Chapter 1999 - 540: It's Not Just Bats Who Sneak a Bite_4

The atmosphere at that moment was so intense it was about to set the carpet on fire, and the Demon King had already been forced by the Hero up against the wall.

However—

Just as the Demon King's rationality was about to collapse, a streak of scarlet light suddenly rushed into his vision.

Silver moonlight fell upon Erin's flawless, fair face, and those trembling eyelashes drowsily parted just a slit.

What swayed behind that slit was no longer the crystal-clear emerald green; in its place was a flush of intoxicated, even sickly, crimson.

That was an expression Erin would never show.

That half-squinted eye was like a little bat that had tasted blood, seeming to cheer "finally getting to eat" with gleeful delight and indulgence.

Feeling a plunder even more greedy and ravenous than the Eternal Hunger Claw, Luo Yan felt his heart almost rocket out of his chest, and he retreated a step with lightning speed.

With a soft "thump," Luo Yan, who had pulled away from Erin, bumped into the door beside him.

Fishing all day and still getting bitten by the fish—in all his time deftly toying with people's hearts, the Demon King had never been as disheveled as he was now.

Vivian seemed to realize she had come at the wrong time, or at least not at the time to dance a "victory settlement dance," and her consciousness hurriedly fled from her Beloved's body.

The scarlet contained in Erin's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a clear confusion and the shy embarrassment of someone who had come back to her senses.

Just like before, she had absolutely no memory of being possessed; her broken memories still stopped at the moment she boldly kissed him.

Seeing Luo Yan "in shock" as he backed away, she thought her unladylike move had scared him, and her whole face instantly turned red like a fully ripe tomato.

"I…I just now… I… I'm sorry…"

Her index finger pressed frantically against her own lips as her gaze darted away, stammering out an explanation. She looked small and helpless, with none of the earlier bravery.

Luo Yan took a deep breath, quickly adjusted his expression, and reached out to gently help Erin tidy her slightly mussed hair.

"You're drunk, Erin."

There was no trace of anything unusual in his voice, only meticulous care.

"Get some rest early, we still have to go back to Thunder City tomorrow."

Today was the last day of the summer hunt; such Royal Family–hosted hunts usually lasted only two weeks, so they wouldn't be staying here much longer.

Erin lowered her head, twisting her fingers in her skirt, and let out a soft "mm." In her heart there was both the kind of embarrassment that made one want to crawl into a hole, and a faintly sweet sense of loss.

But—

She didn't regret it.

Just now, she had already confirmed Colin's feelings. Though he had been startled, he hadn't rejected her… which clearly meant, in his heart, she had a place.

As for what that little sense of loss was about, she herself hadn't really figured it out; and that faint loss was very soon completely drowned by the surging sweetness…

After settling Erin, Luo Yan left the room and gently closed the door.

The corridor was empty.

From beneath the red carpet came the faint laughter from the banquet hall, no less grating than a chorus of "kukuku."

Standing in the corridor, the Demon King took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the impulse to unleash the Butterfly of All Things and immediately fly back to Colin Manor to teach a certain brat a lesson.

Calm—

It was just a bat sneaking a lick of his nose; hardly worth getting angry over, let alone exposing the Demon King's trump cards.

Besides, once Vivian figured out his moves, that certain ever-more-battle-hardened little brat would only become more troublesome.

Unlike that fool from the Padric family, Vivian's learning and adaptability were truly impressive; this girl did have grounds for pride.

She was a real genius, just spoiled rotten…

After spending about five minutes convincing himself to calm down, Luo Yan set off toward his own room, and a certain milky-white Ghost quietly drifted out.

"Lord Demon King…"

"..."

"…Huh?"

"Huh what?"

"Why aren't you telling Youyou to shut up?"

"Youyou, shut up."

Ah!

That's the stuff!

As if she'd been waiting for those words, Youyou dissolved with a satisfied look into a wisp of white smoke, spinning as she faded into the shadows of the corridor.

And the Demon King only felt even more exhausted.

Meanwhile, two hundred kilometers away at Colin Manor, a scream loud enough to shatter glass sent the crows perched on the treetops fleeing in panic.

"Kukuku!!!"

A black shadow flashed up onto the rooftop, and facing the full bright moon, a wicked yet intoxicated smile appeared on Vivian's face.

Hearing the commotion from the roof, Mia hurried out of the manor, just in time to see Vivian spreading her arms wide to embrace the moon in the sky.

That crazed expression didn't look like an act.

Without a doubt—

The Blood Race of the Colin Family had finally gone completely out of her mind.

"What kind of fit are you throwing now?!"

Looking down upon the Padric loser standing on the manor lawn, Vivian lazily narrowed her eyes like a well-fed cat, her tongue lightly sweeping across her lips.

"Kuku… You kitchen-succubus would never understand."

"…?" Mia stared suspiciously at the raving Vivian. She was just about to snap back, but for some reason, a vague bad premonition rose in her heart.

That was the Padric instinct; the Demon God's blessing was warning her, as if she were facing an unprecedentedly severe trial.

Vivian didn't bother with her, because a loser wasn't worthy of stepping onto the victor's stage—only of kissing the strong one's shoes.

Praise Demon God Bayele—

Starting today, Vivian is an adult!