Episode 4

Two days later, Rosanna stood before the mirror, inspecting her unfamiliar reflection. She looked like a gentry boy attempting to imitate a young nobleman’s style.

Although the dandyism trend had waned, its influence lingered in fashion. She wore a linen shirt with a bow tie, trousers held up by braces, and a sleek frock coat. Finally, she placed the silk hat the maid had provided on her head, concealing her updo. The disguise was flawless.

“You look just like a young gentleman!” the maid exclaimed.

“You’ve done well. I’ll give you two days of paid leave.”

The maid thanked her and exited the room. Soon after, there was a knock, and the butler entered.

“I’ve taken care of everything as you instructed. Here’s the address.”

Rosanna took the note, glanced at it, and slipped it into her pocket.

“Well done. I’m heading out.”

“Safe travels, Master.”

Both the maid and the butler excelled in their roles, performing their tasks without curiosity. They were the epitome of obedient servants.

“I have a good eye for people.”

Rosanna mused as she left the estate, walking the route the butler had indicated.

She turned the corner at the third building on St. Anne Street, entering a narrow alleyway. Following it straight ahead, she turned right at the second fork and arrived at a dilapidated storefront—the designated meeting spot.

The butler was the only non-human servant in the household. He was a dhampir, specifically chosen for his understanding of the family’s true nature and circumstances. Rosanna had hired him on the Elder Council’s recommendation.

His primary duty was to meet with illegal vendors and procure blood packs. Under normal circumstances, he would have handled today’s transaction, but Rosanna had a few questions for the seller herself, which is why she had come in person.

“He should be here by now…”

Hidden in the shadow of a crumbling wall, Rosanna’s impatience grew. She wasn’t accustomed to waiting for anyone.

Just then, the sound of a raspy cough announced the arrival of a man with a scruffy beard, who began looking around nervously in front of the abandoned shop.

Rosanna wasted no time and approached him directly.

“Why did you suggest meeting in such a secluded place today? Hold on, you’re not the usual one,” the man said, his suspicion rising.

But before he could act on it, Rosanna grabbed him by the collar and threw him effortlessly.

“Gah!”

The man crashed into the opposite wall, groaning as he tried to lift his head.

“What the hell!”

He tried to scramble to his feet, but his body froze in fear as he saw the crimson glow emanating from beneath the brim of her hat. An instinctual terror gripped him, paralyzing him on the spot.

In a flash, Rosanna closed the distance between them, clamping a hand over his mouth and lifting him off the ground. His body hung limply, like a criminal awaiting execution.

“Answer my questions,” she demanded.

The man, barely able to nod, struggled to comply.

“Who did this? Who ordered you to poison me?”

The man’s eyes darted around, but he remained silent. As Rosanna tightened her grip, a pained groan escaped his lips.

“Do you know who I am?”

He shook his head frantically, gasping for breath as if he might pass out at any moment.

Rosanna released him, and he crumpled to the ground with a sickening *crack*—the sound of his leg breaking. A low moan of pain followed, mixed with the man’s desperate cries.

“You don’t know me, yet you tampered with my blood packs. Why?”

“I don’t… I don’t understand… Please, spare me! I beg you…”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re the one who sourced the blood. Where did you get it?”

“I-I’m just a middleman… I don’t know anything, I swear! Please, just let me go!”

Rosanna sighed, clearly disappointed.

“So, you know nothing?”

Her tongue clicked against her teeth, mimicking the ticking of a clock.

“No… nothing at all?”

With that, she delivered a swift kick.

*Thud!* The man flew back into the wall, where he collapsed, unconscious, as cracks spread across the bricks.

“How infuriatin.”

Rosanna muttered, kicking the now-cracked wall in frustration. The sight of the wall crumbling slightly soothed her foul mood. Being toyed with by a human left a bitter taste, but dwelling on what had already happened would only aggravate her further. The real culprit was likely still out there.

“Might as well head back.”

Her business concluded, she wiped the tip of her shoe on the fallen man’s coat, humming a tune as she turned to leave.

She decided not to return home immediately. A walk around the central square would be a pleasant way to clear her mind. As she reached the square at a leisurely pace, the Gothic spires of Ingdberry Cathedral loomed over the treetops. The sight of the towering roof naturally brought her thoughts back to that day.

The handkerchief. And the man.

Although the contaminated blood had triggered her bloodlust, something about the experience still bothered her. The intensity of the desire had been far stronger than anything she had felt before, even as a child in the grip of primal instincts or during her first time drinking human blood. Could it really be attributed solely to the lycanthrope blood?

*Could it be that the man’s scent was something special?*

The memory of that scent lingered at the edge of her senses, tantalizing enough to make her mouth water. Just recalling it stirred a thirst within her. She wanted to smell it again.

What would Basilio’s blood taste like? What would it be like? She had never felt such a strong attraction to a specific person before, and her curiosity was piqued. If she were to choose an attachment, it might as well be someone whose blood was delicious. Although it was a shame he was a clergyman, if she got closer, there might be opportunities to taste his blood discreetly. No, she needed to prioritize solving the mystery and satisfying her curiosity first.

To do that, she needed to meet the man again.

“I’ll have someone investigate him.”

Rosanna knew that maintaining an advantage was key in any relationship. She would prepare thoroughly before appearing before him again.

Fixing her gaze on the sharp spires of the cathedral, Rosanna turned and began her journey back home.

By the time she returned to the estate, evening had fallen. She met Vlad at the entrance, just as he was coming home from work.

“Where have you been?”

“I had some business to attend to.”

“And you left the child alone?”

It was late, and the maids had already gone home, but Rosanna wasn’t worried. The butler was a live-in servant, and she had already sent a message through a runner asking Tanesia to return earlier than usual. Besides…

“Henry is smart. He can manage the house on his own. Thanks to my excellent early education, of course. You’re welcome.”

She patted Vlad on the shoulder and stepped inside.

“Welcome back, Master.”

The butler, who had been waiting, reached out to take her frock coat. Just then, Vlad lifted the hem of her coat, revealing a stain that was difficult to spot on the dark fabric, but his keen eyes caught it immediately.

“What’s this? Blood?”

“Oh, did some splatter? It’s a disposable outfit anyway.”

Rosanna said, shrugging off the coat and handing it to the butler, who bowed and carried it down to the basement to dispose of it.

“What have you been up to? You said you’d let this go, didn’t you?”

“What’s this? Did that doctor report to you? Are you spying on me now?”

Rosanna’s brows furrowed in irritation. After all she had done, taking care of Henry personally, and this was the thanks she got?

Despite being only half of noble Enache blood, she had never once left Henry in the care of a human maid. She had taken charge of everything related to him, down to the smallest detail. She had even gritted her teeth and changed his diapers herself!

“You shouldn’t be doing this. I’m here because of you, remember?”

“That’s not it. I… I heard about it at the rowing club. I’m just worried. This isn’t our homeland. If something goes wrong here, it could become a real problem.”

“…I know.”

If the “Peace Treaty” were to be broken due to Rosanna, a member of the Lumanó faction, it would put the Britna faction in a difficult position. If they were expelled from their homeland or forced into war, the conflicts between factions would intensify, threatening the stability of the entire vampire clan.

“Britna is the most prosperous empire in human society. There’s no benefit in breaking the treaty. Besides, there are rumors that the Order of the Holy Cross is based in this country.”

The Order of the Holy Cross was said to have originated as a vigilante group that hunted vampires during the barbaric ages. Beyond that, little was known about this secretive order.

“I’ll be careful.”

Rosanna heard a sigh of relief.

“You’re definitely Henry’s father. The two of you are so alike—both nags.”

“If you don’t want to hear it, try controlling your temper. I’m heading upstairs.”

As Vlad passed her and began to ascend the stairs, Rosanna called out, “Wait. I need you to find someone.”

“Who?”

Vlad paused on the stairs and looked back at her.

“Father Basilio.”

“A priest? What for?”

“It’s nothing serious. I just have something to return to him. I’m not causing any trouble.”

Vlad gave her a skeptical look.

“Can’t you just contact the Ingdberry parish? Don’t you have connections there?”

“I do, but… I’m not keen on using them for this.”

“I wasn’t going to mention this, but… Who’s living here without paying rent and getting by on the lowest possible allowance? And who, thanks to me, is letting Henry live a life of luxury among the upper crust?”

“Ugh, fine.” Vlad muttered under his breath, clicking his tongue. “I’ll look into it.”

“By tomorrow. Goodnight, little brother.”

Rosanna waved at him mockingly and then walked down the hallway toward her bedroom, her steps light.

The next evening, Vlad delivered disappointing news.

“He’s not there? Are you sure?”

“I checked with everyone, from the archbishop down to the deacons. There’s no priest named Basilio in the Ingdberry parish.”

Rosanna folded her arms and paced around the study, thinking. Then she stopped, as if a revelation had struck her.

“A seminarian, perhaps. Vlad, can you look into that?”

“I’m not sure… Wait. One of my clients used to be a seminarian. I’ll ask him.”

Vlad held out his hand.

“What do you want?” Rosanna asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Compensation. From now on, my services come with a fee.”

“What? You can’t just leave something unfinished.”

“Take it or leave it. The one who needs this done is the one who loses if they refuse.”

As much as it irritated her, Vlad had a point.

Unlike Vlad, who was socially active, Rosanna lacked connections. Despite living in the capital, she had remained distant from the Ingdberry social scene. Her prejudice against the Britna faction had kept her from engaging with them.

But she had changed her mind. She had hit it off with the Countess of Haywood at their first meeting, and they had become friends. She had even been invited to join the countess’s social circle. Attending more parties would help her build connections while achieving her goal of finding an attachment figure.

For now, she had to rely on her annoying younger brother.

“Fine. I’ll waive your living expenses for this month. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Vlad grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

Brothers really could be infuriating.