Chapter 345 – Your Blood Is So Sweet – Resolutely Supporting Every Word His Highness Says (11)
Not long after they returned to the castle, Butler Norman also walked through the door.
Bai Tang ran up to him and steadied his stumbling steps.
“Butler Norman, how are you? Are you alright?”
Even a high-ranked vampire would get tired—let alone Butler Norman, who had just gone through a fierce battle.
Everything had gone according to plan. They were just about to retreat safely when Adams suddenly doubled back. To avoid revealing anything, Butler Norman had no choice but to throw himself onto the knights’ weapons.
All the knights’ weapons had been soaked in holy water to fight vampires. They couldn’t take Norman’s life, but they still wounded him.
Still, he fulfilled his mission in the end. The rest now depended on Trey.
Trey and Bai Tang helped Butler Norman to a room to rest. Just before Norman entered his sleep state, Trey promised, “I will never let Tang Tang be harmed. I swear it on my life.”
Worried for Bai Tang, Butler Norman closed his eyes and drifted into slumber, letting his body begin to heal.
Vampires possess self-healing abilities. The length of their sleep depends on the severity of the injuries and on their personal strength. Those strong or lightly injured wake quickly; those weak or badly injured must sleep for much longer.
Dawn was approaching. Trey carried Bai Tang into the coffin and tucked him in with his favorite blanket—the one woven with squirrel patterns.
“I’m going to the Church to resign. When Tang Tang wakes up, you’ll see me again.”
“Okay~ Come back quickly.” After exchanging heartfelt words with the male lead, Bai Tang no longer worried about Trey falling out of love. Even with Edith still in the Church, he wasn’t afraid of being abandoned.
“Alright. I’ll return right after I hand in my resignation to the Pope.” Trey pressed a reverent kiss onto Bai Tang’s forehead, checked the doors and windows once more, then mounted his horse and set off toward the city.
All the knights who had gone out yesterday returned without a single one missing—though most had sustained some injuries. In the past, such a thing was nearly impossible.
When the Church encountered vampires, one side was destined to die.
“Trey, you’re back!”
“Thank goodness…”
Everyone rejoiced at Trey’s safe return. The two little birds summoned by the systems to rescue the children had also delivered exactly one hundred boys and girls safely back to the Church at dawn.
This time, it was truly a mission without casualties.
Edith, now dressed in a fresh robe, walked out from the inner hall. A holy, magnificent veil covered her enchanting features.
“Trey, the Pope is looking for you.”
“I understand.” Trey nodded to his brothers and followed Edith to meet the Pope.
Along the way, the two remained silent.
Several times, Edith seemed about to speak, but swallowed her words each time they reached her lips.
At the doorway, Edith finally spoke.
“Did you… make some kind of agreement with the Vampire Prince?”
The intimate scene she witnessed last night was etched deeply in her mind. There must be something unusual between them—otherwise, how could the knights and the children have all returned unharmed? It must have been the prince helping Trey.
“Mm. I’m His Highness’s… reserve food.”
Because Trey had failed to give Bai Tang a good hug last night, Tang Tang had been jealous for a long time. If Trey hadn’t reacted quickly, Tang Tang might not have spoken to him at all.
Before he left, Tang Tang had given him a stern instruction: he was not allowed to speak too much with other women. Trey adhered strictly to the rules set by his little squirrel and had no intention of explaining further.
Edith’s expression froze in shock.
“You’ll die! He’s a vampire! No matter how handsome he is, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s blood race. If he feeds on you every day, how long do you think you’ll live?”
Edith genuinely cared for her colleague. She didn’t want him to throw his life away. Trey was talented—he shouldn’t meet such an end.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Thinking of Tang Tang’s puffed-up, sulky little face, Trey’s eyes softened with overflowing tenderness.
“But this is my choice. I won’t regret it.”
Before Edith could respond, he pushed open the door ahead of him and walked in.
Even if Edith had a thousand things she wanted to say, once before the Pope, she could only swallow them for now.
“Your subordinates greet Your Holiness.”
Both she and Trey bowed in unison.
“You’re here.”
The Pope turned around and fixed his gaze on Trey.
“This operation went very well. No casualties, and the Saintess was rescued—I am very pleased. Trey, what reward do you wish for?”
He was saying polite formalities, but both he and Trey knew perfectly well what Trey was about to say.
“I ask for no reward. Being able to rescue the Saintess smoothly was thanks to every knight of the Holy Knights. I dare not claim the credit alone.”
Trey didn’t want to take any merit—he was about to leave the Church anyway. Such recognition meant nothing to him now.
“I came today to resign from the position of Captain of the Holy Knights. Had I not been reckless before, the Saintess would not have been captured by the vampires. My ability is shallow, and I am unfit to continue in this position. I ask Your Holiness to permit my departure from the Church.”
The Pope nodded in satisfaction. Trey had given him every ounce of dignity by taking all the responsibility onto himself. Whether Trey stayed or left had little to do with the Church now.
“Absolutely not.”
Edith suddenly blurted out.
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Why had she been so impulsive?
Meeting the Pope’s gaze, she lowered her head slightly.
“Your Holiness, I believe that for Trey to command the knights and rescue both myself and the children unharmed already proves his competence. His merits and faults cancel out. There is no need for him to leave the Church.”
Power within the Church had long been split among various minor authorities, and the Pope was trying to reclaim it. Seeing Edith express opposition immediately displeased him.
“This is what Trey asked for. His heart is no longer with the Church. Why force him to stay, Edith?” the Pope said.
Edith wanted to speak again, but Trey turned to her.
“Saintess, I appreciate your kindness. But as His Holiness said—there is no happiness in forcing someone. My strength is not as great as you imagine.”
Trey’s departure was already a settled matter. The Pope agreed; no amount of persuasion from Edith would change that.
When the two left the inner hall, Trey announced to the Holy Knight Order that he was stepping down, instantly stirring up a commotion.
“Trey, why are you leaving?”
“Everything was fine—why so suddenly?”
“If you go, what will happen to us?”
Trey’s leadership and strength were widely recognized, and he never put on airs. He was far more approachable than other minor leaders, and everyone in the Church often envied the knights for having him.
Looking at the familiar faces he had worked with for years, Trey smiled.
“Because I’ve found something more important—something I must spend my whole life protecting. From now on, I leave the Church in your hands. I believe that even without me, you will be able to defend the people.”
After leaving the inner hall, Edith never again found a chance to speak with Trey alone.
Hearing Trey’s lofty declaration—and seeing the tenderness in his eyes as he spoke—she was secretly shaken by his feelings toward that Vampire Prince.
Just what was so good about that young man that he could enchant Trey so completely?
Edith’s chest ached. She placed a hand over her heart, a bitter smile on her lips.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she had no choice: she had fallen for Trey. Yet Trey had fallen for the Vampire Prince.
She didn’t know how special Tangtang was, but she had to admit the truth—whether in strength or appearance, she couldn’t compare to that young man. It was understandable that Trey chose him.
As Trey mounted his horse, Edith walked to his side and forced out a single word.
“…Take care.”
Trey nodded. “You too.”
He squeezed his legs, and the black horse galloped forward.
The knights watched Trey ride away. The Church buzzed with noise for a moment, then returned to its usual calm.
Something felt different—yet everything remained the same.
Trey wasn’t in a rush to head straight back to the castle; he stopped in town first to buy some everyday supplies.
The food in the castle was almost gone. Only some yellowing vegetable leaves remained—Tang Tang didn’t like them, and Trey couldn’t bear to let him eat such things.
Without realizing it, his horse ended up carrying two large sacks of supplies.
Trey returned to the castle just as the sun set. Bai Tang loved to sleep in, so he still hadn’t gotten up yet.
Trey took a walk through the castle first. Seeing no suspicious figures, he dragged the sacks into the kitchen.
Three small black bats, hanging upside down from a beam, fluttered their wings once Trey disappeared and flew out the newly opened window, vanishing quickly into the deep night.
“Ah~ sleeping till nightfall feels so good~” Bai Tang stretched lazily as he sat up from the coffin.
Qiu’er, who had been sitting in front of the screen watching a heroine’s heartbreak, turned his head.
“Good evening, Tang Tang.”
“Good evening, Qiu’er. Good evening, Xiao A~”
Now that there wasn’t much going on, neither system would disturb Bai Tang.
The little squirrel boy twitched his tiny nose and followed a delicious smell downstairs, feeling his way to the kitchen.
Trey had his back to him, busy cooking at the stove.
Bai Tang suddenly felt playful. He leaped onto Trey’s back.
“I caught you! Tonight you’re my food. If you don’t behave, I’ll drain you dry.”
Trey braced the boy on his back and chuckled.
“Spare me, Your Highness. I promise to behave.”
“Speak. When you went back today, did you come into contact with any other women?”
Bai Tang bared his fangs and licked Trey’s neck with his tongue, as if warning him not to lie.
“I absolutely didn’t. I firmly support every word His Highness says. I’ll obey anything Tangtang tells me.”
“Really?” The little squirrel lowered his head and sniffed Trey’s neck all over. Mmm… such a delicious pine-nut scent.
“Guuuuu…”
His Highness Tang’s stomach growled.
Bai Tang froze in embarrassment, feeling like he had lost face. Just as he was about to jump off Trey’s back, a spoon appeared in front of him. Trey scooped up a spoonful of mixed nuts.
Bai Tang let out a small “awoo” and ate it in one bite. His mouth filled with fragrance—so many different nut flavors!
“Is it good?”
“Good! I want more~”
The boy’s eyes sparkled as he stared at the stir-fried nuts in the pan, practically drooling.
“Here…”
Trey began his noble mission of feeding him. The little squirrel ate happily, completely forgetting his moment of embarrassment.
Ever since Tang Tang awakened his bloodline, he became ravenous if he didn’t drink blood for even one meal. So whenever Trey cooked, he would add a bit of his own blood. After each meal, Bai Tang would hold Trey’s injured spot in his mouth and heal it for him.
The two enjoyed their private world for more than ten days—until Butler Norman woke up, bringing it to an end.