Chapter 17: Go and ask for roses.

Sylvia slept all the way until noon. Only then did she groggily open her eyes.

Steady breathing sounds came from beside her. Sylvia turned her head and saw Aelia curled up on her left, her little mouth slightly open, sleeping soundly.

Sophia lay on her right, back facing her, her small body almost pressed against Sylvia’s arm.

Both daughters were sleeping deeply, with faint white traces left on their faces where tears had dried.

Sylvia quietly watched them for a while. If possible, she wanted to spend the rest of her life just looking at them like this. But there were things she had no choice but to deal with.

Sylvia carefully pulled her arm free. Aelia rolled over, smacked her lips, and fell back asleep.

Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sat up. She lowered her head and placed a gentle kiss on each of her daughters’ cheeks.

Aelia’s cheek was soft and warm. Sophia’s was also soft, but carried a slight coolness.

Sylvia took one last look at them, then stood up, pushed open the wooden door, and stepped into the sunlight.

Becoming a blood clan had not made her fear the sun as the legends said. The sunlight still felt warm on her body. Sylvia narrowed her eyes and stood in the sun for a moment, savoring this strange yet familiar warmth.

After that, she headed toward Ilena’s mansion.

Along the way, Sylvia walked very carefully, staying close to the walls, keeping her head down, and trying to hide her overly beautiful face.

When she arrived at the mansion, the guards at the gate recognized her. The blood clan sentries exchanged a glance. One of them shrugged and stepped aside.

“Go in. Lady Hérodi Rose is in the study.”

Sylvia nodded and thanked them softly before entering the mansion.

The corridor was still as long and dark as ever. Sylvia stepped on the cold marble floor, each footstep echoing faintly.

She stopped in front of the study door.

The door was half-open. Through the gap, she could see inside.

Rose sat behind a large desk, wearing a black long dress whose skirt spread out and draped around the chair.

She wore a pair of delicate magic glasses, the lenses constantly flashing with various colored lights as she processed information.

Her head was lowered. One hand held a book while the other occasionally wrote a few words on the documents spread before her.

“Come in.”

Rose’s voice drifted out from the gap. After receiving permission, Sylvia pushed the door open, walked inside, and stood in front of the desk.

“Lady Rose.”

Rose did not respond. She flipped a page of the book, continued reading, continued writing, and continued letting the lights on her magic glasses flicker.

Sylvia stood there and waited for a while.

The study was very quiet. Only the sound of turning pages and the soft scratching of the pen on paper could be heard.

A little more time passed.

Sylvia clutched the hem of her clothes, then released it.

“Lady Rose, I…”

“I’m listening,” Rose said without raising her head.

Sylvia took a deep breath and spoke the words.

“Lady Rose… could you please… remove the blood clan bloodline from me?”

Rose’s pen stopped.

She finally looked up, removed her magic glasses, and turned her golden eyes toward Sylvia. There was a meaningful glint in her gaze.

“What did you say?”

Sylvia subconsciously shrank her neck, but still forced herself to repeat it.

“I want… to turn back into a human. Can the blood clan bloodline be removed? After becoming a blood clan, I can’t stop myself from wanting to drink my daughters’ blood.”

Rose looked at her for several seconds.

Then she smiled.

The smile was light and faint, but it sent a chill down Sylvia’s back.

“Come here.”

Rose beckoned to Sylvia.

Sylvia hesitated for a moment, then walked forward and stopped beside the desk.

Rose reached out, pulled her over, and pressed her down onto her lap.

Sylvia fell into her embrace, her entire body held by Rose’s arms.

“Lady Rose… L-Lady…”

“Don’t move.”

Rose lowered her head and leaned close to Sylvia’s neck. Her breath fell on Sylvia’s skin—cool, with a faint trace of blood.

Then, her fangs pierced the skin.

Sylvia let out a muffled groan. Her body tensed, then slowly went limp.

Rose was drinking her blood.

Sylvia could feel her blood flowing out from the wound on her neck and into Rose’s mouth. Unlike Ilena, Rose drank blood very roughly, making Sylvia frown involuntarily.

Rose drank for a long time—long enough for Sylvia to start feeling dizzy, long enough that she had to reach out and grab Rose’s sleeve to keep herself from sliding off her lap.

Finally, Rose stopped.

She lightly licked the corner of her lips with the tip of her tongue, drawing the last trace of blood into her mouth. Those usually indifferent golden eyes now carried a hint of satisfaction.

“I can’t do it.”

Only then did Rose speak.

Sylvia was stunned. She had thought Rose was helping her, but she had only wanted to drink her blood?

“You were turned into a vampire using my precious Ancestor blood. Do you understand what Ancestor blood means? It is the highest, oldest, and most irreversible power in this world. Every drop of blood in your body carries my mark. You want to change back?”

Rose smiled again. This time, the smile held a trace of pity and mockery.

“Stop dreaming.”

Sylvia lowered her eyes and said nothing.

She had actually guessed this would be the answer. She had just… wanted to hear it with her own ears, so she could completely give up hope.

“Alright, you can go back now.”

Rose released her, picked up her pen again, and lowered her head to the documents.

Sylvia stood up from her lap and remained standing there without moving.

After a while, she spoke softly.

“Lady Rose… could you give me some money?”

Rose’s pen stopped once more. She looked up at Sylvia, her eyes gaining a spark of interest.

“Money?”

“Yes.” Sylvia kept her head lowered, her voice growing smaller and smaller.

“Just… everyday money. I… I have two children to raise. I need to buy some things…”

Rose looked at her for a moment, then smiled. This smile was different from before—more genuinely amused.

“Sure.”

Rose reached into the desk drawer, took out a bag, and casually dumped it onto the table.

“Clink!”

Gold coins, silver coins, gems, magic crystals—various valuable items piled up into a small mountain, sparkling under the sunlight.

“Take them.” Rose leaned back in her chair, watching Sylvia as if enjoying a good show.

Sylvia stared at the small mountain but did not reach out.

“…Lady Rose,” she said softly.

“Do you have… just silver coins? Copper coins would be best. These are too big. I… I can’t exchange them.”

“Also… carrying so much will get me robbed.”

This was the lesson Sylvia had learned from living in the Demon Realm for so many years through countless painful experiences: without corresponding strength, one could not keep corresponding wealth.

Walking down the street with a bag of gold coins was no different from carrying a sign that said “Come kill me.”

Rose raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t have any.”

Rose said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I don’t use that kind of thing.”

Sylvia fell silent. She suddenly remembered Ilena. Whenever the countess went out, she would always exchange some coins before coming to find her.

“You were just thinking about Ilena, weren’t you?”

Rose’s voice suddenly rang out, carrying a surge of killing intent. Sylvia jerked her head up and met those golden eyes.

The laziness and amusement from earlier were gone. In their place were anger and displeasure.

“I…”

“Slap!”

Without giving Sylvia a chance to explain, Rose delivered a sharp slap across her face.