Residence — first floor, living room.
Akua Shuzen sat astride Arthur's lap. As he lazily kneaded the smooth skin of her thigh, a soft blush crept up her delicate face.
Her hands clutched tightly at her skirt hem.
Her brows trembled slightly, her eyes hazy with shyness, body faintly quivering.
Forcing down the strange sensations surging through her, she bit her lip softly and asked in a whisper,
"Was that Fujisaki Masa really my grandfather—Alucard?"
It was still hard for her to believe.
Although he hadn't admitted it outright, neither had he denied it.
And his attitude at that moment had been tacit confirmation.
"That's right," Arthur replied calmly, his hand still moving as he leaned back on the sofa.
Then, smiling faintly, he explained,
"As far as I know, when the Three Underworld Kings defeated Alucard and sealed him away, he split his soul—creating a clone. That clone carried his full intelligence, memories, and personality, allowing him to hide his identity and move unseen."
"He became the Masked King, and later founded that organization you know as Fairyland."
"I see…"
Realization flickered across Akua Shuzen's eyes.
"But… how do you know that?" she asked curiously.
Something like that should only have been known to Fujisaki Masa himself.
He wouldn't have told anyone.
Even the Three Underworld Kings probably didn't know—otherwise they would never have allowed him to roam free.
So how could Arthur possibly know such details so clearly?
Arthur smiled mysteriously. "Have you forgotten who I am?"
"Huh?"
Akua Shuzen blinked in confusion.
Then the words from that night between Arthur and Fujisaki Masa flashed through her mind—
Arthur called himself a psychic, a bearer of royal authority, and even… a god.
Suddenly, she understood.
"Any more questions?" Arthur asked lightly.
"…None for now." Akua Shuzen shook her head, still a bit dazed.
"In that case, it's time to sleep," Arthur said meaningfully, smiling faintly.
Then, without warning, he slipped his hands beneath her soft hips and stood up.
"Ah—!"
Akua Shuzen gasped, eyes trembling.
Her arms instinctively looped around his neck, and her legs tightened around his waist.
She clung to him like a koala.
Her whole body flushed hot, her heart racing at the thought of what was about to happen—shy, nervous, and a little bit afraid of the unknown.
Arthur's lips captured hers.
Without even looking at the path ahead, he carried her out of the living room and toward his bedroom.
A flicker of his psychic will—
—and the lights on the first floor went dark.
…Ten thousand words omitted…
Day turned to night, and night gave way to dawn.
Before long, the morning sun rose in the east.
Arthur gently laid the utterly exhausted Akua Shuzen back on the bed.
Then he raised his hand, casting Sky Magic upon her.
"Mm~ hmm…"
A soft hum escaped her lips.
The dullness in her eyes slowly faded, color returning to her cheeks as strength flooded back into her limbs.
In no time, she was lively again.
She was, after all, a powerful vampire—not only rich in demonic energy but also possessing an exceptional physical constitution.
Her recovery was astounding.
Blinking, Akua Shuzen sat up, pulling the blanket over her chest.
Arthur sat beside the bed, watching her with a faint smile.
"So tell me, Ai—why did you come looking for me ahead of schedule?"
He already had a suspicion.
After all, he had cast the bait himself.
Hearing his question, Akua Shuzen froze for a moment, then her face turned bright red. A flicker of embarrassment crossed her eyes.
After hesitating a little, she admitted softly,
"It's… because of the tomato juice you gave me."
When she returned to the Youkai Realm, she hadn't been able to resist taking a sip on the road—and ended up drinking half the bottle.
Even rationing it carefully, she finished it by the third day.
On the fourth day, she tried to drink the stored blood packs she had saved.
But they tasted awful.
No matter how she tried to force herself, her whole body rebelled the moment the smell touched her lips.
It was like someone who had once tasted fine delicacies now being forced to eat plain gruel. She couldn't stomach it.
After two days of that hunger gnawing at her, every cell in her body screamed, I want it.
After long hesitation and weighing her options—she finally gave in and came to the human world to find Arthur.
"So that's it."
Arthur's lips curled upward.
Exactly as he had planned.
That "tomato juice" had been his bait—and the fish had taken it.
He smiled. "Actually, that tomato juice had a drop of my blood in it. That's why it tasted so different."
"Your blood?!"
Akua Shuzen's eyes widened in surprise, realization dawning.
No wonder it had that unique metallic sweetness—the unmistakable taste of blood, and not ordinary blood at that.
She had suspected as much for a while now.
After all, she'd long felt a strange craving for Arthur's blood.
"Do you want to drink my blood?" Arthur asked, voice low, laced with teasing.
"I do… I want it!"
Her eyes sparkled with desire as she looked at him, a wave of longing rising unbidden from within.
"Then come," Arthur said, patting his neck lightly.
They were all his vassals, and as he'd said before, he treated them all equally.
As long as they were sensible, he had no reason to play favorites—harmony in the harem depended on it.
"…Alright."
Akua Shuzen gazed at him, her eyes filled with tenderness so deep it could melt steel.
Someone once said—after a night of true intimacy, a woman's heart changes completely.
For Akua Shuzen, Arthur had become her pillar, her dependence.
Now that he was offering his blood, she took it as an act of affection—proof of sincerity.
Especially considering how their relationship had started off… less than pleasant.
Overcome with emotion, she threw herself into his arms. Taking a deep breath, she opened her red lips against his neck—
—and with a soft chu, her fangs sank in.
As Arthur's blood entered her mouth, her body trembled slightly, waves of electric warmth surging through her veins.
It was like rain falling upon parched earth.
A rush of unparalleled satisfaction flooded her every nerve, every cell cheering in ecstasy.
After a full minute, Akua Shuzen finally released him, looking content and fulfilled.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, smiling teasingly.
"You sure drank a lot just now. Woman—your name is Greed."
"!!!"
Her face instantly turned crimson, her eyes shimmering shyly.
But then a thought struck her.
Worry flickered in her gaze. "Wait—you're okay, right?"
She wasn't sure how long she'd been drinking, only that it had been… a lot.
"I'm fine," Arthur chuckled, touching his unmarked neck. "Now get up. After breakfast, we're heading for the Youkai Realm."
The day was only beginning.
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