The moon rose into the night sky, hanging high above the city as it watched over the whole place.

And in the places its light could not reach, stories were unfolding too.

At the far end of a distant world lay a realm unknown to humanity. It was a world that existed independently, yet remained connected to ours—the birthplace of the vampires.

Or, to put it another way, it was much like a world of swords and magic. When Chris was born, human history was still in the Middle Ages of Western Europe. Though the two worlds had once been closely linked, they were gradually set on different paths of development.

That was the future Ruo Xiaoxi would inevitably become connected to after she became a Vampiress.

The Temple of Stacia.

Inside one of the temple’s rooms, a girl sat on her knees atop a vast, luxurious velvet bed. A blindfold covered her eyes, shackles bound her limbs, and her slender arms were raised high and fastened above her.

Chris wore a pair of black leather shorts and held a riding crop in her hand. She gave the girl’s snow-white body light strokes, leaving one faint red mark after another.

After an unknown amount of time, the door to the room opened.

“I still… still want Big Sis to insult me while she steps on me hard…”

Chris unlocked the girl’s shackles and tossed her a priestess’s outfit. Then she folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe, smiling as she said, “Latona, just how much do you love being mistreated?”

The girl had neatly put on a pure white priestess’s robe trimmed with gold. She hopped lightly down from the bed, clutching one of her staffs. Beneath her robe, a little tail curled up, its tip shaped like a tiny, heart-shaped leaf.

The girl called Latona was a genuine little succubus.

At the same time, though she was a succubus, she was also a junior priestess at the Temple of Stacia. Chris had found her one day out in the wilderness, so Latona affectionately called her Big Sis.

The scene that had looked like a brutal interrogation wasn’t Chris questioning anyone. It was simply a particular kink Latona enjoyed, and Chris had been indulging her.

With her desires satisfied, Latona left the temple room and hurried after Chris, clutching the staff in her arms. The two girls went for a stroll through the temple garden.

“Are you happy doing that kind of thing in the Goddess’s temple?” Chris pressed a finger to her forehead.

Latona closed her eyes for a moment. Far from reflecting on what she’d done, she thought it over and said, “Well, it’s… it’s a little disrespectful to the Goddess, but doing something forbidden in the temple is so thrilling…”

“You get this excited just because I’m wearing leather shorts. And you’re a junior priestess here, too.”

“A priestess has to take care of her own naughty needs first! Only then can she preach to others with a sincere heart and let them bask in the pure, untainted light of the divine,” Latona declared solemnly.

Besides, she was a succubus. Chris rarely returned to the temple, leaving Latona to guard it all by herself. On the days Big Sis was away, Latona had nearly rubbed the paint off the staff she held in her arms.

“You’re not supposed to have those kinds of needs. Sometimes I can’t tell whether I’m the one serving you or you’re the one serving me.”

“Hehehe. Then if Big Sis needs me tonight, I can kneel by your bed all night and serve you in return.” As for rank, Latona wasn’t allowed to climb into her mistress’s bed. Someone of lower standing couldn’t cross that line.

Still, making a little succubus a priestess in the first place was already more than a little unbelievable. Maybe she should make Latona kneel in front of the Goddess’s statue and pray for a few days, confessing her own filth and misdeeds.

But even when punished, this little succubus would be happy. What a strange girl.

“Huh!? Big Sis found a girl in that other world? Is that why you went to visit her and came back a day or two late?” As they strolled through the garden, Latona heard Chris bring it up.

“Yeah. And… she’s my biological younger sister now. I gave her the vampire’s first embrace.”

“W-what? Your biological younger sister! What an honor, what a blessing! Big Sis gave a human the first embrace, even though you’ve never done that for anyone before!”

“It’s because that girl… is a little special.”

“Waaah, damn it! Big Sis has a new little sister, and she’s even closer to you than I am.” The little succubus bit down on the collar of her priestess’s robe, looking furious and unwilling to accept it.

The little heart-shaped tail behind her kept swishing against the flowers on a nearby bush, knocking petals in every direction. Chris finally grabbed it. Latona let out a soft squeak, and her tail went stiff at once.

“Big Sis, don’t grab my tail… It’s embarrassing…”

“Mm-hmm. No getting jealous and sulking.”

Chris gave her a stern talking-to, then tickled the little heart-shaped tip with a slender finger. Latona squirmed at the waist, her cheeks bright red, until she couldn’t take it anymore and finally admitted she was wrong.

Chris looked up at the magnificent white temple before turning to Latona. “I’ll be heading out soon, to the elves’ Golden Forest. I need to gather some materials Ruo Xiaoxi can use to learn magic. I’ll leave the temple in your care again. If anyone comes to make an offering, remember to put the donation box somewhere conspicuous.”

“No believers are coming! Nobody’s shown up in six whole months. I’m so lonely I could die.”

“Ahem!” Chris’s brow twitched. She raised her trembling fist, ready to punch the little succubus into the air.

Life’s hard enough without rubbing it in. Nobody’s going to think you’re mute if you keep quiet.

Even if hardly anyone worshipped the Goddess, they still had to spread the faith!

Come to think of it, wasn’t the reason nobody worshipped her that they hadn’t done enough preaching? The temple was barely able to cover its daily expenses. At this rate, they’d be broke before long! Maybe she should just make Latona wear something scandalous and hand out flyers. That might attract quite a few visitors.

And with these two little sisters to support, Chris would’ve had a pretty carefree life on her own. There hadn’t been a war in ages; she’d practically settled into retirement as the Vampire Queen.

“From what Big Sis is saying, that younger sister named Ruo Xiaoxi still can’t use magic?”

“Yeah. I haven’t taught her yet; it’s still too soon. And right now she’s… making her own way in her world. Let’s see what she’s up to…”

Chris planned to raise her slowly, until she became a proper Vampiress.

As she spoke, Chris opened a small mirror, wanting to check on her little sister.

Mm, good. She was sleeping with Big Sis again. Chris closed the mirror.

She really seemed to know how to win Big Sis over. Chris would have to find a chance to make her win her over, too!

“Th-then, why don’t I go to that other world and meet her? I could take care of her while Big Sis is away!” Latona’s eyes lit up, and she looked eager to go. Really, she just wanted to play a prank.

“No. You’re staying here and looking after the temple—and you’re not planning to drain her dry, are you?”

“I would never! Big Sis, you’re accusing me unfairly. I’m so wronged.” Latona put on a coy, whiny voice.

“Still, I don’t think she’ll be that easy to handle. Oh, and Ruo Xiaoxi is really beautiful—so beautiful she can make people’s hearts flutter. You might find yourself getting your blood tasted by her before you even realize it.”

At that, Latona immediately bristled and thrust out her succubus-special, exceptionally full chest—so big that her priestess’s robe had burst at the seams several times already.

“Hmph! I’m the succubus here. How could she possibly be the one enchanting me instead of the other way around?”

………………

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

Ruo Xiaoxi was asleep in Big Sis’s soft embrace when she suddenly jolted and opened her eyes.

She had the strange feeling that someone had just challenged her. She was about to get angry, but she was too sleepy, so she decided not to be angry just yet. Soon, her eyes closed and she fell asleep again.

Ruo Xiaoxi: Zzz… I’m sleeping. Don’t @ me.