“Didn’t I tell you it’s not troublesome?”

“Yes, you did.”

In the ticklish yet uncomfortable atmosphere, I unconsciously avoided his gaze.

“As a holy knight, it is only natural to save someone in danger. I would have come to rescue anyone, not just a lady.”

“Right? As expected…”

I tried to smile faintly without showing my disappointment. Despite all this effort, his feelings were still unclear to me.

“Still, I’m really glad you came, Your Grace.”

Honestly, I was touched. Coming alone to a potentially dangerous place.

Gined’s eyes seemed to waver for a moment.

But soon, his face turned serious.

“There might be other transcendent beings. We need to leave the village quickly.”

He helped me to my feet.

“Ah!”

My legs were numb from squatting for too long.

I clung to Gined’s arm and barely managed to stand. I tried to walk, but my speed was slower than a turtle. Gined then stopped.

“Sorry, my feet are numb.”

As I blushed in embarrassment, Gined suddenly lifted me up like a princess.

“Ah!”

I let out a small scream as my feet left the ground unexpectedly.

“We don’t have time to waste.”

He quickly carried me out of the village hall and placed me on a horse. Then he climbed up behind me.

“Please bear with the discomfort for a while.”

“It’s okay.”

As long as I could stay close to him, I didn’t mind the discomfort.

He swiftly urged the horse towards the village entrance.

Just as the creaking signboard came into view.

“It’s not over until it’s over!”

Michalis’s shout echoed from the air as black mist surrounded us.

“Be careful, lady!”

Gined pulled me into his arms and quickly drew his sword, swinging it. But the black mist enveloped me first.

“Huh?”

“Lou…!”

Gined called out to me desperately. His face was pale with worry.

Before I could even be surprised that he called me by my name for the first time, the scenery changed.

“Ouch, it hurts.”

And instead of Gined, Michalis, who was in a terrible state, appeared before me.

His usually neatly combed hair was a mess, and a long scar ran across his chest. His clothes were torn, almost like rags.

“What, what is this?”

“That’s what I want to ask. What are you doing?”

“What do you mean…?”

Michalis sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“I went through all this trouble to create an opportunity for you, and you’re about to waste it?”

“I didn’t waste it. I think the atmosphere is pretty good…”

“Are you kidding? Do you plan to progress the story as wholesomely as a fairy tale just because the setting is like one? You came out with the resolve to stay out all night. At the very least, you should have clung to him in tears.”

“I did cling… I was held until I got on the horse…”

“You should have kissed him right there!”

“What? How could I just kiss him out of the blue?”

“I can’t believe how frustrating this is!”

Michalis bit his lip and pounded his chest. Then he hit his wound and let out a high-pitched scream. But I was more worried about Gined witnessing this scene than his injury.

“Besides, your clothes are dirty and your hair is messy. It’s good to be realistic, but you’re too shabby. Come here.”

As I approached as instructed, he straightened my appearance.

“Can you move your hair aside for a moment?”

Without suspicion, I gathered my hair and moved it aside.

“Would it look neater if it’s tied?”

Michalis didn’t answer. Instead, his pale hand grabbed my stiff shoulder.

“I don’t like biting humans, but since I decided to help, I have no choice.”

“What did you say? Wait, uh…”

Before I could understand his words, sharp fangs pierced my neck. I tried to scream, but all that came out was a deep sigh.

The pain of the fangs piercing my skin was brief. My body quickly lost strength, and I felt as if I was drunk. My senses dulled rapidly.

Rather than fear, the thought that I was doomed came first.

‘I’m screwed.’

Even in the dizziness, I knew that for sure.

There were two outcomes for a human bitten by a vampire. Death or becoming a vampire.

Most often, it was the former. I thought I might die here, but I felt neither fear nor sadness due to my loss of reality.

“Don’t worry. If the holy knight truly has feelings for you, he won’t let you die. This time, cling to him properly.”

“Mi, Mi, Mi…”

“No use calling me so pitifully.”

“You crazy…! You crazy old man!”

After a string of curses, Michalis laughed, clutching his belly.

“Just don’t forget it’s all thanks to me if things work out.”

Left alone, I staggered and collapsed to the ground. Michalis’s laughter grew distant.

‘I might die before Gined finds me.’

I thought I should at least write the culprit’s name before dying, so I scratched the dirt with my finger.

「Mi…」

I only managed to write two letters before losing strength.

I promised to tattletale everything to the coal when I got back.

But if Shahar found out I ended up like this while trying to seduce another guy, would he forgive me?

It was all my stupid fault.

No, it was Lina’s fault for putting a fool like me in charge.

I lay there, breathing heavily. Tears streamed down my face.

‘Janet or Gined, someone, please come…!’

“Lady! Here you are…”

“Ro, Roengreen…”

Gined’s face hardened immediately upon seeing me gasping for breath.

“Ah…”

I tried to explain, but my tongue was paralyzed and didn’t move well. Not just my tongue, but all my bodily functions were slowly failing.

The way to be freed from this agony was simple. Neutralize Michalis’s blood with Gined’s holy power.

Gined laid me flat, removed his gauntlet, and placed his hand on my forehead. He quickly recited a prayer.

The holy light emanating from him enveloped my body, giving me a bit of relief.

But it was the attack of a vampire lord. Such a level of holy power wasn’t enough to neutralize it. Instead, the blood boiled more fiercely in response to the holy power. More holy power was needed.

I could feel Gined’s bewilderment.

I scratched the ground, trying to calm my panic.

“S-Sir. He…”

I doubted he understood my plea.

The hand that had been on my forehead fell away.

I desperately groped for his hand in the air.

My vision was too blurry to see clearly.

“Where, where are you…?”

“Here I am.”

A large hand clasped mine tightly.

I held onto it as if it were a lifeline, but my sense of touch was so dulled that I couldn’t tell if I was holding a person’s hand or a piece of wood.

I brought it to my lips, which still had some sensation. I felt Gined flinch as if burned.

“I…”

I was clearly about to ask him to kill Michalis. But what came out of my mouth was something entirely different.

“I’m sorry…”

After that, I felt nothing. All my senses were cut off, and my consciousness faded away like a light going out.

***

When Lou suddenly went limp, Gined became anxious. 

Without thinking, he tore the upper part of her dress slightly. The vampire’s fang marks were clearly visible on her neck. 

Seeing the area around the wound turn black, it seemed the purpose wasn’t bloodsucking but injecting poison.

First, it was more important to remove the contaminated blood than to purify it. 

Without hesitation, he placed his lips on her white skin and sucked out the tainted blood. In that moment, he forgot all about the mission and beliefs he had valued more than his life. 

He repeatedly sucked out and spat out the blood, his mouth and chin becoming soaked in it. But Lou showed no signs of regaining consciousness. 

Gined didn’t get discouraged and focused on removing the poison.

Finally, she shivered. 

“Ah, it hurts…”

As her senses returned, she complained of pain. 

Only then did he sigh in relief and wiped his bloodied lips with the back of his hand. Although he now looked no different from the vampires he so despised, he didn’t care. 

He lifted Lou into his arms again. Holy power enveloped her entire body. As the remaining traces of poison evaporated and caused pain, Lou struggled to break free from his arms. Her thin arms flailed on his shoulders before finally slipping down weakly.

“Ugh, stop.”

“Please, just a little longer.”

“I’m sorry, I… stupid… Ah, I have to show… no, I can’t show… How can I…”

She kept rambling incoherently while crying. This time, Gined could barely understand anything except for her apologies.

After several attempts to soothe her, Lou’s breathing finally returned to normal. Her pale face regained some color. Although her consciousness wasn’t fully restored, she would soon awaken with a bit of rest.