Ⅰ
Absurd!
When he raised his arm to punch Count Bernaken, only for the man to dissolve into vapor, the Marquis of Einhaas was overwhelmed by a sense of absurdity.
He could not believe that his failed plan had succeeded after all.
Much less that it had succeeded in this way.
His relationship with Bernaken was complicated.
But overall, they guarded against each other, remained wary, and plotted against one another.
They could be called enemies.
Of that, he was certain.
He believed Bernaken would agree, too.
After all, over the years, each had always taken pleasure in the other's failures.
But...
Why would that bastard help him now?
The Marquis of Einhaas did not understand.
He could not make sense of it.
But the Blood Drinker, Heber, was even more bewildered.
Everything should have gone according to his plan.
By now, he should have escaped into the depths of the forest, continuing to use time to fight that curse until he recovered completely.
But why!
Why!
He had been shattered again!
Unlike the planned shattering the first time, this unexpected destruction was unacceptable to the arrogant Blood Drinker.
He could not accept it mentally.
Nor could he accept it physically.
The former made him feel as though he had been toyed with.
As for the latter?
Feeling the curse grow stronger once more because he had been shattered, the Blood Drinker seethed with rage.
Before, he would have needed only a hundred years to wear away the curse.
Now, however, time alone would no longer suffice!
He would have to relinquish some of his power as well.
That was something the Blood Drinker could never accept.
Every bit of his power had been earned through untold hardship, and it was the key to his future plans. How could he