’Ah...’
Cressida had already pieced it together, the truth behind this body’s original owner.
In the novel, she’d been written off early, supposedly dead. But no, the girl had never actually died. The clues were scattered everywhere like breadcrumbs.
Immortality.
A cryptic assassination.
A vanishing act that no one could explain.
If she had to guess, the original Cressida had chosen the same path she did now - to run. A smart move, really. The girl must’ve realized what was coming for her.
She wasn’t meant to die from politics or poison. She was meant to be drained.
A living bloodbag for Lady Agrona, whose hunger for both power and blood was said to be endless.
The tragic irony was that Cressida thought her advances were one-sided, but it never was. She was being eyed on all along.
After all, Agrona hailed from the ancient Vampiric House of Valtieri, one of the Great Houses of the Donovian Empire; renowned not for their nobility, but for their predatory grace.
║[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]║
║Event Unlocked: "Under The Leash"║
║An event has been triggered.║
║All actions, thoughts, and decisions made during this period will now directly influence your Positive and Negative EXP balance.║
║Event Duration: 2 days ║
║Consequence: Permanent — outcomes cannot be undone.║
’Under the... what?’
In an instant, two figures seized her and dragged her out of the carriage.
It happened so fast that her body hadn’t even registered the movement.
One blink, and she was standing in the cold night air.
Their breaths were steady but deep. Vampires.
"Well, well... if it isn’t my little mouse."
Cressida froze as her gaze lifted and the world seemed to cut around the woman before her.
Her eyes were the color of a midnight sea, deep and endless, but when they narrowed, they flashed crimson from hunger.
"M-My lady," the coachman stammered.
The rest followed suit in hurried bows and curtsies, a synchronized chorus of fear and reverence. All except Cressida, who stood still.
"Handle her with care," the woman commanded. Her voice was calm, but absolute, the kind that didn’t need to be raised to demand obedience.
Cressida’s mind spun as she realized more. "Was I never assassinated?"
The woman’s lips curved faintly, as if she could hear her thoughts. She stepped closer, shadows folding around her like silk.
"Since when," she murmured, "did my little mouse learn how to think for herself?"
A sharp blow struck the back of Cressida’s neck and the world vanished into darkness.
***
When she awoke, the first thing she felt was cold.
Cold metal biting into her wrists.
Cold moisture seeping through the stone floor beneath her palms.
Cold wind threading through cracks in the walls, brushing against her skin like a ghost’s hand.
She didn’t stay unconscious for long. The chill was too real for that.
"And now she’s awake," a familiar voice drawled from the shadows. "How does it feel, little mouse? To finally be caged after chasing your dear idol for so long? A dream come true, isn’t it?"
Cressida lifted her head, her vision still hazy. But when it cleared, she almost forgot how to breathe.
Standing before her was the kind of beauty novels failed to describe: sharp eyes framed by wavy golden hair, a sculpted jaw, lips soft but cruel, and ocean-blue eyes that was calm on the surface, but with a river of blood roiling beneath.
’Think, Cressida. Think.’
She couldn’t afford to give in. Submission would only feed the woman’s ego, and that would end badly.
"Idol? What idol?" Cressida scoffed, lifting her chin just slightly. Her tone balanced on the edge. "If you need an audience, find a mirror."
║[SYSTEM] +5 Positive EXP — Witty Response.║
"Hm. Nice try."
Agrona’s fingers slipped through the cage bars, seizing Cressida’s wrist with unnerving ease. Her touch was cold as she drew the girl’s hand close to her lips."But I know," she whispered, voice honeyed and cruel, "you’re more than glad to serve me."
Cressida forced a strained smile. "You’re not exactly wrong," she said. "But thankfully, I’m still in my right mind. You, on the other hand, clearly aren’t."
║[SYSTEM] +5 Positive EXP — Conscious Response.║
Agrona’s eyes glimmered, amusement dancing there. "Is that so? Then you’d better pray your blood isn’t as spoiled as your tongue."
"Not as much a—Ah!"
Pain blossomed fast as sharp fangs sank deep into her wrist, cutting through flesh and vein in one graceful motion. Heat pooled beneath her skin from embarrassment, spreading too fast for her mind to process.
The sound that escaped her throat wasn’t a scream but a soft, involuntary whimper.
Finally, the woman withdrew, crimson glistening on her lips as she wiped them with the back of her hand."It seems..." Her voice dripped with dark amusement. "It isn’t spoiled after all. More like, nectar."
"Let go of me!" Cressida hissed, clutching her wrist.
Agrona smiled faintly, the kind that didn’t reach her eyes. "Why struggle?" she murmured, releasing her hold at last. "Your parents already sold you to me."
To survive this woman, Cressida had only one option.
After all, she was dealing with a regressor, someone who’d already seen this play before.