Chapter 78: Nothing but Chaos

"I truly admire how you manage to control your cravings these days," Ares said quietly, stirring his glass of blood wine. He and Nikolai were situated on a high balcony overlooking the castle grounds, which seamlessly connected to a lush garden. From their vantage point, they could see the dragon and the phoenix in the garden, engaged in animated conversation and pointing towards the cloudy sky. Tracking their movements was hardly a challenge for Nikolai. His acute sense allowed him to hear Ophelia’s heartbeat clearly, and Ares’ intense attraction to the phoenix was equally noticeable. The sight of them together was a surprise. "Such a compassionate blood merchant," Nikolai remarked, playing with a small knife between his long fingers. Ares frowned slightly. "Blood merchant?" Nikolai raised an eyebrow, his crimson eyes twinkling with casual amusement. "How else should I address you?" Ares shook his head, his red eyes showing visible displeasure. "To avoid escalating tensions, I p