This is what undead are. Like machines, they are puppets of meticulous precision and rigid dogma. Yet, it was precisely because of this that Valed could freely come and go within the ancient castle of Dekenhove during this period. Not only that, having deciphered the family's undead manipulation magic code, he could even command the entire tomb guard legion within the castle. Of course, this was actually unnecessary.
"Just a routine expedition. A small escort squad would suffice," Valed muttered to himself as he attempted to control each undead guard he passed. Invisible threads of magical wind gathered around him, forging a psychic link between Varred and these horrifying undead soldiers.
The manipulated undead altered their course. Breaking away from their patrol, they formed a protective circle around Varred, marching before and behind him.
Thus, by the time they reached the main gate, sixteen tomb guardians had gathered around Valed. The innermost circle comprised four guards wielding falcon-shaped shields and longswords, encircling him and ready to raise their shields at a moment's notice to block any attacks directed at Valed.
The next outer ring comprised four undead soldiers: two undead archers bearing heavy crossbows and curved blades at their waists led the way, followed by two necromancers clad in black robes, the Book of the Dead held in their right hands and oak staffs in their left. Six towering tomb spearmen wielding two-handed spears formed the outermost perimeter. Leading the way for this squad were two skeletal wolves acting as scouts, using their innate sense of smell to detect enemies ahead.
This was Valed's makeshift escort squad, hastily assembled from the ancient tomb guards within the castle. Balanced for offense and defense, effective at both range and close quarters, it gave Valed a sense of satisfaction. It seemed the military knowledge he'd acquired in his previous life was proving quite useful.
Thus, beneath the crimson moonlight, a narrow gap opened in the main gate of Dekenhove Castle. The compact squad emerged one after another, filing out in single file. Upon reaching the open space before the gate, they once again formed a protective circle around Valed at their center, continuing their advance toward the wilderness at the castle's southern edge.
Witnessing this, another castle guard sprang into action. Swift as an arrow, light as a butterfly, it leapt from the castle's rooftop—a drop of several dozen meters—landing before Valed.
Unlike the mindless undead, this was a highly intelligent creature—a black-skinned cat with red eyes. The cat yawned, then opened its mouth wide toward Varad, its throat twitching as it emitted a warning growl. The message was clear: Varad should return immediately and avoid causing trouble.
But this wasn't Valed's first encounter with it. He held out his hands, signaling no hostile intent. Then, with perfectly measured force, he tossed a small fragment of magic crystal—already prepared and clutched in his palm—landing precisely before the strange black cat.
The cat leaned its head forward, sniffing the crystal fragment. Satisfied, it opened its mouth and crunched away at the rock-hard crystal like it was candy, swallowing it whole. Then it nodded at Valed and trotted off to climb something nearby.
Seeing his bribe accepted, Valed breathed a sigh of relief. But he was also curious.
"Do you always neglect your duties like this, Ms. Cecil?"
"Meow?"
"Meow my ass! Speak human! I know you can talk!"
But the cat paid Valed no further attention, continuing to play dumb. Just like any ordinary cat, it licked its paw and began washing its face.
"...Forget it." Valed shrugged, deciding it wasn't worth picking a fight with a kitten. He stood up and returned to the protection of the tomb guardians. Immediately, a magical breeze gathered around him, gently lifting him off the ground. Valed floated in midair, spared the fatigue of walking and gaining a better vantage point—after all, his current body was only six years old.
After this incident, Valed continued commanding his undead forces, marching onward toward the wasteland south of the ancient castle. The black cat watched Valed's retreating figure until he vanished from sight. Only then did it withdraw its gaze, yawn again, and resume washing its face.
An ally and guardian to the vampire nobles of this ancient castle, she had remained at Dekkenhof Castle for centuries after accepting the Castanin family's invitation. She was one of the realm's rarest intelligent beings—neither human, undead, nor vampire. The castle's vampires addressed her as Lady Cecil, though outwardly she appeared indistinguishable from an ordinary black cat. But Valed had heard whispers that her power rivaled that of a dragon. She was one of the most formidable magical creatures.
"Nothing bad will happen... she's just a child after all." The black cat thought to herself, finding justification for her actions, as she sauntered leisurely into the grass beside the castle. She seemed intent on catching a few field mice for a snack.
In the vampire realm of Sylvania, a vast, powerful, and prosperous empire once flourished upon this land. The nobility of this empire took particular delight in flaunting their tombs after death. They used these as capital for mutual competition, constructing ever larger burial chambers. The number of burial goods, sacrificial slaves, and warrior attendants grew ever greater. During the empire's most glorious era. Viewed from afar, the colossal burial complexes were architectural marvels that rivaled any other nation's wonders.
Time eroded everything. The great empire fell, its population dwindled, and once-fertile farmlands lay fallow. Fortresses built to repel enemies became ancient castles where vampires gathered. The once-imposing burial grounds transformed into vital recruitment grounds for the undead.
Perhaps from the very beginning, the vampires chose this place as their base precisely because of its vast burial grounds. To ordinary grave robbers, these were treasures buried deep underground. But to the vampire clan, masters of necromantic arts, they represented a potential reserve army.
Initially, the vampire hordes could easily dig up tens of thousands of soldiers in this wilderness. Mountains of gold, precious magical weapons buried with the dead, grimoires, and other rare treasures piled high. Armed with these resources, the vampires launched wave after wave of attacks against the so-called "kingdom of the living," striving to establish the eternal rule they believed in.
Of course, every single one of these predecessors' efforts ended in failure. As mentioned before, No living soul desires to be ruled by the dead. The vampire nobles' endeavors ultimately only inflicted heavy losses upon themselves, burdening Sylvania further. Troops were squandered in vain, and the once-mighty Undead Empire eventually declined into a second-rate power of the Old World. Moreover, the vast, thousand-mile-long burial grounds were largely depleted, no longer capable of supplying sufficient troops for Sylvania.
To maintain troop numbers, the vampire nobility resorted to desperate measures. They began excavating bones from other regions, forcibly demanding citizens surrender the remains of their deceased kin, or raiding neighboring nations' tombs. They even engaged in trade, enlisting foreign merchants to smuggle dead bones, sustaining their armies' campaigns.
Even so, Sylvania's manpower remained severely strained. This was especially true for the corpses obtained through smuggling—transporting dead bones could bring in money, and yet some dared to haggle over the price. Trade monopolies were truly terrifying. Countless vampires, seething inwardly at the treacherous smugglers, were nonetheless forced to greet them with smiles. The anguish was palpable.
The utility of this burial ground had diminished significantly. Locals even dubbed it a desolate graveyard, a mass grave. Yet it remained a prime treasure-hunting spot. The pragmatic vampire nobles humbled themselves. Even in these largely abandoned tombs, they could still uncover valuable items. Should anyone stumble upon unearthed an undiscovered tomb of some ancient noble, they'd strike it rich. Thousands of sacrificial skeletons, vast quantities of burial goods, and precious magical artifacts could transform a penniless soul into a wealthy individual.
The Citizens' Assembly encouraged such private expeditions, stipulating that all discoveries belonged solely to the explorers. This policy stemmed from the fact that lax governments like Sylvania lacked the resources or inclination to continue excavating these tombs. Naturally, vampire clans swiftly declared their territories' burial grounds their exclusive property, barring private exploration. This rendered the Assembly's policy a dead letter.
Today, the Castane family, owing to its geographical position, controls the largest section of the burial grounds—a circumstance that might have been welcome news centuries ago. The vast burial complex brought immense wealth and a massive army to the family, significantly increasing its influence within the Citizens' Assembly. Indeed, several Castane Counts, distinguished by both virtue and talent, ultimately succeeded in being crowned Dukes of Sylvania.
Of course, these were matters of yesterday. As the mining value of the tombs steadily declined, the Castane family's glory faded. The vast burial complex proved difficult to govern and yielded no resources, plunging the family into dire economic straits. After all, vampire nobles excelled at combat and administration but were unfamiliar with productive labor. Farming, smelting, commerce—these tasks required other races, particularly humans, to execute.