The afternoon sky over Astris City burned a dull orange, fading toward dusk. In the far northern quarter, where abandoned courtyards stood silent and half-collapsed, a sudden whisper of wind broke the stillness.
Carmilla descended through the fading light, folding her crimson wings tightly against her back before her boots touched the cracked stone of the courtyard. The glow in her eyes dimd, shifting from blood red to their usual shade of molten gold. She listened — the faint rustle of dry leaves, a dog barking far off, the city’s noise muffled by distance. No one had followed her.
"Are you... all right?"
The voice was faint, fragile — coming from inside the half-ruined house.
Carmilla exhaled softly in relief and pushed the door open. "I’m fine. What about you?"
Inside, Mia leaned against the wall, her gray fur coat dusty and torn, her breathing shallow. The late light fell across her face, showing the exhaustion beneath her calm.
Carmilla crossed the room quickly and helped her sit up. "You scared , you know? I thought you’d—"
"I’m fine," Mia interrupted with a soft cough. Her voice was rough but steady. "Just... more collapsed than injured."
Carmilla smiled weakly, brushing a strand of hair away from Mia’s cheek. "It’s good to see you breathing. Everything else can be fixed."
"Don’t pat my head," Mia muttered, swatting her hand away with a faint glare.
The vampire girl grinned, pretending to pout. "Fine, fine. No head pats for you, Miss Cat."
From her pocket, she pulled out a small cloth pouch and untied it. Inside were a few strips of dried at. "Here, eat sothing. You’ll recover faster."
Mia blinked, catching the jerky between her teeth as Carmilla pushed it toward her mouth. "Where did this co from?" she asked, chewing slowly.
"Borrowed it." Carmilla’s eyes darted away.
"Borrowed?" Mia raised a brow.
"Well... temporarily relocated it." The vampire gave a small cough and avoided eye contact.
Mia’s tail twitched in silent amusent. "I see."
They sat quietly for a while, chewing in the dusty half-light. The silence between them wasn’t awkward — just heavy, the kind that ca after too many close calls.
Finally, Carmilla broke it. "We can’t stay here, Mia. Astris is crawling with patrols. They’ll find us sooner or later."
Mia nodded slightly but didn’t rise. Her gaze lingered on the wall opposite her, unfocused. "Before we leave, I need to check with the intelligence dealer. He might have news about my Little Sister."
"Still chasing that?" Carmilla frowned, crossing her arms. "It’s been days. If they knew anything, they’d have sold it already."
"Maybe." Mia’s eyes softened for a heartbeat. "But I have to be sure."
The vampire sighed, wings twitching. "Fine. But once we’re done, we leave tonight. No more detours."
Mia only nodded.
By nightfall, the two of them slipped through the dark alleys of Astris, their cloaks drawn tight. The city had quieted — even the beggars had vanished from the streets. Only the torches of distant patrols flickered like fireflies.
Two hours passed before they reached a small courtyard tucked between ruined buildings. Mia knocked on the wooden gate — three long knocks, one short.
A muffled male voice ca from inside. "Who’s there?"
"Your custor," Mia replied.
The door creaked open. The man standing there looked startled to see them alive. "You two again? Co in, quickly."
Inside, the room slled of old paper and oil lamps. The dealer’s eyes darted nervously between them. "What’s this about?"
"Information," Mia said bluntly. "Have you found any trace of my Little Sister?"
The man hesitated, then smiled thinly. "As a matter of fact... yes."
Mia’s heart skipped a beat. "What? Where?"
The dealer rubbed his hands together, eyes glinting. "Ah, but first — about that remaining paynt we discussed..."
Carmilla’s expression darkened. "You an the paynt we don’t have."
Mia stayed composed. "Can’t we settle later?"
"Settle later?" The man laughed incredulously. "This isn’t a charity. No paynt, no information."
Carmilla cracked her knuckles. "You sure about that?"
The dealer froze. "H-Hey, no need for violence—"
But Mia was already moving. In a flash, she grabbed the man by the collar and slamd him against the wall, her crimson eyes gleaming. "You’ll tell where she is," she said quietly, "or you’ll never speak again."
The dealer choked, face turning red. "O-okay! Just— let breathe!"
Carmilla tilted her head, showing a pair of sharp little fangs. "You’d better talk fast before I get thirsty."
"All right, all right!" The man raised both hands, trembling. "Your Little Sister — she’s in Black Tortoise!"
Mia’s grip tightened. "Where did you hear that?"
"I have sources!" he sputtered. "Reliable ones! There’s even proof— I swear!"
Carmilla crossed her arms. "Proof?"
"Yes, yes! Wait here."
He stumbled into the back room and returned monts later with a rolled parchnt. Unfolding it, he revealed a hand-drawn portrait — a young cat-eared girl with soft gray fur and bright eyes.
The resemblance made Mia’s breath hitch.
"This..." she whispered. "This is . Or close."
"Looks more like your Little Sister," Carmilla murmured. "Soone who knew you painted this."
"Exactly," the dealer said quickly. "I bought it from a traveler who ca down from Black Tortoise. Said it was made by soone looking for a woman nad Mia. Spent a fortune on that tip."
Mia stared at the portrait for a long ti, her hands trembling. "You’re sure this ca from there?"
"I swear on my life!"
"Don’t swear too quickly," Carmilla warned, her golden eyes narrowing.
"I’m telling the truth!" the man yelped. "That’s all I know!"
Mia let him go, and he stumbled backward, gasping for breath.
"Co on," she said coldly. "We’re done here."
Outside, the streets were empty, washed in moonlight. Mia walked ahead, clutching the portrait to her chest. Carmilla followed, uneasy.
"You don’t actually believe him, do you?" she asked finally.
Mia didn’t slow. "The portrait is real. That’s enough."
"It could be a trap," Carmilla pressed. "Think about it — why would soone in Black Tortoise be painting your face unless they wanted to lure you?"
Mia stopped, turning to face her. Her eyes glowed faintly red under the moon. "If it’s a trap, I’ll find out. If it’s not — my Little Sister needs ."
"You’re walking straight into danger!" Carmilla hissed. "What if the people of Black Tortoise capture you? What if this is connected to Oasis?"
Mia’s gaze softened, though her voice remained steady. "Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. But I can’t wait anymore."
"Wait for what? Backup? A plan?"
"For hope," Mia said quietly. "Hope doesn’t wait."
Carmilla exhaled sharply, exasperated. "You’re impossible."
"I’m going," Mia said simply. "Tonight."
Carmilla grabbed her arm. "You’re not going alone."
Mia looked down at her, eyes calm and resolute. "I need you to do sothing else."
"What?"
"If sothing happens to — if I don’t return — I need you to contact Oasis. Tell them what happened."
She pulled a folded piece of animal hide from her pocket and pressed it into Carmilla’s palm. "There’s a contact point in Asuka City. Go there before dawn if you can. This is the address."
Carmilla stared at it, confused and hurt. "Why not co with ? Wait for the Oasis people to act. They can help you find her safely."
"It’ll be too late by then."
The vampire’s small hands clenched around the animal skin. "You don’t even know what’s waiting for you out there."
Mia’s lips curved faintly — a sad, tired smile. "I’ve never known. But that’s never stopped before."
Carmilla turned away, kicking at the cobblestone. "You’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever t."
"Maybe," Mia said. "But thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying."
Before Carmilla could reply, Mia bowed — a deep, formal gesture that startled the vampire into jumping back. "Hey, don’t do that! You’re making it sound like goodbye."
"It might be," Mia said softly. "If I fail, you’ll know what to do."
Carmilla’s throat tightened. "You can’t just—"
But the catwoman was already walking away, her silhouette blending with the moonlit alleys.
"Mia!" Carmilla called after her, voice cracking. "I haven’t agreed yet!"
No answer ca back, only the faint echo of footsteps fading into the night.
Carmilla stood there for a long ti, the wind tugging at her hair, the address crumpled tightly in her fist. Her golden eyes shimred with frustration. "Really... what am I supposed to do now?"
The empty street didn’t answer. Only the moonlight poured over the rooftops — pale, silent, and cold.
In the darkness beyond Astris, one figure ran toward the horizon, the faint glint of determination burning in her crimson eyes. Ahead lay the walls of Black Tortoise — and whatever truth awaited beyond them.
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