The Original Vampire

In the silent night, only the faint hooting of owls was heard.

In the not spacious room, the atmosphere was stagnant and seemed to be suffocating.

Earl Uman and Knight Louis stood stunned, caught off guard by the news of Butler Delinden.

They never thought that the Duke of St. Hilde actually made a will.

For a time, thousands of thoughts flashed through the minds of the two people with ghosts, but none of them were clear.

Butler Delinden didn't seem to care about the silence of the two, and unfolded the parchment scroll in his hand.

The breathing of Earl Uman and Knight Louis suddenly became heavier, they looked at each other, and then immediately turned back to the butler, as if waiting for the final judgment of fate.

Delinden didn't seem to feel the abnormality between the two of them. After clearing his throat, he read out the content on the parchment:

"I, Sirius St. Hilde, in the name of the seventeenth Duke of the North, canonized Willa St. Hilde as the Marquis of the North. After my death, she will inherit the position of the Duke of the North and take the helm The authority of the north, inheriting the glory of Saint Hilde..."

"Impossible!" Before Delinden had finished reading, Knight Louis shouted loudly, his face full of unbelievable panic.

Earl Uman's face was gloomy, his eyes flashed a dangerous light, and his tone became as hard as stone: "Mr. Delinden, are you mistaken? Master Joyce's line of succession is ahead of Miss Vera. "

Butler Delinden said solemnly: "How could it be wrong? This is a will written by the Duke of St. Hilde in his own hand."

"I don't believe it!" Knight Louis began to move towards the door, apparently preparing to block the exit.

Earl Uman also slowly approached Steward Delinden and said solemnly, "Can you show me this will?"

Butler Delinden seemed to be completely unaware of his situation, and handed the will to Earl Uman with a calm expression.

Earl Uman took a quick glance, and then his face became completely gloomy.

He recognized the handwriting of the Duke of St. Hilde, and the will was genuine.

Knight Louis also saw the clue from the change in Earl Uman's face, and immediately clenched his fists, ready to turn his face at any time.

Butler Delinden still looked calm and calm, and asked lightly, "Lord Count, have you read it yet?"

Count Uman slowly put away the parchment,

After staring at Steward Delinden for a moment, he exchanged glances with Knight Louis. Finally, he turned around and threw the will into the fireplace.

call--

The rising flame instantly ignited the parchment, but Steward Delinden seemed to turn a blind eye to it.

It was not until the will of the Duke of St. Hilde was completely reduced to ashes that the Earl of Uman and Knight Louis finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the performance of Butler Delinden puzzled them both.

Why didn't he stop?

Earl Uman suddenly laughed and said to the steward, "Your Excellency Delinden, you don't want to see Miss Vera inherit the title of Duke, do you?"

Butler Delinden's indifferent face finally showed a smile, nodded and said, "Yes."

The tense atmosphere in the house immediately dissipated.

Knight Lewis laughed and said, "Mr. Butler, you should have said it earlier! We almost misunderstood you."

Butler Delinden said with deep meaning: "If I said it earlier, how could I know the true attitude of the two of you?"

Earl Uman stroked his palm and smiled, "Mr. Butler is right!"

Knight Louis also nodded again and again, and after a while, he asked suspiciously, "Mr. Steward, why do you think the Duke has made Miss Vera his heir?"

Butler Delinden smiled slightly: "You shouldn't know that the Duke made this will in September last year."

"Last September?" Louis Knight was still confused.

But Earl Uman has already reacted: "Miss Vera's coming-of-age ceremony was last September, right?"

"That's right." Butler Delinden nodded. "It was after Miss Vera's coming-of-age ceremony that the Duke made this will and handed it over to me for safekeeping."

It was only then that Knight Louis remembered that the last Marquis of the North, the Duke's second son Adams, was poisoned at the banquet of the bar mitzvah.

It turned out that at that time, Duke St. Hilde had already decided the heir to the position of Marquis, but he did not announce it in public.

But why didn't the duke announce the canonization of Vera as Marquis of the North?

Just as Knight Louis was about to ask the question, he realized that it was a stupid question, because at the bar mitzvah, the duke had already betrothed Vera to the half-elf prince, Tupe Medvin.

How could a woman married to a foreign race inherit the title of Duke of the North?

But... why did Duke St. Hilde make such a will?

"Didn't your lord already marry Vera to Prince Tupe at that time? Why did you make a will to let her inherit the title of Marquis?"

Hearing the question from Knight Louis, Steward Delinden hesitated for a moment, and finally replied:

"Actually, I can't give you a clear answer to this question, but according to my judgment, the duke was not willing to make Vera his heir, but he was forced to make such a commitment due to some pressure. will.

Therefore, I have always felt that this will is not the embodiment of the true will of the Duke, and it is the most appropriate to destroy it now. "

"Because of pressure?" Earl Uman said in a condensed voice, "Who can put pressure on Duke Saint Hilde?"

Butler Delinden shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.

Earl Uman's eyes flashed, and he suddenly felt that this must have something to do with the death of Marquis Adams, and maybe it has something to do with Vera's life experience.

At this moment, Knight Louis's slightly impatient voice sounded in the room: "Since the will has been burned, don't bother about it! The most urgent task is to control Winter City, and Vera must not be allowed to enter with the Golden Lion Legion. In the city!"

Earl Uman also nodded in approval: "Mr. Steward, if I remember correctly, the commander of the city defense army of Winter City is Thomas Knight, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you know whether he will support Master Joyce or Miss Vera?"

Butler Delinden smiled and said, "We'll invite him here, won't we know if we ask in person?"

Earl Uman and Knight Louis looked at each other and nodded immediately:

"it is good!"

...

In the darkness of the night, Knight Thomas followed the attendant to the parlor of the Lion's Roar Castle.

This Thomas knight was also surnamed St. Hilde, and was the cousin of the Duke of St. Hilde in terms of seniority. He had a horse-faced face and was unsmiling. He did not have a particularly prominent reputation in the north.

However, to be able to become the commander of the city defense army of Winter City, Knight Thomas must be a diehard loyalist of Duke St. Hilde.

Walking into the drawing room, Knight Thomas saw Steward Delinden, and of course, the Earl of Uman and Knight Louis.

As for the latter two, Thomas, as the commander of the city defense army, of course already knew that they had just entered the city tonight.

"Mr. Butler, I don't know why you came to me?"

"Knight Thomas, the Duke has no news so far, and there are even rumors that he has died, and now the rebels are approaching step by step, so I think Winter City needs a leader to lead everyone through the difficulties.

Who do you think is more suitable? "

Butler Delinden uses the word "leader" instead of the Duke of the North. After all, the Duke's succession requires the canonization of the royal family. Of course, they are not qualified to determine the ownership of the Lord of the North.

However, Thomas Knight can also understand the implied meaning of the other party's words, which is to ask him to stand in line.

"Where is the Golden Lion now? How is the situation?"

Seeing that Knight Louis appeared in Winter City, and then the butler suddenly asked him to choose a team, Knight Thomas immediately realized that this matter must have something to do with the Golden Lions.

Sure enough, I heard Knight Louis say in a painful tone: "The Golden Lions have been forcibly recruited by Miss Vera, and they are fighting the Dawson family by the riverside!"

Knight Thomas narrowed his eyes, his expression gloomy and uncertain, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Afterwards, he saw Earl Uman asking in a condensed voice, "Knight Thomas, do you think that Miss Vera is qualified to command the Golden Lion Legion when the life and death of Duke St. Hilde is unknown?"

Thomas Knight froze in his heart, knowing that the most critical moment was coming.

Moreover, he was also keenly aware that Earl Uman and Knight Louis had already caught him between them, and they were ready to go. get out of here.

"Of course not. Master Joyce is the current first heir to the Duke."

call--

The stagnant atmosphere in the hall instantly loosened.

Butler Delinden also put on a smile on his face, and asked: "So, do you also think that under the current situation, Master Joyce should be the leader of Winter City?"

"Yes." Thomas Knight said solemnly.

Although Thomas Knight has no obvious preference between Vera and Joyce, under the current situation, he is very clear that he must make a choice.

And this choice can only be Joyce.

...

The early morning light shredded the darkness that shrouded the earth, and sprinkled the first ray of morning light on the top of the Lion's Roar Fort.

After Joyce finished washing under the service of the maids, Butler Delinden stepped forward and said:

"Master Joyce, there are several guests outside waiting for your summons."

"Oh? Then invite them in." Joyce didn't care, but was a little puzzled why a guest came to the door so early today.

"Okay!" The housekeeper immediately went out in person and brought in the three Earl Uman.

Joyce obviously knew the three of them, so he greeted with a smile: "Good morning, Earl Uman, Uncle Thomas, Knight Louis."

"Good morning, Master Joyce!"

The three also greeted in unison, and then knelt down on one knee in front of Joyce, while raising their sabres above their heads.

Joyston was stunned.

Of course he understood that this was an act of swearing allegiance, but...

He looked at Butler Delinden, and saw an encouraging look from the other side.

Joyce seemed to understand something, and there was a strong sense of excitement on his face. He immediately strode to the front of Earl Uman, took the long sword, and placed it on the opponent's shoulder.

"I, Talos Uman, offer unconditional loyalty to the noble descendant of the Paladin family, Joyce Saint Hilde!

From now on, your will is my direction, and your command is my highest creed! "

Joyce took a deep breath, tried to imitate his father's appearance, and said loudly:

"I accept your allegiance!"