In exchange, she introduced herself with the best appeal she could muster. “My name is Ristia.”
“Ristia. Okay, Miss Ristia.”
“Miss... Ristia...” She hung her head in disappointment.
“Huh? W-Was I not supposed to call you that?”
“Um... no, I don’t mind, it’s just that...” Ristia had held out hope that maybe she would call her ‘Big Sis Ristia,’ so she was a little down in the dumps about that, but she scraped together her energy and tried to play it off.
“So what exactly are you, Miss Ristia?”
“Huh? Why, I’m a normal girl.”
“A ‘normal’ girl does not walk away fine from getting stabbed in the chest with a sword!”
“Grr...” Ristia started to look peevish. As far as Ristia was concerned, walking away fine from a little stab through the heart was perfectly normal. In fact, dying as a result of getting cut up a little would be more odd. However, seeing as how Nanami couldn’t even imagine that being the case, she let out a sigh.
“You cannot sweep this under the rug with cute pouting. A moment ago, you said that it was all the rapier’s doing, but Mr. Gawain had that rapier, and you blew him to kingdom come. Am I wrong?”
“Was blowing this Mr. Gawain away, by any chance, not okay?”
“W-Well... he was the one who tried to accost you, so it isn’t necessarily not okay... I think.”
“Ah, okay...” Nanami’s expression as she said “I think” looked rather unsure. Basically, it was technically okay, but it was considered overkill. That was the way that Ristia perceived it.
“...Wait, so back on topic, you’re not going to sweep things under the rug that way, okay? Now, Miss Ristia, tell me. What are you?
“But I’m just a normal girl...”
“Okay... allow me to change my phrasing. Miss Ristia, you are not human, are you?”
“I mean, I...”
Ristia was in a sticky situation. After all, she knew that if her small display of strength was enough to scare her, then coming out as a True Blood princess would probably serve to scare her even more.
“I’m assuming that you don’t want to say it? I’m... right, aren’t I? After the heinous things that Mr. Gawain was trying to do to you earlier, I guess I cannot blame you for not trusting me.” Nanami was paying consideration for the savior of her life in her own way. She would be lying if she said that she didn’t have her concerns, but she ultimately came to the conclusion that putting the person who saved her life through the wringer with questions was rude. Although, despite that... Ristia was sweating bullets over Nanami’s interaction. After all, Ristia knew that getting Nanami to call her ‘Big Sis’ would be a complete dead-end if Nanami believed she was withholding facts just because she was being cautious of her.
“This is absolutely not a trust issue!”
“You don’t have to force yourself. You were just stabbed with a sword, so it’s only natural you would have your doubts about me.”
“Unghh, I’m telling the honest truth! Nanami, I do not suspect you of anything!” Ristia was desperate; she wanted to get close to this girl. “I honestly swear to you, I do not suspect you. It’s just that, um, well... you know. If I told you who I was, then you might get scared of me like before... maybe.”
“Scared? Do you mean that I would get scared even though I’m the one who asked you who you are?”
“M-Mm-hmm. You mean, you... won’t get scared?” She asked Nanami with nervous puppy dog eyes. With Ristia’s gaze upon her, Nanami’s cheeks reddened.
“I-I will admit that you do come across as somewhat intimidating, but I owe my life to you, nonetheless. I will not be getting scared.”
“...Really?” Ristia timidly asked.
“I’m sorry for being out of my wits earlier. I might end up surprised or what have you, but you will not see me afraid as I was then. I promise.” Ristia’s looks and behavior were entirely too cute, which was why Nanami scrambled to encourage Ristia, who seemed nervous and uneasy. As a result, the good-natured Ristia bought Nanami’s words wholeheartedly.
“Oh, thank you~! The truth is, I’m the youngest daughter of the True Bloods.”
Nanami was petrified.
“......Huh? T-True Bloods? By ‘True Bloods,’ you wouldn’t happen to mean... the first vampire tribe that ruled this continent up until a millennium ago... would you?”
“Yup! I’m vampiric royalty!”
Nanami’s face froze up in a way that it never had before.
“Huh? Um, pardon... something the matter?”
“O-Oh, nothing! Not at all! I’m not the least bit... scared... Nope!” Nanami fought to state that as she shivered all over. She was obviously scared, but she was probably trying to feign it for dear life because she had promised she wouldn’t feel any fear.
“Um, erm... I’m sorry?”
“N-No, I should be the one who is sorry. You saved me, so I know you have no intentions of killing me, and yet...” Nanami murmured, then gasped when she realized what she had said. She then nervously looked at Ristia. “U-Um, would you mind if I asked you one thing?”
“Huh? You don’t have to stop at one thing. You can ask me as much as you’d like, but... Yes, what is it?”
“Lady Ristia, you’re the youngest daughter of the True Bloods... which would mean you’re a vampire princess, correct?”
“...Lady Ristia...”
She sighed, lamenting her siblingship slipping further away from her grasp.
“...Um, is something wrong?”
“No, no, it’s nothing. Erm... you’re basically asking if I’m a vampire, right? That I am. I am the True Blood princess. A vampire.”
“Then, could it be that... you saved my life because you are going to, um... make me your kinswoman?”
“Huh?! W-Well, um, err...”