Capítulo 263: Crimson Dancer I
After freshening up in the grandiose rooms provided by the Southern Sea Sun Palace, we changed into formal attire, ready for the banquet. The rooms, luxurious as they were, couldn't solve one pressing issue—there was no Internet here. Likely, the palace's antiquated network was incompatible with our advanced devices, rendering even the simplest communication annoyingly tedious.
Without our usual tools, we had to rely on older, less efficient methods to share information. It wasn't ideal.
Servants soon arrived to escort us to the grand hall where the banquet would be held. As we walked through the palace's winding corridors, the walls seemed to shimmer faintly in the light of the Red Sun, their opulence a silent reminder of the Palace's status.
On the way, I encountered several familiar faces.
"Arthur," Seol-ah greeted, her golden eyes gleaming as they met mine.
"Seol-ah," I replied with a light smile, inclining my head slightly.
She stood flanked by Aria Gu and Ava Peng, two of the East's most prominent figures. Aria, daughter of the Gu family, was known for her fiery prowess, while Ava, the Peng family's daughter, carried herself with a quiet strength that spoke of years of discipline and leadership.
'The East is truly the most divided continent,' I thought wryly.
Unlike the other four continents, where power was consolidated into fewer hands, the East was a patchwork of factions. The Kagu family and Mount Hua sect stood as the most powerful, but their dominance didn't completely suppress the strength of the Namgung, Peng, Gu, and Moyong families or the influence of the Southern Edge and Wudang sects. It was a precarious balance, alliances woven from necessity rather than trust.
Infighting, while rare, wasn't entirely absent. Yet, the East had learned to stand united when it mattered—because when facing the greater threats of the world, division was a luxury they couldn't afford.
Especially now, with whispers of the vampires and the Red Chalice cult stirring once more.
The East's victory over the vampires two centuries ago was etched into history, but it had been far from easy. The dragon Tiamat had flown all the way from the Southern Continent to scorch the vampires' base, delivering a decisive blow. Liam Kagu, a warrior whose strength defied comprehension, had then eradicated the remnants.
Without Tiamat's intervention, the East would have stood no chance. Faced with the dual threat of the Heavenly Demon and the vampires, their forces would have crumbled. The continent might have been overrun entirely, its legacy reduced to ashes.
And now?
The vampires and the Red Chalice cult were stronger than ever. With the demons no longer dividing their focus, they could turn their attention to rebuilding and expanding their reach.
If the two forces ever joined hands again, as they had nearly two centuries ago, the East—and perhaps the entire world—might not be so fortunate this time.
Especially since the Vampire Monarch was a force of nature in his own right—a complete monster who, in the novel, had annihilated the Kagu family so thoroughly that even their name was nearly erased from history.
He wasn't just a powerful foe; he was the kind of threat you didn't leave to grow stronger. Waiting for him to recover his full power would be a mistake of catastrophic proportions. I needed to deal with him before that happened, while he was still vulnerable.
But for now, my focus was on freeing the Southern Sea Sun Palace from the grip of the vampires and the Red Chalice Cult. One step at a time.
We soon arrived at the grand hall, its opulence nearly overwhelming as chandeliers of enchanted crystal cast a soft, ethereal glow across the vast space. And there, waiting at the entrance, were the three girls.
"Finally!" Rachel exclaimed, stepping forward with a bright smile and grabbing my hand. "We waited so long!"
She was dressed in a pure white gown, so elegant and radiant it looked more suited for a wedding than a banquet. I blinked in confusion, unsure if I'd missed some unwritten dress code. Rachel noticed my reaction and tilted her head playfully, her smile widening as though she enjoyed my bewilderment.
"Well, we have you for now," Cecilia said smoothly, stepping closer and wrapping herself around my other arm. Her dress was a striking shade of deep red, matching her fiery eyes and contrasting beautifully with her golden hair.
"Right," Seraphina agreed quietly, her voice soft but firm as she joined the group. Her flowing blue dress shimmered faintly, reminiscent of moonlight on water, and the azure hairpin in her neatly styled silver hair added an air of understated elegance to her already ethereal presence.
Each of them was stunning, their presence commanding attention even in a room soon to be filled with the most influential figures of the palace. And yet, they stood there, focused entirely on me.
It was enough to make anyone feel both flattered and deeply, deeply nervous.
Especially because of their eyes.
The way they looked at me—like I was the only thing in the room that mattered—was enough to make my skin tingle. It wasn't just attention; it felt like I was being devoured by their gaze, piece by piece.
'Oh, right,' I thought, a sudden realization breaking through my growing discomfort. 'Isn't Valentine's Day in two days?'
I sighed inwardly. Valentine's Day. With three princesses. I liked them, sure—but navigating that minefield was going to be an experience.
Around us, the hall began to fill as other notable figures of the Southern Sea Sun Palace took their seats. The grandeur of the room felt almost stifling, the weight of centuries pressing down from its high, vaulted ceilings and polished marble floors. At the head of the hall, the Lord of the Palace, Daedric Solaryn, ascended his throne, his crimson gaze sweeping over the gathering like a hawk surveying its domain.
Seated near him were Li Zenith, Nero Astrellan, and Magnus Draykar. Their placement close to the Lord was no accident, a clear marker of their significance and the respect—even wariness—they commanded.
The rest of us followed suit, guided by the servants to our designated spots. The students were arranged neatly, and, unsurprisingly, the three girls took the seats closest to me. Rachel and Cecilia claimed the spots on either side, leaving Seraphina to sit just beyond them. From her faintly exasperated look, I guessed she'd lost whatever private game they'd played to determine the seating arrangement.
The chatter of the banquet began to rise, a soft hum of conversation interspersed with the clinking of glasses and the occasional burst of laughter. The scent of richly spiced food drifted through the air, tantalizing and almost distracting.
Almost.
Because no amount of fine dining could overshadow the tension that hung beneath the surface. The Southern Sea Sun Palace was no mere host; this was a battlefield of subtleties, where every word spoken and every glance exchanged carried hidden meaning. And at its heart were the three figures seated closest to Daedric: Li, Nero, and Magnus, their very presence a reminder of why we were here—and who we were dealing with.
I caught Rachel glancing at me with a mischievous smile, Cecilia's grip tightening slightly on my arm as she leaned closer. Seraphina remained calm, her icy gaze sweeping the room, though her shoulders seemed to stiffen every time Rachel or Cecilia shifted in their seats.
'Yes,' I thought, 'Valentine's Day is definitely going to be a ride.'
The soft, lilting music swelled, filling the grand hall with an enchanting melody. Conversation dwindled to a hush, and the clatter of cutlery stilled. The spotlight shifted, its golden glow illuminating the center of the room. Every head turned, curiosity rippling through the crowd like a wave.
And then they saw her.
Gasps echoed through the hall as Alyssara stepped into the light, her movements impossibly graceful, each step deliberate yet as natural as a flowing stream. She walked with the poise of a queen and the allure of a siren, her presence magnetic and impossible to ignore.
Her dancer's garments, delicate and daring, seemed almost too perfect. The silken fabric, sheer in places, shimmered faintly in the light, clinging to her figure in a way that both concealed and revealed. Her pink hair, vibrant and flowing like strands of molten candy, cascaded down her back, framing her ethereal beauty.
'Shouldn't she be the contractor of the Demon Lord of Lust instead of the Vampire Monarch?' I thought dryly, even as an unwelcome heat crept to my cheeks. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.
And I wasn't alone.
The entire hall seemed spellbound. The women stared, awestruck, their expressions caught somewhere between admiration and envy. The men, on the other hand, were utterly entranced, their eyes filled with longing and desire.
Even Rachel, Cecilia, and Seraphina—each strong-willed in their own right—were momentarily stunned. Their gazes lingered on Alyssara, though their reactions ranged from mild irritation to grudging awe.
This was the power of the Crimson Dancer. Her title wasn't just for show. As leader of the Red Chalice Cult, Alyssara was a formidable fighter, but her greatest weapon was herself. She wielded her beauty and charm with the precision of a blade, disarming enemies without ever drawing blood.
She didn't need to kill like a succubus, draining victims through intimacy. Alyssara worked differently—more subtly, more insidiously. She lowered their guard with a glance, a smile, a flick of her hair, and by the time they realized the danger, it was already too late.
And tonight, as she stood in the center of the grand hall, basking in the adoration of all who watched, I couldn't help but wonder how many people here—even those who thought they knew better—had already fallen under her spell.
I glanced toward Lucifer, noting the faint flush on his face. He wasn't immune to Alyssara's charm, but compared to the others, his reaction was barely noticeable. As expected of the protagonist, his willpower was as sharp as his sword. Alyssara's spell might sway mortals and princes alike, but it wouldn't topple Lucifer so easily.
To be fair, the other princes were holding their own surprisingly well. Considering the teenage hormones coursing through their veins, they were managing to keep their composure better than most grown men would in their position.
As for me? I liked to think I was doing the best of all. Not because I had unshakable mental fortitude or unmatched resolve like Lucifer, but because I knew the truth. Alyssara wasn't just an enchanting dancer; she was the leader of the Red Chalice Cult, one of the most dangerous individuals in existence. Her charm wasn't an idle talent—it was a weapon, honed to perfection and as deadly as any blade.
Cecilia's hand, already resting in mine, tightened as the dance began. Her crimson eyes flicked toward me, then back to Alyssara, her expression unreadable but the pressure of her grip betraying her thoughts. She wasn't just holding my hand; she was anchoring me, or perhaps herself, against the pull of Alyssara's presence.
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