Chapter 265: I Will Conquer You (4K)

"... Relationship?"

Eliza came back to her senses and looked at Herbert in confusion.

What other relationship could we possibly have?

"Mm, the relationship between you and me."

Herbert smiled and said softly:

"Warden and prisoner? Human and monster? Holy Knight and vampire? These are all our past identities and relationships."

Thinking about it that way, judging purely by identity, the relationship between them was so complicated and unique.

As a human, Herbert should have been full of vigilance and disgust toward a monster like Eliza.

And as a Holy Knight, Herbert was naturally filled with hostility and wariness toward vampires.

And as a warden, Herbert also bore the duty of reforming and guarding the prisoners.

And Eliza, as a prisoner, a vampire, a monster, was filled with hostility in her heart toward a person like Herbert.

Extremely dangerous, hard to approach, impossible to communicate — that was the image of Eliza in the minds of every other warden.

If it had been anyone other than Herbert, perhaps this is how it would have unfolded, step by step heading toward that ending of mutual loathing.

But this time, the person chosen was Herbert.

From the very beginning, he had never regarded Eliza as a terrifying existence to be feared.

He simply hadn't looked up to her at all!

Some Vampire Prince or other?

Don't know him, never met him.

In his eyes, Eliza was just a disgraceful salted-fish vampire.

A degenerate coffin-dwelling weirdo addicted to holy blood, going through blood withdrawal, with terminal chuunibyou, reduced to nothing but sucking blood in a coffin all day long.

Their original relationship was already quite interesting.

One might even say their relationship was the most equal — both sides equally looked down on each other.

Herbert didn't take Eliza seriously, thinking a mere mimic was nothing to fear.

Although Eliza felt this fellow was very different from the other wardens, she didn't think much more highly of him either, only that his blood tasted good.

The transactions between the two had their wins and losses, neither side ever gaining complete upper hand over the other.

But now... their original relationship had quietly changed.

Herbert gave a light tug on the shackles in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and smiled:

"I now feel that the distant relationship we had before is no longer enough to describe our closeness, isn't that so?"

Clank, clank, clank.

Eliza listened to the clear rattle of the chains, her lips pursing slightly as she said discontentedly: "That's too despicable!"

Truly too despicable, the methods were so underhanded.

"Am I the despicable one? It's not like I didn't give you a chance."

Herbert shook his head with a smile and teased: "It's clearly that you yourself didn't seize the chance."

The chance — Herbert gave it; it was Eliza herself who didn't seize it.

She was so busy grabbing at that once-in-a-thousand-years "chance" that she didn't stop to think about how exactly this "chance" had come about.

What I actively give you, and you seize — that's called a "chance."

What I don't give you, and you go snatch yourself — that's called a "trap."

Since you've already taken the bait and fallen into the trap, there's no turning back.

"If you could have held back, the result might have been different."

Would it really?

"..."

Eliza pressed her lips tightly shut, swallowed the bitterness and unwillingness in her throat, and pursed her lips high.

Hmph, damn it!

If only she had been a little more decisive just now... tch.

She didn't regret what she had done, only regretted not having done it better at the time.

This is human nature — everyone thinks this way after a failure: ah, if only I had done a little better back then.

"Hehe..."

Eliza raised her head, gave a self-mocking laugh, and asked with a complicated look in her eyes: "So, what kind of relationship do you want us to become?"

"Servant? Slave? Surely not a bedmate?"

Her voice carried a note of helplessness and faint mockery as she raised an eyebrow and asked:

"Things have come to this — do you really think we can still get along as close as before? Surely you haven't forgotten what identity I am?"

What identity was Eliza?

A legendary vampire.

Even with shackles on her, she was still an extremely dangerous existence.

"Will you really trust me? Will you be at ease letting me obey your commands? No, absolutely not."

She stared at Herbert and said in a low voice: "You will worry that I will keep attacking you — forever!"

"Every time I get close to you, you'll feel uneasy, you'll feel uncomfortable."

"You'll even feel fear, and that fear will follow you like a shadow, because you can never be sure when I might lose control."

A cold, sinister aura emanated from her, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet.

After a long-awaited replenishment of a large amount of proper fresh blood, her strength had also noticeably recovered.

Those crimson eyes fixed on Herbert, making him feel an almost irresistible urge to flinch.

Does Herbert look down on Elisa?

Yes, but not in terms of strength.

He has never underestimated Elisa's power.

Though she differs from the stereotypical image of "foolishness," her strength is beyond reproach.

Elisa is certainly not weak.

In fact, the extent of her confinement in the Third Oath Hall reveals much.

Among all the prisons Herbert has encountered, Elisa is the one bound the most.

Not only is her intake of blood restricted, but a special black iron coffin guards her.

Just these two points alone speak volumes.

Elisa is dangerous.

Even after being weakened by several layers, she still wields astonishing power.

Among the dark elves who invaded the Third Oath Hall, she was the one whose methods were most bizarre.

So, yes, Herbert does pay attention to her strength.

Elisa smiled at Herbert's calm expression, lifted her hand to lightly touch the shackle around her neck, her expression complex.

"As for this chain, do you really think this thing alone can make me willingly bow my head to you?"

She curled her lips, scoffed, and proudly lifted her head:

"No one in this world can bind me! Not even the gods…" —hiss!

Mid-sentence, Elisa suddenly realized what she had said and snapped her mouth shut.

Dammit.

Why do I keep saying things like this again!?

Elisa fell into melancholy, slipping back into her previous otaku delusion state.

"... cough, cough."

He didn't hear that, right?

Elisa clenched her lips tightly and stole a cautious glance at Herbert—just in time to catch his expression of utter disbelief.

Yeah, of course.

He's not deaf; he couldn't have missed it.

He definitely heard it—ahhh!

Elisa clenched her tiny fists, digging her nails hard into her palms, trying to distract herself from the earlier embarrassment.

Herbert watched her behavior and sighed helplessly.

"... sigh."

Fine, the whole moment collapsed.

You had such presence, I thought you were going to say something profound.

And this is all you've got?

"Cough, cough!"

Elisa, stung by Herbert's gaze, coughed twice and stubbornly continued:

"So! Cough! Um, what kind of relationship do you actually want us to have? Master and servant? Or something even more absurd?"

Speak!

Say it!

Tell me already!

Elisa glared at Herbert with false bravado, hoping he'd answer quickly and move on to the next topic, letting the earlier incident fade.

Herbert had already tormented Elisa enough today and chose not to tease her further.

"You're wrong."

He shook his head firmly, rejecting Elisa's earlier claim.

"Elisa, you're completely wrong."

"You think you're dangerous, that I fear you, that I'm wary of you… hah, I don't deny your perception—you truly are dangerous to others."

"But… the person standing before you now is me."

Rustle.

Herbert yanked the chain, roughly lifting Elisa off the ground, forcing her toes to instinctively rise.

"Hn!?"

To a legendary vampire, such an act causes no harm whatsoever—even if hung from a gallows for a day and night, she'd feel no pain.

Yet Herbert's forceful action now startled Elisa.

Herbert lowered his head, locking eyes with Elisa at close range, and said in a low voice:

"In truth, I don't care whether you threaten me; your so-called dangers have never mattered to me."

Dangerous?

How dangerous could you be?

Could you be more dangerous than Valentina?

You can't.

I'm not afraid of Valentina—why should I fear you, a lazy little vampire?

I don't fear dragons that can wipe out nations—what's so impressive about you, a petty vampire girl?

Eliza, sit down!

Compared to the beginning, Herbert is no longer the powerless, weak warden.

His will is more resolute, and more arrogant, than before.

Herbert has every right to be confident.

He has completely conquered two demon girls, and his own strength has undergone a transformation.

In Eliza's eyes, Herbert seemed to radiate blinding light.

And this time, it was not the holy light he deliberately revealed, but a radiant glow that truly unsettled her, a vampire who had always hidden in shadows.

At this moment, Herbert was more dazzling than the man who once lit lamps by hand—

Herbert, radiating a powerful aura that made the Vampire Young Lady slightly dizzy, made his declaration.

"I will conquer you."

He announced her future fate in a domineering tone she had never heard before.

"And you, will be conquered by me."

Eliza widened her eyes, staring dumbfounded at the boy so close.

The arrogant boy was not bluffing; his pale eyes were calm, showing not a trace of evasion or hesitation.

He truly believed it.

Herbert stared tightly at Eliza and declared firmly: "I will make you understand that a possibility exists between us."

The relationship between them is no longer what it was before.

It is now "Conqueror" and "Conquered"!

Herbert's declaration was extremely arrogant, as if he had not considered Eliza's thoughts at all.

He did it on purpose.

When facing other demon girls, Herbert would not be so domineering—it would easily provoke their resentment.

But when facing Eliza, this vampire whose very bones revealed a desire to be conquered—this was the correct approach.

Although Eliza had always refused to face her own heart, she had always longed to be suppressed, bound, and imprisoned.

"Conquer me?"

Eliza shook her head, unsure of what she felt inside, and asked dazedly: "You… what will you do?"

How will you treat me?

And Herbert's answer was simple.

"Just… do this."

Herbert did not explain with words—he proved himself with action.

His right hand moved, yanking the silver chain violently.

Clatter!

The chain tightened under his forceful pull, yanking the unprepared Eliza straight to his front, slamming her against Herbert's solid chest.

"Hn!?"

At this moment, Eliza still seemed lost in her thoughts, her gaze dull and vacant; in this brief moment of daze, Herbert instantly turned the tables.

A flicker of amusement passed in his eyes; he lowered his head without hesitation and moved toward Eliza—and then…

He bit down on Eliza's neck, as white as lamb's fat jade.

"Ah!?"

Eliza:???

Instantly snapping out of it, Eliza had intended to dodge and struggle—but she froze in place, stunned by Herbert's reversal of roles.

I'm the vampire, right!!?

You're the prey, I'm the hunter, aren't I!?

I I I… ah~

Herbert's sharp canine teeth gently gripped Eliza's skin but did not break it; instead, he lightly scraped the tip across her flesh.

The perfect pressure, the warm breath—this act felt more like an intimate, ambiguous seduction.

As a vampire, Eliza had never experienced this; her face instantly flushed red, a sense of shame rising within her.

At the same time, a peculiar thrill surged deep inside her, like electric current racing through her body.

This…

Is this what it feels like to be bitten?

When the hunter becomes the prey.

When the vampire is "bitten" in return.

Only then did she feel this intense stimulation.

A feeling… of being conquered!

Herbert of course did not break Eliza's skin—he had no vampire fangs, and no particular interest in sucking blood.

"Heh."

As he felt Eliza's body gradually soften, he knew it was time for the next step.

He bit his own tongue, letting a drop of blood drip, then gently licked it along Eliza's neck.

With his agile tongue, he smeared the blood across her pale skin, like crimson streaks on snow.

The blood was absorbed by her skin, adding a faint pink flush of vitality to her smooth, snowy flesh.

!!!

The intense stimulation made Eliza open her mouth, emitting a soft sound, her toes tensing, both hands gripping Herbert's clothes tightly.

"Ah…"

So this is what it feels like to be conquered?

So this is how thrilling it is…

…

A moment later, Herbert raised his head, licked his lips, and swallowed the faint trace of blood.

By then, Elisa could no longer speak; in a daze she lay sprawled across his chest, weakly gasping for breath.

"Mm, doing it to this point is already about enough."

But just as the "Conqueror" Herbert was about to quit while he was ahead, preparing to let go of Elisa—

The blood-thirsting "Conquered" had no intention of letting him go.

The blood-sucking princess in her haze turned the tables, unconsciously raising both hands and clamping them onto the back of Herbert's head.

Then she rose on her tiptoes and pressed her cherry lips toward that alluring source of fresh blood.

She kissed him!

Herbert:???

"Mm—"

(End of this chapter)