Magic Tricks

-----Kaede's POV

Once we made it back to Yui's place, we were greeted by her parents, but unlike last time, I didn't bother putting on my contacts. Of course they noticed but they never questioned me about it. If anything, all they did was complimented me, much like Yui did the first time she saw these eyes of mine.

Yui's Mom: "Alright, here we are~"

After having dinner, I thought that'd be it, but it seems like there's still more as Yui's mom puts down a plate in front of me. It's not a huge deal to eat such flavorless food, but I can't help but feel a tinge of dissatisfaction upon looking at what's in front of me.

Kaede: "Cake?"

Yui's Mom: "To celebrate your recovery."

She's so sweet... It's times like this that I wish I maintained my previous body. Just like the dinner earlier, I know I'll just have to fight through in order to finish this. It pains me to lie to her parents like this, but I just don't want them to hate me.

Kaede: "Thank you..."

Yui's Mom: "Hehehe~"

Yui's Dad: "Just save some for the rest of us! Haha."

Yui: "Dad. This is Kaede's cake."

Yui's Dad: "Ahh, I know, but my second stomach is craving some now after seeing it, haha."

Kaede: "Well, I don't think I can eat all of this. So please, help yourselves."

It's bad enough having to eat knowing that I can't taste such a pretty cake. So I may as well share it with everyone.

After I handed out everyone's slices, they all waited for me to take the first bite. I waste no time, wanting to just get this over with just like with dinner. But the moment I take the first bite with a fork, it feels like my taste buds have been reawakened as my eyes open wide in surprise.

Kaede: "C-coffee?"

Yui's Mom: "Mhmm! Originally I was thinking about a carrot cake, but Yui told me you liked coffee flavored things, so I scrapped that idea. Sorry it took so long to make."

Kaede: "N-no! That's okay... I'm..."

I'm honestly shocked that I can taste again. I knew back in the old world that I could taste alcohol, and at the time, I did wonder if there were any other things that I could potentially taste. But to think that coffee is one of them as well...

Yui's Mom: "Eh? K-Kaede, are you okay?"

Kaede: "Eh?"

Yui's Dad: "Oi oi~ Don't tell me the cake's really that good."

Kaede: "U-uhm-"

Yui: "Kaede."

With Yui sitting next to me, I notice that she has quite a concerned look on her face. I'm honestly a bit puzzled, but that was when I felt a single tear glide down my cheek.

Kaede: "Huh?"

Yui's Mom: "D-do you not like the cake?"

But her mom's words instantly snap me back to reality as I quickly look to her.

Kaede: "It's really good! Thank you very much!"

And without wasting another second, I take a second bite as the cake melts in my mouth, firing off countless explosions on my taste buds. I can't help but savor the taste before swallowing, but that only makes a few more tears slip out between the cracks as we all begin eating with one another. I feel as though I've found something that connects me back to the old Kaede... Who knew that I'd still be able to taste this again. Ahh~ The tears aren't stopping aren't they.

...

Yui: "Hahh~ I'm stuffed."

After tidying up the kitchen with her family, Yui and I head up to her room as she collapses on her bed, facing the ceiling.

Kaede: "Y-yeah..."

Yui: "But I honestly didn't expect that reaction! I knew mom's cakes were good, but you actually cried?"

Kaede: "I... It's just been a long time since I tasted something like that."

Yui: "Huh? But didn't we go to the café not too long ago?"

Kaede: "I'm talking about the other world."

Yui: "Ahh~"

I end up sitting on the side of the bed as Yui begins to sit back up.

Kaede: "You know our talk earlier, about me being a vampire and all?"

Yui: "Mm."

Kaede: "And how I couldn't taste anything?"

Yui: "Mm- ah! Wait, so you couldn't taste the dinner we just had?!"

I simply nod at her as she seemed to have understood.

Yui: "Wait, but there's no alcohol in the cake-"

Kaede: "Yeah. Which is why it came as a surprise."

Yui: "So you're saying that you teared up because you didn't expect to taste the cake?"

Kaede: "...It really was delicious."

Delicious enough that it was tempting to take back what I said about sharing it with everyone else. Seeing Yui's dad eat such a large potion was quite sad to watch after knowing that I could taste it. Heh, I guess I'm starting to be a bit possessive with things I can taste, huh.

Yui: "Pfft. Then that just means mom has to make more coffee flavored cakes."

Kaede: "I wouldn't wanna be a nuisance."

Yui: "Oh please. She loves you, Kaede. I bet she sees you as an excuse for her to bake again."

Kaede: "As long I'm not a bother then..."

This is a big revelation to me though. I'm pretty sure coffee was a thing in the other world, but I never bothered to try it. But that was probably because of my distaste for actual coffee before I was reborn there, so I never actually made that discovery. But now... Maybe I might want to try it out.

Yui: "But vampires, huh."

Kaede: "Hmm?"

Yui: "You think you can still use magic in this world too?"

Kaede: "Fufu."

Knowing where this conversation is going, I raise my hand in front of us as I slowly conjure up a small ball of light in the palm of my hand.

Yui: "Ahh~"

She simply gazes at the ball in my hands as I slowly give it more mana, making it shine brighter before moving it around in front of us.

Kaede: "I'm still shocked that this even works to be honest."

Yui: "Well, this 'is' something you'd see in a fantasy story, haha."

I'll keep my vampiric magic to myself though. It might be too much for Yui as she is right now. So for now, I'll stick with light magic.

Kaede: "It's 'cause of my sister."

Yui: "Eh?! Wait, you have a sister?"

Kaede: "Fufu. Yeah. That's what we started to call each other. I talked about her before. Selene."

Yui: "Ah~ The girl that you took over?"

Kaede: "Yeah. I think it's because of her that my body has changed this much in this world."

Yui: "Like your eyes."

Kaede: "Mhmm. And my height."

Yui: "Ah! I knew you grew taller!"

Kaede: "Hehe. Yeah. But it's not just that. My skin has grown a little paler as well. My face, chest, waist... They're all changing back to how they were back then."

If I'm honest, I'm happy that my body is changing back to how it was in that world. Makes it seems like my body is calling for that world as much as myself. But how does Yui feel about it? I turn to the side to look, but Yui quickly averts her eyes as I notice her ears are practically glowing red.

Kaede: "Fufu. Did I say something weird?"

Yui: "W-well, no."

Kaede: "Hmmm?~"

I lean in closer as our shoulder collide with one another.

Kaede: "Then what is it?"

Yui: "I... I just didn't think you could look any more pretty than you normally were."

Kaede: "...Pfft!"

Yui: "W-what's so funny?~

Even with this world's Yui, I still can't help but get the urge to tease her.

Kaede: "I just missed teasing you is all~"

Yui: "...Unfair."

Kaede: "Fufufu."

Wanting Yui to calm down, I change the ball of light into several strings before slowly forming an image of a star.

Yui: "Pretty."

Kaede: "You know, technically, monsters in that world aren't supposed to use this kind of magic."

Yui: "See? Then even the world agrees with me that you're not a monster."

Kaede: "...You're just like the Yui I know."

Yui: "Eh?"

Kaede: "Whenever I was down like that, she'd always say stuff like that to me. Accepting me no matter how disgusting I was. Although there's things I've done that I never told her, I know that if I did, I know for certain that she'd accept me regardless."

I then collect back all the strings of light before forming a small dagger in my hand.

Kaede: "I've done... Many horrific things, but no matter what, she still looked past it and saw me for who I was."

Yui: "...You miss her."

Kaede: "Of course I do. I miss everyone back home. Especially, Mell..."

Just thinking about what might happen to her again pisses me off as I find myself clenching hold of the handle of the light dagger in my hand. I know she's not even born yet, and I know she'll have a family there for her, but to me, she's my daughter. Her parents were careless, abandoning their child to monsters. Mell never had any ill will towards them, but that doesn't change my feelings. Mell isn't their daughter... She's mine.

Kaede: "Sicily and Lillian too... I need to get there as soon as possible."

Yui: "..."

Suddenly, I feel my arm being grabbed by Yui as she's now the one leaning in against my shoulder.

Yui: "I'll try and help in any way I can."

Kaede: "Yui..."

Yui: "I may not know what to do, but if there's anything, please tell me."

Kaede: "...Okay."

Yui... I know I shouldn't take you with me if I do find a way, but it won't be the same. If I'm to find a way, then I need a way for Yui to return back to this world. It sounds impossible after everything Mai has said to me, but my connection with Selene is highly unique. So there's got to be a way to bridge our worlds together... Right?