Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Blood

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Haru sat on the sofa, a pair of black-framed glasses perched on his nose, looking for all the world like a philosopher deep in thought, his expression exceptionally grave.

Touko Aozaki was gone.

She’d claimed she needed to handle some business back home in Japan and, more importantly, that she needed to “cool down.” And just like that, she’d left.

After a farewell kiss, she’d departed her underground hideout with twenty times her net worth in magical materials and a pile of life-saving tools. The provider of said tools was currently in a state of deep contemplation.

“It’s hopeless…” Haru steepled his fingers, propping his chin on them, and sighed with a mix of awe and frustration.

Imagine a woman you know to be cold and ruthless suddenly putting on a pair of glasses and coyingly, sweetly, whispering in your ear, her voice as soft and gentle as a newlywed bride’s, her every move a masterclass in shy, devoted seduction.

“That whole cute-but-deadly thing… she plays it so damn well.” Haru pressed a hand to his forehead, completely exasperated. He’d been utterly powerless against Touko’s sudden shift to coquettish charm, her every plea for more favors was a direct hit.

In a daze, Haru had conjured a mountain of life-saving trinkets with his Fourth Magic, even whipping up a spatial storage item for her convenience.

It was true what they said. No matter the world, cuteness is justice.

Still, he had to admit, he preferred the gentle, wifely personality to the cold, doll-like magus.

Suddenly, Haru’s brow furrowed. He chewed on his thumb, a strange expression on his face. “Touko Aozaki… what am I going to do about her?”

He had good reason to be concerned.

While most of what he’d given her were defensive items, he’d also thrown in a considerable amount of high-grade puppet-making materials.

Even if creating the puppets took time, if Touko decided to go all-in, to multiply her already-overwhelming forces by a factor of twenty…

“She’ll steamroll her sister,” Haru said with a sigh. To keep the entertaining game of Mahoyo from becoming a boring slaughter, it seemed he had to intervene.

The next moment, Haru vanished from Touko’s secret workshop, reappearing in his assigned quarters at the Clock Tower.

While he was tempted to jump straight into the Mahoyo drama, he still had business to attend to at the Clock Tower. And besides, knowing Touko’s personality, she wouldn’t make a move on her sister without a massive army of puppets at her back.

So, he’d deal with the Clock Tower first, then head out. And right now, he desperately needed a shower. He’d… played a little too hard.

——

3 AM.

In a suite at the Clock Tower.

Arcueid lay sprawled on the plush carpet, her golden hair a messy halo around her head. Her slender left hand propped up her delicate chin, her right idly fiddling with the Chinese checkers board before her.

“Where did he go?” Her slender fingers flicked a marble, her expression thoughtful, her voice laced with curiosity.

Though it was three in the morning, a True Ancestor’s biological clock was the complete opposite of a human’s. Arcueid was wide awake and full of energy.

During the day, she’d had Reines and a reluctant Lorelei to play with. But now, in the dead of night, they were both fast asleep.

So, bored and alone in her room, Arcueid had taken her checkers set and gone to Haru’s room, hoping to pass the time with her fellow True Ancestor.

But the room was empty.

Just then, the space in the room rippled silently. The next moment, Haru’s figure materialized.

“Finally back?” Sensing the ripple, Arcueid, who had been kicking her feet on the plush carpet, immediately looked up, her face alight with a happy surprise. The next second, her smile froze.

Her ruby-like eyes instantly turned a brilliant gold.

“Arcueid, what are you doing here?” Haru raised an eyebrow, looking at the prone Arcueid with surprise, completely bewildered.

As for being seen naked—Haru couldn’t care less.

After all, he’d tricked the innocent Arcueid into bathing with him more than once. If Altrouge hadn’t, with her malicious intentions, interfered, he would have devoured this little white princess countless times by now.

Arcueid, her expression stiff, propped herself up on her arms and opened her rosy lips towards… ’Little Haru’.

Crunch—!

Haru’s face went white. He shot back three meters, his face a mask of terror as he stared at the ferociously biting Arcueid. If he hadn’t been so quick on the uptake, he’d be singing soprano right now.

“Arcueid…?” Haru was about to say something, but he stopped, his expression turning grave as he looked at the dazed Arcueid on the floor, her red eyes now completely golden.

“Blood…” Arcueid’s gaze was fixed on ’Little Haru’, on the blood smeared across it. Her expression was blank.

Haru quickly looked down, at the traces Touko had left behind. His lip twitched. “Careless!!!”

He knew. Arcueid was in the throes of bloodlust.

Unlike Haru, who was a fake True Ancestor, merely possessing their advantages, Arcueid constantly had to suppress her natural craving for blood.

And unlike the half-breed Altrouge, Arcueid herself was repulsed by blood. The trauma of Roa tricking her into drinking blood, causing her to rampage, had left a deep-seated fear, her conscious mind constantly fighting the urge.

But the more you suppress something, the more violent the backlash. And right now, Arcueid was experiencing that backlash, her mind completely shattered.

“I told you, suppressing it is never the answer,” Haru said with a helpless sigh, slowly approaching Arcueid. There wasn’t much he could do in this situation. The only solution was… to let her drink.

Like a wild animal, Arcueid shot up, her slender arms propelling her forward. She lunged at Haru, opened her mouth wide, and sank her sharp fangs into his neck.

“Mmm… mmm~” As the sweet blood filled her stomach, a soft, contented hum sounded in Haru’s ear.

“Well, this is going to take a while. Might as well wash up.” Haru, his expression calm, gently patted Arcueid’s back and, holding the True Ancestor princess, walked into the bathroom.

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