"Hmm? What do you mean 'what am I doing'? I'm turning Astarte into my blood servant," Shichen said, pulling away from Astarte's neck, a trace of blood on his lips.
"W-why do you have to do that?" Avrora asked, biting her lip as she stared at the puncture marks and the trickle of blood on Astarte's neck.
"Why else? She's an artificial lifeform. If I don't make her my blood servant, she won't live much longer."
"B-but…"
"But what? Avrora, don't be cold. Astarte's innocent—don't you want her to live?" Shichen shot back.
"I never said I didn't! I just… we could make her a blood servant too, right? It doesn't have to be you," Avrora blurted, seizing on the idea.
"Oh? Thinking of drinking blood yourself?" Shichen played dumb.
"Of course not! I don't need to drink blood!" she retorted.
"Then that settles it. I've already done it—no need to dwell."
"Mm…"
"Sensei…" Himeragi Yukina spoke up, unable to help herself.
"What is it? You don't want me to save her either?"
"No… it's her clothes…" Yukina whispered.
"Huh?"
Shichen glanced back at Astarte and only then noticed her cloak had slipped off—and she had nothing on underneath.
Pale as porcelain, flawless as a crafted statue—no wonder she looked like something made, not born.
"Sensei, you're still looking!" Yukina warned.
"Not looking, not looking." Shichen hastily pulled the cloak closed, covering Astarte's small, almost translucent figure.
Astarte didn't react; her face stayed calm as she regarded him.
"Astarte, your creator is dead. You're my blood servant now—that makes me your master. Any problem with that?"
"—Order received, Master." Astarte answered evenly.
"My name is Shichen. You can call me Shichen-nii instead. No need to say 'master.'"
"—Order received, Shichen-nii."
"Mm. Good." Shichen nodded, satisfied.
Unlike the others' soft voices, Astarte's cool, almost affectless tone—like a classic kuudere—was unexpectedly pleasant.
"Sensei… so you really are…" Yukina looked at him, at a loss for words.
"Hm? You've got the wrong idea. I just don't like being called 'master,'" Shichen said with righteous sincerity.
"I don't believe you," Yukina replied, deadpan.
"It's true! Avrora, you believe me, right?"
"Hmph! Not a chance! You fickle, two-timing flirt!" Avrora puffed her cheeks and looked away.
"Where'd you learn that phrase?"
"My classmates, obviously."
"Don't pick up their bad habits. Maybe stop hanging out with them."
"Hmph! You're the bad one! You already have us, and you're still making moves on someone else!"
"Nonsense. I just don't want Astarte dying on us. She's pitiful—what are you, heartless?"
"Mm… I'm not…"
"Then we're good. Don't be mad—I'll buy you extra ice cream later, okay?" Shichen stood and moved closer.
"You think I'm that easy to placate?"
"What do you want, then?"
"Chocolate candies too."
"No problem." He ruffled her hair with a grin.
"Hehe~" Avrora's mood flipped at once; she closed her eyes, basking in the head-pat.
"…" Yukina hadn't expected Avrora to be soothed that easily.
No wonder Sensei seems to charm everyone—how is she supposed to keep him in line?
She had to admit: Astarte didn't deserve to die. But from here on, she'd make sure Sensei Shi stopped "targeting" petite girls.
"Astarte, come on—let's go. We'll grab what we came for and then take you home. You'll live with us from now on," Shichen waved her over.
"—Order received." Astarte followed calmly.
They bought the ice cream and headed back. Because of the Astarte detour, they were running late; if they didn't return soon, Minamiya Natsuki would come looking.
"Sensei, I'll head in then," Yukina said as she reached her door.
"Mm. Good night—sleep early. We've got class tomorrow."
"Mm. Good night, Sensei. And you too, Avrora, everyone."
"Yeah, yeah—get home already," Avrora waved her off.
Yukina didn't mind. She opened her door, gave Shichen one last look, and slipped inside.
Shichen and the others turned toward their place, Astarte silently in tow.
"Astarte, this will be your home now. Make yourself comfortable."
"—Order received." She glanced at the door number and memorized it.
Shichen pushed the door open and led the way in.
"So you do remember how to come home. Were you out doing anything indecent with Avrora and the rest—who is she? Artificial lifeform? What did you do this time?"
Minamiya Natsuki broke off mid-scold as her eyes landed on Astarte. She recognized what Astarte was instantly.
"Natsuki, her name's Astarte."
"What, you abducted her?" Natsuki stared at Shichen, expressionless—and clearly annoyed.
"Don't get riled up. I'll explain." Shichen slipped behind her and started massaging her shoulders.
"I'd love to hear it. Impress me."
"I will."
He motioned Astarte to sit on the sofa, then laid out what happened. It wasn't complicated; he'd barely met the robed man before ending it.
Plenty of things never had the chance to happen. But treating an artificial life like a tool—and killing demons in the Itogami Special Zone—was more than enough to condemn him.
"So that's how it was. And that's why you brought this girl back?" Natsuki's tone softened.
"I couldn't just leave her to fend for herself."
"So you drank her blood?"
"It couldn't be helped… Why are you hung up on that?"
"What's wrong with asking? I'm wondering whether you had other motives."
"What motives could I have? Can't you trust me a little more?" Shichen said, wounded.
"My trust dropped to near zero the day Avrora and the others moved in."
"…"
"Her name's Astarte, right? Looking like that, it's hard not to suspect you have… ideas."
"Natsuki…" Shichen's mouth twitched.
Why does everyone keep assuming I have 'special tastes'?
Honestly, with Avrora and the others—and Nagisa's group too—most of it was coincidence.
"But since you've brought her, I'm not throwing her out," Natsuki added.
"Natsuki…" Shichen smiled.
"However, just to be safe, I'll keep Astarte with me."
"'Just to be safe'? As if I'd do anything to her—she's tiny."
"You've already done 'things' with Avrora and the others. What exactly is impossible?" Natsuki shot him a look.
"Mm…" Avrora lowered her head, embarrassed.
"It's… not the same. They're not 'tiny.'"
"I don't think you care about age. Appearance matters more to you."
"…"
"I'm only saying Astarte will stay by my side. I could use an assistant anyway… Why are you so jumpy?"
"I just don't want to be misunderstood."
"Then you should've agreed right away."
"…Fine."
"That's better. Tell her."
"Okay. Astarte, you'll assist Natsuki from now on, alright?"
"—Order received, Shichen-nii," Astarte replied placidly, with no objection.
"Shichen-nii?" Natsuki narrowed her eyes at Shichen.
Ahem. "She wanted to call me 'master.' I don't like that," Shichen explained.
"Is that so…" Natsuki glanced at Avrora and Kaguya.
"That's how it happened," Kaguya nodded.
"I still think you just wanted to hear Astarte call you that," Avrora muttered.
"I think so too," Natsuki agreed.
"…"