The First Social Engagement

Seraphina was no stranger to social engagements.

In her memories from her previous life, her father often wouldn’t return until the dead of night due to company affairs. She had been young then, unable to grasp the hardships her father endured, believing instead that he held a prestigious position, which was why so many people invited him to dinner. Because of this, she had even complained to him once.

“Dad, next time you eat out, can you take me with you? I want to go to a restaurant too.”

Her father, faced with his son’s innocent confusion, paused before gently stroking his head.

“They don’t know you, and no one would play with you there. It would be quite awkward.”

“How about I leave work early tomorrow, and we go to McDonald’s instead?”

“Yay!”

Living under the illusion his words created, it wasn’t until Seraphina grew older and understood the true meaning of social obligations that she realized the arduousness involved.

However… she never imagined that her very first social engagement wouldn’t be on Earth, but in a different world.

“Wow, are these your familiars? They’re quite adorable, aren’t they?”

Even more unexpectedly, her position in this social gathering would be even more precarious than her father’s.

Before her, a group of young and beautiful (though some were actually several millennia old) blood relatives had formed a circle, completely encompassing her. Countless gazes fell upon her, scrutinizing her body and appearance.

For a moment, Seraphina felt as though this was not another world at all, but 18th-century America. The figures before her weren’t blood relatives, but a group of white noblewomen eager to purchase slaves for their plantations. And she, in this scenario, was a pitiful Uncle Tom, stripped bare and bound to a long pole, awaiting the noblewomen’s selection.

“Mm~ Iqiyah, excellent taste indeed~”

“Wow, I never thought black hair could be so beautiful! I want to acquire one too!”

“Honestly, Iqiyah, I used to suspect you had some peculiar tastes for not having a familiar… I was overly concerned.”

“Oh my, just look at this arm, how soft and tender it is~”

As if unable to resist any longer, a blood relative maiden reached out directly, grasping Seraphina’s arm and beginning to knead it.

‘Hold on, do you blood relatives all have some strange obsession with kneading arms? Why does everyone come up and just pinch my arm? At least try a different spot!’

“Shangfuyel, don’t!”

Faced with her kin’s crude actions, Iqiyah quickly raised a hand, attempting to stop them. “If you grab like that, Seraphina will be uncomfortable…”

“Oh?” Much like Godia, Shangfuyel did not cease her actions at Iqiyah’s protest. Instead, she looked surprised. “Aren’t familiars meant to be cherished? There’s no need to be so protective, is there?”

What surprised Seraphina was that, when faced with her kin’s questioning, Iqiyah didn’t display the same resolve she had shown with Godia. Instead, as if harboring certain reservations, she merely furrowed her brows, her tone gentle and indirect.

“But the True Ancestor taught us to love our familiars, and to guide them properly to become qualified blood relatives…”

“Oh, come now~” Another blood relative maiden scoffed. “Iqiyah, that’s where your naivety lies. Isn’t cherishing a form of love too?”

“I heard you’re very fond of foreign things; I thought you’d be very open-minded~ I didn’t expect you to be so traditional.”

With that, like a famished old wolf, the blood relative smiled wickedly, raising her hands towards Seraphina, who stood like a lamb, and began to gesticulate menacingly.

“You know the rules. When a new familiar is taken in, we have to help you give them a thorough examination, you see~”

Seemingly emboldened by the blood relative maiden’s actions, the other maidens, who had been itching to join in, now all wore fierce expressions and lunged at Seraphina in unison.

“Mmm~ Darling,” one maiden murmured, pressing against Seraphina’s chest, “you’re all soft and squishy muscle❤”

“Slurp,” another maiden followed closely, “Mmm~ what a delicious scent❤”

“Suck, suck,” yet another maiden fixed her gaze on Seraphina’s raised arms. “This aroma is potent and powerful, truly powerful❤”

“And this elasticity…” One maiden even circled behind Seraphina. “How utterly tempting❤”

“Help!” This hellish scene, to Seraphina, was more terrifying and dreadful than a thousand Iqiyahs combined!

“Help! Iqiyah, save me!”

“Hey, hey, hey,” seeing Seraphina pleading, Iqiyah quickly restrained the eager crowd, shielding Seraphina with her body. “That’s enough. You all have your own familiars; go play with them…”

“Iqiyah is so stingy~”

“Exactly… let’s go find someone else to play with~ Hey, Shangfuyel, did you bring yours?”

“Hehe, of course…”

Seeing their attempts at ‘cherishing’ thwarted, the maidens reluctantly departed, leaving only Seraphina and Iqiyah.

“Are you alright, Seraphina?” Iqiyah gently patted the startled Seraphina, smiling wryly. “Sharing familiars is indeed a tradition among young blood relatives. I don’t usually participate in clan activities, so I forgot about it.”

“N-no, I’m fine…”

Seraphina gasped for breath. For her, that recent scene had been far too intense, like being attacked from all sides.

“It’s you, though, Iqiyah, I never would have thought…”

“Thought what?”

“That you’d be considered the traditional type.”

“Hahaha…” Hearing this, Iqiyah laughed helplessly. “Now you know how good I am to you, don’t you, Seraphina?”

“Let me put it this way: blood relatives are creatures of strong desires. So strong, in fact, that young blood relatives’ social circles usually hold regular blood-sucking parties…”

“With your shy demeanor, you’re incredibly lucky to have me as your companion~”

Blood-sucking parties? Seraphina shivered, a chill deep in her bones.

For blood relatives, didn’t blood-sucking equate to… mating?

This meant that most young blood relatives were creatures eager to engage in intimate acts daily. In that light, Iqiyah, with her slightly peculiar preferences, was practically a conservative among conservatives.

“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve attended a Blood Feast. I’m not used to this social atmosphere anymore.”

Iqiyah surveyed her surroundings, a bead of cold sweat trickling down her forehead.

“There are too many young blood relatives here, all nobles. I can’t very well refuse them. How about I find you a room so you can rest inside?”

“Mm…”

After the terrifying ordeal, Seraphina would have raised both hands and feet in agreement.

Hiding behind Iqiyah, Seraphina navigated through the crowd, past maidens playfully teasing their familiars, through a wooden door, across the dining hall, and finally arrived at the first door in the corridor.

“This should do it.”

Iqiyah pushed open the door and flicked on the light. Before them stood countless towering wooden cabinets, meticulously filled with books. This was clearly the Blood Manor’s library.

“There are many books here; you can browse freely.” Iqiyah extended a crimson tentacle, conjuring an antique black chair. “Just stay here. When dinner is ready, I’ll have Levian come call you.”

“Before then, no matter what noises you hear, don’t open the door, alright?”

“Yes~”

Iqiyah gently closed the door and left. Seraphina turned around, facing the rows of heavy bookshelves alone, and felt an inexplicable flutter of panic.

‘Damn it, this is a liminal space. This could easily be a backroom.’

‘But this is the Blood Manor; there shouldn’t be any ghouls or specters, right?’

Swallowing, Seraphina walked towards the bookshelves. Classical Mathematical Models, Outline of Blood Relative History, Rise and Fall of Ancient Human Empires… She hadn’t expected the content here to be so academic.

Of course, as an ordinary university student in her past life, Seraphina had no interest in these books. She continued walking, traversing rows upon rows of bookshelves, through oceans of mathematics, literature, and history, until she reached the other side of the shelves, the far end of the library.

A table stood there. On it lay a book with a red cover, free of dust, as if it had been recently read. Come to think of it… Iqiyah had been holed up in the library earlier.

Stepping forward, Seraphina picked up the book from the wooden table.

Prophecy Studies.

Hmm? Why would Iqiyah be reading a book like this? Driven by curiosity, Seraphina opened the book. There was a dog-eared page, likely Iqiyah’s bookmark. Turning to the folded page, Seraphina began to read.

“…Therefore, during the sudden growth spurt of their bodies, blood relatives can easily receive prophecies related to the future in their dreams, which is considered a gift from the Goddess of Life…”

Prophecies in dreams? Dreams? Holy crap!

Memories flooded back like a tide. Seraphina recalled that night in the carriage.

“Seraphina… Father… please… don’t kill them…”

Could it be… that dream?

Just as Seraphina pondered this, a knock sounded at the library door.

“W-who is it?”

Hearing the movement outside the room, Seraphina crept to the door and pressed her ear against it. While it was highly probable that only Iqiyah and Levian knew she was inside, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of other young blood relatives having followed her, wanting to claim her for themselves. In any case, caution was best.

“It’s me, Levian.”

It was Levian’s voice. Phew, it must be dinner time then. Relieved, Seraphina opened the door.

However, what she saw in the next second froze her in place.

‘But, outside, it was clearly Levian’s voice…’

‘Then why…?’

Blocking almost the entire doorway, a tall figure stood, completely obscuring Seraphina’s view.

“Your name is Seraphina… right?”

A deep voice rumbled.

“Can we talk?”

Bending down, Godia Scarlett peered into the room, a faint red glow in his eyes.