Chapter 2

Even so, why am I here in such a place?

On a moonlit night, I swallowed hard, gazing up at the towering mansion before me.

After passing through the dense forest, there it was, an open space.

Every wall was painted black, and the building, illuminated by the moonlight, seemed to be a shadow itself.

The red hair I had loosely tied back fluttered in the night breeze.

The autumn night wind was still cold, but it was not just the cold that made me shiver all over.

This is the castle where the vampires live.

It is the place whispered about in the capital.

The owner is Lord Bloodberry.

He is the lord who governes this area, and it is said that few nobles have ever seen him.

The few nobles who have seen him all say the same thing.

For decades, he has shown no signs of aging.

His actions have been suspicious, reinforcing these rumors.

He comes to the capital only when necessary, and even then, only in the dead of night.

As if avoiding people, as if fearing the sunlight.

Despite having a townhouse in the capital, he never stays there and returns to his country house at night.

And that country house has an eerie appearance, so terrifying that it overwhelms anyone who sees it.

It is said that young and beautiful maids work there, bowing as if their souls have been taken.

They work with a single-minded intensity, as if their souls have been stolen.

Standing before such a place, I am now standing there in a daze.

I have no connection to the Bloodberry family or this land.

Was my decision to come here really the right one?

Facing the mansion I finally reached, I feel my spirit waning.

An ominous aura emanates from the black mansion, and the trees behind me rustle as if urging me on.

Because of this, my heart beats so loudly that I can't think clearly.

My feet are frozen, and my body trembles from the cold and fear.

I came here on a whim. I admit that.

I also admit that I have more than a little regret.

But I can't turn back.

Because I have no place to return to.

Should I at least try again in the morning?

But there are no inns around, and I sent the carriage back quite a distance away because it couldn't pass through the trees.

Most importantly, my last bit of money is already gone.

I have no choice but to go forward.

With renewed determination, I take a step.

I have no one else to rely on now.

I slowly approach the mansion and reach out to the black door.

With trembling fingers, I gently touch the door knocker.

The iron is so cold it feels like it's sucking the life out of me, and it's terrifying.

Suddenly, a rustling sound makes me jump.

Looking up reflexively, I see a small shadow flying away from the mansion.

Was it a small bird or a bat?

Either way, it looked terribly ominous, and my blood ran cold.

Perhaps I made the wrong choice.

My life might end before tomorrow.

But then again,

If this is the worst life, it wouldn't matter if it ended now.

Realizing this, I grip the door knocker tightly.

Then, I pull it to its limit and knock forcefully.

Of course, there is no immediate response.

I don't know if I want a response or not.

I can't even tell anymore.

So I just fold my hands as if in prayer.

And I wait quietly with my eyes closed, perhaps for the last moment of my life.

Perhaps I shouldn't have come.

Just as I am about to regret it again, the black door slowly opens.

My body tenses at the sight of the person who emerges.

"Who are you?"

She has long, lustrous black hair and deep, lifeless black eyes.

Her pale, almost translucent skin contrasts with her bright red lips, which are unnaturally alluring.

"Guest...?"

"I-I am Freya Villiers."

Her otherworldly presence makes me hesitate, but I quickly open my mouth to speak.

"Have you made an appointment?"

She frowns slightly at the unfamiliar name.

Her expression seems somewhat artificial, perhaps because she is so perfectly beautiful.

From her simple, practical clothing and apron, she seems to be a servant of the mansion.

"No, I apologize for the sudden visit, but I came to see Lord Bloodberry."

My voice trembles as I speak, and after a moment of silence, she says, "Understood," and opens the door wider.

I am surprised to be allowed in so easily, without further questions.

After all, it's the middle of the night, and I'm an unknown woman with no appointment.

It seems strange to let someone so suspicious in so easily.

"Please come in."

Her voice is calm and her expression unchanging.

Her movements are fluid and efficient.

Is she even human?

A shiver runs down my spine as this thought crosses my mind.

The inside of the mansion is dimly lit, as if the owner dislikes light.

I swallow hard.

The rumor that the lord is a vampire is just that—a rumor.

Vampires are fictional creatures that only exist in stories.

It's ridiculous to believe in such things.

My rational mind tells me this.

But the presence of the woman before me makes me doubt.

Could she have been captured by the lord, had her blood sucked, and been made a servant?

Could she have been turned into a lifeless puppet to preserve her eternal beauty?

Is that why she has such a doll-like expression and speaks so calmly?

I am afraid.

Should I turn back? It might still be possible.

But then,

To be made a puppet, to be a servant without will or emotion, to work without expression.

How is that different from me now?

At least I won't be beaten by my fiancé.

And her skin and hair are much more beautiful than mine.

"Will you stop?"

To her calm question, I shake my head and answer firmly.

It can't get any worse than this.

Realizing this, I step forward as she invites me.

As she closes the door behind me, she suddenly looks outside.

"Is that someone with you?"

Surprised by her question, I follow her gaze.

"Ah!"

I almost scream.

On the other side of the mansion grounds, at the edge of the forest that serves as a screen.

A figure is lurking in the shadows of the trees, illuminated by the moon.

I can't see the face, but I immediately recognize who it is.

"It's no one...!"

Retreating into the mansion, I say this with a pale face, but it lacks credibility.

However, after comparing my face with the figure, she says, "Understood," and closes the door.

I breathe a sigh of relief as my view is blocked.

I manage to keep from collapsing.

I didn't expect him to follow me this far.

A different kind of fear creeps up my body.

But there is no sign of him getting any closer.

As I follow the woman, I keep looking back, but the door knocker does not ring.

He doesn't seem to want to enter the mansion.

That must be his limit. It must be.

This confirms that coming here was not a mistake.

This realization calms my trembling a little.

The inside is dim, but it is unexpectedly warm, which might be helping.

"Please, this way."

"Yes..."

As I regain my composure, I look around the mansion.

I immediately regret it.

The objects in the hallway are all eerie monsters, and they seem to move with the flicker of the woman's candle.

I fear they might come to life and attack me.

My feet want to stop, but the woman's steps are mechanical and steady, and she moves forward without hesitation or looking back.

If I stop, I will be left behind. I can't let that happen.

I scold my trembling feet and follow her desperately.

Everything here is eerie, and the rumor that the lord of this land is a vampire has become almost a certainty in my mind.