Mikhail looked at him, seeming somewhat unimpressed.

“Erik,” he said. “You are aware that I can do mind control on vampires, right?”

Erik swallowed visibly. “R… Right, sir.”

“If I confirm the legitimacy of your information right now through mind control and I find out that you have been lying to me…” Mikhail said slowly, the implications of his words already clear at this point. “I trust you know the extent of the consequences.”

“Y—Yes, my lord! I understand!” Erik said quickly.

“I did not use mind control on you that night to give you a chance to tell me the truth of your own volition, but you still did...