Vindett Jean Ladioure 

Extreme violence, gruesome death, abusive depiction of a relationship. Living embodiment of mansplain, manipulate, malewife. 

Dazzling silver hair, a suit of pure white, and features straight out of a painting—and yet, he possessed an undeniable masculine strength. He was a man so handsome he turned the heads of both men and women alike as he walked down the street. That was Vindett Jean Ladioure.

He was marked for death by a certain organization, and that same day he struck down his would-be assassin. However, a girl named Luna Himezuki had witnessed the scene. To an outside observer, Vindett looked like a criminal who had killed an innocent man.

Vindett chased after Luna to clear up the misunderstanding, but a mistake left her unconscious, and he wound up having to carry her home. That was how Vindett caught Luna’s eye, and she offered him a place to stay upon her awakening.

Vindett and Luna.

A chance encounter led them to a life shared together, and a bond that gradually made them irreplaceable figures in each other's lives. That was the reason Vindett was currently in Luna’s room.

But it was all according to Vindett’s plan. There was no “chance encounter” that brought them together. He had foreseen it all.

“I’m hoooome~! Suuuch a rough day! Vindeeeett, pet my head and tell me I did a good job~!”

“Welcome back. Good work today, Luna.”

Completely oblivious, Luna leaned against him, purring and cooing in hopes of being pampered by her “beloved”. Vindett hugged her and stroked her head like she asked, then smiled silently at no one in particular. 

—No, there was one person.

The full length mirror standing in the corner of the room reflected Luna’s back and the image of Vindett, his eyes fixed on his own reflection. He smiled coldly at himself in the mirror as though he was the very embodiment of malice.

Vindett was the second born son of a prominent business conglomerate. His skills were the best of the best in everything he did, from academics, sports, and martial arts. He was born with beauty so otherworldly it was outside the realm of comparison, never inviting jealousy. During his childhood, everyone expected a bright future ahead of him.

Revered as a child prodigy, he eventually grew from a boy into a young man. Vindett moved through high-society social circles with dignity, mingling with the wealthy, politicians, and celebrities while flashing a gentle smile at everyone he met. Anyone that met him saw an upstanding and charismatic young man.

However, there had been a small “stain” within him since childhood that only grew larger as he got older, casting a dark shadow over his heart. Talent, beauty, lineage, and wealth. Vindett had everything, but he still found something he craved with an obsessive passion.

Power. Not tangible power like physical strength or political influence, but something beyond human comprehension. There was no deeper meaning behind his pursuit of power, he simply did whatever he found entertaining.

Bones, skin, organs, brain. Using cutting-edge technology, he subjected his own body to a series of modifications. Forward. Always forward. Yet, no matter how revolutionary the technology, it was ultimately still a human creation. It would never be enough to satisfy him.

His desire eventually drove him to reach out and transform himself into something beyond human—to truly transcend mortal comprehension in its purest form. He would use his wealth to recruit vast numbers of people, and after the inevitable sacrifice of their lives, he would capture so-called "monsters" and use every means at his disposal to graft their abilities onto his own human body. 

But it still wasn’t enough. The newfound power and euphoria, unlike anything else he had ever experienced, were only temporary. There was no end to this craving for otherworldly power.

However, his brutality would soon be discovered. It happened right after he had absorbed the power of the second entity. As a result, Vindett was forced to flee his homeland and was pursued by an organization controlled by his older brother. 

Vindett was effectively banished from the country, but there was not a trace of sadness in his heart. On the contrary, he even enjoyed it. He risked his life against an organization that thought nothing of killing and operated in the shadows across the globe. It was the perfect opportunity for him to use his power that was useless in a peaceful life.

Even while on the run, Vindett's desires could not be satisfied. He had already set his sights on his next target. 

(Aah… how exquisite. The immortal power of vampires… If I could obtain that for myself, I…! Hehe… I mustn't rush things. Not yet…I must wait until the time is right…)

Trying to suppress the excitement that made him want to lick his lips, Vindett glanced at the bed. There lay Luna, asleep after exhausting herself with her screaming. There lay Luna, fast asleep and completely unguarded after exhausting herself with her screaming. Luna remained oblivious to Vindett’s true intentions. She continued to blindly believe that he was her destined partner—her Prince Charming.

She had no idea that her greatest asset,her vampiric power, was the very thing being targeted.

"We have obtained information on the whereabouts of the vampire." 

He had received that report from an investigator just after he had fled his homeland several years ago.

"Is that true? What wonderful news. Tell me more." 

"Of course. However... we’re still somewhat skeptical." 

"You certainly like the dramatics. Continue." 

"According to the report, the vampires... appear to be in Japan." 

Upon hearing the report, a look of faint surprise crossed Vindett’s face. The beings spoken of in Western legends were said to be hiding in a settlement within Japan, an island nation in Asia far removed from the West. 

"The information comes from a reliable source, though I can't say for certain..." 

"Then I'll see for myself. Simple as that.”

Driven from his homeland, there was nothing keeping him bound. With the intention of evading the organization, Vindett immediately set off for Japan. Just half a month later, Vindett was deep in the mountains of Japan. 

"So there really is a village in a place like this... Hmm, I can certainly catch a faint whiff of blood..." 

The vampire village was very exclusive insular, as could be seen from the fact that they lived hidden away within the mountains. However, unable to sustain a completely self-sufficient lifestyle, they maintained a link to the outside world through a select few trustworthy humans. Vindett had bribed a merchant who acted as an in-between and infiltrated the village under the guise of a "trustworthy newcomer" being introduced. 

"Don't try anything funny, sir. If you anger the vampires... it’s not going to end well..."

Just because they had hidden deep in the mountains didn't mean they had never been discovered by humans before. More than a decade ago, a wealthy man known as a "monster collector" visited the village with his forces, but his troops were instantly obliterated by the vampires. The merchant emphasized this point as he led Vindett towards the mansion of the village elder. They passed several houses along the way, yet there was an unnatural absence of villagers. Even so, Vindett could sense a distinct presence and feel eyes upon him. The wary vampires were watching him from the shadows.

Eventually, they arrived at a particularly elegant Western-style mansion in the village. Waiting there to greet Vindett and his companion was the village elder. He was a male vampire with such a youthful appearance that “elder” hardly seemed like a fitting title.

"…Glad you could make it. Feel free to take a seat and make yourself comfortable." 

"It is an honor to meet you. I have come today with a proposal that will be of great benefit to everyone."

With his brilliant mind and a natural gift for conversation, Vindett implanted himself in their hearts with subtle expressions and movements. He delivered his sales pitch, lying as naturally as he breathed. An ordinary person might have been moved and swayed by his charisma, but the elder never lowered his guard despite relaxing.

(I see… I may have underestimated them. Perhaps it’s unwise to take on the entire population…)

Even though he had absorbed otherworldly power, it was impossible to take on a vampire, let alone an entire village of them. Deciding that, Vindett changed his strategy. If targeting the group was impossible, he’d just have to pick an individual instead. After all, their power was his only goal. No matter how united the vampires were, there was bound to be an exception.

“By the way… Do the villagers ever leave? Ah, no… I’m just curious.”

"The vampires in this village are of a lineage that has ceased preying on humans. While we do obtain necessities through humans like yourselves, we never venture outside the village." 

As the elder spoke, Vindett noticed his gaze shifted to a shelf in the corner of the room. There was a photograph on the shelf, showing the elder, his wife, and presumably their child.

“Is that your family?”

“Ah, yes… My wife and daughter.”

“My goodness, how lovely. I’d love to introduce myself, if you don’t mind…”

"No! No… there's no need for that… Now, let's continue our discussion." 

—Bingo.

Ignoring the urge to lick his lips, Vindett continued his pitch without giving away his euphoria. He knew for certain there was an individual outside of the village.

It didn't take long to uncover the information that Himezuki Luna, the daughter of the vampire elder, was in Tokyo. Non-human entities lurked in the shadows of the city. Some made no effort to hide their true nature and harmed humans, while others mimicked humanity and lived quiet, inconspicuous lives. Luna was the latter, living carefully to avoid revealing she was a vampire, but merely existing had given away her true nature.

Luna regularly with non-human entities for blood packs. Even though she lived as if she were human, she couldn’t live without consuming blood. Tracking down a monster that needed blood easily narrowed down the search.

There was a gang of monsters operating as blood brokers, hiding within the shadows of the city. Vindett captured one of them and mercilessly pummeled the creature as it screamed and struggled, refusing to talk. Each time he inflicted further violence, Vindett laughed with genuine amusement. 

“I-I get it… I’ll tell you what you wanna know… So please don’t kill me…”

The monster, on the verge of death, handed a file to Vindett with trembling hands. 

“Hahaha, trying to sound human, are you?”

Vindett accepted the file with a sneer and flipped through it. Inside were the details of clients involved in the blood trade. Order frequency, transaction history, primary residence. There were even candid photographs, probably necessary for doing business, attached. With the family photo in the elder’s mansion in mind, Vindett quickly found the page he was looking for.

“...There she is. So… It was the daughter…”

Identifying the target would be the only difficult part of his plan. A few days later, while reviewing the investigator's report, Vindett pondered his new prey.

Luna Himezuki, a female vampire born to a prestigious family. She worked part-time at a convenience store in Tokyo. Her personality was incredibly childish and selfish and she had a taste for girly things. She was emotionally volatile and unstable. Egotistical and narcissistic, yet prone to self-deprecation. She was obsessed with good looks.

“...Hmph.”

With a scornful laugh, Vindett tossed the report.

(Women like this were a dime a dozen in high society. Swollen egos thanks to being raised like spoiled princesses. Just monsters of desire…)

Daughters from wealthy families, nobility, and politicians always viewed Vindett as nothing more than a status symbol. His experience with so many women of the sort made him confident his new target would be an easy mark. He would slip into the cracks of another person's heart and bend them to his will,  always playing his part to perfection. 

“Let’s see… Right, the fastest method would be to make her dependent on me…”

As he slowly closed his eyes, Vindett transformed himself into the person he needed to be. He suppressed his true self and became someone else. Despite just being the means to an end, he enjoyed himself. To him, manipulating the hearts of others was like a game.

And so, his plan moved to phase two. A romance built entirely on lies was about to bloom.

Vindett’s “comedy” was going exactly as he had scripted it, to the point it was almost amusing.

A violent encounter that made her fear for her life. It was his plan to heighten her emotions by forcing her into a surreal situation, but it also confirmed that she was indeed a vampire.

He skillfully dropped keywords Luna favored to play into the role of a "lonely prince" to perfection, successfully capturing her heart. It had been surprisingly easy to win her over, and he began his life with her as her very own prince charming.

(I can’t return home where the lab is, and it’s too easy to be spotted in the city. Taking her power by force is unwise… So I’ll just have to manipulate her into giving it to me of her own volition…)

This time, his target was a vampire .Until now, Vindett had absorbed the powers of otherworldly beings through a series of experiments conducted with specialized laboratory equipment. It went far beyond just mere torture. Vampires, however, could turn humans into their thralls. Simply put, there was a smarter way to acquire power.

As their life together progressed, Luna’s dependence on Vindett grew rapidly. Every time he whispered honeyed words like “you’re all I have”, Luna’s ego was stroked. At the same time, she came to view Vindett as her entire world. Even though he had written the script himself, Vindett wasn’t quite satisfied about how things were unfolding. Everything was going exactly according to plan. Perhaps a bit too perfectly. 

Then, one day…

With her shift starting in an hour, Luna was in her room, the sound of her fingernail clippers echoing in the air.

Finding the scene odd, Vindett asked, “Are you sure you want to cut them? You put so much care into them."

“Huh? Oh… yeah. They barely even allowed my hair color, so the nails were a hard no from my manager! I’ve got no choice~!”

“But… You treasured them so much, didn’t you?”

“It’s whatever~! I gotta start saving up some cash for our precious future together! Aren’t I, like, the perfect wife? Besides… I can grow my nails out whenever… I mean, they’ll grow back on their own! Soooo it doesn’t matter!”

Vindett was a little surprised by the exchange. It was the first irregularity in his profiling, which should have been perfect. Throughout his entire life, many women tried to get close to Vindett. Money, rank, status—they made no secret of yearning for the things that came along with him and would eagerly promote their charms.

Yet, not a single one of them was willing to sacrifice anything for his sake. The idea of discarding something precious for the sake of someone else came entirely as a culture shock.

(Hmph… Despite being born to a prestigious vampire lineage, she’s still a clueless fool… Still, at least she can entertain me without things getting dull.)

It was just a bit of spice to liven up the game. The script has moved beyond the midway point, and the climax was about to begin.

Luna, longing to be human, lived her life concealing the fact she was a vampire. Therefore, in order to compel her to use her powers to make him her thrall, he’d have to orchestrate a crisis that left her no other choice.

First, he’d hire someone to kidnap her. She’d be imprisoned, and he would see just how long she could survive without food or water. While testing the endurance of a vampire, she’d be weakened to the point she couldn’t futilely resist. Then, when the opportunity arose, he would rescue her and make an escape. Eventually, when cornered by pursuers and left with no other options, Luna would turn him into a thrall to save him. 

That was the plan that Vindett had envisioned. Everything went smoothly, exactly as he intended. Having rescued Luna and evaded the group of men in black suits pursuing them, Vindett arrived at a vast, open room with glass walls that offered a view of the night sky from within the skyscraper.

Standing near where one of the glass walls had shattered, Vindett held Luna and shielded her.

(At last… The climax… Luna Himezuki, it’s up to you to drop the curtain…)

Luna gazed intently at the nape of Vindett's neck as he embraced her. A look of anguish crossed her face, but then, as if she’d made up her mind, she murmured softly. 

“Vindett… I’m sorry…”

Luna bared her fangs, aiming for the pale flesh of his neck. She had made her choice, the only path of escape was turning Vindett into her thrall so they could escape into the night sky.

(With this… with this…! The power of a vampire…!! The power that will serve as the foundation for walking through eternity and housing all forms of grotesque power within me!! It’s finally mine…!!)

The climax had finally arrived. Once he had claimed vampiric power for himself, there would be no further need to put up an act in front of Luna. He could capture her and use her as one of his test subjects, or he could dispose of her right there.

That had been his plan, but then an unexpected actor barged on stage.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

A voice, neither Luna’s nor Vindett’s, boomed across the floor. At the familiar sound, Vindett clicked his tongue in his mind.

(Just as I’d expect from you… Always getting in my way at the worst possible time…)

The voice spoke to Luna incredibly calmly, “I’m Vindett’s older brother. I’ve come to take this fool home.”

As part of his plan to cozy up to Luna, Vindett had claimed his older brother was dead to emphasize just how lonely he was. Naturally, that caused Luna to be stunned by the sudden appearance of the man she thought was dead. It was a tiny tear in the image of Luna’s “prince charming” stitched together with lies.

Vindett's brother raised his hand slightly. Then, the group of men in black suits behind him lowered their guns and stood at ease. Vindett realized immediately that the men he had hired had already been bought out by his brother.

(As expected… You're more underhanded and persistent than I am…) 

Vindett’s older brother laid the entire plan bare to Luna. Vindett coveted the power of vampires, and getting close to Luna was simply a means to an end. He had repeated that pattern time and again. His background, his words, his love—there was not a single thing about Vindett that was genuine. 

He stated the facts calmly while she reacted with shock. Watching the two of them, Vindett remained composed. He was waiting for an opportunity that might not ever come. His plan in ruins, he was backed into a corner.

(What should I do…? I might lose my control over Luna…)

Now that the truth had been exposed, Luna would surely abandon Vindett. It was obvious that trying to win her back over would be a challenge. However, he might as well enjoy it. It was just another part of the fun.

Just as he thought that, his confidence was betrayed.

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

Luna refused to believe it. Even when confronted with every possible piece of evidence, from circumstantial to physical, she refused to believe his brother's words.

Or maybe she was just ignoring them. It was proof that she trusted Vindett above all else. That was Luna’s form of love, so deep it was almost suffocating.

Luna unleashed her vampiric powers and lunged at his brother. The men in black attempted to shoot her down, but she changed her form and advanced without being struck.

(Hehehe… Opportunity is still within my grasp…)

Vindett noticed several bullets aimed at Luna flying towards him. He deliberately took one in the abdomen, then collapsed to the ground with a dramatic crash. For a man possessing a body that defied human limits, a wound like that was hardly fatal. But, to Luna, who believed he was an ordinary human and unaware of the specific body modifications he had undergone, it appeared otherwise. 

Luna spun around in a panic and rushed to his side. As he lay there watching her approach, Vindett felt a strange sense of admiration. 

(...To think she still believes me, despite everything… I thought she was an ordinary, insignificant woman, but she still manages to surprise me…) 

Cradled in Luna’s arms, Vindett put up his act once again. This time, the scene would depict the heartbreaking farewell between the ill-fated prince, gunned down by an assassin, and his heroine. It was all thanks to Luna. As long as she continued to believe in Vindett, they could start over as many times as they needed to.

“I want you… to be happy, at least–”

Vomiting cheap lines straight out of a cheesy romance movie, exactly the kind Luna would enjoy, Vindett shoved her through the shattered window. With her vampiric ability to fly, she would survive even a fall from the skyscraper. Luna thought she was protecting Vindett from his brother's organization, but the reality was the other way around.

He didn’t care what happened to him, but he wanted Luna to avoid being disposed of at all costs.

(Good… The plan hasn’t failed yet…!)

Not only had the precious sample been successfully safeguarded, but the idea that the person she loved sacrificed himself to protect her had been deeply embedded in her mind. Confident of his sure victory, Vindett smiled to himself.

“Is the charade over?”

At his brother's words, Vindett, who had just been writhing on the ground, stood up as if nothing had happened and lightly brushed off his knees. 

“You knew?”

“I know you better than anyone else.”

“...Oh? Even better than I know myself?”

“Yeah. The real you wouldn’t do something like that.”

Faced with his brother, who spoke with absolute confidence in his own words, Vindett’s mouth twisted as he shrugged. Since childhood, his brother had cherished him to the point of being overprotective. He had monitored every one of Vindett’s actions with obsessive scrutiny, ensuring he never strayed from the path that promised a brilliant future.

“Vindett… The real you is capable of being better than this. You always have been.”

“That’s just your version of me, isn’t it? Can you let go of your obsessive delusions already?”

“A delusion, is it? You’re the best little brother. Your pure heart, your love for your country, the family, and myself. It pained me a little to speak ill of you like that, even if it was to make that little girl come to her senses. Come now, stop playing the part of a madman and come back to me.”

"...A madman? You’re the madman here."

In his head, delusion and reality had become the same. To Vindett’s brother, the lives sacrificed for Vindett’s whims meant nothing. It didn’t matter how many people or monsters were killed, there wasn’t even a drop of remorse in his heart. The only thing he wanted was to lock his little brother in a cage of his ideals and bring him under his control.

“Good lord… You really should be over this little rebellious phase by now… Hey.”

In response to the call, the group of men in black all pointed their guns at Vindett.

“You’d point something like that at your cute little brother? How cruel.”

“It’s called tough love. Sometimes love brings us pain. This hurts me more than it hurts you… you understand that, don’t you?”

“Hahaha, you’re even better than I am.”

“...Something like this won’t kill him. Do it thoroughly.”

Just as the men in black were about to pull the trigger... Vindett roared with laughter and tore the buttons from his shirt and suit to expose his entire upper body. On his back were the unmistakable black wings of a vampire.

“Wh–!?”

“Did I think I was just sitting around playing the fool this entire time? This experiment was conducted using blood drawn from her... it may be incomplete, but these are the results I have achieved so far!! Hahaha!!!”

Shocked, one of the men in black fired his gun, causing a chain reaction and a hail of bullets to rain down on Vindett. Without even needing to use his wings, Vindett dodges them with his own body, catching anything he can't avoid with his hands. Eventually, when the bullets ran out and the gunfire stopped, he smirked mockingly. 

“Such a shame, brother dearest. Until we meet again.”

“Aah, how could this be… My poor brother’s destiny, twisted!!”

Without responding to his brother's voice, Vindett flew out of the broken window and into the night sky—flapping black wings that no human should have.

In the mountains of a particular region, Vindett stood on the path leading to the village where vampires lived in hiding. He was there to welcome Luna, the vampire he had been sharing his life with until recently. Although he’d been forced into a chance of plans thanks to an uninvited guest, she was the person with whom he’d exchanged an incredibly dramatic farewell. Having previously implanted a GPS transmitter in Luna's body to monitor her, Vindett noticed her unusual movements and quickly realized that the village was her destination.

A touching reunion with a loved one thought lost—that was exactly the kind of scenario Luna would love. Vindett had come to realize that Luna blind faith in love was much deeper than he had thought.

There was no need for any more cheap tricks. There was only one, much simpler, method left.

Before long, Luna appeared from down the road. The way she trudged along, weakly gripping the handle of her suitcase, made her look lonely. However, the moment she saw Vindett, she cast aside her luggage and threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

As Vindett held Luna in his arms, he felt something was off. 

“Vindeeeet~! I always believed– I knew it! I knew all along you'd come for meeeee!!! My priiiiiiiiiince!!”

Vindett had often comforted Luna as she cried and complained, but the way she sobbed against his chest now was something he’d never seen before. As a natural-born liar, Vindett could see through people’s true intentions. He knew she was crying because she was genuinely happy to see him.

(...What a fascinating woman. If I told her to kill herself, she might actually do it. To be able to love someone else to that extent… No, I have no connection to feelings like that.)

Realizing that now wasn’t the time to be having such unnecessary thoughts, Vindett whispered to Luna with the intent to complete his original goal.

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

“Uee… Ue… Yeah… We’re gonna be sooooo happy!!”

“That’s why… I want you to turn me into a vampire.”

“Yeah… A vampire… Wait, what!?”

“My love for you hasn’t changed even knowing you’re a vampire. If you’re returning to your hometown, I thought I could maybe go with you.”

“Yeah…”

“I learned humans aren’t welcome in your village, so I’ve decided to give up my humanity. If I become a vampire, I’ll be able to live with you.”

“Vindett… Are you really, really, super sure about this…?”

“Of course. You’re my everything, Luna.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, she burst into tears again. There had been some unexpected detours, but Vindett’s plan would finally come to fruition. It was unclear if something deep within Vindett’s psyche has changed, but acquiring his otherworldly power would be done in the most peaceful way possible.

“Okay, here I go. It might sting a little, so please stay strong,” Luna said, having finally stopped crying.

She pressed her fangs against Vindett’s neck, as if sealing their vows with a kiss.

It didn't take long before the vampire village was ravaged. Shortly after Luna brought Vindett, now a vampire, back to the village as her life partner, Vindett shed his facade and revealed his true nature.

Vindett’s goal was to bring the entire village under his control. The secluded village was the perfect place to rebuild the laboratory he had lost when he was driven from his homeland. At the same time, he schemed to subjugate the vampires, turning them into pawns he could manipulate at will. He believed that having so many vampires under his command would be extremely useful in his future endeavors. Naturally, the vampires resisted fiercely, but they were no match for Vindett, who possessed the same abilities as them, as well as two even more powerful, otherworldly powers. 

The village, once a tranquil rural landscape, had been transformed into a massive research facility where vampires, brainwashed by drugs, worked for their master. Inside Vindett’s private quarters, there was one vampire who hadn’t been subjected to the brainwashing procedure.

“U-uuum, how come I’m the only one who didn’t get brainwashed…?”

“Do I have to answer that question? I’m busy right now.”

“Brainwashing everyone except me is, like, kinda scary… No, it’s not like I don’t trust you, Vindett! I totally get that you destroyed that stupid fucking village for my sake, but... weeeeell... Maybe that was just a liiiiiittle bit much? Or maybe not…”

“...Are you unhappy? This was the first step in creating a world where we can find ‘ordinary’ happiness.”

“...!”

Vindett already knew. Even after having her entire village, including her family, controlled and her hometown destroyed, Luna still completely trusted Vindett deep down.

“Vindett… Oooooh, Vindett! It was all for the sake of our future, wasn’t it!? I’m soooooo sorry for saying it was too much~! Let’s build it together! A world where even vampires can find ‘ordinary’ happiness~!”

(Hmph. What a foolish woman.)

As Vindett leaned back into the sofa and glanced at the sobbing Luna out of the corner of his eye, he realized that despite his curses, a smile had naturally formed on his lips. For some reason, he felt a sense of calm whenever he was with Luna. He’d already acknowledged the unfamiliar emotions born inside him. He deliberately kept Luna by his side, intending to study and unravel the true nature of that unfamiliar emotion.

“Now, what kind of power should I give my body next…?”

With the reports spread out on the table, Vindett began to examine them, like an innocent child opening a toy catalog.

“Vindeeeeeett… Do I have to do this?”

“Of course. Why hesitate? With your power, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Umm. Non-human blood is kinda out of my expertise… I’m, like, kinda worried about the hygienic stuff.”

“I see. You make a good point. I understand. When this is over, I’ll let you drink my blood.”

“For real!? OMG I’m so excited!! If it’s yours, I can drink the blood of my own kind no problem!!”

The two were engaged in a casual, laid-back conversation, as if it were just an ordinary moment in their daily lives. Growing impatient, the "non-human" being, who had been openly displaying hostility and vicious intent before them, attacked.

Mindful of the blood that might splatter on her, Luna shifted her body into wolf form. She dodged the attack, spinning around to sink her fangs deep into her opponent's throat. As blood gushed out, she swallowed it all in one go. The "non-human" creature thrashed about in a desperate attempt to resist, but eventually collapsed limply to the ground.

“W-why…? You’re one of us, aren’t you…? What are you after…?”

“Uwaahhh… Don’t look at me like that… I gotta do it so we can have our happy ending, you know~?”

“H-how could I… lose to a stupid little girl like this…”

“E-eeeek!! They died!? Dear God in Heaven–”

As Luna instinctively clasped her hands together and rubbed them fervently, Vindett grabbed her by the tail and lifted her up. 

“Eep!?”

“What good is praying? Besides, I told you not to kill him.”

“Ah, I panicked a little, but… It’s fine! I only drained him to near death! Probably. No, totally!!”

“I see. Well done, Luna.”

“P-praise!! And you said my name!! Hey, hey, hey!! Do it again! Again!”

“Luna, well done.”

“I’m gonna diiiiiiiie!!! Again, again!”

“...I’m not saying it again. Come on, let’s go home.”

“Aaaah, booo, no fun!! But it’s just how I imagined it~!”

Technically, Vindett was Luna’s thrall. However, his enhanced body negated that control, resulting in a reversal of the master-servant relationship. Luna hastily tied a rope to the leg of the monster and, dragging it along roughly, chased after Vindett.

A former human king that housed many monstrous powers within him and wouldn’t hesitate to use even the most cruel methods to achieve his goals, and the vampire queen who followed him. The truly bizarre pair were engaged in “monster” hunting.

It wouldn’t be long before such rumors spread to those lurking in the shadows.

“Union Sealed With a Kiss” was used for the title and “sealing their vows with a kiss” in Episode 9. The original JP is “誓いのキス” with a more literal meaning of “kiss of vows”. This is specifically used in the context of weddings.