The First Vampire

By the end of May, the North Territory was no longer cold.

But the Ben Liu River was covered with a layer of solid ice.

“Hey Viscount! I told you we could cross, didn’t I?”

Above the solid ice, Mage Cusius was jumping up and down, demonstrating to Colin that his “masterpiece” had no issues.

Colin smiled and waved to Knight Logh: “Let’s cross.”

Knight Logh took the command and began to organize the cavalry to cross the river.

Meanwhile, he was also on guard for possible scouts from the Dawson Family.

However, Colin’s group was not large, and they were all swift cavalry. Although the Dawson Family was on the north bank of the Ben Liu River, they couldn’t possibly blockade the entire river.

Of course, it would be a different story if it were a large army crossing the river.

This was why Colin had only brought a thousand light cavalry here. If the number of people increased, they would encounter the Dawson family’s interception, which might lead to a fierce battle.

After crossing the Ben Liu River and traveling for half a day, Colin and his group encountered the scout cavalry of the Golden Lion Legion.

After identifying themselves, the scouts led Colin’s entourage towards the Golden Lion Legion’s camp.

By the evening, Colin finally saw a massive encampment and the golden lion flags fluttering in the wind.

The key commanders of the Golden Lion Legion, upon receiving the news, had lined up outside the camp to welcome Colin’s arrival.

On the way, Scholar Doan briefly introduced the high-ranking officers of the Golden Lion Legion to Colin.

Knight Nelson, the commander of the legion, and his two deputy commanders – Knight Louis and Knight Kambening.

Of course, as the direct troops of the St. Hilde family, the so-called commander of the Golden Lion Legion was just a title.

The one who truly controlled this army was still Duke St. Hilde himself. Of course, the Duke’s first inheritor, such as the former Marquis Charles, was also qualified to command this army in battle.

However, now that Duke St. Hilde is dead, and the position of the Marquis of the North Territory is vacant, it’s worth discussing who the Golden Lion Legion should obey.

At this time, the attitude of Knight Nelson, the commander of the army, became critically important.

Knight Nelson was a dignified and extraordinary middle-aged man. He was nearly two meters tall, with a sturdy figure and a naturally authoritative manner.

Knight Louis was older, with touches of grey in his hair. He always had a kind smile on his face, and his words were always comforting.

Knight Kambening, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He had a cold demeanor, was quiet, and had a hideous scar on his face, which made him seem somewhat unfriendly.

As knights who could lead the Golden Lion Legion, they were undoubtedly deeply trusted by Duke St. Hilde and their loyalty should not be a problem.

After some pleasantries, Knight Nelson escorted Colin and the rest into the camp.

The last elite force of the St. Hilde family was assembled here, with endless rows of disciplined troops and a sea of military tents which offered a sense of reassuring strength.

The eighty thousand strong army was well-ordered, demonstrating that Knight Nelson did indeed possess outstanding commanding ability.

Upon entering the temporary command post, Knight Nelson asked straightforwardly: “Miss Vera, Viscount Angler, I have heard of the Duke’s death, but is it true?”

“It’s true.” Vera nodded sadly.

Then, she recounted what happened on the wedding day and shared some of her speculations about the murderer.

Knight Nelson listened quietly, and the sadness and anger permeated the tent.

After the three commanders of the Golden Lion Legion digested the news, Colin cleared his throat and began to speak:

“Gentlemen, I understand that the Duke’s death is hard to accept and you must be eager for revenge. However, the enemy is powerful right now, and the Menam family’s army has already entered the North Territory and will soon appear behind the Golden Lion Legion. Therefore, my suggestion is to retreat to Winterfell City first, avoid a direct confrontation, and then make further plans.”

Colin’s words did not cause much disturbance. Knight Nelson continued to lower his head, deep in thought.

Clearly, even if he had married Vera, Colin still had no authority to move this army.

“I also believe we should withdraw. We cannot risk the last elite power of the St. Hilde family on the banks of the Ben Liu River.” Vera agreed.

However, Knight Nelson still remained silent.

The atmosphere in the tent was becoming increasingly awkward.

At this point, Knight Louis broke the silence with a laugh:

“Viscount Angler, I know you sincerely have the best interests of Golden Lion Legion at heart. However, we are here on orders from the Duke. If we were to withdraw and the Dawson family took this opportunity to cross the Ben Liu River and invade the St. Hilde family’s territory, then who would be held responsible?”

Colin shook his head in disagreement. “But if you are held up here and the Menam family cuts off your retreat, joining forces with the Dawson family for a two-front attack, the Golden Lion Legion may well face inevitable defeat.”

Knight Louis was about to respond when he saw Knight Nelson slowly stand up. He promptly closed his mouth, leaving the difficult question to his fellow knight.

Knight Nelson’s gaze swept over Colin’s face, finally settling on Vera. He asked, “Miss Vera, may I ask where the corpse of the Duke is now?”

“It’s outside.”

“May we pay our respects to the remains of the Duke?”

“Of course.”

Vera looked at Colin, who had no choice but to nod at Knight Logh, signaling him to bring in the coffin of Duke St. Hilde.

Knight Logh obeyed and left.

Once again, awkward silence descended on the tent.

Colin exchanged glances with Scholar Doan, both recognizing the gravity of the moment.

The senior leaders of the Golden Lion Legion were even more stubborn than they had expected.

However, to Colin, this stubbornness seemed somewhat baffling.

Even if Nelson and others thought neither Colin nor Vera were qualified to issue orders to the Golden Lion Legion, in the current situation, the best option to avoid being attacked from both sides was to retreat to Winterfell City.

Colin couldn’t understand why Knight Nelson and the others were so resistant to this suggestion.

Soon, Knight Logh brought in the coffin of Duke St. Hilde.

The people immediately gathered around, preparing to pay their respects.

With a soft creaking sound, the coffin lid was slowly opened.

Colin placed his left hand over his chest, bowed his head, a well-timed expression of sadness apparent on his face.

But immediately, he heard Knight Nelson’s voice, questioning:

“Viscount Angler, are you sure this is the body of the Duke?”

Huh?

Colin looked up, surprised, and began to explain as his eyes gazed at the coffin:

“Knight Nelson, the Duke was petrified by an unknown forbidden spell, so…his remains might look a bit…”

He stopped mid-sentence, as he was struck speechless by what he saw.

Because what he saw lying in the coffin was a stone carving of Duke St. Hilde.

Not the petrified Duke St. Hilde!

They may appear similar, but they were actually worlds apart.

Whether it was the meticulous details of the facial features or the overall feeling, Colin could absolutely confirm that this was not the remains of Duke St. Hilde!

It was merely an ordinary statue of the Duke.

This was a switch!

Colin was taken aback and turned to meet the equally shocked look in Scholar Doan’s eyes.

As their eyes met, the same thought flashed through both their minds —

The Morrison Family!