The first couple of minutes were spent reassuring the lady that she was in good hands. At first, she strongly wrapped her entire body with the blanket for fear that they were after that or worse, but after realizing that no one was making a move aside from randomly checking the needle on her forearm, she relaxed a little.

Then the introductions came, and the lady spoke last after everyone had revealed their identity. Until now, she still wasn’t certain whether she could wholly put her faith in the group. For all she knows, they might very well be after her blood as well.

Notwithstanding those thoughts, she gave her name— something that she never did back when she was entrapped in that damp, four-walled enclosure.

"Oikawa Reshiru." She softly let out, revealing the softness of her voice. It was high-pitched and a little bit airy— a girly kind of airy which triggered Tris’s insecurity since she had some sort of a rough voice (or so that’s what she thought).

"As we were saying, you’re free to go. Actually, we went to the auction to get some blood, but then Ayaka informed me that the very blood we were looking for was actually my blood." Kazuichi explained, pointing at Ayaka and then at Reshiru. "And her blood, and your blood. Apparently, we belong to the same Hybrid type, and here I was thinking that I was different."

"You were different. Dements are pretty rare, that’s what she said." Arisu casually jerked her thumb at Ayaka, who was their sole informant when it came to the topic of Dements.

"I guess... and now that you mentioned it, Dements are actually pretty cool. It’s like we’re straight out of a magic novel— you know, those deathly, black-clothed, horrifying ghosts." Kazuichi went off-topic, pointing out a certain type of character in a magic novel he read in the past: Harry Peter.

"You mean the movies?" Tris confirmed since she only knew the movie— the polar opposite of Kazuichi who only knew the novel.

"What? There were movies of that novel? Wow, I didn’t even know." Kazuichi commented, awkwardly scratching his head as usual.

"Speaking of names... Reshiru, how do you write your name? This was the first time I heard a name like that. Is it Japanese?" Ayaka asked. She had been curious about it ever since Reshiru gave out her name.

An air of chuckle came out of Reshiru’s mouth before she addressed Ayaka. In the past, everyone would always get confused about her name and every single time, she had to explain it— thanks to her dad who gave her the name at birth. "It’s supposed to be Rachel... but since my father wanted me to have a Japanese name, he gave me a name using katakanas. I know it’s weird... right?"

"I mean, it’s pretty novel...and it has a nice ring to it. Rachel, huh? Is your mom a foreigner?"

Reshiru nodded her head, but she didn’t say anything anymore. Although they were already having meaningful interactions together, she still had her guard up. That’s why she was hesitant to give out her personal information.

Then again, no one forced her to do anything so they just let her comfortably relax on her gurney while they tended to the other patient in the room.

On one bed was Reshiru, still undergoing the blood transfusion since it would take at least two hours to finish. And on the other was Suzu, who was sickly and in dire need of a blood transfusion as well. Quite frankly, no one knows what her sickness was, but Shig explained that her regenerative properties weren’t working properly and she needed a blood transfusion to sort of reset it.

His explanation was comprehensible, and Kazuichi didn’t hesitate to fill up another blood bag with his blood. At this point, he felt slightly dizzy but there was no harm done. In return, Shig prepared a feast for everyone once again, and Ayaka shared her stash of good food for their next meal.

The food preparation did remind them of the time when the Hybrids harassed them during their peaceful mealtime, and once again, Kazuichi had to remind Ayaka to keep her cool since she looked like she wanted to attack something or someone.

Their small talk then led to the fight, and since Arisu wasn’t there, she was surprised that the newcomer actually possessed a Blood Art even though it was rare enough as it was. Adding to that, she also came to know that Ayaka couldn’t control her Blood Art that well, considering that she attacked Kazuichi while it was activated.

"Fortunately you were fighting Kazuichi— a gentle soul right here. If it were me, I’d have crippled your arm or two before calming you down, and that’s on a good day. Who knows what could happen if you were fighting someone who could control his or her Blood Art, you’d have died right then and there."

Meanwhile, Kazuichi just silently sat there while the two ladies conversed with each other. He couldn’t believe that Arisu called him a gentle soul. She’d seen him fight, and in no way did he show his gentle nature whenever he was forced into a brawl.

"T-then... let me go with you!" Ayaka voiced out of nowhere, causing Arisu and Tris to jerk their heads towards her while they questioned her decision.

"M-m-me too!" Reshiru shut her eyes tight as she determinedly spoke out her opinion as well. "L-let me go with you."

"You’re going back to your stronghold, right? Then I’ll accompany you on your journey as a bodyguard. In exchange, teach me how to control my Blood Art!"

"M-m-me too!" Reshiru exclaimed out of nowhere as if she had a Blood Art as well.

"W-what?! You just want to spend more time with Kazuichi! He hasn’t even... kissed me yet..." Tris mumbled under her breath when she remembered what happened while they were fighting together. That shock factor didn’t just shock Ayaka, but Shig and Tris as well who were watching from the sidelines.

"What do you mean by that, Karuizawa Triciana?" Arisu slowly spoke as her eyes turned bloodshot.

"Sheeesh~ I’mma go cook some rice. Please excuse me and myself." Shig slowly shimmied out of there since she didn’t want to get caught in the middle of the quarrel.