Kaelen's eyes were fixed on the bright pink data panel only he could see, hovering next to the beautiful Grand Duchess.
The sheer power radiating from her profile was staggering, a kind of raw, overwhelming power that even he struggled to comprehend.
Name: Isolde
Race: Vampire (Awakened)
Status: Sage
Blood Mana Proficiency: [SS+]
Mana Capacity: [S-]
Strength: [SSS+]
Agility: [S+]
Endurance: [S-]
Skills: [Blood Sovereignty], [Night Dominion], [Charm of the Queen],
"Wow," Kaelen breathed, pulling his gaze away from the profile to look at the elegant woman walking beside him.
"She's powerful, too."
[✿Of course, she is Nii-san✿] Evelyn's voice chirped inside his mind, sounding thrilled.
[✿That's the Grand Duchess of the Demon Empire. She isn't just a noble; she's practically royalty, and a war commander.✿]
'A Sage-level with SSS+ Strength,'
'I'm barely dipping my toes into B-rank strength, and even the protagonist guy only has a S rank.'
[✿Stop stalling, Big Brother✿] Evelyn scolded him internally.
[✿You don't have much time with her, so you have to be active. Remember, you're already on a plus point since she's attracted to you! That S-rank charm is working overtime! Push the advantage✿]
"Hah..." He focused on Evelyn's advice, resolving to act the part.
"Is something wrong, Apostle Kaelen?"
Isolde's soft and elegant voice finally broke the silence.
She had noticed his lingering stare.
"You have been looking at me quite intensely for some time."
Kaelen didn't hesitate.
"Nothing wrong, Duchess. It's just that I find you truly beautiful."
Isolde giggled, a low, melodic sound that seemed to warm the dusty air around them.
She covered her mouth with a pale hand.
"Fufu~ Is that so? I must say, I am quite delighted to hear such comments from the Apostle of Lilith himself."
"It's simply the truth," Kaelen replied, feeling the tension ease slightly.
"Since we're both here to investigate the human movement, perhaps we should look for a place to get information first. A local bar is usually a good place to start." He said looking at the dusty bar.
"Indeed," Isolde agreed immediately.
The bar looked shabby.
It was a shaky wooden building that fit the village's remote rundown spot at the edge of the empire.
Inside it smelled like cheap liquor and old sawdust.
They sat at a small, wobbly table, Isolde was looking utterly out of place with her regal posture and stunning attire.
They ordered a simple local wine— Kaelen took a sip and grimaced at the taste.
"Tell me, barkeeper," Isolde said, her voice cutting through the noise with a gentle authority that made the bartender, a scarred tired-looking demon, immediately pay attention.
"We are travelers. Have you noticed any suspicious activities in this city recently? Anything out of the ordinary?"
The bartender wiped his hands on a stained apron.
"Suspicious? Nah. This place is too dead for trouble. But I'll tell ya, there's been a lot of new faces lately. Like you two, fancy folk, and a few others I ain't seen before. The inn down the street is full up, which is new."
Isolde and Kaelen exchanged a look.
"I see," they both murmured at the same time. The bartender's clue confirmed the increase in activity, but it didn't explain the missing villagers.
They spent the next hour strolling through the small, winding streets.
All they could gather from the locals was that the human soldiers had somehow swept through the village and captured all the it's inhabitants.
No one had escaped.
And the common saying was that they had been taken away for questioning and maybe torture.
The sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in deep crimson.
"It's getting late," Isolde said, glancing at the darkening sky.
"We should find a place to stay."
They located the most expensive-looking building in the small city— a two-story inn that looked relatively new.
"We will require two separate VIP rooms,"
Isolde informed the desk clerk gracefully.
"The best you have."
The young clerk looked apologetic.
"I am terribly sorry, Mam. Due to the recent increase in customers, we only have one room left. With a single bed."
Isolde turned her pale face toward Kaelen.
'Wow the heavens really want me to hook up with her' he thought.
She gave a small, elegant nod.
"It's alright. We can share."
She then tilted her head slightly.
"Are you fine with that, apostle?"
He met her gaze.
"I'm the one who should be asking you that."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"I truly do not mind, Apostle, at least not with you. Let us go."
Kaelen reached for the old brass doorknob of their room.
As he fumbled with the key, the rough metal scraped against his right thumb, leaving a small, stinging cut.
He pulled his hand away.
A small bead of dark red blood welled up and dripped onto the worn wooden floor as he pushed the door open.
"Are you alright, Apostle?" Isolde asked, her voice suddenly different.... a little tighter, less smooth.
Before he could answer, she was right in front of him.
Her eyes, usually a calm, crystalline red, were now hazy and focused solely on the drop of blood on his finger.
She took his hand gently in a firm grip he couldn't break.
The rich, powerful scent of Kaelen's blood hit her like a physical shockwave.
It was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
The intoxicating smell, thick with a mana that was both divine and sinful.
Her control shattered.
Her lips parted, revealing two sharp white fangs, and she moved as if in a trance.
She put his thumb into her mouth and began sucking the drop of blood eagerly, closing her eyes in utter ecstasy.
The low, deep sound of her drawing the blood made Kaelen's knees feel weak.
[✿Hey! What are you waiting for? Push her, Push her against the wall✿]
Evelyn's voice screamed excitedly in his head.
Kaelen's body moved without much thought, following her urgent instruction.
He used the hand not currently being sucked on and pressed it against her soft, voluminous hip.
He shoved her back, driving her against the rough, cold wall of the hallway.
Isolde's eyes were still closed, lost to the taste of his blood.
"Isolde," he said, his voice a low growl of command mixed with lust.
She snapped her eyes open, blinking rapidly.
Her pupils were wide, dark, and still hazy from the bloodlust.
She looked up at him, her lips slightly stained red.
"A-Apostle?" she managed to say,
"You can call me Kaelen," he said softly, easing the pressure slightly.
She pulled his finger from her mouth, licking her lips slowly.
She swallowed hard, and a moment of stark clarity returned to her eyes.
"Kaelen," she corrected herself, her tone chastened.
"Im sorry for my impulsive action. The scent of your blood… it was si intoxicating that I lost control."
"It's fine," he said, letting go of her hip. He knew he was lying.
It was better than fine. In no way getting sucked by a hot vampire is just fine.
But he didn't push her.
They took turns washing up.
When Kaelen emerged, Isolde was already changed.
She was wearing a simple, thin black silk outfit.
It was clearly meant as a nightgown, a sexy black lingerie that flowed against her curves.
Her massive breasts were barely contained, nearly peeking out from the thin V-neckline, and the back was cut so low her shapely ass was almost completely exposed beneath the sheer fabric.
They lay down on the single, cramped bed. They were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, hip-to-hip, and the edge of the mattress was digging into Kaelen's side.
"We're going to be falling off this thing all night," Kaelen said turning his head to look at her.
Isolde shifted, adjusting the thin silk.
"It appears so. The clerk was quite accurate about the space."
Kaelen hesitated, then pushed the advantage Evelyn had told him to seize.
"If you're not uncomfortable with the idea," he said, trying to keep his voice steady as he looked at her incredible body in the soft moonlight,
"You could sleep on top of me. That way, we can both stay in the center of the bed without falling."
She considered his suggestion, a slow, sensual smile spreading across her lips.
"That is a good idea. It would certainly be more practical."
With a smooth, elegant motion, she rolled and settled herself directly on top of him.
Her soft, voluminous body was immediately pressed completely onto his.
Her weight was surprisingly light, yet the sensation of her flesh against his was overwhelming.
"Am I heavy?" She asked looking at his eyes.
"Of course Not, haha." Her massive breasts pressed against his chest, their pink tips almost visible through the thin black silk.
Kaelen felt her head settle near his neck.
He felt her breath, then a deep, shuddering inhale right over his neck.
He knew exactly what she was smelling.
Her tongue flicked out, a delicate touch that sent shivers down his spine, and she began to lick his neck softly.
Kaelen couldn't resist the opportunity.
His hand moved without permission, sliding down her exposed back until his fingers grasped the firm, soft curve of her bare ass.
He squeezed gently.
A tiny, breathless gasp escaped Isolde's lips, which were now tracing the delicate skin of his neck.
Then, he suddenly felt a stinging, piercing pain.
It was sharp, swift, and deep. A low, throbbing ache spread outward from his neck.
Kaelen squeezed her ass again, but the strength was already leaving his hand.
A dizzying, warm darkness washed over his vision as his consciousness slowly drifted away.