After the four Level 3 vampire executives were dealt with, things proceeded just as Dio had predicted. Although the remaining low-level vampires were numerous, they were all vulnerable.
Soon, the Betty territory welcomed a long period of peace without any attacks from high-level vampires. During this time, however, other border territories of the empire fell one after another.
At this point, all four major academies had suspended their on-campus classes. Almost all students had returned to their respective territories to help their families with defense work.
Inside the study of the core castle in the Alsaid family territory.
Rhea sat behind a large ebony desk. Before her lay scrolls regarding territory taxes and border monster activity, but her gaze was somewhat vacant. Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the tail feathers of her quill pen.
She already knew the news that Ize had gone to the Betty family with the Starry Academy team to provide support. She was well aware of the cruelty of the vampires. Although she had witnessed Ize’s strength, she still couldn’t put her mind at ease.
Lately, she had seemed somewhat distracted, and her efficiency in handling affairs had dropped significantly.
*Creak — *
The door to the study was gently pushed open, breaking the silence of the room.
Angelica’s figure appeared silently at the door. She wore a dark purple gown that made her skin look even fairer and accentuated her innate, scrutinizing aura.
“Rhea,” Angelica’s voice was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet it carried an invisible pressure. “What are you thinking about?”
Rhea’s heart jolted. She quickly composed herself and looked up, trying her best to make her expression look calm and focused. “Sister. I was thinking about the vampire situation.”
She shifted her gaze back to the scrolls on the desk and explained, “Currently, the vampires’ main offensive is concentrated on several border families. Although our Alsaid family doesn’t directly border them, I believe it’s necessary to draw up support plans in advance. While strengthening our own defenses, we should also consider providing limited aid to the front lines.”
This was a reasonable discussion of family affairs, and Rhea hoped to use it to divert her sister’s attention.
Angelica walked over slowly, her high heels clicking sharply against the floor, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet study. She stopped in front of the desk and leaned over slightly, her eyes — which were similar to Rhea’s but sharper and colder — staring directly at her younger sister.
“Support?” The corners of Angelica’s mouth suddenly curled into a half-smile, carrying a knowing look that saw through everything. “Let me guess… the primary target of your so-called support plan is… the Betty family?”
Rhea’s pupils contracted imperceptibly, and her fingers tightened slightly around the quill pen. She maintained her surface composure, but that momentary, subtle reaction had already been caught by Angelica.
“Heh.” Angelica let out a short, cold laugh and stood up straight, her eyes suddenly turning a few degrees colder. “Rhea, don’t play these little tricks in front of me. Did you really think that your frequent private dispatching of people to inquire about the Betty family’s battle situation — especially focusing on the movements of Starry Academy — could be hidden from me?”
Rhea’s heart sank. A familiar, suffocating feeling of restraint gripped her tightly once again. She chose silence.
“It seems I hit the mark.” Angelica’s voice carried unabashed sarcasm. “Is it for that boy named Ize?”
“It’s been six years, Rhea. I truly cannot understand what kind of charm that commoner boy has — other than a decent-looking face — that could make you remember him until now?!” Her tone gradually became agitated, carrying a hint of incomprehensible anger. “If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have just slaughtered him back in that damn dungeon to eliminate the problem forever!”
Hearing her sister’s blatant murderous intent, Rhea suddenly looked up. A flash of sharpness crossed her eyes as she blurted out, “Sister! There is nothing between Ize and me!”
“It’s best that there’s nothing!” Angelica interrupted her harshly, her tone resolute and brooks no argument. “Rhea Alsaid! You must always remember your identity! You are the current head of the Alsaid family. Your every word and action represent the will and face of the family! Your social interactions, even your feelings, must have the family’s interests as the highest standard! Everything about you, from the moment you were born, was destined to belong to Alsaid! You do not have the right to act willfully!”
Rhea’s face turned pale. She pursed her lips tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.
It was happening again… it was always like this…
Since she was a child, her life had been like a precision blueprint already drawn out. Every step was strictly planned, allowing no deviation whatsoever. What clothes to wear, what etiquette to learn, which “appropriate” friends to make, and even… becoming a “male” family head in the future… everything was under the control of Angelica, or rather, the invisible giant hand of the family.
She was like an exquisite puppet pulled by countless threads, living under the envious gazes of others yet unable to feel a single spark of warmth that belonged to her.
Those years of being strictly managed and constantly monitored had almost suffocated her. It wasn’t until six years ago that she summoned the courage for the first and only time to “plan” her own disappearance, intentionally falling into the hands of the Pigmen.
That period spent imprisoned in the dark, filthy dungeon actually became the only splash of color in her gray childhood when she looked back on it. That was the first time she had briefly broken free of her shackles and felt “freedom.”
Despite the terrible environment and the immense danger, there were no pervasive monitoring gazes there, and no formalities that had to be followed. She didn’t have to deliberately lower her voice or keep her back straight to play the role of a qualified “heir.” She could even zone out quietly and think about her own things that had nothing to do with the family.
The only regret was that she didn’t know how to communicate with the other imprisoned, fear-stricken commoner children in the dungeon. Her world was too far removed from theirs, and she couldn’t truly empathize with their fear.
Just when she thought this brief period of “freedom” would also end in loneliness, Ize appeared. She still clearly remembered the feeling of seeing Ize for the first time.
That boy with black hair and black eyes was completely different from the other children who were shivering and crying uncontrollably. There was no fear in his eyes. Instead, they sparkled with a nearly foolish curiosity and… a kind of inexplicable, blind confidence?
He was the first person to proactively approach her and speak. In that environment where survival was uncertain, his first words were actually a heartfelt exclamation as he widened his eyes:
“Whoa, buddy, you’re really handsome! I can tell you’re not an ordinary person! Don’t worry, we’ll definitely get out of here alive!”
Rhea had been completely stunned. She couldn’t understand this inappropriate optimism and… obvious lack of brains. She even suspected that Ize had lost his mind due to excessive shock or perhaps had an intellectual disability.
Due to her long-standing habit of detachment and the fact that she simply didn’t know how to respond to such inexplicable enthusiasm, she chose silence.
However, Ize’s subsequent actions continuously confirmed her preliminary judgment that he “had an intellectual disability.” He would try to attract attention in extremely clumsy ways when a guard came by. When a small amount of food was distributed, he would secretly save a bit more of his own portion for her.
He clearly didn’t know magic or martial arts, yet he talked about wanting to protect her.
What shook her most was when that filthy Pigman leader looked her over with lustful eyes and tried to take her away alone. This seemingly weak and “stupid” Ize actually stood up abruptly and chose to protect her.
It’s just that his way of protecting her was a bit comical…
Even though his legs were still shaking, he forced himself to stand between her and the Pigman. His voice trembled but was exceptionally clear as he shouted:
“Let… let go of that boy! If… if you’ve got the guts, come at me!”
At that moment, looking at Ize’s back — clearly scared to death yet still held straight despite the slight shaking — a strange, unprecedented warmth surged into Rhea’s heart. Although she knew that even if Ize didn’t step forward, she had the ability to protect herself, this feeling of being clumsily and firmly protected by a “fool” regardless of his own safety…
This was the first time in her life she had experienced it.
And in the final moments of their escape, when Ize accidentally tripped and the Pigman monster was about to catch up, he waved his hand forcefully at Rhea, who had turned back to pull him. He even forced a hideous smile onto his face and shouted:
“Buddy! Don’t worry about me! You guys get out! I can die without regrets!”
At that moment, a solid corner of Rhea’s heart felt as if it had been struck hard by something.
In the short few days of the dungeon experience, she had felt from the “idiot” Ize a pure care and warmth that she hadn’t experienced in over ten years with the Alsaid family. It was a clumsy, pure, and even somewhat ridiculous guardianship.
After Ize was taken away by Dean Claire, she had actually thought countless times about going to Starry Academy to find him and formally get to know this “friend.” But as soon as she thought of her sister Angelica’s all-seeing gaze and desire for control, she had to suppress that impulse.
She couldn’t hurt him.
For these six years, she had almost given up on this extravagant hope. That was until fate allowed them to meet again.
Six years had changed Ize a lot. He had shed the “stupidity” and recklessness of the dungeon days and had become cautious, low-profile, and even… a bit too careful.
When they reunited at the academy, she had summoned all her courage to proactively offer him a water flask, only to be met with his obvious distancing and an imperceptible trace of dread.
At that moment, her feelings were complicated beyond words.
The so-called “worry about exposing the gender secret” was half truth; the other half was merely an excuse she found for her clumsy attempts to get close again. It was just that the subsequent development of things far exceeded her initial expectations and… completely veered off course.
She had indeed made progress in her relationship with Ize, but the direction of that development seemed a bit skewed…
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