As Lorevil’s voice trailed off, Catherine’s pace quickened. She showed no intention of stopping and soon vanished around the corner of the teaching area.
At that moment, the bell for the teaching area suddenly rang, signaling that the next class was about to begin.
“What is all this?”
Lorevil watched Catherine’s departing back, her fingers touching the lingering warmth on her lips as a bitter smile played on her face.
She seemed to have realized something.
This ice-cold teacher might not be that difficult to get along with after all.
Lorevil pushed these chaotic thoughts aside. Regardless, she had repaid the favor Catherine was owed. According to the teacher, they were even now, and they likely wouldn’t have much interaction in the future.
What she didn’t know was that after she left, Catherine returned to that secluded garden.
A few kittens were still playing on the lawn. When the black cat saw Catherine, it quickly ran over to her.
Catherine crouched down and stroked the clingy black cat. A hint of softness flashed in her ice-blue eyes, accompanied by a touch of confusion.
‘She seems… different than before,’ Catherine whispered, her voice so low that only she could hear it.
If the old Lorevil had received that kiss, she would have only shown ecstatic joy. She never would have shown that subconscious resistance Lorevil displayed just now.
This made Catherine feel a strange sense of relief, yet it also gave birth to an indescribable sense of loss.
‘Are we even…?’ Catherine wondered uncertainly.
It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She wanted to use that kiss to repay Lorevil’s favor and draw a clear line between herself and the Lorevil who used to pester her.
But now, her heart felt even more unsettled.
Lorevil had not seen Catherine’s Blackening Bar.
That didn’t mean Catherine wouldn’t blacken. The bond between the original host and Catherine was incredibly deep, so a Blackening Bar might have appeared at some point. It might have disappeared due to Lorevil’s actions or Catherine’s own powerful self-restraint.
Or perhaps the frustration in Catherine’s heart had not yet accumulated to the critical threshold or the level of blackening. Both were possibilities.
***
At 4:00 PM, school had not yet ended.
The practical combat class at Holy Blood Academy had just finished. Lorevil thought of Noxia, who was waiting at home, and after a moment’s consideration, sent a message through her communication blood crystal.
“Noxia, I miss you.”
Almost instantly, the blood crystal lit up. Noxia’s shy response came through.
“I miss you too. What’s wrong? Lorevil, why are you saying this so suddenly?”
Lorevil could almost see Noxia’s fair cheeks flushing crimson and her nervous, uneasy expression.
Heh…
A smile couldn’t help but tug at the corners of Lorevil’s mouth. Her fingertips continued to tap.
“What are you doing right now?”
“I’m… watering the flowers,” Noxia replied timidly and dejectedly. “Lately, many of the flowers in the garden… have wilted. It looks so lonely.”
Lorevil could imagine the scene. The garden that Noxia used to care for so meticulously was now filled with withered leaves and flowers. It surely affected Noxia’s mood.
“It’s fine. In a few days, I’ll talk to the servants and find some more resilient, beautiful flowers from outside.”
Lorevil replied quickly.
“Okay. Lorevil, when are you coming back?”
Noxia wasn’t particularly happy because of Lorevil’s promise. In fact, feeling like she had accidentally let something slip, she spoke very cautiously.
“Wait a while. It’s only just past 4:00 PM, and I still have 2 hours left to stay at Holy Blood Academy.”
“That’s nice. A common Vampire like me can’t enter Holy Blood Academy.”
Hearing Lorevil’s answer, Noxia spoke with deep envy and a hint of undisguised dejection.
“That might not be certain.”
Lorevil thought for a moment, purposely being mysterious.
“Alright, it’s nothing major. I’m going to organize my notes from the combat class. Go back to watering your flowers.”
“Mhm.”
Noxia tremblingly put down the communication blood crystal.
Lorevil didn’t notice anything unusual about her wife. After ending the message, she rubbed her nose.
She hadn’t reached out to Noxia just on a whim. She wanted Noxia to know that she cared about her. Otherwise, Lorevil wouldn’t feel at ease leaving Noxia all alone at home.
Loving a person is like raising a flower. The original host’s long-term indifference and cold violence were like barren soil, causing a gentle flower like Noxia to slowly wither. Noxia saw caring for Lorevil as her only value.
She had to let Noxia see her love for her.
These past few days, Noxia had slowly begun to test the waters by sharing her moods, thoughts, and daily life at home. Lorevil had given her even more responses, encouraging her to speak more.
The original host couldn’t have been so ignorant as to not know that boiling water wouldn’t turn into ice water immediately even if left outdoors. Yet, she had insisted on ignoring Noxia’s sincerity and continued to hurt someone so gentle.
Thinking of this, Lorevil couldn’t help but curse the original host in her heart several times, feeling more and more that she needed to treat Noxia well.
***
2 hours later, Lorevil boarded the carriage. After sending Noxia a message, she leaned against the carriage wall and closed her eyes to rest.
When the carriage stopped in front of the mansion, Lorevil pushed open the door, but she didn’t see the familiar figure who usually waited for her early at the entrance.
Normally, as soon as she received a message, Noxia would always finish her chores early and wait at the door for Lorevil to come home. She would take her coat the moment she arrived and put it back in the cloakroom.
“Where is Noxia?” Lorevil asked a nearby maid, her tone tinged with urgency.
“To answer you, Miss, after Lady Noxia finished watering the flowers, she went back to her bedroom and hasn’t come out since,” the maid replied respectfully.
‘Is she asleep?’
The thought flashed through Lorevil’s mind, but her heart sank for some reason. That bad premonition was growing stronger. Lorevil turned and walked toward Noxia’s bedroom.
Although Lorevil had been sleeping in the master bedroom with Noxia these past few days, before she had transmigrated, the original host had always made Noxia stay in a remote bedroom in the side courtyard. It was cold and cramped, with only simple furniture, looking nothing like a place where a noble’s fiancée should live.
It wasn’t until Lorevil arrived and ordered the servants to move Noxia’s things to the master bedroom. However, Noxia still habitually went to the side courtyard to stay for a while.
Lorevil walked to the door. Intermittent sobbing drifted out from inside.
“Noxia?” Lorevil called out tentatively, knocking at the same time.
The door wasn’t locked. At Lorevil’s touch, it opened with a creak.
The room was unlit. The curtains were drawn tight, leaving the room in dim light.
Lorevil saw at a glance that her wife, Noxia, was curled up at the foot of the bed, her body trembling.
Black mist overflowed from the Blackening Bar. The value had already risen to 60%, and strands of it were wrapping around Noxia’s body. It made Noxia’s curled-up form look even more fragile and helpless.
The entire room felt incredibly oppressive.
“What’s wrong, Noxia?” Lorevil walked over quickly, asking in a worried tone.
Noxia still didn’t move. She remained curled up, and her sobbing did not stop.
Lorevil crouched down in front of her and carefully reached out, brushing away the messy silver hair on her forehead.
What met her eyes were Noxia’s tear-filled eyes. Her eyelashes were wet and clumped together, and her gaze was filled with fear, unease, and a deep sense of despair.