Chapter 234: Will you be my boyfriend?

"What confession? I don’t remember something like that happening," Vlad shrugged, deliberately playing ignorant. Although, the faint smile on his face betrayed his words.

Seraphina gave him a silent stare, her eyes narrowing at him in a cute pout.

"I’m talking about what I said that night in the Forest of Death," she muttered, pressing her palm against his cheek.

"I must have been asleep. I didn’t hear anything," Vlad shrugged again, the smirk on his lips deepening.

"Y-you are obviously lyin—" Her words stopped mid-sentence when she saw the smirk on his face. She understood his intentions. Since she had said it while he was half-asleep, he wasn’t counting it.

Her cheeks puffed up slightly, her beautiful eyes lowering.

"You are such a meanie," she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. "How could you make a lady say it? Aren’t men supposed to say it first?"

"I don’t understand what you are saying," Vlad teased her further, pulling her closer with his hands on her lower waist.

She released a small gasp, her heart racing as her back arched from his firm grip around her waist.

Taking a few seconds to calm herself, she looked into his warm crimson eyes as she confessed, "I love you, Vlad. I love you so much that it’s driving me crazy."

Her cheeks burned crimson as she nervously fiddled with her fingers.

"It’s totally unfair," she huffed, poking his bare chest with her index finger. "Whenever you smile at me, my brain completely malfunctions."

She covered her face with both hands, letting out a tiny, embarrassed groan.

"Ahhh... I really am hopeless."

Then, peeking at him through her fingers, she whispered, "And I don’t even want to be cured."

Her hands slowly lowered as she looked up at him with a warm smile, her irises trembling with embarrassment.

"If loving you this much is madness, then I think I want to be crazy for you forever."

She gently rested her forehead against his, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Vlad felt his heart almost jump out of his chest, his face burning crimson. He only wanted to tease her into saying those three magical words so he could immediately give her his answer. He never expected her to come out so strong and leave him completely undone.

"If you are still not going to give me an answer or reject me now after making me say all that..." She lightly bit him on the shoulder. "I’m going to cry."

Vlad’s hand lifted from her waist, reaching up to her face. His rough fingers moved below her ear, his palm resting against her cheek.

"I’m just a commoner from a countryside village with nothing to my name," he murmured, looking into her eyes. "I have neither status nor power. Honestly, I’m not even worthy of you."

She parted her lips as if wanting to object, but he continued, "But that will not always be the case. I will grow stronger, stronger than any person who has ever walked the earth. Strong enough that no one would dare lay a finger on you or anyone precious to me."

He took a deep breath, nervousness clear on his face. Seraphina could hear his heart beating louder than necessary.

"So, will you travel this long journey with me until I become worthy of you?"

Seraphina immediately nodded, a bridge of tears forming in her eyes.

"I love you too, Sera. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Seraphina’s hand moved to her gasping mouth, tears trickling down her eyes. "I... I will," she whimpered, squirming in his lap.

"It’s really happening... th-this isn’t a dream," she blurted, her lips curling into a smile of relief while her eyes never stopped shedding tears. "You really asked me out. I have never been happier."

Vlad gently wiped the tears from her damp cheeks with his thumbs. "I told you before that you look really ugly when you cry."

"Aaanh... I’m not... hic... ugly," she cried, hitting his chest with her little fists, which didn’t hurt at all.

Vlad grabbed both her wrists, revealing her vulnerable face to his eyes. Her nose was reddened, her pinkish cheeks glistening in the faint light of the room.

She felt herself exposed before him. She tried to free her arms, but Vlad’s grip was firm.

"Wh-what are you looking at?" she hissed, her tone laced with the shyness of a young girl.

"Your ugly face," Vlad finally spoke, his relentless gaze never leaving her face.

"Y-you—"

Before she could retort, Vlad leaned dangerously closer, his breath brushing against her skin.

"It’s so adorable," he whispered in her ear.

’Control! Control! Control!’ Seraphina screamed inwardly, her whole face as red as a tomato, her eyes widened and her breathing uneven. ’I must control the urge to devour him.’

Vlad finally let go of her hands and moved back to lean against the headboard. Seraphina grabbed him by the back of his neck midway.

He raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. "That’s not a very noble way to hold your boyfriend."

She didn’t reply. She pulled him closer, her lips slightly parting as they drew nearer to his.

She was about to close her eyes when Vlad’s fingers touched her lips, stopping her.

"I need to confess something first," Vlad stated, his tone turning serious. There was a hint of guilt in his voice. "Once I’m done, it’s up to you whether you want to continue or kick me out of the room."

Seraphina looked at him silently. She moved back, releasing a sigh. "I knew this was going to happen. Say it."

Now Vlad seemed a bit taken aback. But again, it wasn’t surprising that she had expected it.

He took a deep breath, thinking of the words that would make him look at least a little less like a scumbag.

---

Five minutes later...

"O-ow, please be gentle," Vlad mumbled, his eyes squeezed shut and his facial muscles tensed.

Seraphina was still sitting on his lap in the exact same position. She was gently blowing on his blackened eye and tapping it with her soft handkerchief.

"Bear with it," she muttered in a low hiss, causing him to flinch.

"Okay," he murmured, his eyes lowering.

Now she felt guilty for punching him. She immediately shook her head. He definitely deserved it. Otherwise, he would become even bolder in the future.