As we finally reached our front porch, the sight ahead made us both stop in our tracks. The quiet evening street was completely blocked by a luxury carriage, surrounded by several heavily armed guards in high-grade armor. My new amber violin was still strapped awkwardly across my back, the bow wedged between my massive crimson blood wings like a bizarre, high-tier Christmas ornament.
Elicia took one look at the carriage and let out a dramatic, playful sigh, nudging my shoulder.
"Well, little Ren, look at that. Looks like your violin wings are going to have to wait… my official academic escort is finally here."
Before I could reply in my usual deadpan, a weathered, familiar man in high-quality leather armor stepped out from the shadow of the carriage. My single jade-green eye widened slightly. It was Nikolai, the incredibly friendly gatekeeper who used to manage the borders back at Sisiphon City. He took one look at me… noticing the sharp fangs, the eyes, and the massive, intimidating crimson wings resting against my kirtle… and completely froze, his jaw dropping.
"Holy gods, Eirene?! Is that really you?! I mean... I knew you as a legendary bounty hunter who always operated in the pitch-black dark, but I didn't think you were literally a vampire! What happened to the sneaky kid in the hood?" Nikolai gasped, rubbing his eyes as if he were seeing a ghost.
"A minor change, it's a fashion, Greetings, Nikolai. It is good to see a friendly face from the old factional networks."
Just then, the carriage door glided open with unnatural smoothness. A composed, elegant figure stepped down, moving with a fluid grace that made them look like they were practically hovering over the cobblestones. The air around them grew instantly heavy with the scent of ancient parchment and hidden secrets. It was The Archivist, a legendary information broker wrapped in formal, shadowy robes, known for guarding the deepest records of the kingdom.
The Archivist fixed a sharp, calculating gaze on my new appearance, a faint, intrigued smile playing on their lips.
"Well, well. Eirene, the Crimson Phantom. The rumors from the Bureau didn't do you justice. You wear the mantle of a nocturnal predator quite well. The political landscape changes the moment you step into the light."
I didn't care much for the grand political intrigue, my mind instantly shifting to a much more critical survival metric from my past travels.
"Cut the formal talk, well? Is the tribe safe?" I said casually, tilting my head.
The Archivist let out a soft, composed chuckle, bowing their head with an air of absolute certainty.
"Certainly, Eirene. No need to stress your wings. Thanks to your direct intervention against the trafficking guilds, the entire tribe has been successfully relocated. They are now completely safe and thriving at the hidden oasis."
Elicia's eyes darted from Nikolai's elite guard armor to the shadowy, elegant robes of the Archivist, her academic brain violently putting the pieces together. She looked at me, completely flabbergasted, the fabric basket slipping slightly in her grip.
"Wait, hold on, Ren! Since when do you have direct connections to people like this? These aren't just random travelers… they are literal high authorities and chief intelligence brokers from Sisiphon City! What the heck did you do out there?!"
The Archivist let out a smooth, low chuckle, the dark fabric of their robes rippling like ink as they stepped forward.
"Ah, so you never told her? Fascinating. Well, Lady Elicia, your little sister here is practically a living legend in Sisiphon. She single-handedly collapsed Oksana's entire underground drug empire. She basically saved half of your own academy students from ruining their lives by completely choking out the supply lines of illegal substances like lotus dust."
The Archivist tilted their head, their sharp eyes gleaming with profound respect.
"And better yet? Just recently, she hunted down and slaughtered a high-tier purebred vampire, completely liberating the enslaved elven tribe from the shadows."
Nikolai crossed his arms, nodding vigorously as a huge, proud grin broke across his weathered face.
"Yeah! No joke, Elicia. Because of your little sister, the entire city is still standing. Without her tracking down those illegal caravans, I'd still be dealing with an endless wave of violent drug addicts and shady black-market dealers at my gates every single day. Seriously, she saved your entire academy from rotting from the inside out."
I shifted the grocery basket on my forearm, my single jade-green eye blinking in a lazy, totally unbothered deadpan as my amber violin clinked loudly against my crimson wing bones.
"Pfft, it wasn't even a big deal, those drug guys had terrible combat metrics anyway. They kept messing with my supply routes and making the outer district annoying to navigate. I just cleaned up the trash so I could walk in peace. And that purebred vampire? Dude was a total loudmouth. Had to shut him up permanently."
"Oh, listen to you, Miss Casual Hero! Just cleaning up trash,' she says! You literally tore a syndicate apart!" Plasma cackled hysterically inside my head.
Elicia didn't care about my casual attitude. She let out a loud, breathless gasp, completely dropping all her high-class academy decorum. She lunged forward and smacked her hands right onto my back, carefully avoiding the strapped violin but giving my crimson wings a massive, chaotic shake.
"Oh my gosh, Ren! You absolute badass! You saved my students?! You beat up a whole drug cartel and a purebred vampire while I was away studying?! Why didn't you brag about this sooner?! I am literally the proudest big sister in the universe right now!" Elicia squealed, jumping up and down right there on the porch like a hyperactive kid, completely celebrating me in front of the city's highest officials.
Nikolai checked the heavy pocket watch at his belt, breaking up the celebration with a soft chuckle.
"Anyways, Lady Elicia, as much as I love a good victory party, it's time to hit the road. The carriage is prepped, and the higher-ups back at the academy are practically pulling their hair out waiting for you."
Elicia smacked her forehead, her silver hair flying.
"Oh my gosh, I completely forgot! Right, I'm supposed to be the literal principal now. Duty calls!"
Big sister turned back to me, her crimson eyes softening as she gave my shoulder one last affectionate squeeze.
"Alright, little Ren, I gotta run and rule the school. Take care of the tavern, keep practicing that gorgeous violin, and don't go blowing up any more syndicates without telling me first, okay? Bye!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, go do your nerdy principal stuff, Just don't pull any more all-nighters. Your mana management are terrible when you don't sleep." I muttered with a lazy wave of my hand, totally dropping any formal tone.
Elicia giggled and gave a final wave as she hopped into the luxury carriage. The Archivist nodded smoothly in farewell, disappearing into the carriage cabin right behind her. Nikolai climbed up front, cracked the reins, and the heavy escort group finally rolled out, disappearing down the twilight streets of the 3rd district.
I stood alone on the porch, my massive crimson wings giving a heavy, relaxed shrug as the amber violin clinked against my back.
"Well, look at you, Chef-Hero-Vampire-Violinist, Finally got some peace and quiet." Plasma teased inside my skull.
'Shut up, Plasma, Tomorrow we have bread to buy and adobo to cook.'