or children of their lifeblood!①

"Hence, the whereabouts and fate of these children became easily associated. The peasants were abuzz with speculations that the Comte lured the little ones into that woods with witchcraft and then imprisoned them in his castle, slowly draining their blood.

"The story of that ghost child was then naturally linked to these events. Some speculated that it was the spirit of a child who had been persecuted by the Comte, only able to emerge at midnight to call for help. However, based on the description of the little ghost''s luxurious attire by the peasant woman, more of them believed that the ghost child was the demonic companion of the old comte. The Comte shared his blood with the boy, or the blood was simply to serve as offerings to this devil''s little minion. Since the boy only appeared during the depths of night, pale and beautiful, never aging or dying, this explanation apparently carried a lot of credibility."

"These rural legends truly send shivers down one''s spine!" Charlotte muttered.

"Could it be that the suddenly missing Mother Agatha was also taken away by a vampire?" Amy whispered mysteriously, covering her mouth.

"Mother Agatha died a violent death too?" Little girl Barbara''face turned white.

"Don''t say such terrifying things! Just listen to me continue," Daisy cleared her throat and went on, "The best part is yet to come!"