Scarlett looked outside for a few seconds, her eyes scanning the darkness in case anything happened to her or outside. After several long moments, nothing moved. The silence was heavy.
"I don't have blood either," she thought to herself, her mind racing. "So it's less likely that she came here to bite me!"
But she didn't stop there. A knot of worry tightened in her stomach. She walked all around the palace, her footsteps quiet on the stone floors, searching for anything suspicious. After half an hour of searching every shadowy corner, she still hadn't found anything.
She then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She tried to use her sixth sense to detect any danger of any kind—magic, a weapon, an explosion, a cursed relic, or even just someone with ill intent. Yet again, she found nothing.
"Just what work was she talking about?" she thought, a frown forming on her face. "And what work does a vampire have with us?"
She quietly walked back to her bedroom. She stood in the doorway for a few moments, just looking at the three sleeping figures on the bed. Their peaceful breathing was a stark contrast to the turmoil in her own mind.
"Should I tell them?" she whispered to herself. "But I didn't find anything. How could they? They'll only end up being stressed instead!" She rubbed her chin, thinking hard for a few seconds.
"Yes, Aoto wants to have a chat with Avion. Maybe I should ask avion instead," she murmured to herself, a small sense of satisfaction settling in. "I'll also ask if he got to know anything about Vladimir's evil plans!"
So she decided not to say anything for now and quietly lay down on the bed alongside Irish and the others.
Scarlett rested her head on the pillow, her face turned toward the ceiling. She didn't close her eyes, just stared at the white surface above her for long minutes.
"I guess if a person is not a human, it doesn't mean they aren't hostile towards Dreadhaven," she thought, a feeling of responsibility weighing on her. "I need to create something like identification cards and make people go through a certain process to get them."
Soon enough, her eyelids grew heavy. She closed her eyes, falling asleep a few minutes later.
***
The morning arrived, soft light filtering into the room. Scarlett sat up and looked around. She was greeted by Lunatic, who was holding a tray with a cup of morning tea, a polite smile on her face.
"Umm... thanks!" Scarlett said, her voice still a little sleepy as she took the tea cup from the plate.
But before she drank it, a sudden thought came to her mind. "Did you put your breast milk in this tea also?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
Lunatic rolled her eyes and looked away. "Maybe... maybe not!"
"Fuck it!" Scarlett shook her head and gulped the tea down in one go. The fragrance and taste of the tea were just otherworldly, a warm, sweet flavor spreading through her. The taste alone gave her the answer she wanted.
"She definitely put it!" Scarlett muttered to herself, feeling confused about whether she should be happy or pissed off about it.
"Well, it's way better than Irish's," she thought to herself. "I don't know what she would put if she were the one to make tea!"
"Umm... did something happen?" Scarlett asked, suddenly forgetting all about the tea.
"Like what?" Lunatic asked back.
"Anything unusual!" Scarlett asked, a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"I don't think so," Lunatic replied with a shrug. "Just a normal morning. Reiza is giving Irish a small tour around the local area. Unless they have a fight, nothing unusual will happen!"
"I guess I overthink too much!" Scarlett sighed to herself, feeling the tension leave her shoulders.
She then stood up and changed her clothes into a simple casual t-shirt and shorts. She walked to the balcony, looking outside, savoring the peaceful scenery. The morning air felt fresh and clean.
"Wait, I forgot that Aoto and the others are here!" Scarlett suddenly realized, a small smile on her face.
She went upstairs and greeted everyone "good morning" one by one. Ingrassia and Richard were already awake, sitting and talking quietly. She had to wake up Aoto and Chiyoko, who were still curled up under their blankets.
After waking up, Chiyoko decided to go brush his teeth and have a bath. Aoto, on the other hand, decided to have a walk around with Scarlett.
"Yawn, I'm feeling too lazy to walk," Aoto said with a deep yawn, stretching his arms. "Let's just sit there and have a chat!" he suggested, pointing towards the balcony.
Scarlett nodded, and they both walked to the balcony. They sat on the thick stone fence around the balcony, their legs dangling slightly over the edge.
"Did you talk with Avion? When can I meet him?" Aoto asked, his voice full of curiosity.
"I don't know," Scarlett answered, shaking her head slightly. "He always makes contact from his side. We could just go to his castle, but if he's not there, then we can only wait!"
"Wow, he seems like a busy guy!" Aoto said, clearly impressed.
Scarlett chuckled dryly. "I think you got the wrong impression of him."
"Well, forget about him. Tell me about your side. What's going on there these days?" Scarlett asked, her tone turning more serious.
With so many things that had happened just a few weeks ago, it was definitely shocking to the whole world. Especially when the situation had backfired on Scarlett, with people blaming her for everything, even though she was the reason why things were stable now.
"Well, King Darwitz and Queen Victoria have both retaliated, denying all the claims made by Vladimir," Aoto answered, his voice low and exhausted. "But there are still so many people who believe him. There are several large-scale protests, too!"
"Protests, huh?" Scarlett said in a low voice, a sad feeling creeping into her heart. "My reputation has gone down a lot. I can feel it."
Being a goddess, she could feel the number of believers falling and many believers' faith in her getting lower. But it didn't affect her too much overall, because the vast majority of her believers were from Dreadhaven and her home world.
"Actually, your situation is better than expected," Aoto said, his tone getting a bit higher and more energetic. "If it were someone else in your position, things would have been a lot more violent and chaotic!"
"How so?" Scarlett questioned, a look of puzzlement on her face.
"Maybe because you are too beautiful," Aoto said with a grin. "People who have seen you can't bring themselves to hate you, even if you're a villain. Especially the men!"
"Aha... haha..." Scarlett laughed awkwardly, not sure if it was something to be happy about or embarrassed by.
"I guess being beautiful has its own perks!" Scarlett added with a small, thoughtful smile.
***
Seiira walked around the hallway of the royal palace, her footsteps soft on the polished floor. Reiza and Irish had returned from their small tour and had given her a task: find Scarlett and tell her to go to the hot spring for a bath with them.
She walked around, her eyes darting from one corner to the next, searching.
Finally, she found Scarlett sitting on the balcony, alongside Aoto.
For a second, she was about to dash towards them and tell them that Reiza and Irish were calling for her, but then her steps halted.
"Miss Scarlett and the summoned hero Aoto... two people with power and status are sitting together. I wonder what they are talking about?" she thought to herself, a curious smile forming on her face.
So instead of approaching them directly, she decided to get a little closer and overhear what kind of "Grand" and "villainous" conversation they were having.
"Eight out of ten!" Scarlett said, pointing down at something.
"No way, that's a six at best!" Aoto disagreed immediately.
"They are rating something? Rating what?" Seiira muttered to herself. She stretched her neck, trying to see what they were talking about, and then she saw it.
Scarlett was pointing at a woman walking around on the street below. The woman had two curved horns and a well-built body.
"No way, look at her once more. What's so wrong with her?" Scarlett protested, sounding a little offended.
"It seems you still have the brain of a virgin," Aoto shot back with a laugh. "Having a fit body doesn't mean everything!"
He swept his gaze across the street and found another woman with two long horns, like a buffalo's. She had just enough soft fat on her belly, and especially, a huge, round backside.
"Dang, look at her ass. That alone gives her an eight out of ten. She definitely deserves it!" Aoto pointed, his voice full of appreciation.
"Then what about her?" Scarlett pointed at another woman.
The curious smile on Seiira's face faded away, replaced by a look of deep disappointment. She quickly approached them, her expression now blank and emotionless.
"Lady Scarlett, Miss Reiza is calling for you to have bath," she said in a flat, monotone voice.
"Ohh, tell them I'm coming!" Scarlett said immediately. She stood up and climbed down from the stone fence, ready to go.
"Can I join?" Aoto asked with a sly smirk spreading across his face.
"Not even in your dreams. Only females are allowed," Scarlett said, her voice firm and leaving no room for argument.
"So you're a female now, huh?" Aoto replied in a sarcastic way, raising an eyebrow.
In response, Scarlett only stuck her tongue out slightly and bit it lightly in a cute, playful way. Then she turned her back and left casually, as if the conversation was over.
"Well, I guess I should go and have a bath as well!" Aoto sighed to himself, a little disappointed, and then left to find his own bath.
******
In the Royal Palace, there was a special hot spring made just for Scarlett to enjoy. Of course, Lunatic, Reiza, and the others used it too. In the warm, steaming water, Scarlett leaned against the smooth edge, closing her eyes with a deep sense of satisfaction.
A white towel was wrapped around her body, from her chest down to her thighs, covering her private areas. It wasn't really necessary, since most of her body was under the water and only her upper chest and head were exposed.
Lunatic glared at Scarlett's chest with blank, narrowed eyes. "Could you please stop covering your chest in the bath? What's there to hide? We are partners!"
"Because I know what you'll do if I don't. I would rather have a relaxing time in the bath!" Scarlett said calmly, without even opening her eyes.
"Like I said several times, learn from Reiza!" Scarlett pointed at Reiza, who was quietly enjoying the warm water, her eyes closed in peace.
"Woohoo~!" Irish shouted, suddenly jumping out of the bath water right in front of Scarlett. The warm water splattered everywhere, hitting Scarlett's face and arms.
"The bath area is almost as big as it was in the academy," Irish said cheerfully, "but the difference is that only we four are here!"
"I'm glad you like it!" Scarlett replied with a soft smile.
Irish stayed still for a moment, but she was feeling way too happy to stay in one place. She dived back into the water, even though it wasn't even four meters deep. When she came back up, she had a firm hold on one of Scarlett's legs.
"Stop doing childish things!" Scarlett said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Irish looked at Scarlett's creamy white leg. The skin was so smooth and perfect, and her feet looked so gentle, with a reddish outer layer.
"I'm not. It's actually an adult thing!" Irish replied. She slowly and deliberately licked Scarlett's foot and toes, like she was licking a sweet piece of candy.
"I didn't know you had this kind of fetish!" Lunatic said, her voice flat.
Irish chuckled. "Anyone has all kinds of fetishes when it comes to Scarlett!" she replied proudly.
"But I don't have a feet fetish, so stop licking—Ahh~" Scarlett interrupted herself, but between her words, a soft moan escaped her lips.
"Wait, Irish, stop it!" Scarlett said, her voice a little shaky. She didn't know how, but she had clearly started to feel something. Her leg curved with a strange pleasure, and her thighs rubbed together as Irish continued to lick her foot.
Before things could get out of hand, she used her full strength. "I'm done!" she said, pulling her leg away forcefully and getting out of the water hastily.
"No way, you were clearly feeling it!" Irish protested as she also came out of the bath, water dripping from her body.
Scarlett's face was already blushed, but seeing Irish's bare chest, her face turned even redder. Her heart started beating fast, like a drum in her chest.
Her dead heart had actually started beating again.
"I would like to try as well!" Lunatic said in a teasing voice, coming out of the bath and showing off her round, big assets on her chest and her curvy hips.
Scarlett immediately shut her eyes and looked away, feeling flustered. "I'm going back. Have fun by yourselves!" she said, turning her back and rushing to the changing area.
She quickly changed back into an oversized white shirt and didn't even bother to wear anything underneath. She just ran out immediately, leaving in a hurry.
"I guess we overdid it!" Lunatic chuckled lightly, not minding too much.
******
Scarlett paced quickly down the hallway. She wasn't running, but she was walking very fast, heading straight for her personal washroom. In the hallway, Aoto was walking towards her. He had also just finished bathing and was enjoying a relaxed stroll.
He saw Scarlett coming towards him, her face flushed a deep red.
"What happened?" he asked, a little puzzled.
But Scarlett didn't even give him a glance. She just walked right past him, ignoring him completely. She immediately walked into her bedroom and slipped inside her personal washroom.
She splashed cold tap water on her face, then looked at her reflection in the wall mirror in front of her. She saw her own blushing expression, her cheeks bright pink.
"The feeling is just overwhelming. My heart just won't stop beating!" Scarlett muttered to herself, her voice shaky.
She immediately summoned her red menace sword, 'Sagattoru', out of thin air. Without a second thought, she directly slashed her own neck with it, with the full intent of beheading herself.
But her skin was just too tough. The blade barely made it inside, and even then, no blood came out. The whole blade started trembling because her instant regeneration was already acting up, ready to heal the small area that had been cut.
Scarlett finally withdrew her sword and let it disappear into thin air.
"There was no blood. I'm still immortal. Then what is happening?" Scarlett muttered to herself, completely confused.
"Did something happen?" Aoto's voice came from behind her. He walked into the washroom as he asked.
Scarlett sighed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. She ended up telling him everything she felt and everything she knew.
After hearing her words, Aoto rubbed his chin for a few seconds, thinking deeply.
"I think it's a sign that you have finally fallen in love!" Aoto said with a playful smirk.
"Do you think I did not love them before?" Scarlett asked, her voice solemn. "The only difference was I could control it. But now, just looking at their bare bodies was enough for my mind to go into chaos!"
She was certainly telling the truth. At best, she would blush and turn her face away when she felt embarrassed. Other than that, she surely took the lead almost every time and had her emotions under control.
Especially now, they had intercourse several times. She had seen every corner of their bodies. There was no need for such a strong reaction after seeing them naked.
It felt just way too exaggerated.
*****
In the royal palace of Mystveil, the air felt heavy and cold.
Vladimir stood in the center of a grand room, his arms crossed. Beside him stood captain of holy knights Vesilisa, her expression as sharp as a blade.
Next to her was Arthur, the vice captain of the Holy Knights,Then there was Adam, another member of the holy knights, dressed in his formal priest costume, his hands clasped in front of him.
And lastly, there was a middle-aged man with black hair and black eyes, wearing simple, plain clothes without any decoration.
He was Thomas, the previous math teacher, and also a member of the holy knights. He had been killed by Auren in the Kingdom of Armament. Although Auren had claimed that he let Thomas's soul go after killing him, the truth was different.
After Auren and Arthur made their deal, Auren had actually kept Thomas's soul and returned it to Arthur. Later, the holy knights used their power to resurrect him, bringing him back to life.
In front of the five of them, Feyre was kneeling on the cold floor, her head bowed respectfully and Her whole body was trembling, not from fear, but from a deep, painful exhaustion.
"My liege, I... I finally did it," she said in a low, shaky voice. "Although my unique skill, Persona Reversal, worked, her resistance is just too great. I couldn't completely flip her personality!"
"But it will have an effect," she continued, trying to sound hopeful. "She will surely get easily overwhelmed by situations and act rashly and frustrated in difficult situations, and many more!"
"That's good enough," Vesilisa said, her voice cold and commanding. "Just don't ever pause your unique skill, okay?"
"Wait, no pause?" Feyre's eyes widened in pure terror. She immediately coughed, a wet, hacking sound. A lot of blood spilled from her mouth, soaking the clean floor red. Her body trembled even more violently, as if she was about to fall apart.
"But the resistance is just too great," she begged, her voice desperate and cracking. "I'll die if I don't take any breaks!"
"I said no, and that means NO!" Vesilisa gave her an angry glare, her eyes like chips of ice.
"No, please don't do it," Feyre cried, tears mixing with the blood on her lips. "I'm gonna release it for now. Just let me rest for a few hours at least!" She was about to release her skill, her hands shaking as she tried to form the necessary gestures.
But before she could do it, she froze completely. It was as if time itself had stopped just for her, while everyone else in the room moved without any issue.
"Take her away and seal her into a blood tube," Arthur ordered immediately, his voice calm but firm. "So that she remains alive even with the backlash of her unique skill!"
A few individuals in dark robes immediately entered the room. They picked up her frozen body as if it were a statue and carried her away, leaving quickly and silently.
"Her unique skill grows slightly stronger the longer it is active, Although the difference won't be great but it'll surely be better than average," Vesilisa said softly, her eyes on the bloody spot on the floor. "And who knows, Scarlett might grow full resistance if Feyre just keeps releasing and putting her skill back on her."
"Dang it," Vladimir sighed, kicking the air in frustration. "It would've been so good if her persona had changed completely to the opposite and she started liking men. Maybe then I would have had a chance!"