Chapter 86: Curse of separation for a hundred years, reunion

The lights came on, and when the last orange glow of the setting sun finally sank into the horizon, Ye Wan and the others lit up the tiny lights. Those small lights were made of folded glass colored paper, reflecting colorful light and shadow, enveloping the small courtyard in hazy light and shadow.

The children began to perform Little Red Riding Hood seriously on the simple stage. The old piano tinkled and Ophelia put on her big straw hat and scarf again, leaving only her eyes exposed.

She was in a good mood now, feeling that the whole world was full of wonderful kindness, and she watched the simple performance on the stage with curiosity.

Ye Wan sat in the last row and watched attentively. Suddenly, the paint-chipped gate of the courtyard made a slight creaking sound.

It was Youan who arrived. He looked a little tired. He took off his hat and sat down next to Ye Wan, holding her hand. "I'm here."

Ye Wan asked worriedly, "You look so tired. Why did you come so late? What did they say over there?"

She wanted to mention Dracula, but was afraid that Ophelia, who was sitting in the front, would hear it, so she pulled him to the door and gently closed the door to the courtyard, blocking out the discordant piano music and the children's laughter.

"Dracula hasn't been found yet. We've sent people to stake out Twilight Manor, but they haven't been able to find him. A knight has discovered strange traces, and it seems a magical creature is tracking Ophelia."

Ye Wan handed him a bottle of iced pumpkin juice, which he drank in one gulp. Ye Wan consoled him, saying, "They were lovers a hundred years ago. Even if we track her down, we won't hurt her."

Youan looked at her with dark eyes: "Those magical creatures may not be sent by Dracula."

Ye Wan said he didn't understand: "What do you mean?"

The simple but cozy little theater was still emitting cheerful music. No one noticed that several monster-like black shadows surrounded the small orphanage. A shivering chill came over them. These monsters could sense the smell of the cemetery and the underworld on Ophelia.

Suddenly there was a scream from inside the orphanage.

When Ye Wan and Youan rushed back, the monsters had been beaten back by Kiara and Leo. Ophelia stood in front of the children and made a low hissing sound at the monsters.

It was a very cold and dead sound. The monsters seemed to be afraid of this sound and quickly left like the receding tide.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was still heavy. No one knew where these monsters came from. In order to ease the solemn atmosphere, Ye Wan decided to go to the refrigerator and take out the chilled candied fruits. Those crystal-like fruits shone with a beautiful luster, and the sweet fragrance alleviated the solemn chill.

"This candied peach is very delicious, you should try it." Ye Wan enthusiastically gave everyone a bowl.

Peaches have a refreshing fruity aroma. Now that they are full of honey, they still remain crisp and tender, making them very refreshing and delicious on summer nights.

Ye Wan sat next to You An. She fiddled with the fruit in her hand and asked quietly, "If it wasn't Dracula, who sent those monsters?"

Before Youan could answer, a figure appeared silently at the main entrance of the courtyard.

The man was still wearing a perfectly tailored old black suit with a rose pinned to his chest. The dim street lights outlined his stern figure. He was as pale as a wax figure, but his ruby-like eyes seemed to be burning with flames.

He stared at Ophelia in the corner greedily, as if he were staring at his prey.

Ophelia, the light of his soul.

Ophelia was fiddling with her portion of fruit under the lamp. She seemed thinner and more haggard, with her skin a harsh, iron-blue color. But at least she was an Ophelia who could move and talk to him who had been lonely for a hundred years.

Then the door of the courtyard opened automatically, Dracula walked in slowly, and Rose subconsciously stood in front of Ophelia.

"Ophelia..." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying with it the pain that had been suppressed for a hundred years, as well as the ecstasy and trembling of regaining what had been lost.

He stretched out his hand to touch her face, but in an instant, Ophelia shrank back with fear on her face, and her whole body pressed tightly behind Rose. Her voice became sharp: "Where did you come from? Who are you? I don't know you."

Dracula felt like he was frozen in ice. Ophelia's words were a curse more vicious than eternal life. His heart felt like it was pierced by a sharpened peach branch, and blood gushed out.

The joy of reunion was completely extinguished, and there was only a blank look of disbelief on his face.

"Ophelia... don't you remember me?" His voice was broken, and he pleaded humbly, "I am your lover."

Ophelia raised her head, and the blue eyes under the brim of her hat were filled with intense confusion: "You must have recognized the wrong person!"

"Wrong person?" Dracula repeated these three words, and a burst of fury came from him, extinguishing all the warm night lights in the courtyard.

"It's all right, Ophelia, I'll make you remember."

He no longer communicated with her, but simply reached out his hand, put his arm around Ophelia's waist, and used the vampire's terrifying teleportation ability to take her away.

There was only silence in the courtyard.

Rose was very worried: "Dracula looks like he has gone mad. I wonder if he will hurt her."

Ye Wan comforted him, "No matter what, he won't hurt his lover."

......

On the other side, Ophelia woke up in Twilight Manor. She was in a luxurious room, lying on a soft big bed. Looking out the window, she could only see the endless dark sky.

The evening breeze whimpered through the corridor, and Ophelia got up from the bed.

There was no light in the villa, so she had to pick up an old brass gas lamp from the table and walk on the dark red carpet. It was strange. She had never been to this villa before, but why did it feel so familiar?

Dracula stood in front of a painting at the top of the stairs. The huge portrait caught her attention. The girl there was wearing a pink Empire dress and smiling among the roses.

Her eyes and eyebrows in the portrait look so familiar.

Dracula almost instantly sensed the noise behind him. Seeing her bare feet on the red carpet, his brows furrowed slightly: "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

He walked over, picked up Ophelia and put her on the sofa.

Ophelia said honestly: "I can't feel the temperature or the breath, so I don't care whether I wear shoes or not."

Dracula's fingertips brushed her cheek. "It's only temporary. Death is not the end, Ophelia. Your soul has returned like a migratory bird. I will reshape your body, and then you and I will both achieve eternal life in this villa."

Ophelia moved a little behind the sofa, and her arm pressed on a book. The book was made of brown leather with a gold-stamped cover. There was an embossing in the middle of the cover: it was a golden rose, and the pattern was clearly visible.

Ophelia knew this book, and it was Emma who enthusiastically recommended it to her. It has been very popular recently and tells the love story between a vampire and a human girl.

A vampire fell in love with a human a hundred years ago. After waiting for a hundred years, the human girl experienced reincarnation and met him again.

Dracula frowned and threw the book far away: "Ridiculous and insignificant humans write such disgusting stories."

He stroked Ophelia's face and said, "Even if you reincarnate again, you will no longer be you. Even if your face and heartbeat are the same, it will not be you, Ophelia. I only want you, even reincarnation will not do."

He kissed Ophelia's cheek devoutly: "Ophelia, the light of my soul, I beg you, don't leave me alone again."

He crawled on the edge of Ophelia's skirt, looking very pitiful. Ophelia hesitated for a moment and finally put her hand on his hair.

She still looked up at the painting, and the red-haired beauty in the painting was smiling brightly at her.

It started to rain outside the window, and Ophelia's uneasy feeling became stronger and stronger.

......

On the other side, Ye Wan and Youan returned to the tavern. Compared to the fact that Ophelia was kidnapped by Dracula, Youan was obviously more concerned about those shadow monsters. He leaned over the table and wrote letters, very long letters, which were sent away by the birds that swarmed in.

Ye Wan was still muttering about Ophelia's safety. After finishing the last letter, Youan looked at Ye Wan with a serious expression: "Now, I have something important to tell you."

Ye Wan felt the solemn atmosphere flowing around him: "What do you want to tell me?"

"An ancient, distant story of a curse," he said.