Chapter 284: White's True Nature, Mary Sue Becomes a Loyal Dog (2)
Despite the immense pleasure she had felt, guilt now overwhelmed White.
Her silver hair cascaded down as her delicate hands clenched into trembling fists. She kept her head bowed low, unable to lift it, as if terrified to face the scene she dreaded most.
In her mind, fragmented memories surged forward.
A grand and shadowy castle, draped in blooming roses.
In the dim light, the murmur of vampires filled the air.
“Have you heard? The lucky one favored by the Ancestor has appeared!”
“Oh? You mean the one with the purest bloodline, closest to the Ancestor’s essence?”
“Does that mean… a new True Ancestor has been born?”
“Indeed! And she’s still so young, yet already ascended to the rank of Princess!”
White, adorned in a resplendent rose-gown, remained cold and impassive as the murmurs swirled around her.
Despite the envy and admiration from countless clansmen—despite receiving a fortune that most vampires could only dream of—there was no joy in her heart.
As she gazed at the opulent crown symbolizing her title, she was filled with loathing.
She didn’t want to be the Princess of Vampires.
This “fortune,” which came not from her own will but from circumstance, was a burden she would rather forsake.
But the reality was already set in stone. No matter how much she despised this identity, she had no choice but to accept it.
She had resigned herself to a life of solitude.
Her status as True Ancestor, her role as Princess—it all pushed her further into isolation.
White became even colder than before she took on this title.
The reason she distanced herself from people, the reason she was hailed as a goddess of icy aloofness, was because proximity to others awakened her primal thirst for blood.
It was the instinct embedded in the Ancestor’s blood.
If she were an ordinary vampire, she wouldn’t have to worry about such urges.
But her excessively pure bloodline made it impossible to control herself.
She remembered vividly the day she was forced to assume the role of True Ancestor.
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Her closest friend, who merely wanted to celebrate her new status, had nearly been drained dry because White couldn’t suppress her instincts.
To this day, the look of terror in her friend’s eyes during those final moments haunted her dreams.
Now, with her head bowed and her teeth clenched, White couldn’t escape the memory of her friend’s horrified gaze.
She didn’t want to see such a look again.
And yet, she had made the same mistake.
Surely, he must despise her now, must fear her.
Suddenly, a warm touch landed gently on the top of her head.
It was soothing and carried an unexpected intimacy.
White’s trembling ceased as she blinked in confusion and slowly opened her eyes.
In front of her, Shia’s hand rested on her head.
Despite his slightly pale complexion, his elegant and warm smile remained.
His voice carried a hint of wistful amusement.
“Who would’ve thought the aloof senior would have such an adorable side?”
White’s expression shifted to one of astonishment, confusion, and disbelief.
“You… you’re not hurt?”
“Hurt? Why would I be hurt?”
“I just… I…”
“It’s fine. It’s just a little blood.”
“Really? Are you sure you’re okay?”
“If I weren’t okay, would I still be standing here in front of you?”
“You’re not angry? You don’t hate me?”
“Why would I? I just didn’t expect the normally cool and distant senior to have such a cute moment.”
White’s gaze flickered across Shia’s face, examining him closely. He really did seem fine—or at least mostly fine. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his face looked a touch paler than before.
Guilt churned in her chest.
“I… I couldn’t help myself earlier. I’m sorry.”
After confirming Shia was truly unharmed, she finally sighed in relief. The apology, once stuck in her throat, now flowed freely.
However.
Shia wasn’t upset. Instead, he murmured thoughtfully,
“Senior, are you resisting your instincts?”
White raised her head and looked at Shia. Her cold expression betrayed no emotion. But due to her recent feeding, a faint blush lingered in her crimson eyes, adding a mesmerizing allure.
Shia observed her reaction, his tone both gentle and serious.
“Senior, denying your instincts won’t work.”
“Instincts aren’t mere desires—they’re your body’s most basic needs.”
“The more you resist and suppress them, the stronger they’ll come back to overwhelm you.”
“The only way to master them is to accept their presence and adapt to them.”
White turned her gaze aside, her icy demeanor giving no response to Shia’s words.
Her exterior exuded her usual cold arrogance, but deep inside, his words struck a chord.
She thought back to her earlier loss of control.
The moment she caught the scent of blood, it was as though she had become an entirely different person.
Accept… adapt?
But almost immediately, she recalled her past.
That day, her friend had only wanted to celebrate her ascension as Princess.
Yet she had…
That fleeting thought was swiftly snuffed out.
Her eyes turned to ice, colder than ever.
Shia, however, wasn’t finished speaking.
“Senior, perhaps I could help you with this?”
His expression was earnest, his gaze filled with sincerity.
But the more genuine he seemed, the colder White’s response became.
Without turning her head fully, she faced him with only a side glance.
Her voice, faint yet resolute, carried an air of aloof finality.
“No need.”
The vampire princess, despite the lingering blush from her recent indulgence, now emanated an impenetrable chill.
She was like an unyielding snow-capped mountain, eternally untouched, eternally cold.
No matter how warm or kind those around her were, she would not let anyone come close—not even someone offering genuine kindness.
Shia raised an eyebrow slightly.
Her rejection didn’t surprise him.
But he didn’t press further.
“I was merely offering a suggestion. Whether you choose to accept it is entirely up to you.”
“My offer was sincere, for your sake.”
“But since you’re unwilling, I’ll drop the matter.”
“Consider this a case of me speaking out of turn.”
“Still, my promise stands. If you ever change your mind, you can always come to me.”
With that, Shia offered her a polite nod and a warm smile before turning and walking away gracefully.