99th vampire princess ~The last vampire~ Chapter 1 part2

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CHAPTER 1 - LORE OF THE “ONE-MAN HIDE-AND-SEEK”

PART 02

“Hey, good morning~”

It was morning, in our cla.s.sroom.

Numerous cla.s.smates greeted me as I entered the room.

“Yo, Tsuk.u.mo.”

“Morning, Tsuk.u.mo-kun!”

There weren’t that many people around yet, but almost everyone seemed energetic enough to return my greetings.

Then, my best friend, Mikageyama n.o.boru, came towards me—

“Tsuk.u.mo, I heard that today’s ancient j.a.panese cla.s.s is going to start off with a pop quiz. Lend me your notebook.”

—and I was a.s.saulted with this insolent request.

Tall and athletic, Mikageyama was what girls nowadays termed affectionately as the ‘slim macho’. With his sculpted and wildly handsome appearance, he was a slightly dangerous guy with an aura like a carnivore&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;

“And I’ll get something in return, Mikageyama?”

“Of course. I’ll give you this special cake from ‘Fortune’ bakery if you lend me the notebook.”

Could it be!? Would I really get that specially-made, limited to only 20 per day cakes from that famous bakery owned by the French patissier!?

“Alright. I’ll lend you my notebook for the cake.”

“Transaction complete.”

Despite his wild, scary appearance, Mikageyama was actually the head of the Desserts club in school. Well, I guess making desserts and physical training could go hand-in-hand.

“Here, notebook.”

“Anyway, you really study a lot, Tsuk.u.mo.”

“Maybe. I don’t mind it so much.”

I didn’t mind gaining new knowledge, and I could even help friends out like this with just a bit of preparation on my part. I didn’t panic before tests too, so with all these benefits, I actually enjoyed studying.

“Here’s your cake, Tsuk.u.mo.”

I took the cute cake box from Mikageyama’s well-built hands. It felt cool to the touch, probably because the box contained a cool pack.

The girls in cla.s.s cast envious glances my way.

“Hmm, a notebook with penmans.h.i.+p that’s easy to read and content with no parts missing, in exchange for a bitter-tasting chocolate cake. What a great deal.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, but if that was a compliment, thanks.”

“Of course it was. Why would I ever reject cake?”

I wondered if he really meant that.

“Fufu! Tsuk.u.mo-kun, Tsuk.u.mo-kun!”

“Huh? What is it, ma’am?”

It was Saegusa-san, the student council member in-charge of our grade. Her gla.s.ses and braided hair were her trademarks.

She might seem plain at first glance, but she was actually one of the cutest girls in our cla.s.s. Maybe it was because her gla.s.ses were really stylish, or the way she always did her hair. It was amazing how she managed to strike a balance between looking cute and professional.

“Here’s the novel you lent me yesterday. It was really interesting!”

“Oh, have you already finished it? Do tell me what you thought about it later.”

“Yes, during our recess break, of course.”

Saegusa-san smiled so wide, her eyes crinkled under her gla.s.ses.

With that warm personality and cute smile at odds with her serious look, it was no wonder why some guys got the wrong idea that Saegusa-san was interested in them. In fact, I knew a number of guys who had secret feelings for her.

“Well, I won’t take up any more of your time. Bye bye!”

With a wave of her hand, Saegusa-san returned to her seat.

Her cheerful self was just too sweet.

She might be totally innocent, but I wondered if she was actually a little, no, a big devil inside.

“Humph. You’re really close friends with that council girl huh, Tsuk.u.mo?”

Mikageyama asked, arms crossed over his chest.

“No, we’re not close friends.”

“Not yet, you mean. You really like to play Prince Charming, don’t you?”

“And who made you king, that you may declare me a prince?”

Mikageyama laughed out loud at my retort.

While it was true that Saegusa-san and I weren’t close friends, it would be rude to say that we weren’t at least on good terms. That was why I had answered the way I did.

Besides, there were lots of guys who liked Saegusa-san, so giving that answer would ensure there was nothing anybody could latch on to to start any gossip.

“But you know what, Tsuk.u.mo?”

“What?”

“I really think you’re like some shadow hero who likes to help people without their knowledge.”

“W-What’s with that?”

My heart skipped a beat at Mikageyama’s words.

While I wasn’t a real hero, it was true that I’d been doing some things which could be considered heroic.

However, there was no way Mikageyama could have known about the ‘extra activities’ I engaged in after school.

So I let his statement slide.

“You have an imagination like a junior high school kid, Mikageyama.”

“You’re right. I do miss those times so much.”

The way he smirked, as if he’d gotten the better of me, made me feel that he knew more than he was letting on.

Well, I guess I knew it would be impossible to fool him for long.

Mikageyama could be perceptive when he wanted to be, so I made a mental note to be more careful in the future.

“Anyway, hurry up and copy the notes. I need-”

“Oh, that’s right. Sorry, I’ll be gone now.”

Casting a flirtatious smile at the girl sitting in the seat beside me, Mikageyama slowly returned to his seat, which happened to be right behind Saegusa-san’s.

I could hear them chatting gaily with each other.

‘Hey, I got the hero’s notebook.’ ‘Really? Let me see!’

I wished this nonsense about me being a hero would stop. It was truly embarra.s.sing.

&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;And then.

“That’s my Jin-san. Such a hard worker, and so popular with everyone. You truly are a shadow hero.”

The usually silent girl who sat beside me whispered in a soft voice.

“Well, you’re a hero yourself, aren’t you?”

“But I’d like to be your heroine.”

She was staring at me.

“So, did you enjoy the hot and pa.s.sionate talk with Mikageyama, as well as the flirtatious and deeply personal chat with Saegusa-san?”

She asked in a cold, emotionless voice.

She was dressed in a rough manner, with a cardigan thrown over her school uniform and her usual patchwork m.u.f.fler wrapped around her throat.

Her name was Kitasenju Ayase.

It sounded like a fake name, but I thought it matched her perfectly.

She probably just looked through a list of train station names in Tokyo and picked a couple which sounded like girl’s names.

“They know that my time before homeroom period in the mornings belongs to you, Ayase.”

“I see, so we are an official couple. Poof!”

Despite the cute word she’d just uttered, Ayase’s expression had not changed.

Her tone remained flat as well, and it always gave me the impression that I was speaking to a robot.

“Actually, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you, Ayase.”

“I know, I think we should hold the ceremony here in j.a.pan. It’ll be hard to go overseas.”

“&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;What are you talking about?”

“Aren’t we discussing our wedding plans?”

“Sorry, but I don’t remember asking you to marry me, Ayase. We’re not even a couple.”

“Not yet.”

“Yet&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;? Whatever you say.”

“So I have a chance.”

She clenched her fists in determination, even as her face remained expressionless.

The action was cute, but her face and voice just threw the whole image off.

Well, frankly speaking, she does have quite an attractive face.

“So, if it’s not about our wedding, what do you want to talk about? Our honeymoon?”

“Sorry, but it’s nothing related to marriage. How much do you know about urban legends?”

“It’s not an exaggeration to call me a walking encyclopedia when it comes to urban legends.”

Ayase puffed out her large chest in pride, probably waiting to bestow her wisdom upon me.

“Erm, do you know about the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’? I heard that it’s a really popular rumor circling among the junior high school kids these days.”

“I see, the ‘one-man nightlife’.”

“No, Ayase. The ‘one-man hide-and-seek’.”

“I’m sorry, junior high school kids are just at an age where they’re really interested in that.”

I wouldn’t say that for every junior high school kid throughout j.a.pan.

But since I had enjoyed my fair share of nightlife as a junior high school student, I couldn’t deny her statement.

“Jin-san, we can enjoy some nightlife together.”

“No, that just sounds wrong. And my name isn’t Jin-”

“I like the sound of ‘Jin’, so that’s what I’ll call you.”

Thanks to people like her, there are lots of people who don’t know my real name. Even the teachers in school call me ‘Jin’ by mistake, so maybe my real name has already been forgotten by everyone in this school.

“So, are you inviting me to enjoy some nightlife, such as s.e.xual intercourse?”

“Sorry, but I don’t intend to do anything like that with you, Ayase.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Ayase crossed her arms under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, lifting them up so they stretched her cardigan tight.

They bounced softly with the action.

“Gulp!”

“You’re the only one allowed to do whatever you please with them, Jin-san.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Just break up with your girlfriend and I’m all yours.”

“Ugh! I can’t do that&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;”

It was such a shame, turning down those mounds which were living proof of every man’s dreams.

“That’s too bad. I guess I’ll just have to sneak into your room at night for some secret playtime.”

“Please don’t. I won’t have the heart to stop you if you tried.”

“I see. So I have a chance.”

She clenched her fists again, still without any emotion on her face.

It was always like this with her, each one of her expressions holding no easy meaning.

Thanks to that, I could never tell if she was joking or not.

“Whatever. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Alright. So, you were talking about having a pillow talk with a junior high school girl?”

‘I don’t remember talking about that at all&h.e.l.lip;”

“Really? Meow!”

I cringed at the ‘cute’ response.

“Anyway, what’s pillow talk?”

“Oh, it’s a conversation you have after having s.e.x.”

I stared hard at Ayase’s expressionless face&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; and detected a faint glow of pride.

Maybe it made her glad to know a word that I didn’t.

“Well, I didn’t have any of that pillow talk, but if I did, it’d have to be with a super cute girl.”

“I see. I knew you were into lolitas, Jin-san.”

It sounded like a horrible accusation, but since my lover did look years younger than her actual age, there was nothing I could say to counter that. Anyway, I actually prefer mature beauties like s.h.i.+gure, or busty girls like Ayase.

In short, I like all types of cute girls, not just lolitas. I decided to argue my point.

“I don’t just like small girls.”

“So you like many types. If your wish is to become a harem master, I’ll gladly offer myself as one of your faithful wives.”

Her statement sounded really haughty for some reason. I didn’t think a faithful wife was the best fit for a harem, but I decided not to comment further.

And the conversation was not going where I needed it to anyway. There was only a little time left before the morning’s homeroom period began, so I pushed on ahead.

“So, Ayase, do you know much about the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’ legend?”

“Yes.”

Ayase nodded wisely.

Which meant that she had been teasing me all this while for her own entertainment.

“Can you give me some useful information about it?”

“It’s a ceremonial summoning. In other words, it’s a ‘lore summoning’.”

“Lore&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; summoning?”

“That’s right. It’s the type of legend that involves the materialization of an urban legend&h.e.l.lip; into what we call a ‘lore’. In ancient times, people used to call it necromancy. For the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’, it involves performing a sort of ceremony, then hiding oneself away. You’re supposed to be alone in the house, but then, ‘something’ will materialize&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; In short, a monstrous ‘lore’ will come looking for you.”

“I see. So a monster or something will enter your house and morph into a ‘lore’.”

“That’s right. Sometimes, it’s a ghost who comes, other times, it’s a demon. You never know.”

“So you won’t know if it’s something harmless or really dangerous?”

“Yes. If it’s a low-level ‘lore’, it’ll be easy to vanquish it without any big problems. But if you summon a high-level ‘lore’, you may just lose your life.”

The whole thing just sounded so risky.

Especially when there was no way of knowing what ent.i.ty would be summoned.

“Anyway, why are you asking about the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’?”

“Actually, a friend of my little sister tried it about three days ago, and she’s been missing since.”

“Is that so? I thought you were secretly trying to ask me out. Something like ‘Let’s spend the night together, Ayase. We’ll try another version of the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’. I like to call it the ‘two-man hide-and-seek”.”

“No, I never intended that.”

I couldn’t even guess how she arrived at that absurd conclusion.

However, it was too ambitious of me to hope to ever understand Ayase.

“I’m just worried that the girl’s gone missing. It’s already been three days.”

I wondered if she had access to food. I remembered reading that it was really bad for the human body to go without food and drink for three days.

“But Jin-san.”

“Hmm?”

“Usually junior high school students go missing because they run away from home, right?”

“Really?”

“Yes. Most young girls who run away are usually found staying at their boyfriend’s house. Some are even found living with a middle-aged man you never thought they’d know.”

“Whoa&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; I don’t even want to imagine that.”

I didn’t want to think about it, especially the latter scenario.

It was just wrong, inviting a underage girl to live in your house.

Even if you are her boyfriend of the same age.

In short, if she had really run away from home, it meant nothing but bad news.

“Then maybe I should leave this alone&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; It’ll be really bad for her reputation if I go looking for her and find her in that situation.”

“But it’s better than finding her dead, right?”

Ayase stared at me as she spoke these blunt words.

&h.e.l.lip;She was right. It would be better than finding the girl dead.

Rather than being killed or consumed by a creature beyond human understanding, maybe it was better to be a.s.saulted by a real human being.

Much better than being at the mercy of some monster.

“I believe she’s still alive, so I’m gonna do my best to rescue her. Thanks, Ayase.”

“No problem. If you’re going to try the ‘one-man hide-and-seek’, please let me know.”

“Oh, are you gonna help me out?”

“Yes. Because I’m in love with Jin-san’s body, soul, and more.”

What did she mean by ‘more’?

“Thanks. I really appreciate it&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll continue to pray for Jin-san to start finding girls my age attractive.”

“Oh&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;”

Well, my current lover was nowhere near my age either way.

Age aside, we weren’t even born in the same era.

“I’ll also be waiting for the day when you’ll choose me to be your bride.”

So saying, Ayase pulled her m.u.f.fler up to hide her lips.

I wondered what expression she had on now.

“Erm, a-alright.”

I stuttered in a fl.u.s.ter, not knowing if I should feel joy at her confession.

The conversation faltered as I flailed for a reply.

“Oh, Jin-san.”

“Hmm?”

Thankfully, Ayase picked up the conversation again.

However, the school bell started to chime.

“Oh, we’re out of time. I’ll keep this short then.”

Ayase closed her eyes, sighed, and whispered the following warning.

“These manifestations of urban legends that we call ‘lores’ are only born from the negative energy of humans. It doesn’t matter if the negative energy came from the summoner or someone else, so if you are going to that girl’s house, please be extremely careful.”

Misa’s note:
1. Both ‘Kitasenju’ and ‘Ayase’ are names of towns in Tokyo.