A Pet’s Breakfast

“Pat, pat~ Good girl~ Good girl~”

“Mmm…”

Seraphina clasped Iqiyah’s hand tightly. The vampire’s cool touch permeated her delicate, flawless cheek, bringing an inexplicable sense of comfort.

Honestly, in her previous life, these hands would have been an unattainable treasure.

The skin was soft and smooth, the joints firm yet pliant, and the fingers were exquisitely white and adorable. They possessed an inexplicable allure, almost appetizing. A few rubs against her cheek might even be considered arousing by some.

Iqiyah, too, seemed lost in the pleasure of the cheek-stroking. If this was all it took to manage the Blood Princess, then all would truly be well.

‘She just needs to avoid advancing the plot like in the game…’

“Ooh, ooh~ So cute, so cute! I hope the affection level reaches one hundred soon~”

‘Damn it, she’s clearly trying to advance the main story.’

“It’s fine! As the eldest daughter of the Scarlett family, I’ve received a superior education and my medical skills rival those of professional physicians. I’m fully capable of curing you!”

‘Being pushed into the main story by the Blood Princess—I don’t want that!’

Just as Iqiyah was about to keep stroking Seraphina’s head, aiming to raise her affection level to one hundred—

“Mistress, I apologize for the interruption, but the meals in the kitchen are ready. Please proceed to the dining room at your earliest convenience.”

The voice from behind struck like a clap of thunder, abruptly halting Iqiyah’s movements. Her delicate brows furrowed instantly, then squeezed shut, her facial muscles visibly twitching.

“Miss Levian, being too meddlesome tends to make one disliked.”

She didn’t even spare a glance for the maid still kneeling before her.

“If you do not adhere to your prescribed diet and schedule, I will report it to the Master…”

“Don’t! I’ll go! Isn’t it enough if I go!”

Upon hearing the word “Master,” Iqiyah instantly panicked, completely losing her dignified bearing as a mistress.

Hastily, she plunged her hand into the nearby, still-full basin of blood, drawing forth a single blood-red chain and transforming it into a reddish-brown collar.

Then, facing Seraphina, she closed her eyes tightly, took a few difficult deep breaths, and forced a smile.

“Come now, Seraphina~ Put this on, and let’s go have breakfast.”

Confronted by Iqiyah’s unsettling mood, Seraphina dared not hesitate. She quickly took the collar from Iqiyah’s hand, deftly fastened it around her own neck, then grasped the chain with both hands and offered it to her mistress.

“As expected of my little Seraphina, so sensible. Much better than a certain inflexible maid, wouldn’t you agree?”

Paying no mind to the maid behind her, Iqiyah stroked Seraphina’s cheek, tugged the chain twice lightly, and strode towards the room’s exit.

Still kneeling on the floor, Seraphina had received no command to rise. She dared not make any other move, remaining on her knees, scuttling after Iqiyah on all fours.

As she passed Levian, Seraphina couldn’t help but glance at her.

Despite being a maid who dared to defy convention by strictly governing her mistress—a truly presumptuous act—Levian was, surprisingly, very disciplined.

Without a command from Iqiyah, she maintained her posture, holding the bronze dish, still kneeling on the ground, utterly motionless.

‘How impressive…’

‘No, no, why am I admiring her? This is clearly a manifestation of the evils of feudal hierarchy…’

Just as Seraphina’s mind wandered—

“Wuwu…”

The maid suddenly closed her eyes, her brows furrowed tightly. Her lips pursed and pressed together, and her chin even twisted in a knot from the sheer effort, making her look as though she was on the verge of tears.

Yet, in the very next second, all distress vanished from the maid’s face. Her sorrow and sadness were swept away.

In that briefest of moments, she reverted to her usual stern demeanor.

Seraphina’s eyes widened. She looked at Levian, then at Iqiyah—the noble Scarlett Princess had not noticed the maid’s fleeting sadness.

Although it had only lasted for an instant, the maid’s sorrow was undeniably real.

Perhaps constrained by her status as a maid, she hadn’t displayed her emotions before her mistress, choosing instead to quietly vent in a hidden corner.

Seraphina recalled Levian’s expression when she looked at her that morning.

Drawing upon years of experience with gal games (dating sims), a startling hypothesis began to form in Seraphina’s mind—

‘Could this person… be a yandere?’

****

Although she had visited the dining room yesterday, Seraphina was still struck by its exquisite design upon formally arriving for a meal.

Like the rest of the Blood Manor, the dining room adopted a dark aesthetic. Its walls were uniformly deep black, which, under the dim candlelight, took on an eerie, deep blue hue.

The walls were adorned with various Western-style bas-reliefs, mostly depicting demonic figures. Under the warm, dim light, the interplay of light and shadow made them particularly terrifying.

As if intentionally orchestrated, a colossal crystal chandelier hung in the center of the dining room, effortlessly drawing the gaze of all who entered.

Beneath the chandelier lay a long, narrow rectangular dining table. Light refracted through the crystals, casting shimmering prisms onto the pristine white tablecloth, creating an exceptionally opulent display.

What astonished Seraphina even more was the sudden appearance of countless maids, each with distinct figures, filling the dining room.

They stood silently on either side of the dining table, holding various exquisite dishes, all uniformly facing the direction from which Iqiyah approached. Clearly, these meals were prepared for their noble mistress.

A closer look at the food revealed that, despite being breakfast, most dishes were beautifully plated and alluring, clearly of considerable value.

Seraphina couldn’t help but recall a certain Empress Dowager from ancient China, who reportedly had around a hundred dishes for each meal, enough to fill six banquet tables. Compared to that, the breakfast before her seemed rather modest.

Iqiyah walked towards the dining table, pausing before a chair.

A maid immediately bowed and approached the table, pulling out the chair for her. Only then did Iqiyah slowly sit down, crossing one leg over the other, and surveying the maids gathered around her before speaking:

“Today’s mouthwash is cold.”

“Your servants acknowledge their mistake.” The maids responded in unison.

“It’s good that you acknowledge it. Do not repeat this mistake in the future.”

Iqiyah tilted her nose slightly, then gave the chain in her hand a tug.

“Allow me to introduce you all: this is Seraphina Scarlett, my kin, born from my [Initial Embrace].”

“From now on, she will reside in this manor as my pet.”

“When I am present, her status is second only to mine. When I am absent, her status is equal to mine. You are to serve her as you would serve me. Do you understand?”

“Your servants understand.”

“Good that you understand,” Iqiyah clapped her hands. “Begin serving the dishes.”

“Oh, and this…”

Iqiyah turned to Seraphina, who was still kneeling on all fours, and smiled faintly, producing a small basin from seemingly nowhere.

“Since your role today is that of a pet, you’ll eat from this for now~”

Gazing at the basin on the floor, Seraphina’s mind went blank.

‘Weren’t you supposed to advance the main story?’

‘Shouldn’t I be allowed to eat at the table?’

She lifted her head, meeting her mistress’s gaze, which was filled with playful amusement.

“What’s wrong, little Seraphina? Judging by your expression… are you dissatisfied?”

At Iqiyah’s words, Seraphina’s body jolted, and a chill instantly ran through her.

‘Damn it, I forgot to manage my expression!’

“Oh~ I see. You’re complaining that there’s no food in the bowl, aren’t you?”

Iqiyah chuckled wickedly, turning her body to face Seraphina directly, and lifted the tip of her foot, from which a black high heel dangled.

“Come, here’s some food for you~”

Iqiyah twitched her bare, beautiful leg, smooth as jade and cool as ice. The already precarious black high heel instantly slipped off, landing with uncanny precision right beside Seraphina.

Then, she shifted forward half a step and gently nudged Seraphina’s nose with her foot.

The warmth and aroma of soft, tender bread rushed forth, instantly flooding Seraphina’s entire mind, making her feel lightheaded and disoriented.

Yet, unlike the discomfort of drunkenness, this dizziness was more akin to a pleasant disorientation, a comfortable surrender within a haze of incense.

Amidst her daze, she heard only Iqiyah’s voice, full of playful amusement, echoing from above her.

“Good girl~ Eat it while it’s warm~”