Ordinary days are ending(5)

City

The blood moon had already risen in the sky. It looked unusually large and ominous, so it was no surprise the streets had emptied quickly. Most people feared this day — after all, it was when the highest number of murders occurred, all at the hands of vampires.

A man with silver hair stood at the guild office entrance, gloomily watching the one seated at the desk, turned toward the wall and puffing on a pipe.

"Hey..." the visitor called quietly. The man slowly turned around.

"Eager for this meeting? Well then, I'm listening," said the older man in a leather chair, eyeing him lazily but grimly.

"Yes," the silver-haired man replied curtly, approaching the desk. He slapped a flyer onto the wooden surface.

"Find her."

"Payment?" the branch head asked bluntly, still smoking, his indifference clear.

Clink.

A pouch of gold coins landed on the table.

"That all?" The head raised an eyebrow. The scar across his blind left eye — cutting through half his face — looked especially menacing.

Clink.

A second pouch dropped beside the first.

"Hm... now that's more like it," the head looked noticeably more interested.

He leaned forward, set aside the pipe, and examined the picture.

"Name?"

"I don't know..." the client looked down, clearly frustrated by how little he knew.

"Your name, idiot," the head snapped, eyes still on the portrait.

"Does it matter? I thought your guild valued privacy," the silver-haired man scoffed, folding his arms.

"Fair enough. Either way, we can't help."

"What? Are you saying that's not enough money? Don't push your luck—" the client scowled, golden eyes flashing with anger.

"No. It's not about the money... but..." the manager looked again at the face of the blonde girl.

(Why's he after THAT witch? The drawing's off, but it's definitely her. What did she do to him? I need to report this... might earn a good reward.)

"What?"

"Nothing. Just... don't go looking for her if you want to stay alive," the branch head said, forcing a friendly smile and lacing his fingers. But his voice carried a warning.

The silver-haired man froze in shock, then clenched his teeth, turned sharply, and stormed out.

Was he annoyed? Absolutely.

How much? To the limit.

Village

It was past midnight.

The smell of blood. Screams of pain and pleas for help.

"Argh..." A dying gasp. One of the victims couldn't even breathe — unsurprising, since they'd spent a whole month poisoning themselves with "healing" tea.

"Heh, quick one..." Rachel smirked, tossing aside the lifeless body.

(Probably bled out. Or… from my beauty~)

A bit more time passed...

"Trying to run and leave your dead buddy behind? That's low..." the girl's voice called.

The fleeing man spun around.

"W-w-what?! Y-you... stay back!"

"..."

"W-wait! We can make a deal! How much do you want?!"

(So loud...)

Rachel pulled out a pocket watch, ignoring him.

(Dawn's soon. Shame… I could've stayed another month or two.)

"Sorry. Just think of it as Yunis' will, alright?" She appeared right in front of him and kicked him square in the face. The vampire-strength blow sent him flying several meters.

"Stupid sheep! How dare you! Rachel, you damned witch!!" He grabbed his cheek and staggered up.

"Yes. Rachel means 'helpless little lamb.' Pretty name, right?"

Her face turned eerily calm.

Rachel's moods changed in an instant, throwing her victims into despair. Her sharp shifts from playfulness to cruelty shocked even newcomers.

Sadist. Psychopath. Perfect villainess.

A real Witch.

She was beside him again — her hand pierced through his stomach, leaving a gaping hole. His pupils shrank. He coughed and dropped dead.

(Ugh… my dress is ruined...) Rachel glanced at the bloodstains on her clothes.

(Such a shame. I really liked it. Guess I'll need to order a new one…)

"Ha..." Finally, it was over. The last person was dead, and she could breathe easy.

(That was fun. I'll miss their screams…)

(And hearing their confessions was even better…)

She removed her gloves and tossed them to the ground with a smile. Murder, feasting, and confession — it was all entertainment to her.

(Even sweet Hilda had skeletons in her closet. And old Hinis… he raped his first love, and she hanged herself…)

But what impressed her most was Hilda's own confession:

Sixteen affairs behind her husband's back in her youth, selling herself to nobles.

(She must've been clever to lie so smoothly… though I expected something like that.)

Rachel walked down the street littered with "dead lamb" sacks. Blood stains gleamed here and there.

She stopped and checked the time again.

(Oh… right!) she parted her lips slightly.

After piling the bodies, she sat on top with satisfaction.

(Much better.) Her eyes sparkled as she pulled out a letter.

Rachel smiled naturally — as if she hadn't just slaughtered an entire village and made a throne from their corpses.

Dear Madam,

I hope I'm not disturbing you? How's your vacation? I sincerely hope I am disturbing you. You were supposed to return weeks ago. I'm so worried I can't sleep.

Also… you're delaying my paycheck.

Please return soon.

Something important happened at the guild. I can't write the details — your enemies might intercept this.

Please come back.

Your maid, Annelise.

("My paycheck," huh? Ha. You wouldn't even write to me if not for that. Even if the guild burned down.) Rachel thought bitterly, smirking.

A mental image of her cheeky maid appeared — dark blue straight hair, pale blue eyes, and her trademark stony face.

The blonde crushed the letter and stuffed it back carelessly.

City

She had left that village behind.

("What a pity I won't get to see the paladins' faces when they arrive... I do hope they enjoy my little surprise. Don't you?")

Rachel's gaze stretched into the distance — toward the now-empty village blazing against the backdrop of dawn. The first rays of the sun, just waking, gently brushed the horizon, shimmering through smoke and morning mist.

Adjusting her hat and holding it against the soft breeze that tried to snatch it away, Rachel vanished just as quietly and unnoticed as she had once appeared.