"I love your smile. I wish I could see you wear it more often."
Seraphina blushed slightly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she cut the last ingredient that made up the day's meal.
"I used to... until the gods took it away from me, leaving only hatred and anger in its place."
"Sorry for making you remember that..."
"I don't blame you anyway," she said, placing a hot dish in front of him.
Aelion didn't wait and threw himself at the food, eating to his fill. She hadn't asked him anything, but the burn on her fingers still bothered her. She wondered what he had been doing for that to happen.
[ Congratulations! The target's resistance gauge has decreased by 12%! ]
[ The target's acceptance gauge has increased by 10%! ]
Again? I really need to figure out what lowers the resistance gauge to be more effective. Maybe because she opened up to me? Probably.
Unfortunately, he wasn't entirely right. Partly, it was because of their interactions, but also because Seraphina had some rather unhealthy thoughts about him. He quickly visualized the information through his skill — he was already approaching 50%, which meant he had completed half the work.
──────────────────────────────
Target: [ Seraphina Duskbane – Blood Empress ]
Resistance: 53%
Acceptance: 30%
Available Paths: [ please reach 100% acceptance to unlock a path ]
──────────────────────────────
"I wanted to ask you something about the outside. Why is it always dark?" Seraphina asked, waiting for an answer.
"The manor exists in another dimension — a pocket dimension outside the worlds. That's why," Aelion replied calmly, finishing his plate.
He wasn't sure of his answer; it was just the most plausible theory, so he simply presented it as the truth. Thanks to that, she partially understood why he had refused to let her leave the castle — there would only be emptiness waiting outside.
"Then how do we reach Acnessea?" Seraphina pressed, stepping closer to him.
"Acnessea? The black prism in the command room has been configured for that, but it'll take some time."
Acnessea is the world I'll be reincarnated in, then. I should read the book I found about it later.
Of course, he was lying. He could let them out immediately — he was the one keeping them trapped.
"Oh, I see..."
"Aren't you hungry? You said you don't drink just anyone's blood, but I think we're close enough now, aren't we?" his curious tone broke the silence.
No one had ever willingly offered themselves to her before. It was always strange to see how fearless he was, acting so friendly and naive. To the point where she wondered whether he was truly like that or just pretending.
She vanished almost instantly from his sight and appeared behind him. He had forgotten that he was living with a monster of immense power — especially since she had shown a hint of vulnerability toward him.
"May I?" she whispered, her fingers resting on his shoulders.
He nodded, heart pounding. Her lips brushed his skin, and her sharp canines were already piercing his veins. Her fangs sank into his body; a sharp pain ran through his flesh. Despite the brutality of the act, Seraphina did her best to be gentle, to cause him as little pain as possible.
The more she drank, the more the draining sensation turned into a strange, unsuspected pleasure. Seraphina, meanwhile, fought internally not to drain him completely. Her eyes had turned into those of a starving predator. She wasn't used to drinking blood from someone who wasn't in a disadvantaged position compared to her. For her — and the curse she bore — drinking the blood of someone emotionally independent, who felt equal or superior to her, could enslave her and strip her of her free will.
Drinking blood was an intimate, double-edged act, but as long as she could control herself and limit it, everything would be fine. Aelion's blood was simply divine — incredibly rare to find nowadays. She withdrew her fangs, savoring the last drops as she suggestively wiped her lips, her eyes locked onto his.
"I suggest you eat some more to recover after my suction."
"Alright."
While Seraphina cleaned up the kitchen, Aelion headed toward the altar. He wasn't done with Double Fate; in the current state of things, she was far too valuable. As he reached the door and prepared to open it, a sudden whistle in the air warned him. Something was behind him. When he turned, he saw it — the Reaper.
---
The administrator of Ira Manor had grown far too complacent, unprepared for the possibility of being attacked. While he and Seraphina had been flirting, something had entered the manor's perimeter. Silently, without a trace of presence, it drifted through the air, unseen. It was only when Aelion approached the altar that it found its target.
The being was anything but human — wearing tattered, shadow-soaked rags. It had no face, only emptiness beneath the hood. Its frail arms still carried a deadly weapon: a battle scythe. Aelion hadn't been exaggerating when he thought it was the Reaper — it literally was that embodiment.
Unfortunately, he hadn't reacted in time. The creature swung its blade, tearing through his torso without warning. A sharp, searing pain surged through his body, followed by screams. It hurt — far more than when Seraphina had killed him. Yet, he wasn't ready to die. Not now.
His survival instinct took over. Despite the wound, he found the strength to run, trying to escape his pursuer. He slid beneath it, his knees scraped raw from the motion. If he wanted any chance to live, he needed to either find Seraphina or reach the inventory room and warn her somehow.
"SKRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
A shrill, horrifying screech, like a hysterical whistle, echoed throughout the manor. Aelion's vision blurred; his legs felt rooted to the ground. He was disoriented and slowing down. Soon, he collapsed to the floor, eyes fixed on the Reaper now looming above him. His heartbeat raced wildly. The fact that he couldn't die within the manor had comforted him before — but now, for some reason, he was afraid. Truly afraid.
The Reaper raised its scythe once more. It was going to finish the job. Feeling death draw near, he closed his eyes.
CLING!
A massive wall of blood appeared, blocking the strike. It lasted only a second, as the scythe sliced through it easily, determined to end his life. Fortunately, a long reddish tendril latched onto Aelion and pulled him backward. Standing behind him was Seraphina.
"What is that thing? How did it pass through my wall?" the hemomancer asked, intrigued.
However, Aelion couldn't answer. His mind was fading into darkness. The only words he kept repeating were the young woman's name. His wound was bleeding profusely, black veins spreading from the gash throughout his body. Seraphina could heal him, but to do so, she would need to use her blood and have him ingest it. Yet she was hesitant — her blood was cursed, and she didn't know what kind of harmful effects it could trigger in him. She even considered letting him die so he could revive. Still, seeing him fade in her arms made her heart tighten slightly. She decided to heal him.
"I hope you'll forgive me."
Before she could begin the healing process, she had to keep the creature away. The wall of blood liquefied and transformed into spinning spikes.
Hemokinesis – Blood Spiral
Since the Reaper had already passed through the previous defense, now turned into a weapon, it didn't expect a rear attack. Still, its reflexes allowed it to block two of them — the third passed harmlessly through its body. The spiral now rushed toward its creator, who halted it with a gesture and reshaped it.
Hemokinesis – Blood Familiar
Hemokinesis – Triple-Layer Barrier
Temporarily protected by the barrier and monitoring the Reaper's movements through her familiars' eyes, she began healing him — all while moving the barrier with them as they shifted positions.