Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter6

2013-12-25T12:01:00Z

135.0.65.238: /* Chapter 6 - The Last Runner */

==Chapter 6 - The Last Runner==

It was near the end of the lunch break when Rushella went to look for Hisui.

Seeing him enter the classroom block, Rushella originally intended to call out to him but seeing some kind of determiined look on Hisui's face, she changed her mind.

Hence she hid her presence and secretly followed him.

Hisui went up the stairs and towards the roof.

Because it was during the sports festival, the classroom block was very deserted. Plus the lunch break was about to end, there was almost no one there.

On this empty roof, waiting for Hisui was--the other him.

Rushella gulped and hid in the shadow of the roof shed while watching the two Hisuis meet.

"Hi, me."

Hisui waved and greeted himself.

The other him grabbed the metal net fencing on the roof edge and looked down.

Dressed in the high school uniform, carrying the cross-shaped sacred sword, the Tzara Blade, wrapped in white cloth.

He turned around. His face was identical to Hisui's.

But the deep sorrow in his eyes made him a completely different person from the usual Hisui.

It was Hisui's doppelganger, carrying the Anti-Drac mode constitution and his memories from the past year.

However, what he possessed was not limited to that.

"...How did you know I was here?"

"After all, it's my own thinking."

"..."

"For this kind of event like sports festivals or athletic meets, Miraluka always observed from this kind of place. She didn't want to attract too much attention. Also, carrying a parasol would hinder other student's parents from photographing them. Besides, her eyesight was amazingly good... Watching from up here would be good enough. So, did I guess right?"

"Yeah. As expected of myself."

The other Hisui answered weakly with self-deprecation.

"Then... The question is, what are you doing here?"

"Since it's you, you should understand, right?"

The other Hisui asked him in return.

Hisui leaned against the shed's wall and looked up at the sky.

"Miraluka's dead."

"..."

"I don't remember. Because you have that memory. But I heard from other people. Strangely enough, I don't feel sad."

"I thought so."

"I should be terribly sad. In fact, I do feel like there's a hollow in my heart, but it's nothing serious. Clearly I should be uttery sad. In other words... Carrying these feelings, you must in great suffering. You are bearing all this for me, right?"

"..."

The other Hisui did not answer.

The feelings and memories after Miraluka was lost--were all with him.

He must be immersed in a swamp of sadness.

"I was thinking, if Miraluka was gone, what would I do? I think I'll be very depressed and shocked."

"Correct. In fact, that's what your summer vacation was like. Having few friends to begin with, you ended up being further estranged. And started not trusting anyone. Using a hyperbole, you didn't trust the world. You didn't trust this world which did not have Miraluka."

The other Hisui spoke in a torrent of words.

Talking about sadness, talking about loneliness, talking about his feelings for that woman who had passed away from this world.

"Then... Finally pulling yourself together, you entered the high school entrance exam. For a change of pace, to make a clean break of the past, you chose this high school where no one knew you. What a lame reason for your choice of school."

"Isn't that great? Also, don't insult yourself so much, it'll make me sad."

Hisui lowered his gaze in sadness.

After all, the other guy was himself. Whether speaking ill or self-abusing, it all reflected on himself.

"Can't be helped, during the most depressing time, you were me. Until yesterday, I was wandering the streets. Carrying Miraluka's past possessions, going to those place visited together before. Really fucking lame."

The other Hisui laughed in a lonely manner.

As the listener, naturally, Hisui did not laugh.

How could anyone laugh.

"Although I already know that she's no longer here. But... I still feel so reluctant to accept it. After all, I didn't even get to say anything..."

"...Yeah. I understand. Not even a word of thanks."

The current Hisui did not have complete knowledge of Miraluka. However, he still knew that they had parted suddenly.

Back when he scraped his knee and Miraluka showed her true nature as a vampire for an instant--After that, he had not even said a simple "I don't mind" to her.

All this time, all along, he was never able to say it out.

"So even now, you still feel sad, right?"

With abject pain, Hisui asked his other self.

Just like Reina.

It was all his own fault for being incompetent, which was why the doppelganger before his eyes had to shoulder the heavy burden.

"It's the same for you, right...? These feelings are enough for two people... No, even two people cannot shoulder it all."

The other Hisui answered.

His eyes carried bottomless melancholy.

These feelings would be better off forgotten.

However.

"It's about time you return. At this rate, I'm gonna croak. If it means forgetting for a lifetime, I don't want it."

"Perhaps your current state is better."

"Give it up... No matter how painful, I still want to be able to remember at least upon my death."

"..."

"Only because it's you, I'll tell you this."

Hisui took a deep breath.

No one else is allowed to hear this.

For a whole lifetime, he absolutely won't tell anyone this.

Apart from himself, never.

"Once upon a time, I loved her."

Hisui heard the sound of something falling on the ground behind him.

Like something rolling on the ground, rupturing, breaking into pieces.

As in happened, a sudden gust of strong wind blew, covering up that sound. Even the quick and light footsteps leaving downstairs could not be heard by Hisui.

"Perhaps it was love for a mother, or love for an older sister, or a first crush... Anyway, I loved her, I was serious."

Finally, he said it out.

In this world without Miraluka.

Although saying it out had no meaning, at least he managed to say it out.

The other Hisui smiled tragically, turning into a grieving audience.

"Aren't you embarrassed to say that?"

"So noisy, shut up. If you think it's embarrassing, then you go ahead and feel embarrassed."

"If I return, you'll surely feel more suffering?"

"I know. But... Lacking memories is also painful. Not only Miraluka... But Rushella as well."

"..."

"The reason why I can still live my days properly after Miraluka was gone, it's actually thanks to Rushella, right?"

The other Hisui did not answer.

Silently, he smiled and stepped forward.

The two Hisuis intersected and overlapped.

The instant the Hisui in uniform touched the main body, they merged into one.

The clone left behind the Tzara Blade, falling to the floor with a crisp clink.

Hisui picked up cross-shaped sacred sword and stretched lightly.

"I finally managed to retrieve my original feelings."

He lightly reached towards his neck and tore off the bandaid.

Touching it, he confirmed the disappearance of the fearsome teeth marks.

"Now I can stop worrying. Wow, the afternoon competitions have started already... I'd better hurry to the relay match... Eh, what's this?"

Just as he was about to go downstairs, Hisui noticed a lunchbox by his feet.

Probably the plastic lid popped off when it fell, the contents were all spilt. Luckily, the cloth wrapped around the lunchbox was still intact, so the food did not scatter all over the floor.

"...Hmm?"

This cloth and lunchbox... Hisui recognized it.

Those were clearly his.

"Why...? Could it be that girl!?"

Hisui looked downwards, then frantically ran downstairs and looked all around.

But the classroom block seemed to be empty.

Rushella had already ran off.

"...Idiot."

Rushella grumbled, wandering behind the school building.

Students, teachers and parents were all gathered at the sports ground right now so now one came over to this classroom block.

Hisui... was probably still over there.

Definitely.

Rushella knew very well in her heart.

She knew from the start.

Even had she not bitten him, even if just an ordinary person... A long time ago, to this date, continuing into the future, Hisui's heart always belonged to Miraluka.

While she walked like this, tears naturally fell down.

Unstoppable.

Rushella could only cover her face with both hands.

Pressing her fingers to to seal her tears in her eye lids, she desperately suppressed herself.

After a while, she put down her hands but her vision was blurred by the tears.

Then a dark mass appeared before her, dark enough to distort rays of light.

Clad in a pitch-black cape, the tall shadow was rich in vampire style, exuding an aura that dyed the surroundings of this little path red as blood.

The long black hair resembled a piece of darkness that was plucked then combed into threads while those crimson lips were even redder than fresh blood.

Most unforgettable of all was that skin of pure white, surpassing all creation in this world.

She seemed to have applied light blocking agent, her skin exhibiting a subtle sheen, blocking sunlight.

This was supposed to be artificial armor that reduced a vampire's beauty.

But the absolute beauty of her skin did not suffer at all from this.

Whether her lips or her black hair, everything was so perfectly flawless.

To sum up her face in one sentence, that was a beautiful face born from darkness.

The same kind of beauty as Rushella's, but more refined and honed, the beauty of maturity.

To this date, Rushella had seen many beauties.

Although differences in beauty varied from person to person, categorizing them into three, six or nine ranks perhaps depended on personal preference.

But this woman before her was undoubtedly more beautiful than her.

More accurately, there was a difference in fundamental nature.

In front of this woman, she was at best a cute little girl--Rushella could not help but feel a sense of defeat.

"...Who are you!?"

"I am one of your kind, in every sense of the word."

Her face closed in.

Also those blood-red lips.

Even as a fellow female, it produced a sense of lust in the viewer, so seductive it compelled one to suck on them.

The woman parted her lips slightly, exhaling sweet breath.

The instant she smelled that scent, Rushella felt intense dizziness.

"What... are you... doing!?"

"Trying out a toy I obtained. It's already used up now."

With her porcelain-like hand, she crushed the small bottle in her hand, turning it into powdered glass scattered on the floor.

"It's the doppelganger huh...? No way, I am...!"

"You are a vampire. In a certain sense, vampires cannot be considered complete entities, they are existences intermediate between physical bodies of flesh and spiritual bodies. Hence, you won't turn out like that girl or boy. Just that your true nature will be exposed completely."

"...!?"

"You are thirsting, right?"

She reached out to stroke the throat of Rushella who was collapsed on the ground. With sharp finger nails, she clawed at her skin.

"I understand... that thirst enough to drive one mad. For a vampire, it is essentially hell. It would be better if one were used to it. It would be better if one could accept any filthy blood, no matter how lowly. But not for you. Because you have sucked Hisui's blood, you are already accustomed to that fragrant blood and taking it for granted."

"Who... on... earth... are you!?"

She did not answer.

Then she left Rushella.

"W-Wait...!"

Despite knowing it was useless, Rushella still reached out a hand towards her.

Her other hand pressed down on her own throat.

Because the terrifying thirst was surging up.

Irrepressible desire spread throughout her entire body.

For Hisui and Reina, their inner self was liberated.

But vampires could not do the same.

They simply exhibited the true selves hidden within.

The struggle between reason and instinct.

With a scream akin to vomiting blood, Rushella called for the one she desired.

"Hisui...!"

"Sorry I'm late. It's my fault for putting us in last place..."

Hisui got back from the relay track and headed over to Mei and Eruru, bowing his head in apology.

He barely managed to return in time for his spot as the runner for the second leg of the race, rushing onto the track to receive the baton and run at full speed.

Hisui's class had already fallen behind with the first runner, so due to the leg delayed by Hisui, they fell to last place.

"...Don't worry, it's fine. By the way... Is your condition okay?"

"I won't die. Ah, but I wanna puke."

"Why are you holding your belly after running such a short distance? That is way too weak of you."

Eruru's reprimands were perfectly reasonable.

Although Hisui currently was not in perfect health, he was running way too poorly.

Plus clutching his belly right now.

"It wasn't easy catching my doppelganger. The class rep's was found too, although she forfeited the relay. Happy ending, right?"

"Well... I guess."

"Then only Rushella is left, right?"

Mei and Eruru had run their part already and were resting on stand by.

They both held back, so Hisui's class was still dead last.

And the difference was quite large.

"Hey... Isn't it almost time for her to run? And we need to choose a new final leg... In this kind of situaiton, someone has to run twice, right?"

"They're discussing it right now. Oh, coming up, she's here."

Mei pointed to the other side of the circular field.

Each leg of the whole-class relay race was half a circuit around the track--hence, the runners must separate into odds and evens, standing on opposite sides of the track, waiting for the baton to pass to their hand.

And this moment, it was Rushella's turn to stand on the starting line.

Because they were trailing far behind the other classes, Rushella was standing there alone.

"Thank goodness, she finally came. I can watch the results of her training... Hey, isn't there something wrong?"

Hisui was the first to notice the unusual situation.

Even from far away, he saw very clearly.

Rushella was trembling all over, hugging herself desperately.

On the hands hugging herself, the fingernails were exceptionally long.

"Hey... She looks really thirsty. Isn't she a 'True Ancestor' at least...? Can't she bear it for a bit...?"

"I do not know the specifics regarding her condition but this clearly an emergency. As much as I am reluctant to cause a scene in public... There is no choice now."

Argentum's luster already flashed in Eruru's hand.

Hiding behind Mei, she tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. If necessary, she was going to shoot.

"Hey stop it... What are you thinking!?"

"That is my line. Do you not understand after seeing the way she looks...? Clearly an abnormal state. You should know very clearly what a vampire in thirst is like, right!?"

"..."

This was the destiny of blood that no vampire could escape.

When the thirst for blood reached a peak, they lost all rationality and turned in beasts feeding on fresh blood.

Hisui anxiously looked towards Rushella then revealed a smile.

The runner before Rushella reached out to her, handing the baton.

Then... Rushella caught it.

Although her hand trembled somewhat, she caught it steadily.

"...See, the results of practice is showing, right?"

"Please stop feeling impressed about the inconsequential."

Eruru scolded strictly. Beside her, Mei also showed a solemn face.

Nevertheless, Hisui ignored them and turned towards the nearby classmates who had also finished running.

"Sorry everyone. I'll take the final leg. After all, you guys still haven't decided, right?"

"Eh~~?"

"That's not too good, right?"

"Although being dead last is for certain, giving up in despair is a bit..."

"Say, has your stomach ache stopped?"

...Looks like there was grumbling aplenty.

Hisui knew very well his position in the class.

Just as Hisui was at a loss, a voice from behind helped him out.

"Let Kujou-kun go."

He turned around to see Reina.

Her right leg was wrapped in bandages while she spoke with a smile. Rangetsu was supporting her.

"This was originally my responsibility... Kujou-kun, I'm counting on you."

"...Thanks."

Hisui accepted Reina's request and headed over to the starting line.

Since Reina spoke up, the others had no objections... silently watching Hisui.

Then... Rushella arrived.

Although the sunlight was intense, she was running way too slowly.

Desperately fighting against the impulse inside her body, she was reaching her limit.

After all, Hisui was right before her eyes.

The desired blood was within reach.

"Hisui...!"

Calling out at the same time, Rushella licked her lips.

Her running speed suddenly rose.

The baton in her hand was becoming hard to hold.

Her other hand, empty, reached towards the flesh and blood she had desired for a long time.

Mei prepared herself, gathering sunlight in her eyes.

Eruru lifted the gun.

Rangetsu made a stance like a carnivorous and ferocious beast.

But Hisui took action faster than them, faster than anyone else.

In contravention of relay race norms, he ran over towards Rushella.

Then to avoid letting others see her horrifying appearance, he spread his arms and hugged her.

Hisui proactively put his neck towards Rushella's mouth, letting her drink his blood.

Without making a sound, he endured all pain.

Simply running up to embrace the girl who was collapsing from utter exhaustion--That was surely what spectators saw.

The entire school's eyes were focused on the two of them.

In a duration too short to call an instant, Hisui whispered in Rushella's ear:

"The lunchbox was delicious."

"...!"

The light of rationality lit up in Rushella's eyes.

Because of Hisui's words or because of Hisui's blood... Surely both reasons were responsible.

Hisui's existence manged to rescue Rushella's mind, on the verge of collapse.

"If I had to say something, you're still at a developing stage. Honestly, why is the omlette looking like that and the hamburger steak is raw, it's totally mind boggling."

"You're being noisy... Shut up..."

Rushella protested in a trembling voice. Her dainty hand clutched desperately at Hisui's back to avoid falling over.
[[image:Draculea V04 - BW10.jpg|thumb]]

"B-But the effort nearly killed me... Treated like an idiotic by that girl, cutting myself in the hand, getting up early..."

"I know, I know. Now you can understand some of my pain, right?"

"So noisy... In any case, in any case, it's Miraluka who's better...!"

"You're more important than that dead person."

These words caused all strength to drain from Rushella's entire body.

She was already on the verge of tears.

No matter what era, sweet words were the easiest form of instant cure.

Even between a vampire and a human... it was the same.

The baton slid off from Rushella's hand.

Just before it hit the ground, Hisui caught it.

"Sorry, I'm leaving this girl to you."

Hisui gently pushed Rushella away, entrusting her to Rangetsu.

Rushella looked like she had something to say. Hisui deliberately ignored her gaze and touched his neck.

His bleeding had stopped.

But the body that was vampirizing only just earlier was seriously anemic.

And just now, Rushella had sucked with reckless abandon.

In fact, standing was difficult with this body that had suffered excessive blood loss.

Nevertheless, this was what allowed him to do what was not usually possible.

"Eli Eli lama sabachthani...!"

Accompanied by increasingly loud heart beats, Hisui chanted the incantation.

The black emblem resembling thorns appeared on his neck.

There was no worry even if other students saw it.

After all, this was only going to flash through their memories briefly.

Together with this body, flying past before their eyes.

Anti-Drac mode, activate.

Instantly, Hisui's outline blurred.

The only people who could capture him in their view were Rushella and the girls, the supernatural creatures.

Hisui raced along the track with lightning speed.

The distance with the other classes was shrinking.

Originally wide enough to be despairing, he closed the distance within the blink of an eye.

"So fast... Kujou-kun is too fast!! He passed three people all at once!!"

The announcer's energetic voice was relaying Hisui's heroic feat on the track.

It was Kirika who had snatched the megaphone, so emotional that her cheeks were scarlet.

After the live announcement, cheers began to sound repeatedly as the entire school focused their eyes on Hisui.

This was good.

With that, no one would remember Rushella's scene just now.

Although this contravened Hisui's philosophy of an ordinary school life...

"Once in a while, I guess."

Hisui sighed and entered the final stretch, the straight part of the track.

The final leg runner in first place was just ahead, a few meters away.

"I know this counts as cheating, please forgive me."

"Finally only one person left to pass! Kujou-kun, you are too amazing!!"

Hisui's speed dropped all at once.

Also, the entire school's gaze focused on Kirika.

Red in the face, she returned to her spot at the student council.

Then... As though his tense nerves had snapped, Hisui was slowing down.

Before he knew it, the emblem on his neck had vanished.

"Ah, it was no good after all."

Leaving these last words, Hisui crossed the finish line, falling over forwards.

Naturally, he was second place.

"You great idiot! I can't believe you failed to get first having gone this far! Doesn't this make my training go all to waste!?"

"Don't say anymore..."

Hisui had no strength to argue with the unreasonable Rushella.

If he did not wait quietly for his blood to recover, or get a blood transfusion quick, his life really would be in danger.

"Oh well... Whatever, I forgive you."

Saying that, Rushella hugged Hisui in her bosom, pressing his head tightly between her breasts.

"Ah! Hey, that's my job! Move aside!!"

Mei ended up hugging him as well.

Getting crushed by two pairs of giant breasts was no joking matter. Hisui felt his consciousness flying far away.

Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap, super crap hyper crap.

However, there would be no regrets dying like this with his consciousness far gone.

His classmates, particularly the boys, were staring at him with murderous eyes.

Eruru and Rangetsu's eyes were filled with despise.

For some reason, Reina was getting tearful.

Finally abusing public authority for private intentions, Kirika grabbed the megaphone specifically and yelled "Hey over there! Hurry and get off the track once you finish running!"

"...Oh well, whatever. Oh dear, I'm really out of blood..."

"Ah, hey, don't sleep! Pull yourself together!"

Several minutes later, Hisui was carried to the infirmary.

After that, he received a transfusion from the blood delivered by Eruru, lying on hte bed while listenin to the closing ceremony speeches. Thus Hisui's sports festival was finally concluded.
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| Back to [[Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Silver Cross and Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter5

2013-12-25T11:43:50Z

135.0.65.238: /* Chapter 5 - Sports Festival */

==Chapter 5 - Sports Festival==

Eruru woke up but found it difficult to open her eyes.

To begin with, the vampire blood coursing through her body suppressed her biological activity during the daytime. Furthermore, she had drunk black coffee before going to bed in spite of the consequences. The caffeine resulted in very light sleep and prevented her from waking up to a refreshing start.

Yawning adorably, she left the bedroom to wash her face.

Even after doing that, she still felt sleepy.

Due to not wearing her glasses, she found the living room quite blurred in view.

In any case, she began to remove her pajamas to get changed.

Having another coffee later would fix things.

...As soon as she made mental plans to make herself presentable, she discovered she had forgotten to prepare her change of clothes.

Whatever, undress first then return to the bedroom... After taking off her pajamas, Eruru noticed a familiar smell.

The refreshing and energizing fragrance of coffee.

This was rich coffee prepared by skills superior to her own.

Her consciousness gradually growing more awake, Eruru looked towards the kitchen.

This kitchen, which she seldom used, was currently fulfilling its worth while a superbly skilled cook was preparing breakfast inside.

Hisui made breakfast while trying his best not to look towards Eruru, advising indifferently:

"...You'd better put on some clothes first."

This sentence made Eruru completely awake.

Blushing, she frantically checked her condition.

All she was wearing was underwear.

A cute pink bra covered the gentle curves of her chest, accompanied by a pair of panties.

Her pajamas were haphazardly scattered in the surroundings.

"Y-You...!"

"Yeah, I know, after all, it's your own home... Right? My parent used to go around naked all the time... Yeah."
[[image:Draculea V04 - BW08.jpg|thumb]]

Hisui brough the salad and fried eggs to the dining table and consoled here.

However, his eyes were furtively glancing at Eruru in her underwear.

"E-Erase those memories instantly!!"

"Hey, don't point your gun at me! Where the heck did you pull that out from!? Where did you conceal that gun!?"

"Shut your trap!!"

Although she did not shoot, she still used Argentum as a bludgeoning weapon to whack Hisui hard.

Several minutes later, face still red, Eruru was dressed and sitting atthe dining table with a furious look.

"Remember your lesson..."

"No no, that's the wrong reaction, right? I'm the one who's heavily injured."

All bruised up in the face, Hisui sat opposite to her.

Although Eruru did hold back, Hisui was suffering terribly from external wounds and internal bleeding, having lost his special constitution that healed his wounds quickly.

"Say, you really should pay more attention with a boy in the house... You're totally unguarded when you wake up, you know?"

"S-Shut your trap!! Why did you keep staring!?"

"You're the one who ran over. Oh well, it's quite common for people who act all reliable outside to have an undisciplined side at home. Hurry and eat, okay?"

Hisui spoke and urged Eruru to start eating.

Eruru's face was still red but she finally drank a sip of coffee and picked up the newspaper.

"...The taste is not bad, but if you think this is enough to make me forgive you, you are thoroughly mistaken... Speaking of which, why did you make all this?"

"Uh, since you let me live here, I went with the flow. Say, your fridge is totally empty and your kitchen is pretty much unused, clean as brand new. You really should do more house work."

"Such a nag... All I need is minimum nourishment!"

"In terms of food, that vampire who used to live in my home was a lot more particular than you. Say, why do you live alone? I heard yesterday that you're already working."

"...I live separate from my mother. Because there is no need to live together."

"Your dad?"

"...I have no father. Please do not mention this word again."

With a face filled with resentment, Eruru finished the bitter drink in her cup with one gulp.

Seeing her reaction, it was obvious which of her parents was the vampire.

For his own personal safety, Hisui decided it would be best not to mention her father.

"...Want more coffee?"

"Another cup."

Still miffed, Eruru passed the empty cup over.

Hisui smiled wryly while refilling Eruru's cup, then cleared the utensils to wash.

The way it looked, Hisui was totally the master of the kitchen.

"So... What are your plans?"

"What plans... I was thinking yesterday, ultimately, an official request needs to be made to the Supernatural Investigations Section. The best course of action is to ask them to track down your doppelganger. It is also quite worrying what treatment Rushella might receive... In the worst case scenario, I shall personally keep her under continuous surveillance to prevent others from arbitrarily issuing extermination orders."

"Sure... Thanks."

"Why do you sound so unconcerned!? Do you understand your current situation!?"

"More or less. I've thought about it overnight and organized things. Also, you're a good person. That's one point I managed to clear up."

"..."

Eruru gnashed her teeth without saying a word, her face red.

Hisui had apparently said that in the past.

As expected, people's true personalities never change.

"So, I'll leave the rest of the dishes to you. I'll be late if I don't leave soon."

"...? Wait, where are you going!?"

"Hmm, it's school. Of course, I mean high school, not middle school."

"What are you talking about...? You are currently...!"

"I don't have my current knowledge or memories. But I'm still a high school student. I'm sure my tuition is paid using Miraluka's money, so I can't go skipping class."

"But...!"

"If I feel an urge to drink blood, I'll bite my lip and drink my own blood. Although it's a last resort, it does work to some degree for someone like me who's in the middle of turning into a vampire. Could you tell those people I met in school yesterday, to help out in case of emergencies."

Hisui finished in one breath, not showing any intention to skip school.

Stopping him was easy.

Although he was in the process of turning into a vampire, he was no match for Eruru after all.

There were tons of ways to stop him.

But Eruru agreed reluctantly.

"Do as you wish. However... Please do not leave my side in school."

"Yes yes."

Hence... The two left the house and went on their way together.

Two beings suffering from the same miseries--a vampire's victim and a half-vampire. Under the sun's direct rays, they rushed into the classroom as the bell rang, bearing tired faces.

Rushella was already in the classroom. Looking at the two of them with depressed eye, she then averted her gaze.

Hisui went to his seat, neighboring hers.

"...Good morning."

He greeted her but Rushella did not respond.

In the end, the two of them did not exchange a word until after school that day.

After school, Hisui and Eruru went to the empty classroom together.

Hisui had no memories of this classroom or the club..

But according to Eruru, the ghost and the student council vice-president were running around for his sake so he should show up to listen to the report of their findings at least. As for other circumstances, Eruru had not mentioned them.

Rushella... apparently wasn't coming.

After all, she was currently a criminal suspect. Mei was in charge of her surveillance and so was absent as well.

Although Hisui had no memory... Rushella's affairs made him especially worried.

The expression she showed when she realized Hisui was turning into a vampire...

Although apart from his parent, Hisui had never met any other vampire. But definitely, no other vampire would show that kind of face.

Even if he really had that kind of constitution for the past year... A vampire was not going to make that kind of expression towards prey.

Hisui could not figure it out, so he scratched his head.

Hisui and Eruru finally reached the classroom, Hisui pushed the door and entered...

"Ah...!"

Someone was changing inside.

She did not look anything like a high schooler, but did not appear to be a teacher either, a woman with a trim and tight physique. She had just taken off her women's suit, leaving a black sports bra and simple shorts that matched.

"...What are you doing? Oogami-san."

Eruru was the first to speak.

"Hmm, just as you can see, I'm in the middle of changing... Hey, what are you looking at!?"

"I'm not looking."

Hisui answered calmly then frantically shifted his gaze away.

Mmm, that muscular athlete's body.

Graceful and limber.

There probably exist people with a thing for that.

But Hisui had no such fetish.

"W-Why are you acting so uninterested!? Ah... Maybe you're shy? Well, you are a boy after all, well? Still a high schooler? Can't be helped... Since you want to look, it's not like you can't..."

"Let's go outside, Kariya."

"Yes. Sorry for disturbing you while you are changing."

"What, that bored face as a reaction!? Hold it right there..."

...Rangetsu was just about to chase out the door when she suddenly remembered how stupid it was to be only wearing underwear, leaving her no choice but to retreat with a reddened face.

Hisui closed the door and bid farewell to Rangetsu's exposed body, asking Eruru:

"Hmm, who's that?"

"I believe there is no need for you to remember. Rather, it would be better to forget directly."

"Yeah, I get the same feeling."

Just as Hisui crossed his arms and nodded in agreement, he was grabbed by the back of his collar and dragged into the classroom.

"Hey, what the fuck!?"

"I'm changed. So how is it, does it suit me?"

Rangetsu made a pose in the middle of the classroom.

It looked quite legit... But her attire was greatly problematic.

She was wearing a plain black tracksuit without any decoration.

Normally, this would a PE teacher's workclothes. Right now with the sports festival coming up, all teachers and students were training and getting ready so other subject teachers were willing to wear this sort of tracksuit.

"Eh, what's the situation?"

"An undercover investigation... Well, it's not that exaggerated, I'm simply changing clothes to blend in so that I can move more freely in school, you see? Nominally, I'm an instructor hired from outside for the sports festival period. The school is informed already. Although I can't be stationed at school all the time, up until the sports festival this weekend, I've already planned to lurk here already, you know?"

"Yeah, good job..."

"What's with that unmotivated answer? Don't you want to be instructed by such a good-looking teacher like me?"

Rangetsu flaunted her slender body and leaned over but Hisui was unmoved.

"No... Um, this look suits you very well."

"Oh my, aren't you honest today?"

"Although I find women who are suited to tracksuits are a bit unusual."

"Putting aside an athlete's airs, you are completely unattractiveas as a woman."

Eruru entered the classroom and expressed her view with displeasure.

Rangetsu scowled viciously, revealing her long canines but Eruru was unfazed. In a contest of fangs, she had her own set anyway.

"...Speaking of which, Kujou-kun... I smell blood on your neck? What's the matter?"

Rangetsu looked at the bandaid on Hisui's neck and asked acutely.

As expected of a detective from the Supernatural Investigations Section. Hisui's current condition could not escape her sense of smell of course, rivaling a police dog's.

"Actually..."

Eruru sighed and explained things roughly to her.

"...I see, I get the situation now. But it's not commendable that you're not reporting to the Supernatural Investigations Section, you know?"

"...I know."

This was all Eruru acting on her own and could not be considered a wise plan.

Hisui and Rushella were supposed to be quarantined instead.

"That said, we currently lack manpower and you seem to have minimum safeguards... Whatever, Kujou-kun, if you have someone to supervise you, I allow you freedom of movement. Also, about that vampire called Rushella..."

"No problem. Don't mind her."

As the victim, Hisui seemed unconcerned.

Rangetsu's former self would definitely not have compromised so easily but unbelievably, she now accepted.

"Is that so...? Actually, the situation remains the same, just that your body has produced symptoms. In any case, there is Sudou-san in charge of surveillance... However, if anything happens, you will take full responsibility, is that clear?"

Rangetsu was staring at Eruru in a terrifying manner while asking.

The two were originally enemies in a struggle between factions but were sent to the same battlefield simply due to their mission. Having them cooperate fully would be asking for too much.

Now that she was lending Eruru a favor and could use this as leverage to make Eruru take the fall and get kicked out if the situation turned south, Rangetsu stood to gain no matter what standpoint things developed.

"No problem. I have already resolved myself to take the responsibility. But even so, I did not really expect you to agree so easily."

Rangetsu went hmph and looked at Hisui then changed the topic while resting her face on her hands.

"...Then what? What are your plans next?"

"Please listen to these girls first."

Eruru's sharp hearing had already picked up on the footsteps approaching the classroom.

Although it was one person's steps, two individuals entered.

Kirika and Touko.

"Eh, you are... Oogami-san, right?"

"Oh, it's the errand girl."

"Who is the errand girl!?"

Rangetsu protested against Touko's comment before facing Eruru again.

"They are the collaborators you mentioned?"

"Yes. Please have a seat, you two. Let us confirm the many plans we have ahead of us."

Kirika nodded and sat down while Touko hovered in the surroundings as usual.

Ignoring Touko, Eruru started the Supernatural Investigations Club + Supernatural Investigations Section joint meeting.

"Currently, the sports festival is being held as scheduled. So... Have there been any more threatening letters?"

Eruru asked Kirika. The vice-president shook her head.

"None received. Due to the earlier tent incident, the teachers and the students in sports clubs have been more on guard. None of the facilities and equipment have shown damage so far."

"Oh, I was also wandering around school to help watch, you know?"

"...As for sightings of Touko-san, witnesses have increased greatly, how troubling..."

Kirika grumbled bitterly.

The ghost with great initiative really wasn't saving any effort.

"...However, Touko-san's presence really is a great help. About the doppelganger matter I have asked grandma already. This type of half-tangible body case is quite hard to capture. However, if Touko-san does it, she should be able to sense the doppelganger. After all, doppelgangers are considered pseudo spiritual entities, they should be able to interfere with each other."

"Conversely, the other side will be on guard against Touko-san. To this date, he has not come to school, probably because Touko-san is present?"

Hisui spoke slowly.

Although he had lost his memories and was in the process of turning into a vampire, his observation skills and knowledge on supernatural entities remained unchanged.

Rangetsu showed an impressed look after listening.

"You're quite sharp. Then what do you plan on doing?"

"Nothing much. But since it's hard for him to interfere with the school before the sports festival, he'll probably make a commotion on the day of the festival, right... Say, the doppelganger of the class rep who sits next to me, any news on that?"

"The only ones who saw her directly were you and Uno-san. Currently, your memories are unclear. Have you recalled anything?"

"Nothing. But... I know class rep is a good person and very kind to me."

Hisui answered Eruru's question while plunged into deep thought.

Seeing him in deep thought, Eruru turned the topic to the day of the sports festival.

"Right now, we must maintain vigilance and the problem is the actual day of the sports festival. Currently, there is Oogami-san's help and Touko-san can also contribute... Also... We will handle things as the situation changes, I suppose. The biggest problem... is confirming Sera-san and Kujou-san's doppelgangers. Although they are certain to be nearby, if the state of separation persists, they will all disappear eventually... I am not worrying excessively, am I?"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Rangetsu nodded solemnly.

"Indeed, finding the doppelgangers is top priority... But how should it be done?"

"Oh, grandma told me about this. Since they are sure to be nearby, a barrier can be erected to slowly decrease their area of movement. But this type of barrier has its limits, so I am not too sure how small an area they can be forced into..."

Kirika supported her face while frowning and looking at Hisui with worry. The vampirization process and the weakening caused by the doppelganger were causing Hisui great suffering.

"...Just try it, make the area as small as possible. What would be best would be this... Force them into the school."

Hisui responded to Kirika and hoped she could give a specific plan.

"That is possible, but... Why the school?"

"Having a precise location is best. My doppelganger aside, class rep's one should take the bait easily, after all, this is where her goal is located."

"...Possibly. My side will take care of manpower and equipment on the barrier. Finally, one more question I'd like to ask... Is that vampire really okay?"

Just as the plan was being settled, Rangetsu raised an uncertain element.

Although the doppelgangers were a tricky problem, Rushella's issue was also worrying.

"According to Kariya-san, she has not sucked blood from anyone apart from Kujou-kun. But that's no longer an option in this incident. If she sucks another person's blood, she will surely become a target for extermination."

"We have not confirmed that fact yet. If indeed she has sucked another person's blood, I will personally execute her myself."

Eruru spoke coldly.

After all, she had pointed her gun at Rushella before.

"I was thinking yes, I don't need to worry about that. But the problem is if she insists on her principles and suppressed the urge. Suppressing is very painful, right?"

No one said anything

Apart from Hisui, everyone present knew Rushella's personality, in other words, they held a certain kind of trust in her.

Most likely, Rushella was not going to suck anyone's blood but Hisui's.

She will choose to endure.

But once endurance reached a limit, vampires went berserk.

"Kujou-san's blood has been collected on a regular basis to use for transfusions to Kujou-san himself and as Rushella's emergency rations. He has a certain level of stock at home, so it should be enough to last until this incident is resolved."

"...Very well."

Hearing Eruru's explanation, Rangetsu also accepted the contingency plan and stood up.

"Then I'll take a casual walk around school. Before the sports festival arrives, everyone do their jobs properly."

"...Yes."

Then the joint meeting ended.

Time for school to end, Hisui went on his way home.

However, he went to Eruru's home instead of his old and familiar house.

Staring at his house's direction, Hisui's eyes reflected the setting sun.

How was Rushella now?

"Say, you..."

"What?"

Mei was currently preparing dinner while Rushella was on the side, sprawling on the dining table.

Although Rushella did not help out at all, bored with nothing to do, she simply waited nearby.

"...Don't you need to drink blood? Hi-kun's blood... There's stock stored up, right?"

Mei pointed to the small fridge next to the normal fridge and asked.

This was essential in any vampire or dhampir home, a fridge for storing blood packs.

"...Speaking of which, if using blood packs could satisfy vampires, why do they still need to attack humans? Sure would save the hassle."

"Although it quenches the thirst, the taste is terrible! After trying it once, I want to vomit every time I reall the taste! Even Hisui's blood is the same. I want to suck blood directly and it has to be the neck! Although other parts are way better than blood packs, it's still not satisfying!"

"...How picky. You sound completely like some kind of gourmet food critic's ego."

"Don't humans seek delicious food, not satisfied with merely sustaining life!? Otherwise, can't humans just eat a bit of those 'supplements'!?"

"You sure know how to pick at weakpoints. Perhaps what you say is right... But humans don't attack other people."

"..."

"Had you endured a little at the time, Hi-kun wouldn't have ended up like this."

"...Shut up."

Rushella shouted then fell silent.

Mei did not press the matter and turned to more practical matters.

"Although I get that you don't need to drink every day, you're almost at your limit, right? Oh, but the higher a vampire's rank, the stronger the endurance, right?"

"According to Hisui, that parent of his went cold turkey for one year as her best record. But that was going quite far to the limit. Luckily she drank backup blood kept for emergencies. A little later and she would most likely have started attacking people indiscriminately."

"How scary. I don't thik you have that level of self-control, so hurry up and drink some. If you cause trouble, you'll surely get executeed, you know?"

"...Shut up and hurry with dinner!"

"Like I said, isn't it fine even if you don't eat this? Jeez, why do I have to cook for you... Oh, how about I make a lunchbox for Hi-kun on the day of the sports festival~ After all, Eruru-chan definitely isn't going to do it, perhaps it's a chance?"

"That guy... Will he come?"

Rushella muttered to herself.

The sports festival was imminent.

Hisui was not very motivated in the first place and now with his health in this condition... Will he still participate?

Left to roam free in a place among crowed... Will Eruru permit?

"Who knows... But weren't you all fired up for it? You're still having morning practice with the class rep, right?"

"...Yeah. But she seems quite tired. Is it because of the doppelganger's effects..."

"You have do your best too. Of course, I'll have to properly prepared a special lunchbox for Hi-kun❤"

Mei was filled with anticipation for the coming sports festival.

Rushella first glared at her unhappily then through of something and stood up from her chair.

"Lunchbox huh..."

"...What? You're not asking me to help make you one, are you? Seriously, isn't it better if you drank blood instead on that day? Although you have the light blocking agent, being under the sun is still unpleasant, right?"
[[image:Draculea V04 - BW09.jpg|thumb]]

"So noisy, shut up. Well, umm... Just think of it as practical experience. It's not like I can't help you with cooking, you know?"

Unbelievably, Rushella compromised and walked over.

Although she still had her arms crossed and her face held up high.

"Forget it, your help's not needed. The kitchen is innocent."

"What does it matter!? Don't be shy!!"

"No, it's really not needed! Hold on, hey, I'm holding the kitchen knife here!!"

"What does it matter!?"

Several minutes later, because Rushella insisted on helping, the kitchen's sorry state could only be described as a battlefield.

"Like I said, don't come over! Not only is the pot overflowing, but it's also about to explode!?"

"Okay, let's turn up the heat...!"

"Arghhh, I've had enough!!"

...In the end, their dinner that night ended in shambles.

Meanwhile, at Eruru's home.

"...I feel like something big is happening at home. It must be that, that whatever linking of senses between a vampire and the victim, probably a bit more reliable than premonitions."

"If she cuts the link, it is pointless, right? This is purely your own premonition. Although I feel that premonitions tend to be real."

"Say, Kariya, why am I the one to cook and do the dishes every time? Although you're providing a roof for me, can't you cook once in a while?"

"Pizza and sushi can be ordered for delivery. The convenience store is close by too. If you walk a little furthere, there are many restaurants."

"I'm beginning to understand why your growth is stunted."

As a result, Eruru gave Hisui a kick while he was washing the dishes.

The first weekend in Hisui and Rushella's separated lives arrived.

Usually a holiday, this Sunday also carried the special significance of the sports festival. Students filed into school.

Announcing the sports festival's opening, fireworks flew into the sky while all students were lined up at the opening cermony.

Standing there unsteadily, Hisui seemed like an odd one out.

Mei stood near him and asked with worry.

"Hey... Are you okay?"

"...Seems... a little something's up. Although I can overcome the hazy consciousness and dazed mind that comes with the vampirization process... Sunlight is terrible. I guess I should have gotten a transfusion first...? Also, my doppelganger... If it doesn't get found, looks like it could get dangerous..."

"Oogami-san and Touko-san have been patrolling the entire school. I heard that Uno-san has to stay in festival's hosting headquarters. Once the festival ends, she will join in the search. Say... You should be resting at home today, right? Why did you come running here on purpose?"

Eruru leaned in as well, whispering quietly with both care and reprimand.

Hisui felt a bit apologeic but still answered with a brave face.

"...If I'm absent, Rushella would feel bad, right?"

Saying that, he glanced secretly at Rushella, but she happened to be looking at him as well.

But as soon as their eyes met, she instantly turned her gaze away and bowed her head.

"What an idiot you are."

"I know, okay. Time to do the march. Hurry to your spot."

Mei and Eruru had no choice but to return to their positions.

The teachers on the main platform gave orders and the entire student body moved to their assigned positions on stand by according to year and class.

The sports festival was raising its curtain officially.

No sooner had it began, Hisui's stamina had already reached a limit.

Although the actual events he was participating was a sprint in the morning and the full class relay at the end in the afternoon, due to the heavens giving an ideal sunny day as a gift to the sports festial, he felt terrible even when sitting down.

It came as no surprise that he was last place in the sprinting event.

The short distance run made Hisui rapidly drain his remaining energy. Coming to a certain tent in the the resting area, he collapsed in a heap like a corpse.

Even when the bell rang to signal the lunch break, he remained completely still.

"Umm... Are you okay, Kujou-kun...?"

When he noticed, Reina was on the side, looking at him with worry.

"Oh nothing. Class rep, are you okay? I see your face not looking too good?"

"Hmm, I'm fine..."

Unlike Hisui, she was not undergoing vampirization, but likewise, she had half her soul separated.

Also, she participated in many more events than Hisui in the morning.

This is likely physical exhaustion right now.

"Next up... I just have the relay remaining."

"Really...? Oh, it's noon, have you eaten yet? Are your parents bringing you a lunchbox?"

"My parents aren't coming... Then I'll be off? You really should take care."

"Yeah..."

Once high school rolled around, many legal guardians didn't bother to attend sports festivals anymore.

The issue of lunch were mostly handled by groups of friends together.

So where Reina was running of to was easy to guess.

That said... Hisui still forced himself to stand up and chase after her.

After that, Rushella came to Hisui's spot.

She was carrying two lunchboxes... An apprehensive look on her face.

But Hisui was already gone.

After looking in the surroundings, she ran off to find Hisui as well.

After parting with Hisui, Reina came to a deserted spot behind the school building.

Her body felt terrible.

Very tired, lacking in strength all over.

To avoid heat stroke, she had drunk water frequently today, taking care to avoid direct sunlight.

However, her stamina kept draining nonstop.

No appetite and it felt like everything she swallowed instantly evaporated.

Reina sighed and started doing self-massages and simply stretching exercises to alleviate her fatigue.

There was still the full class relay in the afternoon.

She had to make the most of her time to recover her energy and run for a good standing.

"I cannot fail anymore."

Originally, she thought that her fatigue came from the mental stress of past failure, but she did not seem that obsessed with the past.

Thanks to accompanying Rushella in morning practice, her mindset had relaxed a lot.

Very incredible... Even though it wsa such a serious case of mental trauma.

"Am I overthinking things?"

"No."

"Eh?"

A familiar voice was heard.

One that she heard every single day.

Her own voice.

Turning around, she saw herself.

One dressed in uniform, one dressed in gym clothes--two people like mirror images but with different clothing.

Before Reina could scream, the other her swung her right arm.

"...!"

The iron pole in her hand struck Reina's leg, making a blunt sound.

This was violence coming from another her.

Reina clutched her right leg and collapsed on the ground.

No fracture nor obvious external wounds... But it was so painful she could not walk.

"W-What are you doing...?"

"This is your wish, you know? Don't want to run, want to escape... That's why I was born. The lack of burden in your heart is thanks to me."

"...!? What are you talking about? I...!"

"No problem. I am your shadow. You just need to relax. This ends here. You can forfeit the relay completely."

The other Reina spoke, raising the iron pole above her head.

She was aiming a second strike at Reina's head.

Reina closed her eyes in fear, enduring the pain and terror.

However, the final strike did not fall.

"Kujou-kun...!"

She looked up and saw Hisui grabbing the other her's arm.

"You...!"

"Stop it now, it's enough, you know?"

"Let me go... This is our problem...!"

"...That's true. That's why you hit yourself."

The other Reina instantly went expressionless.

But she quickly recovered, rather than a vicious face filled with negative emotions, it was her original, calm expression.

"Even without destroying the sports festival, there are many ways to make class rep not have to run. Actually, she just needs to forfeit on her own. If she's injured, no one will blame her. This method doesn't hurt others but hurts herself deeply. So that's the conclusion you reached, that's right, because you're also class rep."

"Don't talk like you know everything...!"

"I don't know. Sorry, I currently lost my memory. But even just interacting with you for these few days, I know you're a good person. Don't hurt yourself anymore."

The other Reina bit her lip hard.

The iron pole had fallen from her hand onto the ground.

"I won't say insensitive stuff like telling you to face your mental trauma bravely. After all, you already accompanied that girl for morning practice for so long, you don't need anyone else to comfort you. So... Don't bear the burden alone. Having the two of you complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses is the best."

Hisui pointed at the Reina who was kneeling on the ground.

That was her other self.

"Although... I don't quite get it... Still, sorry."

The girl who had resorted to violence bowed her head in shame.

"Umm... This is my fault, I guess? So... I will be considerate of you from now on!"

Finally, she smiled while speaking.

In that instant, as though something possessing her had left, the other Reina collapsed.

Even the outline of the body was vanishing. In this manner, she fell upon her true body.

And Reina caught her.

Overlapping, the two bodies became one.

Within the blink of an eye, only one Reina remained.

"I..."

Reina held her leg while looking up at Hisui.

Due to the confusion in memories, she did not seem to understand what took place before her.

Simply holding her right leg, she sat in a crouching position unsteadily on the ground.

"Hey, what just happened!?"

Dressed in a tracksuit, Rangetsu was running over athletically.

She seemed to have sniffed something during her patrol.

"You came at the right time. Could you take class rep to the infirmary. Her doppelganger has returned to her body."

"Really!? Thank goodness... What about yours?"

"That one, I have a hunch somewhere. I'll go try my luck."

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Silver Cross and Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume04 Chapter4

2013-12-25T11:42:08Z

135.0.65.238: /* Part 3 */

==Chapter 4 - Crimson Cohabitation==

===Part 1===

Surprisingly, Rushella was a morning person.

To begin with, a nocturnal life was more desirable by vampirical biorhythm, but waking up early was not a bad thing in itself.

Though she was simply timid about staying up late and dozing off later during evening class only to be woken up by Hisui. However, waking up in the morning was a refreshing thing.

To be honest, she usually wakes up earlier than Hisui.

And sneaks into his room.

This aspect was as one would expect of a vampire.

The door to Hisui's room was left open. As even if he locked the door, she would just break it. That's why invading his room doesn't take much effort.

Today, once again she woke up before Hisui's alarm clock rang, and tried to wake Hisui up before the clock rang, or rather suck his blood.

Yesterday, she slept before Hisui came back from shopping, it seems he returned back home properly.

As always, his sleeping face under the blanket was peaceful with zero alertness.

"Fufufu, again with the sloppy face, in reality you want to have your blood sucked by me don't you?"

She licked her own lips while murmuring, and leaned on him carefully to not wake him up.

As the crimson lips approaches the nape like always, Hisui opened his eyes within a click.

"What's this? You woke up. Well its fine, just stay still"

"Who (are you)?"

While rubbing his eyes, Hisui tilted his head.

It might be that he was not able to see the face very well in the dark because of the closed curtains, but only two people live in this house.

"What are you day-dreaming about? Did you forget the face of your own master?"

"...Master? What are ya talkin about?"

"So your still half-asleep? Its me, hurry up and wake up!"

Rushella grabbed the collar of Hisui's T-shirt and shook him up.

Hisui blinked, surprised.

With certainty, he should be awake completely, but he still seemed puzzled.

"Seriously, who are you? A thief? A burglar? You have courage, I'll give you that. Well it was fortunate that you came to my room. If it was Miraluka's room, it wouldn't have ended with just being chopped into minced meat. Get lost, before you suffer from any painful consequences.

"What are you saying? Who are you calling a burglar!? Well, since I am staying in this Miraluka's room, I will punish any daring insolent one right away! ....Wait, That is already my room! As if I care about someone who is already dead!!!"

"What are you going on about? Hey, I will seriously call Miraluka and have her beat you up.... She is an absurdly heavy sleeper. If she ever learns that she was woken up because of you, you will have to suffer tremendously."

"Is something going to happen if you call someone who is not even there? There is a limit to how drowsy you can get!?

"Ehh..... not there? Oh, so that's why you came in.... Man, is she strolling around somewhere again? Or rather, who are you? You... are not a burglar right? Ehh.. Why.. Why am I being embraced by such a magnificent beautiful girl? I can't see this exchange completely."

However, upon hearing Hisui's compliment, Rushella smiled broadly.

"Wha.. What's with you? You're rather honest today"

"Well, its because I haven't seen such a beauty except Miraluka. On top of that, what is this... a na... naked white shirt?<ref>A concept similar to naked apron in otaku culture.</ref> What's with those breasts?"

Hisui blushed and stared at Rushella's breasts with sparkling eyes.

Usually Rushella would have slapped him across the face at least once, but upon seeing a new reaction, she smiled satisfyingly.

"Ohh.... Does it interest you?"

She elevated her breasts by clamping her arms. As if to provoke him.

Hisui's face reddened even further, and Rushella was getting immersed in an unspeakable sense of superiority.

"Ehh...... What does this mean? Such a magnificent beauty, in my room..... Ahh, I know, this must be a dream! Hey, hey, even if I am a middle school student, I am letting my lust out too much..... Excellent, do it more!"

"......I knew it, he is still half asleep. Very well, think of this as a dream if you want. Because to you, the time that you spend with me is always like a dream!"

During the out of sync exchange, Rushella nodded as if she was satisfied.

"Dream.....I see, so that's how it is. Well then, such an action... is acceptable too right?"[[Image:Draculea V04 - BW06.jpg|thumb]]

Hisui'a hands timidly extends towards........ Rushella's chest.

Hisui's hand touched the erected breast with a boing.<ref>A sound effect.</ref>

Just like that....... He buried his fingers in tender flesh.

"Wha!!!"

Within a moment, Rushella's face was dyed red.

However Hisui did't notice that, and continued to stare at Rushella's breasts in amazement.

"Ehh, How could I reproduce..... such a realistic sensation? So I was extremely sexually frustrated."

While carefully rubbing Rushella's breasts, Hisui was letting out his feelings from the bottom of his heart.

One thing after another, he didn't let go, and was trying to proceed to the next phase.

"I...Is this...perhaps that, now.... I can do anything I want?"

"......As if! Move your hand already!!!"

Rushella shouted in a loud voice, and forcefully moved Hisui's hands away from her breasts.

Fortunately the hands were moved away immediately, but with that movement the buttons of her shirt popped out. Revealing the tender white skin in its entirety.

Her chest was not covered by anything, because she was not wearing any undergarments.

Hisui stared at the exposed nipple in wonder.

"DON'T LOOKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Rushella hid her breasts not by covering Hisui's eyes, but by embracing him.

However, it had the opposite effect in a sense. With surety the graphic sensation was transmitted to Hisui.

"Ah... This in itself is.... Ehh, what, are you tempting me?"

"Silence, shut up!!! Its fine already, without further ado, I'll leave after sucking your blood!!!"

Rushella opened her mouth widely.

Hisui made an impaired expression upon (seeing) the white sparkling fangs.

"That...Impossible, are you a vampire?"

"What are saying at this point? Just listen up and be silent."

Lips drew near the nape, and the tip of the fangs bit into the skin.

Hisui made a frightful face, until now a yet to be seen expression.

"He..Hey stop....... What are you trying to do?"

"Silence!!"

Just as it was, Rushella thrust her fangs into the nape of Hisui, while pressing him down with great strength.

Hisui's face distorted.

Rather than yelling like always, he was only expressing the look of disgust and fear.

"Stop..."

His tone was weak, and his resistance too, was but little.

Even while feeling unease, Rushella violently continued to drink more than the usual amount with anger imposed in her deed.

Slurp, she detached her mouth from the nape, and as a finishing touch lightly licked the dripping blood with the tip of her tongue.

"Umm, it was delicious as always. Good grief, that's enough of your drowsiness! Come now, wake up already, and start preparing the meal! I have to eat properly, since I have morning training today!"

Rushella arranged her disordered clothes after triumphantly getting out of the bed.

At last her usual tension returned, but Hisui didn't even try to get up.

Just continued to emptily stare at ceiling with a pale face.

"Just for how long, are you going to sleep? You're a rather recalcitrant fellow. Something of this level shouldn't be anything to you."

She looked at Hisui while sniffing.

At that moment, she noticed the abnormality.

...................................

The wounds on Hisui's neck were not disappearing.

At that soft neck, there were still two marks, gaping wide cavities left there from the fangs.

The complexion didn't return to that face immediately, which was signifying that the amount of blood has not been recovered.

"What does that mean? What the heck happened to you?"

"What..... are you blabbering about? Aren't you the one who sucked it!"

Hisui got up while staggering, and replied in a provocative tone.

On a face that has lost its complexion, strangely only the lips retained the charming crimson.

And the shining fangs sticking out from his lips.

Suddenly increased in length, and of course Rushella knew what it meant.

The one standing before her eyes was an existence, closest to her.

Someone who existed in the gap between vampire and human.

The boy who repelled that curse despite having his blood sucked on many occasions, was now within the fate filled with blood.

Hisui gazed at Rushella who was standing still dumbfounded, with hostility and inquires anew.

"Who the heck are you?"

===Part 2===

"What's the meaning of this?"

Mei's shout echoed within the class room that was always empty.

Eruru, Kirika, Touko, Rushella and even Hisui was there but, rather than enjoyably relishing their meal, everyone was bewildered at the strange event.

Especially Hisui, who was looking around anxiously as if he did not understand the situation.

"Was this place called Seidou High School? I wasn't really planing on taking the exams, or rather why am I a high school student? Certainly.... My name was called out by the teacher, so I am properly enrolled. My height has grown too but..... Why? One year has passed no matter where I look, be it the newspaper or television.... Seriously what's going on?

Explain the situation, he appealed with his eyes, but no one was able to explain it to him.

Hisui was strange.

Hisui was the only one out of it.

For the time being he was dragged by Rushella to school

However it seems, he doesn't remember being enrolled in this school, because he was frequently tilting his head in confusion.

But he was somehow able make it though the morning class, even though it seemed like he had no idea about the content, he was not even trying to take notes.

Naturally he does not remember any one, including Rushella. Even when he was greeted, He just tilted his head in confusion and asked (Who are you?)"

The abnormality, obvious even by the eyes of an outsider, the scar on the neck hidden by the bandage became the deciding factor, and in the afternoon break, he was brought to the empty classroom.

"He became a vampire, on top of having no memories? Hey, what are you doing?"

Rushella only hung her head down in shame, upon being questioned by Mei.

Although she answered several questions asked by Eruru, she was still just like that from the morning, and had not even engaged in the conversations properly.

"What could be the problem? It would still be understandable if he had only lost his memories, but to have even '''his constitution''' change."

Kirika frowned with a serious face.

The neighboring Touko was also in deep thought, while drifting in air.

The instant that he met her, he made a scream upon confirming her form for the first time.

While every one was in deep thought, Eruru who was straightforwardly questioning Hisui and Rushella, spoke.

She drew the girls near and started to theorize, in a way that Hisui would not be able to hear it.

"I think that drug which causes the doppelganger phenomenon is involved here. Since then, I researched various cases and even looked into the manufacturer, the Magic Association, but it seems something like this can happen too."

".....Which means?"

On Kirika's question, Eruru spoke in a grave manner.

"In the doppelganger phenomenon, one is split in two rather than being duplicated, that kind of reference is more appropriate. In other words, last nigh after Kujou-kun.... parted with {{Furigana|Rushella|her}} and went shopping, he met with an accident. Was it an accidental incident, or a planed attack..... Leaving that aside, one more of him was split and born from his own self."

"In other words, the other Hi-kun took the memories of this past year and,"

"Split, and took '''his constitution''' too. In short, the Kujou-kun here is a '''normal human being''' with the mind and memories of his third year of middle school. Though right now he is '''someone on the verge''' (of becoming a vampire)."

Eruru affirmed the words of Mei, and glared at Rushella.

She was biting her lips, her head still hanging down in regret.

"Eruru-chan quick question"

"What is it, Touko-san? And, asking a question is fine, but please stop slipping through my body."

"Iya, It kinda became a habit. Well.. Is the Hisui-kun here the real one? You know, if it's a doppelganger, it happens often right, in reality the real one and the clone switch places kind of thing! Well, they both might be real but........Ehh, then who's the fake? Huh, huh ehh?"

The ghost who had stepped into the puzzling road of philosophy, started to wander around with a "?" mark across her face.

"That was a very good way to look at this" Certainly, he was split, so that's why both of them can be called real. The line between the real one and the fake is simply within the personalities that appeared, which one is the usual Kujou-san, who we know......... It's just a problem of that degree. However, the only thing that confiscated drug caused was a doppelganger with a half-self.... As expected, there is a difference between the "original" and the "clone". The Kujou-san here is without a doubt the "original" with a complete body, there is no mistake in that."

"....I see. So, How can Hi-kun return to being normal again? Do we just have to find this divided clone?

Mei inquired with a serious face.

Although everyone was worried about Hisui's well being, but she was specially not looking good.

"That's how it will be. Theoretically, the clone's range of operation should be restricted to original's immediate vicinity, around school grounds level maybe. But it wont go that easily."

Eruru frowned, looking at Hisui who was sitting in a separate place.

Within all kinds of stories related to Doppelganger, there are very few that end without a tragedy.

The other self, the embodiment of the hidden evil side, was generally not a friendly existence to the original self.

"Even if we search, he may be hiding himself intentionally. As you would expect from half-self, he will be quit hard to catch. He may be easier to find for someone like Touko-san.

"I see..... Then, I will try searching too! For what it's worth, should I go out of the school grounds? Kirika-chan, release the seal!"

"I will not. It will take lot of time, and if you make a mistake, it will develop into an even bigger uproar.

Kirika refused firmly.

It was simply cruel for Touko who had continuously brought about troubling rumors recently within the school grounds. Though fundamentally she was a good person.

"However, just losing the confiscated item seems to have developed into a serious matter. As predicted, someone took advantage of the ruckus and snatched it......?"

While Eruru was contemplating, Hisui who was watching until now, had started to approach nervously.

Even though his body was that of a High school freshman, his mind was still that of a third year student of middle school, just as one would expect with memory loss, his behavior was unusually formal.

"Umm......... In the first place, what's my relationship with everyone......? Or rather why am I acquainted with such beauties ......? What, did my popular breakthrough occur before I knew it?"

"You sure are carefree. As I thought, it seems fundamentally, you have not changed. Listen to me carefully, you're now--"

When Eruru sighed and tried to reproach him, Mei barged in and entangled her arm with Hisui's while pressing her breasts (against his arm).

"Oh yeah, by the way I'm the girlfriend, we started going out at the same time of enrollment into the high school."

"Eh, For real!?"

"To add, we have already progressed till B, and even further then........."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!?"

Hisui faltered.

It was ill natured , since a part of it was true.

"He..Hey wait a second! Li.. its a lie Kujou-kun........ You're going out with me!"

Kirika entangled her arm with the opposite one from Mei's.

She rebuked Mei, but she did the same thing herself.

"Eh, what, what does it mean..... Two timing?"

"Tha.. that's wrong! Since the other day, you even came to my house! And in my room...."

"Eh, what.... what happened in the room!?"

He demanded, inquired for an answer, but Kirika face just reddened, and did not reply.

The crowd, did not deny, since it was true.

"Just what is happening to my high school life...... I believed, I've been living a pretty normal life without causing any special waves.......?"

"Ah, to tell you the truth, you're going out with me?"

Taking advantage of the situation, Touko joined too.

She hugged him from behind, and wraped her arms around Hisui's neck, who had both of his arms stolen.

"Ehhiiiiiiiiii!? I, even laid my hands on a dead person......?"

"Ah, that way of speaking hurts my feelings! In love things like the gap of life and death should be fine, shouldn't it. I want to love, even if I am ghost!" <ref>幽霊でも恋がしたい！ (Yuurei-demo-koi-ga-shitai !), does it remind anyone of anything?</ref>

"Fist of all, please rest in peace"

Eruru cut her off indifferently.

Eruru took her eyes off of Hisui, who had his hands full with two people plus one ghost, and looked at Rushella who did not try to break into the conversation.

In this kind of situation, she would usually charge in and cling to Hisui, while scattering the other women, but she just hung her head in shame.

"The urgent matter here should be Kujou-kun's body...... But I wonder what happened?"

Eruru twisted her lips, after she took a glance at the scar made by fangs on Hisui's neck.

It was being hidden by bandages but still having that detestable scar near itself, did not fit well with her.

"As I anticipated, should we take the most effective way of dealing with this?"

In an instant, Eruru got close to Rushella and thrust the muzzle of the sacred argentum gun to Rushella's forehead. [[Image:Draculea V04 - BW07.jpg|thumb]]

A speedy technique that could not be captured by the eyes...... It should have been that, but it was not like with Rushella's reflexes she couldn't have dodged that.

But, she just bit her lips, and did not try to move.

Even if she was a vampire, if a silver bullet was shot at point black range and blew her brains out, she would certainly perish.

"Just ........!"

Wait, Kirika tried to continue, but kept her silence after she took a look at Eruru.

The Eruru now was filled with murderous intent, that is she wouldn't allow anyone's to object.

"Even if Kujou-san's doppelganger was found, and managed to successfully fuse with him......... There is no guarantee that body will return to how it was before, since it was abnormal until now. A '''constitution''' that could easily absolutely nullify vampirezation, perhaps I had gotten overly familiar with that kind of thing, which was even more vague than an illusion"

".................."

Rushella did not move, merely made a small clenched fist, and was just firmly clenching it tightly.

"I had warned you, the reason your actions weren't restricted was just because there have not been any victims, but now we have a victim here, who had his blood sucked by you and put his leg into the destiny of the cursed tribe. Have you made up your resolve?"

Eruru put her little finger onto the trigger.

And, if she put just a little more strength into it, Rushella's brains would blow inside out.

Even if it was afternoon, nonetheless, if it was a vampire, he/she would probably be able to dodge a bullet in its initial velocity.

However, Eruru would move taking all that into consideration.

Rushella already lost the moment she had gun point pinned to her forehead.

And nobody tried to stop it.

Just as Eruru had mentioned, the most effective remedy for Hisui's body now, which was put in an unprecedented state, was the method which had been passed down since ancient times, the only and absolute method, which was to destroy the vampire that sucked the (victim's) blood.

"Stop it"

Hisui moved.

After he forcefully freed himself from Mei and the others, he grabbed the barrel of argentum.

"What are you trying to do? Even if you have forgotten about this past year, you surely have not forgotten the knowledge regarding vampires too, have you? Then you should comprehend, just what kind of situation you have been put into?"

Eruru coldly stated.

In a certain sense, she was the one who was most disturbed by the current situation.

"Well, it's just as you said, but it's not like I want stop being human. It's only, shouldn't that be the last resort? We start from finding this clone of mine. If that does not work......"

"If that does not work?"

"I will think about it at that time"

Hisui optimistically answered while looking at Rushella who still had her head hung low.

Eruru shrugged, and lowered the gun.

".....As I thought, you have not changed. Well it's fine, for a short while continue on with that body, and face your own foolishness."

".... No"

Rushella finally raised her voice.

Clenching her fist, she stated with a compelling tone.

"As I thought.... This is some kind of mistake!! Even until now, wasn't he just fine the whole time!! Even when he was sucked by other vampires, he was completely fine.....Even my mystic eyes didn't work at all. As if that kind of guy would become my blood relative with utter ease!!!"

Those words, they could be taken as trust.

Mei, Kirika, and Touko looked at each other with an inexpressible expression.

Since Hisui clearly became a vampire, Rushella's words could easily be put off as a bluff.

However, Rushella had an grim expression, and like her, she won't let out the words to deny the trust (they had) in Hisui.

Only her, Eruru alone spoke with coolness.

"Then, try to test him. Did he really sink into becoming your slave or not?"

"What do......you want me to do?"

"A very simple thing. Please command him. A command that he will absolutely not follow normally. He who is your servant now, after becoming a vampire by having his blood sucked. He should obey your orders. Of course, with his willpower and extent of his progress as a vampire, resistances is possible to certain degree, but he should not be able to oposse if we include your, a {Shinso} mystic eyes. So how about testing it out."

Eruru conveyed with a provocative tone.

Rushella'a stiffened face eventually changes, and with it her tone returns to the normal arrogant one.

"Have it your way. If he was man will become a slave that easily, then I won't face anymore trouble too. Hey Hisui, come here. Kneel beneath me, and lick my feet!"

Rushella conveyed pridefully while she sat on the desk and crossed her long legs.

She lit the crimson light in her pupil. Even though she said it in a completely commanding tone, but from the start she didn't believe Hisui would just obey.

It will just end with "Who would do that" comeback. Yes, Rushella did not doubt that.

Excluding Eruru, other girls were hoping for that too.

Even so..

Hisui easily kneeled with hollow pupils.

He indubitably looked up at Rushella who sitting in a high place, as if he was looking at his master. With his tongue he started to towards those legs...

"St... Stop it!!"

Rushella restrained him, and clattered her legs. With that vigorous momentum, Hisui's was kicked, and he unsightly fell backwards.

"It hurts........... Huh, what was I doing?"

Hisui, after regaining his sanity, blinked in surprise while caressing the area around his nose.

He noticed Rushella hugging herself while trembling continuously, but did not understand the reason entirely. Same with Mei, and the others who were looking at him with speechless faces.

"With this its all clear. The present Kujou-kun is a victim of a complete vampire. I will take him into my custody."

Just like that, Eruru took Hisui by his hand, and lead him outside the classroom.

For a instant, Rushella extended her hand, but gave up immediately, and lowered her hand powerlessly.

"Hey Eruru-chan, where are you going!?"

"For now I will take him to my home. It will become troublesome even if I explain the situation to the Supernatural Investigations Section, having said that, it just won't do if I just neglect this. Either way, as he is now, he won't be able to keep up with high school classes, and for me it wasn't necessary in the first place. I am leaving early, well then."

Eruru dragged Hisui just like that towards the staff room after answering Mei's question indifferently.

Strongly even though she had small stature, Hisui was not able to oppose.

"Or rather, who are you? I thought others, well excluding Ghost-san, that everyone were high school students, but why is a middle school student? Or perhaps for worse even elementary school student geboh"

Before he could say it, Hisui was hit with a powerful body-blow, and was dragged along while he had cuff coming out from his mouth.

The remaining three excluding Rushella, looked at each other, started to plan what to do from here on.

"What do we do?"

Upon Kirika's inquiry, Mei murmured while looking at Rushella.

"For the time being..... I will take over."

===Part 3===

"...Why are you here?"

That night, two people sat opposite each other at the dining table.

Rushella and Mei.

Hisui and Eruru had left. After school, Mei and Rushella returned to Hisui's home together.

Along the way, the two girls remained silent. After getting there, Mei had gone to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Currently, beef steak, cooked vegetables, salad and consomme soup were on the table.

Of course, the food had portions for two.

"Hi-kun's not here so it's not like I want to be here. I am here to keep you under surveillance. You have to understand your current position. Now that you've sucked someone's blood and made him turn into a vampire, using human terms, you are a criminal. I have to watch you so that you don't go to jail or get into more trouble. Hurry up and thank me."

"Like anyone would..."

Rushella turned her face to the side, sulking.

Mei started to eat without saying anything.

"Hurry and eat, don't waste the food I made, okay? My cooking skills were meant to perform in front of Hi-kun, but I never expected you to enjoy them first."

"It's not like I asked you."

Despite not backing down verbally, Rushella still started to eat.

But as soon as she put a piece of meat in her mouth, she frowned.

"...This is overcooked. The meat has no juice left!"

"Shut up. I eat it how I like it."

"The salad's nothing special either. Hisui's is better."

"And whose fault is it that you can't eat that tasty cooking right now?"

Struck in a sore spot, Rushella shut up.

Mei pressed the advantage.

"...Say, you didn't notice anything unusual about Hi-kun when sucking his blood?"

"...Shut up."

"Why exactly do you stay with him, have you never thought about that? Hi-kun's constitution doesn't mean that he will be immune to vampirization forever, right? Even if this time it turns out fine, perhaps one day it will come to an end. This time is okay, he is still turning, but if you didn't notice soon enough, he could have turned completely into a vampire with no chance to go back. Ah, perhaps that might be better for you... Isn't that your goal all along?"

Mei stared at Rushella and asked.

Indeed, she used to keep mentioning this catchphrase.

"I'll make you mine!"

And right now, Hisui was officially Rushella's possession.

If Rushella wanted, they could share senses even when separated far away.

She could even call him using thoughts.

But Rushella did not do that.

Rather than unable, she chose not to do it.

"I don't want..."

"Don't want what?"

"I don't want things to be like now... I don't want this kind of Hisui..."

Rushella whispered in loneliness.

Seeing her act quite far from her usual conceit, Mei did not press further.

"Pay more attention before drinking blood. I guess Hi-kun really should live in my house after all?"

"That guy is in the middle of vampirization, you know? You, umm... want to make babies with a human, right? Right now... No, even back then, he's not an ordinary human no matter how you look at it. Even so... You're still willing?"

Rushella went on a counter offensive.

Mei was also struck in a sore spot and pouted unhappily.

"Well... That's true. Although he keeps calling himself nothing more than a high schooler, that's clearly impossible."

"...In that case."

"However... In my heart, that doesn't really matter although I'm quite surprised too. But... Isn't this true love? Without reason, following no rules, going against logic... This feeling of wanting his babies❤ in spite of everything?"

"...Hmph."

Rushella scoffed unhappily, scowling and continuing to eat her food.

Meat was supposed to be her favorite and the taste did not seem bad. Even greatly displeased, she still shoved food into her mouth.

"Hey, I've got a lame question."

"What?"

"Since vampires have no concept of starvation from lack of food, you don't really need to eat, right? Why are you wolfing things down?"

"The body wants..."

"Yeah, I've heard a theory before, like so-called phantom limbs hurting. When a human turns into a vampire, the brain retains the feeling of 'hunger' from its time as a human, so the body wants it even if it doesn't need food... But you're a True Ancestor, right? That feeling shouldn't exist in the first place?"

"...W-What's wrong with this? Besides, that parent of Hisui's also eats and Hisui says she's very particular about food!"

"Well, since she's lived for so long, surely she tasted human food before and it became a kind of habit? But... what about you? How long have you lived? Or, how old are you?"

"No idea... If I did, it wouldn't be so tough for me."

Rushella's memory of the past was still a total blank.

She had appetite.

And was picky.

But speaking of flavors she missed, her past favorites--she could not recall any.

If anything--She liked everything Hisui made.

"What a girl who's hard to serve."

"You're noisy, shut up! Stop talking about this unimportant stuff... How's Hisui?"

Rushella was more concerned about this most important issue.

The originally sort of harmonious dining table atmosphere instantly grew much heavier.

"You should know better yourself, right? Curing vampirization means destroying you... Or finding Hi-kun's doppelganger to merge them. Is there a third solution?"

"But what if finding that guy's doppelganger doesn't recover it...?"

"Then Eruru-chan doesn't need to take the trouble. I'll personally put a stake through your heart when the time comes. Don't worry."

Mei boldly claimed the last piece of meat with her fork.

The flying meat juices seemed to predict a battle between them as the worst outcome.

"Just you try."

"I won't show mercy."

Sparks flew from their gazes as smiles emerged from the corners of their lips.

Vampire and artificial human, formidable contenders for the throne of the strongest monster--Who shall be the victor, one day it will be decided.

"Say... Umm, Hisui's doppelganger, that guy..."

"If you want to search, you need permission from Eruru-chan first. But Hisui's over with her, so it's better to leave things to them. Do you have any ideas on where Hi-kun frequents? For the last year would be best."

"I only met him in April, you know? I don't know anything about before that... He usually just goes to school and comes home, shopping as well..."

"To accommodate your lifestyle, his circle of activity has shrunk all at once. Oh well, let's try searching this house first. The basement is very spacious, right? He could be hidden there."

"...Maybe. But there's the Tzara Blade down there, I don't really want to go..."

"Then I'll go. You search some other place."

"Don't order me around!"

Despite retorting, Rushella still followed the suggestion and began searching the house seriously.

Mei went to the basement to look for the other Hisui... Naturally, the search turned up nothing.

"That sword... Where did it go?"

A room resembling a study in layout, a vast library, storeroom, wine racks, searching the basement thoroughly, she did not see the cross-shaped sacred sword, the Tzara Blade that Hisui took out occasionally.

A careful examination of the floor showed signs of where the Tzara Blade was originally embedded but it was empty now.

That sword could not be found anywhere.

"Taken away... Who did it? It must be Hi-kun, right...?"

The answer could not be known, Mei's only choice was to leave the basement.

It was late at night, so she headed over to Hisui's room.

Although he was not around, since she was already at his house, of course sleeping in his room was the right thing to do.

"To welcome Hi-kun's return any time, I have to mark his bed with my fragrance❤"

...Making up this sort of reason, Mei put on the highly revealing babydoll she had worn before and jumped on Hisui's bed.

But greeting her was not the sensation of the mattress springs but a soft yet elastic body and bosom.

Yes, Rushella.

Rushella still kept her habit of wearing Hisui's uniform shirt and had taken the bed first, giving off steady breathing noises.

"...Why are you here!?"

Mei grabbed her collar and shook Rushella forcefully.

Woken up, Rushella rubbed her eyes in annoyed anger.

"So noisy, shut up!! Where I sleep is my freedom!"

"Go sleep in your own room! Or perhaps you're seeking his warmth in his bed since he's not home!? Why do I find this situation so familiar!?"

"So noisy, once you're here, I can't smell that guy's scent anymore! Scram!"

"I'm the one who wants to blame you! Hand over Hi-kun's pillow right now!!"

"Like anyone would give it to you!"

Rushella buried her face into the pillow and began to rub it as though showing off.

Then shoving the pillow in her bosom, she swore to defend it to the point of death.

"A battle of superiority here after all...? Hi-kun's bed is mine!!"

"Shut up, it's mine!!"

The battle for the title of the strongest monster began for this super stupid reason.

Finally, striking each other simultaneously, the two girls rolled off the bed onto the floor, falling asleep on the cold wooden floor. That happened an hour after the battle started.

"...I feel a chill down my spine, like some disaster is going on behind my back in my domain."

Hisui grumbled while lying on the sofa.

Despite sleeping on high class stuff, it was someone else's home after all and it felt unfamiliar.

Unfamiliar ceiling, furniture, air, even that unfamiliar stranger--She was taking a bath.

After skipping afternoon lessons, Hisui was first taken to Seidou Hospital.

Then going through vampire tests, there was a detailed examination of his vampirization rate. He heard that he had received this kind of testing before, but he had no memory of it.

Due to Rushella sucking too much blood at once, compared to one instance of blood feeding, the vampirization was quite severe. Reportedly, his blood loss had reached 60% of full vampirization.

"So that means I'm closer to the vampire side now, huh."

Hisui touched his lengthened fangs and sighed.

These series of questions left him scratching his head.

Along the way, he had asked that Eruru girl about the situation.

To be honest, a lot of it was totally incomprehensible and difficult to believe.

But she did not look like she was lying and the one year blank in his memories was real.

Whether newspapers or television, everything proved the passage of time. Only he was out of touch with the times.

It looked like what those girls said about another him was true.

But just the fact of his constitution was incomprehensible.

Despite his unusual upbringing, a constitution immune to vampirization was unheard of.

No wait.

Miraluka seemed to have mentioned it.

The key to unraveling the link between humans and vampires.

One of the theories exhibiting the possibility of coexistence.

"No good, I still can't recall it... I remember her talking about something after drinking too much red wine..."

The foster parent who had raised him, more than a thousand years old, occasionally murmured incomprehensible things filled with philosophical flavor.

That itself was fine, but the worst thing was that every time she got totally drunk, she ended up hugging him.

Despite such a slender body, those breasts pressing against him were unreasonably massive... Plus the ear-biting attacks, it was too stimulating for a boy in puberty.

Rumor had it that getting blood sucked by a vampire was accompanied by arousal and pleasure, that could very well be true.

Although getting his blood sucked this morning was super painful.

Really painful like dying.

Apart from that... Truly so beautiful.

Those lips touching his neck, the tongue licking every drop of his blood, all was beautiful to the point of suffocation.

However, when that girl found out he was turning into a vampire, her face went pale as though she saw the end of the world.

Why?

Clearly she was a vampire.

"I really don't get it..."

Hisui muttered blankly, stood up and checked out his surroundings.

After the hospital examination, Eruru took him to her house.

It looked quite a classy high rise apartment and she lived alone.

Just as he was hesitating at the door, wonder if it was appropriate to enter, a kick to the shin sent him inside.

"Am I always treated like this?"

It seemed like he was particularly popular with girls since high school, this unsettled Hisui.

Speaking of which, how did he get to know this person?

With such questions, Hisui looked at the spacious living room.

Earlier, she said feel free to drink anything from the fridge.

He wanted to just grab something to quench his thirst but when Hisui saw the other fridge, he could not help feeling curious.

The other fridge was only half the size of a personal fridge and looked like those simple ones in hotels.

Living alone, a single fridge was more than enough. However, Hisui did not find this fridge out of place.

Because it was the same in his home.

There was the normal fridge for his and Miraluka's food.

Beside it was another small fridge.

That was exclusive to Miraluka, he had never opened it before.

Rather, Miraluka forbade him from opening it.

If this fridge here was the same, contained inside was--

"Are you thirsty?"

Just as his hand touched the handle, Eruru appeared in the living room after her bath.

She was still using the bath towel to dry off the beads of water dripping from her hair.

Eruru was dressed in cute pajamas of pure white, decorate with abundant frills like her casual clothing. For some reason, her tone of voice was so cold.

"This fridge does not have anything for you to drink. Please open the adjacent one. There should be mineral water and milk."

"Isn't this one more suited to the way I am now?"

Hisui pointed at the small fridge.

Eruru turned her face away, basically saying yes.

With that, Hisui was certain of the fridge's contents.

"Inside this fridge... It's blood, right? Blood packs."

"..."

"Because my parent did that before. She has meals normally as well but the main staple sustaining her life is this. But she never allowed me to see her drinking blood and forbade me from opening that fridge. Actually I don't really mind. What's so strange about vampires drinking blood. But you..."

"I am a dhampir."

Eruru confessed without looking at Hisui's eyes.

For Hisui in his amnesia, this was her first time revealing her identity.

But Hisui did not seem to panic.

"I see... That's why you understand vampires so much>"

"This has nothing to do with parents. It is the result of my own learninig. Also, it is totally your fault that I keep blood packs for backup...."

"Huh?"

"Y-You were the one who told me to stop taking those drugs for suppressing the urge to drink blood, that is why I...!"

Unbelievably, Eruru actually lost composure and started to explain.

Naturally, the current Hisui did not remember what he had said.

He simply scratched his head and imagined what he felt at the time.

"...I said something like that huh. But yeah, dhampirs are like vampires, there's a limit to endurance, so drinking in moderation is better..."

"I know that! Otherwise, sanity cannot be maintained. Truly tragic. Say... Are you actually thirsting for blood?"

Eruru leaned over and asked, clearly without displeasure, apparently worried about Hisui's body for real.

Dhampirs inherited dual traits from vampires and humans. In this sense, they were quite similar to victims of vampires.

Just as a dhampir craved blood, vampire victims also thirsted for fresh blood as though trying to refill the blood that had been sucked away from them.

"No... Not really. I can still bear it. On the other hand, I'm a bit thirsty."

"...Very well. Tell me if you cannot bear it. I will send you to the hospital for a transfusion.

"..."

In principle, blood should be taken orally as a vampire's food, transfusion had little meaning in this sense.

BUt for a victim in the process of vampirization, it was still possible to suppress the urge to suck blood as a method for replenishing lost blood, hence it was an effective type of treatment.

Even if losing rationality from severe vampirization, transfusions could produce an alleviating effect to some degree to maintain sanity.

"But... Isn't drinking blood less of a hassle?"

"You want to choose such a horrifying solution?"

"Who knows."

Hisui took out a bottle of mineral water from the normal fridge and sat on the sofa.

Drinking a bit of water, he spoke slowly.

"When I was small, I fell over in front of my parent. My knee was scraped and it bled."

"..."

"There was a lot of blood and it was very painful. I ran to her, crying. Then.. She licked her lips."

"Very normal. A vampire after all."

For a vampire, blood was the desire prioritized above all thought.

Even with a young child holding the injury and crying, as long as there was blood, in the first instant, their eyes would ignore all else.

Instinctively, she wanted to suck blood.

No vampire could escape this fate.

"...Right, as a vampire it's perfectly natural. But when she noticed me looking at her, her face went pale all at once. She held her breath and turned her gaze away from the wound, bandage it frantically. It was my first time seeing her in a panic."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing much... Her look that time was very similar to Rushella's expression. When Rushella sucked my blood and discovered I was turning into a vampire."

"Since she regrets it, why not avoid sucking blood in the first place? If self-control does not work... Then she should not live with humans."

"Maybe. But Miraluka also never did anything to me... I really don't mind. Although I didn't mind in my heart... I never told her. Of course, I never mentioned that incident after the fact."

Hisui recalled his parent back then.

After his wound was bandaged, he still could not speak out.

Towards the vampire side his parent displayed--He must have felt fear back then.

Then afterwards, all along... all along, he failed to tell her.

Then what about himself during that blank period?

Himself for the past year?

Did he say it out?

"Say... Where's my parent, do you know?"

"..."

Eruru was unable to answer.

She tried to be an expressioneless listener throughout the entire process but no matter how she feigned calmness, her wavering face could not be controlled.

"I looked at the house before going to school today. Her room feels like it's changed, but there's no note. She used to leave notes for me when leaving the house and there's no record in my cellphone either. The calls and text messages are all from you girls. What exactly... happened to her?"

Hisui stared straight at Eruru. She was at a loss for words.

To be honest, the current Hisui was in an unstable state. Eurur was very hesitant on revealing the bad news to him.

But Hisui was surely going to find out the truth on his own soon.

Redundant fake kindness might hurt him even more.

"I heard she passed away. You told me."

"...I see."

Unexpectedly, Hisui's answer was very calm.

He neither broke down crying nor was angry, simply accepting the truth indifferently.

"Are you not curious? Her death and the whole story... Although I know very little. Or do you remember vaguely?"

"No, no impression at all. I also feel that I'm supposed to be very depressed... I didn't expect to be this calm. What happened over the past year?"

"I only met you in April. If anything huge happened, there was only your meeting a vampire."

"...How unlucky am I exactly?"

Hisui smiled in self-mockery, lying back on the sofa.

Eruru did not ask about his past anymore and switched to more practical issues.

"To avoid speeding up the vampirization, please do not make contact with Rushella-san. If she visits you, do not let her in."

"...What if she breaks the door down?"

"I will shoot."

"Okay, I won't see her."

"On our side, we will also track down your doppelganger. Please do not... take action alone. Right now, you are totally an ordinary human."

"I know."

Hisui muttered and closed his eyes.

Probably due to the sun's rays, he felt no strength in his limbs.

Combined with the symptoms of vampirization--his anemic body was also causing him suffering.

Sighing, Hisui drifted off to sleep.

Eruru covered him with a blanket but Hisui was unaware, having fallen in to deep slumber.

"...Is that okay?"

Reina was standing in a dark alley that looked like a gangster hangout.

More accurately, it was the other Reina--Her doppelganger.

The girl's main body had returned home already, most likely gone to bed.

But the other her was still in school uniform, loitering in the streets at an hour that would surely elicit questioning from the police.

Also, she was meeting someone in an alley downtown.

No, whether the other person was human was still unknown.

While wandering the streets, a tall, dark shadow called to her.

Then she was given the drug that gave rise to her birth.

There was only one command received--Make Kujou Hisui smell the drug.

Only that.

The girl only agreed because she wanted to know Hisui's true nature hidden in his heart. She wanted to know how much she meant to the boy who hung around Rushella all day, occasionally showing sighs of sorrow.

Of course, supposing his doppelganger was born, it might not be a good thing for her necessarily.

Relying on uncertain phenomenon only meant obtaining uncertain results. No one could guarantee this could help her.

If it were her other self, if it were her who was always considerate of others, surely she would not choose this path.

--Hence, I shall be the one to take this path.

"You are really seeking your own destruction. As expected, your main body is still more human."

"Are you praising me?"

Reina answered briefly to the seductive voice.

Her voice sounded more like a boss lady from a night establishment pulling customers from the streets rather than the usual honors student.

"You will eventually disappear. But if you do not return to the main body, that body cannot escape the fate of weakening. That is how doppelgangers work. If the other self gains too well-defined an ego, then both will disappear. But if you return to the main body, you will be sunk into the depths of consciousness again. That highly self-disciplined true self will not allow you to see the light of day again."

"...What do you want me to do?"

The other person did not answer.

That person shrugged in an exaggerated manner, looking like it did not matter.

Taking the small bottle from Reina's hand, she had no intention of issuing other missions.

"You are free. Do as you wish. Do something the other you cannot do."

"...Who are you? Why do you... Kujou-kun...?"

"I want to understand him more. Also, I want to test that irregular 'True Ancestor.' These are my only two goals."

"...?"

"We will probably never meet again. Act according to your wish, that's all."

She lifted her long cape and vanished into the air like a bird spreading its wings.

Reina was left alone under the night sky.

Her translucent body outline would make one wonder if the entire world had abandoned her.

Finally, the girl's figure was swallowed amidst the scenery of the streets at night.

The next day, there were many rumors among students--The serious and hardworking class rep was seen late at night downtown. Of course, the serious person in question had no idea of any of this.

There was another rumor--Under the color of night, a boy was roaming the streets with a cross-shaped white package carried on his back.

He did not do anything special, simply frequenting shops and convenience stores then shaking his head in loneliness.

Only one ramen shopkeeper had seen him before, together with a woman who seemed to be his relative. When he saw the boy standing outside his shop, the shopkeeper made conversation with him.

"Hey, little lad, I think you used to come here frequently..."

"Yeah, I came with my family. The flavor here is not bad and you don't use garlic."

"...Hmm, eh, what happened to the pretty lady?"

Hearing the shopkeeper's question, the boy simply smiled with loneliness.

It was a tearful smiling look, concentrating infinite sorrow.

He turned and left without answering.

As the shopkeeper watched him leave, he heard a pitiful sigh:

"Miraluka..."
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==Translator's Notes and References==
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