Chapter 48: The Mystery of the Baron's Shadow

Dene chuckled lightly, not reproaching me for my aloofness, and shrugged nonchalantly as he changed the subject. "Margie, how did you kill Benson? Was there anyone else who saw it?"

"There was just a waiter who had just left, but he only saw me chatting with Judy. He didn't see anything else."

As I said this, I couldn't help but worry that the waiter might have noticed something. Thinking back carefully, when I entered the room, the waiter had already taken the elevator and left. It should be fine, and besides, he didn't know who I really was.

Glancing at Dene, who was listening attentively, I continued, "I used my telekinetic powers to turn the blood in Benson's neck directly into a blade, and... I decapitated him."

Although I didn't look back when I left the room, I could imagine how terrifying the scene must have been.

He listened in disbelief, frowned, and then shook his head and laughed. "Your way of killing is truly unique. No one would imagine that such a sweet girl could be a fierce vampire hunter!"

So, does that make me a fierce warrior?

Indeed, I killed an Elder as soon as I entered the battlefield. I guess that qualifies me as a fierce warrior.

But I wasn't particularly happy about it. "Dene... I've run into many issues. The vampires are not quite what Rion told me they would be."

He took my hand. "Let's go to the kitchen. We can talk over food. Amelia and Catherine are waiting to see you fail. They thought you were done for. Bevis has been worried too, insisting on coming to find you." He smiled with appreciation. "You know, you're the fastest one to complete the mission."

"If Lionel finds out that Elder Benson is dead, he'll be furious. And if he finds out I'm a member of Marcus..."

"Don't worry, he won't find out. He just thinks we used to date!"

As he said this, he seemed to have forgotten about yesterday's incident when he almost shot me and Lionel. He kissed me on the cheek. "Besides, if you don't mind, I can be your boyfriend anytime!"

"Uh... so you're saying I passed the emotional test Rion gave me?"

He raised an eyebrow, as if I was making a big deal out of nothing. "Is passing that test really that important? Or have you been waiting for my confession?"

I feigned ignorance of Dene's implication. So even if I didn't pass, I could still consider this place my home and come back whenever I missed Bevis?

It seemed that falling in love with Lionel hadn't cost me my life or my friends.

Aside from the three deceased restaurant chefs, I had never seen a man who could cook so elegantly.

Dene, in his elegant checkered pajamas, radiated a noble laziness as he wore an apron, swiftly chopping vegetables, preparing ingredients, and cooking... Every movement blended seamlessly with the fresh and clean kitchen. Tsk tsk... what a typical yet unconventional homemaker!

By the time I finished washing up, a Chinese-style meal with four dishes and one soup was already on the table: cashew celery, delicious cold lotus root, concubine chicken wings, steamed carp, and bird's nest soup. The colors, aromas, and flavors were all perfect.

I couldn't help but applaud in admiration. "Dene, you're really amazing. I thought Rion was the best cook here."

He handed me a pair of chopsticks, smiling without a word.

What surprised me the most was that this big shot from the Marcus organization in Western Europe would stoop to personally cook for me. What a treat! Compared to that disastrous candlelit dinner with him last time, this was like night and day.

"Haha, eating such a hearty meal early in the morning, I'm afraid I'll gain weight!"

What worried me most was that if I fell in love with his cooking, I might not be able to stay in that baron's underground castle for long!

He put a chicken wing on my plate. "Didn't you say you had many questions to ask?"

"Why does Lionel have a shadow? I also saw his wings at the reception."

Dene didn't seem concerned about the shadow or the wings, but instead inquired curiously, "What reception?"

"It was a welcome reception to introduce me to his friends. He did it to protect me. Queen Dalena and Prince Rui Jones showed up uninvited, but they had malicious intentions. There were also dukes, counts, and elders, and they all respected Lionel."

Dene suddenly looked serious and warned me to be careful in the future. "He didn't hold the reception to welcome you. If he had bitten you first, then holding a reception would make sense. But he didn't touch you. This ostentatious display was just to flaunt that he had obtained a fairy, deliberately drawing attention! Those vampires must have been sniffing you out, right?"

My heart dropped. I had thought Lionel was doing this to protect me, but Dene's explanation made more sense. Indeed, Lionel seemed to be deliberately showcasing me in front of everyone.

Seeing that I had fallen silent, Dene continued, "Lionel Albert is a vampire prince, with the purest blood of the original vampire king flowing through his veins. Furthermore, he is the son of the current vampire king, August, and a descendant of the fairy royal family. So, he not only has the pure blood of the vampire king but also the superior genes of the fairy royal family. That's why he has a shadow."

A descendant of the fairy royal family? That implies Lionel's mother must have been an exceptionally beautiful woman.

A romantic love story suddenly popped into my mind. August must have loved Lionel's mother deeply, wanting to make her his queen, only to be thwarted by Dalena's jealousy and schemes...

Hold on! If August loved Lionel's mother so deeply, how could he have fathered a son with Dalena?

Clearly, this wasn't a fairy-tale romance.

I halted my wild imagination but couldn't help muttering in confusion, "That's odd. Can a child born this way also have wings? I thought only pure-blooded vampires could give birth to winged vampire offspring. Lionel's wings are so majestic and stunning!"

Dene couldn't help but chuckle. "Margie, don't tell me you love him for his beautiful wings!"

I laughed awkwardly. "Not really, it's just... those wings of his are really too attention-grabbing, haha..."