In the vampires' enclave.

Maxwell, Lothaire, and Xenon were still glued to the area where Esmeralda left them. It's been three hours already but their vision has not returned to normal yet.

Although they can already move their arms, the lower half of their bodies were still paralyzed. They already exhausted all their powers to free themselves from this mysterious condition and yet nothing works.

For the first time in their life, they realized that Esmeralda does have the power that can harm them, if she wants to finish them, they should have been dead by now.

"The old hag is showing her true colors now!" Maxwell told her brothers.

"Yeah, it looks like we will have a hard time taking back Kate. We can no longer bully that old hag. I'm afraid that the next time we will provoke her, she will ultimately wipe us out from the castle and send our kind to the pit of the monster as feeds!" Lothaire added.

"You guys are afraid of that old hag!? What's happening to you!?" Xenon sneered.

Maxwell was shaking his head. "You have seen her power! Until now, we can't even free ourselves from this condition she put us in!" he looked hard at his brother.

"Guys, if you are afraid of Esmeralda, I'm not! I will attack that woman in her house together with our armies and I'll make sure...she will return Kate to us and regretted ever putting us in this condition!" Xenon bravely declared.

Maxwell released a deep sigh. "Don't be so stubborn, brother! Don't say something bad to her. Who knows, she was just lurking around us listening to our conversation. She might get angry and kill us all in this pitiful condition. We can't even defend ourselves! We are at her mercy right now!"

Lothaire agreed. "Maxwell is right, bro. Don't make our situations any worse than they already are!"

"So, what do you want us to do? Just wait when that old hag restores our vision? What if she changes her mind and will no longer release us from this condition that she put us through? Do we just have to wait until we die here!?" Xenon retorted indignantly.

Maxwell hangs his head, confused about what to do. They already executed everything, yet their power can't even free them from their current condition. Even if he will call for his armies, the armies can't do anything for them. They only have one option, they just have to wait, hoping Esmeralda will finally release them from their shameful predicament.

He looked at Xenon. "Brother, will you please shut up!" he scolded him. "Think with your brain, not with your mouth! I'm getting tired of your whining!"

Lothaire was silent the whole time.

Xenon stared at his older brother, after realizing that there is nothing they can do to alleviate their situation, he finally keeps his mouth shut.

Hours went by.

They waited and waited...

Back in Esmeralda's house, Kate was still lying in the mattress on the floor. She has no desire to go out yet even if the night is already fast approaching.

She stared at the window, see the light fading away and darkness taking over the surroundings.

The four lamps inside the house come to life instantly without anyone lighting it. She stared at the closed door where Esmeralda was resting. In this house there's no need to cook, she doesn't feel hungry anyway.

Then...she remembered her Aunt Margie, Ella and her older sister Ivy, she misses them so much! Her heart starts beating fast when she remembers Ramza, her first love, their romance was cut too short for her liking! So sad.

They will never see each other again, so tragic and heartbreaking. Her only wish is that her youngest sister will not come to find her in the castle or else, Ella will also suffer the same fate as her.

She didn't even have the chance to start finding her sister inside the castle. Worst, she's even afraid to step outside the house, fearing that the centaur and vampire race will come to find her. Maybe, they were just lurking nearby waiting for the chance that they can snatch her back away from granny's nose.

She was suffering trauma after she remembered all the horrific incidents she encountered in the hands of King Voyen and the vampire brothers. This castle is indeed full of dangerous races and creatures, not fit for a human being like her.

Inside this castle, humans have no rights, they belong to their captors, and the only way to survive is to go along with their wishes and desires and hope they will extend your life.

Inside this castle, human life is worth nothing. It's such a very scary and dangerous place to exist!

Fresh tears began to emerge in her eyes. She pitied herself so much! All that she ever wanted when she comes to this castle is to check on her sister's Ivy's condition, she never excepted that she will encounter a shocking and terrifying world inside the castle, so vastly different from what she had accustomed growing up with.

She buries her head inside the blanket and continues sobbing.

A moment later, she was alerted to the sound of the door opening. She glanced at the door and caught sight of Esmeralda getting out from it and walked towards the main door.

"Granny, where are you going?" she asked.

"I need to go somewhere. I'll be back after a few minutes. Just stay here," Esmeralda answered.

Kate was horrified. "What!? Are you going to leave me alone here?" she screamed in panic. She crawled fast towards the door and hugged granny's thighs not wanting to let go.

Esmeralda sighed. "What are you doing, child?" she asked trying to untangle herself from the girl's hold.

"Please take me with you! I don't want to be left alone here. I'm s-scared...I'm afraid that they will t-take me away if you're not here to protect me!" Kate explained in a trembling voice.

Esmeralda lowered herself on the floor and looked at Kate in the eyes. "Relax, child. Take it easy, as I have said before, you are safe here inside my house, no one can enter this house only you and me. Once somebody attacked this house, I'll know right away and I'll come running to save you, okay?"

"B-but Granny, I'm still afraid. Please take me with you! Please, I begged you!" Kate insisted, she can't be consoled.

Esmeralda stood up. "Alright, do you want to go with me?" she asked her.

Kate nods her head. "Yes, please..."

"Do you know where I'm going, child?"

"W-where?"

"I'm going to the same place where you were being imprisoned. I'm going back to the vampires' place. Do you still want to go with me?" Esmeralda challenged her.

Kate's eyes widened in fear, a big lump was forming in her throat.