“How dare you!”

She lunged at me again, but the shield was already up. The feel of the coal in my palm quickly calmed me down. I stood up and asked,

“You must have lived a long time as a vampire, right?”

“Of course. I’m nothing like a lowly human like you.”

“Then why is your judgment so poor?”

“What?”

“If I were you, I’d be after this stone, not the necklace. You can’t even recognize its value, so your abilities must be lacking.”

“You insolent human! I’ll send you to the afterlife with that ugly stone!”

She had correctly guessed the origin of the coal, but she didn’t seem to realize it. Janet bared her fangs menacingly but didn’t try to tear the shield apart again, perhaps realizing it was futile.

“You seem pretty confident with that junk, little girl. But playtime is over. My charm works on all species and genders. I’ll make you crawl to me on your own.”

Janet’s eyes glowed a deep red. I knew I shouldn’t look, but it was too late. I was entranced in an instant. Flames flickered in her eyes.

‘No.’

Why? Why shouldn’t I look at something so beautiful? A question arose deep within me.

“Come here.”

Janet beckoned. I shook my head, barely maintaining eye contact. I knew I shouldn’t go, but my body and mind were desperate to run to her. Suddenly, I felt an intense thirst. It seemed like touching her would quench it.

“Hurry.”

Her gentle urging voice was incredibly sweet. Before I knew it, I was moving forward.

“My mate, you must close your eyes.”

The coal whispered urgently.

“I can’t. What should I do? I think I’ve fallen for Janet. It’s all over. I love Janet!”

My voice trembled with despair. I knew I was weak to beauty, but I hadn’t realized I was this easy. Falling for a vampire over my male leads meant it was the end for me, the world, everything.

“Do not despair. It’s just confusion caused by chaos.”

Suddenly, a thick darkness covered my eyes. It was similar to Janet’s black mist but deeper, colder, and more peaceful.

—You’re safe now.

The coal’s voice resonated directly in my mind. I snapped back to my senses.

“Huh?”

I stopped in my tracks. I couldn’t believe I had been whining about Janet just moments ago. My face burned with embarrassment at the thought of my earlier antics.

“Th-Thank you.”

“There is an abandoned building nearby. Lure her there, and I will handle it.”

“Where should I go?”

“Three hundred meters to the left. I will deal with the vampire; you just run straight ahead.”

“Wait, 300 meters isn’t close.”

I was wearing flats, which were more comfortable than heels but not ideal for running. However, when Janet roared in frustration at her failed charm, my legs moved on their own. As soon as I turned my back on her, my vision cleared.

“Stop right there!”

Following the coal’s instructions, I ran straight ahead. Fortunately, he was effectively blocking her attacks, so she couldn’t get in my way. In the past, I wouldn’t have been able to run even 150 meters, but thanks to Iscallion’s training, I could sprint without stopping.

When I finally reached the abandoned building, I almost shouted at the coal.

“What do I do now?”

“Leave it to me.”

Suddenly, my vision twisted. Like a scene from a sci-fi movie, the space stretched out, and the coal and Janet were sucked into the half-open door of the abandoned building. The door closed before I could enter. It seemed to be the coal’s doing.

I finally caught my breath. Inside, I could hear Janet’s screams. I didn’t want to imagine what kind of punishment the coal was inflicting on her.

Exhausted, I collapsed on the ground. The bag that had been hanging on my shoulder fell off, and the earrings I had bought for Janet spilled out. Even in this situation, they shone beautifully.

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

“Shahar, wait.”

As soon as I knocked on the door, Janet’s screams stopped. The door slid open, seemingly inviting me in. I peeked inside.

The coal was floating serenely in midair, and Janet was lying on the ground, crying.

“Please, lady, save me!”

Seeing me, Janet sobbed and pleaded. In that short time, her address had changed from ‘insolent human’ to ‘lady.’ I looked down at her coldly and asked,

“Were you serious about what you said earlier?”

“Huh? About what?”

“That you can charm anyone, regardless of species or gender.”

“Of course! My charm is exceptionally strong, even among vampires.”

“Can I learn that?”

“Well, it’s difficult for an ordinary human…”

“Really? Then never mind.”

As I turned to close the door, Janet crawled over and grabbed my dress.

“Why? Do you want to charm someone?”

“You said humans can’t use it.”

“Is it a human you want to charm?”

I glanced at the coal and lowered my voice.

“Yes. He’s a very devout holy knight.”

Despite knowing it was hopeless, I couldn’t let go of my attachment to Gined.

“In that case, I can teach you. Please!”

“How?”

“I can’t transfer the charm skill, but I can teach you techniques to seduce a holy knight. I’ve drained over a thousand holy knights myself.”

I was intrigued.

“Fine. Teach me well, and I’ll spare you.”

***

At sunset, someone knocked on the window.

“Come in.”

The window opened on its own, and black mist entered the room, transforming into a beautiful woman.

“Let’s start without delay.”

Janet’s special lecture began that evening. Since it was a rare opportunity, I had prepared a notebook and pen.

“Who is the most attractive romantic partner?”

“Um, someone good-looking or wealthy?”

“Wrong. It’s someone who is relaxed. No matter how eager you are, never act impatiently. Unless you want to lose whatever affection you’ve gained. Keep that in mind.”

“Oh.”

I wrote ‘relaxed’ in big letters on the first page of my notebook.

“Men in the clergy may seem difficult at first, but once you win their hearts, they’re easier than any other profession. After my lecture, you’ll be able to seduce anyone from a lowly priest to the Pope.”

Though it sounded exaggerated, I decided to listen.

“Never give them a chance at first. Just exchange greetings, but don’t engage in conversation.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re not trying to charm just any man. He’s a highly sought-after handsome man, even before being a holy knight. Handsome men always receive a lot of attention, so you need to stand out.”

“Okay, but shouldn’t I be proactive to get close to him? If he doesn’t talk and I don’t either, we’ll never have a conversation.”

“You said you’ve exchanged greetings, right?”

“Yes, but…”

Janet elegantly sipped from a crystal glass.

“For priests, it’s important to build human warmth before s*xual attraction. But that doesn’t mean you should form a deep friendship. Just being on greeting terms is enough. That alone means you’ve stepped inside his guard. Getting too close can expose your weaknesses, so it’s better to keep a moderate distance.”

For someone like me, who had already exposed many weaknesses, this was discouraging.

“What if he’s already seen my weaknesses? He seemed a bit put off after I made a few mistakes.”

“Hmm, how did he react when you met again after your mistakes? Did he ignore you?”

“No, but he seemed angry.”

“Then there’s hope. Forget the past and push forward boldly. Beauty belongs to the brave.”

Would it really be okay? Though doubtful, I continued to listen.

“Even after getting close, it’s important to remain indifferent. Eventually, the right moment will come.”

“How will I know when the timing is right?”

“You’ll know instinctively when the time comes.”

“That’s too vague.”

“I forgot for a moment that you’re a novice… Let’s imagine a scenario. It’s just you and him, with no one else around. You’re standing close enough to hear each other’s breathing, but it’s not a friendly or comfortable atmosphere. Instead, it’s slightly awkward, with a subtle tension. Your gazes barely meet. That’s the moment.”

Every time I met Gined, it was always uncomfortable and awkward. That meant I had missed several opportunities.

‘It doesn’t seem right.’

Doubt clouded my mind. Despite this, Janet continued her explanation.

“When that moment comes, don’t hesitate to make eye contact. Then…”

Demonstrating, she lifted her eyes slightly and gave a seductive smile.

Her enigmatic, ruby-like eyes gazed at me intensely. It was a look that no man could resist. Even I was captivated.

“Say something meaningful.”

“Like what?”

“The moonlight is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

As if on cue, the clouds parted, and moonlight poured over Janet’s head.