It was already noon when the two of them returned to the castle.
Without a word, Kiz immediately summoned all the elders and high-ranking generals of the Blood Clan to the Council Chamber for a meeting.
Inside the Council Chamber, Elder Selina sat to Kiz’s right with a serious expression, while the other elders were also present.
Elia remained standing quietly behind Kiz.
“I assume you have all heard about what happened in the early hours of this morning… Someone set an ambush in the ruins outside the city, attempting to assassinate the Saint and me,” Kiz said, getting straight to the point. “The opposition calls themselves ‘Wolf,’ an organization we have never heard of before. However, their members are of the Blood Clan — though there may be other races involved, the Blood Clan definitely makes up the majority. Furthermore, those individuals are well-trained and well-equipped, posing a significant threat to us.”
“In that case, Princess, do you believe this organization is related to the previous poisoning incident?” Elder Selina asked from the side.
“Yes. In the poisoning incident, the mark left by the mastermind was a wolf’s head — it is identical to the one found on the assassins today.”
A wave of discussion immediately broke out within the Council Chamber.
Gregory frowned and asked, “Princess, what exactly is the goal of this ‘Wolf’ organization? If they are simply targeting you, why wouldn’t they just send experts to strike directly?”
“That is exactly what I was about to say… They are testing my strength, the castle’s defenses, and our clan’s reaction. Furthermore, the fact that these two probes occurred so close together indicates… they will be making some major moves soon.”
Her blood-red eyes swept across the faces of everyone present.
The Council Chamber fell into a few seconds of silence.
Then, Selina was the first to speak, breaking the quiet. “Then, Princess, what do you intend to do?”
Kiz did not answer her directly but looked over at Elia.
Seeing Elia give a small nod, Kiz finally spoke. “Effective immediately, the Royal Capital is under Martial Law. All city gates are to be closed, and anyone entering or exiting must undergo strict inspections. The Royal Guard will work 24 hours a day in rotating shifts. If any suspicious characters are discovered, they are to be thrown into the dungeon immediately!”
She then looked at Selina and continued, “Elder Selina, for the next few days, I am handing command of the Royal Guard over to you.”
Hearing this, Selina immediately stood up and gave a solemn salute. “Understood, Princess!”
Kiz then looked toward the other elders.
“Elders, notify your respective families immediately to bolster their defenses… At the same time, I need you to mobilize personnel to assist Elder Selina.”
“Yes!” the elders responded in unison, accepting their orders.
However, Gregory still had some concerns, so he asked, “Princess, with only our current forces… if the enemy truly comes out in full force…”
“I know. That is why I have already notified the City of Shadows and the City of Blood Spirits.”
As the Princess’s words fell, another wave of hushed discussion rippled through the Council Chamber.
The City of Shadows was the territory of the Lasombra Clan, and the City of Blood Spirits was the territory of the Tzimisce Clan.
The status of these two major families within the Blood Clan was second only to the royal Camarilla, and their power stood above that of the Council of Elders.
Furthermore, the Camarilla royal family did not have direct jurisdiction over the City of Shadows or the City of Blood Spirits.
However, the royal family was not entirely without authority in those two locations.
A Prince had the responsibility to show respect to royal family members visiting their territory and arrange various matters. A Prince could not directly reject suggestions made by the royal family, though they could raise questions.
Additionally, a Prince was required to offer tribute to the royal family at least five times within one year.
In short, the relationship was similar to that of an emperor and his vassals.
“So the Princess intends to…” one elder murmured.
“That’s right. I previously sent secret letters to Prince Lisa and Prince Vianne. They will send their strongest units to protect the Royal Capital in secret… while they themselves will also come in person,” Kiz said in a heavy voice.
This time, the Council Chamber fell into a complete, dead silence.
Two great Princes appearing at the same time to meet the Princess… How many years had it been since such an event occurred?
“Princess, if the two Princes come personally, will it…” Selina hesitated from the side.
“Will it what?” Kiz asked, looking at her.
“Will it trigger unnecessary speculation… After all, given the status of those two Princes…”
“I understand your concerns, but extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures… Besides, Lisa and Vianne are my friends. They are coming in a personal capacity… So, go and prepare. Report back as soon as there is news.”
Kiz waved her hand after finishing her statement.
“Yes.” The elders bowed and took their leave one after another.
Once the doors had closed, Kiz turned to look at Elia and said, “Elia, it seems a storm is truly coming…”
Elia walked up to her and asked, “So, are you afraid?”
“A little, yes. But mostly, I’m excited,” Kiz whispered.
“Excited?”
“Yes. Since the Vampire Queen fell into her slumber, the Blood Clan hasn’t faced a true threat in a very long time… Those nobles spend all their days thinking about nothing but power struggles. I suspect they’ve forgotten how to fight.”
The young Princess’s gaze suddenly grew sharp.
“This is a good opportunity to let them see what a real enemy looks like.”
“Kiz, you really look like a queen right now,” Elia said with a smile.
“W-What are you saying! My mother is still alive! As long as she remains in this world, I can never call myself the ‘Vampire Queen’!”
“Yes, yes, of course. Our little Princess is quite filial, isn’t she~” Elia reached out and ruffled Kiz’s white hair, quickly making a mess of it.
“By the way, what kind of people are those two Princes?” Elia asked.
Kiz thought for a moment before saying, “Lisa Lasombra… she is the master of the City of Shadows. She looks younger than me, but she’s actually over 100 years older. Her personality… how should I put it… she seems very gentle, but she is actually a ruthless character. She is definitely not one to be trifled with.”
“And the other one? What was it… Vianne Tzimisce?”
“Vianne…”
Kiz’s expression became a bit subtle.
“She’s even more difficult than Lisa… Although she looks like a cute young girl, her heart is… well, you’ll know once you meet her.”
Elia blinked and said, “Hearing you say that, I’m actually looking forward to meeting them~”
“Looking forward to what? You’re not planning to…” Kiz became wary.
“Planning what? I just want to get to know your friends.”
Kiz stared at her innocent expression for several seconds before saying, “You had better actually just want to get to know them.”
“Otherwise?”
“Otherwise… otherwise…”
Kiz turned her face away.
“Hmph! Otherwise, I’ll ignore you!”
“Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you. I’ll just get to know them… But you were very cute just now,” Elia said, patting Kiz’s cheek.
“Don’t touch me! Did you even wash your hands before rubbing them on my face?” Red-faced, Kiz shoved Elia’s hand away with her elbow.
“Oh? These are the delicate hands of a beautiful girl! How can you say such things? Do you… want to be bitten again?” Elia put on a hurt expression, followed immediately by a dangerous smile.
“No! I was wrong, I was wrong! Your hands are the most beautiful and best-smelling! I… I like them the most!” The submissive Princess Kiz directly grabbed Elia’s hand and rubbed it against her own face, wearing an expression of feigned enjoyment.
Everything seemed no different from their usual antics… but as they joked around, both of them knew… this was merely the calm before the storm.