The atmosphere on this street was absolutely dreadful. Maxim could almost feel something behind him with the back of his head. ‘Ah, I can’t even eat those,’ Maxim thought regretfully. Perhaps he might have tried to feed on its essence, but… no, he preferred something more alive.
And he really did bump into the stranger by chance. He immediately caught Maxim’s interest! This wasn’t just some random passer-by! He must have known something about those creatures, since he managed to deal with them! Who on earth is he? A hunter? The Mafia? Maxim had plenty of questions. So Maxim immediately switched on his charm (as he called it).
❝ Maybe I could make friends with them! Who knows~ ❞
Maxim knew. Maxim knew full well that he couldn’t. But the main thing was to say it and make it sound dramatic. He studied the stranger, gazing intently at the smoke from their cigarette.
He really did wonder: could these shadows do anything to a dead being like Maxim, with his demonic abilities? He’d only ever dealt with the living, certainly not with the souls of the dead, at least, that’s what he’d decided to call them for now.
❝ Doe? Nice to meet you~ I’m Maxim. ❞ But then his eyes flew open as if Doe had said something astonishing, or even offensive. ❝ What do you mean, you can’t!? You can! What sort of oddballs are these with little teeth? They’re cute, aren’t they~? Do you hunt them? You must be a collector, right? ❞