Chapter 25: Julie & Jade
Somewhere Inside the Tower
A floor untouched by any being.
Here, only two colors existed: white and pink.
At the center of this limitless world, a woman reclined, her white hair and empty gaze piercing through reality.
Her fingers moved with grace, brewing a tea so valuable it could buy the entire planet Earth a million times over—and still fall short.
She lifted the cup—
And then, she stopped.
Her head tilted.
With a snap of her fingers, a translucent screen appeared before her.
A young man stood in darkness, moments away from his first trial.
Ethan.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Oh my."
Her voice was smooth, sweet—but cold, utterly emotionless.
She studied the screen, eyes narrowing.
"A blessing from a Higher Being… on an E-rank mortal?"
How rare.
Her fingers tapped against the porcelain of her cup.
But the real intrigue?
She couldn't see who the blessing belonged to.
Her smile curved, slow and cold.
That was impossible.
Only those monsters could hide from her sight.
"Is he their pawn?"
She pondered for a moment, then smirked.
No matter.
"Let's see how you handle your trials, 'Giver of the People.'"
If he was worthy—
If he proved himself—
Then she would make her move.
After all, eternity was so dreadfully dull.
And she loved a good game.
…
Inside a Moving Carriage
The air inside the carriage was thick with tension.
Julie sat with her arms crossed, her crimson eyes burning.
Jade, on the other hand, was calm.
Too calm.
It was the calm before a bloodbath.
Jade sighed.
She had to get this over with.
So, with no hesitation—
"Julie, my daughter."
Julie turned, clearly uninterested.
Jade met her gaze and dropped the bomb.
"I love Ethan. And I plan to be with him."
Silence.
Complete, dead silence.
Julie just… stared.
As if her brain had shut down completely.
Then—
"…What?"
Her voice shook.
Jade sighed, as if this were just another normal conversation.
"You heard me. I love Ethan. And I plan to be with him."
Then—
BOOM.
Julie's aura exploded.
Blood-red energy surged around her, cracking the air itself.
B-rank. Powerful. Deadly.
But in front of Jade—an S-rank—
It was nothing.
Julie's voice rose, her hands clenching into fists.
"You're married to my father! Have you no shame?!"
Jade flicked her fingers. A sound barrier wrapped around the carriage.
No one outside would hear this questionable conversation.
Then, with calm precision—
"You know how your father treats me."
Julie froze.
Jade's voice didn't rise. It didn't break.
It just hit.
"You, of all people, should understand what I'm feeling."
Julie clenched her jaw.
Because she did.
She knew what Ethan was to her.
And now her mother was saying the same thing.
Jade leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper.
"I am a woman, Julie. And a woman wants to be loved."
"To be cared for."
"To be protected."
"Not to be treated like… a breeding animal."
Julie's breathing slowed.
Because she understood that more than anyone. Their family was twisted.
But—
"He's my husband."
Jade chuckled.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic. You know what our family is the most famous for after our bloodthirsty nature."
Julie glared.
Jade continued.
"I won't be his wife. I don't care about titles. I just want to be with him."
Then, casually—
"Besides, we kissed already."
Julie's brain shut down.
Her eyes widened.
Her entire aura cracked.
Jade smirked.
"Oh? You didn't know?"
Julie's hands trembled.
"…You kissed him?"
Jade laughed softly.
"Almost did more, actually."
Julie snapped.
"YOU WHORE—"
A spear of blood formed in her hands.
She lunged.
Jade simply sighed.
The moment the spear got close—
It disintegrated. As a S rank, her control over blood is nothing like Julie.
Jade snapped her fingers.
Blood-red chains erupted from the air, locking Julie in place.
Julie thrashed, glaring.
Jade tilted her head, voice amused.
"Oh dear. Are you really trying to kill your mother?"
Julie growled.
"HOW DARE YOU KISS HIM BEFORE ME?!"
Jade's smirk widened.
"…Oh?"
Julie froze.
Jade leaned in, whispering.
"So that's the real problem?"
Julie bit her lip.
Jade chuckled.
Then, mercilessly, with her gaze lustful—
"Would you like to know how his lips taste?"
Julie's brain stopped functioning.
Her rage vanished.
Jade watched, delighted.
Then—
Julie's mouth moved on instinct.
"Yes. Yes, I want that."
Jade smirked.
Truly a lost cause.
She sighed, shaking her head.
"…And to think I'm the one who's supposed to be the shameless one."
Julie snapped back to reality.
"SHUT UP."
Jade laughed.
This was so much fun.
Truly, the Bloodsanguine family was a mess.
And she loved it.
Because it permit her to be with her daughter's husband.
"I guess I have to call you sister now?"
Julie paused. She looked deadpan to her mother who sat there comfortably her smirk widening.
"You fucking whore."
Dit-elle.
—End of Chapter 25—