It had been more than three months since the last events. Yet, Nova still found herself apologizing at every opportunity, her words spilling out like an endless river of guilt.For some time now, Ymir had been visiting the principal's office regularly, learning to read and speak under the patient guidance of the secretary.One week later, Io asked Nova to take Ymir along to class while he went to personally thank the principal for everything he had done for the boy in recent days.
"I always get a little nervous standing in front of his office…" Io muttered under his breath.
"I don't really know what to think either…" LaVoix replied quietly.
Taking a deep breath, Io knocked lightly before pushing open one of the two swinging doors. One foot in front of the other, he stepped inside, feeling the same weight of the room's aura that had never changed.The principal looked up, his expression calm but assessing. Io's gaze flicked left and right, unsure how to start.
"What brings you here, Andromeda?" the principal asked.
"Nothing in particular. I just… wanted to thank you for everything you've done for Ymir."
"Is that all? Teaching students is my role, after all," the man said with a warm smile, stroking his beard. He studied Io for a long moment before waving a hand in acknowledgment.
"You've changed."
Io looked at him, trying to read between the lines. The once-scrawny boy who flinched at the slightest sound now radiated a quiet confidence.
"Would you mind telling me, Principal… are you aware of… something?" Io asked cautiously, feeling a shiver run down his spine.
The old man sighed, leaning back in his chair. His sharp eyes reopened, pinning Io where he stood. The boy felt a wave of fear but struggled to control it. The principal raised a hand, signaling him to calm down.
"How are your classes going?" the principal asked.
"Excuse me?" Io whispered internally. Trap… be careful! LaVoix's warning rang in his mind.
Before he could react, the principal's fist shot toward him. Paralyzed with fear, Io froze as the hand stopped a mere two centimeters from his face. The principal smiled at the pale expression Io wore.
"You're not the one I met in my youth," the principal murmured, his voice heavy with memory. "The one who gave me this scar… and so many others."
Io's eyes widened as the memories came flooding back. A man in a long black coat, wielding an oddly shaped sword, red eyes like voids of nothingness, hair white with streaks of red… the Original, the first vampire. He had once branded the principal's face with a red-hot iron.
"Now, you're just an ordinary student," the principal continued, voice calm. "This wound I carry—it reminds me that one can survive your attacks. But you… remain a vastly superior being."
Io exhaled shakily. "Well, if you say so… I'll focus on my student life and put my trust in your institution. No hard feelings?"
"No hard feelings," the principal replied, smiling faintly.
When Io returned from the principal's office, he was met with the sound of crying. He ran toward the noise and stopped outside his classroom.Ymir was there, tears streaming down her face, calling desperately for her father.
"Io…" she whimpered, moving toward him. He scooped her up gently and looked at the rest of the class.
"Why is she like this?"
"Sorry, Io…" Subaru muttered.
"Subaru?"
"Since we noticed she was starting to speak, we tried to talk to her. We surrounded her… and she got scared. She started crying."
"You're really not bright…" Io muttered, shaking his head.
"Sorry…" Subaru mumbled again.
After that day, Ymir started attending elementary school. It was nerve-wracking—any young vampire's nature could manifest with the slightest provocation. On her first day, Io had to fetch her mid-class because she could not hear the other children.
"Hello, you're Io, right?" a woman greeted politely.
"Yes… thank you for contacting me."
"You're quite young to have a daughter, especially coming from the vampire hunter school."
"Heh… well…" Io trailed off.
"Don't worry. If there's any problem, don't hesitate to contact me. I suppose the woman who brings Ymir is your wife?"
Io shook his head, his chest tightening. "No, she's not. She's out of town."The woman laughed softly, apologizing for the misunderstanding. Io exhaled and followed her laughter, taking Ymir's hand as they left.
"Her mother… I wonder how she'll react…" Ymir whispered.
"Believe me, she's nothing like you think," Io reassured, imagining a woman similar to Nova but a few years older.
"How is she?"
"Who knows…"
"Pfff… you're not funny."
"You just have to remember…"
"I'm not a camera!"
In the following days, Io no longer had to go searching for Ymir. The principal had even found a spell allowing the deaf to hear, as long as the caster had Mana—a solution that let Io keep his mind clear. The only side effect was that, now that Ymir could hear his voice for the first time, she refused to let him out of her sight.As the tournament drew near, summer slowly began to fade.
Gling!
Io's phone rang, and he froze.
"It's from the kingdom," he murmured, widening his eyes as he read the message from his mysterious sender.
"Who is it?" Nova asked, wiping plates.
"Per… nobody. Just Subaru, pestering me about a math exercise."
"Ah, I haven't done it yet. You'll have to help me."
"Yes…"
Ymir pressed herself against Io, who sat on the couch, lost in thought. Lately, news from the kingdom had arrived almost daily, and the woman who had cried on the phone seemed to be checking in on him constantly. But this time, the queen's message was… peculiar. She was coming during the tournament—not surprising, since he had strongly suggested her attendance—but what made his heart pound and sweat run down his spine was the follow-up:
"If the situation worsens, put up a fire shield. I'll send them to hell!"
Dizziness and cold sweat spread across Io's neck.
"Say… is it just me, or is she even more overprotective than she was ten years ago?" he muttered.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
"Hey! Hi! It's been a long time since I last heard from you!"
Don't say anything. I've been controlling the body all this time. You're the one who's outdated, Io, TheVoice teased.Io tried to laugh, but it caught in his throat. Instead, he froze, staring into the mirror before him.
"Tell me… since when have I had such white hair?"
Ah… I think it's starting.
"Starting what!?" he demanded.
Calm down! I think our consciousnesses are beginning to merge.
"I don't understand anything! At least… will I remember the moments with Nova?"
I don't know… and already, which one of us is the real one?
"The real one? What are you talking about? I'm the real—"
You understand it well… One of us will disappear—or rather, merge with the other.
"And… when do you think I'll regain all my memories and merge with you?"
At this rate… in four months.
"So… at the end of the tournament."
Yes. That's when everything will end.
Io turned toward Nova, who had just set down her apron. Her soft voice called to him as she approached.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I was wondering… have I always had hair this white?"
"No… I've noticed it occasionally. I thought it was stress, but your roots are still black. If you want, I can give you some of my dad's hair dye—he uses it to cover his gray," she said with a playful grin.
"I don't know if that should be said…"
"You think?" she teased, laughing softly.
Meanwhile, far away in one of the many offices of the Vatican's headquarters, Jupiter sneezed abruptly. A woman standing nearby placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sir… I think a little rest wouldn't hurt you."
"No, Neptune! In four months, it's going to be war. That viper has already sent her invitation to the king."
"You thought she was coming for him?"
"I think so… Please, Nova, don't do anything stupid!"
One week later.
As Io entered the classroom, his eyes immediately fell on Rhéa, sitting calmly at the back. Relief turned into instinctive caution. He rushed toward her, grabbing her shoulders.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, voice sharp.
Rhéa tilted her head, a teasing smile curling her lips.
"Tell me, Io… Are you staying with Nova because she looks like someone… or because you love her?"
Io froze.
"What are you talking about? And who could she possibly resemble?"
"To… Europe."
The name slipped past Io's understanding, stirring only confusion—until LaVoix reacted. The moment it touched his ears, a black rage ignited. In an instant, LaVoix seized control, and Io's body lunged forward.
"Don't mess with me!"
The entire class turned, eyes widening in shock. At that exact moment, Haru and Nova burst into the room.
"I forbid you to say that name in front of me!" Nova's voice cut through the tension.
LaVoix trembled violently, a storm of anger and fear painted across his face. He stared at Rhéa with pure horror. But Rhéa didn't flinch; instead, she released the aura she had been suppressing.A shiver ran through her as Io's aura flared—dark, sharp, and murderous. Nova instinctively stepped forward, reaching out to Io, but stopped halfway. Her spine tingled. Something in the air was so heavy, so thick, that she drew a magical sword without thinking.
"Are you crazy?!" Haru shouted, alarmed.
Nova looked down at her hand, confused.
"What… happened?"
"I… oh, shit," Io muttered, his voice trembling.
He spun around and bolted for the classroom exit. Haru chased after him, shouting, "Stop!" Meanwhile, Nova confronted Rhéa, grabbing her by the collar.
"What did you say to him to make him react like that?"
"Calm down! I merely asked a question," Rhéa said, amused.
"Bitch!"
LaVoix was unstoppable now. No matter how much Io willed him to calm down, fear and rage dominated. Every step he ran, memories of agony, screams, and murders—payback for his sister—flashed in his mind. So this is what it feels like… to live at someone else's expense…
"Stop!!"
"Io?"
He skidded to a halt, disoriented. The hallway stretched out unfamiliar before him. As he tried to regain his bearings, a soft, trembling voice called his name.
"Big brother?"
Élara.
"I… what are you doing here?" he asked, heart hammering.
She stood a meter away, fear etched on her young face. Tears ran down her cheeks.
"I killed him… it was me! Why do I have to endure this? No matter how much I try to remind myself… remind myself… remind myself… I still see his face… filled with terror!"
The words hung in the air, and memories flickered in Io's mind—a face, eerily familiar, haunting.
"I… I understand. You just remembered our sister…"
"Our sister?" he repeated.
Before he could process, Élara spoke again, her voice trembling yet firm.
"I'm going to tell you something… before I explain. I'm… dead."
"I don't understand… Are you really my little sister?"
She shook her head, a cold finality in her eyes.
"I have died hundreds of times. No… thousands. I am no longer the Élara you knew. I don't remember past lives, only the memory of our family and that night is seared into my mind."
"Who… who did this to you?" Io demanded, trembling.
"You… So that I wouldn't be alone, you cursed me for eternity. To remember that awful night, to bind me to you. Every time I come back to life, I have a new family… a new child… every time I cannot forget. You cursed me, Io. You cursed my life. You hurt my children, my husbands… You made me a slave to your destiny."
"But… in the memory, you were perfectly the same," he whispered, voice cracking.
Élara's lips pressed against his forehead as she gripped his head.
"Be careful, dear brother. What I am about to show you will be hard to accept, but it is the reality."
"You who want to see life as I have seen it… who want to understand how I saw the world… I allow you to understand what I have understood."
And in that moment, the memories of Élara's life, pain, and countless deaths began to pour into Io's mind—a torrent of anguish he could never have imagined.
Élara sank her teeth into her brother's neck. In that instant, Io was overwhelmed. Memories—countless, fragmented, yet painfully precise—flooded her mind: journals, lifetimes she had lived, stories of Liaz detailing this ancient version of herself, a puppet trapped in an endless loop of existence. Madness gripped her every reflection, staring into mirrors stitched together from different lives. Every scream, every tear, every thread of her countless pasts pressed onto him.A bluish light began to blind Io. He let it consume him, his voice distorted, a muffled scream escaping as if swallowed by the world.
It had begun on the night of Io's twin sister's death, in a village drowning in fire and blood. A man stood amid the chaos, his clothes soaked, their original color long lost to the crimson. The long brown leather jacket clung to his frame, unrecognizable in its ruin. In one hand, he held the head of the one who had brought him into the world. Beside him, another man carried the headless corpse of what seemed to be his wife.
"We knew you were a monster! We should have killed you when we had the chance…"
A sword lodged into the man's throat before he could finish.
"Big brother!"
"I promise… I promise I will kill all these humans!"
The man screamed into the immense blood-red moon above, rage and pain cracking his voice. His cries drew the attention of a group of adventurers approaching from the village edge.
The group consisted of four humans: a red-haired woman with violet eyes, a long-haired blue-haired magician wearing glasses, and two black-haired boys. They had adventured with Io before, in the capital, and now rushed to aid him. When they saw Élara's corpse lying near him, their hearts froze.
"Help… help my brother! He's like this at cau—"
Élara couldn't finish, but the group understood. The leader hurried to the girl's side, horrified, carrying her gently next to her little sister.
"Keep her safe. We'll handle him. Émié, focus on the magic. You two, protect her. I'll deal with… entertaining him."
"Okay. Okay…"
The red moon hung low in the sky, casting a cold, motionless light over the ruined village. Corpses littered the ground, silent witnesses to the horror. Io stood at the center, watching as the red-haired woman charged. Émié began her incantation—but magic refused to flow. Io's massive black wings unfurled, blotting out the sky with a suffocating mist. His mana glowed purple, forming small white orbs in the air.
"It looks like a starry sky… No, Dioné! Target the wings! I can't use magic while they're there!"
Dioné circled him, searching for an opening. When it appeared, she lunged, sword in hand.
"Tell me, little one… your brother isn't human, right?"
"Of course he is!" Émié shouted. "A human granted immense power. From the Church's perspective… he's called a vampire."
"A… vampire? Never heard of it."
"He's the first of his kind," Émié explained. "His magic has no limits—he can create spells of his own. But it consumes vast energy, which is why he drinks blood, the direct conductor of mana."
Dioné realized she could never match him with conventional magic. Io's presence alone was a shadow of menace, his aura a massive projection of power. She signaled her team and charged. Their swords clashed, sparks flying, the deafening friction forcing one of the boys to cover his ears and stumble backward. Émié unleashed water magic, but Io roared in pain and anger.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You took everything from me!"
Blinded by rage, Io struck the ground with furious, unthinking blows. Dioné dodged deftly and targeted his black wings.
"Now!"
Émié released her long-prepared magic. It struck Io, giving Dioné the chance to leap. She sheathed her sword midair, channeling every ounce of strength into a colossal strike that shook the earth, hurling debris in all directions. One of the boys was caught and carried away to his death. But Io… parried with a single hand.
"This is impossible!" Dioné gasped.
He sank the tip of her sword into the ground, breaking it, and before she could even react, Io's blade pierced her. Blood ran freely, but her face betrayed no fear—only understanding.
"Ouch… that hurts, you idiot," she murmured, voice calm despite the wound.
"Why?" Io asked, voice cracking with rage and sorrow.
"The people who killed your sister don't deserve to live—but that's no reason to take it out on everyone!"
Io lowered Dioné to the ground, tears slipping through the red-stained strands of his hair. She placed a hand gently on his cheek.
"Take care of my family… it's all I have left," she whispered.
Io turned toward his little sister, asking the name of her family. Her answer froze him:
"I only have my daughter."
"That means…"
"No… it's not because we were together. My lover died when I got pregnant. Her name was Irina Périgée."
"Okay. I, Io Andromeda, swear on my honor to watch over your family!"
Determination ignited in his eyes. Dioné drew her final breath as Io moved toward the group. He grabbed the young sorceress, biting her to reverse her magic, transforming her into a vampire. He repeated the same with the surviving boy. After biting him, Io fell into a trance, finally collapsing. When he awoke, Émié—under the influence of his blood—hurled herself at him, pressing against him in a disturbingly intimate way. Io realized, with horror, that his blood carried some… aphrodisiac effect.
Once expelled from his sister's memories, Io demanded, "Why did you do it that way?" Before he could finish, Haru's sword pierced Élara's neck. Blood spurted, and she collapsed, dead.
"Why did you do that?!" Io shouted.
"She was attacking you! Don't you see? Her collar—she's a Noble!"
Gritting his teeth, Io stepped protectively in front of his sister.
"Now you want to talk?" he snapped.
"Stay away from her, Io! She's dangerous!"
"Dangerous?" Io asked, a deadly calm in his tone.
"Yes. Let me take her back to her cell! I don't even know why she's outside!"
As she advanced, Io blocked her path. "Stop acting like that!" he yelled. Élara's presence seemed to make the air tremble.
"Stop! Don't touch my little sister!" Haru faltered, pointing her gun at him. But before she could fire, a sickening crunch of breaking bones froze her in place. They turned to see Élara rise, unharmed.
"That hurts like hell! Luckily, I'm not toothless. Don't worry, little human—my brother's lost his memory. Even if he regains it now, he won't kill you," Élara said proudly.
"How are you still alive?!" Haru stammered.
"Are you deaf? You told him yourself I was a noble. That's exactly why we're imprisoned. I'm Élara, sister of Io Andromeda—the original herself," she said, beaming with pride.
Haru, terrified yet awed, could only watch. Io rubbed his head and assured her that even if his memories returned, he would not harm humans.
"Is it wrong to lie to her like that?" Haru asked quietly.
Io remained silent for a moment, then explained he couldn't reveal the truth about the Vatican just yet—but soon, she would understand. He turned to Élara, taking the necklace around her neck.
"I'm warning you… this might hurt."
Electric shocks coursed through Élara. She screamed, but Io shattered the necklace into a thousand pieces. He turned to Haru, extending his hand.
"I am not your enemy. I am simply Io—not the Original."
"But during the hunt… the massive wave of mana… it was you!"
"Yes. I was forced to release a fraction of my power."
"A fraction?! You nearly killed so many people!"
Haru shook her head and took his hand. She handed Élara over to her maid, who had arrived in a rush. Io resumed walking, only to notice they were moving in circles. Haru laughed.
"Even the Original can have terrible orientation," she teased.
"I don't allow that! But… you accepted the situation quite quickly, didn't you?"
"I suspected something. Overall… you're not very discreet," she replied.
Io sighed. She was right. Recalling moments like the arena fight against Yota, or the Ymir incident, he realized how many people could have seen through him.
"I wonder if Nova suspects it too…"
Arriving at school, both Nova and Rhéa apologized to Io. Suddenly, a student asked why he had gone to Nova's place yesterday. Nova spun around, ready to intervene, but it was too late.
"Ah, it's normal. We live together, didn't I tell you?"
The classroom erupted in surprise. Nova felt like she was reliving the moment she told Haru—acceptance came slowly, but after fifteen minutes, everyone calmed down.When the day ended, Io returned to Nova's place. The evening passed quietly, though he found it difficult to meet her eyes—a fact Nova noticed almost immediately.
"Is there a problem, Io?" she asked.
"I… I don't really know," he muttered.
A brief silence fell. Ymir then asked Io to serve her again. Just then, the doorbell rang. Io rushed to answer it and found his sister's maid standing there, a leather suitcase in hand. Without thinking, he quickly stepped outside, slamming the door behind him.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you with my little sister? And… why are you in royal attire?"
"Sorry, my master… but I have nowhere else to go," she replied softly.
"How is that?"
"My sister was brought back to the castle… and I was chased by the hunters," she explained.
"Hello… the troubles that are coming," Io muttered to himself.
"I'll check with Nova," he added, returning inside.
He asked Nova if it would be possible to host an acquaintance until she could find a place to stay. Nova agreed.
"You accept so easily?" he asked.
"You know Io," Nova said with a sigh, "if everyone thought like you, no one would ever talk to each other. Though… I don't know where she'll sleep."
"She'll just have to sleep in my room…"
"She?"
Io didn't answer; he only smiled.
When he reopened the door, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. This maid… she's the spitting image of Dioné.Shaking off the thought, he let her in. Nova leaned forward to greet her but stopped abruptly.
"Another girl…"
"Well, yes? I told you, she'll just have to sleep in my room," Io said casually.
Nova sighed. She recognized this woman as the one who had accompanied the little girl last time. She asked why the maid had come back to see him. Io explained that she was lost, and he had brought her home.
"She's going to think you're a creep," Nova muttered.
The maid's presence didn't bother Nova—but the outfit she wore, identical to the one from their first encounter, did. She bore a strange resemblance to someone from Liaz. Yet Nova's intuition hesitated: what would a Liaz be doing at the enemy's house—especially at the home of one of the best vampire hunters? Shrugging, Nova watched Io, who had a puzzled look on his face. The atmosphere in the house was light and joyful.
"Are you feeling well?" Nova asked, approaching the maid while wiping her hands on her apron.
"Well, and you, Lady Nova?" the maid replied.
"'Lady Nova'? You don't have to be so formal with me!"
"It's settled, but I prefer to remain so," she said politely.
"As you wish," Nova replied.
After dinner, Nova went to bed while the maid prepared coffee for Io, giving him a rare moment to talk without interruption. Meanwhile, Ymir sat with her hair being brushed by Io, ready to listen.
"Tell me, sir, when are you going to see our queen?" she asked.
"Why do you ask that?" Io replied, thinking to himself that the answer was obvious: he had already considered making the queen Ymir's mother.
"Tell me, Ymir… would you like to see your new mother?"
"Yes! I've always wanted one. But I still have a super cool dad!"
Ymir's innocent words filled Io with a sadness deeper than certainty. He set down his coffee cup and looked at the maid.
"Tell me your name," he asked.
"My name is Neith Périgée," she replied immediately.
Her name struck Io like a bolt of recognition. A small, knowing smile crossed his face. He stood and approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Neith didn't flinch—she was clearly used to his closeness. He reached for her electric collar. As he absorbed its energy, it crackled in his hands before shattering into three pieces.
"Well, now that you're free, you'll return to the castle, take Ymir with you, and on the day of the tournament, escort the queen," he instructed.
"Very well, master!" Neith said, retrieving her phone to contact one of her colleagues. Within two hours, another aide arrived at Nova's doorstep. Meanwhile, Ymir had fallen asleep in Io's arms.
When the car stopped at the house, Io carefully carried Ymir inside, then turned to Neith, noticing something odd about her. He opened his jacket.
"Here, a little blood. Your mana is too weak."
"I see you haven't lost that incredible gift of noticing everything," she replied.
Neith stopped concentrating her mana. Her snow-white hair gradually turned half red, startling Io.
"The hunters from earlier… they mo—" she began, but he interrupted by kissing her and letting his blood flow into her. Her instinct to resist collapsed, and she returned the bite to his neck. Blood flowed down Io's skin, and he suddenly remembered the peculiar effect his blood had.
Reacting quickly, he placed her in the car and slammed the door shut. Back inside the house, he noticed the lights upstairs flick on and caught a glimpse of Nova descending the stairs, lost in thought.
"What's going on?" she asked, seeing him without Ymir.
"She left with the woman from earlier," Io explained.
Nova's eyes narrowed, her hand gripping his collar. "What is wrong with your head? Why entrust the care of a little girl to someone we barely know?"
"I trust her," he said, meeting her gaze confidently.
She checked the time. "It's… 2 AM." She exhaled in exasperation and slumped onto the couch. Pointing toward the kitchen, she ordered sternly, "Go make me a coffee!" Io trudged to the kitchen like a scolded dog, returning moments later with the coffee in hand. He tried to start a conversation, but Nova had already fallen asleep. Sighing, he moved closer and gently lifted her, carrying her back to bed. As he adjusted her blanket, she murmured softly, words barely audible:
"I love you…"
The words reassured him, easing the tension in his chest. Once she was settled, Io returned to his room. A noise outside drew his attention. He looked through the window, seeing nothing at first—but then, higher up, a group moved across the rooftops with alarming agility.
Hunters.
He closed the curtains and lay down, every sense on alert. He closed the curtains and lay down.