“Awooo~”
Fafna let out a satisfied howl.
Her large tail, now coated in essential oils, was glossy and bright.
Under the skillful hands of the Succubus technician, she felt a level of relaxation she had never experienced before.
“How is it, Lady Fafna? I told you their tail care was truly unique,” Loki said from the side.
Her face was flushed as she enjoyed her own massage.
“Not bad, not bad at all. No one knew how to do this before.”
“Oh? It sounds like you’re a regular, Lady Fafna. Even Lady Cherisse seemed to recognize you earlier.”
“More than just a regular…”
Fafna gave a meaningful smile.
Just as she was about to continue, a heart-wrenching scream echoed through the area.
“AAAHHH—”
“It sounds like Lockes is running into some trouble,” Loki noted.
“Hmph, how noisy… Ah~ right there, awooo~”
***
Lockes wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but when he finally stepped out of the room, he felt a profound sense of liberation.
His body was clean—spotless, even—but the mental trauma ensured he wouldn’t be stepping foot in this place again for a long time.
“Your service is complete, Lord Lockes. Please remember to give us a five-star review~”
The giant Succubus flashed a smile that looked more painful than a sob.
Lockes covered his face.
Even though he was filled with revulsion, he maintained his poise and gave her a positive rating.
‘I wonder how Mr. Jolin and the others are doing…’
Lockes walked through the corridor, dragging his somewhat aching body.
This was the private booth area, where guests could rest after bathing or soaking in the hot springs.
Not knowing his way around very well, Lockes leaned against a wall to catch his breath.
A nearby door was slightly ajar, and the suggestive, sultry sounds drifting through the crack made him feel restless.
Unable to stand it, he reached out to pull the door shut.
“Interesting. I didn’t expect you to show up here, Lockes.”
A frivolous male voice rang out the moment Lockes touched the door.
His eyes widened as the door was pushed open by an unseen force.
A young man, looking slightly older than Lockes—perhaps eighteen or nineteen—was reclining on the bed.
Two or three exquisite Succubi were nestled against him.
“Uh…”
The suggestive scene made Lockes turn red instantly.
He instinctively looked away, turning his head.
The man let out a mocking laugh, then sliced his fingertip and flicked it.
A crimson Blood Blade shot toward Lockes.
Thwip!
Just then, Qiaolin extended two fingers and caught the flying blade firmly.
“Lockes, is this a friend of yours?”
“Oh? A human?”
The young man’s gaze fell on Qiaolin.
His deep red eyes flickered as if he had spotted prey.
Whoosh—
His figure suddenly blurred, lunging toward Qiaolin’s side like a gust of wind.
He opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs.
“Stop!”
Lockes stepped in front of Qiaolin, swinging his arm to knock the man back.
“Calix, this is the Demon King’s honored guest!”
The young man was pushed back several steps.
He stood with his hands behind his back.
“An honored guest? I’ve never heard of such a person. Any human who breaks into the Demon King’s Castle should become food for the Tepes clan.”
The Vampire named Calix stared coldly at Lockes and Qiaolin. Magic Power surged within him, ready to erupt.
Beads of sweat formed on Lockes’ forehead.
He hadn’t expected to run into Calix here.
The man was a direct subordinate of Demigula, with a strength far above the King Rank.
Moreover, he harbored a deep hatred for humans.
He was an extremely dangerous individual for Mr. Jolin to deal with!
In the current Vampire race, almost no one could control Calix except for Demigula herself.
“Mr. Calix, it’s hardly appropriate to start a fight in my shop.”
A cherry-pink figure appeared in the middle of the corridor.
A mesmerizing fragrance filled the air, immediately calming the tense atmosphere.
“Lady Cherisse, this is the first time I’ve encountered a human in your establishment. Is he your new pet?”
“I wouldn’t dare touch the Demon King’s guest. He is of noble status, so you had best behave yourself~”
Cherisse gave her warning.
Calix wasn’t the type to ignore the obvious.
A stiff smile touched the corners of his mouth as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Don’t be so tense, Brother Lockes. I was just joking. I wanted to test your strength while I was at it. After all, the Empress instructed me long ago to look after you,” Calix said with a laugh.
“It seems you’ve grown much stronger than before. In time, you’ll stand at the King Rank alongside me.”
“Hmph. I appreciate the sentiment. Now, you can apologize to Mr. Jolin.”
Calix spared a glance at Qiaolin before turning back into his booth without another word.
The door slammed shut.
“Dammit, that guy is as rude as ever!”
“Forget it, Lockes. He didn’t hurt me,” Qiaolin said with a wry smile.
The young Vampire felt unfamiliar to him; he was certain he hadn’t seen the man before.
However, that King Rank Magic Power was the real deal.
If there was a member of the Demon Race at this level, he really should have some memory of him.
“Is he one of your kin? You two seemed to be on decent terms.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. We are not on good terms,” Lockes replied.
“His name is Calix Tepes, known as the ‘Crimson Blood Prince.’ He belongs to the same family as Lady Demigula, though his status is obviously much lower. He’s high-profile, arrogant, and puts on airs. I don’t like him at all.”
“I see. So he’s from the same family as Demigula.”
The Vampires of the past were composed of various clans based on bloodlines.
Each family represented a surname, as well as unique abilities and lineage.
Among them, the Tepes clan and a few other major families were the strongest, but they were eventually crushed by the Demon King of Domination.
Now, only the Tepes clan, led by Demigula, represented the entire Vampire race.
Their bloodline had withered to the point of extinction.
“I hope you weren’t startled, guest.”
Cherisse walked over and asked with concern.
“Thanks to you, or we would have had quite a bit of trouble,” Qiaolin said.
“Hehe…” Cherisse chuckled softly.
As she brushed past Qiaolin, she whispered, “I was only protecting that conceited fool.”
With that, she departed.
Qiaolin watched her go, a look of helplessness on his face.
‘She makes it sound like I’m some kind of savage. I’m a very reasonable person these days.’
Qiaolin quickly put the minor incident behind him.
Afterward, he and Lockes found Loki and Fafna.
“I thought I felt the scent of Vampire Magic just now. There was a clear sense of hostility,” Fafna said, eyeing Lockes.
Under her scrutiny, Lockes looked uncomfortable.
He had already cursed Calix 100 times in his head.
“Was the scrub comfortable, Fafna?”
Qiaolin asked, deliberately avoiding her question.
“It was great!”
Fafna raised her small arms excitedly.
Her pampered tail was smooth and shiny, wagging happily without stop.
Qiaolin patted the Dragon Princess on the head and thanked Loki.
“Thank you for looking after her for me.”
“Don’t flatter me. I’m hardly qualified to ‘look after’ Lady Fafna,” Loki laughed.
“Well, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s go soak in the hot springs.”