ISWTDB Ch169

Chapter 169: Be Your Steward (3, 4)

After learning about the original character’s wish from Xiao Bai, Ying Zhao stroked his chin, thinking this matter had become much easier.

The original character’s wish was exactly the same as his own goal, which meant that now he had fewer things to worry about and handle.

Surveying the room’s setup again, Ying Zhao, feeling a bit bored, pushed up the glasses on his nose.

The original character had a long lifespan, and as a necromancer, these skills no longer required any practice. Staying here was more about finding inner peace and killing time, after all, time was the least of a vampire’s concerns. Without a personal way to pass the time, the endless years could drive anyone mad.

After searching through the original character’s memories, Ying Zhao realized he had arrived a bit late. At this point, the female lead, Jian Jinghan, had already moved into the villa and appeared to have developed a close relationship with Dempus, practically considering herself half the owner of the place.

Additionally, two days ago, she had already met the male lead, Dominic, and it seemed the two had even started to develop feelings for each other. However, it was unclear how far their relationship had progressed.

In fact, the first person to notice the connection between Jian Jinghan and Dominic was the original character, Asa. Everything around him had always been under his surveillance.

Dempus didn’t concern himself with worldly matters, and he spent his days idly in the villa. Asa, on the other hand, was very well-adjusted to modern life. He needed to have complete control over everything around him because he believed only then could he handle everything perfectly and relieve his master’s burdens.

However, the original character had never considered that Dempus would develop genuine feelings for the female lead, which eventually led to such tragic consequences. To Asa, Jian Jinghan was merely a blood vessel, so no matter what she did, as long as it didn’t harm Dempus, he didn’t care.

You could say that providing just a small cup of blood every two days in exchange for such a luxurious life was like a dream come true for the female lead. The original character had long seen through Jian Jinghan’s greedy nature—pretending to be innocent and visiting the villa to curry favor and establish a relationship with the owner to enjoy a better life. In her daily conversations, she was often subtly hinting at Dempus to give her more material wealth.

The original character never saw any virtues in this woman and naturally couldn’t understand why Dempus had fallen for her.

When Jian Jinghan later deceived Dempus, Asa even warned him, but Dempus grew furious at the suggestion. Viewing Dempus as his master, the original character had no choice but to obey his commands.

Of course, Asa also had another reason for keeping Jian Jinghan around. Despite being a vampire for many years, Dempus was always extremely picky about blood. He found it difficult to swallow the blood of most humans or other vampires, only drinking a little from a cup when he couldn’t bear the hunger anymore. Over time, this could weaken him and drain his strength.

So, when Asa heard Dempus praise Jian Jinghan’s blood for its sweetness, he was overjoyed. He began to treasure Jian Jinghan as a long-term blood supply for his master.

Almost all vampires preferred to drink blood directly from the veins, as it was fresher and hotter that way. But as the two heads of the Cappadocian clan, Dempus and Asa were both quite eccentric. Dempus couldn’t stand the taste of most people’s blood or even the smell of most creatures. He was highly sensitive to scents and was surprisingly picky.

During periods when he wasn’t in hibernation, he would sometimes fast for months just because he couldn’t find blood that suited his taste. As for the original character, though he didn’t have a strong aversion to the taste of other people’s blood, he couldn’t tolerate the direct contact of drinking from the vein, so he always drank from a cup. Fortunately, they were both high-ranking third-generation vampires in their clan, and these quirks were only known to a select few trusted individuals. Otherwise, their behavior would undoubtedly be seen as odd by other vampires.

After receiving all this information, Ying Zhao straightened his clothes and left the room. He returned to his office area within the villa and began handling the backlog of tasks.

The original character, on one hand, had to take care of Dempus’s daily needs, while on the other, he managed the vast business empire of their clan. His days were usually very busy.

Just moments ago, Ying Zhao had recalled several scenes from the original character’s memory where his man had been happily chatting with Jian Jinghan. It made him purse his lips in dissatisfaction. Even though his face showed little expression, his heart felt somewhat aggrieved.

He didn’t doubt his man’s love for him, but Ying Zhao had noticed that ever since the heavens stopped attacking them and that force began actively targeting them instead, it seemed to be influencing his man’s behavior. It even seemed capable of subtly guiding his man into certain actions, causing him to think thoughts he originally shouldn’t have.

This sort of hypnotic suggestion left Ying Zhao feeling deeply uneasy. Luckily, his man’s soul was strong, so the effect of these suggestions wasn’t particularly powerful and couldn’t truly control his thoughts.

In the last world, Ying Zhao had already sensed this through his conversations with Situ Ran. Therefore, in this world, he wasn’t entirely surprised that his lover had grown close to the female lead. But even so, he couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Huffing, he thought to himself that if his man ever did anything to betray him, he would confiscate his “tools of the crime.”

Meanwhile, Dempus, who was leisurely reading in his room, suddenly shivered, feeling a chill down his spine. Glancing at the tightly shut window, he ran a hand through his dark red short hair, feeling irritated by the sudden sensation. He furrowed his brow, sensing movement outside and realizing it was time for him to feed.

With a casual wave of his hand, the door opened. Immediately, a sweet scent wafted in, so enticing that it made Dempus unconsciously curl his lips. Sure enough, a servant stood at the door holding a cup filled with Jian Jinghan’s blood, waiting respectfully.

He thought to himself, Why does the blood smell even sweeter today than before?

As usual, Dempus took the cup from the servant and raised it to his lips. But before he could drink, he realized that the sweet scent wasn’t coming from the cup at all.

Moreover, the liquid in the cup appeared extremely ordinary when contrasted with that aura.

Dempus frowned and asked the servant, “Is this Miss Jian’s blood in the cup?”

The servant nodded slightly at the words, looking at Dempus with some confusion.

Naturally, he would not be bold enough to replace the blood that was to be offered to the prince.

Dempus clearly knew this as well, yet he still forced himself to take a small sip.

However, he found that the taste of the blood in the cup was entirely different from the sweetness he remembered.

The refreshing scent continued to flood his nostrils, and the blood was so hard to swallow that it became unbearable.

Irritated, he tossed the cup aside. The man’s eyes instantly turned crimson, a sign of his anger.

This prince was known for being unpredictable, and the servant couldn’t help but tremble in fear, dreading the punishment that might befall him.

Unable to contain himself, Dempus walked to the door and waved the servant away.

Following the scent he had picked up, he walked straight toward it.

Vampires were naturally very sensitive to scents, and the stronger they were, the keener their sense of smell.

Thus, Dempus hardly hesitated as he walked to the door of a certain room.

He remembered this room was where Asa usually handled affairs.

Raising his brow, he thought to himself, could it be that someone was hidden inside?

But before he could take any action, Ying Zhao had already opened the door.

Even before Dempus reached the door, Ying Zhao had sensed his approach.

As a competent butler, no matter how busy he was, his master’s matters always came first.

So, sensing Dempus’ intention, he immediately went to the door and opened it.

With great respect, he bowed slightly toward Dempus and asked, “My lord, is there anything you need?”

Ying Zhao lowered his eyes as a sign of deference, just like the original master would.

But in that brief glance, he had already clearly seen what his man looked like in this world.

Though his lover’s appearance was similar in every world, their demeanor always varied.

In this world, Dempus had an exceptionally elegant yet carefree aura.

His short, dark red hair was somewhat bold, and the coldness in his eyes, along with the ever-so-slight curve of his lips, gave off a sense of danger.

Dempus usually wore a dark shirt, with the collar unbuttoned, looking effortlessly dashing and carefree.

At this moment, the man was carefully examining Ying Zhao from head to toe.

He sniffed the air and unconsciously leaned closer to the person in front of him.

Sure enough, the sweet scent grew even stronger.

Dempus narrowed his eyes and entered the room, casually sitting on a nearby sofa.

Glancing at the documents being worked on at the table, he asked Ying Zhao, “Busy?”

Ying Zhao closed the door behind him and turned to nod at Dempus.

His expression showed some confusion, as if unsure why Dempus had come to see him so suddenly.

Seeing Ying Zhao’s expression, Dempus felt something strange inside.

The sweet scent was especially enticing, and the man couldn’t help but swallow.

He found it odd that this person had been by his side for so many years, yet he’d never noticed how delightful his blood smelled.

Unable to resist, Dempus leaned in closer, sniffing the area around Ying Zhao’s neck.

His nose brushed against the smooth, pale skin of the long neck, as if trying to feel the pulsing blood vessels beneath.

The intoxicating scent constantly tempted him.

However, such a gesture was a blatant act of provocation among vampires.

Unless they were lovers who exchanged each other’s blood, such actions were considered threats and warnings among high-ranking vampires.

Thus, after making this move, Dempus sensed the person beside him stiffen instinctively, but Ying Zhao quickly relaxed, as if submitting.

This display of submission greatly pleased Dempus.

He had always been self-indulgent, and now, for the first time in his life, he felt an overwhelming urge to drink someone’s blood.

And just as he thought this, he acted upon it.

His sharp teeth pierced Ying Zhao’s neck, and a wonderful taste instantly flooded his tongue.

The sweet blood exploded on his taste buds.

The unprecedentedly delicious experience made Dempus feel as if he could drown in it.

For the first and only time, Dempus truly understood how incredibly delicious blood could taste.

He had never imagined that the blood of the vampire who had followed him for so many years could possess such magic.

How had he overlooked this person in the past? Dempus found it almost unbelievable.

At this moment, it wasn’t just Dempus who was overwhelmed—Ying Zhao was, too.

The sensation caused by a vampire drinking blood directly was intensely overwhelming.

Ying Zhao’s face flushed, his body weakened, and he couldn’t stop trembling slightly.

He breathed heavily, feeling as if he might not be able to endure this ultimate experience.

Dempus clearly felt his trembling too and, taking advantage of it, pulled Ying Zhao into his embrace.

But as he held this person, he felt an unexpected sense of emotional fulfillment.

Unconsciously, the man tightened his grip, wanting to hold the person in his arms even closer.

He felt as though some empty part of his heart had been filled.

It wasn’t until a long time later that they finally stopped.

Dempus licked the broken skin on Ying Zhao’s neck, and the two bite marks healed before their eyes, leaving only two tiny scars.

But though the man had finished feeding, he didn’t loosen his grip.

Dempus lowered his head, gazing at the fluttering butterfly-like lashes behind Ying Zhao’s glasses, and felt as though his entire heart was trembling.

Clearly, this person had been with him for so many years, and he was extremely familiar with the one in his arms.

But why had he never noticed before that this person could be so tempting?

At this moment, the other person’s face was pale, cheeks flushed, obediently held in his arms in such a way that made Dempus feel parched and dry-mouthed.

It turned out that when someone who usually appeared cold and restrained showed such fragility and obedience in front of him, it could stir one’s heart so intensely.

Those watery lips were damn attractive, making one want to suck them into a deep red.

Dempus had never been one to restrain himself; he was used to doing whatever he pleased.

At this moment, the man felt his desire for the person in his arms.

Although this was the first time in his life.

Even though this feeling came so suddenly, he didn’t plan to suppress it.

So, Dempus lowered his head and fiercely kissed Ying Zhao’s lips, tightening his embrace more and more.

Ying Zhao could feel the man’s excitement, and his intentions were obvious.

Coming to this small world, meeting for the first time in such a scene, Ying Zhao was somewhat surprised.

However, the blood clan had always been very true to their desires, so he could understand his lover’s actions.

After all, for this race, doing such things was as ordinary as eating and sleeping.

As for third-generation vampires like Dempus and the original Asa, who had never had any interest in such things, they were complete anomalies.

The original Asa had a cleanliness obsession, so he rejected physical touch.

But even if Ying Zhao hadn’t replaced him, from Asa’s perspective alone, he saw Dempus as his master and would never refuse him.

Therefore, Ying Zhao naturally did not resist. For him, being with the one he loved was perfectly logical.

Apart from the initial stiffness, he quickly relaxed his body, allowing the other to do as he wished.

Clearly, his compliance made his lover even more excited, and the hot kiss became more intense.

Dempus was eager to possess the one in his arms.

The black suit was thrown to the floor, and the top button of the white shirt, always fastened, was ripped open, revealing a delicate collarbone.

The man’s eyes darkened, his red pupils swirling like two whirlpools, drawing Ying Zhao into their depths.

Just as the atmosphere between the two reached its peak, a knock suddenly came from the door.

Dempus heard the sound but didn’t stop, as if he didn’t want to acknowledge the person outside.

Ying Zhao, however, suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly pushed Dempus lightly.

The knocking persisted, completely killing the mood, forcing the man to finally stop.

Dempus lifted his head, his face dark and dangerous.

After all, anyone would be annoyed if interrupted during such a moment.

But then, a sweet female voice called out softly through the door, “Mr. Dempus, are you inside?”

Upon hearing the voice, Dempus instinctively stiffened, feeling a bit guilty as he glanced at the person in his arms.

He found that Ying Zhao appeared entirely unaffected, simply withdrawing from his embrace.

Once again, he returned to his usual cold and restrained demeanor.

This inexplicably made Dempus feel somewhat disheartened.

If not for the faint flush still on Ying Zhao’s face and the torn collar, Dempus might have thought everything that had just happened, including Ying Zhao’s emotional response, had been a mere illusion.

Ying Zhao naturally recognized that the voice belonged to the heroine, Jian Jinghan.

He hadn’t expected her to find this place at this moment.

He subtly raised an eyebrow, calmly straightening his clothes.

Ignoring Dempus’s gaze, he picked up the suit jacket from the floor.

After tidying himself up, Ying Zhao walked to the door and opened it.

He bowed slightly to Jian Jinghan and said in a steady tone, “Miss Jian, you’ve arrived.”

Jian Jinghan nodded, not paying much attention to Ying Zhao.

After all, in her eyes, Ying Zhao was just a servant.

The heroine brushed past Ying Zhao and rushed towards Dempus, her face flushed, speaking sweetly with adoration, “Dempus, I’ve been looking for you for so long! I had to ask the staff to find out you were here!”

“I baked some pastries and wanted you to try them. Do you have time now?”

Upon hearing this, Dempus didn’t immediately respond but instead glanced at Ying Zhao standing upright beside him.

For some reason, although Ying Zhao stood there silently as usual, the man felt an intense pressure.

Looking at Jian Jinghan, chattering on like a lovesick girl, Dempus felt an unexpected irritation toward her for the first time.

Still, he nodded at her, maintaining his usual polite demeanor toward the heroine, indicating that he was free.

Seeing her lover agree, Ying Zhao sneered inwardly.

Though he knew that Dempus was being influenced to treat the heroine so gently, the fact that this man had nearly devoured him moments ago and was now cozying up to another woman made him want to punch Dempus’s handsome face.

Outwardly, however, Ying Zhao showed no emotion. After all, this last world concealed unknown dangers.

He couldn’t act rashly now; going with the flow would give him a better chance of finding that thing.

So, after seeing Dempus agree to the heroine’s request, Ying Zhao turned and left the room, instructing the servants to set up the dining room.

From then on, Ying Zhao didn’t need to serve them, as he trusted his lover wouldn’t act too out of line. He turned and went to the garden, intending to tend to the plants to ease his frustration.

Not long after the dining room was prepared, Dempus and Jian Jinghan sat facing each other.

Naturally, vampires had no appetite for food and couldn’t taste anything. So Dempus politely took a small bite, remarked that it was good, and then stopped eating.

Jian Jinghan, seemingly oblivious, continued to chatter nonstop at Dempus.

Dempus frowned slightly. He used to find this little woman simple and amusing, but now she was irritating him to no end.

Listening to her shallow conversation, his eyes unconsciously drifted to the window.

Through the glass, he could see Ying Zhao tending to the flowers outside.

Third-generation vampires didn’t fear sunlight and could move around just like ordinary people.

Although there were gardeners in the garden, the original Asa had always preferred to care for the plants himself.

Perhaps it was the vitality of the plants that allowed him to appreciate the beauty of the world.

Dempus was aware of Asa’s habit, but this was the first time he had seriously observed it.

He hadn’t expected that someone simply holding scissors to prune flowers could look so graceful and elegant.

The usually cold face now appeared surprisingly gentle as it gazed at the plants.

With a small curve at the corner of his lips, Ying Zhao held a freshly trimmed flower.

Though faint, Dempus could sense his lover’s fondness for the blossoms.

Watching this, the man felt a surge of jealousy toward the flower in Ying Zhao’s hand.

They were just lifeless plants—what right did they have to be cradled so lovingly by the one he cherished?

But when Dempus realized he was competing with a flower for affection, he found himself at a loss for words.

The scene outside, bathed in sunlight, seemed so peaceful and beautiful, like a dream.

His thoughts drifted back to their recent intimacy, and Dempus’s mind wandered.

He had never imagined that someone could feel so wonderful—not just their blood.

The sweet touch, the burning kisses, and all the unfamiliar sensations made him crave more.