My Horny Stepmom Turns Me into Her Vampire Slave

Chapter 133: B - An unexpected savior

"I’ll say this one last time: let those two kids go and get out of here. Do exactly as I say and don’t piss me off — I’m in a very bad mood today," Miori hisses in a flat, icy voice, her sapphire-blue eyes shifting between Kaito and Hiroshi.

"And who the fuck is this supposed to be?" Kaito spits back.

He glances down at Aoshi with a smirk.

"Hey, stick boy, happy now? Looks like mommy showed up to save your ass."

"Whoever she is, she’s definitely hotter than this flat-chested chick," Hiroshi adds, pulling his hand away and shoving Ayane aside.

"I warned you. Now you’re fucked..." Miori sighs.

She slips off her ankle boots, leaving only her tights on her feet. Then she carefully sets her glittering black handbag on the ground.

Without warning, she explodes into motion.

In an instant, she closes the distance and drives a brutal elbow strike straight into Kaito’s chest.

The impact knocks the air out of his lungs immediately, sending him crashing to the ground, gasping for breath.

A blow that would have been fatal if Miori hadn’t deliberately held back, using only enough force to take him out of the fight.

"So this kitty’s got claws. I like that..." Hiroshi chuckles, charging at Miori like a bulldozer.

But before he can even get close, Miori leaps into the air and drives a kick into the side of his head.

The impact leaves Hiroshi dazed. He stumbles backward until he crashes onto the pavement.

But it isn’t over yet.

"M-Miori... behind you!" Ayane screams.

"I don’t need you to tell me that," Miori replies coldly.

She spins around.

Kaito is already there, fist raised and ready to drive it into her face.

But with the phenomenal reflexes honed by nearly two decades of martial arts training, Miori moves first.

Her right foot shoots forward and slams into his knee.

A sharp crack echoes through the air.

She withdraws her leg and immediately follows with another kick, this time striking him under the chin.

The blow sends Kaito flying backward before he crashes onto the pavement, dazed and writhing in pain.

Throughout the entire exchange, Aoshi and Ayane can do nothing but stare at Miori in shock and gratitude.

A look they never imagined they would direct at her.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi manages to struggle back to his feet, his head throbbing and a thin trickle of blood running from his ear.

But his weak attempt at a counterattack dies instantly under a single look from Miori.

Cold, cynical, merciless eyes that make him abandon any thought of attacking her again.

"Pick up your friend and get out of here while you can still walk," Miori hisses.

Her words sound far more like a threat than a piece of advice.

Hiroshi doesn’t need to be told twice.

He staggers over to Kaito and somehow helps him back to his feet, dragging him away as quickly as he can.

"This isn’t over, bitch! This isn’t over!" Kaito snarls once they’re a safe distance away.

Miori doesn’t even acknowledge him.

Her gaze remains fixed on Aoshi, her with eyes filled with something that is almost pity, like someone looking at a wounded puppy.

"I-I never thought I’d say this, but... thank you, Miori," Ayane murmurs, immediately rushing to Aoshi’s side to help him up.

But Miori pays no attention to her.

Right now, it’s as if Aoshi is the only person in the world.

Miori extends a hand to help him to his feet.

He accepts it, though more out of fear of what refusing might provoke than out of gratitude.

"We’re even now," Miori says as she slips her high-heeled boots back on and picks up her elegant handbag.

"We’re even...? What do you mean...?" Aoshi asks, confused.

"You lost your job because of that mess involving my brother, didn’t you? As stupid and reckless as what you did was, I can’t help being grateful for it."

Then she tosses the handbag to him.

Aoshi catches it instinctively and turns it over in his hands, bewildered.

"I don’t expect you to recognize the brand," Miori continues. "But the bag and the wallet inside are probably worth four or five years of what that pathetic little part-time job paid you, plus a few thousand yen in cash that should still be in there. Sell everything and you shouldn’t have to worry about money for a while."

With that, she turns her back on them, ready to leave.

"N-No! It’s worth a fortune! I can’t accept this!" Aoshi stammers.

Experience has taught him that Miori and kindness rarely go together, and that every one of her actions—even the ones that seem sincere and selfless—usually hides some ulterior motive.

And Aoshi has no intention of falling for it again.

Miori immediately picks up on the suspicion in his voice.

"Don’t worry, Aoshi. I’m not playing any games this time, I swear on my little brother’s life," she says, a faint trace of sadness creeping into her voice. "I don’t have the time or the energy for childish schemes anymore. If you think there’s a catch, throw it away for all I care. What you do with it isn’t my concern. The fact that I’ve repaid my debt to you—and then some—is enough for me."

"A-Anyway... thank you, Miori..." Aoshi murmurs.

She merely waves a hand in farewell before disappearing into the crowd filling Nagano’s main street.

"B-By the way, Aoshi... d-do you remember when you said you’d buy me anything I wanted for my birthday?" Ayane asks, rubbing her hands together while staring wide-eyed at the beautiful black handbag covered in sparkling jewels.

"Forget it, Ayane," Aoshi replies firmly. "That bag doesn’t belong to us, and tomorrow morning I’m returning it to its rightful owner, along with everything inside. Remember who we’re dealing with—you can never trust that girl, no matter what she says. What do you think would happen if tomorrow she reported her incredibly expensive handbag stolen and—what a coincidence—I suddenly tried to sell it online? Or if someone saw you showing it off? We’d end up in jail for sure, and I don’t know about you, but I have absolutely no interest in that."

"Y-Yeah, you’re right..." she grumbles, crossing her arms and staring at the handbag with a mixture of longing and resignation.

"Before Kaito interrupted you, you were about to tell me something that sounded really important," Aoshi says.

The moment she hears those words, Ayane freezes and turns bright red.

Every bit of courage she had only moments ago vanishes completely.

"I-I don’t remember anymore, honestly," she replies, forcing a smile while her teeth chatter as though she were standing in freezing polar waters. "I-It obviously couldn’t have been that important if I’ve already forgotten it..."

"I see..."