Chapter 263: What Is Our Relationship (4K Bonus 79)

"Tch..."

The vampire young lady squinted her eyes, looking utterly speechless at the youth who was far too dazzling (in the literal sense) in the dark space.

This guy... he must be doing it on purpose!

She refused to believe that Herbert was truly as innocent as he was putting on.

Who are you trying to fool?

You're from noble lineage, and so am I!

Don't think I don't know what the basics of a noble's education entail!

According to the noble custom of training their heirs, before they come of age, regardless of what they should or shouldn't know, they've definitely already been taught the whole set long ago.

But... even if Elisha knew the other was putting on an act, what could she do about it?

Could she actually say it out loud?

Have her describe the images in her own mind?

What a joke!

If he's shameless, fine, but am I supposed to throw away my dignity too!!?

In the end, she could only swallow this bitter loss, her face twisted in a constipated expression as she pressed her lips together, squinting at the fellow in front of her as he performed to his heart's content.

Herbert was still outputting!

"Oh my, Miss Elisha, what were you referring to earlier? Did I say something wrong that made you misunderstand?"

"Could you tell me what exactly you were thinking of? I'll be sure to avoid it next time."

But no matter how Herbert questioned her, Elisha, having made up her mind, remained silent, resolutely refusing to respond.

Elisha said nothing, only pressing her lips together.

She tried to kill Herbert, that shameless thing, with her gaze.

Enough, stop the act.

Give it a rest, will you!

Finally, after half a day of repeatedly teasing her with words, seeing that Elisha was unwilling to play along, Herbert, who had grown bored, finally shook his head listlessly.

Tch, boring.

You woman can't take a joke, not as fun to tease as Fu Leimei.

Although she doesn't play along anymore either now, at the very beginning she would blush and try to explain things to me!

"Sigh, alright then, since you don't want to say anything, I won't ask anymore."

Herbert withdrew the holy light emanating from his body with a wounded expression, sighing dejectedly.

His pitiful appearance made Elisha hesitate a little.

Could it be that she had truly wronged him?

Was Herbert actually a noble youth unfamiliar with the ways of the world?

But before Elisha could feel guilty, less than half a second after Herbert finished sighing, he once again broke into a relaxed smile.

"In fact, I didn't do anything."

With lowered lashes, his pale eyes gazed at the curled-up vampire as he said softly: "But if I absolutely must say, I did indeed do one thing..."

"I saved you."

At this moment, the white-haired youth's eyes were filled with an emotion utterly foreign to Elisha.

Pity.

Upon realizing the true nature of this sentiment, she felt a little bewildered.

Why are you looking at me with eyes like that?

"Haven't you noticed the difference yet?"

Difference...

Elisha froze for a moment, subconsciously raising her hand to feel herself up and down... hmm!!?

It's gone.

The chains, they're gone!

She reached for her neck in a rush, not touching that cold black iron collar, but instead feeling her own slender neck.

This discovery stirred up complex emotions within her—excitement, surprise, but more than anything, bewilderment.

The chains on her neck being removed meant... she was no longer bound by this black iron coffin.

Am I free?

Am I truly free?

She raised her head, looked at Herbert, her lips trembling slightly as she said softly: "Herbert, I... I truly don't know how to thank you."

"Heh, you don't need to thank me, you don't—"

But the instant Herbert opened his mouth to answer her, Elisha, her eyes blurred with tears, moved.

Whoosh—

Without the slightest warning or wind-up, she suddenly sprang up from the ground, like a crimson flash of lightning, lunging at Herbert in an instant.

Although Herbert had deliberately stepped back half a pace earlier, this distance of less than a meter made little difference to a legendary vampire than being right up against him.

Grab him.

Only by grabbing him can I truly regain my freedom!

And only by truly threatening his life can I make sure he doesn't tell anyone about what just happened!

Damn bastard.

Absolutely no third person can ever know what stupid thing I just did!!!

Eliza's sudden outburst was partly to escape this damned prison, but mostly to conceal her cultivation.

He must shut his mouth!

Grab him, threaten him properly… then sneak in a couple more sips of blood.

Yes, make him give me even more Holy Blood!

Hmph!

You bullied me just now—see if I don't reclaim my dignity this time.

But just as Eliza was fantasizing about her perfect plan, about to execute the first step and pounce on Herbert…

"... don't get too happy too soon."

Hm?

You're not supposed to get too happy too soon!?

!!!

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh…

Before she could even think, the familiar, heart-shaking sound of chains erupted violently.

Damn it!

And it wasn't coming from the black iron coffin behind her—it was rising from beneath their feet.

Eliza instinctively tried to flee, but the chains bursting from the shadows gave her no chance.

Click-click-click-click…

Four chains shot out with lightning speed, like nimble tentacles, locking tightly around her wrists and ankles.

With a sudden yank, Eliza was slammed onto the ground.

Thud!

Though the impact hurt, she had no time to care—her entire focus locked onto the front.

There, Herbert held a silver-white chain, shaking his head regretfully at her: "I knew you were still dangerous."

"I helped you with such sincerity—and this is how you repay me? You've truly disappointed me."

"It seems I can't let you rest too comfortably."

Murmuring, Herbert knelt on one knee before Eliza, who lay in a "big" shape, and slowly drew the chain toward her neck.

!!!

"No no no, I'm sorry!"

Eliza tried to dodge, but it was useless—chains bound her limbs to the ground, leaving no room to struggle.

She could only watch helplessly as the chain locked once more around her neck.

"No!!!"

Click.

With a clear sound, that familiar sensation returned to her neck—stopping all struggle in her limbs.

Struggling is useless.

It's already useless…

She knew better than anyone how terrifying this shackle was.

As long as the shackle around her neck couldn't be broken, she would never be free.

Eliza, having given up resistance, lay like a salted fish, eyes shut in pain.

No hope left.

Click… click… click… click…

Then, the shackles binding her limbs loosened simultaneously, retreating back into the shadows—only the silver-white chain remained.

One end of the chain bound her neck.

The other end… was held in Herbert's hand.

"Heh."

Herbert crouched, tugging the chain, sighing at the salted-fish vampire who refused to face the grim truth: "Why the rush?"

"If you hadn't rushed, would I have treated you like this? Would I have had to put another chain around your neck?"

Tsk tsk tsk…

Rushing, are you? Now you've messed up, huh?

If you hadn't provoked me, would I have resorted to such a tactic?

Thinking of this, Herbert couldn't help sighing: "Alas, I was forced into this."

"... Hmph."

Eliza still kept her eyes shut, but her brow furrowed as she muttered: "You will. You definitely will."

"You've been planning this from the very beginning!"

"Even if I hadn't moved, you'd have forced me to— or found another way, another excuse—to put the chain around my neck."

Eliza opened her eyes, sneered at Herbert, then turned her head away, ignoring him.

Heh, take me for a child to fool?

Who'd believe such an excuse?

Though the Young Lady wasn't good with curses, her sensitivity to schemes and tricks was sharp.

She had once been groomed as an heir, receiving proper noble education—beyond tedious etiquette, she studied nothing but conspiracy.

"Oh?"

Herbert glanced at her, surprised, then smiled and shook his head.

Forgotten.

He'd instinctively treated her like Valentina.

Then again, only their family's Valentina would half-believe such a thing… Once you know the method, even intuition can be fooled.

"Perhaps."

Since Eliza was a smart person, Herbert didn't bother hiding it any longer.

If he kept being stubborn at this point, it would only make him look like he couldn't afford to lose.

"Regardless, the fact that I once freed you is a fact, and the fact that you attacked me is a fact. Do you admit it?"

"……" Eliza's lips twitched, wanting to say something, but in the end she didn't shamelessly make excuses for herself.

Explain what?

Was she supposed to say, "I just wanted to grab you and threaten you properly. I really wasn't going to kill you, at most I'd get a little revenge on you"?

Although this was Eliza's true inner thought, if she actually said it out loud, even she herself felt it wasn't very convincing.

Herbert laughed at the sight of her like this: "Since you have nothing to say, I'll take that as your tacit agreement."

"……"

Eliza pressed her lips together, offering no further explanation, and only stubbornly added: "I really didn't mean to hurt you."

Just now, I really just wanted to suck some blood…

"Um, let me remind you—forced bloodsucking also counts as intentional harm, you know."

Herbert kindly reminded the little vampire Young Lady, giving her a quick rundown of human law, then asked again: "Now, are you still sure?"

"……Then never mind."

The light completely vanished from Eliza's eyes as she quietly muttered things like "stingy."

"Very good."

Herbert looked at the little vampire Young Lady whose eyes had completely died, raised his hand, and patted her on the head. Seeing that she didn't resist, he even gave it a casual rub.

The feel wasn't bad.

At the same time, his current action gave Herbert a strange sense of déjà vu.

One hand holding the leash, the other rubbing her head.

"Walking a dog without a leash is the same as the dog walking the dog… ahem, don't mind that, no special meaning."

Herbert muttered unconsciously, then noticed the little vampire Young Lady staring at him with an icy gaze.

Her eyes told Herbert—that's enough, okay?

Even though you've put chains on me, I'm not your dog!

And Herbert's response to her death stare was—a slight smile, then he brought his finger up to her lips.

"Here."

"Mm?"

Eliza's eyes went wide as she looked at the finger right in front of her, then back at Herbert's smiling eyes.

You!

What do you mean?

You really think I'm a dog!?

"What? Changed your tune and don't want to drink blood anymore?" Herbert teased, preparing to pull his finger back.

!!!

But before he could even move his hand, his finger had already been bitten hard by Eliza.

Awoo!

Now that the little vampire Young Lady had finally realized what this gesture meant, how could she possibly let this chance slip?

She sprang up with a single sit-up, then took his finger into her mouth in one bite, piercing his fingertip with her sharp canines and sucking greedily.

"Mm!!!"

After tasting that delicious blood again after so long, her whole body trembled, and even her eyes went unfocused.

What humiliation? What pain? What shame? What embarrassment? All of it was tossed to the back of her mind.

At this moment, all that remained in Eliza's eyes was that finger, and all that remained in her mind was that sweet taste.

Ah—

And Herbert, watching her like this, couldn't help the corners of his mouth from curling up, smugly showing off to Nie Nasha in his mind.

"See? I told you she wouldn't notice."

And Miss Jester watched this scene unfold speechlessly, weakly complaining: 【"…Tch, this embarrassing little bat, she's way too embarrassing!"】

【"I guessed she'd surrender in the end, but I really didn't expect it to be this fast—she didn't even think about trying to break free!"】

Once the shackles were on, Eliza instantly became a salted fish that had lost all ambition.

Because she understood that struggling was pointless.

Rather than hurting herself, it was better to calmly accept this bleak reality.

But the question was… what if struggling actually worked?

What if that "shackle" wasn't the "shackle" in her heart?

Yes.

The "shackle" Herbert had personally placed on Eliza this time wasn't the original black-iron chain, but a silver-white ring that had changed form.

"Why bother trying? Once she's gotten used to the shackle, and her mind has already formed the fixed impression that it's unbreakable, she won't keep trying."

Why can an elephant be tied up by a thin hemp rope? Because when it was a baby elephant, it was bound by that same hemp rope, and after that it never thought to struggle again.

"A shackle placed around the neck is easy to break, but a shackle placed around the heart is very hard to break."

"The divine aren't really strangers to this, are they? After all, you're quite skilled at shaping an all-powerful image of yourselves in the hearts of mortals, so they never even think to resist."

【"Mm, perhaps that's true."】

As if touched by Herbert's words, Nie Nasha fell silent after answering.

Herbert, meanwhile, continued to tame the little creature he had just captured, instilling new rules into her heart.

"If you attack me again next time, I'll let you feel the power of these shackles — you don't want to be locked back inside a coffin, do you?"

"As long as you behave and listen, I won't restrict your freedom within this Lightless Prison."

……

"Oh, right."

"There's one last thing."

After speaking for quite a while, Herbert suddenly withdrew his finger, flicked the glistening droplet from it, then gently lifted Elisa's chin.

He lowered his head, looked at Elisa's still somewhat "blood-drunk," somewhat dazed eyes, and asked softly: "Now…"

"What is our relationship?"

(End of chapter)