Mirena wasn't so lucky.

After the vampire carried her back to the auction house entrance and she boarded the carriage—

raindrops began falling gently, like water from a slowly opened tap.

When Hestia placed Mirena on her lap, she ordered the maid ahead:

"Hurry back, Luce. I don't want my clothes getting wet."

"Understood, miss..."

Mirena had fainted—likely from sheer terror. Perfect. Unconscious, she wouldn't resist the sacred ritual to come.

"Hehe... When you wake, you'll embrace a whole new life, my little princess..."

Luce had never seen her mistress show such tenderness toward anything but that rabbit plushie named Yuki.

"Wait!"

A burly man blocked the carriage's path.

As Luce halted the carriage—

another man stormed toward them.

Luce knew exactly why he was here. Still, she feigned ignorance:

"What do you want?"

"You've reclaimed your pet! She stole mine! Compensate me with your master's pet, or you won't leave this spot—"

Planning to seize it by force?

—Too naive. You have no idea who rides inside.

"What's this noise? Don't disturb my pet's sleep..."

The golden-haired girl, veil removed, stepped slowly from the carriage.

Seeing her face, the man recoiled in terror.

"Who are you? What do you need?"

"N-nothing! Please, go ahead. We were foolish... Deeply sorry!"

He bowed frantically, nearly kowtowing, then fled like a rabbit.

"Miss, is it safe your identity was revealed?"

"I've memorized his face. If he talks, I'll silence him. Now, my duty is to savor that elf's sweet nectar. Nothing else."

"Yes, miss!"

When Mirena woke, sharp fangs sank deep into her tender, pale inner thigh.

"It hurts... Stop... please..."

She couldn't believe that moan came from her own mouth.

That almost-pleased sound—was it really hers?

—Why did mere bloodsucking feel so good?

The golden-haired loli kept sucking firmly, drawing warm blood into her mouth.

—Exquisitely delicious. No wonder this Blood Slave meant so much.

After drinking her fill, the loli stopped.

She wouldn't drain such a precious source at once.

Besides, she hadn't bought Mirena just for blood—

"You damn vampire! Biting me there... you pervert! Scoundrel!"

A place she rarely touched—naturally, the bite felt wrong.

—Mirena's face flushed crimson.

"Thank you. But mind your tone. You're mine now. I'm your master. How dare you speak so?"

The loli gripped Mirena's chin, voice fierce.

Suddenly, a burning heat flared at the bite mark.

Mirena clutched her thigh.

"Aah..."

The scorching pain lasted seconds, then faded.

"Th-this mark!?"

A small, butterfly-like symbol had appeared on her thigh.

Innocent Mirena didn't recognize it—but dread coiled inside her.

"Hey, what is this?"

"'Hey'? Hmph. Address your master properly. I am Hestia Alia. Call me 'Master' from now on. Understood?"

"Who'd call you that? I'm not scared! I won't submit!"

Hestia slapped her cheek.

"Silence. You're just my Blood Slave. No more chatter."

Staring into those crimson eyes, feeling the sting on her cheek, fear and injustice flooded Mirena.

"W-what do you want!?"

"Nothing yet. Just explaining this mark..."

Hestia's slender finger traced the butterfly symbol on Mirena's inner thigh.

"This proves you're my Blood Slave."

"Blood Slave!? Liar! Mother said it takes twenty-four hours—but it's only minutes!"

"True. But I'm not some lowly vampire. I'm nobility. With my will alone, I can make you my Blood Slave instantly."

Vampire nobility? She'd never heard of it.

Mirena kept her voice steady, trembling:

"What happens after becoming one?"

Vampire lore wasn't her strength; her mother never explained.

"Hmm. Skip a day without my bite, and you'll suffer terribly. You'll grow addicted to it—like drug withdrawal. But relax: as my Blood Slave, daily feeding won't drain you dry☆"

"Wh-what?"

—☆? How could she say something so cruel so lightly?

Mirena opened her status panel.

A flashing new status appeared.

Focusing her gaze on it—like moving a cursor—the details popped up.

Beside "Race":

—Blood Slave.

If not fed on for a day, Withdrawal Reaction occurs.

"This... is real? Fed on daily!?"

The effect was permanent, clinging like an attribute.

No potion could remove it.

Nikaido Yuki, on her first day adventuring beyond home, had become a vampire's Blood Slave.

It felt unbearably sad.

"What's wrong? Unhappy to be my Blood Slave?"

"Just... kill me instead..."