Chapter 21 The Ceremony Begins
Elena thought it over and felt that her father's plan was perfect. If she started the ceremony immediately after canceling the invitation of the Blood Disaster Flower, that guest would be caught off guard and have no choice but to fulfill the contract and become her one hundredth guest.
"But my coming-of-age ceremony is supposed to start at noon, isn't it? Won't there be a problem if we move it up without notifying the guests?" Elena worried.
"Your coming-of-age ceremony cannot be held after noon. After noon, it would be dusk, which is against tradition and etiquette. But before that, when exactly it will start depends on Alucard. When he shakes the bell rope on the stage, the bell at the top of the castle will ring," Dracula patiently explained. "As soon as the bell rings, your ceremony will begin. The number of guests is fixed and cannot be changed. At that time, all the guests will be present!"
"But it's worth mentioning that I am also one of your guests. Once the bell rings, I can only be your guest until your ceremony ends. I won't be able to do anything. And Alucard will start his speech after the bell rings. Before he finishes, you must get to the stage! Do you understand?" Dracula instructed.
"I understand. But why does it have to be Alucard who rings the bell and gives the speech?" Elena asked, confused.
"Every step of the ceremony must be done by your closest relatives. Only then will it be in accordance with etiquette and a complete coming-of-age ceremony that can unlock your full vampire power!" Dracula explained. "Since I will be one of your guests, only Alucard can do all this."
"If you had invited Alucard as your guest before, then after he rings the bell, it would be Margaret who gives the speech at the ceremony."
"I can't guarantee that you will obtain your full vampire power in such a ceremony."
Elena felt relieved. It was a good thing that Alucard always refused her invitations. If it were Margaret, her ceremony would be ruined for sure. Wait... Alucard couldn't possibly not know all this, could he? Did he always refuse to be a guest because he subconsciously wanted his sister to be fine? Was he the kind of brother who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside?
Elena nodded. "Alright, Father. Then I'll go ask Alucard to get ready now."
"Wait a moment, Elena."
"What is it, Father?" Elena stopped her anxious steps and turned around.
Then she saw Dracula's large hand grab her other arm and tear it off with a grinding of his teeth! Blood sprayed freely from her shoulder, and his sweaty, weak appearance was reflected in her blood-red eyes, terrifying her!
"Father!!"
Elena, suppressing her fear, quickly approached. "What are you doing?"
Dracula pushed a section of his arm directly into Elena's arms, enduring the intense pain and said, "To make the Blood Disaster Flower abandon the contract, a greater price is needed. But a section of my King-level arm is enough."
"Father!" Elena's blood-red eyes rolled, and she began to cry.
"Don't worry, Elena," Dracula straightened up and said with a bold tone, "I am an immortal King, my body is ever-renewing! Even if I lose the strength of one arm, it is still powerful enough to protect every living being in the castle!!"
Elena's face kept twisting, and tears filled her cheeks.
"Go, Elena! I'm sorry you were born with only one arm, so now you can only hold it with one hand..."
Elena was suddenly shocked. She gradually lowered her head and found that her entire right arm had vanished...
"Quick, Elena! Before He finds you!" Dracula weakly urged.
Elena nodded vigorously, then held Dracula's limb tightly with her left hand, letting the blood stain her body and face, and ran desperately towards the Blood Disaster Flower!
"Alucard!!"
"Alucard——"
Elena screamed in confusion.
Clang——
A slender sword suddenly pointed at Elena. "You look very abnormal, Princess Elena!" The bald butler blocked her way with a cold gaze.
"Nosferatu! Get out of the way! My daughter has not been truly found by Him yet!!" Dracula rushed into the hall with a weak body and shouted loudly.
"Yes, King," the bald butler sheathed his sword and then stepped aside politely.
"What... is going on?" Alucard rushed over upon hearing the commotion. He saw Elena, covered in blood and holding a severed limb, with a sickly look on her face. He also saw Dracula, missing an arm and almost in a state of chaos, and his eyes widened.
"Alucard! Come here!" Dracula urged urgently, "Come to the clock tower! When you hear my shout, ring the castle's bell immediately and start the ceremony according to the rules!"
Alucard frowned: "Yes, Father. Although I don't know why, I will do as you say."
Elena looked at the anxious Dracula and tears welled up again. But at this moment, the bleeding arm in her arms almost fell off. She lowered her head again and found that her left hand had also vanished, leaving only a left arm without a palm.
"My hands..." Elena felt like she was going crazy.
"What are you talking about, Elena? You never had hands!" Dracula was even more confused, his eyes filled with terror!
"Go! Elena! We must move as fast as possible! You are getting more and more abnormal, He will find you at any moment!" Saying this, Dracula quickly approached and pulled Elena towards the gothic semi-elliptical large window.
Thud! Elena finally fell to the ground because she found that one of her feet had also vanished strangely at this moment. But she finally reached the Blood Disaster Flower with Dracula at this moment.
The Blood Disaster Flower suddenly turned its "head" and opened its dense eyes, cracking its mouth and said, "It's nice to see you again, Princess. You look even more delicious now. Oh, the King is here too. Well, never mind."
"Blood Disaster Flower, I... want to end my invitation to you!" Elena panted.
"That's not possible!" The Blood Disaster Flower shook its head, "I'm very orderly. I must keep my word. Unless..."
The Blood Disaster Flower suddenly stared at the arm in Elena's arms and let out a "giggle" like grinding teeth. "It seems you are ready, my beautiful princess. Yes, that King's arm is very tempting. It is enough to allow you to establish a stronger contract with me, strong enough to break our previous contract."
The eyes of the Blood Disaster Flower were filled with greed: "Hurry! Give it to me! I can't wait any longer!" It opened its mouth wide and urged: "Let me eat that arm, and the contract between you and me will be null and void!"
"Feed it to it, Elena! You must fulfill the contract yourself!" Dracula urged urgently. Elena struggled to stand up, using her remaining left arm to pick up the bloody limb, trying to keep her balance as she limped towards the Blood Disaster Flower...
"Here... Here!!" She shouted frantically, finally throwing the bloody arm in front of the Blood Disaster Flower! But due to her excessive force, she fell to the ground in a sorry state. The Blood Disaster Flower cackled and lowered its head to swallow the arm in one gulp.
Elena could feel saliva mixed with blood constantly dripping from the split mouth above her head onto her head, neck, and body. But at this moment, lying on the ground, she could only tremble and weep bitterly... Gradually, she clenched her fists in hatred and anger!
At this moment! "Alucard! Ring the bell! Start the ceremony!" Dracula's roar echoed throughout every corner of the castle. Then— —Dong!! The deep and resonant bell tolls reverberated throughout the castle...