Reunion

By the third gathering, the sisters from the Succubus Court finally stopped greeting everyone with only cloying tones.

Ellie sat across the low table, her cherry-pink wavy hair tied into two high buns, her peach-pink heart-shaped pupils twinkling under the light of the glowing ores.

She was probably just over seven years old. At the moment, she was stuffing a piece of cream cake into her mouth, leaving white cream crumbs all over her lips while winking playfully at Lonia as she ate.

“Lonia-chan~ Your dress is so pretty today~ Is it new?~”

Every word she spoke trailed upward at the end, making the hairs on the back of Lonia's neck stand on end.

“Don't call me Lonia-chan.”

“Then what should I call you?~ Nia? Lolo?~”

“...Catori. Use my family name.”

“So cold~”

Ellie didn't mind at all and continued stuffing cake into her mouth. When some cream got on the tip of her nose, she stuck her tongue out to reach it. Unable to do so, she wiped it with the back of her hand, transferring the cream from her nose to her cheek.

Lonia watched this, her lips twitching slightly.

Sera, who sat beside her, was the complete opposite of her older sister.

Her indigo eyes were as calm as two pools of stagnant water. She sat there expressionless, not touching the dessert plate in front of her at all, only clutching the hem of Ellie's sleeve the entire time.

She was half a head shorter than Ellie and looked a year or two younger, but her icy aura made her seem more mature than anyone else present.

Lonia stared at the sisters for a good while.

One was covered in cream and giggling, while the other sat motionless with a face as cold as frost.

“Ellie, why is your sister so different from you? Are you two really sisters?”

Ellie, who was licking cream off her fingers, looked up and blinked her peach-pink heart-shaped eyes.

“Of course we are~ We're real sisters~ It's just that our Sera has always been like this since she was little~ By the way, Sera, are you really not going to eat? This cream cake is super delicious~”

“No.”

Sera's voice was very soft and flat, like an unsharpened blade.

Then, those indigo eyes turned to Lonia.

“Your older sister is also very different from you.”

“Huh?!”

“Eliza Catori. Vampire Court Head. Rank Eight. She broke through to Rank Four at your age. Moreover, she is calm, precise, and never loses her composure in public.”

Sera spoke neither fast nor slow, sounding as if she were reading from an official dossier.

Even the Ancestor of Blood, who also possessed the Authority of Blood, had only reached Rank Nine, whereas Eliza was the only vampire in history with the potential to break through Rank Nine and reach the 'Apex.'

She had deliberately brought these facts up. Simply to draw a comparison.

“Yet you are currently only at Rank Two. At our first gathering, you glared at my sister three times, rolled your eyes twice at the gargoyle's pastries, and nearly kicked the low table over when the wraith startled you.”

“...”

“A very big difference.”

Lonia's face flushed red.

“That's different! I—I was just...”

“It is the same.”

Sera withdrew her gaze, her fingers folded over her knees without so much as a twitch.

“It is normal for there to be differences between sisters. There is no need to explain.”

Lonia opened her mouth, only to find herself utterly speechless, silenced by a succubus cub even younger than herself.

She glared fiercely at Sera, but the latter gave no reaction, her indigo eyes not even blinking.

Beside them, Ellie doubled over with laughter, nearly dropping the cream cake from her hand.

“Hahaha! Lonia-chan got shut down by Sera!~”

“Shut up!”

Social gatherings like this repeated every seven days.

Fema was as short-tempered as ever, arguing with Tia for at least two rounds during every gathering.

Once, the flames spitting from her out-of-control crystalline scales singed the shadow demon, scaring him so badly that he melted into the wall and didn't come out for half an hour.

Tia still dangled that unlit pipe from her mouth, speaking in a tone three times more mature than her actual age, delivering words that left one unsure whether to take them as compliments or sarcasm.

She was currently the strongest among them.

She was at Rank Four, whereas the vast majority of people could only reach Rank Three in their entire lives. However, Tia never fought. At least, she had never raised a hand in front of them.

The gargoyle always followed the shadow demon silently, while the wraith simply remained invisible and silent, saying absolutely nothing.

Lonia left early once again.

The intensity of her training increased in the second month.

The old instructor began teaching her the vampire Flash-step—a technique that used bursts of mana to move across extremely short distances.

The principle wasn't complex, but it placed an immense strain on the body. At six years old, her bones and muscles were not yet fully developed. After every practice session, Lonia felt as though her calves were filled with lead, and her ankles swelled so much that she couldn't fit into her boots.

She didn't care.

Every day, after soaking in the medicinal bath following her training, she would close her eyes and reach out for that thread.

『Fina.』

『...I'm here.』

The connection was slightly more stable than at the beginning. Perhaps Lonia's mental strength was slowly growing through her training, or perhaps the thread had become more resilient from repeated use. Rafina's voice no longer sounded as if it were muffled by cotton, but rather by a thin veil, meaning it was much clearer.

『I went to the gathering again today. Ellie wiped a handful of cream onto my hair.』

『...Why?』

『She said she wanted to see if white stuff looked good on black hair. I almost bit her.』

『...You didn't bite her, did you?』

『No. I held back. But I glared at her. She only laughed harder. Are succubuses all like this? Laughing even when they're glared at?』

『...I don't know much about modern succubuses. The racial habits recorded in books might not apply to certain individuals.』

『I don't know much either... My sister doesn't allow me to read books about succubuses.』

A brief silence followed. The cool sensation of the medicine spread from her ankles to her calves, and Lonia pulled her legs slightly deeper into the basin.

『Fina.』

『Mm?』

『How are things... on your end?』

The thread fell silent in the depths of her consciousness for a few seconds.

『...The same as before. Reading, eating, sleeping.』

『Is anyone bullying you?』

『No, Uncle Librarian isn't mean to me anymore. Though he wasn't really that mean to me before either.』

Because he hadn't even wanted to see her.

『...Are you wearing the dress I gave you?』

『Yes. I wear the old one when this one is being washed.』

『What about the braces?』

『...They're by the bed.』

Her tone sounded a bit off.

Lonia didn't think too much of it.

『By the way, Fina, what rank are you? I forgot to ask last time.』

A long silence followed.

The thread swayed gently in her consciousness, as if brushed by an invisible breeze.

『...I don't know.』

『You don't know? Have you never tested it?』

『No one has ever tested me.』

Lonia thought about it for a moment.

『Well, you're probably not as strong as me anyway.』

『...Why are you so sure?』

『Because I'm a Catori! Besides, I practice every day, while you stay cooped up in the library reading all day. You definitely can't beat me.』

『...Mm. Probably.』

Rafina's response was very soft and faint.

Lonia paid it no mind.

『Once I get stronger, I'll come get you.』

『...Mm.』

The thread pulsed quietly in the deepest part of her consciousness, as if there was still something more she wanted to say.

『What is it?』

Only after a moment did Rafina's voice drift back.

『I want to see you right now...』

『...』

Lonia bit her lip.

『Wait!』

She stood up and jogged all the way to the estate's library.

On the third shelf lay a volume with a silver-embossed cover titled Chronicles of Demon Realm Trade.

Lonia had stumbled upon it by chance while looking for references on vampire martial arts. A servant had likely misfiled it during archiving.

Her finger slid along the ink lines of the map.

Abyss City. To the west, on the border between the human and demon territories, there was a small dot circled by a red maple leaf marker.

Maple Town.

The annotation beside it read: A major border trade town, a crossroads for humans and demons. Lenient laws. Features a branch of the Adventurers' Guild.

Lonia flipped to the next page, where a more detailed introduction appeared.

The establishment of Maple Town could be traced back several decades. After the current Demon King implemented enlightened policies, this location was developed into a trade hub.

The town had a permanent population of about five thousand, but the transient population remained above twenty thousand year-round. Merchants and adventurers of humanity, demons, and dark elves converged here. It was a melting pot where almost anything could be bought.

It wasn't close to Abyss City, but carriages and other means of transport traveled back and forth between the two locations daily.

Lonia's eyes lit up.

She closed the book, stuffed it back into its original spot, and hopped onto her bed.

『Fina.』

The connection was established faster than before. The thread in the depths of her consciousness pulsed twice, and Rafina's response surfaced.

『...I'm here. What's wrong? Your voice sounds very excited.』

『I found a way!』

『...What way?』

『A way for us to meet!』

Lonia shifted her position on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest and resting her chin on top of it.

『Maple Town. Do you know it? It's to the west of Abyss City, right on the border between humans and demons. All kinds of people are there, and no one will care about two kids wandering around town. Every week when I go to the gatherings, I can slip out early and take a carriage to Maple Town. You can leave Gloom Castle and take a carriage over there too. We'll meet up in town!』

The thread fell silent in her consciousness for several seconds.

『...Maple Town isn't close to Abyss City.』

『I've seen the map. It's about a four-hour carriage ride from your place. The gatherings always last for most of the day, so if I leave early, no one will notice.』

Another silence followed.

『...That town is the trade hub established by the Demon King, right?』

A hint of something Lonia was very familiar with surfaced in Rafina's tone.

The Demon King.

Every time the Demon King was mentioned, a gentle yearning would always color her words.

『The books say that the Demon King hopes demons and humanity can coexist peacefully, which is why he built this town on the border. Although the results haven't been great, at least it's a start...』

『Right, right, right. The Demon King did a great job.』

Lonia didn't care about peaceful coexistence at all. She only cared about one thing.

『So, are you coming or not?』

『...But I've never left Gloom Castle before.』

『Then that's even more reason to come out! Haven't you always wanted to see the outside world? Maple Town has markets, taverns, and all kinds of people. The books say there are red maple leaves, vast stretches of them, and when the wind blows, it looks like red snow falling.』

『...Red snow?』

『Yes. Do you want to see it?』

A long silence ensued.

『...Yes.』

『Then it's a promise! At next week's gathering, I'll leave early. You leave Gloom Castle too, head west, and go to Maple Town's... Wait, where should we meet up?』

『...The books say the largest tavern in Maple Town is called the Drunken Moon Tavern. It's in the center of town.』

『Okay, the Drunken Moon Tavern. Next week. Don't be late.』

『...Mm.』

Their first meeting took place seven days later.

Lonia slipped away two hours after the gathering began. The others were already used to her early departures, though Ellie would always whine and beg Lonia-chan not to leave.

A gray wasteland, scattered withered trees, and the occasional shadow of a low-rank monster passing by.

This was the first time she had ever truly looked at the scenery through the carriage window.

And then, she saw red.

At first, there were only scattered leaves rising from the gray horizon, as if someone had splashed a few drops of paint at the edge of the wasteland. Then they grew more numerous and dense, turning from a few scattered leaves into dozens, and then into a whole forest of maples.

Red maple leaves covered the sky, pouring down from the canopies on both sides of the road, swept up by the wind, spinning, tumbling, and drifting through the air.

The moment the carriage entered the maple forest, Lonia's vision was filled with red.

She leaned her head out of the window. The sun was blocked by the maple forest, so she simply let her hood blow off, letting her long black hair flutter in the rain of red leaves.

Maple Town lay at the end of the forest.

Wooden buildings lined a main street, their roofs covered in thick layers of red leaves, looking like a carpet deliberately laid out by someone.

Lonia hopped down from the carriage, her feet landing on the stone road paved with red leaves, making a soft rustling sound.

If the Catori family carriage were to park openly in Maple Town, it would likely attract unwanted attention.

For this reason, they usually parked in the maple forest and walked the short distance over.

The Drunken Moon Tavern was in the center of town.

It was a three-story wooden building. Hanging by the entrance was a sign weathered and mottled by wind and rain, depicting a crooked crescent moon and an upside-down goblet. The door was half-open, and from inside came the noisy sounds of voices, clinking glasses, and the out-of-tune singing of a bard.

Lonia stood at the entrance, tiptoeing to peer inside.

The tavern was filled entirely with adults—tall, burly adults reeking of alcohol. Her gaze swept through the crowd, but she couldn't find any silvery-white hair.

She stepped back outside, leaned against the wall, and pulled her hood back up.

She waited for about fifteen minutes.

Red maple leaves drifted down from the roof, landing on her hood, her shoulders, and her toes. She reached out to catch one, holding it up to her eyes to inspect it. The veins were clear, the edges slightly curled, and it was as red as coagulated blood.

And then, she felt it.

The thread deep within her mind suddenly pulsed.

Lonia whipped her head around.

At the end of the street, where the forest met the town, a small figure was emerging from the curtain of red leaves.

Peeking from beneath her hood were silvery-white twin tails, transparent crystal horns, a black satin dress, and a pair of simple cloth shoes.

Rafina stood on the street of Maple Town, her head tilted back, her crimson eyes gazing at the red leaves drifting down from the sky.

Lonia stared at the sight, dazed for a moment, before running over.

Hearing footsteps, Rafina turned her head.

Crimson met blood-red once again.

Lonia skidded to a halt in front of her. A few maple leaves had landed in Lonia's hair, looking like tiny flowers pinned in place.

“You came!”

“...Mm.”

Rafina smiled.

Her arrow-tipped tail curled up from behind her, using its tip to hook a maple leaf and hold it up in front of Lonia.

“...Look, red snow.”

Lonia reached out to take the leaf, looking down at it, then up at Rafina.

“Isn't it even prettier than you imagined?”

“...Yes.”

Lonia tucked the maple leaf behind her ear and grabbed Rafina's hand.

“Come on, I'll show you around.”

“...But it's your first time here too, right?”

“So what? I have a great sense of direction.”

Rafina didn't argue. Her tail simply traced a small circle behind her.

Hand in hand, they walked into the bustling streets of Maple Town.

Not far away, two maids were eating flatbreads they had bought, their faces filled with satisfied smiles.

Red leaves fluttered down from the sky, landing on the two children's hair, their shoulders, and the backs of their joined hands.

One black, one white. One strode forward with her head held high, while the other followed with small steps, her head slightly bowed. Their shadows overlapped on the stone road paved with red leaves.