Eve Stock was cutting into her steak.
It was said that this beef came from Edmonton, Canada—one of the finest cuts available, a true aristocrat among meats. The kitchen at the Sistine Manor had spent a fortune acquiring it.
And to be fair, the taste did live up to the price. It was tender, juicy, and exquisitely flavorful.
But despite how delicious it was, Eve couldn't shake a strange feeling.
It wasn't because of the elaborate French cuisine laid out before her. It wasn't because of the flickering candlelight on the table. And it definitely wasn't because of the elegant, indifferent figure sitting across from her.
No—what truly unsettled her was the fact that this was supposed to be her first romantic candlelit dinner…
And yet, why the hell was it happening under her mother's supervision?
Not to mention, Nolan's dinner choice was highly questionable. Calling it French cuisine was a stretch—if anything, it was more like a French girl for dinner.
Eve finally put down her knife and fork, frowning. "Why am I cutting into a steak while you're sipping on a girl's blood? This feels incredibly mismatched."
Nolan paused, then lifted his crystal goblet, swirling the dark red liquid inside. "We could toast instead."
Eve hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Fine."
Their glasses clinked together with a soft ding, and despite everything, the contrast was oddly satisfying.
All in all, the dinner was still somewhat romantic. That was, if she ignored her mother's presence and the living entrée sitting beside Nolan.
Sistine Manor had no artificial lighting; the dim glow of candles cast an intimate, almost secretive atmosphere over the room.
Another thing that pleased Eve was Theresa's violin performance.
That zombie maid sure was multi-talented.
Feeling content, Eve took a sip from her own wine glass. The dark liquid was smooth and sweet.
After a moment, she blinked and took another sip. Then, smacking her lips thoughtfully, she suddenly scowled.
"Wait a second—are you giving me cola?!"
"Relax, Eve," Nolan replied smoothly. "You're not old enough for wine."
"And what about you? What are you drinking?!"
"Tomato juice. With a little bit of Type O blood mixed in. My favorite."
Eve groaned, feeling thoroughly betrayed. "I knew it! This entire candlelit dinner is completely ruined!"
Frustrated, she glanced at the bottles of wine on the table. Her eyes narrowed. "Then why the hell do we have two bottles of Romanée-Conti sitting here? If neither of us are drinking, what's the point?"
Nolan stood up, cradling a bottle in a cloth as he elegantly poured a small amount into a glass. "Oh, I thought your mother might enjoy it."
Lifting the glass, he raised it toward Angela. "Cheers."
Angela, already a little flushed, accepted the glass with wide eyes. "Th-Thank you..." She took a hesitant sip, then quickly fanned herself, trying to cool down her embarrassment.
After all, she had never tasted such an expensive wine before!
Eve, watching her mother swoon over Nolan's gesture, felt her blood pressure spike.
She puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
When Fi arrived with a cart of desserts, she leaned in and muttered under her breath, "I swear, Nolan isn't trying to impress me—he's flirting with my mom!"
Fi chuckled. "Now you understand why witches rarely marry vampires."
—
Well, whether or not witches were willing to marry vampires was a debate for another time.
What mattered now was that Eve's mood was thoroughly ruined.
Later that day, she and Angela toured Sistine Manor, eventually arriving at the underground chambers—where they encountered the human livestock.
Though, to be fair, these girls hardly lived like farm animals.
Each one had her own private room, furnished with a plush bed, a delicate vanity, well-stocked bookshelves, and various Muggle trinkets to keep them entertained.
"We don't impose any strict schedules on them," Nolan explained casually. "That one over there—Maya—she's actually quite the talented Muggle writer. Right now, she's publishing short stories in a weekly magazine. Every other week, Theresa takes her manuscripts to the post office to submit them. She earns a fair bit of money from it."
Eve frowned. "She's still writing while being imprisoned?"
"Oh, she's a night owl. Sleeps during the day, writes at night. So, naturally, when we get hungry in the evening, she's usually available."
Eve hesitated before asking, "…Did you kidnap her?"
"Kidnapped?" Nolan raised an eyebrow. "Not at all. Maya is a devoted vampire enthusiast. A few years ago, she heard rumors about vampires lurking in the Randall Gorge and decided to explore on her own. She nearly got devoured by Miss Nancy on the spot."
As he spoke, he walked over to the sleeping girl and gently pulled the blanket up over her. "She desperately wants to join the Von Draugr bloodline and become a real vampire. But Felicia won't allow it. You see, not every Muggle can survive the transformation—some lose their minds and become mindless beasts. It's safer to keep her as she is. And, truthfully, Maya seems quite content with this arrangement."
Nolan led Eve and Angela through the underground chambers, introducing them to each of the girls.
They were all dressed in revealing outfits, their gazes lingering on Nolan with a mixture of affection and reverence. Some even seemed to worship him.
Eve's mood soured.
As they exited the underground quarters, she pulled Nolan aside and whispered, "Are you sure they're just happy living like this? Because to me, it looks like they all want to sleep with you!"
Nolan tilted his head, as if the idea had never occurred to him. "If they desire physical intimacy, I indulge them. Unless they happen to be virgins with Type O blood—those are quite rare in Sistine Manor."
Eve's jaw dropped. "How could you be so casual about this?!"
Nolan looked genuinely puzzled by her reaction. After a moment of thought, he offered a calm response. "Perhaps vampire lifestyles seem chaotic to you. Our lifespans are incredibly long, after all. And for pureblood vampires, conception is exceedingly difficult, so... we don't place much importance on such things."
Then, seeing the frustration in her expression, his gaze softened. "But if this troubles you, I'll restrain myself in the future."
Eve hesitated. She wasn't sure if she was angry or just shocked.
After a long pause, she took a deep breath and said seriously, "I might not be able to think like a vampire, but I believe intimacy should have meaning. I hope you'll be more careful about who you share it with."
Nolan studied her for a moment before nodding. "Understood."
Truthfully, male vampires rarely felt strong physical attraction toward females of any species. More often than not, Nolan simply didn't mind using his body to satisfy his devoted followers or his "reserves."
Every species has its own customs, and this was simply part of vampire culture.
But he could understand why Eve disliked it.
During his years at Hogwarts, Nolan had come to grasp the social norms of Muggles and wizards alike. Unlike vampires, they placed great significance on relationships, often viewing physical intimacy as something that should be built upon deep emotional bonds.
Vampires, by contrast, saw it as simple biology.
But even if Nolan didn't fully understand Eve's perspective, he respected it.
Because, to him, this girl's feelings were far more important than the others.
~~~----------------------
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