Crimson Eyes

The second noteworthy thing in November is--

Sometime in late November, Skylar received a message from Dobby that Prince Bathory was requesting an audience.

It's been over a year since Skylar and Bathory re-established their alliance. During this time, the Vampire fought for him on all fronts, not only attacking Werewolf Tribe but also assassinating Kingsley Shacklebolt, making him a sharp weapon in Skylar's hands. Of course, in exchange, the Vampire's power has also grown significantly, not only gaining a foothold in Knockturn Alley but also acquiring unimaginable resources and wealth.

Since Prince Bathory had personally requested an audience, Skylar had no reason to refuse.

In the dimly lit and deep Chamber of Secrets, the emerald green magical candlelight flickered, illuminating the serpentine carvings on the stone walls, and a faint dampness filled the air. Water droplets dripped from the cracks in the ceiling, creating ripples on the tranquil surface of the underground lake.

Skylar sat on the True Dragon Throne, his gaze leisurely fixed on the graceful and mysterious figure opposite him.

She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, with skin so white it was almost translucent, and her bright red lips slightly upturned, revealing a languid yet alluring smile. She wore a dark red velvet gown, the hem of which spread out on the ground like a piece of magnificent silk stained with blood. Her blonde hair was slightly curled, and her exquisite features were flawless, making her resemble a sculpted classical queen.

The newcomer was none other than Princess Elizabeth Bathory, the leader of the surviving Vampire clan of Great Britain, an ancient being who had lived for hundreds of years, yet preferred to appear in the guise of a young girl.

"Your Highness, it's been a long time." Skylar smiled slightly, his eyes calm.

"Oh, dear Skylar, you've kept me waiting quite a while," Prince Bathory sighed softly, slowly approaching her ally, her voice gentle yet tinged with a hint of mockery, "I almost thought you'd lost interest in a beautiful lady."

Skylar raised an eyebrow slightly. "If His Highness has come for these pointless pleasantries, then tonight's meeting will likely be even more uninteresting than I anticipated."

Bathory chuckled softly, her slender fingers gently stroking her golden hair as she looked at Skylar with a half-smile.

"You're still as cold as ever." She sighed softly, then stopped joking and her expression gradually became serious. "Alright, I didn't come here this time just to tease you."

Skylar, waiting for her to continue.

Prince Bathory remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "I want to entrust a child to you."

Skylar paused slightly, his gaze lowering. "Entrusted?"

Bathory nodded slightly, turned around, and beckoned with her finger to a dark corner behind her. "Come out, Natalia."

A slender figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

She was a girl who looked like she was sixteen years old, but Skylar could keenly sense that she was much older than that. She had pure yet aloof features, and her long black hair was tied into pigtails that fell to her shoulders, shimmering with a dark luster as it swayed slightly.

Her skin was whiter than that of ordinary people, almost like porcelain, but what was most striking were her deep wine-red pupils—they radiated a faint glow in the dimly Chamber of Secrets, as if they held some indescribable power.

Natalia stood quietly behind Prince Bathory, saying nothing, only gazing at Skylar with a cold and wary look in her eyes.

Skylar's gaze sharpened slightly. "Her pupils..."

"You noticed, didn't you?" Prince Bathory smiled slightly, a meaningful glint in his eyes.

She slowly walked to Natalia's side, gently stroking the girl's hair, her voice low and resonant. "She's an anomaly, Skylar. She has one-quarter Vampire blood, yet she dislikes darkness and bloodsucking, preferring instead sunlight and human food... Such beings don't have an easy time living among our kind."

Skylar nodded, indicating his understanding. Vampire society has its own set of rules, a very strict hierarchical structure, where lower-ranking Vampire cannot disobey the orders of higher-ranking Vampire. And consuming human blood is the fastest way for Vampire to gain power, so a Vampire who doesn't like drinking blood will naturally be seen as an outcast and find it difficult to integrate into Vampire society.

At the same time, he noticed that Natalia's fingers were tightening slightly. He didn't say anything; he knew Prince Bathory hadn't finished speaking.

Sure enough, Prince Bathory continued, "What's worse is that she's an orphan. No one knows who her parents are. Because of her difference from others, her people see her as an outsider, rejecting, loathing, and even... fearing her."

Skylar's eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly asked, "What are they afraid of about her?"

"Her bloodline... is probably extraordinary," Prince Bathory said carefully, his gaze deep. "Although she is only Half-blood, she possesses a natural talent for stealth, able to completely blend into the darkness, moving as a shadow, almost impossible to detect in the dark. This is an ability usually possessed only by extremely rare high-ranking Vampire. Besides that..."

She paused, then slowly raised her hand, pointing to Natalia's blood-red eyes. "She has awakened an extremely rare talent among Vampire —Blood Eyes."

Skylar's expression shifted slightly. He had once fought Vladimir, the ancestor of Vampire, in a vision created by Gryffindor, so he knew more about the ancient traditions of Vampire than any modern wizard.

Vampire racial talents are also graded. Transforming into a bat and hypnotizing are only the lowest level abilities, while the ability to move as a shadow or black mist is a high-level talent. However, none of them can compare to the legendary top-level talents, and Blood Eyes are one of them.

Prince Bathory continued, "Her Blood Eyes talent grants her an extremely terrifying ability to lock onto and track targets, allowing her to mark them with her gaze. Once locked onto by her eye power, no matter where the target flees or how they hide, she can ignore all distance and obstacles to pinpoint their location, leaving them nowhere to hide and nowhere to escape."

Although he already knew the power of the Blood Eyes talent, Bathory's description still moved Skylar slightly. He paused for a moment before saying, "It does sound like an extremely powerful talent."

"Yes." Princess Bathory smiled, but the smile quickly faded, and a deep solemnity appeared in her eyes. "But it's also a curse."

Skylar without saying a word.

"In ancient legends, these eyes are a curse of Vampire," Prince Bathory sighed softly, whispering, "Those who possess Blood Eyes will ultimately become Vampire Hunters."

Natalia's fingertips trembled slightly, but she remained silent.

Prince Bathory continued, "Legend has it that Vampire with Blood Eyes constantly absorb the blood of their own kind to elevate themselves... In other words, their very existence is a threat to the entire race."

Skylar's gaze was deep as he said softly, "So, you want to hand her over to me?"

Prince Bathory nodded. "She can't stay in the Vampire castle, or something bad will happen sooner or later. And you are my most trusted ally."

Skylar looked at Natalia, the girl still with her head down, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, as if she was used to being talked about and having her fate decided.

After a moment, Skylar slowly spoke, "Natalia."

The girl was slightly taken aback, then looked up and met Skylar's deep eyes.

Skylar looked at her, his voice calm. "Would you like to come with me?"

Natalia was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Skylar smiled slightly, turned to Prince Bathory, and said softly, "In that case—I'll accept the person."

Prince Bathory's figure disappeared into the depths of the Chamber of Secrets, and the stone door slowly closed, blocking out the outside light. The air suddenly became quiet, and the faint magical candlelight flickered, casting dim shadows that made the cold stone walls appear like a flowing abyss.

Skylar stood up, walked to Natalia's side, and looked at the girl who was still standing timidly to the side.

Up close, Natalia is actually quite beautiful. In the dim candlelight, her features are exquisite, like a finely sculpted porcelain doll. Especially her wine-red eyes, which shine with a lively and mysterious light like two rubies, making people involuntarily captivated and unable to look away.

However, she was far too thin, as if she could be blown away by a gust of wind. This was probably due to malnutrition caused by her refusal to drink blood.

At that moment, she stood there quietly, her petite body trembling slightly. Her hands unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning slightly white. She looked so weak and helpless, like a lost fawn, waiting for help in solitude.

She looked only sixteen years old, but the loneliness and desolation she exuded were completely at odds with her youthful appearance.

Skylar sighed inwardly; he could actually imagine how the girl was feeling.

She was an orphan from a young age and was not accepted by her tribe. She suffered discrimination and rejection, and may even have been bullied. She grew up alone in loneliness, not knowing what family and love were. Now she was being abandoned by her tribe and forced to come to a completely unfamiliar place to rely on her own tribe.

Although Skylar could resort to ruthless methods for his ambition and hegemony, that does not mean he lacked the compassion of a normal human being.

This is a very pitiful child.

Her experience was somewhat similar to Luna's, but even more tragic.

Skylar spoke slowly, his voice low and gentle. "Perfect timing. I just need a vault manager to manage the various alchemical items, materials, and treasures in my vault. How about I assign this task to you?"

Natalia trembled slightly, her eyelashes fluttering gently. She looked up at Skylar, a hint of confusion and deep unease appearing in her red eyes.

"... A treasure vault?" Her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of awkwardness, as if she were completely unprepared for this unfamiliar suggestion.

Skylar nodded slightly, his tone calm yet firm. "You need an identity, and you also need a place to stay."

Natalia bit her lip, her fingertips nervously gripping the hem of her dress, as if she hadn't yet come to terms with her situation.

She had already been abandoned by her people. In fact, before this, she had always been an outcast in the Vampire clan. No one accepted her, and no one truly cared about her. Wherever she went, she was isolated, hated, and rejected. Even Prince Bathory, who took her in, eventually had no choice but to send her away, because her existence only brought unease to the clan.

Her world was like that of a wanderer with no home, with no harbor to dock in.

Skylar looked at her, then suddenly sighed, his tone softening slightly. "You're afraid of strangers, aren't you?"

Natalia shrugged slightly, offering no reply, but her reaction spoke volumes.

Skylar's gaze darkened, then his tone softened. "From now on, this is your home. You can treat me as your family. You will never be driven away again, never be abandoned again."

These words were like an invisible warm current, gently touching Natalia's heart. She stared blankly at Skylar, speechless for a long time, a struggle flashing in her eyes, mixed with an almost unbelievable longing.

"Home? Can I have a home?" she said in a hoarse voice.

"Yes," Skylar said firmly, "As long as you agree to one request, I will give you a home, so that you will no longer have to wander."

"What are your requirements?" Natalia asked timidly.

Skylar walked up to her, the distance between them less than a foot, and then gazed at her intently. "I will plant the Demon Servant Mark on you—a master-slave contract magic. From this day forward, you will belong to me, and you will never be able to betray me in this lifetime."

Natalia's eyes dimmed slightly; she understood, of course.

Vampire also possess similar contract magic, allowing higher-ranking Vampire to easily manipulate the life and death of lower-ranking Vampire, making them Vampire most loyal servants who would never dare to betray them.

She knew in her heart that this was the premise for Skylar's trust in her, and also the only price she could pay in exchange for this protection.

She had no other choice.

Silence filled the air between them. Finally, Natalia took a soft breath, looked up at Skylar, and said timidly yet firmly, "I do."

Her wine-red eyes still held a deep unease, but within that fearful confusion lay a hint of resolute courage.

Skylar looked at her, and after confirming that there was no hesitation in her eyes, he slowly extended his wand, chanted an ancient incantation, and summoned the Demon Servant Contract.

As Natalia finished her incantation, the scroll burst into flames, and an intricate black mark appeared on the side of Natalia's neck, resembling a rose thorn wrapped around her neck, faintly shimmering with magical fluctuations.

Natalia felt a cool breeze seep into her skin, bringing a strange sensation. She subconsciously raised her hand and gently touched the mark. A subtle magical tremor ran through her fingertips, causing her to flinch involuntarily.

"Master-Slave Contract - Established!" A muffled voice echoed from the void. Skylar was used to it, but Natalia felt a change within her. She suddenly realized clearly that from this moment on, everything she had would belong to the boy before her.

Seeing her uneasy expression, Skylar smiled slightly, reached out, and gently touched the mark on her neck.

The moment his fingertips brushed against her snow-white skin, Natalia's body trembled slightly. She instinctively wanted to pull back, but in the end, she restrained herself and obediently stood still, letting him touch the mark that symbolized bondage and belonging.

She lowered her eyelashes, her breathing became heavy, and her chest rose and fell slightly, like a fledgling bird venturing into the world for the first time, both fearful and bewildered.

"From this moment on, you are my demon servant," Skylar whispered, his tone carrying an irresistible force that directly imprinted itself into her consciousness.

Natalia opened her mouth slightly, and a barely audible sound escaped her throat.

Her life had never had a clear direction, and she had never been truly accepted. But now, at least she knows that she has a place to belong—even if that belonging comes at the cost of being branded, she is willing to accept it.

At that moment, the fear of helplessness in her heart seemed to be replaced by a powerful force.

That power is called submission.

She nodded slightly and whispered, "Yes, Natalia, the Demon Servant, greets my lord."

This form of address, seemingly without her even realizing it, carried a subtle sense of peace and reassurance.

[Natalia, the "Handmaid," has been acquired!]