[Is that your muscle-headed friend?]

Yes, Roth Freeman. It's unexpected to encounter him here. I wonder if Alphonso is here too...

[He's not... I have a record of Alphonso's aura.]

What an unusual ability... Roth's presence here intrigues me. My intuition tells me this situation may not be good.

[Indeed]

Looking at the remaining individuals, they don't seem significant. Most belong to the vampire noble hierarchy, with only a few regular vampires. But their presence suggests they have considerable influence in the vampire realm.

"Jake...!"

My mother's voice softly calls me, accompanied by an unsettling grin that clashes with her stunning appearance.

"Ugh, your expression is repulsive and it annoys me," Zamira interjects disapprovingly, clearly displeased with my mother's way of addressing me.

"Ah, you haven't changed much, sister," my mother teases, but Zamira ignores her.

"Let's put our unresolved issues aside. I have an important question. Who are the two people standing next to me on the right?" I discreetly inquire, making sure they can't hear me. But I notice their eyebrows raise in response.

Damn... I forgot that vampires have heightened senses and can hear whispers. To counteract this, I need to use the blood telepathy technique, which only works on vampires or severely wounded beings.

In this situation, using blood telepathy requires me to use my aura, which might be offensive to the unknown elderly vampires standing beside me.

Suddenly, the two elder vampires turn their heads towards me simultaneously, in an amusingly synchronized manner.

"We are Edward," the man and woman say in unison.

Edward? Presumably, that's the man's name, but what about the woman?

Seeing my puzzled expression, the man and woman smile widely at me. But their gestures only deepen my confusion, as they move like synchronized automatons.

"You must be confused, Your Highness," they repeat together, fueling my curiosity.

Then, the man rises and settles on the woman's lap. Gradually, he starts to merge into her, while the woman's form transforms into irregular shapes. Suddenly, a young man with jet-black hair appears before me, leaving me dumbfounded.

Today is full of surprises, isn't it?

"My name is Edward Sanguine, Your Highness. I hold the title of the crown bearer in the royal family. It means I crown the king and possess the crown after the king's demise or slumber. I'm here to anoint you as the designated heir, as decreed by His Majesty," the man says with a slight bow, resuming his seat.

Holy cow... Did those elderly individuals just merge into one? What happened here? And my mother and Zamira conveniently ignore my question and pretend not to know what's happening.

Seeing my bewildered expression, Edward smiles at me again.

"Your Highness, let me explain the situation and shed light on my existence. I am the fusion of two distinct individuals. It's a concept my wife and I devised to achieve immortality and avoid slumber. Individually, we are ordinary vampires with no significance. But when we merge, we become the crown bearer, Edward. It has been over a century since we separated to experience a breath of fresh air. Truly, this is an extraordinary occurrence on this auspicious day," Edward explains, his smile widening.

"That's astonishing. I've never encountered such a phenomenon in vampire history," I remark, mustering a faint smile as I continue to observe Edward with fascination and amusement.

"Of course, because I'm the first of my kind in vampire history," Edward declares proudly.

"I also want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to speak with His Highness. It has truly made my day," Edward adds, bowing deeply. But his gratitude is not directed at me; it's directed at my mother and Zamira.

"Hehe, it's nothing, Sir Edward," my mother responds, flashing a radiant smile. Zamira simply grunts, paying no attention to Edward's words.

I turn my attention to the slender announcer below the platform, realizing his skill in managing the proceedings as a competent event host.

Suddenly, Edward signals the host, calling him over as if sharing a secret.

Instantly, the atmosphere shifts subtly, and the host falls silent, his expression serious. A profound stillness fills the air, like a cemetery where even the sound of a dropped pin would echo.

"Now that the Crown Prince is here, we'll proceed with the ceremony before the feast begins! I entrust the remaining proceedings to Sir Edward!" the lanky man announces, bowing deeply and gesturing toward Edward.

Damn... This guy has a remarkably commanding voice. It suits him well, I think to myself.

Edward promptly stands and approaches the edge of the platform, coming to a stop.

"By decree of His Majesty and the will of the revered Sir Derek, who remains a legend in our hearts, we'll crown Prince Jake Mystro as the heir to the throne and the future king of the vampires!" Edward declares loudly, waving his hand to conjure a small spiked silver crown, surrounded by delicate chains, resting on a sturdy pillow-like object.

Moving towards me, Edward stops a few centimeters away, his gaze returning to the crowd.historical

"As is customary in the vampire kingdom, once the heir is chosen, no one dares to oppose. Any dissenting words will be met with death! So, if anyone has something to say, speak now or forever hold your peace," Edward proclaims, his expression grave, emanating an aura like that of a grim reaper.

"We have something to say..." Several voices suddenly emerge from the crowd, catching Edward off guard.

Damn, here it comes...

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