At night, the Centaur tribe's bonfire party was vibrant and full of life.
According to Luanna, such a grand celebration hadn't been held in over three years.
The dances of the Centaur clan were unique and filled with passion.
The beautiful centaur girls, relying on their flexible and graceful waists, swayed their bodies with enchanting rhythm. The bells tied around their hips jingled melodically in the night breeze.
The male centaurs competed in throwing spears and shooting arrows, showing off their strength and courage.
Many young men and women from the tribe took this chance to choose their life partners during the bonfire gathering.
Among them, the most popular were the two sisters, Elu and Leia.
Vlad and Cruz—the Centaur tribe's defense captain—enjoyed the rare cultural spectacle while also competing in a drinking contest, cheered on by many enthusiastic centaurs.
Sitting nearby was the tribe's chief, a male centaur well into his old age.
He was said to be the last surviving centaur from the first generation of their people—over 160 years old.
Clearly, this was a long-lived and extraordinary race.
After warming up to Cruz, who had already begun calling him "brother," Vlad didn't mind at all. In fact, he rather enjoyed it.
Once the feasting and drinking slowed down, Vlad called Luanna over from where she stood nearby.
At Vlad's signal, Luanna began speaking about the origins of the demon hunters they had encountered earlier that day.
"They're a group of demon hunters from the northern Kingdom of Allendale," she explained.
"The nearby forest is no longer providing enough food.
So I traveled north to hunt in Allendale. It wasn't my first time there, but I didn't expect to run into a group of demon hunters during the trip.
I recognized a few familiar faces among them. Although we managed to eliminate them, we can't be certain they didn't reveal our location beforehand."
Luanna's tone was solemn as she addressed both the Centaur Chief and Captain Cruz, carefully sharing her concerns.
As he listened, Cruz's expression grew serious. He turned to the tribe's chief, Otes.
As the saying goes, wisdom comes with age. Chief Otes didn't immediately respond to Luanna or Cruz.
Instead, he cast a thoughtful glance at Vlad, then turned to Cruz and calmly instructed:
"Post guards near the entrance to the secret realm. Set up two rotating shifts to monitor all nearby activity closely."
Cruz nodded without hesitation and immediately went to organize the troops.
Seeing this, Vlad expressed his support to Chief Otes. "If you need any help, don't hesitate to call on me. It would be an honor to assist."
Chief Otes looked at him with sincere appreciation.
"Thank you, Lord Vlad. If the need arises, we'll definitely reach out."
With his many years of experience, Otes had already formed some ideas about Vlad's strength. He wasn't foolish enough to turn down a valuable ally.
The stars hung sparsely in the sky as a gentle breeze drifted through the forest.
After the festivities ended, Luanna urged Elu and Leia to head home first, whispering to them as they kept glancing back with curiosity.
Once the sisters were out of sight, Luanna stopped and turned to Vlad, saying suddenly:
"I've done everything you asked. Based on what you told me, all of this may indeed come true... but what exactly is your goal?"
Faced with Luanna's confusion, Vlad paused before replying calmly:
"I'm just an outsider. Some things are better said by your own people—it brings more comfort that way."
"That's really all?" Luanna clearly didn't buy it.
Looking at the mature centaur woman in front of him, Vlad took a step closer and asked, "Do you think I'd harm you?"
As his warm breath brushed against her face, a flicker of panic flashed in Luanna's eyes. She quickly stepped back and replied:
"I believe you. I'm just... confused."
Vlad smiled faintly at her effort to stay composed. His lips curled into a playful grin with a trace of mischief.
The mature centaur's breathing hitched slightly, but she forced herself to stay calm and asked, "What's going on between you and my daughter?"
"Nothing serious. Maybe she just misunderstood me."
"Misunderstood?" Luanna repeated, as if reassured—but then she suddenly became alert and said quickly, "Don't make Elu sad. She's very innocent. I think you can tell how much she depends on you."
Vlad smiled lazily. "Don't worry. I'm a gentleman."
"I rarely do things that hurt women."
Hearing that, Luanna murmured thoughtfully, "You must be quite popular with women outside."
Under Vlad's unwavering gaze, her expression dimmed a little.
In truth, Luanna admired this man who had saved her several times.
But her moral compass kept her from showing it.
"Do you know why I exist?" Vlad suddenly asked.
His hot breath brushed against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine as the cool night breeze layered goosebumps across her skin.
Luanna held her breath and asked, her voice trembling slightly, "Why?"
"Blood~."
"Blood?" she echoed, confused.
Another wave of warm breath caressed her neck, making her instinctively draw back.
Then came his low, tempting whisper:
"Want to try it? I think you'll like it."
As he spoke, a large, strong hand gently touched her waist—firm, full, yet still soft to the touch.
Flustered and caught off guard, that brief contact stirred something within her.
"No, no..." At the last second, Luanna pushed Vlad away and hurriedly fled.
Vlad only shrugged, clearly unfazed.
After all, it was just a little mischief to amuse himself.
But it was clear—Luanna had been tempted.
The next morning.
Leia came running up to Vlad, her face lit up with excitement. She leaned in and whispered:
"Hmph! I saw everything. Sister went out to find you in the middle of the night, didn't she?"
"What did you do to her? She came home smiling like a fool!"
Vlad stared at the curious girl with a strange expression.
Why did this suddenly feel like he was a fox stealing chickens?
Leia glanced around, and after confirming no one was watching, she pulled Vlad into a nearby grove.
"Quick! I want to try it too!"
"Try... what?" Vlad blinked at the eccentric girl, his expression twitching with confusion and disbelief.
"You know, what you did with my sister!"
"That~!" Leia gestured animatedly.
"I saw the two little red spots on her neck! I want to try it too—was it really that nice?"
Looking at the cheerful and eager girl in front of him, Vlad was speechless.
I've really become a tool~!?