Half an hour later, after clearing the dining table and making tea for everyone, Naoki asked: "By the way, how was the situation in Misaki Town last night? Did any vampires appear?"
"Arcueid and I each took care of one. What a coincidence, they were wandering near the apartment, so it was a quick job. Although afterwards Arcueid said there might not be any vampires tonight, just in case, I still patrolled until dawn." Aoko replied.
"But something was strange. Those two vampires last night, with the situation of the victims I found last night... they don't quite match."
"Don't match?"
"The two vampires that Arcueid and I encountered should have been the lowest level, just corpses that could suck blood, with no special abilities. But some of the victims I found last night were all charred corpses."
Charred corpses?
Naoki frowned: "You mean, they didn't die from being drained of blood, but from being burned to death?"
"It should be. Besides, there were also several small fires last night. The fire department intervened several times. I don't know if it's a coincidence, but looking at the map, they seem to be clustered near Kitaguchi Station, which is being rebuilt."
"Kitaguchi Station... I remember there was also a fire there two days ago, right? The night Nero died."
Aoko nodded: "Frequent fires... Misaki Town's security surveillance is very strict. The number of fires in the past was very small, almost non-existent, and Kitaguchi Station was only built in recent years, its security level is very high."
"You mean, a new Dead Apostle?"
"His name is Vlov Arkhangel." Arcueid suddenly spoke up, "The 19th of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors. The Dead Apostle who caused those consecutive fires is him—just like Nero, he's after me."
"Again after you?" Aoko frowned, "You're really popular. Does this happen every time you wake up?"
Arcueid shook her head: "No, this time the situation is special. After all, both Vlov and Nero, their goal in seeking me out was to kill me."
"Kill you? Why? Does your existence hinder them?"
"The person who ordered Nero might think so, but not Vlov—this doesn't need to be discussed, it's not important. What we need to think about now is how to deal with him. You will definitely face him."
Aoko: "Causing so many consecutive fires, even burning down an entire station, the number of casualties is unknown. Regardless of my status as the administrator of Misaki Town, the rules of concealing mysteries also require us to deal with him."
"In terms of fighting power, there's me and Kouhai-kun, plus Shiki. Three against one definitely isn't a problem. The problem is how to find him. I don't want to hear news about fires everywhere every day."
"I can help." Arcueid said with a smile, "I can directly obtain information from anywhere in the world, and I also have a sense for vampires. Going around Misaki Town for a while will probably tell me where he is."
"Truly the daughter of Gaia. But is that alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"Arcueid, you're a True Ancestor, helping us fight your own kind, is that okay?"
Facing Aoko's question, Arcueid only smiled faintly: "It's alright. After all, I was created to exterminate True Ancestors. True Ancestors and Dead Apostles alike, as long as they are out of control, they are all my execution targets. Vlov's behavior can basically be judged as out of control. Even if you don't go, I will go alone to eliminate him."
"Besides, I'm a True Ancestor, he's a Dead Apostle. Although we are both vampires, he and I are not the same kind, Aoko, don't misunderstand. Naoki and Gray are the same."
Just like Naoki before, Arcueid said it casually and comfortably. This wasn't forced; she truly didn't care.
Naoki: "Then we ask for your help. Dead Apostles will hardly be active during the day. As usual, we'll wait until night before going out. It's best to resolve this tonight, so it doesn't drag on."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same time, at a certain fire site.
"Cough cough, the smell of smoke here is really pungent. How long has it been, why hasn't the smell gone away?"
Touko fanned her nose while complaining.
And in front of her, Shiki also covered her nose: "Wasn't it because Touko said she wanted to earn some extra money, suddenly accepting a request? Otherwise, we wouldn't need to come here either."
"This is because my wallet is a bit thin. That 15th-century holy relic is very rare."
"That idiot isn't around so you can't control your hands."
Stared sharply by Shiki, Touko helplessly raised her hands slightly: "Alright, alright, don't talk so much, quickly conduct an investigation at the scene, detective."
Yes, detective.
The two came here intentionally because Touko suddenly received a request from the police. Of course, it wasn't an official request, just a personal one. The requester was Inspector Akimi Daisuke, whom Touko knew in Kannazuki City. It seemed that while chatting with an old friend in Misaki Town, he mentioned the consecutive fires.
Daisuke instinctively felt that these consecutive fires might have something behind them, just like the Fujou Building case last year. So, with the thought of trying, he personally asked Touko, who had experience, to conduct an investigation.
The site of the fire was a convenience store. The entire store was burned beyond recognition. Several employees on duty at the time were all burned alive. According to the investigation results after the incident, it seemed they didn't have time to escape at all.
"Don't you find it a bit strange? Shiki." Touko asked while standing at the entrance, "The counter is so close to the door, even we women can step over it. If they wanted to escape... four or five seconds should have been enough."
People in dangerous situations will exert great strength. News often shows scenes of people lifting large bricks at fire sites.
"However, not a single person escaped. What does this mean?"
"Couldn't escape from the door?"
Touko smiled: "That's right. Usually, fires start inside a room, so people will run outside. That's indeed the case, the fire spreads from the inside out—but this time it's the opposite."
"The fire started outside, then spread into the store."
Something burning entered the convenience store, dragging the entire store into a sea of flames, so there was no way to escape. From the counter to the back door would take at least several dozen seconds, and according to eyewitness accounts, in just four to five seconds, the convenience store was completely burned down.
"Arson from the outside?"
"It should be more accurate to say throwing a bomb into the store. And—"
Touko looked at the employee room inside the convenience store. Due to the fire, the door to the employee room had long been burned away. It was pitch black inside, unable to see anything.
But she could feel it; there was something inside.
"ROAR..."
A low growl came from within, as if something was burning. The flickering firelight dispelled the darkness inside the room, and a slightly illuminated silhouette entered her vision.
Touko immediately understood what was inside.
Inside was someone.
Someone who seemed to have fallen into a volcano, their hair and skin charred, leaving only a human shell made of fire.
"Touko."
At the same time, Shiki's voice also sounded from behind.
"In Misaki Town, are black panthers like dogs, can you find them anywhere on the streets?"
"If that's really the case, maybe Beo would be very happy."
From those words, Touko also knew why Shiki said that.
Because a black panther was parked at the entrance.