54: Chapter 54 The Vampire Countess

The woman's golden hair was cut very short, clinging neatly to her scalp.

Her features were so exquisite they didn't look real—a high, straight bridge of the nose, thin lips, and a pair of gray-blue eyes currently fixed on him.

She wore a black velvet gown with a very low neckline, revealing her pale collarbones and chest.

Around her neck was a ruby necklace; the gemstone was absurdly large, gleaming with a blood-like light under the dim, yellowed lamps.

Her posture was very relaxed.

As if this were her own living room.

As if the creature that just died wasn't a bat monster, but merely an annoying fly.

Shaun Black stood where he was, unmoving.

Madison was behind him, equally stunned.

The woman looked at Shaun... staring straight at him for three seconds.

Then, she laughed softly.

The smile was light and faint, but Shaun saw what was inside it... interest.

Pure, unmasked interest.

Then the woman opened her mouth and said, "Shaun."

Shaun's hand tightened slightly... he asked in surprise, "You know me?"

The woman picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

"I've heard of you," she said. "There haven't been many interesting things happening in New Orleans lately, and you count as one."

She set the glass down and stood up.

Her movements were slow and elegant.

As if every frame could be made into a film.

She walked up to Shaun.

Very close.

So close that Shaun could smell her perfume.

Not some cheap perfume, but a kind of ancient, complex fragrance mixed with a hint of the scent of blood.

She looked into Shaun's eyes.

Those gray-blue eyes were bottomless, and she immediately introduced herself: "Elizabeth, Elizabeth Johnson."

In Shaun's mind, the golden book opened automatically.

【New Character Unlocked: Elizabeth Johnson】

【Source: American Horror Story: Hotel】

On the page, a portrait was slowly emerging, identical to the woman before him, only in the painting she wore a more magnificent dress, and the background was a classical-style hall.

Shaun's pupils constricted slightly.

Elizabeth Johnson, The Countess.

The vampire from American Horror Story: Hotel who had lived for over a century.

【Character Profile】

Name: Elizabeth Johnson (The Countess)

Source: American Horror Story: Hotel

Status: Alive (and living well)

Current Location: New Orleans, Underground (Temporarily)

Danger Level: Extreme (A vampire who has lived for over a century, kills without blinking, but values style)

Favorability: 20/100 (She thinks you are "a bit interesting," which is very dangerous)

【Character Introduction】

Elizabeth Johnson, who calls herself The Countess, is in reality a socialite from the 1920s who was later turned into a vampire.

She has lived for nearly a century, having seen countless people die and having personally caused countless deaths.

She is elegant, cold, and pursues beauty and art to the extreme.

She doesn't kill out of hunger, but out of boredom.

Her Abilities: Vampire physiology, including speed, strength, Self-Healing, and immortality. Also, that irresistible aura of charm.

Her Weakness: She is too lonely. Having lived too long and seen too much, very little can interest her anymore. She collects art, collects lovers, collects everything "beautiful," then grows tired of it, and then discards it.

【Special Note】

Elizabeth was originally not interested in you.

A regular cop who recently made a little noise in New Orleans; she has seen this kind of thing many times.

But she heard some things.

Heard that you awakened some kind of power at Hill Manor.

Heard that the Old Hag, Fiona Goode, has taken an interest in you.

This made her a little curious.

So she came today.

Not to kill that old man, although that was her original intention.

Not to kill that disgusting bat monster, although she just felt that the bat monster was a bit useless now.

Just to see you.

To see what exactly is so special about you.

Now she has seen it.

And... she is somewhat interested.

Favorability +20.

【Congratulations to the host for learning the skill: Charm (Beginner)】

【Beginner Charm】

Type: Active Skill

Effect: When you converse with a target, there is a certain probability of making the other party feel that "you are a bit interesting."

Not love, not desire, but curiosity.

Making the other party want to continue listening to you, wanting to know more about you, wanting to see what exactly is so special about you.

Note: Elizabeth has lived for over a century, having seen countless people go weak in the knees, curry favor, and fawn before her. She is long tired of it.

But you are different. You didn't retreat, you didn't hide, you even dared to question her. This makes her feel... fresh.

This is not magic; this is personal charisma. Or rather, it is a "fearless temperament."

...

Shaun looked at those lines of text and took a deep breath.

He raised his head and looked at Elizabeth, showing no fear, and instead asked about one thing: "White, that police officer."

Upon hearing this, Elizabeth's eyebrows twitched slightly.

She didn't speak, just listened as Shaun continued: "Did you kill him?"

Elizabeth looked at him.

There was no fluctuation in those gray-blue eyes...

No, it should be said there was a hint of appreciation, and instead she asked: "Which White are you asking about?"

Shaun continued to stare at her: "Joseph White. A police officer from the Fifth Precinct. He died in an alley two weeks ago."

Elizabeth was silent for a second.

Then she smiled; the smile was beautiful, and also very cold.

She said: "That police officer, yes, I remember."

Seeing Elizabeth openly admit it, Shaun's expression immediately turned cold: "Did you kill him?"

Elizabeth walked back to the sofa and sat down again.

She picked up the wine glass and gave it a gentle swirl.

"Kill?" She repeated the word, her tone carrying a bit of playfulness. "Yes and no."

"He came to see me—not to see me, but to find the Colombians. He wanted to investigate the treasure, and the Colombians introduced him to me."

Elizabeth paused as she spoke, then added: "I quite liked him."

Shaun frowned, indicating he didn't quite understand, and couldn't help but ask again: "Liked?"

Elizabeth nodded: "Yes! He had ambition, he had desire, he wasn't afraid of death. People like that are rare."

"He even gave me a lot of jewelry, heh... although it was all cheap stuff."

So that was it!

Who would have thought that the jewelry White bought was actually to curry favor with a vampire Countess!

Elizabeth didn't care about Shaun's shocked state, slowly set down the wine glass, and continued: "I had originally intended to turn him into a vampire."

"But there was a bit of an accident, that thing..."

Elizabeth glanced at the bat monster on the ground: "It was too hungry, and I wasn't watching."

Her tone was very flat, just like she was saying "the weather is nice today," without caring in the slightest about Shaun's expression.

"It drained that police officer's blood; by the time I noticed, it was too late."