Lorevil would rather go to the academy forest and dig up thirty blood mushrooms, doing back-breaking labor like Fini, than get involved in this sort of game between nobles.
For Lorevil, whose foundations were still shallow, this task was simply too dangerous.
“I know this is sudden for you, but you are currently the most suitable candidate. Just stay with her and endure these three days. Once the trouble passes, I will grant you a perfect score,” Jerwen said seriously, glancing at the hesitant Lorevil.
“Let me think about it on my own.”
Lorevil left those final words as she walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.
Standing in the hallway, the young girl paused, a bitter smile appearing on her pretty face.
Even so, how much room did she really have to consider her options?
After her first meeting with Madam Sharon, the Blackening Value that had appeared on the woman meant that Lorevil was already inextricably linked to her. To figure certain things out, Lorevil had no choice but to continue with this mission.
Just as the girl was overcome with emotion, a cold voice drifted from behind her.
“Lorevil, where is my blood crystal? Also, where is the lunch you promised to bring me every day?”
“What blood crystal?” Lorevil asked, her tone indifferent.
She knew, of course, that the original owner of this body would bring Catherine lunch every day, even going so far as to waste precious blood crystals to please her. But now, she truly had no desire to maintain this one-sided obsession.
The current situation was already difficult enough; she did not want to develop more unnecessary connections with irrelevant people.
“If you’re hungry, go buy it yourself.”
After dropping those words, Lorevil left without looking back.
She left Catherine standing there alone, stunned and looking completely dazed.
Lorevil continued walking until she reached the corner of the hallway.
“Don’t you always buy Catherine lunch?” Fini asked, jumping out from around the corner.
In the past, Lorevil had been at Catherine’s beck and call, the very definition of a ‘sycophant’ from her past life. Although Catherine provided Lorevil with some guidance, the effort put in by both parties was clearly unequal.
Lorevil gave Fini a flat look. “No more buying lunch, and no more chasing her.”
Fini gasped in shock, and the blood mushrooms she had just dug up from the edge of the forest scattered all over the floor.
Seeing Lorevil’s serious expression, Fini asked in disbelief, “No more chasing? You told me before that you were definitely going to win Catherine over!”
Fini knew how confident Lorevil had been when she said those words. Now, she was suddenly giving up.
“I’m plagued with trouble and a difficult mission. If I still spent time chasing Catherine, wouldn’t I be a complete fool? So many blood crystals invested without even a splash in the pan… I even bring her lunch every day, yet we can’t even eat together.”
Lorevil’s tone softened. “I’m done. I’m cutting my losses.”
This was a powerful reason, and Fini nodded.
“True. Catherine is an iceberg. Even your warm heart couldn’t melt her. Plus, there are others eyeing her like tigers. The difficulty of pursuing her is practically hellish. I even feel bad for your blood crystals.”
Lorevil looked at Fini and gave her a thumbs-up. “Let’s go. Today, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Whoa, Lorevil! You’ve finally found your conscience!” Fini was shocked.
“What should you call me now?” Lorevil asked with a light laugh.
Fini understood immediately. She grabbed Lorevil’s arm and shook it, acting spoiled. “Mommy Lorevil, I want to eat a few more servings of dessert!”
***
While eating blood berry mousse, Lorevil roughly deduced what the Blackening Value was related to.
First, being on the verge of a breakdown.
Second, her own wrong choices.
Third, Lorevil’s relationship with them.
The Blackening Value only appeared on people with whom she had a strong emotional bond…
Mahina’s Blackening Value would decrease because of her comfort. However, being caught at Madam Sharon’s house would increase it, or even cause her to blacken completely and become a psychotic woman brandishing a pair of scissors.
Madam Sharon’s situation was slightly better, but not by much.
Then what about her fiancée, the one with the deepest relationship with her?
Would her Blackening Value be even higher?
Lorevil’s eyelids twitched, and she ate two desserts in a row to calm her nerves.
“Eat slower! The blood mushroom task the teacher assigned nearly killed me!”
Fini, being her thoughtless self, assumed Lorevil was trying to snatch her food. She desperately stuffed things into her mouth until her cheeks were bulging, mumbling incoherently.
“Fine, I’m finished. You can have the rest.”
Lorevil looked at Fini, speechless.
As she said this, she caught the look of joy that flashed across Fini’s face.
Fortunately, Fini was just a pure friend. As for Catherine, whom she had just rejected, that had been a one-sided pursuit by the original owner. Therefore, neither of them had a Blackening Value for the time being.
‘How troublesome!’
Lorevil rubbed her temples. Putting aside the terrifying thought of those scissors, she slightly missed the water-like tenderness of a non-blackened Mahina’s massage.
On the other side, in a faculty office at Holy Blood Academy, Catherine could hardly believe what she had heard.
Lorevil told her to go buy lunch herself if she was hungry!
What was going on? Lorevil was the one who insisted on buying her lunch every day, claiming she would make a scene if she wasn’t allowed to. Why did she seem like a different person today?
Catherine touched her soft, slender waist, doubting her own charm for the first time. Lorevil hadn’t even looked back just now, clearly not wanting to even catch a glimpse of her.
“Teacher Catherine, I bought you a blood steak from the Blood Moon Restaurant. Would you like to try it?” a blonde Vampire student approached to curry favor, a fawning smile on his face as he held out an exquisite food box.
“Get out!” Catherine barked coldly. The chill in her voice caused the boy to freeze instantly. Not daring to say another word, he slunk away dejectedly.
She had to find out why Lorevil’s attitude had changed.
For the first time, a sense of inner turmoil arose within her, though she didn’t realize it herself.
‘If Lorevil comes back and still hasn’t brought me lunch, I will definitely be angry.’
The next time they met, Catherine would not give her any face; she might even give her a harsh scolding.
To the original, sycophantic Lorevil, that might even be a reward. As long as the “Iceberg Teacher” reacted, it meant she had feelings for her.
But as the minutes and seconds ticked by, the sunlight in the office gradually shifted toward the west.
Catherine waited until her stomach began to growl. She sat restlessly, frequently glancing toward the door, but she never saw Lorevil.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from outside.
‘Is it Lorevil?’
Catherine’s heart tightened inexplicably. She let out a cold snort, feeling a sense of smugness.
She assumed Lorevil wouldn’t dare refuse to bring her food and had simply been late because she went to buy it.
However, the footsteps grew further and further away until they nearly vanished.
Catherine’s face darkened instantly. She pushed open the office door, only to see Fini passing by while humming a little tune.
“You there, the Vampire student…”
She called out to stop Fini, her voice carrying a suppressed rage.