Chapter 71: Can You Answer Me One Question? (13)

“You despicable bastard!”

“You don’t understand—only magic can counter magic, so only the wisest paladins avoid being deceived by evil vampires.”

“But now it’s you who’s deceiving me!!?”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Herbert, watching Elizabeth’s expressive face, found this face-to-face interaction far more interesting.

At least she now had a proper character portrait—far better than that coffin-shaped chest monster she used to be…

He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a smile: “You were the one who came forward voluntarily to drink my blood—how could I be the one harming you?”

“You’re not seriously going to claim I deliberately lured you to drink my blood, are you?”

You are!

Elizabeth truly wanted to shout this retort aloud, but she knew she had no grounds to stand on.

She had indeed drunk his blood—and more than a little too much of it.

Now she was utterly speechless, unable to argue her case, especially since she was clearly in the wrong.

In the end, pressured by the merchant, Elizabeth reluctantly agreed to his harsh terms.

“Fine, I’ll accept your terms this time—but only two more drops! Absolutely no more! Otherwise I’ll revert to my old state again!”

She also stated her own demand.

She stuck firmly to two drops—no more, or she wouldn’t do it.

Though Herbert’s blood was incredibly delicious and granted her considerable power, it was still far too little for a body dried up over hundreds of years.

At best, it had only filled one percent of the void—it was utterly negligible.

Even now, Elizabeth’s chest wound had not fully healed; she remained in that “heart bleeding” state of “happiness.”

Every time she spoke, a few drops of blood would trickle out, which she would immediately, with great distress, suck back in before they hit the ground.

Hmm, truly delightful.

“Only two drops? That’s going to be very difficult for me…”

Herbert feigned distress, shook his head, then finally clenched his teeth, stomped his foot, and waved his hand dramatically.

“Ah, forget it! Since you’ve known me for so long, I’ll let it go this time.”

He looked as if he’d been terribly cheated.

Elizabeth: ?

“What are you talking about? Have I known you long? Are we really that close…”

“Then ten drops. Non-negotiable.”

“Very close! Hehe, very close! We’re old friends, old friends indeed!”

Elizabeth forced a dry laugh while glaring daggers at Herbert, gritting her teeth: “You’re such a terrible sport! Can’t you even take a joke?!”

This despicable paladin!

He was truly despicable!

Elizabeth seethed inwardly, squeezed her chest carefully, and extracted two drops of essence blood.

Herbert accepted them gladly, never asking where exactly she’d pulled them from…

Don’t ask.

Better not meddle in vampire affairs.

Often, being ignorant leads to a better life.

Knowledge is, in fact, a curse.

For instance, when you didn’t know that “breathing can be manual gearshift!” or “swallowing saliva counts too!” or “your eyes can always see your nose!” and other useless trivia…

You were truly happy!

Never let knowledge corrupt your mind.

Keep being happy, please, please, please!!! (voice cracking)

After “acquiring” two drops of essence blood through “market-recognized fair trade,” Herbert remembered something he’d been curious about.

He’d originally decided not to ask—to remain ignorant—but recent events had changed his mind.

“By the way, Miss Elizabeth, I have a question I’d like to ask you. May I?”

Elizabeth paused, then her eyes lit up with malice: “A question? Fine—but you pay with blood.”

Finally, I’ve got you!

Herbert nodded immediately: “Agreed. If your answer satisfies me, how many drops do you want?”

Huh?

His overly quick agreement made Elizabeth uneasy. Having learned from past mistakes, she now played smart, raising her chin: “Ask first. I’ll set the price after you finish.”

She was ready.

As soon as Herbert asked, she’d interrupt with her answer, then demand a price he could never afford.

Hehe.

You think only you can blackmail others?

I’ll make you feel the same pain I just felt!

Elizabeth was basking in her own brilliance when she heard Herbert’s question—

“What is it like… to kill your own father with your own hands?”

!!?

The smile on her pale face vanished instantly; her crimson eyes trembled for an instant, then locked onto him with deadly focus.

She narrowed her eyes, watching Herbert with a dangerous gaze, and asked slowly: “...Do you know about that?”

In that moment, Elizabeth radiated the very aura Herbert had once seen in his memories.

Dangerous, sinister, and mad.

Herbert gave a slight nod.

Yes—this was the powerful vampire he’d seen in his memories, ignoring the minor detail that she was currently squatting cross-legged inside a coffin.

“How did you find out?”

Elizabeth’s voice was hoarse as she asked: “Who told you?!”

Who told me?

Should I say… my father told me? Would you believe that?

Herbert didn’t answer like that. Instead, he met her crimson gaze without flinching, and asked softly: “How did it feel?”

“When you took his life, severed every bond between you—what did you feel?”

“Was it satisfaction? Or emptiness?”

“At that moment… what exactly did you feel?”

What did you feel, back then?

“You…”

Elizabeth frowned, staring at Herbert for a long while. Once she was certain he wasn’t joking or trying to disgust her, she sighed helplessly.

“You’re really… incredibly forward.”

She wanted to scold this boundary-less man.

Yet, she felt not a trace of malice from him.

On the contrary, she sensed a deep, hidden confusion.

He was uncertain, hesitating, wavering in his own thoughts.

…Just like she had been, before she acted.

After a moment’s hesitation and a deep sigh, Elizabeth began slowly: “Let me clarify—the person you know wasn’t my father.”

“My parents died at his hands. He was merely an ancient monster who turned me from human into monster.”

“That thing was never my father.”

(End of Chapter)