Chapter 238: Call for help

Vlad reached the window, prepared to leave. The moment he looked outside, he immediately retreated a couple of steps.

"Th-that bitch is still there," he gasped, his brows furrowing in annoyance.

Seraphina raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. She was sitting at the edge of the bed. Who could possibly be out there to make Vlad react like that?

She quickly reached the window and looked outside. Ravenna’s seated figure became visible a few metres away at the entrance to the dormitories. Her face carried a dark expression, as if she might explode with anger at any moment.

"Head Warden Ravenna," Seraphina gasped, her eyes widening. "What’s she doing there?"

Usually, wardens didn’t stay outside around this time of day since mornings were the most bone-chilling.

"Wait a second." Her head snapped back toward Vlad as she remembered how he had appeared in her room last night. "Did you come while she was on guard duty?"

"Yeah," Vlad nodded.

She barely held herself back from bonking him.

"That was very dangerous!" she hissed, giving him a sharp glare. Even Seraphina wasn’t confident that she could sneak in or out while Ravenna was on duty. Her sensory abilities and speed were insane enough to prevent even a fly from slipping past her.

She stepped in front of him and nagged, placing both hands on her waist. "I already told you about her, yet you still infiltrated last night. You should have turned back."

"And leave you starving?" Vlad argued, although his tone remained calm. "Never! I would have still come even if there were a hundred Ravennas guarding outside."

Seraphina had no response to that. How could he be awkward with the simplest romantic gestures yet say such sweet words without the slightest hesitation?

Perhaps this pure heart and absolute care were what made her fall for this stupid knight.

While Seraphina was still frozen by his words, he was already moving back and forth across the room.

"I need to think of a plan to escape," he muttered, pacing back and forth. He had never thought that Ravenna would stay awake all night just to catch him.

"Vlad." Seraphina grabbed his wrist, pulling him out of his racing thoughts. "I can help you escape."

"I’m not cross-dressing," Vlad declared with narrowed eyes, making his stance clear.

"Don’t worry," Seraphina assured him. "I won’t make you do something you hate."

’No one. Absolutely no one can disrespect my man,’ Seraphina muttered inwardly. ’Ravenna is just a mere Head Warden. If she dares lay a finger on my Vlad, I will show her the difference between heaven and earth!’

With that declaration, she grabbed her phone from the table and did what any sane person would do.

"Come to my room. I need your help," Seraphina ordered someone on the phone.

"I’ll tell you when you’re here. Make it fast."

Beep!

"Whom were you calling?" Vlad asked, curiosity laced in his voice. From her tone, it didn’t seem like she had been talking to a friend.

"Father," Seraphina revealed with a smug smile.

"Oh, Uncle Lucas." Vlad nodded.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Whom did you call again!?" Vlad demanded, his eyes widening like saucers. He felt his soul leaving his body.

---

One minute later...

Lucas arrived outside the girls’ dormitories.

Ravenna immediately rose to her feet, the dark expression vanishing from her face and turning into one of fear and nervousness.

"L-Lord Cendral," she greeted, giving him a deep bow.

"Hmm." He nodded. "Don’t mind me. I’m here to meet my daughter."

"Let me guide you, Lord Cend—"

"No need." Lucas’s voice came out sharp and final, making Ravenna flinch immediately.

She couldn’t help but feel that he was absolutely pissed about something. She decided not to poke at this volcano that might erupt at any moment.

It took him only another minute to reach outside Seraphina’s room and knock on the door.

Seraphina opened the door, letting him in. She had already changed into more proper clothes. The gown was meant for Vlad’s eyes only, after all.

Lucas’s expressions immediately softened the moment he saw his precious daughter. He was about to give her a big father hug when his eyes narrowed at Vlad sitting on the sofa. Before he could even ask what he was doing there, Seraphina grabbed his arm with both hands and pleaded, "Papa~ I need your help."

Lucas.exe malfunctioned.

His mouth hung wide open, his hand already clutching his chest as he nearly suffered a heart attack from cuteness. For a moment, Seraphina looked exactly as she had when she was barely four years old, always clinging to her papa.

"Tell me what you need, my baby," Lucas said, his eyes burning with the resolve of a man prepared to go to any lengths for his daughter.

"You know Vlad came here to feed me his blood, but now he can’t leave because of the warden outside," Seraphina explained, moving his arm back and forth. "I can’t have him punished when he risked his academy life for me. You will help us, right, Papa? Blink-blink."

"Of course I will," Lucas immediately agreed, patting her head.

Vlad was left flabbergasted. Of course, he found her extremely adorable when she talked like that, but he was even more shocked by her manipulation skills. If she wanted, she could probably unleash a war upon the entire Argentum Continent with just a single word: Papa.

’She is scary,’ Vlad gulped inwardly.

Lucas walked toward Vlad, his crimson hair swaying with each step.

Vlad was already standing on his feet to show his respect for his girlfriend’s father.

Lucas leaned closer and asked in his ear, his voice slightly threatening, "What’s your current relationship status with my daughter?"

A bead of sweat trickled down Vlad’s temple. He had never been scared of the fact that Lucas was one of the Five Heroes. His only nervousness came from the fact that he was Seraphina’s father.

He wanted to be as respectful toward him as he was toward his own father.

"We are dating, Uncle Lucas," he replied in a confident tone.

Lucas’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Good."

He tapped Vlad’s shoulder as he continued, "I’m already aware of your character. But still, as a father, I will say this. There is nothing more precious to me than Sera. I hope you treat her with even more affection than I do."

"I’m afraid that’s not possible, Uncle Lucas." Vlad’s response came instantly, making Lucas frown. "No one can match a parent’s love for their child. But I promise you this: I will spend my life trying to earn the same devotion for her as you have."

"Even better," Lucas chuckled, moving back.

Seraphina couldn’t hear the words these two exchanged, nor did she try to. Her heart was overwhelmed by the fact that her whole world was standing before her eyes.

"I’m staying at the academy for one more day," Lucas said, a frown appearing on his face for a moment before immediately vanishing. Now that Vlad noticed it, Lucas’s forehead was reddened for some reason, as if he had hit something quite solid.

Vlad decided not to ask about it.

"You need to come to the Principal’s Office tomorrow," Lucas revealed, placing his palm on Vlad’s chest. "Treat today as a holiday."

With that, he lightly pressed Vlad backward. His body transformed into a fireball and shot out through the window, moving even faster than his top speed while using Lightning Steps.