How about a goodbye kiss?

When Rize Kamishiro said this, there was less deliberate acting in her expression.

After all, she had already shown Amahane Byakuya her true colors. There was no point in pretending to be a frail, helpless woman anymore.

So this time, her expression was natural and genuine, with only a faint smile.

She still had no idea who had ambushed her, but Rize personally thought it was very likely that the Washuu Clan had found her.

If Amahane Byakuya had not taken her away in time, she probably would never have regained her freedom for the rest of her life.

In fact, Rize was half right. If events had followed their original course, she would have become an experimental donor and lost her freedom forever, until her death.

However, this had not been the Washuu Clan's doing, but Furuta Nimura's. That was why Rize was only half right.

Rize was still rather weak at the moment. Regenerating her body had consumed a considerable amount of rc cells.

A ghoul's strength was generally determined by the level of rc cells in their body. Although this was not an absolute rule, it was still a very useful indicator.

Once rc cells were consumed, they seemingly would not replenish themselves. They had to be restored by eating humans or through "cannibalism," so Rize had no way to resolve her weakened condition anytime soon.

Unless Amahane Byakuya let her take a bite out of him right now...

The reason Rize wanted Amahane Byakuya to walk her home was precisely because she feared being attacked again on the way.

"Sure, as long as you don't suddenly decide to eat me halfway there again."

Amahane Byakuya spoke casually.

"I won't this time."

Rize said it with a smile.

Amahane Byakuya immediately doubted how much he could trust that.

Amahane Byakuya accompanied Rize on her way home again. This time was different, though. Neither of them had quite so many hidden motives toward the other.

Amahane Byakuya deliberately paid attention to their surroundings, but detected no one watching them. It seemed Furuta Nimura was not quite brazen enough to go that far.

After all, Rize herself was no easy target. If Furuta Nimura acted too recklessly, she could easily notice him, making his plan difficult to carry out.

"By the way, did you know I was a ghoul from the very beginning?"

Rize suddenly asked.

Considering how calmly Amahane Byakuya had reacted when she attacked him, she suspected that he had known all along.

"No, not at first. I really did fall for you at first sight, Miss Rize. It was only later that I gradually noticed something was off."

Amahane Byakuya spun her a story.

That was all he could do. He had no better way to handle Rize than to bluff his way through.

Still, it was not entirely a lie. He had liked Rize quite a bit even before transmigrating, so calling it love at first sight was not completely wrong.

"Is that so... It looks like I underestimated how perceptive you are, just like I underestimated your strength."

Rize believed his explanation. "So do you still like me, even now? Let me make this clear up front: I haven't had any feelings for you from the beginning."

"That doesn't really matter. Whether you like me or not won't change how I feel about you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have saved you this time."

Amahane Byakuya said calmly, "But our little game of playing couple is over now. I won't bother you again."

Even though Rize's words were blunt and explicit, almost like a rejection of his initial confession, he did not mind at all.

After all, his confession had been fake from the start, and so had their game of being a couple. Everything had been fake. What did it matter if Rize rejected him or did anything else?

"That's true..."

Rize answered, then added, "We're almost there. My place is just up ahead. You can leave me here."

"All right. I'll head home too, then."

Just as Amahane Byakuya was about to turn and leave,

Rize spoke again. "Before we part, don't you want a goodbye kiss?"

She rested her right index finger against her lips, her alluring eyes tempting Amahane Byakuya.

But Amahane Byakuya's eyes immediately went flat. "Are you trying to take the chance to eat my tongue?"

"Oh my, you saw right through me~"

Rize did not deny it. She chuckled. "But you got one thing wrong. I don't just want to eat your tongue. I want to eat your lips too. You can heal yourself anyway, can't you?"

She said such terrifying things with a gentle smile on her face.

"..."

For a moment, Amahane Byakuya had no words.

"I'll pass, thanks. Goodbye, then, Miss Rize."

With that, Amahane Byakuya turned and left.

Rize watched his retreating figure for a while, then returned to her own home.

That night, Amahane Byakuya kept the bloodstained sheet and replaced it with a clean one he already had at home.

He certainly could not just throw that sheet away. All that blood could easily cause trouble later. He only needed to keep it and wash it clean.

The next day.

After classes ended, Amahane Byakuya went to read at the Antique Café as usual. It had more or less become a habit.

He had thought he would not see Rize today, but he ran into her anyway. Apparently, luring in prey was not her only reason for visiting the café.

Perhaps it was because the coffee tasted good. Of course, this was not "good" in the ordinary sense. The coffee contained concentrated granules of human flesh, making it taste even better to ghouls. After all, this café specifically catered to them.

However, Yoshimura Kuzen usually only added those concentrated granules to the coffee served to ghoul customers. Human customers received ordinary coffee.

"Miss Rize? I didn't think I'd see you today."

Amahane Byakuya greeted Rize as soon as he walked in, as though nothing had happened the night before.

Meanwhile, Touka Kirishima, who was working at the front counter, could not help looking up when she heard Amahane Byakuya's voice.

Seeing that the human boy had actually returned completely unharmed, her pupils contracted and her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Shouldn't this human... have been killed by Rize Kamishiro last night?

From how things had looked last night, Rize had been about to make her move. Yet this human was still alive.

What was going on?

Could that utterly vicious Rize Kamishiro have shown mercy?

No, that couldn't be possible.

Most likely, Rize just wanted to keep toying with that human boy...