Lana takes a deep breath, trying to stay calm as she looks at the woman before her

  "My name is Lana Nye, Yrace" she says, bowing deeply to show her utmost respect for the Duchess

  Celeste et Eclipse - the most powerful figure in the northerory, one of the stro mages on the tury ti, and now, her new master

  After leading her here, He had quietly left, leaving Lana aloh Celeste and the child in her arms

  The room is steeped in silence. Uhe rest of the castle, this space is entirely different. There are ravagant decorations or luxurious furniture. Everything exudes an air of refined minimalism

  Celeste has snow-white hair, shimmering with a faint silver hue uhe dim light. Even in a simple white silk robe, she radiates an aura of elegand mystery

  'She's beautiful…'

  Lana 't help but admire her

  'I heard she's already 35, but she looks barely past 20. That must be the be of being a high-ranking mage, right?'

  She recalls what she has read about the world's most powerful mages

  In this world, those who wield mana are called mages. They are categorized into multiple levels, with Level 10 being the highest - a level that only a few people in history have ever reached. From Level 5 onward, mages begin to extend their lifespan, and upon reag Level 10, they live for over 200 years

  Celeste et Eclipse is a Level 9 mage

  That means, in terms of actual lifespan, she is still quite young

  'I wish I had the talent to use Mana...'

  As Las lost in thought, Celeste's voice suddenly pulls her back to reality.

  "The child in my arms is named Cassius Eclipse"

  "And as for me…" Celeste looks directly at Lana "You already know my name, so there's no need for an introdu"

  Lana swallows hard, her ill not fully settling

  'She's not just beautiful - her voice is incredible too…'

  Celeste's voice is deep yet clear, each word carrying a strange, natural authority. It isn't the kind of domihat es from intimidation or oppression, but rather the i dignity of someone who has stood at the pinnacle of power for far too long

  "You have been chosen as Cassius's caretaker, so there are a few things you must remember"

  Lana quickly regains focus, standing up straighter

  "Your primary duty is to care for him, ensuring that he is always safe ahy. You will be with Cassius almost all the time. Whenever I am not here, you will be the one fully responsible for him"

  Lana had expected this, but Celeste's words caught her pletely off guard

  "Cassius does not drink milk. Instead, he will drink my blood"

  Lana's eyes widened, and for a moment, she thought she had misheard

  "…Your blood?"

  "Yes" Celeste nodded, pletely unfazed

  La a sense of unease. A newborn drinking blood instead of milk? Was that even okay? After a brief hesitation, she asked

  "Is that… really good for the child?"

  Celeste met Lana's gaze, her eyes cold but devoid of anger

  "I was born with a unique ability - my blood eutralize mana. That makes it an incredibly valuable source of nourishment for him"

  Lana didn't fully grasp the meaning behind those words, but she knew Celeste was not someone who would do anything to harm this child

  Still, the thought of a newborn drinking blood felt undeniably strange

  After a brief internal struggle, Lana cautiously asked

  "…So, what does your blood taste like?"

  Celeste raised an eyebrow at the question but then answered calmly

  "I've tasted it before" She replies

  "It doesn't taste like milk, but it's not unpleasant. It's as mild as ordinary water"

  La out a small sigh of relief. At least it wasn't something gruesome

  She bowed her head slightly, ittie's words to memory

  "I uand. I will do my best to take care of Cassius"

  Celeste gave a slight nod, her gaze shifting down to the infant in her arms

  "I will give him my blood now. He has not fed since he was born, He must be starving"

  Lana blinked, surprised

  'He was just born? He really isn't her child, then. So where are his real parents?'

  She wao ask, but her instincts quickly stopped her. She khat noble affairs were often plicated - there were some things best left uioned

  More importantly…

  'Has he even beeered yet?'

  The tract she had signed tained a strict fidentiality cuse regarding everything that happened within the castle. That meae inteo keep Cassius's existence a secret

  'But why?'

  Lana didn't have time to dwell on it as Celeste gently pced a fiip in Cassius's mouth

  Immediately, the infant's tiny hands reached up, grasping her finger. His lips moved slightly as he began to suckle

  A faint smile appeared oe's face. Gone was the usual cold expression - at this moment, she looked gentle and full of warmth.

  Lana stood still, momentarily stunned

  'Is this really Duchess Celeste?'

  She had heard tless rumors about this woman - a cold and powerful figure who single-handedly upheld the Duke's authority, someone who instilled fear in all who crossed her path

  Yet now, Celeste was simply a tender mother, g for her fragile child

  Lana's gaze drifted to Cassius

  A newborn who drank blood instead of milk. A child hidden away by the Duchess, his existenknown to the world

  'Could Cassius be a vampire?' The thought surfaced in her mind before she could stop it