Shanoa feels overwhelmed by what she just learned…
It was supposed to be a simple job, one that she can take care of with ease, yet fate has again given her another unneeded surprise. Being sent to the future is already more than what she can handle yet meeting with a man who supposed to be the reincarnation of Count Dracula, the fiend that has involvement in taking everything from her, is something that she doesn't know how to feel or comprehend fully yet.
At the moment, she is walking slightly behind the man who admitted to be the reincarnation of Dracula, still feeling unsure and uneasy about his presence. She can sense the presence of the Dracula within him yet at the same time she senses something else within him that the Count doesn't possess. Kindness, genuine kindness, something that radiates through his presence and something that Dracula lacks in his presence.
When she first encountered Dracula, she senses nothing but malevolent and dark presence within him. But this man, he still has that dark presence but it lacks any malevolent. It still rather hard to believe that this man supposed to be the reincarnation of the lord of vampires when he has shown nothing but kindness to her… then again, so was Barlowe and it turned out his kindness to her has been nothing but a sham.
"Here we are" Soma declared once they arrived on a building that honestly looks quite old. Shanoa immediately surveys her surroundings, trying to find anything amiss about the building or the surrounding area. However, aside from the barrier that she guesses supposed to protect the barrier as well as some holy objects within the building, she can't find anything strange.
Soma has explained to her earlier when he suggested that they went back to his place that the building he lived in, known as apartment, is owned by the church with several people who live here also happen to be members of the church, especially their hunters. So the presence of the barrier and holy objects within the building doesn't strike her as strange.
"I live on the second floor, c'mon" Soma urged as he starts to move again. Shanoa stares at his retreating back for a few moments before she follows him quietly, staying quiet even when Soma offers a greeting to the man who stands by the door. The man gives her a questioning glance but seems has no intention to stop her, perhaps because of Soma's presence.
The journey to Soma's living quarter is filled with nothing but silence… except for when Shanoa lets out a surprised gasp when she doesn't expect the stairs to move by itself. Soma, in amusement, has explained that they are called escalator and pretty much best described as "moving stairs" though he also stated that they aren't powered by magic of any kind.
"Home sweet home" Some said with relief as he opens the door that Shanoa assumes will lead to his living quarter. The moment he opens the door; the darkness within the room immediately chased by light that suddenly appears out of nowhere.
Shanoa feels herself hesitated a little when Soma gestures her to enter his living quarter but when she sees Soma gives her a reassuring smile, she steps inside his living quarter… and gets startled when the door behind her suddenly closed on its own.
"Don't worry, the door will automatically close on its own when everyone has stepped out of the doorway" Soma reassured with a smile before he walks through the small hallway in his quarter. His quarter is bigger than what Shanoa expected, with three more doors that indicate more rooms. When Shanoa steps out of the small hallway, she is greeted with a sight of a moderate-sized room filled with couch, a table, two sofas, a white box, and a kitchen on the far corner. She also spots doors made of glass that lead to balcony.
Soma opens a big white box that she never seen before in her own time and retrieves two of what she now knows as container of drinkable liquid like the one that Soma drank earlier on their way here.
"Coffee?" Soma offered as he offers one of tin cans to her. So it contains coffee? Shanoa thought as she simply stares at the white haired man instead of answering his offer. However, Soma doesn't seem to be offended by her lack of response as he simply puts one of the cans on the kitchen's counter while giving her a shrug. After he opens the can on his hand, Soma pulls out something else from his pants' pocket, a small, square-shaped, thin device that she also has never seen before.
"Yoko, how are you?" Soma suddenly said with a smile after he operates the device for a few moments. Shanoa immediately deduces that the device might be for a long distance communication… similar to telephone from her time.
"Don't worry; I have been doing just fine… hold on! How do you know about my remedial test? A-Anyway, that isn't important at the moment. Can you come over tomorrow? You see, there might or might not be a problem that requires your assistance… no, it doesn't involve a cult this time… at least, I don't think so"
Shanoa waits patiently for Soma to finish his conversation with this Yoko person but she can't help but raises her eyebrow in interest when she hears him mentioned 'cult'. Soma has also mentioned a cult in his story, led and founded by Graham Jones who believed himself to be Dracula's incarnation until he encountered Soma. Does this mean that the cult that Graham Jones founded hasn't given up in trying reviving Dracula but now is using Soma instead of their leader? Or is there another cult that wants to revive Dracula through Soma?
Soma has made it clear that he refused to become the lord of darkness so it makes sense to her if any cult that wants to revive Dracula will need to do something about Soma since he is the reincarnation of the monster they wanted to revive.
"Got it, 8:00 A.M., also" Soma stopped the conversation to glance at her for a few moments, prompting Shanoa to tilt her head in confusion.
"Bring some female clothes along with… some undergarments… What?! No, those aren't for my fantasy or anything like that! Look, just come here with what I asked you to bring and you will immediately understand… I think it will be better if you see and hear for yourself of what I have stumbled upon… Alright, get it. Good night Yoko and thank you" once the conversation fully ends, Soma puts his device on the kitchen's counter and lets out a sigh before he drinks his coffee.
"That was Yoko Belnades, a descendant of the Belnades clan, you know about it, right?" Soma explained as he leans against the kitchen's counter.
Shanoa simply nods her head to answer his question. She has heard of them, the Belnades clan, witches in service of the church much like herself even if she doesn't directly serve the church. They have great talent in magic and some of them, most famously Sypha Belnades, have aided the Belmonts in fighting Dracula.
"Is Yoko Belnades an acquaintance of yours?" Shanoa asked out of curiosity.
"More like a friend, I also happen to befriend the latest Belmont and the one who defeated Dracula in 1999, Julius Belmont. They both have been great allies to me during my time in Castlevania" Soma answered with an easy smile before he drinks his coffee again.
If a Belmont and a Belnades can trust him and let him live then that means Soma must have taken his responsibility to never be tempted by the darkness very seriously and never fall for it… or maybe he has brainwashed them but that seems unlikely, she hasn't heard of a story of Dracula brainwashing a Belmont.
"I don't know about you but I certainly want some foods right now, haven't eaten anything since lunch time" Soma suddenly said while patting his stomach after the two of them fall into silence.
Ever since she gets her memories and emotions back after defeating Dracula, Shanoa has slowly adjusted to be able to feel emotions again though she still has a hard time in comprehending some of her emotions but a particular event still can cause her to instantly feel a particular strong emotion… like embarrassment of her stomach suddenly growls loudly when the white haired man mentioned food.
Soma doesn't seem to expect her stomach's reaction as he simply stares at her, blinking his eyes a few times, while she looks away slightly to hide her face that starts to feel a little too warm to her liking. Her face feels even warmer when Soma starts to laugh, much to her embarrassment.
"Looks like I already get an answer from you. I can't make anything fancy but I can whip out something decent for us. Give me a few minutes… also, the offer for the coffee still stands" Soma said after calming himself down before he taps the coffee that he has offered to her before.
Even though Shanoa still feel uneasy about Soma's presence and condition, she decides to swallow her anxiety and uneasiness to walk toward the kitchen's counter to grab the coffee he has offered. She has trouble in opening the can of her coffee at first until Soma, who has retrieved another can of coffee along with several ingredients, shows her how to open the coffee's container.
She is surprised by how sweet the coffee is compared to the usual bitter ones that she usually drinks in Wygol village.
"That was milk coffee with some sweetener, I figured out you might prefer the sweeter one compared to the bitter one, I have black coffee too if that is what you want" Soma offered while he puts some packages into a box that, again, she never seen before in her own time after he notices her surprised expression.
"No, this should be sufficient, thank you" Shanoa replied politely before she drinks her coffee again, deciding that she prefers this sweet coffee compared to the black coffee.
"I see. I guess music is needed for time like this, do you like jazz?" Soma replied before he asks her a question regarding her music taste. While Shanoa has no particular interest in any music genre, especially after dealing with George's… unique sense of music, she won't mind any form of music that has nothing to do with a Banshee's scream.
"Good then, Alexa plays all songs in my favorite jazz track list" Soma suddenly declared after she nods her head, confusing Shanoa a little bit as she wonders who is he talking too… until a feminine monotone voice replies his command.
"Roger, playing all songs in favorite jazz track list"
"Alexa is an AI… uh, it kinds of serve as the consciousness of this room. I can command it to do a lot of things, like activating the TV to play music" Soma explained when he spots her confused expression while gesturing to the white box near the couch and sofas. Something starts to rise from the white box's surface which Shanoa concludes called as TV like what Soma mentioned earlier. The thing that rises from the box suddenly comes to live as it shows a calming image of what she believed to be night sky filled with stars while it also emits music that sounds so much better than what George produced.
As Soma continues cooking their dinner, Shanoa can't help but be reminded once more that she is no longer in her own time. Is there a way for her to return to her own time? Why was she transported to this era anyway? And she wonders if it fate that made her meet the reincarnation of Dracula in the first place? If the worst comes then Shanoa wonders if she even can adjust to live in this era, she barely can adjust to her new life after fulfilling her mission in defeating Dracula but here, when she has little knowledge about the world around her or the technology that has advanced to this point, she isn't sure if she can manage on her own. She might capable to do it but it will definitely take time… and a lot of learning…
"Hey"
As if he can read her mind, Soma gives her a reassuring smile while he keeps stirring the content of the frying pan with a spatula.
"Don't worry, we will find a way to get you back home… but if the worst case scenario happens then you have my words that I will help you adjust to modern era, there are some options that we can take" Soma reassured her before giving her a reassuring nod.
The kindness that he displayed reminds Shanoa why she feels different about Soma despite the fact that she should hate him for being the reincarnation of the fiend who indirectly took everything away from her. Despite sharing Dracula's presence, his kindness overshadows the dark presence within him, telling her that despite being Dracula's reincarnation, Soma is still his own person at the same time. Perhaps this time… it will be different than Barlowe; after all, Soma gains nothing in helping her. He can simply leave her on the place where they meet but instead he takes her to his place and try to help her… or that is what she likes to believe.
"Thank you" Shanoa said with a polite nod. Soma simply replied her with another reassuring smile before he goes back to preparing their dinner.
When Soma finally finished cooking, he presents her with a pair of plates of dishes that he called as fried rice. True to his words, the food that he cooked isn't as delicious as what Aeon or Irina usually made but still decent enough that Shanoa can't seem to stop eating the fried rice… or she simply really that hungry. Then Soma surprises her once again when he commands Alexa to 'turn on the TV', causing the TV to stop playing music and to show moving images that both bewilders her and surprises her.
Contrary to what she believes at first, those moving images aren't people trapped inside the TV but rather, as Soma explained, recording that is being played back… whatever that means.
Soma then explained that the 'show' they are watching now is called as news program which is informative show that reports the current condition of various topic, similar to newspaper. Soma apparently likes to keep up with what happens on Romania through news program especially when it comes to sport.
As Soma starts to explain about the other future technologies in his apartment like refrigerator, the white box where he stores foods and beverages, and microwave, the small box that can heat up foods and beverages, Shanoa starts to wonder why he hasn't asked anything about her. However, in the end she decides that it is his decision so if he won't question her then she won't bring it up to him either.
"That's right, about sleeping arrangement. You will be sleeping on the guest room over there, don't worry there is a functional bed in there. My room is right next to you so if there is anything you need in the middle of the night, just knock the door of my room" Soma suddenly stated while pointing at one of the doors, the door of the guest room, before he points at another door, the door of his room. Shanoa nods her head to show that she understands the arrangement, feeling a little relieved that despite everything that happened to her today, she at least will have the pleasure of sleeping on a bed.
Afterward the dinner becomes mostly silent as Soma has stopped explaining about the technology of the future while Shanoa feels no interest in starting up a conversation. The only noise that accompanies their dinner is the sound of the television which right now reported about a crime that happened yesterday. Soma manages to finish his fried rice first and immediately shows her what she should do once she finishes her dinner, putting the dish on the 'sink'.
Once Shanoa finished the admittedly decent fried rice, she does exactly what Soma showed her before she faces the man who leans against the kitchen's counter, with a can of coffee on one hand, and seems to be actually waiting for her to finish her dinner.
"Thank you for the f-" Shanoa has intended to thank Soma for cooking her dinner but something else has interrupted her before she can finish her thanks… namely, her own stomach which suddenly growls to show that the fried rice hasn't managed to satisfy it.
Soma simply blinks his eyes as he keeps staring at her with a bemused look while Shanoa immediately looks away as she silently wraps her arms around her stomach. If she isn't embarrassed earlier then she definitely is now, it is true she hasn't eaten anything since afternoon but to think she will be this hungry…
"Still hungry, eh?" Soma asked with a chuckle before he pulls out the thin square-shaped device that he has explained to her was called as smartphone earlier. Shanoa decides not to answer his question as she suddenly finds the kitchen's counter more interesting to be looked at.
"I will order us a box of pizza, it is a little greasy but I am sure you will like it. But to think that you are actually a big eater"
"Let us not talk about it" Shanoa stated with a sigh, not wanting to bring up the subject anymore especially after how Laura has teased how very un-lady of her to have such big appetite or how Aeon commented that Shanoa alone can keep his restaurant running. Shanoa doesn't care much about it but that doesn't mean she likes people to talk about that trait of her.
"A vampire hunter does need to eat a lot of foods to keep up their energy" Soma commented sagely before he chuckles when Shanoa gives him a warning glare.
It is still hard for her to comprehend that this man supposed to be the reincarnation of Dracula, perhaps this is why the Belmont and the Belnades decide to trust him and put their faith on him… because when they see him, they see no Dracula… they see only Soma Cruz.
Soma immediately wakes up when the sound of whimpering disturbs his sleep and immediately causes him to sit up. Thinking better be safe than sorry, Soma reaches under his pillow to retrieve his silver gun before he quickly leaves his room, despite still wearing only his pajamas; a white tank top and a pair of white shorts.
The moment he opens his door, the whimpering sound stops but Soma still manage to find from where the sound comes from… the room next to him. Soma debates with himself whether he needs to check upon his guest or not for a few moments… but in the end decides to simply ensure she is awake or not.
"Shanoa, are you awake?" Soma asked as he gently knocks the door of his guest's room. He can barely hear any sound but soon enough he can hear the sound of footsteps come toward the door. So, she is awake already.
"Is something the matter?" Shanoa asked after opening the door, dressed only in her sleeveless dress. She must have taken her armor, boots, and sleeves off when she went to sleep last night.
"I heard a whimpering sound, are you okay?" Soma asked while trying really hard to ignore the fact that the woman in front of him doesn't wear a bra as without her armor, he can see the side of her breasts… Another thing that Soma needs to wrestle aside from the temptation of darkness is something that all healthy young man shares… hormone.
"I apologize if I disturb you… but I am fine" Shanoa answered after a brief silence. He notices that she made no denial that the whimpering sound came from her. It was a breath of fresh air to meet someone who will not deny their weakness like that, showing a good level of maturity.
"If you believe so then I suggest you prepare yourself for the day. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, I believe you are familiar with pancakes yes?" Soma declared as he recalled that he still has some pancake mix in the fridge. Shanoa simply nods her head in response but before he goes to prepare their breakfast, he notices something else with the woman.
"If you want to take a bath, please do so. I won't mind if you use the hot water too" Soma offered when he notices that the woman is drenched in sweat.
"I appreciate it but…" Soma immediately catches the reason behind her hesitation as he slaps his forehead lightly, of course, she was from the past, she wouldn't know how to operate modern shower.
"Yes, right. I will teach you, come along"
After putting down his silver gun on his couch, Soma gestures for Shanoa to follow him to the bathroom. After giving her a simple instruction on how to operate the shower, Soma also decides to teach her about how to use the sink and how to brush her teeth; fortunately, Soma owns a spare toothbrush that he usually keeps in case something happened to his first toothbrush.
After leaving a pair of blue sweatpants and a black t-shirt for her to wear on top of the washing machine, Soma decides to change into more appropriate clothes and start to make breakfast since Yoko will soon get here, and that is what he has been waiting for.
Soma has decided to not ask anything about Shanoa's past or even why he feels portion of Dracula's power within her since he thinks it will be better if she tells her story once Yoko is here too, that way she only needs to tell them once.
As Soma starts to stack pancakes on the plate and about to pour the content of the nearly empty maple syrup bottle, making him make a mental note to go shopping later, the door of the bathroom opened and Shanoa stepped out it, wearing the clothes he left for her while drying her hair with his towel. The t-shirt and sweatpants are a little too big for her since not only he is taller but his body also broader than her… but it does make her looks adorable to him.
"Breakfast almost ready, Yoko should be here any moment" Soma said once Shanoa takes a seat on his couch before he opens his refrigerator to retrieve three cans of coffee. Through sheer coincidence, or maybe not, the front door of his apartment suddenly opens up, letting Soma knows that his guest has arrived.
"Good morning Soma, smells like something delicious is being served at the moment. Look like I come at the right… time?"
The 25-years-old Yoko Belnades has become a somewhat frequent visitor in Soma's apartment so Soma is already used in her habit of opening his door with the spare key she has without knocking first and greeting him in that cheerful tone of hers. However this time, Shanoa's presence is enough to make Yoko blinks her eyes as she, most likely, tries to comprehend the presence of the black haired woman in his apartment before she gives him a questioning look.
"There is a completely logical explanation about why she is here" Soma stated as he puts three plates of pancakes on the table.
"Good then, because for a second there I am worried that the rumor about Dracula's reincarnation bringing home a virgin woman to get her blood is true" Yoko stated as she sets down the bag she carries with her before she returns her attention back to Shanoa who doesn't seem to be bothered by Yoko's stare.
"H-Hold on, a rumor? About me bringing a virgin woman home? I haven't heard any of this" Soma exclaimed in both surprise and annoyance, since when there is a rumor about him within the church?
"Of course you haven't heard about this, I just heard it this morning too. But seriously, what do you expect from bringing an unfamiliar woman home when the majority of tenants here are part of the church?" Yoko explained as she crosses her arms and raises her eyebrow.
"I just didn't expect it to cause such rumor so fast" Soma admitted before he opens one can of coffee.
"Anyway, should we get down to business? I do have a schedule to keep up with" Yoko said as she takes a seat on the couch, next to Shanoa, before she accepts the can of coffee that Soma offers to her.
"You should stop your addiction with these beverages"
"Hey, they are cheap, portable, and do their job as promised. I even won three boxes of it from the magazine you gave me last month"
"Can we start with the explanation now?" Shanoa suddenly asked, reminding the two that they aren't alone in this room.
"Right, Yoko this is Shanoa… she is from the past" Soma started while gesturing to the black haired woman who puts his towel on the empty sofa.
"Past? As in-"
"As in from a time before our own, yes she is. She came out from a time portal alongside several monsters yesterday" Soma stated with a nod, answering Yoko's question before she even asked it.
"A time portal? I never knew that existed for real. So, time travel. I never thought that I actually will talk about such topic with you. Well, now I start to see why you didn't explain the situation on our call last night and why you need my assistance. Well then Miss Shanoa, would you mind telling us more about you and how you ended up crossing a time portal?" Yoko said, now shifting her attention to the black haired woman next to her.
Soma also does the same since he also hasn't any knowledge of who Shanoa actually is aside from the fact that she killed Dracula in her time.
"Very well" Shanoa agreed with a nod before she starts her tale. Turned out, Shanoa came from a period of them where the Belmonts disappeared without any clear reason. In the absence of the Belmonts, several organizations have started to research various ways to combat the creatures of the night and try to find a way to defeat Count Dracula without relying on the Vampire Killer, the Belmonts' signature weapon. Ecclesia, the organization that Shanoa afflicted to, was the most prominent among the organizations that combat the creatures of the night due to their successful creation known as the glyphs.
"Glyphs? So, your organization was the one who developed the glyphs?" Yoko questioned as soon as Shanoa finishes her story. Shanoa simply nods her head to answer Yoko's question while Soma still tries to absorb the information that he just gained.
Thanks to Yoko, and partially Julius, Soma has learned a lot of things regarding the history of church and Dracula. He knew that Belmont disappeared sometimes in the 19th century but never knew about this Ecclesia that Shanoa supposed to be afflicted to… nor he knew anything about the glyph.
"What are glyphs?" Soma asked, deciding to first learn about these glyphs stuff before he moves on with the question he has about Shanoa.
"This" Shanoa answered while manifesting what Soma can describe as a sort of magical symbol on her hands. Despite how small it is, Soma can sense sufficient power from the symbol, telling him that the symbol holds a great power within it.
"Essentially, glyphs are known as symbols that represent the power within all things. It is like the essence of something that taken up a form which then can be used either offensively, defensively, or as a support if properly channeled" Yoko explained in the most simple way so Soma can understand.
"I think I understand now what glyphs are. Can you use glyphs Yoko?" Soma said while nodding his head in understanding. If he thinks about it, glyphs sound a bit similar to souls he uses, if properly channeled, he can use the souls within him for all sort of tasks.
"Unfortunately no, not everyone can use glyphs. From what I know, a special training is required to be able to wield glyph properly and even then you need a catalyst to properly channel the power of the glyphs, am I right?" Yoko answered before she turns her attention to Shanoa for confirmation.
"Yes, all the glyph users I knew did use a catalyst to help them channel the glyph. In my case, I use the runes on my body as the catalyst" Shanoa confirmed with a nod.
"Runes? … Oh! The tattoos on your shoulders, right?" Soma realized which Shanoa confirmed with a nod.
"But Ecclesia… I actually never heard about the name of the organization before. Several scrolls and books do mention about glyphs and explain those a little bit, but there are no mention about where the glyphs came from or who actually made this technique" Yoko admitted while she puts her left hand under her chin as her mind try to recall if she ever heard or read any mention of Ecclesia before.
Soma agreed, he has read the book of the history of the church that Yoko gave him before but he never find any information regarding Ecclesia or glyph. However, Soma also immediately notices that Shanoa oddly looks uncomfortable after hearing Yoko's words.
"Let's skip the mystery part for now. Shanoa, can you tell us about how you encountered the time portal?" Soma said to change the topic, believing that knowing how Shanoa ended up here is more important now that the existence of Ecclesia.
Shanoa nods her head before she continues her tale. Apparently, Shanoa was on a job to retrieve an item that was dropped by a traveling merchant who arrived on the village she lived in at the night she encountered the time portal. The portal appears when she was fighting a group of monsters although she does notice that the monsters seem to be pushing her so she would pass through the portal.
"My attention was mostly focused on the creatures that surrounded me so I do not know whether that time portal was casted by someone or simply appeared without a caster. The creatures' movement also seems to be coordinated as it was clear that they were trying to push me into the portal" Shanoa stated, finishing her story about how she can end up in the present time.
"If we assume that the time portal was casted and that the monsters were coordinate then I think it is pretty obvious who is our number one suspect" Yoko said after a few moments of silence.
"The merchant" Soma concluded, coming to the same conclusion as Yoko.
"Yes but the question is why would, if my theory is indeed true, the merchant or whoever he worked with sent Miss Shanoa to the future? Could it be…?" Yoko wondered as she narrows her eyes slightly.
Soma has a feeling that Yoko already has a theory of why Shanoa was sent to the future… and he has a feeling that he also already knows what she theorized about.
"Do you have any idea Soma?" Yoko asked him as she glances toward him… but he is very aware that her question has an entire different meaning. He actually doesn't want to pry her past anymore than necessary but he guesses it can't be helped…
Besides, he does plan to ask this anyway.
"Shanoa, do you remember of our deal last night? If I told you about who I really am then you need to tell me who you really are? Technically, I already know who you are now but I want to know… why do I sense a bit of Dracula within you?" that's what Soma actually wants to know the most, why does he sense the power of Dracula within this woman.
Shanoa, predictably, looks uncomfortable after hearing his question that Soma almost feels bad for asking it but decides that this knowledge is important for them.
"Dominus" Shanoa suddenly said after several minutes of silence.
"What?" Soma asked but almost regrets asking when Shanoa, unconsciously, flinches when he asks her to repeat what she said.
"Dominus… a set of glyphs created for the purpose of killing Dracula… or so I thought at first…" Shanoa explained briefly before she looks down at her hands on her laps. While Soma still figures what is the connection between a set of glyphs that created to kill Dracula and Shanoa having the power of Dracula within her, Yoko immediately understands the implication behind Dominus.
"Dominus… it is made from Dracula's essence, is it not?" Yoko asked, surprising Soma and prompting Shanoa to nod her head.
"Hold on, so your organization, Ecclesia, created a set of glyphs, Dominus, that were made from the essence of Dracula with the purpose of using it to kill Dracula?" Soma summarized, thinking it might be similar to the concept of fighting fire with fire. At least, this explained how Shanoa can kill Dracula without the Vampire Killer.
"But I doubt it was used for what it was intended to do, am I right?" Yoko asked, already all too familiar with the history of mankind and Dracula.
Somehow, Soma feels annoyed and irritated when Shanoa confirms Yoko's suspicion by nodding her head. Seriously, what with mankind and reviving the lord of darkness? Even now, those crazy cults are still hunting him down for the same reason.
"Ba- The head of Ecclesia, the one who created Dominus… he intended to use Dominus to revive Dracula by destroying the seal on Dracula's vessel that has came into Ecclesia's custody… he succeed and Dracula was revived… but I killed him with his own power" Shanoa explained but Soma noticed a few things this time. Her hands are tightly clenched as she explained about how Dominus was used and Soma can hear the venomous tone in her voice when she spoke of how she killed Dracula.
He feels a little bit lucky that she hasn't showed the same hostility to him despite him being the reincarnation of Dracula.
"I think I start to see the bigger picture here but there is one last question that I want to ask. Miss Shanoa, do you think it is possible for Dominus to be extracted from your body?" Yoko asked as she stares at Shanoa with expectant look.
"In theory… yes" Shanoa confirmed after a few seconds silence with an uncomfortable look on her face.
"If that is the case then this incident might involves a cult after all" Yoko said with a frustrated sigh as she messages her forehead.
Soma nods his head in agreement; everything is too connected to be a pure coincidence. A merchant that asked Shanoa, who wields a portion of Dracula's power, to retrieve his lost item only for Shanoa to be ended up concerned by a group monsters into a time portal that appeared out of nowhere. But one question still remains for Soma…
"Doesn't this mean one of those cults has found a way to travel through time if they can open up a time portal, assuming the culprit is indeed from our present?" Soma asked since he literally never heard any magic that allows one to travel through time.
"That's what I also want to know since I haven't heard anything about time travel magic, the most advance form of time magic that I knew was the spell to stop time but never once I heard anything about time travel" Yoko explained as she finally opens up the can of coffee that Soma offered to her earlier and drinks its content.
"Whatever the case is, I think for now we should act under the assumption that our enemy wants Miss Shanoa because of the Dominus glyphs. I also don't know whether the fact that you just happen to be around the area where the time portal manifested yesterday was a coincidence or not but if it is a coincidence then whoever our enemy is probably didn't act yesterday due to your presence" Yoko stated after letting out a sigh.
Soma nods his head in agreement, he might be not Dracula but he still wields his power and has command over many souls which put him as one of the strongest combatants in the present time.
"So, what do you suggest we should do for now?"
"I will try to investigate the matter first and will ask Julius and Arikado for their assistance while you keep an eye on Miss Shanoa, there is no telling what a cult will do if they actually manage to get a portion of Dracula's power. Protect and help each other since if my assumption is correct then she is as much as a target as you Soma" Yoko instructed, answering Soma's question.
"Wouldn't she be safer if you put her under the church's direct protection?" Soma replied, not like he doubted his own ability but surely putting her in the church's direct protection will be safer than in his protection.
"Perhaps but for now I want to be absolutely sure first on how those old geezers will react to her presence. Not only is she from the past but she also from an unknown organization that, based on her story, should be afflicted to the church. On top of it, she also possessed a portion of Dracula's power. So, for now it is best to leave her under your care for the time being. If anyone asks, just tell her she is your cousin or an old friend" Yoko explained, giving the reason why Shanoa will be better under Soma's protection for now.
"Alright, I get it. But I need to figure out something on what to do when I go to the class" since obviously Soma can't bring her to his classes. Maybe it will better to leave her here if he goes to his university since not only is this apartment protected by a magical barrier casted by church members but his room also protected by a barrier produced through ancient eastern ritual, Hakuba clan style.
"I will leave that to you. I should leave now as I have other matters to attend to plus discussing this matter with Julius and Arikado, I will contact you as soon as I find something" Yoko said with a small smile before she seems to remember something.
"That's right! I also bring what you asked me to last night" Yoko exclaimed as she gives a black shopping bag that Shanoa who at first only stares at the bag in confusion.
"Sorry, I can only bring five clothes plus undergarments since I don't have too many old clothes. You should probably buy her some more clothes Soma, please treat the lady right" Yoko said as she stands back on her feet while giving the white haired man a wink.
"Wait, what about your pancakes?" Soma asked when he sees that Yoko is ready to leave while pointing at the plate of pancakes he has prepared for her.
"You are still a growing man, aren't you? I am sure you can eat an extra breakfast. I will talk to you later too Soma, have a good day you two" and with that, Yoko immediately leaves his apartment while carrying the can of coffee that he gave her.
Soma stares at his own plate for a few moments before he stares at Yoko's plate. No matter how he calculates it, there is no way he can force himself to eat this many pancakes at once, should he stores Yoko's pancakes for lunch later? But before that… Soma redirects his gaze toward Shanoa who, to his surprise, already stares at him.
"I will eat half of it" Shanoa simply stated as if she already knows what is on his mind.
"Thanks, I will eat the other half"
As they begin to eat their breakfast, Soma can't help but think of the hardships he will need to endure with this new situation. There will be a lot of things he needs to do, strengthening the barrier around his room, buying some stuffs for Shanoa, and giving his help to Yoko's investigation over this matter… even if he is sure Arikado won't want him to get too involved into this case as per usual.
"Hey Shanoa"
Shanoa looks up to him when he calls her name, only to see the white haired man already holds his hand out for her with a smile on his face.
"I am looking forward to be working with you, like what Yoko said we ought to help and protect each other from those crazy cults" from the way Shanoa looks at him in surprises, he says that she didn't expect him to suddenly say something like this but he just wants to make himself clear. He is indeed looking forward in working and, technically, living with her.
For the first few seconds, Shanoa simply stares at him but a few seconds later, she simply closes her eyes and accepts his hand.
"Likewise"
Hopefully, this will be the start of something positive between the two of them.