Captive

“Me?”

Her mind in a whirl, Daphne couldn’t immediately grasp the meaning of her words. She asked back in a soft, sweet voice, a response that only deepened Edith’s smile.

“To have the noble face of Ellenore Perkin, yet be so easy to bully… and with such a weakness for me to hold over you—” Even the girl’s angelic smile could not erase the fear and panic her words instilled in Daphne. “My dear, sweet lady, you wouldn’t want anyone to find out you’re a half-blood, would you? Just be a good girl and become mine. I won’t treat you poorly.”

Daphne’s entire perception of her shattered. She never imagined she would one day be threatened by Edith.

‘Was her gentle innocence all just an act?’

More than being coerced, Daphne was heartbroken at having been deceived for six years. She had thought she could rely on Edith upon her return, never expecting to fall into her hands, to be manipulated at her whim.

“Why?”

Mist gathered in her emerald eyes, tears welling up until they brimmed over.

Still, Daphne couldn’t accept it. She had to hear some kind of explanation from Edith’s lips.

“You’re so adorable. Is there any need for a ‘why’?” Edith leaned in closer. The girl’s cherry-pink lips parted, her warm breath caressing Daphne’s neck, sending an unbearable tickle through her. “How could I possibly pass up the chance to devour a little cutie like you?”

‘Oh no… Is she secretly a predator?’

‘This feels dangerous. I have to find a chance to escape.’

Her heart hammered in her chest, refusing to slow. The combination of Edith’s warm breath and the floral scent wafting from her body left Daphne feeling feverish and weak.

She tore her gaze away, no longer daring to meet Edith’s sea-blue eyes, which seemed to hold a strange, magical power. Her racing mind desperately tried to formulate an escape plan.

But Edith saw right through the half-blood’s feeble scheme. With a soft chuckle, the blonde girl pressed her face against Daphne’s, her lips brushing against her cheek and the shell of her ear.

A few gentle caresses were all it took for Daphne to surrender completely.

“I… I can’t stand…” she stammered, her delicate voice thick with tears.

“That’s right. Just leave everything to me.”

Edith’s words, whispered by her ear, were as light as fingertips dancing across piano keys. For a fleeting moment, Daphne truly considered abandoning all thought and yielding to her completely.

But before she could voice a protest, Edith seized the opportunity, capturing the half-blood’s slightly parted, crystal-pink lips once more.

Daphne’s heart was a tempest of conflicting emotions.

She did truly adore Edith. Even knowing her true nature, she couldn’t bring herself to hate her. But being demanded of, being kissed like this… she had no idea how she could ever face Edith again.

A tingling numbness spread through her limbs. If Edith hadn’t been pinning her arms firmly to the wall, Daphne would have already collapsed in a heap on the floor.

The dual oppression of height and strength felt like an insurmountable mountain. A profound sense of powerlessness washed over Daphne, and she found herself involuntarily succumbing, her resistance melting away.

Their lips parted for a brief, breathless moment.

The half-blood girl finally had a chance to breathe. She instinctively parted her teeth, unaware that this was merely a ploy for Edith to draw her in deeper.

Edith pressed in again. Instantly, stars burst behind Daphne’s eyes like falling snowflakes, and she found herself rising unconsciously onto her tiptoes.

The kiss continued until the half-blood’s cheeks were flushed and she was struggling for air. The moment Edith let go, Daphne slid down the wall, her body limp.

Leaning against the wall for support, her limbs weak and pliant, she was a picture of disarray. Strands of silver hair fell across her forehead, a rosy blush stained her porcelain cheeks, and her emerald eyes were soft and hazy.

She couldn’t think. Her mind was a complete blank.

Tears streamed down her face, tracing paths down her cheeks and dripping onto the pristine white robes of the Grand Chanter. A deep sense of confusion bloomed in her heart.

‘What do I do?’

She had intended to resist any lewd developments and preserve her chastity, but now she was sullied—and by the once-angelic Edith, of all people.

Daphne felt as if her entire world had come crashing down.

Of course, Edith couldn’t possibly understand the former pope’s inner turmoil and anguish. As if savoring a fine wine, she gently traced the edge of her own pink lips with her index finger.

For the first time, Daphne saw a hint of seductiveness in her—a word that seemed utterly discordant with Edith.

“What was your real name, little half-blood?” The girl toyed with a golden curl by her shoulder, her voice laced with amusement. “Don’t lie, now. Or I’ll have to bite you again.”

“Ngh…” Daphne shrank back against the wall, trembling. “Da-Daphne…”

“What a lovely name! I’ve heard that half-bloods are generally quite beautiful. I look forward to seeing your true form. I’m sure you’re even cuter than you are now, aren’t you?” Edith bent down and extended a hand to Daphne, her smile once again gentle and warm.

But in Daphne’s heart, Edith was no longer that angelic girl. She could only see the profound malice hidden behind that smile.

“What’s wrong?” Edith’s smile didn’t waver, her voice just as soft. “Or do you want to show me your true form right now?”

“N-No…”

“Exactly. How could you?” Edith wiggled her fingers, reminding Daphne of her presence. “The Grand Chanter of the Holy See of St. Mary, Ellenore Perkin, needs her rest right now. She absolutely cannot reveal her half-blood form to Edith, the Chanter from the Holy See of Saluntz.”

“And don’t even think about running,” Edith’s smile vanished in an instant. Her tone dropped, and her icy expression was one Daphne had never seen before. “I’ll tell my sister. Her Holiness the Saint despises the Kindred more than anything. She will hunt you down.”

“I… I understand…” Defeated, Daphne had no choice but to accept. She timidly reached out and allowed Edith to help her up.

As if nothing had just happened, Edith pulled the weak-kneed Daphne to her feet, then straightened her robes and smoothed her hair.

To an outside observer, the scene might have appeared warm and harmonious.

But in reality, only Daphne could hear the soft words Edith whispered in her ear.

“I’ll be in your care from now on, Miss Ellenore Perkin.”