Inside the villa of the O'Drake family, Emlin met Count Casimir, the bloodline's representative for Nibais O'Drake. I am also a count, and only recently come of age... Emlin murmured to himself as he stood up from the sofa in the sitting room and bowed to his counterpart. "Good evening, Count." Just as Casimir was about to speak, his nostrils flared and his gaze shifted toward the wooden chest resting at Emlin's feet. "The scent of blood?" he asked, puzzled, as if suddenly recalling something. After a moment's pause, he added, "Have you just slain another target?" Emlin's lips curved into a smile, shaking his head. "No." Then, before Casimir could ask further, he deepened his smile. "Not one—two." Two? The middle-aged, refined gentleman blinked, watching Emlin bend down to lift the chest and open it. During this process, subtle twitches and distortions appeared in Emlyn's facial muscles as he encountered the wound on his right hand. Holding back any change in expression, Emlyn slightly lowered his arm, tilting the wooden chest forward so that everything inside was fully visible to the opposite vampire baron: two blood-stained, slightly blackened heads were nestled side by side among a pile of old newspapers, with two translucent, heart-shaped objects placed beside them—one vividly red and vibrant, the other dark, nearly black. This striking visual scene caught Casimir's attention, causing him to lift his head in surprise, gaze at Emlyn in astonishment, and exclaim, "You did this?" Though he could only initially identify one of the heads as Galis Kevin's, there could be no doubt about the two remarkable vampire traits present! Emlyn set down the chest, allowing his right hand to naturally drape down, giving it a slight, delicate flick at the edge of his pants, then responded with a smile, "Of course." "Yes, after receiving the £7,000 reward last time, I purchased a certain nobleman's 'legacy' at an extraordinary gathering, which enabled me to advance in rank. I do not wish to satisfy the murderer of our bloodline with money, but I certainly don't want this 'legacy' to fall into the hands of someone else—nor am I certain that the seller is not the very one who has been hunting us." Seizing this opportunity, Emlin revealed that he had now become a Baron, and every word he spoke was true. This was a technique he had learned at the Tarot gathering. I've known you were a Baron for some time. Did you think that your frequent purchases of spiritually charged materials and your regular borrowing and reading of potion-related books would have kept us unaware? I would have come to see you already, based on certain factors—what surprised me was, given your combat level and the fact that you not only lack any magical items but also only intend to purchase dolls, even as a baron, you couldn't easily hunt down two artificial vampires without causing much commotion. Even I would have needed thorough preparation and detailed intelligence to achieve that. How impressive, then, that Emlyn has managed such feats without anyone noticing? Casimir Odrada couldn't help muttering a few criticisms, offering a polite smile. "So that's why. Emlyn, why did you keep this a secret? Didn't you wish to be addressed by other vampire lords as 'Lord Baron'?" Emlyn glanced at the expression on the vampire's face, then lifted his chin slightly. "I was just about to share this with everyone—unfortunately, I encountered this hunting competition, so I decided to surprise you all." "Casimir, I've successfully hunted three followers of the 'Primordial Moon,' while your target number was only five. Does this mean I've won?" He eagerly changed his address from "Your Lordship" to simply "Casimir." Casimir's eyelid twitched slightly, and he chuckled, "Yes, exactly. The remaining two targets—you needn't worry about them anymore. Hand them over to Rus Batthyány and the others. That way, they'll be able to claim some consolation rewards." Only then did Casimir feel a bit cold and distant, and he quickly added, "Not hurt, were you?" "Only a few minor injuries," Emlyn raised his right arm and gently stretched his fingers. To be honest, the most serious injury he'd sustained during tonight's hunt actually occurred after he transmitted the message from the eastern district—when he had to tear open his skin and blood vessels, using the blood to coat the cover of the "Lehmann Travel Notes." Casimir couldn’t elaborate on this topic and remained silent for a few seconds, then said: “Congratulations on your victory in this hunting competition—you will receive two prizes. First, should there be an opportunity within the family for you to become a viscount, you will be automatically included in the final list and receive free ceremonial assistance. Second, you will obtain a magical item: a ring crafted personally by the Primordial in ancient times. Though it lacks divine power, it possesses remarkably strong and magical abilities. Since the Primordial never named it, we all refer to it as the ‘Lilith’s Ring.’ Additionally, by tradition, these exceptional attributes will belong to the entire bloodline, which may result in two more newborns, and in return, you will receive 3,000 pounds in cash. A ring personally crafted by the First Ancestor... Although Emlyn was slightly disappointed that the reward wasn't the exceptional traits of a Viscount—merely a chance to be a candidate and a free ceremony—this ring, personally made by the First Ancestor Lilith, was more than sufficient. For a bloodline with a deep sense of racial pride, this was the very pinnacle of honor! Emlyn's initial joy gradually settled, and as he had attended multiple Tarot gatherings and completed two hunts, he began to sense that the matter was not as simple as it first appeared. I myself was sent by the First Ancestor to the "Wise Man," and now I have received a ring from the First Ancestor—does that seem too coincidental? Emlyn pondered this, yet found no clear answer, and thus decided to pray to the "Wise Man" later, recounting the entire situation and seeing what guidance he might offer. When Emlyn remained silent for a few seconds after his initial joy had settled, Casimir cleared his throat and said: "The ring and cash will be delivered to you tomorrow evening." "At that point, I'll gather Rus. Batthyány and the others, announce publicly that you've won the Hunting Competition, and then present you with the ring." "No problem." Although Emlyn had little experience in such matters, he knew well that a prize couldn't be awarded privately—it had to be given in front of all the competitors. He didn't linger any longer, and departed from the Odra family's villa, boarding a hired carriage. As the carriage moved gently along, Emlyn gazed at the still-hanging crimson moon overhead, his mind growing steadily calm. He found himself reflecting on the details of the day, drawing out numerous insights and lessons. In the end, he calculated how many extraordinary abilities he would need to record in his "Leyman's Travel Notes": "Five uses of 'Thunder Strike'—all consumed... one 'Teleportation,' one 'Opening,' one 'Astrology'... that's eight in total, plus two additional charges, making ten." "It's a bit difficult, actually. Some extraordinary abilities simply can't be recorded—like my self-healing ability... I can only repeat it over and over. Hm. Once I get the Primordial's ring, I'll try to record its extraordinary abilities..." "...The Lilith's ring?" Above the gray mist, within the palace-like dwelling of the giants, Caine sat in the high-backed chair corresponding to "The Fool," pondering the prayers of "The Moon," Emlyn White. He had expected to be woken up in the middle of the night, having to assist a vampire with little combat experience. Instead, Emlyn had already completed everything by before 11 o'clock, even submitting the task. Emlyn had once prayed to the "Fool" precisely because the ancient goddess Lilith had granted him insight... now he had received her ring as well... regardless of who this "Lilith" truly was, he would have to remain vigilant and simply observe the unfolding events. After a moment of thoughtful reflection, Caine responded to Emlyn's prayer with a calm and steady voice: "When you pray to me or attend gatherings in the future, please remove that ring." Having settled this matter, Caine returned to the real world, no longer worried about being disturbed in the middle of the night—he slept soundly until dawn. After breakfast and a brief rest, he awaited his teacher of etiquette, Wahana, for special training in preparation for the weekend dance party hosted at his own home. Wahana, with her dark hair gently coiffed and her flowing skirt swaying, guided Doun Tan-Tsai through the opening dance, familiarizing him with the entire sequence. As the gentle, flowing music played, the teacher suddenly interjected: "I heard that Madame Mary visited you yesterday afternoon?" "Yes." "Klein expressed his admiration for the lack of secrets in the social circles of this neighborhood, and nodded calmly. Wahana slightly inclined her head, paused for two seconds, and said: 'I heard that Mrs. Mary has pledged all her equity to the bank to secure a substantial loan.' This was a subtle reminder to be cautious—perhaps even wary of potential fraud. The assistance I've received not only enabled me to quickly integrate into the social life of Berkland Street, but has also brought a steady stream of ongoing benefits. However, Mrs. Mary's pledge of equity is actually a strategic move to quietly acquire more shares. Klein listened quietly, offering a warm smile and said: 'Thank you.' He paused, then added: 'I have full confidence in the integrity of every friend I've made, but in the business world, prudence and vigilance are always the foremost principles. I've already arranged for Walter to hire an independent legal and accounting team. They will conduct a thorough, responsible investigation and develop the most effective strategies to protect my interests and optimize tax efficiency.' "Before this, I wouldn't have made any decisions," Wahana half-tilted her face, gazing into Doane Thantès' deep blue eyes, and suddenly sighed with a half-smile. "You truly are a wise man." Klein had intended to say something about maturity, but then remembered that Wahana's husband had previously been deceived regarding fabric supplies—thanks to her own efforts, most of the losses had been recovered. Such a response might easily lead Wahana to draw comparisons, and perhaps even feel subtly undermined. So he promptly changed his words, offering a light laugh. "My wisdom comes entirely from the lessons I've learned over the years." "It's hard to imagine you'd ever have been deceived," Wahana said, smiling gently as she looked down. "And precisely because you've experienced so much, you're able to appreciate the unique charm of each woman, isn't that right?" Ah, so that rumor is now gone—Klein sighed with a sense of resignation. "Each one has her own beauty, after all." Familiar with the entire process and the corresponding dance, Klein sent away Wahana, took his personal servant Richardsson with him, and attended a visit to Coym Company in the Joewood district at the invitation of Madame Mary.