“Samuel?”
Lorevil was slightly confused.
“The man is arrogant and paranoid. Relying on his family’s influence, he acts like a tyrant in aristocratic circles and has harassed me repeatedly.”
Madam Sharon nodded, a flash of disgust crossing her eyes. After a pause, she continued, “At previous banquets, he has used the excuse of dancing to harass me in every way possible. I find him truly difficult to deal with.”
Lorevil hesitated for a moment.
‘It sounds like the Madam wants me to help drive this Vampire away tonight.’
“He will certainly show up at the ball tonight. You don’t need to get into a direct conflict with him,” Madam Sharon said, looking up at Lorevil with a pleading gaze. “Just as we discussed, stay by my side as my partner.”
Since things had been put that way, Lorevil found it difficult to refuse.
After all, Madam Sharon was arranging a job for Mahina. Furthermore, the Madam had promised that Lorevil wouldn’t have to be on the front lines; she was merely using her identity as a shield against trouble.
“I understand.”
Lorevil nodded in agreement.
Seeing the shimmering look in Madam Sharon’s eyes, Lorevil immediately gave her a promise. “When the time comes… I will stay by your side and do my best to block his invitations.”
Lorevil’s words made Madam Sharon sigh in relief. Her previous composure returned, and she waved a maid over.
“Rest in the mansion for a while. I’ll have someone take you to the guest room. At 7:00 PM, the ball will officially begin. I’ll have someone come for you then.”
“Alright.”
Lorevil followed the maid toward the guest room. She had a faint feeling that tonight’s ball might not be as simple as Madam Sharon claimed.
What worried her even more was Noxia.
Even though Madam Sharon had already sent word to her, would Noxia still be worried?
‘Noxia, I might have to stay out tonight. Don’t wait up for me; get some rest early.’
Lorevil pulled out her communication blood crystal and sent a message to Noxia.
‘Okay, stay safe.’
Not long after sending the message, she received Noxia’s understanding reply.
Communication blood crystals were considered luxury items among Vampires. Lorevil hadn’t messaged Noxia before, but she had talked to her before going to bed last night and added her crystal frequency.
The thing Noxia feared most was the cold shoulder. Lorevil sent the message specifically to put her mind at ease.
As for Mahina, she certainly couldn’t afford such a luxury, but Lorevil was determined to buy her a communication blood crystal once she found a job.
With that thought, she put away the crystal and followed the maid into the guest room.
The room was decorated extremely luxuriously. The vanity was covered in expensive perfumes and cosmetics.
Lorevil noticed several spare gowns hanging in the wardrobe, clearly prepared by Madam Sharon in advance.
“My Lady, I shall take my leave.”
“Mhm.”
The maid bowed respectfully and withdrew, leaving Lorevil alone in the room.
Lorevil walked to the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror.
Under her messy silver hair was a soft, breathtakingly beautiful face.
A breeze drifted through the room.
Lorevil subconsciously reached out a finger to hook away a strand of hair stuck to her rosy lips, tucking it behind her ear and revealing her fair skin.
A pair of ruby eyes, bright as gemstones, gazed vibrantly at her exquisite reflection.
To be honest, she had been here for several days now. Lorevil knew she was beautiful, but she hadn’t looked at her appearance closely yet.
In her subconscious, she still hadn’t quite accepted that she was a girl.
‘Maybe I should take this chance to look…’
A strange thought suddenly popped into her head. Lorevil’s face flushed red, and she bit her lip.
She didn’t often have much time alone.
She was most curious about how this body’s chest had developed.
‘It is my current body, after all. It shouldn’t be a big deal to look.’
***
As evening approached, a soft knock came from the door, followed by Madam Sharon’s voice.
“Lorevil, the ball starts in 30 minutes.”
“Madam, please come in.”
Madam Sharon had changed into an even more magnificent golden gown. The neckline and hem were adorned with tiny diamonds. Combined with her well-maintained features, her mature charm was displayed to its fullest.
Lorevil was not very skilled with makeup or fashion, so she had to ask Madam Sharon for help.
Upon hearing this, the Madam’s composed and glamorous face went momentarily blank.
“Then let me do it for you,” Madam Sharon said, pulling out a black gown. “Go into the dressing room and try this on first.”
Lorevil changed her clothes and stepped out.
“How is it?” Lorevil asked shyly.
The black floor-length dress traced the young girl’s beautiful curves from top to bottom. Silver lace accents provided a touch of aristocratic luxury without losing a sense of youthful vitality.
“It suits you perfectly, Lorevil.”
Madam Sharon’s eyes lit up.
Then, the Madam picked up a lipstick from the vanity and gently applied it to Lorevil’s lips.
Lorevil’s silver-white hair fell over her shoulders.
It framed a dreamily beautiful face.
The red lip gloss seemed to possess some kind of magnetic pull, making Madam Sharon’s eyes flicker.
“Lorevil, you will be the center of attention at this ball. If I were a man… no, even as a woman, I could go crazy for you.”
Madam Sharon praised her with satisfaction.
“Then let’s go. We should head to the ballroom,” Lorevil said calmly.
Lorevil followed behind Madam Sharon, exited the mansion, and boarded a luxuriously decorated carriage.
As the carriage slowly pulled away toward the ballroom in the center of the noble district, Lorevil looked out the window, feeling a vague sense of unease.
She felt like something unexpected was bound to happen tonight.
***
Meanwhile, in the dormitories of Holy Blood Academy.
Catherine was standing before a mirror, adjusting a black evening gown.
Her silver hair was tied into an exquisite bun, and a string of black pearls hung around her neck.
“Lorevil, I’m coming,” Catherine said, her eyes as cold as frost.
***
Carriages rolled over the cobblestone streets one after another.
The night outside grew darker, but the noble district was brilliantly lit. The lights along the streets stretched all the way to the venue of the ball.
It was the Rose Manor, a place famous within the Vampire aristocratic circles.
“Madam, we have arrived.”
Madam Sharon’s carriage came to a stop.
Lorevil looked out the window.
It was a sprawling ancient castle. Dark purple roses crawled over the walls, appearing like flowing ink under the lights.
The manor entrance was crowded with traffic as guests in fine attire stepped out of their carriages, chatting and laughing.
“Lorevil, come with me,” Madam Sharon said, smoothing her skirt as she pushed the door open.
“Understood,” Lorevil said, taking a deep breath and following her out.
Madam Sharon handed over two invitations, and they walked all the way to the castle’s Great Hall.
As they entered the hall, several gazes fell simultaneously on Lorevil, who was following behind Madam Sharon. Some were curious, but most were struck by her beauty.
Lorevil subconsciously straightened her posture.
Her silver-white hair swayed gently in the evening breeze, and her red eyes looked up.
“Is that Madam Sharon’s companion? Which family’s daughter is she? Her beauty is truly peerless!”
“You didn’t recognize her? That’s the heir to the Lorevil family… but I heard she’s been studying at Holy Blood Academy and rarely attends aristocratic banquets. Why did she come with Madam Sharon?”
“I’m not sure, but the Lorevil heir is really good-looking,” a young Vampire noblewoman following behind them said, looking completely infatuated.
The whispered discussions reached Lorevil’s ears, but she ignored them.
Soothing music began to play from the second floor.
It seemed some Vampires were already socializing.
This was Lorevil’s first time witnessing a medieval-style ball. While following behind the Madam, she curiously surveyed her surroundings.
A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the polished marble floor.
‘This is truly an eye-opener.’
Within the crowd, Lorevil spotted a somewhat familiar figure.
Catherine was sitting in the corner of a bar table, holding a glass of blood wine and impatiently dealing with several Vampire nobles.
Given Catherine’s temperament in Lorevil’s memory, she was likely incredibly annoyed by these people. However, this was an aristocratic ball, and she couldn’t make her displeasure too obvious.
Lorevil let out a soft chuckle, finding the sight quite amusing.