Alucard calmly stepped out of the abandoned building where he had imprisoned the faction leaders. His movements were smooth and composed, every step deliberate and measured. His posture remained perfectly straight, shoulders relaxed, chin slightly raised as he walked through the dim alleyway with the kind of confidence only someone utterly certain of themselves could possess, or someone utterly insane both were excellent descriptions of Al.
The crimson robe draped over his body fluttered faintly with the wind, revealing glimpses of scarred pale skin and the blood-red tattoos running across his chest and neck.
Yet midway through his stride, he suddenly stopped.
His crimson eye slowly shifted to the side.
Leaning casually against the stone wall nearby was Seishan.
The moonlight spilling into the alley illuminated her elegant figure, the dark silk of her dress hugging her form while her red eyes watched him with clear amusement. She looked entirely relaxed, as if she had been standing there for quite some time simply observing him.
A smirk tugged at her lips.
"Nicely done, Al. You managed to surpass all of my expectations yet again."
Alucard didn't immediately turn toward her. Instead, he kept his gaze forward, his expression unreadable beneath the faint shadows cast by the night.
"Did you know they would react like that?" he asked calmly. "Or were you genuinely expecting me to play the kind-hearted hero? Because I know you're not dumb enough to think killing them all would've actually been a good idea."
Seishan shrugged lightly, her smirk widening ever so slightly.
"Ah... you truly are charming."
She pushed herself off the wall and slowly approached him.
"And yes, I wasn't expecting you to execute all of them."
Her footsteps were slow and deliberate, the sound of her heels echoing softly against the stone. When she finally reached him, she lifted a hand and gently traced her fingers across his exposed chest. Her touch was featherlight, almost teasing, yet deliberate enough to make it impossible to ignore.
Alucard's eye narrowed slightly.
"And what exactly gave you such confidence in my morality?" he asked quietly. "Because if you think I'm incapable of killing them, then you're mistaken."
Seishan chuckled softly. The sound was low and smooth as silk.
"Oh, I know you're dangerous, Al. That's one of your more attractive qualities."
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, forcing him to finally face her fully.
"But I also know you're smart enough to understand when killing someone is useful and when it's simply wasteful. Most people with your kind of strength become intoxicated by it. You, however..."
Her fingers brushed lightly against the back of his neck.
"You know how to behave."
A faint smile curved her lips.
"And that is another very attractive feature."
Alucard's gaze sharpened immediately. He had already figured out what she was doing.
Manipulation.
Seduction.
A mixture of both.
Not that he particularly minded.
"So," he said slowly, "does that mean our agreement is still on the table? Because if you'd like, I can go kill them for you."
Seishan leaned closer, her lips almost brushing against his ear as she whispered,
"Are you truly that desperate to join my clan, Al?"
Her breath was warm against his skin.
"And here I thought you were trying to play hard to get."
A quiet laugh escaped her lips.
"But we both know you have a soft spot for me now, don't we?"
Then she pressed her lips lightly against his neck.
The action was subtle. Brief. Barely anything.
And yet Alucard froze for the smallest fraction of a second.
Inside his mind, thoughts rapidly collided against one another.
I could hold my ground.
I could keep pushing back.
But why should I?
This arrangement benefited both of them. He gained the backing of a Great Clan, resources, influence, protection. She gained a powerful weapon loyal—at least partially—to her side.
Just because she was trying to manipulate him didn't suddenly make the arrangement less beneficial.
If anything, it made the game more entertaining.
So why not enjoy it a little?
Somewhere deep inside his body, Gluttony let out an amused chuckle, already realizing exactly where this was headed. For once, however, he chose not to interrupt.
Alucard's hands slowly moved to Seishan's back, pulling her slightly closer. His only functional hand slid upward until his fingers lightly brushed against the collar of her dress, almost as if he were considering removing it.
"You could say something like that," he murmured. "But you've got a soft spot for me too, don't you?"
His crimson eye locked onto hers.
"So maybe you should stop playing games you don't actually want to see the ending of."
For a brief moment, the playful confidence on Seishan's face wavered.
Only slightly.
Then her smile returned.
"Those are some very bold words, Al."
Her voice dropped lower.
"Are you sure you can live up to them?"
Alucard adjusted his posture slightly, leaning closer as he stared directly into her red eyes.
"And you're still trying to provoke me?" he asked quietly. "You know, Sei... you've been getting awfully bold lately."
Seishan leaned forward again, clearly intending to close the distance between them even further.
But this time, Alucard stepped back.
The movement caught her off guard.
"Later," he said calmly. "We still have a lot to deal with first."
Inside his soul sea, Gluttony metaphorically slammed his nonexistent hand against his imaginary face.
"You were so close, Al. So damn close."
Alucard internally grunted in annoyance, equally frustrated with himself, though both of them knew he had made the correct decision.
Unfortunately, that didn't make the decision any less irritating.
Seishan slowly lowered her arms from around his neck, though traces of amusement still lingered in her eyes.
"So, Al," she asked casually, "what are you planning to do now?"
"I'll probably go visit Nephis and the others," he answered. "Check up on the cohort."
The effect was immediate.
The flirtatious warmth in Seishan's expression vanished almost instantly. Her smile flattened into something far more neutral as she released him completely and took a small step backward.
"Ah. I see."
Without another word, she turned around and began walking away.
"Then I'll take my leave. Go enjoy your time with your cohort or whatever."
Alucard stood there completely dumbfounded as he watched her disappear down the alley.
After several long seconds of silence, he finally spoke internally.
"What the hell was that?"
He frowned slightly.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Gluttony responded by metaphorically dragging his nonexistent hand down his equally nonexistent face.
"You know," he said with exhausted amusement, "you are the smartest dumbass I know..."
A pause followed.
"Or maybe the dumbest genius."
Another pause.
"Hmm. I'll decide later."