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The Crippled Vampire Prince Walks The Heavenly Demon Path Chapter 176: Back Home
🕑 Added 2025-04-05 18:04:15 +0000 UTC-----
“I apologize for his behavior…” Vlad apologized on behalf of Alitheus and his attitude. “He might act that way, but he’s someone with a kind heart—I can confirm that.”
“I can tell. Someone who didn’t have a good heart wouldn’t have let the children play with them to begin with,” Mother Scarlet smiled. “You and your friends are always welcome in our humble house, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. The plans for the orphanage’s relocation and its reconstruction will have to wait until a later date—perhaps next week,” Vlad said. “I hope that’s fine with you and the nuns.”
“Only next week?!” Grayshade asked. “Hahah, Your Majesty, you’re simply too generous.”
“Ah, thank God you’ll wait…” Vlad nodded, sighing in relief. “Ermelinda! Hey, we have to go.”
“A-Ahhh! Right, yes, sorry, children…” Ermelinda giggled as the kids played with her. “I have to go! Sorry…”
“Ermelinda, don’t go!”
“Can’t you adopt me?”
“Please adopt me!”
“Can we go with the prince?”
“Can the prince adopt me?!”
The children didn’t really want them to leave, but with Mother Scarlet’s intervention, they were finally able to escape the swarm of little brats.
Once outside the orphanage, they decided to fly back to the manor, soaring above the rest of the city while some people pointed at them.
“Well, what a day. A lot of things happened today… And tomorrow, it’ll be even more,” Vlad sighed. “I sure hope only those bugs attack us, but if the Cult of the Maiden of the Emerald Sea appears—or that bastard from the Silver Moon Duchy—then things might get more complicated.”
“Have you prepared countermeasures if that happens, though?” Chris asked.
“Kind of. Those countermeasures are us,” Vlad smiled. “With Mother Scarlet added to the army, though, I can probably leave her near the city gate. She should be able to protect it singlehandedly—maybe with the support of a few more soldiers.”
“Are you sure? Why are you so confident? Is she really that ridiculously strong?” Chris wondered, raising an eyebrow.
“She is, Chris. Believe me,” Vlad smiled. “Another thing would be Teressa and Camilla. They’re both really strong… Hm, maybe leaving them on the walls to attack from a distance would be alright, while we go into the field with Insecta and her army of bugs.”
“So we’re not bringing any soldiers?” Ermelinda asked.
“Only the Crimson Beetles will come with us. It would be suicide if the other soldiers went—they have yet to become strong enough,” Vlad said. “If we can ask Queenie to bring her followers, that would be for the best.”
“Wait, where’s Queenie now that I think about it?” Chris wondered. “We haven’t seen her in two days.”
“Good question… I’d assume she got bored of this place and went somewhere else,” Vlad said. “Maybe we shouldn’t really count on her…”
“Didn’t we make some kind of guild alliance or something? She’s technically part of this city too because she wanted to benefit from the civilization system or whatever!” Chris said. “I think you have the right to call her.”
“I just did. She responded pretty quickly…” Vlad said.
“Eh? What did she say?” Chris asked.
“She said she’s been streaming some Exploration Journeys into the wilderness with her party of followers, and they ended up getting into trouble… They got lost inside a dungeon, but now they’re finally returning,” Vlad facepalmed. “Just why…”
“Hahahah! I knew she was a bit dumb, but this is too much…” Chris couldn’t stop laughing.
“Don’t be cruel…” Vlad said. “Ermelinda, you’ll be joining as well, right?”
“Huh? Yes, of course…” She nodded. “I’ll try my best… and I’ll try not to die too…”
“You won’t die. Don’t worry about that,” Vlad reassured her. “Now… Hm?”
Ding!
[You have accumulated sufficient Ruler and Civilization EXP.]
[It is now possible to Level Up your Ruler and Civilization Ranks.]
“Oh, sweet. Let’s do this as well… I can’t believe I could squeeze in another level.”
Vlad smiled, feeling relieved, as he and his friends walked back to the manor. There, Teressa, Camilla, and Insecta were waiting for them in the garden. Queenie had also appeared, and Gofumina seemed to have joined them with Heracles.
“Well, you’re finally back, my son. Where have you been?” Teressa asked, sipping from a small cup of blood.
“I was… well, a lot happened,” Vlad sighed, sitting down. “I see there’s a big gathering around here. What’s going on?”
“We were discussing some war plans, Your Majesty,” Heracles said. “Preparing for what’s coming tomorrow. It’ll be a tough battle…”
“Ah, yes, we were planning some things as well. Let us join, then,” Vlad nodded. “First of all, let me explain some new abilities I gained, Mother—specifically related to the civilization…”
“Does it have something to do with the walls?” Teressa asked.
“They’re so different now, brother… Did you do that?” Camilla asked.
“Yeah… but that doesn’t have to do with what I was about to say. Let’s begin…” Vlad said.
He started explaining many things, and his mother then complemented them with her own ideas and plans. Together, they began strategizing a grand plan, taking into consideration various things that could go wrong as well.
“I see. You had some good ideas, but you should have considered a few other things…” Teressa nodded. “Nonetheless, my son, it seems you have quite the strategist’s mind! And this new power you awakened—Vassals? It seems rather powerful. The civilization has indeed improved.”
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