Vlad came back out to find Vanora in the kitchen outside their house.

His arms circled around her waist and he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Want to share what was making you so gloomy?"

Vanora thought for awhile before revealing more about her past to him. "I am the demon that they said looked similar to me. I'm responsible for the boy's crippled arm and their current state." She confessed while cooking food for the children.

"That's it?"

"That's it? I'm the reason for their current state. It's because of me." She stopped cooking to look at him incredulously.

"Well... Do you remember how I praised you when I first met you? Anyone else would have eaten them up in no time, but you only broke his arm. That's a magnificent feat you've achieved."

He continued to talk when she still had the guilt-ridden expression on her face. "I'm sure they'll feel your sincerity through your actions. Just dedicate yourself to whatever you feel like doing, just like you did today, and I'll back you up without question. Don't worry too much." He took a step back, turned her to face him and stroked her cheeks dearly.

Vanora looked deep into his eyes before she slowly broke into a small and gentle smile. "I'll forever be in your debt at this rate."

"Don't say that. There're no debts between us. I love you. You're already making me very happy by allowing me to stay by your side like this. I'll wait for the day you'll accept me in your heart as your lover, then I'll put this on you to show others that you're mine." He took out a silver hair pin that has a pink cherry blossom at one end of it with several smaller ones dangling from the largest one.

"This is..." Vanora cocked her head in confusion as she tried to recall why it looked like something she had seen before.

The clip you threw at him the first time he barged into the bathroom.

"Why do you still have it?"

"I just felt it really suited you. It's a one of a kind, you know?" He beamed brightly, not mentioning the reason for it being the only one in existence. Vlad had destroyed all the other copies after choosing the best one then ordered the shop keeper to never create another thing like it. "I did not know when to give it to you again, so I came up with this idea."

Vanora felt the familiar tug in her heart that she had vehemently crushed and buried deep within her the last time she experienced it in the previous world. Who knew that another person in a different world would be able to make her feel this way again?

She bit her bottom lip hard and seemed lost in her thoughts for awhile. "Vlad..."

"I'll take over the cooking. You go sit in the house and wait. I'll be done with your share too." Vlad interrupted her and took over the spatula from her while nudging her to one side.

Just as Vanora listlessly turned around to leave the kitchen, she suddenly turned back. "Come to think of it... The food you cooked for me lately aren't as good as last time. Not that I'm complaining but I'm really curious. What's missing?"

"It's just the poorer quality of goods since I can no longer access the premium ones in my castle."

She eyed his back suspiciously before turning away to walk into the house. BaoBao, do you know anything. He said the goods were in his castle so you should have seen something. What exactly have I been eating?

... You're better off not knowing. BaoBao did not want to lie to her but he did not think letting her know would be a good idea too. So he left it at that.

BaoBao? BaoBao? However there was no response from BaoBao. Ganging up with Vlad, huh? Wait till I'm done with this world and I'll knock your head for this.

The days passed without much fanfare. The women who used to drop by stopped coming. Vanora dedicated her time and effort to teaching and training the children, fattening them up, and playing with them. This made Vlad inevitably jealous of the attention the children were getting. It was only ever since they started pretending to be humans that Vanora started to let him do more work while she would stare at him. Now that the children entered their lives, she instantly reverted back to her old self of constantly doing something while completely neglecting him.

After they found out the names of the children and that they were now aged 10 and 8, Vanora let them choose how they would like to address Vlad and herself. Seeing themselves as adopted, the children decided to address them by "Dad" and "Mum", reserving the terms "Daddy" and "Mummy" only for their real parents. Unfortunately for Vlad, this only served to make Vanora feel even more responsible for their well being and happiness.

... I don't like children. Vanora shall be mine and mine alone. Vlad concluded sulkily. As a result, he was cold and aloof towards the children, which the children did not mind. They could tell from the way he treated Vanora and the way he looked at her that he was a good person with a good heart.

 

Another 3 months flew by in a blink of an eye.

They went about their day as a family as per normal. Once daylight broke, they would hike into the forest to hunt for food and pick edible vegetation that they did not grow in their garden. Upon their return, they would prepare their lunch as a family before eating together.

The children no longer wondered about the strange eating habits their new parents seem to have. They had accepted Vanora's explanation without questions. To them, Vanora simply liked her food close to raw, while Vlad could be so strong despite surviving on so little due to mastering a particular form of martial arts that he practiced.

After eating their lunch and playing a little with the children while Vlad worked in the fields, she would teach them martial arts and assign them appropriate physical training they would have to complete.

Afterwards, they would prepare dinner together as well before eating together.

Suddenly, Noah spoke up. "Dad, Mum, are we in the way?"

"What?"

"Yes."

Vanora and Vlad replied at the same time.

"Tsk." Vanora shot him a sharp glare, to which Vlad shrugged while pouting.

"I mean... I know that you both actually do... Couple things... But we haven't seen you do it again so far..."

"Couple things? Do again?" Vanora was completely loss.

Vlad's ears perked up as this conversation seemed to be turning interesting.

"Like... That day..." Noah said while blushing and avoiding eye contact.

"Brother's referring to when Dad kissed Mum in a really romantic way in the center of town!" Sophia gushed. "Why haven't we seen anything like that again? If we're in the way, we can always make ourselves scarce for however long you need!" Sophia explained unabashedly. She knew what her brother had been trying to get at.

Vlad grinned widely. Perhaps children aren't so bad after all. "You children are right for once." He ruffled their hair. "Remember how I said your mum was shy about these sort of things?"

Finally receiving Vlad's approval gave the children a burst of pride and courage that they have done something right.

"What do you say, love?" Vlad rested his chin leisurely on his fist while looking at a frozen and red-faced Vanora.

"We're done eating! We'll be playing outside for a long while before bathing for a long while, so we'll be back after a long time! Don't you worry about us!" The children quickly cleared their utensils before scurrying away in giggles.

Vanora frowned. "Look at what you made the children do."

"Hey, they're being nice considerate children, is that bad?" Vlad said with his eyes full of feigned innocence.

Vanora lightly pursed her lips in annoyance until she remembered something that she had wanted to bring up to him before the children came along. "Ah! I completely forgot. I've been wanting to ask you if you're- Erm... in need?"

He raised an eyebrow. "In need of?"

"A woman."

Vlad's eyes first reflected his surprise then became filled with desire and he grinned devilishly. "Yes. I'm in need of a very specific woman... and she's talking to me right now."

Vanora frowned a little. "I didn't mean- I was referring to other- Anyway, you... still refuse to give up on me?"

His look changed to become serious and he said with certainty, "I'll never."

She sighed helplessly as she looked down at the table. Should I just give this a go? It's not like there'd be much difference from how we are now, right?

Well~ According to the history of relationships of other hosts, there'd be sex. Seems like a lot of it, actually. I'd estimate around-

Okay, I get it. Vanora sighed inwardly. She could not decide between maintaining the status quo or taking it a step further. She felt like Vlad really deserved more than what he was receiving but she also felt that she was inadequate. She did not dare to take the leap of faith. The internal debate with herself went on for a quite a while in her head before BaoBao could no longer take it.

Vanora! Just give it a go! You obviously like him! Otherwise, you'd never consider it at all, isn't it?! If you want to think of pros that much, learning something about sex may prove helpful in the future!

But getting with him while I'm still like this just doesn't feel right...

Just take it as you're more than friends but less than lovers or something. Anything that helps you get on with it...

That... actually sounds like an idea, BaoBao.

Mm. Oh and don't you worry, I'll know when to give you the privacy. We have protocols for such situations too. After all it's very normal for-

Thanks BaoBao, no need for the details. Vanora laughed dryly in her mind.

She fiddled with her clothes, kept her gaze fixated on the table, while she spoke hesitantly, "Perhaps... It's not so bad... being together..." She tried desperately to suppress the blush threatening to creep up her face.

Vlad was momentarily stunned speechless. "You- You mean together, as in as a couple, right? As lovers, right?" His eyes shone with hope.

She nodded, "Well, you could put it that way... But there's no need for any commitme-" She got interrupted when Vlad wrapped her up tightly in his arms.

Vlad laughed cheerfully then leaned back, dazzling her with his bright smile. "Vanora... You're the only one for me."

He took out the hair pin and pinned it to her hair. Brushing some loose hair out of her face then tucking them behind her ear, he leaned in for a kiss.

The kiss started as light and slow pecks. It slowly grew deeper and more intense. Eventually, he used his tongue to pry apart her lips and enter her mouth to caress the insides of her mouth. Vanora was so absorbed into the kiss that she did not notice Vlad teleporting them to their bed. The next thing she knew was that she was slowly and gently pushed down to lie on their bed.

Seeing this, BaoBao gave them their privacy and planned to only check back every now and then.

His hand that was caressing her hips and waist slowly snaked up towards her breasts.

Suddenly, the children's jarring shouts could be heard. "Mum!! Dad!!"

They burst into their room with bright smiles on their faces, obviously having completely forgotten what their parents were supposedly up to. "We-"

Being met with Vlad's furious glare immediately shocked them back to reality. They stood there tearful and trembling like a leaf. They instantly regretted their actions. Vanora took pity on them and lightly slapped Vlad's chest.

Vlad growled a little. He got off of Vanora, sat back up straight and messed up his hair in frustration. "Go on, speak, what got you children so excited?"

The children looked at Vanora, who has also gotten up and was now straightening her shirt, to check if it was alright. Upon seeing her nod with a gentle smile, they regained their excitement as easily as it had vanished.

While the children constantly interrupted each other in their excitement of recounting what they had been up to outside the house, Vlad pulled Vanora onto his lap so that he could continue to cuddle with her and smell her, placing occasional kisses on her neck. He could not wait for the children's story to be over so that he could finally have her.

"Then two angels appeared!!" They both said at once. Vlad and Vanora froze upon hearing those words leave the children's mouths.

"They were concerned about us being outside alone so late in the day so-"

"So we explained the situation to them! One of them-"

"One of them said that it was a carnal activity we should not take part of just because it feels good."

"Not that we understand, but!"

"But they gave us something saying that it will-"

"It'll protect us whenever our parents are too busy with themselves!"

Vanora's gut wrenched and she frowned deeply as a bad feeling overwhelmed her. It was worse than how she felt in the bath when she almost fell to Rosa's scheme.

"Look!" They brought their hands forward that they had been hiding behind their backs. They each have a bangle dangling on their wrist in front of Vanora. 

The bangles suddenly shone so brightly that bright light filled the entire room before it gradually dimmed out again. The children blinked their eyes open. To their surprise, the room now only held them. Vlad and Vanora has disappeared into thin air.