“So ungrateful?” Liliath’s emotions wavered now—someone actually dared to refuse the temptation of eternity.
“I just don’t want it.”
“Hmph! Ungrateful!” Liliath had run out of patience. Her hunt was disturbed today, the kitchen emptied, she was publicly reprimanded and even called a villain.
Her mood was already far from good.
Now, she had finally found an interesting ‘toy,’ and the other party actually dared to refuse?
“You have no say in this!”
Liliath’s figure flickered, instantly appearing by the bedside. Before Sairi could react, she was pinned down onto the soft silk bed.
“Ah! Let go of me!”
Sairi cried out, struggling with both hands and feet, but Liliath’s seemingly delicate body held an astonishing strength—stronger than her own!
One icy hand easily restrained Sairi’s wrists, while the other pinched her chin, forcing her to lift her head and reveal the fragile, pale neck.
“Be good. It’ll be over quickly, and it won’t hurt much.”
Liliath’s voice carried a hint of impatient coaxing, her crimson eyes fixed tightly on the pulse beating on Sairi’s neck. The life force emitting a peculiar fragrance made her throat dry.
Go.
Liliath slowly leaned down, her silver-white hair falling over, brushing Sairi’s cheek.
Sairi’s face turned deathly pale, struggling desperately. “No! Bad Liliath! Let me go! Help!”
She felt Liliath’s cold breath on her neck, a sharp threat that made every hair on her body stand on end.
“Shut up!” Liliath snapped, irritated by the shouting, cutting off any further words.
She slightly parted her lips, and two exquisite, sharp fangs flashed cold light as they lengthened instantly, becoming as sharp as daggers, then unhesitatingly pierced—
“Ugh—!”
A sharp sting spread instantly. Sairi’s whole body stiffened in pain, but it was immediately replaced by a strange sensation of cold numbness mixed with slight dizziness.
She could clearly feel her warm blood being quickly drawn out, an emptiness and weakness rapidly spreading through her.
Liliath then released her. Sairi was now mentally scattered, but at least still conscious.
Liliath helped Sairi sit up by the bed, then extended her pale arm and suddenly slid her fingers across her own wrist.
A spray of fresh red blood gushed out, splattering onto Sairi’s face. This immediately roused Sairi’s spirits.
“Ahh! So much blood!”
Sairi had never seen such a scene before—blood splattering everywhere.
Before she could react further, Liliath pressed Sairi’s head down, offering her wrist to her mouth.
Sairi looked on fearfully. So much blood—wasn’t Liliath afraid of losing too much and dying?
Seeing Sairi stunned and unresponsive for a few seconds, Liliath frowned and forcefully pressed Sairi’s head down onto her wrist.
Under Liliath’s strength, Sairi hurriedly swallowed much of the fresh blood.
After a while, everything ended. The blood no longer overflowed from Liliath’s wrist, and Sairi felt her spirit ebbing; her eyelids fought to stay open.
Her consciousness drifted like a kite with a broken string, growing blurry and distant… Liliath’s satisfied and intoxicated profile was the last sight before darkness took Sairi.
Some time passed, and consciousness seemed to sink into the deep sea only to be pulled back up.
Sairi was awakened by an intense thirst emanating from the depths of her body.
It was an unprecedented emptiness, as if every cell screamed and craved something. She felt a chill, but unlike the previous biting cold of frostbite.
She struggled to open her eyes, seeing the familiar ceiling. Liliath sat beside the bed, legs crossed, looking spirited, a trace of satisfaction still lingering at the corners of her mouth.
Thirsty.
“Awake? My little Blood Progeny.”
Liliath’s crimson eyes looked at Sairi with a hint of playfulness. “How do you feel? Hungry, aren’t you?”
Sairi instinctively licked her lips, indeed feeling parched and her throat dry.
She touched her neck—two small, already healed bite marks still throbbed faintly.
Sitting up, she felt her body was somewhat lighter? Her strength seemed a bit greater? But the most obvious feeling was that unbearable thirst.
“I… I’m a little thirsty…” Sairi’s voice was hoarse, tinged with post-sleep grogginess.
“Thirsty is right.”
Liliath smiled triumphantly, pulling out a delicate goblet filled with a small amount of liquid as red as liquid ruby, exuding a strange sweet and bloody scent with powerful allure—that was her blood.
“Here, every newborn Blood Progeny needs this. Drink it, and you won’t be thirsty anymore. Plus, you’ll gain strength.” She handed the cup to Sairi.
Unexpectedly, Sairi didn’t take the cup, instead turning her face away in a silent sulk.
“What’s wrong? Still angry?”
“Actually, I’m not that mad. I don’t hold any deep grudge against the bloodline. I’m angry about something else.”
Finally, Sairi was willing to be honest—after being embraced, what else could she do?
“Oh? Then what are you angry about, little sister Sairi?”
Old Bident dared to ask?
“You shameless old thing! I don’t care about appearances! You spanked me in front of so many people, carried me around like a kitten—I have no face left! How am I supposed to live after this? How can I bear it?”
Sairi got worked up, her face flushed with anger, pointing at Liliath as she recounted her grievances.
“So that’s why little sister Sairi is angry.”
“Exactly! A man can be killed, but not humiliated!”
This part Sairi was smart about. She only said “A man can be killed, but not humiliated” now because she felt that if she had said it during the battle, Liliath might really have killed her.
But now that Liliath had embraced her, making her family, Liliath definitely wouldn’t harm her.
Hahaha, this clever plan made Sairi laugh to herself, even though being publicly punished was indeed humiliating.
“It’s really my fault. But I was angry at the moment. I apologize here and now.”
Liliath left the bed and knelt on the floor beside it, folding her hands and bowing, pleading for Sairi’s forgiveness.
The once proud and powerful Blood Progeny princess suddenly acted so humble—kneeling and begging—was Sairi dreaming?
She pinched her face to confirm the pain—it was real.
But how was this possible? Why had Liliath’s image changed so quickly? Shouldn’t she still be stubbornly refusing to apologize?
With this confusion, Sairi sat on the bed, placing a hand on Liliath’s forehead.
“Hiss… it’s not even very hot. Doesn’t seem like you’re sick.”
“Hey, I’m not sick. I’m seriously apologizing to you.”
“Huh?”
“Sigh, I was just angry. You ate all the food stored in the kitchen, and we still have guests tonight. You even finished Vera’s meal.”
“Ah, well…”
“Not only that, you attacked everyone present indiscriminately with that move. As princess, I have to protect everyone’s safety, or Mother would blame me.”
So that’s why Liliath was so angry.
“Uh, that really was my fault. And my constitution is special—I can eat a lot, but it doesn’t come out.”
“As long as you understand my troubles. But food is food. Better eaten than wasted. I’ll order the maids to make more urgently. Now, drink this blood~”
While speaking, Liliath waved the cup in front of Sairi.
“No, apologizing now doesn’t help. What’s done is done. I don’t fall for excuses after the fact.”
This Sairi was quite difficult. Liliath felt this was the first time she met someone so hard to deal with.
Although she wanted to press Sairi down and force-feed her blood right away, considering future social relations, she had to maintain a good relationship. This grievance would have to be endured for today!
“Alright, come with me.”
“What for?”
Before she could finish, Liliath scooped Sairi up and left the room.
Soon, the two returned to the hall where they had fought earlier. Liliath ordered everyone present to stop working and gather because she was about to hold a meeting.
This back and forth left the many maids bewildered, not understanding what the princess intended.
Once gathered, Liliath and Sairi stood side by side. Sairi felt a bit socially anxious with so many eyes on her.
“Watch closely.”
Liliath muttered a cryptic phrase, making Sairi puzzled.
***
The next second, Sairi saw glowing hands behind Liliath emitting a blood-colored light—both alluring and strange.
Then Liliath clenched her fists tightly and whispered something.
Suddenly, a huge magic array expanded, covering every corner of the hall, enclosing everyone present.
Before anyone could react, the array shone brilliantly, the dazzling light flashing before fading away—everything returned to normal with no unusual effects.
“What are you doing?”
“Ahem… This is the Bloodline’s unique High-level Forbidden Magic. Ahem… It can erase others’ memories. I deleted the memories of everyone present about the fight between you and me, including when you were defeated and spanked. Now, you appear to them as if for the first time.”
“So powerful? Bloodline magic can erase memories?”
While saying this, Sairi noticed something was wrong with Liliath—she was coughing lightly, her breathing irregular.
It seemed this magic consumed a lot of Liliath’s strength—ordinary people couldn’t withstand it.
Clap clap—
Enduring discomfort, Liliath shouted to everyone.
“Everyone, this girl beside me is Sairi, my Blood Progeny, your little princess. Treat her well.”
At once, the crowd erupted into heated discussions—some praising Sairi’s cuteness, others debating her abilities, and some excited to see the close interactions between Sairi and Liliath…
Sairi’s scalp tingled—were Blood Progeny really this open?
“Alright, since Sairi came in a hurry and we have a banquet tonight, I won’t trouble you further. You may all return to your work. We’ll discuss things later if needed.”
Liliath then instructed Vera about preparations and decorations for the evening banquet.
Sairi stayed silently beside her, despite knowing many wanted to hear her say a few words.
Soon Liliath led Sairi back to her room—this time walking side by side, slowly.
Once inside, the door closed behind them, and the two sank again into a quiet one-on-one atmosphere.
“How about now? Better?” Liliath exhaled deeply, steadying herself.
“Well… kind of.”
“Ah? Still not satisfied?”
“No, I can tell you’re much weaker now. I know casting that spell took a lot out of you. You erased so many people’s memories for me. I’m grateful.”
“So?”
“It means I understand your intentions. But what I want to see more isn’t you using so much power to erase memories, but a sincere apology from your heart—a genuine realization that your actions were wrong and unacceptable. A heartfelt epiphany.”
A heartfelt epiphany.
Honestly, as a Blood Progeny, Liliath found this difficult to understand.
Their lifespan, lifestyle, etiquette, and ethics were very different from humans. Sairi didn’t expect the Bloodline to grasp this fully.
“Forget it. You Blood Progeny probably don’t understand what I mean.”
“I do.”
“Huh?”
“I understand,” Liliath suddenly relaxed, dropping her princess airs, sitting beside Sairi with an equal and harmonious demeanor.
“At that time, I didn’t consider your feelings. As a friend, as family, I should have cared more and put myself in your shoes. I neglected your feelings then—that was truly my fault.”
Seeing Liliath become so earnest and formal, Sairi felt a bit awkward.
“Well, actually, I wasn’t great either. I disrupted your plans and caused a lot of trouble.”
Sairi spoke, but when she saw the warmth and concern in Liliath’s crimson eyes—no longer proud or prejudiced—she stopped.
“No, it’s my fault for not being considerate enough. You were so weak; a little food wouldn’t be enough. I was careless.”
“Liliath sister…”
Sairi couldn’t hold back, sensing Liliath’s disappointment. This wasn’t the proud and arrogant Blood Progeny princess she knew.
“That’s my dilemma. As Blood Progeny princess, I must be imposing and dignified. But that affects how I interact with others, often hurting those around me.”
“Being said that, everyone has their own burdens.”
“Moreover, no matter the outside influence, people are the biggest variable. Ultimately, it’s my problem. Arrogance is engraved in my bones…”
Sairi saw Liliath’s expression darken with melancholy. Uh-oh, Liliath was overthinking. She had to stop her.
“Don’t say that!” Sairi suddenly interrupted loudly, passionately defending Liliath.
“Who hasn’t made mistakes? But more important than the mistake itself is your heartfelt awakening! You have recognized your faults and deeply reflected. I believe that as long as you’re more careful in the future, everything will be fine!”
“But I…”
Before Liliath could finish, Sairi cut her off, emotions rising. She turned, pressed close to Liliath, and took her hand.
Liliath was surprised—the little frightened rabbit was now holding her hand willingly.
“Enough! Stop blaming yourself, stop tearing yourself down! You know your faults, and that’s in the past. What we need now is the wise and decisive princess!”
Sairi was sentimental by nature. Seeing such a beautiful girl sad before her moved her, even though Liliath had spanked her earlier. Actually, she quite liked this tsundere Blood Progeny princess.
Perhaps it was a sense of compassion?
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course! Otherwise, let’s make a promise!”
“Oh? What kind of promise?”
“You promise to keep your original heart, be the wise and decisive princess. And, of course, don’t spank me publicly anymore, okay? Hehe…”
Sairi’s mind was small. She could have demanded more outrageous things but chose instead to encourage Liliath, just asking to avoid public punishment.
At the same time, she extended her pinky, wiggling it before Liliath.
“Pfft… okay, I promise.”
Liliath leaned forward, linking her delicate finger with Sairi’s.
Their fingers entwined and swayed, sealing the pact. Even if broken, there would be no punishment.
“Yay, it’s over! Liliath sister, live well and stop tearing yourself up inside.”
Seeing Liliath’s eyes, Sairi felt the sincerity behind them. Even the usually cold Liliath smiled, softening her bloodline traits, looking more like an ordinary close friend.
Though their meeting was not smooth, having this cute Blood Progeny princess by her side was acceptable.
After all, she had long come to terms with everything. Having died once already, what was there to fear? No backing down, speak openly, let it out—it was a gift from the goddess.
Knock knock knock.
Just then, a knock came from the door.
“Princess, it’s me, Vera. Your mother summons you for a face-to-face explanation.”
“Alright, I got it. I’m going now.”
Liliath’s expression visibly soured.
“Sairi, rest well for now. If you need anything, tell Vera. I’ll ask her to stay by your side. I need to go meet with Mother now.”
Liliath stood and walked toward the door. Watching her retreating figure, as if soulless, Sairi felt sympathy—Liliath was about to be severely scolded by her mother.
“Good luck, sister!”
“Uh uh uh…”
Liliath looked dazed, softly closed the door, and left, instructing Vera to take good care of Sairi.
Once again, Sairi found herself alone in the silence.