The night air felt normal again after that psychic storm subsided. The streetlights reflected a yellowish glow, illuminating Raku's face as he still sat on the asphalt. He looked at the two figures in front of him—Saiki, kneeling with a trembling body, and the woman in a red-black dress who had just opened her eyes.
Raku swallowed, then spoke softly, almost in a whisper.
"...I'm sorry for troubling you. I... I really didn't know what to do."
His expression was full of regret, his innocent black eyes lowered. There was a sincere sense of guilt, even though he himself did not fully understand what had just happened.
Saiki lifted his head. His body was still trembling, not only from exhaustion, but because the shadow of that memory still clung so vividly, as if his very bones could still feel the tremors of that Big Bang explosion.
With difficulty he stood, his eyes half-closed.
"...Next time, I won't get involved." His breathing was heavy, his words bitter. "This is... an impossible domain."
Without waiting for an answer, Saiki simply vanished with his teleportation. As usual, no greeting, no small talk.
Raku fell silent, confused, not knowing what to say. But his attention quickly shifted to the woman before him.
That black-and-red dress still fluttered lightly. The dark aura that had been wild was now extinguished, and the woman looked at her own hands, her face holding a deep shock.
She whispered, hardly believing it.
"No need for a ritual... even my body has been regenerated... and returned to its full form."
The figure now stood gracefully, her long golden hair reflecting the streetlight. She was Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade—yet in a perfect state, as if every wound of the past had been erased in an instant.
Raku lifted his face, a little nervous.
"Why... did you bite me so suddenly?"
The woman lowered her head, her eyes regretful.
"Forgive me... I wasn't conscious then. I was just... thirsty for blood. But your blood—that is... an anomaly."
She clenched her fist, her voice sounded confused.
"It should be impossible for my body to recover completely at once. But your blood... restored me entirely, even returned my full power."
Her eyes looked straight at Raku, full of seriousness.
"My name is Shinobu Oshino."
Raku replied simply, without hesitation.
"I... Ichijou Raku. I don't know why you could be like that... but I... am experiencing amnesia."
Shinobu jolted slightly.
"Amnesia?"
Her gaze changed, as if trying to pierce Raku's soul. Her expression grew a little serious, and even her childish look vanished at once.
"...Strange. Your soul... is fragile. Not normal. Like cracks that shouldn't be there."
Raku gave a faint smile, a smile more like resignation.
"I don't know. Even the goddess Amaterasu only gave me a blessing... without telling me who I really am."
Shinobu frowned. She stepped closer, sharpening her vampire senses.
"I can sense... a slight divine aura in your body. But this is not an ordinary blessing. If it were just a blessing, my body would burn a little, and your blood would be poisonous to me. But this..." She widened those golden eyes. "...is different."
Raku let out a long sigh.
"In that case... I'll go home first. My father might worry if I come home too late."
His tone was flat, calm, as if what had just happened wasn't anything strange.
Shinobu looked at him in disbelief.
"...Just like that? After all this?"
But Raku only shrugged lightly, as if it were trivial.
Shinobu fell silent for a moment, then let out a small snort.
"In that case I'll come along. If possible... I want to stay at your house. Consider it... repayment. I will protect you."
Raku turned quickly, his eyes widening.
"Huh!? Stay at my house? I... I don't know whether my father will allow it or not."
Shinobu gave a faint smile, the expression of an ancient vampire.
"Of course I will negotiate. Besides..."
Her body suddenly dimmed, then plung! vanished into Raku's shadow.
Raku started.
"Huh!? Where did you... go?"
He looked down, touching the asphalt beneath his feet. Only cold and hard, nothing different.
Suddenly, from that shadow, Shinobu's head emerged, her face peeking out with a mischievous smile.
"It's useless to touch it. I've already merged with your shadow."
Raku straightened up, his face a mix of confusion and resignation.
Shinobu added lightly, "Let's go. The night is getting late."
Raku could only let out a long sigh, his steps feeling heavy.
"...Father will definitely think it's strange again... After gods, angels, now a vampire..."
He walked slowly toward home, his shadow stretching under the streetlights—and within it, Shinobu followed with a faint, mysterious smile.
The large gate of the Ichijou residence slowly came into view as Raku approached. From inside, he could already hear the low commotion of Yakuza voices as if engaged in a small argument. There was the sound of clattering dishes, then quickly hushed by Ryunosuke's firm voice.
Raku sighed. "It feels like this house is never truly quiet," he muttered as he pressed the bell by the gate.
The mechanical sound of the bell was heard. Not long after, the heavy wooden sliding door opened, revealing Ryunosuke's usually cold face, which now looked worried instead.
"You've finally come home, Bocchan…" he said in relief.
Raku bowed his head slightly. "I'm home. Earlier I just came back from school with Onodera-san… then came straight here. There was a slight disturbance, but no need to worry. I want to talk about something with Father."
Hearing that, Ryunosuke immediately straightened up, his demeanor returning to stiff and respectful. "Very well, follow me. The Master is waiting."
Raku was led inside through the long wooden corridor. The scent of warm tea and tatami lingered. In the main room, Issei was sitting casually on a zabuton, a cup of tea in hand, his face looking calm as usual.
"You took quite a while to come home, Raku. What is it?" Issei asked, his gaze sharp but not oppressive.
Raku sat seiza in front of him. "This afternoon… I wanted to look around the city. But for some reason Shu and Ruri pushed Onodera-san to go with me, saying it was so I wouldn't get lost."
Issei's brows lifted slightly, then a teasing smile appeared. "Hooo… so an afternoon date."
"Huh? Does that count as a date?" Raku reflexively turned in confusion.
Issei chuckled, his laugh deep yet warm. "Hahaha… I thought there was a big problem. Turns out it was a date."
Raku scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually… there's more."
Catching the change to a more serious tone in his son's voice, Issei leaned forward slightly. "What is it?"
Raku took a deep breath. "On the way home, at night… I met a little girl. Her hair was golden, her face pale, her walk staggering. I thought she needed help. But when I approached her… she sucked my blood."
The room fell silent at once. Only the sound of the teapot, now nearly cold, could be heard.
"A vampire." Raku continued, his voice flat. "But… she said she wanted to atone for her mistake. She said she would stay in this house and protect me."
Ryunosuke tensed. The Yakuza underlings behind the sliding door whispered to each other in shock. Even Issei, who was usually always calm, for the first time was at a loss for words for a moment.
Suddenly—a small laugh echoed. "Fufufu… hahahaha. I didn't expect the reaction to be this amusing."
The shadow behind Raku moved. From it, a figure slowly emerged, as if unraveling from the darkness itself. An adult girl with golden hair, a worn dress yet an aura of nobility.
"Shinobu Oshino, Ancient Vampire." She introduced herself with a faint smile. "I am interested in this child… because he is an anomaly. From now on, I will be at his side. At times I need blood, but not as often as you fear."
Ryunosuke stood frozen, his eyes widening. The other Yakuza choked up, one nearly dropping the cup from his hand.
Issei stared at Shinobu for a long moment, then exhaled heavily, pressing his fingers to his temple. "Can you protect my son? He still has amnesia. I cannot allow him to become prey. And I will not permit you to drink his blood as often as you please."
Shinobu bowed her head slightly, her demeanor calm but firm. "Of course. I will protect him. And don't misunderstand— I do not need human blood every day. But his blood…" her eyes flicked briefly to Raku. "…is different. His blood contains an anomaly. Not merely ordinary nourishment. It allows me to appear in this form."
Issei only stroked his beard, his face carrying the weight of thought. "So… even my son's blood is strange. It seems his amnesia truly isn't something ordinary."
He let out a long sigh, then gave his decision. "Very well. Do not cause a commotion in this house. Prioritize Raku's safety. That's all."
Shinobu nodded lightly. "Understood."
Raku stood slowly, his eyes a little heavy. "In that case… may I return to my room? I want to relax. I feel very tired."
Issei glanced at him for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "Alright. Go rest. Fortunately, school is off tomorrow."
"I'll be going then." Raku bowed and walked toward his room. Shinobu followed slowly behind him, her shadow merging again with the darkness of the corridor.
Ryunosuke watched Raku's back recede, then whispered to Issei. "Is Bocchan really alright? He looks calm… but in reality, a Vampire literally emerged from his own shadow."
Issei only let out another long sigh, staring at his tea cup that was beginning to cool. "It seems it's not just 'almost.' I have a feeling… there will be more. The supernatural seems to be taking an interest in that child."
Silence closed over the main room, wrapped only in the ticking of the wall clock.
Elsewhere—
Saiki Kusuo had just closed his bedroom door with telekinesis, his body still shaking violently. He immediately collapsed onto the bed without taking off his uniform.
"Tch… a peaceful life… impossible. Now… even in the future."
He covered his face with a pillow, trying to sleep. But the image of Raku's face, the vampire's laughter, and that strange premonition still haunted him.