I opened my eyes and found myself as a small snake. I quickly decided to slither around the room where Julia usually is, and when I came out of the bed, what I found was something else.
She was often in here all the time, but where did she go now?! Was she in the bathroom? Should I wait for her? Maybe she got indigestion and is taking a while? Can nobles get indigestion if they eat such tasty food?
Anyways, enough stupid thoughts for today. I decided to unleash a wave of mana all around the manor to detect where Julia could possibly be, quickly finding out I was able to detect many life forms everywhere. I quickly put my attention in each one, and they were all maids and butlers.
Erm… Is that a butler?
I began to look everywhere and suddenly felt something, the presence of Julia was finally near me, I slithered outside of her room and reached the corridor, suddenly finding an alarming sight!
A man wearing black robes was holding a knife, and slowly trying to force it into Julia’s neck! She was resisting using her arms, she was enhancing her strength using mana but she had her mouth covered by the man’s hand and she couldn’t scream to call for help!
I saw that the window to the outside was wide open, did the guy came from there? Ah, damn it, I don’t got time to think about it, this is an assassination attempt!
I quickly ran towards the man, stealthily and rapidly!
“Stop resisting, Duchess, you’re not needed here. We’ll handle things. We cannot let a free woman do as she pleases, if you don’t accept to become our puppet, you’re not worthy of being a duchess…” Said the man with an eerie and cold voice, as Julia was resisting as she could, but she couldn’t use any magic and without her rapier, she wasn’t able to use her Weapon Skills. I noticed that the man’s gloves had some sort of Mana-draining ability, inhibiting her the ability to conjure magic, even less as she had her mouth covered, conjuring magic without chanting was incredibly hard for young people that had yet to master magic, and Julia had yet to develop the ability to use magic without conjuring it through chanting!
“Unhand her, bastard!” I roared valiantly, as I jumped over his back and slithered around his neck using my snake body!
The man suddenly felt as if something was pressing on his neck, groaning in pain, he dropped the knife by reflex and moved a few steps back, finally letting Julia be freed from his grasp!
I used my Snake Ghost body to strangle his neck, but he seemed to be amazingly resistant, and powerful! This guy was… Wait, he’s a damn Vampire?! His skin was pale white, his eyes red, he had short white hair, and his Status clearly said; “Lesser Vampire Subordinate”.
You’ve gotta be kidding me! More Vampires? Why are they behind everything bad in this Kingdom? Is this a story about a Vampire slayer this entire time?! For fuck’s sake!
“Hahh… Ugh… H-HEEEELP!” Cried Julia, finally being freed, she began to scream for help, as some knights that were near the stairs quickly heard her and ran towards her as fast as possible.
“Lady Julia! What is it?! Ah!”
The Knights clad in silver armor quickly pointed their spears at the Vampire, as the guy hatefully glared at them and clicked his tongue while still trying to get me out of his neck.
“F-Fuck, I have to get out!” Muttered the Vampire, attempting to jump out of the window, but that’s not happening! I had already bitten his neck and I was infusing all my deadly venom created through my Skills into his veins, Vampire or not, you’re not completely immune to my phantasmal venom, after all I am not even a normal snake, but a Gorgon!
The Vampire suddenly felt a paralyzing pain all over his body, as I used my eyes after infusing venom into his body, quickly paralyzing his muscles, and making his mind confused and insane, he kneeled in the floor hitting it with anger and pain.
“That’s what you get for trying to hurt the missy!” I roared angrily. “You guys, finish him off! He’s a Vampire so hit the head!” I said, the Knights heard my voice and noticed that a semi-transparent snake was coiled around the neck of the Vampire.
“T-That snake spoke?!” Asked one of the knights.
“It must be some sort of familiar!” Said Julia. “Kill that man right now!” Julia ruthlessly ordered her knights, as they quickly pointed their spears at the man and pierced his head with them!
His head was pierced by two spears infused with the power of Skills, he easily died by having his brains splattered all over the place in a gory scene. Ugh, and I just ate, that’s disgusting- Wait those brains do be looking mighty tasty doe.
A-Anyways, Undead instincts aside, Julia was safe. Oof, if I hadn’t come in time, she would be dead! What the heck? I just literally saved her life. She really owes me a big one.
“W-Who are you?” Asked Julia to me, as I slowly floated in midair.
“It’s me, Julia, Maria! Remember me? I am controlling this familiar I made with my magic, no need to thank me for- GUEEH!”
Julia suddenly grabbed my little snake body and squeezed it in a tight hug.
“Thank you, Maria! I-I was about to die… I-I was… so scared… Sniff…” Julia suddenly began to comfort herself with my snake clone, as she started to cry rather sorrowfully.
Ugh, it must suck for her. I guess she is still an innocent girl. Getting an assassination attempt at her age must be rough. Especially because it was so frightening for her, she was left completely powerless despite having been training her magic and rapier techniques this entire time… This world is indeed quite harsh.