Chương 79: Chapter 79 "Forging Alliance"

In the hidden castle of Transylvania, a breathtaking woman adorned in noble attire perused a scroll behind her desk.

A pale man dressed as a servant, timidly knocked on the door and entered.

"Her Royal Highness, there are guests visiting," the servant reported respectfully.

"Oh? Visitors? It's been a while since friends graced my presence," the alluring woman expressed surprise, raising her elegantly arched eyebrows.

"He claims to be Skyler Malfoy," the footman replied, keeping his head bowed, unable to meet the woman's gaze.

"The Malfoy boy? I've heard of him," the woman licked her lips and smiled. "Invite him to the meeting room, and I'll be out shortly."

In the living room, Skyler, dressed impeccably, sat calmly, sipping tea.

Several servants and maids stood by respectfully.

"Welcome, guests," a chuckle echoed as a glamorous woman with blond hair and blue eyes, donned in a white dress, entered the room.

"Skyler Malfoy greets you, Your Royal Highness," Skyler stood and bowed in salutation.

"Mr. Malfoy, I've heard of your name long ago. Seeing you today it truly confirms your exceptional talents!" the glamorous woman praised warmly.

Her words weren't mere flattery; Skyler's courage to stand alone in a Vampire base, conversing without fear, had earned him respect. "Princess, I..."

"Hehe," the glamorous woman chuckled, "just call me Sister Eliza. Our tribes have collaborated for years, making us old friends. Let's cut to the chase. What brings you here?"

Skyler found himself a bit speechless.

Why did he always encounter beautiful ladies insisting on being called sister? Even Sister Giuliana and now Sister Eliza—despite her age being sufficient to be his ancestor—insisted on the sisterly title.

The Princess, Elizabeth Bathory, represented the last bloodline of the Vampire royal family, despite being over four hundred years old.

Yet, like many ladies, she preferred to be addressed as a sister, perpetually yearning to preserve a youthful facade.

Vampires also experience class divisions, primarily categorized into the Vampire royal family, Vampire nobility, and ordinary Vampires akin to common people.

The Vampire royal family thrived in medieval times, producing countless ghost kings and princes.

However, their excessively arrogant behavior attracted the attention of wizards and Muggles, leading to widespread persecution and the uprooting of numerous clans.

Today, the majority of Vampires roaming the outside world are ordinary Vampires, having forsaken their royal lineage.

Apart from basic abilities like blood-sucking and transforming into bats, they lack magical prowess and are said to be vulnerable to garlic.

In contrast, the blood-sucking royal family and nobility with intact lineage can withstand garlic and inherit talents in magic.

Elizabeth Bathory stands as the last princess among Vampires and bears the responsibility of safeguarding the tribe.

Faced with the life-threatening predicament of the blood-sucking royal family, she boldly relocated the entire family to an uninhabited mountain area.

A pact was formed with several pure-blood families: the nobles would receive fresh blood from various animals provided by the pure-blood families, forging a camaraderie in times of need.

In matters where family involvement was impractical, the Vampire nobles became a formidable asset in the hands of pure-blood families.

Over time, ancient pure-blood families dwindled or vanished from history, and the Malfoy family remains the sole clan upholding an alliance with Vampire nobility.

During the first Wizarding War, Lucius Malfoy contemplated using the Vampire royal family as a force in the conflict.

However, Voldemort had already enlisted Werewolves through the Delphini family, knowing Vampires and Werewolves were perpetual natural enemies.

To prevent jeopardizing Voldemort's supremacy, Lucius abandoned this idea.

Directly and to the point, Skyler stated, "Sister Eliza, I am here to renew the alliance between the family and the blood-sucking royal family."

"I'm pleased that old friends remember us," Bathory smiled. "But, as you know, our covenant expired fifty years ago during the joint struggle of pure-blood families and werewolves. In the past half-century, we've led a tranquil existence. Though our days may be uneventful, we've grown accustomed to this life and have no desire to reenter the strife of the commonplace."

"Sister Eliza, I must inform you that, based on our intelligence, the Dark Lord is on the verge of resurgence, and another war is imminent. Do you believe you can afford to remain neutral?" Skyler paused, adding, "Moreover, in this upcoming conflict, not all pure-blood families may align with the Dark Lord... Speaking for myself, the covenant I propose this time doesn't favor the Dark Lord's cause."

"Oh," Bathory displayed an intrigued expression, her vibrant lips forming a slight smile. "Interesting, very interesting! Young one, you've successfully piqued your sister's curiosity. I'm all ears for your plan. Go on..."

Ignoring Bathory's playful banter, Skyler straightforwardly stated, "The Dark Lord has already faced defeat once, and I believe he no longer deserves our allegiance. Furthermore, appointing those unruly and foolish werewolves makes him an even less formidable force. My words here represent the sentiments of the Malfoy, Greengrass, Nott, and Shafiq families, as well as others like Borgin, Parkinson, Goyle, Crabbe, and so forth. We have a stake in this matter."

When Skyler characterized werewolves as "rough and stupid,"

Bathory couldn't help but cover her mouth, suppressing a giggle.

She harbored a certain fondness for the boy.

"The Dark Lord, in his return, is likely to reassemble his previous lineup—Werewolves and Giants. However, based on my information, there are only slightly over 20 Giants left. Perhaps the Dark Lord might consider other options, and a powerful Vampire would be an excellent choice. Trust me, he won't hesitate to use force to compel you to collaborate with those brutish werewolves..."

With his plot-predicting abilities, Skyler was aware that Voldemort inexplicably opted for Dementors in his latest lineup.

Nonetheless, this didn't hinder Skyler from leveraging this information as a bargaining chip to bolster his position.

At this point, Bathory saw reason.

Alone, they couldn't stand against the Dark Lord, making an alliance with Skyler's faction a prudent decision.

Her earlier pretense was merely a strategic gesture to negotiate for additional benefits.

Swiftly, an agreement was reached between the two parties.

The pure-blood family, represented by Skyler, will renew the ancient covenant with the royal Vampire family.

Skyler, of course, must pay a certain price.

Most of these "prices" involve materials, such as blood, livestock, potions, etc.

However, given Skyler's current wealth, the cost of these materials is negligible.

Having successfully achieved his goal, Skyler utilized the fireplace of the Vampire royal family to make his departure.

An alliance has been formed with The Vampire Royal Family!

Voldemort had werewolves, giants, and Dementors; Hogwarts had Humans, Centaurs, and House-elves.

Although Skyler's journey added an ally to his side, it still felt somewhat lacking.

Upon returning to Great Britain, he promptly headed to his next destination—Death Marsh in Leicestershire.

In Death Marsh, within a concealed cave emitting foul odors, Skyler stood quietly at the entrance.

Suddenly, a silent blue flash struck from a tall oak tree behind him!

Unfortunately for the assailant, it encountered Skyler, who had mastered the Iluminous Insight.

Without even turning his head, Skyler deftly pointed his wand backward, casting Protego that accurately deflected the blue flash.

"Ms. Black, your hospitality is truly enlightening!"

"Hie Hie Hie Hie..." A piercing laughter emanated from the tree, and an old witch crawled down from the oak tree with a wart on her face.

Her long, gray hair hung like dry, rough tree bark, and her pointed fingernails gleamed with a metallic sheen.

This was a dark witch, a leading figure among dark witches—Annis Black.

Annis had no relation to the Black family. Still, she was a notorious dark witch proficient in mind control, nightmare-inducing black magic, and poisons, including the use of poisoned apples and candles.

Due to her association with darkness, she was known as "Blackis, like other Dark Witches, had a penchant for cannibalism, especially favoring the meat of young boys, particularly those of exquisite beauty. Skyler undeniably fit her tastes well.

At this moment, she stared at Skyler with malice in her eyes, akin to a predator eyeing its prey.

"Ms. Black, please have some self-respect." Skyler adjusted the Malfoy family crest on his Supreme Wizard robes. "I am Skyler of the Malfoy family. You should be familiar with my family. Before taking any action, consider the consequences."

"Of course," Annis' gaze darkened, seemingly recalling the Malfoy family's reputation.

It appeared as if the proverbial cooked duck had flown away. "The Malfoy family is truly illustrious. Kid, let me enlighten you. Don't squander the precious hunting time of this old lady!"

"I've heard that dominatrixes can also foresee the future using crystal balls or water-filled basins besides excelling in dark magic and crafting poisons. Is that true?" Skyler inquired.

"Huh, playing ignorant, asking such a question when you clearly know the answer." Annis disdainfully curled her lips. "This old woman possesses that ability, but I won't indulge in fortune-telling for wizards. If you harbor thoughts of seeking divination, it's best to dispel that notion promptly!"

The corners of Skyler's mouth lifted slightly. "I don't require fortune-telling. You merely need to examine your own future. Let me inform you, according to our intel, the Dark Lord is on the brink of resurgence, and war is imminent. No one in the entire British wizarding world will be exempt. If you doubt it, try your hand at divination."

A sharp glint flashed in Anis' eyes as she coldly retorted, "Impressive, boy. It appears your pure-blood family has seen significant growth recently, and you already possess insights. I've underestimated you. Now, share your intentions; this old woman is listening."

"Insight alone won't suffice. It's more about having a thorough understanding of the wizarding world's current situation." Skyler smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly. "As everyone is aware, aside from the Death Eaters following the Dark Lord, he also commands Werewolves and Giants. If the pure-blood family and I wish to safeguard ourselves from the impending turmoil, securing robust allies is essential. Just this morning, I concluded negotiations with Princess Bathory of the blood-sucking royal family. Now, I extend the same offer to you, Dominatrix."

"That old Bathory has also allied with you? Tsk tsk, how presumptuous. I thought the so-called Royal Vampire family was above such dealings?"

"Considering the general trend, your prince is farsighted and resourceful. Naturally, I recognize the mutual benefits of forming an alliance with me. So, Ms. Black, what is your stance? I've investigated—there are at least six dark magic gathering places in Great Britain, housing over two hundred tribesmen. Their fate is entirely within your grasp!" Skyler concluded, channeling soul magic with utmost intensity, conjuring a violent black shadow behind him.

In Anis's eyes, the shadow resembled a dementor magnified threefold, yet an alluring and peculiar sense of oppression lingered beyond the chilly and somber aura.

Simultaneously, the pattern on the Supreme Wizard's robe faintly illuminated, enveloping Skyler in a ring of dark green halo.

A low, ageless murmur seemed to emanate from the void, resonating in her ears and stirring her soul.

Affected by the soul magic, Annis—despite being a master of mind control—succumbed to an inexplicable fear.

Even after struggling to break free from Skyler's soul magic, a shadow lingered in her heart.

This young man proved to be exceptionally formidable, Annis acknowledged.

"Mr. Malfoy, it appears you've come well-prepared. Even the intricacies of the Royal Vampire family seem to be at your fingertips. I doubt refusing is an option," Annis expressed her dissatisfaction, her tone shifting. "However, forging an alliance with a powerful and exceptional individual like yourself is indeed reassuring and dependable! Now, let's delve into the particulars of the alliance..."

An alliance has been formed with The Dark Witch "Annis Black."