First Taste, Sweet Taste

What matters most when raising a child?

In the world Andy originally came from, overbearing parents were everywhere. They treated their kids like glass dolls, filing complaints over every little thing and making life miserable for everyone around them.

He thought that was wrong.

When a child does something wrong, they need discipline. Bad habits need correcting. Unconditional positivity and love can actually ruin a child. Even Andy, who had grown up under far-from-ideal parents, knew that much.

But what about a child who was already broken?

A negative child who had abandoned all hope for the world and for herself. What did she need?

Infinite love!

Trust in her guardian.

An environment where she could feel safe, believing, This adult loves me.

For a child like this, endless positivity and love were essential. To fill a vessel that was already cracked, you had to pour in far more than what leaked out.

And so, Andy said:

"We may not have much money yet, so the house will be small, but I'll make sure you have a warm meal every single day. Clean, pretty clothes, trendy accessories, toys — I'll buy you as many as I can."

"W-wait..."

"When you open your eyes in the morning, egg toast with ham and a glass of milk will be waiting for you. After breakfast, we'll do some stretching exercises. You need to grow up big and strong into a fine young lady."

"Te-teacher. Teacher."

"The house may be small, but the bathroom will always have hot water. I'll prepare bubble baths that turn the water pink, and whenever you feel like being spoiled, just say the word. I'll even brush your teeth for you myself."

"I don't need you brushing my teeth. No, that's not the point—"

"Lessons will continue as usual, but subjects like noble etiquette will only proceed if you wish. You're free to leave the noble world behind entirely, or if you ever want to return, you can learn."

"Teacher."

"I'll work hard to get us a bigger house. I'll always be by your side. So that you can feel happiness. So that you can find your worth. We'll take on commissions together from time to time, and if a good opportunity comes along, you might make friends or meet a wonderful groom—"

"—Teacher!"

Cream clutched her hair and shouted. She kneaded her flushed face as if trying to calm herself down, glaring at him.

"Please... Teacher. Stop joking around."

"I'm completely serious."

"D-don't come on so strong either."

When Andy took hold of Cream's shoulders and met her eyes, she shuddered and backed away. She scrambled onto the bed and buried her nose under the blanket.

"My lady. Let me say it again — I am not joking."

He had truly thought this through and meant every word.

Having seen how this mansion operated even in the original story, Andy had already been saving money for the future. Someday, he would leave this place with Cream and live together.

But as the saying goes, seeing is believing — experiencing it firsthand was far worse than reading about it. It was simply suffocating.

There was no love here. As Cream herself had said, there was no worth.

Eyes that didn't see people as people.

To some, a piggy bank. To others, a nuisance. To still others, a thorn in the side.

That was Cream Holybell's position in this mansion.

Who wouldn't go mad, living under that kind of treatment in a place like this?

"There's no need to stay here even one second longer. I'll handle all the consequences. All you need to do is trust me and come with me."

"Would you stop saying 'just come with me' already?!"

"Then entrust yourself to me."

"Whatever it is, drop the 'body' talk! It sounds weird...!"

"What do you mean, it sounds weird?"

"Are you seriously asking that?!"

"I truly don't understand. How does it sound to you?"

Cream clamped her mouth shut.

She looked at Andy with her face flushed pink, then hung her head. After all that shouting, she was now fidgeting awkwardly.

"Th-that kind of thing is what a man..."

"A man?"

"A man says to a woman..."

"To a woman?"

"...Ah! I don't know!"

And then she hopped up.

"Fine, whatever! I've made up my mind. Teacher, you're a pervert. A pervert who uses his social status as a priest to say weird things to a little kid!"

"Is there a pervert like that around you? The more I hear, the more appalling this place becomes. I'll deal with them immediately. Please describe their appearance."

"Aaaah! Look in a mirror!"

Having worked herself into a fury, the white-haired girl flopped down on the bed, exhausted. She looked like a crumpled white rag doll sprawled out.

"Hngh... Haah... Enough about this."

"My lady."

"Why are you being so serious about this...? You must have felt something after meeting the family that owns this mansion, but I'm fine, okay...? It's way better than living in the back alleys, and I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was actually enjoying myself in my own way..."

"..."

"I feel like you're under some kind of misconception, so let me set you straight. Do you think I've just been sitting here taking it in this mansion? Do I look like some pitiful kid, some tragic girl to you? Being a priest, maybe you felt some pity. Fine, I'll take those earlier remarks as coming from pity."

"It's not simply pity."

"But I'm wicked and strong. These humans here are just laughable. They're nothing more than rats crawling before a lion."

"That still doesn't justify being treated 'that way.'"

"Fine, I'll grant you that. So how exactly do you plan to take me out of here? If we just leave, won't you just become a noble-kidnapping criminal? Is your status high enough to cover that up?"

"Then if I make preparations, will you leave with me?"

"What?"

She had a point.

Even as an illegitimate child, Cream had been formally accepted into the Holybell family under the authority of her half-brother, the head of the house.

Taking such a child out of the mansion without permission would make him a textbook noble-lady kidnapper. If caught, it might even mean the death penalty.

Not getting caught would be fine, but living as fugitives would make it hard to give Cream happiness. He couldn't give her a sense of security.

So Andy calmly organized his thoughts.

"If I make proper, legitimate preparations to take you in, then at that time, we leave together."

"Why would you go that far..."

"My lady. I acknowledge your power. That's why I hold your worth in such high regard."

"..."

"But you are young. A twelve-year-old child. At an age when even a family's love alone isn't enough, if contempt like that seeps in, it carves away at your heart."

"...Even if I'm young, I have the power to trample every adult in this place."

"Whether you have great power or not is beside the point. What I mean is that your heart is still far too tender."

A mind that hadn't yet fully matured. If anything, that great power would only make her inner self even more fragile.

From what Andy could tell, Cream did not retain memories from the first timeline. She occasionally showed a sharp edge, but her pure innocence was unmistakably that of a twelve-year-old.

A little girl who loved hamburgers and sweet snacks, who lit up with joy over a single praise stamp.

When he pointed that out, Cream averted her eyes.

"There's no heart left to carve away."

"My lady."

"I already shredded my heart and threw it away."

She said it with a faint smile, though there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was nothing amusing about it. A hollow smile. She always smiled when her thoughts turned twisted.

"That's why I live here. Holding my breath, waiting for the right time."

"Waiting for what?"

"I want to be forgiven by the person who shredded my heart."

"You're the one who was hurt. Why would you want to be forgiven?"

"Because I shredded that person too."

"..."

"This mansion, and me — all of us."

—That mansion, and you, are all like hell.

Having finished speaking, she hugged the puppy plushie on the bed. Her small white hands trembled.

Even as she smiled, her face was sunk in gloom.

Andy watched her quietly.

If a girl so young, a girl who hated forming relationships with people, would speak of someone like that...

"...Your birth mother."

"..."

"Are you staying here to avenge your mother?"

"..."

Only silence.

Andy closed his eyes. He took a moment to steady his breath and considered the best choice available to him now.

New information learned today.

The strange relationship between Cream and her birth mother.

He thought it over, then opened his eyes.

He was always steadfast, and his decisions were swift.

"I understand. What's the plan?"

"...What?"

"If that's the case, I'll help you. Please let me help. I don't like this mansion either."

"No, Teacher."

"You absolutely must not do this alone. I want to kick over some barrels myself. Honestly, I'd also like to watch the whole process of going hehehe with a needle like this and that."

"Teacher, have you completely lost your mind?"

"In exchange, promise me one thing."

The face of a man whose expressions rarely changed much.

Eyes as clear as the sky outside the window looked straight at Cream.

"When everything is over, you come with me."

"..."

"With a refreshed heart, we start anew together."

Leaving behind all lingering attachments to this desolate mansion, all the pain related to her mother.

Walking a path of pure happiness together. Setting out on a journey to find worth.

Hoping she could break free from every curse and hardship that bound her, and live freely.

When he spoke with genuine sincerity, Cream shook her head.

"...I never said I was going to take revenge, and even if I did, I have no intention of doing it with you, no intention of living with you afterward — nothing."

"Then it's a promise."

"Would you please listen to me..."

Even if the girl was stubborn, the man was just as stubborn.

If Cream was like a yapping puppy baring its teeth in defiance, Andy was like an unchanging old tree — steadfast and unyielding.

No matter how much you barked at it, the tree would never break. It would simply stand there, always casting its shade.

Cream, wanting to leave that shade, frowned.

"I shouldn't have talked to you today. Please leave."

"My lady."

"I said get out already. If you say one more ridiculous thing, this time I'll really sew your mouth—"

"The, the mark has faded."

"What mark?"

As she asked irritably, he cheerfully unwrapped the bandage on his left arm. Just seeing that, Cream let out an "Ah" of recognition.

"Of course I have absolutely no intention of reporting you, but I don't know how you might feel about it."

"..."

Bite marks so faint you'd miss them if you weren't looking closely.

Using them as bait, he smiled faintly — truly a rather fox-like man.

"...Sit in the chair."

Cream got up from the bed and approached slowly. She had no choice. That mark was proof of "cooperating with a witch," which made it hard for Andy to report her easily. At least, that was how she saw it.

Meanwhile, Andy finished unwrapping the bandage, removed his suit jacket, and rolled up his dress shirt sleeve. He prepared everything so the young lady could perform the act as comfortably as possible.

When he extended his left arm, Cream sat beside him and took hold of it.

She could feel the pulse in the protruding vein, and even though she was the one holding on, she swallowed dryly for no reason.

"...It's beating too hard."

"Is it? I don't think I'm nervous."

If anyone was nervous, it was Cream. Andy was perfectly calm.

She hadn't noticed it much before, but being this close to the man now, a sweet scent kept wafting from him.

It was a kind she'd never smelled before, and it was very strange. It seemed to carry a man's distinctive rich scent, yet also a fragrant smell like something from a forest, and at the end it was faintly sweet, drawing her curiosity to keep breathing it in.

In her head, the earlier conversation kept spinning round and round.

That absurd remark about just bringing her body.

"..."

The girl gripped the arm full of his body scent tightly and opened her mouth. Her dainty teeth peeked out.

The overheated atmosphere had settled, and now it was purely time for leaving a mark.

Of course, it was just one bite. Nothing more than a safety measure to ensure this man didn't scheme behind her back.

Her mouth, for some reason constantly filling with saliva, touched Andy's arm.

Chomp—

The sensation of teeth piercing into flesh. Sharp canines sank into the skin, leaving a wound.

The man's arm flinched reflexively, then held still again. Cream, gripping it firmly with both hands, worked her lips to make sure the mark was clear.

"Mmnh..."

Squeeze, squeeze — after applying force several times, she pulled her mouth away, and immediately saw a drop of blood rising from the wound.

A luscious red liquid.

It swelled as if ready to spill at any moment.

Cream watched the process blankly. Normally the girl would bite and pull away immediately, but today she just stayed still.

Whether she was entranced by the scent, captivated by the color, or simply dazed from replaying his words...

And what she did next had no special meaning.

As a being who originally had to live by drinking blood, she seemed to have judged this red liquid as food.

Like licking a melting ice cream.

Like licking food stuck to her lips with her tongue.

Peek — she stuck out her small tongue and gently wiped away the drop of blood.

Ah...

It was sweet.

Sweet enough that she found herself waiting for the next drop to form.

A nectar that was sticky-sweet yet refreshed the tongue with a clean finish.

As she watched intently like a child waiting for candy, a laugh came from in front of her.

A comfortable laugh that put people at ease.

"Does it suit your taste?"

"...Ah."

Cream's eyes came back into focus.

As if only now realizing what she had just done, what she had been waiting for.

Coming to her senses, Cream shot up from the chair with a clatter.

"Ah, ah, that was."

"You've finally had some."

"No. Just now, that was, it's not like that."

"Feel free to drink as much as you like. If the amount isn't satisfactory, we can even use a knife."

"N-no, I said."

"Let's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠make this mark a token of today's promise. Then it's a promise, my lady."

"..."

The first human blood ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she had ever tasted.

And of all people, that teacher's — a clergyman's — that madman's blood.

The misanthropic girl who so despised people had today, for the first time, consumed human blood. It hadn't been a conscious act, but that didn't make the result disappear.

Silently backing away step by step, Cream hung her head low.

For some reason she wasn't even shouting, just clutching the hem of her one-piece dress with her tiny hands — what was going on?

"Uu..."

"My lady?"

"Uuu..."

The ear peeking through her hair was bright red. And when she lifted her face, it too was thoroughly flushed. Against her originally pale skin, it stood out all the more.

"I-I said it's not. Ugh... I, I, that was."

Those pink eyes that should have been haughty were brimming with clear liquid.

"Ah, my lady."

"I didn't mean to do that, I mean, hic, augh."

"A-are you crying?"

"I don't know... Teacher is a dummy, a sea anemone, a pervert. A pervert who proposes to little kids. Hwing—"

"Pardon?"

There was no time to ask, What do you mean, propose? She dashed off on her short legs — totototo — and slammed the door shut behind her.

Andy could only clutch his bleeding arm and blankly read the window that floated before his eyes.