Chapter 256: Anette’s Apology

Victor was still adjusting his robe when he heard three firm knocks on the door.

Carmilla was still in the bathroom, likely enjoying the hot water, while Scarlet had appeared in the bedroom a few minutes earlier and was absentmindedly sorting through some of the clothes he intended to take on the trip.

"Coming." Victor tied the sash of his robe around his waist and walked to the door. "If this is another person checking to see if I’m alive, I’m going to start charging a fee."

He opened it.

An unfamiliar vampire stood in the hallway, wearing the dark uniform of a messenger attached to the high command. Upon seeing Victor, the man straightened his posture completely before bowing deeply.

"Divine Blood Dragon."

Victor remained silent; he wasn’t used to such formalities or being addressed by a title whose origin even he didn’t know.

"I really need to talk to someone about that title..." he muttered, before looking back at the messenger. "Go ahead."

The vampire lifted his face but maintained an extremely respectful posture.

"Marshal Chysis asked me to come personally and request a few minutes of your time before you leave the Kingdom."

Victor raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised; he hadn’t expected it to be someone from his family—in fact, he thought it was more likely to be anyone else but Chysis.

"She wants to speak with me?" he asked curiously.

"Not exactly."

That caught his attention. The messenger continued, "The Marshal simply asked me to inform you that someone wishes to speak with you in private."

Victor waited a few seconds.

Nothing followed.

"And?"

The vampire blinked.

"Sir?"

"Who is it?"

"I wasn’t informed."

"Of course you don’t know." Victor sighed; he didn’t care much for these stupid surprises. He was actually disappointed. The messenger stood motionless upon realizing Victor was far from pleased, and a bead of sweat began to trickle down the side of his forehead.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, Divine Blood Dragon."

"Stop calling me that."

The man hesitated.

"Yes... sir."

"Better." Victor made a slight gesture with his hand. "You can go. Be careful not to trip on the staircase to the left; there’s a loose step," he said calmly.

The messenger blinked in surprise at the kindness; he had been so tense, he thought Victor might kill him simply for delivering a message. The vampire bowed again, offered silent thanks, and took his leave.

His body immediately began to dissolve.

First, his uniform lost its shape; then, his arms, head, and torso fragmented into dozens of small black bats that filled part of the corridor. Within seconds, they all flew off and vanished around the bend of the passageway.

Victor stood in the doorway, watching the scene and feeling like a complete idiot.

"Damn it, and I even told him to watch out for the step? I’m going to kill that bastard when I see him," he muttered, clenching his fists.

Before he could take two steps, he felt a chin resting against him.

"Scarlet."

"Hmm?"

She was behind him, practically draped over his back, her chin resting on his shoulder as she gazed at the newly closed door.

"She seems serious."

"Who?"

"Chysis."

Scarlet lazily wrapped her arms around his waist.

"If it were just some trivial nonsense, she would have come here herself, complained for five minutes, messed with something she shouldn’t have, and said whatever was on her mind."

Victor thought for a few seconds and nodded; she was right.

Seeing Victor deep in thought, Scarlet continued. "But she sent a messenger, and it wasn’t her who wanted to speak with you—it was someone else."

"I wonder who wants to talk to me." Victor sighed, then fell silent for a few seconds.

He rested one of his hands on her arm.

"It looks like I’ll have to go."

"You’re going?"

"My curiosity is well and truly piqued." Victor let out another sigh. "Now I just want to find out who’s managed to turn a private conversation into something so mysterious."

[...]

It didn’t take long for Victor to reach the place where Chysis spent much of her time when she wasn’t busy at the Valentine Headquarters.

It was a palace set apart from the main district—smaller than the family estate, yet still grand enough to seem excessive to any ordinary person. Chysis liked the place precisely because there were fewer people around and, more importantly, fewer nobles showing up uninvited.

As soon as Victor passed through the gates, two maids near the entrance immediately curtsied.

"Young Master."

Victor nodded.

"Is my grandmother here?" he asked.

One of the women looked up.

"My Lady asked us to let you know that they are waiting for you out back, in the private garden."

Victor noted the use of the plural.

"I see."

Victor asked nothing further and kept walking.

The palace interior was much busier than he remembered. Maids hurried through the corridors carrying trays, guards were stationed in spots that were usually empty, and even two administrative staffers walked past him carrying an absurd amount of paperwork.

Victor looked around.

"What happened here?"

A passing maid slowed down.

"Sir?"

"It’s packed with people."

"Ah." She seemed to understand. "My Lady is temporarily using the palace for some meetings and analysis. Some of the documents from Central have been brought here."

Victor immediately thought of the investigations Chysis and Serafall were conducting. They had indeed mobilized a lot of people to start looking into the matter regarding the genetic material that had created him.

"Right." He nodded and continued on his way.

Still, something felt off.

If Chysis wanted to speak with him, why hadn’t she simply appeared in person?

Victor walked through two more corridors before reaching the back of the palace. The doors leading to the garden were already open, allowing fresh air to flow into the hall.

He stepped through them.

Chysis’s private garden was far more tranquil than the rest of the estate. There were small trees, carefully arranged flowers, and a stone path leading to an open area where a tea table had been set up near a small pond.

Victor had expected to find his grandmother.

He didn’t... In fact, he found someone he had absolutely no interest in talking to. Anette Alucard was sitting at the table.

Victor paused and let out a sigh—so weary and annoyed—that he immediately understood why Chysis hadn’t even told him who wanted to see him. He would have flatly refused had he known it was that irritating woman.

However, something about the ill-mannered woman caught his attention.

It was her attire. She wasn’t wearing anything like the outfit she’d worn to the ball; this looked like something for everyday wear. Anette wore a simple, light-colored floral dress, with small blossoms scattered across the fabric and light sleeves covering part of her arms. Her silver hair hung loose, and there was nothing before her but a small teacup.

Her appearance was strangely ordinary. Vulnerable, even.

Victor stared for a few seconds, analyzing the scene and wondering if this was simply a very well-planned trap.

Then his expression hardened; after all, he still remembered the ball perfectly. That ridiculous proposal, and—above all—the punch she had tried to land on the back of his head after simply deciding to leave.

Victor walked over to the table, looking far from pleased.

Anette silently followed his every step.

He pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down.

"What do you want?" he asked, without even touching the tea or acknowledging her status as a princess. None of that. He was completely blunt.

Anette remained quiet for a few seconds.

"It’s fair for you to feel that way."

Victor rested an arm on the back of the chair.

"I asked what you want."

Anette looked directly at him.

This time, the arrogant smile Victor remembered so well was missing.

She pushed back her chair.

Victor narrowed his eyes as Anette stood up, though he didn’t move.

Then she did something he definitely hadn’t expected.

Anette bowed before him.

Victor stared.

"First..." she began, keeping her head lowered. "I want to apologize."

Victor slowly raised an eyebrow.

Anette continued.

"I lost control that night."

She lightly pressed her fingers against the side of her dress.

"You rejected me; I was furious and tried to attack you from behind."

Victor didn’t respond.

"It was childish."

He almost said something.

He didn’t.

Anette took a deep breath.

"And it was wrong."

Victor crossed his arms.

She finally lifted her head.

"I also want to say thank you."

"For what?"

"For the palace."

Victor remained serious.

Anette sat back down.

"When that magic exploded, you protected practically everyone inside the estate."

Victor said nothing.

"I couldn’t have done that."

That made him pay a little more attention.

Anette looked down at her own hand.

"My powers were never meant to protect large groups."

She slowly curled her fingers shut.

"I’m good at killing."

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"I gathered as much."

Anette ignored the comment.

"My blood, my techniques, my lineage... practically everything about me was developed to destroy something." She looked back at Victor. "If I’d been alone at that moment, I would have survived."

Victor had already figured that out.

"But the others wouldn’t have."

"Probably not."

Anette said this without trying to downplay her own responsibility.

"You managed to do something I couldn’t."

Victor remained with his arms crossed.

"And that’s why you’re saying thank you."

"Yes."

He stared at her for a few seconds.

Anette held his gaze.

Victor didn’t think she was being insincere.

That was precisely the problem.

She seemed genuinely remorseful.

And that made the situation even stranger.

"Right."

Victor leaned forward slightly.

"Now, speak."

Anette frowned slightly.

"Say what?"

"What you want."

"I just—"

"No."

Victor cut her off.

"You apologized."

He pointed at her.

"And you said thank you."

Anette fell silent.

Victor narrowed his eyes.

"But you wouldn’t have Chysis summon someone, ask for a private conversation, and dress like that just to say two sentences."

Anette glanced down at her dress.

Victor continued:

"So let’s skip the small talk."

He rested his arms on the table.

"What do you really want?"

Anette remained silent.

Victor waited.

"Because you wouldn’t apologize for no reason."