Chapter 13: The Noisy Knight

City A seems to be overrun by monsters now; one can even run into an Inquisitor-General of the Sabbat Covenant while just taking a walk. Alastor carried me back to the bar, but Malachi was nowhere to be found.

"I want to go home." The sky was just beginning to turn grey with dawn, and I felt a sudden, inexplicable exhaustion.

I wanted to go home because the house held the scent of Gareth. Only there could I find peace of mind.

"Alright, wherever Rory wants to go, I’ll be with her." Alastor looked down, smiling as he gently stroked my face, and carried me home without another word.

The moment the door opened, I saw the house swarming with rats and cockroaches scurrying about with absolute arrogance.

Just as I was about to lose my temper, Alastor stepped into the room. In an instant, the vermin vanished completely. Alastor placed me on the sofa and began to examine the wound on my neck meticulously.

"Is it serious?" I had assumed the wound would heal automatically like the previous ones.

"He placed a curse on you."

"A curse?" I asked in confusion.

Alastor stroked his chin, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. "Ah... you are the princess in distress, and I am the heroic knight! Don't worry! I will surely rescue you from the clutches of the devil!"

"Are you performing an opera?"

"Eh? Rory and I truly are soulmates!" Widening his blue eyes, Alastor gazed at me with an entranced expression. "Do you know about the world's first opera house? The Teatro San Cassiano, it opened in Venice in 1637—I was there for the opening! And, and... the Deutsche Oper am Rhein established in 1972, the second-largest opera organization after the Paris Opera! I participated in that too..."

"You are so old..."

"Is there any old man as handsome and dashing as me?"

I lowered my head and sighed, ignoring the narcissist lost in his own self-indulgence.

"Rory, age is not an issue as long as we truly love each other..."

"Rory, do you love me? Do you love me?"

"Rory..."

"Rory..."

I bared my teeth and forced a terrifying smile. "Dear Alastor..."

"Present!" The ancient vampire struck a gallant pose.

"You are the noisiest knight I have ever met." Pursing my lips, I smiled tenderly.

"Rory..." he lamented.

Ignoring his dramatic performance, I stood up and began rummaging through the cabinets, finally pulling a jar of candy from the closet—a whole jar of "White Rabbit" milk candies.

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, I peeled one and popped it into my mouth.

"What are you eating?" Alastor sat down next to me curiously.

"Candy."

"Is it good?"

"Mhm."

"I want some too."

"No."

"Rory..."

I turned my back to him, clutching the candy jar, and slowly enjoyed my treat.

"Alastor, will that curse... kill me?"

After receiving no response for a long time, I turned around in confusion, only to find Alastor squatting in a corner with a look of deep resentment, staring fixedly at the candy jar in my hands.

I couldn't help but laugh. I peeled a candy, stuffed it into his mouth, and reached out to pat his hair with mock seriousness. "Good boy..."

Honestly, he's so old, why is he acting so cute?

After finishing the entire jar of candy, I left Alastor to his own devices and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over my head to sleep.

I had a dream. What kind of dream can a vampire have? In the dream, there was the scent of sunshine; in the dream, I saw Gareth. He was back, standing in the sunlight, smiling at me.

"Baby... time to wake up."

A voice so tender it gave me goosebumps.

I shuddered and sat up, only to be left dumbfounded.

Lace duvet covers, lace curtains, even the tablecloth... everything was lace...

The floor was so clean and bright it practically reflected my image, and a pink plush doll sat next to my pillow...

Where was I?

"Are you hungry, baby?" Alastor, wearing an apron, stood by the bed with a grin. "Let’s have dinner together."

With my mouth twitching, I turned to look at the dinner Alastor had prepared.

As expected...

On the table lay a woman with duct tape over her mouth. She looked at me in terror, shaking her head frantically, her face a mess of tears and snot.

Looking at the woman's outfit, I couldn't help but burst into laughter. That fellow Alastor had actually... put her in a lace puff-sleeve dress with "LOVE" printed on it. She really did look like a cake.

"Send her back."

"She is dinner..."

I was too tired to argue with him, but then I froze as I finally realized that this place was actually my home.

I glanced at Alastor in amazement; this guy was a domestic polymath! I was completely hopeless at housework. But he had put away everything related to Gareth; I could hardly feel Gareth's presence anymore...

"Help..."

A piercing scream suddenly rang out.

I turned in surprise and saw that the tape on the "puff-sleeve cake's" mouth had fallen off. She struggled and fell to the floor, screaming.

"Chloe?" I recognized her with a start; she was Chloe from Happiness Street.

Sighing, I walked forward, intending to untie her.

"Stay away! Stay away!" She shook her head desperately, looking at me in horror. "Aurora... you really are a demon! A demon!"

My reaching hand stiffened slightly, and I smiled helplessly. "Don't shout, I'm letting you go."

"Demon... demon... mmph!"

With a wave of Alastor's hand, the tape was stuck back over her mouth.

I turned and glared at Alastor.

Alastor looked innocent. "She's so loud, she'll wake up the neighbors."

"Haven't you ever heard that a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its own burrow?" I ground my teeth.

"Rabbit? Grass?"

Clearly, the guy didn't understand the point.

"Send her back."

"Dinner..."

I turned to Alastor with a sinister look. "If you don't send her back, I'll have you for dinner..."

Alastor paused, then leaned in with a sweet expression. "I would be delighted."

I nearly fainted.

In the end, Alastor finally compromised and gave up the decision to have Chloe for dinner.

"You got lost... walked around the streets for a while, and remember nothing..." Alastor squatted in front of Chloe, looking into her eyes as he spoke slowly.

Chloe looked up at Alastor blankly, her gaze gradually becoming scattered and confused.

"Now, go home, immediately." Untying the ropes around Chloe, Alastor stood up.

Chloe stood up straight, opened the door, and walked out.

"Will she be okay?" I watched Chloe leave with some concern.

"Sigh, my dinner..." Alastor looked at Chloe's retreating back longingly.

I chuckled, but then I remembered the look of terror and disgust in Chloe's eyes when she looked at me, and my heart felt a dull ache.