"Do you think they’ll agree?" Charlotte inquired, retaining her noble bearing while seated.
Currently, the great hall was mostly vacant with the Dukes having already left after Damian ended the meeting.
The red armored knights remained but of course, none dared to listen in on the ongoing conversation.
Damian let out a trained sigh as he replied. "Of course not... but they don’t have a choice."
"The act of giving up a bond would strip them of their authority."
"It’s not like they are using it very well now, to begin with."
Charlotte chuckled softly. "I would have never thought I’d see such a day..."
"Forget about those old fools," Damian remarked as he turned to face her. "If I offer up a thousand, would that help you and your subordinates regain your former strength?"
"I doubt it. The Dark Ages was a time when we had the Mantle of Darkness as a power source..." Charlotte trailed off before adding in a rather gloomy tone. "Nothing can ever replace that."
"As long as you can handle Elizabeth, it’s enough."
Charlotte’s eyes glowered as she stared at Damian.
"I can do much more than just handle Elizabeth."
"That’s good enough."
Clenching his fist, Damian had a look of anticipation as he said. "Once the ritual is complete... I will paint the streets of Krobridge red... That is a promise."
Charlotte remained silent as she pondered a certain thought.
"This is madness!" Jairus couldn’t help but curse as he walked down the hallway alongside his fellow Dukes, away from the meeting room.
He was quite incensed, same as the others and they were rightfully so, considering what Damian had asked of them.
The 11th Duke sighed. "It is indeed crazy but what can we do?... We can’t say no."
"Does he expect us to just give it up like that?" The 4th Duke couldn’t help but ask.
As they exchanged words, slowly making their way to the surface, Nikolas remained silent as he pondered his options.
There was hardly anything that could be done at this point.
With Charlotte supporting Damian, they had no chance of starting a rebellion.
At least before her arrival, their chances were a good 15 percent and could have even increased to 30 if they enlisted the help of the Liaison.
Unfortunately, he was lax.
No... it was the same for all of them.
A desire to rise and rule just like their predecessors during the Dark Ages had caused him to take things slowly and made him indecisive.
But Damian was going too far with his actions.
For each Vampire, any human that they successfully transform into their kind formed a link with them.
It was similar to the werewolves, but held a difference in that, with the werewolves, it was an equal standing amongst their pack with none being above the other while for vampires, it took on a master-servant relationship.
In any case, this link was referred to as a sire bond, and with each bond created, the Vampire gets the chance to increase their power by absorbing a percentage of the strength of their subordinates.
Nikolas had managed to amass 1500 bonds under his dukedom, which was what allowed him to retain the title of the 1st seat as the numbers under him were greater than the others.
The mere thought of giving away those bonds caused him to feel a deep sense of loss.
Of course with how things were now, approaching the Liaison would be the same as seeking death which left only one more option.
"The Dark Lord..." Nikolas suddenly muttered, drawing the attention of the others.
Nikolas pursed his lips as he met their gazes.
There was a time he was their leader and even now, it seemed as though they still considered him as such.
Wouldn’t it be a betrayal if he couldn’t find a way to save them?
Letting out a sigh, he remarked. "I will find the Dark Lord and appeal to him."
Silence engulfed the atmosphere as a few stared at him wide-eyed while the others remained poised.
"If we wish to preserve peace, this is the only way. Give me a day, I will surely save us from this dangerous situation."
Not waiting for a response, he turned and left through the entrance to the surface which revealed a large room with school supplies.
The others remained silent, exchanging looks with one another before finally taking their leave one at a time.
Soon, only one was left.
A middle-aged man with white hair and a clean-cut beard walked out of an imposing building with a gothic feel to it.
Dressed in a black suit with a black hat and a gold inlaid cane, he scrutinized the area ahead, his gaze falling on the extensive building structures and awe-inspiring designs.
It was truly a beauty to behold.
He recalled a time once before when he lost everything in his desire for knowledge.
Joy filled his heart knowing he’d fulfilled the dreams of his younger self though underneath that, sadness born out of what he’d lost that fateful day left him listless.
Taking a deep breath, he adjusted the ring on his middle finger before slowly making his way down the stone steps with a calm gait.
Once down, he made his way through the university courtyard which covered quite a large area.
Along the way, he came across a few professors and non-teaching staff, all of which greeted him with smiles as he walked past.
Reciprocating their gestures, he soon arrived at the entrance to the staff area where a brown coach was waiting for him.
A brown-haired man was already standing at the door and upon noticing his arrival, quickly opened the door with a slight bow.
The man acknowledged the greeting as he stepped in after which the brown-haired man followed him.
Once the door to the carriage closed, the coachman cracked his whip and a moment later, the coach moved.