Black Summoner – Chapter 300

Estoria was born into the lowest stratum of vampires in the slums of the Underworld. Her father was unknown, and her mother, a prostitute, was often away from home for days. Consequently, Estoria grew up without knowing the love of parents. Perhaps this is why she came to desperately crave the love that everyone else seemed to receive. However, the residents of the slums were hardened and lived only for the day. Nothing in this city, which only sought its own benefit, could touch Estoria’s heart.

“This is not where I belong.”

Realizing this, Estoria left home one day and embarked on a journey without a destination. Her hometown, with its faded memories and lack of attachment, offered nothing to keep her there. There were no farewells, nor any notes left behind.

It was purely by luck that Estoria, a young, low-ranking vampire girl, managed to survive in the harsh environment of the Underworld. Upon barely escaping with her life, she found herself in the next town and caught the eye of a noble. By her late teens, Estoria had blossomed into a beautiful and alluring woman. The noble, likely with ulterior motives, immediately hired Estoria as a servant in his mansion.

Even in such a twisted form, Estoria experienced joy for the first time in her life. The noble provided her with clothes she had never worn, good food, and a warm bed—things that were commonplace in noble mansions but filled Estoria, who had only known life in the slums, with happiness.

Eager to repay this kindness, Estoria worked diligently, constantly thinking about how to please the noble. After some time, she found herself unable to stop thinking about him. She had fallen in love. Her efforts to repay his kindness gradually shifted to figuring out how to make him notice her. Estoria tirelessly dedicated herself to embodying the ideal woman, the one the noble desired. This not only made her sensitive to the emotions of others but also allowed her to create a new self within her, one she could skillfully portray as her true self, even deceiving herself into crafting a fictional persona. All for the sake of deeper love.

The noble was overjoyed. His ideal woman was right before him. It didn’t take long for them to fall deeply in love, and a period of happiness ensued. However, it was not to last. The noble’s wife, displeased by the rise of a servant, feared Estoria would usurp her position. She became fixated on securing the family’s wealth. Her plan was soon put into motion, and the noble was assassinated.

“Oh dear, I must find my next love…!”

Estoria, in revenge, killed the noble’s wife. But the moment her vengeance was complete, there was nothing left for her to do for the noble, and her love for him faded like a setting sun. New love followed the loss of the old. Starving for affection, she set out on her journey once more. She carried fine clothes and accessories gifted by the noble, along with the skills she had acquired to win love. From the mansion, she took a small inheritance. With this new beginning, she was no longer the lowest of vampires.

Countless destined men crossed her path thereafter. Estoria was born with the Unique Skill ‘Charm Eye,’ but she never used it on those she fell in love with. She craved genuine affection, not convenient toys obtained through command. She simply wanted to be seen for herself.

Perhaps due to her propensity for falling in love, she never lacked for budding romances. Her partners ranged from mercenaries to rulers, bandits, wealthy merchants, and even people of foreign races. Primarily, she pursued human-shaped beings, but she would consider others if they could offer her love. She precisely discerned the kind of woman her partner desired and molded herself to fit that ideal. She cultivated strength, knowledge, refinement, empathy, ruthlessness, and even noble status. In doing so, she always found herself bound to those she yearned for.

However, the subsequent happiness never lasted long for anyone. A renowned warrior who desired a strong woman initially rejoiced in Estoria’s strength, but as she reached a level beyond his ability to comprehend or enjoy, he became fearful and left her. For a ruler, Estoria’s unparalleled beauty became the cause of war from an enemy nation, leading to the execution of his entire kin. When someone called Estoria a “beauty who could topple nations,” she had already ascended to the pinnacle of vampire society.

“…Empty. Oh, so empty.”

Estoria Clanvertz, the mistress of the castle, stood on the top floor of a fortress towering in the wilderness. She had climbed to great heights in her pursuit of love, yet she remained starved. Now ruling a nation, Estoria’s fame had spread throughout the Underworld, and rumors of the fates of the men who had offered her their love had also circulated. The men around her felt dread, but none held affection for her. Even her innate tendency to fall in love was of no use without a partner who matched her capabilities.

Estoria became increasingly obsessed with finding someone. She yearned for a more mature, thoughtful individual with the capacity to accept her. Perhaps someone older, in their middle or senior years, would be suitable. Or perhaps, someone with a broad mind who wouldn’t fuss over minor details, even if they were wild. But such a person was…

“…There they are. My destined love.”

Estoria found her destined love in the leader of a recently emerging demon army: Gustav Baal. As the one who commanded the renowned strongest demons, he possessed immense power and a boldness that feared no one. Estoria, witnessing his strength on the battlefield, comparable to her own, felt her heart leap with joy after a long time, falling in love in an instant.

What followed were days of relentless analysis. She sought to uncover and understand the kind of woman Gustav desired. Once she had deciphered everything, she would confront Gustav on the battlefield, pitting the demon army against the vampire army in what was essentially a war zone.

The answer Estoria arrived at was that she must be a strong woman. The ultimate partner, endowed with both physical and mental prowess, capable of standing by Gustav’s side on his path to conquest. Convinced that only she could meet this condition, Estoria decided she would first showcase her strength on the battlefield. Gustav’s kingdom and Estoria’s had clashed several times, and they had even fought directly. Even during these battles, Estoria felt joy. Gustav was looking at her intently, thinking of her, and directing his love towards her. “How fortunate I am.”

—For a long time, she had been starved of love, and at this point, she might have been insane. Her desperate desire for love, however, caused her actions to misalign with her goals, leading her to unwittingly forge an adversarial relationship. She never doubted that she would one day marry Gustav, and she reveled in their encounters amidst the fighting. It didn’t matter to her, living for love, that the world recognized them as enemies vying for power. However, this period of happiness was also not destined to last.

“…Lies.”

Months later, information arrived that Gustav had taken a wife. The news reported he had married a female demon named Elisa, and this was widely publicized in his kingdom. Elisa was said to be naturally frail, barely able to rise, but showing signs of recovery thanks to the devoted love of her childhood friend, Gustav. The article, written as a heartwarming story, mentioned that Elisa was still recuperating in Gustav’s castle. But for Estoria, it brought only despair. In that instant, she realized that everything she had done up to that point had nothing to do with love.

Unfulfilled desire was a new experience for Estoria, and a tender ache of first love lingered within her. She couldn’t recall much of what happened afterward. She believed she continued to meet Gustav on the battlefield, throwing herself at him with her overwhelming feelings.

“…Where is this?”

Before she knew it, Estoria found herself in a white space. Before her stood a mirage-like temple. Facing her were a silver saint and a white knight.

“We shall bestow upon you a new light.”

She awakened to compassion. Despite being a vampire, she served and worshipped God. All was for the sake of the God who had given her immeasurable love. Among the apostles who shared the same purpose, there were those she disliked, but their disagreements only went so far. Strangely, intense hatred did not arise within her.

While she had not lost interest in men, she no longer pursued them with the same fervor. In fact, her constitution tended to bring misfortune to those she was with, and after awakening to compassion, she began to dislike long-term relationships. One-night stands were ideal. With this philosophy, she began to pose as a seductive courtesan, using sweet words to attract men who were easily swayed, thus becoming someone who could easily part ways and whisper sweet nothings.

Having been granted the “Rebel” by God, Estoria became an existence far surpassing her mortal life. At this point, she undoubtedly would have controlled a large portion of the Underworld.

—Let’s rewind time. What emerged from her coffin was a giant formed from a conglomeration of various mixed-blood beings. Dragons and grotesque demons danced in the sky, looking down upon Ange.

“Return to your master, Ange.”