In the blink of an eye, another semester was drawing to a close.
The day of the New Order Celebration had arrived, and the academy had canceled classes. Although Sang desperately wanted to sleep in, the world outside was simply too lively—and too noisy. Reluctantly, he dragged himself out of bed around nine in the morning, pulled back the curtains, and found himself stunned by the scene before him.
Kaen Town’s Summer Festival went without saying.
Even the Northern Snowfield Festival paled in comparison.
As expected from the vast, resource-rich Central Region, the celebration was far more grand and spectacular than he had imagined.
Just then, Aisha Hodhua and Shika approached from outside, the former having gone out to buy breakfast and the latter having finished his morning training. Trailing along with them was the pygmy pheasant.
Sang glanced at the pair and their feathered companion, then turned his eyes to the formal evening suit hanging on the wall. An image flashed through his mind: a girl with gradient-colored long hair, brilliant as a summer flower. He stretched lazily before breaking into a radiant smile. “Come on! Let’s go join the celebration together!”
“Uh… It’s rare to see you so enthusiastic about something like this,” Aisha Hodhua remarked as she stepped forward, narrowing her eyes to scrutinize the boy.
It was no wonder Aisha Hodhua found it puzzling.
After all, he had never been one for these kinds of events. Did anyone remember the Summer Festival back in Kaen Town? He hadn’t been interested at all; it was only because Luna had dragged him along that he’d gone. He didn’t hate the bustle, but he wasn’t exactly fond of the noisy crowds either.
What Sang enjoyed most was the sensation of everyone else reveling happily in the chaos while he lurked in a corner or on the sidelines, stealing a quiet moment amid the bustle.
Sang offered an excuse. “It’s the end of the semester… What’s wrong with cherishing the last of my campus days?”
It was already July. The semester had slipped by so easily. He would soon have to return to the Central Hub. Was there anything wrong with making the most of his final fun times now?
Aisha Hodhua nodded in understanding. “Fine then~”
Just as Sang thought he had successfully talked his way out of it, he turned—and heard Aisha Hodhua’s voice drifting from behind. “Oh, by the way, Watermelon, whatever you do, don’t forget to wear that formal evening suit Miss Cape gave you. Aren’t you supposed to be her dance partner tonight?”
Sang looked back, meeting Aisha Hodhua’s mischievously knowing gaze.
This pink-haired lolita…
“…”
“Watermelon, I’m neither blind nor deaf. Miss Cape’s invitation for you to be her partner has been the biggest gossip going around. How could I possibly not know about it?”
It had nothing to do with emotional intelligence or smarts.
Anyone with halfway decent hearing—like Aisha Hodhua—could easily pick up on such news.
Sweat beaded on Sang’s forehead as he mumbled guiltily, “Uh…”
Shika and the pygmy pheasant simply watched the back-and-forth banter in quiet confusion, not fully grasping the situation.
Truth be told…
Even now, Aisha Hodhua still disapproved of Sang spending time with Iyefut. And her reasons were plentiful.
First off, Iyefut was the Red Lycoris, daughter of Duke Cape—the daughter of someone at the pinnacle of worldly power. Her bloodline was far too dangerous.
Second, Watermelon, you are the True Ancestor’s blood servant. Sure, you might be out in the open now, but in Aisha’s eyes, nothing had changed. She had to keep an eye on the True Ancestor’s blood servant. Iyefut Cape wasn’t like Snow Hill, who was a knight—you two could associate freely. Iyefut, on the other hand, clearly had her eye on his blood. (Well… in the eyes of an innocent lolita who had been locked away in Heavenly Key for decades and knew nothing of the world or love, it seemed like Iyefut had taken a liking to Sang’s blood and wanted to steal away the True Ancestor’s blood servant. Absolutely not!)
Third, there was just a touch of possessiveness at work. It wasn’t the jealousy between lovers; even among family and friends, such feelings could arise.
A short while later.
Sang had no desire to argue with Aisha Hodhua about Iyefut anymore. Instead, he tried to cute his way out of it, pulling a pitiful zipper motion across his lips with his fingers, eyes wide and brows furrowed into deep creases. Surprisingly, it came off as rather endearing.
Aisha Hodhua stifled her laughter for a moment before finally giving in. “Sigh, I really can’t do anything with you…”
The noble dormitory had an excellent location, facing south at the crossroads of light and shadow, with its main entrance on the southern side. Sang opened the door on his own, then glanced back over his shoulder with a brilliant smile. “Never mind all that for now. Let’s at least make this school celebration a good one, shall we?”
With those words, the boy slipped on a metal mask.
Everyone—Aisha Hodhua, Shika, and the pygmy pheasant—laughed, following him out the door.
…
Meanwhile.
In the first-year human dormitory, inside one particular room, a handsome young man with deep blue, almost ink-black, medium-length curly hair had just returned from the arena. It was Adolf Taylor. He pushed open the door, hoping to find his roommate Besart, but the bed was empty. His gaze shifted to the desk, where he spotted a piece of paper.
The note read: Adolf, it’s celebration day today. I headed out to enjoy it first. Here’s some breakfast I left for you.
The words brought an image of his roommate Besart to mind—that hot-blooded simpleton. Adolf’s heart warmed. But before a smile could form on his face, he realized there was no breakfast in sight.
It had all been eaten.
Moments later, Adolf sensed something amiss. His eyes scanned the room before settling on another item on the desk: an envelope.
Adolf stepped forward and tore it open. Inside, the letter read: Adolf Taylor, I believe you’ve made your choice. I look forward to your actions tonight. May the red lycoris wither this evening—and… your roommate’s breakfast was delicious—Las.
One hand clutching the letter, the other reached instinctively into his coat and drew a revolver.
This revolver was called the “Goddess of Vengeance.” It glowed with a profound crimson light. Though small enough to fit in a single hand, it seemed to conceal an unfathomable abyss, drawing in the souls of all who beheld it, tugging at heartstrings and awakening primal sins.
Through faint strands of that red glow, Adolf vaguely saw the horrific scene of his parents’ brutal deaths before his eyes. The warm feelings sparked by thoughts of his roommate Besart evaporated in an instant. His expression darkened, growing cold and murderous.
“Red Lycoris… Tonight, I will kill you!”
Many details remained uncertain, but one thing was absolutely clear: for the sake of the world, the Red Lycoris had to be eliminated.
Lately, Adolf had been hunting members of the Blood Race.
Many people misunderstood his restraint—they assumed it stemmed from mercy.
It wasn’t entirely wrong, but it wasn’t the full truth either.
After the initial few encounters, he had been fully capable of ruthlessly cutting down those Blood Race members in later hunts… He had simply held back to avoid creating a massive stir that might force the school celebration to be canceled.
The dormitory faced east, toward his homeland. Morning sunlight streamed through the window, but the door lay to the west. Adolf strode toward it, his back to his birthplace, walking against the light.
As he went, he donned a wide-brimmed hat and a veil.
