Sairi’s consciousness drifted in boundless emptiness, pain, cold, and a bone-deep exhaustion gnawing away at her last vestiges of clarity.
Her awareness began to stir.
The image of Sister Hilvia wounded, the deafening clash of weapons, Barrios’s nauseating maniacal laughter, and finally that splash of blood-red skirt dancing the death waltz under the moonlight… countless shattered and terrifying scenes tumbled through her mind, tearing at her nerves.
A faint, painful moan escaped from her cracked lips. Her heavy eyelids felt glued shut, and it took tremendous effort to barely open a slit.
There were no icy prison bars as she expected, nor the damp, moldy straw piles and foul stench.
Instead, what met her eyes was a soft, warm quilt?
Sairi’s muddled brain went offline for a few seconds.
What is going on?
She blinked and tried to focus, lifting her gaze to see a dome ceiling carved with rose patterns. The material resembled some kind of smooth jade, emitting a gentle luster.
The air was filled with a strange, cool fragrance, like incense from somewhere in the room—clear and mysterious, completely different from the dark, decaying, damp, and disgusting smell she remembered vampires favored.
Suddenly, Sairi sat up sharply, and the violent movement tugged at her wounds, making her gasp.
Looking down, the tattered, mud- and blood-stained clothes she had worn were gone, replaced by a pure white silk nightgown.
It was cool and smooth to the touch, so loose it almost swallowed her slender frame.
Her wounds had been carefully treated, covered with a cooling ointment scented with herbs, easing the pain significantly.
That vampire actually helped me heal?
A question rose in Sairi’s mind, especially since the vampire’s appearance was not what she imagined—so small and cute, yet terrifyingly fierce…
No, wait. What about my clothes?
Sairi suddenly realized a blind spot: she had changed clothes. Could it be the Blood Princess saw her naked?
She hurriedly looked down, trembling as she reached to open the nightgown.
What met her eyes was no longer her familiar little bear panties, but instead a pair of all-black lace panties fit for a mature woman.
What the hell is this?!
Her head nearly exploded. That perverted Blood Princess must have seen her naked and, with twisted humor, changed her into this ridiculous outfit and… panties!
Why not at least put on something more ordinary? Why these overly sexy, seductive panties?
A flush crept over Sairi’s cheeks.
After a moment to calm herself, she looked around, examining her surroundings and current predicament.
This was an extremely spacious room, lavish and eerie in style, filled with the refined, ancient aura unique to the Blood Clan.
She examined the bed beneath her.
She was lying on a massive, four-poster bed that looked like a throne.
The bedposts were made of a strange dark stone, carved with lifelike bats and thorn-entwined roses.
Dark red velvet curtains hung from the high dome, currently gathered with golden tassels.
In one corner stood a huge dressing table made from obsidian. Its mirror was a single polished piece of deep red crystal, reflecting a blurry, eerie figure.
On the other side was a fireplace burning ghostly blue flames (though the room was not cold). The flames leapt silently, emitting faint light and warmth.
The walls were adorned with large, richly colored tapestries depicting ancient Blood Clan myths.
The floor was covered with thick handmade carpets embroidered with silver thorns and scarlet roses.
The main light sources were the jade dome above and the fireplace’s blue flames.
Since the windows were closed, the light was soft and cool-toned, creating a tranquil, ancient atmosphere tinged with an otherworldly luxury.
This decoration was definitely not a prison cell.
But if not a cell, whose room could this be?
A dark suspicion grew in Sairi’s heart: could it be…
She looked down at the bed and noticed two large pillows. If the bed was meant for her alone, there shouldn’t be two pillows.
Furthermore, everything in the room was tidy. At least from what she could see, there was no dirt or disorder.
Feeling uneasy, she carefully picked up the other pillow, pressing her nose to it and sniffing.
The scent… was a mix of blood and roses, and this strange combination of metallic bloodiness and inexplicable floral fragrance pervaded the entire room. It was the aura of that Blood Princess!
Impossible! Sairi’s heart suddenly raced.
This was obviously the sleeping chamber of someone extremely noble! Almost certainly… the white-haired Blood Clan loli princess’s room?!
Realizing this was like plunging into an ice pit; an intense wave of humiliation and fear gripped her. The Blood Princess had brought her to her own chamber?
That tiny, cute-looking yet scythe-wielding monster princess who regarded her as a “snack”… what did she intend?!
To keep her captive? To toy with her? Or… something even more terrifying?
Sucking her blood! That’s it! That Blood Princess definitely wanted to drain her dry—no way!
“No! I have to get out!”
Sairi’s survival instinct instantly overcame her physical weakness and fear.
She abruptly threw off the soft, intoxicating quilt and stepped barefoot onto the cool yet plush carpet.
Her ankle wound, grazed by the scythe earlier, flared with pain, reminding her of that terrifying princess.
She tiptoed to the door—a heavy oak door inlaid with dark silver metal reliefs.
She carefully gripped the cold metal handle and held her breath, slowly turning it.
Click.
The door was locked, the bolt unmoving.
Her heart sank, but she didn’t give up.
She began to thoroughly search the huge room, her eyes fixating on the exquisite window.
She tried to push open the large window carefully, mindful of the cultivated flowers and grasses near the bed.
Fortunately, the window wasn’t locked, but what she saw outside wasn’t good.
So high! She was so weak now; if she jumped from this height, she’d definitely die or be crippled.
Even if she survived, she wouldn’t be able to run quickly and would surely be caught by the vampires and punished severely.
Moreover, she saw many flying creatures nearby—Blood Sprites?
Fluffy little balls with small bat-like wings, circling in the sky as if monitoring everything.
Two of them had already noticed her opening the window and were flying toward her.
This was bad.
“Sorry, sorry!”
Sairi quickly apologized twice, then closed the window and immediately lay back down, curling up under the covers.
The Blood Sprites seemed somewhat reasonable, hovering briefly at the window before flying away.
After curling up for a while, Sairi peeked out again. The window outside was quiet. She decided to keep trying to figure out how to escape this damned place.
She got out of bed again and checked the walls for secret doors or cracks. Sadly, everywhere she touched was smooth cold jade or thick tapestries.
This room was too secure. She felt she couldn’t get out.
The thought of being trapped, and what the Blood Princess might do to her when she returned that night, sent shivers down her spine.
***
Time passed in silent terror and futile searching. Sairi’s strength rapidly drained; hunger and exhaustion brought waves of dizziness.
She curled up in a shadowy corner away from the bed, her back against the cold wall, listening carefully for sounds outside the door.
Outside was dead silent, as if the entire palace had fallen asleep.
After who knew how long, her taut nerves began to numb; she even suspected the princess had forgotten about her.
Just then, she seemed to hear very faint footsteps far down the corridor—heels brushing silk on the floor, someone walking past and gradually receding.
Then came a sound like sunlight breaking through the clouds.
The doorknob clicked; someone was opening the door, someone about to enter!
The sound wasn’t loud, but it struck Sairi’s tense nerves like thunder!
She bolted back onto the bed, covering herself with the quilt, curling into a ball. Her heart pounded wildly, eyes fixed sharply on the door, filled with vigilance and hostility.
The door slid open silently.
A figure quietly stepped in and gently closed it behind her. Her presence seemed to bring a breath of hope to the cold, oppressive room.
Hilvia—the Blood Princess Liliath’s personal maid, though why she came to Sairi instead of Liliath was unknown.
She appeared to be a human woman in her twenties, tall and elegant, wearing a perfectly tailored classic black-and-white maid’s dress.
The skirt fell to her calves, revealing slender ankles clad in black stockings and a pair of round-toed, low-heeled leather shoes. A white lace apron was tied at her waist, spotless and exquisitely neat.
Most striking was her thick, glossy purple hair, mostly pinned up at the back, with a few soft strands hanging by her ears, highlighting her pale skin—that pale, bloodless whiteness belonging to the Blood Clan, just like the Blood Princess!
Her face was delicate and gentle, her brown eyes seeming to carry a soothing power.
At this moment, those eyes held no hostility or contempt, only a calm, almost professional focus.
She held a silver tray with both hands, upon which rested a delicate porcelain bowl (covered, but the enticing aroma of food wafted faintly), a goblet filled with deep red liquid, and a clean set of knife, fork, and napkin.
“Good day, Miss Sairi.”
Vera’s voice was as gentle as her knock, carrying just the right degree of respect—neither servile nor arrogant.
She gave a slight bow, her movements smooth and precise, without a hint of excess.
“I am Vera, the personal maid serving Princess Liliath. Her Highness instructed me to bring you food and drink.”
Her gaze calmly settled on Sairi, neither avoiding the hostility in Sairi’s eyes nor revealing any unnecessary emotion, as if stating the most ordinary fact in the world. Of course, Sairi felt it was a form of humiliation.
Sairi’s body tensed further as she stared at Vera and the tray, a flood of terrifying thoughts flashing through her mind.
Is this poisoned? Some wicked Blood Clan food? Will they drug me to knock me out and torture me savagely?
Could these vampires be so kind? Though the Blood Princesses she had met were unlike what she’d imagined, Sairi still didn’t trust them.
She shook her head sharply, voice sharp and high: “Take it away! I don’t need your ‘kindness’! I’m not eating anything from your Blood Clan!”
Vera’s expression didn’t change in the slightest; not even her lashes fluttered.
Her brown eyes remained calm, as if she had anticipated this reaction.
She didn’t try to approach or put down the tray, but continued in that gentle voice:
“Miss Sairi, please don’t worry. This bowl contains Meat Stew specially prepared by the royal kitchen, made with venison from the forest and several mild mushrooms, suitable for human consumption.”
“It can quickly restore your strength. The princess is currently… quite interested in you. Before you recover, she will not harm you.”
Vera’s explanation was clear and concise, carrying a convincing rationality.
“Who knows if you’ve added something in there! You just want me to lower my guard! Take it away! Get out!”
Sairi pointed at Vera, her fingers trembling slightly with agitation.
Better safe than sorry. If there was anything added, the consequences would be terrible.
And what does it mean that the princess is “interested” in me? I’m some big shot’s pet now? Going to be thoroughly ‘trained’…
Vera quietly studied her for a few seconds; in her eyes flickered a faint, nearly imperceptible… perhaps pity? Or maybe helplessness? But it vanished immediately.
She made no further attempt to persuade, nor did she show any offense or displeasure. She simply bowed slightly once more, her movements flawless.
“I understand. Then I will leave the food here.”
Vera stepped forward a few paces and gently placed the silver tray on a small round table in the corner of the room, her movements soft, without the sound of the plate touching down.
Having done this, she straightened up and looked once again toward Sairi curled in the corner.
Her voice lowered a bit: “Please take care of yourself. The food is on the table. If you change your mind, feel free to eat it at any time.”
With that, Vera didn’t glance at Sairi again, nor make any unnecessary moves. She turned and walked toward the door.
Sairi’s eyes stayed fixed on her retreating figure—her upright posture, flawless purple hair, simple yet immaculate black-and-white maid uniform… all conveyed a chilling distance.
Yet just as Vera’s hand grasped the doorknob, Sairi’s pupils suddenly constricted!
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