Vampire Child, Ogre, and Ninja

Today's second chapter

Vampire Child's perspective

I knew, from my previous life, that I had been called Rihoko and Kage.

Real Rihoko.

Shortened to Rihoko.

I do not know who started it.

Not amusing. Not anything. Just a name meant to scorn me.

And this boy before me just spoke it aloud.

He said he was a reincarnated one during their first meeting, so it's not surprising he knows of me.

But I never revealed my name from my previous life. Why does he bring it up now?

"Hey? If you stay silent, I won't know who you're talking about, will I?"

I press the question with authority. The boy—Kazama, was it?—distorts his face in a way that seems almost entertaining.

Kyoya, who turns toward me, wears an expression of "Oh no."

"Say it already. If you stay quiet, I won't know."

When I tried to escalate the threat, Kusama turned pale and fell silent.

Too late.

The intimidation backfired.

Kusama—when cornered, shuts down completely.

This is tedious. Should I just enchant him?

It would be faster to temporarily enchant him and extract everything he knows.

Sensing my dark intent, Kusama collapsed into a full prostration.

Face-down on the floor.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

Kusama kneels on the bed, babbling apologies in a frantic stream.

His pitiful posture drains my will to interrogate.

Still, I am angry. And letting this go unpunished won’t satisfy me.

I step in front of Kusama, grab his head, and force his face upward.

Our eyes meet. I smile.

"Eh?"

I sink my teeth into the back of Kusama’s neck, where a forced smile stretches across his sweating skin.

“Huh!?—”

I drive my fangs in, drawing blood from the wound.

But that lasts only an instant. I’m yanked back by the shoulders.

As expected, Kyoya stands behind me, face tense.

“O? Oo? Ooo…”

Kusama gurgles, mouth opening and closing without words.

I lick the blood from my lips, meet Kyoya’s gaze.

“Just a little blood. That’s enough to cancel out your slander. Any objections?”

Kyoya looks like he wants to speak—but after a pause, he releases my shoulder, likely judging Kusama equally at fault.

“Sasaya, I think I’m about to open a new door.”

“No. That one must not open.”

A pervert muttering nonsense while pressing a hand to his bitten neck.

Well, being bitten by a vampire probably does feel pleasant—calling him a pervert might be overstating it.

“So? Why did you know me?”

“Ah, yes. I kept a class roster, noting the current status of each reincarnated individual. I have a general idea of most reincarnated persons’ whereabouts. Using elimination, I’ve narrowed down identities—yes.”

“So you’ve identified most of the class?”

Reston’s response drew a reaction from Kyoya.

Unlike me, Kyoya had friends. Perhaps someone he wished to meet.

"Yeah. Most are at the elven village, but Oggi's infiltrated, and everyone there's accounted for. There are also a few attending the academy in the neighboring country—those are accounted for too. And during the last meeting, there were three reincarnates over there, right? That one slipped through our net. The list wasn't updated. But Sasa—ah, Lars—he’s recognizable at a glance, and Yotsuba-san too. The only female not yet identified is Negishi. So by process of elimination, it’s safe to assume it’s Negishi."

"Oggi?"

"Ah—wait, I shouldn’t have said that."

Is he serious?

I think I just let slip something fairly important.

"J-just pretend you didn’t hear that. Right? Right?"

"Ah—well, since we’re cooperating with the elves, it should be fine, right?"

"Got it! Safe!"

Not safe at all.

You said you were fine, but you're pretending not to have heard it—didn't say that, did you?

Might not be safe after all, this one.

"By the way, can I see that list?"

"Yeah, sure. Got a copy—hold on a sec."

Saying that, Kusama-kun began sifting through the pile of trash.

Is that acceptable?

Isn’t that a type of classified document, really?

Just because we’re both reincarnated—can you really hand that over so easily?

"There it is. Here, take paper and pen—copy it and keep it."

I’m not particularly interested, but Kyonya-kun is carefully transcribing the note handed to him.

Completely different from me, who has no attachment to my past life.

"Thank you. Saved me."

"You're welcome."

Kyonya-kun returns the original memo to Kusama-kun.

"Need to show it to Shiro later."

The name spoken without intent—sudden clarity.

That’s right.

I was told to call Kyonya-kun so I could return to my master.

That’s bad.

Time’s passing while I’m doing unnecessary things.

My master might be growing impatient.

"Kyonya-kun, if you're done, we should head back. Ariel-san and the others are waiting."

"Sophia-san, how many times do I have to say it? I don’t want you calling me by name."

Kyonya-kun’s words are ignored.

I’m calling him Kyonya-kun on purpose—deliberately—to annoy him. I’m not stopping just because he says so.

"Hurry up. If you don’t come, I’ll leave you behind."

I turn sharply and begin walking toward the original meeting room.

Outside the door, the church personnel who guided me here.

And beyond that, a presence—likely from the hidden faction—watching me from the shadows. Until they make a move, I ignore them.

Allowing someone akin to an enemy—almost certainly a hostile outsider—to wander freely without surveillance? Impossible.

They were likely listening to every word spoken even within Kusama's room.

Kusama, are you all right?

You won’t be killed, but you’ll certainly be reprimanded severely.

Still, none of it concerns me.

Push Kusama from mind entirely and return promptly to my master.

Pope: "Our ninja are catastrophically incompetent."