Chapter 220: Eve and…

After expressing his gratitude, Crow didn’t delay and hurried to greet the other members of his clan. Even though it was daytime, he had no trouble running under the sun.

If Axel could see this, he would have been flabbergasted.

In this world, the idea that vampires are weak to the sun is merely superstition. The same goes for their supposed weaknesses against crosses and garlic. None of it is true.

Furthermore, while they do consume blood, it is not necessary for their survival. They eat food just like any other humanoid race. To them, drinking blood is an intimate act shared only between lovers and is as sacred as intercourse.

Thus, they shouldn’t face any issues integrating with the Axevaria Kingdom later.

“Alright, all is set.” Nina sat back down after Crow left. “All that’s left is for Tiffany to give Sophia the signal, and we can finally go home.”

“Ah…”

Ria, however, raised her hand shyly, fearing that Nina would pull on her still-hurting cheeks again.

“Actually… the people from the slums wanted to help with the rebellion,” she said. “I told them it was dangerous, but they insisted… What should we do?”

Nina raised an eyebrow and sighed.

“What should we do, you ask? Leave them behind, of course,” she replied flatly. “Bringing them with us will only increase the casualty count. They’re not trained soldiers, and they aren’t able-bodied either. They will definitely die if they join.”

“Only the thought counts,” Arianne agreed.

“I see…”

Ria looked down.

She had promised them that she’d let them take revenge against the corrupt emperor, but she couldn’t let them die either.

Even if she provided all of them with upgraded Holy Light Armor, they would likely only reach an acceptable baseline and not become overpowered.

Furthermore, teleporting them back to the Empire’s capital city would be challenging, especially with their numbers exceeding 30,000.

“Going with just us and the soldiers under the Obedience Curse is for the best,” Arianne declared. “We’re not going there to massacre everyone, only to kill the Emperor and those in league with him.”

If this were framed as a quest, it would resemble an assassination mission.

They didn’t need to eliminate all the guards or soldiers in the castle—only the Emperor, his wives, children, and his lackeys. Just what was necessary to elevate Sophia to the throne!

Of course, they already had a list of names and faces of those they didn’t need to kill: Tiffany, her mother, her little brother the 11th prince, and Sophia’s mother. The rest were risks that they couldn’t afford to leave alive.

It was a cruel thought, but a necessary evil.

Otherwise, it could undermine the foundation of Sophia’s reign later.

Tiffany? She was no longer a threat but had become a tremendous support to Sophia.

“Anyway, we should head to the place Sophia prepared for us now,” Nina sighed as she stood up. “Crow did say that our preparations were complete, so the rebellion should start as soon as everyone gathers.”

“Well, it seems that’s the case.” Arianne nodded.

The preparations Crow mentioned weren’t extensive. He hadn’t set bombs at specific locations or anything dangerous like that.

They had simply added poison to the food and water for the entire army of the empire. It was slow-acting, so they should be able to incapacitate around 70% of them at the least, significantly lowering the difficulty of their mission.

“Alright! Then let’s set off~!” Ria shouted as she split another return scroll.

This one was set to take them back to the barracks where Tiffany’s soldiers were staying, ensuring they wouldn’t raise any alarms.

Within moments, the three reappeared in a certain room with a flash.

And there, as if anticipating their arrival, five soldiers stood waiting.

“Welcome back, Princess Teruria, Princess Ethernina, and Captain Arianne. We’ve been expecting you,” the man in the center greeted. “Princess Sophia has instructed us to escort you to the base of operations. Please follow us closely.”

The soldiers wasted no time and got straight to the point.

“Alright, lead the way,” Nina replied on behalf of the group.

Once they began moving, the three donned their Hermit Robes and concealed their presence, ensuring they remained unnoticed. They followed the five soldiers as they exited the barracks and made their way to the streets.

They walked along the sidewalks, carefully avoiding the bustling crowd.

Naturally, no pedestrian dared to interfere with a soldier, so they did not bump into anyone during their journey.

After a few minutes of walking, they turned into an alley and followed a winding path.

It seemed they were headed deep into the downtown, but…

“Is that the place?” Arianne inquired.

Before them stood a large, five-story building, likely an old, abandoned shop, given its dilapidated appearance. However, it still looked structurally sound.

The building was well hidden, alleviating any concerns about its secrecy. In fact, throughout their journey in the alleys, they had not encountered a single person.

This indicated just how “secluded” this part of the city was.

“Princess Sophia and Princess Tiffany are already inside,” the soldiers explained as they held the door open. “This is as far as we can go. We will return to our duties now.”

Doing just as their task indicated, the five turned back, marching away.

“Good work~!” Ria cheered, waving at their fading figures.

After the soldiers vanished into another alley, the three girls exchanged glances and nodded. “Looks like we’re not the first ones to arrive.”

On the third floor, they sensed a familiar presence—three, in fact.

However, alongside them, there were also about five more unknown presences.

Curious, the trio wondered who these individuals were to be invited into this building, now designated as the “base of operations” for the uprising.

There was only one way to find out.

The girls ascended the stairs, reaching the third floor effortlessly.

With purposeful steps, they approached the room housing the presence and knocked.

“Please enter,” Sophia’s voice echoed from within.

Arianne turned the knob, opening the door and allowing the other two to enter first. Then, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Before them, as expected, were three familiar faces and five strangers.

“Eve!” Ria exclaimed, rushing to the little princess and enveloping her in a hug. “We were worried since you hadn’t returned! What were you doing?”

“Princess Eve, I’m glad you’re safe,” Arianne added, kneeling before her.

“Ah, right. I forgot to let you know…” Eve mumbled awkwardly. “But before I get into that, let me introduce everyone.” She gestured toward the five strangers.

“I met them in the sewers under the Residential Area,” she explained.

The man in the center, a human standing about six feet tall, well built and healthily tanned, spoke first. “I am Michael, the leader of the Resistance in the Empire.”

“…The Resistance?” Arianne frowned.

It seemed another peculiar group had joined the mix.

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