The carriage continued forward, and after several more hours, they finally arrived at the Vampire Royal City.
Compared to the demon race’s architecture, the blood clan’s buildings appeared even sharper, giving off a sense of danger against the backdrop of the dark sky.
A cluster of grand, towering palaces stood at the heart of the city like giant beasts overlooking all living things.
This was the Vampire Palace. Their council usually met here, and today’s banquet was being held here as well.
A massive magic crystal floated at the peak of the largest and tallest building in the center, serving as a symbol of the blood clan’s royal authority.
‘Looking at it this way, it feels so strange, like my own castle is built inside another castle! And their palaces are far too large.’
As the carriage drew closer, the icy mana — tinged with a hint of temptation and danger — became increasingly palpable.
They had finally arrived… the Crimson Moon Court.
“Are you feeling afraid?” Ilya asked suddenly.
Flora didn’t even react at first when she heard Ilya’s question.
“Huh? How could I be afraid?” Flora found it hard to believe Ilya was actually worried about her. If she were afraid, what would that make her?
“Oh, never mind then. We’re almost there. Get ready to disembark.”
The carriage stopped at the designated location.
The door opened, and Flora was the first to step out. She reflexively stretched her arms, her bones letting out a faint cracking sound.
After sitting in the carriage for nearly half a day, even though the seats were comfortable and soft, the long duration had left her body feeling a bit sore and fatigued.
‘Honestly, it feels like my bones have rusted…’
While the action was unbecoming of her current status, there wasn’t anyone around, so she allowed herself to relax. Otherwise, the upcoming events would be exhausting.
“Queen Ilya, Princess Flora, please follow me.” A maid stepped forward to lead the way.
They arrived at the palace where the banquet was to be held. It was enormous.
Aside from the largest room in the center — the grand hall for the banquet — the surrounding area contained kitchens, lounges, and other rooms.
They first entered their assigned lounge, but Flora wanted to explore the surrounding area.
It was currently 5:00 PM, and the banquet was scheduled to start at 6:30 PM.
Since there was still some time before the event began, she wasn’t in a hurry and wanted to look around. Sitting in the carriage for so long had made continuing to sit there unbearable.
“Mother, I want to explore the area. After all, there’s still plenty of time.”
“Alright. Go ahead, just don’t wander too far.”
“Okay.”
Ilya agreed decisively, so Flora left the lounge immediately.
Of course, Flora had to be more careful now. Some guests had already arrived, so she might easily run into someone while wandering.
Furthermore, most of the attendees knew what Flora looked like, and it wouldn’t be good to leave a bad impression.
Since it was her first time here and she didn’t know where to go, she simply wandered aimlessly.
The blood clan’s architecture exudes a sense of meticulous craftsmanship, Flora thought as she walked.
The air was thick with a mixture of cold spices, aged wine, and a faint, lingering scent of sweetness and blood.
‘Well, this certainly feels like the blood clan.’
Flora reached a garden located behind the palace.
The plants here were quite different from those of the demon race. The flowers weren’t as vibrant as those back home, and some stems were covered in sharp thorns.
Flora noticed a cluster of fungi emitting a dim blue light in a corner. Occasionally, she could see transparent, vein-like patterns within them.
‘What… unique plants. Though they’re a bit dark, I have to admit some of them are quite beautiful.’
She strolled along a path made of white pebbles, admiring the strange flora. Before she knew it, Flora had reached a relatively open area.
There was a decently sized fountain here. A pool sat in the center with several decorative spouts shaped like swan necks standing nearby. Their lines were elegant, though no water was currently flowing.
Flora idly touched one of the spouts. The stone surface was smooth and felt cool to the touch.
Suddenly, Flora spotted several red flowers by the edge of the pool. Curious about their texture, she reflexively reached out her hand, wanting to gently touch one of the transparent leaves.
Just as her fingertip was about to touch a leaf, a slightly hurried yet politely soft voice rang out from behind her.
“Please wait, Miss!”
Flora’s hand froze mid-air, and she quickly turned around.
A young girl dressed in the attire of a blood clan maid was running over anxiously, a hint of panic in her eyes.
“Is… there a problem?” Flora asked mildly, pulling her hand back in confusion.
‘I might have accidentally broken some rule. I hope it’s nothing serious; I don’t want to cause any trouble for Mother.’
Seeing that she had stopped, the maid’s expression softened slightly.
She performed a standard blood clan greeting and said, “I apologize for the interruption. This Red Orchid is a variety that Her Majesty favors.”
“Its leaves are extremely delicate, and the mana contained within is very sensitive. Touching it carelessly might damage the surface.”
She then pointed to an inconspicuous small sign standing on the other side of the pool, which indeed had the words “Please Do Not Touch” engraved on it.
Flora only noticed the sign then and quickly apologized.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t notice the sign. I was being reckless, my apologies.”
Flora felt a bit embarrassed. Her carelessness had almost caused trouble, and these were flowers that Lias liked and cared for deeply.
“It’s quite all right. You must be a first-time guest, aren’t you? After all, many of the plants here in our blood clan territory are dangerous or fragile. Please refrain from touching them. My sincere apologies.”
“Thank you for the warning.”
The maid suddenly froze as she caught sight of Flora’s long white-and-purple hair and her golden eyes.
“Wait… are you Princess Flora?”
“Yes, why?”
“It really is you! I thought you looked familiar, but I didn’t expect it to actually be you!” The maid’s red eyes widened slightly, and she covered her small mouth with her right hand.
The girl before her was dressed neatly and had a gentle demeanor, even appearing a bit green as a newcomer.
‘Is the demon princess really like this?’
“Is something the matter?” Flora’s tone remained steady.
“Ah, n-no. Please forgive my rudeness earlier; I didn’t realize you were the princess. And… I didn’t expect you to come to the garden for a visit.”
The maid hurriedly bowed.
“There’s no need for such formality. It was my own lack of attention. I enjoy looking at things like this, so I came for a walk.” Flora’s voice sounded unexpectedly gentler.
“Your Highness… you truly are as gentle as you look.”
“Is that so?” Flora gave a soft chuckle.
“I’ll look around a bit more. You may head back now,” Flora said, looking at the slightly panicked maid.
“Of course, Your Highness.”