Chapter 3 The Splendid Castle
1858 Words
The attendants half‑supported and half‑guided her onto another helicopter. Yun Wan huddled herself the entire time, no longer daring to fidget or cry. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
After an unknown length of flight, the helicopter touched down gently.
The moment the cabin door swung open, Yun Wan was struck dumb with awe.
Before her stood an astonishingly massive, extravagantly opulent ancient castle. Its dark‑grey stone walls soared high into the sky, its spires piercing the twilight. Intricate carvings adorned every surface. Warm dim street lamps glowed, and the boundless, immaculately trimmed courtyard exuded an aura of antiquity and solemn majesty.
This was nothing like any place she knew. It was more like a supreme castle straight out of a fairy‑tale book.
Led by the attendants through the grand gates, she stepped onto cool, polished marble floors. The corridors were broad and magnificent. Crystal chandeliers cast soft radiance, and huge oil paintings hung on the walls. Every single detail was unimaginably precious.
Yun Wan glanced around timidly, unsure where to rest her hands or feet.
Even the smallest scrap of luxury here could sustain her for ten lifetimes. Vampires were unbelievably wealthy.
The place was so vast it filled her with unease, so lavish it felt suffocating. The only sounds were her own footsteps and those of the attendants.
She had no idea where she was being taken, nor what would happen next.
Fortunately, she had not been killed by a vampire. That faint spark of hope for survival flickered softly deep inside her heart.
If only she could make it back home and see her grandmother.
The attendants brought Yun Wan to an exquisitely carved solid‑wood door. They pushed it open gently, bowed, and withdrew, leaving her all alone.
Yun Wan stepped inside with trepidation, and held her breath at the sheer luxury of the room.
It was as spacious as a small banquet hall. Soft carpets brushed her ankles. An ornate European‑style four‑poster bed occupied one corner. Heavy velvet curtains draped over the floor‑to‑ceiling French windows. Every corner radiated cold nobility and refined elegance.
This vampire lord was truly powerful, unimaginably rich.
Before she could take in more of her surroundings, three or four humanoid robots emerged from the inner part of the room. Their sleek silver‑white frames had no menacing sharp edges. Moving in perfect unison, they walked straight toward her.
Yun Wan shrank back sharply. Her heart clenched tight. The fear she had barely suppressed surged back, and she instinctively tried to flee.
The robots stopped in front of her, emitting a gentle electronic beep in a foreign language she could not understand. Their soft mechanical arms gestured for her to follow, clearly directing her toward the bathroom.
Yun Wan froze, every muscle tensed. She stared at the emotionless machines, panic and confusion swirling inside her. Only when they turned and pointed toward the bathroom, showing no hostile intent, did she relax slightly. Still trembling all over, she followed them passively toward the bathroom.
Such advanced technology was something she had only ever seen on television.
Stepping into the bathroom, Yun Wan was stunned once more.
It was equally enormous. Marble covered the floors. In the centre sat a round silver‑trimmed massage bathtub, already filled with curling steam. Warm yellow lighting softened all the hard, sharp edges.
The humanoid robots stood quietly to one side. Their mechanical arms gestured gently toward the changing area, then laid a soft white silk nightgown on the countertop. Their movements were calm and orderly, without the slightest trace of aggression.
Yun Wan huddled in the corner, her taut shoulders slowly easing.
They only wanted her to bathe. They meant her no harm.
She gripped her clothing, watching warily as the robots retreated to wait outside the bathroom door. Only then did she shuffle slowly toward the tub. Warm steam wrapped around her stiff, chilled body. The terror and chaos of the journey finally faded a little in this brief moment of peace.
She finished her bath quickly and slipped on the loose, soft nightgown. As soon as she opened the bathroom door, the robots stepped forward again. They guided her softly to the bed, then silently retreated to the corners of the room, standing like motionless shadows.
Yun Wan was left alone in the vast chamber.
She sat on the deep, plush bed, gazing around the magnificent yet alien bedroom, her heart still racing.
But for now, she was safe.
Yun Wan curled up on the edge of the bed with her knees drawn to her chest. That tiny glimmer of hope flickered again.
This vampire lord had brought her here, and she had no idea what he wanted. Still, he did not seem intent on eating her.
If she was not going to be devoured, how could she ever get back home?
As Yun Wan huddled on the bed, twisting the hem of her nightgown in restless anxiety, the bedroom door creaked open softly.
She lifted her head, and the air turned ice‑cold.
Standing silhouetted in the doorway was Xiyuelis. He had discarded his harsh black trench coat, swapping it for simple, fitted black casual wear. The fabric clung to his frame, accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his tall, elegant figure even more striking. Gone was some of his murderous ferocity, replaced by a lazy yet dangerous aristocratic charm.
Silver hair fell loosely over his forehead. His crimson eyes looked darker beneath the warm lamplight, like gemstones submerged in the night.
Yun Wan’s body tensed on instinct. She shrank further into the corner of the bed, not daring to draw even a shallow breath.
The brutal image of him driving his sword through a vampire’s skull flashed into her mind, overlapping with the man standing so close before her.
If he could be so cruel to his own kind, what would he do to a human?
The fragile hope that had bloomed moments ago began to dim the instant she laid eyes on Xiyuelis.
Even in softer clothing, even though he made no move to attack, the innate, overwhelming pressure of a top‑tier vampire coursed off him, making her shake from head to toe.
Nervousness, terror, helplessness — all these emotions choked her chest. She forgot every scrap of English she had practiced. All she could do was stare at him with her wet almond eyes, frozen and terrified.
Silence filled the room, broken only by their breathing. Her heart hammered so hard she feared it would burst. She dreaded that the next second would bring her the same fate as that other vampire.
Xiyuelis stepped slowly inside, and the door closed softly behind him.
Silver strands of hair fell across his forehead. His crimson gaze settled on Yun Wan, huddled in the bed corner.
He halted a short distance from the bed. His tone gave away nothing of his mood, his deep, cold English echoing through the room.
“Why are you shaking? Should you not be glad you are not going to die?”
Yun Wan did not understand a single word.
Oh no. If only she had paid attention in English class.
All she heard was his low voice reverberating in the quiet chamber. Every syllable struck her frayed nerves. She could not tell if it was a warning, a question, or a death sentence.
Her already trembling body shook even harder.
Her shoulders quivered. Her small hands clenched the silk nightgown. She bit her lower lip, her almond eyes glistening with tears, too frightened to lift her head.
The more she could not understand him, the greater her fear grew. And the more afraid she became, the harder she shook.
Watching the girl curled into a ball, trembling more and more violently, Xiyuelis frowned slightly. Her eyes brimmed with pure dread, her whole body rigid, her breathing shivering. It was no act — she truly understood nothing he said.
Only then did it dawn on him.
This tiny human was from Asia. She could not comprehend the common tongue of the Norseland Empire. He had spoken his native language without a second thought, forgetting her language barrier.
Xiyuelis fell silent for a heartbeat. A faint flicker of surprise crossed his scarlet eyes, before his usual cold composure returned.
His tone remained cool, yet the oppressive aura surrounding him lightened imperceptibly.
He slowed his speech, enunciating every word slowly and clearly, hoping she might catch a few fragments.
“Where… are you from?”
This time, Yun Wan froze.
The simple words, delivered at a gentle pace — she actually understood a little.
Her eyelashes fluttered violently. Timidly, she lifted her wet almond eyes toward the terrifying vampire monarch before her. Her heart still raced, yet she dared not stay silent.
Her lips trembled. In a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s hum, she answered in her broken English.
“Huaguo…”
At the word Huaguo, a look of realisation passed over Xiyuelis’ eyes.
He had already noticed on Devil’s Island that her soft, delicate face was distinctly Eastern. Her faint brows, fair smooth skin and small gentle features were unlike anyone he had met before, carrying a distant, exotic Eastern grace, pure as snow beneath moonlight.
Xiyuelis asked no more questions. He gave a slight nod, his crimson eyes resting steadily on Yun Wan, still watching her with scrutiny, though less harsh now.
After studying her for a moment, he tilted his chin slightly. In slow, distinct English, he spoke one short command.
“Come here.”
Yun Wan stiffened. Her heart leaped straight into her throat.
He wanted her to come over?
She glanced up timidly at him. He stood a short distance away, silver hair falling, his red eyes bottomless, radiating an intimidating aura that dared no one to draw near. Her mind went completely blank.
What did he intend to do?
Was he finally going to strike? Was he going to devour her, drain her dry?
The memory of his hungry gaze fixed upon her, paired with his vampire nature, sent a chill through her fingertips.
Yun Wan remained frozen in the bed corner, her heart pounding to bursting.
Terror warred with the stronger instinct to survive. She dared not disobey. What if she angered him and he killed her on the spot?
Better to summon up her courage and move toward him than die here.
She bit her lip, her fingers squeezing the silk nightgown tight.
After only a few seconds of hesitation, she slowly, shakily slid her legs off the bed. One careful step after another, she edged toward Xiyuelis.
Every step felt as though she trod on sharp knife‑edges.
She kept her head bowed, too afraid to meet his terrifying red eyes, staring only at the floor. Small and fragile, she looked like a little creature that could be crushed with a single squeeze.
The closer she drew, the heavier his icy pressure pressed down upon her.
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