NOVPUB“Ethan An? Is there someone like that in our class... Hmm...”
Ethan An...
“Oh, oh, I remember now. That guy sitting next to Lyna, right?”
The one who always looks so plain and unremarkable, with almost no presence at all.
Though I’ve never really interacted with him, just looking at his face, I can’t imagine him doing anything particularly vile or heinous.
You can never judge a book by its cover. Could he really be that kind of person?
“He’s in the same class as me, which means he’s also an ‘Abnormal’?”
Nana shook her head, her gloomy expression easing slightly as she answered.
“No, he’s just an ordinary human.”
“Huh? A regular human? Then why is he in Class 222? Isn’t that the ‘Abnormal Containment Class’?”
“Yes, but he’s been mixing in with them all this time without realizing a thing. He was assigned to the Abnormal Containment Class ever since he enrolled in his first year of high school.”
“Eh? You didn’t know about this either?”
A regular human being placed in the Abnormal Containment Class since the first year? That’s just too unbelievable. And if I remember correctly, whenever a new Abnormal is discovered, Nana is the one who personally negotiates with them. Only after negotiations are complete are they placed in this class.
If Ethan An is really just an ordinary human, how could Nana have possibly placed him in our class?
Nana’s brows furrowed deeply, her teeth biting down on her lower lip as a complicated expression clouded her face.
“If Lily hadn’t come to me about this, I wouldn’t have even known this human existed... Someone hid him, right under my nose...!”
“If he’s just a regular human, then how did he manage to form a contract with your daughter? Could it be that Lily was the one who initiated the contract?”
Hmm, that’s unlikely... Then again, love is something inexplicable. Maybe Lily fell head over heels for that inconspicuous guy?
Nana crossed her legs, biting her thumbnail as she spoke to me.
“According to Lily, he recently awakened a tremendously powerful ability — the power to see true names and read human emotions through colors, just like us demons...”
“He can see true names?!”
An ability like that actually exists? As far as I know, true names are bound to a person’s soul. Even if someone uses mind-reading or memory extraction, the true name wouldn’t be exposed... To directly perceive true names? That’s a natural enemy for great demons and powerful spirits alike!
Anyone with a true name would have to bow down before him... The King of Monsters, huh...!
But if the one with such an ability is just an ordinary human, even if he knows someone’s true name, with his weak willpower, he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
“Lily said that Ethan An called her true name to her face, exposing her true form, and then somehow managed to trick her into signing a contract, draining half of her spiritual power. But it seems like he hasn’t done anything to her yet. I’ve confirmed it — Lily is still a virgin...”
At this point, the tension in Nana’s brows finally eased. She crossed her legs the other way and grabbed a glass of red wine from the table, downing it in one gulp. Excess wine spilled from the corner of her lips, trickling down her neck, into the valley of her chest, and further down her abdomen...
I couldn’t bear to watch anymore, so I grabbed the wet towel hanging around my neck and wiped her down. She realized her indecency, muttered an embarrassed apology, then shamelessly spread her legs, pressing her hands against her ***, lifting her chin, and demanded I clean her properly.
I threw the towel directly in her face.
Nana wasn’t deliberately acting sexy — it’s just that she’s naturally seductive to the bone. This is what they call being born with a ‘demon’s allure.’
“Heh~ But to think he managed to keep his composure in front of your daughter... Now I’m really interested in that human.”
What would a normal human male do if he got a born seductress of a succubus as his slave? Obviously, he’d do anything and everything depraved, right?
Even the most strong-willed men, even gay men, wouldn’t be able to resist such temptation. After all, Lily possesses the highest-grade seductive constitution among succubi. Any male that touches her would lose all reason in a lustful frenzy.
But that guy did nothing? That’s as absurd as a starving wolf refusing to devour a helpless lamb standing right in front of it.
“Hmph! That just proves he’s a spineless, worthless man! I say we just cut it off and turn him into a woman!”
“Pfft... Haha, if he really did do something to her, he’d have been /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ long gone from this world by now.”
If that really happened, there’s no way Nana would be here drowning herself in alcohol. She’d have already stormed over there and probably cut Ethan An’s manhood right off. When Nana gets truly angry, she’s far scarier than I am.
“But... how could he have been in our class since the first year without any abilities? It’s almost like... someone foresaw that Ethan An would awaken his powers...”
“...It’s still unclear. I’ll personally question that human once the holiday ends.”
“Hmmm...”
At that moment, the somber melody of a piano played. My phone’s ringtone, the Requiem for the Undead.
I picked up the phone and swiped the screen to answer the call.
A cold, familiar voice echoed through the receiver.
“It’s me.”
“Mm. I know. Time to clean up another mess?”
“Yes, but...”
“Hmm?”
“One... got away.”
“What? Two today? Looks like those bastards are getting restless... Fine, Snowy, give me the first location. I’m heading there now.”
Without asking for further details — there was no point, since Snowy wouldn’t be able to explain properly. Her voice was so soft that even I, a ghoul, could barely hear it.
“Beishan Park.”
Beishan Park? Isn’t that one of the entrances to Black Street? A killer actually dared to approach that place?
Looks like tonight’s killer isn’t just some low-level scum but someone well-prepared...
But they still died at Snowy’s hands (smirk).
“No problem. Wait for me there. I’ll be there in three minutes.”
“Mm.”
She hung up without another word. That girl... Still as emotionally detached as ever.
After hanging up, I glanced at the time displayed on my phone. Just after eleven p.m.
I walked to my room, grabbed a large raincoat, and threw it over myself. As for the underwear... Hmm, better take it off. It was completely soaked. All thanks to Nana’s wandering hands. Next time, I’ll have to tie her up while I bite her.
Nana leaned halfway off the sofa, her chest pressed against her chin from the weight.
“You’re going?”
“Yeah. If the phone rings with the assignment, take it for me. Also, contact HR and tell them to send out the ‘Theatre Troupe.’ The location is Beishan Park. Keep civilians away. If they’re short on manpower, tell them to set up a barrier.”
“I got it.”
“Just saying. You’ve had a lot to drink tonight. I’m worried you’ll pass out.”
Nana’s expression softened with guilt.
“I’m sorry, Kannye. I keep making you do this kind of work...”
“Well... The pay is good, so I can’t complain. Besides, ghouls eating humans — that’s natural, isn’t it? I can’t be an exception...”
There’s no such thing as a ghoul that doesn’t eat humans. Not one...
I’m not Raizen, after all. I don’t have that kind of willpower.
“But you...”
“Well, even though I said I wouldn’t eat people anymore, there are ways to bend that rule. I told you not to worry about it. Besides, the ones they assign me to handle are people who can no longer be considered human. Those who’ve abandoned their humanity — we can call them ‘Murderers.’ So it’s not really eating people... It’s just taking out the trash.”
Yes, that scum can hardly be called ‘human.’
Being possessed by a demon is enough to prove that they’ve lost their humanity.
Besides, those guys taste absolutely terrible. Calling them trash would be a compliment.
“Kannye, you’re such a weirdo... A ghoul that doesn’t eat people...”
“Oh? And you’re one to talk. You’re a succubus who refuses to sleep with men. I’d say you’re the only ‘chaste’ succubus in the world.”
Nana puffed out her cheeks in an exaggerated pout, crossing her arms under her chest, causing her ample bosom to bounce. She raised her hands in protest.
“Who says that? Look at my daughter, Lily. She’s still a virgin! A virgin succubus! Can you believe it? That’s practically a miracle!”
“Hmph. And yet, she already has a master...”
“Grrr... Ethan An! I want to see just what kind of guy he is, the one who dared to make my daughter his slave and even had Lily pleading on his behalf to me!”
Ugh. The murderous aura emanating from Nana was terrifying. Definitely not a good idea to bring this up again in front of her, or she might actually go berserk...
Now that I think about it, we really are a couple of freaks, aren’t we?
A succubus who refuses to mate with men.
And a ghoul who refuses to eat people.
We’re a pair of misfits, clinging to pointless principles that go against our very natures.
Maybe that’s why we can comfort each other so well as best friends.
I walked over to the entrance, opened the shoe cabinet, and pulled out a pair of rain boots. After slipping them on, I opened the door and stepped outside.
“I’m heading out.”
“Alright~ Be careful~ When you come back, let’s go for round two, okay?”
“Go take a shower and sleep, you pervert! I’m not going to play with you again!”
After shutting the door behind me, I pulled the hood of the raincoat over my head and leaped straight up to the rooftop of the apartment building across the street.
At this time of night, I didn’t need to worry about being seen. I could move straight across the rooftops, taking the shortest path to Beishan Park.
If I wasn’t wearing this dreary raincoat but a magical girl costume instead, I’d look just like ‘Magical Girl★Little Kannye,’ out to punish evil and protect love and justice~
The outfit would be a pink theme representing flesh, with the catchphrase ‘I’ll eat you up~,’ and the spell would be...
Wait, what the hell am I thinking about? This is work. Focus, Kannye.
I shook my head, trying to shake off the silly thoughts. I must be too hungry. The two hours I just spent ‘interacting’ with Nana really took a lot out of me, draining my energy and making my stomach growl...
Cosplay is my passion.
The money I earn from these jobs is mostly spent on food and high-quality cosplay outfits. There’s just something so satisfying about custom-made cosplay outfits and props, paid for with my own hard-earned cash.
Alright, it’s decided. Next, I’m ordering a magical girl costume!
Arriving at the designated location, Beishan Park, I saw Snowy Jiang standing at the entrance.
She was still wearing her school uniform, but it was splattered with blood. No jacket, her shirt was slightly torn, and her skirt was frayed.
No visible injuries, but her clothes were in a sorry state...
“Snowy.”
“Mm.”
“Was today’s target a tough one?”
“Kinda... strong.”
Oh... That’s rare for her to say.
Looks like tonight's target is a pretty tough one.
If it was just a small fry, Snowy would have just shaken her head. If it was a medium-level target, she would’ve said, “It was okay.”
But for her to say, “Kind of strong”... That means tonight’s enemy was definitely formidable.
Could it have been a “Greater Demon”...?
“There’s... still one left.”
“Are you going after it?”
“Mm.”
Looks like there’s no stopping her now. She’s already in full combat mode. Until she takes down the one that escaped, Snowy won’t rest.
“Ah, alright then. Be careful. If things get dangerous, don’t worry about me. Go all out. Once you finish it off, just come back and let me know. I’ll stay right here.”
“Mm.”
Snowy nodded and took off, sprinting after the escaping killer.
Watching her back as she vanished into the darkness, I let out a sigh and slowly walked into Beishan Park.
Just like how Simon Ko and Lyna are partners, Snowy Jiang is my partner.
Yet, despite being her partner for so long, I still can’t understand what’s going on in her mind...
The isolation barrier was already set up. The grunts from the Miscellaneous Department were surprisingly quick today.
I sniffed the air... The scent of blood was coming from that direction.
With my hands shoved into the raincoat pockets, I strolled over leisurely. Since Snowy wouldn’t be back anytime soon, I might as well take my time dealing with this.
I found tonight’s “work” in front of a vending machine.
Hmm? Still moving?
Oh-ho, impressive. Playing dead, huh?
Managed to fool Snowy... but fooling me won’t be so easy.
I walked over and kicked the man who was pretending to be dead.
“Hey, hey. Stop pretending. I know you’re still alive.”
The man, covered in blood, began to tremble violently. Then, like a dying dog, he clung to the side of the vending machine and slowly crawled up.
His knees had been severed, so he couldn’t stand. He could only sit against the vending machine, panting heavily.
Snowy... She still can’t deliver a killing blow. I guess she never really intended to kill from the start... Was choosing her the right decision?
The man gasped for breath for a long time. When he finally managed to catch his breath, he looked at me with desperation and cried out.
“You... You’re... a ghost! You’re a ghost, aren’t you?!”
“Oh?”
I thought I’d hidden my aura completely. How did he know? And his eyeballs were gouged out...
“There’s no mistaking it! Your aura is just like that lord’s... You — no, you must also be a ghost!”
“Mm, that’s right. I’m a Ghoul.”
The man collapsed with a thud, lying in a pool of blood. He desperately crawled to my feet, clutching onto my rain boots and sobbing uncontrollably.
“Please... Ugh... Please, please save me...!”
He banged his head against the ground frantically, smashing it open until blood poured down his face.
“I beg you! If you save me, I’ll be your slave, I’ll be your dog! Just please... save me... sob... sob...”
“You... Your time is almost up. I can’t save you. Unless the ghost possessing you is willing to let you go, nobody can save you... Not even a ghost can save you.”
His “time” was almost up. Looks like tonight’s meal would be a light one — easier for me to handle.
Ahh... If I had known it would turn out like this, I would’ve gone with Lyna and the others to eat spicy crawfish. Now, I might go hungry tonight... How annoying.
“Aaaah! Please! Please save me! If you speak to that lord on my behalf, he might let me go...”
“......”
“The time... Time’s running out! Stop! Stop it! Don’t move! Please! Aaahhhhh!”
“......”
Save him? You’ve got to be kidding me. Scum like him doesn’t deserve to live.
And then — the time was up.
His time was up.
The man suddenly started to convulse. His shadow “crawled” up from the ground, taking the form of a “ghost shadow” that would serve as his executioner.
The ghost shadow looked exactly like him, but in a dull black hue, devoid of any life...
The man let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream.
“Aaahhhhhhhhhh! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!”
The anguished wailing echoed through the night.
But even as he suffered fatal injuries, the man continued to scream.
As if his throat would tear apart, he kept screaming his final, desperate sounds of life.
“Aaaahhh! It hurts so much! No! Nooo! My heart! My heart is gone! All my blood is gone! It hurts! It hurts! My body! Stop biting my body! Aaahhhhhhhhhh! Ahahahahahaha... ahahaha...!”
The cries and screams gradually turned into deranged laughter.
The corners of his mouth curled up as he laughed maniacally.
Blood tears streamed down from his eyeless sockets, yet he couldn’t stop laughing. Crying and laughing... like a lunatic.
“Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha! It hurts! Hahaha! I’m gonna die! I’m finally going to die! Hahahahaha! I’m finally going to die! Finally!”
“......”
“Hahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahaha... haha... ha...”
Finally, he was dead.
I’ve seen this scene countless times.
A ghoul like me that refuses to eat people is extremely rare. Most ghouls devour humans without hesitation because consuming human flesh strengthens them — it’s the fastest way to gain power.
But in this world ruled by humans, most ghosts and ghouls don’t dare to eat humans openly. So, they came up with this “less conspicuous” method.
They possess humans and, in exchange for their powers, demand “offerings.”
Humans who become possessed by ghosts are then turned into “Murderers,” gaining strength far beyond human limits. But in exchange, they must kill a designated number of victims within a specific time frame to feed the ghost.
If they fail to meet the quota within the given time, the result is what you just saw — the ghost possessing them devours them alive.
And they won’t die immediately during the process. Until the very last moment, they’ll feel every inch of their flesh being ripped and gnawed away, experiencing excruciating pain.
Gruesome? Maybe. But not worthy of pity.
After all, the ones who get possessed by ghosts are those drenched in murderous intent — people who either have already killed or are twisted enough to want to kill.
Humans possessed by ghosts are beyond saving.
All that’s left is to kill them... and for me to eat them.
That’s my job.
After finishing its meal, the ghost turned and looked at me.
“Kannye.”
Oh~ so it was this guy. As expected, a Greater Demon.
“Oh my, isn’t this Lord Yasha? I didn’t expect someone as mighty as you to lower yourself to possessing a human. Isn’t that a little beneath your title as a Yasha Demon?”
“Hmph... It’s the safest method. But you — aren’t you going to join us?”
“I’m just a lowly ghoul. Not qualified to be your companion~”
“Don’t belittle yourself. Despite your lowly origins, the fact that you’ve survived for 500 years is a testament to your strength.”
“No, no, no. Look at me. I’m just a little ghost picking up your scraps. How pitiful~”
“Hmph... Suit yourself.”
Leaving behind those words, the ghost shadow dispersed.
“Tch. Acting all high and mighty...”
I took a bite, then walked over to that heap of dismembered body parts. Settling down, I picked up an arm and started gnawing on it.
Ugh... Body parts scattered everywhere, what a mess. What is this, a kid’s playground?
I chewed slowly for a while, and before I knew it, the clock struck midnight.
The taste was so revolting that even after all that time, there were still some pieces left.
At that moment, I suddenly felt a disturbance in the barrier.
Oh?
Looks like someone just broke in.
Strange. How did they get in?
This park is supposed to be sealed off with an isolation barrier. Ordinary people would unconsciously avoid this place...
I didn’t move, just continued nibbling on the last few chunks, waiting for them to come to me.
Before long, he stepped into my line of sight.
Huh? Isn’t that Ethan An?
We were just talking about him with Nana earlier, and now he shows up. What a coincidence.
Perfect. I might as well question him on Nana’s behalf.
Maybe it was the sight of me feasting on human flesh that scared him. His spiritual power flared and spread out, reaching me as well.
And through that wave of spiritual energy, I felt his soul...
An unbelievably familiar feeling.
My mouth fell open, and a dazed sensation washed over me.
Ahh... So it’s you.
I’ve been searching for you for so many years, and all this time, you were right beside me...
I really don’t know whether to be mad at you or to thank you.
Back in the Underworld, you were the one who guided me to the mortal realm, telling me to experience the bitterness, sweetness, and saltiness of human life... All because of you, I became the person I am now.
There are so many things I want to say to you.
Even though the reincarnated you probably doesn’t remember a thing, I still want to tell you everything.
I want to share everything I’ve been through all these years.
Hehehe~ So, we’ve been brought together again. Is this what they call fate?
I’ve always thought the heavens were unreliable, but this time, they actually did something right.
“Ara?”
I put down the chunk of flesh in my hand, stood up, and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. A smile spread across my face without me even realizing it.
“What a surprise. A guest?”
Well then, let’s start over from the beginning. Let’s get to know each other again.
