The sharp sting of raw heat zapped across my cheek, jolting me violently out of sleep with a silent gasp. The morning wind had managed to rustle the edge of the heavy velvet curtains, allowing a single, stray beam of bright sunlight to bounce directly across my face. To my S-rank mutated skin, that touch of daylight felt like a searing brand.
I bolted upright in bed, my single jade-green eye flaring with an absolute, furious annoyance. Getting my rare beauty sleep aggressively interrupted by the sun was enough to put me in a foul mood before the day had even begun. Gritting my teeth, I threw off the blankets, stomped across the hardwood floor, and aggressively yanked the curtain cords, shutting the fabric tight and plunging the bedroom back into a safe, comforting darkness.
After taking a deep breath to calm my racing pulse, I went back to the bed and quickly stripped off the bedsheets to flatten out the creases. I reached into my dresser drawer, pulled out my spare leather eyepatch, and securely strapped it over my gouged-out right eye. I didn't even bother changing out of the black-and-white Victorian maid dress yet… the heavy, frilly fabric was comfortable enough, and my massive dark blood wings rustled slightly against the apron straps as I stretched my limbs.
Still a bit groggy and nursing a sour attitude from the rude awakening, I pushed open my bedroom door and proceeded to walk downstairs.
The moment I stepped into the ground floor, the tense irritation in my chest completely evaporated. Standing in the center of the living room was Evelyn, and she was already completely prepared for her historic duty as a Luminous Knight. Today was the big day… her official public draft and entry interview at the Bureau association.
She had tidied herself up beautifully, the cream-colored commoner's dress neatly pressed, and her bioluminescent hair tips glowing with a bright, energetic turquoise light that signaled her peak readiness. She had even prepared a light morning meal for herself, sitting gracefully at the table.
Hearing my boots click against the bottom step, Evelyn snapped her head around. A radiant, beautiful morning smile broke across her face as her twin jade-green eyes locked onto me.
"Good morning, big sister! Did you sleep well?"
Before Evelyn could even wait for my response, a sharp, rhythmic knock echoed from the heavy oak front door.
My protective instincts flared instantly. Thinking it might already be an official escort from the Luminous Knight Bureau Association arriving early for her draft, I immediately lunged toward the coatrack. I grabbed my heavy canvas cloak, throwing it over my shoulders and gripping the collar tightly around my neck to completely bury my massive dark blood wings, my missing left arm, and my maid dress from sight. Once I was securely hidden in the shadows, I gave Evelyn a quick nod, letting her be the one to open the door.
Evelyn turned the brass handle and pulled the door inward. Standing on the porch wasn't a heavily armored knight, but rather Charlie, the energetic young paperboy who managed the deliveries for our residential district. He was holding a fresh, neatly rolled bundle of morning papers.
The moment the door opened, Charlie's eyes widened in absolute bewilderment. He stared at Evelyn, his jaw dropping as he took in her appearance. Because Evelyn and I shared near-identical physical frames, the exact same jade-green eyes, and the same distinct skin tone, Charlie completely mistook her for me.
"Eirene?! W-What happened to you?! You changed! Your missing eye is back, your left arm grew back entirely, and your tanned, scarred skin looks completely healthy pale! What kind of crazy magic did you get into?!"
He had absolutely no idea that the girl standing before him wasn't his usual, brooding, one-armed bounty hunter client, but rather a completely different person who happened to share the Rynd family traits.
Evelyn, relying on the vast library of plundered memories from the knights who knew the neighborhood layouts, instantly recognized the boy's face and voice. She let out a soft, melodic chuckle, a warm smile breaking across her face.
"Oh, I guess you must be Charlie, I'm not Eirene. I'm her younger sister, Evelyn." Evelyn said smoothly, leaning against the doorframe.
Charlie blinked frantically, his gaze darting up and down her face as he tried to process the information.
"L-Little sister?! I've been delivering papers to this safehouse for weeks and I never knew Eirene had a younger sister! You look so much like her... it's uncanny. Except..."
Then he squinted, his eyes tracking up to her hair.
"...the tips of your hair look like they're literally glowing in the dark."
Peeking from the dark shadows of the hallway behind the door, I tightened my grip on my cloak, ensuring not a single feather of my demonic wings exposed me to the boy.
Charlie shook his head, quickly brushing off his confusion as he handed over the fresh morning print.
"Whatever! Family secrets, I guess. Oh, by the way… you should probably look at this. Your name, Evelyn, is plastered all over the front page today!"
Without waiting for a response, the busy paperboy turned on his heel, leaped off the porch steps, and sprinted down the cobblestone walkway to finish his morning route, leaving us alone with the fresh news.
Evelyn quickly unrolled the crisp parchment, her twin jade-green eyes scanning the front page before widening in absolute shock. Seeing her reaction, I stepped out from the shadows of the hallway, letting my cloak trail behind me as I approached her shoulder to peep at the headlines.
The heavy ink of the Caria Times – Friday Edition practically screamed off the page:
THE RYND FAMILY'S LONG-LOST SISTER EMERGES!
Yesterday evening, the younger sister of S-rank bounty hunter Eirene Rynd officially confirmed her identity within the Capital Knight Bureau Association or CKBA and registered her status card. Rumors of a new prodigy within the legendary lineage are now confirmed!
I let out a low, menacing growl from the back of my throat. I knew exactly whose fault this was. Nautilus Cotton, with his desperate, nosy political ambitions, had been completely shameless. He was so starved for a public relations victory that he hadn't even waited twelve hours before plastering my sister's name all over the capital. I cursed my own decision, I should have bypassed the CKBA entirely and evaluated Evelyn under the trusted guidance of Chief Anton at the LKBA. Anton knew how to keep secrets buried. Nautilus was just using my sister as a shiny new trophy to boost his own authority.
My eye darted down to the next prominent panel on the page:
NEW LUMINOUS KNIGHT PRODIGY: EVELYN RYND
Bureau authorities were left utterly paralyzed with shock during yesterday's evaluation. Sources confirm the young Evelyn possesses an unprecedented S-rank in multiple combat and magical parameters, marking her as one of the most powerful recruits in the kingdom's history!
Right beside that sensationalist article was the economic follow-up panel I had been tracking:
CARIA MINES RUSH: ZERO CASUALTIES REPORTED
Following the absolute eradication of the subterranean threat, several mining divisions returned to the depths last night. Reports confirm an abundant harvest of pure gold ore with absolutely zero casualties. The influx of resources is officially dragging the country out of its severe deflationary crisis!*
I stared at that final paragraph, a grim sense of satisfaction settling over me. It was the ultimate truth of our victory. Without the terrifying presence of the S-rank bio-slimes, and more importantly, without Evelyn herself down there unknowingly ruling over the predatory breeding grounds, the human miners were finally free to gather the kingdom's wealth without being dissolved alive.
"Big sister… Everyone in the city... they all know who I am now. My interview today isn't just a formality anymore, is it? It's going to be a spectacle." Evelyn whispered, her fingers gripping the edges of the paper so tightly the parchment wrinkled.
I placed my single hand firmly on her shoulder, the fabric of my maid dress rustling as I gave her a reassuring squeeze. Nautilus had thrown her directly into the spotlight, but we were going to control the narrative.
Before the tension from the morning news could even settle, another heavy, authoritative knock echoed against the oak door of House 132.
This wasn't the frantic tap of a young paperboy. It was a rhythmic, commanding strike that could only belong to the military. Knowing the time had come, I stepped backward into the deep shadows of the living room, ensuring my massive dark blood wings and frilly maid dress were completely obscured, while Evelyn stepped forward to open the door.
Standing on the threshold were three elite Luminous Knights, backed by a grand, official Bureau carriage parked along the cobblestone street. They wore the striking white and scarlet uniforms of the Association… the very colors Evelyn would be wearing by the end of the day. The two male knights flanking the sides were clad in heavyweight, polished steel armor layered over their pristine scarlet tunics. The female knight stood in the standard women's attire, a beautifully crafted, lightweight silver breastplate, a pleated white and scarlet skirt, and polished high-heeled armored boots.
But it was the man standing directly in the center who made my single jade-green eye narrow in shock. He was someone I used to know very well from my days working the high-tier bounty circuits.
Evelyn's high intellect and her vast library of stolen memories immediately synthesized his face, his stance, and his rank. Her eyes widened, and before he could even speak, she dropped swiftly to one knee on the hardwood floor.
"Captain Friedrich Smith, Big sister, kneel! He is a Captain of the Luminous Knights!"
Evelyn announced clearly, her voice full of reverent discipline. She reached back with her hand, desperately tugging at the edge of my maid dress to pull me down with her. To maintain our cover and show proper respect to the high authorities, I smoothly dropped down to one knee beside her, lowering my head while keeping my canvas cloak tightly wrapped around my missing arm and wings.
"Imressive," Captain Friedrich Smith said, a deep, booming laugh escaping his chest as he began to clap his leather-gloved hands in genuine honor. "To recognize me on sight without ever stepping foot inside the capital barracks... the reports about your sharp mind were not exaggerating, young Evelyn."
Friedrich was a seasoned, middle-aged veteran. Strands of stark white hair were neatly swept back from his face and tied into a disciplined ponytail at the back of his head. His piercing black eyes scanned the room with absolute precision, carrying the weight of a man who had survived a hundred battlefields. He wore the standard high-ranking Luminous Knight uniform, immaculate and unblemished, looking every bit the legendary commander the troops admired.
He stepped slightly into the doorway, his black eyes shifting from the kneeling Evelyn to my shrouded, silent form in the shadows, unaware that the terrifying bounty was bowing right at his feet.
Friedrich raised a hand, gesturing for both of us to rise.
"Stand up, please. There is no need for such rigid formalities on my account," he said, his deep voice carrying a tone of genuine respect.
As we stood, Friedrich's piercing black eyes shifted away from Evelyn and locked directly onto me. He studied my shrouded form, the heavy canvas cloak keeping my blood wings and missing arm hidden from his sight.
"Eirene, the S-rank bounty hunter. The legend who single-handedly dismantled Oksana's entire underground drug empire and completely cleared the Caria Mines. I have seen the reports of your work, and your reputation precedes you. The kingdom owes you a massive debt."
I remained completely silent beneath my hood, my single jade-green eye tracking his movements. Sensing the sudden, heavy quiet in the room and wanting to keep my cover intact, Evelyn quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"Ah, please forgive her, Captain, my big sister is mute. She doesn't speak."
"Ah, I see. Forgive my ignorance,"
Friedrich replied, his expression softening with a look of profound honor. He turned his full attention back toward my sister, his eyes gleaming with pride for the future of the Bureau. He placed a gloved hand over his chest armor and delivered a heartwarming message directly to her.
"Evelyn Rynd, today you step out of your sister's massive shadow and into your own light. The capital has been trapped in darkness, and the bravery your family has shown has given our people hope again. Wear the white and scarlet with pride today. We are honored to welcome you into our ranks."
Evelyn's hair tips pulsed with a warm, touched turquoise glow at his words, a bright smile gracing her features.
With his piece said, Captain Friedrich gave me a final, respectful nod.
"Thank you for your service to Caria, Eirene. Take care of yourself."
He turned on his heel, his heavy armored boots clicking against the porch steps as he escorted Evelyn toward the grand, waiting carriage. The other two Luminous Knights opened the carriage door for her, and within moments, the horses began to trot down the cobblestone street. I stood at the doorway, watching the carriage disappear into the busy morning traffic of the district, knowing that Evelyn's true journey had finally begun.