VAP - Chapter 52
Chapter 52: The Supreme Sage Hopelessly Obsessed with Beauty (11)
Paying little mind to the future junior’s shock, the two upperclassmen walked away, chatting and laughing.
Abio stood stunned for a moment, then frowned and murmured, “I have a feeling we’re in trouble, Teacher Roman.”
The Dharma Saint’s soul was unconcerned. “What trouble could there be? It’s just a mentor resigning. Good magic mentors are hard to find, but there are plenty of good warrior mentors. Don’t worry.”
Abio: “...You don’t understand. Sigh.”
Leo’s departure was already a deviation from his memories, and now he was even connected to Nai Yin Galor. It was impossible not to overthink it.
Abio was, after all, a man who had lived for a century and reached the rank of Dharma Saint. He had seen his share of storms, and this little incident wasn’t enough to make him panic.
He turned thoughtfully and continued walking toward the inn.
In any case, it was a good thing that Mentor Leo could return to the battlefield he loved. He was probably overjoyed right now.
Students of the Royal Academy were sent to serve on the border for a year before graduation. He would look for him then.
Although the lack of cultivation resources was a serious problem... The academy would have a few days off after the assessment. It would be a good opportunity to search for hidden treasures within the academy.
Behind the black-haired youth, a black-feathered crow perched on a treetop preened its wings, its round eyes darting about.
Another bird, identical to it, abruptly appeared on a nearby branch and tilted its head in a human-like manner.
Change of shift?
Yep, you’re on!
The crow that had been there originally suddenly took flight, heading west toward the Empire.
The new one on duty nonchalantly pecked at the base of its wing, its cold, black eyes fixed on Rand Abio, who was walking away in the distance.
Galor Castle.
A young woman in a red robe leaned against a wide, arched window, her long silver hair cascading down, fluffy and slightly curled like a cloud.
A black-feathered crow let out a cheerful cry, locked onto its landing spot, and folded its wings, preparing to descend.
Target: the shoulder of the incomparably beautiful mistress of the castle—
“If you want a taste of a Light Descent spell, just try letting your claws land on my shoulder,” Nai Yin said coolly.
The crow’s descent came to an abrupt halt. It let out a reluctant, mournful cry and silently landed on the windowsill instead.
Yue Du sat nearby, sipping her tea, unfazed. She had grown accustomed to this scene. At first, she would watch with great interest, but now it was nothing out of the ordinary.
These black-feathered crows weren’t real creatures but elemental puppets sealed in scrolls, often used for sending messages, tracking, and surveillance.
Their feathers had an iridescent black sheen, making them quite beautiful overall.
“So, he stayed at the admissions office all day?”
After receiving the information transmitted by the elemental puppet, Lord Nai Yin’s lips curled slightly. The micro-expression gave her a demonic, bewitching charm, like a night succubus luring people to their fall.
Yue Du’s mind wandered for a second before she asked, “What is it?”
“Our unlucky protagonist has been acting a bit unusually. He stood at the admissions office for the entire day, only rushing forward to take the preliminary assessment at dusk, just as registration was about to close.”
“In the original plot, he shouldn’t have behaved so inexplicably. Now it sounds as if…”
“...as if he were waiting for someone,” the two said in unison.
Nai Yin blinked. “It seems we feel the same way.”
Yue Du chuckled. “Yes, but it’s the most plausible guess. It’s not like he was waiting to make a grand entrance at the very end.”
If Abio was waiting for someone, who was he waiting for?
Since he waited until the very last moment to register, did that mean he never saw the person he was waiting for?
Could that person be Leo?
Of course, other possibilities couldn’t be ruled out. For instance, the protagonist might have met some young lady or man on the way, agreed to register together, and waited eagerly only for the other person to stand him up, forcing him to register alone in disappointment… something like that.
But the surveillance from the black-feathered crows helped them eliminate these possibilities. Before arriving at the Royal Academy, Abio had stayed in his carriage as normal, with no unusual actions.
Therefore.
“There’s something wrong with him,” Yue Du stated with certainty. “Although I can’t be sure yet, we at least know that the plot has gone awry on his end, even though we haven’t influenced him before this.”
Nai Yin offered her most earnest praise. “That must be it. You’re simply too clever, truly worthy of being my little—the second mistress of my castle.”
Yue Du covered her face. “Thank you. But I refuse such awkward flattery.”
And did you think I wouldn’t know what you were originally going to say just because you pretended it was a slip of the tongue!
Nai Yin revealed a triumphant smile.
She pointed a finger at the black-feathered crow, and the poor elemental puppet dissolved back into dark elements, dissipating into the air.
“Alright, no matter what problems that apprentice has, it won’t affect anything,” the big boss concluded. “Just have the black crows keep an eye on him. For now, our top priority is to enjoy tonight’s supper.”
Yue Du: “…” That actually sounds quite reasonable?
It was a late-night supper without servants or musicians, yet the visual effect was enhanced rather than diminished.
It couldn’t be helped. Lord Nai Yin was just too beautiful, enough to turn the entire scene into something of a legend.
This was destined to be a pleasant supper.
Finally, a maid brought the after-dinner drinks: two glasses of sweet, bright red fruit juice. It came from a fruit shaped like a cherry tomato but tasted more like a peach, its sweet fragrance nearly overflowing.
Yue Du casually glanced up and saw Nai Yin holding the crystal-clear glass, her eyelashes lowered. Her full, rosy lips pressed against the rim, stained by the color of the juice.
Paired with Nai Yin’s cool, pale complexion, she looked like a vampire countess drinking blood—demonic and tragically beautiful.
Ah, it was so easy to get lost in the sight of her.
Yue Du quickly lowered her eyes, her expression unchanged, not revealing her thoughts.
Wait, speaking of vampires…
She looked up again and asked seriously, “What are your thoughts on human blood?”
Nai Yin was a little surprised. “Why do you ask?” Then she realized and smiled. “Right, you know which clan’s blood runs in my veins.”
“It was in the files,” Yue Du said in a low voice.
Nai Yin straightened her gracefully lined back slightly, as if searching for the most appropriate words.
After a moment of thought, she said, “I am half-vampire. This body, a mix of vampire and human traits, requires fresh blood. It doesn’t have to be human, but human blood has the best effect.”
“But I’ve never seen you drink blood…”
“Isn’t this it?” Lord Nai Yin swirled the juice glass in her hand, her smile deepening.
Yue Du’s face was impassive. “Please don’t joke. This is just ordinary fruit juice. I can smell the sweetness.”
Nai Yin: “Pfft.”
She probably found Yue Du very amusing—of course, every word Yue Du said was adorable to her, but the tone of this particular sentence was especially interesting.
“Alright, it’s just ordinary fruit juice.”
Nai Yin chuckled and swirled the glass, the crimson liquid sloshing inside, looking very much like blood.
“Half-vampires need to replenish their blood supply periodically. You haven’t seen it because the time hasn’t come yet. It should be in a few days.”
Yue Du understood and nodded.
“Speaking of which, although I’ve almost never drawn blood directly from a human body, I’ve heard that the sensation of being bitten is quite pleasant,” Nai Yin said with a tempting blink. “Want to give it a try? I promise it won’t hurt.”
Yue Du: “No, thank you.”
“You really don’t want to?”
“Really.”
Lord Nai Yin sighed with considerable regret. She brought the glass to her lips, sipped the dripping sweet juice, and then deliberately licked the color from her lower lip with the tip of her tongue.
Very good. It seemed she knew exactly which actions made her look more alluring and desirable.
After doing so, Nai Yin asked again, “Are you sure you don’t want to try?”
“…I’m sure!”
Lord Nai Yin was rejected for a second time.
Yue Du pretended she was going to rest and returned to her room, only then realizing her face was burning.
Fortunately, her blush wasn’t very noticeable, so she wasn’t afraid of being seen through.
Nai Yin was right.
Two days later, Yue Du witnessed a grand scene of collective blood donation—the “collective” being the subordinates and servants in the castle.
Everyone conscientiously formed a long line outside Lord Nai Yin’s castle, rolling up their sleeves to reveal clean, fair arms, looking as if this were routine.
The one in charge of “drawing blood” was Madam Milan. Each person only gave a small vial, and after they were done, they went about their business.
Yue Du stood to the side, looking a bit bewildered.
Was all of this for Nai Yin?
Her appetite was quite large, then.
The chief attendant, Tina, was also among them. Seeing her approach, Yue Du asked, “Uh, do I need to join in?”
Tina was a Archmage with strong regenerative abilities. The needle mark on her arm had already healed right after she gave blood.
Hearing the question, the loyal maid lowered her sleeve and looked at her with a strange expression.
Yue Du: “…”
Why did she suddenly have a bad feeling?
Tina’s words confirmed this feeling. “If it were your blood, I don’t think Her Ladyship would be willing to take it from a cold container. That would be too cruel.”
Yue Du: “But I think I’d still—”
“Her Ladyship never takes blood directly from the body, probably due to some kind of psychological aversion,” Tina said. “But vampires are meant to draw blood from their prey’s bodies. That is the most appropriate way to consume it. If you were willing, she would probably be very happy.”
But I’m not sure if I would be happy, Yue Du thought to herself.
The vampires of the Ayers Continent were like a combination of the vampires and demons from Yue Du’s world.
They were demonic, indulgent, beautiful, and ageless, sustaining themselves by drinking blood. As long as their nourishment was constant, they could exist for a very long time.
They usually had distinctive features, such as pale skin, sharp fangs, and horns of various shapes on their foreheads, which clearly distinguished them from humans.
Other than her pale skin, Nai Yin had no other vampiric traits. Yue Du had even secretly observed her teeth; they were white and even, not looking like they had fangs at all.
So, even if Nai Yin did bite someone… she might not be able to bite through properly like a pure-blooded vampire, right?
Yue Du suddenly felt a strange sense of sympathy.
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