The Blood Feast and a Cunning Plan

A few days later.

Outside Iqiyah’s bedroom.

Levian took a small camera from her pocket, adjusting its settings in her hand.

‘Hmm… ready. I can start recording at any moment.’

After a thorough check, Levian slipped the camera back into her pocket, then knocked on Iqiyah’s door.

“Lady Iqiyah, may I come in?”

“You may. Come in.”

Levian’s heart sank at these words, knowing it likely meant no ‘delightful spectacle’ awaited her inside.

“Yes…”

Gently turning the doorknob, Levian pushed a small cart, slowly nudging the door open.

“Lady Iqiyah, these are your toiletries. I’ll place them by your bed—”

Before she could finish, the moment Levian’s eyes registered the scene within, she moved like a Western gunslinger.

Her hand whipped out the camera from her pocket, executing a rapid six-shot burst that instantly emptied its ‘magazine’ (film roll).

“Hey, Miss Levian, aren’t you a little too bold taking pictures right in front of me?”

Inside the room, a disheveled Iqiyah sat ‘duck-style’ on the enormous eight-meter bed, her hands resting between her legs. Her tired eyes blinked sleepily.

“Miss Iqiyah, please don’t take offense. The Master instructed me to back up your photos daily during your recovery period.”

“Backup is one thing, but is it really necessary to do it before I’m even dressed?”

“You see, your current state best reflects your condition throughout the day…”

‘Yes, the day’s condition.’

At this moment, Iqiyah wore only a white silk nightgown. Her lower body was entirely uncovered, with only a faint glimpse of white fabric visible through the gown’s hem.

‘Isn’t this the best state of the day?’

“Lady Iqiyah, didn’t I tell you to stay under the covers until you’re properly dressed?”

Beside her, Seraphina emerged from the room’s wardrobe, placing a neatly folded stack of clothes gently on the bedside table.

“Now, quickly, get back into bed!”

“Ugh… no way. It’s stifling hot under the covers; I don’t want to stay in there.”

“And isn’t that because you insisted on hugging me so tightly last night? I couldn’t shake you off, and now the bed is all sweaty…”

“Can you blame me? Seraphina is just too soft, it made me want to hug her tightly…”

‘Ugh.’

Hearing such longed-for intimacy, Levian’s heart clenched, a sharp pain akin to angina shooting through her.

“Hm? Miss Levian, is something wrong?”

Iqiyah, having shed her nightgown and donned a bra, was in the midst of letting Seraphina help her with a shirt sleeve when she noticed Levian’s unusual behavior.

“Nothing,” Levian replied, pressing a hand to her aching chest. “Just feeling a little unwell. I’ll adjust.”

“Good.” Completely oblivious to Levian’s jealousy, Iqiyah sat on the edge of the bed, kicking her feet incessantly. This made it quite difficult for Seraphina, who was trying to put on her pants.

“Lady Iqiyah, please be still. It’s hard for me to put your pants on like this.”

“Hehe, then don’t put them on~”

Pfft! Seizing the moment Seraphina glanced at her, Iqiyah let out a mischievous chuckle. Suddenly, she pressed a pair of tender, soft, pale feet onto Seraphina’s face.

“Hoo hoo~ How’s that? They’re the freshest, you know~”

Faced with the overwhelming softness that momentarily obscured her vision, Seraphina’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Eh? What’s wrong?” Seeing Seraphina’s troubled expression, Iqiyah instantly felt a touch of unease. “Are you… angry?”

“Angry? Not at all.” Seraphina’s voice remained calm.

“I just realized… this is a perfect opportunity, Lady Iqiyah!”

“W-wah!?”

Taking advantage of Iqiyah’s defenselessness, Seraphina swiftly grabbed her jade-like legs and instantly put her pants on.

“Hehe~ They’re on now, so you can be as mischievous as you like~”

“Ugh…!” Glaring at the pants Seraphina had stealthily put on her, Iqiyah’s face was a picture of defiance. “You—you think I won’t take these off right now?!”

“Go on, take them off~” Seraphina chuckled effortlessly, lacing up Iqiyah’s black leather shoes as she responded to the threat. “Take them off all you want; I have a hundred ways to put them back on you.”

“You…! You…!”

…

Watching the overly affectionate mistress and servant before her, Levian slowly lowered her camera, her face reverting to its usual cold expression.

Dressing, washing, waking, feeding… these had all once been her duties.

In the past, Levian had always been the first to witness Iqiyah’s morning beauty after she woke.

In the past, Levian had always been the one to enjoy Iqiyah’s fresh ‘Pocky’ legs after she woke.

However, ever since Iqiyah became weakened, and at her personal request, Seraphina had taken over all these responsibilities.

Levian herself had been relegated to a secondary role.

The precious moments she once had exclusively were now gone.

Now, she could only seize the opportunity of delivering Iqiyah’s clothes and toiletries, camera in hand, to linger before Iqiyah as long as possible. She would capture these sights that once belonged to her, then… print them out and secretly enjoy them alone in a hidden corner.

‘Wuwu, I used to see Lady Iqiyah’s bare form every day, but now I can only barely get by with photos of her in her nightgown…’

‘Is this… what being cuckolded right before your eyes feels like?’

Although watching Seraphina and Iqiyah’s passionate interactions with the very items she delivered caused Levian’s heart a slight, unbearable pang, if one were to ask Levian if she was in pain, the answer would likely be—

No.

Rather, in a hidden corner unknown to anyone, Levian had awakened a new attribute. Every time she witnessed this classic NTR (one-sided version) scene before her, her heart would pound like a drum, as if pumped full of adrenaline.

Just like now, although her expression was cold, it was merely a deliberate facade to hide her inner delight. Even lowering the camera was a calculated part of her act.

‘Ugh… more, show me more, please!’

‘No, no, no, I have another mission! I can’t forget my duties for personal gain!’

Recalling her task, Levian shook her head.

“Lady Iqiyah.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten, but…”

“The Blood Feast is in a few days.”

“Ah, oh, that’s right.”

As if waking from a dream, Iqiyah’s ears perked up instantly.

“Miss Levian, how are the preparations for the Blood Feast coming along?”

“They are largely complete, but… the mansion lacks some essential items for the feast, such as meat, blood from species other than humans, and some necessary decorations.”

“Therefore, I believe… we must make a trip to the human town for procurement.”

“Eh? Procurement? How troublesome…”

At the mention of going out, Iqiyah’s shut-in tendencies immediately flared.

For her, the perimeter of the Blood Manor was already the extent of her activity.

Asking her to leave the mansion? Impossible!

“I’m not going out, so you all can just handle that yourselves. There’s no need to report to me…”

“No, I believe it is still necessary to report to you.”

“Because… I wish to borrow someone.”

“Hm? Borrow someone?”

“Precisely,” Levian nodded, extending a hand. “We haven’t been out for procurement in a long time and know little about the changes in human towns. We need someone familiar with the town to act as a guide…”

“Lady Seraphina, I believe you are the ideal choice.”

“Eh?” That was Seraphina.

“EH!?” That was Iqiyah.

“No, no, no, no!” Hearing Levian’s request, Iqiyah immediately hugged Seraphina tightly. “Seraphina belongs to me! I refuse to lend her out!”

“Such matters… shouldn’t they be up to Lady Seraphina’s own opinion?”

As if already aware of Iqiyah’s possessiveness, Levian turned to Seraphina and bowed.

“May I ask… Lady Seraphina, what is your opinion?”

“I…”

‘Leaving the Blood Manor… it feels like something very distant.’

‘Recalling the outside world, the bright sunlight seemed to shine on Seraphina once more…’

‘Wait, wait, don’t vampires die in the sun?’

‘No, no, given how confident Levian seems, there must be a way to avoid the sunlight…’

‘So… why not?’

“I have no objections…”

“I object!”

Hearing Seraphina agree, Iqiyah instantly transformed into a ‘Spine Dragon’ form. “You’re not allowed to go, you’re not allowed to go, you’re not allowed to go! Stay with me, stay with me, stay with me! If you don’t stay, I’ll throw a tantrum!”

“Ugh…”

Seeing Iqiyah rolling on the floor, Seraphina was momentarily flustered.

But soon, her clever intellect regained the upper hand.

‘This one… ever since I saved her, she’s shown such intense dependence…’

This dependence perfectly aligned with Seraphina’s desire to ‘tame’ Iqiyah.

‘So… is there a way to strengthen this dependence, to make Iqiyah utterly unable to leave me?’

‘Yes, there is.’

‘The suspension bridge effect.’

Clearly, the outside world was an utterly alien environment for the extreme shut-in Iqiyah, akin to Silent Hill.

When faced with dangerous, unfamiliar situations, people unconsciously become reliant on their companions, even developing feelings stronger than love at first sight.

‘If… I could lure Iqiyah outside, wouldn’t that perfectly trigger her inner fears, thus making her even more attached to me…?’

“Your objections are useless!” Facing Iqiyah’s wailing, the ‘plan-savvy’ Seraphina crossed her arms, adopting a righteous demeanor. “The Blood Feast is imminent. As a member of the Blood Manor, I must do my part!”

“Ugh… no! I said no means no!” Iqiyah threw a tantrum. “If you dare go out, I’ll, I’ll…!”

“You’ll what?”

“I’ll… cling to you every night and keep you from sleeping!”

“Hmph, I thought it would be something more,” Seraphina scoffed. “As if you aren’t already doing that.”

“Besides… Lady Iqiyah, if you truly want me to accompany you…”

“Then why don’t you just come with us?”

“Guh-woo…! Go out? How could I possibly…!”

Watching Iqiyah frown, her face clouded with worry, Seraphina smiled faintly.

‘Hehe, the fish has bitten~’