Vampire 7
The carriage moved along the road, bearing a conspicuous golden emblem.
Tang Xi was almost completely sunk into the luxurious cushions, lulled into drowsiness by the carriage’s jolting motion.
This time, he only brought Linda and “Grover” with him.
Pedestrians and street vendors quickly stepped aside as the carriage approached. Even the children who had been chasing each other around the street were swiftly called back by their parents.
Their parents reminded them, “This is a nobleman’s carriage. You must not get in its way.”
To keep himself from dozing off, Tang Xi lifted the small curtain and peeked outside.
His gaze met that of the children outside. Unlike the adults, who instinctively avoided eye contact, the children’s eyes were filled with pure curiosity.
They thought this older brother looked very handsome and couldn’t help but like him at first sight.
Tang Xi, however, was more interested in the candy in their hands. He called for the carriage to stop.
From outside, the driver, “Grover,” asked, “Young Master, is something wrong?”
Tang Xi glanced at the group of children beside the carriage. But the moment “Grover” turned his head to look as well, the children were so frightened that they burst into tears, crying loudly as they ran back to their parents.
Tang Xi, who had wanted to ask where they got the candy: …
He shot “Grover” a glare.
“Grover” felt a strange itch in his heart under that glare. Without thinking, he blurted out, “Do you want some candy?”
All three of them froze.
Tang Xi hadn’t expected his butler to ask such a question. Aside from his poop scooper, no one should have known about his love for sweets.
He met “Grover’s” gaze. The ever-loyal butler actually looked even more confused than he was.
Morse furrowed his brows deeply. He was baffled by his own words. After all, he wasn’t actually “Grover”—so how did he know that the young master liked candy?
It was just like the time he had captured the Fist Rabbit. Without thinking, he had instinctively prepared honey.
It was as if a strong intuition inside him told him exactly what Tang Xi liked.
He liked candy, small cakes, and meat. He was also delicate and pampered. If he were taken home and kept, he would need to be cared for meticulously.
As these thoughts ran through Morse’s mind, his face once again took on the perfect, polished smile of a butler.
The most surprised person, however, was Linda.
She distinctly remembered that the young master didn’t actually like candy all that much.
But since she already disliked this butler, she chose to stay silent.
Buying candy on the way to an auction sounded like something only a child would do. The children with their enticing candy had already run off, and Tang Xi’s rationality returned. After a brief internal struggle, he refused.
A responsible, mature cat wouldn’t do something so childish.
With a composed nod, he said, “Let’s go.”
“Grover” looked into his eyes—the way they shimmered with reluctant longing yet held back, as if he was feeling deeply wronged. And somehow… he understood him perfectly.
With a resigned sigh, he let go of the reins and pretended to check the time. “You are a Duke. Arriving too early at a Marquis’s auction would be inappropriate. Please allow me to step away and buy you some candy.”
With this convenient excuse, Tang Xi finally gave a “reluctant” nod. But his cat-like eyes sparkled brightly, unable to hide his anticipation.
Linda watched the exchange in shock, pinching her own thigh to keep a straight face.
There was something strangely harmonious between these two. Their conversation didn’t feel like that of a master and servant—rather, it resembled a pair of young lovers.
It was as if they had an invisible magnetic field that no one else could enter.
As soon as “Grover” turned his back to Tang Xi, however, his polite smile vanished instantly.
He could sense that someone was following him, a presence lurking in the shadows.
Dealing with them was secondary—his main priority was buying the candy.
Without stopping, he purchased the sweets and then turned into a secluded alley.
His voice turned cold. “Come out.”
“Father!”
A dark figure emerged, calling out to him excitedly.
“Grover’s” face gradually morphed back into Morse’s. His crimson slit pupils locked onto the vampire before him, devoid of any emotion.
This was an inferior bloodline. It was obvious at a glance that this vampire had once been human, turned by another vampire whose blood was far from pure.
Calling him “Father” was a term of respect in the vampire hierarchy—an honorific used for ancestors.
But in truth, they had no real connection. The only link between them was the ruthless suppression of bloodline superiority.
Morse’s voice was cold. “Do not interfere with me.”
Just that one short sentence was enough to make the lowly vampire before him cough up blood, spitting out two mouthfuls onto the ground.
Yet his gaze remained fanatical. “Father, I wish to serve you! Why do you bow before that human? Let me eliminate your burdens!”
To vampires, humans were categorized only by how good their blood tasted—there were no distinctions of nobility or commoners. After all, they were merely food.
But before he could say another word, his head suddenly burst apart, splattering blood everywhere.
Morse’s expression remained indifferent, as if none of it had anything to do with him.
With a bag of sweet-smelling candy in hand, “Grover” calmly stepped out of the alley.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the royal city, another vampire let out a sigh. He could feel the life force of the fledgling he had turned vanish.
This was the same vampire Morse had sent to attack the church in an attempt to create trouble for Evans.
“I’d like to see just what kind of human is worth all this effort.” He murmured, adjusting his black hat.
At his fingertips, a corner of a black card peeked out—an invitation.
Back at the carriage, Tang Xi complained, “You’re so slow.”
“Grover” immediately bowed in apology. “I’m sorry, Young Master.”
“Forget it. Just give me the candy.”
Tang Xi wasn’t the type to punish servants like the original character. Instead, he pouted playfully as he took the candy and started eating.
By the time they arrived at the auction house, half the bag had already been devoured without him even realizing it.
“Grover” pretended not to notice that the very person who had refused earlier now had his cheeks puffed out like a hamster. Instead, he set up the small step stool and helped Tang Xi down from the carriage.
As a maid, Linda wasn’t allowed to attend the banquet. She followed the other servants to a waiting room, ready to be summoned at any time.
The moment Tang Xi stepped into the auction hall, the guards at the entrance immediately announced his title in a booming voice.
In an instant, every eye in the room turned toward him.
The Duke was notoriously averse to socializing—his presence at such an event was incredibly rare.
Even the host, the marquis, hadn’t expected him to actually show up with an invitation.
The invitation had only been sent as a formality, but everyone here was a seasoned player in high society. They instantly adjusted their attitudes and warmly welcomed him.
Officially, the auction was for charity. In reality, no one cared where the money went. What truly mattered was the silent clash of power brewing beneath the surface.
Just then, Evans arrived—saving Tang Xi from the social entanglement.
As the Knight Commander of the Holy Church, Evans held immense authority in this circle. The moment he appeared and started talking to Tang Xi, the surrounding nobles tactfully withdrew.
“Why didn’t you bring a female companion?” Evans asked, glancing down at him.
Today, he wasn’t in his usual knight’s uniform but a noble’s formal attire. His golden hair shone brilliantly under the lights, making him stand out in the crowd.
Tang Xi shot him a look and huffed. “Didn’t you ditch yours too?”
Evans instantly picked up on his childhood friend’s sour mood. Rubbing his nose sheepishly, he put on an innocent expression. “I saw you were coming. What’s wrong? Did someone upset you again?”
Tang Xi had originally planned to mimic the original character’s usual sarcastic tone, but he overdid it and ended up sounding like a complaint instead. “Who else but our fearless and valiant Knight Commander?”
Evans was stunned for a moment before his ears turned red. “W-Why are you suddenly complimenting me?”
Tang Xi: […Is he really a knight commander?]
How did someone this clueless rise to such a high rank?
He held back the last part out of courtesy, but 1551 understood him perfectly.
The system could only offer a weary smile.
This foolish cat somehow had a way of making people incapable of thinking badly of him.
Tang Xi dropped the pretense and directly told Evans that the cross he had given him was completely useless.
Evans’ expression darkened, his voice tensing. “You encountered another vampire!?”
Just then, the auction began. His raised voice thankfully went unnoticed by the crowd.
Tang Xi tugged at his sleeve. “Keep it down. Do you want to start a panic?”
When the words vampire came from the mouth of the Knight Commander, it wasn’t just casual conversation—it carried the weight of bloodshed.
Frustrated, Evans ran his fingers through his golden hair, making his once-perfectly styled locks look a little disheveled.
He sighed, his voice quieter this time. “I’m sorry. I was too naive. If a vampire could enter your estate unnoticed, they couldn’t have been ordinary. Were you hurt?”
Tang Xi shook his head. “No.”
Evans’ heart ached even more.
In his eyes, his poor childhood friend was clearly just putting on a brave face to comfort him.
After all, who could come face-to-face with a vampire and walk away completely unscathed?
Evans had never thought this way before. But when he looked into Tang Xi’s round, cat-like eyes, a strong sense of responsibility rose within him.
He even began blaming himself for not protecting him properly in the past. They had grown up together, yet he had never realized how fragile this noble young master was.
If he had, perhaps Tang Xi wouldn’t have been bullied by vampires now.
Tang Xi, unaware of Evans’ internal turmoil, knew full well that the vampire in question was actually his own poop scooper.
But he couldn’t break character—he needed Evans’ help.
He had expected Evans to offer him another protective charm or some strategic advice. Instead, the knight thumped his chest and declared that he would personally move into the estate for the next few days.
Tang Xi couldn’t find a good excuse to refuse. To avoid ruining his cover, he reluctantly agreed.
Standing to the side, “Grover” watched the scene unfold, jealousy burning through him like a fire far worse than having a cross driven through his chest.
His grip tightened unconsciously—before he even realized it, the wine glass in his hand had shattered.
Dark red wine seeped into his sleeve.
Tang Xi frowned at him in disapproval. “How unsightly. You’re embarrassing me—go change.”
“Grover” smiled slightly. “Yes, Young Master.”
He turned around without hesitation, afraid that if he stayed any longer, his jealousy would drive him to do something irrational.
Evans didn’t notice that he had just brushed past the Grim Reaper. To make amends, he used his own money to bid at the auction in Tang Xi’s name.
Unintentionally, this pushed the atmosphere to its climax.
At that moment, chaos erupted.
A blood-drained corpse suddenly crashed onto the auction stage.
Before Tang Xi could react, his ears were filled with piercing screams.
The nobles completely lost their composure, shrieking in terror.
Evans had no sword on him, but he still shielded Tang Xi behind him.
“Mmm, such sweet blood.”
A vampire, wearing a top hat and a strange mask, slowly stepped forward.
He swept a mocking gaze over the panicked nobles before letting his eyes settle on Tang Xi.
Muttering to himself, he said, “No wonder Father liked you so much. Even I can’t resist.”
Even with the mask obscuring his face, Tang Xi instantly knew—this wasn’t his poop scooper.
Though the vampire hadn’t mentioned a name, his greedy gaze when speaking of sweet blood was unmistakably fixed on Tang Xi.
Evans misunderstood immediately. He assumed this vampire was the one who had been tormenting Tang Xi all along.
His fury was so intense that his golden hair seemed ready to stand on end.
He shoved Tang Xi away. “Run! I’ll handle this!”
Tang Xi instinctively bolted.
Fortunately, the system guided him upstairs, where there were many rooms—safer, at least for now.
Author’s note: At this moment, the poop scooper is absolutely losing his mind.