The Price of Devotion

Despite Iqiyah’s best attempts to make excuses for Seraphina, an undeniable truth remained.

Seraphina was undeniably charting a course towards becoming Claire’s ultimate obsession, a ‘star rage’ in the making, with no hint of turning back.

The days that followed were both fleeting and interminable.

Fleeting, for Claire, who perceived Seraphina constantly trying to please her, finding every possible way to coax out her ‘non-socially anxious’ side.

Claire relished this feeling of her beloved worrying over her, keeping her at the forefront of their mind.

Interminable, however, for Seraphina.

Knowing the truth, she maintained a facade of calm, but her inner turmoil had long since reached a fever pitch.

Her actions were no longer focused on merely ‘nurturing’ Claire’s personality, but rather on—enticing her to reveal her true self.

At the same time, she relentlessly sought to please, driven by Claire’s earlier words:

“If you can offer a price that satisfies me… I wouldn’t mind changing myself for you~”

‘What exactly did a “satisfying price” entail?’ Seraphina often wondered.

Trapped in this agony of seeking yet not knowing, desiring yet not obtaining, Seraphina endured a long afternoon.

Until—

“Ding-a-ling~”

****

Pushing open the castle gates, the Head Maid walked directly behind them, pulling the rope that rang the bell.

“Everyone, it is time for Miss Claire to retire for the night. Please finish your tasks and leave the castle.”

“Yes—!”

Observing the servants promptly speed up their work, the Head Maid nodded in satisfaction.

‘Hmm… diligent in their work, following orders precisely… the night shift servants today are exceptionally good.’

The Head Maid’s remark stemmed from the significant disparity in quality among the servants at Krieg Manor, a result of their varied backgrounds and education.

The evening hours were a particular concern, a time when most servants returned to their dormitories and the castle staff thinned out. If any less scrupulous servants were assigned to this shift, they would seize the opportunity to commit mischief.

This could range from petty theft and brawling to even setting a room ablaze.

In stark contrast, tonight’s staff were performing their duties steadily and efficiently. It was quite a pleasant surprise.

‘If only all shifts had such obedient servants, Miss Claire wouldn’t have to concern herself with them…’

“Miss Claire?”

A hint of surprise crossed the Head Maid’s face as she spotted someone who shouldn’t have been there.

“It’s quite late; why are you still here?”

Indeed, it was the time for servants to finish their work. Unless there was a special circumstance like yesterday, Claire should typically be in her bathroom or bedroom, preparing for bed.

Yet at this moment, Claire sat perfectly poised between two sofas.

Her upright posture seemed to be because… she was straddling someone!?

“Seraphina?”

“Ah, ……”

Struggling to lift her head, Seraphina, who was beneath Claire, managed a strained smile at the Head Maid.

“How could you…?” The sight of a human straddling a vampire, a bizarre scene unimaginable even in dreams, was now brazenly displayed before the Head Maid.

“Er,” Seraphina forced a wry smile. “It’s a long story. In short, I hope you…”

“Silence~”

****

A flash of white streaked past.

Perched atop Seraphina’s waist, Claire provocatively raised her legs, clad in delicate, silken white stockings that could instantly stir one’s appetite with a mere glance. She then pressed a foot onto Seraphina’s dark hair.

“Seraphina, my loyal steed… Have you ever known a horse that could speak?”

“Mmmph…”

Restrained by Claire’s ‘ice cream’—her foot—Seraphina could only lower her head in submission.

Though Seraphina had surrendered, Claire clearly had no intention of ceasing her playful torment.

Following Seraphina’s form, Claire traced a path along her elegant hair, moving forward and down, using the soft white silk of her stocking to brush against the vampire’s forehead, ears, eye sockets, and cheeks, until she reached the subtly trembling nostrils.

“Hmm~ Seraphina,” Claire murmured, raising a hand to lightly cover her lips, attempting to conceal the smile playing at their corners. “I hear… your vampire senses of smell and taste are quite keen… isn’t that right?”

“So… tell me, how many points would you give my soft, pale ‘ice cream’ here? Hmm? My little bat?”

“Ugh…”

Her face twitched. Both Seraphina’s face and her mind felt as though they had been reduced to a chaotic stew.

Within this tumultuous mix, feelings of shyness, irritation, and embarrassment intertwined, coalescing into a dizzying sensation that assaulted Seraphina’s reason.

Yet, to blame Seraphina for her lack of resistance would truly be unfair.

After all… the soft, glutinous ‘ice cream’ before her—no, ‘snow dumpling’ would be a more fitting term—was truly a divine delicacy.

Perhaps due to her past as an adventurer, the ‘dumpling’ boasted lines as smooth and flowing as silk. The curves of her instep and arch were divinely sculpted.

Even beneath the white stockings, which by design would appear fuller, this work of art showed not a single ounce of superfluous flesh; it was utterly exquisite and dazzling.

Concurrently, as the third daughter of the Krieg family, this ‘dumpling’ had long enjoyed exclusive aristocratic care. Her skin was not only fair and rosy, but perfectly plump and tender, and faintly, one could even detect a delicate scent of milk.

‘Hmm? How could there be a milky scent? Was it an optical illusion caused by the white stockings? Or… was it Claire’s own… body fragrance?’

‘Or perhaps… it was the surge of hormones?’

‘No… that couldn’t be…’

“Hmm? Are you saying something, my dear Seraphina?”

With a gentle twist, Claire used Seraphina’s nose tip as a pivot, lightly pressing and rubbing, attempting to provoke more adorable reactions from her.

“Is my question too difficult? Hehehe…”

“Um… no…”

Her eyes glazed over, as if she had fallen into a state of enchantment. A faint, shimmering red glow began to pulse within Seraphina’s crimson vampire eyes.

“Mmhmm~”

Though Seraphina’s expression remained hidden, seeing the soft, hazy, neon-like glow emanating from the vampire’s eyes filled Claire’s face with satisfaction.

“Alright… let’s try an easier one then~”

“Tell me… compared to Iqiyah, whose do you prefer?”

“W-what!?”

As if a switch had been flipped in her brain, Seraphina’s previously muddled mind instantly cleared upon hearing Iqiyah’s name.

“N-no, no, Claire, this isn’t…”

“Hmm? What was that?”

Knowing Seraphina was trying to evade the topic, Claire narrowed her eyes in displeasure. Simultaneously, she twisted her hips forcefully a few times, conveying her dissatisfaction through the increased pressure on Seraphina.

‘Ugh… now I’m truly caught between a rock and a hard place.’

Feeling the soft undulations from the gentle pressure of that supple behind pressing down on her waist, Seraphina’s stress intensified.

However, she was, after all, someone Iqiyah had deemed ‘clever.’ With a quick turn of her mind, she devised a counter-strategy.

“Whoa~~~ (mimicking a horse’s whinny), horses can’t talk, meow~ Horses can’t answer your questions, meow~”

Faced with Seraphina’s opportunistic reply, Claire lowered her head, remaining silent for a moment.

‘It’s over.’

Witnessing Claire’s displeased expression, the Head Maid’s heart instantly began to pound.

‘Miss Claire… will surely punish Miss Seraphina now.’

‘I hope she’ll be alright…’

However, just as the Head Maid was silently praying for Seraphina, Claire’s expression suddenly shifted, and she burst into laughter.

“Hehehe… You truly are something, Seraphina~”

“In a way… I quite like this clever side of you.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!”

Whinnying playfully, though she had no idea what the vampire beneath her was babbling about, Claire had finished her game.

“Alright, alright, it’s getting late now.”

With a graceful flick of her leg, Claire turned over and rose from Seraphina’s body.

“You… can head back to the staff dormitory for now~”

“Oh~ Can I turn back into a person now?”

“Of course.”

Smiling, Claire watched Seraphina scramble to her feet, her eyes unconsciously narrowing into amused slits.

“Hmm… you’ve truly pleased me today~”

“Oh?” Seraphina inwardly rejoiced. ‘Does that mean you’ll—’

Claire raised an eyebrow, gently placing a finger over Seraphina’s lips.

“You think you can earn your freedom so easily? Seraphina, are you perhaps joking?”

“Ugh… have mercy on me…”

With a distressed expression, Seraphina now resembled a kitten choked by the throat, left with nothing but pleas for mercy.

“Hmph hmph.”

Smiling, Claire reached out and abruptly pulled Seraphina into her embrace.

“Spare you? Of course.”

“The same condition applies: once you give me a satisfying price… that’s when I’ll spare you.”

Admiring Seraphina’s expression of utter despair, the cruel noblewoman’s smile widened further.

“Tonight… wash yourself thoroughly and wait for me~”