Seven Sins System Chapter 511. Hazemoon's Mansion III

Seven Sins System Chapter 511. Hazemoon's Mansion III

“Very vague,” Penelope agreed, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know… it almost sounds like he’s hiding something.”

I held up my hands, giving them both an amused smile. “I assure you, there’s nothing sinister going on. It’s really not as mysterious as you’re making it sound.”

Katrina tilted her head, studying me with a quiet intensity. “You talk about her like you’ve known her for years. But that doesn’t quite add up, does it? You’re not from around here. And Mom… she’s not exactly the kind to get chummy with strangers.”

She had a point. Red wasn’t known for her openness, especially with people outside her inner circle. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, meeting her gaze without hesitation. “Sometimes, connections are forged in unexpected ways. Let’s just say your mother and I have an… understanding. We respect each other’s abilities.”

Penelope let out a small, humorless laugh. “Respect each other’s abilities? That sounds like something she’d say.” She exchanged a look with Katrina, who nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"So, you're saying you're here tonight just because of this 'understanding' with her?" Katrina's voice was calm, her eyes sharp and calculating, catching every flicker of emotion on my face, like she was piecing together a puzzle I hadn’t meant to leave out in the open.

I leaned back in my chair, letting a slow smile spread across my face, just enough to keep them guessing. “Hey, I agreed to have dinner with you guys before I even met her, remember?” I shrugged, keeping my tone light but my gaze steady on theirs. “So it’s not because of her. You should be happy about this.”

I saw a flicker of uncertainty pass between them, but before either of them could respond, I leaned forward, putting my elbows on the table and crossing my hands in front of my face. I held their gaze, my voice dropping just enough to add weight to my words.

"Besides…” I paused, watching their expressions shift as they waited for me to continue. “I know you two invited me here for my blood.”

The room went still. Penelope’s smirk faltered, just for a second, while Katrina’s eyes narrowed, her curiosity turning guarded. They exchanged quick glances, clearly caught off guard but too proud to admit it.

“That’s why I came,” I continued, keeping my voice smooth, calm, as if discussing something as trivial as the weather. “Maybe with the right deal… I’ll agree to your request.”

Katrina’s expression hardened, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue. She recovered quickly, leaning back in her chair, arms folded as she regarded me with a mixture of caution and interest. “Well, that’s a bold assumption,” she said, her voice steady, almost dismissive, but her gaze lingered on me, studying every nuance.

Penelope, however, wasn’t as guarded. Her smirk returned, but this time it was sharper, more calculating. “So, you’re saying you’d just… hand it over? Just like that?” Her tone was mocking, but I could see the curiosity behind it, a spark of something that hadn’t been there before. “What’s the catch?”

I tilted my head, letting my gaze drift between the two of them. “Depends,” I replied, keeping my tone casual but my eyes intent. “What are you willing to offer? After all, I don’t hand out favors for free.”

Katrina’s expression softened, though she kept her guard up, her voice carefully neutral. “What exactly are you implying, Dr. Allen? That you’d barter with us for something as… personal as your own blood?”

“Why not?” I replied, shrugging as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “I’m open to negotiation. And besides, you both went through the trouble of inviting me here. I’d hate to waste your effort.”

Penelope’s gaze sharpened, her smirk turning more mischievous. She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a low murmur. “And what exactly do you think we’d be willing to trade, hmm?”

I chuckled, my voice light but pointed. “Surprise me.” I let the challenge hang, watching as Penelope and Katrina exchanged another glance, something unreadable passing between them.

But then Katrina’s expression shifted, her eyes narrowing with a new thought. “Wait… was that what caused Mom’s change of heart? Was it because you gave her your blood?”

The question caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but frown, genuinely confused. “Hm? You guys never thought about that before?”

They both looked at me, Penelope’s expression clouded with surprise, while Katrina’s curiosity deepened, her brows drawn together as if a puzzle piece had just clicked into place. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and I could see them struggling to reconcile what they thought they knew with this new possibility.

Penelope shook her head slowly, almost as if trying to convince herself. “Never. Mom always told us she would never drink blood from anyone other than her own master again. That damned Lord of Wrath.” Her voice was quiet, as though speaking the words out loud somehow made them less real, or maybe more painful.

‘Why did they call my name as if they have a personal grudge against me?’ I thought.

I leaned back, crossing my arms as I studied them both. “If that’s the case, then how did she survive all this time?” I asked, my curiosity now genuine. In this modern day, sure, there was synthetic blood, stuff that mimics the nutrients and properties of regular blood. But in the olden days, after I… left Red, it was still the medieval era. How could she have survived without a steady source?

I watched the realization dawn on them, but it wasn’t Katrina or Penelope who answered. A familiar voice, smooth yet carrying a hint of amusement, cut through the silence .

“By drinking animal blood,” Red said, stepping into the room, her gaze sweeping over us like she knew every detail of the conversation. “It was far from ideal, and it lacked the potency and energy that human blood gives, but it was… tolerable.”

Penelope and Katrina turned to face their mother, shock written on their faces. It was as if they were seeing her in a new light. Red met their eyes, her expression calm but with a hint of something darker.

Katrina spoke first, her voice barely above a whisper. “You… you survived on animal blood? For centuries?”