The next day was almost suspiciously peaceful.
After everything that had happened—the fight, the blood beast, the exhaustion that still clung to my bones—I'd expected another disaster waiting for me behind every door. But the castle was quiet. Peaceful, even. Maybe too peaceful.
I sat in the cafeteria with Effie, the smell of roasted grain and something vaguely metallic wafting through the air. The food here always tasted faintly of iron, but I didn't complain. Effie sat across from me, picking at her bread like she was testing if it was poisoned.
"Aiko's busy today," she said between bites. "Said something about accounts. You know how she gets when people owe her."
"Yeah," I muttered, staring into my mug. "Figures. Guess I'll bring her breakfast."
She gave me a look that said I was either too kind or too stupid for my own good. Maybe both.
---
Aiko's gambling den sat tucked in the lower east wing of the castle, behind a curtain of glowing red sigils. The air inside was thick with smoke and soul energy, both swirling around the tables like lazy ghosts. The rhythmic clack of shards being tossed echoed across the room.
And there she was—Aiko. Sitting like a queen behind her desk, eyes sharp as daggers, fingers dancing through piles of soul shards with the precision of a surgeon.
"So," I said, leaning against the desk, "how's my favorite gremlin doing?"
She didn't even look up. "Good. How's my favorite bloodsucker doing?"
I smirked. "Alive. Surprisingly."
Her hand paused mid-count, and she finally looked at me, irritation flickering across her face. I put the food down in front of her. "Breakfast. Figured you'd forget again."
Aiko blinked once, then sighed and reached for it. "Thanks," she muttered, tearing a piece of bread and biting into it without ceremony.
I just watched her for a while. She was… different like this. Without the sly grin or the gleam of a con artist's eyes, she looked almost normal. Almost soft. But then she caught me staring, and that glint came right back.
"What?" she asked, half a smirk curling her lips. "Falling for me?"
I rolled my eyes. "In your dreams."
"Good," she said, swallowing the last bite and leaning back. "Dreams are my specialty."
We sat in companionable silence for a moment, the air between us thick with old jokes and unspoken debts. Then she pulled a slip of parchment from her drawer and slid it across the desk.
"I've got a job for you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Someone owes me. Too much, too long. I need you to find him—short guy, brown hair, light armor, about as threatening as a wet towel. Get my shards and his memories back. Don't kill him if you can help it."
"Sounds fun. What's my pay?"
"Two soul shards," she said, smiling. "And I'll throw in a drink."
That actually wasn't bad. "Fine," I said after a pause. "But why me?"
She leaned forward, fingers brushing my arm. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Because I trust you."
I sighed. I was doomed the moment she said that. "Alright. Deal."
---
On my way to find the debtor, I summoned my echo—Beast.
The creature's hulking form materialized beside me, its crimson veins pulsing faintly, its face an eternal snarl. It looked exactly like it had when I'd killed it, though something felt… different. The way the blood inside it flowed—it was alive. I could feel it, each pulse a whisper through my senses but it felt like it pulsed incorrectly.
"Yo, Alucard!"
Kai's voice broke through my thoughts. He was striding down the corridor with his usual grin and a folded letter in his hand.
I pointed at it. "That your love letter? Who's the lucky girl?"
He barked a laugh. "Seishan. But it's not mine. One of the guards begged me to deliver it. Poor guy couldn't even look her in the eyes."
"Can't blame him. Seishan's terrifying… and beautiful. Dangerous combo."
Kai snorted. "You sound like you're the one in love."
"Maybe I just appreciate fine art."
He grinned wider. "You're hopeless."
I shrugged. "Anyway, I've got a bounty to collect for Aiko. Wanna help? I catch a debtor, you deliver a love letter. Teamwork."
"Sure," he said easily. "I could use some excitement."
We walked together, Beast lumbering behind us like a crimson shadow. The few apprentices we passed gave us wide-eyed stares. The girls mostly at Kai. The guys… mostly at me and the walking nightmare following us.
"Do they always stare like that?" I asked.
Kai laughed. "Fan girls are part of the fame package, man. You'll get used to it."
"I'd rather not."
His gaze flicked to Beast, then back to me. "That thing still freaks me out, you know."
I chuckled. "Come on, it's harmless. Mostly."
"Yeah, tell that to my heartbeat," he muttered, stepping a little farther from my echo.
We turned down another corridor. "So how'd you get it again?" he asked.
"Effie, me, and some folks from the outskirts went hunting. Found it, fought it, killed it, nearly died. You know, a normal day."
Kai smirked. "You mean Effie dragged your unconscious body back to the castle. Twice."
I groaned. "You're never letting that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
But something about that stuck in my mind. Twice? Was Kai even there the first time? My memories blurred a little when I thought about it. The edges of the world seemed to ripple, like blood vibrating in a glass.
I blinked and shook it off. Probably just exhaustion.
---
The handmaiden quarters were a sharp contrast to the rest of the castle—bright light, the faint scent of flowers, and soft laughter echoing from behind the doors. As we approached, we heard voices.
"You should tell him, Lady Seishan," one of the handmaidens urged. "He won't reject you."
"I'm not sure," Seishan replied softly. "If only there were a sign…"
Kai's grin widened. He looked at me, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Here's your sign."
Before I could stop him, he shoved me through the door.
I stumbled forward, nearly tripping over my own boots, arms flailing. The room went silent. Five pairs of eyes turned toward me—four shocked handmaidens and one blushing Seishan holding a teacup midair.
"Uh," I said. "Hi?"
Kai's laughter echoed faintly from the hallway.