Chapter 147 Jealousy, Fangs, and a Dangerous Beauty

Alex and Astrid both froze the moment the stone coffin cracked open before them. Dust drifted lazily through the dim air as the heavy lid slid aside with a deep, grinding sound.

Inside… lay a woman.

She looked as though she had merely fallen asleep her posture calm, her breathing slow and almost imperceptible. For a brief moment, the entire chamber seemed to hold its breath.

Then she moved.

Her fingers twitched faintly. A subtle tremor ran through her body, and her eyelids fluttered, trembling as though she were waking from an impossibly long dream. Slowly… very slowly… her eyes opened.

Those crimson-tinted eyes.

They locked onto Alex and Astrid.

The air grew heavier.

Serana drew in a shallow breath, her chest rising slightly as she pushed herself upright. Her movements were sluggish at first, as if her body was still remembering how to function. One hand pressed against the edge of the stone coffin for support as she sat up, strands of her dark hair falling across her face.

Then, with quiet effort, she swung her legs over the side and stepped down onto the cold stone floor.

Alex felt a chill crawl up his spine, his gaze fixed on her.

(So this is Serana… the daughter of a vampire… no more like the princess of them.)

Serana blinked a few times, her expression unfocused and disoriented. Her gaze drifted between the two of them, as if trying to piece together where she was… or even when she was.

She raised a hand slightly to her forehead, wincing.

“Ugh… what happened…?” Her voice was soft, strained yet carried an eerie calm. Then her eyes sharpened just a little. “And… what year is it?”

Astrid frowned, clearly confused. She shifted her weight slightly, one hand resting near the hilt of her weapon as she tilted her head.

“What year?” she repeated, her tone laced with skepticism. “That’s a strange question for someone who was trapped in a coffin. Were you only stuck there for a year or tw ”

Her words caught in her throat.

Something… felt off.

Astrid’s eyes narrowed as she looked more closely at the woman’s face. Her gaze lingered on the pale, almost flawless skin… the unnatural stillness… and then

The eyes.

Those eyes weren’t human.

A cold realization struck her.

Her posture changed instantly, every muscle in her body tightening as instinct took over.

The woman…

…was a vampire.

In a single, fluid motion, Astrid stepped forward, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword as she began to draw it. Her expression hardened, eyes blazing with hostility.

“You’re a vampire!!!”

The tension in the room snapped.

But before the blade could leave its sheath, Alex lunged forward and grabbed her arm, his grip firm as he pulled her back just enough to stop her.

“Wait, Astrid!!!” he shouted, urgency clear in his voice. “She has useful information!”

Astrid froze mid-motion.

Her body remained tense, her sword half-drawn as she turned her head sharply toward him. Her eyes widened in disbelief, anger and confusion clashing within them.

“…What!?”

The vampire woman observed them calmly, her gaze sharp despite her earlier grogginess. “It seems… you’re not like me. And clearly not admirers of my kind either.”

Alex let out an awkward smile before replying, “Give me a moment. I need to speak with Astrid privately.” Without waiting for a response, he gently pulled Astrid away, creating enough distance so the woman couldn’t overhear them.

Once they were far enough, Alex turned to her. “Astrid… you might not believe this, but she’s an ally.”

Astrid stared at him in disbelief. “What!? Why?”

Alex scratched the back of his head, clearly struggling to explain. “Ugh… it’s a long story. But you have to trust me. And you remember what I told you before, right? About how I seem to know things… well not everything, but most of the important parts?”

Astrid’s expression shifted slightly as she recalled their past conversation in the Dwemer ruin.

Even so, she remained cautious. Her gaze flicked back toward the vampire woman, then returned to Alex. After a brief pause, she spoke firmly, “Alright… I’ll trust you. But if she tries anything, I won’t hesitate to shoot her with my crossbow… or send her flying with my Thu’um.”

Alex let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Good… that’s enough. Let’s go back to her.”

They approached her again, and Alex spoke first. “Sorry about my companion she’s a bit temperamental… and not exactly a fan of anything related to vampires, hehe.”

The vampire woman glanced at Astrid, while Astrid simply crossed her arms and let out a sharp, “Hmph!”

The woman then looked them both up and down before shrugging slightly. “Hmm… it’s fine. I’m already used to that.” She paused, as if remembering something. “Ah, right where are my manners? My name is Serana, and as you’ve probably noticed… I’m a vampire. And once again, I’d like to ask what year is this, exactly?”

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Alex let out a quiet breath, trying to ease the tension that still lingered in the air. He straightened slightly, offering a calm, polite smile as he placed a hand lightly over his chest.

“I’m Alex,” he said, his tone measured but friendly. He then gestured gently toward the woman beside him. “And this is Astrid… my wife.”

Astrid remained stiff, her arms still crossed, her sharp gaze never leaving Serana even as Alex spoke for both of them.

“As for the year…” Alex continued, glancing upward for a brief moment as if trying to recall something he himself wasn’t entirely sure of. He rubbed the back of his neck with a faint, awkward chuckle. “I’m not completely certain. But right now, we’re in the middle of a war… between the Empire and the Stormcloaks.”

Serana listened quietly, her expression gradually settling from confusion into something more composed. Then she let out a soft, almost tired sigh, her shoulders relaxing just a little.

“Heh…” A faint, knowing smile tugged at her lips as she tilted her head slightly. “You people really do love your wars, don’t you?”

There was a subtle hint of irony in her voice like someone who had seen this pattern repeat itself far too many times.

“Anyway…” she continued, lifting her hand with graceful ease. “My name is Serana. Nice to meet you.”

She extended her hand toward Alex.

For a split second, Alex hesitated just enough to register what he was about to do before reaching out and taking her hand.

Their hands met.

(…Huh?)

A faint flicker of surprise crossed his face.

(Her hand… it’s really soft… and cold…)

The contrast caught him off guard. It wasn’t the lifeless chill he expected it was something different. Smooth. Delicate. Almost… human.

Without realizing it, his grip lingered.

A second passed.

Then another.

And another.

“…Ahem!”

The sharp, deliberate sound cut through the moment like a blade.

Alex blinked.

His head turned slowly toward the source and immediately met Astrid’s gaze.

Her eyes.

They were not amused.

Alex’s entire body stiffened as realization hit him all at once. He quickly released Serana’s hand, pulling his own back as if it had suddenly burned him.

“O-Oh !” He let out an awkward laugh, scratching the side of his head. “Hehe… sorry. I didn’t know a vampire’s hand could be that cold… and… soft ”

Thud!

Astrid’s fist came down on his head without hesitation.

“Huh!?” she snapped, glaring at him. “What do you mean soft, huh!?”

Alex flinched, immediately stumbling a step back, both hands raised in surrender as if facing a far more dangerous opponent than any vampire.

“A-Ah no, my love! That just slipped out!” he blurted out quickly, his voice rising in panic. “I didn’t mean anything by it sorry! Forgive me!”

Meanwhile-

Serana, who had been watching the entire exchange, suddenly let out a soft laugh.

And then she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

A quiet chuckle escaped her lips, quickly growing into genuine laughter light, unrestrained, almost… warm.

Astrid’s head snapped toward her instantly, eyes narrowing.

“What are you laughing at?”

Serana raised a hand to her face, brushing lightly beneath her eye as if wiping away a tear that had formed from laughing too much. Her shoulders still trembled faintly as she tried to compose herself.

“Ah… it’s just…” she said between soft breaths, her voice still laced with amusement. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen life… real life, to be exact.”

Her gaze drifted between the two of them lingering just a moment longer on the subtle closeness between Alex and Astrid.

“And the very first thing I see…” she continued, a playful smile forming on her lips, “…is a couple this close… this lively.”

A soft laugh escaped her once more.

“Hahaha…”

Astrid crossed her arms once more, her posture straightening as she lifted her chin slightly. There was a faint pride in the way she stood unyielding, confident, unwilling to be overshadowed.

“Hmph… so it’s been that long, huh?” she said, her tone carrying a mix of skepticism and restrained curiosity.

Serana gave a small, almost absent-minded nod, as if the statement held little weight to her anymore. Her gaze drifted slightly, like someone recalling a distant memory buried beneath centuries.

“Yes…” she replied softly. Then, after a brief pause, her lips curved into a faint, almost casual smile. “More precisely… thousands of years ago.”

The words hung in the air.

Astrid’s arms slowly loosened.

Then dropped completely.

Her confident posture cracked in an instant, replaced by pure disbelief. Her eyes widened, her lips parting as she stared at Serana, trying to process what she had just heard.

“W–What…?” she stammered, her voice no longer steady. “Thousands of years? Then how old are you?”

Serana simply lifted one shoulder in a light shrug, her expression calm almost indifferent. It was the kind of gesture that carried no urgency, no concern… as if time itself had long since lost meaning to her.

“I don’t really keep track anymore,” her body language seemed to say.

Astrid fell silent.

Her gaze slowly shifted, studying Serana more carefully this time.

From the smooth line of her forehead…

to those striking, unnatural eyes…

to her pale, flawless skin…

to the soft curve of her lips…

…and then lower.

A subtle tension formed in Astrid’s jaw.

(…She’s… beautiful…)

A flicker of jealousy stirred deep within her chest quiet, but sharp.

Her expression hardened again.

“I don’t know how old you are,” Astrid said firmly, her voice regaining its edge as she straightened slightly, “but don’t try anything with my husband. Understood?”

Serana’s lips curled into a playful, mischievous smile. Her eyes glinted with quiet amusement as she tilted her head just a fraction.

“No promises,” she replied lightly. “I didn’t do anything… and if your husband happens to be the one who gets captivated on his own…”

She gave a soft shrug, her tone teasing.

“…then that’s not really my fault, is it?”

Astrid’s fingers twitched.

Her teeth clenched.

“You grrrh…!” The sound escaped her throat, caught between a growl and frustration. She squeezed her eyes shut for a brief second before exhaling sharply, forcing herself to calm down.

Sensing the rising tension, Alex quickly stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Astrid’s shoulder.

“Alright, Astrid, that’s enou ”

Before he could finish

Astrid suddenly grabbed him.

Her grip was firm far stronger than expected as she pulled him closer in one swift motion.

Alex stumbled slightly, caught off guard.

Their faces were now only inches apart.

Astrid’s eyes locked onto his.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

“If you ever try anything behind my back…” she said slowly, her voice dropping into a cold, threatening tone.

For a split second, her gaze flicked downward to his manhood just enough to make the meaning unmistakably clear.

“I will cut it off.”

Silence.

Alex’s face drained of color instantly.

His body went rigid, a chill running straight down his spine.

“Y–Yes, ma’am…” his expression seemed to scream, even if no words came out.

After a moment, Astrid released him.

She let out a long, controlled breath, as if releasing the last of her irritation. Then she crossed her arms once more, returning to her usual stance.

“Hmph.”

Her chin lifted slightly again.

“Good… I feel a bit better now.”

Alex was still in a state of shock, so Astrid took the lead and questioned Serana.

“So… who exactly are you? You’re clearly not an ordinary vampire. You were sealed away in such a grand manner, surrounded by countless traps. And yet… strangely, those traps only seem to affect other vampires, not humans.”

Serana gave a small nod before answering. “My name is Serana and you’re right, I’m not a normal vampire. And as you can see…” she gestured slightly behind her, “…on my back is an Elder Scroll. And I have no intention of harming humans.”

Only then did Astrid realize what she had overlooked. Her eyes shifted to Serana’s back, noticing the Elder Scroll for the first time.

“Ah… I didn’t even notice it earlier…” she muttered, before narrowing her gaze again. “So… what exactly is your goal?”

Serana paused for a moment before replying, “Before that, I need to make sure of something first. Can you take me to a certain place?”

Astrid crossed her arms slightly. “That depends. Are you going to stay friendly during the journey or not?”

Serana let out a quiet sigh. “Once again I’m not your enemy. There is a far greater danger out there… and I’m here to stop it.”

Astrid fell silent for a moment. Whether she liked it or not, there was a chance Serana was telling the truth and if that “greater danger” was real, it could mean disaster.

In the end, she had little choice but to go along with her.