You're My Ideal Type
The moment I heard Leticia's words, my mind went completely blank. My type? Who on earth? Me? It was a question that didn't even need asking—the answer was already decided—but my brain had overloaded, making any normal thought impossible. So this was what it felt like when your head went white. I'd always wondered what nonsense people were spouting when they said their minds went blank, but now that it was happening to me, I finally understood the feeling. Me being Leticia's type, Leticia's type being me. No. Of course Leticia was my type, but the idea that I was hers felt fundamentally wrong. We'd only known each other for a few hours—how could she talk about types already? It wasn't our first meeting, but it was the first in this body. Was she saying it was love at first sight? The great Leticia? For me? It was so absurd I wouldn't have bothered pretending to believe it. It made no sense. And yet, those honeyed words claiming I was her type still managed to light a foolish spark inside me. Blushing at such an obvious line—it was a pathetic sight that would have been unimaginable back when I was Ryu Laon or Damian Radius. Besides, my current appearance wasn't the Damian Radius she wanted. I wasn't even the male character Charlotte Cyclamen; I was the female version. Not to mention my looks were completely different, and most importantly, my gender had changed. There was no way she could recognize me. Surely she hadn't figured out that I was the same person as Damian Radius. If her senses were that sharp, I would have faced endless interrogation the moment I was summoned. It was utter nonsense. Yet the creeping unease that gripped my body made me swallow hard. Even as I told myself there was no need to be nervous, this was exactly the kind of moment where I couldn't afford to let my guard down.
Wondering if I'd misheard, I looked at Leticia, but she simply smiled with her eyes curved into crescents. It was beautiful, but now was hardly the time to be captivated by her face. My expression stiffened on its own. Which meant I hadn't heard wrong. Forgetting to control my face, I asked back with a dazed, stupid expression.
"...I'm your type?"
"You are. That face of yours, especially."
"Huh?"
"I said you're my type. Your face is exactly my ideal type."
Leticia, who had dried the remaining moisture from her hair with a towel-like cloth from Earth, nodded firmly in confirmation. At first it sounded almost like a confession, and as I sat there stuttering, she lifted the corners of her mouth in a playful, amused grin.
"Why do you look so shocked? It's not like I said anything I shouldn't have. I was simply stating a fact."
"...Isn't that something you shouldn't say to someone of the same gender?"
"Doesn't it feel outdated to judge whether someone has a type or not just because they're the same gender? You have quite the stubborn old-fashioned streak—must be because you're a demon."
"Where did you even learn to say things like... Ha, never mind. Forget the old-fashioned part. Still, I'd appreciate it if you corrected that line that sounds like a confession."
"Oh? It sounded like a confession to you?"
Despite how easily her words could be misinterpreted, Leticia showed no intention of explaining herself. Not yielding an inch, she played innocent with a perfectly straight face.
"I didn't mean it that way at all, but if that's how you took it, I don't mind."
"Stop joking around. I have no ulterior motives toward you."
"...Hmm, really?"
That doesn't sit well with me.
Her suddenly icy voice struck my ears. Before I could even react to her abrupt change in expression, Leticia snatched my hand, pressed it against her own cheek, and let out a low laugh.
"I'm not the type to tolerate foreign substances attaching themselves to what's mine. Even if my words sounded like a confession, it's not exactly wrong, is it? Keep in mind that if your appearance hadn't been my ideal type, I wouldn't have had any reason to spare you on the spot."
Despite her tone, the warm heat radiating from her cheek startled me, and I flinched, trembling in her grasp. Leticia, smiling faintly with her eyes lowered, whispered in a seductive voice right beside my ear.
"It was you who wanted the contract and followed me to my room. Since we're going to be in a master-servant relationship anyway, isn't it better to be honest with each other?"
Now she was even trying to persuade me outright. I glared at her with an expression that screamed What the hell is this? but Leticia didn't budge. The harder I tried to pull my captured hand away, the tighter she gripped it, until I finally pressed my lips together in frustration. Furrowing one eyebrow, I grumbled.
"What the hell are you talking about? Let go."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Then I'll force it away with strength. It feels bad, so take it off right now."
"Lies."
At Leticia's low murmur, I flinched as if she'd struck a vital point. Our eyes met, and she smiled with dark amusement.
"At least put some actual strength behind it if you're going to say that. Stop with those clumsy lies when you have no intention of forcing your way free."
"......Seriously. I don't even know anymore. You're probably the first human who's this bold toward a demon they haven't even contracted with yet."
"Should I thank you for giving me your firsts?"
Why did it come out sounding like that? If heard the wrong way, it was the perfect phrase to cause a misunderstanding. She must have known that and said it on purpose. There was no way she didn't. Glaring at my tightly held hand, I spat out.
"It'd be troublesome if you keep interpreting my words however you like."
Knowing full well that wasn't what I meant, she was mixing in sexual innuendo to slyly slip out of the situation. I was stunned for a moment, but then I found myself blankly staring at Leticia's slender neck before I snapped back to my senses and quickly looked away. I had almost fallen for it. The fang marks on her neck were one reason I couldn't bear to look, but the more I stared at her throat—at the red bloodstains I'd left around it—the stronger the vampiric urge surged through me. I couldn't tell if it was hunger or lust, or perhaps both. Just looking at it made saliva pool under my tongue and sent a tingling sensation racing downward. What is this? An intoxicating scent I'd never encountered in my entire life tickled my nose. Simply breathing it in made my eyes glaze over. Gulp. My throat bobbed. Even though the blood gauge visible before my eyes was completely full, what I couldn't control—unlike my skills—was the vampire's primal impulse and instinct screaming that I had to drink blood. You must drink blood. You can only survive by drinking blood. The temptation was endless. These were basic truths for any vampire. Even if I felt satisfied, my body clearly wasn't. I can drink more. I want just one more sip. If I take just one more bite, I feel like I could truly be happy. The thoughts kept circling endlessly through my head. On top of that, the thick smell of blood wafting from around Leticia's neck was so intense that even after I'd tried to regain my composure, I still couldn't think straight. It was overwhelming. I couldn't remember the last time I'd lived so true to my desires. Since I'd spent my whole life practicing restraint, was this the world's way of telling me to become a human—no, a demon—who indulged in desire?
I covered my face with the hand Leticia wasn't holding.
"Haah—."
I let out a scorching breath. My pupils slightly unfocused, I looked at Leticia. A few seconds later, as I shook my head vigorously from side to side to snap myself out of it, Leticia—still holding my hand—leaned her neck forward. Then she asked.
"You want to drink more? Is it not enough?"
If it's not enough, you can drink. Leticia's eyes, laced with strange mana, sparkled.
"Didn't I tell you? There's no need to hide our desires from each other."
"...When did I ever say that."
This time she boldly grabbed my hand and pulled me toward her, even interlocking our fingers one by one, before whispering seductively right into my ear.
"If you want to suck, you can suck."
"...That's not even funny."
"Oops, too bad. You're still in your right mind."
"There's no reason for me not to be. Seduction or charm magic doesn't work on me, so give it up."
Leticia, who had spoken in an almost humming tone, wore a regretful expression at my now-clear eyes and released my hand without hesitation. I rubbed the hand that had been held and narrowed my eyes, speaking firmly.
"I told you. Throw away those useless thoughts."
This was a warning. Leticia must have understood it. Neither temptation nor charm worked on me. On the contrary, if I used my own enchanting temptation on her, she would be the one to fall. The thought of trying it once—just because it felt cheeky—did cross my mind, but I immediately gave up. If I tempted her now, it was obvious she would come running with open arms. Dragging this out would only become annoying, so I decided to finish the most urgent matter first: the contract.
"The contract first? I'm fine with that."
As if that had been her plan all along, Leticia readily agreed to my suggestion. The conditions she offered were simple.
"Stay by my side for one year. In return, I'll provide you with a room for that year and give you my blood whenever you need it."
"...That's it?"
"That's it. Simple and nice, isn't it? Not difficult, either."
"It is good, but something feels off."
Wasn't this a proposal where only I benefited? Staying by Leticia's side for a year wasn't a difficult request. But overall, it was still an offer that benefited only me. Wondering if she had some hidden motive, I looked at her, but Leticia simply shrugged.
"While you're at it, share the knowledge you possess with me. How about that? Does this balance the scales a little more?"
"...Alright. The contract is established."
Still, even if we formed the contract, it would be useless if I didn't know how a demon actually made one with a human. Fortunately, the method was in my head. Since Charlotte's memories remained, I already knew how vampires formed contracts. I leaned my upper body forward slightly, brought my mouth close to Leticia's neck, opened my lips, and infused mana into my fangs. A magic circle took shape. It was the blood contract—the most one-sided method that bound the souls of the vampire and their partner together. I didn't particularly like that it required drinking blood again, but what choice did I have? If I had to do it, I had to. It was the only method I knew. Before biting down, I tried to warn Leticia. If only an unexpected event hadn't occurred.
"This contains mana, so unlike before, it might hu—mmph!?"
Leticia swiftly grabbed my chin and yanked me forward. This time she truly invaded my lips as if it were the real thing, devouring them completely.
"Mmph!"
Our tongues tangled. Saliva mixed, and I felt her mana spreading through my mouth. It must have been Leticia's. By the way, was this what it felt like for your whole body to be on fire? I managed to endure, but it felt like my body was blazing up.
"Haah."
"—Huu."
After several minutes of our lips pressed together, Leticia pulled away first. Breathing hotly, she covered her mouth with her hand and spoke to my flustered self.
"I ate well... No, that's not it. It was done my way, but the contract has been properly completed."
Leticia let out an unreadable smile. Had it really been properly completed?