“Well then, Miss Kamishiro, I’ll sit next to you.”

  Without hesitation, Amane Byakuya casually sat down beside Rize Kamishiro.

  He acted naturally, without any sign of deliberate effort.

  To be honest, suddenly starting a retionship with Rize Kamishiro—even if it was fake—felt quite interesting to him.

  What made it fascinating was the fact that he knew Rize’s true nature. Even though, in the end, she would definitely find a way to eat him, he was curious about what would happen in the meantime.

  As long as he didn’t mess up and get himself killed, there was no real danger—Rize wouldn’t attack him in public, not in this café, because the manager here was none other than the SSS-rated ghoul "Non-Killing Owl," the ruler of the 20th Ward.

  “Just call me Rize.”

  Rize Kamishiro immediately corrected him. “We’re already dating—why are you still being so formal?”

  “Alright, Rize-san,” Amane Byakuya nodded.

  ---Meanwhile, the news of their sudden retionship spread like wildfire through the café.

  Though most of the customers only showed expressions of surprise or whispered among themselves, no one dared to interfere.

  After all, few ghouls here had the guts to provoke Rize Kamishiro.

  Even Touka Kirishima, who was wiping down dishes at the counter, couldn’t help but gnce in their direction.

  ---Amane Byakuya and Rize Kamishiro actually had a lot to talk about—though, of course, that was because they were both actively trying to keep the conversation going.

  “What are your hobbies? I think we should start by getting to know each other’s interests.”

  At this, Rize asked curiously.

  “My hobbies? Reading, manga, and listening to music,” Amane Byakuya replied casually.

  Although he was just pying along with Rize’s act, these hobbies were actually his real interests.

  “I love reading! Especially books by Takatsuki-sensei.”

  At this point, he deliberately added a little extra, mentioning Takatsuki Sen.

  “Takatsuki-sensei? Oh, what a coincidence! I love her books too,” Rize said with a bright smile, as if she were genuinely interested.

  Of course, Amane Byakuya wasn’t fooled.

  In reality, Rize was simply mirroring his interests to manipute him.

  If he had said he liked another author instead, she would have cimed to love their books just as much.

  Watching her act so convincingly, Amane Byakuya couldn’t help but think—

  This woman is terrifying…

  If he had been an ordinary clueless guy, completely unaware of Rize’s true nature, he would have fallen for her charms in an instant—only to end up as her meal in the end.

  “What’s your top recommendation, Byakuya-kun? I’ve only just started reading Takatsuki-sensei’s books, so I haven’t read much yet.”

  “I think Takatsuki-sensei peaked with her debut. Her first novel, Dear Kafka, is a must-read. And her test book, The Hanging Man’s MacGuffin, is also great. Both are highly recommended.”

  “Oh! Dear Kafka! I know that one! The way the letters were used as a trick was absolutely shocking! Takatsuki-sensei’s short story collection is also fascinating—like Bck and White Paintings of a Rainbow.”

  Their conversation flowed smoothly, and from an outsider’s perspective, they seemed like a perfect match—a young couple deeply engrossed in each other’s interests.

  Too bad the reality was far from that.

  ---“So, what about your taste preferences?”

  Out of nowhere, Rize shifted the topic.

  “Huh?”

  “Do you prefer bck coffee, or do you like it with sugar? Maybe just a little, or extra sweet?” Rize asked in detail.

  “I prefer it bck,” Amane Byakuya replied.

  “Oh? I personally prefer mine with a little sugar. Byakuya-kun, why don’t you try mine? You might like it too.”

  Rize Kamishiro picked up her cup of coffee, fshing him a sweet smile.

  For an ordinary, inexperienced guy, this kind of gesture was nothing short of lethal. How many people could keep a clear head in this situation?

  If Amane Byakuya didn’t know Rize’s true nature, even he might have found it hard to resist her charm.

  Since things had already progressed this far, there was no point in backing down now.

  Taking the cup from Rize’s hands, he took a light sip. Despite his composed expression, he still felt a little awkward.

  【Ding! Host has completed an "Indirect Kiss" with Rize Kamishiro. Reward: 10 Fusion Points!】

  At that moment, a notification suddenly sounded in his mind.

  Amane Byakuya was momentarily surprised—he hadn’t expected this kind of interaction to also earn him Fusion Points.

  It seemed that choosing to continue interacting with Rize was the right decision. He could trigger system rewards at any moment.

  “How is it?”

  Rize leaned in slightly, watching his reaction with amusement.

  “Hm… Adding sugar isn’t bad, actually,” Amane Byakuya admitted.

  “Great! I was worried you wouldn’t like it.”

  Rize let out a small sigh of relief, pcing her right hand over her chest. She looked genuinely adorable.

  “You know, we both have Type D blood, we’re close in age, and we both love Takatsuki-sensei’s books… Now even our taste in coffee is simir.”

  At this moment, Rize deliberately made the atmosphere more intimate—but on the surface, she remained perfectly natural.

  “Yeah, we do seem to get along pretty well…”

  Amane Byakuya smiled.

  “Ah—sorry! I just remembered something I need to take care of. How about we meet here again at the same time tomorrow?”

  Rize suddenly looked apologetic.

  “No problem, that’s fine,” Amane Byakuya replied.

  “Then Byakuya-kun, make sure you come, okay? I still want to get to know you better.”

  Rize shot him a flirtatious wink—her intentions were obvious.

  “…Alright.”

  Amane Byakuya could see right through Rize’s little game of pying hard to get.

  If he were just an ordinary, clueless guy, he would probably spend the entire next day thinking about nothing but Rize Kamishiro.

  Shortly after, Rize left the café.

  As she stepped out of Anteiku, she maintained her usual calm and graceful demeanor, holding a small, elegant handbag in front of her with both hands—looking every bit the sophisticated young dy.

  However, beneath this serene and elegant fa?ade hid a ruthless and bloodthirsty “Binge Eater.”

  At this very moment, Rize’s mind was already scheming—plotting new ways to toy with Amane Byakuya.

  Byakuya’s unexpected confidence had piqued her interest.

  It made her think… perhaps this new game could be fun too.

  She would let this na?ve little human fall completely, hopelessly in love with her—and then, just when he was at his most vulnerable…

  She would give him the ultimate surprise.

  She could already imagine it—

  What kind of face would he make when she finally devoured him?

  Just the thought of it made her excited~