"So this is the house where I'll live?"
"You like it?"
Touka's staring at the house in front of her. With a trembling voice, she asks that, a bit stunned by what she sees.
Takagi Mansion is located in a high area of the city, on what appears to be a small hill, being the only massive structure there since its grounds are incredibly extensive.
The location of the house Mrs. Yuriko bought for Touka is in the lower area, right at the edge of the Takagi family's property line, which means technically Touka and I are neighbors.
It's a two-story house with modern design, but it looks much bigger and more spacious than her previous house before it was destroyed.
It has a large front and back yard, surrounded by walls. It also has trees, a flower garden, and a small pond.
"It's... it's too big. Are you sure it's okay for me to live here?"
I shrug with a smile.
"Of course it's fine. It's all taken care of."
In fact, Mom said this house and land is mine, so I can do whatever I want with it.
She bites her lip.
"But your mom knows I'm a ghoul, right? Isn't that dangerous for me?"
Mrs. Takagi and Saya are humans, so from Touka's perspective, they're dangerous since they could report her to the CCG. With everything I did for her, if that were the result, then it would've been a useless effort.
However...
I shake my head.
"Mom Yuriko won't tell anyone about you. Trust me on this. And as for Saya, despite her age she's pretty smart. Even if she knows you're a ghoul she won't say anything as long as you're not a bad ghoul. Hell, she's already accepted me knowing what I am."
Touka looks at me with a more relaxed expression.
"Saya sounds like a good girl from what you tell me."
"She is. I'll introduce you someday when we get the chance."
With a smile, I say those words.
That day came much faster than I expected, and I didn't even have the opportunity to introduce them properly.
It's the Sunday of the following week when everything gets complicated.
×××
Sunday morning...
I buy several new video game consoles and visit Touka at her new house. I know she seems to like video games since when we played together, she smiled.
Well, actually she only had a few old games on her previous console. Now that she lost her old console and her few video games when her house was destroyed, I decided to bring her three different types of modern consoles and dozens of games I liked.
Turns out the video games I knew in my past life also exist in this world, which is great.
Plus, the technology is also pretty advanced here, and doesn't look exactly like the Hellsing, Tokyo Ghoul, or Highschool of the Dead anime, where technological advancement is more behind compared to reality.
"What are all those devices?"
Touka comes out to greet me at her door and asks that curiously.
She helps me carry all the boxes I brought up to her room on the second floor.
As expected of Touka, her room doesn't have many feminine decorations despite being a girl. Rei's room for example is painted pink and has lots of typical girl stuff everywhere. But Touka, aside from collecting some small rabbit figures and bunny-shaped stuffed animals, doesn't have many decorative things.
While I put the main console on the low table, I turn to her.
"I know you like video games, and I love them too. That's why I bought these consoles so we can play together again."
Saya doesn't find video games very appealing since she prefers strategic board games or just reading books. That smart twin-pigtailed girl...
Rei likes video games a bit, but she's given up on playing them because she's terrible at them and often gets so frustrated she wants to pull her hair out. She enjoys taking both Saya and me to play outside at the park more. At least she's a normal girl.
So the only one left is Touka, who not only likes video games but is also good at them.
Touka nods, understanding.
"I see, makes sense. Still, aren't these things expensive? I don't want you spending so much money on me."
"Won't deny they're expensive. But you don't have to worry about that. My adoptive family is pretty rich now, hehe..."
Though I say that, I actually spent my own money I got doing questionable things.
I found some dumb parasites while out hunting at night a few days ago. Two men and two women heading to an expensive hotel.
When I mentally extracted information from them, they told me they were going to the hotel to reproduce.
Curious about how humans reproduce?
Well, these creatures are increasingly integrating into human society using their incredible adaptability.
They looked like normal humans when I found them walking down the street. If it weren't for the mental beep that sounded in my head, alerting me there were parasites in the area, I wouldn't have paid them any attention.
They're terrifying when you think about it from normal humans' perspective.
"Hey, Touka. Do you know how to play Super Smash Bros?"
I pull out a disc and wave it in front of Touka's face.
"Huh? What's that?"
"What?! You don't know the most epic game of all time? Completely unacceptable!"
I jump up and hand her the console controller.
"Come on, over here. I'm going to show you the fighting game where you can brutally beat your enemies and launch them off screen in the most satisfying way possible."
She grabs the controller.
"I don't understand anything you're saying."
We sit together on a large cushion on the floor.
—Sniff! Sniff!
Smelling the air around me a bit, she pinches her own nose with her finger while looking at me and purses her lips in disgust.
"Why do you have that strong smell on you? Did you bathe in perfume to come here?"
I scratch my neck while entering the game menu.
"It'd be bad if you smelled my actual current scent without any kind of cover."
"Why?"
"If before you already found my smell attractive, then now you'd surely want to devour me on the spot."
"Huh? Is it really like that? Don't be stupid!"
With flushed cheeks, she no longer pays attention to my comment, and soon we both start playing the game.
Touka quickly adapts to the controls and seems to like the game while occasionally teasing me by launching me off screen.
While I watch her smiling slightly, I glance at her sideways and sigh in relief.
It's good that Touka is now smiling from time to time again and not worried or tense like she was all last week.
I don't blame her for how she was after the CCG attack. But I'd like her to continue living in peace and happiness.
"Ugh! Seriously, you need to get rid of that awful smell. My nose is constantly itching."
Touka finds a moment to complain about my smell while drinking hot coffee.
I was going to refuse, but when I think about how Touka might react to my real vampire scent, the idea amuses me.
"Can I use your shower?"
"Please, use it. Get rid of that disgusting smell."
With her permission, I enter the bathroom and shower, making sure to remove all traces of the perfume I sprayed on before coming.
Last time I'd also put on perfume, so she'd never smelled my new fragrance.
When I come out of the bathroom and approach the living room, I see Touka who's still playing alone, suddenly freeze.
She sniffs the air with her eyes slowly opening, and turns toward me.
Her cheeks gradually turn red, and heavy breathing sounds escape her nose.
"Is-is this... is that your real smell now...? Hah... Hah... It's such a tempting smell."
Seems like it's driving her crazy.
I sit next to her smiling.
"You asked for it, so you'll have to deal with it now."
"D-deal with it? Impossible!"
She leans toward me and smells me better while her hot breath caresses my neck.
I remember she's told me several times she wants to eat me, but also sometimes tells me she doesn't want to eat me because it's disgusting. She's half a tsundere.
Still, this time her blue eyes shine with hunger, and she can't stand the tempting meal sitting before her anymore.
"You're a vampire now, right? So it's okay, right? Taking a bite shouldn't be much since you can regenerate quickly, right?"
Realizing the logic of her own words, she opens her eyes wide and nods repeatedly.
"That's right! Thinking about it that way, then you're an unlimited source of meat."
×××
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At 400 Power Stones, I'll drop a bonus chapter.