Chapter 64: Snowy's True Form

I woke up when the sun was already high enough to bake one’s backside. Ever since obtaining the Daywalker's Blood, I had returned to my old routine: sleeping at night and waking in the morning.

Alastor was different from me. After more than six hundred years, his biological clock couldn't be changed overnight. He was perpetually drowsy during the day—unless he saw a beautiful girl. Then, he would immediately become spirited. According to him, as long as he saw me or a beauty, he could wake up instantly no matter how tired he was.

Listen to that—he categorizes me and "beauties" as two separate things. Am I not a beauty?! By the time he finished saying it, my fist had already greeted that handsome face of his.

Then, that vampire lowlife said something that still makes me want to cough up blood: "Don't hit the face, I live off my looks..."

Squinting my eyes and feeling the sunlight spill into the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I stretched and climbed out of bed. It was a very comfortable bed. Alastor, however, insisted on sleeping in a coffin. Heaven knows where he managed to find a garish, over-the-top black crystal coffin to put in his room, and he even tried to entice me to sleep in it with him...

If I really slept with him, the terrifying Great Demon King Samael would probably tear the candy house apart.

Humming a song, I got dressed and carried Snowy downstairs. I took a chilled blood bag from the refrigerator, poured it into a cup, and took a sip. Although chilled blood wasn't the most delicious, it was quite pleasant to consume.

"Chilled blood bags again... be careful of malnutrition," Alastor muttered behind me.

I rolled my eyes at him, took another bag from the fridge, and tossed it to him. "You eat this too. No 'snacking' outside!"

Alastor took it with a pitiful look, like an abused young bride. "Sigh, to think that I, the grand Archon, would fall to such a state..."

"Eat!" Unable to stand his chatter, I stuffed a corner of the blood bag into his mouth. "I'm going out for a bit. You run the shop."

"Going out? What are you going out for?" Alastor stuck to me with a beaming smile. "How about I go with you?"

"I'm going to the supermarket to buy some things; I'll be back soon." With that, I applied some sunscreen, took a sun umbrella, and prepared to head out.

Even though I was a Daywalker, it was better to avoid direct, intense sunlight. Better safe than sorry.

"Let me accompany you..."

"Snowy accompanying me is enough." I lifted my hand, pointing to Snowy in my arms.

Alastor glared at Snowy with a face full of jealousy. Snowy gave an innocent "guji" sound and curled up in my arms without moving. I noticed its tail seemed a bit longer, and its size was slightly larger.

This little thing is still growing.

"Aurora..." Alastor looked at me, blinking his eyes, refusing to give up.

"You're not allowed to follow. You stay home and run the shop," I glared at him.

"Stay home..." Alastor froze for a moment. "Home... home..." He began to snicker happily to himself and waved at me with exaggerated flair. "Then you must come home quickly... darling..."

Hearing that, I stumbled and nearly fell. I looked back and glared at Alastor, who was standing by the door with a dreamy expression, and then I set off.

After leaving the house and buying some necessities at the supermarket, I suddenly felt like I was being watched.

It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling, and I could sense that the fellow following me wasn't human because it was invisible. To avoid making a move in a busy area, I hurried my pace, left the supermarket, and avoided the crowded spots.

The further I walked, the more deserted it became. I didn't stop until I reached an abandoned industrial park, then I turned around. "Come out."

The surroundings were desolate, filled with ruins. There was no movement for a long time.

"I know you've been following me. Come out."

A dangerous aura fluctuated, accompanied by a nauseating, foul stench. Dust swirled in the southwest corner as a monster stepped out.

It truly was a monster.

It didn't look like a wolf, nor a dog, nor a lion, nor a tiger. Its appearance was incredibly wretched. To make matters worse, it was drooling, epitomizing the word "vile" to the extreme. The foul saliva dripped onto the ground, immediately causing white foam to rise with a "hissing" sound. It seemed the saliva was poisonous and not to be touched.

With a low growl, it lunged at me, saliva spraying everywhere. I dodged its spit attack and swung a sword of light through the air. There was only a "clang" as the light sword seemed to strike steel armor, failing to harm it in the slightest. It shook its head, scattering saliva, and a drop actually splashed onto my arm!

With a "hiss," my arm immediately turned scorched black. I was furious. This was spit! It actually used spit to attack me! How despicable—and how filthy!

I had clearly ignored the main point. The point wasn't the filth, but that I was injured...

A ball of black flames condensed in my palm, gradually taking shape into a fireball. I threw the black fireball at the monster. When the flames passed, the monster was still standing there perfectly fine!

I frowned. What was this thing? It was invulnerable to blades and immune to fire and water. And mine was no ordinary sword, no ordinary fire. It seemed I had indeed underestimated the enemy. What exactly was this wretched-looking monster?

If it was a demonic creature, it should have stayed in the Demon Realm. Why would it appear in the Human Realm?

As I was thinking, it lunged again. Caught off guard, I ended up sitting on the ground.

Just as I was considering how to dodge this blow, I felt a sudden weightlessness in my arms. Snowy had already leaped out like an arrow.

I was horrified and reached out to grab it back, but it was in vain. I could only watch helplessly as it rushed toward the monster.

Snowy! I know you're a loyal pet protecting your master, and my affection for you wasn't in vain, but you have to know your limits! Risking your life like this really isn't worth it! Looking at the tiny, cute Snowy and then at the massive, wretched monster—they really weren't in the same league! Snowy looked like it wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between its teeth.

Seeing Snowy already pouncing on the monster and being unable to rescue it in time, I watched the monster open its bloody maw at Snowy. Trembling with fear, I closed my eyes, unable to bear the sight of Snowy’s tragic end in the beast’s mouth.

Suddenly, a miserable scream rang out, and the ground shook.

This volume... really didn't sound like something Snowy could produce. Uncertain and startled, I opened my eyes to see the monster covered in blood, fleeing in panic before vanishing into the air in the blink of an eye.

And Snowy...

Snowy?

I blinked once, then twice.

Standing before me... was that Snowy?

That was clearly a fox... a massive, beautiful, and majestic white fox... and more importantly, it had nine tails...

Snowy, that creature that looked neither like a cat nor a dog, was actually... a fox? And the legendary Nine-Tails at that?

Although only one tail looked solid and the other eight were faint and blurry, those nine tails gently swaying in the air were unmistakable...

"Snow... y?" Standing in the wind, I called out tremulously, not daring to confirm it was my pet Snowy because that size... was really not small.

The Nine-Tailed Snowy turned to glance at me, and its body suddenly shrank rapidly.

"Guji..." The little furball Snowy lay on the ground, looking at me with watery, innocent eyes, its tiny paws stained with blood.

My heart wrenched. I ran forward in a few quick steps and pulled it into my arms.

With its eyes closed, it remained motionless in my embrace.

I suddenly froze. Dead?

At that thought, a needle-like pain pierced my heart, so sharp I wanted to wail to the heavens. It must be Selene acting up inside me.

The little furball let out a soft snort, and I realized it had just fallen asleep—likely exhausted from the transformation.

The pain in my chest gradually subsided. I looked around; the area was still desolate without a soul in sight. Unknowingly, I had wandered too far from the city. Since no one was around and I was too lazy to walk back step by step, I simply teleported directly to the street opposite the candy house.

Carrying the sleeping Snowy, I stood at the street corner, checking that no one was watching before crossing the road to return to the candy house.

A large billboard at the corner blocked the view. Just as I stepped out, a large truck roared past. I was startled, but suddenly my hand felt warm. Someone had grabbed my hand, saving me from the fate of being flattened by the wheels.

Although a car couldn't crush me to death, being flattened wouldn't look very nice. I turned back gratefully to smile at the person.

When I saw clearly who it was, my smile froze on my lips.

Overlapping with a certain part of my memory, the man was smiling at me.

He wore a white pullover sweater and taupe casual pants. He was tall and lean, with a pair of rimless glasses on his nose—refined and scholarly.

Seeing me staring at him blankly, he laughed.

His smile was clear and warm.

Cass?

I slowly lowered my head to see his warm, slender hand tightly holding mine, our fingers locked together.

I've heard that when fingers are locked like this, two people can stay together for a lifetime.

Confused, I looked up at him. In my arms, Snowy gave a soft "guji." I suddenly snapped out of it, shook off his hand, took a step back, and looked at him warily.

He wasn't Cass!

He was Michael!

Staring blankly at the hand I had shaken off, a flash of bewildered sorrow passed through Michael's eyes. Then, he chuckled softly. "You've changed."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"What am I... doing here?" He frowned slightly, appearing somewhat confused, then raised a hand to press his forehead. "What am I doing here..."

I took a few steps back, distancing myself from him. "Have you come here on God's orders again to save me? But this is the Human Realm; you wouldn't want to hurt innocent humans, would you, Great Lord Michael?"

Michael lowered his hand and smiled. "You really are different."

"The truth may be cruel, but I don't want to live in a lie forever."

"Do you really... not live in a lie?"

"What do you mean?" I frowned slightly, my mind faintly catching a piece of information.

"Aurora, what are you doing here?" Out of nowhere, a slender arm draped over my shoulder, and Li's voice rang in my ear.

Michael gave a faint smile, turned, and walked away.

"Hey! Make yourself clear!" I wanted to chase him, but Li wouldn't let go.

I could only watch Michael vanish into the air. I turned and glared at Li. "What are you doing here?"