you jest?”

The first to recover from Vampir’s shocking remark was Litricia, with whom she and her were like cats and dogs.

She, too, replied back, not in the same tone as when they had been arguing, but in the voice and demeanor of one who was a so-called true ancestor.

“Indeed, I’m very serious. Still, there’s not really much to do in the first place even if I take over the territory, and life will be the same as always for the ordinary ones. I’m just saying that we don’t need something like this ‘Assembly of True Ancestors’ thing.”

Vampir responded to Litricia’s words without any hesitation.

“For heaven’s, can’t we just have one true ancestor to represent the three of us?”

“…Is your old blood stirring back, Vampir?”

The next to open his mouth was the well-featured Gehirneid.

“Certainly, the one who governed the vampire territory and wielded absolute power was you to begin with. But then, one day, you abruptly changed it to a council and ran away, so did you miss your old power now?”

“…? Uh, indeed, precisely so.”

Ah, Vampir, you didn’t understand half of what Gehirneid said, I bet.

Still, the old days, huh? His words remind me slightly too.

When Vampir and I met, the vampire territory did not have any ‘Assembly of True Ancestors’ like this, as only a single vampire reigned at the top.

Well, it was her to be exact.

And that girl was…well, I left the territory because of certain reasons….

I see…. So it was Vampir who created the council we have today.

“I won’t approve. I don’t see any problem with the way it is now so there is no need to bring unnecessary confusion to the people.”

Litricia rejected Vampir’s proposal.

No, well, I guess that’s normal.

Currently, the ruler of the vampires is supposed to be the three true ancestors gathered here.

Litricia and Gehirneid would not accept that Vampir wanted to retake all the authority that each of them had.

Nevertheless, it looks like Litricia is just as admirable as Queen Neena since she prioritizes the ordinary populace and not herself.

“No, isn’t that fine?”

“Gehirneid!?”

Yet surprisingly, it was Gehirneid who covered for Vampir.

“As Vampir had said, having three heads is too troublesome, right? I agree with the idea of having only one representative.”

Gehirneid said so and added “However….”.

“However, it’s not you who will be at the top, Vampir…. It will be me.”

“Ara….”

Oooh…so it’s like that….

I had thought he easily acknowledged Vampir’s claim, but to think he too, had something in mind.

Well, Gehirneid is also a true ancestor, so he’s qualified to declare himself as the ruler of the vampire territory.

“Are you insane?”

“I’m serious.”

Gehlned replied to Litricia’s remark.

“While at it, why don’t you participate too? Shall we have a contest on…who is more fit to rule the vampire territory?”

Litricia was at a loss for words.

Aah…this has turned into something big….

“…Fine. I can’t let you guys run the territory. I’d rather be on top than leave it to you.”

And Litricia, who had been the least enthusiastic, took him up on the offer.

Thus, with Vampir’s imprudent words, a monumentally important and dangerous battle was set in motion for the vampire territory.

Vampir….