Cassie initially approached the situation with a curious mindset and didn't expect it to actually work. The halo dispersed, the butterfly vanished, leaving only a dim blue sapphire on the pendant. They found themselves in an unfamiliar place—a pitch-black surroundings, with castle walls hidden behind a menacing forest, reflecting eerily in the night.
Xavier, with a smiling gaze, praised, "Your Majesty always surprises me." One Nelson was nothing to him; even if he knew about such a malicious formation, it wouldn't pose a significant threat. It was just a matter of sacrificing something.
Xavier never cared about sacrifices. However, he didn't anticipate that he would care more about the young girl in front of him than he had imagined. Especially when he saw her wrist being cut, a moment filled with anger surged through his mind, and the only thought was to kill Nelson.
Yet, she surprised him. Without his intervention, she had already severed the connection with the formation through the butterfly necklace, forcibly escaping that place. He thought Odysseus would soon arrive with his people to clean up the mess—initially, he intended to kill Nelson himself, but it was unnecessary now.
Cassie pursed her lips. Nelson always appeared as if he were a master strategist, knowing everything. So, treating everything with a calm smile. What level of event would make him drop his gentle facade?
"Your Majesty..." Xavier suddenly spoke. His brows furrowed, and his expression darkened in an instant. He couldn't hold onto the young girl in his arms. The hand around his waist didn't stop bleeding, and, moreover, after severing the formation, the blood flow accelerated.
Her hand was becoming transparent.
From the fingers to the wrist, to the entire forearm, and then half of her body.
Xavier's complexion turned extremely ugly. He didn't inform Cassie of the truth, only asking, "Your Majesty, do you feel uncomfortable?" But he hoped the young girl hadn't noticed. Unfortunately, the moment she saw his change of expression, Cassie realized it.
She hadn't regained consciousness in her right hand. On the contrary, the area without sensation increased—she was slow to react due to Xavier holding her, and her entire body's focus wasn't on herself.
"My right hand," she softly said, "has no sensation."
Much more than a lack of sensation.
She was losing the sense of herself.
Xavier realized that it was probably not a problem with the formation but rather the butterfly. Her blood dripping on the butterfly tied its fate to hers. With the butterfly's disappearance, she would gradually fade away.
The unexpected turn of events caught him off guard. Xavier sighed, blaming a disobedient child, "Your Majesty, a small problem has arisen."
The full moon night was the time when werewolves were at their peak and vampires at their weakest. The nobles allied with foreign forces, invaded the vampire castle. However, Xavier had already negotiated with the werewolf leader. The arrival of the vampire noble was nothing more than a fish in a barrel.
When he left, the black mist had silently resolved the eight noble families according to the plan. He would smoothly bring Cassie before them, present her as an offering, and no one would dare harbor any rebellious thoughts.
All of this, he didn't tell Cassie.
Because it wasn't necessary. She was just like a pet to him, interesting, but not to the extent of risking his life for her.
And he was confident in bringing her back safely, even if she was taken away by Nelson.
Until this moment.
Sensing the girl in his arms gradually dissipating like stardust, Xavier realized that things were slipping out of his control. He had to make a choice.
And he found out that what he thought was merely raising a pet had captured his heart.
Cassie asked, "Do I still have to die?" Her gaze remained innocent and naive, like an immaculate piece of paper, seemingly desireless yet understanding everything.
Xavier lowered his head, planting a kiss on her forehead, "No."
He wouldn't let her die. Just find another way.
Cassie spoke to herself, "It just feels a bit regretful."
"Hmm?"
"Xavier," she locked eyes with him, her purple irises blossoming like mysterious and alluring iris flowers, "Can I have your heart?"
Xavier suddenly laughed.
The girl, who usually spoke so little, was unusually bold at this moment. She probably didn't know how tempting she looked in the eyes of someone who paid attention.
He was hesitating, but after hearing this sentence, he made a decision.
So, he had to resort to the most selfish method.
He grasped her other hand, placing it on his chest. Thin lips pressed against her ear, "Of course."
This time, he wasn't joking.
He pressed her hand in—he was like a mist, and his chest couldn't be distinguished as a solid entity. Only the heat, fiery and fluctuating, floated in the palm.
Cassie was stunned.
What was he doing?
"Does Your Majesty really want my heart?"
She heard Xavier's usual gentle tone asking her.
"Unfortunately, once taken out, it can't be put back." His words sounded troubled, but his tone was full of amusement, "So, Your Majesty will have to... live with me forever."
Countless black shadows elongated, forming a huge shadow.
The world suddenly collapsed.
Cassie returned to a chaotic space.
It seemed more like the initial state of the world—no physical objects, yet everything was tangible.
She sat on what seemed like mist, but when she sat down, the mist turned into substance.
She looked at her restored hands, feeling somewhat unbelievable, "Did I die?"
"Otherwise?"
She heard the cold and arrogant voice.
Ice-cold and disdainful, as if considering everything beneath notice.
Cassie: "..."
Wow, Xavier really brought her to "live" forever with him.
Did she dig out his heart? Did they die together?
She actually hugged and kissed with such a pervert?
"What are you surprised about?" The voice, rarely tinged with a hint of confusion.
Cassie retorted, "Don't you know what just happened?"
"I don't know," his tone remained indifferent, "My soul fragment exists independently of the main body. Only when I collect them all can I regain my memory."
His voice was as low and melodious as Xavier's.
So, Cassie couldn't help but miss Xavier.
Although he was a bit twisted, he couldn't match the voice's arrogance.
"What about my mission?"
"After retrieving the fragments, you were destined to die," the voice was still indifferent, "Mission accomplished. Next world."