Another year passed. Selin returned to Yggdrasil.
The entire village came to see her off. Blind Grandpa didn't want to part with the elf so badly that he kept trying to persuade her to stay. He steered the conversation so skillfully that Selin grew emotional to the point of tears and completely forgot about the reward and compensation she was owed.
If Catherine hadn't caught up with her, she wouldn't have received the reward at all and would have even left her luggage behind in the guest hut.
Winter arrived. Life in the little village flowed calmly and unhurriedly.
Catherine and Cassia stepped out of the house and were about to leave the village for a few days to properly prepare for the family trip to the city of vampires, which Grey and Grace had been eagerly awaiting.
This trip had only become possible now. Blind Grandpa's task had turned out to be far more difficult than the twins had expected.
The villagers were extremely attentive and followed the instructions precisely. They constantly caught the children in their clumsy attempts to obtain "secret" information.
Grace, as expected, was the first to succeed. However, her success only increased the difficulties Grey faced. He was frankly terrible at intrigue. Yet the variety of literature in the village library, constant work on himself, and consultations with an experienced swindler gradually turned him into a professional at extracting information.
To successfully lower the villagers' guard, he began to overwhelm them with irrelevant questions. When the elders started to lose focus, he would steer the conversation toward the topic that interested him.
Grey acted carefully. He never delved too deep, gathering only small fragments of information piece by piece, then assembling them into a complete picture.
A week ago, the twins had successfully completed Blind Grandpa's task and were just about to set off for the city.
"I'll be back by evening. I know you have a day off today, but I hope dinner will be ready by the time we return. You did study under Grandma Qin Luo, didn't you?" Catherine gave her final instructions, lingering by the door.
"Alright, then we'll roast meat with potatoes for your return," Grey promised.
"Umu, Grandma Qin Luo taught us many recipes," Grace echoed.
"My good children. And don't play in the forest until too late, otherwise Mom will scold you."
"Okay," the boy nodded.
"And if anything happens, go straight to Grandpa Ma," Catherine was clearly nervous, leaving them unsupervised for the first time.
"Umu/Okay."
"And..."
"That's enough, Mom, we're already grown up! Don't worry, we'll manage. You can go peacefully," Grace interrupted impatiently, trying to stop the stream of instructions from her mother.
"Fufufu, my little girl is chasing her own mother away… My poor heart is about to break," Catherine sighed dramatically, wiping away imaginary tears.
The twins ignored her performance, hugged their mother tightly in farewell, seated her on Snowy's back, and waved their hands.
The owl spread its wings and quickly rose above the village, carrying them toward the city.
Cassia noticed that her mistress kept glancing back, as if afraid to leave the children without supervision.
"Milady… I can handle the purchase of the carriage myself. It's a simple task, you don't need to accompany me," the maid suggested carefully.
Catherine looked at her with a teasing smirk. "Darling, do you really think we're flying there for a carriage?"
"Of course… You promised the children to show them the city of vampires. Have the plans changed?"
"They have. But have you forgotten something? Tsk, tsk, Cassia, Cassia… I didn't expect this from my PERFECT maid. Fufufu."
Catherine knew perfectly well about Cassia's obsessive pursuit of perfection and never missed a chance to tease her.
Cassia's desire to be a PERFECT maid hadn't come from a simple love of order.
It all began in childhood, when the little cat-girl became an unwanted guest in her own tribe. All because of her abnormal "mutation" — the power of shadow, which was considered a disgrace to their kind.
Her situation somewhat resembled Grey's fate, though far less tragic.
Catherine saved the girl, and Cassia, having felt kindness for the first time, became deeply attached to her. She didn't just admire her savior, she wanted to repay her, to prove that she was worthy of being saved.
Later, in the Magic Empire, Cassia attended maid training courses and practically fell in love with the "ideal" of a servant imposed there. A perfect, silent, flawless figure devoted entirely to her master. She embraced these standards almost like a religion.
Catherine, on the other hand, treated the idea with warm irony.
Long ago, Cassia had become more than just a servant. She was family.
That was why Catherine constantly teased her. She wanted her to relax, to feel freer, and to stop looking at her from "below." Yet her intentions were always ignored.
Just like now.
Cassia blinked, completely at a loss.
"Ma'am… I don't remember you mentioning anything else."
Catherine sighed. "Ah… in a week it will be the twins' tenth birthday, darling. The tenth! Now do you understand why Grey managed to 'trick' the elders at just the right time and complete his assignment? Do you think it's a coincidence? Or do you really believe he learned how to lie?"
"What?! H-how… how could I forget?! Ma'am, why didn't you say anything?! You know how hard it is to keep track of days in the village! We need to prepare gifts immediately!" Cassia burst out.
In an instant, her face lost the cold composure that usually made her look like a statue.
"Aahhah… just as adorable as ever…" Catherine laughed, stroking her back. "You have nothing to worry about. That's exactly why we're flying to the city, to get everything ready in time. It'll be a wonderful surprise for the little rascals."
Cassia didn't listen. She nervously fidgeted with the hem of her dress. For her, forgetting an important date was no different from committing a mortal sin.
=========
Meanwhile, the twins had already returned from their walk and were happily entertaining themselves by playing aristocrats. They had long heard that vampires valued manners above all else, aside from blood, of course.
Grace slipped into their mother's room to put on makeup. Catherine rarely used cosmetics; her beauty was already considered nearly flawless. But, like any woman, she kept a few lipsticks and blushes "just in case."
The young lady chose the brightest and the palest at the same time: scarlet lipstick, light blush, and mascara. In her imagination, this was exactly what a true vampire lady looked like, pale skin, red lips, dark eyes.
Grey, meanwhile, was busy in the kitchen. He arranged candles, decorated the room with purple flowers from the forest, and closed the windows, casting the dining room into an elegant dimness. He also changed into a black frock coat that Grandma Qin Luo had sewn especially for their trip.
Soon, he was already standing by the staircase, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for his companion.
And when Grace came out, Grey barely recognized her. A black dress, bright red lips, porcelain skin, she looked like a young aristocrat ready for a ball. Only her silver hair gave away the sister he knew.
Grey gallantly offered his hand and, with a noble air, said:
"You look as прекрасны as ever, Miss Grace. It is an honor to welcome you to my humble abode."
Grace tried to maintain a cold, haughty expression, but a faint, happy smile still melted across her bright red lips.
Girls would always remain girls, whether they were ten or a thousand, whether human or vampire, compliments were always welcome.
For Grace, who had struggled so much while dressing up for the first time in her life, her brother's words sounded like a heavenly melody. Her spirits soared.
Only through an effort of will did she maintain the posture befitting a young aristocrat and reply in a restrained tone:
"Mr. Grey, you certainly know how to please a lady. But do you know how to please… a true vampire?"
Grey smiled. "Rest assured, miss, I will exceed your boldest expectations..."
The girl's lips curved into a predatory smile, almost too perfect to be childish. Imitating the manners of the most elegant woman she knew, her mother, she continued:
"Mhm… or rather, fufufu… Perhaps. Do not be afraid, Mr. Grey. I do not intend to drink your blood. At least… not today. I believe this exquisite table will more than satisfy our… appetites."
Grey bowed respectfully. "Please, take a seat. I will serve the tea."
"Thank you for your care, but I would prefer something more… um… red," she said dreamily, narrowing her eyes. "After all, we are noble vampires… are we not?"
Grey caught the hint and shifted his gaze to the bottle on the shelf, wondering whether he should even touch it.
"Um… indeed. When hosting guests, one always has many duties. Forgive my haste," he said with exaggerated seriousness, taking the bottle. "Allow me to offer Your Grace the blood… of a thousand-year-old… virgin. Would you care to taste it?"
Grace nodded regally without a moment's hesitation and accepted the glass. She took a slight sip of the red drink, thoughtfully rolling it across her tongue as if truly evaluating its bouquet.
Not to fall behind, Grey poured himself some and joined her.
"Mr. Grey, I've always wanted to know, what is a virgin?" the girl asked innocently.
"Um… I don't know. It's just… Blind Grandpa said that vampires love the blood of virgins the most," he mumbled awkwardly.
"Sounds like a plant," Grace drawled thoughtfully and took another sip. "It's probably some rare tree on Nightingale that grows by feeding on blood."
"I think it's a minor race. Like dwarves or fairies from Yggdrasil," Grey put forward his own theory with an important air.
"Ahahahaha, don't you think a race called 'virgin' sounds very strange?"
"Ahahaha! But they still wouldn't be as strange as lizardmen. You saw the pictures at Aunt Selin's, right? Ahahaha…" Grey was already giggling uncontrollably, taking another drink from his glass. "So ugly! But since vampires love the blood of virgins, I'm sure that race must look much more attractive."
"We can just ask Aunt Constance and Uncle Constantine," Grace suggested, already completely forgetting about her "vampire" role.
The girl tried to stand up and go look for them, but her head spun, the world blurred, and her legs treacherously gave out.
She collapsed right onto her brother, who tried to support her but ended up falling to the floor as well.
Both of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Ahahaha! Let's go another time! Ahaha… They're permanent anyway! Constantine and Constance, you know what I mean!" Grey blurted out, barely catching his breath from laughter.
"Ahahahahaha!" Grace burst into laughter and didn't even try to get up. She lay on top of him, arms wrapped around his neck like a soft pillow.
Suddenly, her face stretched, becoming almost theatrically frightening, as if she had remembered something ужасное. She gave a sly smile and leaned closer:
"Brother, have you seen what vampires do when they're alone together?"
"They drink each other's blood?" Grey guessed the obvious.
"Not something so banal! You won't believe it… They eat each other's faces! I saw it myself."
Grey looked at her as if she were some unknown creature.
Eat faces? Was that some special kind of cannibalism? Though… considering the magical world, it didn't sound impossible.
But Constantine and Constance… No, they adored each other. They wouldn't hurt one another. Or… would they?..
Grace, catching the direction of his thoughts from his expression, snorted and clarified through laughter: "Ahaha, silly brother! You didn't understand. They only ate each other with their lips. It didn't hurt at all."
Grey froze, processing what he had heard. Then, unexpectedly even to himself, he said:
"Hmm… should we try it?"
The moment the words left his lips, the boy's heart began to race.
Grace froze for a moment as well… then nodded eagerly. Her interest had been piqued. Yes, it sounded strange, to eat each other's faces. But for some reason, something inside tightened with anticipation, and their stomachs twisted slightly.
'It must be the magic of the vampire ritual starting to take effect,' the girl thought before instinctively closing her eyes.
Grey swallowed.
His thoughts were tangled, but one rang especially clear: 'Eat Grace's lips with my lips. Only lips. Not teeth. Don't hurt her.'
He leaned closer. A little closer still.
And now he was already breathing right into her face.
He had seen her face a thousand times. Seen it up close, tugged at her cheeks, kissed her forehead. But now… Grace's face seemed somehow different. Strangely beautiful. Captivating.
Pale cheeks. Unnaturally red, vivid lips. He was drawn to them like a moth to a flame.
His heart pounded like mad as the distance between them shrank with every beat.
Grace, though her eyes were closed, felt her brother's warm, uneven breath on her skin. She wanted to hide, to run away. The moment felt strange to her, both frightening and alluring at the same time.
When their lips touched, it was as if a supernova exploded inside their heads.
They forgot about everything in the world. Everything disappeared, the walls, the floor, the air, time itself. Only the softness of their lips remained, and it stunned them. The sensations were simply divine, airy, light, and incredibly pleasant.
As if they had discovered a new world. A wondrous world.
Grace, who knew better what to do, put her arms around her brother's neck. Trying to repeat the actions of adults, she trapped his lower lip and gently sucked it.
Her actions awakened the deepest instincts in the boy. Grey, although he had never tried to kiss in his life, subconsciously knew what to do. He immediately grabbed her waist and pulled her even closer to him.
Accidentally drinking alcohol further inflamed the atmosphere. The twins actively explored each other's mouth.
The movements were stiff and extremely awkward, but such movements only added to the sense of urgency to the whole situation.
They didn't understand what they were doing, they didn't understand why. But they felt so good...
The thought of stopping hadn't even crossed their minds.
Grey and Grace continued to lie motionless on the floor and enjoy each other's taste. All they wanted was for time to stop and for this moment to last longer.
The silent Nyx (the moon above Nightingale) drifted across the night sky, casting its signature neon-red glow over the lands of vampires and werewolves. This heavenly body became the sole witness to the little secret of the two twins.
The silence was suddenly broken by the creak of a door opening. A figure appeared in the doorway, accompanied by a barely audible yet unmistakable chuckle:
"Fufufu."
To the startled twins, that cheerful, carefree laughter sounded eerily ominous, throwing them into instant panic.
==============
Dear readers, I have to inform you that this work was rejected when applying for a contract without the possibility of revision. Therefore, I was forced to create a second version of the book, where I will publish the latest updates.
I will not give up on this version, but some chapters will be posted a little later than in the main one.
The book is called "The Mad Immortal"
https://www.webnovel.com/book/the-mad-immortal_34969618200258905###
Many thanks for your support, active comments and reviews.
This will help more readers to get acquainted with my book, which means my chances of getting a contract will increase and you will receive content more often. (The author also needs to eat and provide for his family)