Chapter 230 Chapter 51.4 - Maya Evergreen
?"Sorry," Maya uttered, her voice carrying a mixture of emotions as she immediately leaped over him. The transition from the intensity of the training session to the private conversation was seamless.
"It is fine. You may go as you wish." He said while looking around for a little while. "But Senior Maya."
His voice stopped her for a second, looking at him from close. "Please cast a small barrier. Nobody should see us, right?"
There was a reason why Astron was always careful while training inside the rooms. He always checked if he was being watched or not since there were many demon spies inside both the academy and the government.
"Un....."
Closing her eyes briefly, Maya tapped into her proficiency with mana. She weaved a subtle barrier around them, ensuring their conversation would remain private and shielded from prying eyes.
Once the barrier was in place, she looked at Astron, seeking confirmation.
"Is this enough?" she asked, her crimson eyes meeting his.
The barrier would serve its purpose, allowing them the freedom to converse without the risk of unwanted observers.
"Yes, that is enough." Astron, after a moment's consideration, nodded in approval as he looked into her eyes. "You may go as you wish." His words were calm as if he was already expecting such a thing to happen anyway.
"T-then....Pardon my intrusion."
Without waiting for a response, Maya pushed him to the ground with a gentle yet deliberate force. She moved with a fluidity that belied her vampiric strength, effortlessly climbing over him. Of course, he didn't resist in any case, as if he had trusted her enough to let her move as she pleased.
The atmosphere within the small barrier intensified, charged with unspoken tension and anticipation. Maya's actions were a dance on the thread of her sanity and identity....As a vampire and as a human alone.
As she hovered over him, her crimson eyes fixated on the fresh wounds on his arm. Without hesitation, she leaned down, her tongue tracing the lines of the cut.
SLURP!
The intimate act held a strange mix of primal desire and an unspoken connection as Maya sought solace in the taste of his blood.
'It is tasty...This is it.....This is the one....'
She couldn't help but marvel at the taste. Even tasting a little blood flowing out of his veins was enough to make her intoxicated by the feeling.
'More.....More.....'
She finished licking the wound on his arm, savoring the last drops before raising her eyes. This time, her gaze moved upward, locking onto his neck. The pale skin under the sparring room's lighting looked enticing, and Maya felt herself losing control of the desire that gnawed at her.
"Your....." She mumbled as she opened her mouth.
"My?"
"Your neck is really pretty."
"..."
In an instant, driven by an insatiable thirst and a yearning she couldn't suppress, Maya bit into his neck. The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.
"Urghk-"
A small groan left his mouth, a reaction out of small pain. His body twitched a little at the foreign intrusion, but after a second, he calmed himself down.
The room echoed with the sound of her actions, a delicate dance between vulnerability and desire.
GULP! GULP!
The crimson hue of her eyes intensified as the taste of his blood surged through her senses, momentarily drowning out the complexities of her existence.
However, this time, she wasn't as desperate as she was before. Rather than drinking like a madman, she savored the taste. She also didn't want to put too much of a strain on his body, as she felt like he was fragile enough to break under her force.
'I should give this to him.'
At that moment, she remembered something. A gift that she had bought for him as a token of gratitude. She hated to be on the receiving end all the time. Her junior had saved her and was giving her his blood, and she needed to give her something back, too.
However, what could be a thing that could rival her life? Something that could be traded back against her life, something that was important and needed to be given back.
"Junior," she called him as she moved a little, her hands reaching her spatial bracelet. In a swift motion, she retrieved a small herb carefully stored within.
"This is for you." She presented him with the box, an incredibly expensive box that could easily be noticed just by looking at it.
"What is this?" Astron asked, but he also inwardly realized that the thing in front of him was far from normal.
"It is my gift to you."
"Your gift?"
"Yes. For everything that you have done for me and everything that you are still doing."
"You didn't need-"
"No." She knew he was about to downgrade what he did, but she didn't want him to do that. She knew his suspecting nature, as he also tended not to take her first investment.
"This is something you deserve. If I am the only one receiving it, I hate it." She denied his refusal adamantly and didn't let him do as he pleased.
Astron stopped for a second, looking at the things in his hand and Maya, who was looking at his eyes.
"Sigh....." And released a hearty sigh. "I understand."
Accepting her gift, he opened the box. And immediately, immense amounts of energy were released into the room.
"What?" Even Astron was taken aback by the energy the herb contained, and Maya couldn't help but smirk.
Maya couldn't help but smirk at Astron's surprised reaction to the released energy.
"You seem surprised, Junior. Don't tell me you don't know what it is?" she teased, enjoying the moment.
Astron, despite the unexpected surge of energy, composed himself immediately. "This is Starbloom Essence, isn't it? It's a special herb known for enhancing one's mana absorption and accelerating the growth rate of your body. It strengthens you physically and increases your talent limit."
Maya raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Sharp as always. Yes, it's Starbloom Essence. It is a rare find, and its effects are quite potent. Absorb it during your meditation or before training, and you'll experience a noticeable difference. Consider it a token of my gratitude for all you've done. Take care of yourself, Junior."
Astron examined the Starbloom Essence in his hands, a mix of gratitude and hesitation in his eyes. "This is too expensive for me to consume. Are you sure about this?"
Maya chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't worry about the cost. Consider it a worthy exchange for what you've done for me. Besides, your strength is an investment for both of us."
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "An investment?"
Maya blushed slightly, realizing that she had voiced her thoughts rather than kept them to herself.
Then, with her words, a soft murmur like a mosquito's whisper. "You need to get stronger in the future, for me... so that I can... drink more of your blood." She cleared her throat, regaining composure. "It's for the best, trust me."
Astron understood that it would be rude if he continuously refused her favor. "Alright, if you say so. I'll make good use of it."
Maya smiled in return, a warmth in her eyes that spoke volumes. "Take care of yourself, Junior."
With that, the small barrier dissipated, and they found themselves back in the sparring field. The moment felt oddly serene, a quiet understanding lingering between them. Maya nodded, signaling the end of their private conversation. "Thank you," Astron said, holding the box of Starbloom Essence in his hand.
"No need to thank me," Maya replied, her crimson eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions. "You are sowing what you reap?"
"Senior.....You don't use that idiom for positive things."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"My bad then....."
Just like that, the two left the training room, each going their own way.....