The sound of birds chirping filled the mansion, the sunlight streaming in as bright as ever. Though the morning seemed ordinary, it troubled Arvard slightly. He sat on a couch, flipping through a magazine with faint disinterest when a knock came at the door.
"Come in," Arvard called out, raising his voice.
Biltus entered, carrying a large black suitcase in his left hand.
"You can sit," Arvard said, tossing the magazine aside.
Biltus nodded and took a seat across from him, gently placing the suitcase on the table.
"What's this?" Arvard asked.
"Just the essentials," Biltus replied, opening the case. He began laying items out: "A smartphone, wristwatch, smartwatch, tablet, credit and debit cards, some cash, a new wallet, school uniforms, and casual clothes—"
"Hhh," Arvard sighed, cutting him off. "Listen, Biltus. I'll be staying at a hostel near Eleena. Take everything there."
Biltus blinked in protest. "My prince, I can't allow you to live in such a small place—"
"I don't take orders, Biltus," Arvard said sharply. "And I want to be near her. Understood?"
Biltus lowered his head. "Yes, I apologize. I'll arrange a room. But, my lord, what about your hair and eyes?"
Arvard smirked. "You think today's kids will recognize me?"
"They should," Biltus replied. "They study your history—your search for the Moon's secret. Your books are in the library."
Arvard picked up the phone box and smiled faintly. "Then I'll change my hair. But nothing more."
"If you wish, I could tell Alfred—my great-grandson—about your return. He could help you," Biltus offered hesitantly.
"Nah," Arvard muttered. "We'll see about that later."
He handed the phone box to Biltus, then walked toward the large mirror in the room, holding a rosary with a red gem in his hand. As he wore it around his neck, a brilliant crimson light surrounded him like an aura. Biltus shielded his eyes from the sudden glow.
When he opened them, he saw his prince transformed—Arvard's hair was now shorter and jet black, contrasting with his still-sparkling crimson eyes. He adjusted his school uniform: a white-cream blazer over a matching shirt, a black tie, and black pants.
"How do I look, Biltus? Would anyone guess I'm a 1,100-year-old blood-sucking vampire?" Arvard asked with a faint smirk, straightening his tie.
"You look great, master… but those rings…" Biltus said.
"Problem with them?" Arvard asked, glancing at his fingers.
"They're not allowed in school, but I'm sure they'd make an exception—"
"No exceptions. I'll take them off, except this one," he said, slipping off all but a single black ring with an orange gem. The ring glowed faintly, as if speaking to him.
"I know," Arvard whispered to it.
"Pardon?" Biltus asked, confused.
"Send everything to my hostel room. Especially this box," Arvard said, handing over the one holding the rosary. "It's… dangerous."
"As you wish," Biltus said, placing it back into the suitcase.
One Hour Later
Arvard stood before the grand gates of the Ampher Institution for Learning, his new school. It occupied the second-largest island in the Ampher Isles, sprawling across the land like a fortress of modern education. Three massive buildings formed a U-shape around a central garden, while the boys' and girls' dorms sat near the beach, hidden from each other by an old cliff. A dozen other structures—including a mini-hospital—dotted the landscape.
Arvard took a deep breath. "Looks like a beautiful day to meet again," he whispered, thinking of his beloved.
As he stepped onto the concrete path leading to the main building, surrounded by lush trees, he felt dozens of eyes on him. Students whispered and stared. The boys looked at him like he was a freak—those crimson eyes were unlike anything they'd seen. The girls, on the other hand, were instantly captivated by his mysterious aura and striking appearance.
Then, without warning, someone leapt into his arms.
His bag hit the ground as a pair of warm arms wrapped tightly around him. The scent, the softness, the pressure against his chest—it all felt achingly familiar.
"I missed you so much," said a soft voice, tears streaming from hazel eyes.
"I think you're mistaking me for someone else," Arvard replied, his tone flat but controlled.
The woman pulled away, brushing her long green hair back. "I'm sorry," she said.
"No problem," he replied, calmly picking up his bag. As he straightened up, he noticed how everyone around them had frozen, watching in awe.
She walked away. Arvard remained still for a moment, then continued walking as if nothing had happened. Slowly, the murmurs resumed, and the crowd dispersed.
A group of girls under a tree whispered excitedly.
"He's coming this way!" a brown-haired girl squealed.
Arvard walked toward them.
"Sorry to bother you," he said politely. "I'm new here. Can you tell me where to get my student ID and room key?"
The girls melted at the sound of his voice. After exchanging glances, a blonde girl with big brown eyes stepped forward.
"Of course!" she said. "For your ID, go to reception. Room keys are issued at the dorms."
Arvard sighed lightly, lowering his head in disappointment. The blonde girl clutched her friend's hand, flustered.
Then he smiled, a quiet, charming smile. "Thanks."
Their hearts stopped.
As he turned to leave, the blonde girl suddenly called out, "Wait!"
He turned back, eyebrows raised.
"I-I mean, we forgot to introduce ourselves!"
"Ah, pardon," Arvard said. "I forgot mine too. I'm Albert."
The girl with glasses whispered, "He's going to kill us—with that smile!"
The blonde girl stepped forward again. "I'm Sasha Polenk."
Arvard shook her hand, noting silently: Polenk family... she and the one beside her are vampires. The other two? Humans.
Within minutes, Arvard had made friends with a noble vampire, two regular vampires, and two humans.
"How about exchanging contacts?" Sasha asked, already surprised at her own boldness.
"Why not?" Arvard said, pulling out his sleek new smartphone.
The girls gasped.
"Isn't that the unreleased model?!" one whispered. "It's not out for two more months!"
"Is something wrong?" Arvard asked innocently, knowing full well Biltus had gone overboard again.
Sasha composed herself. "N-no, it's just… wow."
They exchanged emails. Sasha noticed his social accounts were new—with only six fake followers.
"These new?" she asked.
"Yeah. Starting everything from scratch," he said with a grin.
"Cool. New school, new ID," Sasha replied, smiling back.
As Arvard walked away, he thought, Making friends isn't as hard as it used to be. He remembered how humans once ran from him, tried to repel him with garlic or silver. The memory made him chuckle.
Then, a cold wind swept through.
He froze.
His heart pounded. Slowly, he turned his head to the right—and saw her.
She stood in the distance, just as he remembered her. Her black hair danced with the breeze that seemed to rise from nowhere.
Their eyes met, and time stopped.
They stared at each other the same way they once stared at the Moon.