Chapter 14: Confrontation

"Well, well, I'm glad to see you two are enjoying yourselves."

I thought this peaceful time would last forever, but I heard a third person's voice, whose cheerful words were accompanied by a chilling tone.

"Senpai..."

"Good evening, Tohno-kun."

Turning around, I saw Ciel-senpai standing there, wearing a cassock. She was smiling as always, but it was a different smile than the one she shows at school. Yes, it was the smile of a predator who has found its prey.

"Good evening to you too, Yumizuka-san."

Her eyes weren't smiling at Yumizuka at all, and the recipient of the greeting flinched, her shoulders trembling, and she instinctively hid behind Arcueid.

Could it be that Ciel-senpai intends to execute Yumizuka as a vampire this time, just like on the night she fought Nrvnqsr Chaos?

If so, I won't let her.

Because this very scene, the three of us being together like this, is what I desire. If she says that's wrong, then I will deny it, even if she is my Senpai.

"Senpai—"

“Honestly, Tohno-kun, you were the talk of the school, you know? It's quite unexpected that you're such a playboy, running around with two girls in the dead of night.”

"Huh!?"

I reached for the knife in my pocket, ready to confront her, but I was taken aback by the sudden, out-of-the-blue comment Senpai made.

No, no, wait a minute. Running around with girls... well, it might technically be true, but why is it a rumor at school?!

"Tohno-kun, didn't you know? Today, there was a rumor at school that you were seen roaming the night with a beautiful blonde and a cute-looking girl."

I couldn't help but look at Arcueid and Yumizuka.

It’s true, now that I think about it, the blonde, red-eyed Arcueid has a striking appearance, and the precision of each of her features—her nose, the size of her eyes—is high; she is overall complete. If someone asked who the most beautiful woman in the world was, I would choose the one in front of me, not Cleopatra.

Yumizuka, on the other hand, doesn't have as flashy an appearance as Arcueid, but her facial features are well-balanced and meticulously put together. If Arcueid is a beauty, Yumizuka is more of a pretty, sweet-looking student her age than a bijinga (beautiful woman).

What would people think of me, wandering around late at night with these two?

—I'd look suspicious as hell, or maybe even like a heartbreaker on a double date.

... If Arihiko finds out, he might punch me.

"Did you come just for idle chatter? What an effort to come all the way to this tiny island nation in the Far East, Executor."

Arcueid spoke. The usual carefree air in her voice was gone, replaced by a stinging edge.

"Oh, I was just acting a little like Tohno-kun's senior from school. Even I need a bit of leisure time as a human being—though that might be irrelevant to you, a vampire."

"Oh really—?"

A cold air pricked my skin. The murderous intent emanating from Senpai and Arcueid clashed, creating a hostile atmosphere. After a moment of tense, prickly silence and glaring, Ciel-senpai spoke.

"Well, it's a warning, a warning, primarily to Tohno-kun. Yes, you are currently in a very dangerous situation."

"M-Me?"

I was surprised by the unexpected focus on me.

"Are you familiar with the term 'vampiric impulse,' Tohno-kun?"

"Vampiric impulse?"

I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term.

"The vampiric impulse is, essentially, a strong urge for a vampire to drink blood. Vampires must drink blood as a price for their privilege as a transcendent species. They can usually be satisfied with just a blood pack, but when their life is in danger, they are overwhelmed by the urge to drink blood, even if it means killing the person in front of them, just like Yumizuka-san, who once killed me."

Senpai casually glanced at Yumizuka. Senpai didn't harbor any resentment, but Yumizuka awkwardly averted her gaze.

I understand what Senpai is saying, but—

"But, Senpai. If that's the case, shouldn't we just try to avoid such dangerous situations?"

If that's all it is, then I—no, the three of us—just need to cooperate.

But why is Senpai talking about this? If fighting Roa itself is dangerous, we four, including Senpai, whose objective is the same, should just fight together.

"I see, there's some truth to that, Tohno-kun. However, you seem to have misunderstood, as I wasn't finished. The one I want you to be more cautious of than Yumizuka-san is actually the True Ancestor, Arcueid Brunestud."

"Huh, Arcueid?"

Again, I was taken aback by the unexpected answer and stammered out the words.

"Arcueid, no. Beings called True Ancestor Vampires are different from normal vampires; they should never drink blood."

"Never drink blood? Even though she's a vampire?"

A Kyuu-Ketsu-Ki (blood-sucking demon) that doesn't suck blood. What is this contradiction? Come to think of it, while Yumizuka did drink blood, I've never once seen Arcueid drink it.

"A True Ancestor is closer to a Nature Spirit (Elemental) than a vampire. They were beings that surpassed humanity in every aspect, but they had one flaw."

She paused, then continued.

"That is the vampiric impulse, the urge to drink blood. Its strength is no longer something that can be suppressed purely by the mind; the majority of a True Ancestor's abilities are dedicated to its suppression. Once a True Ancestor drinks blood, the agony of the subsequent vampiric impulse multiplies. True Ancestors who couldn't withstand this urge became indiscriminate bloodsuckers and turned into Demon Lords, unbeatable by humans—she was once the executioner, no, the weapon against such Demon Lords, until she fell victim to a certain human's scheme."

It was hard to believe. I knew Arcueid possessed inhuman strength, but I never imagined she had the role of hunting such non-human beings. And when Senpai said, "until she fell victim to a certain human's scheme," could it be...

"Yes, that human is Roa, the vampire causing trouble in this town. That man forced Arcueid to drink his blood, and while he became a powerful vampire himself, she went berserk and annihilated almost all the True Ancestors. Moreover, she should have known, having been killed by you once, Tohno-kun, Arcueid Brunestud. You are a cracked glass that must either fall into eternal sleep or take your own life to suppress that vampiric impulse."

Ciel-senpai's stern gaze pierced Arcueid. It can't be true. There's no way Arcueid only has the choice between eternal sleep or taking her own life. So, Arcueid, deny it with your usual carefree smile—

"That's not—"

But reality was cruel. Although her mouth uttered a denial, the girl in front of me wore a look of anxiety and despair that didn't suit the usual Arcueid.

"I see," she said.

Then you can react to a move like this, can't you?

With that, Senpai lunged at Arcueid like a bullet. In the instant a surprised "Eh?" escaped Arcueid, she was sent flying by Ciel-senpai.

"Wha—!?"

I finally reacted when Arcueid rolled away, kicking up a dramatic cloud of dust. Yumizuka also couldn't react and was sent flying as Arcueid was knocked into her.

"I'm surprised. I expected her to be weakened, but not to this extent."

Senpai muttered coolly, still holding the posture of a retracted punch. Before I could get angry about what she did to Arcueid, I was struck by the terror of her attitude, which was not just calm but even seemed cold as she effortlessly sent a person flying.

"Get away from Tohno-kun, vampire. The games are over, Arcueid Brunestud, and Satsuki Yumizuka."

She drew a throwing knife-like weapon from her robe and pointed it at the two. It seems Senpai is doing this for my sake, but she hasn't listened to a word I've said. Seriously, everyone tries to move things forward by excluding me.

"I've heard enough! Stop this, Senpai!"

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

Senpai froze and shifted her gaze to me. Her blue eyes held no playfulness, only a coldness without the slightest gap.

"Senpai says this is for my sake, but I want to be with them of my own free will. If Senpai still says no—I have my resolve too."

I took out my knife and held it up. I hadn't removed my Mystic Eye Killer glasses. Although I said I had resolve, I knew I ultimately couldn't kill Senpai.

Senpai said she came to this town to defeat Roa. So, the fact that I recognize Ciel-senpai as my Senpai is probably a false memory. Nevertheless, Ciel-senpai is still my Senpai, and I can't kill her.

"...How shallow. It's true you possess remarkable physical skills and can wield your Mystic Eyes, but do you really intend to stand against me—an Executor, the Seventh of the Burial Agency, and the one bearing the nickname 'The Bow'—with just a single knife?"

A pressure comparable to Nrvnqsr's assailed me. In this moment, the relationship between Senpai and me was not that of a school senior and junior, but one of a fight to the death.

No, that's not right. It was a relationship of predator and prey; the predator was Senpai, and the prey was me. Cold sweat erupted, and my stomach cried out from the overwhelming pressure.

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

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

Silence flowed as neither of us spoke a word. We stood there, staring at each other without moving, but Senpai was the first to act.

"Haa, I never expected Tohno-kun to be so stubborn. I thought I had told you to stay out of this before."

She dropped her shoulders and sighed.

"Senpai... I mean,"

"I apologize for being so sudden, Tohno-kun. However, if the True Ancestor goes berserk, the first one to become a sacrifice will be you, the one closest to her."

She put away her weapon and continued to speak.

"Besides, Tohno-kun doesn't have to enter this world. You can leave everything, whether it's Roa or anything else, to people like me. You should go back to the world of the sun, the world of people, not this darkness. And yet—"

"And yet you still choose to be with the two of them?" Senpai asked. I had known the answer from the start, and there was no hesitation.

"Yeah, that's what I intended all along."

"...I see. Then I will leave the final decision to you, Tohno-kun. It's not my place to say this, but I hope you do your best and have no regrets."

The conversation is over, she seemed to imply, as Senpai turned her back and walked toward the park exit. I turned around to the spot where the two should have been rolling—but, wait?

"Arcueid? Yumizuka?"

No one was there, only the faint tracks of disturbed dirt proving someone had been there. Damn it, where did they both go?!

"Tohno-kun, Arcueid ran towards the east side of the park and then passed out. She was probably shocked to hear the truth about the vampiric impulse and fled, but collapsed halfway due to her weakened state. Yumizuka-san went to get water for her just now."

With her back still turned, Senpai pointed east and calmly stated what she had seen.

"Thank you, Senpai. You really are the kind Senpai I know."

"Kind? No, I'm just being weak. Besides, this is just meddling, like fat on a body. Now, hurry up, you should go to those two."

With that, Senpai left without ever looking back. She was self-deprecating, but I was happy that she was the Senpai I knew, in the end.

Now, I'll go to the two of them—