Noble of the Night: Blood Oath

Chapter 2

A grand Gothic structure stood at the entrance—it was the building of a Catholic school. A small stream flowed alongside lush greenery, and girls dressed in white blouses and black skirts strolled leisurely through the grounds.

This place was a paradise for boys, yet for most girls, it was a prison they dreaded—St. Deline's Girls' High School.

The serene sound of a hymn gently echoed, reaching every corner of the campus. In the classroom marked with a “301” sign, the shuffling of papers indicated the end of an exam.

“Finally, it’s over.” Isabella stretched her arms lazily as she packed up her stationery, ready to head home.

“Hey! Have you heard about the recent ghost rumors at school?” A classmate, seizing the moment before they left, caught her arm and started gossiping.

“Ghost rumors? You mean the one where a student who committed suicide kneels in front of the statue of the Holy Virgin to repent every night after ten?”

“No, not that one.” The classmate rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Everyone already knows about that. Besides, when that TV crew came to investigate, they didn’t find anything. That rumor is probably fake.”

“You mean the girl who was pushed down the stairs at Zhen Zhi Building and now roams the halls every night looking for her killer? Old schools sure have their quirks—if nothing else, they’re full of ghost stories.”

“Wrong again! That case was from six months ago. It’s ancient news by now. I’m talking about a brand-new rumor this semester—the mysterious vampire incident!”

Isabella froze for a moment at the mention of vampires, but quickly regained her composure and flashed a beautiful smile.

“Mysterious vampire incident? Oh, come on. What era are we living in? Vampires? Really?”

“It’s true!” Her classmate, unwilling to back down, explained further. “Recently, a lot of girls at school have been feeling anemic, and later, some people noticed that some of them had faint red marks on their necks—like bruises from a needle. And on some of those marks, there were even two tiny puncture wounds, just like a vampire’s bite.”

“Yeah, sure. Unless you’ve seen it with your own eyes, stop spreading those silly rumors.” Another classmate chimed in, her voice filled with disbelief.

“I’m not making this up!” The first classmate threw an annoyed glance. “You know Vivien from Class 2, right? She fainted during the assembly today, and they found two red marks on her neck.”

“Has anyone seen what this vampire looks like? Is he as hot as Tom Cruise in *Interview with the Vampire*—the kind that makes you scream with excitement?”

“The weird thing is, Vivien doesn’t remember anything! When she opened her eyes, she was already in bed, with no memory of what happened last night. Now some people are even speculating that the vampire might be hiding among us, ready to strike again.”

“I’m begging you, stop talking nonsense! There’s no way a vampire could be hiding here.” Isabella slung her backpack over her shoulder, dismissing the idea.

“What kind of i***t vampire would come to a Catholic school? First, you have to walk through the gates under a giant crucifix. Then, you pass the statue of the Holy Virgin in the courtyard, only to sit in class staring at the crucified Jesus on the blackboard. Not to mention we attend Mass twice a week, without fail. If there really were such a fearless vampire, I’d truly admire him.”

Isabella’s words elicited a chorus of agreement from the others. Exactly! There’s no way a vampire could survive here.

“Alright, alright. Enough of that. I have to head home now.” Isabella glanced at her watch, grabbed her bag, and made her way toward the door. “Bye! See you tomorrow.”

“Bye!”

With light steps, she walked through the courtyard. Just before leaving, she glanced at the statue in the middle, flashing a dazzling smile.

“Goodbye, Virgin Mary. See you tomorrow.”

The glow of the setting sun illuminated Isabella's face.

“Miss, according to the results, your heart is perfectly healthy.” The cold, formal voice of a young doctor echoed in the room. He adjusted the papers in his hands and cast a detached glance at the woman in front of him.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, with large, bright eyes and full, red lips. From a man’s perspective, she was undeniably captivating.

“Dr. Morgan, are you sure you checked thoroughly? I really feel like something’s wrong with my heart…” Unlike most patients who would be relieved to hear they were fine, the woman furrowed her brows, clearly unhappy with the diagnosis.

It wasn’t that she was trying to make trouble for the doctor—far from it. Ever since she first met him at the hospital, she had been completely smitten. In fact, she had been faking her illness just to get closer to him. She thought the more she saw him, the better her chances of winning his attention. But no matter how many hints she dropped, the doctor showed no interest at all. Now, with the test results coming out normal, she was running out of excuses to see him again.

Stealing a glance at the man she adored, the woman gazed longingly at him.

He wasn’t the typical frail-looking doctor. His tanned skin hinted at a man who exercised regularly. His strong jawline and prominent features made him stand out, and beneath his thick lashes, his eyes brimmed with both intellect and indifference. There was something uniquely alluring about him. Adding to his appeal was that faint smirk that always played at the corner of his lips—a look that mixed cold detachment with a sense of superiority. It drove her wild.

Clyce Morgan handed the patient’s file to the nurse, throwing a mocking glance at the woman who claimed to be “seriously ill.”

“If you want more tests, that’s not my concern. I’ll ask Dr. Duncan to conduct a thorough examination for you.” His emerald eyes, framed by gold-rimmed glasses, were filled with disdain as his lips curled into a scornful smile.

“What do you mean by that, Doctor? Why would another doctor examine me? Isn’t this your specialty?” The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yes, but I’ve resigned.” Clyce shrugged nonchalantly, watching with satisfaction as the woman’s face filled with shock.

At that moment, the door to the examination room suddenly burst open, and an older man in a white coat stormed in without knocking.

“Director.” Clyce greeted him coolly, showing no surprise at the abrupt intrusion.

“What is this letter about, Dr. Morgan? Are you really resigning? Do you even know how many patients are waiting for you? You can’t just leave—what will happen to all those people?” The director, fuming, waved Clyce’s resignation letter in the air.

Clyce raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed. “That’s not my problem,” he said, with the same detached tone as always.

This was Clyce Morgan, one of the most notorious doctors at Kenthan Hospital—cold, unapproachable, always wearing a mocking smile. He had no patience for anyone he didn’t care about. Under normal circumstances, someone with his attitude would never be employed as a doctor. But his medical skills were so exceptional that Kenthan Hospital had no choice but to overlook his personality flaws and keep him as their lead physician.

As long as he brought prestige to the hospital, the director believed it was worth it. But when he saw that resignation letter on his desk this morning, he knew the situation had changed—their star doctor was leaving.

“You can’t just walk away! As a doctor, you have a responsibility to treat the patients under your care. That’s part of your duty!” The director shouted, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

Removing his white coat, Clyce grabbed his briefcase and met the director’s gaze with a defiant stare. “No matter what you say, I’m not staying. If you want to talk about responsibility, take it up with the next attending physician. I told you before—none of that concerns me.”

With confident strides, Clyce left the room, leaving everyone behind in stunned silence.

“What… What kind of person becomes a doctor when they’re so unsuited for the job?” The director muttered under his breath.

Clyce had neither the compassion of a healer nor the desire for fame or fortune. While his medical skills were unmatched, everything else about him clashed with the profession. With his brilliant mind, he could have excelled in politics or business, so why had he chosen to become a doctor in the first place?

It was truly a mystery.