The tension in the student council room was thick enough to cut through. Valewood Academy was still reeling from the shocking deaths of Dorian Markov and three others, and the atmosphere among the council members reflected the gravity of the situation.
What made things worse was that the news of the killings had already become public, spreading like wildfire through both the human and vampire students. Now, Dorian's noble family was pushing hard for answers, and the entire school was under intense scrutiny.
Renji Sato, the council president, sat at the head of the long table, his hands clasped together as he surveyed the room.
His usually calm face was drawn with frustration as he tried to process the mess they were in. Renji had dealt with tough situations before, but this was on another level. The eyes of the academy—and beyond—were watching them closely.
To Renji's right sat Tanya, the First Vampire Princess and the heir to the vampire throne. Her long, silver hair framed her face, but her red eyes—usually calm—were now sharp and calculating. As a member of vampire royalty, she understood the implications of Dorian's death better than anyone.
The political weight of the situation was immense, and Tanya had spent the past few hours fielding pressure from her family to ensure the school handled the situation delicately. Dorian's family, one of the most powerful noble vampire families, was eager to use his death as a means of gaining more influence, and Tanya was keen to prevent that from happening.
Beside Tanya sat Ryoko Tanaka, the council's logistical expert. Her short brown hair was tied back, and her sharp eyes moved from her notes to the council members, silently evaluating the situation. Ryoko had always been practical and grounded, but even she looked rattled by the magnitude of the problem they were facing.
Across from Ryoko sat Kaito Reinhardt, the council's quiet but calculating strategist. His pale skin and sharp green eyes gave him an almost otherworldly look, but it was his mind that was always several steps ahead.
Kaito, a vampire from a less influential noble family, preferred to observe before speaking. He had already been deep in thought, piecing together what they knew about Dorian's death.
And then there was Haruto. Haruto Takeda leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Always the bluntest of the group, Haruto had a reputation for being outspoken, sometimes to the point of rudeness. He didn't care much for political games, and his approach to Dorian's death was no different.
"So," Renji began, his voice steady but strained, "the entire school knows about Dorian's death. His family is demanding answers, and we're already out of time. This situation is going to escalate fast if we don't get to the bottom of it."
Tanya leaned forward, her voice measured but tense. "Dorian's family is pushing hard. They're using this as an opportunity to gain more control over the academy. If we're not careful, they'll turn this investigation into a political power play."
"They're already doing that," Ryoko added, flipping through her notes. "The rumors have spread, and both humans and vampires are taking sides. Some are blaming each other. We need to find out what happened quickly, or things could get worse."
Haruto, who had been silent up until now, leaned forward, his eyes flicking between them. "Let's not overthink this. Dorian wasn't exactly the nicest guy. I'd bet good money that whoever killed him was someone he knew. It was probably personal."
The room went silent for a moment as everyone considered Haruto's point. Tanya's eyes narrowed. "You're suggesting that Dorian was killed by someone within his own circle?"
Haruto shrugged, his smirk returning. "I'm just saying, Dorian had plenty of enemies—both humans and vampires. He rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. It's not a stretch to think that someone finally got tired of him and decided to take action."
Kaito, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up, his voice low and thoughtful. "It's possible. The way Dorian and his lackeys were killed—it wasn't random. There was precision, maybe even knowledge of how to fight vampires. Whoever did this knew what they were doing."
Ryoko jotted down a note, her brow furrowed. "There were no witnesses, at least none that are talking, and from what we've gathered, the scene was clean. Too clean, actually. Someone covered their tracks."
Tanya crossed her arms, her expression darkening. "This makes it even more dangerous. If Dorian's killer is someone with enough knowledge and power to take him out quietly, they're not going to be easy to find."
Haruto leaned back again, his casual attitude returning. "Or they were close enough to him to get close without raising suspicion. Dorian wasn't the kind of guy to let just anyone into his inner circle."
Renji looked at Haruto, his expression thoughtful. "You think it was someone he trusted?"
Haruto nodded. "It's possible. People like Dorian don't get taken out by strangers. Someone probably took advantage of his arrogance."
Tanya's voice hardened. "Whether it was personal or political, we can't ignore the fact that Dorian's death is being used as a tool. His family is already breathing down my neck, and they won't stop until they get more influence over this academy. We need to find the truth before they spin this into a narrative that benefits them."
Ryoko sighed, leaning back in her chair. "But where do we even start? We have no leads, no witnesses, and whoever did this clearly knew what they were doing."
Kaito tapped his fingers on the table. "We start with those who had conflicts with Dorian. Earlier this semester, there was an incident between Dorian and two human students—Yukio and Kai. Dorian humiliated them in front of a crowd. From what I've heard, he didn't take that lightly."
Renji frowned, his expression serious. "Yukio and Kai? Do you think they could be involved?"
Haruto chuckled. "Wouldn't that be something? Two humans taking down a vampire like Dorian. But we can't rule it out. Maybe they got pushed too far."
Tanya raised an eyebrow. "You think they would have the skill to kill Dorian and cover their tracks?"
Haruto's grin widened. "You'd be surprised what people are capable of when they're desperate. Besides, Kai's got some fire in him. I wouldn't underestimate him."
Renji glanced at Kaito. "You mentioned the precision of the killings. Could someone like Yukio or Kai pull something like that off?"
Kaito considered the question carefully before answering. "It's possible, though unlikely. But if they had help, someone with more experience… then maybe."
Tanya sighed, clearly frustrated. "Even if they're not directly involved, we need to question them. If they know something or were targeted by Dorian, it might give us a clue."
Renji nodded. "We'll handle this quietly. We can't afford to let rumors spread any further. If the wrong people catch wind of what we're doing, it could escalate quickly."
Haruto leaned forward again, his grin fading into a more serious expression. "If we don't get answers soon, Dorian's family will push harder. They won't wait forever."
Ryoko nodded in agreement. "We should move fast but carefully. Dorian's family has too much power, and if they think we're dragging our feet, they'll take over the investigation themselves."
Renji stood, signaling the end of the meeting. "Alright, here's the plan. We'll start by questioning Yukio and Kai—discreetly. Ryoko, see if you can dig up any more information on Dorian's inner circle. Kaito, I need you to work on possible motives outside of the obvious conflicts. Haruto…" Renji paused, giving him a pointed look, "just don't make things worse."
Haruto grinned. "Me? I'm the picture of restraint."
Tanya rolled her eyes. "Right."
As they stood to leave, the weight of what they had to do settled on them. Dorian's death wasn't just a mystery—it was a political firestorm waiting to erupt. And if they didn't solve it soon, the consequences could be disastrous for everyone at Valewood Academy.