Chapter 278: The PUA Saintess Experiences the Taste of Being Played; Mary Sue’s Second-Stage Taming (3)
Shia approached Sistine instead, smiling warmly.
“Senior, shall we dance?”
Sistine returned his smile, her expression softening like snow melting on a mountaintop. The pristine snow lotus atop the peak trembled as its delicate petals unfurled.
“I… I’ve never danced before.”
“It’s fine. I’ll teach you,” Shia said with a gentle smile, then turned to Eileen, his expression showing just the right amount of gratitude.
“Speaking of which, I have to thank Senior Eileen for teaching me how to dance earlier. I made quite a few mistakes, but she was patient and taught me so much.”
In other words, he was about to use the dancing skills Eileen taught him to guide his girlfriend.
'That’s a critical hit!'
If White’s icy demeanor was something Eileen could brush off as usual, Shia’s words struck a devastating blow.
Eileen’s gentle smile froze instantly, and her gaze went blank.
'What did I just hear?'
'Wasn’t I supposed to be the one stealing her boyfriend—dancing with him in front of everyone, making it look like we were a match made in heaven?'
'Why does it feel like I’m the one being played here?'
Not far away, Lilith watched the unfolding scene, her excitement turning to dismay when she realized Shia was inviting Sistine to dance instead of White.
'What’s going on?!'
'The target’s all wrong!'
The whole point of her plan was for Shia to approach White, strike up a conversation, and build a connection.
Why was he inviting Sistine?
'The Sword Saintess is already in the bag! Now he should be focusing on new conquests!'
'What is he even doing?!'
Her frustration reached its peak as she watched Shia hold Sistine’s hand and lead her to the dance floor. Lilith clenched her fists tightly, her heart racing as though ants were crawling inside her chest.
'My ice-cold goddess! My dream girl I’ve been observing for months!'
'Is she just going to slip away like this?'
Meanwhile, Shia ignored Lilith’s internal turmoil.
Holding Sistine’s hand, he led her into the dance floor. Earlier, when Eileen and Shia had danced, Sistine had quietly watched from the side.
Now, standing face to face, the two released their hands to bow to each other.
The blindfolded saintess with her golden hair inclined her head gracefully, while Shia placed one hand over his chest and extended the other, bowing slightly in return.
Their greeting complete, they raised their heads and exchanged smiles.
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Shia guided Sistine’s hand to his shoulder while placing his own hand lightly on her waist.
Their free hands intertwined, their fingers locking together.
Their eyes stayed on each other, their movements synchronized and elegant, as if they were a perfect pair.
This time, Shia didn’t “accidentally” step on his partner’s feet.
Eileen watched from the sidelines, her usual serene smile faltering. Her hand gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, wrinkling the silk fabric.
'This is so infuriating.'
'I put in all that effort to undermine their relationship, and you’re using me to bond with her?'
White noticed Eileen’s clenched hand and the suppressed frustration on her face. Her gaze followed Eileen’s line of sight, landing on Shia and Sistine.
'Well, mostly on Shia.'
She wasn’t particularly close with the Sword Saintess, though she knew her reputation for being kindhearted and somewhat naïve.
When she saw the two interacting, White was intrigued.
She was already aware of Shia as the sole male in their villa district and remembered that Sistine had initially wanted him gone.
'How did he manage to change her opinion?'
'Someone she wouldn’t even let near her now seems to be someone she trusts deeply.'
Watching Eileen’s irritation and Sistine’s trust, White found the scene amusing.
Leaning against a table, she sipped champagne, her sharp gaze fixed on Shia.
As the music came to an end, Shia and Sistine exchanged warm smiles, their faces glowing with contentment.
A thin layer of sweat had formed on Sistine’s forehead, which Shia gently wiped away with a caring gesture.
White glanced over at Eileen, who stood a fair distance away, her frustration visible in her darkened expression.
Her curiosity about Shia only deepened.
White picked up two glasses of wine and began walking toward Shia and Sistine.
Caught off guard by the unexpected approach from White, Sistine froze momentarily.
White didn’t smile. Her icy demeanor remained intact, exuding a regal, distant aura. Yet she extended one of the glasses to Shia.
Standing at over 170 cm tall and wearing high heels, White’s height nearly matched Shia’s.
Her imposing presence, paired with her cold detachment, felt like stepping into a winter storm.
“Hello, White,” she said simply, introducing herself in a tone as cold as her presence.
When Shia reached out to take the offered glass, she raised her own slightly in acknowledgment before taking a sip.
The deep red wine stained her lips slightly, making her pale skin seem even more ethereal.
Though she had initiated the interaction, there wasn’t a trace of warmth in her demeanor.
Shia sipped his wine while studying White.
As the only male in the villa district, Shia had always been aware of his neighbors, even if he hadn’t interacted with the True Ancestor before.
The silver-haired woman before him was cold, lazy, elegant, and undeniably commanding.
'Completely unlike her true self,' Shia thought, a faint smile curling his lips.
His mind wandered to the conditions required to unlock the vampire’s ring.
For the succubus, it had been placing the ring on her tail. For White, it would likely require her 'first embrace' as a vampire.
'My blood will be my trump card,' Shia mused.
In the game, his blood had been a bug-like element specifically designed to lure the True Ancestor.
But this time, he wouldn’t let his advantage be exploited by Mary Sue’s fiancé.
'Not a chance.'
“Hello, Shia,” White replied.
Setting his glass down, Shia offered a friendly smile.
White’s dark eyes, tinged faintly with red, flickered as she looked at him.
Her heart, which typically beat slowly, began to accelerate.
The world around her blurred, muffled voices fading away. All she could hear was the rhythmic beating of her heart and the sound of blood rushing through her veins.
He smelled intoxicating.
White tilted her head back, draining the rest of her wine.
But even as the cool liquid slid down her throat, the dry ache in her throat persisted.
The scent of Shia overwhelmed her senses—a maddening aroma that made her want to devour him.
Quite literally.
Her body screamed for something crimson to soothe the craving.
Only after the cold wine settled in her stomach did the noise of the room return to her ears.
Sistine looked at White curiously.
“What’s wrong with you?”
She seemed off somehow.
The Sword Saintess, ever innocent, didn’t even show a trace of suspicion toward another woman approaching her man and initiating conversation right in front of her.
White snapped out of her trance.
'Damn it!'
'Why am I losing control at a time like this?'
As the purest-blooded vampire of the Eternal Night Clan, she had long mastered suppressing her instincts in this bustling campus environment.
But today, standing before this boy, the scent of his blood wafting into her senses made everything feel different.
White tilted her head slightly, her voice carrying a lazy detachment as it reached the pair.
“Nice to meet you. I have other matters to attend to. Excuse me.”
A faint fragrance lingered in the air as she disappeared from sight.
Sistine blinked in confusion.
“She… just left?”
“What was that about?”