The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Xia Sang knelt on both knees, while Ivina looked troubled. But Nidtra was no longer concerned with such matters. She didn't even bother to dwell on Xia Sang's rude words. She clutched the envelope tightly in her hand and walked tremblingly toward Ivina.
"Come, open it yourself."
Ivina hesitantly took the envelope. The blood-red runes on it signified the letter's extraordinary significance.
As she tore open the seal, a surge of heat spread from her palm up her arm. She felt her skin burning, as if a lit match were writing on her delicate skin.
Lifting her sleeve, she clearly saw the characters branded onto her skin—Gla. Visata.
"My… name?" Ivina stared at the crimson script, asking in astonishment.
"Congratulations, my lady. You have officially become a member of the Blood Clan. I fear this seal is an official invitation to the Demon Banquet. But the Demon Banquet is…"
"Xia Sang, you have no right to speak here, lowly slave girl." Niditara glanced at Xia Sang with disdain. Then, she turned to Ivena with a friendly expression, "Come, my beautiful girl, dress up nicely. Who knows, at the Demon Banquet, hehe…" Niditara narrowed her eyes, her tone oddly sinister.
Seeing Xia Sang kneeling on the ground, unable to speak, her brows furrowed in anxiety. Ivina also felt an indescribable sense of unease. The last banquet had already drained her of all her energy. What would this Blood Banquet be like?
Niditera took her hand and led her outside, not forgetting to add a malicious parting remark: "Xia Sang, stay here and reflect on your foolish words and actions." She could only look at Xia Sang, who was still kneeling on the ground, with sympathy, and helplessly walked out the door.
"Niditera, what good does it do to deliberately send me away?"
She tidied her slightly disheveled maid's uniform. In the empty side hall, a faint, barely perceptible cold smile appeared on Xia Sang's face.
She was taken to her bedroom. As if time had reversed, it was again Debi, the enormous, intimidating python, preparing her evening gown for the banquet.
Watching Debi bustling about, Ivina suddenly felt curious. "Debi…"
"Debi…"
"What is it? Just calling my name, are you annoying me?" Debi replied casually while taking a break from her work.
Hearing a snake speak to her for the first time, Ivina couldn't help but smile. Realizing that Debi was glaring at her, she quickly stopped smiling.
"Hmph! I thought you were a silent type, but it turns out you can laugh after all!"
If he hadn't said that, she wouldn't have realized that this was the first time she had smiled happily since arriving in the vampire kingdom, and that it was at a snake.
"I thought you were a man-eating python, but now it seems you're quite kind." She wasn't sure if "talkative" was the right word for a snake, but perhaps Debi wasn't as bad as his master. Besides, his build was so mismatched with Niditara's that it was hard to imagine them as master and servant.
"Kind? If you weren't useful to my master, I'd have swallowed you whole long ago." Debi acted swiftly, piling a box of clothes by the bed as he spoke, "After you've chosen, simply walk out of the palace. A carriage will be waiting to take you. Don't ask where it's going—just get in." With a rustling sound, Debi moved away, unwilling to linger. He couldn't shake the feeling that this young woman had an alluring aura about her, one that was hard to resist.
"Aren't I going with Niditera?"
"You should call her Aunt Perde… don't give yourself away." Debi finished his instructions and vanished.
Ivina turned away helplessly and began randomly selecting clothes from the bed. Did it really matter what she wore? The previous expensive red silk robe made her look like a young noblewoman, but it wasn't very suitable. The gowns before her were all elaborate and ornate. Ivina looked at them in frustration and sighed helplessly. Sitting on the bed, she suddenly noticed Debi's wardrobe, which was placed beneath the closet. Curiosity piqued, she opened it without thinking.
Inside were more luxurious garments. As she was about to close it, a corner of a garment caught her eye. With a slight tug, the garment slipped easily into Ivina's hands.
Pure white, without any flashy decorations. The sides featured short, puffed sleeves, with only simple lace trim at the chest. Simple and elegant, it was exactly what she wanted. With a smile on her face, she put it on without hesitation.
In front of the dim yellow mirror, Ivina's charm was like that of a foreign princess, with black eyes, red lips, a beautiful face, and snow-white skin, paired with a pure-colored dress... Although she didn't add any other decorations, she was very satisfied with her outfit. Except... as she touched the empty space at her neck, she suddenly realized she had forgotten the most important thing—the pearl necklace. It wasn't just because it complemented the dress perfectly, but because it was a gift from her mother, a comforting reminder of her mother's love.
Sitting dejectedly on the bed, Ivina could no longer muster the enthusiasm she had felt earlier.
After an unknown amount of time, she finally remembered what she had been told.
"After you've made your selection, simply walk out of the palace, and a carriage will be waiting for you. Don't ask where it's taking you—just get in."
How long had she been lost in thought? She must be late… Finally emerging from her melancholy, Ivina lifted her floor-length skirt and ran toward the door.
She didn't notice that her silhouette, beautiful like an angel, was fading into the distance.