To some extent, Xavier's indulgence of Chloe was simply bottomless.
Chloe herself was actually aware of this as well, but she was unwilling to admit it and felt there was nothing terribly wrong about it.
Xavier was the most irresponsible scumbag dad in the world!
Just as she was thinking this, the two arrived at the banquet hall.
The place was glittering with gold and jade, permeated with the sweet and luxurious scent of incense everywhere, and melodious music floated over the banquet hall as many men and women held hands and danced gracefully in the ballroom.
As soon as Ancestor Xavier entered the scene, the Grand Duke got up from his throne, coming over joyfully to welcome him.
"Ancestor, I've been waiting for you to arrive."
Vampires were long lived, but from outward appearances, this Grand Duke looked to be thirty or forty years old, his figure well maintained, though his pate seemed to be a bit bald.
As for how Chloe was able to see this, it was because Xavier was very tall, and he held her in his arms, so she could basically look down on everyone present.
She couldn't help tugging at the corners of her lips. This poor Duke, his pate was really so bald!
Just then, the Duke noticed Chloe and smiled as he said, "This must be the little miss, as beautiful as the Ancestor."
Ancestor Xavier's smile deepened a bit: "She's very much like me."
With just that one look, the Duke instantly understood that this fledgling likely held an not insignificant place in Ancestor Xavier's heart, and he hurriedly asked:
"May I have the honor of knowing the little miss's name?"
Xavier lowered his eyes: "Chloe. Her name is Chloe."
As the words fell, Chloe turned around and reluctantly nodded at the kindly Duke standing before her, a handsome man save for his premature baldness.
The Duke's eyes lit up as he murmured, "As expected of the Ancestor's fledgling."
With that black hair and crimson eyes, she was practically stamped from the same mold.
The two eminent personages chatted for a moment longer before Chloe was set down.
The bald Duke affectionately patted Chloe's hair and pointed to a place not far off where many fledglings were gathered together, saying, "Miss Chloe, would you like to go over there and play with them?"
Chloe looked towards those fledglings and didn't actually want to go over at all.
But when she thought about how this kindly Duke was suffering from premature baldness, Chloe couldn't help but soften.
In the end she nodded and went over.
There were a lot of fledglings there, and after Chloe arrived they spontaneously gathered around her, faces filled with excitement.
"We noticed you right from the start, you came with the Ancestor."
"Hello, my father told me I must become friends with you."
"My father said the same thing!"
"Mine too!"
Chloe: "..."
These fledglings had such round faces and wide grape-like eyes, without a hint of guile. After just a few words they'd sold out their fathers.
Chloe found it a bit funny and said, "Why do you listen so much to your fathers?"
One of the fledglings said, "Because my father is the person in the world who's kindest to me!"
"Is that so?" Chloe thought of something and asked, "Then how is your father kind to you?"
The fledglings rushed to answer:
"He feeds me food!"
"He buys me tasty and fun things!"
"My father doesn't take care of me, but whatever I want he'll buy for me."
"My mother is the same way."
Hearing this, Chloe fell into contemplation: "Then have you started training yet?"
The fledglings excitedly answered: "We've started!"
"My mother bought me a bone chewing stick and told me to frequently gnaw on it to train the hardness of my teeth!"
"I have a bone chewing stick too!"
Chloe: "..."
She couldn't help but think of when Xavier had directly tossed her from atop a tower.
Very good, her teeth itched again.
After making multiple comparisons, Chloe increasingly felt that her father was a scumbag.
Not far away, Ancestor Xavier, who was discussing government affairs with the Grand Duke, suddenly felt a chill down his back.
Chloe stayed amidst the group of fledglings but didn't take the initiative to speak. She only occasionally took some of the sweets arrayed on the table to eat.
The sweets here were mixed with heated artificial blood, the vampire fledgling food variety best suited for consumption, which made them even more delicious when added to desserts.
By accident, Chloe ended up eating quite a lot.
By this time the fledglings didn't know what they were chattering on about.
They suddenly burst into laughter together, and then one ran over to Chloe and said, "Little miss, do you want to go with us to play with the little cripple?"
Hearing this appellation, Chloe was startled: "What little cripple?"
"The Francis family's little cripple! Don't you know, little miss?"
The fledglings laughed and looked at her with innocent eyes:
"The Francis family has two sons. The older one is amazing and today's also his birthday. The little cripple we're talking about is the younger son."
Chloe frowned: "Why call him that?"
"Because he's of mixed human and vampire blood! His vampire blood is pathetically weak, his strength is puny too, I heard until now he still hasn't grown fangs. If he's not a cripple then what is he?"
"This is what our fathers told us."
The fledglings who didn't understand discretion spoke their piece then dragged Chloe along, wanting to bring her to see the little cripple they spoke of.
Chloe also happened to want to see just what this so-called cripple they mentioned was like.
No matter what, calling someone that was inherently impolite.
The fledglings noisily made their way to a backyard behind the banquet hall.
Here there were several small rooms, and they went all the way to the lowest room in the corner.
Chloe noticed that this room's door was very small and dilapidated, covered all over in cobwebs.
It didn't even have a lock.
The fledglings easily pushed open the door.
After going inside, huddled in the corner of the room was a child dressed in tattered clothing. He seemed about the same age as them but his limbs looked somewhat longer.
That boy had messy golden hair, pallid skin, and the eyes he looked over at them with were jet black, the vampire's characteristic red pupils nearly invisible.
Seeing him, the fledglings became excited, baring their fangs and preparing to say something, but were cut off by Chloe before they could speak:
"That's enough, don't say anything more."
The fledglings instantly didn't dare make another sound.
Chloe walked forward.
No matter how you looked at it, she was a qualified and powerful vampire.
Especially her crimson pupils, which were extraordinarily pure.
A full blooded vampire like this logically wouldn't bother with a cripple like him.
But Chloe passed over a package of the sweets she'd brought over from outside just now.
"Have this and eat."
