Plop... Plop...
Alistair dropped two ice cubes into his water glass, but his focus was elsewhere.
After the brief exchange and formal greetings, the Yuki-onna—Mifuyu Yukino—had departed. Her name was somewhat peculiar, carrying a hint of that flowery, chuunibyou style unique to Japan.
The 'Mifuyu' part felt less like a given name and more like a title, or perhaps a clan name. From what Alistair knew of certain fantasy tropes, it was similar to racial designations where clan names and titles are intertwined. Thus, 'Yukino' was likely her actual name.
But why was there a trace of loneliness in her emotions?
As someone who chose the path of collecting 'Desire' for ascension, Alistair was exceptionally sensitive to the nuances of emotion and lust—provided he consciously activated his ability. Otherwise, he perceived things no differently than a normal human.
If he kept the ability active at all times, the sheer noise of it would drive him insane. While a focused perception allowed him to clearly understand the emotions and desires of others, he himself was susceptible to the fallout.
Perhaps once the ability grew stronger, this side effect would vanish, but for now, it had to be used sparingly. Otherwise, Alistair would likely suffer a nervous breakdown from the psychic overflow.
Human beings are complex. Through his perception, Alistair could only infer a person's recent circumstances based on shifts in their emotional state. Furthermore, using this ability carried a risk of discovery; it was essentially a form of spiritual detection. If the target were even slightly observant, they would notice the intrusion.
Even moments ago, Alistair only dared to release his inhibition on the ability for a split second, after Mifuyu Yukino had turned her back and walked a certain distance away.
In that fleeting instant, Alistair felt loneliness, sorrow, and... a colossal craving.
That craving was nothing like what he had encountered with the girls or ladies before. An ordinary person's hunger is ultimately limited; it can be sated in a few hours. Even if they recover quickly, it lasts a few days at most before returning to a baseline.
But the desire hidden within Mifuyu Yukino was like a terrifying beast—far more predatory than any vampire.
Is this really a Yuki-onna? This has to be a Succubus in a Yuki-onna's skin!
Alistair had noticed the wedding ring on her finger. He wondered who on earth could withstand such an absolute drain; a "Juice Queen" wouldn't even come close. Or perhaps... he couldn't withstand it?
That loneliness, sorrow, and extreme craving likely stemmed from a lack of release. It was possible these negative emotions and suppressed desires had been accumulating for a long time. If they had built up over a significant period, reaching such a level wasn't entirely far-fetched. However, the "baseline" varies from person to person. Some have to release it quickly, while someone like Mifuyu—honestly, Alistair had never seen anything like it. Perhaps the 'cold' nature of a Yuki-onna provided a stabilizing, numbing effect?
"Alistair, what do you think of Ms. Yukino? Isn't she beautiful?"
After attending to the remaining customers, Liliana sat down beside Alistair, leaning in close as she asked.
"Yeah, she's definitely beautiful. I didn't expect someone who looks so icy to speak so gently. The contrast is striking. Why do you ask?"
Alistair raised an eyebrow. Liliana was being rather obvious. She had started the conversation awkwardly with the topic of Snow Women, and then one happened to show up—maybe a coincidence—but as soon as she left, Liliana was right there asking for his impression. Clearly, Liliana had known her for a while and had something to ask of him regarding her.
"When I was chatting with Ms. Yukino before, I learned she's having a hard time in the Demi-Human District. She's been very worried lately. So I was thinking, since you have property, Alistair-kun, maybe you could help her? Find her a vacant room or a single apartment so she can come work here and earn money. It would be a perfect new attraction for our shop!"
Liliana explained, watching Alistair's face closely. Seeing no sign of displeasure, she relaxed. It felt a bit like she was forcing her suggestions onto him.
Alistair didn't mind, but he was a bit speechless. From the term 'Mifuyu,' he deduced she likely belonged to a clan or some significant group. Alistair didn't believe for a second that a member of a Yuki-onna clan would be struggling financially. She was an Extraordinary Being with high 'Mystery'—a legendary species known for long life and power. If someone like her was struggling, then no one could live comfortably.
Moreover, anyone with a bit of worldly knowledge would realize this. How could Liliana believe her so easily? Wait... maybe this kind of information is actually hard to come by?
Alistair's guess about the 'Mifuyu' clan was based on fantasy novels and games from his previous life. In this world, there truly wasn't much common knowledge about such things. The barrier between the Human and Demi-Human Districts was significant; while they coexisted peacefully, there was a natural, underlying resistance to truly understanding one another.
The respective governments basically ignored the status quo. As long as there was no trouble, the movement of humans and demi-humans between districts was overlooked.
So, it was actually quite normal for Liliana to be ignorant of such nuances.
"Maybe she's just in a temporary pinch. She's a Yuki-onna, after all—a legendary demi-human. Even a glance shows her mastery over 'ice' is significant. At the very least, she could run a shop for chilled drinks or find work that requires those skills. Besides, I saw the ring on her finger. She's married. With a husband around, how could she be in that much trouble? Even if she is, it's likely temporary. There's no need for us to intervene. Besides, if she comes here, what happens to her life over there?"
Alistair didn't refuse directly but explained his reasoning to Liliana. Come to think of it, he didn't know much about Liliana's own past. She was someone he had 'picked up,' so her history was a blank slate to him. However, he didn't feel the need to pry. He had taken her first time, so he wasn't worried about her past being messy. He'd listen whenever she felt like telling him; for now, the status quo was fine.
"But... Ms. Yukino's husband passed away. She currently has no job and no relatives to speak of," Liliana said.
"Come again?"
Alistair paused, not quite processing the words immediately.
Wait. She told you all that too? You've only been working here for a few days—how are you this close to her? Are you some kind of natural-born social butterfly?