Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

The Night Tides, the greatest event in the Mist Duchy, was approaching. When the currents shifted and the sea beasts swam upstream, the duchy's waters would recede, leaving behind a drained swamp. For the full moon’s duration, the vast ocean, once untouchable by human hands, revealed its vulnerable underbelly.

This was when the duchy's residents gathered at the Lunar Castle to make their fortune. And where blood flowed, vampires followed.

Even the subordinates of the Elders, whether they were asleep or away, were no exception. A group that had arrived at the Lunar Castle now knelt before the Progenitor in greeting.

“The Dullahan Bloodline humbly offers our reverence for the Progenitor’s return in place of our slumbering Elder. Please forgive our lord for not being present on such an auspicious day.”

The Mist Duchy was an expansive land with little capacity to support human life. And where humans did not tread, beasts inevitably filled the void.

In the untouched highlands of the duchy's southwest, wild horses roamed free.

Ordinary humans had no means of taming them. A single kick from one of those beasts could send a man to the afterlife. However, vampires, who neither tired nor suffered injuries, could easily mount the creatures and break them in. Unlike the primordial lands of the south, the wild horses in this region had gradually interbred with escaped domesticated ones over centuries, becoming more docile.

Thus, for generations, the southern Mist Duchy had been known for its fine steeds, which were sold at high prices to neighboring kingdoms—because knights needed horses.

Those who mastered horse-rearing, both humans and vampires, grew stronger through it. And at the pinnacle of this domain was Dullahan, the Black Knight.

More famous as the Headless Horseman, he was currently in slumber somewhere.

“I do not mind. I, too, have only just returned after a long sleep. How could I fault Dullahan? Your greetings shall be accepted in his stead.”
“We are honored beyond measure… But, Progenitor, may I ask—who is the human standing beside you?”
“Ah, you mean this one?”

Tyrkanzyaka turned her sharp gaze on me. A strange hostility was directed my way.

With an air of discontent, she muttered, “What else but my consort, who does nothing but loiter outside? He’s little more than a good-for-nothing, so don’t pay him too much mind.”

Caught off guard by the sudden insult, I protested.

“Wait, Tyr! A good-for-nothing? Sure, I’m just idling around right now, but I came here as a guest, didn’t I?”
“And yet, despite being a guest, you spend all your time outside and never show your face. What kind of guest does that?”

Tyr pouted as she replied.

It had been like this for a while now.

After I finished the procedure to restore her senses, things were peaceful for a time. But once I started stepping outside a few times, Tyr gradually became more irritable.

The reason was obvious—she was displeased that I wasn’t making time for her. If I took it a step further, it might even be an early-stage form of jealousy.

She probably wasn’t even aware of it herself, so I couldn’t be certain.

For someone who had lived since the 12th century, she sure acted girlish at times.

Should I be glad that she was becoming more human? Or should I be troubled that the focus of her newfound humanity was me?

“Then give me work! If you assign me a task, I’ll handle it properly!”
“Hmph. No need.”
“No need?! You can’t just keep calling me a good-for-nothing and then refuse to give me a chance to prove myself! That’s unfair!”
“They say after three failures, there is no cure. I’ve already entrusted you with two tasks, and you have yet to prove yourself. What reason do I have to entrust you with a third?”
“Two? When did I take on two tasks? And how did I fail them? I completed one successfully, and the other hasn’t even started yet!”