I glanced at the surrounding, a few onlookers were eavesdropping toward our direction about three of them, so I kept my face close to Adelle's neck, covering her face completely. I'm certain that I chose the most secluded spot I could ever find, yet there are still people walking in this area. The moment they spot us, they blushed and watched for a few seconds before running away.

I looked at my hand, checking the mark that Adelle has given me when we first met. Before, the mark was paler after that incident in the mountains and gradually vanished after a year or so. But once Adelle began taking my blood, the mark will gradually come back to my hand. I stroked Adelle's hair gently. Then suddenly, my vision fluctuated as the one tree in front of me tripled.

"Stop, stop, stop, Adelle." I repeatedly tap her shoulders.

For an entire minute, Adelle kept sucking the blood from my neck. It was a mistake. I should've let her bite my arm, not in my neck because she's taking her time on drinking it. My quintessence is also draining excruciatingly to keep up with her.

Adelle draws her fangs out of my neck and wipes the blood on her mouth. "Sorry, I didn't expect your blood to be this delicious. It's way better than before."

I pressed the part where Adelle bite off, focusing my entire attention on healing my neck. "It's only been a few days, yet you're already this hungry? Ah, damn. What did you do to your teeth? It's so hot." I kept rubbing my neck.

"Let me look." Adelle checked my neck.

When Adelle got closer, I saw a glimpse of her crimson eyes. Naturally, I'm used to it; however, her eyes are terrifying to look at, yet so beautiful. Moreover, her skin color gradually return. I can't help myself but get worried over her.

In addition to that, an alluring scent was coming from Adelle. The scent is making me crazy. It feels like snakes are crawling inside my skin toward my brain, adding the excruciating heat flowing through. I don't feel any pain, but the discomfort became unbearable.

"There's nothing though? It's completely healed like usual."

"Really?" I looked at her with skeptical eyes.

"Yeah."

"It must be my imagination then."

Then I snapped my fingers, removing the barriers around us. The reason for the barrier was that both Adelle and I are in a vulnerable state, basically, it endangers our life. It became a habit of mine. Clara was there to protect us; however, she... doesn't really do her job pretty well because most of the time—she joins us... Lately, Clara is becoming selfish, and I actually liked it.

I blinked my eyes a few times, wandering my eyes to the sky and trees around me. Gradually, my blood flow finally stabilize but the discomfort remained. I breathe in the air and release it suddenly. "Hoooo..."

"Are you in pain?" Adelle asked worryingly.

"Not really. I just feel odd? Probably the side-effect, but overall, I'm good. So, shall we get going?" I offered my hand to her.

Adelle accepts my hand. "If you say so then let's go."

I scanned the surroundings to check for any unwanted visitors snooping around the area again.

"Looks like everything is good."

Like earlier, it's becoming a troubling matter. For instance, when Shikta saw us last time. Luckily enough, she misinterpreted it as Adelle and I making out because of my sensual action during that time. From what I remember, I held Adelle tight to hide her face and make it seem like she was just kissing my neck as I did earlier. I'm so glad that I'm able to pick that up.

"Haah... Let's spend the remaining time until curfew together. What do you think Adelle?"

Right now, I just want to forget everything and immerse my peaceful time with Adelle by my side. Recently, things haven't been going my way and responsibility kept piling up. Most importantly, I hope the headmaster will keep his words.

Because of my sudden request, Adelle paused and looks me in the eye. "I don't mind." She smiles while nodding.

I turned my head the other way to hide my beet-red face. I was caught off guard. She dealt a lot of damage to me than I expected. It's deadly. For some unknown reason, my heart was beating more rapidly than before and my mind was filled with Adelle's face. I can hear my heart pounding as if it wants to leave my body. What's happening to me?! My neck felt numb. This hasn't happened to me before. I haven't gotten any side-effect from Adelle's bite, so it's practically impossible to happen right now.

I avoided Adelle's eyes by looking down at my feet.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked.

"I don't care about where. I'm satisfied with this."

"Arggh..." I clutched my chest. 'It's devastating!'

"Claude... What's happening to you? Are you really okay?"

"Yes, yes. I'm good. A-All good." I raised a thumb.

"You sure?"

"Y-Yep."

"I forgot to ask. Other than the red hair girl, what do you want to do with Ms. Rinna?"

"R-Rinna? Why... did you suddenly mention her name?" 'Get a hold of yourself!'

"She looks lovely and adorable."

"Ohhh, you also got seduced by her ears as well?" I forcefully laughed.

"Of course.

"I guess that's where we're similar. W-We... have soft spots on fluffy things."

"Everyone loves them."

"True."

"She's the one with the odd spirit right? You mentioned it to me last time, her peculiar way of activating a skill. Even I haven't heard such a thing in my life. She's definitely one of the unique. Outside of that, she's also reliable in combat. I've seen her fight. She's also using an odd weapon too, a monocle."

"A monocle..."

I'm trying to keep up with the conversation, despite my mind and heart begging for something else. I got to admit, maintaining my composure at this instance is practically impossible to achieve, but I was able to manage. I kept licking my lips from time to time.

"I don't know what goes through her head. But thinking about her recent actions, I think she has some father issues. She always requests me to pat her head because it reminds her of her father. Moreover, she's willing to help us by that request of hers."

"Hmm... She thinks in a special way than any other people. I like it."

"Really?"

Adelle nods. "We're meeting different people with unique personalities just like back then. But the difference is that most of those people are about the same age as us, or slightly older. Moreover, they're strong too. It's thrilling."

"Speaking of which, I also met Ciel last time."

"Ciel? Oh, the guy. I remember him. What about him?"

"Do you know a tiny bit about him?"

"Hm... He's certainly strong. I haven't seen him talking to someone unless he's provoking Mr. Shin. He's shutting himself off from others. In class, he's just sitting in the corner, and afterward, he will leave. That's practically his routine. I mean, not only him but there are also other people that had their own world."

"No one, huh? I have a similar thing going on with my class. It's like everyone loathes each other. I got myself lucky with Erik and Lars but after that day... Anyway, as I was saying, most of my classmates doesn't do well with each other."

"He's a pitiful one."

"A pitiful one, huh?"

As the conversation gradually moved, the discomfort that I'm feeling finally eased which left my mind with overflowing questions. Despite the topic changing to Ciel, Adelle didn't seem to mind. I deliberately asked him because his strange nature draws my attention, adding the man earlier. The world is dangerous, as anything can happen, but preventing one or two of them can in fact make my life easier and the people around me.

Instead of avoiding the problem, it would be wise to handle it myself since the Shin that I've seen is not the person that I knew. With how my life is revolving in this school, I need to make my move. I need to make the first step for that to happen before anyone close gets hurt. My life has been in constant danger, so it's dumb of me to think I can avoid those in here.

"Have you talked to him?"

"No. Do I look like a person who likes taking the initiative to talk to someone? I'm the least sociable person." Adelle grunted.

"But you took the initiative to talk to me before? You even invited me."

"Because... I lost. You didn't let your guard down or wanted to impress me which is different from all my past battles before that. Every man that challenges me has the same thoughts. So it's enlightening to have someone who will take you seriously. Nothing but thoughts on how to win. That intrigued me. But in reality, as Stephanie once said to me, you're just a different breed of pervert."

"Hey, who are you calling a pervert? First and foremost, you know the reason for that. Second, I'm a teen on his puberty, so my hormones are acting up, okay? Lastly, I would also say the same to you, pervert."

"Huh?! Why me?!"

"Oh, I forgot. Who was the person who likes to impersonate Master Irene and Clara's perverse act? We're the same."

"Eeukh! Don't say that!" Adelle shuts my mouth with her hands. "I'm complimenting you, jerk. I said you're a different breed of pervert."

'How's that a compliment?' I gnaw on her hand, as a way of rejection.

"You're different compared to them because you're far more... Proper? Respectable?"

I removed Adelle's hand out of my mouth.

"Go on... If you want me to believe that make it sound believable."

"Hey, wait a minute, okay?! It's already at the tip of my tongue, okay?! I'm thinking for the correct word."

I watched Adelle mulling over it, leaving a smile on my face. Time passes quickly, as I already noticed the sky getting darker. I was hoping I can stay like this for a little while, but there are rules that must be followed. But, on the upside, with how things turned out today. Overall, it's good and bad at the same time.

"I-I forgot to m-mention! Stephanie and I will be going in a dungeon together, do you want to join us?"

"...Only the two of you?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, I don't mind."

"G-Great!" Adelle forced a smile.

"What about Lily?"

"Because of the restriction, she wouldn't be able to join us, so she said that she'll invite you one day."

"I see, that's great then."

I stared her in the eyes and flashed a smile. The corner of Adelle's mouth twitched.

"Sorry..." Adelle cast her gaze down.

"That's fine. If you can't think of a word, I'll just accept the reality."

"That's not true! There's just too many that I can't find the exact one!" Adelle said, flusteredly.

"Well, thank you then."

Afterward, I sent her to her dormitory while I'm still walking alone, going back to my dormitory. I checked Adelle's mark once again. I asked Diana for the reason and she told me that it's just probably the aftermath of Adelle's excessiveness earlier. Out of curiosity, I summoned a spear and cut the palm of my hand.

"Does it really taste good? I've already tasted it many times..."

After licking it, I came to the conclusion that nothing really changed in my body because the blood still taste the same for me. This obviously shattered my expectation. Many days, months, and years had passed, yet why I'm not turning into a vampire? When I learned the fact that Adelle is a vampire, I had this urges on wanting to be one out of curiosity.

"I should really stop expecting things since it's always been a disappointment..."