Under an overcast sky, on a night lit only by the faint glow of the moon, Mirai and Hikari arrived in the remote province. The wind howled through the trees, their creaking harmonizing with the sounds of nocturnal animals, sending a shiver down the spine. The air was cold and harsh, and Mirai felt a chill run through her, making her grip her sword tighter.

  They entered the village slowly. The houses were deserted, their windows shattered, the scattered glass reflecting the moonlight with a sharp glint. It was as if life had abandoned this place long ago. The echo of their footsteps was starkly clear in the narrow streets, adding to a sense of isolation and danger that made breathing heavier. Hikari looked around cautiously and whispered, "According to the reports, this is where the vampire was last seen."

  Mirai, who was carefully scanning the area, replied in a quiet voice, "I have some knowledge of vampires. They are cautious and don't show themselves easily." She felt something deep inside her—a mix of anxiety and challenge.

  Hikari hesitated for a moment before asking curiously, "By the way, have you ever fought one before?"

  Mirai glanced at him. "Yes. One of my classmates at the academy was a vampire from the nobility. Their power was... different. My immunity to magic was useless against them. They can use real blood to attack—a physical force that no magic barrier can stop. They are calm by nature, but there is a faction that becomes aggressive if they don't have enough blood."

  "What kind of blood do they drink?" Hikari asked. "Do they drink the blood of monsters or demons?"

  "Only a very small faction does," Mirai answered thoughtfully. "And they are considered criminals even among their own kind. Over the years, the nature of vampires has changed. Many of them have found ways to coexist without needing to drink blood. They developed new methods of survival to avoid their inner conflict."

  She added, "The Golden Dragon of Wisdom was the main reason for the great change. After the war against Astra, vampires were prisoners to a curse of thirst that kept them in constant conflict with themselves and others. The dragon didn't force anything on them; instead, she offered them profound knowledge of spiritual energy. She taught them how to convert that energy into an alternative source of sustenance, and it changed their destiny."

  Hikari looked at her, impressed. "That's amazing. I never knew any of this. But if the dragon changed the vampires, why have I never heard about it? We humans believe they are all dangerous and savage."

  Mirai smiled faintly, looking up at the cloudy sky. "That's natural. The planet was divided into three regions a long time ago, and after that division, communication between humans and other races diminished. The dragon offered her wisdom to the vampires long after this separation, when the isolation between the regions was already entrenched. And in human lands, the fear of vampires has persisted for centuries. It's hard to change that fear, especially with the continuing threat from the faction that couldn't overcome its thirst."

  Hikari nodded in understanding. "I see... that makes sense." Still, a hint of worry remained in his eyes, a shadow of his concern about the true danger of the mission before them.

  The two advanced slowly through the abandoned village. The dense trees cast heavy shadows, and the air grew strangely thick, making it harder to breathe. Mirai sensed they were being watched. Her heart rate quickened slightly, but her expression remained calm as she held her sword, ready. In the middle of the square, they stopped abruptly. From the shadows, a tall figure emerged, his skin pale and his eyes glowing crimson, sending a chill through the air.

  He wore a tattered black cloak whose edges swayed with the strong wind. There was something terrifying and unnatural about his presence that made the air around him feel heavier.

  He extended a hand toward them and spoke in a quiet voice. "Leave."

  Hikari stood behind Mirai as she drew a dagger from her kimono and transformed it into a sword that shone with a sharp glint. She took a step forward, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Try not to die too quickly."

  The vampire sighed, as if what he heard was no surprise. "Don't blame me for your own death," he said in a cold voice. Suddenly, dark red blood surged from the ground in a spiral. He clenched his fist and declared:

  "Blood Swords."

  The blood rapidly formed into sharp swords. As he lowered his hand, the swords shot toward Mirai with blinding speed, tearing through the air around them.

  But as soon as the swords reached her, everything stopped. They didn't pierce her; they slammed against an invisible barrier with the sound of clashing metal. The vampire gasped, his calm expression shifting to shock as he took a step back.

  "What is this...?" he whispered, his eyes wide.

  Before he could process what had happened, Mirai vanished. In a fraction of a second, she reappeared behind him, her sword aimed swiftly at his neck. But with unexpected agility, he leaped aside, miraculously dodging the attack, feeling the wind from the blade graze his skin.

  "Incredible speed..." he breathed, "but you won't defeat me that easily."

  He began launching more attacks, a barrage of blood swords targeting Mirai, shaking the ground beneath her. But every attack hit the invisible barrier and dissipated with a shattering sound. His eyes shone with anxiety; every attempt to hit her was futile, and sweat beaded on his brow.

  While his attacks shattered against her barrier, Mirai pressed her own assault. Her movements were silent and swift, and with each step she drew closer. Each of her strikes came dangerously close, making his heart pound wildly. He kept dodging her blows, but soon felt exhaustion creeping into his body, weighing down his limbs.

  Frustration flickered in his eyes. He leaped back, raising both hands as a thick, crimson mist began to pour from him, shrouding the square in a bloody fog that obscured all sight. A chilling pressure filled the air. "You cannot dodge what you cannot see!" he yelled. From within the mist, dozens of blood swords shot out, no longer from a single direction, but from all angles simultaneously.

  Mirai remained perfectly still within the swirling fog, seemingly unconcerned. The blood swords hammered against her invisible barrier from every direction, creating a deafening cacophony of metallic clangs that echoed through the square. For the first time, the barrier showed a sign of strain. Thin, spiderweb-like cracks of light appeared in the air around her with each impact, spreading with every sword that struck. The pressure was immense, but the barrier held, refusing to shatter.

  But Mirai's attention wasn't on the cracking shield. Her eyes were closed, her expression calm as she filtered out the noise of the impacts. She was listening for something else—the faint, rhythmic pulse of blood being controlled, the soft shift of his footing on the cobblestones. Amidst the chaos, she heard it. In that fraction of a second, she pinpointed his location.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  She exploded forward, bursting through the fog like a phantom. The vampire, who was concentrating all his power on overwhelming her defense, had no time to react. He tried to raise a defensive wall of blood, but it was too slow, too weak. The toll of using so much power against her shield was already showing. Finally, a blow landed. Mirai's sword pierced his guard, and the vampire stumbled back, falling to his knees. He clutched the wound, which began to bleed profusely, the warmth of his blood seeping through his fingers. He breathed heavily as he looked up at Mirai, who was advancing slowly toward him, her sword still dripping with blood.

  "Who are you, exactly?" the vampire said, gasping for breath. "It's rare to find a barrier that can stop that attack."

  "You are no ordinary vampire," Mirai said. "That wasn't a magic spell, but a true attack made of blood. If those swords had hit me directly, I would have been finished. Only a few vampires can master it to that extent." She asked him, "By any chance, are you of the Moon Nobility?"

  The vampire's eyes widened in astonishment. "How could a human know about them?"

  "Your presence here indicates that you are an outcast," Mirai stated.

  "Answer my question," the vampire demanded. "The Moon Nobles are a special group of vampires. Even in the demon territories, their name is not widely known."

  Mirai transformed her sword back into a dagger and returned it to her kimono. She turned to Hikari. "Would you please heal his injury?"

  Hikari didn't hesitate, moving toward the vampire. He stood before him and began to heal the wound, feeling the restorative energy flow from his hands.

  The vampire stood up, surprised by what was happening, holding his now-healing wound. "Who are you two?" he asked them.

  "Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking for others' names?" Mirai retorted.

  "My name is Revan," the vampire answered, "and I am a former member of the Moon Nobility."

  "My name is Mirai," she said. "The former princess of the Kingdom of Arximor."

  Upon hearing this, Revan took a step back in disbelief. "You're the one who killed the Demon King Zakai. I can't believe I'm meeting you here. So that's how you know about us. Scarlett spoke of you often."

  "Since you know that," Mirai said, "it means you left the demon territories recently."

  "That's right," Revan replied. "I left about five months ago. I don't intend to go into the details." He then asked her, "What brings you to this place?"

  "I accepted a mission to eliminate you," Mirai answered simply.

  "Really? Wait, what? You work for humans?" Revan said, a look of pity on his face. "I can't believe you've stooped to this level."

  "And what about you?" Mirai countered. "What are you doing here?"

  "Well, I'm an outcast with nowhere to go," Revan said. "I stayed in this abandoned place to rest and live quietly, but foolish humans keep coming to attack me for no reason, making my days heavier."

  "Living alone in a dump?" Mirai said with a pitying look of her own. "Have you stooped to this level?"

  "At least I don't work for humans," Revan retorted.

  "Fine, let's move on," Mirai said. "You have two choices. The first is to be killed here. The second is to leave this kingdom and never return."

  "Fine, fine," Revan said. "I was planning on leaving anyway. The humans have been a nuisance, and I'm tired of it."

  "Before you go," Mirai said, "I want to ask you something."

  "What is it?" Revan asked.

  "What happened in the demon territories last year? Were there any wars, disputes, or anything of the sort?"

  "No," Revan answered. "As far as I know, nothing happened. But there was a rumor that spread like wildfire across all the demon kingdoms. It was about the Demon Queen, Iris."

  "Iris became queen?" Mirai asked.

  "Yes," Revan confirmed. "And the rumors about her are that she plans to wage war on the Demon King, Neutras."

  "Really?" Mirai was surprised. "I find that impossible. Iris isn't a fool. Neutras could erase her with a single spell, no matter how powerful she has become. Even I, at my full strength, could never defeat him."

  "Word is that Neutras is ill and bedridden," Revan explained. "That he hasn't been able to leave his bed. It makes the rumors all the more dangerous."

  "So that's how it is," Mirai said. She then asked, "Listen, my younger brother declared war on Iris. Do you know what happened after that?"

  "You mean Prince Darius?" Revan replied. "All I know is that he has remained hidden and hasn't appeared since. No one knows where he is."

  Mirai took a step back, thinking. "Thank you for the information," she said quietly. "You've clarified a lot for me."

  Revan smiled faintly. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye." He raised his hand in a slight wave, then turned slowly and began to walk away, his steps heavy as if he carried the weight of a world on his shoulders.

  Mirai watched him go, a strange feeling growing inside her. It was a sense of curiosity about him, making her follow him with her eyes until he disappeared.

  "Shall we go now?" Hikari asked. "Yes, let's head back," Mirai replied.

  The two turned and started walking toward the city. A heavy silence hung between them for some time as they walked. Hikari finally broke it, his tone curious. "Mirai, who was that person?"

  "He's a vampire of noble blood," Mirai answered, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. "There is a class of vampires called the Moon Nobility. They possess immense abilities and have complete control over spiritual energy."

  "So Revan doesn't need to drink blood?" Hikari asked.

  "Correct," Mirai said. "What makes them so powerful is that their attacks use real blood. This means that if someone were hit by their attacks, they wouldn't be protected, even if they had absolute immunity to magic."

  "That's incredible," Hikari said in awe. "You defeated him so easily, as if he were nothing."

  "Actually, I'm surprised by that," Mirai said. "Revan was fighting me as if he were using only a tiny fraction of his power. I told you before that one of my classmates was a vampire from the Moon Nobility. Their true power isn't easily hidden. Even your barrier, Hikari, could be easily shattered by them. But Revan was incredibly weak, for some reason."

  Silence fell between them again as they continued their journey back to the city, their footsteps echoing in the night.

  ***

  The two arrived at the Guild headquarters. The atmosphere was calm, and daylight streamed into the building, making the walls seem warmer. Upon entering, they found Saito waiting for them, standing steadfastly.

  "So," Saito said, looking at them. "Have you completed the mission?"

  "Yes, we took care of it," Mirai answered nonchalantly.

  Saito raised an eyebrow. "And where is the proof? The head, or something else we can present to verify the mission's completion?"

  Mirai sighed and said without a hint of interest, "Go to the place yourselves. You won't find any trace of him."

  Saito looked at her skeptically but decided not to argue. "Very well. The important thing is that the mission is done." He then handed a black necklace with red lines to Mirai. "This necklace proves that you are S-rank."

  Mirai took the necklace without interest. Afterward, she and Hikari turned and left the Guild without another word. They walked together down the long road leading to their new destination, leaving the city, the Guild, and the finished mission behind them, the weight of the day gradually lifting.

  (To be continued)

  (A preview of the next chapter...)

  The sky was heavy with clouds, and a cold wind swept through the mountain valleys surrounding the temple. Dry leaves swirled in the air. Iris walked with steady steps along the stone path leading to the temple gate. She pushed the heavy iron gate, which protested with a sharp creak. Inside, the silence was unnatural, as if time itself had stood still.

  As Iris entered the stone courtyard within the temple, she paused. The air was strangely serene. In the middle of the courtyard, a simple-looking old woman sat at a small wooden table, an old teapot in her hand.

  Iris advanced with measured steps, her eyes watching the woman cautiously. "You..." she said softly, showing no surprise at the situation.

  The old woman looked up with a faint smile, as if she had been expecting this very moment.

  "Right on time," the old woman said in a calm voice.

  Iris did not hesitate. "You know why I'm here."

  The old woman nodded, showing no sign of surprise. Instead, she gestured quietly to the empty chair opposite her. "Won't you sit? Let us have some tea and talk."

  There was no threat in her voice, only an extraordinary calm. Although the situation was unexpected, Iris was not surprised. She knew things would not be ordinary here. She sat in silence, her eyes never leaving the old woman.

  The old woman filled a cup with tea and placed it before Iris. Then she said in a quiet voice, "I have already seen everything. All that is to come." She lifted her own cup and took a small sip, as if this were all just a conversation between friends.

  Iris glanced at the cup before her for a moment, then raised her eyes to the woman sitting across from her. "Your composure tells me you have made much use of the Eye of the Unknown, Golden Dragon of Wisdom," Iris said, her tone perfectly even.

  (Next week: Chapter 30 - Aurelia)