At 11:30 PM, going downstairs to buy instant noodles was Lin Xiao’s biggest regret before he closed his eyes.
More accurately, he regretted looking up at that office building under renovation on his way home after buying the noodles.
“I have to finish the new event for Blood Princess Alliance tonight…” He carried the plastic bag, his mind calculating his game progress. “I heard they’re giving away a limited loli vampire skin this time… Not grinding for it would be inhuman!”
But before he could finish the thought, a sound came from above. This made him look up reflexively.
Time seemed to stretch in that second. He saw several lines hanging in the night sky, and those lines were getting thicker and clearer… It was a bundle of rebar, falling in a graceful free-fall trajectory, heading straight for his head.
‘Wait! Hey, hey, hey! I haven’t gotten the little Blood Princess skin yet! I don’t want to die!’
But it was too late to run.
*Bang —*
The whole world fell into darkness.
***
When Lin Xiao opened his eyes, the first thing he felt was a few strands of hair brushing against his cheek…
‘Wait! Where did this long hair come from?’
‘Isn’t this wrong? I’m not dead? I didn’t die after being hit by all that rebar?’ There might even be a girl next to him… Could it be a nurse? But would a nurse be on his hospital bed?
He snapped his eyes open. The first thing that came into view was magnificent dark red curtains. Below him was an incredibly soft velvet mattress, and the blanket covering him was warm. It couldn’t compare to the hospital rooms he knew… This scene even looked a bit like a medieval castle from an anime.
‘Am I… in a VIP hospital room? Or did I transmigrate?’
Lin Xiao raised his hand to rub his eyes. Then, his hand froze. The hand emerging from the blanket was slender and fair, with long fingers and pale pink manicured nails… This was definitely not his classic otaku hand.
Even more terrifying, this hand was wearing a white long sleeve with a golden sun pattern embroidered on the cuff. Lin Xiao’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. He struggled to get out of bed. The room was large and grand, with an oval mirror in the corner. He stumbled over to it.
The “him” in the mirror looked like this… Long golden hair draped over her shoulders, skin sickly pale, and round blue eyes wide with shock. She was wearing a white dress that was clearly some kind of ceremonial outfit. The neckline wasn’t too low, but the delicate collarbones were still visible. Her figure was… flat as a board, and her height was probably less than 150 centimeters. It couldn’t compare to the old 190-centimeter Lin Xiao.
“I…” Lin Xiao opened his mouth, and the person in the mirror followed suit. “I’ve turned… into a girl?”
Her voice was soft and pleasant. Lin Xiao’s legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the soft stool in front of the vanity. Suddenly, a massive flow of information rushed into her mind without warning.
“Ugh!” She clutched her head and curled up in pain.
Countless images and fragments of knowledge exploded in her consciousness. She saw a towering cathedral and people in white robes kneeling in prayer… And herself… no, the original owner of this body, Saint Elia, standing on an altar with golden light blooming from her hands. She saw figures in the shadows pouring black powder into the Holy Water intended for the Saint… Then came a long darkness and the image of being carried in a black cloak. The people carrying her were… the Blood Clan? The Blood Clan kidnapped her?
When the information flow finally subsided, Elia was panting heavily, her forehead covered in cold sweat. She quickly organized the chaotic memories. She had been reincarnated into an otherworldly world called the Dream Spirit Continent and became the Saint of the Human Empire.
‘As one of the top powers in the world, the Saint was poisoned by her own people and then stolen away by vampires? This is ridiculous!’
She looked down at her Saint’s attire and then at the super cute face in the mirror.
“You’re awake.”
A voice said from the doorway. Elia turned her head sharply. The door had been pushed open at some point, and a petite figure stood there.
The little vampire girl’s white hair flowed like moonlight over her shoulders. Her blood-red eyes were intimidating. She wore a black Lolita dress and matching black high heels. Her face was exquisite like a porcelain doll, and her skin was even whiter than Elia’s. Two small fangs peeked out when she smirked.
Her height was no more than 140 centimeters.
‘Isn’t this exactly the kind of vampire loli I liked in games and anime in my previous life? White hair, red eyes — perfectly hitting all my preferences!’
“My name is Chis Camarilla, Princess of the Blood Clan and the current highest authority…”
“Saint Elia of humanity, you should feel honored. To be chosen by the Blood Clan as our partner.”
The girl walked slowly into the room, the sound of her heels clicking rhythmically on the floor. Elia reflexively took a step back, her back pressing against the vanity. She liked vampire lolis, but she was a prisoner now. She knew what happened to disobedient prisoners.
‘Calm down… I have to be calm. You’re the Saint now… one of the world’s top combatants. Don’t panic.’
“Blood Princess, inviting a ‘partner’ by kidnapping them… your etiquette is quite unique,” Elia said, trying to keep her voice steady.
Chis reached her, and Elia felt the height difference. At about 147 or 148 centimeters, she was half a head taller than the Princess. But the powerful aura Chis radiated made the height difference meaningless.
The Princess lifted Elia’s chin with her finger. Elia went stiff.
“Look into my eyes…” Chis stared at her with blood-red pupils. “From this day on, you will serve the Blood Clan. You will receive our protection and stay away from the humans who betrayed you. In return…”
“You will dedicate your power to the Blood Clan.”
“What if I refuse?” Elia asked tentatively.
Chis smiled, elegant yet dangerous, revealing her fangs. “You won’t refuse, because the Church has already branded you a traitor. The Human Empire is hunting you, and countless experts in the Dream Spirit Continent see you as a thorn in their side… Aside from the Blood Clan, there is no place for you in this world.”
“So, how do you plan to ‘subdue’ me?” Elia asked.
Chis turned to the open space in the middle of the room. “The Blood Clan never forces anyone.”
She began tracing the floor with her nails. “We will establish a formal Master-Servant Contract, using blood as the medium and mana as the bond.”
A complex magic circle formed, made of twisted runes and geometric patterns with a bat symbol in the center.
“This is an ancient contract magic of the Blood Clan,” Chis said, standing up. “I will drink your blood and carve a mark into the contract… From then on, you will become my familiar, protected by the Blood Clan, and fighting for us.”
She looked at Elia again. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt much… Vampire saliva has an anesthetic effect and brings pleasure. This is the gentleness a noble shows their familiar.”
Elia looked at the magic circle.
‘A Master-Servant Contract? Become a vampire’s servant? Are you kidding me! In my previous life, I was a free soul from the twenty-first century, and in this life, I’m the world’s strongest combatant. How could I be your servant?’
‘But if I refuse… do I have a chance in a fight?’ Even though this body was stronger than Chis, she didn’t know how to use magic yet. Plus, she was recovering from poison.
Suddenly, a deeper memory surfaced. It was a forbidden technique called “Contract Reversal.” It was an extremely rare talent that could reverse the relationship by simulating the ceremony.
‘But I was a human before, and I’m a human now — a Saint! Am I supposed to bite this Blood Princess?’
‘If I don’t, I’ll be a servant… I don’t want to bet on whether she has a tendency to abuse servants.’
‘Besides… I prefer to be “on top.”‘
“I understand.” She took a deep breath and stepped into the circle. “Let’s begin.”
Chis seemed surprised but regained her composure. “A wise choice.”
The Princess stood on her tiptoes — the height difference was unavoidable — and cupped Elia’s face. “Relax… it’ll be over soon.”
Chis opened her mouth, fangs aimed at Elia’s neck. Elia closed her eyes and tensed. A prick of pain, like a needle, followed by a cooling sensation and dizziness.
‘No! Stay awake! If I don’t move now, I’ll really be a servant!’
Elia snapped her eyes open as the contract power began to flow. “Now!”
Elia grabbed Chis’s shoulders.
“Hmm?” Chis pulled back, confused. Her lips were stained with blood, giving her exquisite face a haunting beauty. “What is it? Are you not used to it?”
Instead of answering, Elia leaned down and bit the Princess’s neck.