(Try this music: Senjougahara Tore) Even though Souta spoke with deep sincerity... He was totally bullshitting. I mean—he was only twenty years old. A twenty-year-old saying, "Living forever sounds boring... I'd probably get so tired of life that I'd want to die." He didn't even believe himself! Rich people's happiness is beyond your imagination! And for immortals...? Probably the same thing! Hearing Souta's straightforward words, Kiss-Shot did not show any signs of embarrassment. She was, after all, a 500-year-old vampire. Why would she blush over this kind of talk? Right now, her expression looked a little dumbfounded. Kiss-Shot's golden eyes narrowed. "Are you saying... that you're actually willing to stay with me forever?" What's going on here? Didn't he say he didn't want to be a vampire? If he wasn't a vampire, That meant their Master-Servant bond would end. One of them would be a man-eating monster. The other? A normal human with human morals. Wouldn't they naturally become strangers? So why was he still saying this kind of thing...? "Of course, I'd stay with you." Souta nodded confidently. Then, he suddenly asked: "Kiss-Shot, did you forget something?" Kiss-Shot frowned slightly. "Before I even met you, I was already immortal." Kiss-Shot's pupils shrank slightly. Souta tilted his head. "And we're connected by this system." "Weren't we already going to live together forever?" Kiss-Shot's voice dropped slightly. She stared at him with sharp eyes. "If you're no longer a vampire..." "Then you and I will no longer be the same." Then, her voice became even colder. "You must not forget—" "I am a man-eating monster." "If you don't become like me..." "There will always be a gap between us." "There will always be conflict." "...And eventually, you'll start to hate me." "...So this is what you're worried about?" Souta finally understood why Kiss-Shot was so conflicted. So she actually cares about the "eating humans" thing. That's what's really bothering her. Because, yes—vampires eat humans. And because of that fact... It was nearly impossible for humans and vampires to coexist. Even if a human said they didn't mind their vampire partner eating people... Could they really be completely okay with it? Could they guarantee they wouldn't have even the slightest resentment? Souta was honest with himself. If he were in that situation? He'd probably feel some type of way about it too. Kiss-Shot's expression was serious. Her golden eyes shone with determination. "If you don't want to eat humans—" "That means you will eventually despise me." "That is inevitable." Her voice was clear and unwavering. "What you want... is nothing but a foolish fantasy." "If you want to stay by my side..." "Then, you must first become a monster." When Souta had said he wanted to stay with her forever, Kiss-Shot had been genuinely moved. She had been alone... for so long. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Earlier—when she had asked him: "Do you want to be a vampire or a human?" She wasn't just asking for his answer. She was using his answer... to decide for herself. Then, she would try to take the first step toward living. Since he chose human, She had no choice but to accept her fate and go through with her plan to die for him. That was how things were supposed to go. Souta completely ruined her plans. Because, for some reason... He didn't want just "human." And he didn't want just "vampire." "I want to be a human... but with vampire powers." ...This guy is so greedy. Even Kiss-Shot was speechless. She had no idea how to respond to this ridiculous train of thought. Kiss-Shot's voice carried a hint of disbelief. "...Have you ever considered the opposite?" Kiss-Shot's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "Instead of you becoming a monster like me..." "...Have you thought about making me like you?" "...Someone who doesn't need to eat humans?" Souta's lips curled into a smile. Kiss-Shot's expression shifted slightly. "...You mean to say—" "...That's even possible?" "I can't do it," Souta admitted. He casually pulled out his system phone. And shook it in front of her face. "We have this, don't we?" "The system can help us achieve that goal." Souta let out a tired sigh and gave her a helpless look. "I was trying to tell you that earlier..." "But you completely cut me off." "I already found a way to remove all the weaknesses of a vampire's body." "That includes the need to eat humans." Kiss-Shot fell silent. She suddenly felt like everything was unreal. "...So... my problem is... solved?" "I Made Up My Mind... And Now You Tell Me This?" Kiss-Shot was speechless. She had already made such a huge decision. And now—Souta suddenly drops this bombshell on her?! Kiss-Shot's golden eyes narrowed, her expression unreadable. She exhaled deeply, as if trying to contain her frustration. "...A truly headache-inducing man." "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Souta spread his hands, looking helpless. "I was literally about to say it..." "But then you cut me off with your dra—" "...With your very passionate speech." Kiss-Shot's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her voice dropped into a deadly calm. "What exactly were you about to say?" "...Were you about to call me dramatic?" Souta swiftly changed the topic. "For my plan to work—" "You can't be too attached to your identity as a vampire." "And you can't actually enjoy eating people." Souta looked at her seriously. His voice was calm but firm. "So tell me, Kiss-Shot—" Souta felt confident in her response. In the original story, it was mentioned many times that Kiss-Shot hated unnecessary killing. If she could avoid it, she would. So of course, she didn't actually enjoy eating humans. Kiss-Shot's actual answer... Caught Souta completely off guard. "...I feel annoyed right now." After a short pause, Kiss-Shot huffed. She turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes. She reverted to her usual, high-and-mighty tone. "I refuse to answer you." She was clearly rejecting the conversation. Souta stared at her for a moment. She's a textbook tsundere. Of course she's acting . But she just needed time to process it. Souta sighed in relief. This entire situation felt too surreal. The hardest part of the mission—solving her emotional baggage— Was it really this easy to clear?! A strange silence settled between them. Until the sun completely set. The red hues of dusk faded into darkness. The night sky covered the town in shadows. Kiss-Shot turned back to him. Her golden eyes locked onto his. Her voice was calm but resolute. She took a deep breath. "About this method you found." A small, quiet smile.