Chapter 47: Trust

Chomp!—

I opened my mouth wide, and the girl’s face turned pale.

“No! Don’t!”

The vampire thrashed and shrieked, her cries only fueling my amusement. Didn’t she realize that her struggles only made it more fun?

“Giving up already?”

I chuckled, enjoying her reaction.

Had she stopped when I asked her to?

No.

“Beg for your life, and I’ll consider it.”

The vampire’s face crumpled.

“You…you…I won’t forget this!”

“I’ll remember that.”

So, the negotiations had failed.
I was rather pleased.

Blegh—

I stuck my tongue out at her, mocking her foolish choice.

Time to continue where I left off. I gently brushed the silver hair away from her neck, ready to leave my mark on her pale skin.

“Ugh…I told you to stop!”

Thwack!—

A sharp cry and a dull thud. The thud was against my forehead.

“Ugh…”

My head swam. She’d headbutted me. I was surprised my fragile skull hadn’t cracked.

“That d*mned vampire…”

My superhuman mental fortitude was the only thing that prevented me from passing out. I glared at the girl beneath me, who was now…motionless. Had she fainted?

“Playing dead won’t work.”

Her forehead was red, so she had hit me. But she couldn’t have fainted from that.

She was faking it.
I slapped her cheeks repeatedly.

Still playing dead?

I pinched and pulled her cheeks, which were surprisingly soft and squishy, like…rice cakes.

“…Ellie?”

“Gah?!”

I jumped, startled by the sudden voice.

Familiar blonde hair, unbuttoned uniform revealing a hint of cleavage, multiple piercings… the perfect delinquent look. And I only knew one such person at the academy.

“Linne! You scared me!”

“What did I do…?”

I ignored her grumbling.

A commoner should know her place.

I pinched the vampire’s cheek to calm my nerves.

“Mmm…”

A small reaction. So, she was faking it. How dare she try to trick me?

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Just as I was about to deliver some justice, I was lifted into the air. I hadn’t suddenly developed magical abilities, so she must have…

I checked the vampire; she was still motionless, eyes closed.

Then it had to be…

“Interfering again, Linne?”

Linne stood there, holding me up by the back of my shirt. Lifting a grown woman with one hand…impressive, but probably magic. And interrupting me while I was…enjoying myself… Did commoners have no respect these days? The future of the empire was in jeopardy. Soon, they’d be demanding equal rights with the nobles.

As a pillar of imperial society, I couldn’t tolerate such injustice.

“Interfering? You can’t bully your friends.”

Her words struck a nerve, a tightness in my chest, amplified by the constricting fabric of my dress.

“She’s not my friend! And I wasn’t bullying her!”

That rude, perverted, blonde delinquent… I was merely delivering justice, and she twisted my actions into…bullying.

And she was the one who constantly harassed me. How hypocritical.

“And besides, it’s none of your business! What’s a powerless commoner like you going to do?”

Hmph. She couldn’t stop me. I wasn’t that easy to handle.

Linne, seemingly intimidated by my tantrums, remained silent. She was no match for me.

“…Powerless?”

“Huh?”. I was suddenly lifted, face to face with Linne. I’d never been this close to her before. She really was pretty, for a commoner.

Her eyelashes were surprisingly long. Her brown eyes were dark and intense, reflecting her…hidden depths. And her full, red lips… the faint scent of soap tickled my nose…

“P…put me down…”

“Do you really think so?”

“Um…well…”

Linne leaned closer, her eyes questioning.

My heart pounded. This was dangerous. But she wasn’t letting go.

What should I do…?

“Get your hands off my sister!”

Boom!—

A fireball the size of my head slammed into Linne.

“Eek!”

A loud explosion and a gust of wind sent dust swirling around us, obscuring my vision.

What was happening?!

I instinctively pushed Linne away and dropped to the ground.

Boom! Crash!—

More explosions, louder than before, rocked the ground. I covered my ears, pressing myself flat against the ground, praying for survival.

The explosions finally stopped, the flames dying down.

The dust settled, revealing the devastation. The beautiful flowers were gone, replaced by scorched earth and smoldering embers.

And through the smoke, I saw my attacker.

Blazing red eyes, glowing menacingly.

My legs almost gave way, but I held on, I wouldn’t embarrass myself again…

…Or maybe I already had. I discreetly shifted, trying to ignore the dampness between my legs. I didn’t want to meet her eyes and anger her further.

Crunch, crunch.—

Footsteps approached.

“H…help me…”

I still had so much to do with Sister… Linne was probably dead, but I had to survive. I’d even lick her boots if I had to.

Swipe—

“Mmmph?!”

Two fingers suddenly invaded my mouth, probing and exploring.

“Slurp…hmm…”

I wanted to gag and spit them out. Should I bite down?

The fingers continued their relentless assault, stroking my tongue, probing the back of my throat…

“Ugh…!”

Tears welled up, a mixture of fear and helplessness.

“Sob…hic…”

As tears streamed down my face, the fingers finally withdrew.

I lay there, sobbing quietly, when a hand touched my shoulder.

“Ellie, are you okay?”

The voice I longed to hear.
The gentle, reassuring tone snapped me back to reality.

“S…Sister…?”

“Yes, it’s me, Ellie.”

Sister’s warm smile melted away my fear.

But…how? The vampire had been right here…

“Sister, it’s dangerous here! You have to leave! Now!”

I’d be fine. As long as she was safe, I didn’t care what happened to me. I hoped she’d just listen to me, for once.

“What’s going on?”. She tilted her head, her usual cute gesture now infuriatingly oblivious.

“It’s…it’s…”

My mind was blank. I couldn’t explain.

“Is it because of…who was here?”

“H…how did you…?” I stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Hee hee, I chased that rabid b*tch away, so don’t worry.”

…Did Sister just curse? No, that couldn’t be right. She was too kind to say such things.

“Sister…!”

I lunged into her arms, clinging to her. She hugged me back, stroking my hair, her hand damp.

Sister had saved me. If it weren’t for her, I’d be…

I continued trembling in her arms.

Sister always protected me. She rescued me from danger, never judged my weaknesses, always understanding and supportive, encouraging me to be better, even though I should be the responsible older sister.

“Thank you, Sister…”

I needed her. I finally felt safe in her strong, capable embrace.

****

The moonlit garden, the vibrant colors of the day replaced by the soft glow of the moon, highlighting the previously unnoticed blue flowers.

A barren patch of disturbed earth stood in the center of the garden. As the moonlight touched it, the ground began to churn.

“Haa!”

The earth yielded a silver-haired girl, covered in dirt, her appearance confirming her…recent arrival.

“That…that d*mned blood bag!”

Her frustrated cry echoed through the night.

She was the predator, yet she’d been overpowered by her prey, almost violated.

The memory of that humiliating moment, the feeling of helplessness and the unsettling…pleasure, haunted her. Begging for mercy from that weakling…

“Ugh…”

It wasn’t just frustration; it was shame, as if she’d exposed her most vulnerable self.

“I think I’ll…go home for a while…”

There were plenty of discreet maids her age at the palace. She wouldn’t return until she understood this strange, new feeling.