CHAPTER 127: MERLIN - II HIGH SCHOOL

While people slept peacefully, the streets lay in silence. Empty roads stretched into the darkness, and the streetlights flickered faintly, casting brief halos of weak yellow light.

"Hic... I... I’m so...hic tired... fuckers... so much work..."

An office worker stumbled along the empty street, his steps unsteady, his face flushed red from too much alcohol. He hiccupped repeatedly as he clutched his bag tightly to his chest, his suit wrinkled and his tie hanging loose.

"That asshole HR... hic... how dare he treat me like shit in front of my crush... bastard... hic... he’s doing it on purpose, isn’t he?!" The man slurred furiously, his voice rising and breaking as his eyes swam with drunken rage.

He clenched his fist tightly, swinging it at the air. "Next time... I’m gonna punch his ugly face... ahaha!" He kicked at nothing, laughing bitterly to himself, and the fantasy alone seemed to calm him down.

Thud!

Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed... a falling thump behind him. The man flinched, his hazy eyes snapping back toward the noise. But when he turned, there was nothing... only the long, empty stretch of road behind him.

"W-Who’s there?..." he stammered, his words slurred but his voice shaking with unease.

Flicker~

The streetlight above buzzed and flickered violently. For a split second, in the unstable light, he saw it—

A figure standing still, shrouded in the distance.

The man blinked, yawning nervously. "Oh? Working late like me, huh? Come on, man! We deserve great things, right?... ah—"

But his drunken cheer died instantly.

The light flickered again—this time longer—

And the figure was gone.

The man’s face twisted with sudden fear. His drunken haze shattered. He turned sharply, his eyes darting around the empty street, but there was no one.

His throat dried, and he swallowed hard, his breathing turning quick and uneven.

"H-Hah... Hah... I-I shouldn’t have drunk so much..." he muttered shakily as he turned back around-

Thud!

He bumped into something hard and stumbled backwards, falling flat onto the ground. "Ouch..." he groaned, jerking up as his back throbbed. He scratched his head in pain, blinking through his haze... when suddenly, a hand lowered toward him.

The man froze. His drunken body suddenly felt heavy as dread seeped into his veins, wrapping him in cold fear. Slowly, he looked up—and saw the same figure that had disappeared earlier... now standing right before him, lowering its hand as if offering help.

"Life is full of mysteries," the mysterious figure spoke softly, its voice calm and almost soothing.

"You should not complain. Just focus on your work... and what you deserve will come to you."

The fallen man forced a weak smile, his lips trembling as he raised his hand to accept the gesture. "That’s... BS... No one would belie—"

Flicker~

The streetlight above flickered violently.

Before his hand could touch the figure’s, the light revealed its face.

Skin shrivelled and dry, like a fruit sucked of all life. Hollow cheeks. A face clinging to the barest scraps of flesh. And in the sockets... Two crimson eyes glowing with a dangerous hunger.

The man’s eyes widened in sheer horror. "W-What the...!!"

He turned to run, but halted instantly. Another figure stood in front of him.

Not another dried man—but something monstrous.

A bat-like creature loomed there, its enormous fangs bared in a crooked grin that made the man’s stomach twist.

He almost soiled himself from the sight alone... He almost forgot to breathe.

Thud!

He turned to the other side—only to see yet another figure standing there, smiling darkly.

"N-No! Please!" he cried, his voice cracking, before he turned and bolted down the narrow alleyway.

But the three figures moved instantly, gliding after him.

And then, within mere seconds...

"NNNOOOOOO!!! AHHHHHH!!"

Chucckkk!!

"ARRHHH---"

Chucckk!!

Thud!!

Only the sounds of something wet being torn apart, flesh ripping, and bones cracking echoed through the narrow alley, swallowed by the silence of the night.

****

The next morning, after finishing her long night duty, Raphael finally returned home. Her tired expression spoke louder than words.

Her car had almost swerved into a telephone pole more than once, but by some miracle... or sheer luck, she managed to avoid disaster and reached the house safely.

"Arrhh... so much work..." she groaned, rubbing her shoulder with exhaustion as she slowly nudged the front door open.

Last night, she had left Valra here. She wasn’t sure if the girl had gone back home or not.

As Raphael stepped inside, her weary eyes fell on the entrance...

Shoes... A pair left neatly on the floor.

"Oh? Leo came back already?" Raphael muttered with a soft smile as she walked toward his bedroom. Before she could even knock, she noticed the door was already parted, opened slightly.

Valra hadn’t closed it last night...

Raphael leaned forward and slowly peeked inside. "Leo~" she whispered softly. But then her eyes immediately landed on something she hadn’t expected... a casket?

Her brows furrowed.

Why on earth would he have a casket inside the house?

Still, she stepped in cautiously. Just as she reached the bed... the sight before her made her pause—then, unexpectedly, made her smile warmly.

Even though she was surprised, she couldn’t help but soften at the sight of her nephew.

He had been suffering so much lately, burdened more than any boy his age should be. And here he was, even in sleep... still suffering.

Leo’s face was scrunched up, his brows furrowed as though trapped in a nightmare.

Ophis was sprawled against him, lying on his leg, hugging it so tightly it looked like she might break it in her sleep. Worse—she was licking at his leg like it was a piece of roasted chicken... tasting it in her dreams.

"Hmm.. Yummy..." she muttered in sleep.

And then there was Valra.... She had both arms wrapped firmly around his neck, her grip so tight it looked like she had sworn never to let him go, even in her sleep. Yet her lips curved into a soft, content smile as she nuzzled close.

"I... not.. giving up..." She muttered in sleep.

Poor Leo... He was struggling to move, even struggling to breathe, his whole body stiff as if silently crying for help.

"...you cannot... bloodbeggar" Leo muttered with slightly furious.

Raphael wondered who that bloodbeggar was.

Raphael shook her head with a helpless smile. "When did he come back?" she whispered.

Honestly, if Ophis wasn’t here tangled up with them, Raphael might have already stormed in and given her nephew a divine punishment for daring to sleep with a girl at his age.

Leo should be grateful for Ophis’s presence.

Deciding not to wake them, Raphael turned to leave. But then her eyes caught the casket again. Her steps slowed. Her curiosity tugged harder. Why... a casket?

She leaned closer, her hand hesitantly reaching out as she slowly pushed at the lid—

"What are you doing?"

Raphael flinched, snapping her head to the side. Ophis, still half-buried in sleep, was staring at her with half-lidded pink eyes.

"Ophis? You woke up?" Raphael said, pulling her hand back. For a second, she thought she saw a shape inside, but Ophis’s gaze distracted her.

Ophis rubbed her eyes, frowning faintly. "B-Big sister?" she murmured, her voice drowsy.

Raphael’s lips softened into a smile.

Beside them, Valra stirred. She rubbed her eyes groggily before freezing.

Her heart nearly stopped when she realised Leo’s face was right there.... so close, their noses nearly brushing. Worse, her arms were still looped around him. She was hugging him tightly in her sleep.

So daring~

Her cheeks exploded in heat, her whole face flushing crimson.

Then her eyes darted to Raphael, who raised an eyebrow with a questioning expression.

Valra’s blush deepened furiously. "T-This isn’t what it looks like!" she stammered.

"Oh? And what might it be then?" Raphael smirked.

Valra’s lips pressed together, her face practically steaming as she buried her head straight into the pillow, hiding her embarrassment with a muffled groan.

Raphael chuckled softly as she looked at her nephew, who had finally stopped frowning and was sleeping peacefully even in this ridiculous situation.

’Bastard... you’re really playing with innocent hearts, aren’t you?’ she thought with a slight frown. One of these days, she would have to teach her nephew a few proper manners about this kind of thing!

"Wait—? It’s almost seven!!" Valra suddenly shouted after glancing at the clock. Her eyes widened in panic as she quickly turned toward Leo. "Leo! We need to get to school!" She shook him frantically, trying to push him awake.

"Hmm... no... five more minutes..." Leo muttered in a half-asleep voice, burying his head deeper into the pillow. He didn’t want to move from the bed at all.

So sleepy... so relaxing~

You know how it is!

Valra paused, her lips curving into a small smile as she watched him. She didn’t have the heart to wake him up after seeing that expression. However—

"Okay, young man! That’s enough!" Raphael snapped as she suddenly yanked him upright by the arm, pulling him out of his drowsy comfort.

She wasn’t going to let him enjoy a lazy morning while she hadn’t even had a single wink of sleep herself. Besides, it was already time for school, and Leo had been missing too many days.

School was more important than anything!

Studies came first—then sleep!

Reluctantly, Leo sat up with a tired expression, his messy hair sticking out in every direction. The two of them got ready for school, though Raphael’s head was swirling with questions about last night.

Still, she decided to keep quiet. For now, Leo and Valra needed to focus on school, so she didn’t ask anything. Instead, she handed them some money for the cafeteria, reminding them to eat properly.

Valra, surprisingly, already had her school clothes with her. Not sure how, but she did.

It almost looked like she had planned for this all along!

Anyway, they left together, walking in the same direction as their previous school... until they turned at the right corner. Just a few blocks away, another school came into view.

Merlin – II High School.

"...That’s lame, you know," Leo muttered with a sheepish yawn, rubbing his eyes as he read the sign. "Couldn’t they have come up with another name entirely?"

Valra chuckled at his complaint before slipping her hand into his. "Come on, let’s go inside~" she said brightly as she tugged him forward.

Leo gave a small smile, his tiredness fading just a little as he followed her.

Their new life... was about to begin.