I Want to Break Free from the Vampire’s Blood Bag

Doubt

Releasing a vampire’s familiar.

Needless to say, if Arein finds out, this won’t end as a simple matter.

But for this, both Floria and the Saint have endured without resolving anything.

I can’t let my plans crumble here.

-Creeak.

Thus, Isabella opened the door.

She made an exaggerated formal greeting in front of the door.

“Good day. We meet again today.”

Like a mustached gentleman, as if enjoying this situation.

…?

I see Arein’s bewildered expression.

There’s someone standing right in front of the door, and the fact that it’s not me.

Well, what can I do? Better make the first move.

“Let me explain…”

-Click.

Arein’s finger flicks lightly.

“Mmph mmph mmph?”

A silence spell. She only uses it when it’s convenient for her. Once again, I’ve been relegated to spectator mode.

“You stay quiet.”

Arein’s gaze is fixed on the bed. The sheets are quite disheveled from Isabella jumping around.

[Acquired 1 point of Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath from ‘Arein S. Asphodel’]

Starting with 1 point already. I’m screwed.

“MMPH MMPH!!”

As I make muffled sounds, Isabella chimes in.

“To think there could be such a distrustful master-servant relationship… how sad.”

She says it’s sad while grinning broadly.

“Izanek Isabella. The dorm supervisor has been looking for you.”

“The bald one? That’s fine. By the way, speak casually. We’re in the same grade, aren’t we?”

This is the first time I’ve seen someone at the academy speak informally to Arein – perhaps they were already acquainted.

Arein changes her mouth shape and gives a slight smile.

‘Well. Anything to say about this situation?’

There was clearly anger from before remaining in her voice.

‘Not really? What’s there to be nervous about? Just two people of opposite sex in the late night. It’s normal, isn’t it? We’re young!’

One thing’s for sure – she’s not in her right mind either.

‘Why did you lock the door? What were you trying to do?’

‘Whimper!’

Actually, isn’t locking doors supposed to be the default?

Isabella mumbled in a shy, sulky voice.

‘…we promised to do it.’

‘…?’

Speak with proper subjects and objects!

Arein slightly turned her gaze towards me. She glared at me with her arms crossed.

‘Whimper!’

Along with this, the following message washes over me.

[Gained 1 point of Seven Deadly Sins: Jealousy from ‘Arein S. Asphodel’]

[※Warning: The hostility felt from the authority figure is high. Be careful with your conduct.]

Fortunately, Arein soon turns her head to look at Isabella.

‘Isabella. Stop joking around.’

‘But it’s true…’

As Isabella continued to deny, Arein snapped her fingers without fail.

-Snap.

“Phew. Ugh.”

“You tell her.”

My mouth was unsealed and I got the right to speak. Good. What’s the best excuse?

Should I go with the scenario that somehow I ended up in a duel, and this person agreed to help me practice?

“♪♩♫~”

As if it wasn’t her business, Isabella showed no sign of being flustered and just kept humming.

‘Should I just tell everything?’

Yeah, let’s just be brazen about it. This is an era where being brazen actually works.

“My lady. Isabella is trying to kill me.”

“What?”

Arein reacts to my straightforward statement that seemed to have given up on everything.

“What you mentioned earlier about the promise was that I’m going to have a duel with Isabella.”

She spoke as if she knew something.

“I heard what the dormitory supervisor said. Don’t tell me?”

It seems the news about this duel has finally reached Arein’s ears too.

The reason she suddenly came looking for me was probably to talk about this.

“…I’m sorry. Somehow, I ended up in an advancement duel.”

Arein let out a low sigh and snapped at me.

“You decided that on your own? Was there even mutual agreement?”

Isabella answered instead.

‘There was no agreement. This person is a commoner, isn’t she?’ At her matter-of-fact words, Arein’s face slightly furrowed.

Isabella continued proudly, paying no mind.

‘A legitimate duel approved by witness Daim. Your servant wished for it, and I was selected.’

Technically it was because of that pervert, but this isn’t the time to bring that up.

‘Why would you, a Royal Class student…?’

‘I don’t know either. It just happened that way. So I came to say hello and maybe intimidate you a bit. Looking forward to it, Lee Ha-yu.’

-Thump.

She casually tapped my behind. I wonder if she’s really just a kid.

‘Ha-yu, is this true?’

‘Yes. I have nothing to say about the parts that were decided without my input. I’m sorry.’

Arein didn’t question the other aspects much. It seems she had cross-verified with Daim.

‘……’

Besides, a Royal Class student like Isabella taking interest in me for no reason is the kind of development you’d see in a harem anime.

As the atmosphere grew heavy, Isabella began teasing me while circling around.

‘If you lose the duel, Ha-yu will be expelled from the academy~’

Why did she have to mention that.

‘…?!’

Arein’s expression twitched.

‘I made a bet with the bald supervisor. If Ha-yu loses, she leaves the academy, and if she wins, baldy strips.’

Arein glared at me as if wondering what nonsense this was.

I had nothing to say about the mess I’d created.

‘Lee Ha-yu, are you crazy? Who gave you the right…’

Isabella chimed in with another comment.

‘Then will Arein take her place instead?’

‘?!’

‘You’re her master, right? You should take responsibility for your servant.’

Arein’s expression filled with bewilderment at the playful, mischievous tone.

Isabella had clearly thrown bait to Arein.

But for Arein, who thought of me as merely an object, would there be any reason to bite?

‘……Instead?’

Surprisingly, Arein showed interest in Isabella’s words.

‘As expected of the Asphodel family. But you know what? There’s no such thing as a proxy duel.’

This wasn’t a Pokémon battle, and for nobles who value pride, a duel without the principal party would be meaningless.

Arein made a sour expression.

‘Are you mocking me again?’

‘No! There’s always team battle. We can duel like this: me and my subordinate versus Arein and Ha-yu.’

Ten seconds of silence followed Isabella’s proposal.

‘……’

Arein muttered as if she had made some decision.

‘…Fine. If we win, Ha-yu also wins the bet, right?’

‘Of course, of course~’

So this is what they mean by turning crisis into opportunity.

‘Successfully dragged Arein into the duel……’

To be able to achieve something without lifting a finger.

It feels like we’re just one step away from dissolving the contract.

Indeed, Isabella is truly the daughter of a born merchant.

‘I’ll notify you of the duel time through Daim. Take care until then.’

She roughly gathered her clothes.

‘Well then, goodbye~’

Isabella left my room, showing concern even for our well-being.

-Whoosh.

The series of movements flowed as one, in a truly natural sequence.

Except for that little brat smacking my bottom one more time before leaving.

-……

Standing there awkwardly, I asked Arein to wrap up the situation.

‘I apologize for the inconvenience, but would you like to come in for a moment?’

‘……Rather than that, you.’

‘??’

‘Never mind.’

Arein let out a deep sigh, then turned her head sharply and disappeared.

* * *

Royal Class Dormitory. Arein’s room.

Since Ha-yu’s excessive bleeding incident, the path from the entrance to the bed in Arein’s room has been completely cleared.

The table, shelves, and comfortable sofa have all been rearranged to the other side.

Next to the bed, she installed a lamp that turns on and off with just a little mana.

She was sitting on the bed, checking letters using that lamp.

————————
I believe you will do well.
————————

The twelfth letter was a simple greeting from the House of Asphodel.

In fact, since Arein has sisters who have grown into excellent vampires, even this short phrase was somewhat burdensome.

But she would do well. She always had.

-Thud.

Once again, the sound of neatly folded paper being unfolded.

“Haa.”

Finally, she let out a short sigh.

From the thirteenth letter onwards were marriage proposals from various regions.

For demon-kind, politeness is not an essential courtesy.

Therefore, writing rejection letters was always Ha-yu’s responsibility.

“It’s inconvenient.”

While redirecting the letter’s delivery to Ha-yu’s room could lead to bigger issues later, personally delivering it feels somewhat awkward.

Due to the nature of the dormitory system, it’s not easy to assign tasks when we’re not in close proximity.

“It’s inconvenient……”

Even more inconvenient is Ha-yu’s behavior.

“Starting things on her own?”

She wonders about Ha-yu’s intentions.

At first, she thought it was simply an attempt to skip a grade.

Though unlikely, if she won the duel and succeeded in skipping a grade, she wouldn’t have to perform servant duties anymore.

Of course, it’s also vexing that she’s trying to escape from her control, even if just a little.

This deserves some punishment.

But what’s more incomprehensible is that she chose to duel against someone from the Royal Class and even made a bet.

– If she loses, she’ll leave the academy.

If Lee Ha-yu loses the bet, due to her nature as a bound servant, she cannot be far from her master, so they would have to return to the mansion together amicably.

Or temporarily release the servant bond and leave her with the Asphodel family.

Since the former would never be permitted by the main family, they would have to choose the latter to at least save Ha-yu’s life.

This made it difficult to gauge whether Ha-yu was truly confident in winning or if this was a deliberate attempt to leave the academy by any means necessary.

“…I should have asked her directly this time.”

No. Given how Lee Ha-yu has been lately, she probably wouldn’t give an honest answer even if asked directly.

-Click.

As Arein’s fingers snapped, a small bat-shaped spiritual entity materialized before her.

‘Shaaah.’

*Flap flap*

A familiar.

It’s an advanced technique that can be used when there’s a mental connection between one’s self and mana.

This familiar can be used in various ways, including attaching it to someone for surveillance.

Arein had mastered this at a young age.

However, the reason she hadn’t been using it was because when she was young, she had attached it to Ha-yu as a prank and ended up seeing scenes she shouldn’t have.

Every night, through the familiar, she witnessed scenes of the Asphodel family members, lower-ranking demons, and even servants tormenting him without his knowledge.

It was too horrific a sight for young Arein to bear. That’s why she hadn’t used the familiar since then.

Arein commanded the familiar with a slightly weakened voice.

‘…Go to Lee Ha-yu.’

*Flap flap flap*

The cute spiritual entity seemed to understand Arein’s words, fluttered its wings, and disappeared from view.

Silence once again filled Arein’s room.

*Click*

And the lamp went out.

‘…’

Arein lay in bed and pulled the blanket all the way up.

And she thought there was nothing she could do about it.

In etiquette class, they said trust is the most important thing between knights and servants.

So I tried to help well. I was doing pretty well, and I tried to do even better.

Somehow, I even ended up betting to help.

But then he has something he’s plotting behind his master’s back.

So this level of mischief is justified. It’s only natural.

“Show me trust first… Lee Ha-yu.”

The feeling that bloomed when I caught the scent of a saint from him hasn’t disappeared, and keeps appearing to prick at my heart.

“…Please.”

Once again, night deepens at Lachesis Academy.