Chapter 3029: Blood‑Stained Addiction 05

The blood servants' quarters of Eternal Night Castle were located in an annex deliberately separated off the west wing of the main fortress; roses had grown wildly over the years, exuding a sweet, cloying fragrance that made one dizzy, and it constantly permeated the corridors.

Each day before dawn, the stooped, skinny old butler Aidejia would carry a bone lamp emitting a faint green light, first passing through the rose corridor; he held a list, and those whose names were called would go to serve Count today.

Jin Chen and Aosiding were placed in two adjacent rooms on the top floor of the annex; for five consecutive days, after that day, Count Sain had not summoned him again.

The roses on both sides of the corridor bloomed more profusely than a few days ago; the morning wind blew through the flower clusters, making the sweet scent somewhat dizzying.

Jin Chen's white robe hung smoothly, dragging on the stone floor; he rarely tied back his silver hair, letting it hang loosely at his shoulders, a few strands slipping from his temples, which made his pale, handsome face lose some of its usual sharpness and gain a careless languor.

Ling Gun Gun squatted in the flower basket he was holding, turned over inside it, 【I really want to eat flowers!】

Ling Gun Gun muttered softly, it was a pity that he could only perceive with a divided spirit, unlike before when he could daily hang out beside the host, eating and drinking to his heart's content; 【Those roses smell so fragrant, what a shame.】

Jin Chen let it whisper softly, turned his head to look toward the end of the corridor, the lantern light swaying in the morning breeze.

The butler led Aosiding out from behind the stone gate.

Ling Gun Gun poked his head out of the flower basket, perched on Jin Chen's shoulder, 【Good heavens! How did the protagonist get injured like this!】

Jin Chen slightly narrowed his eyes, assessing the approaching figure.

Aosiding's white robe was hardly recognizable in its original color, from collar to hem covered in deep and light dark-red stains; his face also bore several wounds, with blood droplets continually dripping from his chin.

Jin Chen's gaze swept over those wounds; it was not blood extraction, but whipping.

Jin Chen played with the rose petal in his hand, thumb and forefinger gently rubbing it, squeezing the soft petal to produce a deep red juice that stained his pale fingertips, a hint of contemplation appearing in his eyes.

【Count Sain's interest is strange; what if he wants to hit me?】

Ling Gun Gun tilted his head to look at him.

Jin Chen pinched his chin, slightly narrowed his eyes, 【I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back from striking back.】

Ling Gun Gun：!!!

Thinking of how in this world Jin Chen would at any moment resort to heart‑ripping tactics, it leapt up, covered Jin Chen's eyes with its two tiny paws, 【Don't look! Don't look! You and the protagonist are definitely not the same!】

Even with his eyes covered, Jin Chen did not dodge; he merely twitched the corner of his mouth, reached up, and plucked the fluffy little light‑cat from his face, then casually tossed it back into the flower basket.

Ling Gun Gun rolled twice in the flower basket, stumbled up dizzy, still wanting to say something, but saw the butler already walking up to Aosiding.

The butler hunched over, his withered hands clasped in front of him, his green eyes glowing like ghostly fire in the bone lamp's light; he gave Aosiding a weary glance and said in a hoarse, flat tone, "Go wash up; the Count grants you three days of rest."

Aosiding gave a slight nod, then continued forward, dragging his injured leg.

Butler Aidejia lifted the bone lamp, turned toward Jin Chen, and said, "The Count wishes to see you; he is currently sampling afternoon tea, his mood… not very pleasant."

As he spoke, the butler's bony hand slowly rose, reaching toward the flower basket in Jin Chen's hand; the deep‑red petals trembled slightly at his fingertips, as if those fragile petals now symbolized Jin Chen about to go meet his lord.

The butler's cloudy eyes stared straight at Jin Chen, "You must serve the master well."

Jin Chen slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping past the low wooden fence, toward Aosiding, who had already walked some distance away.

It was strange; he seemed to have sensed a malicious, schadenfreude‑filled hostility coming from Aosiding just moments before.

Jin Chen suddenly reflected, "We've already reached the point where he's ripped out my heart and guts; I might as well wait for a chance to ask Aosiding for some tips on serving Count Sain."

Ling Gun Gun shivered on his shoulder.

【What bad thing were you just thinking about?】 Ling Gun Gun warned.

Jin Chen gave no answer, turned around, and walked back down the corridor.

——

About half an hour later.

Dressed in a fresh white robe, Jin Chen appeared in the Count's chamber; this robe was lighter and more sheer than the previous one, with excellent drape, almost weightless when worn, swaying gently with his movements; the collar cut low, the sleeves wide, hanging down to cover most of the back of his hands, leaving only his slender fingertips exposed.

According to the rule for blood servants serving the Count, Jin Chen wore nothing but this white robe, not even shoes.

Jin Chen's bare feet touched the floor; a chill rose from the soles, spreading upward. Ordinary blood servants coming here would find this corridor alone enough to feel bone‑deep cold, each step like treading on a blade, let alone facing the moody Count later.

Yet Jin Chen walked with ease, the hem of his white robe trailing behind him, his head slightly tilted as he took in the murals on either side of the corridor, a strange sense of familiarity.

Count Sain sat on the raised dais at the farthest end of the room, leaning back on the armrest; a silver wine flask stood on the low table beside him, filled with deep‑red liquid, of which he had taken only a few sips.

At his feet, two blood servants knelt on the floor, frantically trying to right the spilled blood, their fingers trembling slightly, fearful that any overly large movement would provoke the one on the throne to anger again.

On the lower side platform, a person also stood.

He was completely enveloped in a deep‑purple robe, hood pulled low, standing there like a wooden stake nailed to the ground, utterly still; yet the faint aura emanating from him indicated his vampire rank was not low, and, of course, he seemed to have suffered many wounds as well.

Jin Chen's gaze lingered on the purple‑robed figure for a moment, then withdrew softly, lowering his eyelids.

Count Sain truly is a bad‑tempered count.