The maids screamed in fright. They were mostly vampires, though none of them were purebloods. But their instinct against them didn't turn on, because mostly women were never taught how to fight. Their vampire powers were not honed and were only useful for carrying heavy items when cleaning or decorating the large Dubois house.
Valerie was still lucky, as she was a noble who occasionally received sword training from knights. It was common among noblewomen, because in a war situation, they could be abandoned by their husbands. So they should at least know how to protect their children. But women were not allowed to learn more about swordsmanship than men.
They must not become masters of the sword, or compete. Swordsmanship was used to defend themselves and their honor. Unless they were knights by profession and allowed by their family heads.
Valerie let her maids run away and screamed for the guards. But they won't come that fast. Valerie was still wearing her nightgown. She also drew Apollon who had now transformed into his original form. With bare feet she diverts her energy slashing the window with her sword.
The window shattered, making a loud noise and broken glass seemed to scatter raining down on Lust's body. Valerie hoped that the surprise attack would make him retreat away from the house.
Lust jumps down. Valerie followed him warily. He was now on the ground while looking at Valerie. He stuck out his long tongue with an interested look. Valerie was shuddering. She really hated Shadows behavior. Not only was he evil, but his gaze was impolite and disgusting.
She thought the creature had fled to join their comrades through the water sewer.
Valerie had to kill him.
"I like strong women!" He said it out loud.
Valerie held Apollon who was now glowing bright yellow. However, Valerie didn't really understand how to bring back his powers like when she faced General Gunther yesterday with his Khione sword. Did Valerie have to really be pushed to be able to bring the power of the sun?
The shadows jumped suddenly and his long hairy arms caught her waist. Valerie shrieked angrily. She had never been touched like that by anyone.
Valerie made sure not to let Apollon out of her hands. She had anticipated it. The girl put a chain on the handle, and connected it with a bracelet that was always worn by her right wrist. Even if her hands were too sweaty or she drowned in the sea, she would not be separated from Apollon.
Shadows had her hopping around in her yard, he was about to kidnap her, take her away from everything she knew. But Valerie wouldn't allow that to happen. She slashed one of Lust's impudent arms to pieces. He who flinched finally landed back on the ground and Valerie was released.
Her clothes were now covered in blood. But like Shadows before, he regrows his arm.
"Oh, my wife wants to play rough?"
"Who is your wife?!" Valerie smacked Apollon into his thigh. She made him fall to the ground and stabbed him repeatedly. It's just that her low position and her body being held up by Shadows' legs made it difficult for her to reach his head.
The wound healed immediately. She couldn't make the tear deep enough because her hand wasn't free enough.
The shadows turned around, he encircled Valerie with her huge body. He held her hands together and looked up at her. His tongue stuck out, tasting her neck and hair. Valerie struggled frantically, but her strength was inferior to the Shadows. The monster laughed. Valerie lost. Raphael was right, he was not strong enough.
"You should just accept it, I will spoil you,"
"Who would!" Valerie spat in his face.
Shadows laughed. Valerie's reaction made him even more excited.
"My wife, we will make a lot of vampire children, they will be very strong, because the mother too, very stubborn," the Shadows steadied.
"Burning Light! Valerie screamed, as she felt Apollon warm up.
Then a light shone from it and enveloped the shadows' left arm. He screamed in pain. He roared and finally released Valerie back.
But Lust immediately moved back and grabbed Valerie's hand. Apollo's sword slipped and dangled without being able to reach the girl again. She could see that the monster's arm was now black and his fingers were crushed to ashes. No regeneration. Apollon's power could weaken him.
But Valerie felt that she had reached her limit. She too was exhausted from the bloody events at the club. She couldn't even hold Apollon back. Lust looked furious and squeezed her hand. Maybe he didn't take Valerie seriously in the first place. He didn't want to kill her because he wanted Valerie as his wife. But this time Lust didn't care. He would probably kill Valerie.
But Valerie, who was still thinking about her next strategy, now saw Lust's head roll. His older brother Jasper stood behind him. His hands had sharp, animal-like claws but his expression remained calm. He could injure Shadows and even decapitate him. Though ordinary weapons could not even scratch their skin.
"Sorry, you may be afraid of me, Valerie, I have a lot to hide from you..but, I will always protect you," Jasper said. Valerie, who felt touched, hugged him.
If Valerie hadn't seen it herself, she probably wouldn't have believed this. But Jasper had proven his strength. Just as Caesar had guessed, Jasper was probably stronger than all of the current Florentian knights. And he was not even a Knight. Jasper appeared before her with a pale face, pupils that were redder than usual and a scorching aura of darkness. But Valerie wasn't afraid of him at all.
"Valerie, your brother is a monster," Jasper hugged her emotionally. He let go of the burden he had been hiding for so long.
The fact that he was helped by his mother had killed countless humans— would probably disappoint Valerie. They had violated what they taught Valerie themselves. About equality, about compassion and about how vampires should be fair to humans.
But Jasper, Arthur and Veronica had broken it. Just to keep their child alive. Supposedly, Jasper was killed before he became as strong as he is now.
There was a day, when Jasper begged his parents to be killed. Before he became a real monster and hurt them back.
However, when Arthur Dubois finally decided to wound Jasper as badly as he could to death. No vampire knight he paid for could do it. When Jasper was not even willing to defend himself, the darkness within him takes over and he ends up killing them.
Jasper had become the strongest entity among vampires. Something that was dangerous and should not be known by anyone. But Jasper, who had accepted himself, thought of giving himself one more chance. If he was destined to have that power, Jasper promised to use it to protect his family and Lapella.
"You're not a monster, Jasper. You're my brother," Valerie said again as she tightened her arms.
***
"Proposal letter again?" Arthur Dubois muttered in his study. He had no idea there was going to be a bloody commotion in his yard. He was alone in his room and worked late as usual.
While he was focused, no one dared knock on his study door. Arthur sorts through the papers and once again finds piles of proposals for their unmarried daughter.
Arthur thought of marrying Valerie after Jasper married. But it would be difficult to find a wife for Jasper. She had to be able to accept Jasper's condition which had been a secret.
Well, though it's not that much of a secret anymore. Jasper told him about Caesar discussing the devil's DNA. Something he said he was experiencing right now. The thing that made him so strong and invincible.
He said the Avalons could help him. It was a very tempting offer. Although it feels ironic because Arthur has been hiding it tightly so Avalon didn't recognize his power. But now he was considering sending Jasper to Avalon?
Now that Jasper was an adult, he himself decided to open up about his condition. Though he hadn't clearly told anyone. But if Jasper did decide to go, Arthur wouldn't stop him.
Arthur returned to focus with the pile of proposal letters for Valerie from the twenty-two noble houses of the vampire nation. From those with the title count to the Duke sending their marriage proposal to the Dubois family. Anyone wanted to be related to Dubois, they were rich and influential.
But Arthur had to be careful. First, he obviously wouldn't let the Avalon noble family have his daughter. It is politically dangerous. Arthur didn't want Avalon to have more power than they currently have in Lapella.
He discarded nearly half of the marriage offers and turned to the proposals made by the Florentian nobles. He found familiar noble names. Then there was the name Chastain, from the state of Acheron.
Apparently, the Chastains once proposed to Valerie for their son Raphael who joined the military. Arthur pondered, he had not replied to the letter, even though it had been almost four months. Maybe because they weren't in a hurry and their son was still at war, they didn't send a second letter asking for the answer.
Now, Valerie was dating Raphael. Then, did Arthur need to reply to their letters?
"Your Grace," a knight knocked on the door. Arthur also reorganized the papers. He was a little annoyed by it. But he separated the proposal letter from the Chastains and kept it under his coat.
"The governor and the higher-ups of Lapella requested an urgent meeting, your Grace..related to the terror attack from Shadows in the next town. They urge you to attend," said the knight nervously.
"What? When did it happen?"
"Just now, and— there was also Shadows who entered Lady Valerie's room.. But the situation was under control, Lord Jasper killed him," said the knight again.