Serena sat back down on the sofa and organized her thoughts.
After several attempts, Serena had reached a conclusion: the first bite of anything tasted normal to her, but after that, she couldn’t taste anything anymore.
So the time she ate melon seeds wasn’t just her imagination.
But why was this happening?
It was strange. Extremely strange!
Serena had no way to solve this puzzle. Why could she suddenly taste other foods unlike other blood clan members? Why exactly?
Could it be because she had been used as an experimental subject…?
While waiting for Wuming to return, she kept thinking about this issue.
She even searched the internet to see if any other blood clan members had encountered the same problem.
But the results were unanimous—there was no such thing! No cases like this existed at all!
“I’m back.”
Even after Wuming returned, she still hadn’t found an answer.
Serena could only temporarily set the matter aside and shift her attention back to Wuming.
“Welcome back.”
“Has Crosti sent you any messages, Serena?”
Usually around this time, Crosti would message saying she was coming over to hang out.
Since Wuming hadn’t seen anything, he asked Serena.
“No.”
Serena shook her head.
She hadn’t received any messages from Crosti either.
After Wuming changed back into loli form and put on fresh clothes, the two of them sat together on the sofa.
“…Wuming.”
Serena’s gaze drifted toward Wuming, who was peeling an orange.
Wuming turned to look at her as well.
“What is it?”
“I’ve been thinking… doesn’t it get tiring for you?”
Serena had wanted to mention this for a long time.
Every time Wuming wanted to go out, she had to switch bodies and change clothes all over again.
Constantly switching back and forth like that—didn’t Wuming find it exhausting?
“You keep changing forms all the time. Doesn’t it tire you out at all?”
“Well…”
Wuming didn’t actually find it tiring, but constantly changing was indeed a bit troublesome.
After all, she couldn’t exactly go downstairs wearing women’s clothes in male form.
This had already become a habit for Wuming, and she had no plans to change it. Doing things this way was fine.
“I think it’s pretty good as it is. The changing part is a bit of a hassle, but it doesn’t really tire me out.”
“So you do admit it’s troublesome…”
Serena said somewhat speechlessly. Wuming could tell there was more to what Serena was saying.
You might as well just say what you mean.
“What are you trying to say?”
“It’s just… I’ve been thinking…”
Serena voiced her inner thoughts.
“What if you went out in your real body?”
“No.”
Wuming rejected the idea without hesitation.
There was no way she was going out in her true form!
The outside world was too dangerous, and unlike her mom, she wasn’t a social butterfly.
She had heard that her mom had already made friends with the Black guys on the West Coast—the kind where they greet each other with a cigarette when they meet.
That was something Wuming could never emulate. She simply didn’t have that kind of extroverted personality.
“I don’t want to go out in my real body. Who knows what might happen? I’d basically be a walking target on the streets.”
“But you have your ability.”
“The cooldown is too long. It’s not good for sudden situations. My ability isn’t as convenient as yours.”
Wuming felt a bit helpless.
Although her ability seemed powerful, it required too much preparation and couldn’t be activated instantly.
Like when she rescued Serena last time, it took a lot of prep work—figurines, blood, setting up all kinds of conditions.
She wasn’t like her mom or grandma, who had far fewer requirements.
“I’m alone. If I go out like that, there will definitely be people with bad intentions targeting me. That’s why I don’t want to go out that way.”
“But you’re not alone anymore.”
Serena corrected her.
She was living with Wuming now and was no longer living by herself, so she didn’t have to be afraid of bad people!
“If anyone with ill intentions shows up, I’ll use my ability to take them out. I won’t let Wuming face any danger!”
As she spoke, Serena waved her fist, trying to show Wuming her capability.
But you’re the biggest threat…
Wuming silently complained in her heart. Still, seeing how earnestly Serena promised to protect her, she knew Serena wasn’t lying.
Even so, she still didn’t want to do it.
“Okay, okay. With you here, I feel much safer. Happy now? We’ll talk about going out like that some other time.”
“You’re brushing me off again, Wuming!”
Serena puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
“Let’s just go out like that once, okay? If any bad people appear, I’ll definitely keep you safe!”
“No—way!” Wuming dragged out the words.
“Maybe after those people stop looking for you everywhere.”
After all, those people weren’t going to disappear overnight.
That was why Wuming said this.
After peeling the orange, Wuming broke off the segments and popped them into her mouth one by one.
That sweet-and-sour taste was her favorite!
After eating one piece, she couldn’t help wanting another, continuing until she finished the whole orange, then starting on another one.
(Munch munch— munch munch)
“…”
Watching Wuming’s satisfied expression with her cheeks puffed out, Serena felt curious. What did oranges taste like?
They must be amazing if they could make Wuming eat one piece after another without stopping.
“Wuming~”
Serena scooted closer, slightly opening her small mouth and pointing at herself, her eyes full of expectation.
“Can I have a piece too?”
“Hm?” Wuming paused and tilted her head at her.
“Didn’t you say you can’t taste anything?”
Her tone was full of confusion.
Why was Serena suddenly asking for an orange?
“Come on~ Just one piece~”
Serena dragged out her words cutely, acting a bit spoiled as she begged Wuming to give her a piece.
Although Wuming had no idea what Serena was up to, she still broke off a segment from the orange.
“Here, for you.”
Wuming handed it over, but instead of reaching out to take it, Serena leaned her face even closer.
Her small mouth opened slightly with an “ah—” as she stared at Wuming without blinking.
Her intention was obvious.
“…”
Wuming was completely stunned by the scene.
What was this girl trying to do?!
She couldn’t taste anything but still wanted to eat, and now she even wanted to be fed?!
Her mind was filled with confusion.
“Ah~~~”
Serena let out another soft, sweet prompt, dragging the sound long and acting coquettish.
She squinted her eyes adorably, looking like she was waiting to be fed.
“…”
Wuming even caught a glimpse of her two sharp fangs.
Looking at Serena like this, Wuming’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
A small, indescribable sense of anticipation slowly surfaced.
She hesitantly reached out, pinched the small orange segment with her fingertips, and placed it into Serena’s slightly open mouth.
Soft lips accidentally brushed against her fingertips, sending a strange sensation through her.
After feeding her, her hand hovered in mid-air.
She watched as Serena closed her mouth, chewed carefully, and then suddenly made a bitter face!
“—!!!”
She saw Serena spit out the orange segment, muttering “So sour, so sour!” with her brows tightly furrowed.
“Why is it so sour?! Wuming, you eat this stuff?”
But Wuming’s focus wasn’t on whether it was sour or not.
She was shocked that Serena could actually taste it!?
“You… can taste things?!”
Wuming’s eyes widened.
How could Serena taste anything!?
Wasn’t she a pure-blooded blood clan member?
“O-only a little…”
Once the sourness faded, Serena explained that she could only taste a little bit.
There was some flavor, but not much.
“What do you mean by ‘a little’?”
“The first bite has flavor, but after that I can’t taste anything anymore.”
As she spoke, Serena asked for another piece of orange to demonstrate.
“Look,” (chew chew, swallow) “Now I can’t taste anything. I don’t understand what’s going on at all.”
Serena’s expression was calm, not like she was lying, which only made Wuming more confused.
This shouldn’t be possible… She was a pure-blooded blood clan member, so why could she taste things?
“Why is this happening…”
“I don’t know—”
Serena slumped back onto the sofa dejectedly. She had no idea what the cause was, and she wasn’t even sure if this was a good thing or not.
It left Serena feeling very worried.
“It just suddenly appeared. I don’t know why…”
“When did you find out?” Wuming asked.
“During the Halloween setup. I was curious what melon seeds tasted like so I tried one, and I got a faint aftertaste. But back then I wasn’t sure yet.”
“While waiting for you to come back, I remembered that and decided to test it with a potato chip. That’s when I confirmed I could taste things.”
“Incredible…”
After hearing the whole story, Wuming found it just as unbelievable as Serena did.
“Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?”
Serena shook her head.
“It’s completely normal. I don’t feel uncomfortable at all.”
“How strange…”
Wuming was at a loss.
After all, she didn’t understand the physiology of the blood clan, nor did she know what had caused this change in Serena.
“How about we ask Crosti later if she has any ideas?”
Wuming could only think of her for now. Maybe she would know something.
After all, Crosti was a blood clan member who could taste things, even if she was mixed-blood.
Serena agreed.
“Still, gaining a sense of taste for other foods is a good thing, right?”
Wuming suddenly changed the subject.
It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing that Serena could suddenly taste things.
And what if this was a sign she was gradually regaining her full sense of taste?
“Mmm… I guess so. It just feels a bit weird.” Serena said worriedly.
“Not knowing the reason makes me really anxious.”
“Don’t worry,” Wuming smiled comfortingly.
“You’ve been through so many storms and waves, Serena. Something this small won’t scare you.”
“That’s right!”
Serena perked up as if injected with energy after hearing her words.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of with something this minor!”
“Especially—”
Serena’s gaze turned to Wuming.
“Now that I have you by my side, I’m not afraid of anything!”
With that, Serena gave her a bright smile.
Not afraid of anything…
Wuming hadn’t expected being beside her would make Serena feel this way.