Episode 22

“I knew it was only a matter of time before you caused trouble.”

As soon as he entered the interrogation room, Vlad let out a sigh.

Given how little time he had alone with his wife, he’d usually get visibly annoyed at any interruptions. This time, however, Rosanna had created the opportunity herself, so he had no choice but to keep his irritation in check.

“I was actually enjoying myself for once… So, why am I here?”

“Can’t you tell? I called you to defend me. Just look at me.”

Rosanna sat in the cramped space on something that barely qualified as a chair, with a musty smell hanging in the air. She’d rather be locked in a coffin than sit here.

“What’s this about?”

“No idea.”

“If you don’t know, how am I supposed to defend you?”

Vlad settled onto the chair next to her, adding a comment.

“I overheard something on the way in—it seems to be connected to Senator Oswald. Does that ring any bells?”

“Who’s that?”

A vein bulged on Vlad’s forehead.

“He’s the one who made a fuss in Parliament, claiming a monster destroyed his bicycle, and was promptly dismissed.”

“Oh… I think I remember hearing about that. Didn’t really care, though.”

“When the interrogator comes in, answer respectfully. If you’re flippant, you’ll only make things harder for yourself.”

Vlad grumbled about his disrupted time with Tanesia, but he quickly pivoted to formulating a plan, mainly focused on what Rosanna should avoid doing. He knew she’d likely disregard any framework he gave her, so he decided to focus on the absolute basics she needed to follow.

After a moment, the interrogator entered, opening with a mention of the peace treaty.

“Do not engage in activities that could expose our existence to human society. Have you forgotten?”

“I remember.”

“Yet you violated it. You retaliated against Senator Oswald, and as a result, the Senate had to placate the imperial family, creating diplomatic tensions.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never broken the treaty.”

She wanted to argue further, but Vlad’s hand stopped her, his fierce gaze drilling into her side.

“Wait. Retaliation?”

The answer to Vlad’s question came from the other side of the room.

“There was a confrontation between you, Lady Rosanna, and the senator the day before the incident. Witnesses saw it, so there’s no use denying it.”

Rosanna sifted through her memories and one particular encounter resurfaced. A bicycle… that absurd dandy horse. That senator was the rider?

“He’s the one who was at fault. He was riding recklessly. And I didn’t even know he was a senator.”

“So you’re admitting you had a motive.”

“No! That’s not sufficient grounds. If I responded to every minor conflict, half of Ingdberry’s population would be gone. Crushing bicycles isn’t even her style.”

Vlad gave her a pointed look as he supported her.

“Exactly. I don’t do petty. If I wanted revenge, I’d have crushed him, not his bike.”

Vlad mouthed a sarcastic “thanks for the help,” furrowing his brow deeply.

“So, you’re claiming you had nothing to do with the incident?”

“I’ll stake my family’s honor on it. I’m innocent.”

The interrogator closed the file.

“The Senate didn’t seriously believe that someone of Lady Rosanna’s standing, the next head of Enache, would lack the sense to cause such chaos. This was merely a check for confirmation.”

“Right. I’m not an idiot.”

“Even if you’re not the culprit, you look suspicious. And when strange rumors spread like this, it only gets worse. You need to keep a low profile. Consider this both advice and a warning from the Senate.”

“You’re telling me to ‘act like a proper lady,’ aren’t you?”

“You attract too much attention, Lady Rosanna.”

“I can try, but I was born to stand out.” Rosanna shrugged, then rose from her seat.

“For now, avoid going out. You should at least pretend to be reflecting for the Senate’s sake.”

“Fine. I’ll keep an eye on her.” Vlad pulled a business card from his jacket and placed it on the table, indicating they should contact him directly from now on.

“Since we’re done, we’ll be going.”

Just as Rosanna was about to leave, a comment stopped her in her tracks.

“You might be a target.”

Hand on the door, she turned to face him. “What do you mean?”

“The blood pack incident before, and now this framing attempt. Doesn’t it seem like someone’s pushing you to break the treaty?”

“Any vampire who breaks the treaty loses the Senate’s protection,” Vlad muttered as if he’d realized something. The interrogator nodded in agreement.

“They become prey.”

“Whose prey?”

“The Order of the Holy Cross.”

Rosanna exchanged a tense look with the interrogator.

“They hunt elder vampires, selectively targeting them. This is just a theory, of course, but looking back at records spanning centuries, some clan members disappeared under similar circumstances. They often claimed innocence, yet lost protection and vanished shortly afterward.”

“The Order of the Holy Cross…”

“Stay vigilant. They’re cunning, and they could be anywhere.”

* * *

“Goodbye!”

“See you tomorrow, Master Henry!”

As evening fell, a maid finished her shift and took a cab to the bustling district. Checking her reflection in the window, she adjusted her hair and nervously fidgeted with the ribbon on her dress. The trip to her destination always filled her with anticipation.

Arriving at a small restaurant, she took her usual seat and waited. She often arrived first, but she didn’t mind. Though she’d heard at work that one-sided affection rarely lasted, she couldn’t care less. Her face lit up when she saw the familiar young man approaching.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, Noel! I just got here.”

Seeing him alone made her heart flutter.

“How’s work? Things still slow since the charity event?”

“Yes, it’s a quiet house, so it’s nice. Oh, recently, a seminarian visited—Kyle, I think. The maids couldn’t stop whispering about how handsome and kind he was. But, of course, you’re the only one for me!”

The young man paused, then smiled.

“A seminarian? That’s unusual. I suppose the master of the house must be religious?”

“He wasn’t there for prayer. The master seems close to him. In fact, she’s even been going to Ingdberry Cathedral to see him, though she’s hardly a religious woman. I mean, it’s peaceful when she’s out of the house, so we don’t mind.”

The maid chatted away until she suddenly remembered something. She clapped her hands, as if a thought had struck her.

“Oh, speaking of the mistress, she’s been much calmer lately. I think it’s thanks to that tea you gave me. It must be working.”

“Is that so?”

Noel handed her a shopping bag with the “Libera and Tea” logo on it.

“Since we’re on the topic, here you go. I thought you might be running low.”

“Thank you! She really enjoys it when I brew this tea for her.”

Their conversation continued over dinner, with the maid sharing stories from work, and the young man listening attentively.

But when this tiresome meeting ended, the young man knew exactly where he would go next: to the ruins on the outskirts of the city, where he would report everything to Breeder, as he always did.

The hunt was set to begin soon.

* * *

Hunter Raymond

Summer arrived in the midst of an otherwise uneventful routine.

The early dawn drizzle had given way to clear, blue skies. Kyle strolled through the seminary garden after breakfast, enjoying the scent of damp flowers, the cool shade of the trees, and the chirping of birds that brought him peace.

Finding a dry bench in a secluded corner, he sat down to savor this rare moment of solitude.

A perfect moment, missing only one thing.

As always, his thoughts drifted to Rosanna. He wondered what she was doing now, where she was.

Though it was he who’d suggested they limit their meetings, he found himself curious about her daily life, her emotions, her thoughts. He missed her. He wondered if she shared the same longing, whether she thought of him, too.

“Can’t believe I’m already like this…”

It had been nearly a month since he’d last seen her, on the day he’d visited her townhouse. Since then, he’d hung around Ingdberry Cathedral whenever he could, on weekdays and weekends alike, hoping for a chance encounter. But he hadn’t seen her at any of the services.

Kyle’s gaze drifted toward Ingdberry Cathedral. With no obligations today, he could attend the midday Eucharist.

“Maybe I’ll go.”

The chances of seeing her were always fifty-fifty, but he didn’t allow himself to get his hopes up. Getting disappointed after expecting to see her would only make the ache worse.

Still, his feet steadily carried him toward Ingdberry Cathedral.