As he mechanically unfastened Bia's elaborate gown, he had lost all appetite he had had earlier, not even a trace of it.
What was he doing? What did he want? He didn't even know himself...
"Your Majesty..." The luxurious wall decorations and dim candlelight only served to highlight Bia's myriad charms. She understood what the man sought to capture—her body, which was naturally a temptation for men.
"No matter what troubles the King, Biyia is willing to share his burdens…" She shook off the half-unfastened corset and cautiously approached Luo, rubbing her voluptuous breasts against his arm.
"Hmph… Women have always only wanted to take from me—wealth, power, fame… Now they even want to share my troubles?"
At this point, Luo felt only irony. At least Ivina was an exception, wasn't she?
What he gave her, she didn't want. Damn exception!
"Your Majesty…" Biya wept. Soon, her green eyes were filled with tears, making her look pitifully charming.
"Shh… If you cry, how can I kiss you? I'm the one who hates it most when women cry." Luo kept getting closer, his mesmerizing eyes impossible to resist. He curled his lips into a playful smile and removed the last piece of clothing covering Biya's body.
[Luo, have you never considered my feelings?]
In the haze of heat, Luo vaguely recalled Ivina's words.
[In this dark realm of yours, where day and night never change, why insist on keeping me here?]
Yes, why keep her, a human…
As the heat subsided, Luo slowly swirled the red wine in his glass. The black silk nightgown hung loosely on either side of his body, appearing so unrestrained. Leaning against the pale beam of light, his moonlit shadow once again became so aloof.
And this time, would anyone still hold him tightly and foolishly swear an oath to the vampire?
Taking a sip of the red liquid, Luo raised his glass. Through it, he gazed at the scene outside. The world seemed to grow increasingly murky...
"Do you know that after the ball, Bia stayed in the king's bedroom? Such treatment is probably unprecedented!"
Two maids hid behind a stone pillar, whispering to each other.
"Yes, does that mean her status is no longer that of a mere sex slave?"
"It depends on the king's intentions..."
"Oh... please don't let that happen! If she gains power, we'll all suffer! The king has his sights set on that weak Vistata witch, right? If she were to choose... it would be beneficial for us!"
"Huh, that's true... Shh, hide quickly, someone's coming."
The two maids hurriedly hid their bodies behind the massive stone pillar.
"Tsmer, it's been a long time..."
"Is that Bia?" one of the petite maids asked in surprise.
"Shh... Keep your voice down! If Bia discovers we're eavesdropping, we'll be severely punished..." The other maid made a shushing gesture nervously.
"It's Bia. Congratulations. I'm truly happy for you that you were able to get close to the king last night..." The woman was heavily made up, her blood-red lipstick barely maintaining the color on her face.
" We are indeed close friends. Thank you. If you went to such trouble to come here and thank me for such a small matter, you will have to work even harder in the future. The King has plenty of opportunities to favor me. Hahaha." Bia covered her mouth and laughed, her half-exposed chemise flaunting the kiss marks from last night.
Such a small matter? What a pitiful triumph...
"Yes, but isn't the king by your side? I still came here specially..." Zmel quickly adjusted her expression, and the harmonious atmosphere was flawless.
"Wow... that's impressive. Do all the women around the king have such depth? Their words are like knives! Except for that witch, Vesa... Even though the king cares so much about her, she's still so moody. "
"Hey, you told me not to speak, yet you're the one chattering away." The maid symbolically tapped the person beside her, signaling to continue eavesdropping on Bia and Tzmel's private conversation.
"The King isn't here." Bia answered bluntly; she never wanted to share that man with any other woman.
"Not here? That's strange. How long has he been lingering by your side?" Tzmel grew arrogant as she gradually approached Bia. "I've heard that when that foreigner named Vissa violated the law, the King stayed by her side for a full moon, humming… and couldn't bear to leave…"
{Full moon: A time system established by vampires based on the moonlight. Equivalent to an entire night in the 24-hour system.}
"What do you mean by that? The King has many important matters to attend to, and as someone who cares for him, I naturally don't want him to linger too long in the arms of a woman. So…"
"So I'm saying that Bia's shamelessness has grown even deeper. Hahaha." Tzmel flicked her dark brown hair, her expression much more relaxed.
"If you offend me now, you'll regret it." Bia's face darkened. With no one around, she didn't hesitate to reveal her ugly face to her old rival Tzmel.
"Oh, no, no, no. Are you angry? It wasn't me who offended you, but that witch who's been hiding in the corner, cursing in secret."
"This...?" Biya couldn't understand the hidden meaning in his words.
Tzemel smiled knowingly and gently pointed to the silk scarf on Biya's left hand. "Did you get the reputation you wanted?"
Looking at the lowly name still covered by the silk scarf on her arm, Biya felt humiliated.
"I'm not trying to stir up trouble, but I truly believe that with your beauty and wisdom, you surpass the Vistara witch by more than a few degrees. Yet she effortlessly obtained the king's precious surname. Ah… Thinking about it this way, you'll lose a great deal of your chances at the upcoming Blood Witch Memorial."
"Impossible?! Where did you hear that? Where did you hear that?" That noble surname has always been hers. Only she is worthy of the king, to inherit the title of Blood Witch, to accompany the proud him through eternity.
"I heard… you said it yourself, it's just hearsay. No one has seen it with their own eyes, but there are indeed rumors circulating… Instead of being anxious, why not take it as a warning? Unfortunately, you are still just a slave of desire. Who could you replace to compete for the title of Blood Witch? Bia, give it up."
"Get out of my sight!" Bia screamed hysterically, plunging from the heaven of triumph to hell in an instant.
"Look at you, so helpless. You've lost all your arrogant demeanor. You won't stand a chance against the cunning Vistata witch, hmph."
"I won't lose… I won't lose! I won't lose to you, and I certainly won't lose to that lowly witch!"
"Very well, that's very good. Since you don't want to lose… do you want to know how to win?" Tzmer gave a sinister smile, his facial muscles stiff but forcing an unnatural grin.
Looking into Tzmer's eyes, Bia nodded involuntarily.
A lavish conspiracy, a low-key beginning.
It seems that no one is the smartest one…