Chapter 51
“Lady Katarina.”
Knock, knock—
The woman, who had been tearing apart a human man in the all-white room, stopped her actions.
“Lady Katarina, he’s coming soon.”
Her eyes widened at the voice calling her name from outside.
Her pale face, curly pink hair, and deep brown eyes certainly gave her a charming appearance.
If it weren’t for the blood dripping from the corners of her mouth.
“…What did you say?”
Clack—
The door opened, and a man in a pristine priest’s robe stepped inside. With an emotionless expression, he bowed politely.
“He is expected to arrive.”
“My goodness… the one I’ve been waiting for all this time? Is it true?”
“Yes. He’s coming this way.”
“Marvelous.”
Katarina tossed the human man she had been holding like a toy and got up. The man, witnessing this, immediately called for the maid.
The maid who entered skillfully lifted the dead human and carried him out. Another maid came in to clean the room.
Yet another maid wiped Katarina’s mouth and retouched her makeup.
“How long has it been since our last meeting? I wonder if he will remember me?”
“He will surely remember, Lady Katarina. You were his loyal servant, after all.”
Katarina tapped her foot impatiently at the words of the maid in charge of her appearance. Her cheeks flushed pink.
“I’m so excited. Do we have enough sacrifices for him?”
“Yes. They are always ready.”
“I hope he enjoys the banquet I’ve prepared for him.”
Katarina covered her cheeks with both hands and smiled faintly.
“Lady Katarina, you have to lower your hands so I can finish your makeup.”
“Oh, right. Yes, yes. Today, I must be the most beautiful in the world.”
Muttering to herself, Katarina suddenly turned ferocious.
“More beautiful than that woman I want to kill! More!”
“Calm down, Lady Katarina. That woman is already dead.”
The maid had long grown used to calming Katarina whenever she became angry.
Almost as if nothing had happened, Katarina returned to her charming appearance.
“Oh, right. She’s dead! Hehe. Then he will finally see me, won’t he?”
Her eyes gleamed with ecstasy.
“Oh, I want to meet him so badly. Ah, my king!”
Near the temple, Melony paused.
“Mel, why are you stopping all of a sudden?”
“The temple…”
She hadn’t completely avoided the temple after five years. She had visited a few times to collect silver bullets.
Even then, the bloodstains hadn’t been this overwhelming. The aura of the temple hadn’t felt this gloomy.
But now, it was completely different. The crimson color seemed to blaze around the pristine white temple.
“Why is it like this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Kain, can you smell all this blood?”
“I can. And it’s thick human blood.”
“….”
Judging by the smell, quite a few humans must have been consumed inside.
The stench was strong enough to make even Kain frown.
Melony hesitated at the entrance. Seeing the gruesome scene up close made her recoil.
“Scared?”
At that moment, a low voice made her come back to herself.
“Me? Scared of what?”
“Entering a vampire’s lair.”
“No way. It’s just…”
Even though she hadn’t felt compatible with it, the temple had once been a sacred place. Its positive aura had lifted her spirits.
Now, soaked in blood, it was a horrid sight. And yet, why did no one else seem disturbed?
Passersby bowed their heads in prayer as they looked at the temple.
“It’s just disgusting.”
Melony, taking the first step onto the stairs, turned back and grabbed Kain’s wrist, pulling him close.
“Want to go in together? How childish.”
“Are you joking? I need to check the temple’s barriers.”
Melony pressed him close as they climbed the steps.
The closer they got to the temple entrance, the more her stomach churned. Her body reacted with intense revulsion.
Why was this happening?
“Mel, get a hold of yourself.”
“I am fine.”
“Sure looks like you’re about to faint.”
“Shut your mouth.”
Melony held her umbrella tightly.
It was her only weapon and the only thing keeping her mind focused.
“You’re weak against this kind of thing, huh?”
“Not at all.”
Thanks to Kain’s continuous talking, her stomach settled somewhat. Perhaps it was also the cool touch of his hand that helped.
When Melony reached the temple doors, she bowed to the doorman. He glanced at them briefly and returned to his duties.
The doors were open for those who came to pray.
“This is it, right?”
Kain pointed at the entrance.
He had already stepped inside without any reaction.
Melony, noticing this, scanned her surroundings with sharp eyes.
“It seems the barriers are gone.”
“Looks like it.”
Even though he answered nonchalantly, Melony’s stomach tightened.
The barriers were usually crafted meticulously by the saint.
Non-humans would be shocked the moment they stepped inside, their bodies stiffening and vampires fainting.
‘They’re supposed to be.’
Kain walked calmly inside.
That meant the saint was either absent or in danger.
Seeing the problem firsthand left them speechless.
“Mel.”
“I know, me too.”
“You can tell?”
“There aren’t many humans here.”
Even those present were just people who had come to pray.
Nearby, the human guides and priests were vampires. Melony could clearly tell without Kain having to point it out.
“Recently, I heard that people who come to the temple have all gone missing. And yet they still come.”
“Because this is the only place humans can trust.”
Kain seemed to understand better than anyone.
As they walked, all the vampires inside focused their gaze on Melony.
“They’re checking her out?”
“Of course.”
Among vampires, the silver-haired female hunter, who mercilessly fired her guns, was well-known.
Her appearance alone was famous, and certainly, some had seen her in person.
No wonder they were baring their teeth already.
‘Maybe I should have disguised myself with a cloak.’
But her mission from Eric was clear.
Kill all the vampires inside.
She had to prepare to eliminate every visible vampire.
“This could be more dangerous than I thought.”
Kain murmured, and she nodded in agreement.
Even though they expected a vampire lair, it was more formidable than they thought.
“How will you handle them?”
“I’ll kill whoever targets me first. Either way, we’ll kill them all before leaving.”
“Hmm.”
As she adjusted his cloak over his shoulders, she pushed it firmly back down.
“Indivia entered here, right?”
“Yes, I saw her.”
“Then find her first.”
“Why?”
“To kill her.”
“She didn’t kill her clone last time.”
“That’s planned for now on.”
Melony’s eyes darted around, scanning.
“Taking her out will weaken the king’s power.”
Kain’s lips curved into a long smile as he listened. Melony was too focused to notice.
“Since we agreed on a generous reward, I’ll help.”
“Of course.”
Melony went up to the second floor, familiar with the temple’s layout.
Kain followed and continued speaking.
“Where are you going?”
“To check on the saint.”
“She probably isn’t human.”
“Why?”
“The smell of blood gets stronger as we go upstairs.”
It meant someone had feasted on human blood up there.
Melony paused briefly but reached the second floor.
‘No matter where I look, Indivia isn’t here.’
Where could she be?
She looked down the long corridor. Nearby rooms were firmly shut.
The saint’s quarters were somewhere here. It had been a while, so she didn’t remember exactly.
At that moment, a stranger’s voice came from behind.
“Ordinary people are not allowed up here.”
Turning around, she saw a priest.
‘A vampire.’
Abel was a priest she had sensed full of holy power, but this man only wore a priest’s robe.
Melony chuckled and positioned Kain behind her before speaking.
“I’d like to meet the saint.”
