Taming My Vampire Servant

"Ouch!" she exclaimed as her heart was racing with nervousness. 

"Zephie!" Asher called out as he dashed to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and checked her face then her arms and hands. "Are you alright?"

Metamorphus flew towards them. The Servant was about to go to her, but when he saw Asher to her rescue, he backed off. He observed his Master's growing feelings for the young man!

Rosetta was behind Asher, noticing how her Master cared for Zephie like a fragile doll. She right out assumed that he might have taken a liking to her. She glanced at Metamorphus, who seemed like thinking the same thing.

"I'm fine," she assured them with a subtle smile on her face. "I just got surprised and fell off the stool when the cow stomped its feet."   

The two Servants sighed in relief, then Asher asked while staring at her face, "Are you sure you are really fine, or is your butt hurting?" 

Zephie's face turned beet red! She quickly stood up and shook the dirt off of her overtrousers, "It's not hurting!"

Asher chuckled. He positioned the stool back on its place and patted it. He squatted behind the stool, and he faced the Servants, "Metamorphus... Rosetta, help us calm down the cow, please." 

The Servants nodded and diligently and did what they were asked to. Asher, on the hand, grabbed Zephie's wrist and made her sit on the stool. 

"Just in case the cow becomes agitated again, I will be here to catch you if you fall," Asher said near her ear. He led her hands back to the udder and helped her with pulling the two teats.

The purple-haired lady felt her cheeks hot and her heart beat fast once more as the young man put his arms around hers. She couldn't focus well so she somewhat pulled the teats in their direction instead of the bucket! The hot milk squirted on their faces, making Asher and the Servants laugh.

"Kyaaaaahhhhhh!! I'm so sorry!!" Zephie panicked and wiped his face with the gloves. 

Asher, who was now sitting on the floor, laughed and wiped his face using the sleeve of his shirt, "It's alright, Zephie. Please calm down."

"Uhm… I'll continue-"

"Zephie," he held his arm. "Calm down, okay? You can go back to your cow now," she faced the cow, but since she was still in the state of panic, she accidentally pulled the teats in their direction again. 

She got surprised that she fell off on top of Asher's lap! 

While Metamorphus and Rosetta handled the agitated cow, Zephie placed her palms in front of her chest, not knowing how to calm her restless heart! She was so nervous as it was the first time he sat on a handsome man's lap. 

Seeing her spirited reactions, Asher chuckled and patted Zephie's back, "Okay, that's enough. Take a rest for a while. I will handle this one for you."

They then heard someone cough, and it was Lionel who saw everything! The students quickly stood up, and Asher was the one who explained since Zephie was too embarrassed with what had happened. He completely understood the situation, but he reminded them to refrain from wasting the milk. The Masters, together with their Servants, sincerely apologized and promised that they'd do their best moving forward. 

Zephie got back on her track after taking a rest and calming down. At five in the afternoon, they managed to finish more cows than expected, and to thank them for their hard work and dedication, Lionel invited them for early dinner at his small humble home, which stood by at the highest point of the meadow where a number of pine trees scattered around could be seen. It was one of the few houses there, and it was surrounded with purple western asters and yellow buttercups. 

On their way home, Lionel talked about the dairy farm of Barion Town, and he shared his previous jobs and how long he has worked as a milker. He then let Asher and Zephie wash up while he cooked in the kitchen. As the two waited by the dining table, they watched the beautiful sunset and the pink and purple hued sky through the window. Rosetta and Metamorphus also viewed the sunset at the front porch of his house.

After a while, Lionel served them burger steak, egg, and mushroom soup. Metamorphus and Rosetta were called in and while having dinner, Asher and Zephie were the ones who talked about their lives as students in Qawiun Academy and their experiences on their apprenticeship in Barion Town. 

"I am really happy to know that you both had a good time here," Lionel smiled wide. "Despite finishing their apprenticeship here, some of the previous students from your academy found this place too boring."

Zephie sighed with what she had heard. "I disagree… I think this town is interesting, and milking cows is… fun…" she slightly blushed, remembering the fun mishap with Asher.

"This town is really peaceful," Asher commented. "I've told Zephie many times how much I love it here, and I bet you had a fun and wonderful childhood, Lionel."

Lionel's smile faded from his face, and there was a sudden awkward silence in the room.

"I apologize. I might have said something you didn't like," Asher quickly mentioned.

"I'm actually an orphan," the assistant revealed, and the student's utensils slipped off of their hands. Asher and Zephie looked at each other and felt sorry for his revelation. 

"My family and relatives were killed by armed men who came here one peaceful night," he mentioned with seriousness in his voice, but he was staring blankly at the food served on the table. 

"Do… Do you mean you're the only one who survived?" Zephie asked. 

Lionel nodded, "Our house was situated downhill, and I ran up to the meadows and hid in one of the cow sheds. They burned our houses and left after. When I went back to our house that morning, I realized that I was the only Fogheart left, and I was only seven that time."

Asher and Zephie could not find the right words to say. They thought that he had already suffered so much from a young age. It took a while before Asher to speak again. 

"Were you able to know who these people are?" Asher inquired. 

"I cannot forget how they look. They wore armors like that of the knights."

Shock crossed the two apprentices' faces, and when Lionel noticed this, he quickly said, "I apologize for being dramatic while having dinner." He let out an awkward chuckle. "I do not cook this much, so please eat and enjoy your dinner." 

After dinner, Asher, Zephie, and their Servants bid goodbye to Lionel and promised him that they would visit once in a while and help him in milking the cows. They were also grateful to meet someone as kind and hardworking as him. Before they left, Lionel gave them jars of milk and cheese as a thank you gift. The two thanked him and waved their hands while they walked away from his home.

While Metamorphus and Rosetta led their way back home, Asher and Zephie carefully walked on the concrete path on their way down the meadow.

Asher sighed, remembering the sad story of Lionel. "Who would have thought that this peaceful town had a dark past?"

Zephie looked at him with a sad expression on her face, "I just wish that it wouldn't happen again."

"I am certain everything will be answered one day," he glanced at her. "By the way, I want to confirm something from you."

"Yes?" 

"Metamorphus told me that you like Lucius Goldwine."

Her cheeks turned beet red upon hearing his remark. How could he ask such a question when her admiration for Lucius was already replaced by him?

"Please let me know if something's going on between the two of you because I don't want to step over boundaries," he told her kindly.

"There is nothing going on between us!" she quickly replied. "I… I just admired him, but it was all in the past."

Asher's lips formed a smile. 

Zephie could not look at him, but she was very curious with the sudden question. "Uhm… Why did you ask?" she then pursed her lips. 

He glanced at the daisies along their way, "Do you know that you are like a daisy?"

"Uhmmm... you didn't answer my question," she said, looking at the daisies, too.

"I said, you're like a daisy. You're so pure and soft."

"Do you like daisies?" she asked.

He stopped his tracks, saying, "I absolutely like daisies." 

He then took the daintiest daisy flower from the meadow. Zephie was confused as she observed his actions. Asher then reached for her head and patted it gently, making her beet red.

As the tall handsome man smiled sweetly at her, he tucked a small daisy behind her ear.. And that's when they realized, they might have started something new in that peaceful town.