[TS] Surviving in a Yuri Visual Novel

The strength of Lumani’s grip tightened. At the same time, the hand that gripped my chin began to hold it deeper and stronger. The feeling of fingers entwining closely around my jaw was transmitted through my skin. As I sensed a cooler body temperature than a typical human or Mazoku, my body instinctively flinched.

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

As sweat flowed down my cheek, Lumani smiled while looking at me. I was like a mouse placed before a cat. As I continued to flinch, Lumani maintained her grip on my chin, wearing an enchanting smile.

Her beautiful smile seemed likely to captivate anyone, man or woman, but to me, she resembled a snake that had just caught its prey.

“To think that the Sage of the Hero’s party has contracted with a half-breed Mazoku, and that Mazoku happens to be a vampire—how could that not be interesting?”

Although I couldn’t be sure about the current situation, back when the flames of war spread across the world, a half-breed between humans and Mazoku was considered heresy. They were treated worse than slaves, a being that could never be treated well by either humans or Mazoku. That was exactly what a hybrid of humans and Mazoku represented.

It was understandable that a Sage, who had experienced such wars firsthand, would react in surprise upon contracting with a Mazoku, especially a half-breed. Didn’t Leo also initially have a disapproving expression when he looked at me? Of course, he still didn’t think highly of me even now.

If possible, I wished that Lumani Tepes, the queen of vampires, would not take an interest in me. But judging by her current reaction, that seemed impossible. It was clear to anyone that she was interested. Frankly speaking, it was unpleasant. Who would feel good about having their chin grabbed by a woman they didn’t even know?

I grimaced.

I instinctively pulled my head back, but it was futile. I wouldn’t budge. I couldn’t escape. I didn’t want to admit it, but like earlier with Leo, there was an overwhelming gap in power between Lumani and me.

This was ridiculous; I wasn’t a punching bag. It was shameful to think that I had once been a member of the Hero’s party, yet here I was, unable to resist as someone else touched me.

If it were in the past, I could have brushed off this ridiculous restraint with a light shove…!

“Hmm.”

“Ugh….”

“I won’t do anything bad, so lift your head.”

It sounded like something a third-rate villain would say just before attacking the heroine.

But regardless of her words, as I gritted my teeth at the coercive voice filled with pressure, I found myself slowly lifting my head against my will, and she seemed to tighten her grip even more, not wanting to let go.

Thanks to that, I found myself closer to Lumani, and when I widened my eyes in surprise, her red irises shone like a snake’s.

“Instead of red, your irises are gray. Although you seem to be disguising yourself as a human, on the contrary, it seems you do not often indulge in bloodsucking, considering your irises are not red but gray.”

“…My bloodsucking habits are none of your concern.”

“Indeed, they are of no concern to me. They only matter to you. However, for a vampire not to indulge in bloodsucking is akin to a human suppressing their sexual urges.”

“What do you mean by that?”

With her mischievous smile, Lumani replied to my sharp tone.

“You should indulge in bloodsucking a bit more. If the impulses come all at once, it will be hard to handle.”

Whether she noticed the terrifyingly stiff expression on Leticia, who was gripping my shoulder tightly, or if she was ignoring it altogether, Lumani casually held my chin as she turned my face this way and that, then whispered in a voice that belied the ferocious atmosphere.

“Hmm, I won’t harm you, so just stay still.”

“What for?”

“I’m just checking something, so I won’t hurt you.”

In a situation where the Hero and the Sage were observing, it would indeed be a problem if she were to do anything to me, Lumani said.

“The peace between humans and Mazoku is the wish of the Demon King. I don’t intend to be disliked by the human Hero and Sage if it can be helped… Ah, maybe not. I might be seen unfavorably already.”

As Lumani smiled with a playful expression, she raised her finger and lifted my chin.

“Oh?”

As my chin was pulled up, forcing me to lift my head, I found myself face to face with Lumani, close enough to feel each other’s breath. Meeting her strangely glowing red eyes, my body froze involuntarily. Grimacing at the uncomfortable sensation of her eyes scanning my entire being, Lumani laughed.

“Indeed, it seems you carry more Mazoku blood than human blood. Normally, a hybrid Mazoku wouldn’t lack the horns and wings that symbolize the Mazoku, but could you be hiding them with magic?”

“…”

“That’s quite a level of disguise. If one doesn’t look closely, even I would mistake you for a human rather than a Mazoku.”

“How flattering.”

Though it didn’t seem like she was joking, it didn’t feel like it could be taken as a compliment either.

Returning her interesting expression from the first time we met, Lumani curled her lips into a smile. Trying not to make eye contact with her, I partly closed my eyes, then slowly opened them to look at Lumani again before dropping my gaze.

Finding my reaction amusing, Lumani let out a small chuckle.

“Even if you’re a hybrid, it’s normal to be under my control if there’s Mazoku blood mixed in you. Could it be that you are of higher standing than I? Hehe, this situation is turning quite interesting. Just what are you?”

“I have no obligation to tell you. As you put it, I’m just a lowly hybrid vampire.”

“I never said you were worthless or that I wasn’t interested. All I find curious is that you aren’t under my control anymore.”

Regardless of her words, I was still caught in her grip, grimacing in disbelief at what was happening. Despite my glaring expression, Lumani remained completely calm.

In fact, when I glared, she scoffed at my gaze as if it were amusing. As said before, from Lumani’s perspective, my actions were simply the antics of a mouse threatened by a cat, and it was laughable.

‘She’s blatantly ignoring me.’

Perhaps because I was flanked by Leo and Leticia, I appeared to be the easiest target. Compared to those two, I was indeed weaker, so I couldn’t argue against that, but I definitely did not want to be treated this way. So, in a bid to rebel, I lifted my eyes, but Lumani seemed indifferent to my actions.

Gently tapping the black collar around my neck with her long fingers, Lumani playfully asked, “Is this a collar? What a unique taste. Is it yours? Or is it the Sage’s preference? It seems you are treating me like a pet Mazoku.”

With a meaningful smile as she touched the collar around my neck, Lumani asked if it was to my liking. I gave a weak smile and shook my head lightly. Meanwhile, Leticia, who had been quietly listening to Lumani, suddenly pulled me toward her.

“?!”

Startled by the sudden tug at my waist, I opened my eyes wide. I had relaxed my body, but I never expected to pull away from Lumani’s grasp so easily. I ended up awkwardly embracing Leticia, which shocked me. For a moment, I blinked several times and then calmly accepted the current situation.

This time it was Leticia, not Lumani. Despite the familiar warmth that brought a sense of comfort, I felt strange. I used to be the one hugging Leticia; I never thought the roles would be reversed. It was possible only because I was a bit shorter than her.

Hugging me as if I were her cherished doll, Leticia’s eyes stared sleepily at Lumani. She seemed to dislike the situation itself.

“That’s enough. If you keep provoking me, it’s better if you leave. As Leo said, if word gets out that you’re here, it could become troublesome.”

Especially if it caught the Emperor’s or other nobles’ attention, it might complicate the peace agreement with the Mazoku. Leticia spoke in an exaggerated manner, glaring at Lumani with lifeless eyes.

Having inadvertently ended up like a doll in Leticia’s arms, I gazed up at her vacantly. Blinking slowly, as I looked at Leticia’s face, our eyes met for a moment, and she squeezed me tighter.

Gulp. I internally screamed. Leticia’s grip on my waist was so strong that I felt tears welling up.

As tears began to form in my eyes, I noticed that Leticia was glaring at Lumani with fiery eyes. While I had sensed it vaguely before, it was now confirmed. I wasn’t sure if Leticia’s feelings for me were possessive or romantic, but one of those was certainly true.

‘This is troublesome.’

What should I do? Since the moment I was summoned, Leticia’s actions had been full of questions, from her openly displaying her desires towards me to her strangely obsessive behavior.

However, right now, the priority was to calm Leticia’s feelings.

“Leticia.”

“…Charlotte? You just used my name….”

“Calm down. Let me down.”

Though my feet touched the ground, it was quite uncomfortable for me to say that. Despite my discomfort, Leticia seemed satisfied that I called her name and slowly released me.

“…Sigh.”

As Leo prepared to intervene in the uncomfortable standoff between Lumani and Leticia, he sighed, clearly irritated as he looked back and forth between me and Leticia.

Just when it seemed like the situation might resolve favorably, an unexpected variable appeared.

Smooch.

Startled by the cool but warm sensation on my cheek, I turned my head. It was a sudden kiss. Lumani, with a bewitching smile, licked her lips, and in a daze, I raised my hand to my cheek.

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