Disaster-Level Cuteness
“Got anything to say?”
“...No.”
In the game, the reason the Five Great Disasters attacked the Marque duchy had never been detailed. All that was shown was a single line: Lucia had appeared first in the duchy, turned the lands into a wasteland, and vanished.
Yet here she was, living here.
And one more thing: the reason I remembered the incident so clearly wasn’t because of Lucia.
It was the battle that followed the catastrophe with the Count.
“Count, do you know what you’re doing right now?”
“Wrong. She seems to have been brainwashed already.”
“Impossible… Even the Seven Seals couldn’t stop her.”
The Count had been brainwashed by Lucia and attacked the protagonist party.
“If you’re here to judge right from wrong, then today I’ll be the wrong one.”
After that line, a full-screen slashing attack had come flying in.
Anyway, the Count had been terrifyingly strong.
From this point onward, the real game could begin. Up until then, it had only been relatively easy battles.
The Seven Seals boss fight that proved the name wasn’t just decoration.
Even at this point, the protagonist party hadn’t grown properly yet.
The ultimate newbie cutter at the peak of early-to-mid game.
“……”
Now that I think about it, what happened to me?
I had no idea.
This guy probably wouldn’t have treated Lucia kindly, and if I’d been at home, my head would’ve burst first.
Anyway, I couldn’t know for sure right now.
I cut off the long train of thought and looked up.
“Perhaps for a while…”
“There’s no set time.”
Mother answered casually, as if it were nothing.
She seemed to be staying in the mansion like this.
“Then I’ll be going…”
“Eh, already?”
“I need to train.”
Liar.
Honestly, I was just scared. I had to do something later, but not right now.
Who knew if she would suddenly turn obedient and burst my head?
“Rian.”
“Yes?”
“Lucia?”
“……”
The reception room suddenly felt strangely quiet.
Mother was staring at me with a completely natural expression.
“You said you’d take good care of her earlier, right?”
“Th-that’s right?”
“Then play with her together. Show her around the mansion too.”
Eh? Play with a 5 Great Disaster?
‘Hehe, what should I do today?’
‘Burst head game!’
‘Oh? That sounds good? Hehehe!’
Even just imagining it, my head throbbed. It didn’t seem like it would be a healthy game no matter what.
“Lucy, come play with Oppa.”
Mother gave Lucia a light push toward me.
“It might be more fun to play with the other maids. Lily, Lily is there.”
I hurriedly scrambled for an excuse.
-Coo.
“Yeah! Holding hands like this.”
“……”
I stood there awkwardly, staring down at Lucia.
She stood completely still without reacting. She hadn’t let go of my hand, but she also hadn’t grabbed it back.
“Huhu, this looks much better.”
Mother smiled and pushed her back again.
『Want to Get Close』
Get the trust of this girl who might become one of the Five Great Disasters in the future—Lucia.
Reward: [Eye That Sees the Hidden] skill acquisition
Failure: Lucia bursts your head first.
“Go ahead.”
“…Yes.”
I opened the reception room door and stepped into the corridor. Mother’s voice, mixed with laughter, came from behind.
“You two should get along well.”
“Yes…”
-Knock.
The door closed.
“……”
“……”
Silence settled over the wide corridor. I glanced sideways.
Lucia was still standing there, holding my hand without saying a word.
“If you’re uncomfortable, you can let go.”
“……”
No reaction.
Instead, Lucia was staring at the hands we were holding.
-Coo.
“……”
Why was she gripping it so tightly?
“Well, let’s go somewhere…”
2.
Problem.
“Hmm.”
I was walking down the corridor holding Lucia’s hand when I suddenly stopped.
I’d said we’d play, but I had no idea what to play.
It definitely wasn’t the burst-head game.
“Want to do something?”
“……”
Still no answer.
Only her red eyes looked up at me.
“Tag?”
“……”
“Hide and seek?”
“……”
No reaction at all.
At this point I was confused whether I was playing or being interviewed.
“Then…”
I thought for a moment and spotted the garden outside the window.
“Should we go outside?”
This time Lucia gave the tiniest nod of her head.
“…!”
The first expression I’d received from her. It felt like I’d achieved some massive success.
“Let’s go.”
When we reached the garden, fresh air brushed my face.
Neatly trimmed lawn, colorful flowers, and even a fountain. It was a decent place to spend time.
‘Oh, fuck, wait.’
I looked at Lucia.
The sun was shining brightly on her head.
She wasn’t burning.
Was that normal?
Thinking back, the sun had been there even during the mansion visit.
There was no guarantee a 5 Great Disaster-level vampire wouldn’t burn in sunlight anyway.
At least there was no smoke rising right now.
‘Is she not a vampire right now?’
I cut off the useless thought and looked around.
Right then, a leather ball was rolling across one side of the lawn.
A bit smaller than a soccer ball.
“Try this?”
I picked up the ball and showed it to her. Lucia’s gaze followed the ball.
“Here, catch it.”
I stepped back a little and threw it weakly.
-Whoosh.
Lucia stared at the incoming ball blankly.
And then.
-Bam.
It hit her right in the face.
“……”
“……”
The ball rolled powerlessly across the floor.
Shit.
“Y-you okay?”
I rushed over to her in a panic.
She was standing there with her hand raised to her face, dazed.
“Mi-mi-mi, sorry! It wasn’t on purpose!”
Was she about to suddenly turn on me now?
“……”
The longer the silence went on, the more anxious I felt.
I took a small step back just in case.
-Quick quick.
‘Oh, fuck, save me.’
My body froze.
But Lucia wasn’t looking at me. She was looking at the ball on the floor.
She bent her small body, picked up the ball, and slowly looked up at me.
“……”
Want to do it again?
Lucia hugged the ball to her chest and came closer, holding both hands out in front of her.
“You’re giving it to me?”
She nodded slightly.
“Ah.”
I took the ball. She probably didn’t know how to throw it.
“Then I’ll show you how to throw it slowly.”
I held the ball with both hands and demonstrated the motion.
“Hold it like this.”
Lucia’s eyes followed my hands.
“Throw it to the opponent.”
After explaining, I threw it gently this time.
-Tap.
Lucia stretched both arms forward, but the ball only hit her fingertips and fell to the floor.
She hadn’t caught it, but it hadn’t hit her face either.
Huge progress.
“Well done.”
I didn’t even realize I’d praised her.
“……”
Lucia stared at me for a moment, then picked up the fallen ball.
She didn’t bring it back like before.
Instead, she held it tightly with both hands and copied the exact pose I’d shown her.
“Good, like that.”
She closed her eyes tightly and threw the ball at me.
-Tap.
The ball fell powerlessly to the floor and didn’t even reach my feet.
‘C-cute…’
What? That desperate expression from just now.
She’d thrown the ball with all her strength.
Was this really a 5 Great Disaster?
It made me feel like the girl who’d been scared of me earlier was actually a little dumb.
After playing with the ball for a while, quite a bit of time had passed.
At first she couldn’t catch it properly, but now she was catching it more often.
“Oh, you’re getting good.”
“……”
She seemed to like the praise because she hugged the ball tightly to her chest.
‘Even a 5 Great Disaster was just a kid once.’
That was when.
-Growl.
Both our gazes turned toward the sound.
“Hungry?”
The girl hesitated for a moment, then gave the tiniest nod.
“Then let’s go eat something.”
We ended the ball game and started walking again.
“…?”
Something felt off. When I turned back, Lucia was still standing in the same spot.
“Why aren’t you coming?”
Instead of answering, she looked at my empty hand.
No way.
When I extended my hand again, she grabbed it as if she’d been waiting.
-Coo.
C-c-c-cute!
Big problem. My guard was slipping.
3.
The place we arrived at while holding Lucia’s hand was the kitchen.
“Master?”
A maid working inside noticed me and bowed her head.
“Want something to eat?”
“If it’s simple, I can prepare it right away.”
I glanced around inside.
Bread, fruits, and various other things were laid out. Especially one thing caught my eye.
A nicely toasted baguette. On top were plenty of finely chopped things.
“What’s that?”
“It’s garlic bread baked with butter.”
‘Garlic?’
A brilliant plan instantly flashed through my mind.
What else was there for a vampire?
Sunlight, silver, wooden stakes.
And garlic.
If she wasn’t a vampire yet, I’d pickle her to the bone.
Perfect exorcism plan.
“Can I have some of that?”
“Yes, of course.”
The maid brought a plate. The rich garlic scent mixed with the buttery aroma rose up.
I picked one and offered it to Lucia.
“Here, this is really delicious.”
“……”
Lucia took the baguette.
Good. Eat it.
And uproot every last sprout of the vampire sleeping inside her body!
-Bite.
Lucia took a small bite at the end of the baguette.
-Chew chew.
I watched her tensely, but there was no special reaction.
Instead, she seemed to like it and took a bigger bite.
“Tasty?”
-Nod.
Suck… Is this actually tasty?
Meanwhile, Lucia finished one entire baguette and shifted her gaze to the remaining one on the plate.
“Want more?”
-Nod nod.
Hmm. She really likes garlic.
That’s fine, right?
