So this is what big brother likes

After a long while.

Luo Wei surveyed his surroundings. The troublesome young vampires were now gone, but Helena’s attacks still hadn’t ceased.

Shattered wine barrels littered the underground cellar, the pungent scent of alcohol thick in the air, the floor covered in debris.

“Alright, Helena…” Luo Wei activated the [Punishment Command] on her. “Let’s go find the others—our teacher and the rest.”

As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward the direction Evelyn had left, searching carefully in the darkness.

“NO!!!” Helena suddenly reacted as if triggered, a thick black tentacle lashing out toward him.

“Holy—!” Luo Wei barely had time to react before a terrifying force slammed into him.

The [Sigil Shield] flickered into existence, only to shatter instantly. The impact sent him flying, crashing heavily onto the ground.

“Brother!!”

The [Punishment Command] caused Helena’s [Pollution Level] to plummet. Her crimson eyes faded back to their normal blue as she stared at Luo Wei’s disheveled state, panic flooding her voice. Her serpentine tentacles writhed around her body as she hurried toward him.

“Brother, are you okay?! Brother!!”

[Pollution Level: 50↓]

[Pollution Level: 40↓]

“I’m fine…” Luo Wei coughed, clutching his chest as he struggled to stand. He felt like he’d almost been forced to reload a save thanks to Helena…

Helena’s body shrank back as her tentacles coiled around Luo Wei, carefully helping him up.

“I’m sorry, brother, I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me…”

Seeing Luo Wei still coughing, Helena’s expression twisted with fear and guilt. Without thinking, she instinctively wrapped her tentacles around him again.

The cold, slippery appendages pressed against his skin, gently undulating. Luo Wei could almost feel her trying to cocoon him entirely and chuckled helplessly. “Really, I’m fine. You know how strong my recovery is now…”

But Helena didn’t let go. Instead, she clung to him tightly, bursting into loud sobs.

“Waaah… Brother, I almost tried to kill you again…”

“I thought you were leaving me… That you’d abandon me, and I’d be all alone again…”

Luo Wei patted her head, shaking his head with a smile. “How could that happen? I’m right here, aren’t I? Right in front of you.”

Helena immediately looked up, tear-filled eyes locking onto Luo Wei as if double-checking his words.

Seeing her tear-streaked face, snot and all, looking like a pitiful little crybaby, Luo Wei couldn’t help but laugh.

“Really. Didn’t I promise you? I’ll never leave you again.”

Helena threw herself back into his arms, squeezing him tightly. “You have to keep your word, brother! You have to stay with me forever, never ever leave!”

“Yeah.” Luo Wei smiled, gently stroking her back. “We’ll be together forever.”

At those words, Helena finally stopped crying, a bright smile breaking through. “Brother’s the best~”

After a while, her black tentacles slowly began to loosen.

Only then did Helena notice the changes in her own body.

She glanced down at the tangled mass of writhing, snake-like appendages and suddenly looked distressed. She quickly turned to Luo Wei.

“Brother… Can you use that again…?”

“I don’t like looking like this… Please turn me back…”

Luo Wei immediately understood—Helena was feeling self-conscious about her appearance again.

He remembered that time by the river when she’d hidden herself away, too ashamed to let him see her monstrous form…

“Of course I can turn you back.” Seeing Helena relax slightly, he added with a reassuring smile, “But honestly, I don’t hate how you look like this, Helena.”

Helena’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? Brother likes me like this?”

When Luo Wei nodded, her tentacles swayed excitedly, as if delighted.

All this time, she’d been ashamed of these strange growths… Who knew someone would actually like tentacles?

“Uh…” Luo Wei felt like she might be misunderstanding. “I mean… yeah, I like it. Just don’t hate yourself for it, okay? No matter what Helena looks like, I’ll always like her.”

“Brother’s the absolute best!” Helena’s tentacles coiled around Luo Wei again. “If brother likes tentacles, I’ll show them to you every day!”

“W-Wait, hold on—??”

…

When Helena—half-human, half-tentacled—finally dragged Luo Wei to where Evelyn and the others were gathered, a chorus of gasps erupted around them.

“Helena! What happened to you?!” Emily’s eyes widened in shock.

“Um…” Helena, suddenly aware of the crowd, quickly set Luo Wei down, looking embarrassed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you… Huh? Emily, what are you doing here?”

“Scare me? No way!” Emily dashed toward Helena, eyes sparkling. “Helena, you look so cool!”

“Huh?” Helena blinked at her, baffled as Emily eagerly examined her tentacles, even reaching out to touch one. She grew even more confused.

Why were so many people suddenly saying they liked her tentacles? Was this some new fashion trend?

Once Luo Wei was back on his feet, he frowned, scanning the dim, abandoned warehouse. Aside from Evelyn and Headmaster Danton, Monica, Emily, and an elderly vampire had joined them.

He immediately turned to Evelyn, who quietly explained, “We ran into a few more vampire elders on the way here, but Uncle Joe drove them off. He led us to this place.”

Luo Wei’s gaze shifted to the old vampire—the same one he’d seen in the drawing room after the Duke’s death. Back then, he’d been the only one who seemed genuinely sorrowful about it.

“The castle’s underground passages are a maze,” Joe said as he helped Danton decipher a hidden mechanism in the warehouse. He glanced back at Luo Wei. “I was here when Danton first modified the castle. We might run into more vampires along the way—I’ll cover you.”

“We’ll help too!” Emily, after admiring Helena’s tentacles, scurried back to Monica’s side like an eager puppy. “I snuck out from under Mother’s nose! Pretty impressive, right?”

Monica gave Luo Wei a small nod before smiling at Evelyn. “You were right before. Someone in the family had to take a stand. Though I’m not sure how much help I’ll be—my skills are limited.”

“I only said those things in the heat of the moment,” Evelyn replied, her opinion of Monica rising. “But the fact that you stepped up at all is commendable.”

Listening to their exchange, Luo Wei studied the young vampire more closely.

She’d always been part of the successor quartet alongside the twins and Mike, but unlike them, she’d kept a low profile. This was the first time he’d actually spoken to her.

However, the more he thought about it, the more he found Monica and the others' appearance at this moment to be somewhat peculiar.