Sophie-chan, it's nighttime.
Get up so we can eat together.
It's already that late?
I'll go prepare things, so get up, okay?
I'm already up.
Hmm... Today I need to order blood, and then...
It's done!
I hope Sophie-chan will come soon.
Several Minutes Later...
Sophie-chan, it's ready—wha?!
She's asleep again!
And she's stuck?!
Episode 9
Vampire VS Vampire Hunter
Did you just get home?
It's quite late.
Yes, we were getting ready for the cultural festival.
Oh, the cultural festival!
You see that a lot in anime and manga!
So it really does exist.
It would be fun if you and Ellie-chan could walk around with us...
But it would difficult since it's a daytime event.
It's not a problem!
I'll go even if an arm or two turns to dust!
Please don't turn to dust!
Day of the Cultural Festival
We have our parasols and my capes, and it's not far, so we should be fine.
Oh, you should never let your guard down, Sophie.
A big bug!
Watch out, Sophie!
Ellie!
We've had our ups and downs, but it was fun...
Ellie! Snap out of it, Ellie!
Vampires are super duper weak during the day
Information
Oh, that looks good!
We made it somehow.
W-We did.
So, where to next?
Let's go check out the theater club.
Yeah, that sounds good.
I'm excited to see what they're doing this year.
I know! We need to hurry if we want to get decent seats.
So many young girls!
They look tasty!
So this is a cultural festival.
It looks just like the ones I've seen in anime.
They recover rather quickly
The sun doesn't reach inside the hallways, huh?
I think Akari's class is somewhere around here.
Oh, it's Sophie and Ellie.
Maid Café Cookie and Drink Set 400 Yen
Welcome, girls.
Bulletin Board
My shift's almost over, so let's walk around after that.
What's wrong with you two?
Hinata...
Wh-What?
Can I take a picture of you like that?
I want one, too.
Stop it! This is pretty embarrassing, okay?!
Akari is on duty over at her club, so let's go see her.
She's in a club? What kind?
You'll see when we get there. She's only a phantom member, though.
A phantom member?
Sophie-chan... welcome...
Is something wrong, Sophie?
Welcome to the Handicrafts Club
No, that's not what I meant.
You get scared so easily, Sophie.
Akari, we came to visit you.
Oh, you guys all came!
Take your time and look around.
I put in a lot of effort to get everything ready for today.
I knew it. It is a haunted house.
It's an exhibition of handmade dresses for the dolls.
I'm sorry, Sophie. I was a little scared, too.
It's what the handicrafts club put together.
Aren't the candles romantic?
Look, Mom, the dresses are so pretty!
That's so cute!
This stuff is surprisingly popular with little girls.
I see.
My shift's almost over, so hang tight for a bit, okay?
Sure.
Well done, Akari. All of these show that you have a pretty good sense of style.
Thanks, Ellie-chan.
It's getting pretty crowded.
I'll just sit quietly in the corner so I'm not in the way.
Wow, this doll is so pretty!
Oh, you're right. She's so well-made.
Mom, take a picture!
Good idea.
Oh, I fell asleep.
She moved!
She talked!
What?
Hey, Akari, is there anything else fun going on?
Oh, Sakuya-chan's live event should be on right about now.
I wonder if we can still make it in time.
Wow, a live event.
You brush it off with heart and soul,
you brush and brush,
but the handprint won't go away.
When you take a closer look, you realize
and turn pale.
It was actually on the inside of the window.
Live Ghost Stories
No, I can't!
Nope, nope, nope!
Aw, everyone's leaving.
Were my live ghost stories so boring?
It's fine! Your stories definitely touched everyone.
Good work!
I'm glad we didn't make it in time.
Oh, right.
Yuu is in the literary club, so why don't you go check that out?
I have to clean up the stuff from my event here.
Okay.
Literary Club
This is the Literary Club.
We have new releases!! Please feel free to inquire within.
Heya.
Oh, you all came.
Sophie-san, long time no see.
What are you doing today?
Sunset Time
Sumireno High School Literary Club
I'm passing out the club journal.
I've written some short stories and poems, too.
Really? I wanna see, I wanna see!
I feel pretty good about this one, actually.
If you don't mind, I'd like to hear what you thi—
Actually, no! It's too embarrassing!
After all the trouble of putting it in a book?!
HAUN
TED
HOUSE
Why is everything like this today?!
Let's all go in.
I knew it!
Welcome. Four visitors now enteri—
I'll pass. It's too scary.
Then I'll wait outside with Sophie-chan.
Oh, I'll wait, too.
Oh, Hinata, you're scared of things like this, too?
Really?
It's not really that—
Okay, then, let's go.
Scared, but acts tough
Have fun.
Ellie, if you're scared, you can hold my hand.
Oh, so this is what it looks like on the inside.
Hey, don't keep going without me!
It's so dark and quiet.
Phew.
It's kinda calming.
Maybe it's the familiar atmosphere.
Don't get all comfortable there!
Um, could you please not...
Well, I guess Ellie is a monster of sorts, too.
Oh, it's Sophie-chan.
Yamada...
Thank you for sitting in class for me that other time.
You're here with your sister today?
You look so alike.
Yeah!
She's such a cute little sister, clinging to me all the time.
We get along so well, don't we?
M-My Sophie-chan's the same!
We're super clingy with each other!
You don't have to compete.
Sophie-chan and I are really close, too.
We go out together, brush each other's hair...
Well, we still take baths together and sleep together at night.
She's so spoiled.
You're embarrassing me!
Wha?!
Jealous
That's adorable.
Well, we'll get going now.
Bye-bye!
Where do you want to go next?
Um...
I'm so jealous!
Starting today, I want to take baths with you and sleep together, too!
I don't take baths, and we sleep at different times.
We're not everyone else.
The yakisoba's so good!
They have cotton candy over there, too.
Hashtag cultural festival.
That slab looks useful.
I'm sorry they don't sell blood here.
No, it'd be scary if they did.
It's fine, though.
You can just suck my blood today.
We're good. I brought some for Ellie, too.
I heard your blood tastes bad, so no thanks.
I had fun today.
Thank you for inviting me.
I was glad you two were there with us.
Hmm...
I thought it was just a fictional thing they made up for manga,
but the cultural festival is actually real.
Of course it is.
Speaking of festivals, I'd like to go to one of these "bloodbath" festivals.
Oh, I've heard that name a lot. I wonder where it's held.
I bet it's like the tomato festival, where the whole city gets turned red.
So wonderful!
They don't have that kind of festival!
Scary...
It's totally the season for steamed buns.
Oh, those things they have by the register.
Yeah. They have all sorts of different types.
I like the ones with red bean paste. And the pizza ones.
Unfortunately, they don't have blood buns.
Oh, they don't?
Huh?
What's up, Sophie-chan?
That's a bit of an unusual sight.
You're right.
What are they doing?
Oh, they collapsed.
Snap out of it!
Are you okay?
Should we call an ambulance?
Rumble
I'm so sorry for this.
I've been walking around all day and haven't eaten anything.
If that's not enough, I can make more.
Thank you very much.
What were you doing around here without eating anything?
Wo fell he gruh I—
You can finish finish eating first.
My apologies.
To tell the truth, I'm an aspiring vampire hunter.
I heard that there's a vampire in this neighborhood,
so I came to vanquish them.
A vampire hunter?!
Where did you hear something like that?!
I need to stop uploading pictures of the neighborhood to social media.
I won't let her lay a finger on Sophie-chan!
You two are quite close.
By the way, do you know where that vampire lives?
Oh, she hasn't realized yet.
If you've seen anything, I'd love to hear about it.
N-Nope, I've never seen anything.
It must be somewhere else.
I know nothing.
I see.
We feigned ignorance so hard.
So it's not here, either.
Don't be so down.
Do you live nearby?
No, I've come from far away.
I was planning on staying at my sister's house tonight,
but she happens to be out of town.
Then you should stay here.
Are you sure about that, Sophie?
No, I couldn't. It's just one day. I'll be fine outside.
No, you can't do that! A girl can't camp outside!
Huh? A girl?
It's not like I don't have any...
I-I'm sorry! It's just that your hair is short, too, so I...
But Sophie-chan, is this safe?
It's fine. I just have to pretend to be human until morning.
Sophie-san,
are you from abroad?
Your hair is silver, and your eyes are red.
That's quite unusual.
Maybe you're the vampire.
She's suspicious?!
I am human.
Every day, I get up and tirelessly eat white rice.
A human would never say something like that!
That was a joke.
It couldn't be this easy to find a vampire.
Right.
Y-You're right.
Anyway, why do you want to be a vampire hunter in this day and age?
About a hundred years ago, my great-great-great-great-grandfather
was attacked by a vampire.
What? You want revenge for such a distant ancestor?
No, he's not so distant, actually.
My great-great-great-great-grandfather became a vampire.
So even now...
Curse you, vampire!
Why didn't you do this while I was still young?
Ow...
My hips... and my knees...
Grandpa, I promise I'll defeat the vampires!
It sounds like being turned when you're old is a lot of trouble.
How do you do?
I've come over since it's dark out.
Oh, welcome, Ellie-chan.
Oh, a young lady I've never seen before.
Good evening.
How boyish and yummy-looking...
Yummy?
Oh, an exceptionally beautiful girl in the yard!
A beautiful girl? Where?!
Ellie, actually, this is the situation...
Whisper
Oh, I see.
Um, when I said yummy, I didn't mean your blood or anything.
I meant it in a sexual way, so don't take it the wrong way.
That's still a no-go!
Now she's even more suspicious.
Oh...
Let's erase her suspicion by eating human food.
Sounds easy.
Yeah, rice balls are really the best.
I'll have one too, then.
What is this?!
It's so sticky.
Ew! It's all over my hands, and it's not coming off!
I don't know when I should swallow...
Both of them are acting so strange.
Even more suspicious now
Um...
Both of them are from abroad,
so they're not used to Japanese food yet!
Of course. The reason they say strange things must be
Ew! It's in my hair! Someone get it out!
because they're not used to Japan yet.
Oh, by the way, do vampire hunters have special tools and stuff?
Yes, we do.
For instance, this hawthorn stake.
And this crucifix is also supposed to do something when you encounter a vampire.
I don't know what exactly that is, though.
They really don't like that.
Oh, you must be tired.
I'll show you the spare room and the bathroom.
Thank you so much.
Should we attack her tonight?
Ellie, I think we should leave for today.
That human went to sleep, so there's nothing left to worry about.
I'll watch some anime.
Huh?
Um...
Do you need something?
Sorry for disturbing you at night.
I just didn't know where the toi—
Oh, no!
A coffin in your room?
Could this mean...
This is bad.
It's not what you think. This is...
a case for luxury body pillows!
That's a thing?!
We connoisseurs put the pillows in cases like this
so they don't get dirty or crushed.
I see. There's quite a lot of depth to your world.
I managed to convince her.
Thank you for everything.
Take care.
I will.
I'll be going, then.
Hey, you dropped this.
Oh, thank you.
Her hand just started to turn to ash.
Don't tell me...
I heard that they were terrifying, vicious monsters.
You're not what I had imagined.
I guess some of you are good people, too.
Thus the aspiring vampire hunter left without a fight.
I'm so glad she understood!
Episode 10
The Vampire and the End of the Year
That felt so good.
Sophie-chan, the bath is nice and warm.
Okay, I'll get in...
You look so unhappy about it again.
I told you before, too.
I was taught that bathing isn't good for you.
It was many centuries ago,
so I do finally want to get over that, but...
I have an idea!
Maybe your view will change if we all go together and have fun.
How about we go to a spa nearby?
Spa?
A hot spring.
You don't have to if you don't want to.
Hot spring?!
Sounds great! Let's go! When?!
Tomorrow?
Don't try to call the shots!
Natural Hot Spring
I haven't been to a hot spring in a while.
Same here.
Bath
This is the first time I've gone to one in Japan.
Well, this place does feel quite clean.
Hot spring!
Oh? What's wrong, Akari? What are you fidgeting for?
Fidget Fidget
I like going to hot springs,
but getting undressed in front of my friends makes me self-conscious.
Oh, Akari has human-like feelings, huh?
That's unexpected.
I'm always a very human-like human!
You have no problem coming in when others are bathing,
but you don't like being seen yourself?
I-I mean, I don't have a nice figure.
That's not true.
You have a cute butt.
Hey, Ellie! That's sexual harassment!
Sophie, are you guys okay with showering?
We don't like running water, but an amount this small isn't a big deal.
Yup, this is no problem.
Gotcha!
If you banish mundane thoughts from your head, even fire is cool.
This, too, shall pass.
It looks like some kind of training.
Are they really okay?
Sophie-chan, look at all this foam.
Do you want me to wash you?
I'm fine.
Aww!
I'll let you wash me.
Ellie-chan!
Stare
Ellie-chan, your skin is so smooth.
Of course it is.
I'm jealous.
Hinata-chan, do you want me to wash you next?
Huh?
Akari and I, washing each other?
That tickles!
No! That's fine! I can do it myself!
You sure? Too bad.
I got flustered and refused...
But I'm just too embarrassed.
Hinata, do you also not like showers?
This is heaven.
This water feels so good.
R-Right, it's nicer than I thought.
Looks like Sophie-chan isn't quite at ease.
I love bathing. It feels good, and it's good for your looks.
Plus it's warm and feels like you're soaking in fresh blood.
Don't be so creepy.
Sophie-chan, are you okay?
Maybe the hot spring was too much?
Maybe.
I can't get over my discomfort right away,
but seeing how much you guys enjoy this makes me feel like
I've grown a little fonder of baths.
So I'm glad we came here today.
I see. So that means we made progress, then.
Yes. At this rate, I think I can overcome it within this century.
The road ahead is so long...
That was a nice bath.
Was there a point in putting on the yukata when we're about to go home?
Well, we have the opportunity. And they're cute.
Why don't we rest here for a bit?
Resting Room
That felt so good. I love hot springs.
Me, too. I never want to go home.
So true.
I want to soak in the bath and gaze at the girls forever.
Laze
They all got lazy from being in the hot water.
Maybe baths really are wicked things that make people depraved...
Natural Hot Spring