Lina crouched low behind a row of stone pillars, her eyes locked on Theodore as he walked side by side with Lucien Vespera. Her cheeks were puffed in frustration, but her gaze carried something softer—an undeniable fondness for her older brother.
Theo is too cute, too kind… too trusting, she thought. I have to make sure no one suspicious gets near him.
Her eyes narrowed at Lucien, who looked perfectly calm, her pale skin glowing faintly beneath the sun, her silver hair cascading like moonlight, and her crimson eyes impossible to miss.
She's not normal… not just an elf. Something about her feels… wrong.
---
In the depths of the Dark Continent…
The Demon Lord stood above a blackened pool, his claws stained with strange fluids. Countless mutated fish writhed and gasped within cages of bone. His eyes gleamed with cruelty.
"Soon…" he whispered, lowering one of the twisted creatures into the pool. "Soon you will be the key to stirring my ancient rival… the Leviathan slumbering in the abyss."
A tremor rippled through the waters as though something far below had stirred.
---
The world above was no calmer.
The war between the Snow Continent and both the Green and Red Continents raged hotter than ever. The Red Queen, Liliane Vespera, sat upon her crimson throne, fury burning in her scarlet gaze.
"That disgusting Snow Elf King… his lust for power, for my people… I will never forgive him." Her voice trembled with restrained wrath.
Even so, whispers followed her: her bloodline stretched further than the Red Continent. Somewhere beyond her rule, her cousin and her sister still lived—women with silver hair, crimson or dark red eyes depending on their age, and long pointed ears. Elven in features… but carrying the pale, haunting beauty of true Vespera blood.
---
Back at the academy…
Theodore and Lucien strolled leisurely toward class. As always, they had eaten together by the green garden, and Theo's smile was brighter than ever. He looked up at her with innocent curiosity.
"Hey, Lucien," Theodore asked softly.
"What is it, Theo?" she replied, glancing down at him with a gentle smile.
"Are you an elf? If you are, does that mean we'll still be friends… even after a thousand years? Even after we graduate from the academy?"
Lucien blinked, taken aback by his words. Then she chuckled softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Well… yes, of course. I'll always be your friend."
Theo's eyes sparkled. "Yay! We'll be friends forever!"
---
Lina, still spying, clenched her fists. She knew better. Elves lived long—up to nine hundred years naturally. Elders could endure for twelve hundred. And the rarest among them… fourteen hundred years.
But Lucien's presence was different. Her pale skin. Her crimson eyes. Her beauty that seemed timeless. Lina's instincts screamed at her—this girl wasn't an elf at all. She was something far older… far more dangerous.
Amethyst chose that moment to sneak up behind Lina and Crystal. With a mischievous grin, he whispered:
"You know… vampires eat children. Once they grab you, they'll never let go."
Crystal shrieked and covered her mouth, while Lina froze, her imagination already running wild.
But Mikaela rolled her eyes and smacked Amethyst's arm. "Stop scaring them, idiot! Vampires don't just hunt children. They don't interfere unless provoked. But if someone dares to start a war with the Red Continent… then yes, they'll come out. And when they do, they won't spare anyone."
Lina's eyes widened, her suspicions boiling over. Lucien wasn't just any elf—she might actually be a vampire.
---
As if sensing her unease, Lucien suddenly paused. Her crimson eyes flickered sharply, turning toward the shadows where Lina hid.
She smiled faintly. "Theo, come with me. Let me show you the green garden. It's more beautiful than you've ever seen before."
Theo nodded eagerly, unaware of the tension. The two walked off together, leaving Lina trembling with doubt, her suspicions stronger than ever.
End of Chapter 48