Duke Pendragon

Chapter Side Story 42

"Vampire."

"Yes Master!"

Berna immediately stopped biting into the fish and answered while standing at attention.

"The one known as Number 1. Is he strong?"

"Yes. I don't know the details, but Number 2 and Number 3 would sometimes speak of how they wouldn't be a match for him even if they joined forces."

"Hmm, is that so?"

Raven nodded while feeling a little disappointed.

Number 2 and Number 3 possessed more information compared to Berna regarding the internal situation of the Shadow Brotherhood and about Number 1.

That was why he had asked Soldrake to use her Spirit of the Dragon to have them speak the truth. However, the problem was that their minds would collapse after being exposed to Soldrake's spirit for a long period of time, even if they were considered strong in the human world.

After a couple of interrogations, they were crippled, and no more information could be obtained regarding Number 1.

"And I'm not too sure about this, but…"

Brena was desperate to get into Ravne's good shoes. She spoke somewhat hesitatingly.

Isla responded in a cold voice.

"The lord will be the judge of it. Speak."

"Yes!"

Her hesitation disappeared at the speed of light, and Berna eagerly spoke her mind.

"In fact, Number 3 mentioned something in the past – that Number 1 may not be just a single person."

"Hmm?"

"Not just a single person?"

"Yes!"

Raven and Isla frowned while sharing a gaze, and Berna quickly continued.

"The Shadow Brotherhood is distributed throughout the empire and receives more requests than you would think. But only Number 1 and Number 2 would handle everything. Even if there were about 30 people in total, it would have been difficult for the two of them to handle all the requests. Moreover, there were many commissions that would have been difficult for those weaker than me to take… So, uh, although it's embarrassing, I could be called the threshold for those who are strong, so…"

"You're saying that it would only add up if there were more people who were both talented and smart?"

"Yes."

Berna nodded her head. She marveled at the fact that Raven understood so quickly.

"No one in the organization has ever seen Number 1 either, so it could be true, my lord."

"Hmm, definitely…"

Raven agreed with Isla and sank into thought. He suddenly raised his hand and spoke with a glimmer.

"Vampire, do you know the origin of the Shadow Brotherhood's name?"

"What? Ah, well, that's…"

She was taken aback by the sudden question, but Berna instinctively attempted to answer it. However, she was unsuccessful.

"Uh, well… Well… I, I apologize! I do not know either!"

She had been a part of the organization for nearly ten years, but she was unaware of its origins. She never had the need to really think about It either. She took it as it was, since that was what the others called it.

"Why would they call it the Shadow Brotherhood in the first place?"

Raven asked once again while turning towards Isla, as if he had not been expecting much from Berna in the first place.

"The name of an organization serves to explain its roots or its ideology. The Grey Outlaws also shared in the fact that all the founding members wore grey clothes."

"That's right. So then why would they call the organization "Shadow Brotherhood"? Why did they use the words 'Shadow' and 'Brotherhood' of all the words?"

"Ah…!"

Isla contemplated for a moment, then raised his head as if coming to a realization. Raven spoke softly with a cold smile.

"That's right. It's because the founders are real brothers."

"Ah…"

Berna was in awe. Raven's simple reasoning made sense, and it was something she had never thought of, even though it was her organization.

"It might be natural for the vampire to be ignorant, but even Number 2 doesn't know much about the organization's head. That means that he's not actually a crucial member, nor one of the brothers."

"Yes, I think you have a point, my lord. Hmm, then what do you think is represented by the word shadow?"

Isla frowned, and Raven replied with a smile.

"It's simple. Sol, what is a shadow?"

Soldrake spoke in an indifferent voice. She had been quietly listening to the conversation.

"Shadow. Something that always follows. Whether it is a life or an object, a shadow is always with it from the moment it's created."

Soldrake explained it in a simple, but accurate manner. It was befitting for her as the Queen of a race capable of seeing the essence of things.

"That's right. As Sol said, a shadow follows from the moment you are born. Brothers who are like shadows. What do you think, can you guess?"

"Hmm. Ah! Perhaps!"

Isla thought for a moment with a frown, then raised his head.

"Are you suggesting they might be twins?"

"That's right. I'm not sure as to the exact number of the siblings, but I'm certain that the one named Number 1 is, or the ones named Number 1 are twins at the least."

Raven was sure.

All the evidence, including the circumstances and Berna's story, were pointing towards this conclusion.

"T, this is amazing! Master!"

"What?"

Berna raised her voice, and Raven turned towards her with a frown.

"You may not believe it, but I was considered quite intelligent in the brotherhood. But now I see that I am nothing but a mere firefly in front of the sun compared to you master! I never even thought about it during the ten years I spent in the organization. To think you could simply… You are amazing!"

"It's not that I'm amazing, but rather that you guys are stupid. It only takes a short time to…"

"Yes! I was a fool!"

Berna immediately agreed with her master's words, but she thought a little different. Although it was quite shabby compared to the two absolute monsters in front of her, the Shadow Brotherhood was a strong, dangerous assassination organization that could be ranked as one of the top three in the empire.

Moreover, a group of assassins did more than killing people in secret. They needed to use their heads after receiving a commission. They would need to devise a plan and implement it. In other words, one needed to be quite smart to succeed as an assassin, unlike knights and mercenaries.

The Shadow Brotherhood was crawling with such people. However, no one had ever properly deduced the identity of the organization and its head before. The King of Pendragon had accomplished something that no one had ever done before, and with extreme ease to boot.

"The members call each other brothers, right? Even though none of you are real brothers."

"Ah, yes."

"That must have been implemented by the twins to hide their identity. It would be perfect. It would increase the loyalty of the members and make them easier to manipulate."

"….."

Berna remained silent. Raven was accurately grasping the organization. Since they were brothers willing to bleed for each other, they would voluntarily sacrifice themselves for their comrades when faced with unexpected situations during their commissions.

The vacant seats of the deceased were quickly filled by other assassins inheriting the titles of their predecessors, and naturally, the dead were quickly forgotten. Of course, Berna didn't agree with such childish values at all as a half-vampire, but the others seemed to be quite satisfied with the organization's structure.

But to think it was a mere maneuver of the organization's heads…

"There is no need to be upset, vampire. It's not only the heads of the Shadow Brotherhood. Most monarchs and lords control their subordinates in a similar fashion."

"Ah, yes…"

"Of course, there is one person who is different."

Berna nodded helplessly, and Isla declared.

"The figure standing in front of you know, His Majesty King Pendragon, my lord, is different. My lord sacrificed his life for me and the warriors of Pendragon. It would be the greatest insult to compare him to the killer you've been following until now."

"…..!"

Berna became wide-eyed.

She had forgotten for a moment.

Isla was right. The one she became enslaved to, the one who knew her True Name, was different. She assumed the emperor had been exaggerating in his declaration seven years ago, but she now knew the truth. The absolute monster of a human, Alan Pendragon, would have willingly sacrificed his life for his followers.

"M, master!"

"What?"

Berna suddenly shouted after a moment of blank stares. Raven replied with a slight frown.

"Please take me in! I will give you everything! If you tell me to die, I will die! I will never drink human blood again! Please! Please take me in!"

Berna shouted passionately while groveling on the ground. Born as a half-vampire, she was rejected by her kind. When she headed to the world of humans, she was once again threatened and labelled as a monster.

The only place that would accept her was a group of killers like the Shadow Brotherhood. It was a decision she made to survive, and to one day take revenge on the vampires.

She lived a life killing humans without any guilt until now, but unfortunately, she encountered an absolute monster.

As always, she attempted to preserve her life by getting on his good side.

But no longer.

'If it's him… If it's master…!'

He was ruthless and merciless toward the enemy, but also willing to give his life for his own. Those around him trusted him and followed him.

Wasn't it not long ago that she saw even the emperor treating him like a friend?

"I am useful! I will never do anything to harm master and the Pendragon family! I will do anything!"

Raven stared at the crying vampire before opening his lips.

"Stand up and look at me, vampire."

"Yes…"

She struggled to raise her head, and Raven continued in a cold voice.

"You attempted to kidnap my sister and my son. It is an offence to be paid with your life."

"…..!"

Berna shivered.

She would say the same thing in his position. Wasn't that why she swore vengeance against the vampire clans who led her mother to a miserable death?

Did she not pledge to rip them apart and throw them to become food for the pigs?

"I only let you live because you would be useful until this matter was resolved."

"Yes…"

She was familiar with abandonment. However, this wasn't something to be sad about. It wasn't unfair.

This time, she brought it on herself.

"But I will give you a chance."

"…..!"

Berna jerked her head up at his following words.

His eyes were still indifferent and cold.

However, she discovered hope for the first time in Raven's apathetic gaze.

"Be faithful to me and Pendragon. All those I reaped showed their sincerity to me. That is why I call them mine. But you are different. Show it to me not with your words, but with your actions. If you abandon things that are most precious to you and show loyalty to me and Pendragon…"

As Raven continued, Berna's trembling intensified.

"Then I will call you mine."

"Master…!"

At his last words, tears started flowing from her eyes. The vampire had only known murder and revenge thus far, and it was the first time her eyes were wetted since the day she was born from her mother's womb.