Chapter 433 - 429: Gratitude

"I... It wasn't intentional. I wasn't given a beast body for a long time. It had been close to a month, and I wasn't given. I kept telling her to bring me, but she kept delaying it to tomorrow. Her tomorrow never came," Miyali looked down as she started answering.

"This..." Ryder muttered softly, finding it hard to understand. He gazed at Miku as he asked, "Is she telling the truth?"

"I... She never told me about it. I don't know," Miku answered, shaking her head as she seemed worried.

"Why didn't you tell me about it then? Let alone me; you didn't even tell Miku? How could you let the condition deteriorate to such a level and not even put some effort?" Ryder asked Miyali.

"I-i kept believing the maid that was arranging food for me. I kept telling her how urgent it was. One day when I couldn't bear it anymore, I also told her that I wished to meet you, but she said that her job would be in danger if I complained. She swore that she would bring me what I asked," Miyali said as she sighed.

"Did she still not bring you?" Ryder asked.

"The next day as well, she forgot. It was too late by then. I lost control and bit her neck. I wasn't in control when I killed her," Miku answered as she sighed. 

Each of her words was creating an image before the others as to what happened, which was a very shocking image. 

"What happened after that?" Ryder asked softly.

"After killing her, I returned to my senses. I realized what I had done, and I left my room to find you so I could inform you," she muttered.

"Let me guess. You weren't able to find me?" Ryder asked.

"Yeah. I met her instead," Miyali answered. "She told me that I couldn't meet you because you're sleeping. I didn't want to tell her what had happened, so I told her to inform you to meet me when you wake up. After that, I came back to my room. I thought my bloodlust phase was over since I had blood, and I didn't need to worry about it for a few weeks."

"Is that what happened?" Ryder asked Miku to take confirmation.

"Yeah. That's what happened," Miku answered as she nodded his head.

"I thought she had complained about the maid or some service, so I arranged for a different maid for her. I couldn't inform you since you weren't here. I had to lie to her that you were sleeping," Miku answered.

 "What after that? Did the maid not tell you about the new body?" He asked Miku. "You didn't check up on her after that?"

"I was about to, but I was called by High Duke Oris's Daughter who needed help. To not have you caught, I left with her," she continued.

Sigh!

Ryder sighed as he shook his head.

"Wrong coincidence at the wrong time," he muttered as he sighed. 

"What happened after that? The new maid saw you?" He asked the girl.

"No. The new maid didn't see me. Before she could even come to my room, I lost my control again. I don't know how it happened," Miyali said as she tried to remember what happened. "It shouldn't have happened since I already had blood just a short time ago. I don't understand myself."

"It's because it was your first turning. The first turning is always the toughest. Even after a vampire feed for the first time, they will still turn once again and go rampant. That's why the Vampires are kept tied after their first turning. You probably don't know that because you don't know about their customs," Ryder told her.

"She doesn't know about customs? How?" Miku asked, stunned. "How could a vampire not know about such basic things?" 

"It's because she hadn't been to the Undead Realm. Her father was a Vampire, but her mother was a Demon. Her mother lived in the Demon Realm, away from her father for some reason. She died in Childbirth. She has lived without her father, so she doesn't know about Vampires," Ryder shook his head as he answered Miku. "All she knew was that she needed to drink blood every few weeks at all cost," 

Ming Lan kept her head down as she heard Ryder.

"So... It was not intentional that she did all this? It was all because of that single maid that my fellow people died?" Miku said with a blank look on her face. She didn't even know who to blame anymore. 

She wanted to blame Miyali, but she was also a victim of circumstances. Without her maid, she wouldn't have suffered. She wanted to blame the maid, but she was already dead.

Who could she blame but herself for not making sure that her guest was properly taken care of.

Ryder didn't have many tasks for her. She could have checked up on Miyali once in a while, but she didn't. She wasn't entirely free of blame either.

"Rale, what do you think?" Ryder asked.

"She is telling the truth. I am certain," Rale answered. 

"Since she had her second turning as well, she can be freed since she will have control of herself as long as she keeps intaking blood every few weeks like before," he continued.

"So she can be freed. Before I announce my decision, I must hear your opinion as well. What should I do?" Ryder asked.

"I believe she is a victim in all this. We failed in taking care of our guests so more of the fault lies on us. She shouldn't be punished," Rale answered. 

"What about you, Miku?" Ryder asked Miku.

"I agree with Rale. What happened was unfortunate, but after hearing her side, I believe she had no choice either. She could have taken better decisions when informing us, but we could have done better in taking care of her as well," Miku answered, nodding her head as well.

"We're all thinking the same thing then. It is as you have said. She also suffered, but that doesn't remove the fact that she has killed people. She doesn't deserve the strictest punishment, but she needs to get punished as well," Ryder said as he stepped closer to Miyali.

Miku opened her mouth to say something, but Rale stopped her. Take shook his head. 

After hearing what had happened, Miku thought that it was not fair to punish her, but as Rale and Ryder had decided, she didn't stop them either. She decided to leave the decision on Ryder as she started waiting for the punishment to be revealed.

Ryder stood only a few meters away from Miyali, who was looking at her with red eyes.

"Sigh, it all came to a full circle, didn't it?" Ryder asked softly.

"When I first met you, you were trapped in similar chains. I had freed you and brought with me since I didn't wish to see unfair cruelty in my Demon Realm. You were a stranger to me when I decided to help you. I didn't even know you were half Vampire until a long time later. But that didn't change anything since I knew how kind and well-mannered a girl you were," he continued.

He was intentionally saying it openly to make sure that the others heard it as well. He didn't wish for them to associate him with the Death Domain, so he was indirectly clarifying to improve his reputation in Miku's eyes. In Rale's eyes, his reputation was already at peak, so he remained only concerned about Miku.

"I never thought that you would be in chains once again because of me," he said.

"It's fine. Last time I was innocent, but this time, I am a killer. You're not wrong. This is what shall be done. Justice is more important than anything," Miyali answered. Her voice seemed to be filled with fear.

Ryder, Miku, and Rale both seemed concerned about Miku only.

"Good. Even though you had no control over what happened, it doesn't change the fact that bad things happened because of you. It would be unfair not to punish you. This is something that must be done. Will you accept the punishment?" Ryder asked. 

"With open arms. I wouldn't oppose it even if I am given the death penalty. I took so many lives. My hands are tainted by blood. Please punish me," Miyali replied.

"But before that, I have to say something," she continued.

"Speak," Ryder permitted her.

"The necklace that's on my neck. Please take it after I am killed," Miyali said.

"Why?" Ryder asked curiously.

"It is the last thing that my mother had. It belonged to my father, according to her. It was something my father had given her after she helped him. It was a form of his gratitude," Miyali said.

"Why are you giving it to me then?" Ryder inquired, seemingly curious.

"To show my gratitude. I would have been tortured on the day you first saw me if you hadn't saved me."