After the Prime Minister left, Esdeath kept her eyes fixed on Haruki.
"Are you really that girl's master? I don't feel any strength from you. Who exactly are you?"
She pointed at Gin, who was still standing beside him.
"Of course. Gin is my disciple—there's no doubt about that. The reason you can't sense my strength is because you're too weak right now. As for who I really am… I'll tell you when the time is right."
Haruki answered calmly.
"Yeah… I guess I'm still too weak. But one day, I'll surpass you."
Esdeath said with a hint of frustration. Ever since she was a child, the law of the jungle had been deeply rooted in her. A few years ago, she returned from a solo hunting trip to find her entire tribe wiped out by the Northern tribes. From that moment on, she became even more convinced that strength was the only way to survive.
"I'll be waiting for that day."
Haruki didn't try to change her belief. In truth, he shared it to some extent. Without strength, how could he have earned the Prime Minister's respect, lived in such a mansion, or even survived this long?
...
Time flew by, and before he knew it, Haruki had been back in the Imperial Capital for nearly a year.
A lot had happened during that time.
To start with, after spending a year together, Haruki's relationships with Tsukushi, Pony, and Esdeath had grown significantly closer. Although he remained cold and indifferent to most things and showed no mercy to his enemies, he was genuinely kind to those around him. Unlike the other nobles, he had none of their arrogance. Even to the lowly maids, he never lost his temper and would often joke and chat with them.
Then there was his mysterious aura—his unfathomable strength and the way he seemed in control of everything. That mystery made him incredibly attractive to the girls around him, and even Esdeath wasn't immune.
Over the year, Tsukushi and Pony had grown completely familiar with Haruki. Their closeness rivaled, if not surpassed, that of Gin and Kurome, who had been with him for four years. Haruki already had a strong pull on girls, and Tsukushi and Pony were no exception. Besides, Haruki's blood now flowed through them—an unshakable bond that made them feel a natural closeness to him.
It's worth mentioning that as Progenitor Vampires, Tsukushi and Pony had high resistance to their thirst for blood, but they couldn't go without it entirely. About once a month, they needed to feed. Haruki didn't have a perfect solution, so he let them drink each other's blood to manage it.
Haruki had a strong desire for control. He didn't want the girls around him drinking blood from men. But if they drank from other women, he'd have to kill them to protect his secrets. Though he didn't see himself as a good person, he couldn't bring himself to kill someone unrelated to him. So the issue remained unresolved.
Throughout the year, Haruki never slacked off on the girls' training.
Everyone's strength improved steadily. Nina and Kurome had now become proficient in the Six Styles, reaching roughly where Gin was a year ago. Esdeath, after learning the Six Styles from Haruki, caught up in just a year. Her talent was monstrous. She sparred constantly with Gin, and both grew rapidly through their matches.
But the ones who progressed the most were Tsukushi and Pony. After receiving Haruki's blood and becoming True Ancestor Vampires, their physiques became absurdly powerful. Combined with training methods tailored specifically for vampires, their strength increased by the day. They were now nearly on par with Gin and Esdeath, far surpassing Nina and Kurome.
Haruki's training was always tailored to the individual. He didn't want them becoming like in the original story—too dependent on Teigu, only to be crippled once they lost them. As a result, their physical capabilities had grown far beyond their original versions. Now, even without Teigu, they could easily handle most Teigu Users—only powerhouses like Budo could stand against them.
Over the year, Esdeath didn't stay at Haruki's residence the whole time. Just like in the original story, she joined the military. With the Prime Minister's full support, she led multiple successful campaigns and earned significant military achievements. She now held a high-ranking general position, and it was likely only a matter of time before she rose to Grand General, just as she had in the original.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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