**Cut Scene: Rika's Stepmother and Stepsister**
Before heading home, the stepmother, her face flushed with irritation, and the stepsister were forced to make an unscheduled stop at the blood bank. They couldn't bring Rika back home just yet, and without her blood, they were in no position to fulfill her father's orders. The stepmother's frustration was palpable, as she slammed the door of the car shut.
"Ugh, this is ridiculous!" she muttered under her breath, glaring at the blood bank. "Damn that useless girl. This whole thing wouldn't be a problem if she had just done her part!"
Her voice dripped with venom, and she couldn't help but feel the sting of having to use the money for something as inconvenient as *blood* when they have someone to take from, instead of keeping it for herself. The stepsister, ever the compliant one, simply stayed quiet, casting nervous glances at her mother.
The stepmother stormed into the blood bank, and a few moments later, they were back, a few bags of blood in hand. The stepmother wasted no time dialing her husband's number, but after several frustrating attempts, she growled in annoyance.
"Why isn't this connecting? I don't have time for this nonsense!" she snapped, her temper flaring as she hung up the phone with a loud, frustrated click.
The stepsister, with her usual soft-spoken nature. "Mom... I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?"
The stepmother sighed deeply, her anger still simmering. "Fine," she muttered, her tone less than enthusiastic. "Let's just get it over with."
**Cut Scene: Kaiser's Estate**
Inside Kaiser's lavish estate, the mood was entirely different. Kaiser sat on an oversized couch, exuding an air of regal ease, while Sakura, looking serene, sat beside him. Rika, carefree and laughing, was playing on the floor with Hana, the little girl's giggles filling the room.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a low-ranking vampire officer stepped inside, bowing deeply. "Your Highness," he greeted, his voice respectful as he turned toward Rika. "Miss Rika, the King and Queen have summoned you."
Rika blinked in surprise, looking up from her playful moment with Hana. "Mother?" she asked, standing up and brushing off her skirt. "Alright, I'm coming."
Kaiser's eyes lingered on Rika as she walked toward the door, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I wonder what they want," he said quietly.
Rika paused, glancing back at him with a thoughtful look. "You think so too? I wonder why they'd call for me."
Kaiser didn't elaborate. He knew what was coming but remained silent, as always, letting Rika figure it out on her own.
Rika stepped out of the room and began making her way toward the palace, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the grand hallway.
**Cut Scene: The Palace**
When Rika entered the grand palace, the royal guards opened the large wooden doors, and the atmosphere shifted to one of respect and formality. She stepped inside, her posture straight and proud as the guards excused themselves.
"Your Majesty, Her Majesty," Rika greeted with a small but respectful bow, keeping her tone polite. Her eyes, however, were full of curiosity as she looked up at the King and Queen.
Reina, the Queen, looked at her with a soft smile, while King Saito looked a little more serious—perhaps a little too serious. Rika raised an eyebrow, sensing something was up.
"So...mother why have I been summoned?" Rika asked, tilting her head slightly.
King Saito blinked, clearly caught off guard by her question. "Mother?" he said, his voice betraying a hint of shock. "What about me?"
Rika blinked, confused for a moment, before glancing over at him. "Am I not her daughter?" she asked innocently.
Saito stared at her. "What about me ? Aren't you going to call me father also ?"
Rika gave him a bright smile, her voice sweet and teasing. "You are my father," she said simply, her eyes shining with affection.
Saito's grin widened, and he glanced at Reina, clearly pleased with the moment. "See? I'm still the father figure," he said proudly, but before he could get too carried away, Reina gave him a knock on the head.
Rika's gaze shifted back to them as the moment passed. "Is this the reason you called me here?" she asked again, her curiosity piqued.
King Saito waved his hand dismissively, laughing off the awkwardness. "No, no, no," he said, grinning. "I didn't call you here for that."
"Then why did you call me?" Rika asked, her voice curious but still light.
Reina, with her usual calm and composed demeanor, leaned forward, eyes twinkling with something mysterious. "The moment is almost at hand, dear. It's best you know now."
Rika's brow furrowed in confusion. "Know what?"
The two royal figures exchanged a look before turning to face her fully, their expressions suddenly serious. "We're going to war," King Saito finally told her.
"War!" she exclaimed, her voice sharp with a mix of disbelief and determination. Before anyone could respond, there was a knock at the door. It creaked open, and Jin stepped inside, his presence a sharp contrast to the tension in the room.
He greeted his parents, his usual calm demeanor belying the urgency of the situation. The king and queen exchanged a glance before turning to him.
"Jin," the king began, his tone firm, "you need to explain to Rika what's happening. Since you're overseeing the preparations for the war."
Jin nodded, his expression serious. He turned to Rika, who had gone quiet, her eyes flicking from one face to another as she tried to process the weight of the situation. The explanation was done. The silence stretched for a moment before she finally spoke, her voice soft but resolute. "Next week, huh?"
Jin's face tightened slightly. "I'm afraid so," he replied, his words heavy.
The king and queen shared a silent look, the weight of their responsibilities reflected in their eyes. It wasn't easy, making these decisions.
Rika stood, her fists clenched as her determination sparked to life. "Well, I better start training if I want to live to see another day," she said, her voice laced with a quiet fire.
Rin, watching her with a proud smile, gave a nod. "That's exactly what I expected from Kaiser's girlfriend," he said, his tone warm but tinged with the gravity of the situation. "Your training will be with Hinata. She'll guide you through it."
"Alright," Rika agreed, her eyes already calculating what kind of training she would need. The king and queen exchanged a relieved glance, the tension in their shoulders easing just a bit now that Rika wasn't backing down.
Rika's resolve was unwavering, and that was something they could depend on.
"And we'll be here," the king said with a dramatic flourish "drinking our tea while you fight our battles for us."
The room went silent for a heartbeat, and then the queen, without missing a beat, whacked him on the head. "That's what you think," she muttered, shaking her head with a sly grin.
Jin and Rika burst into laughter at the exchange, the tension in the air dissipating for a moment. Even the king, rubbing his head with a mock pout, couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. It was one of those rare moments where, despite the looming shadow of war, they could still find a bit of levity in the madness of it all.
"Well," the queen said, "if you're all set to fight, then we'll be right here, cheering you on." Her smile was warm, but her eyes betrayed just a flicker of concern—after all, they knew how dangerous this war could be.
Rika's smile softened. "I won't let you down," she promised, her voice carrying a quiet but fierce confidence.
And for that moment, in the face of war and uncertainty, they all shared a sense of unity that was stronger than any army.
**Cut Scene: Rika stepmother and stepsister getting home**
As Rika's stepmother and stepsister neared the mansion gates, the luxury car smoothly rolled along the paved road. The evening was eerily quiet, and the air hung heavy, almost suffocating. But just as they approached the entrance, the driver suddenly slammed the brakes, causing the car to jolt forward.
The stepmother, her face flushed with irritation, snapped, "Hey! What the hell are you stopping for? Take me inside!"
The driver's hands gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. His voice was barely a whisper, laced with fear, "M-ma'am, there's... there's..."
"THERE IS WHAT?!" The stepmother growled, her voice dripping with venom.
The driver pointed shakily through the windshield, his breath quick and shallow. The stepmother turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she followed the trembling finger. A tall figure stood before the gate, his silhouette dark against the dimming sky. He was unbothered by the presence of the car, standing motionless, his black attire blending with the shadows. But it wasn't just the man that sent a chill through her spine—it was the sight of two of her security heads, lifeless and limp in his grip. They hung from his hands like ragdolls, their eyes wide open in frozen terror. On the ground around him, several bodies littered the floor, contorted in unnatural positions, blood pooling around them like a macabre offering.
A piercing scream ripped through the air—the stepdaughter's voice, filled with pure terror. The stepmother's heart pounded in her chest. "Drive! DRIVE!" she screamed at the driver, her face pale, her voice laced with panic.
The car's engine roared to life, but as the driver pressed the gas, the man—*the monster*—vanished. One moment he was standing there, the next, he was gone. It was as if he had melted into the air itself. The stepmother's eyes darted frantically, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Before they could process the horror, there was a sudden, deafening crack—a loud, explosive sound that shattered the car's front windshield into a thousand jagged pieces. The driver was yanked violently from his seat, the seatbelt snapping as the man appeared out of nowhere. He pulled the driver from the car with terrifying speed and strength, dragging him out into the night, his face twisted in a grotesque grin. The driver's screams were cut short as the man began to devour him, tearing into him with savage hunger, the horrifying sounds of bones breaking and flesh being torn apart echoing in the still air.
The stepmother's breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened in disbelief and fear. She scrambled to open the car door, her hands shaking uncontrollably. But before she could move, the man was upon her, faster than anything she had ever seen. His grip locked around her wrist, cold and unyielding, his fingers digging into her flesh with a strength that made her bones ache. Her body froze in terror, a scream clawing at her throat, but it was swallowed by the darkness.
She tried to push him away, her legs trembling as she stumbled back, but it was too late. With inhuman strength, he pulled her closer, his cold breath brushing against her skin. She felt his teeth sink into her neck, the pain sharp and instant, as the life was drained from her body. Her vision blurred, her limbs grew heavy, and her final scream was lost in the night, swallowed by the shadows.
The stepsister, her legs trembling, her heart pounding in her chest, saw her chance. Her mother's body was held in the man's grasp, her lifeless eyes staring at her as he devoured her. Her world spun as terror gripped her heart, but she forced her legs to move. She ran. She didn't think. She just ran—her sobs echoing in her throat, tears blurring her vision, as she bolted into the darkness. The wind howled around her, but she could only hear her own footsteps pounding against the pavement, as though every part of her was urging her to escape.
But it was no use. No matter how fast she ran, no matter how hard she tried to escape, she knew the man was still out there. The weight of his presence was suffocating, even if she couldn't see him. The terror in her chest grew heavier with each step.
Her mother's scream echoed in her mind as she pushed herself faster, her legs burning, her heart racing, the world around her a blur of motion and fear. She didn't know where she was running—she didn't care. She just wanted to survive. But deep down, she knew—there was no escape from the monster in the shadows.
**Cut Scene : Kaisers dinner time**
It was night time and the whole
family was having their dinner. Then at the moment Yuki stepped in to inform them that there was a visitor outside, they wondered who could that be at this our of the day.
The moment they stepped outside, they saw her: Rika's stepsister, gasping for air, tears streaking down her face as she cried out Rika's name. Her legs wobbled with exhaustion, and she collapsed to her knees, shaking uncontrollably.
"Help me! Help me! Please, help me!" she screamed, her voice raw and frantic.
Jin's brows furrowed in annoyance. "It's you again," he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with frustration, but Rika didn't react. She didn't care about her stepsister's constant trouble. She was about to turn and leave, when—
"Please, I'm begging you, help me!" Her stepsister's voice cracked, louder and more desperate than before. She collapsed completely, her body trembling as she cried out in agony, "Mother... mother is gone…"
The words hit Rika like a punch to the gut. She froze mid-step, the anger in her chest fading, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar pang of concern. She turned back, her gaze locking onto her stepsister as the girl sobbed on the cold ground.
"Gone?" Rika repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"
The moment was charged with silence, only the sound of the wind and her stepsister's sobs filling the air. Her stepsister, broken and desperate, looked up at her with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Please….She's gone... the monster ate her... there's a monster after me, Rika. I... I can't..."
Rika glanced at the Kaiser, who wore an expression of skepticism, but there was something in her stepsister's eyes—something raw and real—that made her hesitate. With a deep breath, Rika sighed, her frustration simmering beneath the surface, but she couldn't turn her back on her now. "Open the gate," she ordered quietly.
The guards, who had been watching from the distance, quickly opened the large gate. Without missing a beat, Rika's stepsister scrambled to her feet, a flicker of hope in her tear-streaked face, and ran inside, seeking the safety of the walls. She threw herself at Rika's feet, crying uncontrollably.
"Please… I'm scared," she whimpered, clinging to Rika's legs.
Rika stood there, motionless for a moment, unsure of what to make of the girl's hysterics. But as she looked down at her, she couldn't ignore the genuine fear in her eyes. What happened? she thought, the curiosity creeping in. Why is she so terrified?
Jin crossed his arms, standing back as Rika's stepsister wept, then nodded toward the side of the courtyard. "We'll hear her out," he said, his voice calm and unyielding.
They sat outside in a quiet corner of the courtyard, under the soft glow of lanterns, and listened as Rika's stepsister finally began to speak, her voice shaky but growing steadier with each word. Her story was frantic at first, filled with incoherent ramblings, but soon she settled into the tale.
She spoke of a monstrous figure.
The girl's face contorted as she tried to explain, but it was clear that she wasn't just afraid for herself—her heart broke for the loss of her mother. As the story came to an end, she looked up at Rika, pleading with her once more.
Kaiser, who had been silent throughout, looked at the moon, his eyes narrowing in thought. A faint, knowing grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he pieced the puzzle together. His sharp intellect, always a step ahead, made everything click in place.
"Hmm, I see," he murmured, his voice smooth, like someone who had already figured everything out. He turned to Rika, who was still trying to process her stepsister's frantic words. Rika asked " see what?" her stepsister held Kaiser shirt dragging his shirt demanding for an explanation " who is it, say it , say it " Sakura held her hands " hey get your dirty hands of my brother before you lose it " she said codly. "The thing is, Rika... it's your father, your father is the monster " Kaiser said, his tone as calm as ever, but the words hit like a thunderclap.