Translator: Mukyuu
Editor: Mikyuu
Cold sweat formed on Wang Xiaoming’s body.
Though Singh hadn’t guessed Baal’s identity, he had guessed most of their goal. At the thought that Singh might one day see through Baal’s pretense, Wang Xiaoming became uneasy and even the delicious steak in his mouth turned bitter.
Singh noticed that Wang Xiaoming was averting his gaze and offered a comforting smile. “I said before, since I have invited you to come here as a guest, we’ll never be enemies. We might even become the closest of comrades.”
Wang Xiaoming asked, “What exactly do you want?”
“It’s very simple, work together.” He laughed and stood up, walking toward the door.
But before he got to the door, the door flew into the air like a kite and smashed forcefully into the giant painting that faced the door.
Singh stopped elegantly and extended a hand along with a smile. “Welcome.”
A figure walked in slowly and his intense eyes were filled with intense killing intent.
Prilli followed carefully after him. Though he had sworn on Lord Cain’s name countless times on the way, Baal’s killing intent piled up more and more as time ticked by.
“Ba… But you came!” Wang Xiaoming quickly stood up from the sofa and was about to walk over when Woodrace raised a leg casually and blocked him.
The freely flowing air seemed to freeze instantly.
Singh slowly put down his hand and said with a smile, “How could you stop lovers from seeing each other?”
Woodrace put his foot down disinterestedly.
In that same instant, Baal’s figure flashed through the living room like lightning.
Prilli felt like he had only blinked his eyes once when the scene in front of him changed.
Woodrace stood by the window. Upon closer examination, there was a trace of blood on his lips. His irises and lips were gradually turning purple. Those were signs that he was preparing an attack.
And Wang Xiaoming was tightly held within Baal’s embrace.
Singh suddenly chuckled, “Wood, I didn’t think you’d lose to a newcomer.”
Woodrace didn’t say anything, but his lips pressed together tighter.
Singh said, “Why are we all standing? I think it’s easier to relax and be friendly when we sit down. Standing always makes me feel tense.” He slowly strolled back to his original seat and ignored the tension in the air that was so thick it could be sliced with a knife. He remained smiling as he said, “Wood, you haven’t finished your steak.”
Woodrace gave him a look and the purplish-red hue began to fade from his eyes. But he didn’t go back to where he had sat before and instead sat next to Singh.
Wang Xiaoming noticed that Baal stood in the same place with a cold expression and subconsciously pulled on his sleeves as he said, “Let’s also go sit down?”
If he hadn’t spoken, things would have been okay. But his words evoked Baal’s anger. “Who allowed you to leave on your own without my permission?”
Wang Xiaoming rubbed the fabric of the sleeves together and hung his head. He said quietly, “I’m sorry.”
Baal felt like he should scold the man some more and not let him off so easily. But when the words came out of his mouth, the tone and atmosphere remained, yet the words changed, “Did you get injured?”
Wang Xiaoming shook his head and then pointed at the steak. “I also had steak to eat and red wine to drink.”
…
He wasn’t there but the man could happily eat steak and drink red wine?
The anger that had died down a bit now flared up again. He demanded angrily, “What did I just say?”
“Huh? Did I get injured?” Wang Xiaoming asked in confusion.
“The sentence before that!”
Wang Xiaoming thought and replied, “I’m sorry.”
“… Not the one you said, the one I said.” Baal’s anger was steadily rising.
Wang Xiaoming said apologetically, “I meant, I’m sorry but I don’t remember.”
Baal, “…”
“Why don’t we eat and chat at the same time?” Singh smoothed things over.
With those words, butler Louis made a grand reentrance. But in order to express his dissatisfaction with being bothered in the middle of the night, he came out wearing his pyjamas. It was a set of clothes with blue and white stripes, with two cute kittens on the back.
He set down steak and wine glasses in front of Baal and Prilli without any expression and then glared silently at Singh.
Singh said with a smile, “I promise. These are the last guests for today.”
Louis told him, “If I get woken up halfway, I won’t be able to sleep.”
Singh tried to smile.
“If I lose sleep, I need to take sleeping aids.”
Singh continued to smile.
“After eating sleeping pills, I tend to walk in my sleep.”
Singh couldn’t smile any more.
The professional smile reappeared on Louis’s face. “So, if Lord Singh sees a Kindred who is taking the house apart because he’s sleepwalking, please don’t wake him, no matter what happens.”
Singh watched him walk away and slowly raised his cup to take a sip of red wine. Then he turned around to tell Wang Xiaoming, “Relax, this building is quite sturdy. Even if he tries to take it apart for the next thirty years, it will still be habitable.”
Prilli murmured quietly, “I finally know why Lord Singh is constantly looking for houses and moving around.”
“…” Singh coughed dryly and turned his gaze to Baal, who was elegantly cutting his steak. “Mr. Edward, please allow me to call you as such.” As a third generation Elder talking to a sixth generation Kindred, his tone of voice could definitely be considered respectful. But considering the damage that Woodrace, who was also a third generation Elder, had just taken, that respect was not worth mentioning.
Baal set down his utensils and looked up at him.
Singh continued, “I just explained to this gentleman why I invited you. To put it simply, I think I can help fulfill your desires, if the reason you’re here is to turn this human gentleman into a second generation Kindred.”
Since he gave the conclusion by skipping his reasoning, Baal’s expression was quite surprised.
“I think you know very well that Lord Cain’s blood has always been guarded by us Elders.” Singh steepled his fingers and said slowly, “With our support, everything you do will be smoother. Your Elder should have told you the inside deals regarding the Sacrificial Night of Fresh Blood.”
Prilli said, “I also told him.” He gazed at Baal and suddenly had a very bad feeling because he could tell that Singh was trying to entice Baal into making some kind of deal. However, he knew Baal’s true identity. He knew very well that the man who sat there, high and mighty, was actually a fallen angel, and a powerful fallen angel at that.
To reveal the identity or continue hiding? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Very well, I think this will make our discussions much more fruitful.” Singh continued, “First, I must say that the Sacrificial Night of Fresh Blood has already begun and the list has been decided. If you want to be successful, then you have to rely on the Ravnos, Giovanni, and McAvery clans’ alliance.” As if fearing they wouldn’t understand, he added, “Only then can you eliminate the Torredo nominee.”
Baal laughed coldly.
“Of course, this is a deal so our efforts aren’t entirely without a price. We hope that when Wang Xiaoming becomes a second generation Kindred, he’ll establish a new clan and form an alliance with us, forming a brand new coalition.” Singh’s smiling eyes finally revealed his ambitions.
Wang Xiaoming asked in surprise, “Why?”
Singh said, “The Ravnos and Giovanni have always been neutral clans because neither the Sabbat nor the Camarilla are aligned with our ideals. However, building a new alliance will undoubtedly prompt the other clans into forming an alliance and attacking us, especially since the Kindred’s interim leader is Leslie from the Camarilla.”
Baal stated, “McAvery is part of the Camarilla too.”
“But they are madmen that are disdained by the rest of the Camarilla.” Singh’s smile was filled with a tinge of longing. “We long for freedom and progress. You’ve stayed in the Mortal Realm before and should know the speed at which the Mortal Realm is changing. But the Kindred Realm, which has more time than the Mortal Realm does, has always been stuck in one place. We need momentum to push us forward.”
Baal asked contemptuously, “This is your so-called deal?”
Singh didn’t mind his attitude and replied, “Believe me, you’ll need this deal. It won’t hurt you any. Becoming a second generation, establishing a clan of their own is something that I think every Kindred dreams of.If it weren’t for the fact that I’m already a third generation Kindred, I wouldn’t pass a golden opportunity like this up.”
Baal mused, “We can go to Bloodnight Mountain?”
Singh smiled. “Of course. Lord Cain’s blood is hidden on Bloodnight Mountain. That’s where the ritual will take place.”
While Baal thought things over with pursed lips, Prilli thought he was about to be burned to ashes by the fire in his heart. Friendship and the clan’s well-being tipped the scales one way or another. Finally, he made a decision. “I think this deal isn’t a good one.”
“Oh?” Singh didn’t feel unhappy at being interrupted; he only asked with a smile, “Why?”
“Because,” Prilli answered in a low voice, “he’s already made an enemy of the Torredo clan and the Torredo clan won’t just let things go easily. To make an enemy of an existing powerful clan for a benefit that might not come to fruition is not a wise choice.”
He didn’t want to sell out his friendship but he also couldn’t betray his clan, so the best thing to do was to stop it all.
Baal looked at him and realization seeped into his eyes.
Singh said with a smile, “Sounds like this deal has some problems.”
Prilli realized there was a chance and nodded furiously.
“But, huge profits come with huge risks.” Singh continued, “No matter how powerful the Torredo clan is, they won’t be a match against an alliance of three clans. You needn’t worry about that.”
Prilli’s expression changed and he said, “But…”
Singh raised a hand and gestured at him to come closer. “Come here.”
Prilli stood up slowly and took two steps toward Singh when he realized what the other vampire was about to do. He instantly shouted withouta care for the consequences, “He’s actually not…”
But it was already too late.
He could only watch as his body shrank and then landed in Singh’s hands with a flap of his wings.
Singh pinched his wings with a smile. “You just stay as a bat observer and watch whether this deal is a profit or a loss.”
Baal’s lips curved and he suddenly spoke up, “Deal.”
“That’s right, this mansion is my present to you. I hope you like it.” Singh stood up and reached out a hand.
Baal didn’t spare him a glance. “Since it’s my present, then my word is law?”
“Of course.” Singh put down his hand like a gentleman.
“All of you can scram.” Baal pulled Wang Xiaoming and hurriedly walked up the stairs.
