Perched on the pavilion, Qiye’s gaze lingered wistfully, tracing Silvia’s receding figure.
Beside her, Weizhan and Xincheng huddled together, whispering in low tones.
A gentle breeze stirred, fluttering Qiye’s fiery red hair.
“Senior’s magic power level is truly terrifying…” Qiye mused aloud.
“She almost constantly maintains her transformed state… and can continuously cast Illusionary Garb magic. With such sustained magic consumption, shouldn’t she have already advanced beyond the ‘Special Grade’ rank?”
Xincheng’s fair cheeks still retained a faint blush.
Upon hearing Qiye’s words, she nodded, a glint of admiration sparkling in her eyes.
“Exactly! And speaking of which… ever since we met Senior, she has always been in her transformed state.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Senior’s original form.”
“Neither have I…” Weizhan quietly listened, offering her own affirmation.
****
After a moment, Qiye withdrew her gaze, turning to face her two teammates.
The three shared an exceptionally close bond; they were not only comrades in arms but also dear friends, having lived together for a long time.
“There’s still a significant gap between us and Senior Silvia… but we must strive to keep pace with her,” Qiye declared, clenching her fists slightly.
“Yes, then… let’s all work hard together!” Xincheng and Weizhan responded in unison, their figures elongated by the sunlight.
Subsequently, they dispersed for patrol, three beams of multicolored light streaking across the sky.
****
Morning light filtered through the lace curtains.
Lina, wrapped in a blanket, poked her head out, her eyelashes fluttering, her blood-red eyes veiled with a misty sheen.
She had awakened curled up on the sofa.
Instinctively, she rubbed her flat little stomach, a muffled whimper escaping her throat:
“Hungry…”
The ravenous little one slid off the sofa, treading barefoot on the cold tile.
On one side of the living room, she tugged open the lower cabinet door of the refrigerator, a blast of cold air washing over her.
Inside the freezer compartment, rock-hard chunks of meat gleamed pale green and white, while meatballs were frozen solid in frost.
Her tiny hands gripped the edge, her nose approaching the frozen meat, only to recoil abruptly.
A pungent, unpleasant smell assailed her.
“Ugh…” She pouted, closing the refrigerator door.
After a while, Lina detected a faint scent of ‘milk’ in the air.
Following the winding corridors to their end, a spiral staircase, with its warm wood grain, came into view.
She ascended, her skirt brushing the steps, creating a subtle rustling sound.
****
On the second floor, a pink door stood ajar.
Lina tiptoed, pushing the door open, but her skirt snagged on a corner of the threshold.
She wriggled her small body in a rush, finally breaking free.
The moment she pushed the door wide, Lina stumbled headfirst toward the wardrobe.
The cabinet door creaked open, revealing strange objects nestled within a wicker basket.
A pink oval button was connected to a soft tube, its end adorned with two lace-trimmed membrane covers, from which a faint milky aroma subtly permeated.
Lina leaned in, sniffing the covers lightly.
Her slightly reddened, chilled fingertips poked at the cool buttons.
After a moment, Lina overturned the wicker basket, spilling out a cascade of soft, varied plush items.
She knelt on the rug, a bewildered expression on her face.
She tilted her head, staring at an object that had rolled to her feet.
Several translucent, soft tentacles coiled spirally, their tips adorned with pearl-like protrusions.
And a few carrot-shaped silver plugs?
Lina looked at the ♤ in her hand.
It was a reflective rhinestone.
“Hmm?” Her fingers pinched it, feeling a metallic coolness and a smooth surface.
However, in her innocence, her tongue tentatively licked the tip of the plug.
The salty, metallic taste made her blink in surprise.
Her pink tongue quickly retreated, only to then curiously tap at it with her front teeth.
Next, Lina picked up a silicone sphere with a strap attached.
Nearby lay several fluffy tails, their tips also shaped like ♤.
Lina tilted her head, observing closely, utterly oblivious to the approaching footsteps from downstairs.
****
Outside the door, a soft sound.
Silvia’s fingertips still beaded with melting snow water, froze abruptly as she beheld the scene within.
In the morning light streaming through the window, Lina knelt beside the overturned wicker basket.
One hand clutched a translucent tentacle, the other held a fluffy toy tail.
The ♤, bitten by her teeth, lay glistening with moisture by her feet!
Moreover, all those ‘items’ usually hidden deep within the wardrobe were scattered across the floor.
At the sight, Silvia’s ear tips instantly flushed crimson, leaving her speechless, her reddened cheeks trembling slightly.
‘This is mortifying!’ Silvia felt like she could die from shame.
‘How, how could these things be discovered?’
Fortunately, thankfully, the moment her gaze met Lina’s innocent, upturned face, her shame transformed into relief.
In those eyes, there was only curiosity about unfamiliar objects.
She couldn’t discern at all… the true purpose behind those items.
“Lina…” Silvia sighed, bending to gather the scattered objects.
Her fingertips brushed against the ♤, warmed by saliva, making her nearly drop it in ‘shock’. ‘Why is it wet?’
‘No, wait!’
‘Could it be… she actually tasted it?!’
‘These aren’t for eating!’
****
After a while, downstairs in the living room, Silvia repeatedly coiled the cashmere-wrapped whip in her palm, ultimately only daring to lightly tap the sofa arm with its tip.
Silvia stood with one hand on her hip, gazing at Lina, who lay prone on the sofa, tears welling in her eyes.
“Next time, don’t go rummaging through my things, understand?” As she spoke, the whip’s tip landed on Lina’s upturned bottom with a touch lighter than a feather.
Yet, Lina on the sofa was already pouting and beginning to sob.
Her tear-streaked eyelashes cast trembling shadows beneath her eyes.
She mumbled through her sobs:
“Hungry…”
That single word pierced Silvia’s ears, prompting her to hurriedly toss aside the whip and scoop Lina into her arms.
At this, Lina found comfort, burying her face into Silvia’s embrace.
Her small body rubbed against Silvia like a spoiled kitten, affectionately nuzzling.
Seeing this, Silvia gently and steadily cradled Lina with both hands, her movements tender, fearful of hurting her.
“What’s wrong? Are you hungry again?” Silvia asked, meeting Lina’s gaze, a hint of confusion stirring in her heart.
Since their first encounter, this little one had been quiet, barely speaking, only crying out “Hungry, hungry, hungry.”
This filled Silvia with curiosity about Lina’s past.
Just then, Lina looked up, her lips trembling slightly, her voice very, very soft:
“Hungry… I’m hungry…”
The voice was faint, but Silvia still clearly caught the words.
Immediately, Silvia sat down gently on the sofa, still holding Lina.
Looking at the tiny figure in her arms, a surge of maternal tenderness welled up within her.
Although… well, this little one had indeed intruded on her privacy just now.
Still, it was forgivable… after all, children don’t know any better.
****
Silvia gently rolled up her sleeve, extended her arm toward Lina, wiggled it, and spoke softly:
“Alright, this time… I’ll let you drink a little more.”
Unexpectedly, Lina did not eagerly pounce on Silvia’s arm as she had last time.
She shook her head.
Then, she extended two index fingers, touching their tips together several times, forming a strange gesture?
Her gaze remained fixed on Silvia.
Seeing this, Silvia furrowed her brow slightly and tilted her head.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry?”
But before her words fully left her lips, Lina suddenly leaned forward, her small hands tugging at Silvia’s shoulder sleeve.
Only then did Silvia understand.
Lina wanted to drink blood from her neck, from her shoulder?
At that moment, Silvia hesitated.
The neck was a sensitive and vulnerable part of the human body.
Allowing a blood race member to drink blood from there carried a certain degree of risk.
However, Silvia’s heart softened.
‘Losing a little blood is no big deal. Besides, such an adorable little blood race loli surely won’t drain me dry all at once…’ she thought, relaxing her body and tacitly allowing Lina’s action.
Given permission, Lina eagerly pressed close to Silvia’s left neck, her sharp fangs piercing the skin.
As Lina made gurgling swallowing sounds, Silvia felt that while losing blood, her internal magic power was also draining away.
Despite this, Silvia felt no discomfort; instead, a sense of relief washed over her.
‘This is a good thing.’
‘With passive magic loss, casting spells won’t be as prone to disruption.’
Silvia didn’t know why she was this way.
She only knew that as a natural-born magical girl, her internal magic power was incredibly vast.
Even her familiar, a flower spirit, highly praised her magic power level.
However, she had shortcomings and deficiencies in terms of magical attainment and comprehension.
Yet, even so, augmented by her immense magic power, an ordinary Fireball spell in her hands could transform into a formidable Grand Fireball spell.
A magic that slowed down time could be amplified into a brief, small-scale temporal regression.
Since she lacked comprehension, she would compensate for her technical shortcomings with the sheer intensity of her magic.
****
Time flowed silently.
Silvia continued to hold Lina, yet she felt a peculiar sensation in her lap.
Lina’s weight was noticeably increasing?
Her previously tiny body was now gradually becoming heavier in her arms.
‘Drinking blood can make one grow?’
After another period, Lina finally drank her fill, her small belly round and distended.
Under Silvia’s astonished gaze, something even more incredible happened:
Lina stretched, her form shifting… the childishness gradually receding from her face.
Her features became more defined, her nose bridge high, and her golden hair, smooth and lustrous, cascaded over her shoulders.
However, as Lina grew, the Gothic-style dress that had once fit her perfectly could no longer withstand the change.
With a ripping sound, the fabric tore.
Her clothes had burst, just like that.
Silvia’s gaze momentarily froze.
At that moment, a mist of blood enveloped Lina’s body.
In a blink, the blood mist transformed into a new Gothic-style blood-red dress, perfectly tailored to Lina’s figure.
At this point, Lina was straddling Silvia’s lap on the sofa.
The two were in close proximity, their eyes meeting.
However, Silvia’s cheeks were flushed with a vivid crimson.
In that brief instant, she had witnessed scenes during Lina’s ‘transformation’ that she shouldn’t have seen.
‘No, was that really something one should see?’
Lina quickly noticed the peculiarity, a flicker of embarrassment crossing her face, her red lips parting slightly.
“You… you saw everything?”
Silvia hesitated for a moment, initially intending to equivocate.
But then she reconsidered.
Lina had drunk so much of her blood; looking at her for a moment probably wasn’t a big deal, was it?
Besides, they were both women.
So, Silvia nodded generously, her voice slightly strained:
“I did.”
“Pervert!” Lina exclaimed, a mix of shame and indignation, clenching her small hands into fists and swinging them at Silvia without hesitation.
Fortunately, Silvia had anticipated this.
The moment Lina made her move, Silvia predicted the direction of the attack and raised her arm to block a step ahead.
With a resounding thwack, Lina’s fist struck Silvia’s magic-protected arm.
****
After a while, the two of them had calmed down, sitting on opposite sides of the sofa.
Silvia cleared her throat, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere.
“My name is Silvia, and I am a magical girl, entrusted with the mission of protecting love and justice…”
“Last night, I was patrolling in Tanhua City when I happened to sense the ‘malice’ emanating from you, so I followed you… and then…” Silvia recounted their meeting from the previous night truthfully.
Lina sat quietly beside her, hands clasped on her lap, listening intently.
The wariness in her expression gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful glint in her eyes.
Once Silvia finished speaking, Lina raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of teasing in her tone as she retorted:
“I see. So, I suppose I should thank you… for helping me?”
At this, Silvia waved her hand gently, then leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
“Otherwise? You’ve drunk so much of my blood… that’s equivalent to how many ordinary human lives?” She finished, blinking her eyes and flashing a playful smile as she pressed on, “So, how was it? Did the taste of my blood suit your palate?”
Lina paused for a moment.
Truth be told, the unique, rich magic in Silvia’s blood was indeed deliciously sweet.
She nodded softly.
“Very well. It seems my blood is to your liking… So, do you want to drink more?”
Somehow, Lina sensed a hidden meaning in Silvia’s words; something felt off.
But she rubbed her flat little stomach… and ultimately responded honestly:
“Yes, it was very tasty.”
The next moment, Silvia’s expression abruptly turned serious, her tone becoming stern:
“Then let me ask you, do you know that you are currently an undocumented resident in the Iriswing Kingdom, a stowaway?”
“Answer me, how exactly did you get into the Iriswing Kingdom?”
Lina pondered, “I came to find someone…”
“Uh… answer me first, how did you get in?” Silvia pressed, unwilling to tolerate evasiveness.
“Through a cross-world teleportation from the Western World,” Lina replied concisely.
Silvia nodded thoughtfully, her tone softening.
“I see… there are indeed blood race nations in the Western World. But who exactly are you looking for, coming all this way? Perhaps I can help…”
Upon hearing this, Lina’s face clouded over, and she lowered her head slightly, a touch of sadness in her demeanor.
“I came to find my fiancée… A month ago, she disappeared without a trace, as if she had vanished into thin air.”
“Later, I asked the Progenitor to help me trace the causality… Perhaps it was a twist of fate, no, more accurately, it must have been an ‘arrangement of destiny,’ that I was teleported here.”
“As a price, I temporarily lost my original powers… My body is very weak now, even self-preservation is a problem.”
Hearing this, Silvia finally understood that the person before her was a blood race girl who had crossed worlds to find her fiancée.
‘Searching for her fiancée? So that means… a yuri romance…’
‘To think such pure and beautiful feelings existed even in the distant Western World.’
Silvia instinctively reached out to embrace Lina’s shoulder, intending to offer comfort.
However, remembering that Lina already had a fiancée, the gesture seemed inappropriate.
She awkwardly withdrew her hand, deliberately maintaining a ‘safe distance.’
Yet, she still spoke with enthusiasm:
“Don’t worry, I will definitely help you… Your appearance before me might just be a meticulous ‘arrangement of destiny’!”
Lina was slightly moved; she looked up, gazing earnestly at Silvia, and as her eyes met Silvia’s beautiful silver hair, her expression suddenly changed, her lips trembling slightly.
“What a coincidence, my fiancée… also has silver hair.”
“Oh? Is it really such a coincidence? I told you this was a special arrangement by destiny!”
Amidst her surprise, Silvia pulled out her phone, her fingers tapping on the screen.
“By the way, what’s your beloved’s name? I’ll help you draft a missing person’s notice first.”
At that moment, Lina looked out the window, where the sunlight was perfect, its rays outlining the delicate contours of her profile.
After a long pause, she slowly spoke, her voice tinged with a hint of longing:
“Her name is… Kuganawa.”