Kiera and Ysabella turned to each other slowly, their expressions changing.

Kiera’s red eyes gleamed darkly while Ysabella’s green eyes curved in dark amusement.

"You... what a filthy thing. I always wondered why you don’t confide in me or even move close to me. You aren’t human, are you?"

Ysabella sneered, her lips twisted gracefully.

Unfazed, Kiera’s brows rose confidently.

"Hah? You dare to ask me that? What about you? I knew you were always hiding something. And my instincts never trusted you. So you’re not as perfect as you seem."

The blonde girl threw her head back and laughed. A dark and sinister sound that seemed to have escaped her soul.

"Oh, Kiera. You’re really this naive. Who do you think has the actual advantage here? You’re non-human. That means you’re definitely going to be killed once I report you."

Kiera stiffened, her mask of confidence cracking with that threat.

Seeing this, Ysabella smiled and continued.

"You are actually becoming a thorn in my side. I should have had Liam under my control already, but you just keep interfering, you bitch!"

"Shut up!" Kiera snapped, growling as her canines elongated. "You think I’ll allow you to touch Liam? You must be pretty insane to think that way."

A trace of surprise flashed in Ysabella’s eyes as she took a step back.

"What is this? You look like a beast. What? Are you going to attack me?"

Although she sounded confident, Kiera couldn’t miss the vulnerability in that voice.

She took a confident step forward, displaying her sharp claws proudly.

"Heh~ Do you think I don’t dare? I doubt you’re strong enough to resist me anyway."

Ysabella’s expression darkened, realizing she was right. Her ability only gave her the strength of a support, not a fighter.

If Kiera attacked with the intent of killing her, she wasn’t sure she could survive.

’And although she has grown claws and sharp teeth, her limiter hasn’t given any warnings. That means she’s really not human.’

Ysabella had always been suspicious about Kiera. The white-haired girl was always keeping some distance from her, and would sometimes stay long on the bathroom with her friends. This made her very suspicious.

After speaking with Kiera’s closest friend, Kim, she realized that the girl sometimes couldn’t remember what had happened whenever they went to the bathroom together.

This finally made Ysabella believe that Kiera wasn’t normal by any means. Perhaps she was one of the rare beastkins?

It wasn’t something sure, but she wanted to know. And now, her curiosity was about to kill her.

She took another step back, her voice lowered into a growl.

"I can surely survive against you for a long time. Don’t underestimate me, bitch!"

Fueling herself with courage, she stretched out her hand as if ready to manifest a relic.

Kiera paused, cautious. After all, she didn’t know what kind of relics Ysabella had in her arsenal. There could be something very dangerous in there.

Seeing the girl hesitate, Ysabella’s smile widened.

"Good. Don’t even think I’ll be a helpless lamb that you can kill as you want. If you dare try anything, I’m sure the school authorities will be able to detect and react swiftly. Before you can kill me, you’ll be dead first."

Kiera paused, then tilted her head. "I don’t care."

The words dropped like a sledgehammer, causing Ysabella to blink in shock.

"W-what?"

Kiera chuckled, her tone dark. "I’m going to die sooner or later anyway. Either by Kaiser’s hands, or by the hands of others. We bloodlings rarely live for long after all. It’s just a pity that I never had a child."

Ysabella’s mind spiralled in confusion as she tried to understand Kiera’s words. However, there was no time.

Kiera walked towards her, her expression calm and empty.

"Since you want to expose me so bad and get rid of me, then I will ruin your own life permanently too. I will become a trauma you can never forget. Anything that reminds you of me will always cause you to tremble in fear. You shall be forever haunted... by me."

By the time she was done speaking, Ysabella’s expression had changed into a mask of fear and desperation. Every of Kiera’s words were etched with killing intent so deep that it mortified her.

Her eyes darted around for an escape route when something in the corner caught her eyes.

"Wha..."

She couldn’t complete her sentence, because Kiera had already lunged at her.

Her eyes snapped shut in fear, and she manifested a shield before herself instinctively.

A second passed, then two...

The impact never came. Instead, it was Kiera’s startled voice she heard.

"K-kaiser?"

She lowered her shield and looked up, seeing Kaiser holding the white-haired girl by her collar from behind. It was as if he had appeared like a ghost, restraining the little bloodling at the right time. Ysabella almost smiled.

There was no expression on his face, making it hard to know what he was thinking.

"Do you really want to kill her?"

He asked Kiera, his gaze piercing as he stared into her eyes.

The girl averted her gaze, lowering her head unconsciously. Her voice sounded weak.

"I... she threatened to expose me. There’s no way I would survive if I’m exposed."

Kaiser nodded, then released her collar.

"Go on, kill her."

Both girls blinked in shock, not expecting that from him.

"W-what the hell are you saying?! Can’t you see she’s a monster?"

Ysabella cried out in disbelief. The air froze briefly at her words.

Slowly, Kaiser’s eyes shifted to her. "Monster?"

He pulled Kiera close and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

His gaze revealed a hint of curiosity as he stared at the blonde girl.

"Care to define the meaning of monster to me?"

Both girls stiffened for different reasons. Kiera froze because of the close proximity, while Ysabella was at a loss for words.

He sighed in disappointment.

"You don’t even have a definition. Not like it concerns me, but..."

He tightened his grip on Kiera’s waist, his eyes slowly revealing an emotion Ysabella had never seen in his eyes.

"To me, you are more of a monster than this little runt."

A chilling smile split across his face.

"Aren’t you?"