Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 38: Throw Parties, Not People

Chapter 38: Throw Parties, Not People

"Sir Kai, what did you say to Margrave Edward? Were you discussing the petition against me?" Riona’s face brightened with hope.

He didn’t answer right away. After a short deliberation, he decided to respond, "Yes, I found out about it some time ago."

"What was that Count doing with you?"

The embarrassing memory of mistaking that man for the Minister of Defense returned to Riona, but she quickly dismissed it before her face could turn red.

"Count Otto is one of the Generals. He is the only person taking this issue seriously. I discussed the petition with Sir Dusan, but his words were as cryptic as ever. It feels like I can never get through to him," he said.

Sir Kai exhaled loudly. It was interesting how some people could treat other people’s business as if it were their personal concern. But thanks to Sir Kai’s overbearing nature, Riona might be able to overcome this hurdle.

She had to become a Nightwatch Novice if she wanted to escape the royal palace with Florian.

He lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. "How did your talk with Margrave Edward go?"

The way he chose to ask that question instead of pointing out that he knew it hadn’t gone well made Riona almost laugh.

"He has quite a unique way of showing affection. Instead of offering tea, he threw his beloved guests against the wall. Or maybe it’s just me, since you managed to leave the study under your own power."

Sir Kai couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of her sarcasm, but he had witnessed the entire incident. "I see that it didn’t go well for you either," he remarked.

Duh! Why did he ask such an obvious question in the first place?

"Now we’re rather stuck, aren’t we? Does this mean I’ve lost my chance, even though I earned it, just because a silly girl was jealous of my accomplishments?" Riona pretended to be sad, stealing quick glances at Sir Kai to gauge his reaction.

As expected, his eyebrows creased slightly as if he were looking at an abandoned wounded puppy.

"No! I can’t let that happen. Every injustice, no matter how trivial, must have consequences. And there’s nothing trivial about the petition. As you said, you earned a place as a Nightwatch Novice; no one should take that away from you."

Sir Kai folded his arms across his chest and started to pace back and forth slowly. Deep in thought, he placed his index finger on his chin.

"No matter how you look at it," he began, "a petition to prevent a candidate who has passed a test from receiving her reward is unjust. There should be no law that would allow it."

He lifted his head, staring at the ceiling as if the answer were hidden somewhere up there. Then he looked down, this time focusing on his shoes—or was it the bricks of the floor?

"Without a proper legal basis, the petition would not be strong enough to push you aside," he concluded.

"But Margrave Edward himself expressed his intention to kick me out. If the head of the organization doesn’t want me, what can we do?"

Riona was not pitying herself. She was not lamenting her unfortunate situation due to others’s grudges. She simply stated the fact so Sir Kai could help think of a solution because she couldn’t find one.

"Hm..." Sir Kai’s signature gesture when he was thinking returned. "That is indeed quite a challenge. But returning to your first point, your passing the Trials is official and written on the record. To alter it, one would need a strong argument backed by the law."

He hummed to himself and added, "We should bring this to His Majesty."

The mere idea of going to King Valentin about this gave Riona goosebumps. She gulped to moisten her dry throat. She couldn’t believe the king had such an effect on her, but it was true.

"No. Seriously, Sir Kai, have you been living in a cave or something? I thought it was public knowledge that my uncle hates me," she adamantly refused.

Judging from his calm reaction, he must have known about it, but for some reason, he believed King Valentin’s hatred towards Riona wouldn’t stand in the way.

"Personal motives should not cloud one’s judgment in a courtroom. He can hate you all he wants, but he can’t make decisions based on that," he shared his perspective.

Meanwhile, Riona was not convinced. King Valentin’s acrimony towards her ran deep, and she doubted that any official document or written law would stop him from making her life even more miserable.

As if reading her apprehension, Sir Kai said, "If we bring this matter to be investigated out in the open, even His Majesty wouldn’t dare to act recklessly."

"Out in the open?" Riona repeated with a look of bewilderment.

Sir Kai nodded, firm in his plan. "We will raise this matter in a public setting. The more crowded it is, the better."

Riona pictured the situation and began to understand Sir Kai’s confidence. Despite his disdain, King Valentin was calculating.

He understood the potency of public sentiment and gossip. Just like during the grand banquet, where Riona caused a scene, if it were another public event, he would have no choice but to act justly.

"The Blood Moon Masquerade is coming up," Sir Kai stated.

The Blood Moon is a rare occurrence that typically does not happen within at least fifteen years of each other. There was even a time when the Blood Moon occurred a hundred and nine years after the previous one.

The last Blood Moon happened eighteen years ago, and it will occur again in the middle of this year.

Since the Blood Moon is an auspicious event for all vampires, the masquerade will be open to all nobles, while commoners enjoy their own masquerade event in the town square.

"Alright. I like the plan," Riona agreed immediately. This plan was certainly better than nothing.

"In the meantime, we must gather allies and evidence."

"Do werewolves count as allies?"

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