Chapter 12: A Sweet Surprise and a Family Secret

“It’s me, Elena.”

Elena, holding a tray on which a small cream cake rested, smiled as she addressed Lovelenica.

“May I come into your room to sit for a while? We might be discovered in the corridor, Miss Lovelenica.”

“Yes, yes, do come in quickly!”

Lovelenica swiftly pulled Elena inside.

She could discern the distinct scent of blood within the cake, and Elena’s words clearly indicated that she had brought it to Lovelenica in secret.

Although not particularly close with Elena, Lovelenica naturally saw no reason to refuse a dessert offered to her.

“Please, sit first.”

Lovelenica pulled over a chair for Elena, then, a hint of confusion in her voice, inquired, “Elena, why have you suddenly brought me food? Wouldn’t it cause considerable trouble if your family discovered this?”

“I heard that vampires become quite weak if they go too long without consuming blood.”

Elena did not stand on ceremony; she settled onto the chair Lovelenica had provided and proceeded to answer her question.

“The Association teaches that the more powerful a vampire, the more blood they need to consume, lest they be consumed by hunger.”

“Given that you and Lady Liliana are blood relatives, your power must surely be of a similar caliber.”

“To be able to consume so little blood in a week, merely enough to barely maintain your sanity, and then to be further punished by being forbidden food—that would be utterly excessive.”

“Are you… pitying me, you rascal?”

Lovelenica sifted through her memories concerning Elena.

Both the memories of her original body and those from the novel’s plot offered very little information or description about Elena.

All she knew was that Elena was the second young lady of the Crimson Family, belonged to the Mage’s Association, and was likely seventeen this year, having not yet undergone her coming-of-age ceremony.

Elena, however, had never been like other members of the Crimson Family, who would fawn over Liliana while disparaging Lovelenica.

She had never made sarcastic remarks towards Lovelenica, nor had she even spoken much to her at all.

“Not at all, Miss Lovelenica.”

Elena quickly waved her hands, explaining with a wry smile.

“I hold you in great respect, just as I respect Lady Liliana.”

“…Alright then.'”

While Elena might have believed her words conveyed the utmost respect, they sounded rather awkward to Lovelenica’s ears, especially since Liliana herself was the orchestrator of all this.

She could only reluctantly accept Elena’s explanation.

Nevertheless, Lovelenica was genuinely grateful for Elena’s gesture of bringing the cake.

“Regardless, thank you. I’m eager to eat this right now, if that’s alright?”

Lovelenica picked up the small teaspoon from the tray, aiming it at the petite cream cake before her.

Despite her eagerness, she still sought Elena’s permission, concerned that her immediate action might appear impolite.

“Of course, it’s perfectly fine, Miss Lovelenica. I brought the cake specifically for you to eat.”

Elena offered a faint smile, indicating her complete lack of concern.

“Wonderful! You are truly thoughtful, Elena.”

With that, Lovelenica gently scooped a spoonful of cream and brought it to her lips.

A sweet, rich flavor spread throughout her mouth, instantly invigorating Lovelenica.

Indeed, the cream was infused with blood, and, to her delight, it was her preferred B-type.

After consuming the blood, Lovelenica immediately felt the entire world sharpen around her.

Both her perception of magic and her five senses experienced a significant boost in an instant.

Yet… she couldn’t shake the feeling that the chair she was sitting on had somehow shrunk? Or perhaps the table before her had grown taller?

“M-Miss Lovelenica? Are you…?”

“Oh? Ah, this is merely a temporary manifestation of regaining some of my power. Pay it no mind.”

Lovelenica’s voice had softened, becoming noticeably more delicate.

It wasn’t that the chair had shrunk or the table had grown; rather, she herself had diminished in size, reverting to her original, petite form—a timeless, ageless being forever suspended in the river of time.

“So that’s how it is… This, then, is truly Miss Lovelenica’s original appearance?”

“Indeed.”

Elena was somewhat taken aback by Lovelenica’s transformation before her.

No one in the Crimson Family had ever witnessed Lovelenica in this form.

Typically, after servants delivered her food, she would consume it privately in her room, and by the time they returned to collect the dishes, Lovelenica would have already reverted to her usual self.

As Lovelenica continued to scoop cake into her mouth, she chatted idly with Elena.

Her delicate feet no longer reached the floor, and her two fair, slender calves swayed gently back and forth in the air.

“Mmm… This is incredibly delicious! Elena, thank you so much for bringing me such a wonderful cake!”

“Oh… Is it really that good? Thank you for the compliment, Miss Lovelenica.”

Lovelenica’s heartfelt praise unexpectedly caused Elena to blush.

Lovelenica paused, then suddenly realized the reason why.

“W-wait, hold on! Did you… did *you* make this cake, Elena!?”

“Yes, I did. All the desserts you’ve been eating, Miss Lovelenica, have always been made by me. Did you truly not know?”

“Well… no one ever told me!”

Lovelenica delved into the memories of her original body.

She recalled that for the first few years after arriving at the Crimson Family estate, she had consistently consumed ordinary blood packs.

As the blood in those packs was often not fresh, Lovelenica found them quite unpalatable.

Then, from an unknown day onward, those blood packs had been replaced by processed black tea and desserts, which tasted considerably better than plain blood.

“The chefs in the household are, of course, unaware of Miss Lovelenica’s true identity. To prepare such processed sweets, only a direct descendant of the family can undertake the task.”

“I see…”

Upon learning the truth, Lovelenica was instantly overwhelmed with a sense of being flattered.

She could never have imagined that the second young lady of the Crimson Family had been quietly making desserts for her by hand every week.

“N-no, Elena… Why would you think of making desserts for me? You’ve barely spoken a few words to me, and wouldn’t it be a great deal of trouble?”

“Not at all. Sometimes, the Mage’s Association also instructs us to concoct magic potions, and I find that making desserts shares some similarities with potion-making.”

Elena did not perceive this as troublesome in the slightest; rather, she found a connection between it and the art of potion-making.

She continued, “Moreover…”

“And… hasn’t Lady Liliana always been protecting our family, protecting Father?”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

“Yes. Nearly two hundred years ago, the Crimson Family had declined to the brink of extinction. It was Lady Liliana who saved us.”

“She altered our fated destruction, and all direct descendants of the family have since been blessed by Lady Liliana’s favor.”

“Those who ventured into business invariably made steady profits; those who joined the military always returned victorious.”

“Even when facing overwhelming odds, they would at least return safely, and if truly captured by enemy forces, they would inexplicably be repatriated.”

“Even those who did nothing would occasionally receive unexpected fortunes.”

“It is solely due to Lady Liliana that the Crimson Family has risen so swiftly over these two centuries. Even now, Father, on the battlefield, must still be under Lady Liliana’s benevolent gaze, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hearing Elena’s account, Lovelenica, however, felt a pang of disappointment.

“‘…So, all of this you’ve done is because of Liliana? In that case, I’m afraid my elder sister doesn’t actually like me…'”