The Larin Empire was located in the south-central region of Emvita. It borders covered approximately 35,000 square kilometers, though this included swaths of uninhabited plains, woodlands and mountain ranges.

It was miniscule compared to larger civilizations. For instance, a single Atelier city: such as the City of Diamonds: spanned around a million square kilometers. Paradise was significantly larger, and then there were the Mycelli Collective which surpassed their size.

Other comparable civilizations were the Kingdoms of the Dragons, the Elven enclaves, the Demon cities, and the submerged Aquatid Kingdoms.

Still, the amount of land they claimed was impressive given the enormous number of Kingdoms that occupied Emvita. Borders were often disputed and fluctuated depending on one’s military strength, political power, cultural dominance and one’s economy. As such, they were fickle and maps could not be trusted to accurately gauge a Kingdom’s reach.

Indeed, the Larin Empire was among the largest of the Empires in Emvita and sat comfortably at one of the top ten strongest civilizations in the Region. The Larin Empire was an economic powerhouse and supplied neighboring Kingdoms with valuable minerals from their mines, including precious metals, sulfur, and magical crystals.

Furthermore, a vast majority of their territory was relegated to field world. Farmwork was one of the strongest industries. Because of their location, they were able to farm most crops year-round. The soil was also abnormally fertile compared to the rest of Emvita which also saw crops growing at more than four times the normal speed.

Not only that, but the common apple which grew to just the size of a fist could reach the proportions of a watermelon.

It was believed that this was thanks to the Larin Empire’s Gift. No one knew for certain, since it would be foolish for a Kingdom to reveal their cards. Farmers hauled slime from wells across the outskirts of the Larin Empire. They were placed into smoke houses which were funneled with a freezing vapor. Once frozen, they were then transported into boxes and driven out on horseback.

These were special grade fertilizers that could only be made in the Larin Empire. It was likely what caused the crops to grow so abundantly. This was another one of their strongest exports, but it only had a quarter of the efficacy outside of their territory.

Their immense exports made Kingdoms heavily reliant on them. One had to wonder how they were able to export 97% of their total harvest without inducing a famine. The reason was because of the advantages they possessed as Vampires.

Food was not sustenance.

While it could satisfy their hunger, food was not what kept a Vampire alive.

That was blood. Blood was the only source of sustenance a Vampire required. Blood was distributed to all citizens of the Larin Empire via blood ampules, which had to be rationed by the common folk who worked in the outskirts.

Not only that, but the quality was often poor and likely did not even come from humans in the first place. Vampires who failed to receive blood succumbed to a degenerative disease called the Clot, which rendered Vampires into a feral, mindless state. These carriers were often killed the moment their existence were made apparent, since they posed a threat to neighboring Kingdoms who they did business with.

They were the lowest form of Vampires, akin to the Dredges of Sin, with the laborers being marginally higher.

Furthermore, Vampires were normally a nocturnal species. In a Region where people shied away from the night, they were able to conduct their operations with little to no resistance.

Deeper into their territory were cities, which surrounded the Larin Empire’s Capital: Grace. They were an interconnected, sprawling metropolis where the middle class lived, alongside the lower class who worked as servants.

Vampires operated on a strict hierarchy. It did not matter how powerful or how resourceful one was. If their blood purity was lower than that of an infant, then their lives danced on the palm of said infant.

Then, there were the noble class who lived across the Larin Empire in Houses that oversaw dukedoms. They were immensely powerful and contained regiments that could skirmish with the likes of the Chlam Empire: with enormous casualties, of course.

But it was not a problem.

Because no matter how many people they lose, they could always replace them. The Larin Empire specifically imported high quality goods from the neighboring Kingdoms as per their trade agreement.

These goods were undoubtedly people of various ‘quality’. If a Kingdom did not reach their agreed quota, then they would be paid a special visit by the Larin Empire’s Redfiends, which were Fifth Generation Vampire warriors, who served the Fourth Generation Blood Commanders.

For the longest time, the Larin Empire had stood uncontested in their part of the Region.

However, it had been strangely quiet for the last few weeks.

So much so that other Kingdoms began prodding into the Larin Empire in hopes of planting spies, or conducting other works, only for their personnel to either go missing, or return as a Clot.

But this wouldn’t be the only anomaly of the Larin Empire.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

* * *

A deafening crash struck the outskirts of the Larin Empire at the break of dawn. So powerful was the crash that the skies illuminated like it was noon. A one-hundred-and-fifty-meter crater formed in the center of a wheat field.

Within the crater was a black canister-shaped object ten meters in size. An old man approached the edge of the crater wielding a pitchfork as his little daughter rushed home in terror.

Flames licked the skies as black smoke consumed the field. It was a miracle that the man had not caught alight during the impact. He audibly gulped and peered back at the fifty or so shacks that made up his village.

“Heaven bless us… Who could have… Are they fine?” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Relief flooded him. It had not been set ablaze. Not yet however. The other inhabitants were busy hauling water from the well to put out nearby flames.

“… They have it. Could it be an attack? A metal compartment… in the middle of nowhere… It must be the Chlam Empire dogs–!”

The old man turned his attention back to the canister as steam hissed from various cracks that formed around the shell.

He raised his pitchfork and approached the canister. His knees ached in the uneven terrain. The step became heavier and faster as he leaned into a sprint, ready to impale whatever fiend emerged.

A door hissed, and with it, red mist suddenly dispersed into the air. It was blood. As a lowly Vampire, he knew that this being must have been injured. If they were truly from the Chlam Empire like he believed, then he had to strike them before they could slaughter the village.

Of course, he did not know what the people of the Chlam Empire looked like. He had only heard from the people delivering the blood rations about the Chlam Empire’s bloody attacks. The papers that were also distributed by the neighboring Inerta Kingdom had also been reporting about the Chlam Empire’s crimes.

He had a daughter, a wife, and people he loved. If he hesitated, then he could lose them all. Thus, as the black-steel door opened with a deafening pop:

“DIE YOU CHLAM EMPIRE SCUM!”

–The door fell, splitting the ground. It threw him off balance. He had not expected the door to be so heavy. Another piece of the capsule fell, and it sank into the bedrock like a needle through butter.

Hesitation claimed him. But he was already stuck in the motion of stabbing whatever was inside of the capsule. Suddenly, his pitchfork was met with resistance. He regained his balance and breathed a sigh of relief as blood began trickling through the corner of the entryway.

“Ha… Haha… That’s right… Chlam Empire dog… You shouldn’t have come here. These are our lands… Your plague… Oh gods…” A horrific realization dawned on him.

What if this was the ‘plague’?

The red mist, the mysterious vapor that steamed from the canister…

… could this be how the disease that suddenly struck the Larin Empire was spread?

His thoughts were suddenly cut short when he felt a vibration run through the pitchfork.

“Quite the warm welcome.”

“It- speaks: Gaaagh!?”

A hand effortlessly cut through the length of the pitchfork. Horror danwed on him as he watched the metal prongs split like the petals of a flower to a single finger. Splinters exploded along the wooden handle until the finger reached his throat.

Then, he was lifted off his feet with that finger, hooked like how one would hold a fish. Other fingers joined, squeezing his throat until he could only helplessly flail.

“Haaah. You’re just an old man. I was wondering why my [Precognition] did not see anything. It appears to not work accurately when confined in the dark.” A severe sounding voice spoke.

A pair of golden orbs appeared from within the canister. The man trembled before he suddenly went still, as though weights were pulling down on his limbs. Even his face began drooping. This was caused by his body demanding him to prostrate before this higher being.

He knew right away what sort of entity he had dared to bare his fangs to.

A high Generation Vampire.

Undoubtedly beyond that of at least the Fifth Generation.

“You intention also threw me off. Had I been more cautious, then I would have taken your head clean off your shoulders.”

The figure emerged from the shadows. She was small. Smaller than the vast majority of those from the Larin Empire, aside from Princess Mary D’ Grace. Yet, like the Princess, she possessed abnormal physical strength.

He had no doubt that she could crush his head like a grape if he dared to resist.

“A mere villager… Is that what you are? Ah, my apologiges.”

She gave his throat just enough clearance for him to squeak.

“Farm… er…”

“I see. Combatant?”

“… I… farm… daughter…”

The coat the young figure wore rustled to his words.

“Then I am truly sorry for this. But keep in mind that you were the one who attacked first. Although…”

The figure dropped him and dusted her gloves, as though touching him had contaminated them. Her gaze moved to the rim of the crater where fires burned uncontrollably. She placed both hands on her hips and sighed.

“… I did arrive in an unfortunate place. I guess that does make me the aggressor in your case.”

Her voice became softer. It was serene. She had become an entirely different person in the blink of an eye, yet the divine aura she radiated remained the same.

She raised her hand into the sky and snapped her fingers.

The flames which were bound to burn everything he loved were syphoned into her hand. A flaming whirlpool appeared above the crater, and after a few seconds, it condensed into a fiery bead.

“Excuse me for damaging your property. It was not my intention to land this far.” She apologized before uttering in an aside: “The accuracy of the Star Cannon leaves much to be desired at this range. But no matter.”

“… Who… Are…?”

“You appear disoriented. You should know who I am.”

Her words were sickly sweet. He crawled on his aching knees and stared at her feet like an obedient dog. His body responded instinctively to her commands, as though they were law. His breathing changed. Even that was no longer in his control.

A resounding thought propagated from the depths of his heart.

That thought carried a name.

“The… Progenitor…”

“Close enough.” She smiled, pleased by this. “Your blood purity is quite low. It seems that diffusing my blood into the air is overkill for the common folk of the Larin Empire. I fear it might be worse if I start bleeding into water supplies. It’ll work better for the higher-ranking ones. My words alone are effective for now. So, friend. How about we get to know each other better? Starting with the people here.”

Another spray of red mist was released from the canister.

The wind carried it in the direction of the village. Though Vampires occupied the Larin Empire, not all of them were Vampires, particularly in the outskirts, since most Vampires were lethargic during the daylight.

Vampires spread their blood through ritualistic bites, rather than through blood-borne contamination.

Yet he suspected that this was different for this being.

His eyes widened with terror.

Was this source of the plague?

Using the last shred of willpower he could muster, he croaked:

“… Are you… Clotting…?”

“Let’s not start accusing me of the Larin Empire’s problems. I’ve only just arrived. This ‘Clot’… Ah, so that’s what it is. To think such a phenomenon exists. My blood could never.”

“… Then… can it… cure…?”

The plague…

His vision waned. The last thing the old man saw before the world faded to black was the face of his daughter appearing at the edge of the crater.

He could only hope that this was just a terrible dream.