Chapter 59: The Girl Behind the Mask

The blood sphere in Victoria’s hand suddenly burst.

A thick red mist exploded outward and filled the space around them. The pressure in the air shifted at once.

Daemon reacted without thinking. He pulled both Victoria and Sana behind him and spread his arms, shielding them with his body as the mist swirled and twisted violently.

Inside the red haze, the small bat’s form began to change.

Wings folded inward. Limbs stretched. The tiny body expanded rapidly, reshaping itself with unnatural smoothness until the mist slowly began to clear.

A young woman stood in front of them.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties. Long black hair fell past her shoulders in soft waves, and her face was completely covered by an elegant dark mask that hid every expression.

The clothes she wore were clearly not ordinary. A deep crimson and black royal gown wrapped around her figure, embroidered with intricate silver patterns that resembled flowing bloodlines.

The fabric was fine and heavy, the kind worn only by high-ranking women of a vampire kingdom. A thin silver chain rested against her collarbone, and the overall design carried both beauty and quiet authority.

Daemon kept his stance firm, still shielding the two women behind him.

None of them had expected a real transformation like this. Even Sana, who had spent far more time in Virendal than the others, had never seen a bat turn into a human girl right before her eyes.

Her hand had already moved toward her dagger out of instinct.

But what surprised her even more was the reaction of Daemon and Victoria.

Neither of them looked shocked in the way she expected.

Instead, both of them were staring at the masked girl with strange, complicated expressions as if something deep inside their hearts recognized her, yet neither of them could understand why.

The feeling was heavy and familiar, like a name that refused to rise to the surface. The answer remained just out of reach.

Victoria stepped forward slowly.

"I just want to know who you are," she said carefully. "That’s all. Do you know me? You’ve been following us."

The masked girl did not answer.

She simply stood there, silent, her gaze moving between Daemon and Victoria. The air around her felt calm.

There was no clear hostility in her presence, only a quiet intensity that made it difficult to look away.

Then, without warning, her body shimmered once more.

In the next instant, she transformed back into a small black bat.

The bat fluttered its wings and flew straight toward Victoria. Before anyone could stop it, it landed neatly on her shoulder and folded its wings as if it belonged there.

Daemon tensed for a second, ready to intervene, but he felt no malice from the creature at all. Even if he wanted to grab it, something about the bat made him hesitate.

The urge to hold it gently was stronger than the urge to restrain it. That alone was strange enough to leave him unsettled.

Victoria lifted both hands and carefully supported the bat. Then she began lightly scratching its stomach with her fingers.

A weird little giggling sound came from the bat.

Victoria’s expression softened.

"You’re cute."

Sana watched the entire scene in silence before finally sighing and lowering her hand from her weapon.

"Let’s leave it for now," she said. "Clearly both of you feel something toward that bat.

When we meet Queen Morwenna, we can ask her about a girl who can transform like this. She’ll know more than we do."

Daemon nodded after a brief pause.

"That’s a good idea. Let’s head to the palace. I also want to see how much stronger Roxanna has become."

They entered Silverheart Palace not long after.

The interior was as grand as before living wood corridors shaped by centuries of careful growth, soft green-gold light filtering through crystal panels, and the quiet dignity of the High Elves moving through the halls.

Every step deeper into the palace made the difference between Earth and Virendal clearer.

When they reached the main hall, Queen Morwenna and Princess Zephyra were already present.

Daemon stepped forward and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty. Princess Zephyra."

Then he turned slightly and gestured toward Victoria.

"This is my wife, Victoria Hale."

Victoria lowered her head respectfully, her posture steady despite the unfamiliar surroundings.

Morwenna’s silver eyes studied her for a moment longer than necessary. There was a faint, unreadable emotion in her gaze something old and carefully controlled before she finally smiled.

"Welcome to Elorian."

Zephyra gave a small nod as well, her expression calm and composed, though her eyes lingered briefly on Victoria with quiet interest.

Before the conversation could continue, soft footsteps approached from the side corridor.

Roxanna appeared.

The moment Daemon saw her, he paused.

She had changed.

Roxanna’s presence felt clearer and more refined than before. Her black hair was neatly arranged, and the elven-style gown she wore made her look even more graceful.

There was a quiet confidence in her eyes now the kind that came from months of hard training and recognition.

Daemon reached into his shirt, and took out a small flower he had picked earlier in the forest. Without saying much, he stepped forward and gently placed it in her hair.

Roxanna’s eyes widened slightly. Then her expression softened with clear happiness as her fingers rose to touch the petals.

Behind them, Sana and Victoria both froze.

"...When did he even pick that flower?" Sana muttered under her breath. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

Victoria narrowed her eyes.

"We were walking together the entire time. How did we not notice?"

Roxanna touched the flower lightly once more and smiled, her cheeks faintly warm.

"Thank you."

Daemon simply smiled back.

Ding!

A System notification appeared in his vision.

[Reward Generated — Roxanna Sterling]

[Solitary Gate Expansion]

Host may now bring up to two people into the Solitary Gate.

Host may also bring up to two people from Virendal to Earth.

Daemon’s eyes flickered slightly.

Useful.

He closed the window and turned toward Queen Morwenna once more.

"Your Majesty. I would like to bring Roxanna back to our world for a few days. She still has unfinished work there."

Morwenna studied him for a moment, then nodded without hesitation.

"She may go."

Then her expression softened with quiet pride as she looked toward Roxanna.

"In fact, she has already awakened her bloodline."

The hall grew still.

Sana’s eyes widened. Victoria straightened slightly. Even Daemon’s gaze sharpened with clear interest.

Morwenna continued in a calm, measured voice,

"Her bloodline is called the Lifeweaver Bloodline.

It is extremely rare. She does not simply heal wounds. She can sense life energy, repair damaged life threads, purify corruption, and restore what has been broken. In time, her growth will be remarkable."

Roxanna lowered her head slightly, clearly still adjusting to the weight of those words. Even after months of training, hearing it spoken so openly still felt unreal.

Around her, the reactions were clear.

Victoria looked impressed, her crimson eyes studying Roxanna with new understanding.

Daemon felt genuine pride settle quietly in his chest.

Zephyra gave a small approving nod, as if she had already expected this outcome.

But Sana...

Sana’s expression dimmed for just a moment.

She had been part of an elite team before. Even here in Virendal, after months of hard training under Princess Zephyra, she was still the only one among them who had not fully awakened a bloodline.

The quiet comparison settled heavily in her chest before she forced her expression back under control.

Daemon noticed immediately.

He decided then that he would speak with her privately later. Some things should not be left unspoken.

At that moment, the small bat left Victoria’s shoulder and fluttered into the air.

Queen Morwenna’s eyes followed it, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"That child is from the Vampire Kingdom," she said. "In a way... she is also a child under my care."

Victoria looked at the bat in surprise, still holding her hand slightly raised.

Morwenna continued gently,

"If you like her, you may keep her. She will be of help to you."

Victoria hesitated for a second, then carefully held out her hand. The bat landed on her palm without resistance, as if the decision had already been made long ago.

Morwenna’s gaze then shifted fully onto Victoria.

Her expression grew more serious. The soft warmth from earlier faded into something sharper and more focused.

"I can also see it clearly now."

Victoria stiffened slightly under that gaze.

"You carry a curse within your bloodline," Morwenna said. "But I believe I understand its nature."

The hall fell quiet.

Even the soft sounds of the palace seemed to fade for a moment.

Morwenna’s silver eyes remained fixed on Victoria, calm and certain.

"And I think... I can cure it."