Chapter 49 Blood Chalice Tavern (1)

Ethan's POVAn opulent establishment loomed ahead, its grand architecture a striking contrast against the city wall that towered behind it. The building exuded an inviting warmth with its soothing light spilling into the night.

Unlike the bustling venues I'd passed before, this one maintained an aura of exclusivity. Ordinary citizens were scarce here while affluent individuals arrived in a steady stream and regularly disembarked from their luxurious carriages or gracefully descending on ornate flying discs.

The crowd was predominantly vampires with their crimson eyes and sharp fangs showing the unmistakable hallmarks of their kind. As we approached the guarded entrance, a carriage landed softly beside us. From it emerged two figures.

The first was a young woman around my apparent age with navy-blue hair cascading down her back and vivid red eyes that seemed to shimmer with curiosity. Her gaze landed on us almost instantly and lingered a little before she turned to her companion who was a tall young man who bore an uncanny resemblance to her.

The man was equally striking with the same navy-blue hair and noble red eyes followed her silent cue and turned to face us.

The moment his eyes settled on Virelle his entire demeanour shifted. Excitement lit his face though he worked hard to not show it by faking an air of composure. Yet, his joy and thinly veiled desire were unmistakable.

He walked toward us with purpose completely ignoring me. I couldn't say whether his action was deliberate or out of his sheer focus on Virelle.

Meanwhile, his sister's gaze landed squarely on me with her expression turning dazed and a faint blush colouring her cheeks.

Not again… The thought crossed my mind as I quickly averted my eyes feigning indifference to her attention.

"Lady Virelle, it has been far too long. The last time I had the pleasure of seeing you was two years ago at Duke Elarith's thousand-year birthday celebration," the man said with polished etiquette, his voice carefully modulated. He extended his hand toward her in greeting but she made no move to reciprocate.

A flicker of embarrassment passed across his face as he quickly shifted tactics, placing his hand over his chest and bowing deeply in a display of refined nobility which was a customary gesture on this continent.

"Hello, Young Master Drakovar. Good to see you here," Virelle replied, her tone cool and indifferent. It was clear she had no particular enthusiasm for his presence. The man, who I now knew as young master Drakovar chuckled awkwardly and then gestured toward his sister.

"Lady Virelle, allow me to introduce my younger sister, Ivanna Drakovar. She is still very young but will be joining the Abyssal Sanctum in two years," he said with pride. At his words, the girl snapped out of her trance-like state her face flushing a deeper shade of crimson as she timidly nodded her head.

It was only then that Rendell seemed to notice me. His eyes flickered with surprise though it was evident he couldn't discern my true nature. My crimson eyes, a shade slightly different from their vivid red seemed to confuse him.

"This is…" he began, trailing off expectantly.

"I am Eryndor Sangrial. Nice to meet you, Young Master Drakovar," I said smoothly, cutting him off and introducing myself before he could probe further.

"Ah, I am Rendell Drakovar, nice to meet you too Eryndor. I hadn't realized you were part of the Sangrial family. I've lived in Scarlet Hollow City for years but don't recall ever seeing you before," he replied, his tone tinged with curiosity.

His tone was like a senior inquiring about the affairs of a junior as I was still very young compared to him but I didn't mind the haughtiness and answered,

"Well, that would make sense," I said with a faint smile. "I'm a distant relative of the Sangrials and recently arrived in Scarlet Hollow to study under the guidance of the ancestor." My explanation was vague but plausible, carefully crafted to reveal nothing of importance.

Virelle glanced at me, her expression unreadable though I sensed her approval of my quick thinking. She nodded and played along seamlessly lending credibility to my fabricated story.

"Hi, Eryndor," Ivanna said shyly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's nice to meet you. Are you also heading to the Euphoria Lounge with us?" Her cheeks remained flushed as she addressed me her nervousness palpable.

I responded with a polite nod and a faint smile not wanting to prolong the exchange. Truthfully, I had no idea what the Euphoria Lounge was but I saw no harm in accompanying them.

As we moved toward the entrance, I observed the group with my heightened senses. Rendell's eagerness to engage Virelle was almost laughable and his persistence bordered on desperation.

Virelle, on the other hand radiated thinly veiled irritation and her indifference grew more pronounced with every step.

Meanwhile, Ivanna stole frequent glances at me, her gaze lingering when she thought no one was observing her. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at Rendell's obliviousness.

He was so consumed by his pursuit of Virelle that he failed to recognize the futility of his efforts. A woman like Virelle would never be swayed by such clumsy attempts.

I knew better than to act so rashly. If I wanted her, I needed to understand her personality, desires, and her expectations.

Only then would I move and when I did, I would do so with precision. As for Rendell and any other rivals, including the eldest prince of the Malakar, they would eventually become mere obstacles to overcome for me towards my goal.

We stepped through the entrance and the Euphoria Lounge revealed itself in all its decadent splendour. The sharp and unmistakable scent of blood immediately hit my nose carrying a metallic tang that filled my senses.

The dim, ambient lighting casted a crimson hue over everything and the glowing eyes of the vampires scattered throughout the room shimmered like red gemstones in the shadows creating an almost otherworldly and haunting atmosphere.

The environment was overwhelmingly disorienting and for a brief moment, my senses faltered. The combination of the pungent aroma and the eerie ambiance made it evident that this place was designed to appeal exclusively to vampires. Being an outsider, the experience was overwhelming and it left my mind clouded for a brief moment.