Victor stood up slowly, shaking his head. "No... Megumi doesn't deserve that fate. She doesn't deserve it. No!" Alessio grabbed his phone, which showed the date as September 7th, and received a notification: "Didn't sleep well? :D ?"
"Asshole!" Victor huffed before receiving another notification.
"I shouldn't tell you this, but get ready for some visitors and work... exciting, right?"
"Visitors?" Victor wondered.
The young man sighed deeply, saw that it was 6:30 AM, and let out another sigh. "I thought I wouldn't have to wake up this early again... damn! I'm used to waking up at 8!" he snapped.
After breakfast with rice and salmon, he began putting on his lab coat.
"So, do you know exactly what you're good at?" asked Ozaky, lighting a cigarette after putting on his lab coat.
"Blood analysis, first aid... let's just say I could pass for a medical intern because I've always been interested in medicine."
"Alright... I hope this excuse holds up while you're here!" Ozaky said.
"It will... Otherwise, how could I help you? After all, I just need to stick with you, right?" replied the young man, finishing dressing.
"Yeah, that's it!" Ozaky responded, making smoke rings.
Ozaky grabbed the bicycle and saddled it.
"Are you like Don Matteo, the doctor version?" Alessio asked, laughing.
"Don Matteo?" Ozaky asked.
"If you like mystery shows, it's an Italian series that aired in Japan in 2017, where a priest solves mysteries in an Italian town, usually murders."
"Ah, like 'Murder, She Wrote,' but with Seishin... I can already imagine what would happen in Sotoba... after 3 seasons, we'd halve the population of the town! Not to mention, it's already depopulating! At least in 10 days, that super priest would solve the mystery of anemia!" Ozaky said, nodding.
"Yeah... anemia," Alessio replied, smiling.
Alessio jumped on Ozaky's bike, and they arrived at the clinic.
"As soon as possible, I'll buy you a bike! It's uncomfortable with two people!" Ozaky commented.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the clinic, and within twenty minutes, the nurses showed up.
Victor greeted each one and introduced himself as the doctor's nephew. There were a few boring checkups in the afternoon, but nothing serious.
At 12:10 PM, they broke for lunch, the puacked lunch, style, as it was called—lunch brought from home—and during it, Victor unleashed his full range of insults at eating rice with chopsticks, while Ozaky chuckled.
"I can handle the rest, but rice... damn, it makes me curse all the gods of the Shinto pantheon, the Christian saints, and everything else!" Victor fumed.
The hours passed quietly, and closing time arrived.
"Is it usually like this?" Victor asked.
"Yeah, few truly problematic visits. After all, it's a small village, mostly adults and elderly people," Ozaky replied.
"I wonder how you haven't already died of boredom!" Victor grumbled, crossing his arms.
Ozaky chuckled as he grabbed the keys to lock up the clinic.
"Good evening, Dr. Ozaky, and Nephew," a voice suddenly said, making Victor jump.
They turned and saw Tatsumi, smiling, with his usual 'good guy' mask on.
"You must be the nephew, huh? The village is talking about you!" the Jinrou added.
Victor put on his poker face.
"Tatsumi, right? The waiter from the Kirishiki family, right?" he said, extending his hand, which Tatsumi shook.
"Oh, they've talked about me! I hope it was good!" Tatsumi responded, releasing the handshake.
"Well, well, you're such a nice person! Ah, Doc, I forgot something at the clinic... I think... I'll check!"
With that, Victor went back inside and pulled out his phone.
"Why didn't you call?!" Alessio snapped as the Shiki Alert Radar showed Tatsumi with bluish highlights and the caption "Friendly, by Sunako's orders."
"That's why... he's friendly by superior order!" Alessio smiled and went out.
"No, I had it in my inner pocket. Sorry, Uncle!"
"Oh, no problem!" Ozaky replied.
"Anyway, I came to ask if after dinner, I could go to Kanemasa. Miss Sunako, the master's daughter, is curious to meet an American, especially such an elegant and gentlemanly one."
"Oh... for what I did yesterday! The girl I met worked for you!" Victor smiled.
The situation was absurd. Tatsumi, like the Kirishiki family, thought Ozaky still hadn't discovered them, but in reality, he knew everything.
Ozaky knew what had happened but pretended not to.
Victor knew more than anyone and only had to pretend he understood Megumi was a vampire, that he loved her, and most importantly, not let anyone know he planned to outsmart him and all the vampires—not just by exposing them, but robbing them, running away with Megumi while they went to their final destination: stake in the heart! Victor took a deep breath after smiling at Tatsumi. The situation was chaotic.
"Yes, Yoshie!" Tatsumi looked at Victor as if to say, "I know it was Megumi, but play along."
"Oh! YES! Anyway, are you sure I won't be disturbing after dinner?" Victor asked, trying to be modest.
"No problem! You're very welcome, Victor!" Tatsumi said with a brief bow, smiling.
"See you after dinner!" Alessio commented, and Tatsumi walked away.
Soon after, Victor checked his phone; Tatsumi had really left.
"You're heading straight into the lion's den," Ozaky commented.
"Yeah, it looks like Megumi did a good job getting me in. Now I just need to play my cards right and gain Sunako's trust. Once that's done, we can continue with our plan! But seriously, I never imagined it would come to this!" the young man commented.
"Well, at least Kyouko knows how to cook well!" Ozaky commented.
"Yeah, Japan has excellent cuisine, at least," Alessio replied.
During dinner, the most important meal in Japanese culture, which of course included rice and udon, followed by fried chicken and grilled fish, with no dessert because it's rare in Japanese dinners, Kyouko commented, "You make me so happy! You eat everything with such gusto, Victor!"
"Oh, no problem, Aunt! You're an excellent cook!" Victor replied, smiling.
"Obviously, I'm eating everything! Breakfast was light, lunch was light! The only substantial meal is dinner! How the hell do the Japanese do it!? My stomach wasn't just on the ground, it was underground! A light breakfast, fine! But lunch should be hearty, and dinner should be normal!" Victor thought behind his smile.
"You're giving me so much satisfaction, nephew!" the woman commented, seeing that Victor was asking for a second helping of grilled fish.
After dinner, he went outside, waiting for Megumi, using his phone, which showed the objective "infiltrate Kanemasa," with the description, very ironically: "Easy to deceive Sunako, huh?"
"Yeah, easy as drinking a glass of water," Victor rolled his eyes.
"Victor!" Megumi called, entering.
"Oh, hey Megu! Right on time, like a perfect Japanese! After all, that's the beauty of Japan, you're all so punctual!" Victor said, chuckling.
"Yeah, I still can't believe I thought Ozaky lived in the clinic!"
"Hey, you said you knew everything about this world! Besides, from the outside, it looks like he lives there if you don't know the truth!" Victor replied, making way.
"Obviously, I don't know things that aren't told! Anyway, thanks to the... well, let's call it the 'shikiphone,' since it has everything about this world, I know a lot more!" Victor muttered.
"Anyway, I've already spotted some tea sets and silverware!" Megumi chuckled.
"At least one of us is already working on the grand finale! Anyway, how did Sunako seem to you?"
"Very curious. I've done a good job promoting you!" Megumi commented, laughing, but Victor suddenly stopped and looked around.
"Do you hear that?" the young man asked.
"Yeah, what's that music? But it's not bad!" Megumi replied, while Victor received a notification and saw a message: "Do you like Japanese Mansion from Hitman 2? You loved that game, right? Don't worry, you and Megumi can only hear it!"
"So, the deity acts as our personal radio? How nice!" Megumi commented.
"No, music in video games is VERY important, like in movies, Megumi. Maybe it's trying to tell us something... or just messing with us, from what I understand," Victor commented.
The music played in a loop while the two talked casually... not too loud, just in the background. Once inside the mansion, they were greeted by Tatsumi and Seishirou.
"Good evening, Tatsumi, good evening, Mr. Kirishiki!" the young man smiled as the deity played "The Penthouse" instead of the previous music.
Victor rolled his eyes and thought, "Asshole," while following Tatsumi through the elegant mansion.
"Lady Sunako is very curious to meet you, Victor..." the Jinrou began.
"I'm curious to meet her too... from what I've heard, she seems like a young girl, but very... wise, right?"
"Nice way to say she's lived many years, but yeah! Over 100."
"And Mr. Kirishiki?"
"About 40. As you probably guessed, all of this is just a cover!"
"Yeah, ironically, it's a classic... an author, Stephen King, wrote a similar story in '75: anyone who has read that novel... would know how to connect the dots about what's going on here... or, if they know anything about vampires and have a sharp mind, they'll get it... Well, ironically, I just had to see Megumi to suspect it," the young man explained.
"Yeah, Megumi told us how you found out... and especially how you reacted... in an unexpected way," Tatsumi replied calmly as he led them through the elegant hallways.
"Well, I've always liked vampires since I was a kid!" Victor explained.
"Interesting! Well, Lady Sunako will be more interested than I am." Tatsumi said, opening the door to reveal Sunako elegantly dressed in a white puffed dress with her hair styled in many braids.
"Oh, Lady Sunako! Delighted to meet you!" Victor said, offering a sincere smile and taking her hand to kiss it while Tatsumi closed the door.
"Oh, a real gentleman!"
"Well, back in the 1800s, it was common, right?" Victor responded, smiling as he sat down while Sunako poured tea for him.
"Yes, it was used! So, I overheard something between you and Tatsumi... I know it's bad manners to eavesdrop, but we Shiki have good hearing..."
"Oh, I'm not mad! It's not my fault he has good hearing!"
"Let's put aside these formalities! Even though they are charming!"
"Alright, Sunako! So, what would you like to know?"
"I've already heard it... your eyes... you're sincere... you don't look at me with disgust! You're like Seishirou!" Sunako commented.
"Thank you!" Victor replied.
Then Sunako began telling her story, and halfway through...
"Your parents abandoned you, you searched for them, and when you finally realized they were all dead, you decided to create your own family... that bastard ruined your life, not just your childhood!" Victor said, getting up and hugging Sunako tightly.
"I'm playing my strategy here; if it works, I'm in the clear; if not, she'll drink me like a cocktail," Victor thought.
"You just need someone who will accept you and understand your suffering!" he added.
Sunako could feel the boy's heart pounding, and she let herself be embraced, softly saying "Thank you."