Chapter 43: The Sirena Pass

The carriage lumbered forward, struggling against the muddy road. Its wheels spun frantically, yet made no progress.

This sensation was even more agonizing than a traffic jam, prompting Chloe to pick up a book and idly flip through its pages.

She was nearing the end of this history of the kingdom. In its pages, the founding Prince of the Principality was depicted almost like a deity. Initially, his elder brother had been the rightful heir, complete with numerous children. However, they all met mysterious ends, allowing the succession to fall unexpectedly to him.

Furthermore, he had faced an allied army of one hundred thousand with a mere few thousand soldiers, a vastly disproportionate force. Yet, a sudden torrential downpour coincided precisely with a river’s overflow, submerging the low-lying enemy troops. They either perished or fled in disarray.

Most preposterously, after his ascension to the throne, his treasury inexplicably generated vast quantities of gold coins daily, a sight that brought tears to his finance minister’s eyes.

Subsequent princes, however, were not nearly as mystically endowed. This book, dedicating ninety percent of its content to the founding Prince, made it seem more like a biography than a historical account.

Regarding the economic and political systems that most interested Chloe, the book offered no mention whatsoever. The vast majority of its ink was devoted to the eccentric tales of the founding Prince.

‘Consider it a novel,’ Chloe thought, sighing helplessly. She glanced at the author’s name: ‘Cen Volunta.’ ‘I’ll have to remember to avoid their works in the future.’

Chloe closed the book, then peered at Xina beside her. Xina had fallen asleep, a trace of drool still clinging to the corner of her lips.

‘She can really sleep, even though she just woke up.’

Xina was not a tidy sleeper. Her leg rested directly on Chloe, and her head was propped against the cushion. It was this position, however, that exposed Xina’s fair neck to Chloe’s gaze.

“Hiss.”

‘So hungry,’ Chloe thought, clutching her stomach. Although she had just eaten breakfast, as a vampire, only blood could truly satiate her.

Longinus’s seductive words, ‘Human blood, three meals a day…’, still echoed in her ears.

However, she still didn’t know what side effects human blood might have on the victim. She was unwilling to sacrifice Xina’s health to satisfy her appetite.

She wasn’t a saint, merely disinclined to drink Xina’s blood. Besides, there was an old saying: ‘A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its burrow.’

‘Fine, I’ll just drink horse blood.’ Chloe gently lifted Xina’s dark, long hair, covering the exposed neck. She settled back into her seat, striving to suppress her primal urges.

Yet, Chloe found herself involuntarily inching closer to Xina’s body.

It was all Longinus’s fault; her blood was so exquisitely delicious that it had magnified Chloe’s appetite severalfold. Horse blood could no longer satisfy her. It was akin to developing an aversion to stale, hard bread after having feasted on a magnificent Manchu-Han Imperial Feast.

Chloe’s hunger blazed, her body grew warm, her eyes transformed into heart shapes, and seductive breaths escaped her lips.

‘Just one sip…’

Chloe bared her adorable little fangs, aiming for Xina’s neck.

The carriage jolted violently, nearly throwing Chloe against the wall. It seemed to have finally escaped the mire, for Chloe could feel its speed increase significantly.

Chloe leaned towards the window, looking down. The previously muddy track had been entirely replaced by a wide, well-paved road—a visible demarcation.

Xina stirred, waking groggily. She saw Chloe lying on top of her, and a blush crept across her face.

“Little Chloe… what are you doing?”

Chloe offered an awkward smile, then returned to her seat. “I fell onto you because of the bumpiness,” she explained.

It wasn’t a lie, Chloe affirmed with a resolute nod.

Xina regarded Chloe suspiciously, but then she reached out, cradled Chloe’s head, and placed it on her lap.

“You could have just asked for a lap pillow!”

Xina’s legs were warm and comfortable, and a faint lemon scent emanated from her. Looking up, Chloe saw two protruding mounds from Xina’s chest, causing her to shyly cover her eyes.

Just then, the carriage abruptly halted.

“My lords, we have arrived!” the coachman shouted.

Chloe hastily sprang from Xina’s lap.

“Let’s get off quickly!”

Chloe’s heart swelled with gratitude for the coachman. ‘I’ll give him a raise when we get back.’

Chloe leaped out of the carriage first, then reached for Xina’s hand, intending to help her alight steadily. But Xina stumbled, pulling Chloe down with her.

Only a small tangerine could fit between their faces. Such close proximity usually meant either a fight or a kiss.

Xina’s face turned crimson. She awkwardly stood up, brushed the dust from her clothes, and hastily turned away, averting Chloe’s gaze.

Chloe clutched her aching head, slowly rising. She felt as though she had been constantly oscillating between pushing and being pushed lately.

“My lords, I know of an inn right by the town gate.”

The coachman stroked his beard, wearing an expression that suggested he had seen it all. He offered his sincere suggestion.

Xina’s face grew even redder. Chloe glared fiercely at the coachman. ‘Your next month’s salary is gone!’

The town’s gates stood wide open, but anyone wishing to enter had to present a pass. Standing at the entrance were two guards, one tall and one short, who watched the approaching Chloe and Xina with keen interest.

“Halt! If you wish to enter, you must provide a pass!” the shorter guard bellowed.

“But before, no pass was needed,” the coachman stated.

“This regulation just came down yesterday. It’s to prevent enemy spies from infiltrating.”

“And we’ll need to conduct a body search~” the taller guard leered obscenely at Xina and Chloe, sending shivers of disgust down Chloe’s spine.

“We are Counts of Avros,” Xina explained. “In the name of the Lord, let us pass immediately!”

“Counts are two women?” the short guard questioned, looking at Xina with suspicion.

“If you’re a Count, then I’m the Emperor!” the tall guard guffawed. “No pass, no entry. I’m not here to serve you.” He looked lustfully at Xina’s chest.

“Are you implying a bribe?” Xina inquired.

“Money, or if that’s not possible, your bodies will do,” the tall guard said, his gaze lingering indecently on Xina’s chest.

The coachman seemed to genuinely find a pass. It was yellowed with age but almost entirely free of creases, suggesting it hadn’t been used in a long time. He handed the pass to Chloe.

Chloe took the pass and promptly smacked it directly into the tall guard’s head. The guard clutched his head, his face contorted with fury.

“What are you trying to do?!”

“I’m going to hang you.”

Chloe spoke coldly. Joking about Chloe was one thing, but daring to lay hands on Xina had ignited her explosive wrath.

The tall guard gripped his sword, his face twisted. At that moment, the short guard blocked him. He picked up the pass that had fallen to the ground, his hand trembling slightly.

“This is a Sirena family pass…” he announced, his voice barely a whisper.

The two guards’ faces paled. They cast aside their helmets and armor, scrambling into the town, abandoning their posts entirely.

Chloe had been contemplating how to deal with the sword, but this sudden turn of events left her bewildered.

“Why did they run?” Xina asked, puzzled.

The coachman stroked his beard, slowly retrieving the pass and tucking it back into his pocket. He revealed the truth: “Because Lord Norlin Sirena once slaughtered the entire city of Linber until only wild dogs remained on its streets.”