Just as the golden morning light settled peacefully over the kitchen counters, the door swung open and our remaining siblings marched into the room.
Evelyn was leading the charge, her high-heeled boots clicking loudly on the hardwood as her white and scarlet Luminous Knight uniform crinkled with her energetic movements. Elias followed closely behind, his heavy leather duster slung over one shoulder, still holding his steaming mug of black tea.
The moment they stepped fully into the kitchen, both of them froze mid-stride.
Evelyn's jaw dropped so low it looked like it might unhinge, and the bioluminescent green tips of her hair flared into a brilliant, chaotic neon strobe light. Elias stared at me, his sharp green eyes widening to the size of saucers as he nearly spilled his tea across the clean floor.
Right there, standing completely unprotected in the center of the brightest, most intense beam of morning sunlight pouring through the window, was me. I was casually holding a plate of toast, the golden rays illuminating my silver hair and pale skin without a single wisp of smoke, a single blister, or a single cry of pain.
"What in the world?! Big sister! You're... you're standing in the sun! You're not turning into a pile of spooky vampire ash! Did you secretly unlock a cheat code while you were changing your clothes?!" Evelyn shrieked, pointing an accusing, trembling finger at me.
Elias blinked rapidly, looking from me to the wide-open velvet curtains.
"Weird Eyes... what kind of reckless stunt are you pulling? Are you trying to vaporize yourself before breakfast? Get back in the dark!" he barked, his rough voice tight with sudden, protective panic.
I merely brushed a stray lock of silver hair out of my face, my expression remaining completely unbothered as my massive crimson wings gave a relaxed, lazy flutter beneath my cute forest-green kirtle.
"Calm your mind, Elias, There is no cellular incineration taking place. Well... it is entirely because of big sister." " I said in my quiet, flat deadpan, sliding a piece of toast onto a plate.
Elicia stood beside the stove, resting her hands on her hips with a proud, triumphant grin, her silver hair shimmering beautifully in the light.
"A little specialized continuous healing loop, courtesy of your older sister, No sibling of mine is going to be forced to skulk around in the dark inside their own home." she preened playfully, winking at the boys.
Realizing I was perfectly fine, the panic vanished, replaced by the comfortable, chaotic hum of our normal morning routine. The four of us gathered around the long wooden dining table, the bright kitchen feeling warmer and more inviting than it had in months. Sitting in the center of the table was a fresh jar of sweet berry jam. I picked up a silver butter knife, carefully spreading a thick, dark red layer across my golden-brown toast, and took a quiet, satisfying bite, my fangs clicking softly against the crunchy crust.
Elias pulled out the chair directly across from me and slung his heavy frame into it. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a folded section of the newspaper he had been reading earlier. His face grew serious, his sharp eyes locking onto mine with a look that meant business.
"Hey, Weird Eyes, look at this, Here's some interesting morning news for you. Your name is officially plastered all over the front page." Elias said, his rough voice dropping into a low rumble.
With a swift, practiced flick of his wrist, he sailed the folded paper across the table.
My right hand shot out instantly, catching the crisp paper cleanly out of the air before it could touch my plate. I smoothed the sheets out against the dark wood, my single jade-green eye scanning the bold, ink-printed headline across the top of the page.
It was the official Caria Times… Saturday Edition. And right there, beneath the main banner, the public printing press had made its latest announcement.
The stark, black ink of the Caria Times headline seemed to vibrate beneath the warm kitchen candlelight. My single jade-green eye locked onto the bold print, scanning the front page as the rest of the table fell into a rare, expectant silence. Evelyn leaned halfway across her chair, trying to peek over my shoulder, while Elias watched me closely, his thumb tracing the rim of his tea mug. Elicia simply smiled softly, adjusting her posture with the quiet dignity of someone who already knew how the political chess board had played out.
As expected, the front page was completely dedicated to me. The lead article, penned by the capital's senior investigative journalist, read:
THE PHANTOM UNMASKED: EIRENE RYND REVEALED AS THE BLOOD-SUCKING WINGED DEMON
(In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through the upper echelons of the capital, official sources confirm that Lady Eirene Rynd… the legendary Luminous Knight and revered vanguard bounty hunter… is a high-tier vampire. The enigmatic warrior, famously responsible for single-handedly dismantling four separate S-rank criminal syndicates and single-handedly correcting the country's severe economic deflation through the injection of massive captured treasuries, has been unmasked as the very entity occupying the kingdom's most notorious wanted posters. and In light of these biological revelations, the Luminous Knight Bureau Administration (LKBA) initially pushed for immediate containment. However, the Bureau has officially dismissed all standing charges. In an unprecedented royal decree, King Aulus himself has formally approved Lady Eirene's status, granting her full immunity and civil rights. The Crown declared her actions in service of the realm far outweigh ancestral stigmas. Effective immediately, she is permitted to reside peacefully within the 3rd District. The historic 18-million-gold bounty on the 'Crimson Phantom' is officially closed.)
I stared at the paper for a long moment, my expression remaining a perfectly flat, unreadable deadpan. I carefully set the Saturday edition down on the wooden table, smoothing out a crease in the paper with the tip of my finger. My massive crimson blood wings gave a quiet, rhythmic ripple beneath my forest-green kirtle, reacting to the sudden, surreal realization that my deepest secret was now public knowledge… and yet, I was entirely safe.
"Well, The public printing press operates with surprising speed. The phrasing is... highly dramatic, but structurally accurate." I murmured, my low voice breaking the silence of the kitchen
Evelyn immediately burst into a fit of giggles, slapping her hand against the table so hard her breakfast fork rattled.
"Highly dramatic? Big sister, they literally called you a 'blood-sucking winged demon' right next to your official knight title! That is the coolest thing I have ever read! Look at Elias, he's been ranking in the top five for years and he's never gotten a headline that fat!"
"Hey, watch it, Slime Girl, I prefer to keep my operations in the dark. But seriously, Weird Eyes... you've got the King himself backing your play now. The entire aristocratic sector is going to have to swallow their pride and smile when you walk down the street, fangs and all." Elias grumbled, though a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he folded his arms over his chest.
Elicia reached over, gently placing her hand over mine with a warm, reassuring squeeze. Her crimson eyes crinkled with immense sisterly pride.
"It is exactly what you deserve, little Ren. You have bled for this country, protected its people, and carried the weight of the shadows for far too long. King Aulus knows a true hero when he sees one, regardless of what the mirror shows."
I looked around the table at my chaotic, beautiful family… Evelyn bouncing in her pristine white and scarlet uniform, Elias sipping his tea with a satisfied grunt, and Elicia beaming under the bright morning sunlight that could no longer hurt me. For the first time in my long, isolated journey, the heavy cloak of paranoia fully slipped from my shoulders. The bounty was gone, the sun was warm, and I was finally home.
I turned the crisp, ink-scented page of the Caria Times, my single jade-green eye tracking down the tightly packed columns of the second page. The tone of the article shifted from the immediate political fallout to a much grander, historical perspective… one that put the sheer weight of my existence into context.
The text read:
A HISTORIC TRUCE: THE FIRST DEMON OF ANDROMEDA
(Lady Eirene Rynd's newly revealed identity marks a monumental turning point in global history. She officially stands as the very first demon permitted to reside legally within the human continent of Andromeda. For decades, a brutal, unforgiving war has raged between humanity and the dark forces of the demon continent, the Triangulum Continent, fiercely led by the terrifying archdemon, Azrael. The boundaries between our worlds have historically been written in blood. But yet, in an unprecedented shift, a creature of Triangulum descent now calls Andromeda home. Because of her undeniable heroic acts in the past… protecting our borders, rescuing our citizens, and stabilizing our kingdom… the Crown has declared that her bloodline does not define her allegiance. Eirene has earned the ultimate trust of the realm. By royal decree, she can roam freely across the continent without fear of harm, a solitary beacon of peace in a historically divided world.)
I stared at the page in a silent deadpan, the weight of the words settling over the kitchen. My massive crimson blood wings gave a sharp, involuntary twitch beneath my forest-green kirtle. To the public, I was a historical anomaly, a bridge between two warring continents. But to myself, I was just a sister trying to survive and keep her family safe.
"The editorial board has a very expansive view of history, mentioning archdemon Azrael in the same sentence as my residential status... their sensationalism parameters are operating at maximum capacity." I murmured quietly, setting the paper flat on the wooden table.
Evelyn practically bounced out of her chair, her white and scarlet Luminous Knight skirt swishing as the green tips of her hair flared with absolute excitement.
"Are you kidding, big sister? They just compared you to the big boss of the Triangulum Continent! You're literally a living legend now! If any stuck-up noble tries to look at you funny, you can just flash your fangs and remind them you have royal permission to roam freely!"
Elias leaned back in his chair, a rare, serious expression crossing his sharp features as he stared at the headline. He took a slow sip of his tea.
"It's a heavy title to carry, Weird Eyes. Being the only demon in a human continent means every eye in Andromeda is going to be watching your next move. But… If anyone tries to start trouble, they'll have to go through the 5th-ranked Shadow Walker first." He looked up, a confident, cocky smirk returning to his face.
Elicia placed her hand over mine, her warm, comforting touch instantly grounding me. Her crimson eyes filled with a deep, maternal fierceness.
"Let them write their history books, little Ren. The only thing that matters is that you are safe, your bounty is dead, and nobody can force you into the shadows ever again."
I looked around the sunlit kitchen, taking another bite of my sweet berry jam toast. The world outside might have been reeling from the news, but inside House 132, surrounded by the comfortable chaos of my family, I felt entirely at peace.
I flipped through the remaining inner pages of the Caria Times, but the groundbreaking historical journalism immediately dried up. The rest of the sheets were just a dense, uninteresting bunch of local political propaganda, overly enthusiastic merchant ads for high-society perfume, and listings for carriage repairs in the upper districts.
Finding nothing else of tactical or personal value, I neatly folded the Saturday edition and slid it across the wooden table.
"The remaining pages lack substance, You may read it yourself, big sister."
Elicia offered a graceful nod, picking up the paper with a soft hum as she began to scan the merchant sections.
I took another quiet, satisfying bite of my sweet berry jam toast, the crunchy crust clicking against my fangs. As the peaceful morning atmosphere settled over the kitchen, Elicia lowered the paper slightly, her sharp crimson eyes locking onto Elias with a serious, practical expression.
"Elias, Now that the chaos is over, and Ren's massive 18 gold bounty has been officially settled and closed by the crown, what exactly are you going to do for money? Your primary tracking target is legally off the table."
Listening from my seat, my hand instinctively drifted down to rest flat against my abdomen, a sudden, protective warmth blooming in my chest.
'He will probably want to use whatever funds he has left to help support the child growing in my womb,' I thought silently to myself, assuming my brother's protective instincts would naturally double down on my incoming newborn.
Elias, however, just chuckled, leaning back in his chair and resting his hands behind his head as a relaxed, surprisingly soft smile crossed his rough features.
"Well, right now, I'm taking a long-overdue break, I'm finally going to return to my family. If you guys want to know... I actually have a loving wife and a beautiful little daughter. They live quietly over in Karama Village. You two should happen to visit sometime."
Elicia and I didn't even blink. We casually exchanged a brief, knowing glance over our tea mugs. In reality, we already knew about his hidden family… we had actively traveled to Karama Village a while back to quietly check on their security, ensuring the 5th-ranked Shadow Walker's bloodline was perfectly safe from underworld retaliation.
Evelyn, on the other hand, completely froze.
Her fork slipped right out of her hand, clattering loudly against her plate as her jaw dropped to maximum capacity. The bioluminescent green tips of her hair violently flared into a chaotic, blinding neon pink and yellow strobe light, practically vibrating with the sheer magnitude of her absolute shock.
"WHAT?! A wife?! A daughter?! In a secret village?! Since when do you have a loving, domestic family, big brother?! You spend all your time skulking around in damp alleys, wearing a scary leather duster, and acting like a brooding loner! You're a father?! Oh my goodness, who would actually marry a grumbling shadow ninja like you?! This is a bigger plot twist than big sister being a vampire!"
Elias let out a loud, booming laugh at Evelyn's utter meltdown, tossing his head back as his sharp green eyes crinkled with genuine amusement. He reached over and casually used the rolled-up newspaper to give the top of her glowing head a gentle, brotherly swat.
"Calm down, Slime Girl, before you blow a fuse and short-circuit the house's lighting, Just because I know how to navigate the underworld doesn't mean I want to live there forever. A man needs a quiet place to anchor his soul, and my girls over in Karama are exactly that. Besides, my wife happens to find my grumbling incredibly charming, for your information." Elias chuckled, shaking his head as he took another sip of his tea.
Evelyn practically deflated back into her chair, her white and scarlet Luminous Knight skirt rustling loudly as she crossed her arms and pouted. The bright neon pink and yellow in her hair slowly faded back to its usual sleepy shade of jade-green.
"I still can't believe it. A little niece running around somewhere out there... Oh my goodness, I am going to spoil her so much! I'm going to teach her how to sneak up on you and dye your leather coat bright pink!"
"You stay away from my kid's training, Evelyn,"
Elias warned with a smirk, though his eyes remained incredibly soft. He turned his gaze back to me, his expression turning into one of quiet, protective respect. He looked at my hand, which was still resting gently over my abdomen, and gave me a firm, reassuring nod.
"Don't you worry about a thing, Weird Eyes. My family is well taken care of, and I've got more than enough gold stashed away in my personal vaults to make sure your little one has everything they could ever need. You just focus on resting and being a normal citizen for a change."
Elicia set her tea mug down with a soft, elegant click, her crimson eyes glowing with absolute warmth as she looked around the table at all of us.
"It seems we all have bright, peaceful futures to look forward to, no more running, no more hiding, and no more bounties hanging over our heads. Just family."
I took the final bite of my sweet berry jam toast, the soothing warmth of Elicia's continuous healing spell pulsing gently beneath my skin. For the first time in decades, the kitchen of House 132 didn't feel like a temporary safe house or a dangerous laboratory… it felt like a home, filled with the noisy, chaotic love of the people who mattered most.