The 7th of the Month of Light. Tomorrow was the day of my date with Alice—a date that had been hastily scheduled after my memory lapse was discovered during our time in the Hydra Kingdom.
Even though she was almost always with me as my guard, it felt a bit ticklish to have a formal date, but the main highlights were supposed to be a luxurious lunch and dinner.
Since I’d labeled it as "luxurious," I couldn't exactly settle for our usual yakiniku. However, as a commoner whose understanding of high-end cuisine didn't go much further than "French food," I couldn't think of any specific restaurants when the time came to actually choose one.
In the end, I’d spent a few days after returning to the Kingdom of Sinfonia asking Lilia-san and the others for recommendations. Thanks to their help, I managed to secure a place for tomorrow. With that settled, I had headed out today on a separate errand.
"……Right, that should be enough. Thank you, Miyama-kun."
"Oh, are we finished?"
At the words of Fia-sensei, who announced the completion of the blood draw with a bright smile, I rolled my sleeve back down.
This was the blood donation I’d promised for Noah-san’s anemia treatment. Fia-sensei had said that I only needed to let her draw blood once a month on whatever day suited me, so I had visited the clinic today since my schedule was open.
Apparently, the blood was better when fresh. Whenever I sent a Hummingbird to notify her of my visit, Fia-sensei would also contact Noah-san.
Fia-sensei took the blood she had drawn from me, poured it into a container that already held some other blood, and began to mix them.
"Ah…… A-Are you mixing it?"
"Yes. It would be a problem if things ended up like they did last time. I’m going to dilute it a little."
"No…… Even though I wanted to savor Miyama-san exactly as he is……"
"……Noah-san. Please, try to watch how you phrase things."
Noah-san protested the dilution of the blood, but her expression and tone were strangely seductive. She had a petite build, but perhaps because she was a widow, her blushing sidelong glance carried an incredible sense of allure. It made my heart throb in a way that was hard to ignore.
Moreover, she was showing much more skin than when we last met. I had no idea why she had chosen a skirt with such a high slit; as a healthy man, I was desperately struggling to find a safe place to look.
"A-Anyway, Noah-san’s compatibility with Miyama-kun’s blood is just too high, so I can’t give it to her straight."
"……Is high compatibility a bad thing?"
Feeling strangely awkward, I asked about Fia-sensei’s comment to try and shift the mood.
Why was high compatibility bad? I wondered if it was like medicine—where a dose that’s too strong ends up being harmful.
"……Ah—no, well, you see," Fia-sensei started.
"Yes?"
I had asked out of pure curiosity, but for some reason, Fia-sensei’s expression clouded over. Her eyes wandered for a moment before she let out a sigh and spoke.
"……Well, for a vampire, the act of drinking blood is linked to, uh, 'sexual excitement.'"
"……Eh?"
"Noah-san is a half-vampire, so that doesn’t usually happen unless the blood is exceptionally compatible…… but since your blood is too compatible, Miyama-kun……"
"……I-I see……"
I understood what Fia-sensei was trying to say. I also understood why she had been so hesitant to explain it.
To put it in very extreme terms, my blood was essentially an aphrodisiac for Noah-san. If she didn't drink it diluted, she would lose her self-control just like she had before.
……Wait, Noah-san is aware of that, isn't she? Was that why she was giving me those incredibly suggestive looks?!
Far from shifting the mood, I became even more conscious of the situation. Feeling deeply awkward, I stole glances at Noah-san as she sipped the blood from the cup.
Our eyes met occasionally, and she would give me a gentle smile. It was so embarrassing that I had to keep looking away.
"……Haa, as expected, Miyama-san’s blood is delicious. But I still wish it were thicker and more viscous…… I want to savor Miyama-san all on his own."
Why did this woman keep using such misleading language? Was she doing it on purpose? It had to be on purpose, right?
"Oh, that’s right, Miyama-kun…… Here, take this."
"Eh?"
"It’s not much, but it’s a token of my gratitude."
"Eh? N-No, I don't really need any money."
Fia-sensei held out a small bag that likely contained coins, but I reflexively turned it down.
"No, no, you’re helping with a medical treatment, so I have to compensate you properly."
"No, I’m only doing this for Noah-san because she’s a friend…… If I start taking money, it’ll feel like I’m only doing it for the pay……"
"I-I understand your feelings. But if I don't pay you, I won't be able to rest easy……"
"N-No, really, I'm fine. Besides, in the world I came from, blood donation is an act of goodwill. It’s basically always done for free."
"I-It’s unfair to bring up logic from another world!"
……I wasn't sure what it was unfair to, exactly, but Fia-sensei seemed determined to pay me and wouldn't back down.
"A-Anyway, just take it, Miyama-kun."
"No, I’m going to have to resolutely decline."
"T-That’s it! I caused you a lot of trouble before, so consider this an apology as well……"
"I already received an apology for that. Besides, that was Lunamaria-san’s fault, so you shouldn't feel responsible, Fia-sensei. If anything, it turned into a nice little break, so I’m actually grateful for it now."
"B-But, look, you’re young, Miyama-kun. You must need money for various things, right?"
"I don't really have any expensive hobbies, so I’m honestly fine."
"Mu, mumumu…… You stubborn man……"
"Fia-sensei, you’re the stubborn one here……"
Neither of us would budge. As a result, we continued our fruitless argument for quite a while. In the end, we reached a compromise: I would accept a small portion of the delicious herb tea Fia-sensei made as my "payment."
Noah-san watched our exchange—which couldn't even be called a fight—with a warm, amused expression.
"……You two really do have similar personalities, don't you?"
Dear Mother, Father—As I promised before, I helped with Noah-san’s treatment. However, I ended up having a bit of a clash with Fia-sensei over the reward. According to Noah-san, Fia-sensei and I have very similar personalities.
In the Sanctuary of the God Realm—a place that usually served as a hanging garden where unnecessary buildings were nonexistent—a massive Golden Gate had appeared.
Two figures stood before the gate, which felt both alien and profoundly divine.
"……What's going on? You said you wanted me to lend you my strength…… and what is this gate supposed to be?"
"……Soon, the god of Kaito-san’s world will arrive. For convenience, let us refer to it as the 'Earth God.'"
"A god from Kaito-kun’s world?"
"Let me rephrase," Shallow Vernal said, her voice shifting. "Soon, an existence capable of killing Kaito-san—even while he is under my divine protection—will arrive here."
"……!?"
At those words, Kuromueina’s eyes turned razor-sharp.
Currently, the only beings in this world truly capable of killing Kaito while he was under Shallow Vernal’s protection were Shallow Vernal herself and Kuromueina.
While the other Six Kings or the Supreme Gods could physically kill him, Shallow Vernal possessed the power to resurrect him instantly.
Therefore, Shallow Vernal’s warning meant that if the Earth God desired it, it could erase Kaito’s very existence from this world in a way that even Shallow Vernal could not undo.
For Kuromueina, such a statement was impossible to ignore.
"……Is it that powerful?"
"The one coming here is only a split body, but you should assume its main body possesses power roughly equal to my own 'complete state.'"
"……I see. Then even if it’s just a split body, if it only concentrates its power into a single form…… it wouldn't be strange for it to be a match for us."
"Indeed."
The Earth God’s power was equivalent to Shallow Vernal in her original, complete form—the state before she and Kuromueina had separated. It was an absolute power that could truly be described as almighty.
However, the entity arriving in this world was merely a split body. Its power would be several levels lower than the main body’s, but it was still likely to be on par with the two strongest beings currently in existence.
"Does that mean there’s a chance the Earth God will hurt Kaito-kun?"
"……The probability is low. The Earth God is very cold and prioritizes efficiency above all else…… but it is friendly enough toward me to have permitted the Hero Summoning. I have already warned it, so I do not believe it would take the short-sighted risk of making an enemy of me…… however."
"You can't say for sure?"
"No. I cannot say that I understand that god well. If it were to resort to forceful measures, I might not be able to react in time on my own."
"……So that's why you called me."
"Yes."
Though her voice remained as flat as ever, a hint of tension could be detected in Shallow Vernal’s tone. It was the ultimate proof that even for her, the Earth God was a force to be reckoned with.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Kuromueina’s expression turned solemn as she stared at the Golden Gate.
"……So, what is this Earth God coming here for?"
"It seems it has taken an interest in Kaito-san, the man who brought about a transformation in me, and intends to meet him directly. To be honest, I was surprised as well…… That god has always maintained that while it would monitor humanity, it would no longer manage them. It claimed that humans had already left its hands."
"It sounds a lot like how you used to be, Shiro."
"I suppose it is. It is quite a hard-head."
"……For Shiro to call someone else a hard-head…… things really have changed, haven't they? Well, fine. I’ll help. Whatever you need."
"I appreciate it."
As Kuromueina and Shallow Vernal spoke, the Golden Gate was slowly enveloped in a faint light.
The glow grew steadily stronger and more brilliant until, in response, the Golden Gate finally began to swing open.
"Ngh…… I see. That’s an incredible amount of magic power."
"……"
The figure’s eyes were a kaleidoscope of colors, appearing like a rainbow of overlapping hues, yet also appearing like a single color of varying shades depending on the light—an optical illusion that seemed to shift based on the viewer’s perspective.
The entity’s features were so perfectly proportioned they transcended gender, and combined with the tightly curled hair that shone like gold, it radiated a sense of ethereal beauty.
But more striking than anything else were the ten pairs—twenty wings in total—of pure white feathers on its back. Standing there with a halo of light at its rear, the figure was…… an existence far beyond human comprehension.
"Appreciate…… the welcome."