Thanks to her superior vampire physique, Sophie didn't even stumble. She landed lightly on her feet, perfectly balanced, and instinctively took a step closer to Jane the moment she steadied herself. That unconscious movement, despite everything that had happened between them, unexpectedly pleased Jane ever so slightly, though nothing of it showed on her face.
"Your death certificate will be finalized on the last day of May," Jane informed her calmly.
The announcement caught Alec by surprise. Whenever the Guard carried out missions beyond Volterra, they often relied on identities from the human world. Sophie had only recently become a vampire, and there was no practical need to sever every connection to her former life so quickly. But Alec and Jane understood each other without words.
Almost immediately, he realized that his sister was intentionally cutting every thread binding Sophie to the human world, forcing her to fully embrace her existence as a vampire.
Viewed from that perspective, Jane's insistence on forbidding Sophie from using the internet suddenly made perfect sense.
"Sophie, calm down." Alec stepped forward, subtly placing himself between the two women while naturally shielding Jane behind him. His voice remained patient and gentle as he explained, "Jane is doing this for your own good. If you post anything online, your IP address can be traced by someone with enough determination. Besides, your official date of death has already been set as May 6. If you suddenly publish something on May 21, the authenticity of that death certificate will immediately become questionable."
Any suspicion at all...
Was a direct challenge to the laws that protected vampire society.
"Oh..." Even Felix, who was usually the slowest to grasp these matters, finally understood. "You still have living family members."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly before smiling. "That's actually a wonderful thing." His expression softened, but he still shook his head. "Even so... you really can't go back anymore. You should listen to Jane."
He joined Alec's side without hesitation. On the surface, both men appeared to be persuading Sophie, but in reality, they were trying just as hard to calm Jane.
If Jane truly lost her temper, her gift wouldn't care whether someone was a fellow guard or not. Other than Alec, every member of the Guard would become collateral damage.
Felix silently thanked fate that Sophie had always been gentle by nature. As long as she was willing to apologize and lower her head, and Alec helped smooth things over from the side, the two girls would surely reconcile before long.
Now all three of them stood together. Facing the united front before her, Sophie still stubbornly refused to bow her head.
The standoff dragged on. Again and again, she struggled inwardly before finally giving way.
"...All right." She lowered her eyes. "I promise. I won't use this tablet to contact my friends, and I won't connect it to Volterra's network or expose its IP address."
The instant Sophie yielded, both Felix and Alec secretly breathed sighs of relief.
Unfortunately...
They celebrated too soon.
"But..." Sophie continued quietly. "I've owned this tablet for many years. It means something to me."
Her fingers tightened unconsciously. "There are memories attached to it." She looked at Jane almost pleadingly. "So... at least let me keep it as a souvenir."
Honestly...
It wasn't an unreasonable request.
Felix found himself instinctively believing Jane would surely agree.
"No." She refused without even the slightest pause. "Sentimental attachments to your human life serve no purpose. And besides... it's nothing more than an object."
I guessed wrong... Felix thought helplessly. I still underestimated just how strict Jane can be.
Sophie had clearly reached her limit. Her emotions, suppressed for days, finally erupted.
"If it's only an object..." She raised her voice for the first time. "Then why can't I keep it?"
Before anyone could react, she slipped neatly past both Alec and Jane and rushed toward the guard standing at the rear. Her speed was astonishing, and even Felix, who had sparred with her more than anyone else, failed to stop her in time.
The guard still held Sophie's tablet with both hands. Years of use had left obvious scratches across its casing, and having sat unused for so long, the battery had long since died completely.
Since the underground palace lacked ordinary electrical facilities, even if Sophie took it away, it truly would remain nothing more than a keepsake. The guard also knew exactly how terrifying this newborn vampire's combat ability was.
Instinctively...
He maintained his posture and didn't dare resist.
Unfortunately...
That very hesitation challenged Jane's authority.
Jane reacted instantly. Before Sophie could reach the tablet, Jane caught up from behind and seized the back of her collar once more.
"I said..." Her voice rang out coldly. "No."
Gripping the fabric tightly, Jane swung Sophie away with all the strength she possessed. She could never hope to match the overwhelming physical power of a newborn vampire, but throwing a slender young woman several meters was still well within her capabilities.
Even while airborne, Sophie recovered her balance almost immediately. She adjusted her posture with practiced ease before landing gracefully once again.
She was confident.
Confident she could dodge Jane...
Confident she could still snatch back the tablet.
Meanwhile, Jane understood better than anyone that battles should never be fought on an opponent's terms. She remained exactly where she stood, with no intention of confronting Sophie herself.
"Alec."
Only a single word, yet her twin had already stepped faithfully to her side before she even finished speaking. No subordinate, no matter how loyal, could ever match the understanding shared between the two of them.
A pale mist flowed silently from Alec's outstretched hand. The almost transparent cloud drifted directly toward Sophie, its color so faint it was nearly impossible to notice.
Having almost no experience fighting against Alec's gift, Sophie was defeated almost instantly. The sensation vanished from her body, and every muscle lost its strength.
She collapsed limply to the ground. Felix and Alec immediately caught her from either side, supporting her unconscious body while awaiting Jane's next command.
Dirt clung to Sophie's cheek where she had fallen. Her golden hair had become tangled and disheveled.
Across from her stood Jane. Her own golden hair was neatly gathered into a flawless side ponytail, every strand perfectly arranged.
She remained composed.
Elegant.
Untouched by disorder.
It felt almost exactly like the day they had first met. One stood immaculate and the other disheveled.
Between elegance and disarray, there stretched an immeasurable chasm.
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