Chapter 441: The Past

Chapter 441: Chapter 440: The Past

The young female seemed truly exhausted, clinging to his arm. Dracula held her gently, his silence a tacit approval.

While the storm raged outside, Yu Zhizhi leaned against him, feeling a rare sense of security.

She was utterly exhausted.

Just before she fell asleep, she felt Dracula lift her and place her on the bed.

Yu Zhizhi instinctively clutched his sleeve, her eyes flying open to stare at him, her face filled with reluctance.

Dracula paused for a moment, then sat on the edge of the bed. “Go to sleep. I’ll stay here.”

He knew the little rabbit had her own territory. He’d once skimmed a newspaper article about it—a place where it was like spring year-round.

It was also the most suitable place for her.

A young female of the Rabbit Clan should live in a bright, sunny land. A terrifying, dangerous place like Sun Ridge… she was completely out of place here.

Last night, a tornado had swept through the World Tree area in Sun Ridge. The Half-mutated Beastmen who had lived here for a long time were used to it.

But the little rabbit looked like she hadn’t slept all night.

She was genuinely terrified.

Yu Zhizhi quickly fell asleep.

It was still noisy outside. Perhaps because she knew Dracula was nearby, she slept hugging the blanket, but her body still trembled slightly.

Dracula lifted a finger slightly. An ink-blue light gradually enveloped the bed, seemingly blocking out all the chaotic noise from outside. An unprecedented tranquility settled over the small space.

He gazed at the Rabbit Clan female’s sleeping face.

In the Underground City, no one would deliberately mention that past before him.

Although he normally wouldn’t have cared, seeing her again still left him feeling somewhat bewildered.

‘…Love?’

‘For Dracula, who had shouldered the mission of restoring his empire since childhood, it was a completely foreign word.’

‘If he truly felt love, it should be for the Cangshan Empire.’

‘Compared to that, what did personal feelings matter? How could he possibly like a rabbit from Varolan?’

‘How did they meet?’

‘When they were together, what was it like?’

All of this was a blur to Dracula.

Even the fragmented reports were merely speculation. All anyone had seen was that one time during the nobles’ sacrificial rite, when he held the little rabbit protectively high in the air.

That was all.

The Little Octopus lay on the windowsill, looking down for a long time.

It was still early, so it secretly slipped out the door, wanting to wander around outside.

Yu Zhizhi finally got a peaceful sleep.

In her dream, the world suddenly became extremely quiet, as if she were back in her territory, waking each day to the sound of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

She slowly woke up to see a dark figure sitting by her bed. Dracula appeared to be on a call with someone from the Underground City, his expression calm as he listened to their report.

Sensing the Rabbit Clan female had awoken, he looked over.

Yu Zhizhi watched him quietly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Last time in the Underground City, she had barely spent any time with Dracula. It was only when he looked her way that her memories of him would stir deep in her heart.

‘He seemed to have changed.’

‘And yet, he seemed the same.’

Dracula ended the call.

“You’re awake?”

Yu Zhizhi nodded lightly. “…Thank you.”

‘I slept for so long. Was Dracula watching over me the whole time?’

“Do you need to rest tomorrow?” Dracula asked.

Yu Zhizhi thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I can do it.”

The Divine Hall’s mission seemed quite urgent this time. The male Hamster’s condition wasn’t difficult to heal; a few more days, and his Beast Bone would be completely renewed.

Dracula noticed that the little rabbit wasn’t curious about the Hamster’s condition.

Nor had she asked about the specific details of the mission.

She seemed to have complete trust in the Divine Hall.

Or rather…

…complete trust in the Zero Messenger.

Unable to name the strange emotion that suddenly arose within him, Dracula stood up. “His name is Love, and he is a Tomb Guardian. He was infected by a Mutated Beastman five years ago. His Beast Bone was severely damaged, leaving him unable to activate the tomb’s Array. Once you heal him, we can enter the Underground Tomb and find the remaining bones.”

“Love…” Yu Zhizhi repeated the Hamster’s name, a smile touching her lips. “Oh, so that’s what this is about.”

‘That means we can collect the bones in just a few more days!’

Yu Zhizhi suddenly remembered that she had first met Dracula when he was gravely injured. She said softly, “In the future… if you ever get hurt, you can come to me.”

Dracula, who had been about to leave, paused.

He turned back to see the little rabbit, now sitting up, looking at him earnestly. “If you need Evolution Strength, you can come to me for that, too.”

Dracula looked at the young Rabbit Clan female before him. In her eyes…

‘…was that genuine concern?’

‘As if, given their past relationship, this was the most normal thing in the world.’

Dracula was silent for a long time before turning to leave. “I’ll go get some food.”

A smile lifted the corners of Yu Zhizhi’s mouth. ‘I can feel it,’ she thought. ‘Dracula’s attitude is so much warmer than when we met again in the Underground City!’

After Dracula left, Yu Zhizhi suddenly realized the Little Octopus was gone.

‘Is it in the bathroom?’

Yu Zhizhi got out of bed and walked toward the inner room. She found the bathroom empty.

‘Did it run off to play?’

‘In this weather, could it be in danger?’

Yu Zhizhi walked to the window and looked at the storm outside. The swaying streetlights looked as if they were about to be blown apart.

There were very few Beastmen on the street.

She could only see a few scattered Half-mutated Beastmen passing by, all of whom, without exception, possessed extraordinarily large and sturdy bodies.

When Dracula returned, he found the little rabbit standing by the window, peering out.

He closed his umbrella and placed the steaming hot food on the table.

“Stand back a bit,” he warned. “The rain in Sun Ridge is corrosive.”

This little inn was quite dilapidated, and the windows weren’t sturdy. If the wind blew one open and the rain touched your skin, it would begin to rot.

Although it can be healed, the pain is no less.

Hearing this made Yu Zhizhi even more worried. “The Little Octopus is gone.”

Dracula had noticed the red octopus slip out while he was sitting by the bed. He said slowly, “It’s a mature octopus now. It knows to come back.”

…Huh?

Yu Zhizhi was taken aback. The Little Octopus and the word “mature” seemed to have nothing to do with each other.

‘Maybe it’s because we’ve been together constantly during this time…’

‘But where it goes is indeed its own freedom.’

‘I hope it’s just wandering nearby and will come back on its own tonight.’

Yu Zhizhi sat at the wooden table, slowly eating the food Dracula had brought back.

Her mind was still on the Little Octopus when she heard the sound of the door opening—

Dracula had gone out.

Yu Zhizhi took a sip of warm water, thinking, ‘Maybe next time I should get a communicator for the Little Octopus to wear on a tentacle. That way, I can contact it anytime.’

Not long after Dracula left, someone knocked on the door. “Miss Rabbit, are you there?”