"What agreement?"
As soon as Arthur spoke, Akashiya Moeka blinked in confusion.
The last time Akua Shuzen had asked to speak with Arthur alone, she hadn't asked what they talked about.
Now, curiosity shone in her green eyes.
Yotsuya Miko and Tohru were just as puzzled, their faces showing open curiosity.
Arthur smiled lightly and said,
"I made a seven-day pact with her—asked if she wanted to become one of my followers. She's come early to give me her answer."
"Eh…"
Moeka, Miko, and Tohru all froze slightly at his words.
A flicker of surprise—and something else—passed through their eyes.
Miko felt a tiny pang of jealousy rise automatically… but it faded as quickly as it came.
She had already accepted this part of Arthur long ago.
Tohru blinked, but didn't seem particularly bothered.
After all, there's an order to things—
She had joined this family, not to break it apart.
And Arthur had been upfront with her from the start—telling her plainly that he was a womanizer.
As long as he cared about her, liked her, that was enough.
A powerful being having multiple companions—
That was only natural.
Survival of the fittest was a law of nature.
As for Moeka, she wasn't jealous either—only shocked that Arthur would be interested in her big sister, Aiya.
They'd only met once, right?
So… love at first sight?
If Arthur could've heard her thoughts, he would've nodded without hesitation:
"Love at first sight—well, more like lust at first sight."
"..."
Meanwhile, Akua Shuzen's crimson eyes flickered in surprise at how bluntly Arthur had spoken.
Her gaze drifted toward the three women nearby—
and her heart couldn't help but stir in disbelief.
None of them objected!
Was Arthur's charm really that strong?
Her eyes returned to him, studying his face once again.
Exquisite features, perfectly defined.
Neat brows, long dark lashes.
Those sapphire-blue eyes seemed to hold the entire night sky—
deep, mysterious, entrancing.
A perfectly shaped nose, high and elegant.
Lips full and red, curling slightly upward in a faint, confident smile.
The whole of him looked like a masterpiece carved by a divine artist in a moment of pure inspiration—flawless and magnetic.
And beyond his looks, that aura of unfathomable strength and mystery pulled her in even further.
She found herself… a little dazed.
Noticing Aiya's reaction, Miko, Moeka, and Tohru exchanged glances.
Miko smiled first.
"We'll head upstairs. You two can talk. Good night."
"Good night, Kobayashi (Shiro, Sister Aiya)," said Tohru and Moeka in turn.
The three of them, as if having reached a silent understanding, turned and went upstairs.
"Good night," Arthur replied, pleased by how perceptive they were.
Aiya snapped back to herself, realizing how she'd been staring—and blushing at the thought that she'd just been ogling him.
A faint red dusted her fair cheeks.
"And your answer?"
As the other three disappeared up the stairs, Arthur turned back to her, his tone calm but firm.
"I… I've decided to accept."
Her soft red lips parted as she spoke, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her skirt, eyes shy and trembling.
"Come here."
Arthur's lips curved with quiet satisfaction as he beckoned her closer.
Aiya's cheeks flushed a deeper red, her blood-red eyes trembling faintly.
Nervous and bashful though she was, she still obeyed, walking slowly toward him.
"Sit here."
Arthur patted his thigh.
"!!"
Aiya's eyes widened slightly in shock.
After a brief hesitation, she forced down her embarrassment and shyly straddled him.
Her skirt, which normally covered her knees, now barely hid half her thighs. Her pale, smooth legs were completely exposed.
Arthur's arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer—until they were nearly pressed together.
Seeing his handsome face so close, Aiya held her breath, heart pounding wildly.
Without a word of hesitation, Arthur lowered his head and captured her lips.
Dominating, direct, fierce.
Aiya's crimson pupils trembled, her eyes wide in startled shyness—
frozen like a wooden doll, completely at his mercy.
When he finally let her go, Arthur activated the power of the King's Retainer—
the golden authority.
Thanks to Moeka's earlier feedback, he now understood that this golden power could amplify a person's innate potential.
Under its influence, Moeka had already begun to sense faint stirrings of her True Ancestor power awakening.
It would take time, of course, but the process had begun.
Apparently, the golden power could even strengthen bloodlines—
the more unique one's blood or constitution, the greater the gain.
Every person's results would differ.
As Moeka had once explained, every vampire possessed the latent potential to evolve into a True Ancestor.
It was simply an incredibly difficult process.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been only two True Ancestors in the history of the Demon Realm.
Two and a half minutes later, Arthur finally released Aiya, whose eyes were closed, her cheeks flushed crimson.
"Aiya," he said softly, "feel your bloodline—see if anything's changed."
"Huh?"
Her mind still blank, Aiya blinked dazedly, her expression unfocused.
Arthur repeated himself patiently.
"O-oh… right."
She nodded quickly, blushing again, and closed her eyes to sense within.
"Eh?!"
Her eyes snapped open moments later, shining with delight.
"I can feel it! My bloodline—it's getting stronger!" she exclaimed. "The increase is small, but it's steady. Over time… it could evolve into True Ancestor power!"
"As long as it keeps rising like this…"
Her voice trembled with joy. Her blood growing stronger meant her power was growing too.
So Arthur hadn't lied—he really could help her reach the level of a True Ancestor.
It would take a long time, but it was no longer just a fantasy.
Seeing her elated expression, Arthur smiled faintly.
"That's one of the special effects of my power."
"Your… power…"
Her crimson eyes flickered. Only now did she notice the strange warmth at her lower abdomen—
and her blush deepened even further.
Why… there of all places?!
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Now then, you can ask me the questions that have been on your mind."
"Once those are answered—tomorrow, you'll take me to the Demon Realm."
"The Demon Realm?!"
Aiya blinked, startled.
Arthur nodded. "Your grandfather, Alucard, has his eyes on Moeka. I'll need to remove that potential threat myself."
If trouble existed, best to eliminate it early—
no need to let it fester.
"…"
Aiya's eyes grew complicated.
She didn't have much affection for her grandfather…
But still, he was her family.
One side was her grandfather.
The other—her husband.
Oh, and said husband happened to have a little sister too.
When she thought of it that way—
This multiple-choice question didn't seem all that difficult after all.
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