"What's wrong, Guya?"

As Xueluo nursed her headache, Lorath—still with his arm around her waist—asked with concern, "You seem to have a headache."

"No, no, it's nothing," she said, shoving Lorath away with a slap. She stepped back slightly, putting a safe distance between them. Placing her hand on her flat chest, she took a deep breath.

"Princess? Are you alright?" Lorath extended his hand a little and glided forward gracefully. "You seem off... and somehow, you've grown taller."

"No, I haven't grown taller..." For every step Lorath advanced, Xueluo retreated one.

*Hey, hey—I'm not into this flirt. But you're being way too obvious!*

*No, no, I just want to protect my first kiss. This gay guy might pounce any second.*

*Kissing is normal, you know?*

*That's exactly the problem!*

Naturally, Lorath didn't hear Xueluo's thoughts. Sensing her coldness, he sighed and halted. "Well, since you insist, Princess Guya, let's get down to business. You have the key to awaken Cain, right? Per our contract, handing it to me voids our engagement."

Huh?

*Lorath's clan is a rising power in the Reclusive Assembly. Mostly turned from humans. After the Holy War, they became dominant.* Guya whispered in Xueluo's mind, as if answering her unspoken question.

*In the last Holy War, pure-blood Blood Kin suffered heavy losses. Within the Reclusive Assembly, I'm the last pure-blood born of pure-blood parents.*

So?

*So Lorath wants to marry me to boost his influence!* Guya sighed. *I won't hand the Assembly's power to him, but under his clan's pressure, I compromised...*

The key to awaken Cain?

*Yes.*

"Princess Guya," Lorath cut in, his voice edged with impatience. "Don't tell me the noble last pure-blood forgot our deal? Or..." He smirked faintly. "The noble Blood Kin princess failed to reclaim her stolen heirloom?"

His fellow Vampires snickered. Xueluo clasped her hands behind her back and stated firmly, "Call me Xueluo Asleiyr from now on, Lord Lorath. And yes, I had the key."

*Hey! You virgin! Why rename me out of nowhere? That's my family name!*

"Xueluo?" Lorath blinked, puzzled by the sudden name change but pressing on. "A lovely name... but hand over the key, Xueluo."

"As you see," Xueluo kicked the corpse of a dead Hymn Guild member, "they ambushed me and stole it. I was retrieving it."

"Oh?" Lorath lifted his chin. "May I join you? Facing the Hymn Guild alone might be..."

"Are you doubting my strength, Lord Lorath!"

Vrrm—

The aura of a high-ranking Blood Kin slammed into Lorath and his Vampires. The Half Vampires—turned from humans—flinched, unable to raise their heads under the pure-blood's wrath.

"I'll give you the key once I have it. Doubting my word is a challenge. Do you know what happens when you insult a pure-blood?" Xueluo flexed her fingers.

"...You're right. I was thoughtless." Lorath stepped back and bowed. "I'll leave it to Princess Xueluo. I'll await your news at the base."

He turned, signaling his Blood Kin to follow. But glancing back, he added, "Though, Princess, your waist remains as slender as ever. A feeling I'll never forget."

Hiss—

Xueluo felt her cheeks flush despite knowing he was provoking her. Before she could curse this girlish reaction, Lorath grinned slyly. "But your chest... still flat. And from a Blood Kin perspective..." He tilted his chin up challengingly. "It might never grow."

With that, Lorath dissolved into a swarm of bats, vanishing into the mist. Xueluo stood frozen, watching the darkness fade.

"He's dead meat," she said with a tight smile.

*Yeah. Dead meat,* Guya replied flatly.

After merging consciousness, the two who bickered over trivialities finally reached a strange consensus on something even less important.