Chapter 3: The First Strike! (That Felt Like a Pillow)

The pale man was Ashtenin Constance. The vampire king who had lived for hundreds of years. The lonely king who had spent five centuries in painful anticipation, waiting for his lover who never awoke from her long slumber.

Now, Ashtenin's five-century wait had finally borne fruit. In front of the large mirror at the end of the room filled with the scent of incense and black roses, the human girl who was the apple of his eye was sitting, staring at him.

“Is that... really you, Seliana?” His voice trembled slightly in disbelief.

“You... you're finally back... Beautiful Queen.” Behind his pale face and bloodshot eyes, tears flowed uncontrollably from the corners of his red eyes, slowly wetting his cheeks and chin.

Ashtenin slowly walked forward. Each step of his shoes echoed in the soundproof room.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Lien, who saw the Cold-Blooded King walking closer, began to panic. Her beautiful face quickly paled. Cold sweat began to bead on her forehead.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! This is terrible! This flying rat, he's really going to kill me! Her green pupils moved wildly, scanning the area for any opening or weapon.

I have to find an opening, any weapon! But where are there weapons here?! This place has absolutely no security?! she thought in panic.

“Don't come any closer!” Seliana screamed.

Ashtenin immediately stopped in his tracks. His shadow almost completely covered the girl's body. His red eyes stared intently down at her.

"You... stop right there! If you dare take another step, I will kill you immediately! This is a warning!"

However, instead of sounding like a deadly threat from a killer, the voice that came out of the girl's lips was the opposite. It wasn't heavy and terrifying, but rather sounded like the soft cry of a sulking kitten. Very... cute.

Ashtenin, who heard it, was initially surprised, but slowly, his lips curved upward. He smiled, as if he had just discovered a side of his lover that he had never seen before.

“Lia... why do you want to kill me? But, why did your threat just now sound so... adorable? Hehe.”

“H-huh?!” Seliana's eyes widened. “I'm serious! This is no joke! Get out of my way, you winged leech!”

“Wow...” The Vampire King's grin widened. “You're so rude today, Lia. I've never seen you this sweet!”

Ashtenin continued walking, completely ignoring Seliana's incessant warnings.

“You must be very tired after sleeping in that coffin all this time. Let me carry you. And I will prepare everything for you, Lia... my queen.”

Seeing the King getting closer and ignoring her threats, Lien's sanity was about to snap.

This rat is ignoring me even though I threatened him?! Damn it!

Her mind raced, her remaining warrior instincts drawing one conclusion from the final result she had obtained.

The only weapon she had was this small hand?! Ugh! There was no other choice! I don't care if I die again after this!

Seliana stood up quickly, immediately positioning her fist from behind upwards.

“Die!!”

She threw a quick uppercut, aiming right at the King's chin. However, because Lien was not yet accustomed to the center of gravity and balance of her new body, which was filled with “extra weight” in her chest, her punch missed fatally.

“Eh?”

Her feet slipped on her own dress. Her body lurched forward, and her clenched fist fell instead.

Sreett!

A strong hand grabbed Seliana's slender wrist, Ashtenin's hand. The hand was cold and strong but gentle enough to hold the girl's body so she wouldn't fall.

Seliana looked up, staring directly at the pale face of the man from a very close distance. The expression on the man's face was not fear but confusion.

“You just woke up, why are you forcing yourself to stand?” the vampire's red eyes blinked rapidly. “I won't let you walk alone. Let me help you, okay?”

Seliana, seeing her hand being gripped by the King, tried to break free.

“Let go! Your hands are cold! Go away!”

Her left hand, still free, now flew forward, punching the King's chest repeatedly.

Bukk! Bukk! Bukk!

Punch after punch was thrown. However, due to Seliana's weak physique and the fact that she had just regained consciousness, the punches felt soft to Ashtenin, as if someone were throwing cotton pillows at him. He didn't even waver slightly from his standing position.

“Ouch! Ouch!” he teased, chuckling softly, looking at her affectionately. “It hurts! Ouch! Hit me again, Lia! I really miss your punches, hehe.”

Lien saw her knightly pride instantly shattered into pieces by Ashtenin's insulting words.

THIS MAN IS ACTUALLY ENJOYING IT?! MY BLOWS ARE JUST A RELEASE OF LONGING FOR THE OWNER OF THIS BODY?! DAMN IT!

“Ugh! Why are you enjoying it?! Feel this!”

Hap!

Ashtenin's free hand casually caught the girl's left fist just before it touched his chest again.

Now both of Seliana's hands were gripped by Ashtenin's cold hands. The vampire's body leaned forward slightly, pressing his cold chest against Seliana's soft chest.

Their faces were only 10 centimeters apart.

Ashtenin's cold breath blew softly, brushing Seliana's face and ruffling a few strands of her blonde bangs. The man's blood-red eyes stared deeply, as if wanting to penetrate directly into the depths of her soul. They were so close that Lien could see her own beautiful face reflected in the Vampire King's eyes.

Ugh! My hands are locked! This rat is so strong!

“Ugh! Let go...” protested Lien, trying to resist. However, her voice, which had been full of rejection, slowly faded, replaced by a strange vibration that was stuck in her throat.

Ashtenin did not let go. Instead, the man slowly tilted his head, burying his pale face in the crook of Seliana's neck. The King's aquiline nose inhaled deeply the scent of the girl's body.

“Your scent... is still as sweet as roses in spring, my Queen,” whispered Ashtenin. His hoarse baritone voice vibrated right next to Seliana's ear, sending shock waves through her nerves.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Lien's eyes widened as much as they could. The heart behind her large chest suddenly beat wildly, crashing against her ribs like a broken drum machine.

W-what the hell is this?! Why is my heart beating so fast?! Have I been poisoned?! What kind of deadly magic is this?! Lien panicked inside.

However, the real horror had only just begun. The air around them felt heavier due to the intoxicating pheromones of the Vampire King. Something inside Seliana's biological body responded to those pheromones.

The magical effects of the “Weapon of Mass Destruction” given to her by the Goddess Cynthiana were now fully active.

A sudden heat spread from Seliana's neck to her ears. Her smooth white face instantly turned as red as a boiled tomato. Her knees, which had been firmly supporting her anger, suddenly lost their strength and turned to jelly. If Ashtenin hadn't been holding her hand, Lien would have fallen to the floor.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?! WHY ARE MY LEGS SO WEAK?! STAND UP STRAIGHT, COME ON! DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS RAT! Lien's soul roared inside, cursing this biological betrayal.

Lien opened her mouth to curse, intending to shout the word: “B-bastard...”

However, her throat muscles completely betrayed her. What came out of Seliana's tiny lips was a very soft, long, and... seductive sigh.

“Nghh... a-ah...”

Lien froze. Time seemed to stop.

Wait... whose voice was that? MY VOICE?! JUST KILL ME NOW, YOU STUPID GODDESS!!! Imaginary smoke of despair billowed from the legendary hunter's head. His pride as a real man had just plummeted to the deepest depths of the world.

Hearing that sweet sigh, Ashtenin's grin widened, becoming deadly. His glowing red eyes now radiated absolute satisfaction and domination.

“You are very honest, Lia. Your body desires me as much as I desire you,” Ashtenin chuckled softly.

Without warning, Ashtenin released his grip on Seliana's wrist, then with one smooth movement slipped his arm under the girl's knees and back.

Wush! In the blink of an eye, the earth seemed to lose its gravity. Lien's body was lifted into the air in the Vampire King's arms in the Bridal Style.

“P-put me down! You damn rat! Put me down!” Lien pounded Ash's chest with the last of her strength, her face still red with embarrassment that almost made her veins burst.

"Sshh... you're still too weak after waking up, my dear. Let your husband carry you to the main room. You need a bath and a change of clothes," Ashtenin said triumphantly, stepping out of the coffin room as if carrying the most precious trophy in the universe.

H-Husband?! BATH?!

Lien's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. HELP ME!!