Chapter 277: Insecure Seraphina

"Leave me alone," Seraphina muttered, her voice low and flustered. "I’m not talking to you."

She had only slightly risen from his lap, but Vlad tightened his grip around her abdomen, holding her firmly.

"Now, what have I done to deserve this?" Vlad asked with a sigh.

She didn’t answer, instead trying to pry his hand away from her stomach with both hands. Despite using all her strength, she couldn’t even budge it.

"You brute! Stupidly strong! All muscles!" she muttered, squirming. "Why won’t you leave me alone?"

"I don’t want to."

"I will hit you," Seraphina growled, pinching his hand but not putting any strength behind it. She cared too much for this brute to actually hurt him.

"I will hit you back," Vlad replied with a shrug.

Her head snapped back as she gave him a sharp glare over her shoulder. "Do you dare?"

"Try hitting me and find out."

Seraphina tightened her fists, her knuckles turning white. She shoved her elbow back into his abdomen.

Not even his brows twitched, her attack feeling like nothing more than a tickle to him. But it wasn’t about hurting him, but actually hitting him.

Vlad slowly moved his other arm forward, allowing the sleeping Chloe to lean on the table. Once her head was placed on the table, he carefully freed his arm.

"I hit you. Now dare hit me back," Seraphina muttered, shoving another elbow. "Don’t think I will be scared—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Vlad grabbed her by the back of her neck with his freed hand, turning her face to the side and planting a kiss on her cheek.

Seraphina completely froze, her eyes wide as a blush surged across her face. Vlad’s lips lingered against her soft cheek as if he would really eat it.

He parted his lips a few seconds later, leaving damp proof of his attack. "Try hitting again," he ordered, his hand still firmly gripping her neck, his fingers pressed against her other cheek.

"Y-you... you cruel, heartless man!" Seraphina exclaimed, covering her face with her hands. She could feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach, her whole body melting from Vlad’s kiss.

A moment later, she murmured, offering her other cheek to him, "I hit you twice, though."

Vlad merely smiled at her words. He leaned closer and planted a kiss, this time gentler and softer.

She kept her eyes closed in shyness, but the serene smile on her face clearly revealed how happy she was.

"Could you tell me what made you so angry?" Vlad asked now that she had calmed down.

"You have two girlfriends, yet you are still so dense," Seraphina muttered, lowering her eyes. "I was jealous, dummy."

"Eh?" Vlad raised an eyebrow.

"Chloe knows all of your likes and dislikes. You two have spent so many years together and are very comfortable with each other," Seraphina murmured, fidgeting with her fingers, her head lowered. "I know that I agreed to let you have multiple relationships, but I’m still a girl. I don’t want to be a second choice."

Vlad moved both of his hands to her waist and turned her around. Her sulking face, with pouting lips and eyes fixed downward, was revealed.

"Look at me," Vlad said, placing his hand on her soft, warm cheek. She awkwardly lifted her head, her eyes fluttering as she struggled to find somewhere to look.

"I accept that I’m a scumbag for being in multiple relationships with such incredible women," Vlad said in a calm voice. "But I’m not cunning enough to consider someone a second choice or to ask a girl out whom I don’t like."

He gave her a gentle hug, pulling her closer in his wide arms as he wrapped them around her upper back under her arms. "I love you for who you are, Sera. It doesn’t matter if you know things about me or not. I don’t know much about your preferences either. Getting to know each other is part of the relationship."

After a brief pause, he continued, "I also love Chloe for who she is. You two have completely different and inseparable places in my heart."

No words left Seraphina’s lips. She moved her arms around his neck, feeling his warm embrace. A tear trickled down from the corner of her eye as she felt a huge weight lift off her chest.

"Thank you..." Her voice came barely above a whisper.

It had only been a couple of minutes since the duo had been embracing each other when a low, annoyed voice came from the table. "Don’t you have to study, Mister Vlad?"

Both of their eyes shifted to Chloe, who was giving the duo a silent stare, still leaning on the table.

"You woke up?" Vlad asked, feeling a bit awkward in this clearly intimate position.

A faint frown appeared on Chloe’s face. She straightened her back, grabbed Seraphina’s shoulder, and muttered, "Move. It’s my turn now!"

Seraphina’s lips rose into a playful smile. She tightened her grip around Vlad’s neck as she declared, "I don’t want to."

"Don’t be greedy. You have been hugging him for so long," Chloe groaned, trying to push her back by her shoulder.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Since when were you awake?" he asked with a suspicious gaze.

Chloe froze for a moment. "Just now," she murmured, her nose turning red.

"Chloe..." Vlad called in a scary tone, making her flinch.

"When you asked about the Spirit Summoning subject," Chloe revealed, turning her gaze sideways.

Seraphina’s face immediately turned beet red. "So you heard everything?" she demanded, parting from Vlad but still sitting on his lap.

Chloe nodded. A faint smile formed on her face that greatly annoyed Seraphina as Chloe taunted, "Crying like a baby. How embarrassing."

She could see Seraphina turning into a stone statue in embarrassment, which provided Chloe with a deep sense of nirvana. She took advantage of Seraphina’s frozen figure, moving her away from Vlad’s lap with one little push before claiming the spot for herself.

Once her soft rear pressed against his thighs, her back brushing against his chest, she pulled out the last notebook from her bag and said, "Let me teach you Spirit Summoning. It’s the easiest subject."