"What happened then was completely different from today... It was still the Elf Calendar, and humanity was weak, reduced to food and playthings for the Vampire Clan. Under those circumstances, that Vampire Queen's gesture of goodwill toward humanity marked a new beginning..."
The City Lord was explaining the benefits of this approach to his advisers and supporters. He knew the Crimson Princess held an awkward position in the Blood Council... but that was fine. They didn't need to know.
The Flower Capital Festival would last several days, welcoming guests from across the Southern Kingdoms.
The most anticipated event was undoubtedly the meeting between the Princess and the Crimson Princess.
The former had saved Strange Tales City from crisis; the latter belonged to an evil race long featured in literature and horror stories.
The two drew enormous attention. The City Lord's Mansion seized the opportunity to publicize the fact that a Vampire Progenitor had made contact with the Southern Kingdoms a thousand years ago, while identifying residents who opposed the initiative.
The Crimson Princess was not suited to formal negotiations, and she knew it. She left them to her capable assistant Dracula and devoted herself to the Gemstone.
She said the Crimson Heart held a mysterious power that benefited her.
That explained it.
Vampires weren't dragons. Why else would a Gemstone stop her in her tracks?
Annan used the opportunity to meet many nobles and reach preliminary agreements with them: the City Lord and the lords would provide land, while Annan would provide tax revenue.
The foundation of those agreements was the Theater's takings over the past week and the taxes Annan had paid... Faced with real money, most nobles readily agreed.
A few fools did ask, "Why should I share the money with you when I can open my own