The male supporting character was actually myself.

Could it really be a secret power struggle among nobles?

She recalled the stories she had heard from singing poets, and instantly imagined a grand drama of factional struggles unfolding in her mind.

By the time Helena realized what was happening, Jiang Chen had already helped Edmund into the carriage and secretly slipped him two bottles of blood.

Edmund, who had been impatient for a long time, opened the lid with trembling hands and gulped down a large bottle of warm blood in a few mouthfuls.

Last night, I went out hunting and was discovered and chased by hunters before I could even fill my stomach. I had to run away and get injured, and I finally got to eat a full meal now.

Blood flowed down his throat into his stomach, and a warm current quickly swept through his body.

Edmund could feel the small wounds on his body healing rapidly. After he finished drinking the second bottle of blood, the wound on his waist, which had been shot by a crossbow made of special materials, was now just a shallow mark.

Chapter Thirty: Edmund, What Secret Do You Hold?

It's unclear what the two whispered to each other, but a moment later, the sound of the carriage door opening was heard.

"The conditions offered by the Earl are far too tempting." Helena bent down and climbed into the carriage, saying with a look of shame, "I never intended to get anything in return for saving you."

It's really difficult for me to live here by myself, so I want to leave with you and go to a big city on the south coast.

The Earl paid the landlady a sum of money, saying it was for my relative who had come to take me home; he was truly a considerate and kind person.

Edmund had recovered, and upon hearing that she was going to come along, his eyes lit up with excitement. "That's wonderful! The Lord is really amazing. You'll know once you get to know him better by being by his side."

By the way, the master is currently giving lessons to his servants, encouraging them to study and try to get into a prestigious academy. You can also study with him; he's very happy to teach!

"Attend a prestigious private school?" Helena was thrilled.

While the family wasn't particularly wealthy in Lanfa, the father was quite shrewd in business and managed to make the family business thrive.

She and her siblings had studied with a teacher for several years, and if it weren't for the sudden outbreak of the Black Death, she might have even gone on to become a pharmacist or something.

If given the opportunity to receive a second education, I would even be willing to work as a maidservant to the Earl!

not to mention……

Helena stole a glance at the handsome, dashing, and gentlemanly Edmund, and couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for him.

Having lost all her family and friends, she was left all alone in this place, and was often bullied and harassed by thugs. She longed for an understanding, considerate, and gentle person to soothe her inner wounds.

Helena's time with Edmund was short, but the brief and polite exchange was the first time she had felt respected since escaping Lanfa.

She enjoyed being with him; even just having his company without saying a word felt wonderful.

For some reason, from the moment I first saw him unconscious, I felt a strange, inexplicable feeling welling up inside me. Perhaps he was a hero sent by heaven to save me from my dire straits!

Helena, influenced by her family environment, is a believer in fatalism and has a somewhat "what will be, will be" attitude. Therefore, she decided to stop worrying and accept things as they are.

“The Earl came to fetch you personally, so you must be very important to him. So… how should I address you?”

"Just call me Edmund." He felt the Earl's warmth again, and now that he had eaten and drunk his fill and his wounds had almost healed, he was in a great mood. "Actually, I'm just a servant who was rescued by you and taken in by your side."

Would you like to hear my story?

The clear moonlight streaming through the carriage window illuminated Edmund's handsome profile, making him as alluring as the most handsome god in mythology.

Helena nestled against the soft, comfortable velvet cushions, the sounds of the carriage's movements becoming even gentler. "Yes, I want to hear it!"

"I was born in a very poor little village on the border, a place called..."

Edmund's charming voice slowly rose, and under the moonlight, a magnificent carriage sped across the fields, like a harmonious and beautiful picture.

"Host, let me drive you around. Aren't you tired?"

The little white cat thoughtfully took a white handkerchief and wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead, reminding him, "The script will start updating when you convince Helena to come along."

I don't know how the story will unfold, and what are your plans for that girl?

Peeking out the window, she saw that the two of them were already fast asleep, listening to the rumbling of the wheels. The fluffy little dumpling muttered softly, "That girl seems to be the type that the host likes. Now she seems to have feelings for the protagonist. Do you want to snatch her away?"

“This mission world is rather special.” Jiang Chen lowered his voice and used the sound of wheels as cover to explain, “If we continue to resist, there’s a high probability that I will live forever unless the script team and the protagonist kill me.”

That would be a bit awkward.

If I were to fall in love with a human, she would soon grow old and die, leaving me to continue living alone;

If I turn her into a vampire, she will have near-immortality. But when the story ends, the main system will definitely forcibly drag me out of this mission world, leaving her to wait alone.

No matter which ending it is, it doesn't feel good. So I'm not adding any romance this time.

It would be more worthwhile to invest our limited time in the great cause of vampire reform.

Helena is a good girl; by pairing her up with the protagonist, Chloe was no longer needed—a win-win situation.

The little white cat wagged its fluffy tail with a hint of worry, "Then, host, you not only have to try your best to save yourself, but you also have to find a way to prevent Helena from dying tragically."

Hopefully, the scriptwriting team will behave properly and stop coming up with such melodramatic plot points.

Jiang Chen glanced at the script, which was still being updated, and didn't hold out much hope for Rong Tuanzi.

The carriage sped along and, at dawn, checked into a fine hotel in a town.

They traveled by night and rested during the day until the third day, when they finally rejoined the main group. After a brief rest, they set off again on their southward journey early on the fourth morning.

Edmund stayed in the carriage under the pretext of recuperating from his injuries, while Helena washed up and changed into a clean dress, transforming from a disheveled peasant girl into a bright-eyed, charming young lady.

"Look at your figure and your face, youth is truly wonderful!" The old woman who dressed her in the gorgeous dress that she had made overnight praised, "No wonder Edmund's eyes lit up when he saw you."

He's the Earl's most loyal knight, his eyes always glued to him awaiting orders. You're the first girl he can't help but steal glances at!

Helena blushed deeply and quickly covered her face with her snow-white feather fan.

But those bright, lively eyes always couldn't help but peer through the cracks in the window to search for Edmund's figure.

"I've heard about your background, poor child. Like Edmund, you both have tragic pasts, and were both taken in by the kind-hearted Earl."

Honestly, you two are a perfect match.

There was just one thing—we all secretly called Edmund the Night Knight. He always appeared out of nowhere late at night, doing something for the adults.

If you want to be with him, you'd better think it over. After all, he's a knight who obeys the Earl's orders; he has to do what he's told. You might end up spending every night alone in your room..."

The old woman combing her hair was still nagging, but Helena was paying attention.

Since the day I unintentionally saved Edmund, then the Count came to my door, and I hurriedly traveled to meet up with the caravan, I had never seen him during the day.

The two young people, who share the same tragic past, always meet and talk after nightfall.

Although the moonlight always brought a sense of romance and peace when it shone in, Helena still felt something was off.

When traveling during the day, Edmund's carriage was always kept with its doors and windows tightly closed and covered by thick curtains. Didn't he feel stuffy?

After observing him carefully for two days, one night when Edmund called Helena into his car for a chat, she stared into his beautiful eyes and asked solemnly, "Edmund, are you hiding something from me?"

"What secret?" Edmund looked bewildered by the question. "Everything I've told you is true. I would never lie to you or hide anything from you."

Chapter Thirty-One: Exposing

"Really?" Helena's tone was full of doubt. She then stepped forward and grabbed his cold hand, saying in a serious tone, "I have been carefully observing you these past two days."

As soon as the sun rises, you hide in the closed carriage and never show up;

The Earl has never arranged for a doctor to treat you;

You have never eaten the food that was delivered to you;

Your carriage is always filled with a faint scent of gardenias, but there is not a trace of blood.

Last night I saw you get out of the carriage and leave the caravan until dawn. Your behavior was nothing like that of someone who was seriously injured.

Therefore, you fear sunlight, are nocturnal, do not eat, have cold skin, and possess amazing self-healing abilities—Edmund, you are not human.

I've heard of creatures that possess all these characteristics. You're a vampire knight, aren't you?

Edmund was so shocked that he didn't know what to say. His most important secret had been directly exposed by his beloved, and he was speechless for a long time.

The only sound in the quiet carriage was the slightly rapid breathing of the two people.

Helena saw that he neither denied it nor showed any shock, nor even the slightest reaction a normal person should have, and she already knew in her heart that her guess was correct.

She had never seen a real vampire, only heard about them from a group of nomadic people a few years ago.

They said the stories sung by the bards were false; vampires were not corpses that crawled out of their graves, nor did they have rotting faces or terrifying bodies. On the contrary, most of them were no different from normal people.

Some vampire races even have charming males and beautiful females; they are masters at bewitching people's minds. When you are immersed in their lies, you are not far from death.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous after seeing through the other person's pretense.

Helena also worried that Edmund, as the nomads said, was merely using a romantic atmosphere to hunt.

After wavering, struggling with various dilemmas, and thinking it over again and again, she finally decided to confront the situation directly, so that no matter the outcome, at least she wouldn't regret it.

“I don’t want to lie to you.” After a long while, Edmund raised his head, his eyes bright and sincere as he looked at her and nodded, saying, “You’re right, I am indeed no longer human.”

When I told you about my past that day, I omitted a part. Shortly after receiving the Medal of Honor in the war, I fell seriously ill and was about to die on my sickbed.

In order to live and repay the Count's kindness, I chose to fall into darkness and become a vampire who can no longer embrace the sunlight.

But Helena, please believe me.

I have never indiscriminately killed innocent people. Every night when I go out hunting, I only hunt the most heinous criminals. I have never done anything wrong, much less harmed any good people…”

His voice trailed off as he spoke. No matter how he explained, he was still the infamous vampire, and no one wanted to be around such a cold and terrifying creature!

For the first time in his life, Edmund felt sad about his vampire identity.

The seeds of love have taken root and sprouted in her heart, growing into a lush forest that entwines her soul. Every flower that blooms is a reflection of Helena's every smile and gesture.

But now...

"Does Your Excellency know?" After a long while, Helena sighed and asked from the darkness.

Edmund's voice was low. "I know. The master... he really is a very good person."

He silently added to himself, "He's a very kind and generous vampire elder."

“Actually, I know you’re a very good person.” Helena breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that she had made the right bet.

She is a smart girl who trusts her own judgment.

If Edmund is truly cold-blooded and ruthless, when he wakes up and faces me, he will pounce on me and drain my blood so that I can quickly recover my health and not worry about being hunted down.

Since he didn't do that, it means he still retains his humanity.