Lorin watched silently as everything unfolded.

Mefia had gained happiness, and Avril had secured a promise of fresh blood for tonight.

There was no need for Lorin to remind Mefia about fulfilling that promise. It was best if Master figured it out herself.

“I’ll collect some from that merchant later,” Mefia murmured. “And while I’m at it, I’ll ask if he’s open to a long-term partnership—he does frequent business in the city, after all.”

Her smile faded. Unlike Avril, who was still bubbling with pure joy, Mefia’s path to happiness wasn’t so simple. A mere kiss from her adorable little Pet wouldn’t satisfy her. In fact, she was already regretting her choice. *Why did I point to my cheek just now?* she thought, glancing at Avril, who remained blissfully unaware. *I should’ve pointed to my lips instead. Avril seems clueless—might as well seize the chance while it’s there.*

Still, time was on her side. Avril wasn’t going anywhere, so rushing wasn’t necessary.

“Understood, Master,” Lorin replied with a nod. She didn’t need Mefia to spell things out—their deep familiarity meant she instantly knew who Mefia meant: the slave merchant who’d sold Avril.

“Tell him to keep Avril’s existence quiet,” Mefia added softly. She wasn’t ready for news of her precious Pet to spread. “And this time, not too much blood.”

“Mm~” Mefia’s gaze shifted to the teapot on the table. She tilted her chin toward it. “Just this much.” The delicate porcelain piece held little liquid. “A single cup will suffice for her.”

Unlike the straightforward Avril—who only cared about tasting blood again after days of hunger—Mefia had layered thoughts. She was pleased Avril’s trust in her had grown, but she also knew better than to let the Vampire Lolita feast fully. Hunger made Avril uneasy, and the one who could sate it—Mefia herself—became indispensable. She’d mete out blood sparingly, pairing it with training to make her Pet obedient and dependent. Ideally, Avril would willingly warm her bed. Next time Avril starved, she’d extract a slightly higher price—a little more than this time. Mefia wasn’t sure if she’d eventually lose patience and take Avril by force, but planning never hurt.

“Yes, Master,” Lorin acknowledged. She noted the tiny teacup—far too small for a proper serving—and looked away. She never questioned Mefia; she understood her motives well enough. For now, Avril should be grateful for any blood. The future? That depended entirely on Mefia’s mood. If Avril were as obedient as Shelley, things might be different. But realistically? That seemed unlikely.

“You handle the arrangements,” Mefia said, nodding. She had no intention of sharing her own blood tonight. With Lorin managing things, she could relax. “And prepare her room too.”

“I’m off to Shelley’s,” she added, waving dismissively. Though Avril was undeniably cute, Mefia had no plans to play childish games after deciding not to devour her tonight. She was almost eager to see Shelley—she’d promised to visit earlier and hated breaking promises. Now with two consorts, Mefia had options. Her picky nature kept her from Lucy’s “overflowing” generosity, though. “Quality over quantity,” she mused.

“Very well, Master,” Lorin replied. Seeing no further orders, she watched Mefia leave, leaving her alone with Avril.

As Mefia disappeared, Lorin turned to Avril, who had just snapped out of her daze and looked lost. The little Vampire Princess disliked Mefia but relied on her as an anchor. Since arriving, Avril had obeyed every command. Now, with Master gone, she froze in the unfamiliar room, eyes darting to Lorin for guidance.

“Come along, little one,” Lorin said warmly, offering a gentle smile. The room was already prepared, and she’d fetch the blood herself—Mefia wanted Avril’s presence kept secret, and Lorin preferred handling it personally. Besides, the pitiful, naive girl had just begged her for food.

“Mm.” Avril nodded dazedly and followed Lorin to her new quarters—conveniently next to Shelley’s room.

“Shelley’s room is right here,” Lorin explained as they walked. “Further down is Master’s.” The third floor housed Mefia’s bedroom and her Pets’ quarters; currently, only Mefia and Shelley resided there. Maids and the steward stayed on the lower floors. “Master and Shelley won’t be here tonight, so you’ll have the floor to yourself. If anything comes up…” She paused. “Well, you can find me. Do you know how to use a communication crystal?” The magically linked crystals allowed room-to-room calls.

“No…” Avril shook her head slightly.

“Never mind,” Lorin decided. “I’ll fetch your blood first. We can skip the unimportant stuff. Nothing serious will happen here—it’s Master’s estate, after all.” She led Avril to the bed. “Wait here. Don’t wander off, or Master might get angry.” She invoked Mefia’s authority lightly to keep the girl in line.

“O-okay,” Avril stammered, shivering at the thought of Master’s wrath.

“Good. I’ll be back soon with a full meal,” Lorin soothed, patting Avril’s head before closing the door behind her.