「No no, how can she match the two of you…that can’t be!?」
At that point, Kousuke was so surprised with what had been happening that he had forgotten to use the power of his left eye to check Peach’s status.
If she’s really comparable to Kouhi and Mitsuki, he will be helpless against her.
In fact, both Shrine and Sylvia were also startled.
「No no. You are exaggerating～. It’s true that I can fight you in close combat and can use dagger but if you use magic against me, I might get defeated before I reach the distance where I can hit you. 」
On the other hand, if it is a match where magic can’t be used, she can fight well.
「…..that’s amazing, isn’t it?」
Shrine and Sylvia both agree to Kousuke’s murmur.
「…..areh areh? I should have denied it, right?」
「No no. It’s amazing that you can even get close to them.」
「Is that so～? 」
「….eh? Of course….!? R….right?」
Kousuke, who became anxious of Peach, looked at Shrine and Sylvia and the two nodded.
「It’s impossible for me.」
「I’m not strong enough to be able to do that either.」
「I see～. Got it」
Then, Kousuke suddenly wondered.
「…areh? But didn’t you noticed Peach’s presence?」
「Correct but that is because I felt her vampiric power. Since she didn’t know she has that power, she wouldn’t be able to control it, right?」
「I certainly didn’t know it until now～」
Peach also confirmed Shrine’s speculation.
「I see….then, why do Peach’s power evaluation kind of low?」
「….Even if you ask me～」
Like Kousuke, Peach looks genuinely puzzled.
It looks like she doesn’t really know how strong she is.
「Then, let me guess. Has Peach never left your village until now?」
「That’s right～」
「Then, when you leave, have you felt that there’s something wrong with the world?」
「…..I might have felt so～. That’s normal since I never left our village until I came here.」
Kousuke believed in her and suddenly asked an off-topic-like question.
「Compared to the people of your village, did you ever felt that you’re strong?」
「I am certainly strong desu yo～. But, I’m only strong in our village.」
She’s certainly strong in a small village so she thought that there are certainly a lot of people stronger than her if she goes out.
However, she has never been so wrong.
-0-
「Ano～. Can I ask you something…」
「What is it?」
「Can I join your group?」
In a way, Kousuke has already expected Peach’s question but he can’t answer.
The moment Peach said that he is her fated one, he already predicted that she’ll ask to join them.
Kousuke doesn’t mind but he needs to consider one thing. And that’s Kouhi.
She’s obviously wary of Peach.
Since Peach is strong, she may be able to attack both Kouhi and Mitsuki anytime and even harm Kousuke.
Of course, it will be hard to do that if Kouhi and Mitsuki are there but if she becomes part of the group, they’ll act together all the time and the danger will be great.
Kousuke understood where Kouhi was coming from.
「……..uhm…..」
When Kousuke crossed his arm, Peach looked at him with an uneasy expression.
Seeing Peach like that, Shrine asked a question.
「Are you worried about the possibility of your lord being betrayed?」
「To be precise, the possibility of him being betrayed or being betrayed and killed.」
Kouhi is not worried about herself.
「Su….such a thing, I’ll never do something like that～」
「Ah….sorry. I don’t think you’ll do it either however, that’s not the problem. The problem is you can do it if you have to. 」
For example, they are not worried about Sylvia at all. Given her ability, it is impossible for her to compete with Kouhi and Mitsuki.
The problem is not whether an assassination can be executed or not but the possibility of assassination itself.
「Then, does that mean that as long as it is guaranteed that Peach will not be able to harm Kousuke-dono, everything will be fine? 」
「Maa, since you said that, do you have a way? 」
「How about a blood contract? 」
When Shrine was summoned, she also signed that contract.
「Eh…..? Can it be done? 」
「It can. Peach has vampire blood after all. If I’ll help with the ritual, there won’t be any problem. 」
When Kousuke instinctively looked at Kouhi, she nodded.
「Ano ～? What is a blood contract?」
「To put it simply, it’s a ritual where you’ll be forced to be connected to a contractor. In that case, you won’t be able to harm each other.」
「Hee, can we do that～?」
「Of course, do you want to sign a contract?」
Hearing Shrine, Peach showed a gesture of contemplation.
「….other than that, is there any other effect～?」
「Hnn? What do you mean?」
「For instance, will I become a slave?」
「Oh, you mean that. Of course, if you sign a contract, you can’t disobey. However, are you going to be concerned about that? In the first place, Kousuke-dono doesn’t even want that kind of contract.」
「It is normal for you to doubt, right? Blood contract itself is not very well known to the general public after all. You only know blood contract through our words but you can only put your trust in us.」
At last, Mitsuki seems to have convinced Peach.
「I understand～. According to my intuition, I can believe in Mitsuki-sans words…..so, if I sign this blood contract, can I join you?」
「Yeah. If you do so, there’s no problem.」
「Then, let’s do it～」
「Good」
Shrine nodded to Peach’s agreement and decided to start the ritual.
-0-
Kousuke was wondering what things are needed for the blood contract ritual but Shrine said that he doesn’t need to worry about it.
In the end, the only thing that was needed was a drop of blood from the tip of Kousuke’s finger.
Thinking about it, Kousuke only realized that when Shrine signed a contract with him, she only needed to drink his blood.
Like what Shrine said earlier, she helped with the ritual but it looks like no one knows what she did aside from Mitsuki.
She also asked him what the conditions were. It will be a verbal promise that will be bound with the power of blood.
In their case, their previous conversation will be the content of the contract.
He doesn’t remember being asked like that during Shrine’s ritual. It seems like it is unnecessary for the person who gave the blood to know the content.
In that case, it seems like it would be possible to bound the blood giver to something disadvantageous however, the blood giver can never be at a disadvantage in a blood contract.
The contractor’s blood, the contract(contract content), and the intermediary of a third party are necessary for a blood contract.
It seems like there are other detailed conditions(like one party must have vampiric power etc.) but it is already long enough for Kousuke so he stopped listening.
-0-
「Yeah…..blood is not delicious as expected～」
That’s Peach’s impression on Kousuke’s drop of blood she just drank.
Given the contract’s content, it seems like it is not necessary to take too much blood.
「That would be so. Is there any race other than mine that enjoys drinking blood?」
「….areh? But, didn’t I inherited vampire’s blood～?」
「I did say you inherited a vampire’s blood but I’m referring to power. Physically, you’re a succubus.」
「I see～」
「For me, Kousuke-dono’s blood is the best.」
Looking at Shrine who said that and laughed, Kousuke somehow became interested in giving her his blood.
He had this strange feeling when Peach drank his blood.
「…want to suck it?」
When he saw that his finger was still bleeding, Kousuke said that as he presented her his finger.
「C-can I….!?」
Shrine moves towards him in a flash.
「Y-yeah. Maa, it’s still bleeding so….ah」
Shrine quickly grabbed Kousuke’s finger before he could say any excuse.
Somehow, he didn’t feel angry so Kousuke decided to let her do what she wanted.
-0-
In the end, Kousuke Forcibly pulled his finger from Shrine’s mouth who looked like she would suck it forever. That made Shrine a bit reproachful.
By the way, the blood contract, which is the purpose of what they are doing, has already been completed.
-0-
AN: Counting her magical capability aside, Peach is Kousuke’s strongest companion if you leave out Kouhi and Mitsuki. None in Wahid’s group is her match.