Her life really was as thrilling as a gamble.
There had been losses and gains. She had lost her country and her family, but gained the endless lifespan and limitless potential for power that came with becoming an Undead.
She had lost the adventuring companions she once fought alongside among the Thirteen Heroes, but gained the opportunity to join the adventurer party Blue Roses.
She had lost Blue Roses, the place where she belonged, but gained new happiness and redemption.
Her entire life had been like one long gamble. Every choice she encountered was another high-stakes bet, and every decision determined the course of her future.
Some outcomes had been good and others bad, but Keno regretted none of them.
Because that was proof that she was alive.
Well, Undead counted as being alive... right?
"What are you thinking about?"
The question pulled Keno back to reality.
"Nothing."
Perched on Naohara's shoulders, Keno swung her little legs back and forth as she replied.
Her voice was high-pitched, with a hint of bravado that easily brought to mind a child who had yet to fully mature.
She had become a Vampire by accident, causing her growth to stop.
As a result, even after 250 years, she still retained the appearance of a young girl in every respect.
If anything had changed, it was probably only the accumulation of memories and the growth of her heart.
"You're still sulking at me like a child? It's only been a year since we last saw each other. By our sense of time, that hardly counts as long."
"Besides, I wasn't brushing you off earlier. I simply didn't think there was anything worth explaining."
Giving him a taste of his own medicine.
Naohara shook his head slightly, feeling somewhat helpless.
He had merely replied with an offhand "nothing," yet she had immediately seized on it and found something to hold against him.
But when he thought about it, that was only natural.
As long as someone was determined to take issue with you, they could find plenty of faults anytime and anywhere.
"Although the Great River of Souls blocks the Message function, it's not as though there's absolutely no way around it. Setting Momonga and the others aside, you could have found my thought form and contacted me through him."
As he spoke, Naohara's gaze involuntarily shifted toward the little Vampire above his head.
Although he was deeply curious about the mysterious Great River of Souls, if he had to choose between it and the adorable little Vampire before him, he would probably choose the latter without hesitation.
"Waiting is always hard, but I know you have your own things to do. You might not care if I suddenly contacted you, but I would."
Since Naohara had tilted his head up, Keno wrapped both arms tightly around his head as though afraid she might fall.
She continued muttering softly.
Doing something like that purely to satisfy her own selfish desires made her feel a little guilty, as though it were somehow wrong.
There was also another reason Keno did not mention.
Unless she had absolutely no other choice, she really did not want to seek out that thought form named Naraku.
Her partner was Naohara, not this so-called Naraku.
Although she fully understood the relationship between the two, the resistance buried deep within her heart still refused to disappear.
She simply did not know how she was supposed to face him.
When it came to love, Keno displayed an unexpected innocence.
"..."
Naohara fell silent after hearing her answer.
Then, without warning, he reached up and lifted the little Vampire from his shoulders high into the air, drawing a startled cry from her.
Her long golden hair fluttered like shimmering threads as Naohara pulled her into his arms and buried his face deep in the soft strands.
As he breathed in, a faint floral fragrance mixed with the little Vampire's own distinctive scent filled his senses, making his heart beat just a little faster.
"That's a wonderful answer. I feel like I'm liking you more and more~"
His deep voice rumbled through the air like distant thunder, carrying a strangely ticklish sensation as it brushed softly past the little Vampire's ear.
Keno did not struggle. Over these past few days, she had gradually grown accustomed to Naohara's occasional, sudden displays of affection.
They still startled her from time to time, but more than anything, they gave her a warm sense of companionship.
"All right, all right. I can feel it."
Seriously, he was acting just like a child.
Keno gently patted the arm wrapped around her, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Then she simply nestled quietly in Naohara's embrace.
A Vampire and a Dragon. Whether mentally or physically, she simply could not resist him.
It felt wonderful, like warm sunlight in winter that could drive away every trace of cold and gloom.
Keno silently prayed that this would be the final gamble of her life.
A long while later, the two finally parted.
It was not because they had stayed that way for too long. With their physiques and sense of time, they would not feel the slightest fatigue even if they remained like that for an entire day.
They separated because the sound of approaching footsteps came from nearby. Clearly, someone else was coming.
Naohara and Keno exchanged a glance, then silently straightened their appearances in perfect understanding as they prepared to receive their visitors.
...
[Looks like I came at a bad time.]
Sephis thought to himself.
At that moment, an indescribable conflict welled up deep inside him, leaving him caught between advancing and retreating.
But things had already reached this point. Like an arrow drawn to the string, there was no choice but to let it fly.
After a brief moment of thought, he gave a solemn bow and spoke with utmost respect.
"Father-sama." ×3
In sharp contrast, Aura and Mare beside him appeared much more relaxed.
The corners of Aura's lips rose slightly, a trace of excitement flashing in her eyes.
Mare, meanwhile, hugged his staff to himself and looked as timid and easy to bully as ever.
Naohara's gaze slowly swept over the three of them.
Compared to how he remembered them from a year ago, each of them had grown considerably stronger.
Under Cocytus's meticulous reforging, nearly all of their equipment had reached the level of Divine-class Items.
Ancient Rune Characters shimmered faintly across the surfaces of their equipment, while the distinctive aura of the primordial was plainly visible.
Their equipment was generally enchanted with three types of Wild Magic.
[World Teleportation]
This ensured mobility in battle, allowing them to appear wherever they were needed at any moment.
[Soul Garment]
This could effectively strengthen the user, giving them a greater advantage in combat.
[World-Isolating Barrier]
This could firmly imprison enemies within it and restrict their movement.
And the changes to their equipment were only a small part of everything that had changed.
As Naohara looked at Sephis's ashen-gray hair, his gaze shifted slightly.
He distinctly remembered that just a year ago, it had been the color of the deep blue sea. He had not expected it to quietly change so much.
Was this the subtle influence of the power of Catastrophe?
The Supreme One's Bone had already fused perfectly with Sephis's body, while the once-radiant Dragon Crystal had long since been completely absorbed.
Aside from the obvious change in the color of his hair, there did not seem to be anything unusual about the rest of his body.
"Everyone has changed a lot over the past year."
Naohara could not help but remark.
"Hehe, as Floor Guardians, we can't afford to slack off even a little. Only then can we do a better job of sharing your burdens and easing your troubles, Father-sama. Right, Mare?"
Aura's lively, cheerful voice rang clearly through the air.
In sharp contrast, Mare's voice beside her was timid and hesitant.
"Um... my sister is absolutely right."
Mare quietly agreed.
"Sigh, you really are..."
Aura looked at her rather timid younger brother with some helplessness, but she also knew there was no point saying anything more.
Anything she said would only be a waste of breath.
Naohara watched the scene with a cheerful smile.
Life these days really was colorful.
Keno believed her entire life had been a gamble, but the same could be said of him.
He had wagered his entire second life on the seemingly remote yet irresistibly tempting possibility of transmigration.
Everything or nothing.
Fortunately, he had ultimately emerged victorious from that gamble.
With that thought, Naohara opened his mouth, ready to say something.
"You..."
***
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