[Parallel World] A Banquet

Note: The Parallel World series happened in a parallel universe; the plot and settings are completely unrelated to the previous story. This Yuka is still the famous "Vase."

Kenji's thoughts drifted to the scent of roses—the pheromones from Yuka, the faint bite mark she left on his gland, the warmth of her breath as she spoke close to his ear, and the gentleness of her touch on his cheek...

He made perfunctory conversation with people trying to cozy up to him and walked deeper into the castle, planning to leave after an hour.

Suddenly, a flash of pink caught his peripheral vision. Kenji looked up sharply but didn't see Yuka.

'Am I seeing things?'

Frowning, he noticed Ayoi from the Beatrix family, whom he had seen with Yuka before. He approached her quickly and asked, "Excuse me, is Yuka here?"