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Chapter 53: Chapter 2.3

This was the music program's special summer vacation edition, and it was being broadcast during the evening prime-time window. Lots of lights and cameras surrounded the set, and on the other side, the audience seats were filled with spectators.

"Performers on set."

When the program's start time came, a staff member called out, and the emcee, his assistant, and the featured artists walked in. The audience cheered. After several other performers, Saikawa entered, waving. In a sharp change from this morning, her makeup was flawless, and she was dressed in a frilly costume. That was Yui Saikawa the idol, all right. Her aura was in a whole

different league.

But then something weird happened.

"...So that's really how it's going to go, huh?"

A slight stir ran through the audience. It was as if everyone had noticed something but was pretending they hadn't. That was true of the other performers as well. It didn't show on their faces, but somehow their smiles looked like an act.

I'd seen this coming, though. Saikawa was appearing on the show right in the middle of all that media coverage. It would have been weirder not to care about it. And yet when she realized the cameras were cutting her out, she smiled brightly and struck a pose. She was mugging for them.

Near me, a backstage staff member murmured, "Doesn't have much on her mind, does she?"

Seriously? Did he think Saikawa hadn't noticed the awkwardness? In that case, he'd flunk the Yui-nya Level 5 Certification exam.

"Times like this are when she smiles the most."

I folded my arms, watching over the broadcast from the back of the room.

During the program, the emcee talked with each artist, and then the artist performed their song. There were fifteen featured acts. About two hours into the program, Saikawa's turn came along.

"Next up is Miss Yui Saikawa."

As the emcee called her over, the camera zoomed in on Saikawa. "Helloooo, it's Yui Saikawa! The world's cutest idol!" Striking another

pose, Saikawa walked onto the set and stood next to the emcee. Then they talked about her latest single and her work for a minute or two.

So far, so good. But then...

"It sounds like you've had quite a mess on your hands lately," the emcee said, smiling thinly.

"...!" Saikawa's eyes flew open.

"Oh, come on! What was the point of that advance meeting, then?!" I bit my lip.

That morning, I'd discussed the flow for today's interview with the program's producer, and I'd specifically asked him—politely—not to bring up the scandal during the broadcast. Were they trying to generate a buzz, to boost their ratings? They'd brought up something everybody wanted answers

on but couldn't ask about.

"Even if it was your parents who were directly responsible, I'd imagine it isn't possible to disassociate yourself from it," the man pressed. Saikawa had frozen up.

"You slimy little—" I almost stepped forward...but then my eyes met Saikawa's. She shook her head slightly, then turned back to the emcee.

"I'm sorry there's been such a commotion over my parents." She bowed her head meekly; she didn't try to sidestep the question. That set the studio buzzing. "However..." Saikawa looked up. "I am myself. Today, this is my show. And so for now, I'd love it if everyone focused on me."

She gave the emcee a goofy little smile.

"She's just trying to protect her image," somebody muttered.

Was it a performer, someone in the audience, a staff member, or a plant to make the show more exciting? Whichever it was, the voice that echoed quietly through the studio was trying to hurt Saikawa as much as they could.

"...You're right. I may be."

After a few seconds of silence, Saikawa nodded.

But I knew she wasn't the type of girl who'd let a thing like that end her. She'd gotten through her parents' death, she'd fought the enemies of the world, she'd shaken off the countless unfair things that had showered down on her, and here she was.

"Even so, I'm not going to stop. After all—" Once again, Saikawa smiled.

She beamed.

"Idols always want to look pretty, you know."

Without looking at the emcee, Saikawa winked at the viewers on the other side of the camera.

The studio went very quiet.

In the back, a crew member rolled his arms in a signal.

"...And now it's time for Miss Yui Saikawa's performance." After a moment's hesitation, the emcee hastily got the show back on track.

However, control of the studio had already passed into the hands of one girl.

This was Saikawa's show, by Saikawa, for Saikawa's fans. "Erm, the song is..."

Saikawa grabbed the mic from the rattled emcee. "The song is—'SapphirePhantasm'!"

She shouted in a clear, carrying voice. A voice that might have reached the top of a hill out in the country.

Thus the nightmare strikes

After the program had ended without further incident, I was waiting for Saikawa in the TV station's underground parking garage.

"Damn, she's good."

While I waited, I'd been skimming social media comments about the program on my phone. The ones I saw were critical of the emcee, and most of them supported Saikawa.

Naturally, Saikawa's parents hadn't been cleared, and the prosecution would probably keep investigating. Still, Saikawa had taken the awkwardness in the studio and flipped it with just one song. No, she'd done better: she'd turned around the spite of the general public, which was a hell of a feat.

"It was like SIESTA said."

There had never been anything I could do. I'd only needed to watch Saikawa's decision play out. Witnessing that had been my job this time around.

Now all I had to do was take Saikawa back to SIESTA's house. Except... "She sure is taking her time."

All she'd had to do was go to her dressing room, change, and come back, but I'd already been waiting for over half an hour.

"Hm?"

Come to think of it, I'd called for the car, but it wasn't here yet either.

Actually, it had been a while since I'd seen anybody at all. This underground parking garage wouldn't exactly be crowded...but still, in the last thirty minutes, not a single soul had passed by.

Then, I thought I felt a tepid breeze. "...!"

On top of that, all the lights in the garage began to flicker. There were irregular spells of darkness, and then the lights went out completely.

"Gimme a break."

As I said, I'm bad with stuff like this. I took out my smartphone, using it as a flashlight. If I turned around now, something was bound to be right there. I'd seen enough paranormal shows to know how this worked. I backed up against a column, squinting into the surrounding darkness.

Now I had to make a phone call. If I was talking with somebody, no ghosts would show up. They'd covered that in Shinken Zemi. I punched in a number with a shaky fingertip. "C'mon, Natsunagi, pick up, Natsunagi, Natsunagi, Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi Natsunagi." I called her over and over like a total stalker, but Natsunagi didn't answer.

This can't be because of the ghost too, could it? They mess with radio waves and stuff, right? Just when I was working myself into a panic—

"Oh? They're...on?"

They weren't as bright as they had been, but the lights had begun to glow, dimly.

...Geez. Don't scare me like that.

I stepped away from the pillar, ending the call.

However, I'd forgotten the fear I'd had earlier. If something was going to show up, it would be now, when I'd relaxed.

"What an opportune place to find prey."

The next instant, a sharp pain ran through the back of my neck. "...!"

I couldn't even scream. The strength drained out of me, and I slumped to my knees.

I didn't understand what was going on, but a fear of death skittered around my mind—

"I suppose a tidbit will avert the crisis."

Still, if my premonition was wrong, it was only because it had detached itself from my neck sooner than I'd expected.

"...!"

Collapsing onto the asphalt, I looked up at the figure that had been standing behind me.

It was a tall man, dressed in white from head to toe. His hair was silver, his

eyes golden. His face was very handsome, but cruel and haughty. His lips were stained with my red blood.

"Who are...?" I asked. My mind was hazy. "What's wrong, human?"

Then he spread two large, black wings

. "Have you never seen a vampire before?"

Mystery meets high fantasy

The blustering night wind woke me up.

...Woke me up?

I looked around. I was on the roof of some building... Probably the TV station.

And...

"You're awake, human?"

He was sitting cleverly on top of the narrow fence around the roof. He had one knee up, and he was holding a wineglass full of...something.

"What's the matter? Entranced by the sight of your own blood...?"

The silver-haired, golden-eyed man swirled the contents of the large glass.

He was grinning boldly at me.

The nightmare wasn't over yet.

"How did we get up here?" I asked, feeling the wound on my neck.

"What a dull question." The man drained the rest of my blood in one gulp. "I held you to my breast and flew. Obviously." Once again, he spread those jet-black wings.

I'd been praying I'd seen wrong, but I'd have to admit it: This guy was not human. He was a vampire, a monster in human form found in folklore from all times and places. Their kind drank human blood and enjoyed eternal life. They were spoken of in legend as immortal kings.

Except...

"...I think someone might take that the wrong way. Could you not?"

This guy had already bitten my neck. I didn't want him talking about breasts or whatever on top of it.

"Have no fear. You need only to be still and offer yourself to me."

"You're doing this on purpose, right? You're deliberately making this weird."

"A noble vampire, and his human thrall. You know the rest, I trust?"

"I sure as hell don't! Are you calling me a sub?!" Nobody said that. I need to calm down. "Hey. Vampire. What the heck are—?"

"Scarlet." The vampire cut me off. "That is my name. The name of the king. Past, present, and forevermore. I command all nights, control the ignorant, unwashed masses."

It was a sharp change from the banter earlier. His golden eyes glowered, as if he were a huge snake that had spotted its prey. It made all my hair stand on end.

There was no point in trying to compete with this guy, or outwit him, or plot anything of the sort. I could tell even from a few meters away. No, he was making me see it. Vampire and human. Our level—our rank—as living beings was different.

"Ha! Be at ease, human."

Scarlet leaped down from the fence, his expression softening. He wasn't smiling, of course; his face and attitude were still insolent, but the threatening aura of a second ago had lost its edge. "There's no need to worry. I won't drink your blood again. I am interested only in beautiful people."

"Hold it. Did you just call me ugly?"

Even Siesta never said anything that mean to me, all right?

"Ha-ha. What's this, human?" The next moment, Scarlet had closed the

distance between us and appeared right in front of me. He put that extremely handsome face close to mine, set a fingertip against my chin, and whispered sweetly. "—Do you desire my affection?"

"...Why am I suddenly seeing rainbows?"

"Sex and gender are trivial matters. Your values are out of date, human." Who'd have thought I'd be getting that lecture from a vampire?

Scarlet snorted, instantly putting distance between us again.

"Wait a second. You're only interested in beautiful people, right? Then why did you take my blood?"

"Hm? Ah, I'd neglected to eat for about two weeks. Truly careless of me. I was merely staving off an emergency. Had you not been there, I would have starved to death."

"Hey, hold up, Scarlet. I saved your ass, and this is how you treat me?"

How could he act like such a big shot? Why was he still raking up his silver hair like he was a magazine cover model?

"Men's blood really is revolting. If I hadn't gone two weeks without sustenance, I would have vomited on the spot. Right on your face."

"You almost kill me, and then you tell me that?!"

If this guy had been a human like me, I would have been punching him right about now.

Yeah, if we were equals. But this guy was— "Scarlet, you're a Tuner, aren't you?"

"Oh-ho." The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes.

So I was right. The Tuners were twelve people who'd been given the mission of protecting the world from anything that endangered it. In that group, Scarlet's role was—Vampire.

When SIESTA had told us about them, I'd never even dreamed that the vampire was a real one. But here he was, right in front of me. I had to admit it.

"I see. You know, then? The Daydream said she hadn't spoken to you about it."

The Daydream. That was probably Siesta. "You know Siesta?"

"Hm? You're inquiring about my relationship with that woman? ...Let's see." Scarlet looked thoughtful all of a sudden.

What's this? Why doesn't he have a ready answer? All he has to do is say

what sort of relationship they were in. Like casual acquaintances, say, or coworkers.

"Well, there's no need to inform you."

"...Wait. You're not going to say? Or is it that you can't say?"

"Ha! Awfully curious about the relations between a man and a woman.

Vulgar creature, aren't you?"

"Did you just say 'relations between a man and woman'? Are you intentionally being suggestive?" You've got to be kidding me... No, he totally is. He's lying. It's obviously a lie. At least I really want it to be. During those three years, Siesta and I dressed, ate, and lived together. I'd never picked up on so much as a hint of another man. It's all right, it's okay...

"If suggestion is what you seek, the scent of that woman's shampoo was

—"

"~~~~~~!"

"You're quite easy to read, human."

My hand was raised to him, and Scarlet snorted at me.

...I prayed fervently that I wasn't the first human in history to get teased by a vampire.

"Hah! Have no fear. My relationship with that woman was nothing like your baseless suspicions." As Scarlet spoke, there was a distant look in his eyes. "If she was a daydream, I was a nightmare. Day and night. We never mingled."

Siesta the ace detective and Scarlet the Vampire.

There did seem to be some deep connection there, something I wasn't aware of.

However...

"Then I'm even more confused. Why did you come to me?" If he was trying to avoid Siesta, and I'd been her assistant...

"There are several reasons. First, because I'd received a request." A request—that word reminded me of Siesta.

"Well, in my case, I suppose it would be a contract. An equivalent trade where I grant a wish, and the other party pays me a commensurate price."

"A price... You mean money?"

"In some cases, yes. I will accept anything I find satisfactory. Money, rank, the finest blood—if they bring me something I will be content with, I will lend a hand to anyone. Even the enemies of the world."

He smiled. Even though as a Tuner, he should have been one of the good guys.

"...Then did you come to me because you'd made a contract with somebody? And the one who asked for the contract is the one who has business with me?"

"You're half correct. One of my reasons for coming here was indeed the party I've contracted with. However, they have no business with you."

"Huh? So you don't need me for anything?"

But he'd gone out of his way to make contact with me. He must have had business with someone in my circle who was nearby, which meant—

"Saikawa, huh?"

Even if that was true, though, what would this guy want with her? And who the heck had made a contract with Scarlet?

"If we're talking about beings who serve vampires, there's really only one."

Suddenly, someone spoke over our heads.

The owner of the voice touched down beside Scarlet. "Ha-ha. We meet again, huh, Watson."

He laughed the way he always did, wriggling the tentacle that had sprouted from his ear at me.

"Bat...!"

Trapped in the coils of that tentacle, I saw Yui Saikawa's wincing face.