Serey Villeries, son of the Night King, a noble Night Race Lord, and a traitor who aimed to overthrow the Eternal Night Empire...

In Bologue’s eyes, Serey always seemed spirited, even when hiding in the Undying Club, he used his outstanding charm to become a midnight wanderer, flitting among the ladies.

Bologue had to admit, some traits are buried deep within certain people, and Serey naturally possessed such qualities, keeping his head held high no matter the time or place. But now, Bologue had never seen Serey so gaunt, like a fallen vagabond.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Bologue asked with concern, stepping forward, prompting Serey to step back, keeping his body always shrouded in shadow.

"Nothing, just thinking about some things," Serey replied in a low voice.

"Haven’t closed your eyes for several days and nights of thinking?"

Bologue guessed that Serey might be pressured by the rise of the Night Race.

The current world had become turbulent, and at times Bologue felt that even the Undying Club was no longer safe. Serey must have felt a tremendous sense of crisis, especially since once the Night Race rose fully, their first act would be to clear out traitors.

Olivia’s curse still echoed in Bologue’s mind.

"No..."

Serey’s mental state was evidently off. He was avoiding Bologue’s words, yet also seemed to want to ask something, until finally, his voice slowly emerged.

"You encountered a Night Race a few days ago, didn’t you?" Serey asked, "You brought him to the Undying Club, then took him away."

Bologue was somewhat surprised. He remembered not mentioning these things to Serey.

"Yes, what about it," Bologue confessed.

"Who was that Night Race?"

Scarlet eyes stared directly at Bologue; this question was very important to Serey.

"A priest, an ordinary person who, because of an accident, was given blood by a Night Race," Bologue continued to confess, also probing Serey.

"And then?"

"I captured him and imprisoned him in the Order Bureau," Bologue said, "he should still be at the Crow’s Nest, undergoing inspection."

This time Serey closed his eyes, remaining silent for a long while. If it weren’t for Bologue sensing Serey’s slight breathing, he would have thought Serey had already left the shadows.

Inside the stairwell, there was a deathly silence, while outside, joyous singing resounded, a beautiful scene with an undercurrent of crisis, constantly spiraling.

"That priest’s blood is off."

Serey mustered great courage to say this, "The Night Race who gave him blood must be pure blood."

Serey couldn’t understand. At the end of the Dawn War, he burned his siblings, sealed the Night King. In theory, besides himself and his cowardly father, there shouldn’t be any pure-blooded Night Race left in this world.

No... there still are.

A name invaded Serey’s mind, and he found it hard to believe, feeling immense terror. He was very afraid of this assumption coming true, leaving him at a loss for what to do.

"Not Olivia."

Bologue, as if knowing what Serey was worried about, spoke directly.

Serey froze for a moment, staring intently at Bologue.

"The priest confessed everything to me. The one who gave him blood is the Regent King," Bologue began to harbor new doubts, "which means, the Regent King is pure blood... theoretically, there should be no pure blood left in this world, right?"

Serey exhaled a sigh of relief, pressure melting away, but after hearing Bologue’s next words, his gaze tensed once again.

Bologue scrutinized the shadows, some footsteps sounded from within, gradually fading away.

"How selfish of you, Serey," Bologue said unkindly, "now that it’s not related to Olivia, you don’t care?"

Bologue’s words didn’t harm Serey in the slightest, and he vanished completely into the shadows.

Taking a deep breath, Bologue quickly calmed his emotions. No matter how noble and spirited Serey’s identity might be, it couldn’t change the fact that he was essentially a coward.

This was a curse etched into the Villeries bloodline.

Bologue turned to join the gathering, as if nothing had happened.

While Bologue was conversing with Serey, a few more new guests arrived at the Undying Club, namely Belli and Balder. Everyone chatted and laughed, the joy lasted late into the night, until Hart left first.

"We have operations tomorrow, so we’ll leave first."

Hart, along with Kemp and Shelley, left. Since the emergence of the Sanguine Sect and the Night Race around Oubos in Oath City, the Order Bureau had strengthened patrols in the surrounding areas to reinforce their control. Early tomorrow they had to head into the suburbs to track down the enemy’s traces.

After this was Vasilina, who expressed her gratitude to Bologue and the group for the hospitality, but like Hart, she had to start her duties tomorrow. Vasilina hoped to sleep early to start her first day of work in good condition.

Everyone understood, and Vasilina smiled as she took Palmer by the arm, insisting he escort her back.

Aimou left with Belli and Balder. Bologue wanted to see her off, but Aimou waved him away, refusing politely. Unlike the others, Aimou was returning to work overtime with Belli.

As friends continued to leave, eventually only Bologue was left in the Undying Club, cleaning up the aftermath of the revelry with Bode.