Raven had been restless ever since he heard the truth—that his sister was still alive.
The knowledge refused to leave his mind. It clung to him like a shadow, heavy and suffocating. Of all the things he had imagined, this was the one truth he had never allowed himself to believe. For years, he had buried the thought of her existence, forcing himself to accept that she was gone forever. But now that the truth had surfaced, it was impossible to ignore.
He knew his mother too well.
She possessed a darkened soul, one that had long abandoned anything human. Love, compassion, mercy—those things meant nothing to her. Humans were nothing but tools in her eyes, objects to be used, twisted, and discarded when they no longer served her purpose.
If she had taken Siwoo, it was never out of protection or care.
It was strategy.
She would use the girl for her own advantage, just as she always did. That realization alone made Raven's chest tighten with a mix of anger and fear. If she had gone as far as hiding Siwoo all these years, then her plans were far deeper and far more dangerous than he imagined.
Raven walked slowly across the school field, his steps heavy, his thoughts racing. The grass bent beneath his feet as the wind brushed past him, but he barely noticed any of it. His mind was trapped in a storm of questions and realizations.
The reason his mother wanted Jina—why she had tried so desperately to turn her into an alpha vampire—now played clearly in his mind. It all made sense.
Jina was not just a random choice.
She was a key.
And now that his mother could no longer get her hands on Jina, Raven knew exactly what would happen next. She would turn her attention elsewhere. She would shift her plans.
A bitter laugh escaped his lips before he could stop himself.
"Of course," Raven muttered under his breath. "I know the kind of mother I have."
"She must be a very kind woman."
The voice came suddenly, soft but clear.
Raven stopped walking immediately.
He turned, already knowing who it was.
Soah stood a few steps away, smiling as usual, her hands resting loosely by her sides. She looked calm—too calm for someone who had appeared out of nowhere.
"My mother is very kind," Soah continued lightly. "She is a treasure to me. And I don't joke when it comes to her."
Raven stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Then he frowned.
"Why are you always around me?" he asked coldly. "What exactly do you want?"
Soah tilted her head slightly, her smile never fading.
"Someone with powers like yours," she said, "and you still haven't figured things out yet. That's what shocks me."
Raven narrowed his eyes.
"Figured out what?"
"To understand your powers," Soah replied casually. Then she laughed. "And maybe gently kill you."
She laughed again, as if she had just told a harmless joke.
Raven watched her quietly for a few seconds, then looked away, clearly unimpressed.
"Tell me about your mother," she said instead. "From what you just said, she must be kind."
Soah's smile softened as she look at raven
Raven turned back to her, his voice low.
"I don't have a mother," he said. "I never did."
He paused, then added, "And please, can you—"
"Hold on," Soah interrupted suddenly.
She walked toward the center of the field, her steps slow and deliberate. Raven watched her closely, every sense alert.
She stopped, staring down at the ground, then slowly lifted her head and turned back toward him.
"Do you see that?" she asked.
Raven remained calm.
"See what?"
Soah's eyes widened.
"Oh my," she whispered. "That golden ancient cup."
Raven reacted instantly.
"What?" he asked sharply, rushing toward her. "You see it?"
"Yes," Soah said quickly. "That cup. Hold on—let me bring it."
She closed her eyes.
The air shifted.
Before Raven could react, a violent force burst outward, like raging fire mixed with wind. The impact threw Soah backward. She slammed into the ground, her head hitting hard as she collapsed motionless.
"Soah!" Raven shouted.
He spun instantly toward the direction the force had come from.
And there she stood.
The woman.
His mother.
She stood calmly, her gaze deep and cold, fixed directly on him.
Raven walked slowly toward her, his fists clenched.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked quietly. "Mother."
"Don't call me that!" the woman snapped, turning away sharply.
She turned back to face him, her eyes burning.
"Haven't you achieved enough?" He demanded. "Or is your fantasy still incomplete?"
She stepped closer.
"You want all of this to end?" she asked, staring at him.
Raven moved closer too, a wicked smile forming on his lips. He said nothing.
"There are only four months left," she continued. "Four months to the haunting season. And you know what that means."
She laughed softly.
"And don't think Jina will succeed."
Her laughter grew darker.
"All I need is Jina's blood," she said. "Every drop of it. Once I have that, everything will end."
She leaned closer.
"And you will see your sister alive, healthy, and whole."
Raven smiled faintly.
"The devil always wants something in return," he said calmly. "Tell me—why do you really need her blood? To create something new? Something worse? Maybe this time, the devil itself?"
"Sae-byeok," Raven said coldly. "You are nothing but a devil."
She laughed and glanced briefly at Soah's unconscious body.
Then she turned back to Raven.
"I see you don't really want your sister alive," she said mockingly.
Raven's expression changed instantly.
"I've always known you're no lover of humans," he said. "You took my sister to fulfill your evil plans. But trust me—I will find her. And I will save her."
"It's too late," she replied with a smile. "Even if you find her, she will never accept you again."
Her expression hardened.
She pulled her cloak closer, covering her face.
Then, like a wave, she vanished into the air.
"What happened?"
Soah's voice broke the silence.
She slowly sat up, rubbing her head.
"Why am I here?"
Raven turned to her and walked closer.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes… I think so."
Soah extended her hand toward him.
"Help me get up."
Raven took her hand—and froze.
His grip tightened slightly as he stared at her palm, his expression changing completely.
He looked at Soah with a serious expression…