My Horny Stepmom Turns Me into Her Vampire Slave-Chapter 31: All’s well that ends well

"Everything alright, Chris? You look like you didn’t sleep at all," Mia says.

She woke up at her usual time, fresh as a rose and completely unaware of the chaos from the night before.

"Y-Yeah, I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all..." he mutters.

He drags himself along the road to Ordrienne High, barely keeping up with Mia’s already slow pace.

After walking Zaira home, he couldn’t fall asleep again and spent the whole night thinking about her in not-so-innocent ways.

He would’ve gladly stayed home and slept, but he knows he can’t.

Mia suddenly stops. Her school bag slips from her hand, and she starts trembling the moment Zaira steps in front of them.

"W-What do you want from me now?!" Mia growls. "I thought I made myself clear — I never want to see you again!"

Zaira lowers her gaze.

"M-Mia, I... I’m here to ask for your forgiveness."

"F-Forgiveness...? For what, exactly?"

As much as Mia tries to look serious and furious, her heart is racing like never before.

After their argument that night, Mia had hoped with all her heart that Zaira would show up the next morning to apologize. But she never did. On the contrary, Zaira disappeared completely, and Mia had already lost hope that moment would ever come.

But now Zaira stands right in front of her, distraught and on the verge of tears, begging for forgiveness, and Mia has to fight with everything she has not to run to her and pull her into a tight embrace as if nothing had happened.

"I-I’m asking for your forgiveness for everything, Mia.

O-Of course, it’s no secret that I have feelings for you — the whole school knows it. But more than love or attraction, what I feel most for you is a deep friendship. That special bond we’ve shared since we were kids.

A friendship I ended up ruining... and damn, I don’t even know why."

Zaira starts sobbing, completely overwhelmed.

Her eyes fill with tears, just like Mia’s.

"M-Maybe I convinced myself you felt something more than friendship for me, and that’s why I started acting like we were a couple, not just friends.

I treated everyone close to you badly, and I even went so far as to say and do those horrible things to you... things I regret more than anything..."

Zaira tries with all her strength not to break down until she finishes apologizing, but she can’t.

She collapses to her knees and breaks down in desperate sobs.

Seeing her like that, Mia can’t hold back her tears anymore and slowly walks toward her.

"P-Please forgive me, Mia! Please... forgive me! You are my dearest friend and I don’t want to lose you! I-I promise that from now on I won’t do anything that could hurt you or the people you care about! T-The only thing I want is to go back to being your friend... forgive me... forgive me... forgive me!"

"Z-Zaira..."

Her crying chokes her words.

She crouches in front of Zaira, cupping her face in her hands and gently lifting it so she can look at her. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

When Zaira lifts her gaze, she sees a sweet smile, wet with tears.

"I-I forgive you... I forgive you... now stop crying, everyone’s watching us..."

Zaira wipes her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie.

"S-Says the one crying... you’re like a fountain..."

They both let out a soft laugh, then throw themselves into each other’s arms, rolling onto the asphalt.

Chris watches them, moved, but also slightly embarrassed, as passersby stare at them like they’re crazy.

All’s well that ends well...

"Can you celebrate later? We’re already late."

"Y-Yes, you’re right," Mia sobs, wiping her tears while holding onto Zaira. "By the way, Chris... do you know where Isabelle is? I didn’t see her at home this morning."

Chris shrugs, and Zaira plays dumb too. Isabelle had repeatedly told them to keep Mia in the dark about everything surrounding her, so she could live as normal a life as possible after all she’d been through.

"Uh, no idea. She probably just started work earlier than usual."

◇◇◇

Knock, knock.

The sun has just risen. A soft knock at the door draws Julius and Victoria Azuralis’ attention.

They waited anxiously all night for Rudeor and Alexander to return. The knock should reassure them, but it only makes them more uneasy. Rudeor has never been the type to knock.

"Come in."

When the door opens, their unease turns to shock at the sight of Isabelle carrying their son’s body over her shoulder like a sack.

Julius tries to stay composed, but Victoria cannot. She completely loses control. After all, no mother could remain indifferent at the sight of her son’s lifeless body.

"Y-You damn monster, what did you do to my son?! I... I’ll destroy you with my own hands! Elemental Invocation ● Water—"

But Julius stops her with a firm hand.

"No, Victoria. Look closely. Rudeor is still alive."

Pushing aside her anger, Victoria looks closer. Though faint, she notices the slight rise and fall of his chest as he struggles to breathe.

At the end of that fierce clash, instead of finishing him, Isabelle simply knocked him unconscious with the flat of her sword.

"Let the Platinum Death speak," Julius says.

Isabelle lowers Rudeor to the ground.

"You may not know this, but your son planned to attack Princess Mia. I could have killed him easily, just as I could kill both of you, but I do not intend to start a cycle of revenge. I already have enough problems and do not need more. Give up your mission to kill the princess and recover the Tear of Azkarith, and return to N’Raeth today. Otherwise, next time I will not be so lenient. That is all."

"As thanks for sparing Rudeor, I will accept your terms. But we will not return to N’Raeth. We have another task to complete beyond what you mentioned."

"You’re after that traitor, right?"

Julius freezes for a moment in disbelief.

"Y-How do you know? Did Rudeor tell you?"

"No, the one you’re looking for told me."

Julius’s shock deepens.

"Don’t tell me you know where that damned Oktavian is hiding. We’ve been searching for him for ten years. If you really know, please tell us."

"Oktavian... so that’s his real name? Anyway, I can’t do that."

"What the hell do you mean you can’t? Princess Mia has nothing to do with Oktavian! That bastard was part of an expedition on Elyndra, sent by the king to recover the Scale of Urvoras — which, as you know, is one of the four divine artifacts along with the Tear of Azkarith. The mission succeeded, but that traitor used the artifact’s power to kill his companions and flee! For that crime, he was sentenced to death!"

"I already know, but that man is useful to me for now. When I no longer need him, you can continue your hunt — but not now."

Isabelle’s gaze grows colder, more threatening.

"Julius Azuralis, it seems you still don’t understand. I did not come here to negotiate, but to dictate my conditions so I don’t kill you all."

The man lets out a long, resigned sigh.

"Alright, we will return to N’Raeth today."

"I’m glad to hear it."

"There was another boy with him, right? Where is he?" Victoria asks.

"He ran as soon as he saw me. Anyway, I have work to do. We have nothing more to say. For your sake, I hope we never meet again."

Isabelle turns to leave, but Julius asks one last question.

"Earlier, you said you had other problems to deal with... you mean the strange appearance of primordial vampires, right?"

"Were you attacked as well?"

"Yes, but we got rid of them without trouble. From what I know, those creatures should no longer exist."

"The real problem isn’t the primordial vampires themselves, but whoever is creating them. There is only one being I know who can do it, and if it’s really who I think, it will cause far more than a few problems."