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Standing before August was a woman radiating a potent mix of fury and fear. Her name was Beatrice Basler, CEO of Magus Craft and a T-class vampire. Despite her usual composure, the emotions on her face were easy for August to read, especially the raw anger. It was a type of rage so intense it gave even him pause.

After all, as the saying goes: disrupt someone's livelihood, and it's akin to taking their life.

Initially uncertain, August now felt vindicated. Beatrice's wrath was confirmation enough—his arrival had threatened her carefully constructed plans.

"And who might you be, exactly?" Beatrice demanded, her voice icy. "What business do you have interfering with me?"

"Just someone who met Kanon yesterday," August replied calmly. "Now, she calls me her brother."

"Yesterday? And here you are, barging into my company, killing my people, and threatening me? All for someone you barely know?"

"What of it?" August's nonchalant response struck a nerve.

Beatrice's lips twitched in disbelief, and Natsuki Minamiya, standing to the side, raised an eyebrow. This man's audacity was boundless.

"Is Kanon some kind of divine maiden? What makes her so important to you?" Beatrice sneered.

"I'm a Demon King," August replied coolly. "And acting as I please is simply a privilege of the strong."

With those words, he succinctly summarized the law of the jungle: the strong rule, the weak submit. In this world, power was the ultimate currency, as exemplified by the three vampire Primogenitors who stood at the pinnacle of existence. Their unmatched strength allowed them to build empires and command respect globally, ensuring that no one dared challenge them.

Before Beatrice could respond, August moved. In an instant, his hand was around her throat, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt her magic being drained away, leaving her helpless and vulnerable.

August activated his Noble Phantasm, Sha Naqba Imuru, to delve into the essence of vampires. The secrets unraveled before him: the near-immortality derived from a bloodline curse and the mechanics of familiars—beasts from another dimension bound by contracts. These contracts, while offering great power, came at the cost of the host's life force—a price irreversible once paid.

Beatrice's lineage, however, was unimpressive. Her blood carried only a faint trace of its Primogenitor's curse. For deeper insight, August knew he'd need to study a true Primogenitor—one of the original vampires cursed by the gods themselves.

Satisfied, August loosened his grip, his interest in Beatrice waning. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath, her survival entirely at his discretion.

"Please, spare me," she begged, her voice trembling. "I'll give you everything—wealth, loyalty, anything you desire."

"Loyalty?" August mused. "I don't deal in secondhand goods."

"I assure you," Beatrice stammered, "I've never… I am a T-class, a descendant of the Third Primogenitor. By our tradition, we do not consort with men."

"And yet, you'd serve me?" August's tone dripped with skepticism. "Aren't you afraid of your Primogenitor's wrath?"

"I'm a mere outcast," she confessed. "A vampire banished from the Chaos Zone. The great Primogenitor wouldn't bother with someone like me."

Her desperation was almost pitiable. Natsuki watched the exchange with thinly veiled disdain. Beatrice's willingness to sacrifice her pride for survival was both pathetic and disgusting in her eyes.

Finally, August made his decision. He released Beatrice. She collapsed to her knees, visibly relieved to have escaped death.

"From now on," August declared, "you'll live under my name and carry out my will."

"Yes, master," Beatrice replied, bowing her head. For someone who prized wealth above all, aligning herself with August seemed a small price to pay for survival—and potential prosperity.

True to his nature, August rewarded her allegiance. With a wave of his hand, dozens of gold bricks materialized, raining down to form a glittering pile. Beatrice's eyes widened in astonishment. As someone with an insatiable appetite for riches, she recognized the purity of the gold immediately.

"Since you're mine now, I won't be stingy," August said. "Consider this your first reward."

"Thank you, master!" she exclaimed, her excitement barely contained. The sheer volume of gold was staggering—far beyond what she could have hoped to accumulate in a lifetime of scheming.

Natsuki, observing from the sidelines, shook her head in disbelief. The display of wealth was gaudy, but it was effective. Beatrice's greed had been thoroughly exploited.

"Beatrice," August called.

"Yes, master?" she responded eagerly.

"Bring me Kensei Kanase."

"At once," she said, scurrying off to fetch the former royal mage.

However, before she could act, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor. A man emerged from the shadows: Kensei Kanase himself.

"Looking for me?" Kensei asked, his tone even as he locked eyes with August.

August studied him carefully before responding. "I am. I've come for Kanon."

"You're here for my niece?" Kensei's voice carried an edge of defiance. "She's my sister's only child, my family. You have no right to take her."

"You forfeited that right the moment you tried to force your twisted version of happiness onto her," August replied coldly.

"Happiness?" Kensei shot back. "Becoming an angel, ascending beyond this dimension, gaining immortality—this is the ultimate happiness!"

"For you," August countered. "Not for Kanon. And that's why you're unfit to be her guardian."

Kensei faltered, unable to respond. Deep down, he knew August was right. His actions were selfish, driven by his own desires, not Kanon's well-being. But the justification that it was all "for her own good" had blinded him until now.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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