Chapter 39 - Ysvéra’s Secret
Ysvéra d’Arvonne Beaumonté still couldn’t believe the situation she had found herself in.
She had awakened after an unknown number of years.
But before that, she had had weakened and humiliated, used as nothing more than a source of blood by insignificant insects.
Then, she had discovered him, or rather he had discovered her.
A mere mortal who mostly didn’t live past hundred.
A human.
Yet one who had the potential to become a star.
Naturally, she wanted him.
Not as a slave or servant.
But as her True Bond.
Someone whose growth would one day shake this world, and in return restore her own lost glory.
In the little time she had spent, everything was going fine.
Until, it wasn’t.
She had lost the the Battle of True Bonds.
Even now, the result sounded absurd.
She, an ancient noble of three supreme bloodlines to be defeated by a human...
It sounded absurd but now her life had become tied to his.
If Evren died, she would suffer consequences severe enough that even she didn’t wish to imagine them.
She glanced toward the ocean.
Only his eyes and nose remained above the water as he continued watching her with obvious curiosity.
’What a strange human...’
Fortunately, she still possessed one tiny advantage.
An anomaly had occurred when her blood entered his body.
The True Bond should have granted only one-way mental awareness.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, she could hear his inner thoughts!
’Her waist is even smaller than I expected.’
"..."
There it was again, that infuriating inner voice.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the sandcastle she was building.
’Does she have a seizure or something? Should I take her to a doctor?’
Ysvéra slowly closed her eyes.
’Idiot.’
She wasn’t having a seizure.
She was trying very hard not to react.
Now without turning around, her supernatural senses remained fixed on him.
She could clearly feel his heartbeat.
His breathing.
His gaze.
He wasn’t staring at her with lust nor with greed.
If anything, he was looking at her with honest admiration.
Like a scholar observing a rare work of art.
’This bastard, he is impossible to understand.’
Most men she had encountered in her long life had wanted to possess her or please her.
Some even feared and worshipped her.
This one, complimented her beauty with complete sincerity.
She immediately wondered whether had had a neurological disorder, because though she did not want to admit it, she was such a beautiful being that others should at least feel a little bit of lust, even though it was hidden.
’What kind of creature was he? Does he have the ability to control emotions.’
Then, another memory surfaced in her mind.
Her expression instantly stiffened.
She had merged with his body and not metaphorically.
Literally.
Every drop of her blood had flowed through him.
Every heartbeat.
Every breath.
Every...
"..."
Her face gradually became crimson matching her two piece.
’Kugh! It’s merely the influence of my other bloodline. Forget it! Forget it immediately.’
She buried both hands into the sand as if trying to physically suppress the memory.
Unfortunately, the more she tried to forget.
The clearer it became.
But the anomaly didn’t allow her to silence his thoughts.
’She really does look beautiful from this angle.’
She forcefully calmed herself.
There were far more important matters to consider.
Tonight, she would have to make a decision.
A decision she had been postponing ever since awakening.
Her thirst had nearly reached its limit.
Unlike ordinary vampires, hers wasn’t merely a craving for blood.
And there was only one person who could truly satisfied her highest bloodlines.
Yes, there were three things to satisfy.
But if her thirst became unquenchable.
She would have only two choices.
The first would be to accept him completely and not like this fake pseudo thing they had.
And second, to kill him before her instincts consumed her reason and she does something irreversible.
Ysvéra quietly looked toward the carefree human floating in the sea like a turtle.
"..."
Only one of those options was actually possible anymore and there was no third way.
And the vampire genuinely wasn’t sure which choice she would make.
***
The rest of the day passed surprisingly peacefully.
We simply wandered around the island like ordinary tourists.
Ysvéra insisted on trying every local specialty she came across.
Although she was technically a vampire, she seemed to enjoy human food far more than I had expected.
By the time evening arrived, we had returned to our private beach.
A portable grill crackled softly as the scent of roasting meat drifted through the cool sea breeze.
The stars glittered overhead while waves rhythmically rolled onto the shore.
Ysvéra reached toward the grill.
I immediately smacked her hand away.
"Wait, let it cook first."
She frowned.
"It looks edible."
"It also looks raw."
"Why are humans oddly picky."
"Humans generally prefer not getting a bad stomach you know."
"How weak."
I rolled my eyes while turning the skewers over.
After dinner, we remained on the beach for a while longer.
Our conversation drifted from one topic to another.
Every now and then, I tried steering the conversation toward her past.
Yet each time she skillfully changed the subject.
I didn’t press further.
Anyone would need time to adjust.
Eventually, the night grew colder.
We returned to the beach house.
There were three bedrooms and I naturally chose the largest one.
"You can take whichever room you want," I said.
Ysvéra merely nodded before disappearing.
After taking a quick shower, I changed into a pair of shorts.
The sea breeze drifting through the open window felt pleasantly cool.
Moonlight poured into the room, bathing everything in pale silver.
I stretched before lying down on the bed.
"Today was surprisingly relaxing."
Tomorrow, training would begin again.
But those were tomorrow’s problems.
Tonight, I simply wanted to sleep.
Before long, my consciousness faded away.
.
.
.
’What is this feeling?’
Something felt heavy as I slowly opened my eyes.
"..."
Still half-asleep, I rubbed them before blinking several times.
There was definitely a weight pressing against my lower body.
"Huh?"
My vision gradually cleared.
"Y-Ysvéra?"
The drowsiness vanished instantly.
She was sitting on my lower abdomen.
But something was different.
Very different.
Her crimson eyes had once again become luminous violet.
The elegant, crown-like black horns had emerged from her head once more.
Her ears had lengthened into graceful points.
Sharp fangs peeked out from beneath slightly parted lips.
The overwhelming noble aura she had displayed the night we first met had returned in full.
Even so, she was undeniably Ysvéra.
She stared down at me in complete silence.
"..."
The room fell into complete silence.
Only the distant sound of the waves echoed through the open window.