One in-game day later, it was in the evening and Maria was outfitted in the winning dress from the contest she had previously hosted, the Blaze of Glory, and was on her way to Duchess Bathory’s Grand Ball.

An in-game notice had popped up earlier that updated her quest and now she had to arrive before the time limit was over. Maria was a little excited since this quest involved something other than learning or killing.

She quickly arrived at the venue which was the Duchess’s Sanguine Castle, she peered out the window and admired the tall and extravagant building.

“When we return...I want to remodel Heltania Castle…”

Ash, who was sitting next to her inside the carriage, let out a helpless smile after hearing her nonchalant words. He quietly took out a small notebook and began writing something down.

Obviously, he was just taking note of what his Queen wanted and made sure to engrave the style and grandeur of the Sanguine Castle into his mind. The economy of their faction was booming and they had a lot of spare cash just lying around.

Remodeling the castle and making it look much more grandiose was but a trifle. The only thing Ash needed was to find a good architect. Of course, before all that, he needed all of the construction and development projects currently underway to be finished.

Although their faction had the resources, they couldn’t just pull workers from out of nowhere and they certainly couldn’t allocate workers from another project over to a new one.

Upon entering the venue, Maria showed her gold-rimmed invitation to the doorman and was respectfully led to the third floor of the castle for some reason. It was far away from the auditorium where the gathering was being held.

*DING*

Quest update! Objective: Arrive at the ball and meet with Duchess Bathory (Complete)

Only Maria and Ash were guided to the castle’s third floor while her other followers had been directly sent to the auditorium where the event was taking place.

Their guide brought the two to a room and quickly opened the door. He gestured for them to enter and after they went in, the guide closed the door behind them.

Inside the room which was neatly decorated and dimly lit, sat a person on a large chair next to a window. Maria saw that it was a platinum-haired woman with a jet black dress with intricate decorations woven on the gown.

She was wearing a large hat and veil that covered her face and on that hat was a large blood-red rose. This rose was in a peculiar design and it was easily recognizable as Duchess Bathory’s insignia.

Of course, Maria knew about this insignia since Ash had informed her of it but she didn’t react at all when she saw this woman.

“...”

“...”

“...”

There was a long silence that caused Maria to tilt her head and start tapping her fingers impatiently on her arm.

It wasn’t long before Ash and Maria heard a sigh come from the woman. She got up from the large chair she was sitting on and walked over to where the two were standing. Maria was rather surprised because she had to look up when looking at this woman.

“Woah, you’re huge!” Maria involuntarily exclaimed.

“M-My Queen!”

Ash had a surprised look on his face when he heard Maria’s exclamation. He was a little worried and looked up at the tall woman and saw her face blankly staring at the little girl who just exclaimed at her height.

“...Aren’t you the rude little one?” The woman said with a somewhat annoyed face.

“Little? Well, I’m not small. I’m about average height if I do say so myself…” Maria countered before looking up and down at this woman and continuing, “You’re the one who’s huge!”

The tall lady’s eyelid twitched a little after hearing Maria’s remark.

“My Queen...”

“Are you Duchess Bathory?” Maria asked, completely ignoring Ash who was at the side with a worried look on his face.

“...That is indeed me. And you are?”

“I’m Maria, Queen of the Dire. It’s nice to meet you!”

“...So you are the rumored Queen of the Dire...quite an upstart, aren’t you?” Bathory remarked snidely.

“An upstart? Why would you say that?”

“You come to my territory and go on a spending spree. It would be almost impossible not to notice you. After that, you start conflict inside my land...Why wouldn’t I call you an upstart?”

Maria immediately knew what the Duchess was talking about and sighed. Her most trusted and most capable subordinate wasn’t able to complete his task as successfully as she thought.

She wanted Ash to deal with the previous enemies she had made while on her shopping spree as discreetly as he could so that nobody would find out but the Duchess was able to know what happened.

It was indeed a tall task to complete since this was Duchess Bathory’s territory and as the duchess, she should know about everything that happened inside her land. Maria was a little disappointed in Ash now.

Maria smirked and replied, “Heh, so your people aren’t completely useless. I thought Ash would have done a great job keeping things a secret but it looks like he’s failed.”

She gave Ash a wicked glare for an instant before turning to the tall woman towering in front of her and smiling at her.

“...He was a failure before and now he’s turned dull...a dull failure."

“Hah, a dull failure. Good one!”

“...”

While Maria laughed, Ash frowned when he heard Duchess Bathory’s remarks. He didn’t mind it if Maria insulted or reprimanded him because he was her subordinate but he wouldn’t tolerate it if another person talked smack in front of him. What more, to his face at that.

“Well, Carmilla, I guess you got my letter so you should know why my Queen and I are here, yes? Let’s just get to the point.”

“A failure has no right to talk to me, the Duchess of the Sanguine State!”

“Failure?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“What else should I call a fallen vampire lord if not a failure?”

“...I may have fallen but I have not failed in anything. Watch your words unless you want me to rip your tongue out!”

“Ooh, so fierce. You’re not even at full strength and you think you have the audacity to threaten me?”

“And?”

Maria saw Bathory leaking a dense amount of killing intent at Ash while her subordinate was doing the same thing back to the tall lady. Maria just watched as it all unfolded in front of her and smiled delightfully.

“I thought you two were good friends? Why argue like this?” Maria said as she took a seat and watched the show. “You can keep going if you want. This looks interesting.”

“...My Queen…”

“...”

Duchess Bathory cleared her throat and recomposed herself. Maria had thrown off her rhythm earlier and after seeing Ash, her heart trembled and she felt very angry just looking at his face.

“Well, this wasn’t the reunion I wanted but since you two are here for business, then let’s get to it.”

Duchess Bathory began lowering herself and the chair she was previously sitting on near the window quickly moved under her and she sat down properly. She then turned towards Ash and scoffed at him.

“You can remain standing, Ash Garm.”

“You little…”

“Ash, just be quiet. You can have your heartfelt reunion later. I’m here to talk business with Duchess Bathory.”

“Yes, My Queen.”

Ash bowed deeply to Maria before he walked next to her and stood at her side. He directed a glare at Duchess Bathory which ever so slightly caused the duchess to quiver.

“I’ll reintroduce myself, Duchess Bathory. I am Maria, Queen of the Dire and the lord of the Direlands of the South. Pleased to meet you,” Maria extended a hand towards the duchess and the duchess took it after a brief moment of deliberation and reintroduced herself as well.

“Carmilla Bathory or as most people know, Duchess Bathory. I rule the Sanguine Castle and the lands surrounding it. It is…” Bathory quickly glanced at Ash before turning back to Maria. “...a pleasure to meet you.”

Maria let out a smile and stared into the duchess’s blood-red eyes that were staring intently back at her. They continued remaining like this for a bit before Carmilla released Maria’s hand and leaned back into her chair, not breaking eye contact with her.

“I like your guts, gi―”

“Ahem,” Ash interrupted. Carmilla gave him a distasteful look before correcting herself.

“Your Majesty, Maria.”

“No need to address me like that. You’re not my subordinate...yet.”

Carmilla let out a chuckle since she was amused by Maria's confident words.

“If it’s like that, I’ll address you as Lady Maria.”

“That sounds...much better actually, haha!”

Maria’s black wings quivered a bit in delight.

“Now, let’s get down to business. I’m sure you know my objective in coming to meet you and my true goal.”

Carmilla Bathory nodded and said, “...You plan to overthrow the Blood Faction’s current leader, Vampire Lord Siegfried, right?”

“Ehh...more or less, I guess. But the way you put it sounds so boring,” Maria said as she stood up from her chair.

She went over to the window where Carmilla was previously at and pushed open the window, taking a good look outside. It was night and the entire city was pitch black. She was able to see clearly thanks to her race’s passive attributes but a normal person wouldn’t be able to see anything.

“I don’t just plan to overthrow that Vampire Lord. I’ll let Ash get his revenge and do whatever he wants with what's-his-name.”

“...If that’s not what you want...then what is it?” Carmilla asked.

Maria turned around and pointed at Carmilla as her dress lit up in flames that extended to her wings.

“I want you.”

“...Me?”

“Yes, I want you...and every other vampire on this continent.”

Carmilla frowned and asked, “You want...this continent then?”

“Exactly. Why stop at just the Blood Faction? I want everything.”

“Heh, you’re small...but you’re really greedy.”

“Am I?” Maria asked with astonishment as she pointed at herself. She thought for a moment before saying, “Well, I guess I am but at least I have the power to back my greed.”

“Do you? You’ve only taken over a small portion of the south and yet you ambitiously want to claim the entire continent and every living being on it? Your dreams seem so far-fetched!”

“I’ve already pulled in the ogres and vampires into my faction so what makes you think I can’t do what I’ve said.”

“As I said, it’s only a small portion!”

“Small portion or not, it’s a start. How long do you think I’ve been here on this planet? Decades? Years? Bah, I’ve only been here for a few months at best, and yet everything from the south beyond the Blood Rock Mountain Range has become my domain.”

“...”

“You may see it as little, but that’s because I’ve only been here for a short time. In that short time, I’ve taken complete control of this ‘small’ piece of land in the south. Not only do I have control over it, but I manage and develop it just as well.”

“Well...that is commendable.”

“I could achieve much more if I had even more capable subordinates with me. That’s why I want you, Duchess Bathory.”

“...”

“I may not get you now, but I will in the future,” Maria smiled before moving towards the door.

“I’ll let you two catch up. I’ve said all I want.”

“Hm? No bargaining or negotiating?”

“Why?”

“This...this isn’t how you attract people over to your side,” Carmilla said with a frown. “I will admit that you have charisma, but that isn’t enough to pull me over to your Dire!”

“Duchess Carmilla, there’s something you’re missing. I never came here to negotiate or bargain. I came here to take you, whether you want it or not. I will have you.”

“...You...you’re really an unreasonable brat!”

“Carmilla!” Ash shouted at the duchess for her insulting words. His blood energy was circulating visibly and fiercely around his fists. If she said another word, sealed or not, Ash would attack.

“Unreasonable? Well, if I can beat you into submission, I guess you could say I’m unreasonable.”

“...Are you declaring war on me?”

“No, not yet. But I will if you don’t comply. You may be strong, but I don’t believe I can’t flatten your territory if I actually tried.”

“You know that you’ve offended me...so do you think I’d let you escape now?”

“Does it look like I need your permission to walk away from here?”

“You’re in MY castle.”

“For now, but it’ll be mine soon.”

“...”

Maria held no fear facing this NPC. She was a player, if she died here, she’d just respawn. As for her subordinates, she already placed a magic spell on each of them, and in the case that she died, they’d be teleported back to Heltania City immediately.

Having Paimon’s Book of Spells was really convenient and with her [Bookkeeping] skill, she was able to turn the spells she learned into skill books or one-time use scrolls. It was harder for her to turn a spell into a skill book but it was very easy to create magic scrolls.

All Maria needed was enough materials and she’d be able to create magic scrolls indefinitely.

“Your subordinates won’t be sa―”

Maria immediately cut her off and said, “Duchess...did you really think I’d come behind enemy lines without any preparations? Do you think that I’m just a ‘greedy visionary brat’ without any brains?”

“...”

“If I wanted to, I could really flatten this place to the ground. Your people may be capable, but they were too stupid and couldn’t find the magic scrolls I planted around the city while I was out sight-seeing.”

Maria had a playful smile on her face as she skipped around Duchess Bathory.

“The only reason I haven’t done so yet is that I like your territory and it would be a shame if I tore it down and destroyed it...it’ll become mine soon and it’s such a pain to rebuild.”

“...”

Carmilla wanted to rip Maria’s head off her shoulders for daring to threaten her, but she didn’t understand what these magic scrolls were. Until she could get confirmation as to what this item was, she didn’t dare act rashly.

Of course, Carmilla did think that Maria was only bluffing her but looking at the playful look in Maria’s eyes that demanded her to try something against her...Carmilla had to reconsider it.

“I know I’m sounding cruel, but I need to speed things up and conquer this continent. Before some unsavory fools start appearing and prance around my planet.”

“Your...planet?”

“Haha...did you think I would stop on just this continent?”

“...”

“Join me...and I’ll take you to heights you or any of your predecessors have never seen before.”

“Let me think about it...if it’s possible. I’d like to talk privately with Ash. I’ll give you an answer once I’ve talked it out with him.”

“Alright~ but don’t take too long!”

Maria exited the room with a spring in her step and left the two vampires inside the room.

Carmilla turned her eyes towards Ash who had remained silent since earlier and sighed.

“...So that’s your Queen...huh?”

“A real piece of work, right?”

“More like a crazy piece of work!”

“Insult her again and I’ll―”

“Yes, yes, you’ll gut me or whatever.”