Chapter 155: Movie Magic

The photograph showed a man and a woman wrapped in each other's arms, captured in a moment of happiness so genuine it felt almost intimate. His father, tall and slender, wore striking silver hair that caught the light like polished metal. His refined features, noble bearing, and quiet smile gave him an almost aristocratic elegance, softened by eyes filled with boundless kindness.

At his side stood a woman of radiant beauty.

Warmth seemed to emanate from her face. Her eyes sparkled with sincere joy, and her smile looked capable of soothing any worry. There was nothing cold or intimidating about her. On the contrary, there was something in her expression that inspired instant trust.

Blanche understood immediately.

Argy's silver hair had undeniably come from his father.

Everything else...

Everything else came from his mother.

The same curve of the smile.

The same cheekbones.

The same way her whole face lit up whenever she laughed.

Even his mischievous eyes were an exact reflection of hers.

There was a gentleness in Argy that no amount of constant joking, shameless charm, or questionable humor could truly conceal. It always resurfaced whenever he let his guard down.

Looking at the photograph, Blanche finally understood where it came from.

Argy never took his eyes off the picture.

A faint, nostalgic smile tugged at his lips.

"I barely remember them," he admitted softly. "Just fragments. A voice. A scent. A hand holding mine."

His thumb absentmindedly traced the worn edge of the photograph.

"Sebastian and Matthew—my godfather and Commander of the Royal Guard—killed the vampire. I died saving my father..."

"...but he was still struck in the head."

"I'm sorry," Blanche murmured.

"I'm not."

"As Kyst always says, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise."

"I gained two fathers—one of whom is clearly better than the other—a new mother, two entire families..."

"...and an incredible best friend."

"And now no one can hurt you anymore," Blanche said quietly, her chest tightening.

"And everyone depends on you to save them."

Was that...

Pride?

"Yeah." He wiped at his eyes with a grin. "Magic is awesome."

"Have you ever tried using your healing skill on your biological father?" she asked, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Of course."

"But it isn't maxed out yet."

"Munin says I'll probably be able to wake him once I reach level seven."

"We don't all have a Fen like yours who says yes to everything," he teased.

Blanche rolled her eyes and hugged him again.

She barely had time to tighten her embrace before the doorbell rang.

Surprised, she watched Argy get up to answer it.

"Soundproofed," he replied to her unspoken question.

"It's time to put on the act," Kyst grimaced before flashing her a smile.

With him, there was no middle ground.

People either loved Kysten...

Or they hated him.

No one ever felt indifferent toward him.

His presence naturally filled every room without his needing to raise his voice or seek attention. His humor—dry, provocative, and perpetually bordering on insolence—was matched by a confidence that occasionally drifted into outright arrogance. He delighted in pushing people to their limits, solely to watch their reactions with the faint crooked smile that never truly left his lips.

And that evening...

His target had already been chosen.

Blanche.

For the rest of the drive, he flirted with her with almost professional dedication, alternating between ridiculous compliments, deliberately ambiguous remarks, and gallant gestures so exaggerated they became hilarious.

"You know, Blanche," he said, "if Argy ever stops meeting your standards, I'm accepting applications."

"How generous."

"I am a man of extraordinary kindness."

"That must be why you feel the need to mention it."

Kysten let out a deep laugh.

"I like women who answer back."

"I like men who know when to stay quiet."

"Now that's an interesting challenge."

To everyone's surprise, Blanche slipped into the game as though she'd been playing it for years.

She fired back without missing a beat, pretended to blush whenever the moment called for it, occasionally gave him deliberately suggestive looks, only to dismantle every one of his advances with perfectly timed wit.

The vampire was having the time of his life.

Argy...

Argy was living through an absolute nightmare.

"Can you stop flirting with her?"

"Technically," Kysten replied with complete seriousness, "I'm simply getting acquainted with a charming woman."

"Technically, you're making me want to throw myself under a car."

"You're exaggerating."

"Barely."

Blanche had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from bursting into laughter at her son's horrified expression.

Every compliment was an act.

Every lingering glance belonged more to the theater than to seduction.

Kysten was simply committing to his role with astonishing dedication.

And he was an exceptional actor.

The instant his smile faded—even for a heartbeat—his face regained the characteristic coldness of a vampire.

Then, a moment later, he became charming again, switching masks with effortless precision.

He controlled every expression.

Every inflection.

Every gesture.

To the point where it became almost impossible to tell when he was joking...

...and when he was being sincere.

At last, they reached the arena.

Blanche quickly discovered what Kyst had truly meant by putting on an act.

"Benjy, focus!" Matthew barked as they sparred inside an arena covered with resilient rubber flooring, surrounded by sparsely occupied bleachers.

Kyst sat beside her.

Blanche watched Argy dodge Matthew's sword.

Too slowly.

Now she understood why Matthew excelled at his job.

After all, Argy's godfather wasn't merely the King's personal bodyguard.

For years, he had also been the one responsible for training Argy in combat.

But after training under Derek in the Otherworld, there was no way he was actually this clumsy.

She understood.

Pretending to be weak was sometimes a matter of survival.

She herself had been deliberately holding back her strength for the past two days.

Matthew's criticism came relentlessly.

She was about to object when Kyst nudged her with his elbow.

"Pathetic," he murmured.

Then he pointed toward his ear...

...and to the surrounding vampires.

Message received.

Matthew rested his weapon against the wall before rolling his neck with a loud crack.

"All right."

"We're going back to the basics."

"Again."