The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed

"How did you end up getting caught, Sister Elise?"

Inside the carriage.

After secretly completing the slave contract with Elise, we were heading to the Holy Kingdom.

Lukas treated Elise with a soft, kind smile overflowing with virtue. Holding her hand lightly, he gently stroked the back of it.

A faintly glowing white light. Judging by its appearance, it was holy power.

It seemed to have a calming effect on body and mind, but every time the clear holy power of the high priest seeped in, Elise’s lips twitched slightly.

Even as a vampire, she was half-clergy, so she should have some resistance, but it must still sting quite a bit.

"And then some assailants broke in... sniff, sniff."

Elise skillfully fabricated a lie.

Moved by her pitiful tale, Lukas’s eyes glistened with tears.

"You’ve been through so much."

"Yes..."

Elise, clearly uncomfortable around the priest, worked hard to manage her expression.

"You don’t need to worry anymore. Lord Ordo will surely watch over you, Sister."

"Ah..."

"What’s the matter?"

"No, it’s just... I’m so grateful. Wow..."

"Haha, I’m glad to hear that. It was worth every coin spent to rescue you."

When I interjected, Elise turned her head at lightning speed, her crimson eyes flashing with a threatening red light.

She glared at me from where Lukas couldn’t see, and I met her gaze lightly, shrugging my shoulders.

‘What? You said you were happy.’

Honestly, who told her to go around deceiving people like this?

Surely, living among priests as a vampire must be a dream come true for her. Like an ant walking straight into an antlion’s trap.

This will probably take a lot out of her.

*****

Finally, we arrived in Kassilon, the Holy Kingdom.

Thanks to High Priest Lukas, Elise and I didn’t need to undergo any inspections. If not for that, it would have cost a hefty sum, but everything went according to plan.

The sanctuary of the faithful.

If I were to sum up the view of the Holy Kingdom in one phrase:

A chessboard?

The main roads looked like a chessboard.

The buildings alternated between white and black, one after the other.

Obsessive balance freaks.

Even the city’s colors had been balanced.

It reminded me of an Easter egg. There was a spot where, instead of black following white, white appeared again, breaking the symmetry.

Once you noticed it, it was like reading: “You’re now aware of your breathing and the sound of your nose as you exhale,” or, “You’re now conscious of your blinking. Does it feel natural or strained?” You couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Damn developers and their tricks.

Fortunately, the clothes of the people walking around were as colorful as any other city. Most were believers, but there were also ordinary tourists.

"Shall we, Sister? I’ll escort you to the convent."

"Yes..."

With Lukas leading us, we arrived at the convent. Nuns dressed identically to Elise moved about.

Real nun habits don’t cling to the body, expose legs, involve full-body tights, or feature garter belts.

An inconvenient truth.

A red pill no one wants to swallow.

But this is a fantasy world.

For the sake of user satisfaction, realism was graciously disregarded, giving rise to truly correct nuns.

Modesty paired with provocative outfits.

The ultimate contrast created a beautiful harmony.

This is it.

This is why you travel.

While I enjoyed the view, Lukas finished speaking with an older woman who appeared to be the convent’s head nun.

"I’ve explained the situation. If Sister Elise wishes, she can continue her duties here just as before."

"Hoho, thank you for your kindness, but a convent in the Holy Kingdom? It’s far too much for me..."

"What an incredible opportunity, Elise. You’ve made it big."

Elise’s lips curved into a thin smile, but no part of her face beyond her mouth was smiling.

She stared at me like that. Since I hadn’t done anything wrong, I met her gaze with a smile.

Eventually, Elise gave in.

"...Thank you for having me."

Lukas looked on in satisfaction.

"It seems my # Nоvеlight # role here is done, so I’ll be on my way. If you need anything, please come to the Hall of Healing. I’ll make time for you."

"Understood."

"May Order settle all things properly in their rightful places."

With a brief prayer, Lukas departed.

"I’ll be going as well."

"You too?"

For now, I had nothing to do.

"We’ll see each other again soon enough."

*****

Elise’s adjustment to convent life was uneventful.

She rose at dawn, prepared herself, and got ready for prayer. Afterward, she meditated, read scriptures, and gathered her thoughts.

In the morning, she helped other nuns prepare rituals and served lunch to children at an orphanage run directly by the Holy Kingdom.

In the afternoon, she was supposed to assist wherever help was needed, but as a newcomer, she wasn’t assigned to those tasks.

In the evening, there was another prayer session.

The day ended with the nuns sharing reflections on their work and chatting before bed.

A typical nun’s life.

Her elongated vampire ears were concealed with magic. Sunlight didn’t bother her, nor did crosses. A stake to the heart would kill her, but then again, it would kill anyone.

“Stakes kill humans too, you know?”

Though she was a vampire, there was no risk of exposure as long as she didn’t use her powers.

Her striking beauty and kind smile made her popular among the children.

Having once been a promising novice nun, Elise was skilled in her duties and quickly recognized as a capable addition to the convent.

And so, Elise lived happily as a nun.

Sigh...

Of course, that wasn’t the reality.

She was living far too earnestly.

Before arriving here, she had spent her days in a quiet village, sleeping and eating whenever she pleased, but the convent allowed no such indulgences.

And despite being a nun capable of using holy power, she was still a vampire.

As such, Elise required blood periodically to suppress her urges.

However, she had never actually drunk blood before. Simply put, she didn’t want to. Her preferences overrode her instincts as a vampire.

Instead, Elise used milk to curb her cravings. Being a half-blood vampire, that was enough.

But the milk here wasn’t as fresh as what she was used to. Back in the village, she drank fresh milk straight from the cows of a neighboring farm.

Now, she couldn’t do that. The processed, stored milk available here lacked the freshness needed to suppress her urges.

What should I do?

Though she had some time before her cravings would overwhelm her, she couldn’t be complacent.

This was Kassilon, the heart of the Church.

Any misstep could spell disaster.

Flying to a nearby village to find cows could be a solution.

Hmm...

Then, an idea came to her mind.

Karami.

“He said we’d see each other soon.”

It had been days since she’d been made his slave, yet there had been no sign of him.

Whatever strange schemes he was plotting, Karami knew she was a vampire.

Surely, he must have some understanding of her current situation.

She could feel the tether connecting her to him—it wasn’t far.

Swish!

In an instant, Elise transformed.

Her human form vanished, replaced by the small, fluttering shape of a bat.

Taking to the night sky, Elise flew toward Karami.

*****

In the most luxurious inn in Kassilon, Karami occupied a suite fit for royalty.

Sipping fine wine and snacking on bite-sized cheeses made from cow’s milk, he immersed himself in a book.

Whatever else he might compromise on, food and convenience were non-negotiable.

“It’s the endgame now.”

There was no point in holding back—any leftovers would go to waste.

He relished the peaceful moment, unhurried and undisturbed.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking on a window broke the silence.

Karami’s room was on the third floor.

Logically, it was impossible for anyone to knock on the window, but Karami wasn’t surprised. He leisurely opened it, as though expecting the visitor.

There, Elise hovered awkwardly, her wings flapping to keep her aloft.

“May I come in?”

“Of course. Please do.”

Elise entered the room, her wings folding back into her form.

Surveying the luxurious surroundings, Elise spoke.

“You’re staying somewhere quite nice. Fine wine, good food... and yet I’m stuck in the convent.”

“Stuck? Where else would a nun belong if not a convent?”

Elise quickly formed an opinion of Karami.

A man adept at poking people’s nerves with idle remarks, ensnaring others before they realized it.

“Would you like a drink? Or are nuns forbidden from alcohol?”

There it was again.

Not teasing, but certainly close.

She couldn’t let herself get caught up in it. Taking a deep breath, she smiled sweetly.

“Please, I’d like one.”

Not being a devout nun, drinking was no issue.

As she reached for a chair to sit—

Thunk.

Karami nudged the chair out for her with his foot, offering a wink.

“A gentleman’s touch.”

“...”

Don’t get swept up... don’t get swept up.

“Thank you,” Elise managed, forcing a smile as she sat.

Karami poured wine into a glass, its rich purple hue shimmering under the light. He slid the glass toward Elise, who took it with practiced elegance and sipped.

As the sweet wine coated her tongue, she broke the silence.

“What do you plan to do with me? Are you going to kill me?”

“Kill you? I’ve never shed another’s blood.”

“Then will you stand by while the clergy burns me at the stake?”

“Such negativity isn’t healthy. Let’s dream of a happy future instead.”

Karami raised his glass, gesturing for a toast.

“A happy future. I hope I’m part of it,” Elise replied, clinking her glass against his.

After another sip, Karami spoke.

“So, what brings you here at this hour?”

“I need fresh milk. Without it, I can’t suppress my vampire urges.”

“Wait... are you saying—”

“I’m talking about cow’s milk. Yours wouldn’t even be enough to satisfy me,” Elise cut him off sharply before he could finish.

Karami smirked, disappointed that he didn’t get to complete his jest.

“Don’t vampires drink blood?”

“Why drink something so vile when there’s healthy, delicious milk?”

“A fair point, though not something I expected to hear from a vampire.”

Elise knew nothing about Karami—why he enslaved her, what he intended to do with her, or how much he knew about her.

But it wasn’t in Elise’s nature to let herself be played.

“Cooperate with me. If my identity is exposed, you won’t escape unscathed either.”

“And why is that?”

“I’ll reveal that you knew I was a vampire and kept it hidden.”

Those who consort with witches, vampires, or heretics are punished alongside them.

In other words, Elise and Karami were bound together by fate.

Karami chuckled softly at Elise’s bold demeanor, which was hardly befitting a slave.

“Understood. It’s no trouble. I don’t have milk, but as luck would have it, I do have something special.”

Karami reached into his coat and pulled out a small crimson box.

The box’s unique design made its contents obvious even before it was opened.

It was clearly a ring case.

“...What is this?”

Like opening the mouth of a clam, Karami revealed the box’s contents: a black ring adorned with a crimson gemstone.

A ring once secretly longed for by a princess of a distant winter kingdom.

He extended it toward Elise. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

“This is my sincerity to you. Will you accept it?”