The Price of Perpetual Pleasure

There’s an ancient saying in China: ‘There are no fields that cannot be plowed, only oxen that die from exhaustion.’

Once, when he was a man, Seraphina had held an unwavering belief in this adage, meticulously reining in his desires to preserve his vitality.

But now, as a woman, facing the relentless, day-and-night demands of a certain vampire lady, she found herself doubting its very truth.

Firstly, who said oxen would die from exhaustion?

Iqiyah, a superhuman who ‘clocks in’ daily for her duties, showed not the slightest hint of fatigue!

Secondly, who said fields couldn’t be plowed to ruin?

With Iqiyah’s grand antics every three days and minor ones daily, she remained perfectly fine, yet Seraphina’s own body felt as though it were rapidly burning out.

****

Ever since Iqiyah initiated her ‘Special Training in Deportment❤’ for Seraphina, Seraphina’s physical condition had steadily worsened. By the fourth morning, she could no longer get out of bed on her own.

“My dearest Seraphina~ It’s time to wake up, my love❤”

In contrast, Iqiyah, who usually adored sleeping in, had recently been rising remarkably early.

For some inexplicable reason, unlike her usual elegant attire, today she wore a standard black men’s suit, with a white undershirt and a black tie. She even had her hair styled in a restrained braid, exuding an air of absolute ‘dignity.’

Yet, no matter what Iqiyah wore, it could not alter the terrifying image she held in Seraphina’s mind.

“Ugh, I’m so tired. I don’t want to get up yet…”

This was especially true when Iqiyah held that dreadful ruby necklace.

“If you don’t get up, I’ll have to control you~”

Just as Seraphina feared, seeing no reaction, Iqiyah promptly produced the essence-blood necklace that filled Seraphina with dread.

“Clink-clank~” Iqiyah hooked the necklace with her finger, gently swaying it in the air.

Though she didn’t see it directly, the metallic jingle of the chain instantly brought back the surging electric sensation throughout Seraphina’s body, causing her to involuntarily curl up.

“Agh, please, have mercy on me…”

“Hmph hmph, then aren’t you going to get up quickly?”

“Wuwu…”

****

After washing up, Seraphina dragged her weary feet to the dining room, but Iqiyah was nowhere to be seen.

Today marked the fourth day of special training, with the focus on table etiquette. The day before, Iqiyah had specifically instructed Seraphina to “be prepared not to eat for half the day~”.

To her surprise, upon reaching the dining room, it was Lady Iqiyah herself who was absent.

“Lady Iqiyah has already gone to complete today’s patrol,” a voice purred. “She said she didn’t want the patrol to interrupt her pleasure-seeking with you.”

Levian suddenly appeared behind Seraphina. A pair of soft hands encircled Seraphina’s body, and the icy, slick touch of black silk gloves slowly crept up her waist, causing Seraphina’s abdomen to contract.

“Agh, Miss Levian… what are you doing?”

“Is that even a question? Of course, I’m guiding you to the dining table.”

Behind Seraphina, Levian’s hands gently kneaded Seraphina’s waist muscles, her generous bosom pressed close against Seraphina’s back, slowly guiding her towards the dining table.

“How do you find it, Lady Seraphina?” Levian’s breath, soft as a whisper, caressed Seraphina’s ear. “Do you think I’ve improved?”

“Ugh…”

Seraphina felt a flicker of alarm. Perhaps it was the faint tingling from the fingers pressing her waist, or the soft, wave-like sensation against her back.

Or perhaps… it was because she had never imagined the usually distant Levian would suddenly launch such an unexpected close-quarters assault.

“This improvement seems a bit… excessive.”

“Ehehehe, it’s all thanks to your guidance.”

“No, didn’t I only teach you once? How is this ‘all thanks to me’…”

“As the saying goes, ‘The master leads the way, but the cultivation is personal’,” Levian said, pulling out a chair and gently pressing Seraphina down onto it. “No matter what achievements I attain, the greatest credit will always belong to you, my master.”

“What truly great achievements, indeed…”

“I wouldn’t dare claim such a thing. While my progress is immense, I still wouldn’t dare launch a direct assault on Lady Iqiyah, unlike you.”

“…Don’t even mention it. I don’t dare now either.”

Slumped in the chair, Seraphina dropped her head sideways, burying her face in the restaurant’s pristine white tablecloth, mouth agape, muttering incoherently.

“Miss Levian…”

“Yes, Lady Seraphina?”

“I’m utterly exhausted…”

“May I interpret that remark as the self-deprecating humor of a beneficiary?”

“No… you don’t understand, you don’t understand the bitterness of it all…”

Ding-a-ling~

Suddenly, a crisp clinking sound rang in Seraphina’s ear.

“Iqiyah, has Lady Iqiyah returned?”

Her spirits lifted, and she abruptly raised her head from the table, scanning her surroundings like a startled marmot, but found no trace of Iqiyah.

“Lady Seraphina, you are far too sensitive.”

Levian smiled, holding a pristine white plate, walking step by step towards Seraphina.

“Are you truly so eager for Lady Iqiyah’s return?”

“No, I’d rather she didn’t come back at all…”

Recalling her exaggerated, almost pet-like stress response just now, a chill ran through Seraphina’s heart.

‘No, I’ve developed PTSD because of Iqiyah.’

‘If this continues, I’ll eventually become Iqiyah’s plaything. I need to find a way to turn the tables quickly…’

Just then, a white, gold-rimmed porcelain bowl was placed before Seraphina. She looked up to see a bowl of strangely colored soup, mixed with various potent medicinal herbs.

“Please partake. This is a medicinal soup Lady Iqiyah specifically ordered for you, containing thirty-eight Oriental herbs to nourish yin, strengthen the kidneys, dispel dampness, and boost yang…”

“If you find it difficult to drink, here’s a bag of fresh blood, freshly squeezed from an adventurer yesterday. You can mix it in.”

“…”

Gazing at the potent tonic before her, Seraphina recalled her conversation with Iqiyah yesterday.

Yesterday’s training was ballroom dancing, but just like the two days prior, after only a perfunctory attempt at instruction, Iqiyah dropped her pretense and pinned Seraphina beneath her.

“Is this really necessary? Is this really necessary!”

Facing the Blood Princess straddling her, their lower abdomens pressed together, fingers intertwined, Seraphina could bear it no longer.

“Aren’t you just after [Purification]? It’s not like I won’t give it to you. Do you need to control me every single time?”

“Hee hee, Seraphina, you don’t understand filial piety—oh, no, pleasure~” Iqiyah pressed down, her flushed face slowly nearing Seraphina’s neck. “In my opinion, the pleasure derived from watching your struggles as foreplay is no less than the direct joy of the main act!”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Seraphina protested even more vigorously, seeing the same scene about to play out. “Is the essence-blood in that necklace infinite? How can you use it every day without it running out!?”

“Run out? Hehehehehe…”

Fully subduing the struggling Seraphina, Iqiyah pulled out the familiar ruby from her pocket.

“The essence-blood in the necklace will indeed run out… but for you, I replenish the gem’s stock every day~”

“As someone who was once a man… you understand this process, don’t you❤”

****

Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh.

The subsequent memories were too vivid; Seraphina couldn’t bear to recall them.

‘So, after all this, even this one knows it’s detrimental to the body…’

Gazing at the tonic soup before her, Seraphina swallowed hard. Perhaps due to her past life as a Chinese person, she knew the taste of Oriental medicine and certainly didn’t expect it to be pleasant.

Better to live miserably than die gloriously. If she died, how could she ever get revenge on Iqiyah? ‘Bring it on, drink up!’

Seraphina picked up the porcelain bowl, closed her eyes tightly, retracted her tongue, and drained it in one gulp.

To her surprise, the moment the soup touched her tongue, it brought a savory aroma akin to rich meat broth.

‘Hey, it actually tastes pretty good, not as bad as I imagined.’

Gulp, gulp. This tonic truly was miraculous; no sooner had it settled in her stomach than a surge of warmth enveloped Seraphina’s body.

Like a gentle stream, the warm current slowly flowed through every corner of her body, warming her and sweeping away the accumulated fatigue of the past few days.

“Is something wrong, Lady Seraphina? Do you require blood?”

Seeing Seraphina speechless, Levian quickly offered a blood bag.

“Thank you, but I don’t think I’ll need it.” Seraphina raised a hand, declining Levian’s blood bag.

“However… could I get a refill?”

****

Meanwhile, as Seraphina happily enjoyed her tonic in the dining room…

Haaah, haaah…

In a room on the outskirts of the Blood Manor, Iqiyah was curled up in a corner, desperately trying to suppress her ragged breathing.

From birth until now, she had never tasted fear… It was an awful sensation, this feeling of dread, not pleasant at all!

And… how was it possible!? ‘She was merely a lowly species, a mere breadcrumb…’

‘How could I, a noble Scarlett, be defeated by a human!?’

Just as Iqiyah was consumed by self-doubt over being defeated by a ‘lowly species,’ a metallic clinking sound echoed from beyond the wall next to her.

“Hey there, little one, don’t hide.”

A spirited female voice rang out, making Iqiyah tremble all over, unable to stop shaking.

“Come on out quickly. I’m not satisfied yet❤”