Volume 4 Chapter 48

Volume 4 + Chapter 48: Let Go of Restraint And Shyness

Because she had seen Miu Miu’s lip read message, Xia Yi quietly made her way to the Rose Garden.

The Rose Garden had been Miu Miu’s personal residence when she was still a Vampire princess. The garden’s intricate layout made it perfect for avoiding prying eyes. If someone needed a private meeting within the Vampire palace, there was no better place than this.

Xia Yi nearly lost her way when she stepped inside, but perhaps due to Miu Miu’s influence, the garden parted itself to reveal a clear path, guiding her inward.

She followed the route and reached the garden’s center, where she saw the silver-haired Vampire girl. Xia Yi was about to greet her—when the sight before her was so unexpected that she fell into silence.

“Mm-hm, now now, don’t fuss.”

In Miu Miu’s arms was a creature as cute as a pillow—like a big fluffy ball of black.

It had one giant watery eye and a pair of wings on its back, looking adorably silly.

If Xia Yi remembered correctly, she had seen this little fellow once before.

It was Miu Miu’s familiar… Little Black.

“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”

The familiar squirmed in Miu Miu’s arms, looking as if it were about to cry, its entire body full of resistance, letting out distressed little cries.

“Be good, Little Black.”

Miu Miu placed her hand atop Little Black’s head.

“I’m your master, you know.”

“Chirp—!”

But Little Black acted as though terrified. The large black blob dispersed into countless tiny Little Blacks, all of which scattered and fled from her arms.

The scene struck Xia Yi as extremely bizarre.

In her memory, Little Black had always been an obedient familiar—dull and lazy perhaps, but always obedient whenever Miu Miu commanded it, and very fond of its master.

So why was it reacting to Miu Miu with such fear and aversion now?

“Do you dislike me that much? I might cry, you know.”

Miu Miu reached out again to touch it.

The scattered Little Blacks immediately flitted away—then spotted Xia Yi, hurried over, and clustered behind her for safety.

Miu Miu’s gaze shifted, landing on Xia Yi, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

“Miu Miu… you wanted to see me, didn’t you?” Xia Yi asked directly.

Since they had spent time together in private before, she naturally didn’t bother with formalities.

“Yes.” Miu Miu nodded lightly.

Xia Yi stepped closer. “Congratulations, Miu Miu, on becoming the ruler of the Crimson Empire—the new Vampire Queen.”

“Thank you for your blessing~”

“I really didn’t expect it,” Xia Yi admitted. “Your status changed so drastically in such a short time. When I first heard the news back in the Dragon Kingdom, I found it almost unbelievable. Only after seeing it with my own eyes today did it truly sink in.”

Though Xia Yi offered heartfelt congratulations, Miu Miu showed no particular excitement about obtaining the Vampire throne. Instead, she remained remarkably calm.

As though all of this was only natural.

The Vampire girl’s attention, instead, was entirely on Xia Yi.

She circled the little dragon princess several times, her gaze drifting up and down in curious examination.

“Miu Miu, why are you looking at me like that?” Xia Yi felt uneasy. “It’s like we’re meeting for the first time. It’s weird.”

“Xia Yi Christie… I didn’t get your name wrong, did I?”

“Yes.”

(Xia Yi muttered inwardly: Did she take the wrong medicine today?)

The sense of wrongness surrounding the girl before her grew increasingly strong.

“Xia Yi, I have always wanted to meet you.”

Miu Miu clasped her hands behind her back and smiled sweetly at her.

“…”

“Why the sudden silence?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Xia Yi shook her head.

She couldn’t understand it. Miu Miu had always liked calling her by her nickname. Before, she would affectionately call her Xia Yiyi. Why stop all of a sudden?

“Oh! I understand now. You prefer that nickname, don’t you? Xia Yiyi~” Miu Miu said, switching back immediately.

“Call me whatever you want. There’s no one else here anyway.”

“Alright then, Xia Yiyi~ Xia Yiyi~”

Miu Miu seemed very fond of the name, repeating it several times.

Xia Yi found her more inexplicable by the minute, so she changed the topic. “Miu Miu, there’s something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“It’s what you said earlier at the coronation—your conversation with the Fox Emperor.”

“Which part?”

“The part about political marriage,” Xia Yi said. “Honestly, you shouldn’t joke like that. The Vampires might get targeted by the other upper races. You just ascended the throne—maybe you should focus on stabilizing the Crimson Empire first…”

“You actually think that was a joke?”

“Huh?”

Miu Miu suddenly leaned in playfully.

She reached out and cupped Xia Yi’s cheeks with both hands.

The distance between them shrank instantly. If Miu Miu moved even a little closer, the two fluffy sliver-haired girls would practically be kissing.

“Have you ever considered… that it wasn’t a joke at all, but something said in complete sincerity?”

Miu Miu’s gaze grew intensely suggestive as she stared at Xia Yi.

“…”

Xia Yi froze stiff.

“Xia Yiyi, we could… together…”

Miu Miu’s lips slowly, steadily moved closer.

“Miu Miu!”

Just before they touched, Xia Yi jolted in shock. She hurriedly pushed Miu Miu’s hands away and put distance between them.

For the little princess, the situation was far too overwhelming.

Her ears burned with heat, her gaze darted away, and after a long struggle, she managed to choke out a single sentence—

“We—we’re both girls! Y-you can’t just say stuff like that!”

“Isn’t that even better?”

To Xia Yi’s surprise, Miu Miu only smiled brighter—then dropped a truly shocking line.

“Pretty girls should love pretty girls~”

“W-What…?”

“Or could it be that Xia Yiyi likes boys?” Miu Miu teased. “But you were once the Human Sword Saint—a man. So liking men doesn’t make much sense, does it?”

“Of course not!” Xia Yi replied reflexively.

“Exactly. Naturally, Xia Yiyi would like girls. But someone worthy of being Xia Yiyi’s lover… there aren’t many in this world. However—”

Miu Miu lifted her skirt slightly and twirled gracefully in place. Her dress fluttered beautifully—revealing nothing, and yet somehow revealing everything.

“As it happens, my status matches yours perfectly. So if Xia Yiyi married me, wouldn’t it be a match made in heaven? After all, I’m not only beautiful—I’m perfect.”

“Now that you mention it… it’s… kind of true…”

Xia Yi found herself unable to refute her at all.

“Since that’s the case, you no longer have any reason to refuse.”

Miu Miu took Xia Yi’s hand, lifted it gently, and interlaced their fingers.

“Xia Yiyi, hurry and let go of restraint and shyness—marry me already~”