Chapter 171: (Extra 3)

If there was another vampire present, they would be able to see the entire process of predation through the night.

From the Duke silently infiltrating the Count’s castle at night to her suppressing this class C blood meal beneath her, assuming a feeding posture, the Duke seemed to be controlled by instinct, as if… lured into a deep alley by the scent of wine along the street.

Until the Duke moved her teeth away from the human skin, the pure innocence and cruelty of the beast faded away from the vampire, and the Duke regained rationality, breaking free from instinct.

She furrowed her brows slightly, looking around.

Without anyone explaining, the Duke quickly realized, through her control over the entire vampire inner city, that she was now in Garcia’s mansion, the female countess who had invited her to the ball.

Now, thinking back, Gudwinzer couldn’t remember why she had sent out the rose letter in the first place.

—Nor why she was drawn here by the instincts steeped in blood in the dead of night.

Regardless, the blood of this human held a fatal attraction for her, filling the entire room with her sweet scent, as if presenting a bloody piece of meat in front of a hungry wolf.

And Gudwinzer couldn’t remember the last time she had consumed fresh human blood.

Crimson light flashed in her eyes, fleeting.

Gudwinzer licked her lips, officially turning her gaze to this human —

Night belonged to the vampires, and the thick night couldn’t hinder Gudwinzer’s sight. She took in the appearance of the human woman, even able to see the bruised blood vessels on her neck.

In the deep red canopy, the human clad in a pure white robe was pressed beneath the vampire, her long hair scattered on the clean and fluffy pillow, the tips of her hair gently curled.

The human trembled beneath the vampire, eyes tightly shut, breathing rapidly, her lace-covered chest rising and falling.

Gudwinzer’s pale fingertips slid down the blue veins on her neck, where her satisfied meal was contained, her long-absent delicacy, and the vessel containing blood was particularly pleasing to the eye, like a delicate white jade rose porcelain.

However, even Gudwinzer, who was indifferent to worldly affairs, had heard Garcia’s notorious reputation more than once. This human might be Garcia’s blood meal, or perhaps had already been consumed —

Her actions involuntarily increased in strength, eliciting a gasp from the human.

The vampire leaned down again, lightly sniffing this white rose beneath her, still carrying the scent of morning dew, untouched by the vampire, pure and delicious.

In the pure darkness, Song Pianxian heard a low pant from the vampire, her voice like a demon under the moonlight, seductive and hoarse, mixed with a distinctly different cold and noble tone, blending into a voice that made one’s eardrums tingle:

“Food, I am your indulger.”

The next morning, beside Song Pianxian’s pillow, there lay a white rose tied with a ribbon, adorned with glistening dewdrops.

She walked to the gauze window, where the white rose bloomed in full, covering her terrace.

In the European-style garden, Melanie exclaimed enthusiastically:

“Last night, the guard caught five vampires, two men and three women. Vanessa, did you know? Two of them fought in my room, on my bed, pulling each other’s hair. After I knocked on the bell and called the guard, I heard they were engaged, who knew they would sneak off together — Vanessa, are you listening to me?”

Song Pianxian came to her senses, setting down her gilded white coffee cup, saying, “I heard. It seems they really like to challenge the Earl’s authority.”

“Exactly, there have been captures every night these days.”

Melanie complained, sporting dark circles under her eyes, “Lydia went to the Earl’s bedroom, and they treated me as the only grade A blood chamber. Every night, I have to be responsible for calling the guard to take them out. Vampires are more annoying than mosquitoes.”

Song Pianxian nodded in agreement, those who just suck blood and run away.

“Hey, you haven’t been bothered by vampires these nights, have you? Tomorrow is the ball, you can’t make any mistakes now.”

Song Pianxian caressed her wrist hidden under the long-sleeved shirt. No one knew that her blood had fed a vampire for the past two nights.

The vampire didn’t directly pierce her body with her teeth to suck blood. Each night, she climbed from the terrace into her own room, only sucking a drop of blood. Song Pianxian’s body remained unaffected, her complexion still rosy, so the guard couldn’t detect anything unusual.

Garcia sent people to strictly guard against other vampires stealing blood meals and disrupting the ball. Despite this, that vampire had no obstacles, as if entering an uninhabited realm.

Leaving the grade A blood and not going for it, exerting effort to come to her room, and eating only a tiny bit for two consecutive nights without harming herself, besides Qinglu, which other vampire was so miserable?

This child, can she eat enough?

The noble Lord Gudwinzer didn’t know that the weak human she had her eyes on was worrying about her dietary issues. On the third night, she continued to visit the terrace covered in white roses.

This night, once it passed, they would be able to reunite at the ball. She would bring the human back to her castle, and they would get to know each other again.

The ceremonious Duke plucked a bouquet from the white roses on the terrace, examined it carefully, and smirked with satisfaction.

Just as the Duke adjusted her collar and the second button, preparing to push open the glass door and enter, a vampire landed on the nearby terrace. Upon landing, they greeted the Duke who was hidden in the night with enthusiasm:

“Hey, buddy, are you here for a sneak meal too? Be careful, the guards have doubled tonight.”

“…”

As the Duke left the white roses by the human’s pillow and licked her fangs, coming out of the human’s room, she stood in the midst of the white rose bushes and glanced downward. Below the building, the commoner vampire who had greeted her earlier was being dragged away by the Earl’s guards, looking very resentful:

“Why only catch me? Your office should be fair and just! Be careful, I’ll call the Earl’s office to complain. Clearly, the room next to mine also has a vampire…”

The guards looked up at the terrace covered in white roses and sensed the atmosphere.

“Behave yourself! That room is for blood meals only.”

The vampire widened their eyes: “This… how is this possible? I saw her enter with my own eyes.”

The head guard was personally embraced by Count Garcia, and she said coldly, “Unless the other party’s status is higher than the Count’s, they can completely conceal their presence in front of me.”

However, vampires with a higher status than the Count were few in number, mostly enlightened beings who had begun to cultivate themselves, successfully cultivating an aura of old age among the immortal vampires, and they were proud of it.

When the moon rises, they go for morning exercises. At this time, they are probably on their way to the human supermarket to snatch cheap eggs. How could they appear at Garcia’s lewd mansion?

Moreover, the elderly pay great attention to their diet. They only use grade A, and one day a week, they even fast and abstain from food. How could they appear in a grade C room? Absurd!

The head guard didn’t even dare to consider an option named “Lord Gudwinzer” in her mind. She directly threatened the vampire:

“If you don’t behave, I’ll revoke your lifelong right to eat maoxuewang hotpot.”

“!” The vampire was shocked and turned pale, immediately closing their mouth like a clamshell, looking bewildered and aggrieved.

Meanwhile, Gudwinzer had long left this boring farce halfway through.

The white roses swayed a bit, respectfully bidding farewell to the Duke, and continued to guard the sleeping beauty in place of the vampire guards.

The ball was extravagant, with velvet tablecloths adorned with golden candlesticks and glass goblets everywhere. The candlelight reflected in the goblets filled with A-rank blood, a golden-red hue, but few vampires indulged, mostly just tasting lightly.

Although these “drinks” were prepared in the past few days, vampires preferred fresh food. Drawing blood directly from pulsing veins, still warm, with the trembling of humans as seasoning, was the ultimate delicacy.

However, obviously, not many people’s attention was on eating today.

Count Garcia, dressed in a complex and gorgeous banquet gown, waved a feather fan, surrounded by admirers, feeling pleased with himself, and said:

“How did I invite Lord Goodwin? Thatcher, how dare I be presumptuous towards the Duke? I just sent a greeting letter following etiquette. Perhaps I just caught the Duke in a good mood?”

“The Duke will definitely come. Miss Julie is a new vampire, right? The Goodwin Family never breaks appointments, never arrives late, this is well known.”

“Oh, my dear, why would you think the blonde pet by my side is food for the Duke? The food for the Duke is the finest and purest—”

“Duke!”

A cry interrupted Garcia’s words.

The overwhelming intimidation of the first-generation vampire spread throughout the hall, a supreme suppression from the blood, making other vampires unable to resist, full of submission.

Everyone walked out from various corners of the hall and gathered under the huge glass chandelier hanging from the third floor. Garcia, as the host, had already put away her frivolous demeanor and walked to the opposite side of the hall’s door.

She was solemn, dignified, gentle, and eager as she led the entire noble vampire aristocracy to kneel in homage to the arrival of the vampire Duchess Selena Goodwin.

Garcia’s face flushed with excitement, just because the Duke walked up to her, reached out to her, and she was able to respectfully kiss the thorn rose ring on the Duke’s left hand.

This was her greatest honor.

As the hall buzzed with excitement for the arrival of the uncrowned queen of vampires, in a small side hall next to the banquet hall, preparations were underway.

In order to cater to the preferences of the vampires, blood food was always beautifully dressed, and the attire for blood food was like the finest wrapping paper.

Song Pianxian was asked to change into a Rococo-style dress. The sea-blue underskirt was extremely elaborate, with a soft pink lace collar in front, where the two colors collided, giving the skirt a soft and light appearance.

It was the first time Song Pianxian had worn such clothing, which was quite novel to her. She casually picked up a hand fan nearby.

The fan’s ribs were made of ivory, and the surface was embroidered with white roses, adorned with lace, delicate and exquisite.

Song Pianxian gently caressed the soft white roses on the fan, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Melanie changed into a silver-fringed dress. Black beauties looked very beautiful in this color, like a black pearl in bloom.

But when the black pearl spoke, it was not so elegant: “I used to be afraid that Count Garcia would host some obscene feast, but now it seems like everyone is behaving properly on the surface!”

Song Pianxian slowly raised an eyebrow: “Why do you think so much?”

The Lingyi’s Infinite Illusion Network has been through censorship. How could such a group obscenity operation occur? It has long been harmonized.

Melanie insisted: “Count Garcia’s demeanor is so terrifying, isn’t it normal for me to think about this?”

Song Pianxian felt that in a sense, Melanie was even scarier than Count Garcia.

Melanie kept dragging Song Pianxian here and there, mostly praising how radiant and beautiful Song Pianxian looked today, as if she had her own soft light filter. Until midway through the ball, the captain of the guard marched in, clapping his hands:

“A and B, come with me, take C to the right hall.”

The captain glanced at the most beautiful one: “Vanessa, right? You come with me too.” Although she didn’t think this C-grade blood would be chosen by anyone, she could be a qualified decoration in the main hall.

Melanie walked forward, holding up her skirt, and kept talking: “Look at you, C-grade, you’re the only one who came to the main hall. I’m going to offer blood to the Duke. I heard she’s very picky and probably won’t like me. Once I’m free, I’ll come find you. Just stand there like a Christmas tree. If any nobles lose control and want to suck your blood, just comply with them until I come. Don’t resist…”

The door to the main hall was right in front of them, the music played by the band drifting in their ears.

That gaze brushed past Melanie’s shoulder, looking behind her. Melanie realized, her mouth slowly gaping, daring not to believe as she turned her head to look—

The only C-grade blood in the entire hall, the sugar frosted biscuit decoration of the banquet hall, her gentle and beautiful good sister, Vanessa.

Garcia’s body trembled, unable to believe it.

The other vampires all focused their gazes on that C-grade, as if trying to discern something special about her that made the Duke choose her.

Under the grand and splendid dome of the banquet hall, the vampires all stared at the frail humans.

The other blood donors had long turned pale under this pressure, collectively retreating. Unlike these local girls, Song Pianxian was different, having less pressure and a solid foundation of experience from numerous lectures and large-scale conferences. She remained calm in the face of such attention.

No one dared to obstruct the Duke’s path, so there was no one between the Duke and the door of the banquet hall, even leaving a straight long passage.

The crowd split into two, vampires on either side, as the vampire Duke extended her hand towards the humans, palm up, her eyes scrutinizing her:

“Come to me.”

Song Pianxian smiled gently, her feet unmoving.

She met the vampire’s deep emerald gaze, closed the fan, and lightly touched her lips with the handle.

The surrounding vampires gasped.

Garcia exaggeratedly struck the pose of a fainting noblewoman.

How dare this C-grade blood! It was already an honor for the Duke to notice her! She should obediently come over, yet she dared to speak like that to the Duke! Did she think she could do whatever she wanted just because she was pretty?

—She really could!

The vampires present were all in a daze; the Duke, who didn’t even like to eat, had actually left them behind and departed with a blood donor!

Countless vampires had dreamed of the Duke walking towards them under the dreamy lights and taking them back to the castle. Today, this happened, but it was with a human.

The Duke didn’t choose the prepared Grade A, but took a Grade C instead. Garcia was momentarily unsure whether to be happy or sad, her emotions complicated.

Lydia asked Garcia:

“Co-, Countess, what just happened? Why is everyone saying the Duke agreed to fulfill the agreement, what is… agreed upon?”

Garcia glanced at her beautiful pet, feeling somewhat calmed by her beauty. She licked her lips with her tongue, tapping the handle of the feather fan on her lips.

Behind the glamorous feather fan, her crimson lips parted:

“Do you know what this fan language means?”

Lydia looked incredibly innocent: “I don’t know.”

Garcia’s expression seemed to reveal a hint of resentment, as if seeing the exalted Allah being pulled down from the altar by mortals:

“Kiss me.”

The vampire Duke granted the human’s wish.

She led the human to the highest point of the castle roof. It was a full moon tonight, and the moon seemed within reach.

In the moonlit breeze, she kissed her blood donor.

Vampire saliva seemed naturally capable of confusing humans, numbing their senses, arousing sensations of pleasure and desire in their minds, leaving them unable to distinguish reality from fantasy.

Few vampires kissed humans, and when they did, they were extremely patient. This was not just a kiss; the Duke of Goodwin meticulously licked the blood donor.

The blood donor obediently wrapped her arms around the Duke’s waist. The Duke cradled the human’s cheeks, kissing down, following the curve of her lips, lingering and licking at her neck.

The wind blew away the residual dampness, leaving a cool sensation.

Meanwhile, Song Pianxian was already immersed in the sensations the vampire had bestowed upon her. She felt as light as a cloud.

The moon reached its zenith.

The Duke’s kiss lingered in one spot.

Below the castle, the front courtyard was filled with numerous Damascus roses in full bloom, while the backyard was adorned with golden yellow abelias, their petals falling like rain.

Moonlight, roses, abelias, and the human in her arms.

At the highest point of the castle, the Duke’s crimson lips curved upwards as she gently stroked the back of Song Pianxian’s head:

“Vanessa, look at me.”

Their azure and dark green eyes met.

The Duke lowered her head, her sharp fangs protruding from between her red lips, piercing the thin skin on the human’s neck.

Song Pianxian’s eyes flew open, her pupils dilating.

She could feel her entire body being invaded by Goodwin’s blood. Vampire blood was cold, yet it could ignite the human blood with its teeth, dragging her into towering waves, tearing her apart yet constantly renewing her.

She dissolved into warmth. Song Pianxian felt like she was no longer a cloud; perhaps she was a piece of sugar being baked, or a lump of sugar being dropped into bitter black coffee, or maybe she was a handful of snow surviving until spring, eventually melting completely in the invisible fire, returning to the vast ocean.

The fangs penetrated shallowly, the blood flowed slowly, the vampires cherished their food, this feeding was grand and lingering, Song Pianxian was both joyful and painful, a peculiar pain.

Tears of joy fell from her eyes.

Her limbs grew numb and weak, her eyes wide open but unable to focus on anything.

She saw countless stars extinguishing abruptly, sonnets passing before her eyes, troubadours drinking by the stream, abelias shining alongside the sun, roses fluttering in the wind—

In the end, she could only feel her sacrifice with her entire body, she was the offering, nourishing the gods with flesh and blood.

---

Come join the Discord, where all the cool kids hang out!

Please support us on Ko-Fi. You can now read extra chapters by supporting.

Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

---

---