Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

Under the orders of the Progenitor, Dogo and Erzebeth walked leisurely. They ignored the suspicious gazes directed toward them, heading toward the lightning tower as casually as if they were out for a stroll. Though unfamiliar with Claudia's terrain, the vampire predators were keenly aware of places where blood flowed.

With such a strong and pervasive scent of blood in the air, it would be impossible not to notice. Erzebeth, staring at the blood-soaked tip of the tower, spoke.

"Dogo. Do you feel it now?"
"..."

Dogo didn't respond. Erzebeth, accustomed to his silence, answered herself.

"Let's stop with the cherry-picking, shall we? I won't argue with your vows of never speaking to women, nor your vow never to flirt, even if it means death. It’s far better than the vow to leer at them even in death."

Even after becoming a vampire, Dogo still followed his strict ascetic rules. He refrained from eating or speaking to women, never slept on soft bedding, and adhered to the teachings even in his afterlife. As a vampire with no desire for food, lust, or sleep, there was no issue with this.

But there was an exception—the Progenitor.

Looking at him maintaining his silence, Erzebeth sighed behind her fan.

"If you don't follow the Progenitor’s orders due to your stubbornness, I might just contempt you."

Erzebeth, a noble vampire who had taken the blood of a thousand, was an immensely powerful blood mage. Her reputation was further solidified because she had achieved this feat before becoming a vampire. Excluding the Progenitor, she could handle the most blood at once. Having been well-versed in white magic before death, she was a master of control and destruction through blood magic.

Even Dogo could not be dismissed lightly. If he had been a man, Erzebeth might have answered him politely or slapped him. But with Dogo being a vampire, it made things more complicated.

"The awe I once felt for the Progenitor... it no longer exists. What on earth happened? No matter how much I meditated and reflected, I couldn't find the answer."

Dogo mumbled as if talking to himself. His reasoning was obvious—he had thought through his vows to maintain silence. Erzebeth covered her mouth with the fan and replied.

"Perhaps the Progenitor is being affected by the wind. His dominion remains intact."

"How can I find the answer to this? With my shallow wisdom, it’s beyond me."