"Is Wednesday... shy?"
Victor blinked blankly, looking like an elementary student stumped by a complex math problem, his fingers unconsciously scratching his perpetually messy black hair.
"But... why?"
He muttered, his tone filled with genuine confusion.
"During those days at the Hotel Transylvania, weren't we stuck together every day?"
"Squeezing into one bed, sharing breakfast, even... uh, it's not like we haven't had more intimate contact. She didn't have such a big reaction back then, did she?"
He tried hard to recall every little detail of the summer break at the inn.
Although Wednesday always had that cold expression, she would at most throw him a white-eyed glare or sting him with her sharp tongue regarding his closeness or slight 'boundary-crossing' behavior.
She would never be like just now, almost... fleeing in panic?
"Idiot!"
Enid gave him an annoyed white-eyed glare,
her eyes a mix of the helplessness of 'you're beyond saving' and a hint of 'you deserve it' schadenfreude.
She extended a slender finger and poked Victor's chest hard, as if trying to poke his dense brain awake.
"That was then, this is now! Back then, a certain someone's 'Succubus Training' was still in the theoretical exploration stage—at most an 'entry-level' little succubus with limited lethality!"
She deliberately lowered her voice, an imperceptible blush appearing on her face, as she continued to 'enlighten' this guy whose emotional nerves were thicker than power cables.
"But what about now? Not only has a certain someone studied the 'esoteric chapter' of the Guide as bedtime reading, but he also dared to read aloud those... those embarrassing practical details right in front of us!"
"Wednesday... she's 'triggered' because of you! Do you understand? It's like suddenly sending ultra-high voltage through a precision instrument. It's a testament to her willpower that she didn't short-circuit and burn up on the spot!"
Victor's peach blossom eyes widened suddenly, his face instantly written with 'great injustice,' and his voice rose an octave:
"Me? I'm being framed, okay! Wasn't it Wednesday who insisted I read it? I was in such agony while reading, just hoping one of you would be kind enough to call for a stop!"
"Who knew... who knew you all would be listening so... so 'intently'?!"
He placed special emphasis on the word 'intently,' his eyes meaningfully glancing toward Enid.
"Who—who was listening intently?!"
Enid was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; her cheeks flushed bright red instantly. Glaring at Victor with a mix of shame and anger, she reached out to pinch the soft flesh at his waist.
With quick eyes and hands, Victor grabbed Enid's attacking wrist and pulled her into his arms.
Enid let out a soft "Ah!" as she fell unexpectedly into his warm embrace.
That momentum of wanting to 'commit an assault' was instantly neutralized.
"You still dare to pinch me?"
Victor looked down at Enid, who had instantly transformed from a baring-claws-and-fangs wolf cub into a somewhat dazed little rabbit. He raised an eyebrow triumphantly, a mischievous smirk curling the corner of his mouth.
"It seems a certain someone had their secret thoughts hit home and is now angry from embarrassment?"
"You're talking nonsense! I did not!"
Enid's cheeks were crimson, like ripe apples, as she struggled to escape his confinement.
But Victor's arms held her tight, and her slight force felt more like a flirtatious 'playing hard to get.'
"No?"
Victor deliberately elongated his tone, bringing his head closer.
Warm breath brushed against Enid's sensitive earlobe, his voice low and carrying a seductive magnetism.
"Then who was it that, while listening to me read those 'embarrassing practical details,' had eyes wider than my chocolate milkshake cup and even held their breath?"
He remembered very clearly; although Enid had pretended to look down and fiddle with her hem, her surreptitiously perked ears and slightly reddened neck hadn't escaped his eyes.
"I... I was listening critically! I was supervising to see if you misinterpreted the essence of the textbook!"
Enid stiffened her neck and argued stubbornly, but her flickering gaze and increasingly hot cheeks completely betrayed her.
"Oh~ listening critically, I see~"
Victor nodded as if coming to a realization, the playfulness in his eyes deepening.
"Then may I ask, Student Enid, what results did your criticism yield? Do we need to... practice a bit to verify your critical conclusions?"
As he spoke, his free hand was already restlessly and gently squeezing the soft flesh at her waist with a clear hint.
"Practice your head! You big pervert! Let go of me!"
Enid was so embarrassed her whole body felt hot. She balled her small fists and thumping his solid chest, but unfortunately, the force was like a light tickle.
Seeing Enid's embarrassed and struggling appearance in his arms, Victor's smile deepened.
Instead of letting go, he tightened his arms, pulling his soft and fragrant little girlfriend even closer.
"Let go of you?"
He elongated his tone, his voice carrying a bit of mischievous triumph.
"I won't. I'm so scared; I was really spooked by that 'beheading photo' just now. My soul is very fragile and needs proper comforting~"
As he spoke, his chin gently rubbed against the soft top of Enid's head, smelling the faint, fresh scent of sunlight and grass in her hair.
The slight chill in his heart caused by the 'death threat' had long been completely dissipated by the warmth in his arms.
"Pah! Who would believe your soul is fragile!"
Enid lifted her flushed little face, her azure eyes staring at him waterily, her tone coquettish.
"You were clearly whistling just now! It was me who was scared to death!"
Despite her words, the force of her struggle had significantly lessened, and her body unconsciously relaxed, pressing closer to Victor's warm chest.
"Whistling was just putting on a brave face~"
Victor smoothly changed his tune, his expression switching to a pitiful one.
"Actually, I'm scared to death inside. Look, my heartbeat still hasn't settled..."
He grabbed Enid's hand and pressed it against the left side of his chest.
Through a thin layer of shirt fabric, a powerful and rapid pulse came from under her palm—thump, thump, thump—like a small drum beating.
Enid's hand trembled slightly, and she wanted to pull back as if burned, but she was held firmly by Victor's large hand.
She could clearly feel that vigorous vitality, and... this guy is definitely controlling his heartbeat to speed up on purpose, right?! This rogue!
"You, you're a scoundrel!"
Enid's face grew even redder, even her earlobes stained crimson, her voice soft and sweet without any deterrent power.
"Only a scoundrel to you."
Victor chuckled. Taking advantage of her wavering mind, he lowered his head and quickly planted a chocolate-flavored kiss on her pink lips.
Enid's whole body stiffened, and then, as if all her strength had been drained, she leaned softly against his chest, burying her burning face in the crook of his neck, muttering quietly:
"Hateful guy..."
Just then, that faint "creak... creak..." sound rang out again.
This time it seemed a bit clearer, also mixed with a... sound similar to slight chewing?
Victor and Enid both perked up their ears at the same time.
"What's that sound?"
Enid lifted her head, a flash of alertness in her azure eyes, temporarily pulling away from the ambiguous atmosphere.
Victor also frowned, listening intently.
The sound seemed to be coming from... under Wednesday's carved wooden bed that had been pushed over?
He let go of Enid, made a "shh" gesture, lightened his footsteps, and cautiously approached the bed.
Enid also followed nervously behind him.
Victor crouched down, lifted the hanging bedsheet, and looked under the bed—
By the dim light filtering in from the window, he saw a black rat holding a small piece of stale rusk, gnawing at it vigorously, making a "creak creak" sound.
"Uh... it's a mouse."
Victor breathed a sigh of relief, reporting back with a somewhat wry smile.
"Looks like... a pretty arrogant mouse."
"A mouse?"
Enid also leaned over to take a look. She wasn't afraid of these things, at most finding them a bit disgusting.
Victor and Enid didn't notice that behind them, the brass handle of the oak dormitory door silently turned half a circle downward.
The door hinge made an almost imperceptible sound, opening a gap wide enough for a person to pass through, then silently closed again, as if gently caught by a gust of wind.
The whole process was light and skillful, without raising any alarm.
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