A Secret Encounter in the Blood Palace

“Wow, is this Iqiyah’s place?”

“Shh! Quiet! Don’t make a sound!”

Like a couple having a secret tryst, Iqiyah raised her finger to cover Shulk’s lips and cast a silence spell. They navigated through dimly lit streets and past many heavy wooden doors. Suddenly, a grand hallway came into view. The hallway was adorned with a spotless crimson carpet, and the right wall featured countless European-style windows, each frame showcasing a simulated night sky. The soft moonlight cast a vivid glow on the carpet, making it appear even more vibrant.

In contrast, the opposite side was lined with numerous rooms, some of which were left open, revealing glimpses of daily life. Clearly, this place was not solely Iqiyah’s residence.

Continuing down the carpeted path, they passed through a candlelit dining hall and another hallway, finally arriving at a grand throne room. This, undoubtedly, was Iqiyah’s chamber.

Surprisingly, Shulk noticed no signs of battle or struggle. It suggested that no adventurer had ever managed to reach this area. A thrill of being the first to explore this untouched territory filled Shulk with excitement and a sense of superiority, causing him to smile.

As they approached the throne, Shulk realized there was a pool of deep red blood in front of it. The intense smell of blood permeated the room, giving it a rustic atmosphere.

Suddenly, the bindings on Shulk’s body disappeared, along with the force that had been holding him aloft. Without warning, Shulk fell into the pool of blood. Despite the nauseating smell, Shulk managed to compose himself, even rubbing his face in the blood. He then lifted his head, a look of ecstasy on his face. It was all an act; he wanted to appear even more deranged, but he could see that Iqiyah was more intense than he anticipated!

Her elegant attire transformed into blood, falling into the pool. Iqiyah leaned over, her hands resting on either side of Shulk’s face, pinning him against the edge of the pool.

“I…”

Before Shulk could speak, Iqiyah’s fingers sealed his lips.

“Hey… aren’t you supposed to be comforting me?”

She half-opened her crimson eyes, her long grayish-white eyelashes almost brushing against Shulk’s face. Her breath was ragged, and despite being in her own domain, she trembled with nervousness, like a first-time voyeur. Every detail confirmed Shulk’s suspicions. The only thing he hadn’t anticipated was the extent of Iqiyah’s loneliness.

“Can you feel my loneliness? I really like you.”

The Blood Princess parted her delicate lips, revealing a glistening droplet that dripped onto Shulk’s collarbone. Although it was cool, it sent a wave of heat through Shulk.

This wasn’t good… Iqiyah seemed to be taking the lead!

“But as a man, your words are too explicit.”

“Such things… are best not said so easily, or else I might…”

Iqiyah lowered her head, her mouth near Shulk’s neck. At this close range, Shulk could feel the warmth of her body, mingling with the cool touch of her fair skin, placing him on the borderline between ice and fire. Although this sensation captivated Shulk, he knew there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Iqiyah opened her mouth, revealing her small, adorable canine teeth. Shulk had heard that the blood race’s method of reproduction was peculiar. Unlike humans, they could only transform ordinary beings into their kind through blood exchange, thus increasing their population. This process was called [Initial Embrace].

At that moment, Iqiyah’s fangs were poised to pierce Shulk’s neck. Could it be that…!

“Although it’s explicit to say this as a man… but if you were to transform into a girl, it wouldn’t be explicit, right? Heheheh~”

Iqiyah chuckled as she sank her teeth into Shulk’s neck.

“Ow!”

“Ah!”

Shulk felt an intense sensation of his blood being drawn out. Those small fangs seemed to want to drain every drop of blood from his body.

“Your blood is quite delicious, you know?”

“Thank you for the compliment…”

The Blood Princess’s soft lips moved, greedily drinking Shulk’s blood. As his blood supply dwindled, Shulk’s mind grew foggy, his vision blurring.

He felt his cheeks flush, as if he were drunk, and his skin warm where the Blood Princess lay on him. But his mind was too clouded to think clearly.

Oh no…

In this dusk-colored haze, Iqiyah released her bite, leaving a glistening trail of saliva. By appearance, she was no better than Shulk beneath her, equally bewildered and flushed. Unlike Shulk, however, she still maintained her ability to act.

She pulled Shulk, now drained, from the blood pool, and lay down in his place, pulling him back on top of her.

Human canine teeth were far duller than those of the blood race. As Shulk lay on her shoulder, Iqiyah felt a strange tension. Although she had lived for thousands of years, this was her first experience with the Initial Embrace.

For the first time, she understood what it felt like to be bitten. As she felt the pull on her neck, a sense of fulfillment washed over her. It felt so good, so warm… she felt like she could just sleep forever. So, she wrapped her arms around Shulk’s body and closed her eyes…

…..

“!”

Shulk’s eyes snapped open, and he saw a world of red before him, startling him so much that he propped himself up, only to discover something even more astonishing—

Beneath him lay the girlish Blood Princess, her eyes closed, breathing steadily, as if asleep. As memories flooded back, Shulk remembered everything. It seemed he had been [Initial Embraced] by Iqiyah.

So, did that mean…?

He opened his mouth, reaching for his canine teeth, feeling a sharpness unlike that of humans.

The good news was that he had survived the Blood Princess’s embrace. The bad news was that he was now a blood race, and worse, he had been [Initial Embraced] by the Blood Princess herself. He was in trouble now.

“You’re awake…”

The Blood Princess beneath Shulk rubbed her sleepy eyes, propping herself up, and smiled at Shulk, who was sitting on her.

“How does it feel to be a blood race?”

“That… that’s amazing!”

Although Shulk felt a sense of despair, he had no choice but to hide it from his [Initial Embrace] master.

“Hehehe, glad to hear it!”

Iqiyah chuckled, hugging Shulk tightly, like a girl hugging a long-awaited toy.

“Actually… this is my first time [Initial Embracing] too. That you were my first, that’s great.”

“Um, saying it like that makes it sound a bit strange…”

“I meant it that way, you know? I do have a bit of a dirty mind, hehehe~”

Iqiyah looked into Shulk’s eyes, their crimson gazes reflecting each other. In that moment, Shulk noticed something unusual. His reflection in Iqiyah’s eyes… why did it look so strange?

His originally pristine white cleric’s robe was now stained with crimson, looking vividly red. But what was strange was not that, but himself. Although his hair remained black, it now flowed to his waist; his face, still fair, had become small and exquisitely dainty. He touched his face, feeling a coolness that wasn’t masculine.

“I… I…”

Iqiyah couldn’t help but laugh at Shulk’s look of shock.

“That’s right, I did tell you that being a man might be inconvenient, so I turned you into a girl!”

“What?”

Shulk was stunned, reaching down to find nothing but crimson blood where his manhood once was.

“I I I I I…”

Tears welled up in the corners of Shulk’s eyes. I’m still a man! A true man! My brother! I never even had the chance to reward you, and now you’re gone!

As Shulk’s owner, Iqiyah could see the shock and grief in his eyes, something she understood all too well. So, she leaned in and kissed his startled lips.

“Mm?”

Iqiyah’s soft lips wrapped around Shulk’s newly formed small mouth, relentlessly kissing and nibbling, like lovers in the throes of passion, both fierce and greedy. In a daze, Shulk felt a strange new softness exploring his lips, gently caressing his tightly closed mouth. The soft, wet sensation sent shivers down his spine, offering a comfort he had never experienced before, making him want to surrender to the sensation.

“Open your mouth…”

Iqiyah’s voice was close, her warm breath mingling with Shulk’s, causing him to close his eyes and part his lips slightly. Seizing the moment, Iqiyah fiercely invaded, plundering Shulk’s untouched nectar.

Shulk thus crossed a threshold he had never breached in two lifetimes, taking the first step from theory to practice.

Ugh…

A sense of guilt washed over Shulk, as if he had tasted forbidden fruit, making him hesitate to fully embrace the blissful dream. Perhaps sensing Shulk’s tension, Iqiyah narrowed her eyes, skillfully wrapping around Shulk’s stiffness, inviting him to join the dance.

“Come, relax, follow my rhythm…”

“Mmm…”

Faced with Iqiyah’s ardent passion, Shulk had no choice but to follow her lead, joining in this intimate duet. In that warm, moist realm, they entwined, relentless and unyielding. After what felt like an eternity, Iqiyah finally released her fierce kiss, letting go of the limp Shulk before her. Looking at the dazed, seemingly lost, newborn blood race, Iqiyah’s heart raced, but she struggled to control her urge to continue playing. After all, a toy shouldn’t be played with too roughly, or it might break. It needed to be cherished, loved, and played with slowly. And that would be even more fun~

“It’s okay, even if you’re now a girl, even if your first kiss was taken, it’s okay.”

She pulled Shulk into her embrace, pressing him against her heart. In that softness, Shulk heard an unexpected thumping sound. Normally, blood race organs were still, but she had true ancestor blood, so she retained some life qualities. Shulk was the same.

Iqiyah stroked Shulk’s hair, smoothing out the blood-stained black locks. “I [Initial Embraced] you. I, Iqiyah Scarlet, turned you into one of us. From now on, I am your master. As your [Initial Embrace] partner, I will take responsibility for you, training you to be an excellent blood race. So… stay here with me, always.”