Seamus let out a short laugh and shook his head, refusing to take her seriously at first.

"You must be joking."

He never believed in gods. The idea of summoning one felt absurd, even if the so-called False God technically existed in their world.

Hell existed too, yet none of it felt real to him. Even when he had witnessed terrible things, even when X had shown him the hanging tree and spoken about the thread of fate, it still felt like some ancient myth.

Something that belonged in an old legend, maybe something that used to be real long ago, but not something that fit into the world he lived in now.

But then he noticed Madeline. Her posture had tensed, and her expression had turned sharp and serious. That alone told him Isolde was not lying.

"Fine." He let out a breath and rubbed his face. "Why would you want to summon them?"

Isolde answered without the slightest hesitation. "To get rid of all vampires."

"What?" His voice broke out louder than he intended. "Why? Don't you like being one?"

Isolde stared at him as if he had asked the most obvious question in the world. "Strange. I thought you would understand, but apparently you do not. After everything you have seen, do you really think the existence of vampires is necessary?"

Seamus pressed his lips together, unable to argue. Vampires were destructive, selfish, proud, and violent.

Every problem in his life seemed to trace back to one. They were a disease in the world, and he knew it. Still, hearing it from her felt wrong.

"I have been holding myself back from being honest with you," Isolde said, resting her chin on her hand.

"But you really are foolish and slow. How about you simply do what I ask instead of chasing answers you will not understand."

Her words stabbed at his pride. He rolled his eyes to hide the sting. "There it is. You finally sound like yourself again. You are scared I won't do what you want if I know your real goal."

"Oh, but you will," she replied calmly. "You want to revive Viviane, don't you?"

"Our reasons may differ, but our path is the same. All you have to do is follow me, and you will get what you want."

Seamus had no answer to that. The rest of his meal felt heavier, and every bite tasted worse than the last. Isolde always knew how to ruin a mood without even trying.

***

They finally arrived at Draemir Castle, a wide and steady structure built along the cliffside. Its pale stone walls looked brighter under the sun instead of darkened by age.

The place was enormous yet open, with broad terraces and tall windows that let sunlight spill through every floor. It held the history of an old fortress, but none of the gloom.

Everything felt lived-in, almost practical, instead of the heavy and brooding style Seamus expected from a vampire residence.

Behind the castle, a wide river raced toward the sea. The rush of water echoed faintly through the back courtyards, giving the place an unexpected sense of life.

When the sedan stopped, the maids and butlers were already lined up near the entrance.

Beside them stood an older man with silver hair and warm eyes. Ulrich was speaking quietly to Lulu, who seemed a little nervous beside him.

She arrived first together with Fleur and Leah since they didn't want to be in the same space as Isolde.

While Leah is impatient to learn about flora and fauna from this island for research purposes.

As Seamus stepped out, he noticed Madeline was already gone, teleported off to wherever she pleased.

That left only Seamus, Isolde, and Diane.

Ulrich greeted them with a polite smile. "Welcome to my modest house, Velstarth. I hope your stay here will be filled with good memories."

Isolde returned his greeting with a bright, practiced smile. "Of course, Ulrich. Thank you for supporting us through our difficult times."

She nudged Seamus forward and added, "This is Seamus. You did not get the chance to introduce yourself during the Corvane incident."

Seamus gave a small nod. "I am Seamus Velstarth, Mr. Ulrich. Thank you for helping me, I mean helping us."

Ulrich laughed softly and patted his shoulder. "It was nothing. And you have already met my daughter, Fleur, yes?"

"Yeah. I do not think she likes me much," Seamus said honestly, hoping their interactions would be minimal.

Ulrich only chuckled. "Do not worry about her. She has a lot on her mind."

He then turned toward Diane. "And long time no see for you as well, Diane."

Diane responded with a polite nod. "Yes, Sir Ulrich. I have always admired Fleur's efficiency in her work."

Ulrich laughed again. "Ah, I see. So you were aiming for executioner work. Unfortunately, the Seven Great Covenants are not in the best condition right now."

"Oh, that is fine. But if you ever need help getting rid of vampires or scavengers, feel free to ask me," Diane said cheerfully.

"Then I will keep that in mind," Ulrich said.

"For now, why don't we go inside? Discussing all this out here feels inappropriate, especially when you have all just arrived."

He gestured for them to follow, and the group stepped into the castle.

Behind them, the maids and butlers immediately moved to unload the luggage and prepare their rooms, ready to help arrange every detail of their stay.

"Let us move to the drawing room. I have prepared some refreshments so we can continue our conversation," Ulrich said.

He guided the group toward a room near the foyer.

Lulu followed close behind, her hand clinging to Lucien's shirt as if she refused to be left behind, especially since neither Isolde nor Diane showed any intention of releasing his arms.

Ulrich glanced back at the sight and let out a small laugh. "You certainly attract attention, Seamus. I think you will enjoy meeting my other daughter."

They reached the drawing room and the butler opened the door for them. Inside, the space opened wide, painted in soft ivory tones from the walls to the columns.

A tall window overlooked the garden, and the late sunlight filtered through the glass.

The beams landed on the chairs and polished table set in front of the window, turning everything warm and gold.

Seamus took a seat near the butler who was preparing tea. The fragrance of flowers filled the room, calm and steady.

"Are all of you comfortable with sunlight?" he asked.

Ulrich nodded. "The castle is protected by an invisible barrier. The harsh rays are converted into something warm and pleasant for vampires."

"Oh, so something like that is possible," Lulu said as she eyed a small strawberry tart that had been carefully plated in front of her.

She looked like she wanted to devour it in one bite.

"It is safe to eat, Lulu. It is our special recipe, and even a vampire can enjoy it," Ulrich said.

He then looked at Seamus. "The barrier is not our own work. It was created by our Emblem of Enigma. She prefers sleeping while bathed in sunlight."

"Oh, I see," Seamus said as he sipped the tea.

The taste was nice, though he thought it needed a few more sugar cubes.

"Where is your other daughter, Dahlia?" Isolde asked. "Still busy with acting and pretending to be human?"

Her tone was light enough that Seamus could not tell whether she meant it as sarcasm.

Ulrich sighed. "Yes, that girl. I do not understand her at all."

His gaze drifted to the tea in his hand as if studying his own reflection.

"But at times, I can understand her perspective. Humans grow and change. Their mentality shifts with age. We do not experience that the same way."

They continued talking after that, letting the afternoon stretch until the sky outside turned a soft orange.

Ulrich proved to be a pleasant host who could keep the mood warm and the conversation flowing.

Lulu even tried joining in a few times, but whenever Isolde spoke, Lulu immediately close her mouth shut.

Still, none of them brought up the Seven Great Covenants, and the silence around that topic made Seamus curious.

He waited until the moment felt natural enough before he spoke.

"You mentioned the Seven Great Covenants are not in a good place right now. May I ask why? And what exactly is the purpose of this organization?"

The room fell quiet for a moment. Even Diane looked surprised that he dared to ask.

"I keep hearing the name," he continued, "but I do not actually know what it is."

Ulrich folded his hands as if preparing to start a long explanation. "Let us begin from the beginning."

"Much like the Vampire Hunter Association, the Seven Great Covenants exist to unite the vampire Houses and bind them under shared rules for the sake of peace."

"You know of the Great Succession War that happened long ago. The organization was formed to prevent another disaster like that."

He paused and placed his wine glass of blood onto the table. "But then the Crimson Nectar appeared. Some of the Covenants grew impatient and chose to move behind our backs."

"They abandoned the organization and began seeking ways to control the Crimson Nectar for themselves."

Seamus clenched his hands. His fingers trembled slightly. Ulrich's words pointed straight toward him.

Whoever had stalked his parents all those years must have been one of those Houses.

"But… my mother was killed by vampire hunters," he finally said.

His voice was quiet, as if afraid of what answer he might receive.

"Yes, Seamus," Isolde replied. She sat with her legs crossed, her tone calm yet sharp.

"And because of that, the Vampire Hunter Association is very close to collapsing." She tilted her head as she studied his reaction.

"Are you not curious why? If you are, then you should visit the vampire hunter quarters here. They may know more than we do."

She said it as if the truth was already waiting for him, and all he had to do was walk into it.

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