Chapter Nineteen: The Arrival of the A-Rank Blood Hunter

Tonight, the full moon hung high, its cold, clear light spreading across the ground like a silver carpet. I strolled quietly through the garden, savoring the tranquil night.

"Miss," Ang appeared at my side. "Princess Liliel has just left the estate," he reported to me.

"Left the estate? Where has she gone?" I asked Ang.

"I suspect Princess Liliel has gone out to hunt," Ang replied.

"Hmph, is the blood provided by the thralls not enough for her consumption? She actually needs to go out hunting," I said, somewhat displeased by Liliel's willful behavior.

"Perhaps Princess Liliel is simply bored. After all, there are no banquets or entertainments here for her to attend." Indeed, the bloodkin often held banquets or balls to pass the time and relieve their boredom. I rarely participated in such events, so I never felt any emptiness. But Liliel was different; she loved the atmosphere of banquets and frequently attended all kinds of gatherings among the bloodkin. After coming to the human world, deprived of the opportunity to attend such events, she must feel lonely. I truly hadn't considered this.

"Come, Ang." I decided to check on Liliel, hoping she hadn't gotten herself into trouble. Staring at the luminous full moon overhead, I suddenly felt an urge to venture out myself.

Thus, I revealed my true bloodkin form. Wide, black bat wings unfurled behind me, and, surrounded by a swarm of crimson bats, I chased after Liliel's scent. Ang transformed into a fleeting shadow, following closely behind.

"Two annoying pests," Liliel complained when I finally found her.

Liliel was gliding through the sky, pursued by two familiar figures—the same blood hunters I had encountered last time. They chased her relentlessly, while Liliel seemed to be toying with them, keeping just ahead by a margin.

"Liliel," I materialized in front of her.

"Lilith, it's you! What are you doing here?" Liliel was surprised to see me.

"Never mind me for now. What's going on with them?" I pointed at the two blood hunters pursuing her and asked.

"It's just that I drank a girl's blood. Is that reason enough for them to chase me so stubbornly?" Liliel scoffed, clearly unconcerned by their pursuit.

"You?" The two blood hunters finally caught up, shocked to see me with Liliel.

"Yes, who would have thought we'd meet again," I said to them.

"Princess Liliana, are you intending to shield her?" the male blood hunter asked sternly.

"Shield her? No, I have no such intention. I won't interfere in her affairs. But I don't understand why you're so persistent. She is clearly a noble bloodkin, not one of those vile vampires. She would never intentionally harm humans. Even when feeding, she exercises restraint and never endangers lives. Why do you pursue her so relentlessly? The Blood Hunter Guild has a treaty with our kind, acknowledging our existence," I questioned the two hunters.

"Hmph, whether vampires or bloodkin, you all feed on human blood. You should not exist in this world. Headquarters has ordered the extermination of all blood-drinking monsters like you. Prepare to die!" The male blood hunter swung his great sword at me.

"Foolish creatures, thinking you can take my life—you underestimate our kind," Liliel sneered before I could respond. She spread her wings and rushed at the male hunter with her sword, her figure blurring into a streak.

"Ang, keep an eye on Liliel. Don't let her kill the hunter," I instructed, wielding my scythe to block the female hunter armed with twin guns, preventing her from joining the fray.

"Yes, Miss," Ang replied, darting toward Liliel.

I stood coldly before the female hunter, scythe in hand, watching her quietly. "I won't fight you. You're not my match. Just wait here until the battle ends," I said calmly, then turned my gaze to Liliel's fight.

"Shadow Step!" Liliel cried, unleashing an advanced technique as soon as the battle began. She moved at high speed, splitting into six sword-wielding figures. The six Liliels surrounded the male hunter from different directions, blocking every escape route. Then, simultaneously, they thrust their swords at him, their forms transforming into six streaks of dark golden light.

"Senior!" The female hunter shouted in panic, rushing to help, but my scythe barred her path.

"Don't worry, he's not dead," I said calmly, returning my attention to the battlefield.

"Hmm?" The female hunter paused, then anxiously looked at the fight.

The dust and light gradually faded, revealing the figures at the center—not two, but three. Ang stood proudly between them, one hand blocking the hunter's silver great sword, the other gripping Liliel's blade aimed at the hunter's throat.

"Ang!" Liliel was furious, unable to understand why Ang had stopped her attack.

"It was Miss's order," Ang replied calmly.

"Why not kill him?" Liliel demanded.

"Because it would bring trouble," I spoke coolly to Liliel. "Though we have no fear of the Blood Hunter Guild, there is no need to provoke them. After all, this world is their domain. As guests, shouldn't we observe proper manners?"

"You, sir, have been watching for quite some time. Please, come out," I called toward the darkness nearby.

"Ha ha, worthy indeed of the bloodkin's first princess—the Night-blooming Tulip. To sense my presence, that's impressive," a middle-aged man emerged from the shadows, smiling. He wore a blood hunter's black cloak adorned with crimson crosses, held a flask in his hand, and exuded a languid air.

"Who are you?" I felt danger emanating from him and instinctively gripped my black scythe tighter.

"No need to be tense—I’m no good person," he said, sipping his drink. "Let me introduce myself: I am Optimist, Optimist's Le, Optimist's Tian, Optimist's Pai," he declared.

A strange name, a strange man—my first impression. Danger radiated from him, as my instincts warned me. "What is your purpose here?" I asked.

"Relax, I am merely here to retrieve my two incompetent subordinates," Optimist replied with a smile. His words bore no hint of hostility, yet I dared not lower my guard.

By now, Ang and Liliel had released the male blood hunter and stood at my side, wary of Optimist; both sensed the danger he posed. The male and female hunters had returned to stand behind him.

"Rest assured, I belong to the peace faction. I would never hunt bloodkin, especially the two princesses—only a madman would risk the wrath of your princes. Today’s events were my subordinates’ fault, and I apologize for them. I am merely here to take them away," Optimist continued, pausing to drink.

Within the Blood Hunter Guild, there are two main factions: the peace faction, which advocates coexistence with bloodkin, and the war faction, which, fearing the bloodkin’s power, seeks to eliminate all vampires and bloodkin. The Guild’s council consists of seven A-class blood hunters; the peace faction is slightly stronger, which is why we have enjoyed peaceful relations for so many years.

"Take them and go," I said to Optimist. Though we were strong enough to keep him here, it would come at great cost—there was no need to risk ourselves over two insignificant figures. They were merely a C-class hunter and a D-class hunter; letting them go posed no threat to us.

"Thank you. Consider me indebted; I will repay you one day. Remember my name—I am Optimist, an A-class blood hunter of the Guild," he said, waving as he led his subordinates away.

So he was an A-class hunter; no wonder he gave me such a sense of danger.

"Princess Liliana, we are destined to meet again—I foresee it," his voice drifted from the distant darkness.

"Hmph, letting them go so easily—how unsatisfying," Liliel complained once Optimist had departed.

I hadn't expected they would send an A-class hunter here. What is the Guild planning? Is something about to happen? "Enough, let’s head back. Try not to go out so often," I said to Liliel.

"Why should I listen to you?" With the common enemy gone, Liliel reverted to her usual self.

"Ashus, keep watch over Liliel. Do not let her go out alone again," I addressed Liliel's shadow.

"Yes, Princess Liliana. That is my duty," Liliel's shadow writhed, and Ashus emerged from within. Such is the gift of the Shadow Fiends; they merge with shadows and are masters of assassination.

"Ashus, whose orders do you obey? Whose steward are you, really?" Liliel protested.

"Your safety is my utmost priority, Princess," Ashus replied respectfully.

"Hmph, I won't go out then," Liliel said, flaring her wings, flying toward the estate on the outskirts, with Ashus hastily melding into her shadow to follow.

I gazed solemnly in the direction Optimist had vanished. It seemed something was about to happen. But for now, I hoped the peace of our lives would not be shattered. My heart was heavy with worry.

"Come, Ang, let’s go back." I took a deep breath to calm myself, spoke to Ang, and, surrounded by a flock of crimson bats, flew toward the estate in the suburbs.