Chapter Nineteen: Secrets Unveiled

Elysia woke up when she felt something cold on her forehead. When she opened her eyes, she saw Vlood smiling. The young man had placed one of his fingers on her forehead as if teasing and joking with her.

"Ah, good, you're finally awake," Vlood said with a grin.

"Why did you fall asleep here?" he added, puzzled.

"Sorry... I didn't realize I had fallen asleep here," Elysia replied sadly.

"Is that so? Come on, it's time for breakfast," Vlood said.

"Huh... wait... is the celebration over? It still looks like nighttime..." Elysia responded.

Vlood laughed loudly at what Elysia said. The young woman had such an innocent way of thinking, even though Vlood couldn't read what was going on in her mind. He found her amusing, not just because of her innocence but also because she was kind-hearted, with no trace of malice in her soul. Overcome with fondness, Vlood lightly patted Elysia's head, making sure not to hurt her. Then, he took her hand and quickly led her to the dining hall.

Inside the dining hall, she saw the rose-colored curtains and walls that surrounded the vast room. The ceiling was adorned with magnificent golden engravings—circular designs with intricate lines both inside and outside of them. Chandeliers, similar to those in Lord Draegon's castle, hung at the edges of the ceiling. On the right wall, there were framed paintings encased in golden borders. A long table with antique rose-colored chairs stretched across the room.

Lord Draegon was also there, preoccupied with drinking Lugu (Blood Wine). He didn't even glance at Elysia, though he clearly noticed her presence. Elysia felt a pang of sadness again, hurt by his indifference. She also saw Sophie smiling at her and waving. However, she didn't recognize the two men seated at the table who were staring at her as if trying to read her. But she had seen them before in Vlood's kingdom.

Ernyl focused his gaze on Elysia, attempting to read her thoughts, but he couldn't. This was the second time he had tried, yet he still failed. His sea-blue eyes widened in shock. Even with the strength granted by the blue moon, it still wasn't enough. Elysia noticed his reaction—she saw the surprise in Ernyl's eyes. He was handsome, much like Lord Draegon, with thick, sharp eyebrows and long, arched eyelashes.

His nose was straight, and his lips were rosy and thinly shaped. His hair had a pale pink hue, contrasting with the color of his eyebrows, as if he had dyed it.

Ernyl furrowed his brows, frustrated that he couldn't read her thoughts, and so did Damien, who was glaring at her with an intimidating look. Sophie, who felt a natural closeness to Elysia since their first meeting, stood up and approached her. The two women sat together, away from the four kings, who always seemed to be in a bad mood when seated near each other. They were waiting for Grandma Morwenna to join them at the table. It was rare for them to dine together like this. The four kings sat side by side, while the two young women were only two seats away. The room was silent, except for Sophie, who was unusually talkative. She wanted to liven up the atmosphere.

As Elysia sat down, a servant approached her and placed a plate of food in front of her. She hesitated, knowing she had to remove her bandana whenever she ate. She always ate in secret at Lord Draegon's palace to keep her hidden secret safe. Eating with the scarf on was difficult for her.

She just stared at the food. She wanted to eat since she was hungry, but fear gripped her—afraid that her companions might discover her secret. Ernyl and his royal cousins noticed this. Ernyl furrowed his brows, realizing that she hadn't even touched her meal.

"Why aren't you eating?" Ernyl asked coldly.

"Huh... well... it's just that... I don't eat when... I'm with others..." Elysia stammered.

"Eat. Otherwise, Draegon will say that I don't treat you well," Ernyl smirked, clearly provoking Lord Draegon.

Lord Draegon's eyes darkened at his cousin's words. He scowled, sensing that Ernyl was trying to pick a fight. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to look at Elysia. Whenever he did, he lost control of himself—especially since the blue moon had just passed. After the blue moon ended, vampire men struggled for days, craving blood and intimacy. It was their natural breeding season. Fortunately, the royal bloodline had lasted long enough in the mortal world that they had learned to suppress their urges.

"Why don't you just take off your scarf so you won't have trouble eating?" a female voice suddenly spoke up.

Lama, Vlood's sister, approached the table, her arms crossed as she stared at Elysia. The look on her face was sharp and condescending. She didn't like Elysia—she saw her as a romantic rival. From the start, she had always desired Lord Draegon.

"Take off your scarf so you can eat. You're human, aren't you? Humans grow weak if they don't eat... something might happen to you, and we'll end up being blamed," Lama sneered.

"Hey! Stop picking on Elysia!" Sophie scowled.

"Oh, Sophie, I didn't even notice you were here," Lama said mockingly.

"Ugh! You're so rude!" Sophie shot back.

Sophie and Lama glared at each other, their mutual dislike evident. They had always been rivals, just like Damien and Lord Draegon. Even though they were cousins, they never got along. Vlood frowned, disliking the brewing tension. He hated conflict, especially at the dining table, as he considered it disrespectful. He scolded the two.

"Enough! You're at the dining table—learn to show some respect," Vlood reprimanded them.

"She should just take off her scarf so there won't be any arguments," Lama insisted.

"Take it off!!!" Damien demanded, his gaze filled with arrogance as he glared at Elysia.

Everyone turned their eyes toward Elysia. Even Lord Draegon, who had remained silent, was curious. He also wanted to know the truth behind why Elysia always covered her face.

Elysia hesitated. She knew what would happen if she removed it. She had no choice but to lie, even if they didn't believe her.

"Huh... well... I'm embarrassed to take it off... I have a scar on my face," Elysia said hesitantly.

She lowered her gaze after saying that, silently praying that they would believe her. But Elysia was terrible at lying. They all noticed it—including Lord Draegon. Curiosity sparked within them, intrigued by the secret she was trying to hide.

"What is the secret you're keeping?" Lord Draegon wondered in his mind.

Sophie pulled Elysia away from them because the situation had become chaotic. This was also a way to distance Elysia from Lama. The two headed to the tower of Ernyl's palace, where there were no other people around. Sophie glanced at Elysia, understanding that she was hiding something.

"Elysia, I know you have a secret, we've noticed it. It's okay if you don't want to tell us," Sophie said with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Sophie, for lying earlier. The truth is, I don't have a scar on my face," Elysia admitted.

"Then why are you covering your face with a scarf?" Sophie asked, puzzled.

"Sophie, can you please not tell anyone about this...?" Elysia said.

"Whatever it is... I promise I won't say a word," Sophie promised.

Slowly, Elysia removed her scarf. As she did, her beautiful face was revealed. When Sophie saw it, she gasped in amazement. This was the first time she had seen such a stunning face.

"You're so beautiful, Elysia... you look like a goddess," Sophie exclaimed, awestruck.

"My brother is really lucky to have you, so he should treat you well," Sophie added.

"But because of this, I am in danger," Elysia said sadly.

"Why do you say that?" Sophie asked, surprised.

"Because since I was a child, men have always pursued me to be their wives... I've always had to hide from them," Elysia replied, her voice filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry for asking, but here... eat some bread... I know you're hungry," Sophie said, inviting Elysia to eat.

Elysia ate the bread because she was indeed hungry. She hadn't eaten dinner when the blue moon arrived. Unbeknownst to them during their conversation, Lama was listening from the other side of the wall that Elysia was leaning against. After hearing what Elysia and Sophie were saying, she left with a smirk on her lips.

"Get ready, Elysia!!!... your secret will be revealed!!!" Lama said, plotting something sinister.