Chapter 331: Everyone in Prison is a Talent and Speaks Pleasantly
"You're quite impressive, little brother~"
Seeing the blond vampire dragged back to his cell by the Chains of Restraint, Gigliola's eyes sparkled. She quickly took a few steps forward, pressing herself against him with a coquettish charm.
But Mahiro sidestepped, evading her.
Gigliola, having missed her target, shot him a resentful glare. kds
"Why are you avoiding me, little brother? Don't you like someone like me?"
Her voice was so seductive it felt like an electric current shooting from the soles of one's feet straight to the heart.
Anyone who heard it would likely curse her in their mind as a shameless flirt.
But Mahiro remained unmoved. "Sorry, as I said before, I don't like prostitutes."
"Hehe, that's fine. I like you, little brother."
As she spoke, the woman lunged again, only to be dodged once more by Mahiro.
This time, however, she wasn't annoyed or embarrassed. Instead, she seemed inexplicably more infatuated.
Her gaze, so intense it felt like it could melt, sent a chill down his spine. He quickly stepped back, changing the subject:
"Miss, I don't like being called 'little brother.' My name is Yotsuba Mahiro. Please address me by my name."
"Yotsuba Mahiro, giggle... What a lovely name."
The woman covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, then took a few graceful steps toward him, stopping half a meter away. She smiled elegantly.
"In that case, I should introduce myself properly. As you've heard, I am Gigliola Ghirardi, a direct descendant of the Chaos Princess."
As she spoke, a faint blush spread across her cheeks, and the irises of her eyes turned crimson.
Staring at Mahiro's pale neck, she swallowed hard, her expression filled with longing.
Her gaze was like that of a predator eyeing its prey, making Mahiro deeply uncomfortable.
"What do you want?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Haha, newcomer, that woman naturally wants to drink your blood," someone suddenly spoke up, answering for Gigliola.
"It's the unique bloodsucking impulse of vampires. Vampires drink blood when they're... excited, meaning she's taken a liking to you."
Meiga Itogami adjusted his glasses, explaining like a seasoned scholar, though a hint of mischief flashed behind his lenses.
He seemed to be looking forward to this scene, or perhaps to how Mahiro would react. ds
After Meiga finished speaking, Gigliola gazed at the young man before her with watery, shimmering eyes. She felt as if she were already completely drenched, pleading for him to let her take a sip.
"Please, little brother, just let me have one sip."
Seeing his indifference, Gigliola's tone grew more pleading. Her intuition told her that if she could just taste this boy's blood, she might gain the power to escape this prison.
Not only that, she genuinely, deeply liked this little brother, to the point where she wanted to devour him completely.
This was a feeling she had never experienced before, not even when she had connected with European nobles as a prostitute.
"Don't worry, little brother. I know what you're concerned about. Although I'm a prostitute, I only engage in bloodsucking. My body has never been touched by a man..."
Gigliola spoke with such sincerity that even she herself was moved.
She took another half-step forward, pressing her voluptuous body closer to Mahiro, rising on her tiptoes as she leaned toward his neck.
"Sorry, your personal life is none of my concern, and I don't like having my blood sucked."
Mahiro coldly rejected her. At the same time, his eyes, locked with Gigliola's, suddenly took on a crimson hue. In the center of his pupils, a circular magic circle formed from obscure, indecipherable characters appeared as he activated a hypnotic spell.
Instantly, Gigliola felt her mind grow hazy. She lost control, stumbling forward and collapsing straight onto the floor, sinking into a deep, sweet slumber.
Mahiro made no move to catch her or pick her up. Instead, he stepped over her, walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
The others at the table looked at him with expressions ranging from shock to bewilderment.
The shock came from his ability to hypnotize a vampire so effortlessly. After all, Gigliola was no minor figure, far surpassing that trashy blond vampire.
The bewilderment, however...
"I never expected you to refuse a vampire's request to drink your blood. Do you really not know what that means? Or are you completely ignorant about demon clans? I'm starting to wonder why you were locked up in the Gigafloat Management Corporation's prison in the first place."
Meiga Itogami looked at him with pity.
"I'm not interested," Mahiro shrugged, then countered, "Do you want her to drink your blood?"
"Haha, I'm not interested either."
Meiga answered frankly, without a hint of embarrassment.
The only person he loved, and could ever love, was the deceased Attack Mage, Fujisaka Touka.
She was his heart, and he would never betray her, no matter what.
Mahiro could see the memories and affection surfacing in the man's eyes, but to avoid being blindsided by a sudden dose of romantic sentiment, he interrupted Meiga's thoughts.
"Earlier, you asked why I was locked up in this prison. Honestly, I don't know either. I just woke up here."
"If you didn't commit a crime, Natsuki Minamiya shouldn't have arrested you," Meiga adjusted his glasses again, his gaze growing more inquisitive.
"If kissing a little girl counts as a crime, then I suppose that's it."
As soon as Mahiro said this, the room erupted in laughter.
Many nearly doubled over with laughter, and even the seemingly most refined Meiga couldn't help but chuckle.
Getting locked up in a prison for kissing a little girl?
How absurd!
Everyone here had committed heinous crimes—whether attempting to overthrow the world or destroy something—and describing them as utterly wicked wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Well, except for that useless blond vampire who had been beaten to a pulp.
Perhaps someone thought of that blond, as a tentative voice asked:
"Was the little girl you kissed... Natsuki Minamiya?"
"If you're referring to the black-haired loli in the sanctuary hall, then yes, that's her," Mahiro shrugged nonchalantly.
The moment he said this, all laughter ceased abruptly.
Everyone looked at him as if they had seen a ghost. Some even subtly gave him a thumbs-up, admiring his bravery.
He had done something many had wanted to do but couldn't.
No wonder he had been thrown into the prison as punishment.
"Did you really kiss Natsuki Minamiya? That's the Witch of the Void, the creator of this prison. How did you even get close to her?" Meiga sounded skeptical.
He admitted that Mahiro's physical strength seemed to surpass that of a beastman.
But who was Natsuki Minamiya?
All of them were trapped here, powerless to resist. How could an 18-year-old boy like him possibly get close to that witch?
"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
Mahiro shrugged helplessly. "Anyway, when I woke up, I saw a little girl and couldn't resist kissing her. Then she woke up, waved her hand, and tossed me in here.
Although he omitted some key details, this was essentially the truth.
"You're beyond saving."
Meiga was now convinced that Mahiro was telling the truth. He looked at him with endless pity, as if saying, "You're brave, a real man, but you're done for, brother."
The others also stared dumbfounded at Mahiro, as his story perfectly matched Natsuki Minamiya's likely reaction.
However, the black-haired girl in the twelve-layered kimono, who had been quietly occupied with her own affairs, had stopped at some point. She lifted her head, her gaze lingering on him with a mix of surprise and something inexplicable.
"Hey, old-timer. You seem to know a lot about Natsuki Minamiya. Do you think there's any way to get her forgiveness?"
Mahiro deliberately leaned closer to Meiga and asked.
Seeking forgiveness was just an excuse; gathering information was his real goal.
Although he remembered parts of this world's plot, he had almost entirely forgotten the settings, given that Strike the Blood was a work with incredibly complex lore.
The jumble of messy things in it was almost encyclopedic.
Most importantly, he needed to know which point in time he was in. Since Meiga Itogami was here, it meant this was at least seven years before the main story began.
After Fujisaka Touka's death, Meiga Itogami had slaughtered many Attack Mages from the Lion King Agency, which was why he was imprisoned here.
However, Meiga misunderstood his intentions and kindly explained:
"Actually, the person who knows Natsuki Minamiya isn't me, but the witch in the opposite corner—Tokoyogi Aya. She and Natsuki Minamiya have an unresolved history of love and hate."
Meiga spoke softly, ensuring only the two of them could hear.
His gaze shifted to the corner, where a beautiful girl sat alone.
Dressed in a twelve-layered kimono as dark as ink, she seemed to envelop everything like an endless night. Her graceful figure was completely concealed, exuding an air of mystery.
The Dark Observer Who Rewrites the World
『The Witch of the Notaria』
Tokoyogi Aya
Hearing Meiga's words, Mahiro's gaze shifted as well. He noticed she happened to be observing him, and her beautiful face offered him a lazy smile.
"That's Tokoyogi Aya. It's said she and Natsuki Minamiya were once close friends. But five years ago, they had a dispute and fought due to differing ideals. Natsuki Minamiya personally imprisoned her here—"
Meiga whispered, slowly recounting the events of five years ago.
At that time, Tokoyogi Aya, questioning the existence of magic and demon clans, took the "Dark Oath" from the LCO's secret archives and activated it on the Gigafloat Management Corporation, causing significant damage.
If supernatural abilities were erased in a Demon Sanctuary, the entire island would sink into the sea, killing all 560,000 inhabitants.
So Natsuki Minamiya, only sixteen at the time, stopped Aya and imprisoned her in the "Prison Barrier."
But Mahiro wasn't concerned with that. What caught his attention was "five years ago."
As far as he knew, the main story began ten years after the Dark Oath incident. That meant there were still five years until the story's start.
A lot could be done in five years.
For example, thoroughly researching this world's Familiars and Angels.
Seeing him lost in thought, Meiga looked at him with slight sympathy and added:
"Honestly, I don't understand why she did something like that."
Because it was inherently contradictory. Tokoyogi Aya was a witch herself. If supernatural abilities were erased, wouldn't she revert to an ordinary human?
What would all those years of dedication to magic mean then?
"It was merely a small experiment to prove that it is not us witches who are cursed, but the world as it is now—that is why I did it."
Tokoyogi Aya suddenly stood up, her slender figure slowly approaching Mahiro and Meiga. A pleasant, melodious voice escaped her lips.
"Do you believe the current state of this world is correct? A world where humans casually use magic, and vampires and werewolves walk openly—do you think that is right?
I have always wondered: whether magic or sorcery, were they not originally mere figments of human imagination?
And a world without such things—is that not the true form of this world?
My ally, Natsuki Minamiya, has suffered greatly at their hands. They belittle and exploit us witches—"
Her calm voice was like a stone dropped into water, creating ripples.
Perhaps she felt inferior about her identity as a witch, resenting how the world scorned and used her.
Thus, she harbored a desire to change everything.
"Haha—while none of the monsters in this prison are normal, you, Tokoyogi Aya, are undoubtedly the craziest," Meiga said with a refined smile.
Tokoyogi Aya tilted her head slightly, her beautiful cherry lips curling into a smile. She didn't elaborate further, instead turning her attention to Mahiro, who had piqued her interest.
Someone who appeared ordinary yet possessed strength almost capable of breaking the prison, and who had even kissed her former friend Nayue—this was truly fascinating.
She knew Natsuki Minamiya's personality well and would have loved to see her expression at that moment.
"Speaking of which, you wish to understand Natsuki Minamiya. Like me, she is one of the witches. You probably despise and fear witches, don't you?" Tokoyogi Aya suddenly leaned in, whispering softly to him.
A faint, pleasant fragrance enveloped him, refreshing and soothing.
But at her question, he showed a strange expression.
"Why should I fear? Why should I despise? We are all beings walking this earth, prisoners trapped within this world. Are you witches not also two-armed and two-legged, rather than three-headed and six-armed?"
His words left Tokoyogi Aya speechless, and she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
Prisoners trapped within this world?
A meaningful glint flashed in her beautiful eyes.
"But speaking of which, if you understand Natsuki Minamiya, could you tell me more about her?"
He wanted to get closer to this Witch of the Notaria, and using Natsuki Minamiya as an excuse was likely the best approach.
But Tokoyogi Aya didn't seem to fall for it.
"It's useless. The only thing you can do is wait quietly in prison for her anger to subside. If she doesn't forgive you, you'll have to stay here with us forever. Hehe, your treatment is much better than hers! As the key to this prison, she must abide by her witch's contract, remaining alone in this barrier for eternity!"
As she spoke, her pretty face once again took on a cynical expression, her calm tone tinged with resentment for her friend's stubbornness.
The so-called Witch of the Void, or Natsuki Minamiya, served as the prison's warden, its door, and its key.
Essentially, the Prison Barrier was the name of the magic used to seal away vicious magical criminals—she was the only one who could use it. The Prison Barrier was a magic sustained by Nayue, which was why her true body remained here.
"In other words, Natsuki Minamiya is like the warden of this prison," Mahiro remarked lightly.
But this only provoked Tokoyogi Aya's displeasure.
"It's not like that at all!"
Her emotions suddenly grew agitated, her voice filled with anger, even a hint of gritting her teeth.
"You don't understand witches at all. A witch is another name for a woman who has made a contract with a demon.
Through their guardian, who is a demon's familiar, they can wield power akin to that of demons.
Witches possess human bodies yet can harness magic rivaling that of high-ranking demons. Their magical abilities even surpass those of the highest-tier mages.
However, making a contract with a demon comes at a price.
What Natsuki Minamiya must do is continuously seal this vast, hollow prison, alone, until her death!
That is the curse bestowed upon her by the demon. Guarding this prison is the contract she made with the demon!"
After saying this, Tokoyogi Aya realized she had become too emotional and instantly returned to her calm, placid demeanor.
The others were used to this. They had seen her scold Nan Gong Na Yue for being stupid countless times.
Only Mahiro fell into deep thought.
Although he understood the relationship between Tokoyogi Aya and Natsuki Minamiya, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything Aya had done wasn't to overthrow the world but rather to save her foolish friend?
Hmm, I sense a faint fragrance of lilies here."
But Meiga seemed to misinterpret his thoughts, patting his shoulder lazily.
"Relax, Natsuki Minamiya has a strong sense of justice. She won't impulsively imprison someone insignificant for no reason. In a couple of days, she'll definitely toss you out of here."
"No, I'm not in a hurry about that. I find staying in prison quite interesting. After all, all of you here are talented, and your conversations are entertaining. I don't mind staying."
Hearing his words, everyone was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
Even Meiga found him an interesting character.
With freedom so wonderful outside, how could he find prison more interesting?
But one thing Mahiro said was true: everyone imprisoned here was indeed exceptionally talented.