"Father talk to me ,call me by my name, Father, you cannot leave me now, FATHERRRRRRR!" Lady Veronica wailed, clutching her father's lifeless body in her arms.

The grand palace, once adorned with shimmering lights and fragrant flowers, now lay engulfed in a fiery crimson blaze. My hands were stained with blood, the white tuxedo that Lady Veronica had gifted me now besmirched with a gruesome hue.

The blood, however, was not my own but that of Luvric, who lay in my arms with a final, pitiful gaze. Countless figures stood beside us, their heads bowed low in mourning for the lord of the palace. The pain in the air was so palpable that it could bring anyone to their knees.

My heart raced at a speed I had never before experienced. The smiling figure who had moments ago been sharing drinks with me now lay lifeless in my arms - the same Luvric whom I had spent the past three years with.

"H-hey, w-why a-are you here stu-pid, go help Lady Veronica -" Luvric's voice Wobbled, caused by the overwhelming emotions that were suffocating him.

"Sob* Luvriccccc, wh-y y-you cannot die yet. P-please, there is so much left to learn," I cried while holding my mentor, my best buddy, my friend, my guardian. These emotions were so strong that I could not let go of them. My heart was in agony seeing the pain of Lady Veronica and witnessing my friend's last moments.

Luvric placed his hands on my head and gently rubbed it. "Do not cry, old boy. Take care of Lady Veronica - ahhh - for me. Although we spent very little time together, Asher, I know you will do a fine job keeping Lady Veronica safe," Luvric said, as my tears increased.

"And lastly, you, Asher, although we didn't spend that much time together, the memories while teaching you, the reaction you gave me when I told you to read, is quite precious to me. So what I wanted to s-say," Luvric's voice trembled as emotions of longing and regret, a mixture of everything, were exuding from his face.

"Take care of yourself."

It was his last spoken word to me, which shook me to my core.

[System: Memory Fragment (Unknown)]

[Unknown Entity - Has Accessed into The system]

[Closing the Unknown Memory Fragment. In 1,2,3—]

[Failed]

Asher, who was holding Luvric's lifeless body, looked up at the sky and spoke with red, teary eyes. If one looked closely at his lips, they could see what he was saying from his lip-syncing.

"Please protect them this ti—."

----+++++++++++++++++----

With a sudden start, Asher jolted awake to the sound of shrill screams piercing through the air.

"Luvriccccccccccccccccccc!"

Luvric, who was fussing with his tie at the time, was taken aback by the urgency in Asher's voice. Sensing that something was amiss, he approached his distressed friend and gently shook him by the shoulder, speaking with genuine concern.

"Asher, my dear fellow, what's happened? Are you quite alright?"

Asher slowly lifted his head, his eyes wide with terror and confusion. As he gazed upon Luvric's face, a wave of relief washed over him, and he flung himself into his friend's embrace.

"Thank goodness you're alive," he gasped, holding onto Luvric tightly.

However, the moment was brief, as Luvric swiftly withdrew from Asher's grasp, his expression now clouded with irritation.

"What on earth is the matter, Asher? I have no interest in such things, and you know it," he exclaimed, his tone tinged with exasperation.

As Asher's mind raced, he suddenly remembered something of great significance. Disregarding the lascivious Luvric, he dashed out of the room with astounding speed - a feat that appeared unattainable for any ordinary mortal.

"Well, this is quite intriguing." and of course the sudden power burst , didn't get unnoticed by luvric's gaze.

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Asher's mind was consumed with longing for even a glimpse of Lady Veronica. He needed to ensure her well-being and confirm that the dream, or perhaps the memory fragment, he had just witnessed was nothing more than a falsehood.

He ran recklessly, causing maids and other servants to scatter in his wake. Though many whispered about his peculiar behaviour, Asher paid them no heed. His desperation was all-consuming, and he had even forgotten to change out of his nightwear.

After running through several palace halls and corridors, he finally arrived at Lady Veronica's chamber. He rushed towards the room, with maids attempting to intercept him. But something inexplicable pushed them aside, and Asher breezed through the door.

"M-my Lady, are you well?" he asked breathlessly, struggling to catch his breath. He had come to inquire about her health and her well being . However, as he gazed upon her reflection in the mirror, he saw that she was in the process of dressing. Her back and front were exposed, including her creamy-white bosom, which was reflected in the mirror. Asher was mortified and quickly looked away. "I-I beg your pardon for intruding, my lady," he stammered, still catching his breath.

With a small gesture of her hand, Veronica instructed the maids to stop fussing with her hair and leave.

"I apologize for intruding, my lady, and I shall wait outside while you dress," Asher said, ready to depart after the maids.

"You need not leave. It's good that you're here; I was about to summon you, and you've saved me the trouble," Veronica said, stopping Asher in his tracks.

As he turned to face her, Veronica was now dressed in snug black trousers that accentuated her ample thighs, a brown blouse, and a thick black coat, with her hands adorned in white gloves.

As Asher stood frozen, Veronica checked herself one final time in the mirror and turned to face him, her expression now somewhat annoyed.

"Asher?" Finally emerging from his trance, Asher responded to Veronica's call, only to see her displeased face.

"Now, what on earth have I done?" he thought, panicking.

"Yes, my Lady," Asher answered .

"Why are you In your sleep overs instead of Your butler suit?"

Asher's eyes widened with horror as Lady Veronica's disapproving gaze swept over him. He felt like a clumsy fool standing before the queen of perfection, caught in his sleepwear instead of his proper butler suit. He quickly averted his gaze and muttered an apology, his mind racing to come up with an excuse for his inappropriate attire.

Veronica was a stickler for discipline and propriety, as befitting her noble upbringing. In her world, one's attire was a reflection of their inner qualities and behavior. She surrounded herself only with the most disciplined and well-groomed servants, handpicked by none other than herself.

"Well now, no need for apologies, my dear maids," Veronica called out to her attendants as they entered and curtseyed. "Please, do dress our dear Asher in attire befitting the standard of Bloodfallen. And while you're at it, do comb his disheveled hair."

"M-My lady," stammered Asher, "I can dress myself. There is no need to trouble the maids." But before he could protest further, he was dragged away by the eager attendants, leaving Veronica with a sly grin on her face. She savored the sight of Asher's helplessness.

"W-Why you can't take that off!! If you do, I'll be naked," Asher pleaded as his pants were forcibly removed by the maids.

"Noooooooo," he cried out, "I wanted to show my nakedness to my wife first. This is sexual abuse, I say! It's utterly absurd."

"Please, at least let me put on my own underwear," Asher implored. "And stop staring at my holy sword."

The screams of shame echoed through the room as the ordeal continued, while Veronica reveled in the spectacle.

"I should do this more often," Lady Veronica thought to herself as she gazed at the curtains where the shadows of Luvric and the other maids were visible.

~~~

Asher walked alongside Veronica, with her entourage following closely behind. Veronica stole a brief glance at Asher's face and noticed an expression of despair, like that of a person who had been raped. While others might have been concerned, Veronica found herself enjoying it, and she stifled a giggle.

Asher, with his eyes slightly damp, looked at Veronica as she stopped giggling and turned her gaze away from him.

"L-Lady Veronica, I understand that you wanted to punish me, but what you did was quite brutal for the mistake I made. How am I going to show my face to my wife?"

"What punishment? I don't recall giving you any punishment," Veronica replied with feigned innocence.

"My lady, I have come to understand your moods and moves after living with you for two months. I think I have enough IQ to know what is punishment and what is a gift."

"Huh, don't be such a crybaby. What I did was necessary for you. Besides, we are going outside the palace for a meeting with the Imperial Army's general. It is only appropriate that you dress up nicely as my butler."

Asher was about to reply when Veronica's glare silenced him.

"Yes, of course. I have no complaints then. My lady, if I may, is this meeting related to the recent demon attacks on the West continent?"

"You are quite sharp, aren't you?" Veronica said with a smile.

"As the servant of the Great Vili - I mean, the greatest vampire lady Veronica Bloodfallen, I have to adapt myself to your intellect," Asher replied with a slight bow.

As he and Veronica chatted. Suddenly, a voice interrupted their conversation, causing them to turn around and lay eyes on Lady Natasha. She was dressed to the nines in a sexy red gown that hugged her slender and alluring figure. The dress featured a V-shaped cut that accentuated her ample cleavage. It was a truly seductive vampire outfit.

With an exuberant leap, Natasha flung herself into her sister's arms, embracing her tightly. But as Veronica recoiled from the hug, her face twisted into an expression of distaste.

"Natasha," she chided, pushing her younger sister away. "Shouldn't you be helping Father with the birthday arrangements?"

A bright smile lighting up her face, Natasha eagerly replied, "You needn't worry, dear sister. I've already taken care of everything!" She hoped that her hard work would earn her some praise.

Veronica merely nodded in acknowledgement, her attention already turning towards her next engagement. Natasha's heart sank as her sister walked past her without so much as a second glance.

"You're headed to the city, then?" Natasha called out, hurrying to catch up with Veronica.

"Yes, and I'm running late," Veronica replied curtly. "Do you have something to say?"

"I was hoping to accompany you," Natasha said, interlocking her arm with Veronica's.

Veronica sighed, resigned to her sister's persistence. "Very well, but we'll have to make a stop at the market first. Asher, inform the chauffeur of our change in plans."

"But sister," Natasha protested. "Won't you be late for your meeting?"

"I'll manage," Veronica replied firmly. "We'll make it work."

'Strange, Why the sudden change of plan, and what will she do In the market in the first place' Asher thought, confused by her lady's new command.

Asher couldn't help but wonder why Veronica would make such a sudden change of plans. He knew that she didn't fully trust her younger sister, so it wasn't difficult to guess what she was up to at the market.

As Asher, Veronica, and Natasha embarked on their unplanned detour, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. While walking towards their carriage, Natasha's once friendly smile transformed into a venomous glare aimed straight at Asher. The sudden change sent a shiver down his spine, causing him to glance around his surroundings for any signs of danger. However, he couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.

"What was that about?" Asher pondered, "Is there something I'm forgetting?" Despite searching his memory, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was overlooking something incredibly significant.