005

This might be a little late and sound ridiculous, but I'm going to say it anyway. I, Yamato Tatsuya, don't live with humans, but instead a mythological creature called a vampire.

"Vampire?"

"Yeah—a vampire."

It happened two years ago, when my family and I left for a holiday in Transylvania. At first, everything was fine. No problems at all. Then, out of nowhere, the hotel we were staying at was attacked by a lycan that had just broken out of a Romanian dungeon. The wolf killed everyone in the hotel. My father, my mother, my younger siblings—all of them. I was the only one who survived. A woman saved me. She was a hunter sent to kill the lycan. But to do that, she needed backup. And since I was still breathing even though my body had been torn to shreds by the lycan's claws, the vampire explained the situation and I agreed. She bit me. Turned me into a vampire. That night was the beginning of my dark journey with her.

The case ended with the lycan dead and the vampire turning me back into a human. Why did she do that? So she could turn me into her food supply. Vampires need blood to survive. Turning me back into a human was part of her life plan. With a walking food supply like me, she no longer had to hunt humans or buy their blood for her regular meals.

From that day on, I ended up belonging to that vampire. Living as her slave and her food. Living with her.

The bite mark is still there, on the left side of my neck. I cover it with a bandage so it doesn't show. All this time, Takanashi has always asked about the bandage on my neck. I've never told her exactly why. I just said there's a secret I can't share. And she accepted that, respectfully.

"Her name is Miss Miss Renma?"

"She has a real name, but she prefers that one."

"Is that so? Sounds like a ramen topping."

I think she means menma.

"Is this for real? As far as I know, vampires only exist in European myths and modern literature."

"You said you met a giant talking cat who gave you X-ray vision," I said. "If creatures like that exist, believing in vampires isn't that strange. That's just how it is."

"But this is really suspicious," she said, lowering her voice an octave. "You show up out of nowhere, start talking about my eye, and say it can be healed. I can't just take a stranger's word for it."

"Aren't we in the same class? That means we're not strangers."

"We're in the same class, sure. But I've never considered any of you as actually existing in this world. Your presence is like dust. Insignificant."

"I'm 179 centimeters tall and weigh 57 kilograms—how can you call me dust!"

"Is that right? Then I guess I'm talking to a pile of dust that can talk. Discovery of the century. I'm also impressed you can ride a bicycle. Modern dust is truly amazing."

"That compliment doesn't make me happy at all! I won't believe you're a kuudere anymore!"

"I'm not a kuudere. But I am cool."

She is the queen of unfunny jokes.

Her sense of humor is terrifying.

"So, back to this vampire business, Dust—"

"Let me correct you, my name isn't Dust, it's Yamato Tatsuya."

"Oh, I thought dust species didn't have names."

"Now dust is a species?!"

"I also just found out you guys have names. Amazing."

"That compliment doesn't make me happy at all!"

A valuable lesson I learned tonight.

Never worship a beautiful girl too much.

Because beauty isn't always whole.

Kasuga Kaneko had pried my eyes wide open and showed me that reality.

The swept-aside bangs, the long black hair, the captivating white-skinned face, the sharp nose, the thin lips, the ideal bust, the slender body, that sweet voice—none of it offered anything but misery. She was like the ruler of a boreal continent. Cold as ice. And honestly, I think her brain needs fixing too.

"Back to the vampire," Kasuga continued, her voice returning to normal. "Are you seriously for real about this?"

"At least I'm not lying. That's the main point."

The road sloped downward.

I slowed the bike so we wouldn't lose control. Kasuga's hands gripped the back rack tightly. Her body pressed lightly against my back. I could feel her hair brushing against the nape of my neck. My chest felt tight. But at the same time, there was a peace I couldn't explain. Until we finally hit flat ground again. Everything went back to how it was before.

"Second point—through that vampire, maybe we can find out what's causing this and how to restore the vision in your left eye."

"Hmm..."

"I'm not saying you'll definitely be cured. But I think it's worth a try."

"Why you?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you doing all this? In class, everyone ignores me because they're scared of me—or simply because they don't care. The only person who still bothers to come near me is Takanashi."

You don't even respond to her at all. I feel bad for Takanashi.

"I know you've always been watching me when I leave the classroom. Every time. During lessons too."

"How do you know that?"

"My eyes can't see, but my intuition is sharp. Sensing someone's gaze isn't hard."

You're like a ninja.

She's probably an expert in assassination too—those eyes of hers are genuinely threatening.

"Tell me—do you like me?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you're willing to pedal a bike at this hour for a girl you've never spoken to before, a girl with a mysterious problem with her eye."

You're sharp. Incredibly sharp.

"Tell me, are you interested in me? My chest isn't as big as Takanashi's, but I'm confident I'm prettier than her. Plus, I rank higher than her in a lot of areas. By any measure, she's clearly inferior to me."

Calling your own friend inferior isn't a good look.

"All of that is enough to support my suspicion. Besides, I'm still a virgin."

"You are sharp. Incredibly sharp..."

Unfortunately, I'm not after anything from you. Sorry to disappoint.

"I understand why you're suspicious. I don't blame you for that," I said, still pedaling along the path. "But I'm not doing this for any reason."

"What do you mean? Doing something without expecting something in return isn't human nature."

She flips facts from positive to negative.

Suffering too much makes you lose your original perspective on the world.

"Then just say it like this."

"All right."

"Because you and I are both tied up in something supernatural."

The sound of the bicycle chain hummed like a swarm of angry worker bees.

"Besides, you're my classmate. I can't just leave your problem alone. And I know someone who really understands cases like this. There's no reason for me not to help you."

As my bike rolled over the dry asphalt, Kasuga Kaneko didn't answer. She just stayed quiet, not taking her eyes off the starry sky above. She seemed deep in thought.

"Is that so."

"Yeah."

A flat answer, without any of her usual biting sarcasm.

"A morally upright Earthling, I see. You're doing this in the name of world peace and devotion to humanity, huh?"

"It's not that extreme. Takanashi always looks sad whenever she sees you walking out of class. I figured if I could heal your eye and get you back to how you used to be, she might be able to be fully cheerful again. Think of it as me doing this for Takanashi."

"Not for me, but for her? You really are an idiot."

I know that. And I accept it.

"No wonder Takanashi always wants to talk to you."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

She patted my shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Back to that vampire."

We're back to the original topic.

"Does she really exist?"

"You still don't believe me?"

"I don't believe what I can't see."

Too bad they do exist, even if you don't know it.

Those creatures are real.

Tangible.

They're all around us in this wide world.

And one of them even gave me life.

"If she's real, isn't that dangerous? What if she attacks me later?"

"Don't worry. She's a vampire, sure. But she's not scary at all. So it's fine. Besides, she doesn't kill people. You probably wouldn't even believe she's a vampire if you saw her."

Kasuga was quiet for a moment before finally responding.

"I knew I couldn't just take your word for it."

Kasuga pulled something out from under her skirt. A shiny kitchen knife.

"Good thing I brought this."

"Why do you even have something like that?!"

"Self-defense, obviously."

"The police will arrest you if they see it!"

"I work at a vegetable shop. And I work as a sous-chef too. It's not weird for me to carry a knife, is it?"

This isn't Mexico in the 90s!

"But don't worry. This knife has never chopped up human flesh. No need to be scared."

She said it with a sadistic smile.

What kind of thoughts are going through your head right now?!

She's definitely different from normal people...

I kept pedaling, down the same quiet path as before. This small town is pretty gloomy. Nighttime activities aren't as lively as in the big city once evening falls. Especially here, in a sparsely populated area. It's no wonder nobody uses this path but us right now.

After a while, an old building came into view.

I braked right in front of the gate.

"We're here."

Kasuga got off the bike. Immediately, she stepped forward toward the building's open gate. The knife was still gripped tightly in her hand.

"Here?" she asked, glancing back at me.

"Yeah."

An old apartment building.

A rundown apartment that looked poorly maintained. Nobody lived here but us—me and the vampire. Word has it that a girl was once murdered in this building. Because of that rumor—which several witnesses, including the landlord himself, claimed to have seen—nobody wanted to live here, scared of the ghost of that girl, who supposedly wants vengeance for her death. The landlord himself disappeared after encountering the girl's ghost. In the end, we ended up living here rent-free.

"Hey, Kasuga," I called out.

Kasuga turned to me. "What?"

I didn't want a long argument, but—

"Can you put the knife away?"

—I couldn't let her walk in armed.

Kasuga gave me a suspicious look. She was doubtful.

"Let me remind you of something," she said, her eyes still sharp. "I've won an international kickboxing tournament three times in a row."

"Yeah..."

"I can crush your skull with my elbow and knee if you're not careful."

"All right..."

"Even without this knife, I'm still dangerous."

Yeah.

Even without that knife, you're already dangerous.

Even without elbowing me, you're already painful.

Right here. In my head and my heart.

"Fine, I'll leave the knife outside," Kasuga said, setting it on the stone wall. "But that doesn't mean I trust you completely."

"I understand."

"And one more thing," she said, raising her index finger. "I specialize in ippon nukete as well."

"You said you were a kickboxer!"

"I also do karate, judo, kendo, and Krav Maga."

"That's too many! That honestly sounds like a lie!"

"Want me to prove it?"

"I value my ribs!"

"Then trust me."

"Fine—whatever you say!"

She's always over the top about everything.

"Can we go up now? Show me what this vampire looks like."

That was the whole point of coming here.

"Come on."

I stepped past her.

Suddenly, she grabbed my arm. Squeezed it tight.

"W-what is it?"

"That vampire is dangerous. I need a shield in case of an attack."

Another valuable lesson.

A girl holding your hand isn't necessarily a blessing.

"Move forward, my human shield."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Milady."

I stepped forward again, Kasuga behind me, gripping my hand tightly. Warm and rough. The hand of a hard worker. It seems the economy can reshape anyone's body.

When we reached the very last door on the second floor, I didn't hesitate. I pushed the thick, rusty door—heavier than most—and there she was. Sitting in the doma, a katana in her lap, one hand pressed to the stomach of a girl who, physically, looked no older than us.

Her hair was dark brown. Waist-length. Loose.

Her eyes were red. Sharp and detailed when she stared.

Her body was small and thin, like most ten- to twelve-year-old girls.

She wore a sleeveless shirt and overalls left unhooked. She looked like a European village girl from a farm.

A village girl who was angry, with two long fangs clearly jutting out.

"You're late!"

The hilt of her katana stabbed into my stomach. Not fatal, but painful enough. That's the treatment I get when I keep her waiting. I really should remember to come home earlier.

"Sorry, there was a little—"

"Excuses!"

She stabbed me in the gut with the sword hilt again, over and over, until I couldn't dodge anymore and just had to take the beating. But it didn't take long for her to realize I hadn't come home alone. Kasuga was standing behind me.

"Who's she?" Miss Renma asked, pointing her katana at Kasuga.

"Ah, she’s my classmate."

"Your classmate? Why did you bring a human here?"

That sentence indirectly implied that I'm no longer human.

"Is this the vampire you were talking about?" Kasuga asked.

I nodded.

Kasuga stepped forward, faced Miss Renma, and introduced herself.

"First, I'm Kasuga Kaneko. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Renma. Nice to meet you. I'm over three hundred years old. I'm from Transylvania."

She said it with a proud pose. Legendary vampires do have high self-esteem.

"Are you really a vampire?" Kasuga asked, eyeing Miss Renma, who was shorter than her.

"You don't believe these fangs?" Miss Renma replied, opening her mouth. "If you want proof, I could bite your neck and turn you into a vampire like he was. Maybe that would satisfy you."

Kasuga glanced at me.

I never told her I used to be a vampire.

"No," Kasuga said, turning back to Miss Renma. "I'm not here to dream of immortality." She declined the suggestion.

"Then what's your business here? No human has ever visited besides those who know me."

There's Akane-chan.

Only her, really.

"Yamato said you can help me."

Kasuga explained her purpose, then reached for her eyepatch and removed it. She showed her left eye to Miss Renma.

There was silence for a few seconds before Miss Renma glared at me.

"What's wrong with this girl's eye?" she asked.

"We should talk inside," I suggested.

We went in. I put the groceries I'd bought at the shop where Kasuga works into the kitchen, then made tea and served it in the main room.

Room 203 isn't big. Its width is only about ten jou, with no separate bedroom. Luckily there's still a separate toilet and bathroom, plus a small kitchen space. The main room is floored with old tatami mats—as old as the building itself, probably. There are no electronics except for an old-fashioned radio sitting on a nightstand next to a miniature bed in the corner of the main room. Miss Renma's throne. I sleep on the floor on a futon. She insists I sleep there so I can be her shield in case of a surprise attack from enemies. The life of a slave. That woman really does like turning men into her personal protection, doesn't she?

In the middle of the room is a small table. A round table that can barely hold food for three. At that table, sitting across from each other, are Miss Renma and Kasuga. I'm sitting next to Kasuga. The tea on the table hasn't been touched. Kasuga is still telling her story. We listen carefully.

"So that's the story," Kasuga said, finishing her tale.

As soon as the story ended, Miss Renma closed her eyes. She seemed to be thinking. Kasuga sat upright, waiting patiently for an answer. Finally, Miss Renma opened her eyes again, gazing out the wide-open window at the edge of the small room, where the bright moon was visible from where she sat. Then she spoke: "You've made a forbidden contract, Dear."

Kasuga flinched, her eyes opening a little wider.

"No doubt about it," Miss Renma continued, turning back to us. "It's definitely a bakeneko."

"Bakeneko?" Kasuga questioned.

"A cat monster, if you want to be general. One of the supernatural creatures in ancient Japanese legends. Big cats that can talk, sometimes walk on two legs, and can shapeshift into humans—usually a beautiful woman or an old person. They do it to lure humans so they can eat them."

Bakeneko.

A type of yokai shaped like a talking cat.

Normally, they eat humans.

But in this case, the victim is still alive.

Kasuga only lost one thing from herself.

Her left eye.

"It's no wonder you lost your eye. That's natural. You got what you wanted, and you have to pay the price. That's not surprising at all."

Anyone who thinks using mystical principles would understand the situation. Kasuga Kaneko met a giant talking cat who said he could grant her wish. I don't know what it was, but by accepting the cat's help, Kasuga started being able to see into other people's minds.

It's just that because of that, she lost her left eye. Her left eye became the cost for that temporary supernatural ability. Kasuga made a contract with a demon. That's the consequence of doing so.

The same thing happened to me.

I'm also bound by a contract with Miss Renma.

As a result, I lost my freedom. My normal life is gone.

"What do I have to do to get my vision back?" Kasuga pressed.

Miss Renma snorted. "What? No, that's very difficult, very difficult," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Demons aren't gods. They're cunning and hate to lose. Once you fall into their trap, there's no going back."

Demons are hard to deal with.

Just like corrupt politicians, dirty cops, or small-minded doctors.

Anyone with an unclean nature is the same as a demon.

"Is there really no way, Miss Renma? You've lived over three hundred years. In all that time, have you never encountered a case like this?"

"I've killed several bakeneko. Nekomata and creatures like that were everywhere in the old days. Unfortunately, I've never found a single case like this."

Even an old vampire has never seen anything like this.

Kasuga Kaneko's case is exclusive.

Is this what she gets for being too perfect?

"Bakeneko don't usually take organs from their targets. They're man-eaters. If you met one, you'd be finished right then and there as their dinner."

Which means we wouldn't be seeing her today.

"Unless," Miss Renma said. "Unless what you met wasn't a bakeneko."

"Eh?"

If not, then what?

"You know, there are many myths and legends about cats in this world. Japan, of course, has its stories too—though not all are different. Some myths resemble those of other countries. Like, for instance, black cats."

I've read a lot about that. As far as I know, cats aren't terrifying man-eaters. Even so, of course, a creature's appearance doesn't always represent who they are.

"Black cats were believed to be able to raise the dead by the ancient Greeks. England and other European countries share similar beliefs. A similar notion exists in the belief that black cats bring bad luck."

"I know that," I said, interrupting slightly.

"But leave those apparitions aside for now. What matters most for us to know about those dark-furred animals is the fact that black cats have a strong connection to the world of magic and death."

Right. Some say they can bring plagues. But in other stories, they can also ward off evil and magic. Asian beliefs—China, for one.

"Shinto belief says that black cats aren't actually animals, but humans cursed by gods for their sins. They have the ability to speak and possess supernatural powers, and they use them to trick other humans into returning to their human form."

"Really?" asked Kasuga.

"Well, that's a religious teaching. You should respect it," Miss Renma replied, folding her hands over her stomach. "For your information, I'm a Catholic."

"Vampires have religions too?" Kasuga asked again.

"I was human to begin with. Becoming a vampire wasn't a choice—it was a misfortune."

Misfortune befalls vampires too.

Vampires who were once human.

"Anyway, black cats have many variations of legend with long roots. If you say you met a giant talking cat, we could assume it's a bakeneko. But also, maybe not."

"Nekomata have two tails, so that can't be it, right?" I interjected slightly.

"By the way, how many tails did the cat you meet have?" Miss Renma asked Kasuga.

"One. Just one. Its shape wasn't different from a regular cat either. It's just that it was huge—the size of an elephant."

That's even bigger than a tiger or lion.

"So what was the point of all that rambling? What are you actually trying to say?"

Kasuga's question sounded a bit more direct. She seemed restless. I don't blame her for feeling that way.

"The point is, that creature could be a demon—or it could not be."

Another confusing answer from Miss Renma.

"Because black cats have a strong connection to magic and death, the creature you met might not be a demon, but a human using magic, transformed. Or maybe they're a cursed human using you to return to human form."

Not everything should be considered a demon, but rather an evil human setting a trap. Cats are mysterious creatures. Especially the black ones.

"If that possibility is real, then there might be something we can change," Miss Renma said, straightening her katana on the floor with its hilt pressed against her face. "I'm not a hundred percent sure. But at least we can try. Well—you'll have to try, of course."

"Me?"

Kasuga gawked.

"Because this is your problem, of course you have to solve it. You started this curse. You have to end it."

I can understand that reasoning. In the end, it all depends on Kasuga's own decisions and actions.

"So does that mean you can't help me, Miss Renma?"

"I never said that from the beginning. Besides, I didn't ask you to come here. You showed up with a problem and want me to solve it? Why should I?"

Everyone would probably say the same thing. That's how this world works.

"But yes—if Tatsuya brought you," Miss Renma said, smiling wide like a vampire, "maybe I can offer a little advice."