Saving The Monster Race Starts With Breeding The Elf Village-Chapter 196: Please Don’t Pull Out!

Leona’s expression grew complicated and she let out a wry smile.

"It’s true that the demi-human continent has been relatively peaceful. Some infighting here and there, a few skirmishes, but nothing that would require the kind of work the vampires are known for."

Her eyes narrowed as if she thought of something that was the opposite of peacefu.

"But there is one place where problems never seem to end. Where feuds rage constantly. Where there’s always someone who needs to disappear."

Luca’s brows furrowed as realization dawned.

"...The human continent."

"Exactly." Leona nodded. "That place is a cesspool of corruption and misery. After all, humans can never seem to keep their hands to themselves—always fighting, always scheming, always looking for advantages over each other."

She shrugged elegantly.

"Which means there are plenty of opportunities for assassins. For the right price, of course."

Luca frowned. "But isn’t that...betraying the demi-human cause? Working for the humans?"

Leona shook her head firmly.

"Not at all. They’re not forming alliances. They’re not collaborating for the benefit of humanity. It’s purely business."

"Especially since assassination is their livelihood—it’s what they know, what they’ve been trained for since birth. They don’t have farms. They don’t have crafts..."

"...they have skills in death."

She met his eyes with a certain intensity.

"And besides, who do you think their targets usually are? Other human nobles. The same greedy, warmongering fools who keep their continent in chaos."

"The vampires take their gold, eliminate their rivals, and leave. More infighting. More chaos. More weakness for the demi-humans."

She smiled thinly.

"It’s really not a bad arrangement for us."

Luca considered this before asking,

"So all the demi-human races have dealings with humans like that?"

"Gods, no!" Leona laughed—a genuine laugh, bright and surprised. "The vampires are one of the few races that have any contact with humans at all."

"And they’re tolerated because their work is discreet and they don’t take sides. They’re neutral. Even professional if I have to say."

"But...even that has stopped recently."

Her expression darkened with silent rage.

"Ever since the war between humans and demi-humans—the vampires have completely cut off their services."

"They can’t be seen supporting the enemy, even for profit. Not if they want to maintain their honor."

Luca nodded slowly, then a question occurred to him.

"But if they stopped working with humans...how do they survive now?"

"You said assassination was their livelihood. Their only trade. What are they doing for income?"

Leona’s face grew troubled. She was silent for a moment, her steps slowing.

"I...I don’t know, actually. It’s been some time since I visited the vampire lands."

She shook her head, a hint of worry creeping into her voice.

"I’ve heard rumors of infighting and disputes. It’s not entirely peaceful there, from what I understand."

Luca’s mind raced. If the vampire clan was struggling, if there was conflict and instability...that was something he might need to address.

Another thread to pull. Another problem to solve.

But before he could pursue that thought, Leona stopped walking and turned to face him fully.

There was something different in her expression now—a sharpness, a focus.

"Luca."

"Yes?"

She studied his face intently, her eyes roaming over his features as if seeing them for the first time before finally asking,

"Are you...a vampire?"

Luca blinked, completely caught off guard.

"What? Why would you ask that?"

Leona’s gaze sharpened, her suspicion clear.

"It’s the way you move. The way you snuck around after me all day without me sensing you at all."

"That’s a skill the vampire race is famous for—moving through shadows, appearing and disappearing at will."

"It’s nearly impossible to track them when they don’t want to be found."

She looked him up and down before saying,

"And then there’s your appearance. The vampire race are considered beautiful, just like us elves. Everyone in their clan is quite...striking to look at."

She paused, her voice becoming slightly quieter.

"So it would make sense, wouldn’t it? For someone who looks like you to be one of them."

Luca’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

"So you’re saying you find me handsome?"

"Handsome enough that an elf with your high standards considers my appearance ’decent’?"

Leona’s composure cracked instantly.

"No! That’s not what I meant at all!"

She waved her hands frantically, her cheeks coloring.

"I-I was simply making an observation! An objective observation about racial characteristics! There was no personal judgment involved whatsoever!"

But Luca’s teasing smile told her he wasn’t buying a word of it.

Frustrated and flustered, Leona pointed at him with renewed determination.

"You are a vampire, Luca! And I can prove it!"

He raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Oh? And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"Open your mouth..."

She commanded, stepping closer.

"..and show me your teeth. Vampires have distinctive canines—long and sharp. If you’re one of them, I’ll be able to tell immediately."

Luca shrugged, playing along.

"Alright. Have a look."

He opened his mouth wide, and Leona leaned in, her face inches from his. She examined his teeth with the intensity of a scholar studying an ancient manuscript, her eyes scanning every detail.

Then she leaned back, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.

"Aha! I knew it! Your canines are much sharper than a normal human’s! You are a vampire!"

Luca reached up, touching his canines with his tongue. They were a bit sharper than average, he supposed.

"That doesn’t mean anything. Lots of humans have sharp teeth."

Leona shook her head, her smile widening.

"No, no, no. I’ve figured it out completely. You’re definitely a vampire."

"I’m not."

"You are."

"I’m really not."

"You are, you are, you are." Her voice was sing-song now, teasing, her eyes bright with mischief.

She knew perfectly well he wasn’t a vampire—she just wanted to see him squirm.

Luca’s eyes narrowed as he realised what she was doing. Then a slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.

"You know what? You’re absolutely right Leona."

Leona’s smug expression faltered slightly.

"I am a vampire. A creature of the night just like you said"

He took a step forward, looming over her.

"And you know what vampires need the most, Leona?"

She took a step back in a wary manner. "W-What?"

He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a low, dramatic whisper,

"Blood."

Before she could react, his hands shot out and grabbed her shoulders.

And then to her shock—he dipped his head and sank his teeth into the side of her neck.

"L-LUCA!"

Leona’s protest dissolved into a surprised giggle as his teeth pressed against her skin.

"What are you—stop! That tickles!"

"I can’t stop." He mumbled against her neck. "I’m a vampire. I need blood and your blood is looking particularly tasty right now."

He nibbled lightly, and Leona burst out laughing, her earlier composure completely shattered.

She pushed at his chest, but there was no force behind it.

"Stop! Stop it! I know you’re not actually a vampire!"

"I am! You said so yourself! The great Matriarch declared it, so it must be true!"

He bit down a little harder, making her squeal.

"And I won’t leave until I’ve had my fill!"

Leona was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. His teeth found a sensitive spot on her neck and she squirmed in his grasp, her giggles turning into helpless, breathless gasps.

"If you were really a vampire, you’d have drawn blood by now! Your teeth aren’t sharp enough to pierce skin! See? Proof!"

Luca pulled back, looking affronted.

"That’s only because I’m biting the wrong places! The neck is clearly not the right spot. I just need to find where the blood is stored!"

He dove back in, attacking her neck with renewed enthusiasm, moving from spot to spot, leaving tiny pink marks in his wake.

Each bite sent a fresh wave of ticklish sensation through her, and she couldn’t stop laughing.

"Stop! This is—this is harassment!" She tried to sound stern, but her voice cracked with laughter. "I’ll report you to the village council!"

"The village council..." Luca said between bites. "...has no authority over vampires."

"Noooo—!"

She protested against, but at the same time—she wasn’t resisting. Not really.

Her hands were on his shoulders, but she wasn’t pushing him away.

It sounded less like objections and more like the playful banter of a girlfriend teasing her boyfriend.

Luca then moved to the other side of her neck, and this time his bites lingered.

But they weren’t bites at all anymore, really. They were kisses. Soft, warm presses of his lips against her skin that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Mmm!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Slurp!♡~"

She realized it at the same moment he did—what this had become. How intimate this moment truly was.

Her skin tingled where his lips had been. Her heart was pounding. And instead of pushing him away, she found herself holding him closer.

The last time she had felt lips on her skin was her mother’s, years ago, kissing her forehead before bed. A child’s comfort. A mother’s love.

But this was nothing like that.

This was fire. This was warmth spreading through her chest, down her arms, pooling low in her belly.

This was her fingers curling into his shirt, holding him there, not letting him leave.

This was her heart racing and her body leaning into his like he was the only solid thing in the world.

And Luca, feeling her response—let his fingers drift to the shoulder strap of her dress. His lips hovered near her shoulder.

"I need to check other places." He murmured. "Other places where blood might flow more easily. Perhaps if I just...move this aside..."

His fingers hooked under the fabric, pulling it down just slightly, and Leona’s breath hitched.

She should stop him. She should say something. She should push him away, remind him where they were, remind him who might see.

But she didn’t move.

She didn’t say a word.

She just held him tighter and let him pull her dress down and reveal her bare shoulder.

But just as some of her snow-white cleavage was being revealed and she watched it all with her limpid eyes that were in a haze—

—a voice cut through the evening air like a knife.

"Where are you, Mr. Chicken?"

Leona’s eyes snapped open.

"Where are you hiding? I just want to cut your head off and make you into a nice stew! That’s all! No need to be dramatic about it!"

A bush rustled nearby. Leaves shook. And then, with the absolute worst timing in the history of the world—Nyx’s head popped out from behind a bush.

"I’m going to make it a clean cut, I promise. No suffering. Well, maybe a little suffering, but you deserve it for pooping on my windowsill, so really—"

Her voice trailed off, as her head turned slowly toward the two figures frozen by the tree.

Luca’s hands were on Leona’s shoulders. Leona’s fingers were tangled in his shirt. His face was inches from her neck and they stared at Nyx.

Nyx stared at them.

The evening breeze rustled the leaves. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

Leona’s entire body went rigid.

Heat rushed to her face instantly.

She saw.

Nyx...had seen everything.

Meanwhile, Nyx herself blinked once.

Her expression went through several rapid transformations—confusion, recognition, disbelief, dawning understanding, and finally, a slow, wicked smile that spread across her face like sunrise.

"Well, well, well." She straightened up, tucking her knife away with theatrical slowness. "I was out here hunting chicken, since Lulu wasn’t willing to give one from her collection—but it seems I’ve stumbled upon something much, much more interesting."

Leona’s face was on fire. Her entire body was on fire. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything but stand there like a deer caught in the brightest lantern light imaginable.

Nyx clasped her hands behind her back, rocking on her heels with exaggerated innocence.

"I was going to make a lovely chicken stew for dinner, you see. But now?" Her eyes glittered. "I think I’ve found something far more satisfying than any meal."

"...This sight alone will nourish me for the entire night."

She then turned, taking a step away—then paused, looking back over her shoulder.

"You two, continue whatever you were doing." Her smile was evil. "Don’t let me interrupt."

"NYX!" Leona finally found her voice, but her sister was already moving.

"Goodnight, you two! And please don’t pull out Hero—I want another adorable niece to spoil!"

Nyx shouted, and then she was gone, disappearing into the bushes with a speed that suggested she was running to tell every single person in the village what she had just seen.