Aelion quickly asked UGAEL to bring him a sharp object, which she found in the kitchen—a small knife used for cutting vegetables. That was more than enough for him. He cut his palm, releasing a certain amount of black blood.
Lying down, her head resting on his leg, Seraphina was suffering more and more. Her breathing grew faster without stabilizing; inexperienced in first aid and anything related to magic and healing, Aelion was about to attempt an action. Using his uninjured hand, he gently opened the vampire's mouth.
"Please, let this work..."
He pressed his wounded hand deliberately to release black blood, which dripped into Seraphina's mouth drop by drop. In his world, vampires were a myth that, thanks to humanity's fertile imagination, had become widely popular, along with their many traits and supernatural powers. One of those traits relied on their intake of blood and the mysterious ability of human blood to rejuvenate them quickly.
The system's definition of his race frightened him all the more, as the black blood, with its devouring-lineage effect, made him fear it could consume her from within. Since his arrival in the manor, he hadn't felt this level of stress since the first time he met her. Who would have thought he'd grow so close to her so quickly? As his mind wandered through the few memories he had, his whole body trembled with anxiety.
His fears were justified. Fortunately, nothing serious happened. Not only had the black blood boosted her recovery, but it had also bonded to her bone structure like an adhesive substance, reattaching all the fragments and scattered parts in her body to their proper places.
The tension in her body slowly eased, her breathing returned to normal. She was finally healing. Meanwhile, UGAEL asked for permission to return to the task he had assigned her and went to the control room—the place where the strange diamond-shaped object was located. A few minutes later, Seraphina opened her eyes.
"Hey, pretty heart," he said, smiling, happy to see her well again.
What am I doing lying on his leg? I need to get away from him fast; his smile is destructive.
Barely back on her feet, Seraphina was already struggling, trying to get up even though her body had not yet recovered. She wasn't only trying to escape because of the morning's misunderstanding, but also because of the incomprehensible influence the handsome young man had on her.
The more time they spent together, the more she felt her heart waver for some unknown reason. His innocent, devastating smile made her heart melt and her guard fall. If she stayed too long, forgiveness would be inevitable, and she'd end up forgiving him. Moreover, the thought that Aelion and UGAEL were together had deeply rooted itself in her mind.
Aelion sighed at her grimaces and stubborn attitude. He decided to use his trump card.
"Seraphina, you'd better stop struggling and putting your body under strain by staying still. Otherwise, I'll be happy to call UGAEL back so she can put you into a healing sleep again," he replied, smiling.
She quickly understood that beneath this friendly expression, he had hidden a veiled threat. A small "tch" of disdain escaped her lips. However, she stopped and rested quietly against him.
I'm not used to making threats, but with UGAEL, I don't really need to bluff anymore. She's become my deterrent weapon.
"I'd like to know what's wrong with you since this morning. I thought we were getting closer, but you started rejecting me. Is it because of that talk about things moving too fast between us? And why did you start a fight with UGAEL anyway?"
"…"
Seraphina didn't even bother to answer him. She didn't look in his direction either; her gaze was evasive.
"You want to know something about me? Well, I've always hated misunderstandings and when someone doesn't clear up a situation quickly enough before it turns into a problem."
When she heard him start to talk about himself, Seraphina's ears twitched slightly, betraying her interest. Aelion noticed it too. He found it rather cute, though he made an effort not to show it, afraid of upsetting her.
"It wasn't a misunderstanding..." she finally murmured in a barely audible voice.
"Why are you mumbling? I can't hear what you're saying."
At first, she had decided not to speak and to ignore him. However, every time he spoke to her and showed how much he cared about her and wanted to fix things, she remembered that morning when she had caught them together and imagined what kind of relationship the two might have had. It made her heart ache.
Seraphina had never imagined a third person stepping in and stealing her Aelion. She had grown attached too quickly and envisioned only a life for two, exclusively with him, in this manor and beyond—even though, according to her own words, she didn't want anything serious.
She didn't know it yet, but the unaltered blood of Aelion that she had drunk earlier had reacted with the desire unleashed after the battle, igniting her budding emotions. They had become vivid and led her down the path of uncontrollable jealousy.
That's also why, each time she heard him mention UGAEL and thought back to the two of them, a deep phantom pain nestled in the depths of her chest would awaken.
"IT WASN'T A MISUNDERSTANDING! I SAW YOU TWO IN YOUR ROOM WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR YOU IN THE BATH!" cried Seraphina with all her heart, frustrated.
"Wait, is this because I didn't join you in the bath?" asked the young man, surprised.
"You should've told me you were already engaged to her!" added Seraphina. The words that had long burned her lips finally came out.
Aelion burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes, which he wiped away with a finger. To him, it was so absurd he never would've imagined it. Faced with his reaction, Seraphina turned toward him.
"Where did that come from? UGAEL and me? Of course not! UGAEL is my assistant; she helps me manage the manor."
"Then why didn't I see her earlier, huh? Were you hiding her?" pressed Seraphina, pouting like a little girl.
"Not at all. It was just an oversight on my part. I've had her for a while, but I didn't really have the chance to use her. I activated her because of the attack we suffered earlier. To reassure you, she's an automae, so stop worrying," said Aelion, clarifying the situation.
Seraphina still had some doubts, but her heart was finally at ease. Aelion, though confused by his partner's emotions and reactions, played along, not understanding where this hint of jealousy toward him came from.
"And the clothes in my room?"
"No idea. I think it's the manor—it tends to provide what we need to feel at home."
"I see..."
"Why were you thinking about it anyway? Are you jealous?"
"I don't know... just imagining you two together made me feel bad? Filled with sorrow? I have no idea," she said in a calm and peaceful voice, like a melody to hear. She moved closer to him and buried her face in his chest.
"I think you should try to put a name to what you've been feeling so far. Until you find an answer, no more impulsive acts like yesterday, understood? Since we're speaking honestly, let me tell you something: if you want to spy on me, at least do it properly and take the time to listen."
A weak punch from Seraphina hit his stomach harmlessly.
"I got it, idiot."
Aelion wondered what could have happened to her and what she might have done to be considered a villain, because the woman resting on his leg, her face buried in his clothes, didn't look frightening at all. She felt joy, jealousy, cared about him, about how he saw her... Then he remembered his conversations with the goddess about what her kin had done to her daughters for their personal satisfaction. However, her command had been, "Help my daughters," and he would carry out that task.
"Can I know now why you were fighting her?" he asked bluntly, curious to hear the answer.
"Nothing, it was stupid. I just wanted to... maybe my frustration got the better of me," she admitted, a bit ashamed of losing control.
"I see. Then here's my second confession. I once got engaged to a woman—nothing big, no grand marriage or anything, just like that. Her name was Lydia. I loved her a lot, actually, and probably still do," he said, looking up at the ceiling. His gaze showed nostalgia.
"What happened with Lydia? Did you break up or...?" asked Seraphina, nosy.
"I died, quite simply. A natural death, no less, and I was offered this place."
A slightly awkward silence settled quickly but didn't last. Seraphina took advantage of it to kiss him on the lips—a quick peck she stole from him.
"What did we say? No more impulsive acts!"
"Stop being such a killjoy. I just felt like it. We've done worse. Think of it as a small gift for helping me heal."
"You're getting bolder and bolder. Fine, I'll let it slide this time. Rest now, I'll watch over you."