Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage
Character page: Here (Updated)
Chapter 117 – I listened to the vampire’s past
“Your lover’s room is further ahead?” [Youki]
His lover is sleeping in such a dubious place? There are plenty of rooms upstairs, so why not let her stay there? It is questionable to be sleeping in a dimly lit basement in the first place.
“You look like you want to say something.” [Caius]
“I just wondered why the basement. I mean, there are plenty of rooms available.” [Youki]
“…What if I told you I don’t want anyone to see her?” [Caius]
“Are you some kind of yandere?!” [Youki]
He didn’t want anyone to see or even touch his lover? Two yandere are one too many for me to handle. Tiel-chan alone is more than enough!
“Haha, just kidding. But… the rooms upstairs won’t work. You see, she’s not a human.” [Caius]
“Hmm.” [Youki]
It was only natural for people to usually end up with their kind. Happiness and I were probably the only exceptions, so it wasn’t surprising that Caius’s lover would also be a vampire. Given his knowledge from being a cupid, they probably got together pretty easily. Caius was good-looking and a smooth talker. He seemed like the type who would be good at getting people into his rhythm.
“Well, first, let’s greet the servants.” [Caius]
Just as I started approaching the door ahead, he made an ambiguous remark. Was the castle well-maintained due to the servants? The question floated through my head as I followed Caius through the door that led to a large underground chamber. Several stone coffins were lined up in the room, and though the eerie atmosphere was unsettling, I noticed the presence of dressers and wardrobes, which made me feel more at ease.
“At this time of day, everyone is asleep. It wouldn’t be good to run into visitors unexpectedly.” [Caius]
“Sorry, my imagination went wild. But, are all the servants also vampires?” [Youki]
“These are my precious family members. Some of them are their lovers.” [Caius]
“Is your lover not among these?” [Youki]
“She’s over there.” [Caius]
We passed by the rows of coffins that were lined up and walked towards a door further inside. When we reached there, I found out that the door was locked, raising my suspicion yet again that Caius might actually be a yandere.
“Quite secure, huh?” [Youki]
“She’s my precious… lover, after all.” [Caius]
I didn’t sense a single falsehood in his words. This must be what it meant to truly love someone.
Upon entering the room, the first thing that caught my eye was the coffin placed in the center. The lid was made of glass, and inside was the figure of a woman lying with her hands folded over her chest. There were flowers scattered around her, but, upon closer inspection, I realized they were artificial. However, I soon realized that it made sense since there was no point in placing real flowers in an underground room without sunlight.
“Isn’t she beautiful? She’s my beloved, whom I’m so proud of.” [Caius]
“Are you just bragging?” [Youki]
“Indeed. Once you have a lover, you’ll understand. You’ll never tire of talking about the one you love.” [Caius]
“Me?” [Youki]
I pictured myself endlessly talking to Duke about Cecilia and realized that it didn’t seem that different from how things were.
“By the way, is she just sleeping?” [Youki]
It was meant to be a casual, ordinary question, but Caius’s expression turned somber. It seemed that the question I asked carried significant weight for him.
“She won’t wake up. She doesn’t wish to.” [Caius]
“What do you mean?” [Youki]
“She was originally a human… I lied. In the end, she rejected me.” [Caius]
A single tear rolled down his cheek as he explained.
“Is it okay if I ask more?” [Youki]
“I don’t mind. Go ahead and laugh if you want. There was once a foolish and prideful vampire. That vampire would cause a ruckus among his peers, constantly swapping women, hosting parties every day, and living a life of luxury without a single care.” [Caius]
Apparently, Caius was talking about his past. Not only was he blessed with good looks, but he was also born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Nevertheless, he spent his days doing whatever he pleased.
“Then one day, that vampire suddenly grew tired of women. Perhaps it was because they would flock to him the moment he invited them. He seemed to come to that realization.” [Caius]
He seemed to be wallowing in self-hatred, muttering to himself about how awful he was back then.
“What the vampire thought of next was a forbidden act. He decided to deceive a girl who seemed inexperienced in love and mould her into his own. It was as if he were playing a game.” [Caius]
The dark past of the love consultant, the cupid of love who was supposed to guide those who were lost, began to unfold.
“The vampire’s target was not one of his own kind, but a human girl. She caught his eye while he was out for a casual stroll, and that was enough for the girl to be drawn into the vampire’s game.” [Caius]
He pretended to meet her by chance and seduce her using sweet and gentle words. At first, the girl, who had never been approached by a man before, was suspicious and confused. However, it seemed that she still couldn’t resist the vampire’s well-practiced charm.
“He carefully dismantled her doubts, clearly expressed his affection, and made her fall for him. It was like solving a puzzle as he worked to win her over.” [Caius]
Even when he saw her smile, he felt no guilt. The vampire was probably laughing to himself at that time. Caius recounted as he ground his teeth.
“When the girl began reflecting on the influence of the vampire, he decided to end the game. He never truly loved her. It had only been a game for him.” [Caius]
Apparently, he even brought up the idea of breaking up because he had found someone else.
“She looked heartbroken and cried, but quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve and forced herself to stop. She thanked the vampire, saying that it had been a wonderful memory and that she was glad her first love had been with him. It’s laughable, isn’t it? The man she fell for wasn’t a gentleman or a good person. He was only a philandering vampire.” [Caius]
“You were a despicable vampire back then, huh?” [Youki]
“I told you, you can laugh if you want. Well, I did tell her a nasty lie, and then I pulled her close and whispered gently in her ear. I got a powerful slap in return, though – a first for me.” [Caius]
“From what I’m hearing, it’s a wonder you weren’t stabbed in the back.” [Youki]
“Haha, you’re right. I met her too late, I suppose. Maybe it was punishment for my past foolishness.” [Caius]
The laughter was probably a facade. I could see tears welling up in his eyes.
“She was attacked… by one of the girls I had been playing around with. I guess the culprit couldn’t stand the idea of someone else monopolizing me.” [Caius]
Female confrontation can be frightening.
“She suffered a fatal wound. And that’s when she found out that I was a vampire. I couldn’t control my anger. Even then, she told me she loved me.” [Caius]
“…I see.” [Youki]
I turned my gaze to the woman inside the coffin. Caius was unable to forget her…
“Wait, hold on. So, she died, didn’t she?” [Youki]
“Yes, she was gravely wounded. But I didn’t want her to die. She was the first woman I ever truly loved. The thought of losing her was unbearable.” [Caius]
“No, but that’s impossible, isn’t it?” [Youki]
It didn’t seem like Caius could use healing magic.
“Vampires have the ability to turn others into their kin. I used it on her.” [Caius]
“Kin? You turned her into a demon!?” [Youki]
I didn’t know that something like that was possible. It was common for a human corpse to transform into an undead demon, but it was unheard of to turn a living human into a demon.
“Yeah, among demons, it’s forbidden. Demons that retain human memories are incomplete beings. They can’t fully become demons, nor can they return to being humans. It only brings misfortune.” [Caius]
“Even knowing that you turned her into your kin?” [Youki]
“Kin… well, I made her a vampire. I ignored her will.” [Caius]
“You didn’t give her a choice?” [Youki]
“…Is that the reason, I wonder? The process of turning her into my kin should have been successful, yet she hasn’t woken up. Maybe she’s angry at me for acting on my own.” [Caius]
Caius looked down, appearing lonely. It was probably his fault. I wondered if what he did was truly for her happiness. She wasn’t given a choice to die as a human, but she was turned into a demon against her will.
“Did you apologize to her?” [Youki]
“No, she hasn’t woken up. Every night, I gently stroke her face and whisper words of love, but…” [Caius]
“Are you an idiot? You should have apologized first. Own up to your own actions before you start sweet-talking her.” [Youki]
He should have set things right before trying to win her over.
“Am I really that selfish of a man?” [Caius]
“You’re more than selfish. How can you not understand that despite playing the role of a cupid?” [Youki]
He was flawless in advising Yuuga and me.
“I have years of experience with women, knowledge accumulated over a long life, and a keen eye developed through countless encounters in various regions under different guises – that’s my weapon.” [Caius]
“Then apply it to your own situation. Maybe your girlfriend is just pretending to sleep.” [Youki]
“That’s preposterous! It’s been over two hundred years, and she’s still like this.” [Caius]
“She might be waiting for simple and straightforward words from you.” [Youki]
You would never know what a woman could be thinking. She might just be waiting patiently for you.
RinkageTranslation 
Thank you!
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