Yu Zhizhi was in a bit of a panic. She lifted her skirt and ran over.
On the way, she suddenly saw the male Beastman under the stone statue move slightly. He opened his eyes and stared at her coldly.
Yu Zhizhi stopped in her tracks immediately!
She realized something—
Just as she took a step back, intending to flee the scene, a dark figure flashed over in an instant, tackling her to the ground before her widening eyes.
The crushed flower petals beneath her scattered to the sides.
Yu Zhizhi fell amidst a pile of fallen leaves and roses.
The church was rarely visited, its floor covered in fallen branches and flowers. She stared blankly at the golden mask before her, only a broken half of which remained.
Lying on the ground, Yu Zhizhi's eyes were filled with panic. Her long hair fanned out behind her, adorned by the red roses. The young girl's pure and delicate beauty was so captivating the Beastman couldn't look away.
Feeling a little guilty, Yu Zhizhi spoke softly, "I've been busy with some things these past few days, so I couldn't come see you. Just now, I thought something had happened to you—"
She murmured, "It's good that you're still alive..."
Dracula froze for a moment.
'She's worried about my safety?'
Dracula's pitch-black eyes locked onto her snow-white face. His gaze slowly drifted down, settling on her long, delicate neck.
He spoke slowly, his tone deep, "It's a wonder you still had the courage to come."
"How could I not—"
Yu Zhizhi's eyes widened, and the rabbit ears on her head twitched slightly.
"I... I had my reasons..."
She said softly, "What happened before... it was my fault. Why don't you scold me, or you can even hit me."
"..." Dracula watched her with an inscrutable expression.
He only knew how to kill.
He never did anything unnecessary.
'Facing the young female's earnest gaze,' Dracula couldn't help but think, 'her world is so simple.'
The anger in his heart had already vanished by half the moment he caught sight of her.
Now, it was almost completely gone.
But he had no intention of letting her off so easily.
Dracula's gaze fell to her chest.
A red rose had drifted there, looking just like a brooch.
"Do you know what part of their prey an Eagle likes to eat most when they hunt?"
"...I don't."
He smiled. "The heart."
Yu Zhizhi's face turned even paler in fright. "A rab-rabbit's heart doesn't taste good! Really!"
"Have you tried one?"
"No..."
"A rabbit's heart is small, like a quail egg, with a delicious, gamy flavor. It's even better if you sprinkle a little rosemary on it."
Seeing the young female tremble, a hint of mischievous delight flashed in Dracula's eyes.
'She really can't take a scare.'
He had only said a few words, and the color had already drained from her face.
To think such a timid rabbit would do something so bold and reckless that night.
*Sob...* Yu Zhizhi was on the verge of tears.
She saw the male Beastman raise his hand, and her mind went blank. Gory images flashed through her head, and she even forgot to close her eyes.
However, he didn't rip out a rabbit's heart...
Dracula picked up the rose from the young female's chest, brought it to the tip of his nose, and, lowering his eyes, took a light sniff.
In this church, broken branches and withered flowers were everywhere.
They only had the scent of decay.
But this rose was different. It had been touched by the little rabbit's fragrance.
The half-golden mask couldn't hide the handsome, magnificent presence of the Beastman before her. His aura was unique—like a lake on a snowy mountain at midnight: silent and deep blue, beautiful and proud, yet hiding a murderous intent.
"What are you looking at?" Dracula noticed the little rabbit was staring at him in a daze.
Her face flushed slightly. "I just think... you're very handsome."
"...?"
'Was he... just hit on?'
This little female was just as "frivolous" as when they first met.
And yet, she looked so incredibly pure and innocent.
Perhaps this was the nature of the Rabbit Clan—skilled at earning the affection and pity of other clans.
Dracula sat up.
Freed from the intense, oppressive feeling, Yu Zhizhi finally dared to take a deep breath.
She followed his lead and sat up as well.
The gentle evening sunset spilled into the church.
As Yu Zhizhi lifted her hand from the ground, she was accidentally pricked by a thorn.
"Ah...!" she cried out softly.
It was like the sudden prick of a needle, and a bead of blood welled up on her fingertip.
Dracula glanced over.
'Even a flower stem can hurt her. What a delicate little female.'
She was different from all the Beast Clan females he had ever seen in the desolate Cang Mountain Domain.
'Only the Imperial City, with its eternal spring, could raise such a pampered little thing.'
Not knowing what possessed him, Dracula grabbed the female's wrist, lowered his head, and licked the bead of blood from her fingertip.
A tingling, numbing sensation traveled up from her fingertip...
Yu Zhizhi flinched slightly.
She tried to pull her hand back.
But he held it firmly.
"If you don't treat the wound properly, it will get infected," Dracula's voice was deep and raspy.
"It was just a small prick..." she protested in a soft, sweet voice.
Dracula: "The vines are poisonous."
"Huh?!" Yu Zhizhi's eyes went wide.
The little rabbit's eyes were round and bright. Dracula glanced up, a smile seeming to play on his lips, though it was hard to catch.
"If you don't want to die, be good and don't move."
When Dracula had licked the blood from the young female's fingertip just now, he found the taste exceptionally fragrant and sweet.
It was as if his desire was easily provoked...
It was never enough.
He lightly licked the young female's fingertip, then slowly took her blood-scented finger into his mouth, becoming lost in the sensation as if he'd taken a drug.
Yu Zhizhi didn't dare to struggle, afraid the poison would spread.
This mysterious male Beastman had a completely different aura from the night he was heavily injured. His entire being now radiated an oppressive presence.
As Dracula looked up, he saw the young female's cheeks, so red they looked like they were about to drip blood, and his mood soared.
He gripped the back of her neck and pulled her towards him.
"Weren't you going to cure the poison...?"
The next second, Yu Zhizhi's confusion was silenced.
Dracula had originally only wanted to scare her a little, but who knew that a taste of her blood would make him increasingly frenzied and unable to control himself...
...
'She must like me.'
「Late at night.」
Dracula stood on the steps outside the church, watching the direction in which the young female had fled. A hint of a smile formed in his deep eyes.
She had run off in such a hurry that she'd even dropped her lace headband.
Dracula picked it up. He thought of the little rabbit's passionate state just moments ago, and his throat tightened.
Since birth, he had carried the mission of revenge against the Empire, never slackening for a moment.
The joys of romance held no meaning for him.
His purpose for coming to the Valoran Empire had been achieved.
This little female from the Rabbit Clan was just an unexpected interlude.
At first, there was only anger at having his chastity stolen by her. Later, it turned into a faint anticipation of her every visit.
And now, Dracula was seriously considering what would happen if he brought her back to his own territory.
「The moonlight spread far and wide.」
Yu Zhizhi ran all the way back to the castle.
Her heart was pounding, most likely because she had lied.
It seemed she had been mistaken for a servant of the K family, and she hadn't corrected him.
Yu Zhizhi had just wanted to see him, to check if his injuries had healed.
She never expected things to spiral so far out of control.
Tomorrow was the day the wolf cubs would hatch. Housekeeper Qiao had started teaching her noble etiquette several days in advance.
This celebration was of extraordinary significance to the entire K family!
On the day the Beast cubs hatched, they would undergo an ability assessment to determine their Level.