The Virtuous Dark Witch

Chapter 46

When the pale-eyed Andros noble saw the Rozin woman lying before him, he was slightly surprised. But even knowing she was Duke Brett Hall's favorite, he couldn't disobey Duchess Eliza's order.

Without hesitation, he roughly pulled the Rozin woman up from the ground, brushed aside her messy hair, and exposed her fair, slender neck. Fresh blood pulsed under her thin skin, and an alluring scent washed over him. The pale-eyed Andros man's bloodthirsty nature woke instantly.

He eagerly summoned his sharp fangs. A strange red light flickered in his pale blood eyes. No longer suppressing his excitement, he pressed his right hand next to the unconscious woman's head, making the veins under her skin more prominent. With a low growl, he sank his fangs into the vein.

"Ugh…" The pain pulled Roxane Mullin from unconsciousness. She let out a weak whimper, her delicate brows furrowing tightly. Her long eyelashes trembled, and after five long seconds, she barely opened her eyes.

Feeling the pain in her neck and her blood draining away, her eyes widened in terror. Her mind cleared instantly. She struggled desperately, but her body felt like mud. "No… don't… please… Brett… save me…"

Unfortunately, Brett Hall was in serious trouble himself. For some reason, his bloodline felt suppressed, leaving his entire body stiff as stone.

And with the blooming of the Sapharaya Mother Tree Flower, the soul deep in his mind showed signs of waking. He tried to retract the flower in his pupils, but he couldn't command his bloodline.

In a short time, Duchess Eliza Miller's chest wound had healed. She glanced at the pale Roxane Mullin, then immediately followed her intuition deeper into East Fir Forest. She looked up, but saw only dense branches. "Austin… is that you?"

No other Andros ancestor could summon and suppress Brett's bloodline except him. She had seen the Sapharaya Mother Tree Flower bloom in Brett's eyes with her own. Austin must be nearby.

Austin… Austin…

Cinderaven, perched listlessly on top of a silver fir, grew annoyed as Eliza's voice drew closer. Was she stupid? She was saved—couldn't she go deal with Brett Hall? Why look for him? If he wanted to show himself, he wouldn't need her to find him.

But being angry was useless. He had to get back to the central castle before he was exposed. He closed his small black eyes. Two seconds later, the familiar female voice was still there. He opened them helplessly and curled himself into a tight ball.

Without a physical body, he only had one strike left. He pulled a long face and wailed inwardly: "Little Dessey, help!" Her voice was getting closer. Cinderaven held his breath, forcing himself to blend into the darkness.

Just as Eliza Miller stepped into the heart of East Fir Forest, a grain of glowing Witch Sand fell from the sky, gliding past the black crow perched on the tallest silver fir. Before Eliza Miller noticed, the sand took the crow and vanished from the forest.

"P-please… let me go…" Roxane Mullin weakly pushed the Andros noble holding her. The starlight in her amber cat eyes had dimmed, but the memory of those congealed-blood glass eyes burned brighter. Despair filled her heart. He wouldn't save her anymore.

Sated with blood, the pale-eyed Andros man finally let go of Roxane Mullin. Following Duchess Eliza's order, he awakened his own bloodline.

As soon as she was free, Roxane Mullin tried to run, but she was too weak from blood loss. She barely rolled over, but standing was impossible. She reached forward, her fingers curling, but her nails only touched dirt before she lost strength.

The Andros man, who had summoned his bloodline, reached for her. The moment his fingers touched her dress, a silver light flashed. c***k—his neck was twisted, his head hanging at a grotesque angle.

Wilson Macadam reappeared, staring dumbfounded at his right hand. That hand had just broken the Andros man's neck. But he had only snuck into Stirling Manor for fun, not to cause trouble. He quickly stepped back to leave.

"Ugh… help me…" Roxane Mullin looked at Wilson Macadam. The interrupted transformation was a relief, but she couldn't stay there. Eliza Miller was nearby. She had to escape. Tears glistened in her amber eyes, making her look even more pitiful. She reached for him. "Help… me…"

Wilson Macadam frowned deeply and tilted his head. He hesitated. Hearing the weak, beautiful Rozin woman beg, he wanted to take her away. He stared at the bright moon, hesitated, then stepped forward and picked her up. But as soon as he turned, he stepped back in shock.

Eliza Miller was already in a foul mood—attacked by a lowly Rozin, and unable to find Austin. Seeing a silver wolf carrying her prey away made her even angrier. "Put her down. Then get out."

"Beautiful Lady Eliza, this… this is a misunderstanding." Wilson Macadam stepped back again, ready to set her down.

But Roxane Mullin clung to him like a lifeline. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, trembling and sobbing. "Please… please…"

Wilson Macadam thought tonight was strange. His heart, cold for a thousand years, felt pity for a weak Rozin woman. It wasn't normal. He glanced down at her and said firmly, "Let go first." Eliza Miller was not someone to provoke.

Elara hid behind an ancient silver fir in the forest, holding the curled-up Cinderaven and watching the show. She had thought Roxane Mullin would be turned by a low-ranked Andros noble. But it seemed evil never dies.

"I told you to put her down." Eliza Miller stepped forward slowly. She passed the kneeling Andros man, snapped his head back into place, and blood mist rose from her fingers. The man, who had been healing, coughed softly.

"Your Grace… cough…" The thick blood in his pale eyes hadn't faded. Knowing he had failed his order, he knelt before she could punish him.

"Step aside," Eliza Miller said. She didn't blame him. Wilson Macadam was King of the Macadam Silver Wolf Tribe—killing a common Andros was easy for him.

“Yes.”

Even now, Roxane Mullin wouldn't let go. She buried her face in his chest, trembling violently.

Eliza Miller advanced step by step. Wilson Macadam smiled helplessly, lowered the arm holding the woman, then roughly pulled her off without mercy.

"No!" Roxane Mullin collapsed to the ground, but her boneless hands still clung to the tail of Wilson Macadam's tailcoat. "Don't leave me…"

"You snuck in—why couldn't you just stay quiet and enjoy yourself?" Eliza Miller's pent-up anger finally found an outlet. She flashed forward and attacked Wilson Macadam's vital points.

Wilson Macadam tore his coat free and dodged repeatedly. "Let's talk calmly. I really didn't mean to ruin your plan." Before he finished, a claw sliced through the air. He retreated quickly but wasn't fast enough. The right side of his face burned with pain.

The waiting Andros man walked toward Roxane Mullin again. He hadn't completed Duchess Eliza's order.

With time to recover, Roxane Mullin had regained a little strength. Seeing her rescuer trapped by Eliza Miller, she knew she couldn't count on him. She pushed herself up and stumbled toward the castle.

The Andros man held his sore neck and chased after her. He caught up in ten seconds, grabbed her hair, and bit his own wrist without hesitation.

"Ah… no!" Roxane Mullin fell again. She stared at a thick silver fir, where a silver-white dress fluttered. "L-Lord Elara… help me…"

Elara raised an eyebrow. She looked down at her own dress, then turned and walked away as if she had heard and seen nothing, holding Cinderaven. The screams and pleas behind her didn't move her at all.

Once she left East Fir Forest, her mood inexplicably lifted. Elara looked up at the sky. "It's getting late. We should go back. The shop opens tomorrow."

They really should leave. Cinderaven hung his head, feeling dizzy.

The fighting in East Fir Forest grew louder, but the atmosphere inside the central castle grew warmer. Elara found her aunt, and Duchess Lisandra and Alexander were there too.

"Leaving so soon?" Thea couldn't go back to the Dessey Shop with Elara tonight and felt reluctant. "Stay the night?"

Elara politely refused. "The shop opens tomorrow." She turned to Alexander. "East Fir Forest at Stirling Manor is much livelier at night than during the day."

"What do you mean?" Alexander was confused by the sudden comment.

But Duchess Lisandra's face changed immediately. She looked around and noticed both Brett Hall and Eliza were gone. She flashed out of the central castle toward East Fir Forest.

Alexander guessed what was happening. "Wait for me," he said, and hurried after his mother.

Thea frowned. "Did Eliza Miller and Brett Hall really fight?" She wasn't surprised, though.

Brett Hall knew Eliza Miller loved blood-red dresses and jewelry, yet he let Roxane Mullin wear them. If Roxane had a decent status, it might have been different—but she was just a lowly, pretentious Rozin. Eliza Miller would never tolerate her.

"Eliza Miller almost had her heart torn out by Brett Hall." Elara chuckled. "Roxane Mullin really has a huge influence on Fisher." She was satisfied with that. "Aunt, I'm going back. No need to see me off."

"Are you sure you won't stay?" Thea held her hand and sighed when she shook her head. “Alright. I'll walk you to the carriage." It was better she left. With Eliza Miller and Brett Hall fighting, Stirling Manor wouldn't be peaceful tonight.

Once in the carriage, Elara set Cinderaven down roughly on the long table. She said goodbye to her aunt, tapped the carriage, and two intelligent black horses turned around.

After leaving Stirling Manor, Cinderaven couldn't stand the awkward silence. He carefully glanced at Elara's dark face and said: "That lecherous wolf definitely fell for that human woman too."

Is that so? She suspected he was making things up. But Elara had no good feelings for the old wolf Wilson Macadam right now, so she agreed: "Mmm. Roxane Mullin is quite pretty. Even wolves appreciate beauty. We should wish them well."

"Yes." Cinderaven sighed in relief that she was talking. "Once Roxane Mullin is turned, they can be entangled forever." Add Fisher, who changes bodies from time to time, and it would be wonderful.

Elara looked down at the cowering black crow. He was good at changing the subject. "Are you hiding something from me?"

He was hiding many things—he didn't know which one she meant. Cinderaven lowered his head even more, his beak almost touching the table. "I only went to East Fir Forest because I felt Eliza Miller's bloodline tightening."

"Just watching? Nothing else?" Elara lifted an eyelid casually, looking at Cinderaven with cold eyes. "Then what happened to Brett Hall?"

So she had seen everything. Cinderaven finally understood how Alexandra and the others felt under pressure. He silently decided that once he returned, he would learn from little Dessey and stare at people with icy eyes until their defenses crumbled.

"Haven't I told you? Austin Corell is different from the other Andros Ancestors. His seven-petaled flower is identical to the Sapharaya Mother Tree Flower—both are Blood-Stamen Seven-Petaled Flowers. There's a legend among the Andros: Austin Corell is the son of the Sapharaya Mother Tree."

Elara snorted coldly. “Continue. Don't stop."

Cinderaven felt life getting harder. "Austin Corell can not only suppress the other Andros Ancestors' bloodlines, but also summon them."

"Even without a physical body—just a soul?" After tonight, Elara realized she knew far too little about Cinderaven. This bird was hiding too much!

"Of course not." Cinderaven sighed, wrapping his wings tightly around himself. "Haven't you been busy refining the Dark Soul Cords lately?" He had only given a hint—it shouldn't break his promise to Lord Vazhena.

Dark Soul Cords? Elara understood. Because of the Dark Soul Cord, Cinderaven's soul had been connected to Austin Corell's body.

He had used his soul, through the cords, to force Austin Corell's body to summon and suppress Brett Hall's bloodline. That was why he looked so terrible now.

"Once we get the Earth Source Pact for Luohe Plains and refine those Dark Soul Cords, will we go find Austin Corell's body?" He could barely remember what he looked like.

"Are you in a hurry?" Elara had been thinking the same thing. After meeting Roxane Mullin today, she was almost certain the woman was after Austin Corell. But why hadn't she looked for him in twenty years?

Cinderaven looked up at Elara, his small black eyes bright. "I miss having Austin Corell's body."

How could he not be in a hurry? That Rozin woman had been turned. Soon she would gain Andros power. She had seen him. What if she found his body first?

Elara saw what he was thinking. Once, she hadn't looked because of fear—or maybe weak power. But turned Roxane Mullin was different. Even if her Andros bloodline was low-ranked, her power would multiply.

"I'll speed up refining the Dark Soul Cords in the next few days. Once we get the Earth Source Pact for Luohe Plains, we leave immediately for Anastas City."

Hearing the definite plan, Cinderaven closed his eyes in relief.

Back at the shop, Elara saw Cinderaven lying still. She smiled and shook her head, then carried him upstairs and laid him on the bed. Her right hand flipped over, and a small Nether Box containing Blood Soul Essence appeared in her palm.

She walked to the window with the box and looked up. The moon was beautiful tonight. She wondered if Fisher was in a good mood.

Meanwhile, the guests at Stirling Manor had all left. The seven Andros Ancestors gathered in the uncleaned main hall.

Wilson Macadam, the Silver Wolf King, hadn't been allowed to leave. After the fight, his handsome face was scratched by Eliza Miller. But his skin was thick, so he didn't care. His wolf eyes stared straight at the fierce woman—Eliza Miller.

Eliza Miller stood before the kneeling Roxane Mullin and grabbed her jaw.

Brett Hall, whose body had recovered, flashed forward, but Becky Cotton stopped him before he could reach her. "Are you done causing trouble?"

April Lake crossed her arms, displeased. "Brett, would you kill a lowly Rozin woman? Have you lost your mind?"

"I didn't want to kill her." Brett Hall's gaze flicked to Eliza Miller's chest. His head ached. Why had he acted on instinct?

Everything just now felt like a dream. How could he have attacked Eliza for Roxane Mullin? He pushed Becky aside and walked toward Eliza.

"Brett." Roxane Mullin, her neck wound healed, looked at him with tearful eyes. "I hurt so much." She had been turned—by an impure Andros. She hated it, and regretted it deeply.

Brett Hall's approach didn't catch Eliza Miller's attention—or rather, she chose not to notice. She still squeezed Roxane Mullin's jaw, summoned her bloodline, and ordered: "From today on, you will not wear blood-red clothing or jewelry. If you do, I will burn your bloodline away."

She didn't know why she didn't kill the hateful woman. But she knew Brett had attacked her for this woman—he must truly love her.

"Eliza." Pain filled Brett Hall's eyes. He reached for her, but she dodged and plunged her right hand into his chest.

Feeling blood flow down her hand, he laughed. "I'm sorry."

That wasn't him. Roxane Mullin stared at Brett Hall without blinking, stunned. This wasn't him… absolutely not. There was no light in his eyes for her.

"Stop this nonsense." Duke Alexandra Stirling's face was dark, his gaze colder than ice. If Roxane Mullin hadn't been useful, he would have killed her himself. A lowly Rozin had started a fight between two Andros Ancestors—how could he tolerate her?

Eliza Miller suppressed her anger and pulled her hand from Brett's chest. She sneered: "You'll do anything for this woman. Very well. For the sake of our years of friendship, I'll back down." She loosened her grip on Roxane Mullin's jaw. "I'll spare her this time." If she offends again, I'll kill her."

Alexander, standing in the corner with Thea, frowned. Something felt off about Brett.

"Um." Wilson Macadam cleared his throat, ignored by everyone. "Can I leave now?"

He'd seen enough of the fierce woman—she was too much to handle. He'd gained nothing tonight and didn't want to be in the way. Besides, facing a room full of Andros Ancestors, his neck felt cold.

Duchess Lisandra glanced at him. "I thought you liked Stirling Manor?"

"I-I didn't mean to sneak in." Wilson Macadam didn't understand. If Goddess Andralena had given fangs to werewolves, why give them to Andros too? Did she want them to bite each other?

"Wilson really didn't mean to," Thea explained kindly. "He came to pay Elara back." Whether they believed it or not, she held out her hand to Wilson Macadam. "Elara didn't see you when she left. She told me to collect the ten thousand gold coins from you."

What? Wilson Macadam felt a chill. "I don't owe little Dessey money." Wait—ten thousand gold coins. He suddenly remembered: on a dark, windy night, he had gone out and met a beautiful… unreasonable girl…

Alexander turned his gaze from Brett Hall to Wilson, saw his complicated, tangled expression, and smiled. "It seems you really did come to pay little Elara back." Should he go to the Dessey Shop tomorrow too?

Ten thousand gold coins for one claw? Wilson Macadam swallowed hard and looked back at Thea firmly. "I'll pay for a new carriage."

The Dessey carriage was shabby and falling apart. She dared to cheat him of ten thousand gold coins? Just like a bandit from West Sea Forest.

Thea looked at him with obvious disdain. "Our Dessey carriages are forged by the West Sea Witch Ancestor from Iron Thorn Wood—imperishable for ten thousand years. Are you sure you want to replace it?" Did he think West Sea Forest was poor and couldn't afford decent things?

Wilson Macadam finally understood why Iron Thorn Wood was extinct. He hesitated, then reluctantly pulled out a stack of gold notes, counted ten thousand, and set them on the nearby wine table. "Can I leave now?"