Chapter: Flirty Episode
Leaving the aftermath to Alec (Executive Branch), Kousuke and the others returned to their usual management duties.
For now, they had stated that if things like the Corum Kingdom’s invasion from another continent were to happen, they could be relied upon.
Setting aside attack weaponry, the barrier could generate enough divine power to maintain itself around the entire continent daily, so there was no problem.
Currently, the Four Elements Tower was also stable and profitable, so there was a surplus of divine power.
They could use it infinitely if they wanted to, but if it meant protecting the continent, they intended to at least maintain the barrier.
There was also the issue of how much Kousuke, as an Avatar, should interfere, but since Asura had already given him the freedom to do as he pleased, he had stopped worrying excessively.
That said, it didn’t mean he intended to interfere without limits.
However, no matter how much of a god he was, Kousuke’s authority was currently limited to observation (?), and not useful in combat.
This time, the actions taken were purely by utilizing the tower’s functions and had nothing to do with divine authority.
When it came to actual combat, Kouhi and Mitsuki were definitely superior, so in that sense, his divine authority was useless.
He had even tried to see if he could spot enemy weaknesses, but unfortunately, no such convenient features were added.
Kousuke realized anew that he still didn’t understand his own powers.
“What are you pondering about again?”
As he was thinking such things, Shurein spoke to him.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one else was around, she snuggled up to him.
“Ah, I was just thinking about something that came to mind. I wasn’t actually worried about anything.”
“I see.”
Shurein nodded once at Kousuke’s words.
“So? Did you need something?”
“Hmph. Is it not allowed to come unless I need something?”
“Ah, no. That’s not true.”
Kousuke hastily denied it, slightly annoyed by Shurein’s hmph.
“I see.”
Whether satisfied with just that, Shurein returned to her usual expression.
After that, they remained in silence for a while.
When with Shurein, they didn’t always talk; they often spent time in silence like this.
It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. Instead, it created an atmosphere of peace.
Thinking about this, Kousuke suddenly remembered the first time they met and chuckled.
“Hmm? What’s funny?”
“Ah. No, I was just remembering the time Shurein first came here.”
Shurein’s expression faltered for a moment as if caught off guard, but then she immediately broke into a smile.
“Kousuke was terrible back then.”
“It couldn’t be helped, could it? In my world, vampires weren’t seen in a very good light.”
“Well, I understand that.”
After all, even in this world, there were still those who held negative perceptions of vampires.
Come to think of it, if he hadn’t met Shurein, he might not have truly grasped that vampires, and others, were different from the image in his original world.
In that sense, meeting Shurein could be considered a valuable teaching moment for Kousuke.
“Thank you.”
To Kousuke’s sudden expression of gratitude, Shurein silently took his hand without a word.
If it had ended there, it might have been a pleasant moment, but Shurein then playfully bit Kousuke’s index finger.
“…Hey. Stop that.”
He instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but she held it firmly, preventing him from doing so.
“It hurts!”
Shurein mumbled with his finger in his mouth.
A momentary pain shot through his fingertip, but it quickly subsided.
The pain subsided quickly because Shurein was drawing blood from his fingertip with her fangs.
It seemed to be one of the abilities of a vampire.
Indeed, if the pain lasted while she was drawing blood, he would surely escape.
Therefore, it was said that vampires secreted a substance to neutralize that pain.
The “said” part was because he hadn’t properly investigated it and didn’t know for sure.
As a member of the vampire clan, she didn’t feel the need to pursue it deeply either.
In fact, when drawing blood, it was done unconsciously, so she couldn’t consciously secrete the substance, making experimentation impossible.
Kousuke also didn’t have a strong desire to know, so when he heard about it, he simply accepted it.
“Almost done.”
Kousuke, judging that it was enough, pulled his finger out of Shurein’s mouth.
He managed to pull it out so easily without Shurein resisting not because Kousuke’s strength prevailed, but simply because Shurein hadn’t put much force into it.
Shurein, meanwhile, wore an ecstatic expression.
“Ah, ugh… As always, you’re too unfair.”
Her speech was slightly slurred.
Shurein would “collect” Kousuke’s blood like this at certain intervals, and each time she would become like this.
Occasionally, she would let out a giggle, creating a stark contrast with her usual demeanor.
“Flirting is forbidden… Huh?”
As Shurein was lost in her daze, Colette entered the room.
She immediately noticed Shurein’s state.
“It’s happened again, hasn’t it?”
Colette asked, accustomed to the situation.
“That’s right.”
When Shurein drank blood, she always became like this, so the other members were already used to it.
The reason for this had been explained by Shurein herself multiple times.
According to her, for Shurein, Kousuke’s blood was the ultimate delicacy.
She had gone on to explain various other things, but Kousuke and the other members had just let it slide, not remembering the details.
Aside from Shurein, most species didn’t have a habit of savoring the taste of blood.
Even if she explained enthusiastically, they would only think, “Hmm, that’s amazing.”
Shurein was aware of this, so she usually only answered when asked directly.
However, after drinking blood like this, it seemed to loosen her inhibitions considerably.
If provoked, she would start rambling, so the current practice was to leave Shurein in such a state.
It was almost the same as treating her like a drunkard.
Kousuke also wished he could escape, but Shurein always clung to him, preventing him from getting away, so he couldn’t.
This time too, she had a firm grip on his arm.
Generally, in the Lounge Space, flirting was forbidden when others were present, but Shurein in this state was an exception.
That said, Colette seemed unable to bear just watching enviously and kept staring at Shurein’s arm.
As this was happening, the other members also started to gather.
“Ah~. I missed it this time. What a shame~.”
Peach, who arrived last, said that and then looked at Shurein teasingly.
Shurein had already regained her senses.
And she had turned red.
It was exactly the state of sobering up from a drunken stupor only to immediately recall one’s previous behavior.
Knowing she would be teased, Shurein usually tried to drink blood in private spaces like her own room or Kousuke’s room, but sometimes she couldn’t help but do it, just like moments ago.
It was almost an impulse, and by the time she realized it, she was already like this.
For all the flirting she did with Kousuke in front of everyone, she would be teased by them all, but in a way, it served them right, so Kousuke decided to leave it alone.
Besides, if he interfered, he would get caught up in it.
And so, Shurein was once again teased extensively by the other members.
I wrote this because I suddenly felt like it.
It’s definitely not because the chapter count was left incomplete, you know?
… The main story of Chapter 20 concludes with this episode.
After an interlude, we will proceed to Chapter 21.
Somehow, we’ve surpassed 20 chapters.
We look forward to your continued support.
