The young girl hopped out of the red portal, and it immediately closed behind her.
She didn't hesitate. Her first instinct was to check the note her lord and her father—had given her.
But before she could even reach into her storage ring—
A sharp, burning sensation spread across her skin.
"Am I… burning?" she muttered, looking down at her hands.
Her eyes slowly lifted.
The sky above her was bright.
Blinding.
A massive yellow sphere hung overhead, pouring light onto the world.
"…Wait… is that the sun?"
Skye had only heard stories about it. Vampires spoke of it like it was some kind of punishment—something to be avoided at all costs.
But she had never actually seen it.
Not until now.
She quickly stumbled toward the side of a nearby building, pressing herself into the shade. She blew on her hands, trying to cool the burning sensation.
"Damn… they said it would hurt," she muttered, her voice strained. "They didn't say it would make you feel this weak too…"
Her body felt sluggish. Heavy.
Unfamiliar.
Clicking her storage ring, she pulled out another ring and slipped it onto her finger. With a light tap, a gust of air burst out, wrapping around her body like a thin layer of armor.
She hesitated.
Then slowly extended her hand back into the sunlight.
…Nothing.
No burning.
No pain.
She let out a long breath.
"So it does work…"
Stepping out from behind the building, she adjusted slightly to the brightness before reaching into her storage ring again. An orange envelope appeared in her hand.
"Crap…"
Her eyes darted around quickly.
Most of the people nearby looked… broken. Sitting along walls, wearing torn clothes, barely paying attention to anything.
Still, she stayed cautious.
Pulling out the paper, she began to read.
"Hello, Skye. This is Rohin."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"My lord…?"
"I thank you for taking on this responsibility. What you are doing helps me more than you could understand. But this is not to be told to the king."
Her grip tightened on the paper.
"I beg you… if you tell the king, your family will be killed for even knowing about this."
"My family—?!"
Her voice rose before she could stop it. She quickly lowered it again, looking around.
"Why should I even do this then…?" she whispered, anger creeping in. "Lord Rohin isn't losing anything… so why should I risk everything?"
She kept reading.
"…including the last of my family. Please help me."
Skye froze.
Everyone knew Rohin had no family.
He wasn't allowed to.
No one was allowed near him—not with the risk of producing heirs.
But this…
This meant he had someone.
Someone hidden.
"There is a boy named Luka."
Her eyes sharpened.
"He is, to my knowledge, the last of my family. The boy knows almost nothing about his heritage. I sent your father to make contact with him. He has already been given a basic understanding."
Skye exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
"Your task is simple. Ensure he does not expose himself. If he does, tap your ring twenty times. I have placed a teleporter within it. Bring him directly to me."
Her eyes darkened slightly as she read the final line.
"If anyone interferes… kill them."
She lowered the paper slowly.
"…Babysitting a hidden heir," she muttered. "And if I fail, my family dies. If I succeed… I'm protecting a secret that could get me executed anyway."
She folded the note and slipped it back into her storage ring.
After a few minutes of walking, she reached a platform—clearly some kind of transport system. She hesitated, unsure how it worked.
Messing with it blindly would draw attention.
So she waited.
A girl with red hair stepped forward and began pressing buttons on the console.
Skye quietly moved behind her.
The platform began to rise.
"Thanks for holding it," the girl said casually.
Skye blinked but didn't respond, still processing everything.
"Let's recap," she thought.
"I'm here to protect a leader's hidden descendant. If anyone finds out, they die. If I tell the king, my family dies. If I fail… my family dies anyway."
She clenched her fist slightly.
"…Great."
As they stepped off the platform, Skye glanced at the back of the note again, where Luka's description was written.
Then her eyes shifted to the red-haired girl walking ahead of her.
"I should find my dorm first…"
She activated her ring again, pulling out a small slip of paper with her assigned room.
Same floor.
Same hallway.
As they entered the female dorm building and stepped into the elevator, Skye noticed the girl press the exact same floor.
When the doors opened, they walked down the hall—
And stopped at the same door.
Skye's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…No way."
The door opened.
Bags were already sitting inside.
"Oh! So you're the new girl!"
A black-haired girl suddenly rushed forward and hugged Skye tightly.
"Uh—yeah…" Skye replied, caught off guard.
"Idiot," another girl muttered from the side, glaring at her. "How long did you think you could avoid the academy?"
"…Avoid it?" Skye asked, confused.
"You tried to hide from getting enrolled," another girl added lazily from her bed. "But you ended up here anyway. Kinda pointless, don't you think?"
"That must be the cover story they gave me…" Skye thought.
"Doesn't matter," the black-haired girl said cheerfully. "You're here now—and we've got a sixth member!"
She leaned in, smiling wide.
"I was thinking we could start a business. We're gonna need units outside the academy anyway. You wanna join us?"
"I—"
Skye froze.
A scent hit her.
Sharp.
Familiar.
Her eyes widened.
"I have to go."
She turned and rushed out immediately.
"What—?" the black-haired girl blinked. "I'm telling you, there's no way out of here!" another shouted after her.
But Skye was already gone.
By the time they reached the door—
She was already in the elevator.
"…She's fast," the red-haired girl—Nico—murmured, peeking out and watching the doors close.
"Maybe that's her ability."
Skye burst outside, slowing just enough to avoid drawing attention as she scanned the area. She closed her eyes briefly and inhaled.
"A vampire…" she muttered under her breath. "But how am I only smelling him now…?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Dad must've given him a concealment ring when he made contact with him… but—"
She froze.
A second scent hit her.
Sweet.
Strange.
Different.
Her head turned slowly toward its source.
"What… is that?"
Instead of running, Skye walked—controlled, steady, careful not to stand out.
—
"Man, Luka," Leo chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought you covered up that smell."
"What—"
Luka's eyes widened instantly.
The ring.
Its effect had worn off.
He still had it on him, but he hadn't activated it again—thinking doing so in public would raise questions.
Leo's expression suddenly twisted.
"Wait… what the—"
The scent hit him again.
Stronger.
Overwhelming.
Like it was being forced into his nose.
He turned sharply—
And saw her.
A girl with blonde hair styled into twin buns stood a short distance away, staring directly at them.
"Who are y—"
A dark blur slammed into Leo's face.
The Ironshade.
Harkel had already reacted, his mana spiking at the sudden shift.
Leo staggered back, clutching his face.
"You—!" Skye shouted, stepping forward. "We need to talk. Now."
Harkel stepped forward, dismissing his Ironshade as Jordan moved beside him.
"Something we can help you with?" Harkel asked, his tone calm but guarded.
"No," Skye said immediately. "There's nothing you can help me with. I need to talk to him."
She pointed directly at Luka.
Luka didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward.
"Hey—if you talk to one of us, you talk to all of—"
"No."
Luka's voice cut through them—firm, sharp.
"Please. Let me handle this."
Riven stepped forward instantly, grabbing Luka's shoulder.
"I'm coming too."
The look in his eyes made it clear—there was no arguing it.
"Then we all should—"
"No!" Luka snapped, louder this time.
The group went silent.
"This is… personal."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then Luka turned and walked toward Skye.
Riven followed right behind him.
"We'll be alright," Riven said, glancing back and giving a quick wink.
—
"Follow me," Luka said quietly.
Skye nodded and moved with them.
The moment they got a bit of distance, Luka felt it again.
The pull.
The confirmation.
She was like him.
A vampire.
If not for the lenses, his crimson eyes would've already exposed him.
Even without seeing them—
He could feel it.
And then—
[System: Crimson Eyes Active +5 in all stats]
Luka blinked.
"That's… new."
"Hey," Riven whispered, catching up beside him. "Do you think we can trust her?"
Luka didn't answer immediately.
His eyes flicked toward Skye.
He had the same question.
"…It's not like she can just kill us," Luka said quietly. "Sure, we're wallborn—but after what happened in the forest, if more students start dying? Especially now that we're assigned to dorms?"
His jaw tightened.
"Questions will be asked. She'll be in trouble too."
"Yeah… but—"
"Look," Luka cut in, lowering his voice even more. "I need answers. Just… let me talk to her first. If something feels off—then we act."
Riven sighed.
"…Fine."
But his eyes stayed sharp.
Watching.
Thinking.
Luka… you've changed.
You used to say you didn't care about your family.
That they abandoned you.
But now… the moment you find out someone's out there?
You're chasing it.
Riven's gaze hardened slightly.
You don't even realize it… do you?
If your ancestor is still alive…
You're not like us anymore.
You're going to outlive us all.
I wonder how long it'll take before you notice that.
—
Behind them, Skye walked in silence.
But she heard everything.
Every whisper.
Every doubt.
Every word.
Her expression didn't change.
But her thoughts sharpened.
So the human knows…
Her eyes shifted slightly toward Riven.
That scent…
That's not normal either.
Her gaze hardened.
If he becomes a problem…
Then there's only one option.
Her fingers twitched slightly.
"The human has to go."