Chapter 38: The smell of blood

“Waaa… Sara! She hit me!”

I watched, frozen, as the little girl ran to Sara, seeking comfort. Sara’s earlier words echoed in my mind.

‘Her Highness.’

She’d called the girl “Her Highness.”

I knew next to nothing about the empire’s sole princess, except that she was younger than me. We moved in different circles. But I knew one thing for sure:

That couldn’t be the princess. Sara was teasing me.

I voiced my disbelief,

“Her Highness? That arrogant brat?”

“How dare you insult Her Highness?!”

She was joking…right?

I nudged Sara playfully with my elbow, hoping she’d laugh and admit she was teasing me, giving me that annoying smirk that said, “You fell for it again!”

“Sara, this joke is going too far. Impersonating royalty is a serious crime.”

But even as I said it, I knew.

Sara’s eyes held none of her usual amusement. Only…disappointment, the kind of look reserved for someone whose shortcomings were painfully obvious.

“Ugh…stop looking at me like that!”

It was unsettling!

A chill ran down my spine. I looked at the little girl again.

“Ugh…you…you…”

The little “princess,” now glaring at me from Sara’s arms, looked harmless.

What was she going to do? Glare at me? I’d done nothing wrong. She was the one who started it. Even if she was the princess, I wasn’t going to back down.

“Ellie, you should apologize to Her Highness.”

“What? Me?”

Sara was being ridiculous. I wouldn’t apologize for something I didn’t do. My pride wouldn’t allow it.

Even the little princess was shaking her head at Sara’s suggestion.

“It’s fine, Sara. I’ll deal with her myself.”

“Huh?”

Her words were unexpected.

Deal with me?
Was she going to accuse me of insulting royalty or assaulting a royal?

“Haha…”

Let her try. Did she think I was scared of a little girl? She was just spoiled. I wouldn’t leave without teaching her a lesson.

I clenched my fists and approached her. The little girl clung to Sara, trembling.

“Wh…what are you doing?! Do you want to die?!”

Of course not. This was self-preservation. She was the one who provoked me.

I grabbed her right hand. The fan she was holding fell into her other hand.

I stared into her defeated golden eyes, seeing my reflection: a girl with blazing red eyes and ash-gray hair, sparks dancing around her.

My resolve was firm.

Let’s see how low someone would stoop to save their own life.

I declared, with all the sincerity I could muster,

“Your Highness…is your offer to be your right-hand woman still valid…?”

I’d do anything to survive.

The law was…slightly more important than my pride. And I wasn’t ready to die yet.

****

“So that’s what’s happening?”

Nina snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. Her fluffy tail brushed against my thigh, a distracting tickle when I was already so uncomfortable.

“Ugh…”

I turned away, unable to do anything else while the little princess glared at me.

“Your Highness…my arms hurt…could I…?”

“No.”

“Or…could I use the restroom…?”

“Hold it.”

“Hmph…”

This had been going on for a while. I was kneeling before Her Highness, hands raised in surrender, like I was being punished.

“Ellie, do your arms hurt?”

Linne looked worried, fidgeting nervously.

She’d look good with Nina’s wolf ears and tail. She looked like a large, anxious dog.

“They’re killing me… Um…Linne?”

Linne’s outfit was…distracting. Her sweat-soaked clothes clung to her body, revealing her curves. I could almost see…

She was surprisingly slender. I’d thought she was a bit chubby, with her large breasts making her clothes look…inflated.

The view from below was… breathtaking. They were magnificent, like majestic mountains.

“What?”

“Oh…n…nothing!”

I quickly averted my gaze, momentarily forgetting my aching arms. Linne, noticing my stare, knelt down.

“Eek!”

“Whoa! You scared me, Ellie.”

She clutched her chest, the sudden movement drawing my attention to…her cleavage. The sight of that enticing valley made my heart pound.

Just looking was this captivating…how would it feel to be…buried there?

Something stirred within me. My lower body was still…numb, but this throbbing in my lower abdomen…what was this feeling?

But the princess wasn’t about to let me enjoy myself.

“You, Linea, was it? I was impressed by your performance during the inter-class competition.”

“…Princess Juliana? You’re not supposed to appear yet…”

They seemed to know each other. I cautiously lowered my hands, watching them.

“Ellie?”

“Eek! I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine. You can stop…that. Come with me.”

I tried to stand up.

“Ow…!”

“Ellie! Are you alright?”

My legs, numb from kneeling, almost gave way. Linne caught me before I fell.

“Ugh…my legs…”

My legs throbbed; I looked down and saw scrapes and scratches from the rough ground.

“Just hold on. I’ll heal you.”

Linne’s warm hands gently caressed my injured legs. The scrapes and scratches began to heal under her soothing touch.

“Don’t touch me there!”

“Oh…”

I swatted her hand away as she started massaging my thighs. She looked disappointed, clenching and unclenching her hand, but I ignored her and followed the princess.

“Um…Your Highness? Where are we going…?”

We walked towards a secluded area, away from the crowds. She stopped behind the restroom, out of sight.

“Sniff…such a lovely scent.”

“Huh? What…?”

The princess bent down, burying her face near my stomach. She sniffed the air.

“Haa…such a rich scent of blood… Are you…on your period?”

“Wh…what?!”

She could smell that?

She said it so casually! I fidgeted with my hair, trying to calm my embarrassment, only succeeding in making it even messier.

The princess smirked, seeing my flustered state.

“Walking around with such an alluring scent…you must be…willing, then?”

“Your Highness, what are you… Eek?!”

She grabbed my leg and lifted it, throwing me off balance. I landed on my back with a thud.

“Ugh…that little…”

Tears welled up as pain shot through my back. I glared at her, and she leaned closer, her face near my inner thigh.

Her eyes glowed red, her canines elongated and sharpened.

She looked…feral, licking her lips.

“Your Highness! Wait!”

I finally understood and tried to stop her, but she seemed to have tuned me out.

Lick—

“Eek?!”

I felt something wet against my inner thigh.

Chomp—

“Ah…ngh…ah…”

Sharp teeth pierced my skin; I gasped, my vision blurring. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the pain.

But the pain was fleeting.

“Hngh…wh…what is this…?”

As she sucked my blood, a wave of heat washed over me.

“Please…stop… N…no…!”

It felt like she was sucking on…places she shouldn’t. Licking…where she shouldn’t.

I was at the mercy of her ruthless power, my precious blood…stolen.