Chapter 107

"Sir, please come this way--"

The well-dressed Victoria servant was now somewhat apprehensive as she faced a well-dressed, "frail" man.

Judging from her appearance, her somewhat effeminate features might even draw laughter from some burly men behind her back.

However, once anyone learns his true identity, they will absolutely not be able to laugh at all; instead, they will only feel fear and panic.

It's more reasonable, and it also has the buff of being Bloodfiends in the Sarkaz.

Duhkare, the Lord of the Sarkaz Bloodfiend Court, the Bloodfiend Great Lord, the Red of the Sovereign, sat quietly in his luxurious mansion, his expression indifferent as he looked out the open doors at the rows of respectfully bowing servants.

Following their gestures, they headed towards a black luxury lander that had stopped at the entrance.

At this moment, only the well-dressed servant in front of us showed any sign of panic.

However, he was actually the calmest person among everyone here.

Because at this moment, only he knew just how terrifying the person before him truly was, while the surrounding servants only knew that this was a distinguished guest, a distinguished guest they could not afford to offend.

Rather, it's remarkable that the valet could still speak fluently and maintain basic manners after learning Duhkare's true identity.

Upon learning of the Bloodfiend Great Lord's arrival in Victoria, the Duke almost immediately dispatched his personal guards to greet him, as a sign of his sincerity.

However, the former simply looked around, found the nearest mansion, and claimed that he was tired from the journey and needed to rest for the night.

That night, the Duke barely slept a wink.

You see, he was terrified of facing this Bloodfiend Great Lord, who was the subject of all sorts of terrifying legends.

But he was even more afraid of not seeing the other person even though he knew they had arrived in Londinium.

Who knows what this great prince might be up to?

For the Duke, this was a gamble.

A gamble where only you are placing your bets.

For the Sarkaz, their reputation was already bad enough; even if they carried out some kind of terrorist act in Londinium, it wouldn't make their situation any worse.

But he's different!

If he is found to be colluding with the Sarkaz, and they cause a scene in Victoria...

He didn't even dare to imagine how terrible his fate would be, let alone a title.

So this is a high-stakes gamble; the Duke is betting that the Sarkaz, or rather their leaders, aren't some violent lunatics.

Instead, they expect them to be genuinely interested in gaining some benefit.

As it turned out, the Duke made the right bet.

Sarkaz is indeed looking towards greater interests.

Under normal circumstances, he might still have a chance to gain more benefits at the negotiating table.

But... unfortunately.

Theresis also realized this.

Therefore, the one chosen to go to Victoria is the Bloodfiend Great Lord Duhkare.

Instead of Manfred, whom Theresis trusted.

... At this very moment, far away in Kazdel, Theresis...

"Aren't you curious why I sent Duhkare to Victoria to negotiate?"

He turned his head and looked at Manfred, who had been hesitant to speak.

"... Yes, I don't understand. That Great Khan isn't actually the most suitable person for negotiation; rather... your actions seem more like an attack on someone."

"In your eyes, what kind of person is Bloodfiend Great Lord Duhkare?"

Theresis did not answer; instead, she asked him a question in return.

"..."

"You don't dare to say it? Then I'll say it."

Theresis leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and slowly began to speak.

"One who is high and mighty, looking down on everyone"

"He regards all non- Teekaz as inferior beings, a stinking Bloodfiend whose mind is only concerned with bloodline and past glory."

"A guy who's capable of anything, demonized by the outside world, but whose actual actions are pretty much the same as, or even more extreme than, the rumors suggest. The only redeeming quality he has is his unwavering loyalty to Kazdel."

"But what he is loyal to is Kazdel, the past glory of the Sarkaz, the Kazdel that was filled with Teekaz, and even the inferior beings he despises include the present Sarkaz."

"If our actions do not align with his intention to restore Teekaz's glory, he will not hesitate to betray us—a man who is both absolutely loyal and absolutely disloyal."

Theresis began slowly, recounting statements that left Manfred somewhat dumbfounded.

"Your Highness... you--"

"So, you're worried about Duhkare, afraid that he's just a completely unpredictable factor?"

"... yes..."

"Then let me ask you, Manfred, what would you do first thing upon arriving in Victoria?"

Theresis looked up at Manfred.

"Of course, the first thing to do is to secretly meet with that duke immediately, and then begin discussions—"

"Manfred, you know what? Your behavior isn't even like that of a Sarkaz."

"What..."

"Or rather, they don't seem like the 'Sarkaz' they perceive them to be."

"The Victoria would never have considered us equal negotiating partners. You're too orderly, Manfred, too orderly for a Sarkaz, or rather, not like what they consider Sarkaz."

"Sometimes, I don't mind using stereotypes in people's eyes... after all, they're useful enough."

"Besides, Duhkare knows what he's doing... Oh, right, I heard there were rumors about him saving lives before."

"Saving lives and healing the wounded...?"

Manfred was somewhat stunned, and for a moment he didn't even react. It took him a long time to realize that the word was used to describe the Bloodfiend Great Lord.

"Who knows, maybe it's just a rumor."

Theresis turned her head and looked out at the sky Core City Kazdel, which seemed to be filled with lead.

"It's a rumor from a very, very long time ago... almost so long ago that I can't even be sure how many thousands... maybe tens of thousands of years ago."

"What, can't I even have time to rest? The Duke of Victoria has quite the temper."

Duhkare, however, curled the corners of his lips and asked the messenger with some doubt.

"No, no, no, of course not, it's just... it's just..."

"Just what?"

The other person's voice was like a thorny vine, slowly coiling around my heart.

Even a slight tightening would tear that fragile heart to shreds.

"Oh, you seem nervous. Shall I change the subject?"

"For example... I mentioned before that I hoped the Duke would show the proper 'attitude,' has he considered that? I haven't seen it yet?"

In an instant, the servant, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, felt his heart leap into his throat again, his emotions fluctuating like a rollercoaster.

"No... well... His Excellency the Duke wishes to speak with you face-to-face to express his sincerity..."

"Unnecessary."

Duhkare walked past the envoys and then glanced at the advanced land vehicle in front of him.

He reached out, not to open the car door, but to gently stroke the alloy casing of the door.

Under the horrified gaze of the attendant, Duhkare's hand sliced through the car door with the ease of cutting tofu, leaving five deep claw marks.

Not even the slightest harsh friction sound was produced.

It was as easy as a knife slicing through butter.

"It's really flimsy; I prefer to go for walks on my own."

"Up on the street?!"

The servant cried out in terror in an instant.

"What, you have a problem with that?"

Turning his head, a scarlet gaze locked onto him, as if cold threads were tightly wrapped around his neck, ready to sever his head in an instant should he utter a single word of opposition.

It was as easy as sliding open that alloy car door.

"No, no, no... I have no objection. Of course you can... go for a walk..."

"Inform the Duke that I won't discuss his proposed compensation with him in person; let him figure it out himself."

"I'll just walk all the way to him."

"Hopefully, the time I've spent on this journey will allow him to come up with a solution that satisfies both of us."

Duhkare smiled, then took her arm and left without looking back.

Behind him was a servant who stood frozen for a few seconds before frantically pulling out a communicator and dialing a number.

But what does all this have to do with him?

He simply felt that this was the attitude he should have.

"Um?"

The next moment, as he passed a dark corner on the side of the street, Duhkare suddenly saw several thugs surrounding him.

"Victoria is in turmoil, and the local security situation has deteriorated sharply, with various gangs..."

"They're all rising up..." He silently recited the latest intelligence he had gathered.

He shook his head with a hint of sarcasm.

"It's just a decaying body dressed in a shiny shell."

It has nothing to do with him.

Rather, this is what he wanted.

The more contradictory something is, the more it suits their interests.

"Um... I'm sorry, I really don't have much money..."

In an instant, a somewhat familiar voice rang out.

Aiden, holding a cardboard box, looked worriedly at the thugs surrounding him.

What a small world!

Duhkare sighed, instinctively preparing to ignore it.

Only...

"It's rare to find a Victoria I find pleasing to the eye, sigh."

The Bloodfiend Great Lord shook his head. Perhaps it was just a fleeting feeling of sympathy, or perhaps he saw in a young man something he himself had once longed for. He walked into the alley.

"Damn it, that bitch is so strong... tsk, you guys, strip that brat of all his valuables."

The thug leader, who had been chased away by Skadi, glared angrily at the frail young man they had surrounded.

Damn it, if they can't beat that monster, how could they possibly be weaker than this guy who looks like a recent college graduate?

Perfect timing! Everyone can vent their pent-up anger on this young man they caught on the roadside!

"What's going on? Why is it so lively?"

"Who the hell is that?!"

The gang leader turned around and looked at the voice coming from behind him.