Chapter 774: A New Phase Part 10

"...Pandora, I’m honestly scared..." Fanni says while we sit under a tree on campus, her head resting on my thighs as she looks up at my face and chest.

"Scared of what?" We were talking about the future and what job she wants. Depending on what she picks, I’ll choose a job where I can be her boss. It’ll be fun.

Would she start developing an inferiority complex if she’s always beneath me? Right now she only has a genuine friendship with me, but it would be entertaining to watch her start to get jealous.

"Several professors and students have been showing up dead lately... the number is terrifying..." She speaks, her tail moving anxiously and her ears flattening.

’Ah, right... I’ve been going a little overboard...’ When I arrived in this world, I planned to kill periodically at set intervals, but to hold myself back from killing Fanni, I simply redirected all the murders to other people.

But silly little Fanni sometimes says or does things that make me want to devour her even more, and to keep from doing it, I redirect that urge onto random people. So it’s partly her fault more people are dying than necessary.

"Don’t worry about it. I bet nothing will happen to you as long as you follow the police safety guidelines—don’t go out at night, stay home after nine p.m., and above all, anyone who finishes studying or working at five p.m. should go straight home and avoid places where they’d spend too much time and end up out after dark."

"If you follow those rules, nothing will affect you, since the criminal who’s been killing these people only does it late at night with people who are alone," I tell her with a gentle smile.

"...That’s scary... I haven’t seen any yet, but there are photos circulating online, and from what I’ve heard, it’s really horrifying."

"I know. Brutally destroyed bodies. Something has been devouring them," I say in agreement. Photos started leaking online because people find the bodies before the police can seal off the area, and the police haven’t been able to keep up with the flood of messages and videos being posted.

"...Do you think it’s a person, Pandora? My sister’s classmate has a father who’s a cop, and I heard everything is really confusing because the bite marks match a jaw similar to a human’s, but much more savage."

’Well, that makes sense. I just bite and pull, so the impression of my jaw gets left behind, but since I usually yank, the bite must be distorted...’

"Why do you think it would be a person? You think the killer is some crazy cannibal or something?"

"I don’t know... why would someone do that? It’s so... evil to kill people like that. Our biology teacher apparently didn’t die from being attacked—she was forced to swallow needles!! That’s disturbing. Whoever this killer is, they need to be caught and given the death penalty."

"...Hmm... so you support the death penalty for heinous crimes?"

"...Yes, because if it is a person doing this, wouldn’t they just do it again if they were kept in society? Like, it’s really different from someone committing a robbery! It’s cruel torture!!!" Despite what she says, her expression is one of pure discomfort.

"Besides, whatever’s been devouring the bodies is also terrible!! Some of those people were still alive while they were being eaten!!" She really does look like she’s getting sick talking about this.

’I forgot how sensitive people can be about death... if Fanni saw a body, she’d probably pass out...’ I gently stroke her head.

"I also support the death penalty in this case. I agree with you—this heinous, cruel, sadistic killer should be put to death. That is, if they ever catch him. I honestly also think it’s a person. Maybe it’s a person and some dangerous animal working together?"

"R-Really!! There’s no way to know, but I wish they’d catch him soon. I’m scared my family might be affected. My younger sister studies at our college at a different time, and I’d be devastated if she died." She agrees, snuggling closer into my arms.

"Pandora... I want to change the subject... how about we talk about... hmm... ahh... why do you always smell strange?"

"...Do I stink?" I ask her, having switched to a subject completely unrelated to what we were just talking about.

"No!! That’s not it!! It’s just that you always smell like flowers, but also this strange, strong scent that I can’t quite place! But it’s not bad! It’s unique. Whenever you get close, I recognize your smell, even though it barely lingers in the air."

"Fanni, it’s a perfume I make. It’s made from some very specific flowers, seventy percent alcohol, and certain specific glucose compounds." Blood. I use a lot of my victims’ blood in my perfume. It blends perfectly with the scent of blood on my phone screen and keeps people from realizing it’s the smell of blood. The aroma is slightly earthy and metallic, yet floral and sweet.

"Wow!! You’re amazing! You can always do so many things! Have you thought about what you’ll do after you finish college?" She asks curiously, changing the subject again.

"I haven’t chosen what I want to do yet. What about you? Have you thought of anything?" I don’t want to work just for the sake of working. I want to work in something that gives me access to more delicious victims. In that case, working alongside Fanni, and once she dies, maybe I’ll go into medicine since I’d have constant contact with bodies and people I could kill.

"I’m thinking about medicine or culinary arts. I like helping people, and my grades would let me get into medicine, though with some difficulty. But I also like cooking. I think I’ll finish this first year before changing my major and focusing only on those subjects."

’Culinary arts...’ I smile at her. Now that caught my attention.

"I like that. I think I’ll go into one of those two with you. Cooking is fun—I love trying new foods. And medicine suits you. You’d be a really famous doctor, I’m sure of it." When I compliment her, her smile starts to grow.

"Really? You’ll choose whatever I choose?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... now I feel pressured... I don’t want you to waste your talents just to follow me... you’re good at cooking, I know that, but do you know anything about medicine?"

"More than you’d think."

"Okay!! I’ll think about it a little!! It’ll be great to spend more time with you! We could be professional colleagues."

"I agree. It’ll be great to spend more time with you, my cute little kitty."