The shattered window was already covered by a temporary ward when the headmistress arrived.
She swept into the room without knocking, her robe swaying like the shadows of an unseen storm.
"I felt the surge of dark magic," she said, her sharp gaze scanning every corner. "And I assume the intruder was not invited in for tea?"
Celene stood at attention, sword at her side. "A rogue vampire. It knew about Airi."
That got the headmistress's full attention. She stepped forward, her voice turning colder. "Describe it."
Lys folded her arms. "Tall, lean, fast. Overconfident."
"And dangerous," Tusiko added. "It was strong enough to force us into defense. That's not something you see in common rogues."
Rena raised a hand lazily from her seat. "Also very rude. Didn't even compliment my barrier work."
The headmistress ignored her sarcasm, turning to Airi. "Did it speak to you directly?"
Airi nodded slowly. "It said something about my 'awakened charm'… and that it only needed one touch."
A flicker of something—concern? fear?—passed over the headmistress's face. She motioned for all of them to follow her.
They ended up in her private office, a place most students never saw. It was dimly lit, lined with towering bookshelves, and smelled faintly of parchment and something metallic.
The headmistress closed the door and set a lock spell with a single gesture. "You all deserve the truth."
Her gaze settled on Airi. "Your charm awakening is not simply a quirk of magical growth. In rare cases, the awakened carry a resonance—a signature—that certain creatures can sense from great distances. Vampires, especially those of higher bloodlines, find it irresistible."
Airi's stomach dropped. "So I'm… basically a beacon?"
"Yes," the headmistress said bluntly. "And this rogue vampire is not acting alone. It is part of a faction that believes capturing an awakened charm-bearer can amplify their own powers beyond natural limits. If they touch you directly, Airi, they could bind your essence to them."
Lys stepped forward, her jaw tight. "Then we keep her under guard. No one gets near her. Period."
Celene nodded firmly. "Agreed. We'll double our patrols and secure her quarters."
Tusiko glanced at the headmistress. "Is there a way to mask her presence?"
The headmistress's fingers tapped the desk slowly. "Possibly. But it would require a focus stone—one attuned to her unique resonance. Unfortunately, such a stone has been missing from the academy vault for decades."
"Let me guess," Rena said, "the rogue's faction probably has it."
The headmistress's silence was answer enough.
The weight of the revelation settled over them. The threat wasn't just persistent—it was personal now.
Airi stared down at her hands. "This… is my fault. If I weren't—"
"No," Celene cut in sharply. "This is not your fault. You didn't ask for this, and you're not alone in it."
Lys gave a small smirk. "Yeah. They want you? They're going through me first. And I hit a lot harder than they do."
Tusiko's voice was calm but edged with steel. "And I don't miss when I aim to kill."
Rena stretched like she'd just woken from a nap. "Plus, my barrier magic is fabulous. They can't touch you without eating a wall of light first."
For the first time since the fight, Airi smiled faintly. "You guys…"
The headmistress cleared her throat. "Sentiment aside, you will all need to train harder than ever. This vampire will not give up. If anything, tonight's failure will make it more desperate."
She placed a small crystal on the desk. It pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat. "This will alert me if the rogue comes within the academy's outer wards. Until then, you are not to be alone. Ever."
Celene accepted the crystal with a curt nod. "Understood."
As they left the office, the air outside felt heavier somehow. The halls seemed quieter, the shadows deeper.
The rogue vampire had failed tonight.
But everyone knew it would be back.
And next time, it wouldn't come alone.