The following morning...
In the castle's underground, the interrogation room still reeked of cold metal and dried sweat. The stone walls muffled sound, as if the outside world were just a distant murmur. Inside, the scene was... peculiar.
Leon stood with his arms crossed, observing the figure hanging in front of him with a mildly irritated expression mixed with resignation.
"...I think I may have overdone it."
In front of him, Yelan swayed gently, her arms cuffed above her head and her feet barely touching the floor. Her naked body was covered in marks—scratches, welts, bites—but what stood out most was the expression on her face: pure ecstasy. Her eyes were half-closed, her tongue hung out, and a string of drool dripped from the corner of her mouth. She looked like a twisted portrait of bliss.
Leon let out a deep sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose.
"...Whatever. You probably loved it," he muttered, almost indignantly, but with a touch of comic exhaustion.
With a casual snap of his fingers, the cuffs shattered like paper. Yelan collapsed like a sack of rocks.
THUD!
Her head hit the floor with a dry, worrying thump.
Crack!
A sickening pop echoed through the room, and Leon froze.
"...Just what I needed."
He quickly knelt down, turning her over carefully. Her eyes were rolled back, and her neck hung at an angle disturbing enough to make even a war veteran shudder.
"Damn it, Yelan... I told you to give me the signal if it went too far," he muttered, checking her vitals. Relief washed over him as he felt her breathing—still steady.
"Severe twist... but nothing I can't fix."
Pulling a small jar of ointment from storage, Leon gently applied the balm to her neck. The substance shimmered faintly before being absorbed by the skin, emitting a subtle warmth. With a comforting snap, the flesh realigned.
Within seconds, Yelan came to with a hoarse sigh, blinking slowly.
"Mmm~... That... that was perfect..."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"
She stretched slowly, like someone who had just stepped out of a hot bath, not a torture session. Her still-naked, marked body moved with a natural, shameless sensuality. Her flawless curves were practically an insult to logic.
"Haaah... Last night was wonderful, Master..." she murmured with a lazy smile and sparkling eyes.
"I told you to stop calling me that," Leon grumbled, averting his gaze. "And it was definitely not wonderful for me."
"You say that, but your actions say otherwise~ My hips still hurt a bit after all our fun~~" she giggled, pointing at the toys scattered across the floor—chains, whips, candles, an impressive variety of instruments that looked straight out of a lustful nightmare.
Leon sighed again, deeply. "Yelan... You're a spy. Your job is to keep information flowing and maintain your position. If staying in this constant state of... pleasure helps you do that, fine. But don't ask me to enjoy it."
She rose slowly, rotating her now perfectly-aligned neck, and walked toward him with slow, provocative steps.
"You say you don't like it, but you keep doing exactly what I ask..." She tilted her head, eyes locked onto his with a mischievous gleam. "Maybe, deep down, you enjoy a little bit of my submission, M-a-s-t-e-r."
Leon clenched his teeth, eyes narrowing. "I'm methodical. And you're a functional masochist. It's that simple."
"Huhuhu~ And you're the best Dom I've ever had."
"I'm not your Dom, Yelan."
"Not officially..." she whispered, trailing a finger slowly down his chest.
Leon stepped back. "Tsk. You're trying to turn me into a savage without manners."
"You're already a refined savage. Which is even more dangerous..." Yelan laughed, calmly picking up the toys from the floor. Some were still damp with evidence of the previous night.
Leon collected the objects with restrained disgust and stored them away, silently wishing he could toss them into a fire.
"You do know I genuinely hate these things, right?" he muttered.
"Of course, and that's exactly why I love when you use them on me," she replied with an angelic smile.
Leon sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. "Let's get out of here before one of the girls sees us and jumps to the wrong conclusion."
"As if there were a right conclusion to all this," Yelan laughed again, following him toward the exit.
As they walked through the cold underground corridors, Leon found himself thinking—again—about what he was doing with his life.
But one thing was certain: whether he liked it or not, dealing with a charming, irritating, and dangerously seductive masochist like Yelan was now a part of his life. Even if it constantly tested his limits, his patience… and his sanity.
---
In the castle's dining hall.
The soft light of dawn streamed through the stained-glass windows, bathing the marble walls and floor in gold. In the quiet hall, only the gentle clinking of cutlery rang out, like subtle bells announcing the start of a new day.
"Thank you for your hard work cleaning up while I was away, Leini," said Leon, his voice calm and serene. He sat at the head of the long dining table, his hands clasped under his chin.
Leini, his vampire maid, gave a graceful bow. Her red eyes gleamed like rubies under the soft light.
"It was nothing, Your Highness. This is my duty."
Her voice was sweet and submissive, but there was a slight hoarseness to it—almost like a hungry whisper.
She moved with choreographed perfection, serving Leon an immaculate breakfast: perfectly cooked eggs, golden bread, select fruits, and steaming floral tea. Then, with the same precision, she served Yelan, who sat a bit farther away, watching everything with amused eyes.
"This is delicious. Your cooking skills have improved a lot," Leon remarked, tasting the food.
"Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness." Leini's smile was restrained, but her chest rose and fell in an uneven rhythm.
"Did you do what I asked while I was away?"
"Yes, exactly as instructed."
"Excellent. Keep up the good work, Leini." Leon gave her a brief head-pat—a simple but powerful gesture.
The vampire's pale face flushed crimson, a visible shiver ran down her spine. She discreetly bit her lower lip and... trembled. Leon noticed.
She was breathing heavily. Her body trembled slightly. From time to time, she wiped her mouth with a white napkin, trying to hide the saliva threatening to spill from between clenched teeth.
"Thirsty again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes…" her voice quivered.
"How long have you been holding back?"
"Half a month, Your Highness... I... I've reached my limit." She lowered her head, fingers intertwined in tension. "I really can't hold it anymore. I— I don't want to attack someone, but..."
As a vampire, Leini possessed an arsenal of exceptional abilities. But all of them required constant magical upkeep. And for a being like her, the only efficient way to replenish that energy was... drinking blood.
If she went too long without feeding, she would completely lose control.
"Two more days than last time... That's progress," Leon said thoughtfully. "Next time, try to make it to twenty days."
"Your Highness…" Leini's eyes welled with tears. "I can't... I'm too weak..."
"That doesn't matter," he said with a gentle yet cold smile. "If you can't manage it, I'll lock you in the basement until you learn. I'll help you endure it myself."
Leini's face lost all color. A chill ran down her body.
"Please… don't…"
"Come on, Leini. If you want to be more than a mere servant, you need to learn to master your instincts. The longer you can resist, the more control you'll have over your power. Do you want to be a monster... or a warrior by my side?"
"…It's really hard," she murmured, almost inaudibly. Her eyes trembled between fear and longing.
Yelan, silent until now, smirked. She watched the two of them like someone enjoying a captivating stage play.
"Hmm~ Master, asking her that is like telling a hormone-filled virgin to live in a monastery. You really do enjoy watching others squirm with desire, don't you?"
"Yelan... eat in silence," Leon shot her a glare, half-tempted to stand up and teach the insolent woman a lesson.
Leini blinked, confused. As rude as Leon was with Yelan, their relationship seemed... more intimate than they let on.
Leon took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts aside. "In any case, it's time for you to eat."
"Yes, Your Highness. Thank you..." Leini said, her voice still fragile.
Leon calmly rolled up his sleeve, revealing his arm. The skin was smooth, pale, immaculate.
"Come on. Go ahead."
With teary, grateful eyes, Leini stepped closer. Her fangs appeared even before her lips parted, and in an instant, she sank her teeth deep into Leon's flesh.
The warmth and taste of his blood filled her mouth like a rare wine. She moaned softly, gripping his arm with both hands, drinking with near-religious fervor.
"Easy, Leini... I know you haven't fed in days, but try to keep your composure— Tch. Forget it. Just continue."
She mumbled something, still with her lips pressed to his arm.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Leon said firmly. "Ladies should mind their manners at the table."
Five minutes later, Leini pulled away. Her eyes were half-lidded, her face flushed, and a drop of blood still trickled from the corner of her mouth. She looked satisfied... and more beautiful than ever.
Leon healed the wound with a faint blue glow and cleaned his arm with a cloth.
"There. Now that you've calmed down, let's get to the point. What's the situation in Mondstadt?"
Leini straightened, professional once more, and pulled a sealed letter from the inner pocket of her uniform.
"The secret message arrived this morning. The informant said the plan is going perfectly. Dvalin... has turned Mondstadt upside down."
Leon smiled.
"Excellent. Just remind them—no civilians are to be harmed."
"Yes, sir."
Leon stood and looked out the window toward the far west. His golden eyes gleamed with a trace of anticipation.
Far away, in the land where the wind sings, the City of Freedom was being consumed by the roar of a dragon.
Mondstadt... was in chaos.
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."