image [https://i.imgur.com/aoz5Vdc_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand]

"Well, I died after all," I sighed. "I can't believe it, just when the world was about to change. Things would've finally stopped being so boring."

But no!

My destiny had to play out!

Now, once again, I'm stuck with this cursed affliction. Because of it, I can't generate any more mana. Any mana I try to create or absorb beyond the limit... the curse siphons it all away for reasons I still don't understand. And, of course, the limit is so tiny that it completely stops me from enjoying magic.

I've had this wretched curse since my very first life. Back then, I didn't even know magic existed, let alone how much trouble it would cause me. I was rejected, mistreated, and humiliated because of it. I had to serve those weaker than me just because they had more mana.

Aaaaaargh!

It pisses me off! This curse, it's the only reason I learned to use magic by minimizing the mana I release. It allowed me to create my own magic and wield far more powerful spells.

Ahh... I need to calm down. I remember, just before I died, I heard something—like the sound of my curse... cracking.

"Impossible. There really is a tiny crack in it. Have my restraints been lifted?!"

I need to destroy the barrier holding back my mana as quickly as possible and absorb as much as I can before my rebirth. Flying there with this sluggish soul won't cut it. Where on earth is it?! I stopped, focusing intently as I searched for that fracture in the barrier. There you are, my little treasure.

I moved to the wall with the crack. Now, I can destroy this barrier from the inside. By channeling enough of my mana directly into the barrier, I can make it shatter.

Well, every cloud has a silver lining.

"Hahaha… Finally, I can break this cursed seal. All those years of trying to destroy this wretched thing, so many years spent learning about curses. I dedicated every moment of my life to studying them, risking everything."

I had searched tirelessly for someone who could help me lift this curse. Now, all the mana gathered in this place is flowing into me, and I'm partially transferring it inside the barrier.

Ahh… how incredible. I've never been able to control so much mana before. My heart feels like it's about to burst with happiness, and my entire body is heating up from the sheer power.

The entire barrier shattered into tiny pieces. Freedom.

"This is freedom!" I shouted.

I was beginning to lose myself in the overwhelming amount of mana I was absorbing. More and more of it kept gathering within my body. Excited, I closed my eyes for a moment.

Suddenly, the intense mana surrounding me vanished. I could only feel three strong sources of mana nearby. A blinding light struck my closed eyelids, nearly scorching my eyes.

The intense light slowly started to fade. I heard the pained moans of a young girl in labor. Above me, I heard a young man's voice and felt his hands holding me.

"Texvd xs nixi qeöp hmbddcmrbo!" he shouted.

The bright light was losing its intensity. Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw a man gazing at me with a gentle smile. His blond hair, streaked with hints of black, partially covered his face. Through the strands, I caught a glimpse of his sapphire eyes, with a delicate line of gold offset to the side. His pale skin reflected the light from magical lamps around us.

On the other side, my new mother leaned in, utterly exhausted. Her beautiful, long gown was almost entirely soaked, her long black hair tied back but slightly disheveled. She looked at me with a warm, motherly smile. Her violet eyes held a hint of dread, yet when she looked at me, I felt a comforting warmth.

"They're... not human, are they?"

Both of them looked to the side, calling out to someone in their language. In front of me, an elderly man appeared. He had gray hair and a horn on his forehead. Rectangular glasses rested on his face, and his calm orange eyes looked warmly in my direction. He was dressed in a very fine black suit with a red tie.

image [https://i.imgur.com/S0Yv3oo_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand]

I gaze at the beautiful, cloudless night sky, filled with hundreds of billions of stars forming strange shapes. Yet, one of these stars belongs to me alone. It's the brightest star in the sky, always traveling toward me at a speed faster than light.

"How long is this going to last?"

This isn't the only good fortune that has come my way. My rebirth in this family is the fulfillment of my dreams. There couldn't have been an easier option.

I was reborn into a family of forgotten vampires. We are practically the most powerful beings on the planet, though there is one higher in rank—the founder of the vampires. He is the one who started the very existence of vampires, and no vampire has managed to defeat him so far. This is thanks to his bloodline-controlling abilities, for as every vampire carries his blood, they are under the founder's absolute control.

"Can he control me too?"

From the tales my parents told me, he is a man with the strength of all vampires combined. He also has the power to control every vampire skill, such as:

Teleportation, a unique skill of my bloodline,Invisibility,Blood manipulation,Blood transformation.

There are hundreds of thousands of vampire skills, both useful and useless, making him the most powerful vampire. Yet his skill mastery isn't everything. According to the stories my mother heard from my grandmother, who saw the founder with her own eyes, he possesses unimaginable physical strength—slightly less than that of the ancient dragons. However, he compensates with a mana reserve that surpasses even those ancient dragons several times over. His vampire abilities, physical strength, and magical capabilities aren't all; his intelligence is said to surpass that of even a high human.

"Where can I find him?"

There is a well-known legend, called the Forgotten City. Once, my mother told it to me as a bedtime story. It speaks of a city that once existed, but all evidence of its existence was destroyed. For centuries, this legend has circulated, telling of how certain unknown beings annihilated this land. From what I know, it was my ancestors—my grandparents and great-grandparents—who destroyed it. They did so because the king who ruled at the time increasingly disregarded the terms of a pact. This pact had been established by the founder of that ancient city. Ultimately, this led to the collapse of the country into three separate nations, now held firmly under the iron hand of our family. The land where the original city once stood was completely demolished, leaving behind only a massive crater surrounded by mountains. Now, my family home stands on this land. Wild forest life has flourished here.

Across the entire surface of the crater, dense forests, meadows, hills, valleys, rivers, lakes, and other beautiful natural anomalies have formed. Given the vast area of the crater, shielded by mountains, it has attracted many different races, monsters, animals, and other intelligent creatures. Some more exotic races have also appeared here. Among them, the ones that draw my attention the most are the giant ants, with a humanoid queen whose workers are half her height. Unfortunately, the workers themselves resemble regular ants. However, they have the advantage of high intelligence, enhanced physical abilities, and the capacity to wield magic.

There are also other well-known beings, such as fairies, demons, dragons, and elves.

"Isn't this a paradise?"

Once, when I was just born, a group of humans tried to settle in this area. However, due to the high concentration of mana, which attracts other beings more resistant to magical radiation, everyone who stayed here perished. They attempted to cross our bridge leading to the castle, but sooner or later, they would have died from mana radiation. In the end, they became a snack for one of our magical water beasts, which swims in the enormous lake that collects all the water from this crater. At the center of the lake stands a high mountain, on top of which is our castle.

But first, to reach the top, one must cross a very long bridge that leads to the stairs. Climbing those stairs brings you to the castle.

"Isn't that path rather short?"

The castle is surrounded by a magical barrier that keeps all unwanted guests far away.

Nevertheless, the bridge and stairs leading to the castle, as well as the nature surrounding it, are breathtakingly beautiful. The castle itself is no exception; it, too, is stunning. It boasts numerous rooms and a grand throne hall. Everything is built from lovely gray stone bricks. However, the roof of this castle is unique. I've never seen a castle with a dark blue roof before. Unfortunately, due to the castle's location at the peak, it has very little green space within its walls.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

The underground area of this castle, however, is much more extensive. It contains a massive dungeon, several large arenas, and stairs that lead down to the bottom of the lake.

image [https://i.imgur.com/HulKoTS_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand]

The house also has several towers of various sizes, and my room is at the top of the tallest tower. It consists of a bathroom, a bedroom, and an attic. Despite being in a tower, these aren't small rooms; each one is on a different floor, starting from the very top. I earned this room by challenging Jiro.

Jiro is my oldest brother, though he's not the eldest, as that title belongs to Yūrei. Fortunately, being born last allows me to manipulate various family members, taking advantage of both my parents and siblings, which has enabled me to bend the household rules.

I stand in front of the main entrance to the house. I'm wearing a black hoodie with visible shoulders. There's a white armband on my right shoulder over the hoodie. I also have on shorts, hidden by the hoodie, with a strap on my left thigh near the knee.

My black, low-heeled shoes cover my ankles.

Standing before the large metal doors, I saw my reflection—blue eyes and white hair falling to my shoulders, parted to the sides. I grasped the handle and, like any ordinary door, swung it open. Before me was a large plaque on the wall, made of some kind of gray stone, with the household rules engraved in black. Any violation of these rules results in a punishment fitting the offense, decided upon by the family members not involved in the act.

The first rule that everyone in this house must follow is:

The Sanctity of Blood

All acts of violence against another household member, unless in the form of play or training, are subject to punishment.

The Blood of Mortals

Without voluntary consent—given freely by the household member or any being under their care—it is forbidden to drink the blood of another creature.

Elders

Elders have the right of first choice, and their opinions are final. Any acts of disrespect towards them result in punishment.

Proper Reception of Guests

Any guest who enters the crater's grounds is bound by these rules. Any unwarranted acts of violence against guests are strictly prohibited.

Cultivation of Talents

Everyone from this bloodline is obligated to seek the knowledge of the world.

Restricted Entry

No one may enter another's room without the permission of its resident.

Inviolability of Rules

Every infraction, no matter how minor, is subject to strict punishment, determined by uninvolved family members.

Protection of Knowledge

All items within our territory are under our ownership and protection.

Transformations

Transforming other races into vampires, without considering their will, is strictly forbidden. All transformations must be consulted with the head of the family or an elder.

Travel

Any departure beyond the designated area must be reported with a valid reason.

Every member of the bloodline is required to visit the castle at least once every five years.

Any changes to the rules that are made without discussing them with the others will not be recognized.

Any person who breaks the rules, damages our dignity, and is not of the bloodline is subject to immediate execution.

Any attempt to bypass or disrespect the rules is strictly prohibited.

The rules are cleverly structured to our advantage when it comes to outsiders. This gives us virtually free rein to experiment on other beings within the crater without breaking any rules. Thanks to these guidelines, anything within this territory that has not received permission to enter is ours.

We have no requirements regarding appearance or customs, allowing for freedom and naturalness at home.

However, there are those in the household who do not directly belong to the bloodline—these are servants and the partners of family members. They have little influence over the rules, domain management, and other significant matters. They sit at the bottom of the power pyramid, even below our servants, who have more authority than they do.

The servants are partially of the bloodline and partially not, as they were created from the rib of the Primordial God of Darkness.

As a result, they became demons with a very powerful bloodline. However, they were subdued by us and have served our family for hundreds of millions of years. Despite this long period of service, they have never rebelled. This is because there is a pact that partially compels them to serve our lineage. It also includes strictly defined rules they must follow, such as taking care of all the lands under our control and maintaining mutual non-aggression.

There are many more rules, though they are extensive to remember. Even with their centuries of service, they practically do it without pay. This decision was unanimously approved by every member of their bloodline. Since then, they have gradually mastered their new duties.

The selection of demon servants is entirely voluntary, which helps us avoid unnecessary rebellion. Anyone who chooses to take on such work is honored and can expect high rewards.

Currently, we employ seven demons. At their head is the Butler, also the head of their family, named Morfir. He has the ability to transform into various objects and shapes. His intelligence is the highest in their lineage, which secured him the role of head of the family. Morfir wears a sleek black suit with a red tie. His silver hair is swept to the right, partially covering his face. His eyes are red, a trait common across his bloodline. He wears rectangular glasses and has a neatly trimmed beard and mustache.

His hair is also silver. Morfir is quite tall and well-built. Additionally, he has a large white horn on his head, pointing upward. Morfir handles various responsibilities, but most often, he assists my father with matters related to the kingdoms. He performs his duties with passion, dedicating his entire life to them. When needed, he can be stern and merciless, yet he is also capable of kindness and compassion, despite his emotionless expression.

The next servant in our household is Nokta. But evryone call her Nok.

Her job is to prepare meals. She can cook anything, even when the pantry is practically empty. She is very friendly and talkative, and it's hard to upset her. However, when she does get angry, she shows no mercy. She is nearly the shortest among the demons and almost always wears a gray apron over a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves. Below, she wears long black pants.

Nokta looks around twenty years old. She stands out with two thick horns that almost emerge from her forehead, angled to the sides. Her horns are slightly grayish, unlike Morfir's. They contrast with her black hair tipped with purple ends. Her hair is parted to the sides, and some is gathered in a bun at the back, while another section is tied in a low ponytail, bound in two places—at the top and near the bottom. Her hairstyle isn't perfectly tied, leaving a few stray strands, especially around her forehead, covering the area between her horns.

Her standout ability is shadow control. She's very skilled in it, though she hasn't achieved the same level of perfection as her brother, Kage.

Our third servant is Zerach also kown as Zer, responsible for replenishing supplies and maintaining relative order within the crater grounds. His strengths are immense physical power and large reserves of magical energy. He’s the tallest of all the demons, well-built, and athletic. Though young, he's a bit older than Nokta. His demeanor, however, is entirely different from hers; he's much quieter. His expressions can be quite intimidating, partly because his wavy hair often falls over his eyes, making it hard to see where he's looking. His hair is red with a few black streaks, and amidst the waves, he has two black, slightly curved horns that complement his sleeveless black blazer and black pants. Beneath the blazer, he wears a white shirt with the top button undone. (He's handsome, but not to my taste.)

The last of the male demons in our employ is Nox, who specializes in illusions and animals. His duties include tending the gardens and caring for our animals. Often, after completing his tasks, he assists the other demons. Nox is very kind and difficult to anger. He’s unable to say no and strictly follows the rules. His height is modest, being the smallest of all the demons in his lineage, and he’s also the youngest. He's often mistaken for a girl and, having been dressed in women’s clothing by his sisters, it influenced his current style. He dresses in a masculine version of a maid’s outfit, replacing the skirt with knee-length shorts and adding small frills and half-skirt details. He wears a loose cylindrical hat that allows a few blonde strands to fall forward. His small horn is centered on his forehead and hidden beneath the hat. Around his wrists are cords attached to a stone and a small, very sharp dagger. Though the cords appear short, reaching nearly to his knees, they can extend with magic.

The next demon is one of the two maids, Raya. Raya is kind, beautiful, intelligent, and sensible—an ideal girl in almost every way. Her physique is perfect: neither too tall nor too short, and just slightly shorter than Morfir. She’s always smiling and never complains. Her softly curled hair, almost in ringlets, is a delicate shade of blue. She has two horns on her forehead, the shorter one on the right is black, while the longer one on the left is white. Her white horn has red vein-like markings near the base where it connects to her forehead.

One of her weaknesses is her poor eyesight, so she wears large round glasses with pure gold frames that shine with uniqueness from afar. However, her strength lies in her weapon skills; she can wield any weapon and is a master in her craft. Combined with her innate talent for swift movement, this makes her the number one opponent on the battlefield.

Her attire, however, suggests the complete opposite, as she wears an innocent maid’s outfit. On top of that, she has a large chest, which is one of her greatest assets. Unlike Nok, who barely has any, hers are remarkably large—the biggest in the entire castle. Honestly, I've never seen bigger ones in person in my life.

The next and last maid is Zira. She's the tallest of all the girls, though still shorter than Zer. She has two black horns on the sides of her forehead. Her pink hair is tied in a ponytail at the back of her head. Also from front, her hair falls over her face, covering her entire forehead. Like Raya, she wears a maid's outfit. Unfortunately, her chest isn't as impressive, which makes her furious whenever someone brings it up.

Overall, she’s humorous, fun, and friendly, though sometimes she has a short temper and lashes out at everything around her. Her unique ability, or power, is manipulating heat. She can generate heat from nowhere or control it in various ways, allowing her to combine it in creative, often unusual ways.

The last servant in our household is Viriel, though everyone calls her Vir. Her role is to assist, much like Morfir, but she primarily helps Mother, serving as a second butler just for her. Vir has short, grayish-purple hair, giving her a tomboyish look in the front, though it’s tied into a beautiful braid at the back. Her two short horns, pointing sideways and close to each other, are a lovely faded violet. She wears a crown in red and gray tones, symbolizing her power: suffering, sorrow, and torment. Black blood often drips from her eyes.

Her power lies in mind manipulation—she can alter someone’s memories or control them. To do this, she must view all of the person’s memories, both good and bad, which exposes her own sensitive mind to unpleasant experiences that haunt her at night. She generally appears somber, as if she has little desire to do anything. She doesn’t speak much but performs her tasks with remarkable speed.

She is the only demon who goes barefoot, as she is also a master of hand-to-hand combat, having mastered numerous fighting styles, making her unbeatable in this area among demons. She wears a beautiful black dress tied at the neck, leaving part of her back exposed. The bottom of her dress is curved and modest. She has chain-like accessories around her wrists, ribbons around her shoulders, and similar decorations around her ankles. Her chest is large, but she almost always keeps it bound with bandages.

These are all our servants. They have been serving since I was born.

image [https://i.imgur.com/A4I4dwd_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand]