Chapter 65
Dracula and the Hyena
Royal Law University, Theology and Law Department, Seminary Building One.
Seated in the packed tiered classroom, Aiden stared blankly at the old professor droning on about the history of the Star Antimony Kingdom, unable to suppress a yawn. He was in the seventh row of the left section; seven or eight students ahead of him were already slumped over their desks asleep.
“Seriously, why do we, aspiring priests who will enter the church after graduation, have to study history?”
The boy, with his chestnut curly hair and freckles, propped his chin on his hand, his sleepy eyes narrowed, and grumbled inwardly.
It wasn’t that he disliked history… it was just that Professor Bard was incredibly boring.
Besides, he didn’t need to go abroad and would never meet any Star Antimony people in his life. What did the Star Antimony Kingdom used to be called…
Not only that, but they also had to study the convoluted and complex grammar of Star Antimony Language—listening to it made one incredibly impatient. Would any Star Antimony people really come to churches in Avalon to pray? Even if they did, they should go to the Church instead.
If any Star Antimony people were to come to Avalon, they’d probably have supervisors shadowing them the entire time. He wouldn’t even need to speak Avalon’s language… A shout in Star Antimony Language would immediately bring people swarming to interrogate him. Those supervisors, wearing black hats that looked like helmets, reacted faster than the waiters in the restaurant.
Aiden gazed at the podium, starting to miss the young lady he’d met last night at the White Dance Shoe Club.
Setting aside her graceful figure, elegant dance steps, and her knowledge of literature and art… the new book by Mr. Bram Stoker that she had recommended and lent him was quite interesting.
—*Dracula*.
A book, compiled from letters, diaries, telegrams, and newspapers, detailing the secrets surrounding the death of the Grand Duke of the now-destroyed Daffodil Duchy.
Last night, Aiden had only intended to read the beginning and the end—so he could have some common ground with the mysterious young lady in the white dress, whose name he hadn’t yet learned. However, after just reading the beginning, he couldn’t help but finish the entire book. This resulted in him feeling groggy all day after waking up.
—Compared to the history of the Star Antimony Kingdom that Professor Bard was currently lecturing on, he was more concerned about whether the Star Antimony people actually had those terrifying vampire spirits.
Because the book was written so realistically. It didn’t seem fake.
People said that Mr. Bram Stoker was a Dream Traveling Monk who obtained “another possibility of history” hidden in the Dream Realm. Looking at it now, this was not impossible.
And if the contents of the book were true… then the Star Antimony Kingdom’s invasion of the Daffodil Duchy years ago was to purify the Daffodil Duke, who had been transformed into a vampire.
But the ending written in the book, “The Daffodil Duke’s head was severed by a Holy Sword wielded by a nameless knight from Avalon,” was too abrupt… This could be artistic embellishment, or it could be what Mr. Stoker saw in the Dream Realm as “another possibility of history.”
In actual history, without that nameless knight who could wield the Holy Sword used by Lancelot I, how would the immortal Daffodil Duke have been killed by those Star Antimony people?
But such things would never be taught in history class.
Because they might not have become history yet, or perhaps they were still secrets.
What if those Star Antimony people didn’t kill him at all, but were assimilated by him! What if he had corrupted more high-ranking officials, secretly transforming them into vampires too!
In that case, the Daffodil Duke might be reborn among the Star Antimony people…
Aiden focused on the professor on the podium, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.
At this moment, he suddenly heard an increasing commotion from the direction of the main entrance.
The noise interrupted Aiden’s imagination.
He looked over curiously and saw someone passing by outside the window.
He immediately recognized the person’s identity—
Aiden’s eyes lit up, and he instantly sat up straight.
—It’s Senior Haina!
Haina Dain was, undoubtedly, a brilliant rising star at the Royal Law University.
Senior Haina was not only generous and kind, outstanding in her studies, and beautiful, but she also treated everyone with sincerity and rarely got angry. If other students had conflicts or disagreements, she would be the first to step forward to mediate; if someone was injured or treated unfairly, she would also stand up to protect them and uphold justice.
Senior Haina enjoyed high prestige not only among female students but also among male students. She had a great figure and thick, long hair—though usually tied in a ponytail, it would occasionally be let down. Unlike those “new city girls” who spoke softly and often exclaimed or even fainted, Haina didn’t understand this kind of “delicate fashion.”
She not only kept her distance from male students but often mingled with them, chatting and drinking.
Moreover, she enjoyed playing sports. Most importantly, she was very good at them.
Five out of the six departments at the Royal Law University had their own rugby teams, with the Individual Tactics Department’s team even having the chance to play against professional teams.
Although theoretically, the rugby team was not exclusively for male students, due to the high-intensity physical collisions and contact, almost no girls were willing to play. And female enthusiasts were not enough to form a team.
Haina was the only female player on the Individual Tactics Department’s rugby team, but she was not a burden; rather, she was a strong reinforcement—she was an excellent flanker, even praised by the teacher leading the team, who said, “Haina is your core.” She had also led their team to win many crucial games.
Regardless of the sport, the attitude of the male students was very clear: anyone who could lead their favorite team to victory and perform exceptionally well was an idol.
And if this “idol” was also a beautiful, generous, and well-endowed young woman, the prestige she could gain would be immense.
Haina was like an “older sister” figure, an undeniable star. Although she was only the top student of the Class of ‘95, theoretically in charge of managing the affairs of female students in the current fourth year… junior students from other grades would also seek her help first if they had any issues.
However, Haina also attracted criticism for often mingling with male students. Some students, jealous of her appearance and popularity, would grumble that she was a country bumpkin who didn’t understand fashion and art… but in Aiden’s opinion, these remarks were harmless.
Haina’s most aggressive nickname was “Hyena.”
This word was homophonous with her name, making it quite subtle.
The reason Haina was called a hyena was due to two characteristics of hyenas: one, because of their scavenging habits, they often gathered in foul-smelling and dirty places, thus being considered unclean and dirty; the other was because female hyenas had genitalia resembling male genitalia. This was to satirize Haina for acting roughly and barbarically like a man, which also attracted the admiration and love of many younger girls.
There were even rumors that Haina didn’t like men and that she pursued girls instead—that’s why she was so friendly and gentle with her junior female students.
And such rumors could not be disproven.
Because Haina, who was so outstanding and popular among male circles, had never had a boyfriend.
Allen, the third son of the Minister of Law Enforcement and a year junior to Haina, had once pursued her. But he had not succeeded.
Haina was from the countryside. A minister’s son, handsome, knowledgeable in literature and art, was undoubtedly a suitable romantic prospect in every way. Yet, Haina didn’t even give him a chance to date… And more mysteriously, her rejection did not make him resentful or turn him into an enemy; instead, it made him Haina’s loyal follower.
But now, Aiden realized.
This rumor might end today…
—Perhaps it was simply because Allen wasn’t handsome enough.
Because following behind Haina was a young man in a wheelchair, pushed by a gentle-looking maid.
He had soft platinum-blond hair, and his features were deep and three-dimensional. Just looking gently at Haina in front of him gave a sense of tender devotion. His deep blue eyes always seemed full of smiles.
And Haina, walking boldly ahead, no longer had the carefree attitude of turning her back without looking. Instead, she looked back every three steps, paying close attention to the young man behind her, as if afraid of losing him.
When their eyes occasionally met, they would share a knowing smile simultaneously.
No matter how one looked at it, Haina seemed to care for him exceptionally.
“—Eivass?!”
Aiden subconsciously uttered the other person’s name.
