"Your Majesty, Lann."
The three Nilfgaardian vampires and Dettlaff were still eyeing Lann with scrutinizing gazes, but Orianna was the first to step forward, offering a graceful courtly bow.
Lann gave a slight smile. He knew that among higher vampires, the so-called worldly hierarchies meant little. So he had already anticipated the cool response from the others.
And while Orianna appeared perfectly courteous, she certainly wasn't lacking in her own hidden agendas either.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting." Lann gave a small nod toward the vampires.
Dettlaff took the initiative and stepped forward to introduce the others present.
Lann was already fairly familiar with Dettlaff and Orianna, but the three Nilfgaardian vampires were strangers to him.
Still, with him as the intermediary, everyone finally made formal introductions, making it easier to open up the next topic.
"Good things are always worth the wait," Philippe said with a bright smile, offering Lann a traditional Nilfgaardian gesture. "And we've waited a long time, Lion of Cintra."
Sofas had already been prepared inside for the two newcomers. Lann sat down with unhurried ease—perfectly positioned to receive the gaze of everyone in the room.
Regis furrowed his brow slightly. Something was off. He had a sense that things wouldn't go smoothly.
"I wonder how Regis introduced me to all of you," Lann said with a light chuckle. "And what thoughts you each have. I may have a bit of a reputation in the mundane world, but as we all know, titles mean little once you reach a certain level. That's why I genuinely value the opinions of everyone here."
Orianna and the three Nilfgaardian vampires smiled sweetly but said nothing.
Regis scratched his head, about to explain, when Dettlaff finally stepped in to ease the awkwardness.
"Regis told us about who you are—about the power you carry, and the mission you bear." Dettlaff crossed his arms in the dark. "He helped us recall the scenes from the Conjunction of the Spheres and the threat of the White Frost. He believes that, to survive the next calamity, joining your side is the best choice."
"He made a very convincing case. That's why we're here today."
Lann gave Regis a slight nod before continuing. "Regis laid out the pros and cons for you. But as I said—I genuinely respect your autonomy. Forcing your allegiance through the threat of survival isn't the approach I want to take. So if any of you have personal conditions, I won't be stingy about meeting them."
"For example, you, Dettlaff." Lann smiled. "I believe I've already done you a 'small favor,' haven't I?"
Dettlaff froze, and after a long pause, he spoke in a bitter tone.
"Syanna…"
...
That name belonged to a venomous and dangerous woman.
Syanna was the biological elder sister of Duchess Anna Henrietta, the current ruler of Toussaint. But her birth coincided with a rare total solar eclipse—believed to be a sign of the "Black Sun Curse"—marking her for a life of misfortune.
It's difficult to verify whether the so-called "Black Sun" was truly a "curse," but this era has seen more than one princess meet a grim fate because of it. Geralt had once been forced to kill a Black Sun princess. And Eskel, another from the School of the Wolf, had his own surprise child born under the Black Sun.
One had been a princess, yet suffered rape within her own homeland, only to be exiled and eventually become an assassin. The other faced a similar fate—though due to multiple possible player-driven endings, most were equally tragic.
Almost all of these Black Sun princesses eventually became infamous killers or villainesses. But it's difficult to say whether they were truly cursed by the Black Sun… or simply cursed by others because of it.
Syanna's story was not so different. She, too, had to flee her homeland under the weight of the so-called curse—and it was then that she encountered the higher vampire, Dettlaff.
Once she realized what this "man" truly was, she used her cunning to make Dettlaff fall in love with her, turning him into her devoted servant.
In the original timeline, Syanna would later stage her own kidnapping, playing both victim and captor in order to manipulate Dettlaff into taking revenge on Toussaint—unleashing a wave of bloodshed.
And when Dettlaff finally uncovered the truth, he nearly slaughtered the entire duchy in a rage.
But none of that had happened yet. At this moment, Syanna's plan was still only in her mind. After Regis sought him out for a long conversation, Dettlaff—still half in doubt—used magic and potions to make her confess everything.
The honest man had his heart shattered.
"How… did you know about all this, Elder Bloo—Your Majesty, Lann?" Dettlaff asked gloomily.
"You can think of it as one of the powers granted by the Elder Blood," Lann replied, his smile fading, tone turning solemn. "Great power always invites envy. I know that all too well—and I understand what you're going through."
"With my current status, it's much easier for me to deal with certain problems. Once you join my faction, whether you decide to bring Syanna to justice publicly, strip her of all identity and keep her as your personal captive… or even try to restore the version of Syanna you once loved—"
Lann's voice dropped low.
"—I can help you achieve it. If that's what you want."
To the vampire, it sounded like the whisper of a devil beside his ear.
Dettlaff lowered his head. "I… need time to think."
Got him.
"Of course. We're quite patient."
Lann gave a slight smile, then turned to the others.
"What about the rest of you?"
Orianna spoke first. "As you know, I run an orphanage."
Lann's expression turned cold again. "That sort of thing isn't acceptable to me. You can keep running your orphanage—but you won't be allowed to take anything from the children ever again."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "That said, Cintra has begun building a proper medical system. The doctors and sorcerers have already established blood banks for emergencies. I can allocate a portion of that supply for your daily needs. The same applies to the rest of you."
Orianna listened intently, then raised her glass to cover her crimson lips. "I love children. And I love blood. Having both at once is ideal. But if I must choose… I can live with them apart. However—"
The red-haired vampire gestured toward the last three.
"—I'd still like to hear their thoughts first."
As expected, the most polite person wasn't necessarily the most cooperative. Ironically, the one who had said nothing—Dettlaff—had already planted one foot firmly in Cintra.
Lann gave a slight nod, then turned to face Philippe and his companions.
Their expressions had already grown visibly disinterested.
"Forgive my bluntness, Child of the Elder Blood," Philippe said, shaking his head. "We live quite comfortably in Nilfgaard, and judging by the terms you just offered Orianna and the others, there's little incentive for us to leave."
Lann's expression didn't change. "Then what is it you want?"
Philippe's eyes slowly flooded with crimson. "Slaves. Feasts. Endless blood."
Lann shook his head, visibly disappointed. "That's unfortunate. Cintra has no slaves, and I will never allow anyone to harm my citizens in any form."
"You see? That's exactly what I was saying…" Philippe and her two companions shook their heads with exaggerated regret.
They were utterly unyielding—clearly, this negotiation was doomed to fail.
And yet, despite their earlier impatience, the three vampires made no move to leave.
Not even the faintest hint of rising from their seats.
Regis frowned. His gaze swept across the trio's pupils, fingernails, and even the fine hairs on their skin.
His expression hardened. Slowly, he stepped forward, placing himself between Lann and the others.
"If you can't meet those conditions," Philippe suddenly said, "then we do have one more."
Lann nodded, impressed. "I can tell you're quite the negotiator. And what would that be?"
"Regis was right," Philippe said, smiling faintly. "The Elder Blood truly is the greatest shield against the Conjunction of the Spheres and the White Frost."
"But our kind possesses unique abilities. Mine, in particular, allows me to extract power directly from what I consume. So…"
He and his companions took a deep breath. No longer holding back, their fangs emerged in full.
"We want to taste the Elder Blood."
The words had barely left her mouth before the three Nilfgaardian vampires transformed—hulking, hunched batlike forms erupting from their seats. From absolute stillness, they exploded into motion like arrows loosed from a bow, becoming nothing but streaks of black aimed straight at Lann.
They moved at a speed far beyond human perception—so fast that not even a shadow would register in the eyes of an ordinary person.
At such close range, a higher vampire could tear a body apart before the victim's pupils even had time to contract.
But Regis reacted without hesitation.
He was furious—utterly and completely—because he had arranged this meeting, brought Lann into this den of danger.
He knew there was no way he could stop all three at once.
So instead, he transformed completely—his body morphing into that of a giant bat. Wings spread wide, he planted himself squarely between Lann and the attackers.
He knew full well: even if he were torn apart, he couldn't truly die. And he trusted Lann—if given the chance, Lann would undoubtedly turn the tide.
And then—
[Boom!]
In the very next second, a golden shield, radiant as the sun, flared to life directly in front of Regis.
It had appeared even faster than Regis himself could move.
Just as the Barber-surgeon-turned-vampire prepared to unfurl his wings by reflex, the shield began to expand—rapidly.
Like a sentient wall of divine force, it swelled outward with a visible shockwave surging from its surface—roaring forward with unstoppable momentum, crashing toward the three charging vampires.
[Quen Sign - Active Shield - Quen Discharge - Exploding Shield]
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