Serena had been waiting in her so-called 'room'.
Apart from two Eternal Lamps, the place was dark. Thales suspected that even those two lamps were lit for him.
Rolana and Istrone were nowhere to be seen.
The extremely huge, black coffin was still behind the red-eyed little loli. If Thales had not seen the Blood Clansmen fiddle with a switch and fold it into the size of a normal coffin, he would have suspected that the Blood Clansmen had an alleged 'magician' transport it.
However, at the moment, looking at the black coffin, Thales furrowed his brows.
"What's wong?" Serena asked, bewildered.
"Not much," Thales said plainly and put on his usual facial expression. He wanted to ask why she put a toilet bowl in the middle of the room but swallowed it back.
"I am here to thank my ally for her assistance, Serene… can I call you that?"
Serena raised her brows imperceptibly and pouted.
'Just providing assistance, just my obligation as an ally and not help given in expectation for your repayment? Such a cunning and eloquent boy,' Serena thought resentfully.
Serena tilted her head and flashed a cute loli smile, "I only transmitted a few perpwexing sentences—I would pwefer that you call me Madam Serena—and got hold of some dirty wittle secret at the same time. In the words of those in Mane et Nox, why wouldn't I be glwad to do it? Especially with the fact that my dear ally is shadiwy welated to Mystics?"
The two of them were silent for a moment.
Thales thought, 'She is indeed an old witch. She won't let this opportunity slide.'
"No, your help was very important to me, and I am very grateful towards you." Thales smiled shyly with a sincere gaze like a grateful little boy.
"Otherwise, in front of the Black Prophet, I might even make confessions regarding Corleone family's internal rift and the truth of all of you seeking asylum in Constellation. He is the Black Prophet. Who knows what terrifying things he would do after knowing these secrets?
"I definitely don't want to see bad things happening to my ally, I hope you are thinking the same way, Serene."
Serena's gaze immediately became cold.
She put on a deliberate smile and revealed her little fangs at the same time. "You are not willing to be at a disadvantage at all, are you, my ally? And do not call me Sewene."
'This tactic can't scare me anymore now.' Amused, Thales looked at Serena, who looked like she was five or six and was curving her mouth.
Thales' smile became even brighter. He took a step forward and said, "I thought that allies should trust each other instead of threaten each other. Our interests align, my dear Serene."
"Since our interwests are aligned, please call me Madam Sewena and please show more sincerity. For example, my followers and I need more bwood. Fresh bwood." Serena's red pupils gained focus. She also took one step forward and gazed at Thales.
'As expected, dogs can't change their… Ahem.'
Thales inhaled deeply and took a step forward, staring straight into the pair of red eyes and tried to erase his previous impression of Serena as a mummy from his mind. He smiled and said, "For living people's fresh blood, it's a little hard. But this time, I came to fulfil my part in our alliance to further strengthen our common interests, Serene."
'Serene? What a rude mortal!' Serena thought a little angrily. 'Wait till I snatch back the crown from that b*tch…'
She glared at Thales' carefree smile.
Serena chuckled softly and curled up the corner of her tiny lips slightly. Then, she said, "Hmph, so, you finally decided to ask for my hand in marwiage?"
'Wha—'
Thales' worldview shook slightly.
With an expression akin to someone who just ate shit, he looked at the smugly smiling four-hundred-year-old witch in resignation.
'You win'.
Thales heaved a sigh. Under Serena's sparkling gaze, he rolled up his left sleeve and extended his bare wrist towards the red-eyed loli.
"My fresh blood… this was what I promised as part of our alliance," he said plainly.
Serena immediately flashed a smile and said, "I now believe in your sincerwity, my dear ally."
The Archduchess shut her eyes and exhaled deeply. The curve of her lips became increasingly wider. 'I thought he would keep going back on his word. This boy isn't that detestable after all.'
Thales' gaze was solemn. His breathing quickened and he said, "Remember, one-eighth of a pint, Serene. No more than that."
Serena opened her eyes, ignoring what Thales had called her. She then flashed a strange smile. "No lesser than that either. I will control the blood volume."
Serena put on a fascinated and passionate expression. At that moment, the fearful Thales finally felt that he was facing a four or five-hundred-year old Blood Clan Archduchess.
'Blood volume? Can she use another term?'
Looking at Serena, who had transformed herself into a gastronomist, Thales gulped with much difficulty. He could not shake off his 'mummy-related' trauma from before.
"Eh, can your gaze be a little bit gentler… Your expression is making me a little scared, my heart feels weird… Ah- Give me a signal, big sister. Don't just suddenly bite me with your big, bloody mouth!
"Ack! Ouch- Ouch- Ouch!"
Thales' flurried voice rang within the room.
Yodel's mask trembled. He was about to move when the old Blood Clan Butler stopped him.
"This is an alliance between them," Chris said coldly, looking at the Masked Protector without any impression of weakness.
'In the face of the Blood Clansmen' fangs, humans would always be at a disadvantage. Even if that little brat- that child is the future heir of the second strongest Kingdom in the Western Peninsula.'
However, as she continued drinking his blood...
Something did not… seem right?'
Thales' voice rang from within the black coffin again.
"Your mouth… it looks pretty small. Why does it have so much strength… Eh, don't be too vigorous at the start. There must be a transition… Ouch, teeth! It's hurting me! Ah… slower, mouthful by mouthful… Softer… yes, you must be gentle…
"Tongue… ah… don't put your tongue everywhere… I won't be able to take it…"
Chris' face became more and more unpleasant.
"Alright, keep it at this pace. Little mouthful by little mouthful… I know that you have trouble holding it in… But you must resist it, and remain rational. Serene, be good. For the sake of my health, you cannot be so fast…"
Chris' face started to turn from white to green.
'That damned mortal. That little brat. Is he deliberately doing this?'
He glared fiercely at Yodel standing across him. Yodel's hands stilled for a moment in midair.
As Chris' face twitched, he saw Yodel extend his hands outwards and make a gesture as if he was saying that there was nothing he could about it.
The Masked Protector said helplessly in a rasp, "True. This is an alliance between them."
Relaxed, Yodel went back to the entrance and put his hands behind his back again.
Before Chris went crazy and dashed into the room, Serena finally had enough blood. She let go of the nervous looking Thales in satisfaction and licked her blood-red lips.
"Thank you for your hospitality," the red-eyed loli said sweetly.
"You're welcome," the extremely pale-faced Thales said. He sat on the floor in annoyance and massaged the two little holes on his wrist. His mouth opened and closed before he continued speaking, "Donate a bag of blood and save a life."
He kept feeling that she sneakily drank a lot more than she was supposed to.
…..
"Do not worry. That child is stronger that what we have imagined." Gilbert went into the hall on the second floor and stared at Jines, who was deep in thought.
At this moment, the sounds of horses galloping echoed from outside Mindis Hall.
Gilbert's expression changed. 'That is a messenger on horseback.'
"Seems like an eventful night indeed." Jines snapped back to attention and watched with a complicated gaze as the messenger respectfully handed her a sealed scroll bearing a nine-pointed star stamp.
Gilbert broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. His face became increasingly grimer.
Gilbert put the scroll down and frowned deeply, then said, "Something major has happened. His Majesty urgently calls for us to head to the palace."
"Of course. After all, you are his most trusted attendant and former Foreign Affairs Minister." Jines heaved a sigh and turned nonchalantly, walking upstairs.
"As for me, forget about it. I would rather stay here and look after the child."
"No." Gilbert turned towards Jines. His countenance was more solemn than any other time before. Looking at Jines, then held up the top part of the scroll and shook it slightly.
At the end of the paper was Kessel Jadestar's signature and the nine-pointed-star signet.
"His Majesty urgently calls for all of us to head to the Renaissance Palace immediately…
"…With the child."