The only reason Shedia dealt with the Zarakh Society was because on every full moon night, her werewolf instincts triggered her into a berserk state.

Running away wasn’t going to help once the berserk state overtook her, leaving behind trackable traces.

When that would happen, escaping the clutches of her master would no doubt prove fruitless, so she never thought in this direction.

But what if something could control her berserk state?

She had no problems at losing her potential vampire trackers. Raised as an assassin her entire life, she was confident she wouldn’t get caught.

That’s why moonstone was a must.

A night when everyone was asleep.

Shedia slipped out of her bed. Tip-toeing a few steps forward, her body sank into the shadows.

Brought up to become a skilled assassin, it was a skill that was uniquely learned at the instructor’s direction.

Shedia was the only one among all werewolves who could use this skill.

The vampire, who had taught her this skill, fussed about her talent and how easily she had picked up the skill. To Shedia, it was just something that made her work convenient.

She quickly assimilated into the shadows, crossed the doorway and headed into Kieran’s room.

The corridor leading to it was long and cold, the torches long since burned to stubs. Stone walls sweated a thin layer of moisture.

Somewhere far off, a shutter banged against its frame in the night wind. Shedia noted it all without breaking stride.

-Krrrr!

The strong smell of alcohol and snoring.

Shedia waited for about an hour as she hid in the shadows. Kieran lay on the bed, unmoving and defenseless.

The hour passed the way hours always passed for her — without impatience, without sentiment. She counted his breaths. Counted the silences between them.

The candle on the nightstand had melted down to a trembling stub by the time she was satisfied.

When she was convinced that he was completely asleep, Shedia slowly revealed her body from the shadows.

She looked at Kieran, lying on the bed and sleeping soundly.

’I have no grudges.’

No, actually, a little, but not enough to take his life.

She had to kill because she had to, as always.

Shedia moved her hand to access the sword around her waist.

At that moment Kieran opened his eyes and fisted Shedia’s stomach, sending her knocking away.

"Ugh..!"

Shedia couldn’t stand the force as she rolled away, crashing against the wall.

"You did it after all."

With an ominous feeling, Shedia lifted her head.

Kieran let go of his clenched fist.

Fragments shining blue enough to be seen even in a dark room flowed down to the floor.

"Ah..."

Her blank eyes quivered for the first time, looking at the pieces of jewelry that was completely shattered.

That was hope.

The hope that this long period of time had given her for a chance at atonement, removing the curse that had been entangling her by throat.

And that hope was now shattered.

She will forever be bound by the curse of the full moon, and she will die without atonement.

Even in death she won’t be forgiven by them.

She thought of the ones she owed forgiveness to. Their faces came to her easily, the way they always did in weak moments.

She had long since accepted she would carry them. She had not accepted she would carry them forever.

Shedia’s eyes, hazed by despair, gradually lost their light.

When a round blue jewel appeared before her eyes.

"..?"

Wut...?

She froze for two seconds—

—before, having grasped the situation, she hastily reached out her hand, fisting nothing. The moonstone sailed up and slipped into Kieran’s hand.

Shedia, wondering what the hell was happening, looked up at Kieran with a blank expression on her face.

Kieran grinned and squatted down, making eye contact with Shedia.

"I never thought that it would be easy to get over with one oral contract. I expected you to try breaking the deal at least once."

"That was..."

"Not the moonstone, just a similar-looking faux. Didn’t I just show you the real one?"

Kieran stroked Shedia’s head.

"Breaking the deal once can be passed off as cute antics. Not twice. If something like this happens again..."

Kieran slightly tightened his hand holding the moonstone. Shedia shook her head wildly, beseeching him not to. Kieran smiled and stroked Shedia’s hair.

"You know it without me telling you, right?"

Shedia nodded her head.

"Then you won’t do this again in the future, right?"

– Nod.

"Are you going to be a good girl who listens?"

– Nod..?

Seeing Shedia nod her head indecisively, Kieran re-strengthened the hold on the moonstone.

– Nod nod nod nod.

Shedia nodded her head frantically.

---

A woman poked her face out and looked into the hallway.

After making sure that no one was in the hallway, she pulled out two curved blades that had been wrapped in her clothes.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward on her right foot.

At the same time, her arms moved gently like flowing waves, swinging her curved blades.

She whirled, whirled, and whirled again.

Her long orange hair intertwined with a red veil and her thin skirt fluttered, exuding glamourous splendor.

Her ripe copper-colored skin and breasts that rippled with every step she took made her beauty monumental, adding femininity to splendor.

However, the sharpness hidden behind that beauty was dangerous.

’It’s going well today,’ she thought. ’If the next part flows just as fluidly...’

Changing softness to rigidity.

She failed at it every time, but today she was feeling encouraged.

The blades were an heirloom, older than anyone she’d ever met. The curved edges caught the dim hallway light as she moved, throwing pale arcs across the stone floor.

She’d long stopped noticing. They were extensions of her hands at this point, nothing more.

The moment the woman jerked her left foot for the next move—

"Katarina!! The parade will start soon, where are you?!"

A sharp shout echoed through the hallway.

Astonished and startled, she hurriedly hid the blades and put on her veil.

"Coming!"

The third-class dancer, Katarina, ran out into the hallway.