parentshiftbook Chapter 418 - 335 - From now on I’ll call you sister, you call me...
Chapter 418 - 335 - From now on I’ll call you sister, you call me...
Chapter 418: 335 Chapter From now on I’ll call you sister, you call me...
"GLUG, GLUG..."
The girl’s blood drained away swiftly, like water being siphoned.
Yet Catherine only felt herself floating blissfully, an experience so intensely addictive that no words could describe its wonder; she merely wished this moment could last forever.
The Night Demon’s suction was far more potent than the mere numbing effect of leech saliva, capable of making prey addicted to being consumed, compelling them to willingly offer themselves.
The longer they were consumed, the more infatuated they became with this bone-deep pleasure, a rapture akin to intoxication.
Within her own stronghold, Catherine possessed strength comparable to a Fourth Order adept. If she had wished to resist from the outset, it would have required but a fleeting thought.
However, her trust in Byron was such that she never once entertained the idea.
Not until sixty percent of her blood had been drawn. This chilled her body, and her heartbeat nearly ceased, pushing her to the brink of death—so close that she even hallucinated the Lich Edward waving to her from afar.
She was on the verge of becoming a wilted rose.
Only then did Byron begin to transfuse his distinctly marked Blood of Metamorphosis into her.
The girl’s deathly pale face regained its rosy complexion in the space of a single breath, her heartbeat growing strong and vigorous once more.
Then, from the tips of her golden hair to her ruby-red painted toenails, she began to shimmer with a radiant light.
Even her very presence significantly intensified.
It was as if her definition had suddenly leaped from two million to twenty million pixels, demanding attention at first glance, impossible for even the blind to overlook.
The Flower of the North’s appearance was already near-perfect, yet it had remained within the pinnacle of mortal beauty.
But now, even the most minute imperfections were swept away. She was entirely renewed, from within and without, her skin glowing like snow, luminously radiant.
Even the mild myopia from prolonged desk work had discreetly vanished.
Her eyes shifted from lake green to a crimson red. Two adorable fangs peeked from between her lips, and a pair of small, black wings sprouted at her waist.
When Byron withdrew his fangs, the faint bite marks on her delicate neck instantly disappeared. Her skin reverted to a flawless, white-jade-like perfection, without a single visible pore.
"The great work is complete!"
The First Embrace was akin to a simplified bloodline sublimation ritual, one that switched a being’s racial template.
One could choose to endow the recipient with power matching their Class or merely the foundational Night Demon racial growth template, equivalent to that of a Night Demon infant.
Besides a universally significant increase in lifespan, all future advancements would depend on the Bloodline itself steadily ascending, unlocking the powers within it step by step.
The Sailing Logbook displayed Catherine’s current information:
"Catherine Grenville, 20 years old (constant), apparent age 18 years old (constant), maximum lifespan: 156 years.
Current abilities: Night Demon Constitution, Bloody Aura, Shapeshifting, Dominate Lesser Servants.
Side effects: Bloodthirst. Requires fresh blood to maintain her Night Demon constitution and physical strength; especially fond of your blood.
Being alone carries risks. Be careful!"
Clearly, Catherine had completed her transformation and directly inherited a portion of Byron’s abilities.
Boosted by his higher Rank, she was not far behind those who had just transformed into Half-Night Devils.
The next time Byron obtained the Blood of Immortality, she could synchronize her ascension with his, eliminating the need for her own Third Order ritual.
Moreover, Byron also discovered that the power of the Mother of Creation, Lillith, and that of the Night Demon seemed not to conflict with any non-human bloodline.
If Catherine ever had the chance to walk other powerful non-human paths in the future, she wouldn’t miss the opportunity.
"Perfect, just perfect!"
Although Byron had expended considerable energy and felt an inner emptiness, he was overjoyed by the changes in his sister.
Unless one reached the Divine Domain, not all non-human paths grant long lifespans. He didn’t know how long it would be before he could obtain the Blood of Immortality. Wouldn’t it be tragic if his sister were no longer around by then?
Currently, his Life Essence was insufficient. He required a period of recovery before he could use the First Embrace ability again, and it was best not to exceed five subjects at this stage.
Otherwise, his own bloodline might regress, making the losses outweigh the gains.
He gazed admiringly at the stunning face of the girl in his arms, then suddenly grinned triumphantly.
"Affiliated Bloodline, Affiliated Bloodline, I’ve finally got you in my hands. As your guardian, from now on, if I call you sister, you will call me... hehehe!"
THUD!
"Ouch."
A sharp flick suddenly landed on his forehead.
Since the ability of the Prince of Night Demons was called "Dominate Lesser Servants," it could only apply to "servants."
Although Byron wanted to turn the tables and become the master in this house, it was impossible to truly transform Catherine into an obedient puppet.
During the First Embrace, he had conveniently scrambled the genetic codes that acted as shackles, ensuring no one could control her thereafter.
She faced no restrictions in bullying him, her "senior" in the mystical sense.
The only constraint was that her bloodline level among the Night Demons could never surpass Byron, the Prince of Night Demons. At most, she could only be his equal.
Soon, Catherine, now a Half-Night Devil, adapted to her new powers. Blinking, she reverted to her original human form.
Her vision was enhanced, her breathing smooth, her body astonishingly light; she felt better than she ever had.
Seeing Byron still clutching his head and grimacing dramatically, she smiled at him, a smile as radiant as a hundred flowers blooming in the spring.
She extended her luminous white arms, pulled him into her generous embrace, and gently kissed the spot on his forehead where he had been flicked.
MWAH!
With a smile playing on her lips and her eyes crinkling:
"Byron, thank you for everything you’ve done for me."
Byron was momentarily stunned by the kiss.
Then, Catherine suddenly and unexpectedly kissed him on the corner of his lips. The soft, moist touch of the "18-year-old" girl’s lips made his brain crash on the spot.
Like a little squirrel that had successfully pilfered a nut, Catherine smiled with extra mischievous cuteness.
"What do you want me to call you? One hundred pounds a try. I could call you things until your private savings are bankrupt. Payment upfront, service later. How about you start with a thousand pounds to see if you’re satisfied with the service?"
But no one knew that while she appeared outwardly composed, her heart was racing like a frightened deer, and she found it somewhat difficult to meet Byron’s eyes.
Evidently, this Affiliated Bloodline did not come without a price.
Just as Byron was about to launch a counterattack, to tickle her and teach Catherine the consequences of teasing him, the Seal Ring of the Governor of the Royal Port suddenly flickered. Then, the majestic voice of Edward IV transmitted from it:
"Lord Tudor, congratulations on your successful promotion and for once again performing a great service for the Kingdom..."
The two, who had been fooling around, instantly fell silent.
The initial part of the message was unremarkable, just a few words of encouragement.
The main reason was that, upon hearing of crucial progress regarding the ’Crimson Holy Grail,’ the King immediately sought to add fuel to the fire, intent on working Byron like a rented mule.
"The Kingdom and I are very satisfied with the progress you’ve made in the ’Immortality Project.’ I hope you continue this excellent work. Of the three tasks I entrusted to you, I have already received the first tithe share. But do not forget your third primary duty as Governor—to completely eliminate Lancaster!
"Apart from the formidable Yucatan Archipelago, most other valuable locations in the Bantaan Archipelago already have masters. The Lancaster Party, lacking territory, industry, or a continuous supply of people, can now only huddle in the Bantaan Archipelago, eking out a meager existence. Once the New Continent route opens, it is not impossible that they could escape again and cause unforeseen problems in that land of infinite possibilities.
"I hope you can eliminate this thorn in the York Party’s side before the New Continent route is opened. In particular, I want to see the corpses of core members, such as those from the Storm Knight Order, laid out before me. I believe this achievement will be sufficient to allow the Tudor Family, which holds a barony, to ascend further.
"After dealing with all hidden dangers around you, you and Royal Port can proceed unburdened, fully embarking on the exploration of the New Continent. Furthermore, if you can achieve another great service in the exploration of the New Continent and leave a striking mark in the history of the Kingdom of Hightins, the Earl’s seat that has just been vacated in the Noble House will be yours and yours alone! I will also support you in your full pursuit of Countess Grendel, the ’Mithril Dragon.’ This will help to fully integrate the common-born Tudor Family into the noble bloodline of the Hightins nobility.
"Are you confident you can do it?"
Byron knew Edward IV was once again just painting a pretty picture.
Tilly Newman isn’t even a Transcendent and is unable to connect with the ’Silver Law.’ Naturally, she cannot inherit a title, so isn’t Earl Newman’s position now vacant? An empty title was just a matter of words for Edward IV. Without having to give up even an acre of land, he wanted Byron to risk life and limb for him. His intentions were blatantly obvious.
Yet, Byron replied without hesitation, "Your Majesty, please be assured. All intelligence on the Lancaster Party is within my grasp. I guarantee the completion of the task."
The brief communication ended.
An Earl certainly sounds more suitable for a Night Demon, and theoretically, it would also benefit the next Bloodline Ascension Ritual. Edward IV has urged me several times about this ’bandit elimination’ task; time is rather pressing. After all, everyone knows that the discovery of the New Continent is on a countdown. Even with Balboa, the ’Infinite Evolver,’ serving as a lesson for others to be more cautious in their explorations, good news could still arrive at any moment. Indeed, there wasn’t much time left for him.
I’ve already looked over the data compiled by the York Family; the Lancaster Party, including their families, numbers nearly two thousand. Even accounting for those missing or killed in fierce battles, at least a thousand corpses must be submitted, right? Even if my ’Black Sorcery · Bloodhound’ can give people a complete makeover as easily as eating and drinking, with no flaws visible to anyone, even supporting genetic testing... But where would the corpses come from? The key point is, I’m not one to kill the innocent without reason. No matter how I approach it, killing over a thousand people without cause is simply too impolite. Where can I find enough corpses of various ranks without my conscience rebelling?
He anxiously pinched the bridge of his nose when suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through his mind.
At a time like this, why not ask the magical ’Desire Compass’?
He casually took out the golden compass he had snatched from Balboa.
The three-tiered compass, from top to bottom, corresponded to: the Material World, the Edge of the World, and finally, the Sea of Origin Matter beyond the Material World.
If it wished, it could traverse World Rifts at will, traveling to any layer of space in search of what one seeks.
Under normal circumstances, the needle remained still. Only the most intense desires could compel the golden needle to move.
Whether it was something you wanted to find, a wish you wanted to fulfill, or even just the pure desire to survive, it could point you in a specific direction.
As if hearing Byron’s current wish, the needle within the Desire Compass truly began to turn slowly.
Ultimately, it pointed towards a certain direction in the first layer, the Material World.
Byron immediately spread a high-precision nautical chart, acquired from the Lighthouse Union, on the table. He placed the compass at the location of the International Port and, following the extension of the golden pointer, meticulously traced its path.
Finally, he pinpointed the exact location that could theoretically solve his problem.
That place was... Tayapan!
Byron and Catherine exchanged a look, their expressions instantly growing sharp. They realized that the attack on the coal ship earlier that day might not be as simple as it appeared on the surface.
"Sister, what do you think?"
"There’s definitely something suspicious about Tayapan!"