Chapter 285: Young Lady, You've Been Thoroughly Tricked!
White watched him leave, her expression unreadable.
She had thought her refusal would anger him.
If not anger, she had expected persistence, perhaps even annoyance.
But instead, he had let it go so easily.
Was that it?
Shia glanced back briefly, offering her one last smile before continuing on his way, his elegant figure disappearing into the distance.
The departure of Shia was graceful, devoid of any embarrassment or irritation from her rejection.
White, the tall silver-haired beauty, stood still, her head slightly raised with an air of pride, maintaining her haughty demeanor without the slightest crack.
She watched his retreating figure.
It wasn't until Shia's silhouette had completely vanished, leaving her utterly alone, that the icy façade began to melt.
For a few seconds, she stood in the empty clearing, a lone figure amidst the silence.
Then, slowly, she crouched down.
Her elegant fingers threaded into her silken silver hair, the smooth strands becoming disheveled as her grip tightened.
White hugged her head, curling into a ball as frustration overtook her. She clawed at her hair, tousling the once-perfect locks into a wild mess.
The vampire princess, usually the epitome of poise and beauty, now resembled an agitated, bristling little beast.
Her face, so often serene and aloof, now bore a hint of confusion and distress.
Her mind replayed Shia's words, alongside the image of her own uncontrollable actions earlier.
"Ahhh! This is so frustrating!"
Why did things turn out this way?
Why was he being so kind to her?
Shia was so handsome, so gentle…
And from what she'd heard, during the goblin incident, he had heroically stepped up, protecting his classmates and coordinating rescue efforts with the academy.
Such an extraordinary person…
Why would he treat someone like her so well?
She felt utterly undeserving.
White, who couldn’t even control her own instincts, who had hurt people close to her, who was cold, unfeeling, and friendless—what could someone like her possibly offer?
Deep in her self-doubt, she even began to suspect Shia's intentions.
Was he plotting something?
Yet, as her mind conjured his warm smile and soothing words, she found herself scratching her head again.
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No, that didn’t seem right either. What could he possibly gain from her?
And Shia… he didn’t seem like a bad person.
Another thought crept into her mind.
Was he pitying her?
But I don’t deserve pity!
Her hair was a mess, her thoughts were a mess—her entire being felt utterly disheveled.
Who could have imagined that the aloof True Ancestor, the famed Ice Queen of the academy, was secretly a self-loathing, insecure wreck?
---
Meanwhile, Shia hadn’t actually gone far.
Instead, he made his way to the bushes where Lilith was hiding.
To avoid alerting White, Lilith had relocated to a new spot, one that no longer had a direct view of White’s home but still overlooked the path leading to it.
As soon as she spotted Shia, her eyes lit up.
Standing slightly, she waved excitedly.
Shia adjusted his path and approached her.
But before Lilith could speak and ask about his progress, Shia beat her to it.
“I didn’t scare you earlier, did I?”
His voice carried a note of concern.
Lilith, startled, held back her planned questions.
Shia extended a hand to help her up. Lilith, who had been crouching for too long, found her legs numb.
Her black-stockinged legs bent awkwardly, unable to fully support her. She had to rely on Shia's strength to stand upright.
Looking up, she noticed the guilt etched on his face.
“I was so harsh earlier—it was all for the act, but I was worried I might’ve scared you or upset you.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
Shia’s sincere tone and apologetic expression stirred something in Lilith.
Even though they had agreed on the plan beforehand, he had still been worrying about her feelings throughout.
Her heart swelled with emotion—almost enough to make her cry.
“I’m fine,” she reassured him.
“It was all part of the plan. I understood that.”
“All of this is for the plan.”
“But…” She looked down slightly, a mischievous glint forming in her eyes.
Faithful dogs deserve rewards, right?
After a moment of contemplation, her gaze shifted to her black stockings, and she recalled a few… previous thoughts.
She looked back at Shia, her eyes sparkling.
“How about I give you these stockings I just wore as a reward?”
Her tone was playful, but there was a certain seriousness to her offer.
These were her "original scent" stockings. For a devoted “dog” like Shia, wouldn’t this be the ultimate gift?
Shia, however, remained calm internally.
Wow. What a… generous offer. Truly magnanimous.
He almost rolled his eyes at her shamelessness.
Still, with Lilith’s bright, expectant gaze fixed on him, he couldn’t exactly express his true feelings.
“We can’t switch to spare stockings here,” he pointed out.
“Unless you plan to walk home bare-legged?”
As he spoke, he reached out and patted her head gently, flashing her a warm smile.
Lilith instinctively leaned into his hand, rubbing her head against it like a content kitten.
The warm sensation of his touch was intoxicating.
He’s so kind and thoughtful! So considerate!
Even this… he’s thinking of my dignity!
Of course, he was right. If she gave him her stockings now, she’d have to walk home bare-legged.
“Well, you’re right. But you’ve done great this time. If you don’t want this reward, is there something else you’d like?”
“Your happiness is the best reward for me.”
Lilith’s chest puffed up with pride, completely oblivious to their current dynamic.
If there were a tail behind her, it’d likely be wagging in circles.
She failed to notice how their interaction resembled a master training a dog.
The stark contrast between her perception and reality was laughable.
---
“By the way, I couldn’t stay for long earlier. She’s too sensitive. What happened afterward?”
“Everything went smoothly. I could tell she’s starting to warm up to me.”
Shia’s concise report left Lilith thrilled.
“She really liked the blood. You’ll need to keep up the effort in the future.”
As he said this, Shia gave her a meaningful look, his gaze almost encouraging.
Keep it up?
The memory of that day flashed through Lilith’s mind.
Her legs unconsciously pressed together, a trace of unease creeping in.
Her recently regained strength seemed to falter as her knees wobbled.
The experience had been too impactful—far too memorable.
Her head bowed slightly, her voice faltering.
“I… um… well…”
She couldn’t bring herself to respond.
Her shy demeanor was unexpectedly adorable.
But soon, that awkward feeling was replaced by excitement at their progress.
“We’ll work hard together!”
Her logic, now clouded by emotion, pushed aside the warnings of her maid, Tia.
How could Shia have ulterior motives?
He was still the same loyal, loving dog!
---
When Lilith returned home, Tia became her target.
“You should be nicer to him. After all, he’s my fiancé.”
“I don’t want to hear you badmouthing him again.”
Tia was stunned.
The evidence was clear as day, yet the young lady still wouldn’t believe her?
Instead, she reprimanded her?
Tia, loyal to her core, felt utterly wronged.
Her frustration boiled down to a single, indignant question:
“Young lady, what kind of spell did he cast on you?”