The Tables Have Turned

“Alright, alright!”

Hearing Seraphina’s command, Iqiyah sprang to her feet.

“Hmm~ very good, very good. Now that’s the demeanor of a Blood Princess.”

As Iqiyah stood ramrod straight before her, like a university student undergoing military training, Seraphina fought to keep her lips from curling too much, lest she laugh aloud.

“Now, squat!”

“Yes!”

“Clench both fists before your chest!”

“Alright!”

Watching Iqiyah’s obedient compliance, Seraphina’s smile widened further.

‘Almost, almost,’ she thought. ‘Just a little more, and the pose will be perfect~’

“Good, now imitate me!”

“Yes!”

Seraphina raised her hand, made a fist, and mimed scratching the air in front of her head.

“Woof woof~”

“Woof woof~”

“Ah, no, no!”

It was only then that Iqiyah snapped back to reality, her small face flushing crimson.

“Hey, hey, hey! Seraphina, what, what, what… what are you making me do?!”

“The same thing you did before—making you act like a puppy~”

“Ugh… this is too much!” Faced with her subordinate’s counterattack, Iqiyah gnashed her teeth in fury. “I’ll chop you up!”

“If you chop me up, you won’t find anyone else to help you with the [Purification], you know~”

“Guh…!”

As if doused with cold water by Seraphina’s words, Iqiyah’s anger visibly lessened, though her brows remained tightly furrowed.

“That may be true, but I am still your mistress, you scoundrel! Show some respect to your kin!”

“I know, I know. That’s why I won’t give you the chance to use [Essence Blood].”

Seraphina hooked a finger around the ruby necklace Iqiyah had given her, the one containing [Essence Blood], and swung it gently from her fingertip.

“Before tackling the dungeon, I did all my homework, Lady Iqiyah~”

“Vampires can control their kin by feeding them [Essence Blood], right?”

Seraphina smiled faintly, then tucked the necklace into her pocket.

“If it’s in my pocket and not directly touching my skin, the [Essence Blood] can’t be activated, can it?”

“Ugh! You, you scoundrel! If I had known this, I would have…”

“Purification, purification. If you purify me, there’ll be no [Purification] left, you know~”

“Wuaaaah, stop bullying me!”

“Not bully you?”

Watching the once haughty Blood Princess now look like a defeated puppy, a surge of pure exhilaration washed over Seraphina.

It was like finding incredibly useful study materials in the dead of night and achieving a perfect “take-off,” or experiencing the first “Crescent Moon Sky Rush” after a month of abstinence. Surely, there was nothing in this world more satisfying.

Yet, even with Iqiyah utterly helpless before her, Seraphina knew not to push things too far.

After all, Iqiyah had treated her quite well before, providing clothes and even feeding her—though perhaps not in the most conventional sense.

Thus, a simple taming, just enough for Iqiyah to experience a taste of Seraphina’s past “joy,” would suffice~

“Hehehe, Lady Iqiyah, didn’t you say you’d do anything?”

“Do you remember… the game you played with me the day before yesterday?”

At these words, Iqiyah’s body suddenly trembled.

“Hee, can we make amends?”

“At this very moment?” Seraphina offered a slight smile. “Lady Iqiyah, surely you’re not joking?”

As she spoke, Seraphina unfastened a reddish-brown object from her neck.

“The collar you gave me… I’ve been wearing it all this time~”

“So now…”

‘You’re next, Iqiyah! You scoundrel!’

Seraphina rose gracefully from the armchair, approached Iqiyah, and gently hooked her finger under Iqiyah’s chin.

“Good girl, be obedient, lift your head.”

“Ugh… I am still your mistress, after all. To do this is truly…”

“Be good.”

Seeing Iqiyah’s continued reluctance, Seraphina leaned close to her ear and exhaled a warm breath.

“I promise you, if you play with me for just one day, I will perform the [Purification] on you.”

At the mention of [Purification], Iqiyah’s body trembled, and her eyes glowed crimson.

“Well, what do you think? Are you satisfied with this condition?”

“Wuwuwuwu!” Iqiyah nodded repeatedly.

“That’s wonderful ❤️, what a good girl~”

After fastening the collar around Iqiyah’s neck, Seraphina stood up, took the chain attached to it, and gave a gentle tug. Iqiyah let out a soft hum, her head instinctively rising.

‘Oh, how adorable.’

Gazing at Iqiyah’s large, tear-filled eyes—whether from grievance or excitement, Seraphina couldn’t tell—her heart instantly quickened. She felt an irresistible urge to go further, to tease and torment this former mistress who had once led her.

‘Is this the sight you once beheld, Lady Iqiyah?’

‘Too bad for you… the tables have turned. Now, it’s my turn~’

“Now, like a little puppy, lie down on the ground~”

****

“Avril, don’t you think… this place looks really familiar?”

“And it’s night! Do we really have to come now? I feel so unsafe…”

“Shut your mouth!”

In a mundane, ordinary room on the outskirts of the Blood Manor dungeon.

“Do you think I want to be here? We can barely afford tomorrow’s rent! And you want to back out now?!”

Avril rummaged through her backpack, her gaze fixed on the nervous Ailur before her.

“Don’t be so scared. You’re a brave noble, aren’t you?”

“Here, take these.”

Avril pulled a heap of gleaming silver daggers from her bag and tossed them all to Ailur.

“These daggers are silver-plated; they can suppress vampires.”

“If you encounter any vampires, just throw these at them, okay?”

“O-okay…” Ailur’s voice trembled, utterly lacking conviction.

“If it’s ‘okay,’ then hurry up and go! Stop dawdling, you idiot!”

Avril slapped Ailur’s rear, which was encased in soft armor.

“Ow!” Ailur shrieked as her backside took a heavy blow, then grudgingly dragged her feet, step by hesitant step, into the darkness.

Watching Ailur slowly disappear into the distance, Avril leaned against the wall and sat down.

With Shulk absent, almost all the dirty work and strenuous tasks had fallen upon her, the captain.

In just three days, she had felt immense pressure. The heavy burden of supporting the team’s operations was nearly suffocating her, let alone allowing her a decent night’s sleep.

“Levilan, I’m so tired. I need to sleep. Please keep watch for me and wake me when Ailur returns.”

“Why do you get to sleep while I have to stand guard…?”

Avril couldn’t be bothered to respond to Levilan’s shameless remark. All she wanted now was to rest properly and recover the energy she’d expended over the past few days.

After all, if she weren’t there to lead future operations, those two alone would likely end up as goblin mounts.

Avril took a towel from her backpack, draped it over her face, and then closed her eyes.

‘…’

She couldn’t sleep.

It was difficult to sleep under immense pressure.

Normally, her brain was constantly processing information, never idle. However, at any given moment, it typically focused on one task, rarely straying to other thoughts.

But once her mind went still, bothersome trivialities would flood in like a tide, impossible to stem.

The Krieg family’s loan, the inability to recruit new priests, insufficient [Strength], the team’s lack of strength, being penniless, her family hounding her for remittances… and these two clueless wastes of space.

“Ugh,” Avril groaned. She decided that if Levilan uttered another complaint, she would beat her.

Just then—

“Avril! Avril!”

“Levilan!” As if summoned by her thoughts, the already irritated Avril erupted like a volcano. She flung the towel from her face and angrily roared at Levilan, “Can’t you just be quiet for a moment—”

“Ailur’s back!”

‘So fast?’

Avril felt a flicker of unease. Though she didn’t usually micromanage, her two years of adventuring experience had given her insights into various phenomena.

If a scout returned hastily shortly after setting out, it usually meant only one thing—

A very powerful enemy had appeared nearby and was rapidly approaching!

Avril quickly looked at Ailur. Just as she had suspected, Ailur’s waist was bare; not a single silver-plated dagger remained.

‘Could it be…’

Before Avril could even ask, Ailur let out a pig-like shriek.

“Vampires! Vampires! It’s vampires!”

“It’s the one we met last time! I saw her face! She’s coming this way!”

‘What?’

Avril’s heart skipped a beat, and she was instantly drenched in sweat.

Just then—

“Tap, tap, tap, tap…”

A crisp, rhythmic clicking of high heels echoed through the air.

As if on cue, all three simultaneously looked towards the depths of the corridor, the direction from which Ailur had just fled.

‘Should we… should we run?’

Avril thought, but her legs trembled like an engine, utterly refusing to take a single step.

Following the rhythmic tapping of high heels, two figures, one large and one small, emerged from the darkness.

No, rather than one large and one small, it was more like one kneeling and one standing. The kneeling figure was simply larger, giving the impression of being sprawled on the ground.

“Ehehe, it’s really you~”

The two figures stepped out of the shadows, their pale faces revealed before the trio.

“It’s been so long… wait, no, it’s only been about four days, I forgot, hahaha.”

Seeing the familiar vampire before them, the trio’s eyes widened, their pupils trembling.

Avril’s eyes, however, were noticeably wider.

“Shulk?”

“Hm?”

“Shulk? What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Seraphina flashed a mischievous, wicked grin at her former captain, who now appeared utterly disheveled.

“My name is Seraphina~ Ms. A-vril~”