- In Marvel: I Start by Marrying Scarlett Witch [Complete]
- MWM Chapter 539
Most of the underground space was taken up by a large pool, with a circular altar at its center.
Leo could clearly sense a strong sealing magic emanating from the altar.
“Finite Incantatem.”
He reached the altar’s center, lifted a hand, and dispelled the sealing magic. Instantly, a mechanism activated, and a stone sarcophagus slowly rose from below.
Opening the lid of the sarcophagus, a beautiful young woman carrying an Elder Scroll on her back fell weakly toward Leo.
He reached out to support her, observing her with a curious expression:
“Who are you, and why were you sealed here?”
The young woman shook her head, trying to clear the fog from her mind after what must have been a long period of slumber. Finally, she looked up at Leo.
She didn’t answer his question directly; instead, she asked in a surprised tone:
“Who sent you?”
Her words suggested that she expected her release to be part of a plan.
Leo’s lips curved into a smile:
“Who do you think sent me?”
“Hmm… I assumed it would at least be one of my kind, but you clearly appear to be human.”
The young woman shrugged.
Unlike the other vampires Leo had encountered, she lacked their cruelty and condescending attitude toward humans as mere food. Instead, she seemed unexpectedly friendly.
Because of this, Leo refrained from killing the vampire girl on the spot to take the Elder Scroll she carried. Instead, he chose to converse with her.
Are all vampires inherently evil?
Of course not—just like when he later discovered that the renowned members of the Companions were all secretly werewolves.
Most vampires and werewolves struggle to control the influence of their inner darkness, leading them to attack and kill ordinary people, which is why they are widely regarded as purely evil beings.
But this vampire girl seemed to be one of those rare types who was friendly toward humans.
“No one sent me here. I stumbled upon this cave by chance and accidentally released you.”
Leo’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he smiled.
At this point, he wasn’t in any rush to claim the Elder Scroll.
After all, the location of the second Elder Scroll was still unknown, and if he really wanted to, he could take it from the vampire girl at any time.
Instead, he found himself intrigued by the prophecy involving the sun’s end.
Could the Elder Scroll really have the power to extinguish the sun? He had never heard of such a capability before.
“Thank you for breaking the seal, then. My name is Serana. May I ask what era this is and who the High King of Skyrim is?”
Serana extended her hand in gratitude before posing her question.
Leo answered without hesitation:
“It’s the Fourth Era, and the High King of Skyrim is Balgruuf of Whiterun.”
“The Fourth Era… I’ve been sealed away for so long? This isn’t what Mother told me would happen.”
Upon hearing Leo’s response, Serana seemed stunned.
She was the daughter of the vampire lord Harkon, and she and her mother, Valerica, had been turned into vampires by a ritual dedicated to Molag Bal, transforming them into pureblooded vampires—known as Daughters of Coldharbour.
The family lived happily for a time, but then her father learned of a prophecy about using the Elder Scrolls to find an artifact that could extinguish the sun, fueling his ambition to dominate the entire continent.
Her mother, unwilling to wage war against all of Tamriel, opposed Harkon’s plan, leading to a rift between them, and Serana herself became estranged.
One day, her mother secretly brought her to a hidden cave, gave her an Elder Scroll, and sealed her away, promising that she would return soon to lift the seal.
Serana had thought it might take a few years at most, but instead, she had been sealed for over a thousand years.
As Serana was lost in her memories, Leo quietly used a soul-reading spell to access her thoughts.
“So it’s not about using the Elder Scroll directly, but rather using the Elder Scroll’s ability to predict the future to find the artifact that can extinguish the sun. Interesting.”
“Could I trouble you to escort me home? My father can reward you with a great deal of money.”
After calming herself, Serana looked up at Leo with wide, hopeful eyes.
After being sealed for so long, she was desperate to see if her parents were still alive and why they hadn’t come to unseal her.
But so much time had passed, and the world outside was surely very different from the one she knew. Moreover, the journey back to her home would be long.
She needed someone familiar with this era to help her return safely.
And this adventurer seemed like a good candidate—most importantly, he didn’t react to her vampirism with fear or disgust like most humans.
“A great deal of money, you say? Well, I could consider that.”
Leo stroked his chin, smiling in agreement.
“By the way, is that an Elder Scroll you’re carrying on your back?”
“Yes, but it’s *my* Elder Scroll,” Serana replied with a slight hint of pride as she touched the scroll.
Leo waved a hand dismissively:
“Fine, fine, it’s yours. So, where is your home?”
“According to my memory, it’s on an island west of Solitude. There should be some small boats there that we can use to cross the sea.”
Serana thought back and explained.
“Alright, then. Let’s get out of here.”
Leo turned and began to lead the way out of the cave with Serana following close behind.
But just then, the stone gargoyle statues around them, which had appeared lifeless, suddenly shattered their stone shells, transforming into real gargoyles that lunged toward Leo and Serana.
“These must be the gargoyles Mother left behind to protect me. Don’t worry, I’ve got this!”
Serana began chanting a spell, using necromancy to gather scattered bones around them, quickly summoning a few skeleton warriors to face the gargoyles.
But the gargoyles made quick work of the skeletons, smashing them apart effortlessly.
“Sorry about that. I just woke up, so I’m a bit out of practice.”
Seeing how easily her skeleton warriors were defeated, Serana glanced at Leo with an embarrassed expression.
Leo chuckled and shook his head. In an instant, he appeared before the closest gargoyle, gripping its neck with one hand and snapping it effortlessly.
Although gargoyles are dark creatures, they are still vulnerable when their necks are broken, just like how decapitated vampires cannot survive.
The dark creatures of this world aren’t particularly formidable.
And that’s why humanity, not the dark creatures, rules over this continent.
(End of chapter)