novelraw Chapter 873: Worry-Free, Three Lives (1)
Chapter 873: Worry-Free, Three Lives (1)
Although the passage along the way appeared somewhat eerie and strange, when the guests reached the end of the corridor, they felt a sense of openness.
They did not feel the heat; it was quite cool due to being deep underground. The air was not stuffy either, even with candlelight illuminating the space.
The ventilation system here seemed quite good.
Surrounding them were many oak barrels, and the rich aroma of red wine filled the air.
Guests gathered in small groups, chatting with one another.
At this moment, Zhong Luoyue had already sent away several men who had approached her for conversation upon seeing her alone.
Just then, a servant dressed in the manor's attire pushed in a cart carrying a batch of unbranded red wine, about thirty bottles in total.
Soon after, other servants emerged holding wine-opening tools and decanters, and before long, they flitted among the guests like butterflies, serving them the freshly brewed wine.
At this point, a servant approached Zhong Luoyue with a tray carrying several glasses of the newly added red wine. However, she was quickly intercepted by someone.
It was Lady Eve.Lady Eve took two glasses from the servant and smiled slightly. The servant nodded and retreated the way she came.
Lady Eve came to Zhong Luoyue’s side and brought her a glass. After receiving it, Zhong Luoyue thanked her. Lady Eve chuckled, her charm radiating.
The interaction between women seemed to begin with compliments.
Zhong Luoyue admired the necklace that Lady Eve was wearing and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the 'Light of the Forest,' crafted by the master jeweler Pierfelis, using seven different types of emeralds. The piece in the center is called 'Eye of the Forest,' right?"
Lady Eve glanced at Zhong Luoyue and laughed lightly, "You seem to have a good understanding of jewelry."
Zhong Luoyue smiled back, "It's normal for women to have some knowledge of jewelry. I worked as a jewelry auctioneer for half a year while I was in school, so I know a bit more."
"It seems I've encountered someone worth conversing with," Lady Eve raised her glass towards Zhong Luoyue.
Zhong Luoyue was not unfamiliar with such interactions with noblewomen.
Her demeanor was nearly impeccable, which made Lady Eve’s smile grow even brighter.
"I remember you have a male companion," Lady Eve suddenly said, "What about our esteemed gambling master’s apprentice?"
Zhong Luoyue replied nonchalantly, "Mr. Tu just had someone inform me that he had something to attend to and stepped away. He should be back soon. Does Lady Eve have something to discuss with A Jie?"
"Nothing much," Lady Eve shook her head, "I just hadn't had a chance to greet him in the vineyard. I haven't seen that boy in years. I heard he has been doing quite well outside, so I wanted to hear about his wonderful life. After all, I consider myself one of his elders."
"Lady Eve, with such radiant beauty, hardly seems like an elder," Zhong Luoyue smiled and flattered, "It’s more like his sister."
"Miss Zhong, you have a way with words," Lady Eve shook her head, suddenly looking a bit melancholic, "But I’m getting old, and wrinkles can't be hidden. I can’t compare to you young ones."
Zhong Luoyue said, "There is a kind of beauty that needs time to mature. Lady Eve’s time is just right."
Lady Eve smiled gently and suddenly said, "Would you like to take a closer look at it? The 'Light of the Forest,' I can take it off for you to examine."
"Is that okay?" Zhong Luoyue seemed a bit tempted, but after glancing around at the guests, she shook her head again.
Lady Eve said, "Beautiful jewelry deserves to be appreciated in peace. And since you’re someone who appreciates it, I would be very happy to let you touch it... There’s a quiet room nearby, which might be just right for us."
"As long as we don’t miss the opening of the legendary 'Wangchuan' wine," Zhong Luoyue gestured for her to lead the way.
Lady Eve gently took Zhong Luoyue’s hand, smiling, "Trust me, you will be one of the lucky ones."
…
…
The voices gradually faded, and the place where Cithacyl took Luo Qiu became increasingly secluded.
In fact, the way Cithacyl guided Luo Qiu felt remarkably familiar to him regarding the structure of the cellar. Considering that this castle was originally built by Cithacyl's ancestor, Baron Fernandez, it was not surprising.
"Aren't we supposed to go to the wine-tasting area?" Luo Qiu suddenly asked.
Cithacyl replied, "No need to rush; I have something better. I also don’t want the environment of the scene to ruin your mood. I hope you can stay relaxed and enjoy yourself."
"Relaxed?" Luo Qiu wondered, "Do I look tense?"
"No, no, no, I meant later," Cithacyl said slowly, "Some vampires have poor dining etiquette and even lose their elegance. Imagine, for us, drinking blood is like eating. If someone at a high-end restaurant were to grab a steak with their hands and start biting into it, wouldn’t that be quite vulgar?"
Luo Qiu nodded in agreement, as he had no particular objection to different manners being appropriate for different occasions.
Dining etiquette in a Western restaurant is a cultural norm, much like the tradition of setting off firecrackers during domestic festivals, reflecting culture rather than pretentiousness.
"Since dining is something you need to pay attention to, why do some boorish individuals exist?" Luo Qiu asked curiously, "As far as I know, vampires described in books are elegant, each seemingly flowing with noble blood."
Cithacyl explained, "We are always inclined to retain beautiful impressions. For instance, in the human world, how much praise is there for ancient emperors? Yes, vampires are indeed elegant; their long lives afford them enough time to learn and adhere to the decaying rules to pass the time. But this applies to those who have existed for a long time. In fact, there are quite a few young vampires in today’s society who don’t have to conform too much, especially those who have turned unexpectedly and not through normal means."
"Unexpected ways... Apart from the initial embrace, are there other transformation methods for vampires?"
Cythacyl nodded and said, “Yes, there is a kind of sorcery that can transform a person into a vampire. This strange sorcery was created by a half-blood, whose father was a vampire and mother a witch. In this cross-species union, the couple accidentally broke through reproductive isolation and gave birth to a hybrid. He inherited the abilities of a vampire while also possessing powerful magical powers.”
Luo Qiu couldn’t help but exclaim, “There are truly many wonders in the world.”
Cythacyl agreed, “Indeed, even we, who possess long lives, will never truly understand our own insignificance.”
Luo Qiu was adept at picking up clues from conversations, and he felt a slight stir in his heart, saying, “From what you’ve said, could it be that there are those transformed through sorcery in today’s hunt?”
“My friend, your mind is truly sharp.” Cythacyl smiled slightly. “Yes, and you have already seen one.”
“Takizawa?”
“Exactly.” Cythacyl nodded. “Takizawa, along with his entire family, is a product of sorcery transformation. Takizawa's ancestor was once a servant to this hybrid. At the time of his ancestor's death, out of a desire for life, he asked his master to transform him into a vampire. Since then, a vampire family outside of tradition was formed.”
Luo Qiu pondered, “It seems you don’t particularly like vampires transformed by sorcery.”
Cythacyl said, “That’s because you haven’t seen Takizawa in his true form. ‘Ugly’ doesn’t even begin to describe them. They are like enormous leeches, their madness for blood akin to that of a lunatic… it’s truly a disgusting sight.”
Cythacyl suddenly stopped, as there was a delicate door in front of them.
Cythacyl pushed the door open.
The room was arranged very neatly, with soft carpets on the floor, and its luxurious decor rivaled that of five-star hotel suites.
Cythacyl pointed to a large sofa and invited Luo Qiu to sit down. He himself walked over to a nearby coat rack, removed his suit jacket, and undid two buttons at his collar, rolling up his sleeves. “If it’s hot, it’s okay to take it off.”
Luo Qiu shook his head. “I feel fine.”
“Would you like to listen to some music?” Cythacyl asked softly at that moment.
Luo Qiu shook his head.
Cythacyl walked over slowly, a strange smile on his face. If one looked closely, they would notice that his lips had turned a shade of purple, giving off an eerie vibe.
He came to Luo Qiu's front and whispered, “You know, we won’t randomly show our fangs to humans, because we are also extremely picky about our food, unlike types like the Takizawa family, who eat anything when hungry. Of course, except on hunting days…”
His fingers rested on Luo Qiu’s shoulder, moving slowly. “Basically, we always carry a blood servant with us… Of course, the role of a blood servant isn’t just to supply us with blood; they also handle many mundane matters for us, so the selection of blood servants is extremely strict. They must not only be excellent but also to our liking.”
A strange glint flashed in Cythacyl’s eyes as he moved his hand to lift Luo Qiu’s chin gently. “I really like you; I wasn’t planning to look for a blood servant today… Luo Qiu, accept my love.”
Cythacyl’s eyes suddenly flashed with red light, and when he slightly opened his mouth, two sharp fangs were revealed… He looked at Luo Qiu, who had become completely motionless, and leaned in to kiss his lips.
“No wonder I’ve always felt something was off…”
“What…”
Bang—!
In a moment of shock, Cythacyl felt his body violently struck by a tremendous force. The power was so great that he couldn’t resist even a little.
His entire body was thrown back, crashing directly into a thick stone wall—he was even embedded in the wall.
A splash of crimson blood spilled from Cythacyl’s mouth, clearly suffering from serious internal injuries—indeed, at the moment of impact, Cythacyl could hear at least eight bones breaking in his body. Were it not for the vampire's strong physique, it would have cost him his life.
Yet, rather than feeling fear, Cythacyl displayed a different kind of fervor. “Oh, Luo Qiu, I didn’t expect you to possess such great power… My love for you is uncontainable; I truly, deeply love you!”
Luo Qiu felt a sensation akin to being touched by cold jelly throughout his body, and he sighed deeply. “Looks like my luck is turning for the worse; I didn’t expect the first emotion to return was 'Disgust'…”
Cythacyl extracted himself from the wall, easily realigning his fractured arm, while he tore open his shirt, unbuttoning the rest to reveal his pale chest.
“Ah… Luo Qiu, you remind me of a druid from fifty years ago, filled with the pure breath of nature, forever elegant and intellectual.” Cythacyl wore an excited smile. “I can’t wait to pin you down… Oh, this damn noble etiquette, why should I care about it now? I should hold you in my arms… Ah!!!!”
Cythacyl then lunged directly at Luo Qiu.
Luo Qiu didn’t understand any fighting techniques, nor did he know the extent of his current power. Facing Cythacyl’s wild assault, he instinctively swung his arm away, truly not wanting this guy to touch him again.
Cythacyl was met with an overwhelming force again, crashing straight to the ground—this time, he felt that more than half of his bones had shattered.
Even the vampire's super regeneration ability couldn’t restore him instantly.
“Who… who are you?” Cythacyl suddenly realized he had made a big mistake. “You are not an ordinary undead…”
“Disgust.” Luo Qiu glanced at Cythacyl, mumbling as if to himself, “Next comes the impulse to destroy you. It seems negative emotions are easier to awaken directly; I wonder if I will feel pleasure after killing you… Let’s give it a try.”
This person… what is he talking about?
Cythacyl barely lifted his head, looking into the cold gaze of his opponent… yet, his expression was oddly relaxed.
“Wait a minute, you… are you here for ‘True Blood’?” At that moment, Cythacyl spat out a mouthful of blood before finishing his sentence.
The invisible force pressing down on him continued to intensify… he even felt that if he gave in, his body would be crushed into a pile of mush.
“True Blood? What’s that?”
Luo Qiu’s curiosity was piqued again.
The surge of killing intent he had just felt, which he wasn’t particularly satisfied with but was genuine, instantly vanished.