Anne slowly withdrew her hands from Megumi’s and took a small step back, still with a warm smile.

" This way," she said, gesturing gently for everyone to follow her.

The mansion’s maître-d’hôtel, patiently waiting at the top of the stairs, nodded in a discreet greeting and only then opened the large gates—softly, silently, sliding as if the gate had learned etiquette.

She led them to the top of the first base of the staircase and began to ascend the next ones. It was then that Lili called out:

"Maman… where’s papa?"

"He’s busy, ma fille. He’ll be back by evening."

Lili turned her face away, irritated.

"Tss! As always…"

"He’s trying, dear."

"Hum," Lili responded, in a childish and stubborn manner.

Anne ignored the tantrum and turned to the group.

"Come along, my dears…"

They found the situation strange, Kaido and Asuka exchanged glances but soon began to follow her upstairs.

But Lili hurried down the steps and, without warning, grabbed Kaido’s arm and pulled him up the stairs.

"Eh—!?" Kaido almost stumbled, dragged by the turbulent energy of the princess of Rochefort. She threw a small smile over her shoulder, straight at Asuka, before disappearing with him through the mansion door.

Asuka rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and muttered under her breath.

"Tsk… always so dramatic."

- - -

The entrance hall was vast and dazzling, dominated by a wide white marble staircase reflecting the soft light from chandeliers hanging in the high ceiling. Majestic doors opened to other rooms, and corridors seemed to stretch endlessly.

Kaido was still trying to recover his emotional balance after being dragged by Lili on a “guided tour.” Asuka maintained her posture, trying not to show any surprise at the lavish display.

Megumi, meanwhile, stood in the center of the hall, eyes wide as she took in every detail—marveling, yet simultaneously uncomfortable with so much opulence concentrated in just one entrance.

Before she knew it, she was fumbling to take her phone out of her pocket.

"C-can I… take pictures? It’s for a project…" she asked shyly, addressing Anne.

"Of course, dear. Feel free." She smiled, offering a warm sense of trust. "Enjoy yourself and relax, you’re in good hands."

Megumi began walking back and forth, enthusiastically taking pictures of every corner of the vestibule.

Asuka observed, eyes half-closed, letting out an incredulous sigh.

"Really, Lili?! Your house? That’s the 'project'?"

Lili turned with an elegant spin, her golden hair flowing like a curtain of light, and smiled proudly.

"Mais bien sûr! It’s an honor, non? Not everyone has the privilege to study something so… perfect. You should feel grateful."

Asuka crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, and muttered:

"Grateful? Unuboremono! (So conceited!)"

Lili’s mother let out a soft chuckle at the dynamic between the two. She approached Asuka with the same grace, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You’re truly adorable, you know?"

Asuka slightly widened her eyes, caught off guard by the lady’s gentleness. Heat rose to her face before she could control her expression, and she ended up mumbling something almost inaudible, trying to hide it.

Kaido caught it all and let out a little smile. But Asuka noticed and shot him a sharp glare.

"Yamenasai! (Don’t even dare!)" she said, in a threatening tone.

"But I wasn’t even—"

He didn’t get to finish.

"Aaah—!" Megumi’s sudden scream echoed through the hall.

Everyone turned at once, eyes following the abrupt sound.

"What’s wrong, Megumi?" Kaido asked, concerned.

Megumi trembled slightly, eyes darting between her phone and the door to the room on the right of the staircase.

Asuka and Lili, curious and slightly alert, approached, frowning. Something in Megumi’s expression seemed off—the situation was starting to feel strangely tense.

"I… I saw someone there…" Megumi said, tense.

Lili crossed her arms and sighed impatiently.

"Ah, don’t be such a kitten … it’s probably just a servant who went into the kitchen, nothing to worry about."

Megumi shook her head quickly, her face pale.
"N-no… it’s not that. I saw something strange."

She opened her phone and showed the last picture she had taken, her hand trembling slightly.

"Look." Her voice was so low it seemed afraid of being heard.

Asuka and Lili leaned in to look, but all they saw was a blurred shape in the slightly open door. They glanced at each other, confused, exchanging a brief, tense silence.

Suddenly, the door began to open slowly, by itself, no one in sight.

All eyes turned to the movement. Megumi stepped back involuntarily, holding her phone against her chest.

Then, a yawn—long, heavy, almost feline—echoed from the other side into the hall.

"YAAAAAWWWWN—!"

A shiver ran down everyone’s spine—everyone except Lili, who remained completely indifferent, seemingly accustomed to it.

The door squeaked open slowly, almost on its own, revealing a captivating and graceful silhouette. The corridors and hall seemed to swallow the presence that hovered a few inches above the ground. In her hands, she held a tray with appetizers, completely disorganized in a composition almost… innocent.

Her hair as black as night, messy as if she had just woken up, fell over her shoulders in soft waves, contrasting with her extremely pale skin. Her eyes, closed in apparent sleep, still conveyed an unsettling power, as if every muscle was ready to react at any moment.

Megumi let out a muffled scream, pressing her hand over her mouth before running to hide behind Asuka, trembling.

The mysterious figure brought a palm to her mouth, trying to stifle another yawn, while opening her eyes slowly. Light reflected off her feline yellow irises, glowing with an almost hypnotic density, scanning every detail of the hall as if calculating every movement. There was something magnetic and predatory in them, a cold charm that made it impossible to look away—both fascinating and dangerous.

"Hmm. We have visitors." Her voice came soft, almost lazy.

Seeing those eyes, Asuka immediately clenched her fists, assuming a combat stance, ready for any unexpected movement.

Lili immediately placed a gentle hand on Asuka’s arm, trying to calm her.

"Relax, Asuka… she’s not a threat."

Kaido frowned, looking at the figure before them with curiosity.

"Who is she?"

Lili turned slowly, her golden hair dancing with the movement, and answered with a theatrical air.
"Hmm hmm… allow me to introduce. This is my sister, Eliza."

Kaido, Asuka, and Lili almost simultaneously:

"SISTER?"

Anne let out a soft, elegant laugh.

"Oh, my dears… that’s a long story."

Asuka let herself relax, although reluctant, trying not to show too much tension.

Kaido looked at Lili, incredulous and impressed.

"Well… you really do have a sister…" murmured Kaido, letting out a long, almost collapsed sigh. “Woooh… and what a sister.”

Even from a distance, Eliza seemed to sense his breath, as if Kaido’s air was calling her, and she let the tray of appetizers fall to the floor, scattering small delights across the marble.

CLANG!

Lili and Asuka turned to Kaido at the same time, eyebrows raised, completely ignoring the tray.

"Kaido!?" they exclaimed, outraged, incredulous at what they had just heard.

But everyone’s attention was cut short when a sudden gust of air swept through the hall.

FWOOOOSH!

Eliza inhaled so deep for long seconds. The sound of air filling her lungs echoed, as if drawing in the energy around her. Slowly, she stretched her neck upward, pulled her shoulders back, extended her arms, hands, legs, and feet in an elegant yet contained display of power, showing every line of her predatory presence.

When she opened her eyes again, her irises shone an intense crimson, immediately locking onto Kaido.

"Fresh blood…" she murmured, a predatory smile curving her lips, charged with dangerous magnetism.

"NO!!!" Asuka and Lili shouted simultaneously, but it was already too late.

A purple flash cut through the air, causing Eliza to vanish.

SUSSURR

She was already pressed against Kaido before he could react.
Firm hands clamped the collar, pressing him against her.
The kiss was voracious, quick—cunning.

Kaido gasped, caught in a devastating and seductive kiss.

"Stop!" Anne shouted, her voice firm but filled with concern.

Asuka and Lili rushed toward them, while Megumi covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide, fear reflected in every gesture.

And in a subtle movement, her true intent was revealed—sharp teeth sank into Kaido’s lower lip, extracting not just blood but a spark of his own vital energy.

The shock ran through Kaido, his breath cut off, while the air around seemed to tremble with Eliza’s predatory presence. Each second felt stretched, until a small bluish glow appeared in his eyes.

Eliza remained pressed to him, absorbed in the taste and the hot energy flowing from his mouth. Her eyes stayed closed, almost in ecstasy—until she felt a strange pulse running through Kaido’s body, strong enough to snap her out of the trance.

Her eyelids flew open in a rush.

A blue glow reignited in his eyes, more intense than before. The flare spread across the iris like ink dispersing in water… and in an instant, the brown color vanished completely.

Kaido’s eyes turned completely blue.

Eliza froze, her face mere inches from his, surprised, holding her breath for a moment—that glow, she knew well.
Interesting… haven’t tasted one of these in centuries.
So rare… and so easy to crave too much.

The bluish glow in Kaido’s eyes wavered… and then died out like a smothered flame. His body lost strength immediately, legs failing under the weight as if drained of power.
Eliza released him without ceremony, letting him fall to his knees—a half-empty toy.

Asuka and Lili arrived in a rush, ready to pull him from her grasp, but before any hand could touch her, Eliza slid back as if the floor didn’t exist, moving through the air in an elegant, impossible retreat, dodging them like a living shadow.

She planted her feet calmly, adjusting her body. Then, she slowly ran her tongue over her blood-stained lips… savoring every drop as if a revelation.

"Mmm… this is pure delight."

Asuka looked at Kaido, heart tightening at his state.

Completely irritated, she turned to Eliza, her voice loaded with anger.

"What did you do to him, you monster?!"

Lili, crossing her arms and stamping her foot, added indignantly.
"Why did you do that?"

Eliza looked at Lili with a serious, almost dark expression, and asked.

"You… you know too, don’t you?"

A shiver ran through Lili at the sight of her sister seriousness. She swallowed hard, averting her gaze.

"I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…"

At that moment, Anne appeared beside Eliza, holding her firmly by the ear and scolding her in a maternal, authoritative tone.

"Eliza Rochefort!" she said, voice clear and commanding. "How many times have I told you not to do that to visitors?"

The gesture was so ordinary, so domestic, that everyone froze.

Kaido, still recovering from the forced kiss, blinked in disbelief. Megumi swallowed hard, staying quiet, unsure where to hide. Lili just sighed, running a hand over her forehead, as if this scene were normal.

But no one was more shaken than Asuka. Her eyes never left the scene: the same creature that minutes before radiated pure danger, overwhelming strength, and murderous instinct was now being pulled by the ear like a mischievous child.
If a monster like Eliza could be scolded like this, how strong must Lady Anne be…

Eliza, looking annoyed, let herself be pulled as if it were routine. She yawned again and, lazily, muttered.

"I was just… hungry, Maman… bââââââââh"

Anne raised an eyebrow, without letting go of her ear, and replied in a firm, sweet, authoritative tone.

"Then eat properly, like anyone else, and don’t play with other people’s blood."