Chapter 139: 139: Adrift

"Actually, I came to Ireland for a vacation... You heard, right? There are gorgeous elves here!" A blond-haired young man chattered nonstop atop a small kayak bobbing in the vast ocean. "Heh, I've always wanted to date an elf. Don't you think they're the best among magical creatures? They're pure, adorable, completely ignorant about the world... Dating them is the ultimate experience! So much better than dealing with a female werewolf!" He sighed dramatically, pausing only to paddle. "But tell me this—why the hell am I rowing instead of charming a lovely elf? And not just rowing—I'm the only one doing it! Like some kind of overworked ox that got sold for hard labor! Hey, vampire, how about we switch? My arms feel like they're made of stone!" "Oh, for Merlin's sake, shut up, werewolf...!" Nolan Von Draugr, our ever-unlucky vampire, was miserable. He looked like a dried-up squid, his usually sharp and polished demeanor reduced to a wilted mess. Shirt off, he had soaked it in seawater and draped it over his head in a desperate attempt to fend off the blazing sun. Droplets of water dripped from the fabric, but they did nothing to stop the relentless heat, the stifling humidity, and the glaring light that made his skin feel like it was cooking. The werewolf, however, had no sympathy. "Hey! Don't give me that attitude!" He puffed up proudly, his head held high like a complete idiot. "I know vampires hate the sun! Your powers are already weakened during the day, and in a few more hours—when we hit noon—you're going to be roasted alive! You'll shrivel up into a dried bat! But me? I'm a werewolf! I stay strong even under the harshest sunlight!" He smirked. "Now you understand our power dynamic, right? So be polite! Say 'please' when you talk to me!" Nolan's fingers twitched. "Shut up, werewolf. I won't say it a third time—Bombarda!" A Blasting Curse shot from his wand, grazing the werewolf's temple before detonating against the ocean's surface. BOOM! A massive water column exploded into the air, drenching them both and sending cool droplets raining down. The werewolf gulped. "R-Right! We'll be in Ireland within half a day, Vampire Lord! Just sit tight and watch me row!" Other than the vampire and the werewolf, there was one more passenger on the kayak. A limp elf lay sprawled on the wooden seat. Her breath was shallow, her face deathly pale, and on her slender neck— Two small, partially healed puncture wounds. Nolan, still drained from the sea ordeal, grabbed her again and took another deep drink of her blood. "H-Hey! Vampire! You need to pace yourself!" The werewolf whined, still obediently rowing. "She's going to die if you keep sucking her dry!" He shook his head in exaggerated dismay. "Drinking from such a pure, adorable elf...? Honestly, vampires are such an evil species!" Nolan barely spared him a glance. After finishing his drink, he dropped Ligeitoli back onto the kayak's floor. She lay there unconscious, unmoving. "Bloody summer..." Nolan muttered, exhausted. The sun burned above them. Seagulls screeched, gliding across the sky in lazy circles. At the start of the shipwreck, Nolan had considered transforming into a crow and flying to Ireland. But it would take hours, and by then, the sun would be up. He had no idea how long he could maintain his animagus form under such intense sunlight. The risk was too great. So, instead— He grabbed Ligeitoli as food storage and boarded the kayak. As for the werewolf? ...Nolan still wasn't sure how he ended up on the boat. Half a day had passed since the shipwreck. The dark ocean had shifted into an endless, blinding sea of blue under the merciless morning sun. "Hey, vampire. If you're really thirsty, you can drink my blood too!" The werewolf declared proudly, grinning like an idiot. "From the moment we got on this boat, you've drunk from the elf eight times! If you keep this up, she'll turn into a dried-out elf husk! That's a waste! If you're going to drink, just take mine! That way, she'll still be alive to date me later!" Nolan slowly turned to look at him. His crimson eyes twitched. "You? A man? A werewolf?" His expression oozed disgust. "What, are you discriminating against werewolves now?" The werewolf huffed. "Our blood can be delicious too, you know! Try it!" "Stop talking nonsense and just row the damn boat." Nolan weakly kicked him in the ribs before propping his legs up on Ligeitoli's unconscious body, letting out a long sigh. "Miss Nancy... how many nautical miles are we from Ireland?" In the corner of the kayak, a black cat stretched lazily, yawning. Her tail swayed as she purred, utterly relaxed. "What's a 'nautical mile'?" Nolan groaned, rubbing his temples. "Forget it. I keep forgetting that Miss Nancy has the worst sense of direction." Just then— A distant cry for help rang across the water. A girl's voice. The werewolf's ears twitched. His face lit up. "I HEARD THAT! A BEAUTIFUL LADY IN NEED!" His grin stretched ear to ear. "She's waiting for me—Philo Gilligax—to rescue her!" Nolan, slumped in exhaustion, rolled his eyes. "You can't rescue anyone, werewolf..." The werewolf paddled furiously, following the distressed cries. Sure enough— There, struggling in the waves, was a silver-haired girl. The moment she spotted the approaching kayak, she lit up with excitement, flailing toward them with renewed energy. The werewolf huffed and puffed, exerting all his strength to drag her onto the tiny boat. Nolan took one glance at the newcomer and sighed deeply. "Bloody hell. Elves, werewolves, now a Veela..." His fingers rubbed his temples, irritation evident in his every move. "I must be cursed. Why did I come to Ireland?" That's right. The girl the werewolf had just fished out of the ocean was none other than— Fleur Delacour. Dripping wet, completely soaked, and—worst of all—without her wand. Meaning she had no way to magically dry herself. She sat there, shivering, her teeth chattering violently as she wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. "O-Oh, t-thank you so much, kind sir...!" Before she could even finish her sentence— "Oh! Of course! I am that kind sir!" The werewolf preened, slicking back his hair with obvious self-satisfaction. His eyes, however, weren't exactly focused on her face. ...No. His gaze had been drifting a little lower. A little too low. "How could I not save a young lady stranded in the ocean?" He grinned. "A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be left to the waves!" His voice took on a sly tone. "Now that I've rescued you, how about we celebrate once we reach shore? I know all the best spots in Ireland! The coziest bars, the finest hotels with king-sized beds, oh!—" THUMP. Nolan's foot slammed into the werewolf's side, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Gah!" The werewolf yelped, nearly falling overboard. Fleur, meanwhile, had finally noticed Nolan's presence. Her eyes widened in shock. "Hogwarts' student! You escaped too?!" Nolan barely gave her a glance. "Of course, I did." He spoke lightly, shifting to sit up. As he moved, he tossed aside the wet shirt he had been using to shield himself from the sun. And at that moment— Fleur's face turned bright red. Because now, Nolan's upper body was completely exposed. Toned, perfectly sculpted muscles, lean yet powerful. It was the first time Fleur had ever seen a young man's bare chest up close. Her Veela blood didn't help. Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes couldn't look away. For a moment, she completely forgot she was drenched and freezing. The werewolf, meanwhile, threw a fit. "HEY! Vampire! You can't do that! I'm the one who saved this lovely lady!" He jabbed a finger toward Nolan. "That means I should be the one to take her on a date first!" Fleur snapped out of it, blinking rapidly. "Vampire?!" Her body stiffened. She stared at Nolan in shock, as if suddenly connecting the dots. "So that's why you weren't affected by my abilities...!" Then her head whipped toward the werewolf. "Wait! Him too? Is he also a vampire?!" Nolan squinted, his tone flat. "The one rowing? That's a werewolf." Fleur's jaw dropped. She looked at both of them, her face going pale as a ghost. "A vampire and a werewolf?! By Merlin, how did you two even end up together?" She looked downright horrified. And if this was really her only company on the way to Ireland— She wasn't sure she wouldn't have preferred drowning.