This Was NTR All Along, Wasn't It?

Miss Femis was jolted fully awake when Murphy hit her in the face with a Dark Psionic Blast.

She was indeed very weak, but after several hours of rest, she had recovered considerably.

Vampires with a Black Iron Body had an exceptionally strong capacity to recover. What was more, it was nighttime, and even the arm that had been severed earlier had already grown back.

But it was clear that Miss Femis had some strong opinions about the way Murphy had woken her!

Without her hood to hide her face, her little white fangs bared, and her scarlet eyes radiating a coldness that, in any other situation, would have earned Murphy a sound beating.

He might even have been executed on the spot for offending someone of higher rank.

Fortunately, this wasn't an ordinary situation.

"I'm pleased to report that the mission was a success, Miss. Thanks to your fighting on the front lines, my servants and I were able to complete this important task without a hitch. However, I have some bad news.

"Your loyal blood thrall is dying."

Murphy bowed to Miss Femis with vampiric elegance, then pointed to Lady Adele, who lay beside them, burning with fever and wracked with pain.

"The malice left behind by the Wolfsbane thugs is tormenting her, and my assistant has proposed a rather risky solution.

"She believes that if we perform the Embrace on Lady Adele right now, we may be able to drive the malice from her body and allow her soul to remain in this dark land.

"However, she is your servant, Miss. Her life, her soul, and her future are yours alone to decide."

At Murphy's explanation, Miss Femis first looked pleased that the mission was complete, but then grew anxious. She rose and landed lightly beside Lady Adele, as if stepping on air.

She placed a hand on her butler's forehead.

The heat radiating from Lady Adele's skin troubled Miss Femis. She then released what was perhaps a life-assessment psionic technique, and the information it returned made Femis's expression even grimmer.

"I heard from my father that the crazed Wolfsbane thugs coat their claws and teeth with plague toxins to increase their destructive power. It's a particularly vile dark psionic spell. Humans infected with this toxin don't become vampires, but once their life force is exhausted, they turn into mindless monsters.

"As their bodies gradually rot, they become cages for their souls, until they are ultimately tormented into becoming loathsome things, half alive and half dead, like blood ghouls."

Miss Femis stood and said to Murphy,

"Looks like the dark rumors were true! My poor Adele has fallen into this desperate state. The Embrace could indeed help her, using the Blood Eagle's tainted power to grant her a new life.

"However, I can't do it."

"Hm?"

Murphy blinked at that answer.

Wasn't this cool, distant lady practically his most loyal and trusted human servant?

You'd said yourself she'd served you for years and was practically family. Now that your family member was about to die, what did you mean, "I can't do it"?

Ha!

So this young lady might look small and cute, but she was rotten to the core! Just like her clan leader father, she was a cold-hearted monster.

"That's not what you think!"

As if she'd sensed what Murphy was thinking, Femis coughed a few times and explained,

"I am my father's blood descendant, an extension of the Blood Eagle Clan's oldest bloodline. Without my father's permission, I can't grant anyone the Embrace—not even Adele."

"But she's dying!"

Mirian, who was somewhat afraid of Miss Femis, couldn't help speaking up after hearing such a terrible explanation.

"She was bitten by that thug because you ordered her to fight. She's dying for your cause. As your loyal blood thrall, she was going to be turned by the Embrace sooner or later.

"This is just happening a little early!

"Is your father's permission really more important than the life of someone loyal to you?"

"Silence, human. You don't know the full circumstances."

Miss Femis coldly rebuked the impertinent Mirian, then turned back to Murphy. After hesitating for several seconds, she steeled herself and waved a hand.

"You do it!"

"What?"

Murphy, who'd been watching the scene unfold, hadn't expected his snack-time gossip to end up involving him.

He suspected Miss Femis was still delirious from her weakness and had misspoken. He gave her a strange look and said,

"She's your blood thrall, Miss. Your servant relationship hasn't been dissolved. If my clan finds out I gave another member's blood thrall the Embrace, I might make it back to Cadman City only to be tied to the roof of Blood Eagle Castle and sentenced to sun-burning.

"Are you trying to get me killed?

"I can't do this. You should do it yourself.

"My assistant was right, too. This is an emergency, and the total annihilation of your Midnight Hunters is proof enough of how dire things are. I don't think the clan leader is unreasonable."

"I can't do it!"

Miss Femis seemed to have been avoiding this question all along. She stamped her foot in frustration and said to Murphy,

"If I tell you to do it, then do it! Why are you talking so much? Save Adele, Ravnos Murphy Lasombra. That's an order!"

"But she's your—"

"She isn't anymore!"

The anxious Miss Femis made a peculiar Blood Eagle hand sign with her left hand and pointed to the night sky above.

"I, Femis Cecilia Lasombra, hereby dissolve the master-servant bond between myself and Bella Bernice Adele, and restore to her the freedom of her life, person, and soul.

"I swear this under the witness of the Mother of Night!

"The contract of allegiance has reached its end. In the name of loyalty, I grant her a new life!"

At those words, not only Murphy but even Mirian, sitting by the campfire, was stunned.

As a girl born and raised in Transia, she might not know much, but she understood the significance of those words for a blood thrall. Had this strange young lady dissolved her bond with Lady Adele first, so that Murphy could save her without breaking the Blood Eagle Clan's rules?

Hey!

Was there something you weren't telling us?

You'd rather hand someone you treasured over to another vampire than save her yourself? Were all vampires crazy? Or were they just born heartless?

Murphy could see what Mirian had figured out, too.

If Miss Femis hadn't taken a blow to the head during the battle, there was only one other explanation.

He looked the flustered young lady up and down, realizing that when she kept saying "I can't do it," she probably didn't mean it as an excuse. She might genuinely be unable to do it—and not just because of orders from the clan leader.

But Murphy didn't pry.

What vampire didn't have a few harmless little secrets?

The problem now was that Miss Femis had gone to such lengths. If he refused to help, this powerful rich young lady might draw her sword and start cutting people down.

Besides, Lady Adele had said some rather revealing things when she came to help him earlier. This human blood thrall seemed to have seen through Murphy's little tricks in the vampire massacre.

That was a potential problem.

To keep the truth hidden, he could either let Adele, who had saved his life, die in agony, or make her one of his own in the most literal sense.

Murphy considered it for a moment, then said to Miss Femis,

"I'm willing to help you do this and save Lady Adele's life, but first I need to discuss it with my servant. I promised him I'd give him the Embrace, so I need to get his understanding."

"He won't object, and he isn't your servant anyway! That blood thrall called Maxim still bears Jade's psionic mark."

Miss Femis shook her head and said hoarsely,

"I don't know how you got involved with Jade, but I'd advise you to give up. Jade is a hypocritical control freak, beyond saving.

"Knowing him, he won't allow someone else to take what's his.

"Even if he doesn't need it.

"I promise you, Murphy: Adele is the best servant you could possibly find in Transia. If—if I had a choice, I wouldn't give her to you!"

"That's for me to consider, Miss. Please wait patiently. I'll be right back."

Murphy nodded to Miss Femis with elegant courtesy, then turned and hurried into the woods. At his imitated call, Maxim soon appeared before him.

The loyal servant was still moving those orbs. He wore only a thin shirt, and sweat covered his shoulders and forehead.

"Is something wrong, Master Murphy?"

he asked.

Murphy didn't hide anything from him. He briefly explained Lady Adele's situation. The vampire glanced at the faintly visible campfire behind him and said to Maxim,

"This clearly has something to do with some of Miss Femis's secrets. She's put me on the spot now, and Lady Adele saved my life, so I want to save her.

"But I promised you the Embrace, so..."

"Uh..."

Maxim stared at Murphy, bewildered. He scratched his head and asked,

"Do you really need to ask for my opinion about this? Master Murphy, the fact that you promised to give me the Embrace is already an immense honor. How could I ask for anything more?

"Besides, Lady Adele may look delicate, but she's much stronger than I am.

"She's definitely already a formidable Black Iron rogue. I'd be honored if you took in someone as powerful as her as my future companion."

"Uh..."

Seeing how calm Maxim looked, Murphy felt that he might have been overthinking things. This loyal servant's feelings weren't as delicate as he'd imagined.

He suddenly felt like he'd been speaking to the deaf. He sighed and said,

"So you don't mind and won't resent me for going back on my promise, right?"

"No, no! I don't mind at all!"

Maxim laughed, then lowered his voice, looking a little embarrassed.

"Actually, I've been looking for a chance to talk to you about this, too.

"When I was training under Lord Jade, some of the older trainees told me that if I could complete the Black Iron Trial on my own, fully master my body's functions, and uncover my own potential before receiving the Embrace, I'd have a brighter future as a vampire than most.

"So I'd already been thinking of putting off my Embrace for a while. This is the perfect opportunity. If you'd allow me this little wish, I'd..."

"I agree."

Murphy waved a hand and said,

"Whenever you're ready, come find me. I won't hide this from you: Lady Triss's blood power is indeed lacking something at its source, and I'm looking for a way to complete it, too.

"Taking the cautious approach is best for both of us."

"Then I have no objections, Master Murphy."

Maxim nodded and said,

"May I watch you perform the Embrace on Lady Adele?

"I've lived as a blood thrall this whole time, but I've never actually seen the ritual. I'd like to watch it myself so I'll be prepared later and won't bring shame upon your glory."

"Then come along and guard me!"

Murphy patted his loyal servant on the shoulder and led him back to the campfire. He nodded to Miss Femis, who immediately let out a long breath of relief.

She said,

"You need to start right away. The Wolfsbane's malice is flowing through Adele's veins. She won't make it to dawn before she loses consciousness. Be gentle!

"Don't be so rough. It's the first time for both of you."

"Hey, Miss. What you're saying could easily be misunderstood."

Murphy felt that his young lady sometimes really didn't think before she spoke, and she didn't even realize there was anything wrong with her words.

She hardly seemed like someone who'd lived for centuries. Maybe she had a split personality and was pretending to be clueless?

Murphy laid Lady Adele, whose body was frighteningly hot, away from the campfire. Both assistants watched nearby. Mirian even pulled out her notebook, intending to record the Embrace ceremony she was about to witness.

This was a rare opportunity!

Even in Transia, where vampire culture was widespread, ordinary people who got to witness an Embrace were few and far between. In vampire society, this ritual was as sacred as human reproduction.

"What should I do?"

Murphy took a deep breath and looked to Miss Femis, who was overseeing the ritual.

He was prepared, but the first time was always nerve-racking.

Miss Femis didn't answer right away. She bent down and kissed Lady Adele on the forehead, then whispered something in her ear. Only then did she rise and address Murphy with a solemn expression.

"Most of the time, the Embrace is a blessing bestowed by the strong upon the weak. But you're weaker than Adele, so you must be very careful during the ritual, lest her powerful blood invade your body in return.

"That could be disastrous. Both of you would be in mortal danger.

"But the ritual itself is simple.

"Apart from the traditional ceremonial steps, there's only one essential part!

"You must drain all of Adele's blood, then mix it with your own until your blood makes up a third of the whole, and inject it back into Adele. Through the sacred connection formed by your mingled blood, the tainted bloodline you inherited will be shared with her.

"At that point, she'll shed her mortal body and become one of the Blood Eagle Clan.

"In theory, you should notify your sire beforehand and get their permission for something like this. But with Triss in her current situation... well, that's another matter.

"Begin!"

Miss Femis gestured, and Murphy took a deep breath.

He offered a few simple prayers to the Mother of Night, then bent down, baring the fangs beneath his lips. As he approached Lady Adele's slender neck, its veins standing out against her deathly pale skin and burning with fever, he suddenly looked up at Miss Femis.

She seemed unable to bear watching and had already turned away.

That made Murphy's strange feeling even stronger. Miss Femis clearly had deep feelings for Lady Adele. So wasn't what he was about to do basically cheating on her right in front of her or something?

Damn!

The more he thought about it, the more messed up it seemed. He really shouldn't overthink this!

He was a perfectly proper vampire, after all.

Suppressing the slight stirring in his heart, Murphy's fangs pierced Lady Adele's neck.

She let out an unconscious moan in her agonized delirium. Then, as Murphy drew from her, her fever-hot blood flowed into his mouth.

Mmm.

It was exceptionally sweet, with a hint of the distinctive fragrance of shadowy woodland.

Wait!

That smell's not right, man!

The scent of woodland in her blood?

If Murphy remembered correctly, that meant...

How did Lady Adele have a quarter elf blood?