"Do you… want to drink my blood?"
The moment Arthur's words fell, Moka Akashiya's eyes widened.
Her face betrayed her shock.
Though surprised by his proposal, she couldn't help but feel her heart stir.
The thirst grew stronger.
Her reason strained to suppress the primal instinct, leaving her almost in pain.
"Why…?"
She looked at him in confusion.
To let a vampire drink your blood—
based on everything she knew about humans, it made no sense.
"The reason is simple. I want to be your friend."
Arthur smiled warmly, his voice earnest.
"We've only just met, but I think you're someone worth trusting.
And right now… you look like you're suffering.
If drinking a little blood can make you feel better, then I don't see a problem."
He paused, then added with a playful tone:
"As long as you don't suck me dry."
"…Friend…"
Moka repeated the word softly, eyes trembling.
I want to be your friend.
Those words echoed again and again in her ears.
She had spent three years hiding her identity, attending a human middle school.
And in all that time, she hadn't made a single true human friend.
Always alone.
She hated that loneliness—
hated it so much she had begun to resent humans altogether.
She had already planned to transfer to a school created for monsters.
The only reason she didn't push Arthur away was twofold:
First, he clearly didn't hate monsters.
Second, that inexplicable hunger for his blood pulling at her from within.
Even agreeing to this walk… had been because she wanted to stay near him a little longer.
But to hear him say he wanted to be her friend…
Her heart leapt with a joy she couldn't put into words.
For a moment, the thirst itself receded.
Her emotions tangled like a ball of yarn, too many at once, leaving her unable to react.
She could only stare at him in a daze, eyes sparkling faintly.
Her lips curled upward unconsciously, a soft smile blooming across her face.
Seeing her expression shift, Arthur's grin widened further.
The two locked eyes.
A peculiar atmosphere rippled silently in the night air.
"Go ahead. I don't mind."
He tilted his head, lightly tapping his exposed neck with his hand.
"Arthur…"
Her emerald eyes gradually bled into crimson.
Her aura shifted—
like she'd become a different person.
She didn't waste words.
In a blur, she leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Arthur lowered his head slightly.
Moka opened her lips, fangs elongating, and sank them into his skin without hesitation.
Chuuuu…
A shiver ran down his spine.
No pain, only a ticklish sensation.
He could feel his spirit-infused blood flowing into her eagerly.
At the same time, he saw her pink hair begin to streak with silver—
like someone had painted highlights through it.
"…This…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Was she in some kind of overlap between her outer and inner selves?
Not quite. Something else.
Ten seconds later—
Her half-red eyes blinked.
The silver in her hair receded in an instant, returning to pure pink.
"Ah!"
She gasped, pulling away abruptly, cheeks aflame.
Taking two hurried steps back, she stood fidgeting, unsure what to do.
Her gaze darted everywhere but him, yet kept sneaking back.
Each time their eyes met, her heart thumped wildly—
like a small deer ramming around inside her chest.
Arthur chuckled softly, touching the spot on his neck where she'd bitten him.
Not a mark remained.
She had drunk nearly half a liter of his blood, yet he felt no discomfort at all.
Even another half would've been fine.
Only about one percent of his spiritual energy had been drained—
and that would recover quickly.
Suppressing his stray thoughts, he looked at her again and smiled.
"Moka, I think that makes us friends now, doesn't it? After all… you've already had my blood."
"…Are you serious?"
Moka's eyes widened, her expression conflicted.
Hope and anxiety swirled in her gaze.
"Of course I'm serious."
He nodded firmly, then added with a teasing grin:
"But if you don't want to be my friend, then forget I said anything."
"No! I—I do!"
Afraid of being misunderstood, Moka rushed to explain.
"I just… I was worried you'd care about what I am.
At school, I've been around humans for three years.
None of them even believe monsters exist.
They even hate talking about the subject."
"…I see."
Arthur nodded in understanding, then smiled gently.
"Relax. I'm not like the others.
If I cared about you being a monster, I wouldn't have let you drink from me in the first place.
So then, my very first monster friend—please take care of me."
He extended his hand with a smile.
"Please take care of me…"
Her eyes shimmered with joy as a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
She reached out with her soft hand, clasping him firmly.
At last—she had a friend.
Her first human friend.
Their hands clasped, their gazes locked.
Looking at him, she felt not just joy… but something subtle, unfamiliar, stirring in her chest.
The Compendium's notification chimed in Arthur's mind, making his smile curve higher.
To light up an entry, one only needed to forge a bond—
friendship, romance, kinship.
So long as both sides acknowledged it sincerely, the entry would activate.
Hostility worked too, of course.
In that case, either reconciliation… or death.
But with Satania and now Moka, friendship had sufficed.
He didn't rush to check the new entry.
Instead, he looked down at their still-linked hands and teased with a smile:
"Moka, I don't mind… but are you planning to hold my hand forever?"
He could feel her faint grip tighten, as if she didn't want to let go.
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