Lorelai arrived at her room just as the clock struck midnight. Her face was tight with a frown, and weariness clung to her like a shadow.
She had planned to rest immediately, but as she removed her robe, a familiar, uncomfortable sensation tingled behind her left eye. It was the same feeling she got whenever General Lubbot initiated contact.
"But I should still have a few days until the deadline..." she muttered through clenched teeth.
Despite the suddenness of it, Lorelai's expression shifted seamlessly, her frown replaced by a serene smile as though her agitation had been nothing but an illusion.
Without hesitation, she activated her soundproofing artifact. "Good evening, Officer Lubbot. How can I assist you today?" she asked, her voice calm.
The hologram of a uniformed officer appeared, his expression as flat as ever. However, this time he wasn't alone. Beside him stood a squat, rotund man with the unmistakable features of a dwarf. His face was twisted into a frown as he looked down at Lorelai.
{So, you're 280498?}
The dwarf's voice was gravelly.
{I'm Caballe, mayor of Juviel City. It seems you've been dragging your feet with your mission... I'm sending some assistance. Make sure you coordinate well with them.}
"... Yes, Sir Mayor," Lorelai responded, bowing swiftly.
Inwardly, however, she seethed. "Backup?" she thought, biting back a groan. She knew what kind of help was coming her way, and it wasn't good news. They weren't sending soldiers or spies; they were sending members of the Anti-Human Movement.
Those zealots had already failed to kill Aster multiple times. Worse still, her job was to "bring" Aster back alive, not kill him. Their involvement would do nothing but complicate her mission.
The real reason the Anti-Human Movement always seemed to know Aster's whereabouts was because Lorelai had one of Aster's hidden guards under her control. That man sent her his location every hour, and she was ordered to relay that information to the Anti-Human fanatics.
General Lubbot continued speaking, but Lorelai wasn't paying attention. Unless there was a major change to her orders, she didn't need to listen.
Finally, after a few minutes, the hologram faded. The contact was over.
Lorelai collapsed to her knees, clutching her left eye as a searing pain flared up from the back of her eyeball. The agony was unbearable, but she didn't make a sound.
A deep breath steadied his nerves as he entered the guild. Immediately, heads turned his way. The attention made him feel like he was walking on a bed of nails as he made his way to their usual corner in the lobby.
"Sta...r?"
"You..."
It wasn't even 6 a.m. yet, but Cassy and Kali were already there, seated at their table, staring at Aster with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"You're early, as usual," Aster greeted them with a smile, pretending not to notice their stunned expressions. "Are the others not here yet?"
Cassy, cheeks tinged red, struggled to respond. "Ah, y-yes... they haven't arrived yet..."
Both she and Kali were clearly flustered. It was the first time they'd seen Aster in such chic, stylish attire, a stark contrast to his usual cloaked and bundled-up appearance.
"Leader..." Kali spoke in a low voice after regaining her composure. "Isn't this a bit dangerous? If people find out you're human... you know how rare they are. You'll be in serious danger."
Aster smiled and waved off her concerns. "Don't worry. I'm pretending to be a vampire. See? The only difference between us and humans is the red eyes and fangs."
He pulled back his lips to reveal a set of slightly longer-than-usual canines. "I'm even wearing fake fangs. Pretty convincing, right?"
*Thump!*
Instead of reassuring the girls, his playful explanation only made their hearts race faster.
'I-Is something wrong with me? Why is my heart beating so fast?' Cassy thought, stealing a glance at Aster.
Kali, too, was struggling to keep her composure. 'He's just the person I'm supposed to protect, and yet...!'
Before their emotions could spiral any further, a voice interrupted them.
"Oh, you're that kid from earlier, right? You look dashing today~!"
A woman with fluffy, silver-gray hair and a pair of wings on her back floated into view. It was Octavia! Enjoy exclusive content from мѵʟ