And so, a few hours after lunch, they strolled unhurriedly down the main street.
Yue, normally expressionless, now looked oddly satisfied. She walked with her arms hanging loosely at her sides, as though she carried an extra plate of food in her belly.
"You okay?" Yuu asked, glancing at her.
After all, she'd eaten a lot for someone so small.
"Mm… I'm full."
"That means you liked it, right?"
"Mm… everything was delicious…"
She'd clearly enjoyed the food of this world. She hadn't let go of her chopsticks for a moment, examining each dish with bright eyes before tasting it.
Still, her gaze now furtively drifted back to his neck.
Yuu didn't need to read her mind. He'd felt it.
"You said you were satisfied—why are you staring at my neck now?"
"…It's just…"
Yue looked away, a bit embarrassed.
The food here was undeniably tasty. Yet Yuu's divine, endlessly regenerating blood was in a league of its own. No comparison—his lifeblood was the most exquisite dish she'd ever tasted.
She remembered every moment she'd bitten his neck and drunk his blood. Each time, her body had warmed, and rapture had overwhelmed her senses. That was why her cheeks had turned rose, and she couldn't help rubbing her legs together. Suddenly, she'd wanted to attack Yuu again and drink his blood!
As she wrestled silently with that frustration, something in their surroundings caught her attention. Yue halted abruptly.
"What… is that?"
She pointed at a pastel-colored cart. Inside, a woman was dispensing white, spiral-shaped ice cream into cones. Children and adults alike stood in line.
"Ice cream," Yuu said, taking her hand. "We haven't had dessert yet, have we?"
"Dessert?"
To a vampire from another world, it seemed like an unfamiliar word—probably they used a different term for sweets.
"You'll see."
With that, he purchased two cones and handed her one.
Yue took it with both hands. The cone looked huge compared to her. Watching others lick their ice cream with joyful expressions, she shyly followed suit, extending her tongue to the tip.
"Cold!"
She shivered and recoiled slightly. But her eyes sparkled like a child trying something sweet and wonderful for the first time.
Despite the tingling of her tongue, she licked again. And again. And again.
"So you like it?"
"Mm… delicious…"
Yuu smiled, satisfied.
Then, as she continued licking, he simply lifted his cone and shoved the whole thing into his mouth.
"…Huh?"
Yue stared at him in astonishment.
"Why did you do that…?"
Wasn't ice cream supposed to be licked like children do? Or did adults eat it another way?
"Hmm? It's more delicious this way," Yuu replied, cheeks full as he chewed and swallowed.
"…"
Yuu watched her with interest. He knew exactly how Yue worked—she had that odd tendency to copy everything he did.
She opened her mouth and bit into her cone in one go. Her mouth was too small, so only half fit before she forced herself to swallow it down.
A second later…
"…Nngh…!" She squeezed her eyes shut. Tiny tears welled at the corners. A brain freeze hit her like an ice knife.
Yuu doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"Pfft—Ahahahaha! I knew it! Hahaha!"
"…Yuu, you're evil!" Yue, still teary-eyed, puffed out her cheeks and pounded his chest with her little fists.
"You tricked me again! Yuu loves teasing me…!"
Yuu didn't defend himself. He simply leaned down, mussed her hair with his free hand, and patted her head.
"You should learn not to copy everything I do."
"…"
Yue didn't reply. But as they walked on, still holding their cones, she crept up and bit his arm.
"That was your punishment…"
"Punishment? I'm not sure I'd call it that. And hey, don't play innocent… I know you sucked my blood too!"
"…Hmph."
Yue ignored him. Yet when she licked her cone again, her expression was even happier—though her cheeks remained puffed.
"Let's explore the city some more first."
×××
After a long wander through Kuoh's streets, the sun was halfway across the sky. It was midday.
Yuu and Yue found themselves sitting at a small ramen shop on a corner, where the scent of broth blended with the hum of passing people.
Yue held the bowl against her chest, curiosity in her eyes.
"Mm… this is different too."
"Yeah. Ramen." Yuu picked up his chopsticks and gently stirred the noodles. "It's hot, so be careful. Oh, and it might be a little spicy."
She nodded. She watched him take a bite, then copied him. She lifted her chopsticks carefully—this time without dropping anything—and tasted the broth first. Then a noodle.
"…Mm."
"Good?"
"Delicious."
Yuu's lips curved upward as he watched her enjoy it.
After they'd had the last sip of broth and left the shop, they walked a bit further down a quieter street. Yue still had a small sparkle in her eyes; eating and strolling seemed to have become her new pastime.
That's when Yuu said:
"Hey, Yue. How would you like to enroll in school?"
"Mmm… is that an organization?"
"It's a place where boys and girls go to learn things."
"What things do they teach? Magic…?"
"No. While there are supernatural beings at school, they don't teach magic. From the start, human society isn't aware of our existence."
"By the way, I go there every day. Though I only started yesterday—and today I already skipped…"
Yue blinked dramatically. She stopped and looked him in the eye.
"Yuu too…? Why does a god like you study?"
And in an ordinary mortal school, where there was no magic curriculum.
"Well, I do it to find suitable followers."
'…Though I should take that more seriously.'
After all, he thought he'd get better results if he were proactive in recruiting.
Yue studied him, tilting her head.
"Mm… If Yuu studies, then I want to do it too."
She wanted to be with him.
"Of course. I'm not leaving you behind." Yuu smiled.
"Then let's go to the academy. There are people there who can help enroll you."
"Mm."
He knew exactly whom to approach.
And with that, as sunlight glinted off the asphalt and people passed by unaware, the two of them vanished.
Without anyone noticing, Yuu and Yue teleported from the street toward Kuoh Academy.
×××
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