Chapter Fifteen: The Battle of the Vampire Princess

Faced with Liliell in this state, I couldn't help but become serious. I believed her words—she would certainly kill Xingyu to uphold the honor of the bloodline. My figure vanished from where I stood, and the massive black scythe swept behind Liliell. She turned without the slightest pause, her slender blade blocking my scythe's strike.

"Teleportation—what a remarkable ability. As expected of someone who has inherited our father's blood," Liliell said with genuine admiration. Among our kind, each member possesses different powers; abilities are the manifestation of our lineage. The nobler the blood, the greater the power one commands—teleportation is one of mine. As a pureblood who inherited our father's line, Liliell's own powers were equally formidable.

As my attack was blocked, a knight's sword stabbed at me from behind. I swung my enormous black scythe with force, knocking Liliell before me away, then arced upward and back to parry the sneak attack. Liliell's clear laughter rang out from behind me: "As expected of you, Lilith. You can even fend off that strike." Even as she spoke, the Liliell I had just repelled raised her sword and attacked again. This was her power—the ability to create a doppelgänger with the same strength as her true self.

With Liliell and her double attacking me from both sides, I gradually fell behind. "Damn," I muttered through clenched teeth, struggling to hold on.

"Lilith, if this is the extent of your power, I'm sorely disappointed. You'll never be able to stop me like this," Liliell's clear laughter came from another direction. She could already create two doubles—no wonder she was Liliell, the bloodline's purest. But how could I allow myself to lose here? I would never let her harm Xingyu.

"Night Scythe Art—Nightmare Spider Lily!" I called softly, and the black scythe in my hand conjured a myriad of scythe shadows that swept toward Liliell and her clones. In terms of blood, I was far inferior to Liliell, but when it came to strength, I would never lose to her. If my bloodline was lacking, I would make up for it with diligence and effort. The countless scythe shadows were scattered by Liliell and her double, but in the end, she was still engulfed by the tide of blades.

I panted lightly, eyes fixed on where Liliell stood within the storm of scythe shadows. Even so, it wasn't enough to threaten her. As expected, a streak of dark golden sword light shot straight at me, and I dodged aside. Although "Nightmare Spider Lily" hadn't harmed her, both of her doubles were destroyed.

"Impressive as always, Lilith. But now I'll get serious," Liliell said, her voice low. "Shadow Flicker!" With that, she vanished from my sight, and six Liliells appeared all around me, all brandishing swords to seal off any path of escape. It wasn't teleportation, nor was it duplication—just afterimages created by moving at incredible speed, attacking simultaneously. A most ingenious technique. I neither dodged nor evaded, but called out, "Night Scythe Art—Nightmare Spider Lily!" This was a battle where both vampire princesses wagered everything.

The swirling scythe shadows and flickering afterimages dissipated at once, revealing the two combatants. My scythe had struck at Liliell's arm, but her sword tip was pressed to my heart. I had lost. After so long without feeding, my weakened body couldn't withstand such a fierce duel. In truth, by the time the battle was halfway through, I could no longer maintain the barrage of scythe shadows, and Liliell's afterimages broke my defense. My last desperate stand had failed to change the outcome.

"I've lost," I admitted to Liliell. "But if you dare harm my friends, I will never forgive you."

"Friends! Friends! All you ever think about are those two lowly humans. Where is your pride as a vampire? Where is your honor as a princess of our kind? Is this truly the extent of your power? You're so weak you can't even muster a tenth of your strength, yet you stubbornly persist!" Liliell glared at me in fury.

"Liliell, you don't understand. I've endured too much solitude; my heart is so very tired. So, like the spider’s thread the gods left for mortals, even if it costs me everything, I will cling to it—no matter if it ultimately snaps and I fall into hell, I will have no regrets." I looked at Liliell, my voice steady.

"Have you thought of our father? What would he do if you died?" Liliell demanded.

"Father has suffered too long in his longing for Mother. Perhaps only my death can finally set him free from his pain. Besides, he still has you. Liliell, Father truly loves you."

"I absolutely forbid you to die," Liliell shouted angrily. "If you do, I’ll kill those two lowly humans on the spot."

"Liliell, don’t worry. How could I possibly die? I have too many wishes left unfulfilled—until then, I absolutely refuse to die." Yes, I hadn’t yet seen Xingyu find happiness, hadn’t taken him to the amusement park again, hadn’t watched a sunrise with him. How could I die now?

"Remember what I’ve said. Remember your promise," Liliell withdrew her knight’s sword from my heart.

"Miss, are you all right?" After the battle, Ang asked anxiously, for he knew this was a fight he could not interfere in, a necessary confrontation.

"Don’t worry, I’m fine," I replied. It seemed I had overexerted myself—the pain flared through my body, a wave of weakness spreading through my limbs.

"Hmph, as if Lilith would be hurt by such a minor fight. She’s not that frail," Liliell said with disdain. Indeed, I’d survived countless massacres far more brutal than this. This wasn’t a real battle, but more a venting of pent-up frustration.

"Achilles, fetch me a change of clothes. This fight soiled my dress—how annoying," Liliell ordered. Such was the proud princess of the bloodline—always immaculate, intolerant of any imperfection.

"Ang, I’m going to bed. Don’t wake me tomorrow; I’ll rest all day. Today has been exhausting," I instructed, turning to leave for my room.

"Hmph, using the bloodline’s precious night for sleep—aren’t you ashamed as a vampire?" Liliell still bristled with hostility.

"Miss, you really do need some rest. Your body is under too much strain," Ang fretted over my condition.

"Don’t worry, Ang. I’ll be fine. I should recover after some rest. Even without feeding, I can maintain basic function," I assured him with a reassuring smile.

"Still, please be careful. Your body is terribly weak," he insisted.

"Yes, I’ll be careful." With that, I made my way to my room. "Liliell, I’ll see you tomorrow night," I called back to her standing in the parlor.

I headed for my bedroom, but the weakness spreading through me became unbearable—I could barely keep myself upright. As I collapsed, a bitter smile touched my lips. The battle had indeed been too much for my body.

"Miss!" Ang’s anxious voice reached me. "Sister!"—Was that Liliell’s worried cry? I must have misheard. Then all consciousness faded, and I slipped into darkness.

So this is how it ends.

"Miss, you’re awake." Ang’s voice interrupted my drifting memories. "Ang, how long have I slept?" I asked, feeling the unrelenting weakness in my body.

"You have slept two days and two nights. It’s now the third night," he replied.

"Not too long, then." I hoped Xingyu and the others wouldn’t worry.

"Mr. Xingyu and Miss Lexiaoyou came to visit, but you were still asleep, so they left. They said they would come again tomorrow," Ang reported.

"No conflicts, I hope?" I asked uneasily, wondering how Liliell would react if she saw them.

"It was daytime, so Her Highness Liliell was still resting. They didn’t meet."

"I see. That’s good. To think I’ve grown this feeble—how shameful," I said helplessly.

"It’s likely the loss of your origin blood has harmed your body, and since you refuse to feed to replenish your strength, this has happened," Ang explained.

"Yes, I was careless. I thought it wouldn’t matter, but clearly I was wrong. My strength was insufficient," I said with a bitter laugh.

"Her Highness Liliell is very concerned about you. Would you like me to inform her?" Ang asked again.

"Yes, let her know," I said, lying in my coffin. My feeble body made me loath to move.

"Hmph, are you an idiot?" Liliell’s voice rang out before I even saw her, and she stormed in, bristling with fury. "You actually formed a blood pact with a human—are you insane?" she reprimanded me with unprecedented anger.

"You know already?" I replied with a helpless smile.

"You even lost your origin blood—did you think you could hide it from me?" Liliell scolded.

"I thought I could keep it secret for a while longer, but it was exposed so soon. Well, it had to be faced eventually," I said, staring up at the ceiling.

"You wasted the precious origin blood on a human, and formed a blood pact with her. Do you plan to die with her in a few decades?" Liliell pressed angrily.

"I know. But I do not regret it," I replied with a steadfast smile.

"I’ll give her the first embrace—I’ll turn her into one of us. I’ll do whatever it takes. I will not let you die," Liliell insisted.

"Absolutely not," I refused immediately. Xingyu should pursue his own happiness, not be condemned to eternal darkness and solitude.

"Why? Don’t you love him? Don’t you want to be together forever?" Liliell was stunned, her question filled with confusion.

"Of course I want to be with him forever. But I won’t sacrifice his happiness for it," I replied firmly. This was my line—my decision.

"Why? Are you stupid? His happiness, his happiness—what about you?" Liliell was almost desperate.

"As long as he can be happy, I am content. That is my wish," I said quietly, looking at the ceiling. Yet why did my heart ache so bitterly? Yes, I wanted to spend eternity with Xingyu. But I knew all too well the agony that lay behind that seemingly beautiful, everlasting life. I was selfish.

"I don’t care. I will find a way for you to live," Liliell declared.

"I won’t tell Father, nor notify the council. But know that this is not for your sake. I simply don’t want Father to grieve, nor the honor of the Dracula family to be tarnished," she said fiercely, then stormed out.

"Ang, I will need to sleep for a while longer. Please keep an eye on Liliell—don’t let her harm Xingyu and the others," I requested.

"Yes, Miss. Don’t worry. I will not let Her Highness Liliell cause any trouble before you wake. Please rest well," Ang promised.

"Thank you, Ang," I replied. With that, the weakness engulfed me once more, and I slipped back into sleep.