Chapter 280: Holy war 18

Three days later, the vampires finally arrived. An all-too-familiar face popped up in front of me.

"Elizabeth..."

"Hero?" she responded, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and curiosity.

Although we weren't really close, we were well acquainted after our short bout a few months ago. Back then, her very presence alone seemed to press down on me, but now it seemed the opposite was happening. She became more and more wary of me, exuding her powerful aura as a warning.

"I heard you died..." she said, scanning me from head to toe. She was probably wondering why I didn't have a single ounce of blood inside me. But staring at me too much could get you in trouble. As she tried to peek a bit more, her eyes suddenly exploded, although they healed as quickly as they were destroyed. As expected of a progenitor vampire, huh?

I couldn't help but smirk. "You shouldn't push too hard, Elizabeth. Even for someone of your caliber, there are limits."

She blinked a few times, her eyes fully restored, and nodded slightly. "It seems you've changed... grown stronger, perhaps?"

"You could say that. This war has a way of pushing us to our limits," I replied, my tone neutral.

"When I heard you were connected with these beings, I didn't fully believe it. But now... I don't think that's the case," Elizabeth commented, her eyes flicking between me and my aunt, who was in her human crow form. She seemed to grasp the overall situation.

"It's been a while since we last saw each other, Blood Queen. I hope your experience coming here wasn't too bad," my aunt greeted her with a nod.

"No... it wasn't all that bad," Elizabeth replied, her gaze lingering on me. "But are you not the Hero now? The amount of darkness inside you isn't something a Hero is supposed to have. I can't feel Eris's—the goddess's—light inside of you. Not even an ounce of divinity is left."

Her assertion was true. I could feel it myself—the goddess's influence inside me was no longer present. The authorities she placed in my soul were now gone, not even the system she had installed within me remained. The only things left in my dark heart were the authorities my family had instilled in me. Although the holy sword was still inside me, I doubted it would listen to my commands now, considering I was the polar opposite of its holy existence and purpose.

"Does it matter if I'm not the Hero?" I asked her, meeting her gaze steadily.

"Not exactly," Elizabeth replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But I am indeed curious about your stance in all of this. When we met a few months ago, your resolve and will to protect others were genuine. In that moment, I could feel the absurd existence of a Hero in you. Yet now, you are nothing more than a despicable monster of the void. Tell me, when you fulfill what you want, what will you do after this world? What will you do upon the primordial goddess? What will you do with the heavenly pantheon, the demons you make use of? What about us vampires and the mortals of this world? Are you thinking of ruling everything after?"

Her questions were pointed and serious. I could see that, despite our newfound alliance, she still harbored doubts about my intentions. It was understandable—trusting someone who had undergone such a radical transformation wasn't easy.

I took a deep breath, considering how to respond. It was clear that Elizabeth needed reassurance, and perhaps an explanation she deserved. "Elizabeth, our intentions and purpose have remained the same ever since that goddess interfered with my life. My goal isn't to rule or dominate. It's to ensure that no one, god or mortal, can ever exert such cruel control over others again."

She raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in her expression. "And how do you plan to achieve that? By becoming a tyrant yourself?"

I suppose my answer might have seemed a bit too nonchalant, but it was the truth.

It might sound like I just wanted to have a rather relaxed, lazy life—which was true—but it was also the most honest answer I could give.

I didn't think much about what would come after the war. Once it ended, my time in the human world would be limited, so I planned to enjoy it as best as I could with my lovely future wives. That was all there was to it.

She studied me for a long moment, as if trying to gauge the sincerity of my words. Finally, she spoke, her tone softer than before. "You really mean that, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do. All I want is a peaceful life. The thrill of power, the endless responsibilities of ruling—those things don't interest me. What interests me is creating a place where I can live peacefully with the people I care about. I've seen enough conflict and chaos to last several lifetimes. Now, I just want to build something good and lasting, even if it's small."

Elizabeth seemed to consider my words carefully. "You know, most people would jump at the chance to rule, to have ultimate power. It's rare to find someone who genuinely seeks peace and simplicity."

"Power is a double-edged sword," I said. "It can corrupt even the best of intentions. I've seen what it does to people, and I want no part of it. All I desire is a chance to live quietly and happily with my loved ones"

"Now, now, why don't we have this talk somewhere else and maybe even finalize our upcoming plans, yes?" Aunt suggested as she got to my side.

Gesturing towards one of the demonic elf servants near us, she ordered her to prepare lunch. Though I didn't think having lunch together with the vampire queen and her subordinates, who only explicitly eat and drink blood, would be a good choice, I followed the maid towards the dining room.

As we walked, I glanced at Elizabeth a bit more before diverting my attention towards the crow inside her soul. Did Aunt just curse her or something?

'Ah, don't stare at her too much, or she might notice,' Aunt whispered in my ear as she hugged my right arm.

Nodding my head, I wondered why Aunt would do such a thing.

The dining room was grand and opulent, filled with intricate carvings and luxurious furnishings. As we took our seats, the demonic elf servants swiftly set the table with an array of dishes, though I noticed they also placed a discreet selection of blood vials for our vampiric guests.

"Elizabeth, I hope you find everything to your liking," Aunt said with a polite smile. "We've made arrangements to accommodate your dietary needs."

Elizabeth looked at the blood vials with a mixture of surprise and appreciation. "Thank you, that's very considerate."

Aunt nodded graciously, then turned to me. "Now, Adrian, let's discuss our plans."

Wait... I was the one who's supposed discuss it?