The doors to Beatrice’s bedchamber swung open, breaking the week-long sanctuary of her self-imposed isolation.
Eula Morgenstein stepped inside and imdiately noticed the state of the chamber. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and half-empty glasses of blood wine were on different tables.
At the center of it all was an enormous canopy bed, with a figure was lying beneath the blankets, refusing to acknowledge the world.
"Whoever that is," ca Beatrice’s muffled voice from under the covers, "go away. I want to be alone."
Eula’s lips curved into a devious smile as she closed the door behind her. She adopted an exaggeratedly sweet tone as she said, "It’s your sister, Eula."
There was a pause, then the blanket shifted slightly.
"Especially you, Eula," Beatrice said. "You only rember we’re related when you want sothing."
Eula let out a genuine chuckle at that.
"True," she admitted without sha, taking a few steps further into the room and casually kicking aside a discarded dress. "But not the case today."
She paused dramatically, examining her nails with disinterest.
"I ca to check on how my younger sister is doing. Apparently, there was a rather concerned note from Belsorth Academy asking after your wellbeing. Sothing about extended absence without notification."
The lump under the blankets didn’t move.
"I don’t care," Beatrice said. "And I’m not going back to that school. Leave my room."
That was all the invitation Eula needed to really dig in. Her grin widened as she moved further.
She stopped at the foot of the bed and tilted her head with mock sympathy.
"Awwww, what’s got you all worked up like this, baby sister?" Eula cooed. "Perhaps you should go visit that boy toy of yours to help you get the edge off."
She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully.
"What was his na again? Ethan?"
The next reaction from Beatrice was instantaneous and spectacular. Her body erupted with an orange aura as she threw off the blankets and sat upright, red eyes blazing with fury.
She then extended her arm towards Eula, and an orange magic circle materialized before her palm.
"ETHAN?!" she shrieked.
And then a condensed orb of explosive mana fired from the circle towards Eula who still had a grin on her face.
The older Morgenstein casually extended two fingers, with the nails elongated into sharp claws just as the Tier 3 explosion spell struck.
BOOM.
The orb detonated on Eula’s claws in a burst of flas and smoke that completely obscured her face.
Eula coughed dramatically, waving her free hand through the smoke cloud like she was swatting away an annoying insect.
"What’s got you so worked up you want to blow my face away?" she said between coughs, though her tone suggested she was more amused than concerned.
"Don’t ever ntion that bastard’s na in this house!" Beatrice scread, still sitting upright in bed with her magic circle still glowing. "Leave my room, Eula!"
The smoke cleared enough for Eula to see her sister’s face properly, flushed with anger and hurt.
Eula’s grin sohow grew even wider.
"Ohhhhh, I see," she said slowly, drawing out each word. "Having relationship troubles with your boy toy, are we? Aw"
She pressed both hands to her chest in exaggerated sympathy. "Did he break your heart? Is he with another woman now?"
Beatrice’s orange aura flared brighter, and the magic circle before her shifted patterns, growing more complex as she prepared a higher-tier spell. "I know a stronger version of that spell," she threatened.
Eula finally raised both hands in surrender, though she was still chuckling. "Fine, fine, I’ll be out of your way," she said, already turning toward the door.
She kept walking and shrugged. "You know what might make you feel better? Hearing that he’s miserable too. Though, knowing boys like that, he’s probably forgotten all about you already. Has he even tried reaching out? Sent an apology? Anything?"
"Fuck him! I wish he was dead!" Beatrice snapped.
There it was. The confirmation Eula had co for, delivered on a platter wrapped in emotional outburst. Which ant, Ethan Stark was alive and Joe had failed to kill him.
"Well then," Eula said, pulling the door open. "I’ll leave you to your brooding, dear sister."
She stepped out and closed the door behind her just as Beatrice let out a scream of frustration.
She threw a pillow to the farthest corner of the room in annoyance before leaning back against the edge of the bed.
Her fists were clenched and tears of pure rage and humiliation burned at the corners of her eyes.
She hadn’t been to school in over a week because she couldn’t stand it.
Couldn’t stand the whispers, the looks, the mockery or whatever she assud people would give her when she was spotted walking around school grounds alone.
Not only had Ethan Stark, her ex-boyfriend, rejected her, but Wilson had done the sa. How dare they both cast her aside? Her, a Morgenstein, fifth daughter of one of the Seven Vampire Lords.
It wounded her pride more than anything else in the world.
—-
The television in the manor’s living room displayed the morning news broadcast.
Ethan watched from the couch with Eduardo standing nearby, Valerie a little ways away, and Francesca lingering in the corner.
The news anchor announced:
"The infamous assassin known only as Hitman X, responsible for dozens of confird kills over the past several years—including the murder of renowned intellectual Isaac Hargreeves, has been confird dead."
The screen shifted to show a blurred image of a body being transported by enforcent officers, covered with a white sheet.
The anchor continued, "Less than twenty-four hours after the State of Gritnia issued an unprecedented one million gold grit bounty, the notorious killer was tracked down and eliminated. Authorities have confird the identity through multiple ans, and the reward is currently being processed."
She paused, allowing the statent to settle.
"The State could not have issued that bounty at a better ti. With Hitman X now deceased, countless families who lost loved ones to this assassin can finally find closure. The identity of the individual or group responsible for the elimination has not been disclosed at this ti, though speculation is already widespread."
Ethan turned toward Eduardo and Valerie with a satisfied smile. "And that’s how you get the job done."
Eduardo chuckled and bowed slightly in acknowledgnt. "Indeed, Master Ethan."
Valerie stared at Ethan for a mont, feeling a sense of admiration. When he set his mind to tackle sothing, he really followed through.
Francesca clapped her hands together. "I hope we all like chocolate, because I’ll be making a big fat celebration cake today!"
Ethan smiled as he turned back to the screen, with his expression becoming thoughtful. The announcer hadn’t ntioned who actually killed the hitman, and he found himself wondering about that detail.
—
On the top floor of the Lucky Hand Casino, Lucien stood on the balcony, staring out at the city with a wine glass in hand.
Eula walked in from behind. "Have you heard the news, Luci?"
Lucien didn’t turn around. Instead, he took a slow sip from his wine glass before responding.
"Did you confirm the status?"
"Yes," Eula said. "Ethan Stark is still very much alive."
She quickly followed up with another question, "And have you spoken to your contacts in Parliant?"
Lucien replied, "I did, and I was told that the bounty wasn’t deliberated on. My contact confird there’s only one person among them who could get sothing like that approved without going through the usual process."
Eula’s gaze widened a bit. "Who?"
"Ophelia Tudor," Lucien said. "The King’s sister."
Eula looked surprised. "Since when did the Tudors care about anything other than themselves and their position in this country?"
"Which is exactly why I’m tasking you to find out the connection between Ethan Stark and Ophelia Tudor by every possible ans," Lucien said. "Joe’s death will not go unanswered."
Eula hesitated. "But Luci, can we really go after the King’s sister?"
The air around Lucien distorted slightly, and his hair moved as though caught in a breeze.
His grip on the wine glass tightened until it shattered in his hand, then he turned toward Eula with a scowl that made her blood run cold. "I don’t give a shit about who it is. Soone is going to pay."
Eula nodded frantically as sweat ford on her face.
-
Several floors below, in one of the casino’s private lounges, Casper sat in one of the casino rooms with his elbow resting on the couch armrest, and hand supporting his chin.
He grinned. "Uh oh, soone’s got the boss mad."
———
The First Day Of The New Week...
Today was the day camping activities would begin between the final years of Belsorth Academy and Mallory High.
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