Nighttime.
In the hotel restaurant, as if she hadn't eaten for days, Arcueid devoured every dish on the table with astonishing speed.
Not a single crumb left.
It could truly be described that way. Watching Arcueid annihilate the dinner with such frenzy, Naoki unconsciously felt a relief as if surviving a disaster.
'Good thing eating three meals a day at this restaurant is free; if we ate outside, it could really...'
Bury his wallet instantly!
Of course, if it weren't a buffet here, Arcueid wouldn't have eaten this much either.
"Glug glug~ huah—!"
Finishing the last bowl of soup, Arcueid let out a long, loud burp: "I'm full!"
"I guess so."
Naoki glanced at the surrounding people who were just as surprised as he was, then drew a few runes on the table. An invisible wave instantly spread, and the people sitting nearby simultaneously stood up, as if suddenly remembering something and leaving.
"Chasing people away?"
"No, just simple suggestion Magecraft, with a bit of memory interference function." Naoki said with a smile, "But I'm really surprised; you actually eat this much. Don't True Ancestors not need to eat?"
"Um, not necessarily; usually, sucking blood is enough. But I never suck blood, so I eat instead. I don't usually eat this much either, but if I eat a lot, the power generated is also a lot, so I'll recover faster."
'Similar to that gluttonous Arthur's situation.'
'No, Arthur's stomach is just unreasonable... mine is a bit too.'
Chuckling lightly, Naoki stood up: "Then dinner is finished; next—"
"Ah, you're here, idiot."
Shiki's voice suddenly came from behind, then Naoki felt his head being pressed down forcefully.
"Good evening, Shiki, have you eaten?"
"I want to cut off your head and make it into sashimi to eat." Shiki said, squeezing his hair in annoyance, "I was out there fighting to the death, but you're here leisurely eating and flirting, what a decadent and luxurious life."
"Not flirting, she's Arcueid; you saw her too when I brought her back last night, right?"
"Saw is saw—anyway, get up, move aside, help me get dinner, then feed me; I'm so tired I don't want to move a single finger."
"Then why are you squeezing my head? I know..."
Naoki stood up, and just as he turned around to offer his seat to Shiki, her appearance behind him instantly stunned him.
The kimono she wore when going out was tattered, her exposed skin was covered in bruises, and there was still a trace of wiped-away blood at the corner of her lips.
Injured?
And quite severely.
"Shiki..."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Slightly gripping her wrist, Naoki took a deep breath: "Sorry."
"What are you apologizing for? I was the one fighting someone, not that Dead Apostle you mentioned." Shiki said, sliding down into the chair, then lightly touching Naoki's leg with her foot, "Dinner, hurry up. After eating, carry me upstairs; I want to sleep for a while."
"Alright, wait here for a moment. Arcueid, please look after Shiki."
"Okay!"
Seeing Naoki off with her gaze, Arcueid, who had answered, looked at Shiki, the corner of her lips unconsciously lifting slightly: "You can actually get this beaten up?"
Shiki frowned: "What do you mean? Are you surprised I ended up like this?"
"Indeed, usually you should be... ah, never mind, since the person herself doesn't want to, I won't say it either, otherwise, I won't be able to sleep peacefully."
"Weird."
Leaning back in her chair, Shiki held her stomach, unconsciously recalling her fight with that person a while ago.
'Even though I stabbed her, it felt like being hit by a hammer... damn, her abilities are pretty good.'
'Ciel... that was her name, right?'
"Just you wait... Ciel..."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"So, you ended up this beaten up because you were beaten by a member of the church named Ciel?"
Several tens of minutes later, inside the hotel.
While combing Shiki's hair, Naoki unconsciously felt a bit surprised: "Why did you get into a fight with Ciel?"
"We met in the park this afternoon; how to say it... both of our tones were a bit sharp, and while talking, we started arguing. Besides, at that time, some strange black beasts appeared to interfere; while walking and fighting, it ended up like this. Of course, that person wasn't unscathed either; she took a few of my slashes, although none of them hit the lines of death."
Shiki touched her arm wrapped in bandages.
"By the way, your tone... do you know this person named Ciel?"
"You could say I know her; we've met a few times. You could also say she's a colleague."
Colleague.
Shiki suddenly frowned: "Why doesn't someone like you die twice over?"
"Why would you say that?"
Putting down the comb, Naoki got up from the bed: "Finished combing. Now sleep soundly."
Picking up the mirror beside her and looking at herself, Shiki unconsciously looked a bit surprised: "Your hair-combing technique is pretty good?"
"Sometimes I comb Gray's hair, mostly after a bath; she'll ask me to comb it."
Although it was initially Merlin who encouraged Gray to ask him to comb her hair... a younger sister's request, Naoki really couldn't refuse.
Helping Shiki lie down and tucking her in, Naoki said: "Then, good night. If there's anything, talk about it tomorrow after you wake up; rest well now."
"It's all because you order people around so casually... oh right, there's one more thing—"
"Alright, sleep; health is important."
"You're just like my mother..."
After glaring at Naoki for the last time, Shiki obediently closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Quietly closing the door and going out, Naoki looked at Aoko standing outside the door: "Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Aoko."
"No, it's alright; how is that girl?"
"Fortunately, most of it is just external injuries; resting for some time will also heal her. Rather than that, let's go; tonight's patrol—"
*RINGGGGG!!!*
Before Naoki could finish speaking, the sound of an emergency alarm suddenly echoed throughout the hotel!
"Naoki!"
Running out of the next room, Arcueid stared at Naoki and Aoko with a tense face: "First floor! A Dead Apostle is here!"
"Alright—Miss Aoko!"
"Upstairs!" Before Aoko could finish speaking, she had already jumped down the stairs.
"Arcueid, you stay here and protect Shiki!" Naoki said while also following, and at the same time knocking on the door of the next room, "Master! Please protect Gray! Miss Aoko and I are going to the first floor!"