However, in the bid for the position of Patriarch, her support wasn’t much greater than that of her two brothers.

[Pure-blood Nobility: Nobles who believe that as Old Blood, their bloodline is more noble than that of the Bloodless and the common Old Race.]

Indeed. Most of the clan’s Elders were displeased with Isabella, and most people secretly looked down on her for having a Bloodless mother. Even so, she was still considered the descendant most likely to claim the Patriarch’s seat within the Beowulf Clan.

The reason was simple: Isabella was on the verge of becoming a Silver.

That alone was enough.

Therefore, no matter how much the other Elders disliked her, they had no choice but to acknowledge this fact.

If Isabella passed the Trial, became a Silver, and won the Dragon Spear’s acknowledgment during the Dragon Hunting Ceremony, she would undoubtedly become the Patriarch of the Beowulf Family.

However, that was merely a hypothetical. Three months ago, things took a turn. The Dracul Mountain Range began swarming with Dragon Descendants, and it was suspected that their uprising had started early.

The Dragon Hunting Ceremony, originally predicted to begin late next year, was moved up to the present. This left Isabella with nowhere near enough time to become a Silver.

The Elders who had already chosen a side grew ambivalent once more, and it was during this period that support for Jose and Tune soared within the clan.

The Chief Steward standing before Baron and berating him was from Jose Beowulf’s faction.

"Then get on your knees for me. Kowtow, apologize, and I’ll forgive you," the Chief Steward said. "It’s a rule all newcomers must follow."

A maid stepped forward and said, "Lord Chief Steward, since he is from the rear courtyard, he should naturally be under our jurisdiction..."

"As Chief Steward, do I need to report to one Bloodless attendant just to discipline another?" the Chief Steward interrupted.

As he spoke, he sized up the maid’s voluptuous figure while glancing over to see if Miss Isabella had noticed the commotion.

Seeing this, Young Master Jose’s Demon Hunters, who were training nearby, whistled at him and flashed lecherous grins. One went so far as to make a circle with one hand, then thrust the index and middle fingers of his other hand into it.

’It seems the saying that all Demon Hunters are sex-crazed demons holds true in the Prole world and the Inner Side alike.’

When the Chief Steward saw this, his eyes darted about. He turned his attention from the maid’s figure and said coldly, "However, since you spoke up, you can be punished together."

The maid’s face went pale.

He said to the male attendants beside him, "As for the male Bloodless, break the leg he used to step on my foot. As for the female Bloodless..."

He shot a fawning smile at the Demon Hunters who were closer to the edge of the field. "After I’ve ’broken her in,’ how about I send her to you esteemed Demon Hunters’ quarters tonight?"

The Demon Hunters cheered wildly.

The maid’s face drained of all color. Baron, on the other hand, just watched them, thinking, ’Is there a way to kill them all instantly without anyone finding out?’

’Apparently not.’

...

[Baron Constantin’s (Original Self) Secret Notes:

November 9th, 1975 / Plains / Overcast

I met Isabella today. I heard her dad died.

I tried to comfort her. I told her it was okay, my mom died too.

She said my mother wasn’t a Bloodless, so I couldn’t possibly understand.

Bloodless... What is that, anyway? It sounds kind of cool.

When I got back to Plains, I told Master Zophie I wanted to become a Bloodless. I asked if there was a way.

Master Zophie, who was in the middle of an alchemy experiment, jumped in surprise. He asked if I didn’t want to become a Knight anymore. Why the sudden change to wanting to be a Bloodless?

I asked, "Can’t I be both?"]