Chapter 8: Tranquility

On the way back, I didn't say a word. I didn't want to speak, and I had nothing to say. My mind was full of the hollow eyes of the fire butterfly and her tragic past. I just hoped that her future wouldn't be the same.

I want to take her away, take her far from here, but… in her current state, will she listen to me and follow me? To her, he is everything, and I am nothing— not even someone she knows.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Why should I tell you?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you must be thinking about Saphroth…" Hearing this, I suddenly looked up at him. He smiled coldly, "Looks like I'm right. I just don't understand why you care so much about Saphroth. Could it be that he killed your parents?"

"No." I lowered my head and continued walking towards the small building.

"Then why do you care about him so much? I really don't get it. Why would a human little girl have any connection with a vampire who's been alive for thousands of years?" He walked slowly, always staying behind me.

"Don't you have a connection with him as well?" I retorted coldly.

"But I feel like your connection with him is not as simple as mine with him."

"The hunter's instinct is really something," I sarcastically remarked.

"Hmph! Maybe." When we arrived at the small building door, he stepped forward, opening it and letting me enter first. "But you still haven't told me what your connection with him is."

"He owes me something."

Everyone was in the hall— some were drinking tea, some were playing with throwing knives, and others chatting. As soon as we entered, they all stopped what they were doing and stared at us.

"What does he owe you?" He followed me to the table and poured me a cup of tea.

"A person!" I took a small sip and replied淡淡.

"A person? What person? Who owes you?" Lao Niu, who was very familiar with me, leaned in to ask.

"Saphroth." I smiled faintly at him. This person, I don't like, but I don't hate either.

"What? I don't understand!" My answer left Lao Niu confused.

"Oh, you mean Saphroth owes you a person, or does he owe you a Saphroth?" But the young master seemed to understand more clearly.

"The latter." I replied.

"What? What does that mean? Saphroth owes you a Saphroth, the head? What does she mean?" Lao Niu still couldn't figure it out, so he dragged his boss into the conversation. The boss first glanced at the young master, seeing no reaction, and then walked over to explain, "You don't understand. What she means is that Saphroth is hers."

"What? Little girl? How can you say Saphroth is yours? He's the most terrifying vampire!" Lao Niu was really nervous.

"Hmph! That's for you, but not for me…"

"So, does that mean he likes you?" The young master's tone had become cold, and the surrounding area fell silent.

"Maybe." If, in the past hundred years, he hasn't changed.

"Did you fall in love with him?" The young master's voice grew colder.

"Maybe!" A hundred years, huh! Originally, he wasn't just any person to me. Now that he has been guarding me for a hundred years, even though he wasn't there when I woke up, I believe he didn't leave voluntarily. So I will find him, because… he is mine.

"What do you mean maybe? Don't you know that you are human and he's a vampire? There's no way for you two!" The young master slammed the table.

"Possible? In a world where vampires exist, what's impossible? Besides, can you really be sure I'm human?" I sneered and walked upstairs. Below, it was dead silent. You could almost hear everyone's breathing.

"Little girl, could you tell Lao Niu your name?" Suddenly, Lao Niu's question broke the oppressive silence.

"Jing!" Then with a bang, the door closed, cutting off all gazes— suspicious, confused, curious, and hateful.

"Master, this…" The boss turned back to look at the young master, his tone heavy. After all, this girl was brought back by him, and if anything happened, he couldn't escape responsibility.

"Do you believe what she says?" The young master glanced coldly at the boss and then calmed down. Based on his years of knowledge about vampires, this girl couldn't possibly be a bloodline member. Although she looked and acted like a vampire, that could just be because she was with Saphroth.

"I… I just don't think she's lying, just like you said earlier, she doesn't seem to care about lying." The boss said as he subtly observed everyone's reaction until he finished.

"She can't be a vampire." The young master firmly stated, trying to convince others as well as himself.

"We believe that, but since she's related to Saphroth, we can't keep her here. It's too dangerous for us." Though Tweedy knew it was highly disrespectful to the young master to say this, he couldn't hold back. Especially considering she was the one who caused the female slaves to be punished.

"You…" The young master's eyes were like swords, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned and went upstairs because, although Tweedy was right, he didn't want her to leave, not from his side. There was something about her that attracted him, and he was unwilling to let her go.

"Without my permission, no one is to harm her, because… she's mine." In the final moment when he closed the door, the young master gave the command. After all, most of his subordinates were rough people, and he was worried they might impulsively kill Jing.

Once inside the room, he turned and punched the wall with all his might. His knuckles instantly started bleeding, but he didn't feel the pain.

He had never cared so much about anyone before, nor had anyone ever treated him with such indifference. To him, this was an unbearable humiliation. He hated, hated Saphroth, who was now nowhere to be found. He hated Tweedy, who was always opposing him, and he hated this girl, whose background was unknown. He hated this helpless version of himself.

The more he thought, the angrier he became, and blood-red light flashed in his eyes.