At that time, Z Country was a feudal empire. The fleet of William Morris, Duke of Morris, was laden with gold and jewels. The small town of Roseville was but a barren land, and Duke William Morris acquired it with little effort or expense.
Though Roseville enjoyed perpetual mild weather and softer sunlight compared to other regions, daylight still prevailed. Vampires without royal lineage remained unable to walk under the sun. Accustomed to lives of luxury in Europe, the vampires struggled to adapt to this desolate land. Rebuilding their home became their foremost task.
William Morris conceived a bold idea—one many would consider audacious. To swiftly establish the family's prosperity in this foreign land, he journeyed far and wide in search of renowned sorcerers of the eastern empire. Eventually, he encountered a witch doctor living in seclusion deep within the mountains. The witch doctor's daughter was born frail and afflicted by a rare condition—her skin could not tolerate sunlight, or she would experience excruciating burning sensations.
To alleviate her suffering, the witch doctor developed a special elixir infused with magic, reducing her daughter's sensitivity to sunlight and allowing her to venture outside during less intense daylight hours.
Upon learning of this, William Morris was ecstatic. He initially traded gold for a portion of the elixir and administered it to a select group of slaves. Except for one slave deemed inherently weak and useless, the others were able to walk under the daylight of Roseville. The centuries-long desire of vampires to see the sun again had finally become a reality. As a result, William Morris became the most revered leader in the Morris family since its founding Duke, securing an unshakable legacy.
However, when William Morris sought the elixir's formula, the witch doctor remained unyielding despite all offers. Finally, William Morris revealed his true identity and demonstrated the abilities of a vampire. This intrigued the witch doctor. As a wise man, he did not crave eternal life, but his daughter's frail health was nearing its end despite his mastery of magic. He proposed a condition: William Morris must turn his daughter into a vampire and ensure the Morris family would never harm his descendants.
After meeting the witch doctor's daughter, William Morris readily agreed, for he had fallen in love with the fragile yet fiercely determined human woman. William Morris obtained the formula, and the witch doctor's daughter became the Duchess of Morris. Yet, as the vampire fleet from Europe flourished in Roseville, William Morris and his wife tragically perished under mysterious circumstances. After his death, his brother, Antonio Morris, succeeded as the 22nd Duke of Morris. It was Antonio who decreed that any descendant with royal-purple eyes, regardless of lineage, could inherit the dukedom.
Records indicate that Antonio Morris himself had gold-and-purple eyes, while William Morris possessed the royal-purple eyes—a detail that raises intriguing questions.
"Most vampires believe Antonio Morris established this rule out of admiration for his brother," Richard said with a faint smile. "Our father, like Antonio, has gold-and-purple eyes. Facing my eyes, he must inevitably recall this hidden history."
Lester was stunned by Richard's deduction, as it aligned almost perfectly with what he had discerned through his mind-reading abilities.
The royal-purple eyes turned cold as Richard continued, "I've been to the church's crypt. There, I saw a charred corpse. What kind of flame could reduce the body of a powerful pureblood vampire to such a state? And according to records, Antonio Morris's ability was…" He paused, then asked, "Am I correct, Lester?"