The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 331 - Nora’s Feelings

Note: In the past I’ve summarized paragraphs of cat love while mentioning it as *cat porn*. I’m going to stop mentioning it and just do what needs to be done, since the cat love times are so manifold in this novel that it’s less intrusive for the reading flow to just cut them out entirely or summarize them. If you want to read how the MC or his friends praise Rollo or other cats, drawing comparisons to bullsh*t references, massage them, and generally stroke and play around with them, you need to consult the raw, or go to any random, fanatic cat lover website on the net. Mentioning how great a cat is a few times over a long series is one thing, but mentioning it in every chapter several times is simply too much. Sorry for this rant, but it seriously pisses me off. And don’t worry, even with me leaving out the bigger chunks, there’ll still be more than enough screen time for Rollo.

There’s still some distance between us, but…that back belongs to the pretty vampire hunter Nora, doesn’t it? Is this chance encounter possibly thanks to Bruuundozuu-sama’s blessing? A divine favor all at once?

If that’s the case, I feel sorry towards Water Goddess Akreshys, but…it might be better to genuinely worship Bruuun-sama. I’ll get some advice from Helme on that when I’ve got some time…for short, it might be a good idea to search for an offering that would please Bruuun-sama.

But, for starters, the woman in front of me. Definitely telling whether it’s Nora just from her back is a bit hasty. I should try to get a look at her from the side.

I mean, it’s a common trope for people to decide that they know someone after seeing them from behind, just to find out that it was actually a completely different person after the woman turns around after tapping her shoulder.

While thinking all that, I recall Nora when she left along the street from the cheap inn Saika.

Rollodeen’s rein tentacles become slightly looser. As I gently tap my partner’s flank with my feet’s sides, she begins to advance.

“Nn,” she purrs with a cat voice despite being a horse lion right now.

Rollodeen continues to trot forward. As she does, she wakes in me the image of her being a gallant mount from the Warring States Era, but now’s not the time to play around with my partner anyway. I’ve got to greet Nora.

As continuation of my previous Warring States imaginations, I approach Nora like a dashing military commander on his imposing steed.

The hair of Nora flutters in the wind. It’s definitely beautiful hair… I wonder what effect her shampoo has. As I smell her nostalgic scent, my expectations skyrocket. Staring at her profile and the wavy hair…I confirm a white earring in her ear.

As expected, it’s Nora!

She still hasn’t noticed Rollo and me. I quickly lift a leg as I’m straddling Rollodeen, and get off her artlessly.

And then, while raising an arm, I call out to her, “Long time no see, Nora.”

“Eh? Umm…oh!” After staring at me with wide eyes, she asks while blinking, “Is that you, Shuuya…the man I mistakenly attacked in the past?”

Her long eyelashes are charming. In the meantime, I feel a small weight on my left shoulder. Rollo has climbed on. She’s probably shifted into sitting there as a catloaf. A cat master like me can tell as much without even looking.

While imagining Rollo’s triumphant expression, I address Nora, “…You remember me?”

“There’s no way I’d forget you, is there? Right, cute kitty? Fufu.” Nora extends her index finger towards the nostrils of Rollo.

At the base of her fingers, Nora has pretty opera gloves with a stylish triangle equipped as hand protector. Rollo fully focuses her attention on Nora’s index finger. And after sniffing it, she growls a throaty greeting, just to rub her cheek up and down against the finger.

As if deeply impressed by Rollo’s wholehearted devotion to her finger, Nora whispers, “How cute…”, and breathes a sigh while smiling.

While nostalgically considering that her actions truly haven’t changed from before, I ask, “…How did things go after we parted? Going by your appearance, things seem to be going well for you?”

Nora’s equipment has improved quite a bit in quality. Her armor seems to be brand new, too. Hexagonal, square rivets are symmetrically lining up in equal distances from her collarbone towards her back. I can feel mana from those rivets. Her armor consists of a womanly, clothed breastplate to support her breasts. My eyes are reflexively drawn towards that part.

Her chest doesn’t bulge overly much, but they seem to be the beautifully-shaped, soft type.

A Demonic Steel plating, looking smooth and lacking ornaments unlike the part around her collar, continues at her sides. The area around her navel is seductively exposed. Her charming belly button must attract many men just like me. And beneath she wears a characteristic light brown leather belt with a silver buckle. It’s a belt with an artisan’s design, different from that used by Mysty. That tasteful design makes me feel the rich history of Zamalia, her homeland.

Her tight waist is lovely too. Things that look like special weapons against vampires bountifully peek out from the tool sack connected to the belt.

Nora is an adventurer, but since she comes from a family of vampire hunters, it’s only to be expected.

“…Of course I’ve been continuing my family’s business as a vampire hunter while also working as an adventurer. There are several dwellings of stray vampires in the vicinity of Hekatrail…”

Apparently having some other reason as well, she drops her voice towards the end of her reply. Speaking of stray vampires, she must be talking about vampires like Veronica has been in the past. Beings who are called branch families by the Valmask family. Or maybe vampires completely unrelated to the Valmask family.

“…Vampires have it hard as well. There are twelve branch families besides the Valmask family, who all fight among each other. And they also have enemies besides humans…”

“…Seeing how there exist vampires attacking people and vampire organizations who keep hunting people as fodder, I don’t think that this will ever change.”

As if having entered her vampire hunter mode, Nora’s voice changes. Well, she’s right about this, so it’s my fault. It’s only reasonable if seen from her or the human’s point of view. And this applies all the more, since the religions of a great number of the divine domain’s gods, such as Goddess of Love Aria, God of Justice Shafa, War God Vice, or Light God Lulodis, have all melted with the cultures in the cities of South Mahaheim. As there’s an extremely varied and wide-ranging number of races, those views tend to become rather lenient though…

Vampires who attack people are treated like monsters. However, I’m a Lucival. I do have light in me, but my affinity with darkness is deep as well…I also understand Veronica’s standpoint. Thus, not every vampire can be automatically regarded as evil. The part of the Valmask family that meddles with Veronica is set to be obliterated, though…

“…You might be right. You lowered your voice. Does that mean something happened with the vampires living around Hekatrail?”

“The vampires and the ancient wolfmen fought each other.”

Werewolves, huh? Are they also weak against silver or some such? It’s a bit stereotypical, but I wonder whether they transform during a full moon or similar.

“Ancient wolfmen…going by the ancient, is their fight with the vampires kind of predestined?”

“Yep. The stone monument about the Havest legend and the Mahaheim legends has become quite famous recently.”

“So there existed an ancient stone monument in Hekatrail?”

“There are no monuments inside the city, okay? I hear the stone monument was discovered in the 【Sea of Trees】 situated on the southwestern side of Hekatrail. It was near a huge pit which was apparently dug out by a legendary giant, or something along those lines.”

“A stone monument near a pit to be found in a sea of trees…?”

“I think the pit is a big hole directly connecting to the gigantic Heka-Pel-Line Corridor. The stone monument itself depicts the battle between God Wolf Hurley leading the ancient wolfmen, Vampire God Lugnad leading the vampires, and other beings.”

“Nnn, nyaa.” Rollo reacts to the god wolf part.

I guess she’s curious about Hurley because she’s a divine beast. Or rather, I’m curious about it too. I wonder whether the god wolf has a fluffy, soft fur like Rollo… If that’s the case, I want to see and touch it. If it’s bushy and soft, I’ll summon Alray and Hueremy to submerge in a world of fluff with the god wolf and Divine Beast Rollodeen.

“…I’m not really informed about God Wolf Hurley or myths.”

Since I didn’t go to Mysty’s school in the end, there’s lots of things I don’t know.

“It’s not my field of expertise either. I don’t know that much about it, but want me to tell you the bits I know about the stone monument?”

“I’m in your hands, Ms. Nora.”

“I won’t retort to that. Anyway, as far as the explanations go, the huge war between three gods of the divine domain - Twin Moon Goddess Uraniri, Twin Moon God Uryou, and God Wolf Hurley - and three gods of the Spirit World - Vampire God Lugnad, King Tree Kyulha, and Queen of Twilight Lebra - has been carved onto the stone monument in hieroglyphs similar to the drawings of ancient letters to record it for eternity. The underground ruin researcher Domidon-san discovered the monument, succeeded in deciphering a part of it, and announced his results. By the way, Domidon-san is a dwarf.”

Hee, a dwarven professor, eh? It’s no prejudice after hearing that he’s a dwarf, but I can strangely agree with this. There might be something similar to the Rosetta Stone which contributed to the deciphering of the hieroglyphs.

“Thanks. So, is the war between the vampires and the ancient wolfmen still raging intensely?”

“Yep. Centered around the Sea of Trees, which is inhabited by a huge number of monsters and which continues all the way from Benrack to right in front of Hekatrail, the human towns and villages along the road and in places further away from the road have been repeatedly raided by various monsters, including vampires and wolfmen.”

“Hmm, I see. Such incidents have been going on, huh?”

Pelneet is close, but since it’s a different region anyway, various things change, too.

“The guards and a part of the Third Blue Iron Knight Order can’t even begin catching up to deal with all of these incidents. It’s logical that the kingdom acts slowly since it’s got a war going in the east, but fortunately it helps that there’s so many adventurers around. The other day I also joined a party and hunted together with other adventurers. Among them, the female magician with reddish-brown eyes and several male combat slaves calmly said, 『Vampires, wolfmen, pupa octopuses gyufin, howak mantises, sorcery golems, tree ogres, white-footed foxes, goblins, orcs, and the primitive Gendal people are all very welcome. It’s wonderful for the hunting ground to grow in size』.”

A magician who can deal with vampires without using holy water? She’s definitely no ordinary magician then. Well, maybe she simply possesses firepower on the level of Rollo?

“…There are many excellent adventurers around in this area.”

“Uh-huh, the female magician was as excellent as she had promised to be. Her tactics of using a magic item, which makes a multi-legs called Ajabely’s Legs appear, was magnificent. According to her, she obtained the item in the lower floors of Bewitching Valaydaz Palace. Thanks to her, I managed without using too many of my silver shining spiders. It made the request rather easy, but it also made me somewhat frustrated.”

I guess that’s the reason why she lowered her voice earlier. If she feels mortified, I want to relieve her of that by delighting her, but…Benrack, huh…?

“It’s great that the adventurers are so active, but the villages and towns on the way from Benrack to Hekatrail won’t hold out, will they?”

I’ve frequently heard news about Benrack.

“The forests around Benrack been a place where all kinds of incidents have been taking place for a long time now, so they might be used to it over there. And, since the influx of adventurers is rather big recently, they’ll be alright, albeit it sounds a bit irresponsible of me to say so. Right now, the news about vampires appearing in the areas around Noyr Village, south of Tandarl, or southwest of Hekatrail take a higher priority for me.”

“Are you then on your way back home from the easy job that frustrated you, Nora?”

“Correct. Since the number of clues for me to pursue my little sister have increased significantly, and given that I’m famous in places such as the underground town west of Holkerbaum, I thought that I’d crush the vampires one by one for starters.”

…Her little sister, eh…? Angie who was turned into Paulsen’s … I suppose Nora didn’t come to Pelneet because of the situation over here.

Back when I reunited with Paulsen and Angie in Pelneet, I believed that it’d be just a matter of time for Nora to show up looking for her sister, but I guess it won’t take such a dramatic development.

Still, what should I do…? Should I tell her about Angie? No, I’ve got no clue how to break it to her that her sister has become a vampire. Should I put on a smile?

No, that’d be bad. Her family, the sister she has been looking for, has been turned into an enemy she ought to actually hunt down. If she learns about that truth…she’ll likely feel very miserable.

Not to even mention that I’m a being of twilight. A half-assed guy who walks through darkness while striding through light at the same time. Since I’m a being who would confuse a vampire hunter like Nora too, it might develop into her shouting, “…Darkness remains darkness! I won’t desist from following my family’s business over someone also possessing the light attribute! I can’t approve of you. I’ll kill an abomination like you!”, after learning about this fact.

But…it still remains a fact. I guess I should honestly tell her.

“…Hmm? What’s wrong for you to suddenly furrow your eyebrows. Is it possibly…”

“I’ve just been thinking. Are you going back to your inn in Hekatrail?”

“You too, right Shuuya? Let’s walk together.”

“Sure. I also have some business in the nearby New Town, so let’s go on a little date, shall we?”

“Nya.” Rollo taps my shoulder with her forepaw.

“Date…but over there…?” Nora’s face colors with happiness while repeating the word date.

However, apparently recalling the situation at New Town, she wrinkles up her eyebrows.

I don’t hold her hand, but we walk together along the road while wrapped up in the typical mood of a date. The road is wide enough as if accounting for all the coming and going merchants, adventurers, couriers, travelers, and carriages.

However, Rollo’s attention is drawn towards something other than the plethora of pedestrians. It’s the small gravel accumulating at the road’s side. Since the gravel continues for a long time, following the road, it looks like a white lined road.

But, Rollo’s eyes sharpen, as she’s apparently looking at something else. I look at her, wondering what it might be, and then look at the gravel, but…all I can see are several panda-like colored stones.

Well, I suppose Rollo wants to play around by walking across the gravel.

Afterwards, I keep thinking about Angie. The vampires Paulsen and his servant Angie are leaders of 【Remains of the Moon】. I know that both put in a lot of effort everyday to preserve the turf.

The real guildmaster, Mel is busy with the management of the dark guild. And there’s also her relationship with her father, Demonoid Zarlp. She might even join his battles to help him. In that case, Veronica should assist her as well, seeing how she welcomed Mel into her family.

There’s also Veronica’s strife with the Valmask family…

If Nora suddenly attacks Paulsen or Mel… Mel and the others will likely be unwilling to lose an immortal leader, resulting in them killing Nora without any hesitation. A development where blood is spilled between Nora and her sister is something I don’t want to see happen, as guildmaster and as someone knowing Nora. I’d hate it, but I don’t intend to forcibly stop Nora either.

If I use one of the two charges left on the Ring of Twilight, it’d be possible to return Angie into being human. But, neither Angie nor Paulsen wish for that to happen. Having said that, if Nora goes to Pelneet…she’ll naturally follow the scent of using a skill handed down in the Egbayn family, resulting in her getting in contact not only with Paulsen and Angie, but also my bloodkin…

If I leave things as they are without talking it over with her…

Nora might continue making a living by hunting down the vampires causing havoc in this area while investigating her sister’s whereabouts. It’s possible that it’ll take her so long that she finishes her life span as human without ever going to Pelneet. Moreover, she’s a human. No matter how excellent a vampire hunter she might be, and even if she got a holy sword with her, I think it’s quite likely that she’ll lose her life before even dying a natural death, if she takes on vampire groups and other monsters all by herself.

I’ve tried to make a forecast about the case of me leaving her alone without telling her the truth, but…the prediction that she’ll never go to Pelneet sounds a bit too convenient…

I worry whether I should keep her in the dark without showing my anxieties in the slightest.

While chatting with Nora, adding a smile every now and then, we advance through the shopping district near the wharf. I think the load carried on the pulley over there are wine barrels. There’s also many heavy-looking fish like salmon, alien-like big fish similar to eel goby, and frozen sea bream. Things like edible mushrooms are also stacked up on the sides.

I’m sure it’s because those mushrooms soaked in mellow bream extract must taste crazy good. I feel like I’ve heard someone cry out, “Whoa, delicious!”, somewhere.

There’s also many fishermen around. Sporadically I also spot slave dealers…the sigh of them leading around collared people is something I’ve seen here before as well.

…I can’t see any dark elves among the different races working around this port, including the slaves. As expected, Viine, who’s in the middle of her training in the Whirlpool Forest of Demonic Fog, was a rare case, I realize anew.

Well, there are some races with similar skin color among scaled people, so it’s also possible that I’m simply not recognizing dark elves, even if they’re present.

I check a flat-curtained stall with brand new wood boarding. I discover deep-sea fish I’ve never seen before swimming around inside a wooden box full of water. As they previously transported alien-like, big fish as well, I ask Nora whether these deep-sea fish are for sale.

“Yep, the white meat of Tattara tastes great.”

Is it a good fish to add to a hot pot cooking then? While daydreaming of that, I notice the abnormal amount of fish sellers around here, probably because Hekatrail has a connection to the ocean through the Heim River. That’s probably why some hidden 『Cooking Masters』 might be living here. It seems there also exists something like a 【Gourmet Food Society】.

While enjoying my date with Nora, we arrived at New Town. The state around here hasn’t changed from back when I visited it for the first time.

Children in shabby clothes, middle-aged folks with sharp glints in their eyes, and old women with strangely black teeth, are swarming towards a wealthy-looking peddler while lifting their hands above their head, as if asking for a blessing. In the past, they fought over food such as scraps of bread.

The completely limp Rashomon granny from back then is already… 1

Since I’ve become sad, I avert my eyes while walking on. Thereupon, the gate and bridge leading into Hekatrail come into sight.

How nostalgic…that huge bridge is still the same. Though I feel like more people are entering the fortress city than before. Maybe the political policies of the lord, Marquess Chardonnay, are good ones. Her subordinate Shark-san seemed quite capable, too. Besides, she got some more able hands at the Underground Auction.

Her having incorporated those slaves into her field staff is already showing effect?

Just like before, guards are standing watch at the hollows in the wall. But, I won’t cross that bridge yet. The new office of 【Remains of the Moon】 Mel told me about is in New Town which is spreading outside the fortress city. It uses the same mark as the ship we stole from 【Oil Shell Miguln】. She told me I’d immediately understand as soon as I saw it…

And, since I have the position of guildmaster so far as it goes, it might be a good idea to personally meet with the new hire called Sherry. Don’t tell me it’s the same Sherry I know…

Now then, before heading to the new office, I must talk with Nora. A beautiful woman who’s looking for her little sister, and I who know her whereabouts. I can’t ignore that. If she makes a single misstep, she’s going to head for her doom…

I’ll bet on her love towards her own family, and tell her the truth.

“…Nora, I’ve got something important to tell you. Do you have some time for me?”

“Yep, I’ve got plenty of time since I only need to visit the adventurer guild.”

“Okay, then let’s have a little walk.”

Being honest to Nora makes me feel slightly uneasy. After caressing Rollo’s head once to gloss over my anxiety…I look at Nora.

She’s staring in my eyes, curiously. I focus on walking while revealing a passable smile. The stench of a lower city, and a townscape making me fully aware of the unique flair of New Town. While feeling vague happiness and embarrassment with a mood of being on a date as Nora scans the street lining up with wooden houses, I walk on while glancing at her every now and then.

On the way, we stop at a veranda with a garden stone that indicates the address. After coming out on a street with light brown and white, vertically striped buildings, we take a right turn. We don’t pass through the gloomy road similar to an annular eclipse.

We walk through alleys while choosing bright places that are reflecting the light strongly. Above our heads flutters laundry. At the moment when we pass an alley with good ventilation and exit towards another big street…I look to the left and right, checking that there are just a few people.

Then I shift my eyes towards Nora.

“…Your little sister’s name was Angie, right?”

“Yep. Why suddenly such a serious look? Is something wrong?”

Nora appears to have been in a date mood. But her face quickly becomes as hard as stone. Her big eyes, reminiscent of a Hollywood actress, shake.

I summon my courage, “I met an Angie. And as far as I can tell, she’s your sister.”

“Eh? Really? Why haven’t you told me right away!” Nora fumes in anger while knitting her pretty eyebrows.

It’s only natural. I feel truly sorry about it.

“…Sorry, there’s a reason. I’ve been hesitating whether I should tell you or not.”

“…Serious black eyes… Okay, besides, I’ve been quite terrible in the past as well… I’ve caused you lots of trouble by attacking you arbitrarily. I went at it with such a force that I wouldn’t be able to complain even if you had killed me back then. I’m truly very sorry for back then.”

Nora seems to have guessed my feelings from my words and expression. She’s staring into my eyes, seemingly apologizing from the bottom of her heart.

I’ll also deal with it as any gentleman would do. Straightening my back, I concentrate on being polite while telling her, “Don’t mind it. However, as for what I’m going to tell you from now on, I’d like you to recognize it as something I’m telling you while considering you, Nora.”

“Huh?”

Her cheeks turn scarlet in an instant…but then she shakes her head as if to pull herself together. Seeing her acting so adorably…I carefully, boldly…

“…Your sister Angie is currently in Pelneet. But, there’s an important matter. It might shock you, Nora, but…please listen until the end.”

“She’s in Pelneet!? However, shock me…did something happen to Angie?”

Ugh, tears are running down Nora’s cheeks… Her frantic emotions are touching, and I reunited with her as soon as I came back to Hekatrail. It might be an effect from Bruuun-sama’s blessing, but seeing how I’ve got a mysterious connection with this beauty…I can’t act as if I don’t care or know anything.

“…Angie has become the of a vampire. That vampire is my subordinate. And I’m no normal human either.”

“…Don’t screw with me! I don’t get a single thing you’re saying!” Nora glares at me.

Other than her anger and longing, I can also sense an obvious, deep wound that won’t heal. Well, it’s a reasonable reaction.

“I’m not screwing with you. It’s the truth.”

“Why did my sister…why!? Shuuya’s subordinate? You’re not normal? I don’t get it. Do you plan to push me into the Heim River after getting me completely confused?” Nora asks bitterly.

While shrugging my shoulders, I answer, “I won’t do anything like that. Nora, you remember that you targeted me as a vampire before, right? I think you should know what that means.”

“…Ah, . But, you shouldn’t be a vampire…right?”

Nora is clearly shaken. However, probably from her experience as vampire hunter, she places a hand on the hilt of her sword peeking out over her shoulder.

Right now we’re talking at a place along the street, but she’s adopted a stance telling me, 『It’s possible for me to draw the sword on my back at any time without a care』.

“Yes, I’m no vampire. I’m of a race called Lucival, one that possesses both, light and darkness. I suppose, it means your was half-right.”

I give her a simple explanation of the permanent skill .

“No wonder that it was for the first time in my life. I was sure that there was no way for to fail. Holy water didn’t work either. But, for you to possess the light attribute as well…”

Nora’s big eyes tremble faintly. It looks like she’s recalling the past.

Alright, I guess I’ll use this place with few people around. If I show her this, I think Nora will believe me about the light attribute.

While gesturing exaggeratedly, I focus on the shoulder dragon, causing the dragon muzzle to suck up my dark-green protective clothing in an instant. Bending as if the surface with its silver colored branch patterns creates waves, the area at my chest opens up all the way to the collar, including the buttons and metal fixtures, and while transforming into a crookedly, long and narrow shape, it’s sucked into the shoulder dragon’s muzzle.

“Eh? Your clothes are gone? Oh, your left chest…”

Indeed, I’ve exposed my left chest for Nora to see. I’ve shown her the , the mark entangled crosswise by shining chains.

“This is proof of me having the light attribute.”

Exposing just one side of my chest feels strangely embarrassing. I love boobs. But, I don’t have the hobby of exposing my own flat breasts for a long time. That said, I focus on the shoulder dragon once more. Immediately following, the dark-green cloth fabric expands from the dragon muzzle, as if it’s spitting out what it sucked in moments ago.

First I completely cover the fist-shaped round hole on my left chest in the blink of an eye. Next, the fixtures and buttons, which overlap with sizes around as big as my thumbs, return to their original position, and lastly the pretty protective clothing with the dark-green, handwoven cloth and the branch design returns as well.

Nora looks back and forth between the shoulder dragon’s muzzle, and my left chest. Well, it’s the cloth armor I’m wearing. It’s reasonable for her to be surprised by the coat which looks like some high-class overcoat.

『Your Excellency, you’re not Tsuan, but you won’t pull off a suppaman, right?』

『…I felt like you’d make that very retort. Anyway, I won’t do that』

『Fufu, okay』

“…But, eh? Eh!? Are you possible the saint…from Azaya’s Sixteen Books?” She asks while flapping her mouth like a goldfish.

Saint, huh? With her reaction…I can imagine what’s going to happen in the religious state. I should stop showing this chest mark except for times when it’s necessary.

Also, I’ve also heard about the cathedral in the religious state before. I suppose it’s only natural for her to know well about the holy scriptures as a vampire hunter. That’s why her reaction towards the light cross was bigger than towards Hal’Konk’s special clothes.

“…To be honest, I don’t really know the details either, but I’ve heard about the existence of such books from my close aide. They might be related to me.”

I feel like my sixth finger has moved at the mention of close aide.

“That would be a discovery so big that it’d throw the entire religious state into chaos, but…the issue is Angie! Why into a vampire she was supposed to hunt…”

Figures. I should tell her the rest.

“Angie was saved by the vampire she chased in an attempt to kill him. Because that vampire shared his blood with her when she was on the verge of death, Angie is currently still alive as a vampire.”

I told her the truth. Now, I wonder which she’ll choose, her family business or her family member who became a vampire. Well, she’s a woman who loves Rollo’s pads. She won’t pick the alternative of hunting down her sister as a vampire hunter. She should pick her family member over that.

“…It looks like you’re telling the truth. So, what’s with the subordinate part?”

“It means that I’m the guildmaster of their dark guild.”

“Eh? The boss of a dark guild…that’s a surprise, but is Angie doing fine?”

“Yeah.”

“…Uuuuaaaaah.”

…She has been acting stouthearted, bottling up various emotions, but now they’ve broken free. Nora crumbles to her knees.

“…Uuh, even though I’ve been protecting the family business and searching for my little sister… What…what should I do?” She relies on me while sobbing.

As if watching over here, I curtly answer, “Angie is alive,” but I say it with the intent of insinuating several meanings.

Hearing my reply, Nora becomes dumbfounded with her eyes hollow like a dead fish, but…little-by-little, small sparkles keep getting born in her eyes as if I’m witnessing the birth of new stars and gems.

“…Yeah, you’re right――” Even while shedding jewel-like tears, she speaks up powerfully, stands up with a force of pitching forward, and hugs me.

“Angie…I’m truly happy…”

I still feel like various emotions are jumbled up in her expression as she talks while looking up to me, but I can properly sense a power dwelling in her eyes. Nora has chosen her family over her family business. It’s because she loves her sister.

Possessing such a mental fortitude, Nora seems to shine. I’m very happy, but for the time being…

“…Angie is a vampire’s , but no killing each other even if you meet up, okay?”

“I know…did you think that I might choose my family business?”

“…No, I believed that you’d choose your sister.”

“Fufu, that smile is charming, you know? Are you breaking the hearts of women like that?” Nora asks with upturned eyes and flushing cheeks.

The touch of her chest is soft. This means…it’s fine to switch over to horndog mode! Is this a revelation by Bruuundozuu-sama for me, the heaven-sent child of ero magic?

“Rather than breaking hearts, I simply like women――” I extend my arm while maintaining a dignified appearance.

I return the arm that touched Nora’s hair to her back while gently combing some strands of her hair with my fingers so as to fix her hair. On that occasion, her ear gets exposed, and her slender nape becomes visible.

“Ah…” Nora breathes.

She looks embarrassed, and then she casts down her eyes, apparently feeling nervous. Her ears are also as red as an apple, clearly telling me how embarrassed she is.

The white earrings on her ears seem to twinkle even more beautifully thanks to the contrast between red and white.

“…Shuuya.” Nora looks up to me once again.

She bashfully stares at my lips. And then, with a slight delay, our eyes meet. I perceive a strong desire deep in her eyes. From thereon I silently act in concert with Nora’s feelings, naturally overlapping my lips with her small ones.

Translation Notes:

- Rashomon is a novel and movie. You can google it.