"I will come back to see you again, my dear brother." Finally, Juana gave Norton a gentle kiss on his forehead, reluctantly rose, and left his room—this newly established nursery in the castle. As she reached the door, she didn't forget to issue a warning to the maid.
"Take good care of my brother, or I will ensure you and all your family suffer!" Miss Juana said with a cold huff before leaving. The poor young maid kept her head bowed, not daring to say a word or move an inch. Only when Juana's footsteps faded did she sigh in relief and push the door open to enter the room.
Following her in were several more maids working in the castle. They had been meticulously selected, with clear backgrounds and families residing within the country, minimizing the chances of rebellion or bribery. They were assigned by the von Carstein family specifically to care for Norton.
Among them, the most unique was the youngest maid, whom Juana seemed to dislike the most. Her job was particularly special: providing fresh, pure blood for the newborn member of the Night's Kin, commonly known as a vampire, Norton, to ensure his healthy growth. This duty would likely continue for a long time, unlike the others who would be dismissed once Norton grew a bit older.
Although she had only met him once, Juana already considered her adorable brother to be hers. With these factors combined, it was no wonder she did not take a liking to the young maid.
Truth be told, while the job was somewhat demanding and appeared dangerous to outsiders, those who understood envied her fortune. The maidens selected for this role had outstanding magical talents, and those like Norton, descendants of high-ranking nobles, possessed rare abilities.
Their treatment was top-tier, with nutritionists and chefs tailoring healthy meals for them. They also received instruction in knowledge and magical skills, with the ultimate goal of enriching the quality and magic of their blood for the newborn's nourishment and additional magic supply. Indirectly, this could elevate their social status.
If particularly fortunate and capable, a maid might grow close to her vampire master over time and even rise to become trusted confidantes. Some exceptionally charming, talented, and shrewd maids might become secret consorts of the Night's Kin—not wives, as interbreeding with other races was strictly forbidden in Sylvania.
Despite her role, the young maid, Maya, didn't particularly enjoy her job. Besides often having to perform self-harm by cutting her wrists to feed, she feared the dark, opulent castle, the noble yet dangerous vampire lords, and the potentially perilous future ahead.
After all, she was just a five-year-old girl. Concepts like opportunity, privilege, rights, and status were beyond her understanding. All she knew was she had been taken from her home and would likely never see her parents again, which made her very sad.
Rebelling was out of the question. She faced the ruling class of the nation, vampires with countless minions and immense power. These vampires controlled every aspect of the country. Their centuries-long reign had long since quelled any rebellious inclinations in Sylvania's populace. Even the most indignant and unwilling learned to resign themselves—or were simply killed.
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Facing such powerful vampire nobles, the five-year-old girl couldn't muster any thoughts of resistance. For the sake of her family and herself, she had to perform her duties to the best of her ability.
With such melancholy thoughts, Maya looked at the sleeping Norton, a mix of emotions in her eyes. As the cause of her predicament and a creature that fed on her blood, it would be fair to resent or even hate him. Yet, seeing the angelically cute Norton, she couldn't bring herself to dislike him.
"Is it snowing...?" After watching for a while, Maya felt a bit cold and saw the snowflakes drifting outside. She quickly fetched thicker bedding to tuck Norton in. Then, making a decision, she timidly bent down just like Juana and gently kissed Norton's cheek.
"Let me take good care of you, young master Norton," she murmured before stepping out to call in the maids waiting outside. They brought firewood to light the hearth, warming the room considerably...
In the year 2,314 after the founding of Sigmar's Empire—in the Imperial Calendar 2314—politically opposed but nominally part of Sigmar's Empire, Sylvania used the same era's reckoning.
This was the sixth year after Norton von Carstein's birth. The child born under the blessings of his kin received an excellent education and upbringing. He tried to conceal his extraordinary abilities, behaving like any normal child—innocent, lively, curious about everything, and very polite. Vampires who met him couldn't help but adore the little fellow.
On the other hand, Norton didn't deliberately hide his psionic talent. This was perhaps the only aspect where he stood out. His unintentional release of psionics and his carefree, childish use of this power drew the attention of his kin and family. The rumors about "Young Master Norton of the von Carstein family being a genius" spread throughout Sylvania.
Norton, who had a soul over fifty years old, knew it was better to reveal some things early on than to risk unexpected exposure and lose control of the narrative, which would minimize potential danger.
Initially, Norton braced himself for jealousy from the other vampires, fearing that someone might see his talent or presence as a threat and try to eliminate him. He even devised contingency plans for such scenarios.
However, his concerns proved unnecessary. In Sylvania, no vampire bore him any malice. They showed Norton only goodwill, complete goodwill. Whether they were from the von Carstein family or distant relatives or even other vampire families, none harbored dissatisfaction, fear, or jealousy toward him but felt proud. They were thrilled with the arrival of another outstanding figure in their ranks.
Norton, not lacking discernment, could tell these relatives truly liked him and noticed that they shared strong mutual affection. The vampire society was an exceptionally united, respectful, and caring community.
He also observed that their decisions were often motivated by the good of their race. They prioritized their species' overall interests above individual family or personal gains.
Their logic typically ran like this: A newborn? Excellent, our kin increase, and our community expands again—a healthy body? Fantastic, another strong warrior joins our ranks, strengthening our kin—a gifted newborn? Couldn't be better. A great warrior, mage, or perhaps even a powerful leader will emerge. One day, he might lead us to fulfill our goal of ruling the world. What a delightful little one.
This worldview of the vampires—or the Night's Kin as they called themselves—surprised Norton. Compared to these creatures, other species engaging in intrigue, power struggles, and petty conflicts that led to self-destruction seemed senseless. Influenced by this environment, Norton developed a strong sense of pride and identification with his race and country.
Having been betrayed, sold out, and killed by his own kind in his previous life, Norton found this noble species an ideal refuge. He felt extraordinarily lucky to have been reborn into a supportive family without opportunistic servants, scheming relatives, or an unknown fiancée to kick him aside. How fortunate was he to be born into such an accommodating environment?