[I'm back, and Merry Christmas!!! Hope you have had a wonderful holiday!!!]

Matriarch Innocence sat silently in her abode, staring blankly at the two empty chairs. It had been five minutes since she had been stuck in her trance, her body completely frozen from the utter shock she had suffered. Unmoving and untouched, it took one familiar voice to wake the ancient Vampire up from her stupor.

"My liege, I see that your discussion has ended."

"..."

The Everwinter Matriarch remained silent and didn't answer her faithful servant. Creaking her head back, she eyed the butler from head to toe and slowly regained her composure.

"Variel… Did you know about this?"

"Damien's plans? No, of course not." Variel denied it vehemently. "I'm surprised that Jin managed to unveil this plot too. Did he use the Shadowgarden House to investigate? Or does he have some magical ability as a Progenitor?"

"I don't know…"

The woman didn't confirm or deny Variel's conjectures for a simple reason… She honestly didn't know. It has been thousands of years since Matriarch Innocence felt this way. Over time, the Everwinter supreme leader learned to evaluate and read people with just a glance. It didn't matter if they were powerful Vampires or esteemed members of the Holy Church. Matriarch Innocence could read them all like a book.

However… Jin gave her a mystery that surpassed anything she'd ever experienced. Even as she faced him head-on, she couldn't comprehend the enigma that was Jin Valter.

Matriarch Innocence slowly placed her elbows on the table and let out a huge sigh: "Jin Valter… This Progenitor really is something else."

"... What are your thoughts? Do you think the Everwinter House can go against him?"

"No," the ancient Vampire shook her head. "I can't even imagine how powerful that boy… No, that monster is. Even as I sat right before him, I couldn't evaluate his strength. When I attempted to probe him secretly, he instantly caught me and showed me a part of his soul, which overwhelmed me for the remainder of our conversation."

"... He's that powerful now?"

Variel couldn't help but gasp. Other than Dracula himself, Matriarch Everwinter has never been intimidated by anyone. Her power was ranked among the world's top five, and she could easily be considered the most powerful female Vampire alive. And yet…

She was intimidated by a mere boy who wasn't even thirty years old.

"I don't know how he became a Progenitor, but he's unquestionably the most powerful being in the world. Even Dracula in his prime couldn't strike such fear into my soul…"

"Do you mean… He's stronger than Dracula?" Variel let out a cry of surprise at the Matriarch's confession. Jin had just become a Vampire, and yet… He had already surpassed the most powerful Vampire in existence?!

"I don't know… I can't tell how high that monster's ceiling is. When I face Dracula, I can at least feel like I can match the man. Other than the annoying binding ability that forces all Vampires to serve him, Dracula's magic is in no way superior to mine. Jin Valter… That monster, on the other hand…" ????????????????????????????. ????૦m

Matriarch Innocence recalled the moment Jin released the shroud that protected his soul. It was all over in an instant, but her soul seemed to have been forced into a vortex of endless magic and power. She felt like a spectator to the greatest cosmic show in existence, infinitely inferior and weaker than the man who sat in front of her.

"It felt like… I wasn't even in his eyes. Like I was an ant, and he… the giant. If I'm the strongest Vampire in the world, that monster is the strongest existence in the entire universe… That's what I got from watching his soul."

Variel was silent for a good minute. He was trying to digest the Matriarch's words, but no matter what he did, he couldn't wash away the pure shock on his face.

"If that's the case… The Everwinter House shouldn't cross him."

"Does the universe care whether a mere mortal lives or dies?" Matriarch Innocence scoffed. "I'd always thought that I would reign supreme over the world… Who knew that such a monstrous existence would come into being? The Everwinter House stands no chance against him and the fact that he can only grow from here…"

Jin had only just become a Progenitor. As time passed, he would unquestionably grow more powerful and innovate new magic that only Progenitors could use. Even if they didn't submit now, the Everwinter House would eventually have to bend the knee.

"On the bright side, that monster is less dangerous than Dracula."

"Less dangerous? How come?"

"What is more dangerous? A deranged dog or a peaceful elephant?"

"Ah!"

"Yes, Dracula was a deranged tyrant. He would do anything to increase his power and influence, even if it meant treating his subjects like utter trash. The Guardian Houses have always held a grudge against the Bloodborne House because of that fact. We're lucky that Jin Valter isn't like that… Well, not yet, at least."

Matriarch Innocence's voice held an ominous tone that couldn't hide her intense fear and unease.

Not willing to probe his liege any further, Variel concluded the topic by asking about the other discussed subject.

"If that's the case… Are you going to let him deal with Damien?"

"What's there to let? Even if I had raised my objections, he would have silenced me. I'm not idiotic enough to test my might against a Progenitor."

"I see… That's a pity. I much liked Young Master Damien."

"Well, his fate was sealed when he signed a deal with the Holy Church."

The Everwinter leader grimaced in disgust as she read through the evidence that Jin provided. It was one thing to conspire against Jin, but to hold hands with the Holy Church? The Matriarch couldn't imagine a Vampire sinking that low.

"... Once the dust has settled, we will need to restructure the Everwinter House. Let's change our archaic system so pitiful lambs like Damien and Irina will never appear again."

"As you command… My liege."

Matriarch Innocence looked out the window at the deep snow before letting out a deep sigh for her many children that were about to be purged during this rough Winter night.

??

"Brother… Aren't we going straight to Damien's headquarters? Why are we waiting here?"

Right after I'd concluded my business with the Matriarch, I led Irina back to her private bungalow to enjoy a nice, private brother-sister bonding time. Usually, Irina would have been ecstatic about spending alone time with me, especially since the other three girls had come into our lives. But now that she was back home, Irina couldn't feel at ease with enemies like Damien all around her.

If it were up to her, she would prefer that we eradicate Damien's entire faction, and then we could enjoy our lustful nights together.

Laying by my side with her entire porcelain white body displayed for me to see, it was hard to resist my urge to eat her up once more and take her question seriously. However, I controlled myself this time and replied:

"Damien's days are numbered. Now that the Matriarch has given me full authority to do as I please, I can eliminate him without moving my finger. However, my main enemy isn't Damien, Irina."

"... You can't mean!" Irina's eyes perked up as she finally caught on to my intentions. "You wish to lure the Holy Church out using Damien as bait?"

"Yeap!"

Damien may have been a threat to me when I first came to the Everwinter House a year ago, but it was a different story now. With my abilities, I could annihilate his entire faction just by thinking about it. I may sound arrogant, but my powers far exceeded any powerhouse the Everwinter House possessed. Killing Damien would be as simple as breathing for me.

The main problem I had wasn't some idiotic Vampire who wished to enter an early grave but the entity backing him up.

The Holy Church.

"I've never faced up against the Holy Church in my life. I've heard that they use Holy magic that was bestowed by their God, but I've never seen it firsthand. Rumour has it that Holy magic is extremely effective on Vampires and other enemies of humanity, which doesn't make sense from a scientific perspective. In fact, the notion of an almighty God goes against everything I've seen."

It was the greatest modern-day paradox.

The Holy Church claims they'd obtained their magic from God, a being that was both ephemeral and yet, all-powerful. I have always been interested in facts and result-based proofs as a researcher. Therefore, the fact that Holy magic, which is said to be derived from one's faith, even exists baffles me to this day.

I didn't believe in the Holy Church's God, but it was a fact that Holy magic existed. Not only did it exist, it was part of humanity's daily life until magical science became widely understood. As the years passed and magical science improved, the Holy Church's influence over humanity waned a little, but half of the world's entire population still followed that faith.

"Even summoning an Archangel… First of all, how are angels real? If angels are real, is God real? If God is real and the Holy Church's doctrines are legitimate, how would God let us Vampires exist? Why would God allow the Outer Demons to invade our planet?"

"Do you want to find out if God is real?"

"Perhaps…"

I smiled and brought my hand down from Irina's head and slid it down her naked back.

"Now that I am a Progenitor, my comprehension of the world has changed. I have seen the River of Life. I can communicate with Spirits. I have eyes that can see through creation itself. If I can examine Holy magic, or even better, watch the summoning of an angel with my own eyes… I can perhaps unravel the mystery that is God."

It wasn't a stretch to say that I was the strongest existence on the planet. I didn't know how powerful the other Demon Lords were, but at least on Earth, there wasn't anyone who could threaten my life.

The God of the Holy Church, on the other hand… If he's real, that being might be the biggest threat to me. Especially since the Holy Church has openly shown their hostility towards me with its conspiracy.

"So I'll need to understand what Holy magic is, and if possible… What is the true face of God? So at the very least, I can learn how to protect myself and, if need be… Fight against him."

"Wow," Irina whispered in wonder. "Now that you've become the strongest existence on Earth, you're planning to go up against God himself?"

"Anything to protect you, my love."

I looked down at my blushing sister and planted a solemn kiss on her forehead. Flushing red, the white-haired Goddess squirmed within my arms in ecstasy before sinking deeper into my body until no gaps remained between us.

"I have full faith in you, Brother… No one can defeat you, even if it was God himself."

"Haha, that's right. I'll never be defeated so long as you're standing behind me."

"Brother…"

Irina and I interlocked our eyes as our intense feelings were transmitted to each other. Now, I didn't know about the Holy Church and its practices, but the two of us spoke with tongues plenty of times throughout our first lustful night back at the Everwinter Estate.