Chapter 7: Red Riding Hood
Led by the two sisters, the group soon arrived in front of a house.
"You two wait here for a moment," Valerie said, giving a brief warning before opening the door and stepping inside.
Almost immediately, even without trying to eavesdrop, Vlad and Verona could hear every word clearly, thanks to their sharp senses.
They glanced at each other and exchanged a smile, both amused by the conversation inside.
"Oh, Valerie, do you have any idea how awkward it is to bring a strange man into our home?"
The voice belonged to a mature woman—clearly the girls' mother.
"Mom, they're paying for the room. Don't worry," Valerie tried to reassure her.
"Oh dear, no. That's out of the question! It's too embarrassing—there aren't even partitions in the room!"
"Dear mother, haven't you always wanted a silk scarf? This is a good chance."
"But your father wouldn't approve..." Despite her reluctance, it was clear the mother was starting to waver.
"It's fine. Dad told me before he left that he wouldn't be home tonight."
"…"
The mother looked at Valerie with a strange expression, clearly puzzled by her daughter's enthusiasm.
Valerie responded with a pout and a bit of playful coaxing. She even whispered something into her mother's ear.
Whatever she said caused her mother to blush. She let out a soft laugh, lightly scolded Valerie, and then headed toward Vlad and Verona.
She had clearly been convinced.
They could faintly hear her muttering about clothes and surprises.
"I'm Valerie's mother. You can call me Suzette," she introduced herself with a polite smile.
"My apologies for the intrusion, ma'am," Vlad replied courteously.
Dressed in a gothic black coat, standing tall with refined manners and an aristocratic air, Vlad immediately left a favorable impression.
"Oh my, you're so polite. Please, come in," Suzette said, covering her mouth with a sweet smile.
As she looked at the elegant and handsome man before her, her heart skipped a beat for reasons she couldn't quite explain.
Her hesitation melted away, replaced by warm hospitality.
The sisters, noticing their mother's sudden change in attitude, didn't think much of it.
Only Vlad's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
Even without using telepathy, he could easily guess what she was thinking by reading her heart rate and blood flow.
Suzette, though a mother of two, was still quite attractive. Her full figure, long wavy golden hair, and well-maintained charm—even past thirty—were hard to ignore.
As she tidied the room to make space for the guests, she swayed her hips and threw sweet glances their way.
Whether it was deliberate or not, she knelt on the bed as she cleaned, her body shifting sensually, displaying her mature grace.
Meanwhile, Valerie was full of curiosity, asking Vlad about the world beyond the village. She seemed completely oblivious to her mother's behavior.
Lucie, being slightly older, appeared a bit more aware. She watched her mother's flirtatious movements with some confusion and unease, blushing with embarrassment.
Fortunately, Suzette quickly finished what she was doing and stood up.
"Mr. Vlad, Miss Verona, you can rest here tonight. The beds are ready.
We live upstairs. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. You're very welcome."
She wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled kindly.
"Thank you for your hospitality, ma'am," Vlad replied with polite grace.
"The room may be simple, but I hope it's comfortable enough," Suzette added.
From her experience, she could easily tell the two guests were anything but ordinary. Their manner of speaking, clothing, and presence set them apart from the villagers.
Vlad's consistent use of formal language toward her revealed his refined upbringing and respectful nature.
There was no trace of arrogance in his demeanor, which made Suzette even more drawn to the stranger in front of her.
Even Lucie and Valerie, two village girls who had never been exposed to the outside world, were captivated by Vlad's elegance.
Later, with little Valerie's help, Vlad began telling stories about the world beyond the village. His wit and charm quickly won over the mother and daughters.
They all gathered around, giggling from time to time as they listened. In no time, they had become quite familiar.
Verona observed it all from the side. She could tell this was the result of her master's intentional approach.
Still, she didn't understand why he was going to such lengths to win their favor.
"Hi, Valerie!"
A young boy suddenly burst into the room. He had black hair and looked about fourteen or fifteen years old.
But the joy on his face quickly vanished when he saw Valerie standing beside a strange man, occasionally touching his arm and acting bashful.
"Hi, Peter."
Valerie turned and waved happily at the boy.
Vlad, meanwhile, glanced toward Suzette and Lucie in confusion.
Lucie leaned over and whispered softly:
"Mr. Vlad, that's Peter. He's a childhood friend of my sister's."
She hesitated, then added, "Peter… seems to have feelings for her. They've gotten close lately."
"Haha Lucie, you can call me big brother. No need to be so formal," Vlad said, smiling gently.
Lucie hadn't expected that. She froze for a second, then nervously looked down, fiddling with the ends of her hair.
Seeing her ears turn red, Vlad couldn't help but feel amused by her innocent reaction.
He realized he was gradually being influenced by the memories of his past life.
But so what? Everything was in his hands.
Besides, wasn't he enjoying it?
As he admired the girl's shyness, he felt a quiet hunger stir within him.
His gaze moved from Lucie's tempting neckline to the mature and charming Suzette, then to Little Red Riding Hood Valerie—his smile deepening as he quietly enjoyed the scene.
At this point, Vlad looked over everyone present, and based on what he'd observed, he was almost certain—
This was the dark version of Little Red Riding Hood.
A werewolf. Appears on the night of the full moon.
And tonight just so happened to be a full moon. No one was allowed out at night. Their father wouldn't be coming home.
Then there was Valerie. When Vlad first met her, he'd thought she looked oddly familiar. Though only thirteen, her big eyes were striking.
He also remembered overhearing a conversation between the sisters earlier—about Henry, the boy one of them liked.
Everything was starting to fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
Now, Peter was talking to Valerie with a tone that was just a little too familiar, while occasionally shooting hostile and provocative looks toward Vlad.
Vlad couldn't help but feel amused.
What's this? Do you think I'm your rival in love?
Truthfully, he had no interest in lolis with barely any curves.
But Peter's attitude irritated him—and now, he felt like teaching the kid a lesson.