The door swings open.
It’s lunchti, and everyone freezes in place—Hakuto most of all.
Shin has returned, but he’s in bad shape. He’s missing his right arm, but he still looks better than he did that night.
After leaving the battlefield, he imdiately got in touch with August, a forr mber of the HESPARC U.S dical division.
August had retired just before Shin was forced out.
August took care of him, giving him dical help, food and a place to stay for one night. He even secured him a passage to Japan through so illegal connections, smuggling him onto a cargo ship across the Pacific.
After the chaos of that night, Shin feared HESPARC would tighten exit controls from the US, so he moved in the shadows.
«I’m back,» Shin says with calm, like nothing happened.
Of course, Shin doesn’t get away with a simple «Welco back, Shin.»
What follows is an interrogation as harsh as a dieval inquisition, especially from Hakuto, who’s angrier than ever.
Shin spills everything, describing in detail the strength and abilities of Marquis Velshekar.
Only Ana, with her head lowered over her plate, doesn’t ask any questions.
But she’s clearly uncomfortable, even more so than in the previous days.
She already knows everything.
It was Ana herself who told Shin everything she knew about the masterminds behind the attack at the Ashiya Rock Garden during the two days of interrogation.
Shin had asked her to stay silent about what he was going to do—a direct assault on the headquarters of Marquis Velshekar—and she obeyed.
«Anyway, all’s well that ends well. Sure, it cost an arm, but it was worth it—I gave him a good beating and I’m sure he won’t show his face for a while,» Shin says with a slight smile.
«Anyway, I have two pieces of good news for you.» he adds.
He turns his gaze to the front door, his tone suddenly theatrical.
«Let the first piece of good news co in!»
A figure timidly crosses the threshold.
Ana jumps up imdiately, and tears start streaming down her face—tears of happiness.
The woman who has just entered is breathtaking.
She’s of Hispanic beauty, with long dark brown hair that almost looks black, amber-colored eyes and a body that leaves no one indifferent.
She’s Esralda Garroza, Ana’s mother.
Her face is marked by a deep scar on the right side, left by the torture she endured as Velshekar’s prisoner, along with other scars scattered across her body.
But that doesn’t matter to Ana—she sees only her mother.
Ana sprints across the living room, desperate to reach her.
She throws herself into Esralda’s arms and her mom returns the embrace.
Tears run down their faces, along with words of love spoken in trembling voices.
Everyone watches them with a tender smile, knowing they’re seeing a reunion that took far too long—even if no one but Shin really understands what’s going on.
At that point, Shin starts explaining everything—details he got from interrogating Ana.
He tells them that Esralda was part of a group of demons who, fourteen years ago, followed Velshekar into the human world.
Their mission was to find two fabled hybrids born from the love between a vampire and a succubus.
Back then, Esralda already had a two-year-old daughter —Ana.
As Ana grew up, she showed powers far above what was normal for her race.
Esralda did everything she could to keep those powers hidden from Velshekar.
She knew exactly what would happen to her beloved daughter if her extraordinary abilities were discovered.
But after a while, the power beca too obvious.
Hiding it was no longer possible.
Ana was only nine years old when Oliver, the dark emissary, was ordered by Velshekar to prematurely awaken all of her powers through the usual ritual—the sa ritual Hakuto had used to awaken Rika’s power.
As Shin says these words, a chill runs down Hakuto’s spine just thinking about that horrible scene.
Esralda, feeling her daughter tremble, hugs Ana even tighter, caressing her with a mother’s love.
Shin resus speaking after a short pause.
He keeps repeating that Velshekar used Esralda as a hostage to force Ana into obedience.
He took advantage of the girl’s stunning beauty when she was only fourteen.
Velshekar, known to humans as John Hawkley—a rich businessman and the secret boss of New York’s underworld—used his connections in Hollywood to turn Ana into a money-making machine.
He wanted to conquer the human world, not with magic, but with money.
In secret, Ana also worked as an assassin for the marquis.
She was ordered to eliminate troubleso political or social figures and even police officers who accidentally or intuitively started investigating Velshekar.
«And that’s that,» Shin says finally, after almost twenty minutes of telling the story.
The others watch Ana and her mother with compassion and deep emotion.
They’re still hugging in the entrance of the living room, talking quietly to each other.
«M-Mom... I love you, mom. I don’t want to ever be without you again... promise no one will ever separate us again...» Ana sobs, her voice trembling.
Esralda keeps wiping her tears away, but they keep coming.
They’re tears of pure happiness at finally seeing her mom again and of pain from reliving, through Shin’s words, all the suffering she’s been through since she was born.
A pain that Hakuto can only understand up to a certain point.
His own mother disappeared right after giving birth to him, leaving him with Shin and never sending any word about herself again.
When he was a child, Hakuto always asked questions like: «Everyone else has a mom... why don’t I? Where is mom? When is she coming ho?»
It’s never easy for a father to explain to his child why he only has one parent.
At first, Shin used to say «Mom is on a long work trip.»
But as soon as Hakuto got older, those excuses stopped working.
Only when he was old enough to understand did Shin tell him that his mother died during childbirth.
Is this really the truth?
Hakuto has no reason to doubt it, so he stopped asking questions and maybe that was exactly what Shin wanted.
Only Chantal stays completely impassive, even looking a bit uncomfortable surrounded by so many teary eyes and sad faces.
Then she suddenly stands up.
«Shin, do you want to see sothing incredibly cool?» Chantal says, her voice teasing.
Shin looks at her with a smirk.
«I’m already looking at sothing cool,» he replies. «Anyway, I have to say you’re looking great—almost better than before. The care of my beloved wife has worked wonders.»
Hakuto blushes and lowers his gaze, embarrassed.
~Why does my father always have to play the womanizer with any woman he ets...?~
Chantal puffs up with pride. She thrusts out her chest and lifts her chin, clearly proud.
«Your wife’s care helped a lot, I won’t deny that. But the credit goes to soone else. Anyway... I ant sothing even cooler! Just watch!» she says with excitent.
Shin tilts his head, curiosity in his eyes.
Chantal extends her arm forward, her hand half-closed.
And then...
The Sacred Fla bursts to life in her hand, taking the shape of her usual sword of fire.
But this ti, it’s not white.
Shin’s eyes widen when he sees that weapon in Chantal’s fist.
It’s a vivid shade of pink.
At least, that’s what it looks like at first glance.
In reality, the flas are still white, but swirling inside them are currents of blood and Sanguis energy, moving so fast they look pink.
«D-Don’t tell that...?» Shin stamrs, completely incredulous. «I didn’t even know how to tell your father you couldn’t fight anymore... and now this.»
«Yeah! The energy of the vampires runs through my veins now—Itsu Chihane kindly offered, absolutely voluntarily and spontaneously, to inject his Sanguis energy into . You know, he really wanted to make sure my promising Monster Reaper career didn’t end so soon,» Chantal says, clearly proud.
Hakuto gives her a puzzled smile.
~I get the feeling that’s not exactly how it went...~
Chantal points her weapon straight at Shin.
«I’m itching to test my powers against soone really strong! Co at , old Shin! It’s ti to knock you off the throne of the world’s strongest Monster Reaper!» she shouts, her eyes blazing.
Shin smiles and shakes his head.
«I wasn’t the strongest even when I still had my right arm, let alone now. It’s been at least ten years since I held that title. Funny, by the way, that you’re challenging now, when I’m all battered and missing a limb, and not, say, last week when I could still teach you young ones a thing or two.»
Those words cut deep into Chantal’s pride, even more than Shin had ant them to.
«Y-You think I was afraid to fight you?!» she snaps, her voice shaking with anger.
«Noooo... why would I ever think such a thing...?» Shin says with clear sarcasm. «But if you’re so eager to test these new powers of yours, you should do it against the strongest under this roof.»
He shifts his gaze to Rika, leaving no doubt for Chantal about who he thinks is the strongest here.
«I have no problem squaring off with her! It’s my turn to reclaim the title of strongest resident of this villa!» Chantal says, her eyes flashing with determination.
Rika stands up in response, a rare glint of challenge in her eyes.
«I gladly accept, but on one condition: if I win, the priority on Hakuto will be mine and not up for discussion! You’ll have to stand aside until I’m fully satisfied! In fact, you’ll have to sit there and watch us, dying of jealousy!»
~And I thought those were decisions that belonged to ... anyway, Rika has really beco unrecognizable... compared to her, Yuzu is practically a saint now, a symbol of chastity and purity!~
Shin glances at Hakuto with a certain fatherly pride, like he’s silently saying ’now my boy has beco a man’.
Chantal frowns, her eyes narrowing as she glares at Rika.
«, having to make do with your leftovers? Not a chance!» she hisses.
Rika just smirks back, her smile mischievous.
«What’s wrong? Already assuming you’re going to lose? Then Shin was right—you’re a scaredy-cat,» she teases.
Chantal’s so furious that steam almost seems to rise from her head.
She slams her hands down on the table, rattling the plates and cups.
«As if I’d ever be afraid of you! I accept the challenge! And if I win—which I obviously will—you’ll be the one stuck watching us with your mouth watering while he fucks like there’s no tomorrow!»
~How refined...~
Kagura intervenes, her voice calm and collected.
«Co on, girls, these are things Hakuto should be deciding. A boy’s heart is won in other ways, not by bickering between you.»
~Finally soone with a bit of common sense in this house...~
«Rather...» Kagura says, turning her gaze to Shin. «You ntioned two pieces of good news. The first is the liberation of Ana’s mother. What’s the second?»
«I’m glad soone’s paying attention to what I say, even if I don’t rember calling it good news,» Shin grumbles, his tone sour.
~Yes, he did say that...~
Shin pauses, waiting until everyone is looking at him.
«The second news is that we have to move as far away from here as possible.»
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