"Enough! Stop! Please don't keep going! I really can't take it anymore~"
Koakuma, lying on the floor, was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't stop Kars's merciless tickle attack. After a prolonged period, she collapsed on the floor, utterly exhausted from laughter. Her dress had ridden up from her thrashing legs, exposing her pale, white thighs and lace-trimmed panties underneath.
Kars, however, seemed largely unaffected by the view. When Koakuma finally recovered, she quickly pulled her skirt down, her face flushed as she glared at Kars, wondering if he had done that on purpose.
But after considering it, she decided it was unlikely. She hadn't noticed any peculiar reaction from Kars the entire time, and at her age, it would be difficult for him to completely mask his emotions. Besides, he didn't seem to have a sophisticated understanding of such things.
After all, he looks so much like a normal adult male now. But despite the mature appearance, he's still just a brat.
Koakuma looked Kars over again, and had to admit that his current appearance was impressive. Beyond his face, his physique was excellent. Whether he knew it or not, in Koakuma's eyes, he was already a very attractive person.
Kars noticed Koakuma staring at him without saying anything, and felt confused. He'd expected her to be furious and aggressive, but she was just staring blankly. He wondered what she was thinking.
"Hey, what's wrong with you just staring at me without saying anything?" Kars finally asked. Koakuma snapped out of her daze, realizing her behavior had been improper.
"Do I need your permission for where I look? Why can't I look at you? Am I not familiar with your body already?" Koakuma crossed her arms, replying righteously. Kars had no effective retort.
"Your body is quite well-built. I guess you know that having a good physique makes it easier to attract girls." The vampires Koakuma knew were nothing like Kars. They usually had the appearance of refined noblemen, not the muscular build Kars possessed.
"Building my body? I didn't do that." Kars shook his head in confusion. "I got this from regular sunbathing."
Every time he finished sunbathing, Kars felt a reaction in his body, but he hadn't paid it much attention, assuming it was just his body recovering from the sun exposure. Over time, his physique had simply developed into what it was now.
"...Are you really a vampire? You must be some other kind of creature, right?" Koakuma seriously doubted Kars's species. What vampire could build such a strong body from sunbathing? Not only did he not suffer from health issues, but he was getting stronger—it was bizarre!
"Are you an idiot? What else would I be but a vampire? Look at these sharp fangs, and this pair of pitch-black bat wings—don't they prove I'm a vampire?" Kars wondered if the tickle attack had made Koakuma's brain short-circuit for her to ask such a weird question.
"Perhaps… perhaps you've undergone a mutation. Yes, that's the only way to explain it!" Koakuma nodded, convinced. How else could a vampire like the sun and grow stronger from sun exposure?
"Does this problem really matter? It's not anything worth worrying about." What was the point of dwelling on his special circumstances? They weren't going to dissect him for a biological study, were they?
"I'm worried about you! Why wouldn't I care about your special condition? What if there are long-term negative effects? You idiot!"
"Oh, don't worry about that. I haven't felt any problems. There's no need to be concerned." Kars smiled happily at Koakuma's concern.
"True. A guy like you definitely doesn't look like he has health problems. You're strong in a way that's completely unlike a vampire. If I didn't know the truth, I'd think all the vampires I've ever met were fakes." Koakuma believed anyone familiar with vampires would be surprised to learn Kars was one.
"So, Koakuma, what should we play next? We seem to be the only ones with free time."
"I have things to do! Lady Patchouli's magic books need sorting! I even help with the logistics of her upcoming plan!" Koakuma bristled at being called idle. But after considering it, she went to a bookshelf, searched, and pulled out a book.
"How about I read you a story, like before? Or should I teach you magic?"
"I want to learn magic!" The mention of magic immediately energized Kars. He had studied magic with Patchouli for a while, but only simple, basic things. He hadn't touched the Seven-Element magic, as Patchouli thought he was too young to learn it effectively.
"I want to learn the Sun-attribute magic from the Seven-Element school!"
"You can't just pick which Seven-Element magic you want to learn! You need to have the corresponding attribute. Besides, just because you like the sun doesn't mean you can learn Sun-attribute magic. And you need to ask Lady Patchouli for that kind of magic, not me." Kars was asking her to teach something she didn't know.
"What? You don't know it? Then why did you offer to teach me magic?"
"I never said I'd teach you Seven-Element magic! Get that straight, you idiot, idiot, idiot!" Koakuma angrily hit Kars's chest repeatedly with the book. She was trying to be helpful, and he was looking down on her! He was going to drive her crazy!
"In any case, I've told you what I can teach you. Whether you listen is up to you." Koakuma finished, huffed, and found a place to sit.
"I'll listen! Of course, I'll listen!"
Kars sat down beside Koakuma. Seeing his quick compliance, Koakuma snorted and opened the magic book. Just as she was about to start, Kars lifted her and settled her into his lap.
"You! What are you doing?!"
"Listening to you teach me magic! Before, you and Patchouli always held me. Now it's my turn to hold you. Start teaching already."
Leaning back against Kars's chest, Koakuma felt this was a completely different experience. Her brain scrambled, especially feeling his large, warm hands resting on her stomach.
"Stop touching my stomach!"
"But you both used to do that to me? I was copying you."
"Well, you can't! How am I supposed to teach you like this?"
"Fine, I won't touch it."
Kars reluctantly lowered his hands, placing them gently on Koakuma's stomach, remaining perfectly still. However, this didn't make Koakuma feel any better. Seeing the innocent expression on Kars's face, Koakuma quietly huffed.
I'm the bigger person. I won't bother arguing with this brat anymore.