The First Vampire

“Ah!!!”

Hearing the screams of Isa emitting from the delivery room, and seeing maids going in and out with various items, Colin stood dumbstruck at the entrance to the Palace, finding the whole thing surreal.

But this time, it was indeed real.

The magnificent spectacle in the night sky had disappeared, but the phantasm of the Phoenix continued to linger in Colin’s mind, making him feel vaguely uneasy.

It was too much of a coincidence.

The Phoenix illusory image briefly appeared and disappeared over the Royal Palace, and then Isa started going into labor.

Although temporal sequence did not necessarily imply causality, it was hard for Colin to believe that there was no connection between the two events.

Could this be the Rebel forces’ real secret weapon?

But Colin found himself completely unable to understand the enemy’s tactics.

What was that Phoenix illusory image?

What effect did it have on Isa and the child in her womb?

Without comprehending these things, Colin had no idea how to respond and could only pray that his worries were unfounded and that Isa would have a smooth delivery.

However, as time passed, Colin’s heart sank further and further.

The dawn’s faint light tore through the dark veil of night, casting the first rays of sunlight upon the Half-Elf Palace. The fighting within the City had not ceased, but according to the reports from Knight Logh, the Blood Knight Army was gradually gaining an advantage and it was believed that the rebellious Silver Moon Guards would soon be entirely suppressed under their might.

But Colin couldn’t bring himself to rejoice yet because the child had still not been successfully delivered, and Isa’s voice was becoming increasingly weak.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Colin strode into the delivery room.

Technically, an “outsider” like Colin should not be allowed into Queen Isa’s delivery room, but given current circumstances, nobody dared to voice any objections.

Besides, everyone was well aware of the actual relationship between Colin and Isa.

“What’s going on?” Looking at Queen Isa lying on the bed, her face pale and soaked in sweat, Colin’s heart ached.

“Count, the Queen… the Queen has no strength left…” the female doctor said cautiously, looking at Colin’s gloomy face.

Colin’s eyes widened in alarm, he hurriedly asked, “What do you mean by no strength? Haven’t you used the Energy potion?”

“We did, the Queen has already consumed three bottles of the Energy potion, but…”

Colin furrowed his brows, realizing that something was decidedly not right.

By rights, Isa, being a knight, should have a better constitution than normal expectant mothers, so how could she not have the strength to give birth?

Moreover, after consuming so many potions, how could Isa’s energy and strength be so depleted? There was clearly something amiss.

“Colin…” Queen Isa called out weakly.

Colin hurriedly sat by the bed, took Isa’s hand, and comforted her in a gentle voice, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you.”

Isa, however, slowly shook her head and said, “No, I’m afraid I won’t be able to deliver this child…”

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Listen to me… I can feel… the aura of this child is too strong…”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember the Phoenix illusion we saw last night?”

“Yes, what was that?”

“That’s the totem of the High Elves…”

Colin knew something about this. It was said that the bodies of the High Elves contained the legendary bloodline of the Phoenix. Hence, their King was referred to as the “Phoenix King”, and their Palace built in Dragon City was also named the “Phoenix Palace”.

However, he didn’t understand what the Phoenix illusion appearing over Silver Moon City meant or how it was related to Isa’s delivery.

Before he could pose his questions, he heard Queen Isa continue, “The Phoenix bloodline is a symbol of the High Elf Royal Family, and I’m afraid that the child in my womb… is of the Phoenix bloodline…

I don’t know how I, a Half-Elf, could possibly bear a child of the Phoenix bloodline, which even the High Elf Royal Family treasures greatly… But the power of such a strong bloodline has surpassed my capacity to bear. It’s continuously drawing on my strength, and I have no ability to deliver it…”

Hearing this, Colin was able to confirm that the Phoenix illusory image was indeed the work of the rebels!

They had used some mysterious technique to forcefully upgrade the bloodline of the child in Isa’s womb.

Ordinarily, bearing a child of the Phoenix bloodline would be a joyous event, but the issue was, Isa was a Half-Elf; her “inferior” bloodline – as the High Elves saw it, was insufficient to naturally bear a child of Phoenix bloodline. Hence, for her, the child in her womb became a huge burden.

If things continued this way, the child would drain all of Isa’s life force, and even her being a Bloodline might not save her from this plight!

So this was the real secret weapon of the rebels!

Thinking of this, Colin immediately made up his mind and declared firmly, “Since it can’t be delivered normally, then we’ll perform a Cesarean section!”

Of course, Isa understood what Colin meant. She was aware of the Cesarean section procedure that Colin had prepared. At first, she thought it was unnecessary, but who would have thought that it would turn out to be indispensable.

“No, don’t!” However, Isa did not agree, shaking her head and begging, “If you do that, our child will die…”

“Stop talking nonsense, if you die, how can the child live?”

“We can wait a little longer. I can feel that its aura is stabilizing. Maybe, I can hold on a bit longer…”

“But Isa, why should we take such a risk?” Colin softly kissed Isa’s smooth forehead, “As long as you’re alive, we can always have another child.”

“But the children we may have in the future won’t be able to claim to be the late King’s posthumous child, their identity…”

“So what?” Colin declared confidently, “Even if they are illegitimate children, I will ensure they ascend the throne of the Half-Elves!”

“But… but…” It was not that Isa did not trust Colin, but as a mother, she was ultimately unwilling to surrender her child.

But Colin knew that at a time like this, he needed to make a hard decision on Isa’s behalf.

Looking at the tear-streaked face of Isa, he gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t worry, Isa, we will avenge this!”

Having said that, he turned to command the three doctors standing terrified at the foot of the bed, “Get on with it, perform the procedure!”

“Cou… Count…” The female doctors were trembling in fear.

“Hurry up!”

“But, but Count… none of the experiments has been successful…”

Ching!

Colin pulled out his sword, pointing it at the doctor, and bellowed, “Do as I say, or the next ones to die will be you!”

The doctors, looking at Colin’s ferocious face and the sword tip nearly touching their throats, gritted their teeth, took out the prepared “surgical knife”.

They whispered a prayer, and then, under Colin’s urging, they made an incision into Isa’s abdomen with trembling hands.