Chapter 176: Refined Blood Root
With his strange, bordering on creepy, smile still across his face Lucian drop to his knees, going down onto both of them this time, as he held his hands up like an orphan begging for more food.
Belladonna gave him a slightly concerned look, but placed the crimson marble gingerly into his hands, which he quickly clenched tight in his hands and clutched against his chest protectively.
Refined Blood Root, that was what this little red marble was called. Belladonna had no idea how she knew that’s what it was called, only that it was. Her mind was swimming with information that had no source or connection to anything she should know, and yet it was just there.
It was like trying to remember the details of a dream. It was loose and fleeting, departing more and more as the seconds went on.
"Once you use the Refined Blood Root, you will be able to create your own to blood another. However it may take you a while to learn how to do so, and it is something you can only do once in your entire life. Whoever you choose will join you in eternity, but they will not be able to produce their own Blood Root.
It is only one person. Forever. So choose well."
Belladonna spoke confidently, even if she wasn’t sure where she was getting half of the information she was so confidently speaking about. But more importantly than where this information was coming from, was what just happened to her.
Unlike with her [Blood Frenzy] there was no system announcement informing her of a new transformation being unlocked, but she could also remember everything that had happened. She could remember her mind being filled with so much information, too much information for her to process now.
In fact, as she was now Belladonna could not even attempt to process a fraction of the information that had filled her mind in those seconds, but the wisdom called to her nonetheless. Secrets stored within her mind, just waiting to be uncovered again.
’Sigh... That better be it. One alternate personality was enough, but now I have two. And I really don’t need three.’
"I understand, your Highness. I will make great use of this gift and make sure to carry out my side of the deal with the utmost haste. I swear it." Lucian replied, lifting his gaze from the floor and giving Belladonna a very weird, overly eager look.
Belladonna did her best to smile back, and make sure that she wasn’t showing just how creeped out she was on her face, as she ushered him back to his feet.
"Now, I believe it is time for me to collect the spoils from the Dragon before you... do your thing."
Lucian bowed in response again, and with a gesture to his maid Eliza, they entered the magically formed stone staircase once again. They rose back into Lord Swinesby’s office, and then left through the door.
Eliza led the two of them throughout the manor, taking the official corridor where Lucian had once again regained his former dignified and regal air. However even if he had the noble mask on once more, it was hard to hide the obsession in his eyes, as he constantly glanced at Beans, who was still sitting on Belladonna’s shoulder and feeding her energy through fuzzy rubs.
Anyone that they passed on their little walk immediately showed the utmost respect at the sight of the Duke. Guards stood at straighter attention, puffing out their chests ever so slightly, servants bowed their heads and not dare to look him in the face in the slightest, whilst many of the high class women within the manner did nothing but stare at his face.
They covered their mouths as they exchanged hushed whispers and knowing giggles, as well as cast a few jealous and hateful looks Belladonna’s way once the Duke had passed by them and could no longer see their faces. At least they assumed he couldn’t, but that was simply because they knew little about the advanced senses of someone on his level.
Especially for someone who had trained for battle, and for unexpected blows from behind.
Although he did not have literal eyes on the back of his head, he might as well have with how clearly he could see everything behind him. However Lucian, trained heavily in noble manners, did not let his seething rage slip onto his face. Perhaps if these women knew who they were glaring at, they would change their tone.
But if his guest had come under the identity of a simple Emissary, then there had to be a reason for it and it was definitely not his place to reveal it. Even if her familiar was an obvious enough clue, for those who knew what they were looking at.
Belladonna was oblivious to the Duke’s thoughts and simply uncaring for the women’s glares, as she focused more on the message screen before her eyes.
Naturally all of her friends had messaged her, begging for answers on what had happened, since she never respawned back at the Mausoleum in the city. After a few players ’daring escapes’ from the prisons, the city guards had become more vigilant when it came to Graceless and making sure that they could not just kill themselves to escape.
She reassured them one by one, sending the same message to each explaining roughly what had happened. Instead of giving them the details, most of which she didn’t understand herself, she simply told them that she had triggered a secret quest based on her race and was in the process of completing it.
After going through them one by one, she was left a final two - a feat that happened rather quickly as she didn’t have many friends to begin with.
Percy, otherwise known as Prince of Stars, and Revenant, otherwise known as that annoying prick.
Belladonna paused for a moment, gnawing at her lip anxiously as she stared at the screen, going back and forth between their names.
It was such a simple decision, and yet it felt much bigger for some reason as she remembered everything that had gone down in the chaos before her transformation.
After a few minutes of silent thought, she ignored Percy’s message and opened Revenant’s.