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“…naa?”

When I woke up, I found myself in an unfamiliar setting.
It wasn’t the wide, pleasant scenery I’d seen before falling asleep. It was a cramped, dark space.
Even in the darkness, a vampire’s eyes were sharp, allowing me to take in my surroundings perfectly. I realized immediately that the sun hadn’t set.

Stone walls were stacked high as if to bar my way. The sound of water trickling from somewhere echoed faintly. In other words, this was an indoor space—and a relatively cramped one at that.
The sensation against the side of my body where I was lying was hard and rough; the blanket I’d been using as a mat was nowhere to be found.

“Hmm… Huh?”

I tried to sit up to get a better sense of my surroundings, but I couldn’t.
My arms and legs felt heavy as I tried to move them, making a jingling, scratchy sound.
When I looked down, I saw hard restraints connecting both my wrists and ankles.
The two sets of restraints were chained to the ground. The chains were short—so short that I couldn’t even stand up.

“Mist form.”

They were a hassle, so I quickly broke free from the restraints.
I turned my limbs into mist for just a moment and escaped from the handcuffs and shackles.

……What on earth is going on here?

I’m pretty sure I was napping with Kuro-san on the castle roof. I remember that. I know that much.
And when I woke up, I was chained up in a dark room where not even sunlight reached. That, I don’t understand.
For now, I need to gather more information and find Kuro-san. Coming to that conclusion, I took a closer look around me.

“……Iron bars?”

When I turned around, there it was—a familiar symbol of exclusion.
It was the iron barrier I’d seen every day in my past life, designed to seal off this narrow space from the outside world.
When I stepped closer and touched them, a familiar, cold sensation brushed against the palm of my hand.

“So, does that mean this is a prison cell?”

In other words, I’d been locked up in a prison cell while I was asleep.

“No matter how I look at it, I must have picked a bad spot for my nap.”

Kuro-san said it’d be fine, but I guess it wasn’t.
Well, there’s no use getting worked up now that I’ve been caught. I could easily break out of iron bars like these using my Transformation-type skills, but it’d be a hassle if that made me a wanted criminal.
I haven’t even met Zeno-kun yet, and I haven’t found anyone to take me in. I’ll wait for someone to come and explain the situation.
Just as I reached that conclusion, I heard a familiar voice.

“Awoo!”

A voice like a distant howl echoing through the darkness.
The echo made it a little hard to make out, but it was coming from the room next to mine.
At the same time, there were two high-pitched “crack” sounds. It sounded like something hard being torn apart—no, it was definitely the sound of something being torn apart. How rough.

“Wooof? Why’s Kuro in here? Hello, Arje-chaaan?”
“I’m right here, Kuro-san.”
“Woof! Arje-chan, Kuro’ll be right over!”

A dull sound, like something being forcibly bent, rang out, and immediately afterward, Kuro-san poked her head through the iron bars.
She must have bent the bars this time. What an absurdly immense amount of strength.
Kuro-san grabbed the iron bars of my cell and pried them open in one swift motion. With a dull screech, the iron meant to keep us separated bent.

“It’s okay now! Kuro’s here!”
“Um, thank you.”

This probably isn’t okay. After all, it’s a prison break. No matter how I look at it, there’s no way to justify this.
Still, she didn’t seem the least bit remorseful—if anything she didn’t have a shred of malice. Her tail was wagging so hard it looked like it might snap, driven by genuine goodwill. I felt too bad to scold her for it, so I settled for a simple “thank you.”
Since things have come to this, I might as well just make a quick getaway. Just as I was thinking that, I sensed a new presence.

There were no footsteps, it was completely silent. Even so, my sense of smell told me that something was approaching.
The scent of their blood was neither human nor beast. The fact that it smelled sweet suggests the owner must have delicious blood.

As if lured by it, I peeked through the gap in the bent bars and saw the source of the scent.

“…Quite a large one has come, hasn’t it?”

The person who had arrived was even larger than Satsuki-san. Or rather, their height was beyond what one would consider normal. They must be at least two meters tall.
Naturally, they had shoulders and features to match that size. Judging by her ample bust, she was a woman.
The fact that someone of that size made no sound must be because she moved with such grace.
Her eyes weren’t visible to me. Or rather, her black hair extended down to her nose, obscuring them. Through a gap in her black hair, a single horn extended slenderly.
Her tanned skin was wrapped in black robes as she walked through the darkness. She gave off an overall dark impression, as if she were blending into the shadows. A piece of cloth wrapped around her neck like a scarf swayed like a tail.

“…An oni ninja?”

By the time I voiced my overall impression, she had already come right up in front of me.
Her tightly pursed lips parted and twisted into a grimace. The words that came out clearly carried a hint of exasperation.

“Kuro-san… How many times do you have to do this before you’re satisfied?”
“Woof?”
“Don’t woof me! This is a vital national facility—the heart of Yotsuba! It’s not a place for naps or play, so it’s a problem when people just wander in casually! And you’re even bringing outsiders! We’ll have to restrain you to set an example, please consider the trouble this causes us!!”
“Woof, is that really?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m so sick of this person!!!”

There was a size difference greater than that between an adult and a child, and the larger one was being reduced to tears.
They seemed to know each other, but the power dynamic clearly favored Kuro-san. The oni girl looked like she was being led around by the nose.

“Huu… Also, who is that person…?”
“It’s Arje-chan!”
“…And? Where’s she from? What does she do?”
“Um… She’s a cute vampire!”
“Not a single piece of information you give guarantees security, you know…!?”
“Excuse me, I’m from the Kingdom, and my occupation is a traveler. I’m staying at her workplace and getting meals there.”
“Huu, thank you…”

She thanked me in a voice on the verge of tears. Her eyes were hidden, but they were probably teary.

…It’s amazing when you’re face-to-face with her.

Satsuki-san and Fumitsuki-san were tall too, but this person was completely off the charts. Everything about her was just too big.
The person looked down at me, slumped her shoulders apologetically, and softened her expression. Even though I couldn’t see her eyes, her movements revealed a wealth of emotion.

“I’m a member of the Yotsuba Council. My name is Habotan the Oniwaban Guard. I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you please come with me?”
“Woof! Habo-chan, snack time!”
“That’s not what I meant!?”

It looked to me like she was being completely toyed with, but she claims she belonged to the Council. Judging by her appearance, she didn’t look like a council member, but she’s definitely a civil servant.
Since she already knew my name, running away didn’t seem like an option anymore. I’ll just have to go along with this.