Ahhh, when was the last time I had slept this deep?

Ever since I'd become a Vampire, it had been one thing after the next. From participating in the Winter Hunt to training for the fight against Sirius to the anxious nights, I'd spent in Eyghon to finally the Bloodborne invasion of the Elven Forest.

My life had been hectic since I'd first become a Vampire. So much so that I never had a proper chance to release all the weight off my shoulders and spend a few nights off to just relax.

It felt like everything had been settled. I had gained magic, a feat I had dreamed of ever since becoming a cripple. I had become a Progenitor, an entity strong enough to stand against nations and most importantly… I had reunited with the four girls that I cared about most.

It felt like all of the burdens of the past and my sufferings… They had all been washed clean. I was now free, bound by nothing but my desires. It really felt freeing.

Though, as I slowly awakened from my deep sleep, there was something on my body…

As my flickering consciousness gradually got tickled, I felt the weight on my body first. It wasn't oppressive or anything; rather, with my enhanced body state, it felt quite light. Then, my other senses quickly came online. My fingers moved without my command as the tender touch of smooth, peachy skin overtook my sense of touch.

My nose picked up on something as well. Four distinct fragrances, each just as luxurious and exclusive as the other, were merged to create an intoxicating aroma. Not just that, there were remnant scents of debauchery and fornication, adding a different layer to the exhilarating fragrance.

My hearing was next to be stimulated. I heard four distinct snores, each just as sweet as the others. Well, to call the noises I heard snoring would be a stretch. They were just adorable breaths that sounded resonant to my ears. Not that it was a bad thing.

And finally, my eyes opened up.

Four beauties, each one comparable, nay, surpassing the divinely good looks of Goddesses, were plastered down on my body. They were blissfully snoozing away, their eyes tightly shut and their faces joyfully rested.

They must have been exhausted after our long night together, as no matter how much I touched them, they weren't reacting as much. Only Irina started to purr as she felt my familiar touch.

How cute…

As my hands continued to stroke the white-haired Goddess' head, I noticed something different with the girls. For the most part, their souls had been completely changed. Putting Rosa aside, the three girls had expanded their magic power capacity far more than any Vampire their age. Heck, they even surpassed Vampires who had lived for thousands of years. Perhaps only ancient beings like Matriarch Everwinter could match the girls.

However, these three girls are all less than thirty years old, an infant when it came to Vampire terms. Should they be given enough time and resources, I'm confident they could exceed Matriarch Everwinter in a decade or less.

Rosa shouldn't be excluded as well.

The Shadowgarden House had genetically modified Rosa to synchronise with the World Tree, and as a consequence, the girl was able to reach the Progenitor level artificially. Rosa wasn't considered a true Progenitor as most of her power was derived from the World Tree and the Spirits that contracted with her.

Well, not anymore.

Now that Rosa had absorbed the jewel and my essence, she had fully evolved into a Progenitor. I don't know how she did it, but she used my Progenitor powers to kickstart her own ascension. She no longer required the World Tree to artificially boost her powers and was now a powerhouse equal to Dracula himself.

With this, Rosalyn Shadowgarden should now be recorded as the Third Progenitor of the Vampire race. ????????????????e????????. ????ｏ????

"Jin… You're awake?"

As I was happily admiring the view I had, a sleepy yawn broke me free from my thoughts. Turning down, I saw Lilith's morning, teary eyes gazing right at me as she crawled up the bed to feel my warmth.

"Morning, Lilith… How are you feeling?"

"Tired…"

"Haha, right. You never were much of a morning person."

"We're Vampires, Jin. We weren't meant to frolic about in daylight." Lilith retorted with an adorable pout. "Though, I do feel more energised than before."

"Haha, don't you know why?"

"Why? No, wait…"

My words seemingly lit a light bulb in the smart Moonreaver's mind. Lilith had always been a woman with extraordinary gifts, particularly when it came to comprehension and understanding the nature of her magic. Therefore, there was no way that Lilith wouldn't notice the changes to her body.

"I've… become stronger?"

"Not just that," I smiled and placed my palm on her chest. A surge of magic power flowed from my hands to her heart, and her eyes began to light up.

"You've evolved. Your potential has increased, and you can't be classified as a True Vampire anymore. You're essentially between the threshold of a Vampire and a Progenitor now. If you train your magic enough, I'm confident that you can become a Progenitor soon." e strong enough to be classified as a Progenitor.

"Yes, congratulations. Once you've become a Progenitor, there's nothing the Moonreaver House can do to restrain you anymore. You would be free to do whatever you choose."

"Jin…"

I took Lilith into my arms and gently caressed her face. She had never told me this before, but I could guess her deepest intentions. Lilith hated being restrained and never once thought of sitting on the Lunar Throne. The only thing that she wanted to do was spend the rest of her life researching magic and the arcane arts.

Lilith was similar to my former self in many aspects when I spent my entire life delving into magic theory.

Alas, the Moonreaver House was far too powerful for her to go against with her current powers. In other words, Lilith had to bury her dreams deep within. But Lilith would surpass the Moonreaver House altogether with her new powers.

And, of course…

"But if you don't want to fight the Moonreaver House, there's always the option of sheltering under mine," I spoke in an upbeat manner. "Now that I'm a Progenitor, the Moonreaver House will have to give me some face. I may not be able to subjugate every Vampire like Dracula did in the past, but I'm confident handling one Guardian House."

"Hmph, show off…"

Lilith harrumphed and leaned into my chest with a warm smile. As the new Progenitor, I had enough confidence to fight against an entire Guardian House if I had to. After all, I had experienced what the Bloodborne House had first-hand. Not to mention, I still had much to improve from that prior fight.

I wasn't far off from my ultimate dream… To be the strongest being in existence.

"Now that you mention it, how are you planning to establish your new House?" Lilith rubbed her face on my chest, wiping the mesmerising smile away. "You may have become a Progenitor, but the Nine Guardian Houses won't stand by as a potential Dracula 2.0 rises."

"Not to worry about that," I flashed a confident grin. "Unlike Dracula, I don't need all Vampires to serve me. The Valter House will be established as a minor House, with only a few members at its core. I won't seek to expand or affect any of the other Houses. Rather, I'll give them partnerships that they cannot refuse."

"... Through force?"

"HAHAHA, of course not!"

There was a reason why the Bloodborne House, once the premier Vampire House and the strongest organisation on the planet, fell. They were far too arrogant and sought to put every living creature beneath their feet.

While I was strong, I couldn't take on the entire Vampire race or the entire world, for that matter. Not yet, at least. So I'll have to find the best method of living harmoniously with my new partners.

"I will develop a new energy source that can give infinite power to any organisation. With my powers of Creation, I'm confident of making a nuclear core that can give infinite energy that could even power entire Nightmare Realms! Plus, with my mastery over Spacetime, I can improve on the existing Warp Gates and develop new methods to bring the Vampire race to prosperity. I already have many ideas in mind. But, if all of them fail…"

While I was willing to compromise, I was well aware of my current position.

I was a Progenitor. The most powerful Vampire alive. If the Nine Guardian Houses wouldn't accept the peaceful route, then…

"I'll just beat them into submission."

"HAHA, that sure sounds like you, Jin!" After a brief pause, Lilith burst out laughing. "But if you're going to stand against all of them, you'll need to make sure that the people most important to you are protected. Otherwise, they'll be able to use them against you."

"I know that; that's why I've given you four the crystals, right?"

"I'm not talking about us," Lilith chuckled as she looked at the clock. "Hmmm, it's about time now. They should be arriving soon."

"They?"

I was stumped for a moment, but I quickly realised who the blonde Goddess was referring to. My senses heightened briefly, and I scanned the entire Elven Forest. I ignored the Elves, the trees and all the inhabitants of the gigantic jungle and zoned in on the two familiar figures that shouldn't be there.

One was huge and lanky, while the other slender and homely. They were housed comfortably within the Elven Sanctuary, completely unaware of my gaze. Yet, they were two figures I would never forget, even if it meant ripping my soul in two.

"Mom! Dad!"