Chapter 2

The ancient castle was as dim as ever, with only a few candles burning on the candlestands.

I lit a candle to check the light-blocking in the castle. When I slightly pulled back the curtain, the glaring sunlight outside would stream in.

Having lived here for a long time, I was already used to the darkness. But Jacinda—bright and alive—couldn't stand it.

She begged Saul to let her feel the sun on her skin.

There was tenderness in Saul's eyes as he replied, "Okay."

Years ago, when I had just arrived, I had made a similar request to him.

At that time, he only emphasized to me that vampires couldn't be exposed to light and that following the rules was the only way to survive in this world.

Reading a lord's expressions was an instinct for a bloodslave to survive, so I never brought the request up again later.

Now it seemed that it wasn't impossible, just that the person who asked was different.

Jacinda pulled Saul up to me, wore a bright smile, and asked if I wanted to go with them.

I was stunned for a moment, then lowered my head and said, "I'll stay here to prepare the meal for you."

My refusal made her smile fade, and she looked disappointed.

Sensing her mood change, Saul turned his gaze to me and said without negotiation, "Don't be so stubborn. Go with us."

I looked up at him and the candlelight shone on my expressionless face, and he just noticed my pale lips from excessive blood loss.

His tone became less harsh. "You're badly injured. Don't take blood recently. Just prepare animal blood for me."

Jacinda warmly grabbed the hand where I held the candle and persuaded, "Come with us! You must haven't walked in the sun for a long time! Let's enjoy the sun."

The long-lost body temperature of the same kind made me feel a little trance, and I didn't notice the candle wax was dripping down.

Saul's eyes flashed, and he quickly pulled Jacinda's hands away. "Careful, don't get burned by the wax."

A tingling pain came from my fingertips. I looked at their holding hands and silently switched the candle to the other hand.

After rinsing the burn of the candle wax, I tore off one page from the calendar.

When I tore off the rest two pages, the blood pact would be full, and I would have a chance to break the pact.

After preparing the meal, I opened the door, and sunlight poured in.

After spending thousands of days in the darkness, my first reaction was to hide.

But Saul was wearing his magnificent black robe, letting Jacinda pull him outward.

I cautiously took a step behind them and mustered the courage to step into the long-lost natural light.

Every inch of my exposed skin gradually felt the temperature of the light, and for a moment, I didn't know why I had the urge to cry."

My eyes habitually looked for Saul's figure but caught the scene of Jacinda standing on her tiptoe.

"Can I see your teeth?" She was healthy and curvy, her long hair shining beautifully, and the smile on her face was extremely bright.

Saul held her waist, lifted the hood of the black robe for her, smiled gently and he really showed two fangs belonging to a vampire.

He wasn't worried about attacking Jacinda in front of him because of my existence as a bloodslave.

In the unnoticed corner, I took two steps back and hid in the shadow again.

I used the tree shadow to cover my withered hair and hid my thin and ugly hands in my sleeves.

The sunset, and night was about to fall.

Seeing that the duty time was approaching, I came out and proposed to leave first.

Saul seemed to not expect that I had been there. When he just wanted to say something, Jacinda asked him, "It's time for me to go too. Will you walk me back?"

Saul surely would, but he suddenly noticed my presence and said to me, "I'll walk you too."

The communication between the vampire world and the human world relied on the border train, and my other job was to be on duty at the train platform every night.

Saul had never offered to walk me.

Feeling tired, I refused his whim: "Thank you, Lord, but no and I can go myself. Pls walk Miss Jacinda back."

He saw that I was in a bad mood, unconsciously took a step closer to me, and insisted, "I'll walk you."

Jacinda looked at the interaction between us, sensed something, and took the initiative to hold Saul's arm.

"Come with us if it's on your way. I heard you've known Saul for a long time, and I also want to learn more about him from you."

She built a high wall of defense in her words.

Saul patted her hand and was very pleased with these words.

I didn't know him so much. At least, these expressions of his in front of Jacinda were extremely unfamiliar to me, as Saul was always condescending towards me.

But I no longer refused and gave a slave's bow. "Then thank you, my lord and Miss Jacinda."

When I stood up, my eyes met Saul's dark eyes.

I just did what a slave should do as he said, although there was never a rule of saluting in the rules he set for me.

When we arrived at the border platform, I was ready to put things in the duty room when Saul suddenly pulled me.

"Wait for me and I'll pick you up and buy your favourite vanilla ice cream after it's over."

Really?

Would he come back tonight?

Vanilla ice cream was my absolute favorite; its flavor and shape stay perfect at the vampire-cold.

I didn't ask anymore because Jacinda watched us intently the whole time.