Luna Himezuki 

Extreme violence, gruesome death.

—2:00 AM. A convenience store a short distance from the bustling city center. 

Not too busy. Not too quiet. In the perfect work environment for slacking off, there was a female employee who appeared to be in her late teens. 

“Welcome iiin…”

A flat voice, lifeless eyes, and a blatant lack of work ethic. In contrast to her downcast demeanor, Luna Himezuki sported flashy pink hair and bright red nails. She stared intensely at the store’s clock, counting down the seconds in her head slower than the clock ticked.

(Oooooone… Twooooo… Hehe… It’s like time is going faster…. Wait, what the heck am I doing…? I’m totally losing it.)

Finding happiness and marrying her prince charming, a handsome man who understood her, forgave her, and indulged her every whim was the dream Luna had brought with her when she moved from her village to the big city. She had come to Tokyo dreaming of romance, but there was still no sign of her prince charming coming to sweep her off her feet. Instead, her days passed her by as she worked the night shift at a convenience store.

Of course, it wasn’t like she hadn’t had any romantic encounters. While she was undeniably eccentric, she was still the type of girl men found cute, and people would call out to her on the street. However, her incredibly high standards and emotional instability made it impossible to predict when she’d have an outburst—thus keeping all of her potential suitors at bay.

(Maybe I should just give up and go home…)

Her reason for moving to Tokyo was maybe a little mundane, but there were plenty of girls just like her in the big city. Some of them found happiness, while others returned home with shattered dreams after a few years. However, Luna’s lineage set her distinctly apart from all of them.

She wasn’t human.

It had been well over thirty years since Luna first came to Tokyo in search of her prince charming, but her appearance hadn’t changed at all. Not just last year, or even ten years. Not once since she’d come to Tokyo thirty years ago. She was an immortal being that would retain her youth as long as she lived. She wasn’t human, but a monster—a vampire. 

*Ding*

A chime sounded the moment the automatic entrance door slid open. Luna’s eyes, staring at customers with annoyance only moments ago, filled with light.

(H-hottie alert!!)

Instantly, she adopted a voice so different from her usual that it was hard to believe she was the same person, putting her whole heart into conveying a warm welcome. 

“Welcome iiiiin~”

One never knew where a romantic rendezvous might be waiting. Completely forgetting about her work, Luna took her stance as hunter of handsome prey. And so, she waited patiently for her opportunity to check out the man holding a bottled drink at the register.

(Now’s my chance!)

Just as the handsome customer held out the bottle at the register, the moment she tried to deliberately take it as politely as possible—

“God, you’re going too fast!”

“Huh? You followed me? I thought you wanted to stay home?”

“Well… I got lonely waiting all by myself…”

“Ugh, you’re too cute! Let’s head back.”

The woman who suddenly appeared was definitely the handsome customer’s girlfriend. Luna’s expression instantly went blank. Once she had finished giving the bare minimum of customer service, she quietly raised her middle finger at the couple as they left the store hanging off each other. Not satisfied with just one hand, she used both.

“Explode! Fuck you!! Don’t try to act all cute by saying you’re lonely. I'm way lonelier!!!"

In the empty convenience store late at night, her curses fueled by pure jealousy echoed emptily. 

A magnificent mountain range that spanned several prefectures. Among them, on a mountainside in Gifu Prefecture, there was a small farming village where people lived quietly, as if trying to avoid human eyes. Hardly anyone knew of the village's existence. The reason was simple—its inhabitants weren’t human, but a clan of vampires, and the village was founded long ago by vampires who drifted to the land from across the sea. 

Luna Himezuki was born into a distinguished family that had led the clan for generations. As a young lady of noble birth, she was raised not by her parents, but under the strict discipline of her tutors and maids. The only form of entertainment she was given were picture books created by humans for young children. 

Starved for affection and free from parental interference, Luna fell in love with a prince from one of her picture books. The love a prince bestowed upon a princess is the only true form of love, that’s what she started to believe. 

When Luna came of age, she defied her clan's laws and fled her village to find her prince and discover true love. After a long and arduous journey, she finally arrived in the grand metropolis of Tokyo. Her sheltered upbringing left her without a strong sense of self, and she was instantly influenced by the city’s atmosphere in a rather eccentric way.

And so for thirty years, Luna continued her quest to find her prince in Tokyo. However, the fact it had already taken thirty years was proof her quest was a difficult one.

To blend in with humans, she suppressed her vampire instincts by obtaining blood packs from “non-human” entities lurking within the city’s shadows, and she worked the night shift at the convenience store to avoid the sunlight.

However, Luna hated being tired, so she limited herself to working only three days a week despite it being a part time job. Naturally, this made her life unsustainable. She still needed to consume food in addition to blood, and then there was rent, utilities, the internet,and  phone bill. Then there was the money spent on clothes, the most important thing. Plus a bunch of other miscellaneous expenses.

Even when faced with reality, Luna had no intention of cutting back on even a single thing. She wouldn’t tolerate it, there was no way she’d live a miserable life. The money making method she eventually settled on was becoming a sugar baby. She’d meet “older” men online and receive financial support in exchange for companionship.

“Thanks for taking me to dinner. That was my first time ever at an oyster bar~!”

“You sure can eat a lot… Well, whatever. So, after this…”

“Huuh~? What is it~?”

“Let’s get drinks somewhere quieter. I’ve already got a room booked.”

“Aaaah~! I’m sooo, sorry! I’ve got to get home…”

“Why? You busy?”

“Uuum, well… I have IKEX furniture to put together…”

“...Are you fucking with me? Do you have any idea how much I paid for all this?”

“E-eek!! This is verbal abuse! You’re abusing me!? I-I’m gonna get kiiiilled~!!”

“T-that’s a bit dramatic… Hey! Where are you doing? Wait up, will ya?”

Luna would take what she could get, eat whatever she could., and then she would escape as fast as she could. Despite involving herself with sugar daddies, Luna was quite reserved. She was so inept at dealing with people that it rubbed them the wrong way, and her reputation among the pool continued to nosedive.

Completely unaware of any of that, Luna managed to successfully make her escape and headed home, beaming with delight at the large sum of money she had just secured. 

“I knew I was a cutie~! If I wasn’t, no way being a sugar baby would go so well~ Maybe I should just quit the convenience store! A lame job like that doesn’t suit a total cutie like me!”

Her ego stoked, Luna was in such a good mood that she felt like skipping. With her pockets full of cash, she considered stopping at a convenience store to buy up all the new snacks. But then….

From a deserted back alley, she heard something that sounded like a moan.

“Huh? The? What? Huh?? Is that some drunk? Or maybe a ghost?”

Vampires were high ranking members of “non human” society. For Luna, something like ghosts or demons were hardly worth worrying about. For her, a vampire mimicking humans, the scariest thing was a dangerous human threatening her life.

However, Luna, shortsighted and impulsive even in pivotal moments, wandered into the alleyway where she’d heard the sound without thinking about it twice.

“I feel waaay better about myself whenever I see one of these drunk losers hit rock bottom~ Couldn’t be me!”

As Luna walked along the dimly lit street, thinking horrible thoughts, she gradually began to hear a dull thudding alongside the groans. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and the source of the noise became clearly visible. 

Luna regretted approaching so recklessly. There were several men in black suits laying in a massive pool of blood, their limbs bent unnaturally and evoking the image of death. There was only one man still barely clinging to life, but his legs had given out and body was limp. He was being held up by the collar and forced upright. And then, right to his face–　

One blow, two blows—heavy fists struck him again and again like a rain of hammers.

“Ggh…Ugh…”

The sound Luna had mistaken for a groan was actually the involuntary breaths that escaped the man each time a fist smashed into his face. When the sound faded away, the man in black was tossed into the street like trash. His face was mangled beyond recognition.

“E–Eeeeek!!!”

Luna threw her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her accidental screams, but it was already too late. The man who had just finished beating someone to death turned to look at Luna. Translucent silver hair, skin so pale it rivaled his hair color, and a pure white suit. He was a young man with otherworldly beauty, almost resembling a sculpture. Luna’s image was reflected in his eyes.

(H-he’s gonna kill me…! I’m gonna be vampire mincemeat! No no no!! I’ve still got like three thousand things I wanna do!!!”

Although she didn’t know it herself, Luna’s speed of escaping was unmatched. Having spent her entire life fleeing from stress, she bolted back the way she came without even a second of hesitation. Luna’s instinctive speed when deciding to run, combined with her physical abilities as a vampire, had allowed her to avoid any difficulties despite being a troublemaker herself. She’d run away again today, too. She could run from anything—or so she thought.

“Haa… Ha… Haa…”

She heard breathing that wasn’t her own. Before she knew it, it was right behind her, and a young man’s large hand grabbed her by the shoulder.

“WAAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

The moment Luna screamed, she shed her human disguise and revealed her true vampiric form. Twisting her body to break free from his grip, she drove her fangs deep into the young man's neck. Sucking blood was a vampire’s defining trait, as well as her trump card. In fear of a counterattack, she took more than she needed to. She drank him to near death, and he collapsed heavily on the ground. A human drained of both their blood and essence shouldn’t be able to stand properly for at least three days.

(I-it was the heat of the moment… He’s not dead, is he? Like, he’s okay? I-it was totally in self defense!! I didn’t do anything wrong! It’s not my fault!! The verdict? Luna is innocent!! Ah, yes. Thank you…?)

Turning pale, Luna played a scene out by herself to justify her actions. She was the victim here. She was the one who had gotten dragged into that mess. The rest didn’t matter. Just as Luna had come to that conclusion and turned to leave the scene, she felt an impact to the back of her head. 

(Huh? Did I bump into something?)

While thinking such a plain thought, Luna lost consciousness.

When Luna woke up, she found herself in her own bed. So all of that had just been a dream? Relieved, she sat up and looked around the room. Blindingly pink curtains, cheap furniture from Zombie Haute, exercise equipment she had only used once, a colorful box haphazardly crammed with popular manga volumes in a random order. And, of course, the many plushies won from a UFO catcher. It was definitely her room, but something was wrong.

Empty instant noodle cups and plastic bottles that had been scattered all over the room were gone, revealing the floor that had previously been buried beneath them. Her piles of laundry had been picked up, the dishes in the sink from who knows how long ago cleaned and put away. Every single “disaster” had been deep cleaned and put away.

Luna’s eyes widened in confusion as the front door opened with a click.

"Ah, you're awake. That's good… How are you feeling?" 

A pure white suit and translucent silver hair. The gorgeous young man entered Luna's room, carrying a plastic bag from a convenience store.

“Sorry for cleaning up without asking first. Oh, I brought lunch. Let’s eat together.”

As he said this, the  man placed Luna’s share of the food on the table with a smile, acting as if it was completely normal. Luna was not in the mood to smile back. Why was he in her house? How did he find out where she lived? 

Unable to wrap her head around the idea of a murderer standing in front of her, smiling nonchalantly, Luna snapped and started screaming.

“No! No! No! No! Why!? Who even are you!? I am seriously going to crash the hell out!! And you cleaned…. WAAAAHH!!! Even my underwear is all folded!!”

Luna was the type whose mouth ran faster than her brain, so she shouted whatever came to mind before she could filter it. She had about a million questions about what was going on and how it had happened. But just as Luna inched closer to the man, intent on demanding an explanation... 

A single tear ran silently down his cheek. As it caressed his porcelain-like skin, the tear seemed to sparkle like stardust from heaven itself. Stunned silent by its beauty, Luna was breathless. The man bowed his head, his eyes still wet with shimmering, jewel-like tears.

“I’m sorry you had to see such a gruesome sight… And… I’m sorry for being so cruel. I just wanted someone to hear me out, but then I was so clumsy… Please, you have to believe me.”

“Ah, um... O-okay.”

"The truth is... I'm being pursued by a certain organization... That night, you showed up just as I was fighting back against an operative sent  to kill me..." 

“I-I see…”

Completely overwhelmed and dumbfounded by the man’s mysterious aura, she replied half-heartedly.

Then, he said something that confused her even more, “I know this is sudden, but… Would you be willing to shelter me…?”

He claimed to have a reason, but the man had still killed someone right in front of Luna's eyes. Now he was even tearfully pleading for shelter. Despite the bizarre situation unfolding before her, a very simple thought ran through Luna’s mind.

(Seriously? Is this guy for real? He asks me that after barging into my house without permission?)

Luna was so bewildered that it eventually circled back around to a strange sense of calm. She wanted to be rid of all the nonsense and get back to her peaceful life, but she didn’t want to piss off a murderer. She figured she would at least hear him out, gesturing nervously for him to continue.

His name was Vindett. As the second son of a fallen royal family, he one day found himself swept up in a coup d'état by rebel forces targeting the nobles. Vindett was captured, his body forcibly altered after being subjected to human experimentation by the rebel army. Although he was eventually able to find an opportunity to escape, he lost his older brother, his only remaining blood relative, in the ensuing chaos. After fleeing his pursuers, he arrived in the metropolis of Tokyo.

Since then, Vindett had been living alone—no one to rely on and no place to call home. That was the story of his life so far.

“My strength is a result of their experiments. They toyed with my body however they pleased… Here, look.”

Vindett slowly extended his tongue from his mouth to show it to Luna. His tongue was split down the middle like a reptile's, flickering seductively. Looking closely, the tattoos peeking out from the sleeves of his white suit, combined with his striking appearance, gave him a captivating aura.

A royal upbringing, a coup d'état, human experimentation, assassins gunning for his life. His story was so absurd that it sounded like something out of fiction. Anyone hearing it would likely scoff in disbelief.

So naturally, Luna–

“That must have been soooooooo hard for you!!”

She was sobbing uncontrollably. Deeply emotionally invested in Vindett’s story, Luna shed large tears as she grabbed a huge wad of tissues and blew her nose loudly. It may have seemed over the top, but Luna was sensitive to the emotions of others and had a tendency to be incredibly unstable. That aside, she believed his story because she empathized with him. She was a vampire, her very existence was something people would laugh off as nothing more than fantasy. As someone from the “other side”, she couldn’t laugh at his story.

At the same time, as Luna began to regain her composure, she realized something while listening to him speak. His strikingly handsome features, the slightly rebellious "adornments" gracing his body. And most importantly, the flashes of melancholy in his expressions.

Vindett was exactly what she had been looking for down to his very core—the embodiment of her prince charming.

Thus (officially) began Luna and Vindett’s life together. Living with the generally soft-spoken and gentlemanly Vindett was the first time Luna had experienced happiness since moving to Tokyo. However, Vindett’s demeanor would sometimes change drastically. 

Vindett was an emotional minefield. If one of those landmines were carelessly stepped on, he would instantly explode into a furious rage. It was like he was a completely different person, and it terrified Luna several times. But after a while, he would regain his composure and cling to Luna in tears. Every time she held Vindett as he wept and apologized against her chest, the fear and maternal instinct in her heart would transform into pure affection, causing her love for him to swell even larger.

“I love him sooo much, I could just die… Like, literally.”

Luna, feeling that it would be like cheating, abruptly quit her sugar baby lifestyle she had grown to love, and instead picked up more shifts at work, diligently continuing to take care of Vindett. It never once felt like a burden. Vindett was the first person she had ever valued more than herself despite her selfishness, capriciousness, and sensitivity to any criticism. Devoting herself to him was its own source of happiness.

However, Vindett wasn’t just leeching off her generosity. He never revealed where he got the money, but Vindett must have been doing something while Luna was at work because he always contributed enough to cover basic living expenses. Thanks to this arrangement, Luna was able to save money that definitely wouldn't have lasted when she lived alone. She said she was setting aside "savings for their future together☆".

However, as mentioned earlier, there were many mysteries surrounding Vindett's actions that made Luna feel uneasy. Sometimes he would vanish for two or three days at a time, leaving nothing behind but a note. No matter how hard Luna pressed him for answers, he would simply dodge the question with evasive, vague answers. 

Luna had become entirely dependent on Vindett and often found her emotions becoming unstable due to his uncertain behavior and the days, no matter how few they were, she spent without him. Each time she would endlessly whine and cry that she was the most miserable person in the entire world. But the second Vindett would return and silently embrace her, Luna would swell with joy and instantly regain her composure.

At first glance, Luna might have seemed to have an unusual personality, but the one thing she had always wanted was love. 

“Luna… Thank you so much for everything. I wish we could live together forever.”

“AAGH! You’re so blunt it’s dazzling! But I’m happy!!”

The kind of sweet, idle chatter shared between a couple. It might have seemed like just a cringeworthy fantasy, but it was more than just a fantasy to Luna. She had the power to make it a reality.

Alongside the ability to drain blood and life force, vampires possessed another power. By making humans into their thralls, they could grant them eternal life. If Luna felt like it, it would be possible for them to live together forever.

However, Luna, who at least possessed some basic common sense and had come to Tokyo longing to be “human" like the characters in her picture books, was absolutely determined not to do that. Even so, she couldn’t help but imagine a sweet future where the two of them spent eternity together. Even if a human and vampire eventually parting ways was inevitable.

(Haa… No point in thinking about this… It’s just making me depressed…)

“Luna, is something wrong? You look out of it.”

“Oh, no. It’s nothing! Just remembered a little oopsie at work and got a little bummed about it!”

When she was feeling down, there was someone there to worry about her. Luna simply savored this moment of pure joy. 

Luna, enjoying this blissful time in her life, was in the middle of her usual night shift at the convenience store. After 3AM, there were barely any customers. During those hours, the work shifts away from customer service to tasks like cleaning and placing orders. As she restocked the shelves with snack foods with routine movements, Luna’s mind was somewhere else entirely.

(I need to pick up dinner for Vindett on my way home from work. Aaaah, maybe I should learn how to cook or something… Hm… Ew, actually. No way… But, like…)

No matter how self-indulgent her lifestyle had been up until then, all nourishment had always gone straight to her boobs. While the image of vampires passed down among humans often depicts them as stunningly beautiful, the reality varies wildly from one individual to the next. Luna was definitely more on the glamorous side, and it was one of the few things she was proud of. 

But then… Luna suddenly pinched the flesh at her stomach with her fingertips. She grasped a bit of fat that, until recently, she couldn't have pinched even if she’d tried. She sighed, but she was smiling.

(Aaah~! So you really do gain weight when you’re happy~!?)

In the midst of experiencing true happiness for the very first time, she was able to see the positives in everything. 

“Um, excuse me,” a sudden voice came from behind.

Luna, who hadn't noticed the customer's presence, flinched and stiffened for a moment, but turned around to fulfill her customer service duties.

“Ah, yes. How can I help you…?”

When Luna turned around, she saw a man in a black suit standing before her. He was absolutely massive, towering over her and his muscular physique visible through his clothes. Five identical men suddenly had her surrounded, and the second one of them raised their first–

–Luna was unconscious, the memory knocked right out of her.

—One Month Later.

Luna was in a small room made of concrete, her limbs bound by chains connected directly to the wall. Sweat had melted her heavy makeup away, and her hair was greasy. She had been left there bound and chained without food or water since the day of her kidnapping.

(It… hurts… weehhh…)

The only reason she had survived so long was because she was a vampire. Her family of vampires consumed ordinary food merely as a nutritional supplement or recreation. However, blood could not be ignored. Vampires just couldn’t live without it, so despite Luna’s admiration of humans and dedicated mimicry of them, she still consumed blood via blood packs. 

A lack of blood stripped vampires of their physical freedom, allowing their bodies to wither away. The method of deprivation, requiring no dramatic struggle to expose the target to sunlight or seal them away with holy power, was arguably the best possible approach for dealing with a vampire. 

(I’ve made it this long… thinking I’d be rescued… but… maybe it’s hopeless… Vindett… Will you be okay once I’m gone…? I just wanted to see you… one last time… Ah… Now I’m dooming…)

Luna’s body was reaching its limit. Left the way she was, she would die. Even the optimistic Luna, understanding her situation, quietly hung her head, thinking of the one she loved. 

But then–

The sound of an explosion boomed, and Luna reflexively looked up. On the opposite wall where she was pinned, a massive hole had been blasted through the thick concrete, allowing light to pour into the room. She turned away from the dazzling light for a moment, but then timidly raised her head and opened her eyes.

There stood Vindett, the light shining behind him, gripping the hair of a man in black that was already dead.

“Vindett!!”

A prince had come to rescue his captive princess—exactly like what Luna had dreamed of for so long 

“Ue, uuuue… You’re sooooooo, so, so cool!!”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Luna. Save your tears for now, let's get out of here first.”

Vindett leading her by the hand, Luna stepped out through the hole in the wall. The space beyond was nothing like the concrete room she had been in. It was a floor resembling a high-end office building. 

“Hey, where even are we...?” 

“Damn it, they're here...!” 

Luna’s words are cut short. Down the end of the incredibly long hallway, she saw a group of men in black suits running straight at them. 

“This way!”

Led by the hand, Luna aimlessly runs throughout the building with Vindett. However, men in black suits appeared one after another from every elevator, stairwell, and any other possible escape routes. Before long, the two of them were cornered inside a large, empty room. The walls were made entirely of glass, and the moonlit sky seemed to stretch on forever.

Clinging to a glimmer of hope, Luna rushed to the window to see the outside world for the first time in ages—only to be met with a sea of skyscrapers at her feet. She realized just how incredibly high up they were. At the same time, Vindett slammed his fist against the window and let out a frustrated groan. 

“Shit… This is bad…”

“Huh? Isn’t this the part where you reveal your super secret plan or whatever!?”

“Luna… I’m sorry…”

“Oh, no! I’m not blaming you! I just thought you might have some kinda princely surprise. It’s my bad! I’m such a stupid idiot! Teehee…”

As Luna was putting on an act , hitting her own head playfully as if she had upset Vindett, a gunshot rang out in the room. One gunshot followed immediately after another, and Luna curled up into a ball. The reinforced glass walls withstood several shots, but one side eventually shattered, allowing a fierce wind to tear through the room.

A horde of men in black blocked the entrance, each of them with a gun trained directly on Luna and Vindett.

(Aaaahh… Just great… Now there’s no “normal” way to escape…)

As she thought this, Luna quietly glanced out the broken window. If she reverted to her vampiric form, she could jump out the window and fly away. But that would only work for her, and there was no chance she would abandon Vindett to escape alone.

“Luna…”

Vindett embraced Luna, shielding her from the men in black with his back. It was a meaningless gesture against such a heavy amount of gunfire, but it pierced Luna’s heart deeper than any bullet ever could. As he held her in his arms, she could see the nape of his neck within reach of her lips.

Luna was left with only two options. Option one: they could either be pumped full of lead, and she could wait for the rest of her life force to fizzle out. Or–

“Vindett… I’m sorry…”

–Option two: she could turn Vindett into a vampire.

Having chosen option two, which involved transfusing her own blood rather than draining his, Luna opened her mouth wide to sink her fangs into his pale flesh.

But then…

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” an extremely calm voice came from within the group of men in black.

Luna froze in place, and the owner of the voice—a man who looked remarkably like Vindett, continued.

“I’m Vindett’s older brother. I’ve come to take this fool home.”

“Huh…? Older brother…? I thought you were, like, dead…”

Despite Luna’s confusion, Vindett’s eyes remained intense, dark, and clouded. He just kept staring out the window.

“Oh ho! So the story is that I’m dead, huh? Well, you did try to kill me once.”

The man who claimed to be Vindett’s brother shrugged his shoulders in exasperation. Unable to comprehend the situation, Luna anxiously glanced back and forth between the man and Vindett, but Vindett remained silent.

“I let you run loose for a while since it seemed like you were being a good boy… But, sure enough, your little bad habits get the best of you, Vindett.”

“U-um… Can I get, like… an explanation…?”

“You… You’re Luna, I believe? Pitiful vampire girl…”

“I knew it… The way you kept me prisoner… I had a feeling.”

“So your brain works after all, does it? You’re either incredibly bold or… incredibly stupid.”

“The… How do I even respond to that…?”

Mocked mercilessly by the handsome man who bore a striking resemblance to Vindett, Luna found herself unable to work up any real anger despite her masochistic side. She was starting to wonder if the words the man was speaking might actually be true. Unaware of her inner turmoil, the man turned back to Vindett and uttered words that Luna found impossible to believe.

“Your upbringing, your ridiculous sweetheart act—it’s all a lie. Your only goal is this girl’s vampiric power. That’s why you approached her, right, Vindett?”

Despite everything, Vindett still remained silent. He stared at the man with a look of pure contempt.

(Huh? A lie… What’s he talking about? Vindett wouldn’t do that…”

She had no intent on doubting Vindett, but this man knew she was a vampire, and Vindett didn’t seem surprised by that at all. Even Luna was starting to notice things weren’t adding up.

“You’re lying… He’s lying, right? Wait, no. I mean like he's lying that you’re lying…”

“Of course he is, Luna! You were the first person to ever stand by me! I could never lie to you! This suspicious man… Don’t listen to him!” Vindett dramatically spread his arms wide and declared this with a theatrical flair, as if he were an actor on stage.

While Luna believed him and breathed a sigh of relief, the man couldn't hold back his laughter and pressed on, as if to put the final nail in the coffin.

“Vindett, she isn’t the first vampire you’ve set your sights on. My associates spotted you last year in a vampire village up in the mountains of Gifu.”

(Like… my hometown?)

"You must have found out about her presence in Tokyo somehow. Then you got close to her. That makes sense. Even for someone like you, taking on every vampire in the village would be too risky, wouldn't it? Seduce a stupid woman, then discard her when it suits you. That’s your specialty, after all." 

“...I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Are you telling me you forgot? Without even acknowledging the trouble I’ve had to go through cleaning up your messes time and time again? Here, does seeing this jog your memory?" 

As he spoke, the man tossed something resembling a file toward Luna and Vindett. Several photographs spilled out as it slid across the floor, showing the gruesome remains of a woman who had obviously been intentionally killed.

“From supernatural beings to so-called demons. He’d do anything for power, isn’t that right, Vindett?”

Luna glared at the man, who was smiling triumphantly, with an unusually clear hostility. Her love was deep and intense. It is a love so heavy that an ordinary person would be crushed beneath its weight. This wasn’t enough to shake her.

“Th-that doesn’t prove anything! It’s gotta be… like, you just made that on your computer or whatever!" 

“...Bring him in, and make it quick.”

Without responding to Luna's words, the man snapped his fingers. One of the men in black brought out another man, also dressed in a black suit. Luna recognized him—he was the man who had attacked her at the convenience store. The man claiming to be Vindett's brother placed his hand on the shoulder of the man in black. 

“This one isn’t mine. Now, explain yourself.”

“I-I was just hired by that Vindett guy over there.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. Vindett stood motionless. Watching this scene with satisfaction, the man claiming to be his older brother signaled the man in black to continue. 

“The order was to attack and kidnap a woman… to test vitality as a vampire… Hey, that’s enough, right!? You’re gonna spare me now, right!?”

“...Get rid of him.”

“H-hey! What are you gonna do with me!? S-stop!! This wasn’t part of the deal…!!”

Ignoring the man in black being hauled away, the man claiming to be Vindett’s older brother turned his attention to Luna. 

“Even an idiot like you finally understands, right? Listen, little vampire girl. Vindett feels no love for you. If you make him your thrall of your own volition, then you play right into his game. Otherwise, he’ll kill you and drink your blood. That’s the kind of man he is. You were the only one... dancing along, completely unaware that you were playing the fool. The only one who doesn’t see through this charade… is you.” 

She was faced with numerous pieces of evidence that seemed to confirm the truth. But no matter what evidence is shown to her, Luna wouldn’t believe it. Even though they were brief, memories of her days spent with Vindett were on repeat in her mind. Days spent stroking each other’s heads, cuddling against one another like broken branches for support. No matter what anyone said, that was the only truth to Luna.

“You… Just what the hell would you know… about Vindett!!!”

She stopped thinking, there was no point to it anymore. Abandoning all thought, Luna dashed straight ahead and lunged at the smiling man. 

The moment Luna darted forward, the men in black suits leveled their guns at her. Before anyone could pull the trigger, she shed her human facade and unleashed her true vampiric form. She could detect even the slightest movement. The second someone fired a gun, her body dissolved into a swarm of countless tiny bats. The bats weaved through the gaps between the bullets, dodging every single one of them. 

(Vampires… can do things like this too…!) 

The bats, which had scattered, gathered again and instantly transformed into a wolf. The men in black recoil in fear before the massive, growling predator, but Luna doesn't even glance at them. Her eyes were trained straight ahead at the man claiming to be Vindett’s brother.

Then, after timing herself by scratching her front paws a few times, she growled and took off at top speed. Luna, starved of blood during her confinement, felt the ferocity of her vampire nature intensifying due to her hunger.

Should she drink until he’s nothing but skin and bones? Should she tear him apart until he’s nothing but chunks of meat? Either way, she would kill anyone who stood between her and Vindett.

With that thought in mind, she lunged at the man, but–

There was a heavy thud. Something behind her had collapsed, and there was only one thing in that direction.

“Vindett!?”

Luna turned around in a panic and saw Vindett slumped over on the floor. She spun on her heel and ran towards him, lifting him up into her arms. Vindett’s pristine white suit was stained with blood seeping from his abdomen. She didn’t need to bother to check the amount of bleeding, her vampiric senses clearly picked up the scent of it. 

“Haha… How stupid… to get hit by a stray bullet…”

“No! It’s because I got angry and rushed into things…”

Luna leaned in closer, desperate to hear his faint, strained voice caused by his mortal wound. Tears were already pouring from her eyes and onto Vindett’s face.

“The time I spent with you... was... fun…”

“No, no, no! Don’t say that! That’s the kind of stuff people say before they die!!”

The men in black approached, closing in on them with guns drawn. Time was running out.

“I’m going to save you! I’ll save you no matter what!”

Luna’s brain was working harder than it ever had in her entire life, desperate to find a way out of the situation.

—Jump off the building holding Vindett? Difficult for a vampire with only average physical strength.

—Wipe out the men in black? Too many of them. She couldn’t do that while protecting Vindett.

—Make Vindett her thrall? It was the last resort. The transformation took a massive toll on the body, and it would be pointless if the already weakened Vindett died before the process was complete.

Luna struggled, unable to make a decision. The men in black were closing in fast. She was out of time. With no other options, Luna hugged Vindett as tightly as she could.

Then, Vindett whispered softly in her ear, “I want you… to be happy, at least–”

Before she could hear the rest of what he had to say, Vindett shoved Luna away out of the shattered window. She fell from the skyscraper, at the mercy of gravity. She frantically spread her wings, trying to return to Vindet, but her vitality was already drained by her captivity and the recent struggle. She simply didn’t have the strength. All she could do was flap her wings enough to slow her descent.

“No… NOOOO!! VINDEEEEEETT…!!”

In the world of picture books, the princess would meet her prince and get her happy ending. In reality, happily ever after wasn’t the only kind of ending.

For the first time, Luna understood that.

“A train will be arriving on platform fifteen. Please wait behind the yellow line.”

Upon hearing the announcement, Luna stood up from the bench and began walking toward the designated platform, her rolling suitcase along behind her. She was heading back to the village where she had been born and raised. 

On that day, when Luna returned home in despair, she was met with the sight of her apartment building completely destroyed. Officially, the cause was cited as a gas explosion, but it was obvious that it was the work of the organization targeting Vindett.

That wasn’t the last of her misfortunes. She had disappeared during business hours and went radio silent for a month, so she was fired from her part-time job. When she tried to return to being a sugar baby, there wasn't a single guy who would pick her up because of the bad reputation that had spread. 

With nowhere left to turn, the only option remaining for Luna was to return home to her parents. After transferring from the bullet train to a local train, and then a three-hour bus ride, Luna made it home to her village located even further up the mountain. Amidst the rural Japanese fields and landscape were several Western-style mansions that felt entirely out of place.

Luna sighed at the familiar sight, “Well… I’m back…”

She had stormed out like she was running away and declared she would never return. A lot of time had passed since then. No friends. No lover. She wasn’t satisfied. From the outside looking in, her life had been quite lonely.

After all that time, she had finally found her prince… But now he was gone, too. Seeing the scenery of her hometown before her, Luna finally realized that she had truly lost everything.

“I don’t get my dream ending, I’m stuck with this reality. Aaaah, this suuuuucks soooo bad… No, I won’t let it keep me down anymore! I’m gonna be so brave about it!!”

So many things had been a waste, but what hadn’t killed Luna had made her stronger.

“I’ll be alone for the rest of my life! You know, I did think Vindett was kinda sus. Maybe he really was tricking me… Yeah, totally! Good thing I figured it out early! Yeah, I won! I’m the best ever! No more being depressed, and no more falling in love! Princes don’t even exist!”

Raising her voice to encourage herself, Luna started walking again, her suitcase rattling along the ground. She still had a long way to go before reaching the mansion where her parents lived. She wondered if they’d scold her when she got there, but she was pulled out of her childish thoughts when she saw someone up ahead.

Tall, slender, yet with posture that suggested a strong and flexible core. Silver hair swaying in the breeze. Translucent skin. A white suit. It was the figure of a man who was supposed to be dead. It was the man Luna had supposedly parted ways with, both in reality and in her heart.

She instantly cast aside her suitcase and ran towards him.

“Vindeeeet~! I always believed– I knew it! I knew all along you'd come for meeeee!!! My priiiiiiiiiince!!” Luna, shouted selfishly with the same breath she had declared otherwise. 

The man embraced her and stroked her head as she sobbed uncontrollably, wailing like a wild animal.

“Luna, let’s find happiness together… For real this time.”