"Are you a witch?"
Ophelia looked at Astraea deeply, pausing before answering. "Mmmh... I guess you could say that, though it's more precise to say I'm a vampire-witch."
Astraea's mouth fell open in shock, and David stared wide-eyed, struggling to make sense of her words. Ophelia approached him, flashing her pearly whites. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ophelia."
David shook her hand, and Ophelia frowned. "You should leave her while you still can. She will be the death of you, and it won't be long before that day comes."
David glanced at Astraea, who had momentarily recovered from her shock and was now captivated by the crystals hanging from the trees. "Tell me," Ophelia whispered, leaning in close, both of them watching Astraea, "Will you die for her? Will you die for the sake of her goals?"
David had pondered that question countless times, yet he remained unsure how deep his affection for her truly ran. He met Ophelia's gaze and replied, "I'm not leaving her yet." Ophelia regarded him with a warning look, but he averted his eyes, refusing to be swayed by her intensity and abandon the princess.
Once Ophelia and David's private conversation ended, Astraea excitedly ran over, her expression turning nervous in an instant. She fiddled with her fingers, glancing around at the grass, the crystals, anything but Ophelia.
With annoyance, Ophelia asked, "What do you want?" Astraea hesitated, chewing her lip as she struggled to articulate her thoughts.
"Uhmm... I would like you to—" She paused, looking away, but reminded herself of her goal and what she truly wanted. Turning to Ophelia, she gathered her courage. "I want to become a vampire-sorceress."
Ophelia regarded Astraea with indifference. "So? Why are you telling me this?" She turned her gaze toward the cabin door, clearly uninterested in the conversation.
Astraea reconsidered her approach but reminded herself that she had to be strong. "Can you train me?" she asked, clenching her hands and squeezing her eyes shut in preparation for rejection.
"Sure," Ophelia replied, striding toward the cabin door. Astraea stood frozen, her nervousness dissipating as a broad smile of surprise spread across her face.
Many aspiring vampire-sorcerers had sought Ophelia's training, but she had declined them all, claiming there was only one person she would teach. Astraea wondered if Ophelia had already trained this individual, leading to her decision to take Astraea under her wing out of sheer availability.
Realizing she had lingered outside for too long, Astraea shivered. Turning to enter the cabin, she spotted David sitting on the porch, visibly cold and seemingly waiting for her. She smiled at him and walked over. "Let's go inside," Astraea said, helping him up.
They entered and closed the door behind them. Astraea sighed in contentment at the warmth inside. David rubbed his arms to warm up faster. Ophelia approached them, saying, "I have prepared two bedrooms. Tomorrow, you two will accompany me to gather supplies."
Before Astraea could ask what that entailed, Ophelia—probably sensing her curiosity—ushered them through the cabin. The floorboards creaked beneath their feet, producing a satisfying sound with each step. Astraea marveled at the cabin's size, which seemed so much larger inside than out.
Ophelia led them to a passageway with two rooms side by side. She looked at David with a curious expression before finally tearing her gaze away. Astraea noticed this and wondered what it meant, but before she could inquire, Ophelia hurriedly instructed them on where to find what they needed in their respective rooms and then walked away.
"What just happened?" David asked, glancing in the direction Ophelia had gone.
Astraea was still dazed, pondering whether David had done something to elicit that look. She raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't think she likes you, do you?"
David raised his hands and shook his head. "No way." He chuckled in disbelief. They paused, considering the possibility, before erupting into laughter again. "Goodnight," David said, and Astraea replied with a smile as they headed to their separate rooms.
Astraea's room was small, featuring a single bed pushed against the corner, a wooden table with a large old lamp, and a wardrobe. She approached the closet, placing her hand on the double doors. Opening it revealed several beautiful dresses that miraculously fit her perfectly. David's room mirrored Astraea's, except his closet contained only one suit of clothes.
As soon as Astraea's head hit the pillow, the fatigue from the day's exertion and the turmoil of her thoughts overwhelmed her, and she drifted off to sleep almost instantly. In contrast, David was troubled by the identical warnings from Nox and Ophelia: 'Astraea will be the death of you,' leaving him unable to sleep.
The next morning, Ophelia woke them harshly with a splash of cold water. Astraea had not slept well, haunted by nightmares throughout the night.
Seated at the dining table for breakfast, Ophelia discussed their trip into town to gather supplies, while Astraea and David exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what she meant but too polite to ask. They ate in silence. After breakfast, Ophelia instructed them to get dressed.
Navigating through the house proved challenging for Ophelia and David, but they reached the porch just in time, anxious about Ophelia's potential reaction to their tardiness.
As they ventured into the forest, they followed a clear path, unlike the thorny bushes Astraea had navigated to reach the cabin. The walk was filled with comfortable silence as they caught sight of the town from afar. Astraea, relieved to finally rest her feet, hurried toward the entrance. Having emerged from the forest, they found no need to venture through the thicket again.
They explored various shops, but Ophelia seemed unable to find what she sought. As the seconds stretched on, Astraea's curiosity bubbled over until she finally blurted out, "What supplies are we looking for?"
Ophelia turned to Astraea, pausing for a moment before bursting into laughter. She looked back at Astraea, chuckling again. Astraea had never seen Ophelia smile before, and the laughter caught her off guard; it was surprisingly pleasant. "You followed me around, and you don't even know why we're here?"
Astraea blushed, realizing how foolish she must have appeared. She had opted not to bother Ophelia with questions and had simply tagged along, observing her purchase the items she needed. In reflection, Astraea pondered why she was there and what had motivated Ophelia to bring her along.
"We're here to gather supplies for you."
Astraea frowned, confusion etched on her face at the unexpected revelation. "For me? What for?"
"The ritual."