EnCoffin Me Chapter 25
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 25
Vampire fangs were used to feed on the fresh blood of their prey, and blood containing pleasure was the most delicious. So the process of a vampire feeding was usually accompanied by the prey's ecstacy. This was even more true for high-ranking vampires. Being pierced by their fangs could induce a state of bliss.
Alexio didn't have much experience using his fangs. He disliked close physical contact with others, and using a cup was more convenient. He could drink as much as he wanted and refill it afterward. Besides, Alexio enjoyed eating other things. He especially liked human snacks. In that process, his fangs only got in the way.
Because they easily bit his own mouth (×).
But Alexio was not completely ignorant about feeding on fresh blood. He had seen many vampires do it, and it didn't look that difficult. Besides, even if he made a mistake, wasn't he just going to bite a wrist? Not the neck. If he accidentally bit through a wrist, it wouldn't be fatal.
Lucius sensed something was wrong, but he had no room to resist. He could only watch as the vampire took his hand and brought it to his lips. Then, the vampire slightly parted his mouth, revealing little fangs that were a bit shorter than those of an ordinary vampire—
“Wait… my blood…”
Alexio had already bitten down!
In that instant, an endless wave of ecstasy, like a huge whirlwind, engulfed Lucius. Every joyful moment in his life descended upon him in a dizzying rush. He almost thought he was dying because countless images flashed rapidly through his mind. Then those images folded and faded, and the training he had received in the Holy Temple kicked in. He saw the world before him with doubled clarity—
Somewhat bashfully, the vampire lowered his lashes. A thin line of blood trickled down from where his lips touched Lucius' wrist, clearly showing his lack of practice. The vampire slowly raised his eyes, intoxicated, his gaze slightly unfocused.
“Your blood…” Alexio sensed something too, but he couldn't help being immersed in the faint intoxication. This was unlike drinking anyone else's blood. The taste in his mouth was no longer just ‘palatable.’ He had to admit, even if Lucius drew his sword now, he wouldn't want to let go.
A sharp sting came from the hand gripping the spiked chain. The saint's other free hand reluctantly lifted, pinching Alexio's face and forcing him to let go.
But Alexio was already drunk on it and resisted with all his might.
“Alexio… Alexi!”
Lucius tried desperately to bring Alexio back to his senses. He knew there was something wrong with his blood. This was the Holy Temple's last resort prepared for hunters like them, who were highly targeted. Some vampires took pleasure in toying with their prey. After defeating a hunter, they would cruelly try their blood. This was the hunter's final chance!
The medicine he had taken since childhood had nurtured a blood with a bewitching nature, and when a vampire became intoxicated by it—
It struck back!
“Mmmph mmmph…” Alexio resisted Lucius' attempts to pull him away. He had never sought the taste of blood, so he had never known anything truly sublime. He was utterly defeated by this flavor. Faintly, he seemed to hear a sigh, and then his head was lifted.
He was still biting Lucius' wrist, his deep rose-colored eyes tightly constricted.
Lucius' movements seemed to slow down in his eyes. The saint in white reached up and undone the top button of his usually buttoned-up shirt, revealing his collarbone. Then, he tilted his head slightly, exposing one side of his neck to Alexio.
“Pull the thing out of my eye,” the saint said gently, as if afraid to startle him.
“I'll cooperate with you. I'll give you even more.”
Alexio's pupils instantly contracted to their smallest point.
He slowly and painfully fought against the urge to feed. At the same time, his reason gradually returned, making him realize how humiliating it was to give in to his instinctual craving at this moment. He began to tremble slightly, his fangs withdrawing from Lucius' wrist. He didn't dare to lick the remaining blood on his lips. Forcing himself, he raised his left hand, using the pain to stir his rationality.
His left hand gripped the long spiked chain tightly. In his returning consciousness, he felt as if he were clutching a mass of old shadows. The spikes tore into his palm, nearly exposing white bone, yet he stubbornly and defiantly stared at the saint.
“Y-your… blood is… tainted… why didn't you say sooner…”
“…You didn't give me a chance to say it.”
“Button… your shirt… for me…”
Alexio gritted his teeth, exerting force while controlling his bloodlust. He took a deep breath, but the scent of blood still filled his nostrils, enraging him so much that he broke off his controlled reaction and unleashed all his fury on the chain in his hand.
No matter what this thing was…
Anything that witnessed his shameful moment must die!!!
At the other end of the chain, the translucent wedge-shaped object thrashed weakly before finally sliding out of the saint's eye. As the last sharp tip left the eyeball, Alexio reeled backward due to inertia, almost falling into the coffin. Lucius instinctively closed his left eye. Blood trickled down, looking gruesome, but the injury was not severe.
But at that moment, he felt something strange—
A massive shadow lifted away from above them.
Elsewhere, Ellie sobbed again, watching the same clip on repeat. The original music had been heroic and stirring as Galotti swung her sword to cleave the Underworld River, but suddenly the melody softened. A little red fish floated up from beneath its mother's skirt, its tail fin like delicate gauze, gently swaying…
And that dissipated the shadow between the goddesses.
Alexio released his left hand. The spiked chain stubbornly hung from half his arm. Still struggling to control his bloodlust, he shook it impatiently. The chain clung stubbornly, so he let one end drop to the floor, stepped on it, and yanked hard to pull it free. Under his rough handling, the chain finally surrendered. Its spikes disappeared, transforming into a smooth chain with a wedge attached to one end, embedded with flecks of deep red.
Thanks to the vampire's rapid healing, the large torn wounds began closing instantly, restoring his arm to perfect condition.
Lucius stepped closer and picked up the object that had lain dormant in his eyes. With a slight turn of his head, he saw the vampire glaring at him, fangs glinting behind parted lips.
“Want me to stay away?” Lucius asked gratefully.
“Over there!”
Lucius moved to the other side of the room. He looked down at his wrist, where clear bite marks were visible. According to a vampire's feeding process, the final step should have been licking the wound. Their licking could instantly heal the bite marks, but Alexio clearly wasn't skilled at that.
“Have you never bitten anyone else?”
Alexio faced the wall, struggling to suppress his still-churning bloodlust. He answered irritably, “Am I bankrupt, or has the vampire race gone out of business? They're just blood servants, not some luxury I can't afford!”
Lucius was silent for a moment. He'd only heard that vampires preferred beautiful blood servants, because then something else might happen while feeding. But in Alexio's view, blood servants were clearly just walking blood bags.
He smiled quietly to himself.
This vampire had… none of the aesthetic standard a vampire was supposed to have.
He watched Alexio huddling in front of the wall. After a moment's thought, he finally approached, even circling around to stand in front of him and crouched down halfway. Alexio looked up at him. His gaze involuntarily flickered to the exposed neck, then suddenly he buried half his face, swatting him away like a fly, urging him to get lost and stop tempting him here.
“If you want, I can give it to you,” Lucius said.
“I can't! Stay away!”
Backing off again, Lucius watched the ‘mushroom’ curled up in the corner.
He really looked pitiful.
He thought for a moment longer, then walked over again, circling to crouch in front of Alexio, looking at him sincerely.
“You helped me out. It's just a little blood.”
“Aaaah, go away! You're so annoying!”
Alexio absolutely, absolutely refused to give in. Of course, he craved the taste of this lunatic's blood. Whatever the Holy Temple had added to it, it was unbelievably delicious. He bitterly regretted that if he had known back then, he wouldn't have just gone after that giant silver cross. He would have barged in and forced those old men to hand over the formula!
Under the outburst, the saint moved away again. But this time, Alexio couldn't help but glance up nervously and saw the other looking back toward him, somewhat restless.
Don't you dare come any closer!
The saint looked away, pretending to focus on his own wrist. Alexio silently breathed a sigh of relief. He told himself to endure a little longer. It was almost over. He no longer craved the other's blood so much.
Then, in a moment of distraction, Lucius suddenly appeared in front of him again. This time, he made no effort to hide it. His beautiful sky-blue eyes held a slightly wicked smile. He even pressed the bitten wrist against one side of his collar, the bloodstained bite mark contrasting sharply with the defenseless neck exposed before Alexio. Alexio clearly heard something snap inside his head.
He sprang to his feet, tightly covering his mouth and looking around. Lucius looked a little puzzled. He had expected Alexio to give in and pounce this time, in which case he would have won this round. As for a bit of blood, he didn't care about such a loss. A little bit was just a little bit.
But…
Alexio rushed to the coffin, but not to hide inside. Instead, he set his sights on the twist-off lid. He grabbed it, braced himself, and heaved!
He had wanted to do this for ages! What kind of ridiculous design wasted space like that? It was perfect to dismantle and use for a proper purpose!
“Crack.”
The coffin lid snapped off.
Lucius realized what was about to happen. He mentally gauged the room's size and confirmed that he couldn't outrun the vampire's teleportation at that moment.
He had miscalculated. He didn't expect Alexio's anger meter to max out first.
“Please be gentle,” he said calmly, hoping for a dignified exit.
“Or at least make it symmetrical.”
Fueled by rage, Alexio lifted the coffin lid.
“Shut up!!!”