"Seems like the younger sister has a better grasp of how to deal with people than the elder one," Dracula said, watching the green-haired beauty walk away hand-in-hand with the two girls. "I bet the elder will be completely under the younger's thumb when they grow up."
He suddenly sensed a gaze. Turning his head, he saw Kirie staring intently at the side of his face.
"…What is it?" he asked, puzzled.
"No, it's just a little strange," Kagarino Kirie said. "This is the first time I've heard you speak so gently, Dracula-sama. You usually sound half-dead… Do you really like children that much?"
"Ah, yeah, I do like kids," Dracula admitted casually. "They're pure, and more loyal than adults. Sure, they'll betray you, but at least they don't stab you in the back after the betrayal. Adults are far worse."
"Oh, I see."
Without warning, Kirie pulled out a small notebook and began scribbling in it rapidly.
"What are you writing, Kirie?" Dracula leaned over curiously, trying to catch a glimpse.
"It's nothing," she replied calmly.
But her hand swiftly snapped the notebook shut, concealing the large, bold characters she had just written: "Lolicon."
She tucked it back into her coat pocket without a change in expression.
"…Alright then."
Seeing Kirie's clear unwillingness to share, Dracula didn't press the issue. After all, whatever she wrote was her business. Prying into her privacy would only invite trouble—especially given Kirie's unpredictable nature.
Glancing around, Dracula began walking in a particular direction. "Let's head to the shopping district. We'll get everything we need, and maybe check out the game store while we're at it."
"Yes, my lord."
Kirie straightened her clothes, jogged up beside him, and once again clung to his arm without hesitation.
The two strolled through the shopping district together, ticking off every item on their materials list. Along the way, Kirie—brimming with excitement—insisted on picking out two sets of modern clothing for herself. Naturally, Dracula was forced to join in, and under her relentless pressure, even ended up purchasing a full men's suit for himself.
After finishing their shopping, Dracula was planning to take her to browse the game store next. Unfortunately, just as they reached the entrance, Kirie's overwhelming beauty drew the attention of a group of sketchy, cartoonishly dressed Japanese delinquents.
Three punches and five kicks later, the goons were down and out.
By the time the police finally showed up, Dracula had no choice but to abandon their gaming detour and quietly return to Castlevania with Kirie to avoid further hassle.
Back at Castlevania, they found that Jeanne had already eaten all the food that had been prepared for her, and the undead had taken it upon themselves to clean up the dishes.
At that moment, Jeanne herself was gleefully exploring the castle like it was the maze of an RPG dungeon.
In a way, she wasn't far off. Castlevania had been treated as a dungeon by the Brotherhood of Light and the Belmont family in the past.
As expected of the saint who possessed the "Revelation" skill—rivaling even "Instinct" in accuracy—Jeanne's gut feeling was spot-on.
"A-Ah, I was just curious! I'm not playing some childish game!"
Jeanne's face flushed red as she flailed about in embarrassment, trying to explain.
Dracula sighed. "Relax, I'm not making fun of you."
He set down the materials and said, "Jeanne-san, Kirie and I have brought back everything we need. Let's get the summoning circle drawn, shall we?"
The flustered saint nodded, cheeks still rosy. The trio headed to the castle's ritual chamber—specifically designed for summoning and ceremonies.
There, Jeanne quickly regained her composure. With deft hands, she arranged the summoning array using the materials Dracula had provided.
"All done. Just recite the incantation on this page, and you'll be able to summon a Servant." She clapped her hands proudly and handed over a sheet of paper.
Dracula took it and squinted at the densely packed incantation. "Jeanne, just how many scrolls and papers are you hiding in those pockets of yours?"
Then, eyeing the long chant, he asked, "Is all this really necessary? Can I skip it?"
"Well… theoretically, yes," Jeanne said hesitantly. "If you're capable of using your magical energy to connect directly with the Throne of Heroes, the chant is unnecessary…"
"Perfect." Dracula handed the sheet to Kirie. "Here, this one's for you too. Give it a go."
"…But Dracula-sama," Jeanne interrupted, "you only have two summoning slots."
"Oh?" Dracula raised a brow. "Guess I'll have to talk to Gaia and Alaya, then."
Without another word, he sent his consciousness outward, extending his mental reach toward the two beings slumbering beyond the world.
Within the Outer World, Gaia and Alaya slumbered in silence—until a powerful spiritual signal cut through the void.
[Gaia, Alaya. You there?]
The message rang out loud and clear.
[We're here. This spirit signature… is that you, Dracula-sama?]
It was Alaya who responded.
[Yeah, it's me,] Dracula replied. [I've got a request.]
[Go ahead, Dracula-sama,] Alaya said cautiously.
[It's about my maid. I'd like her to gain some experience—broaden her horizons a bit. So I want her to be able to participate in summoning too. Give me two more slots.]
[But… these are Servants we're talking about. Too many of them… it could destabilize the world…]
Alaya sounded uncertain.
[Tch. You're really stingy, you know that?]
Dracula clicked his tongue. Then he added:
[Alright, how about this? I'll raise the world's stability threshold by another tier. Sound fair?]
[You can do that? If you really increase the world's resilience, both the planet and humanity could last much longer…]
[Exactly. So, deal?]
[…Fine. Deal.]
Dracula withdrew his spirit.
Meanwhile, in the Outer World…
[You're giving up five Servant slots just like that?] Gaia asked skeptically.
[Pfft, of course not. At most, I'll let him summon a few fragmented projections. The actual Spirit Origins are still mine.]
[I dunno… feels like you're playing with fire. We couldn't beat him even if we rallied all the surrounding star systems.]
[It's fine. As long as he doesn't find out, it's all good.]
---
Back in the castle, Dracula re-opened his eyes and gave Jeanne a thumbs-up. "All settled."
Still doubtful, Jeanne closed her eyes and used Revelation to check for herself.
When she opened them again, she stared at Dracula in awe. "Who are you really…?"
"Just a slothful vampire," Dracula replied with a grin, rubbing his hands together. "Anyway, let's stop with the questions. Kirie, wanna try your luck?"
Kirie glanced at the chant list. "With all due respect, Dracula-sama… given your luck stat, I really don't see how I could lose."
"Pff. Doesn't matter. Just treat it like a gacha game—win or lose, it's all for fun."
He waved his hand. "Alright, let's start with two single pulls."
"…Very well. I'll memorize the chant first," Kirie said as she studied the paper.
[Host, it seems those two beings plan to scam you.]
The system's voice suddenly rang out in Dracula's mind.
"Ah, no big deal." Dracula smirked. "In the end, the only thing that really enforces a contract is the size of your fists. If they try to back out, I'll just go collect the payment personally."