I Became the Younger Brother of the Villainess

A Blood Pact.

In an Empire where vampires were now an ingrained part of society, the concept of a blood pact had become common knowledge among its citizens.

It was a bond of loyalty sworn to a high-ranking vampire, in exchange for rewards or protection—a relationship not unlike the master-servant contracts used by mages for their familiars.

“Come closer.”

“Yes…”

Christina Hayley didn’t take long to deliberate on my proposal—perhaps five minutes at most.

Her love for her domain was evident in her swift decision.

She was a smart woman. Her demeanor clearly showed that she didn’t see becoming a vassal of Chepes as a disadvantage.

Indeed, the most famous of Chepes’s blood-bound vassals, the Blackwoods, had only risen in prestige and influence after forming their pact with our family. Never had their name faltered.

It was clear Christina believed that becoming my vassal, and thus earning the protection of House Chepes, would ultimately be a benefit to her.

“….”

Despite the flush of humiliation staining her face and ears, she knelt gracefully, crawling forward with a poised, albeit submissive, posture.

“Like a bitch in heat.”

“…Yes.”

Even at such a degrading remark, she showed no anger or indignation. She simply bowed her head further.

It seemed she was willing to endure personal humiliation if it meant saving Hayley and its people.

I did intend to honor her sacrifice, but where was the fun in letting her off so easily?

“Stand up.”

She obediently rose, having knelt just before me, awaiting my command.

I tapped my palm against my thigh twice. With a face red as a beet, she pretended composure as she spread her legs and settled onto my lap.

Rip.

Before she could react, I tore the fabric of her clothing. Her bare shoulder, pale and flawless like a pristine snowfield, was exposed. I leaned in, resting my face lightly against her skin.

I took in a slow, deep breath.

“You smell wonderful. Like a fragrant forest by a serene lake.”

“…T-thank you…”

Was she afraid?

Even a woman as composed as Christina would find it hard to remain calm while exposing her throat to a vampire.

She trembled slightly, her body betraying her nervousness, so I decided to tease her further.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“…A… a little…”

Her bra, snugly supporting her ample chest, peeked through the torn fabric.

“It’s in the way. I’ll remove it.”

“Ah—”

Though she flinched, she couldn’t escape. I had already wrapped an arm around her slim waist, holding her firmly in place.

Unlike my rough handling of her clothing, I gently slid the strap of her bra off her shoulder, letting it fall slowly.

As the straps hung loosely around her arms, the bra’s supportive tension faded, and her concealed breasts spilled out, heavy and full, with a subtle bounce.

“…Ugh…”

It must have been deeply mortifying for a noble lady of her stature to expose herself so fully to an unfamiliar man. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned her head to the side in shame.

In that moment, she finally seemed her age—a young woman overwhelmed by the situation.

I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.

“At last, I see tears.”

“…What do you mean by that…?”

Her voice, once sharp and challenging, now carried the careful politeness of someone acutely aware of her subordinate position.

Leaning down, I pressed my lips against her exposed shoulder.

Peck.

“Bottling up all your emotions won’t do you any good. Sure, noble marriages are often nothing more than business deals, but they can be a nightmare—imagine being handed off to some greedy pig twice your age.”

“….”

She said nothing, but her trembling intensified slightly.

“Avoiding that fate was the reason you decided to attend the Academy, wasn’t it, Christina Hayley?”

“…How do you know that?”

Those who graduate from the Academy are considered invaluable assets to their domains. For Christina, graduating was a way to prove her worth.

It wasn’t that the Hayley family was so impoverished or weak that they needed to sell off their daughter. No, the issue was that if the current Count Hayley passed away, the heir apparent—her eldest half-brother—loathed her.

Given the opportunity, he would no doubt seek to rid himself of her by marrying her off to the first willing bidder.

To escape his clutches, Christina needed to demonstrate her value.

Ideally, she could leverage the connections she formed at the Academy to prevent her brother from acting recklessly, protecting the Hayley estate she loved. But if that failed, she intended to secure her independence.

Academy graduates are granted honorary noble titles and are treated with respect anywhere within the Empire. It wasn’t an impossible plan.

I explained my observations to her, piece by piece. The more I spoke, the more the color drained from her face.

She was likely terrified that a stranger could see so deeply into her innermost thoughts.

But I wasn’t trying to corner her or break her spirit. I gently rubbed her back, offering reassurance. Slowly, her pale complexion regained its warmth.

Good.

“You’ve devoted your entire life to Hayley. I respect that.”

“…Then…”

“I will protect your domain, as I promised.”

“…But you said you’d take everything from me. What will happen to me?”

“You’ll stay here until we inevitably meet again at the Academy. Once you graduate, however, you’ll reside in Chepes territory.”

“….”

She nodded slowly.

The resignation that once filled her gaze was gone, replaced by a spark of resolve.

As expected of a named supporting character. I couldn’t help but smirk.

“From now on, you’ll address me as ‘Lord Scarlet.’”

“Yes… Lord Scarlet…”

‘Master’ is reserved for Daisy, I thought with amusement.

Baring my fangs, I sank them into Christina’s neck.

Pierce!

“Hnnngh!”

Gulp, gulp.

The blood that spilled from her was…

…exquisite.

“Well… I’m in your care…”

Christina Hayley was now mine.

As promised, I healed her father’s illness completely.

The malignant tumors that had spread throughout his body were eradicated with my void magic, leaving only empty spaces behind. I infused a single drop of my blood into his system, allowing it to regenerate the damaged areas.

Before vampirism could take root, I carefully extracted the blood and used my “Harmonic Control” ability to stabilize his body, leaving him healthier than he’d been before the illness.

Although he remained human, his condition had drastically improved.