Eudora's POV
The sound of horses galloping, people chattering, vendors calling out, and carriage wheels clicking surrounded me. My breath came in heavy pants as I walked beside Lilith.
"Next on the list is vegetables." Lilith's voice cut through the noise as we approached a bustling stall. My hands were already full of bags, my arms aching from the weight, and the scorching sun made every step feel heavier.
Lilith, too, carried a lot, her arms straining under the weight. After picking out a variety of vegetables, she handed me some of her share. Her eyes flicked to my face, damp with sweat from exhaustion, and she let out a soft chuckle.
Lilith's eyes flicked to my sweat-streaked face, and she let out a soft chuckle. "Pretty exhausting, huh? Looks like neither of us is used to this." She drew a deep breath and added, "Well, since Victor's away for now, we'll have to handle marketing ourselves."
I dropped the bags, wiping my forehead. "The master definitely needs more servants."
Lilith giggled. "Indeed." She looked up, thoughtful. "Hmm… I once requested that the master hire more people. But he just said, 'There's no need for more servants…' with the same scowl on his face."
Lilith mimicked William perfectly, making me burst out laughing. "I can imagine him wearing that exact expression!"
She laughed at my reaction. "Well, our master probably just distrusts other people, that's why. Anyways, let's head back since Miss Agatha's waiting."
I let out one final laugh before picking the bags back up. "Back to work, then."
As we left the gates, I glanced back. I never expected that I'd be able to enter the noble realm without sneaking in. I suppose that's one perk of being a servant to a vampire.
Shaking the thought away, I looked forward once more. We approached the carriage, its wooden frame creaking as we stepped inside.
Once it began moving, I leaned toward the window, letting the fresh air brush across my face in a refreshing breeze. I let out a sigh of relief, my gaze drifting over the beautiful land stretching before me. It had been a few weeks since I started living in the castle, and I was slowly getting used to everything. Lilith and I had grown closer with each passing day. I never thought I could live with such ease. Closing my eyes, I let the wind softly blow my hair, savoring the rare, quiet moment.
Once back in the castle, Lilith and I carried the goods we had marketed back to the kitchen, the bags rustling and bumping against each other with every step.
"Hey, Miss Agatha!" I called, grinning as I approached her and dropped the products onto the table with a soft thud. The scent of fresh vegetables and baked goods filled the air.
"Oh, why thank you, girls," she replied warmly, brushing her hands on her apron.
Lilith and I immediately began organizing the food, stacking baskets and arranging jars while the sunlight from the kitchen window glinted off the polished surfaces. I glanced up and saw Miss Agatha carefully peeling potatoes, the rhythmic sound of the knife tapping against the cutting board punctuating the quiet kitchen.
I popped up behind her. "Let me help," I said, grabbing a knife and mimicking her careful movements.
Agatha's soft smile grew warmer. "I appreciate the help, young lady."
Lilith glanced at us. "Come to think of it, you've been helping around the kitchen quite a bit, Eudora."
I kept peeling a potato as I replied, "Well, I figured I could offer some help since I don't have much else to do."
Lilith set the bread aside and joined us. "I see… then I'll help too. I figured since Miss Agatha here is getting on in years, she could use some assistance."
"Child, I may be old, but strength doesn't just fade away," Agatha said with a playful shake of her head.
"Yeah, I know you do," Lilith replied, smirking.
The three of us continued cooking, laughter filling the kitchen as Agatha scolded us for our sloppy techniques. Between the chopping, peeling, and accidentally spilling the water, the room was alive with warmth and energy. Life in the castle is always so relaxing.
After we had finished cooking, the soft scent of savory soup filled the kitchen. Lilith and I took our portions and headed toward a table. I took a bite, letting out a satisfied hum. "Mmm… it tastes even better knowing we made it ourselves."
Lilith chuckled as she chewed a piece of bread. "I get you."
As we continued eating, I stirred my soup absent mindedly, lost in thought. Cooking, huh…? Ever since that day in the piano room, the master and I had grown distant. At first, it wasn't so bad. But lately, he had been completely avoiding me. He even requested not to drink from my blood anymore. Did I do something wrong…?
To make up for it, I started spending more time in the kitchen, trying to contribute in some way.
"Hey," Lilith's voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up to see her raising an eyebrow. "You seem off lately. Something wrong?"
I chuckled nervously and shook my head. "Oh- it's nothing."
Turning back to my soup, I dipped my bread in it, munching quietly, letting the warmth and flavor soothe some of my worries.
When I looked up at Lilith again, her expression shifted into disappointment.
"Hey~ I thought we were friends, hmm? Don't you trust me? That makes me sad." She pouted playfully.
"Y-you're clearly guilt-tripping me," I said nervously.
"It's not that serious," I added, trying to explain. "I'm just… confused why the master has been avoiding me these past weeks." I let out a small sigh.
Lilith tilted her head, frowning in concern. "Avoiding you? Did you do something that might have made him mad?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. That's why I'm so confused. It all started ever since I played a song for him on the piano."
Lilith rested her chin on her palm, listening intently. "That's… Weird. I don't see anything wrong with that."
I sighed again, feeling the weight of my thoughts. "But that's the least of my worries. It doesn't really matter if he avoids me. It's just… The thought that I might have done something terrible to him, after everything he's done for me…"
Lilith smiled softly. "You're really sweet, aren't you? Well… I'm not that close with the master myself, so I can't give you any useful insight. How about this, just try talking to him tonight. There's nothing wrong with approaching him first."
I nodded, my gaze dropping to the bread in my hand. Then, confusion crept in. I looked up at Lilith, who was casually slurping her soup. "Wait… you're not familiar with the master? But you spend time in his room every night… and you've been serving him your blood for years."
Lilith froze for a moment, her eyes widening slightly. "You think the master uses me for my blood?" I blinked, confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Lilith stared at me a bit longer before suddenly smiling. "I serve the master… In a sexual way. You know what I mean."
I froze, completely flustered. "E-eh? Does that mean… the two of you are-?"
She nodded. "Yeah, we're… doing what you'd call intercou-"
"In love??" I blurted, eyes wide with excitement, catching her completely off guard.
"I-in love?" Lilith echoed, her own expression a mix of surprise and amusement.
She burst out laughing. "Eudora, how adorable are you!"
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "What? W-What's wrong with what I said?"
Eudora finally managed to calm herself, though a smirk still tugged at her lips. "We do that," she said, "but he doesn't even look at me that way. There's no love in it."
I blinked, confused. "But how can you do something like that without love?"
Lilith's expression shifted, softening into something more serious. She chose her words carefully. "In this world, you do what you must to survive. That's all it is for me, simply to survive. Don't think too much about it. It's true that it's something you do when you're with someone you love…but life doesn't always give you that choice."
I lowered my gaze, realizing Lilith must have her own reasons, just like I had mine when I ran from home... When I looked back up, my smile was small but sincere.
"Okay," I said softly. "You don't have to explain more. I get it."
Lilith returned my smile. "Well, back to our original topic, you should really talk things out with the master. It is confusing why he'd act like that, especially since you provide him with blood that he actually enjoys."
I blinked. "My blood? Because I have A-positive? Does blood type really matter?"
Lilith took a spoonful of soup and swallowed before answering. "I'm no expert, but I did ask Victor about it once. He said that all human blood tastes sweet and rich to vampires, it's thick, warm, and addictive. The only difference is that the blood type changes how good it tastes. Some types are mild, others are stronger or sweeter. On his scale, C-negative is the least flavorful…and A-positive is one of the best."
"And the higher the blood type is on that scale, the rarer it is, meaning fewer humans actually have it."
"But it's different with the master," Lilith continued. "He can't stand the taste of any blood, no matter the type. It all disgusts him, though he never told the reason why. So when he heard a human with A-positive had been found, he didn't hesitate and bought you immediately. That first night you two spent, he told me that he'd finally found a blood that tasted good and didn't repulse him."
"Even my blood makes him cough, he just can't stand the taste. But he endures it, because if he doesn't consume blood, he goes berserk."
I finally understood. That's why, when we first met, he reacted like he hadn't tasted anything good in ages, like he was starving.