For a single moment I wondered if a Djinn of Illusions had come around and swept me up into one of their tricks and delusions. On whether or not I had inhaled the effervescent bubbles of a Siren’s Magic or heard a coy Pixie’s laughter sprung up along with a bell of Leprechaun joy.

They were by far a more logical conclusion.

After all, there were truly beings, other individuals much more talented than I… because to arrogantly believe that I was the strongest existence in the world was like challenging the heavens themselves.

You had to know the laws on which the world was governed.

It was as if I was asking for someone to attack me in the back and prove me wrong if I declared otherwise.

Sure, I believed that I was stronger than Averon Kingdom… or whatever warriors, mages they might have had and it seemed to be a human predominated kingdom.

But I knew that there were others around my level, equal races like the Fae, Dragon and others that made me wonder if someone had truly bewitched me.

Surely, I did not hear Rose correctly.

However for a Vampire, much less someone myself, to have a problem with hearing was impossible. So at that moment—I laughed and reappeared in front of her.

Rose stepped back uncertainly, her back touching the door, while I leaned down and whispered to her ear.

“Whether this is foolish bravery or blissful ignorance of what a Vampire can do to someone such yourself, I myself cannot tell what you have,” I said. “Do not offer yourself so freely, or I might truly take you up for that offer tonight.”

Her breath hitched, a wobble in her voice.

“I… I’m not afraid of you.”

“Says the one who’s trembling right now.”

“You’re the coward.”

I chuckled as my fangs grazed around her ear, just so.

“Frankly speaking, I’m much more concerned as to how your dear Princess will react if she chances upon the door, looking for a glass of water and then comes upon you and me. How shameful must it be if she were to hear you—”

Rose’s soft hands pressed against my chest and she pushed me back—at least attempted to—her head bent down, dark brown hair falling over slightly her face.

However, I caught the sight of her cheeks flushing hard beneath the moonlight. Heard the way her heart pounded hard and the tantalizing rush of blood.

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She then finally looked up to me with an embarrassed and yet slightly self-righteous glare.

“I knew it, you were a pervert.” Rose huffed. “You’re a vile one.”

“Fascinating, so that’s what you’ve garnered from this exchange.” I chuckled, taking a step back and folding my arms over my chest. “If I do remember correctly, and I’ll even offer magic memory enhancement if you’d like—the one who offered herself up first… was you, wasn’t it?”

Rose’s face turned into a deeper shade of red, something which I almost didn’t think was possible. She pointed a finger at me and said. “Y-you’re the one who started it.”

“Oh, really?”

It really was sort of amusing to watch her get all this flustered over a little thing.

I haven’t even touched her, but from the way she acted, she was acting as if I had done something inexplicable—and while I did have the upperhand in this relationship, I refused to do anything to her beyond teasing.

… which was frankly strange, now that I thought about it.

I had involved myself with debauchery and promiscuity that had made countless women in the past curl and beg around my fingertips. But now that I looked at this red-faced woman who was determined to oust me as a pervert, I did not budge or take her offer.

Had time really changed things for me?

I did not think that was the case.

I just had other priorities right now and feeding though incredibly tempting—and I wondered about what her blood tasted like—came second to… second to what?

My mind drew to a blank.

“Are you alright?” Rose suddenly asked.

“Satisfactory,” I said and gave a cursory nod, suddenly realized my tone and then shifted to a far more suggestive one. “Although, I must say that I did not expect that you would actually start caring if I pull on this mere expression. What a tender heart used for someone like me.”

Rose’s expression changed into mild annoyance. “I let my guard down for a second and you tell me that was all a trick?”

I was tempted to say yes, maintain and dispense the mystery of allure of a creature beyond mortal comprehension—but I cleared my throat and shrugged. “Well, if I were to speak truthfully with no concealment or pretenses, it is simply because I am reminded that I have no specific direction at the moment.”

“...I thought you wanted to restore the House Blackwell to its full glory?” Rose asked.

“Yes, yes… I did say that, didn’t I?” I crossed my arms and sighed. “But to be frank, I did not have any intention to wake up. My Eternal Sleep should have lasted until the end of time or beyond it.”

“Until the end of what…?” Rose stared up at me perplexed.

She truly acted as a mortal did. Had she not heard of similar developments of other Races? Some beings made of pure magic or embodied an elemental could simply return back to their base states and give up consciousness. A Sylph merging with the wind, or giving up its spiritual body—but of course she must not have known that. And I was not her teacher to give some advice regarding her use of wind magic, so instead, I delved into some theatrics.

“Whether or not the world was plagued by an apocalypse or something along the fury of the heavens, I would barely be awoken. After all, knowing how the Ages tend to be a cycle, there is not much to fear… but this time—”

“Wait, did we wake you up by accident?” Rose blurted out.

“If I said yes, would you take responsibility for it?”

“No, but it’s not like you’re holding us hostages at this moment, aren’t you?”

“You can leave if you like.”