Rosaria never expected Lumino to be so warm.
He had only been here for twelve hours, and already the vampires swarmed around him.
There was something limitless about his charm, a radiance that seemed endless. Yet as his eyes flickered toward her, hesitant, questioning, Rosaria could almost hear his unspoken thought:
Is it truly a good decision… for me to walk among them?
Meanwhile, Clementine had locked herself away in her chambers, leaving Rosaria with the task of showing Lumino around the nest.
But in truth, Rosaria's curiosity burned brighter than duty.
Ever since she had seen him with Clementine, she wondered, 'What did they talk about? Why does he follow her so willingly?'
Rosaria feared betrayal. She loved Clementine like blood, and she knew beneath her Queen's steel was a woman achingly lonely.
If he dares break her heart, Rosaria swore to herself, I won't hesitate.
"Rosa-san, is there something on my face?" Lumino asked with a soft smile.
"No. Nothing at all."
After the greetings, they returned to the mansion together. Rosalina greeted them, arms crossed firmly at her waist.
"Clementine has called for us," Rosalina said, eyes narrowing at Lumino with a sidelong glare. "Were you too busy entertaining this human?"
"Enough, Rosalina. I'm tired. Let's just go in." Rosaria brushed her aside.
The three of them entered the mansion and took their places among the twelve chairs. Claudius was already there, bandages wrapping his frame, his face still pale.
To me, he still looks like patient
Clementine began without ceremony. "We gather here to prepare for war."
"You mean to show absolute power," Derelia drawled with sarcasm, "I hear you want to summon Fenrir. If that's true, you'll need a vessel."
"Do you mean to involve this human?" Tivulin cut in sharply.
Clementine shook her head. "No. Not anymore. Our first priority is thinning their numbers… and taking back Ronovan."
"Half-hearted wars are meaningless," Rosalina snapped. "We should crush them all."
"We will honor Lumino's condition," Clementine said, her gaze flickering briefly toward him.
"Kael and Alira are not to be touched. We focus on Rodeo and Bandi's forces."
Her words stirred unrest. Murmurs rose from the vampires—discontent simmering.
"Of course," Clementine added, "if you attack them, the alliance ends instantly." She blinked once at Lumino.
Claudius groaned. "I'd rather not get beaten to a pulp again. I was a step away from crossing the river last time."
"They have Terasvari," Clementine warned, her voice sharp. "One of her strength is equal to two of our elders. She must be taken down first."
"I doubt they're eager for war in their current state," Orcha muttered.
"No," Clementine replied grimly. "Bandi isn't the type to give in. He'll twist and claw, use a thousand dirty tricks just to win."
Lumino lowered his gaze. "And Kael… I know him. He'll come at us with blind rage. Better to keep him away from me—I'm not sure I can bring myself to fight him."
"Then may I be entrusted with him, my lord?" Derelia's lips curved into a smile. "I'll make sure he never reaches you."
"For that, I'll have to wound him," she added, her eyes burning with worship.
"Do not let it be too severe," Lumino whispered.
"As you command, my lord…" Derelia smirked.
"Then," Clementine lifted her chin, "shall we begin our strike tomorr—"
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM!!
Explosions thundered outside. The mansion walls shook as the council leapt to their feet.
Through the scrying glass they saw him—Bandi, with werewolves already in their first phase—storming the nest at midnight.
"How did he—" Derelia's jaw fell open.
"That's Bandi," Clementine grinned, sharp and fearless. "That's exactly what I expected from you."
"Agusta, take him. Since they've moved first, I'll begin the ritual. Rosalina, Claudius—guard me."
"Agusta, Derelia, Oscar—lead the first line!"
"Don't order me around, damn it!" Derelia growled.
But Rosaria froze as she saw her.
That woman with short hair and golden eyes, still wearing her iconic white coat.
Alira.
She stood calmly at the edge of the warp gate.
So that's it, Rosaria thought. That's how they arrived so quickly, she make the gate with alchemist.
Her lips curled. She would not let the advantage stay theirs.
"This is Alira's doing. Clementine—let me deal with her. The warp gate will fall by my hand."
The chamber fell silent. Rosaria had never once volunteered for the front lines.
"Very well, sister." Clementine smiled faintly. "I leave her to you."
"I didn't expect Alira to still have so many tricks," Lumino muttered, his eyes drawn to her figure.
For a brief moment, their gazes locked across the battlefield.
The moment was shattered by a deafening crash above. The roof split apart as dust and stone rained down, three figures landing hard within the mansion's chamber.
Rosaria blinked through the haze—until she saw them.
"Lumino!" the man in the center roared. "You've waited long enough! Don't worry—your Kael is here to bring you back to your senses."
"K… Kael…" Lumino's voice broke, trembling.
No one expected the strike to come so recklessly, so impulsively. But Rosaria knew. Clementine knew.
This wasn't Bandi's idea, it's too barbaric.
Kael's grin spread wide, savage, ready. One hundred percent prepared to tear the world apart.
---------
One hour earlier…
"Damn it..." The curse escaped Kael's lips. "Still not done yet?"
Alira, clearly annoyed, retorted, "I'm just preparing the tactic you requested. Thanks to the book of ancient runes from Terasvari's room, I can make a warp gate. Besides, Bandi came up with most of this plan anyway, So why don't you just shut up and watch?"
Kael pouted, sulking. His thoughts were elsewhere.
If they delayed too long, Lumino would be persuaded even further by Clementine. That woman was dangerously good with words.
Rodeo stepped out from behind the curtains. "The werewolf forces who can march are ready. Whoa… is that the device?" He stared at the half-finished warp gate, where Alira was drawing runic circles around it.
"First time seeing one, huh? Even though this warp gate is single use, it'll stay open long enough for us to transport the troops over."
"As I expected, this girl's potential is extraordinary." Terasvari entered as well, eyes gleaming.
"It's thanks to your book," Alira admitted. "I can't imagine where you got it. The alchemist technology recorded in it is far too advanced."
"Well… you could say it came from an old friend. Once, there was a capsule full of such books—my friend Lola's belonging. I've been safeguarding her gift ever since."
"I see… Lady Terasvari has lived longer than I have, so I figured you'd know more. Was your friend also an alchemist?"
"I'm not sure… I never truly knew what she was. All I've done is guard her legacy for decades."
Alira nodded, satisfied with that explanation.
Meanwhile, Kael's attention drifted to a pile of unused books stacked in the corner. Curious, he began flipping through them—until a folded sheet slipped out.
It wasn't parchment. It wasn't a drawing.
It was… a photograph.
Kael froze, his eyes widening. Impossible. Cameras don't exist in Letruish.
But there it was, the faces of ten people captured on paper. there's two face with a familiarity, struck him like a blade.
"What is this?" he whispered.
"You're curious, aren't you?" Terasvari had suddenly appeared at his side.
Kael turned, startled. "How can you have—"
"What is that?" Alira cut in, peering over his shoulder. "Hey, hey, what is that?"
"It's called a photo," Terasvari explained calmly. "It can capture an image in real time. Surprised huh, traveler from another dimension? Surprised that I have one?"
Kael swallowed his questions. He told himself maybe it was only coincidence. Maybe the resemblance was a trick of fate.
"What are you hiding?" Bandi emerged from the next room, drawn by the commotion.
He and Rodeo both leaned in to see.
"There are ten people here…" Bandi's brow furrowed. Then his eyes widened. "Wait—that's Ronovan. And… you, Terasvari."
"You still looks the same." Terasvari make a face with a hint of smugness.
"And yet Ronovan become—" Alira muttered.
"Who's this one?" Rodeo jabbed a finger at a woman's face.
"Her name was Yujin." Terasvari's eyes flickered as she looked away.
"She looks like someone that I know," Bandi murmured.
"And these two..." Alira indicated a pair who seemed to cling to each other. "Ugh, I hate couples."
"They were dimension outsiders too," Terasvari said coolly. "But I never grew close to them. Their names were Alaric and Serina."
Thud.
Kael's heart lurched, a cold dread gripping his chest. Alaric. Serina. The names echoed in his mind, each syllable a sharp jab.
This couldn't be random. He'd never seen them, never known them in life, yet here they were, their faces clear, gazing back at him from the past.
'Even the names match... could the one in this picture truly my parents?'
"Kael," Alira frowned at him. "You've looked upset ever since—"
"Where are they now?" Kael demanded, his voice sharper than intended.
Terasvari's expression darkened. She seemed reluctant, almost pained. "…Some left. Some died. Some… are still alive."
The room fell silent.
Bandi and Alira exchanged an uneasy glance, while Rodeo's eyes remained fixed on another figure in the photo.
"This one… he looks like me." Rodeo tapped the image.
"Ah… Garou." Terasvari's tone shifted.
"Should I even allowed to say this? He was Geraldine's elder brother. Your biological father."
"What?"
"Let me see." Alira snatched the photo. She gasped. "She's right. They look identical. Like two halves of the same coin."
"Wait, wait, this is too sudden. My father was Geraldine—why are you suddenly saying—" Rodeo's words choked off. Anger surged into his eyes.
"Forget it. I need to check the troops." He stormed out, fists clenched.
"Rodeo, wait! Why are you angry—" Bandi hurried after him.
"Hmph… my focus is being pulled away." Alira shoved the photo back at Kael and returned to carving sigils for the warp gate.
Terasvari lingered, eyes fixed on a woman standing near her own likeness in the photograph.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Seraphine…"
"Can I keep this?" Kael asked quietly. He reached out. "It looks like you've been hiding it away… as if you don't want to see it."
"You're right." Terasvari's lips pressed thin. "There's one face I can't bear to look at. That woman… I swore I'd kill her. And yet… I never could."
Kael lowered his gaze. For him, the photo was painful too—but for different reasons. It was proof that ghosts of the past still haunted this world.
"Take it." Terasvari pressed the photo into his hands.
Kael carefully tucked it beneath his coat.
"One more thing," he said after a pause. "How did they all end up in Letruish? Those outsiders?"
"As I suspected, you'd ask that. They were guardians of ancient relics—artifacts so dangerous they threatened multiple dimensions."
"…Like the Orb Eternum."
"Exactly. But not just that. Some of them left, answering a distress signal from another coordinate. They boarded a capsule and never returned. The rest stayed behind… and eventually met their end."
"And those who stayed… they must've been the ones who carried the Red Orb Eternum, and these books." Kael's voice was low.
"Yes. More or less." Terasvari gave a knowing smile. "You're quite the curious one, aren't you?"
But Kael didn't answer. His mind was already spiraling, drowning in shadows of the past. Memories of when Shadow had first drawn near. Memories of losing someone irreplaceable.
---
"Is everyone ready?" Alira shouted, her voice carrying over the roar of the Warp Gate.
"Then let's begin the assault!"
The gate pulsed with a blinding glow, a shimmering circle of unstable magic. Alira grinned with satisfaction at her own creation.
"Stick to the plan," Bandi ordered firmly.
"Then let's go," Kael answered with a sharp, determined tone.
One by one, they passed through the gate. Just as Bandi had planned, every werewolf carried a small vial of Alira's explosive potion. The signal came the moment Bandi hurled his first.
Boom!
The ground shook violently as flames erupted, and in an instant, other werewolves took their positions, hurling potions toward the vampire stronghold.
Alira remained at the gate, eyes glowing faintly as the vision-enhancing potion surged through her veins. She raised a small, crystal-imbued device to her ear—her handmade communicator.
"I see him,"
she whispered, eyes narrowing as her gaze locked on Lumino's silhouette framed behind the mansion's glass window. "He's inside the mansion."
"Then let's begin the real attack," Kael's voice came through the device, sharp and eager.
Alira raised her hands, weaving sigils in the air. "Opening a point above the mansion's roof!"
Another portal ripped open, glowing fiercely. From it leapt Rodeo, Kael, and Terasvari.
"You didn't think about landing, did you?" Rodeo barked midair.
"Who needs to land? Just break through!" Terasvari yelled back, her fists already glowing.
CRASH—SLASH—BOOM!
The trio tore through the roof—Kael's blade split tiles, Terasvari's punch shattered beams, and Rodeo's claws and hybrid tail ripped through what remained. They landed hard, but steady, inside the mansion's main hall.
"Lumino!!" Kael's grin stretched wide as his eyes locked onto the familiar figure among the vampires. "Were you waiting long? Your Kael has come to bring you back to your senses."
"K-Kael?"
Lumino's face froze, emotions flickering across his eyes. But before he could step forward, Derelia swiftly moved in front of him, her stance protective.
"Step back, my lord. I will shield you."
'Who the hell is she?' Kael's jaw tightening.
"Terasvari? As I suspected, you've sided with the werewolves," Claudius sneered from across the hall.
"Hah. You're half-dead already, Claudius. Are you sure you can even stand, let alone fight?" Terasvari shot back, fists glowing with energy.
"Clementine! I came here to tear you apart!" Rodeo roared, pointing a clawed finger at her.
"Not now, Rodeo," Clementine answered coolly, though her lips curled into an amused smile. "But I must admit, you all are quick."
"Take my hand, Clementine," Lumino said suddenly. His voice was firm, commanding. Before she could even argue, his hand forced hers to meet Claudius's.
"Wait—Lumino!" Kael shouted, lunging forward. But in a blink, the three of them vanished—teleported.
"F*ck!" Kael cursed, teeth bared.
Before he could process the loss, Derelia lunged at him, claws sharp and merciless.
At the same time, Agusta charged Rodeo, while Rosalina and Oscar intercepted Terasvari.
The room exploded into chaos.
Kael twisted his body, dodging Derelia's first slash, but she disappeared from sight in the very next instant.
'Where did she go?!'
A crushing force slammed into him from the side. Kael barely managed to raise his sword in time, blocking, though the impact hurled him across the hall.
He staggered, scanning left and right, unable to track her movements.
"System!" he barked.
[Welcome back, Hunter Kael.]
"Auto-pilot."
[Activating auto-pilot.]
Clang!
Derelia reeled back, her arm sliced open by an unseen counter.
Her eyes widened. 'How—?'
From the haze of smoke and debris, Kael emerged, his eyes glowing an unnatural blue, steps unnervingly precise.
[Commencing auto-pilot combat sequence.]
"What!?" Derelia spat in disbelief. She activated her phasing ability again, her body flickering out of sight as she struck from every angle.
[Recommended passive skill: Intimidation.]
[Applicable against shadow-based enemies.]
[Condition met. Activation successful.]
A sudden oppressive aura burst from Kael, freezing Derelia mid-phase.
[Initiating vampire extermination sequence.]
[Recommended skill: Wind Blade: Yurim.]
"Perfect. Let's use it."
Kael's body moved in flawless synchrony with the system.
His blade shone with lightning as he swung in precise arcs, cutting through Derelia's unseen strikes. Sparks flared each time steel met claw until at last his blade found flesh—throwing her backward violently.
"Wha—what the hell is this?" Lullaby gasped, eyes wide as Derelia's body slammed near her.
"Derelia?!"
Derelia's eyes were bloodshot with rage.
"How?! What trick are you playing at, bastard?!" she screamed, aura bursting violently as she prepared to enter her Second Phase.
From the side, Lullaby's gaze locked on Kael. His eyes glowing blue, his calculated yet inhuman movements, like being controled. She didn't bear to look at his gaze. she shivered.
Each step he took dripped with killing intent, radiating like a storm.
[Detected massive energy surge from vampire opponent.]
"Deactivate auto-pilot," Kael growled.
[Auto-pilot disengaged.]
Though the light faded, his smile persisted, both cruel and unwavering. His eyes become silver again.
"So… you think that little trick of yours can still scare me?" His voice was low, dangerous. His blade hummed with static.
"Keep dreaming, you vampire scum."