Read Novel Full Chapter 434: Daughter of a Progenitor
Chapter 434: Daughter of a Progenitor
When the ring was taken off, Dominic gasped, his eyes going wide in shock as he immediately began to revert to his true form. In seconds, his strong, confident posture crumpled further. His skin turned deathly pale, as if the color had rushed through his body just as swiftly as it drained from his complexion.
His vibrant hair turned a bleached silver. His eyes, previously normal, became molten crimson, streaking out from heavy lids.
He looked for all the world like an ancient corpse brought back to life. The muscles in his face slackened, and age lines so carefully hidden a moment ago by magic reappeared along his skin. The man known as Dominic had vanished; in his place was a frail, gray haired old man.
Instantly, he recoiled. When he realized what had happened, a low, pitiful whisper escaped his throat. Despite himself, he craned his neck upward, away from the bulbs above. Every faint light in the room seemed to hurt his vision.
He muttered incoherently, trying to cover his face, his long old hands shaking.
"No... too bright... I... I cannot stand light..."
He curled inward as if he could melt into the shadows, cowering behind what little shade the bench provided.
Gabriel simply watched with cold curiosity. Gone was the fearsome warrior; now this old man quivered beneath the weak glow of the lamp from above.
Gabriel’s expression did not soften, but neither did it harden. He had already suspected something like this would happen because it was the only logical explanation for why Dominic was able to blend into human civilization so effortlessly.
It was all because of the rings.
Gabriel knelt a few steps back, the torchlight flickering over his angular features, his electric blue eyes especially mesmerizing.
"Calm yourself," he said quietly. His voice carried an unusual gentleness. "We mean you no more harm than we have already done."
Dominic whispered again but only managed a groan in response. His fear and exhaustion overcame him. He still sat slumped on the bench, shoulders heaving as he tried to steady himself.
"You will answer our questions. You will cooperate fully." Each word was deliberate and calm, a notable contrast to how Dominic had blustered at the battlefield’s start. Gabriel’s ice blue eyes locked onto Dominic’s fear filled gaze. "The way you comply will determine your fate. You could be an ally and survive. You could be my slave for the rest of your unlife. Or you could die."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Dominic whispered anew, pressing his hands tighter over his face to hide from the daylight.
Gabriel continued, "Somebody wants answers from you. She will speak with you, and you will answer. No more tricks or lies."
Dominic dared not look up. He mumbled something unintelligible, a plea or a curse Gabriel was not sure, but Gabriel raised a hand to silence him.
Just as Gabriel finished, Seraphina’s graceful figure slowly materialized, her red hair flowing down in waves and that pair of striking crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark room.
And in the lamplight, Dominic’s eyes widened abruptly as if he had seen a ghost. For the first time, Dominic straightened fully, a strange mixture of awe and dread painting his features. Gabriel made sure not to miss anything.
Dominic’s eyes were wide, his lips parted in a small, trembling whisper. "Your Majesty..."
Gabriel’s heart gave a tight little stutter when he heard the title. Over the last weeks, he had come to respect the vampire queen he had found in the blood tower. However, he had doubted if Seraphina was truly a queen. Who knew if whatever entity had placed her there had made her believe so?
However, now that Dominic had spoken, Gabriel realized Seraphina was not some shallow schemer. The very weight in Dominic’s tone made it clear she was real authority in every sense.
Seraphina’s expression remained composed, though her large eyes flicked with surprise. Over Dominic’s bowed head, she gave a small nod.
"Who am I?" Seraphina asked.
Dominic hesitated, finding the question strange. Unaware of the vampire queen’s memory loss, he was at a loss for words. But after some time, he nodded and began anyway.
"You are the Queen of Nightingale, daughter of Dracula."
When those words were spoken, Gabriel raised his brows subtly. The sudden revelation hit him hard. Seraphina was not just any monarch in the flesh, but the daughter of Dracula, progenitor of their kind. Gabriel felt a chill creep along his spine.
Dracula.
The name was very familiar on Earth. It was commonly known from fantasy and history in his old world. The game had teased the lore of vampires back when it first came out, but to think the actual progenitor existed in this world was quite shocking.
He recalled the myths: the legendary Count Dracula of ancient Romania, an evil entity who transcended death and became the foundational myth for all vampires in every vampire tale.
The fact that Seraphina was the heir to Dracula’s legacy sent goosebumps across Gabriel’s arms.
Seraphina’s pale crimson eyes found Gabriel’s, and he felt the subtle tremor in her stance.
"Dominic, are you certain of what you are claiming?" she said softly as she stepped fully into the lamplight, revealing more of her pale beauty.
Dominic’s breathing was uneven as he stammered, his voice filled with reverence and something like fear.
"I know who you are. All night vampires know, Your Majesty. The Queen of Nightingale... the Daughter of Dracula."
"I see," Seraphina said, whispering the names Dracula and Nightingale as if wanting to store them in her heart.
At this moment, Seraphina’s small frame seemed powerful. She drew herself up a little straighter, regal even in the dilapidated building.
Her eyes flicked to Gabriel as if silently asking permission to proceed. Gabriel gave only a minute nod before meeting her gaze.
"Yes," Gabriel said quietly. "Go ahead, Seraphina. This is your chance to know everything about yourself."
Hearing her name, Seraphina flushed beneath her pale skin. She cleared her throat gently, refocusing on the trembling old man before her.