Chapter 46: Victory ✌🏻

“Roar, roar, roar[Come back with me, back to that castle.]” the Black Dragon murmured lowly.

Bai shook her head, her mood somewhat somber.

“Sorry, Xiao Hei, Bai, Bai can’t go back anymore. Bai’s master isn’t Yarabella-sama anymore… Bai can’t return to that castle.”

The giant dragon was silent for a moment, its dragon eyes narrowing slightly as if deep in thought.

After a while, its heavy yet unusually gentle voice came again.

“Roar, roar, roar[Are you going to abandon me, Bai?]”

“No, no, no, Bai misses Xiao Hei very much too, but Bai really doesn’t want to go back there anymore,” Bai denied firmly.

She wanted to explain more but saw Aurelia and Skarn behind her looking at her in disbelief, slowly approaching as if trying to overhear their conversation.

Seeing this, Bai lowered her voice and simply said, “I’ll explain to Xiao Hei later. Those are my friends; don’t hurt them.”

Xiao Hei blinked its vertical pupils once.

When its eyes opened, they were already glancing at the few who were trying to get closer behind.

The latter, seeing the giant dragon suddenly looking over, froze in their tracks, startled.

Aurelia took a deep breath, mustering her courage.

Though her body was still weak and unsteady, she ran over to Bai’s side and shielded her from behind.

“Get behind me, Bai,” she said nervously, eyes constantly wary of Xiao Hei, who was only a breath away.

Xiao Hei let out a displeased low murmur.

“Aurelia Sister, Xiao Hei is Bai’s friend. He means no harm,” Bai hurried to explain.

“Are you seriously not joking? Knowing a dragon as a friend—that’s just… puh.”

Before she could finish, Aurelia suddenly spat out a mouthful of foul blood, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Bai’s eyes flicked open and she quickly caught her, worry evident in her voice.

“Aurelia Sister, you’re badly hurt. Your condition is the most critical right now. I’ll heal you immediately.”

“I’m fine, just a minor wound, I can still—”

Aurelia tried to keep strong, but a wave of pain in her chest caused her to nearly cough up another mouthful of blood.

Bai gently laid her down and her hands glowed with a shimmering light as she began healing Aurelia.

Seeing Aurelia still trying to get up and keep watch over Xiao Hei, Bai warned, “Aurelia Sister, your body can’t handle much more. If you don’t receive treatment soon, it’ll be dangerous.”

Aurelia’s heart skipped a beat but she obediently lay back down.

However, her eyes remained locked on Xiao Hei, as if afraid he might suddenly snuff out both her and Bai.

Lying so defenseless in front of the giant dragon gave her the uneasy feeling of being a fish on a chopping board.

Xiao Hei turned its head again and saw Skarn and the knights behind, tensely gripping their sword hilts. Some even had trembling hands.

The dragon snorted disdainfully and shook its head, signaling they could come closer.

“C-Captain, did he just say we can go over?”

Goda nervously whispered beside Skarn.

“You take the remaining brothers to clear the battlefield, help any surviving soldiers, and check if that vampire is truly dead. Aurelia and I will go over,” Skarn commanded.

“No! That’s too dangerous!”

“That’s an order.”

Seeing the captain’s insistence, Goda glanced at the imposing dragon in front and then at the exhausted soldiers behind.

He sighed and said, “Understood, Captain.”

Skarn stepped forward, the Black Dragon looking down at him, its eyes following him all the way to Bai’s side.

“Uncle Skarn, Aurelia Sister’s condition is stable for now. I need to find Sister Vera next. Her injuries are severe and need immediate treatment,” Bai said, her healing glow stopping as Aurelia, lying on the ground, finally exhaled steadily—clearly much improved.

“More than that, I want to know what’s going on between you and this dragon… I’ve lived a long time but this is the first time I’ve seen a dragon. I still can’t believe my eyes,” Skarn said. Behind him, Xiao Hei snorted again, as if mocking him.

Bai frowned, annoyed.

“No, Xiao Hei, Uncle Skarn is a friend. You can’t eat him.”

“Snort”

“Aurelia Sister and the knights are off-limits too!”

Seeing Xiao Hei finally relent, Bai turned and smiled at Skarn.

“Xiao Hei is someone I met up north. He’s very well-behaved… most of the time.”

Well-behaved?

He practically wants to eat us—that counts as well-behaved?

Skarn could tell Bai didn’t want to answer that question.

Though he had many, no—too many doubts, at this moment she only wanted one answer.

“Can I ask you something? That vampire just mentioned ‘Blood Servants.’ What does that mean?”

Bai’s hand paused.

Behind her, Xiao Hei’s dragon eyes suddenly narrowed.

He straightened his massive body, glaring at her with anger as if ready to erupt at any moment.

He could sense it—Bai was scared and uneasy.

“Xiao Hei!”

Bai called quickly.

The dragon restrained himself slightly but still looked displeased, as if warning her.

Bai lowered her eyes, her mood heavy.

Half-joking, half-testing, she said, “If I tell the truth, Uncle Skarn won’t kill me, right?”

Skarn shook his head, trying to soften his rough voice.

“Little one, you saved us, we should be the ones thanking you. How could we hurt you? Besides… I couldn’t bring myself to harm a child.”

Even if he wanted to, did he dare?

Bai was silent for a moment.

Half-truthfully, she said, “Five years ago, I was captured by a vampire and made a Blood Servant, but I escaped. Just a few days ago, I made it here. So, Bai… is free now… Do you believe that?”

Aurelia and Skarn exchanged suspicious looks.

“People captured by vampires become Special Variants of Vampire Beasts. Like vampire beasts, they lose their sanity and become incredibly ferocious. Are you really okay, Bai?”

Special Variant… so humans could be infected into those monsters too?

Bai was also confused.

They said vampires could turn animals and even humans into those terrifying vampire beasts. So why was she fine?

Was it simply the True Ancestor’s mercy?

Sometimes, she thought, it might even be better to become a mindless vampire beast…

Bai shook her head and forced a reassuring smile.

“Hehe, Bai’s fine. Maybe I was just lucky.”

She forced the smile, but it was tinged with sadness that was hard to miss.

Skarn could clearly see it.

Bai was hurting… and behind her, the dragon was on alert again.

Skarn opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say or how to comfort her.

As a warrior who hunted vampire beasts, facing a once Blood Servant, an innocent and adorable child, what could he do?

He couldn’t bring himself to raise his sword against her. He was a human warrior.

Wasn’t his duty to protect humanity?

How could he swing a slaughter blade at a child?

He hesitated for a long moment, then reached out and gently stroked Bai’s hair.

He said softly, “No matter what, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Snort”

“I already told you, no eating!”

“……”