Taming My Vampire Servant

"Ah, apologies, Lycus, but… I feel safer if Sigmund is around me," Ivory said, and a wide grin appeared in Sigmund's lips.

"Alright, if that's what you wish, Lady Ivory," Lycus responded. "While you rest, and while we wait for the feast, I will look around the beach and find a good spot for your training."

Lycus put his things inside his hut and proceeded to the shore, while Sigmund and Ivory went inside their hut.

"Finally, he's gone," Sigmund said and sat on the bed, as he watched Ivory put their bags on the side. 

Ivory then headed to sit beside him, "You should get along with him. He's my relative, you know."

"I am trying."

"Seems like you aren't trying," she sighed. "What's wrong with Lycus that you do not trust him?"

Sigmund replied, "How can I trust that man? When I sensed his mana for the first time, he didn't have one, but suddenly, he had it. And now that I have confirmed he had the extraordinary mana within him, he never showed us where or what his Servant is."

"Do you mean… he's a Master, but he doesn't have a Servant?"

The Vampire nodded, "I'm thinking there might be two reasons for it."

"What reasons?" asked Ivory.

"First, he might actually be hiding his Servant from us," he said in a serious expression, "Second, his mana might be so plentiful that it seeped out of his body before even summoning a Servant…"

"Eh? The second one… it's possible?" she responded. "Did you already encounter something like that?"

He nodded at her, "The Silverblade's successor, Prince Levian Silverblade. The kid I tutored twenty years ago."

"But the Silverblades…"

"Yes, Principal Arthurdane said that I killed them all," he sighed. "I really want to clear my name soon."

Ivory looked at him with pity. She touched his hands and pulled them onto her lap, subtly squeezing them, "I will do everything to help you, Sigmund." Her kind eyes gazed at his crimson red eyes, "And to do that, I need someone who knows about my condition and the extraordinary mana. I need to be strong enough to fight everyone in the castle. So please... get along with Lycus, okay?"

Sigmund averted his eyes away from her, turning his head to his right, "I'll think about it."

"Sigmuuuuund!" she pouted and neared her face onto his, "Please be good to Lycus! Please, please please-"

When Sigmund turned to face, his lips accidentally touched hers. The two of them widened their eyes in shock, especially Ivory, but due to their lingering feelings for one another, no one pulled away. Truth be told, the Vampire had been craving for her soft lips ever since their first kiss. On the other hand, Ivory's heart was beating like drums since it was the first time she had felt her Servant's lips, not knowing how she tasted them multiple times when she was enveloped with her extraordinary mana! 

"Anyone here?" a voice suddenly called from outside. 

Ivory and Sigmund were both startled, so he pushed Ivory onto the bed and quickly stood up!

Seeing that Ivory became absentminded because of that accidental kiss and was left laying on the bed while staring at the ceiling, Sigmund was the one who went out to see who it was.

"Hello, I'm here to give thicker blankets. It gets really chilly here at night," a tribesman said, giving him the thick, cotton blanket which was tied into a roll by a thick fiber rope. "I've placed the other one beside the other hut. I hope you'll have a pleasant stay here for the following days. See you later at the feast!" and then the man left.

When Sigmund returned inside, he chuckled when he saw that Ivory had not moved an inch.

"Stupid woman, were you too startled with that?" Sigmund pulled her arm, making her sit up, "It's an accident, okay? Plus, it's not the first time you brushed your lips against mine. So stop acting up-"

"You meanie!" she playfully hit his arm. "Why do you have to bring that up again?!"

He smirked, "I thought you're not affected anymore."

"Ugh, you know what? I'll take a walk to the beach… Don't follow me!" she pouted and then stood up. She ran out of the hut with cheeks as red as tomatoes.

"Haha… She's so damn cute," Sigmund muttered and still followed her from behind despite his Master telling him not to follow her.

Soon after, a tribesman came to fetch them. They were invited to the activity center wherein tribe events were being held. It was situated on a hill, and only members of the tribe and Ivory's group were invited.

"Our good friend Lycus has come back," the old tribe leader Leopold said. He raised up the wooden mug filled with grape wine, "Cheers! For the peace and prosperity of Sapphiros!"

"For Sapphiros!!!" the tribespeople yelled, and they raised their mugs then drank the fermented grapes, which were prepared three weeks ago. 

"Come on, drink for today," Leopold told Lycus, who only drank grape juice.

"You know I don't drink," Lycus replied. "I'm weak to alcohol." A short laugh escaped from Sigmund, which Lycus noticed. "I saw that, Servant."

"What?" the Vampire raised his brow. 

"I also can't take my alcohol," Ivory said. "We're really alike, aren't we, Lycus?"

"Yes, Lady Ivory," he smiled sweetly at her, and this made Sigmund annoyed.

Noticing that the Servant was glaring at him, Lycus just smiled at him as if mocking him, then proceeded to eat the grilled slab of pork belly.

It was a fun feast. The Sapphireans had mentioned that Lycus saved Leopold when he was severely injured from a shark more than a month ago. The silver-haired young man clarified to Ivory that it was more than a month ago, way back before he returned to the Sanctuary of Goddess Destinia in Valios City.

Observing that the Sapphirians were very impressed with Lycus, Sigmund's mood turned sour. He saw his Master was also fascinated by the silver-haired man, well in fact for the Vampire, everything about him is suspicious. He told Ivory that he would try to get along with him, but with his identity not yet fully revealed, and there were still a lot of questions about him, he found it hard to accept him as an ally.

After the sumptuous feast, they headed back to their rented compound near the beach. Leopold asked the tribesmen to bring them freshly caught herring and perch, which they could grill for dinner.

Lycus volunteered to grill the newly caught fish on a makeshift grilling stand on two stones, while Sigmund made sure that the bonfire was properly lit, using fire magic to increase the intensity of the fire. On the other hand, Ivory sat and observed them as she sat on a carved stone seat.

While they ate, they talked about what they'd do in the coming days. 

"I've secured a good place for combat training and meditation," Lycus said after he bit some fish meat, "It's nearby."

"Am I going to start tomorrow?" asked Ivory.

"Let's start with meditation. I suggest you dream about that dream first, and do the challenge successfully, then we move on to combat training."

Sigmund raised his brow, "What dream?"

"The weird dream in the oak forest," Ivory said and sighed, "What if I do not complete the challenge in my dream in our three-week stay here?"

"Lady Ivory," Lycus said in a serious tone. "Don't think about the what-ifs. I encourage you to think that you will definitely do it. Engrave it in your mind, that you'll be able to control your mana within a week!"

She clenched her fists and yelled towards the direction of the sea, "I can do this! I will control this mana! I won't let it control me!"

"That's the spirit," the silver-haired guy said. "We believe you can do it!"

Afterwards, they put off the bonfire and cleared the dining area. Lycus returned to his house after saying that they'd meet the next day after sunrise. Ivory said good night to him, then she and her Servant went back into their own hut.

When Ivory had taken a quick shower and changed into her long-sleeved, plain white linen night dress, she climbed onto the bed. Seeing this, Sigmund, whose six-pack abs were exposed, immediately placed the thick blanket onto her.

"Thank you, Sigmund," Ivory smiled sweetly at him. "Good night."

"Wait."Sigmund then slid inside the covers and laid closely beside her.

"Sigmund?" she looked at him in confusion. "Why are you-"

"It's chilly. The blanket is not enough to warm you up, dimwit."

Ivory blushed. It felt so odd that she knew she's the only one embarrassed by this. Things really changed ever since she learned that she had confessed to him while the extraordinary mana enveloped her. She easily becomes conscious in his presence.

"I used mana to prepare the bonfire… Give me your hand and let me take a quick sip of your blood."

Ivory faced him sideways and placed her hand near Sigmund's mouth. "Fine. But please be gentle."

He smirked at her, and Ivory did not expect him to kiss the back of her hand while he gazed at her amorously.