"So that's how it is."
After listening to Arthur's explanation, Akashiya Moka suddenly understood.
So that was the reason.
She hadn't known any of this before.
Then, with a curious look, she asked, "By the way, Arthur, are there a lot of evil spirits in the human world?"
"Fairly many," Arthur replied after a moment's thought.
Moka blinked her large eyes. "And are they really as terrifying as the stories say?"
Arthur chuckled. "They look scary, yes. But for us… it's just appearances."
"That does make sense."
Hearing that, Moka nodded in agreement. Even though she had never seen an evil spirit, as a top-class vampire she didn't believe she would be afraid.
"Um, Arthur…"
Suddenly, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes flickered nervously, and she looked at him with a mix of expectation and shyness.
"Go ahead, just say it," Arthur said, smiling at her hesitant expression.
Moka bit her lip. "Could you… let me drink your blood one more time?"
Her voice grew smaller and smaller.
She couldn't even keep her gaze on him, her fair face growing redder by the second.
She was clearly embarrassed.
But before she looked away, Arthur had already caught a faint flash of crimson in her eyes.
It was Inner Moka at work.
'Outer Moka.'
'Inner Moka.'
Two sides of Akashiya Moka's personality.
Strictly speaking, Inner Moka was the real one. Outer Moka was a protective persona created after the seal, with most memories shared between them.
And Outer Moka… was actually very similar to her mother, Akasha.
Looking at the way Moka lowered her head in bashful cuteness, Arthur hesitated for a moment, then smiled.
"Alright."
"Really?"
Moka lifted her head, her face lighting up with pure joy.
"Mm." Arthur nodded with a smile.
"Thank you, Arthur!"
Before the words even finished leaving her mouth, Moka leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.
A faint sweet fragrance surrounded him.
Her instincts took over, her silver-and-pink hair brushing against him.
Her lips parted, her fangs lengthened.
And smoothly, she leaned toward his neck.
But the moment she bit down—she realized her fangs couldn't pierce his skin.
Wait, what!?
"Eh???"
She lifted her head, staring at him blankly, wide eyes full of question marks.
Yesterday she was able to drink easily. How come not even a single day later, she suddenly couldn't?
"Hold on."
Seeing her confusion, Arthur paused, then realized something. With a small smile, he closed his eyes.
His body had already been reforged into a perfect vessel to match his undying soul.
Though his fair skin looked no different from an ordinary person's, its toughness was beyond imagination.
He wasn't sure how strong it truly was.
But he had a hunch—it could probably tank a nuclear blast without killing him.
Maybe at worst, his clothes would get a little dirty.
Of course, just a guess.
Seeing him calmly close his eyes, Moka's gaze flickered.
Her thirst for his blood was still there, but now it mixed with another strange emotion swelling inside her.
After a moment, Arthur opened his eyes again.
"Alright," he said with a smile.
At his words, her eyes flashed red again. This time she didn't hesitate, leaning in toward his neck once more.
Her lips parted, her sharp fangs pierced.
The instant the first drop of blood entered her body, her green eyes turned a deep wine-red.
Like blood-crystal gemstones.
Her pink hair instantly shifted into flowing silver-white.
"Hm?!"
Noticing the sudden change in her, Arthur's brows furrowed slightly, surprise flashing in his eyes.
This was Inner Moka!
And she had emerged without the seal being undone.
Unexpected indeed.
But then he remembered: this was the crossover multiverse. Strange things he didn't understand were bound to happen.
So he didn't dwell on it.
In his senses, more than blood, it was his inner energy being drawn out of him.
About fifteen seconds later—
Still in Inner Moka's state, she finally stopped drinking.
Pressing her hands against his shoulders, she straightened up.
Their eyes met.
"You…"
Just as Arthur was about to speak, her next action froze him in shock.
Inner Moka's lips curled slightly.
She lifted his chin with one hand—
—and kissed him.
"What the—?!"
Arthur's eyes flew wide, stunned and disbelieving.
He had just been forced into a kiss!
His "first kiss" in this life had been stolen!
As he came back to his senses, just when he was about to fight back, Moka suddenly reverted to her Outer state.
"Mmm!!!"
Outer Moka's eyes flew wide when she realized she was kissing Arthur, her face burning scarlet.
Her body froze stiff as she stared at him in a daze.
Arthur wanted to retaliate.
But facing the innocent, embarrassed Outer Moka, he suppressed the urge.
After all, debts had owners.
Inner Moka, you dared steal my first kiss—if you've got the guts, come out and face me! What's the point of hiding?
That thought flashed through his mind.
Arthur gently pushed Moka away and smiled.
"I'll go wash the dishes. After that, I'll take you home. Tomorrow's Monday—you've got school, after all."
From their earlier conversations, he knew she had just started high school, same as him.
Though not at the same school.
"Okay…"
Coming back to her senses, Moka blushed as she nodded, unable to meet his eyes.
If she remembered correctly… she had just kissed him first.
Oh no, how could this happen!
As Arthur's figure disappeared into the kitchen, Moka subconsciously raised her hand to her lips.
Her first kiss—was gone.
Her heart was in turmoil.
Shyness, joy, anticipation…
All positive feelings. Not a shred of rejection.
Clearly, she was happy it had been Arthur.
In fact… she even wanted it to happen again.
That had only been a brush of lips—nothing more.
Thinking of that made her cheeks grow even redder.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen—
Arthur's mind kept circling back to what had just happened.
Before, when Moka drank his blood, it had been a state of coexistence between Outer and Inner.
But this time, she had fully become Inner Moka.
And yet, it wasn't like the seal had been broken.
Could it be that his transcendent body and the powerful energy in his new blood allowed Inner Moka to manifest temporarily?
If so…
Typical of cold, domineering Inner Moka—she had the audacity to steal his first kiss.
Sure, he hadn't really lost out.
But the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
A part of him wanted to rip off her rosary seal right now, drag Inner Moka out—
—and kiss her back with interest.
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