Chikage Utsuki/Moonlit Rose Castle

Chikage's Spice Ban

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Kumon	Sakuya-san, your devil costume really is adorable!
Sakuya	You too, Kumon. You look good in that Monster costume. It screams Halloween!
Muku	Citron-sama, no matter how many times I see you in that devil suit, I can’t help but think you suit that costume so well...!
Citron	Bow down to me fellas! I’m the great devil Citron coming from the bottom of the hell!
Chikage	...It sure is lively here.
Sakuya	Oh, Chikage-san!
Chikage	What are you all seeing?
Citron	Footage from the Tag Match Halloween!
Sakuya	Each of the costumes sure bring back memories.
Muku	What costume will you be wearing, Chikage-san?
Citron	If I’m not mistaken... A vampire.
Sakuya	I think you will fit the vampire costume well!
Citron	Role-building is important so that you will get into your vampire role!
Chikage	I’ve never thought that far.
Muku	Speaking of vampires..."Nocturnality" comes to mind!
Kumon	Azuma-san was super cool in that!
Sakuya	How the main character was torn by how he couldn’t drink blood even though he wanted it.... It sure fits Azuma-san’s vibes.
Muku	Right! And the fact that he had to endure his thirst for blood and how he could express that painful feelings...!
Citron	In that case, Chikage, you should also smile off something, just like Reo!
Chikage	Smile off? They sure are one cheerful vampire. I think the correct word should be, “swear off.”
Kumon	In that case... Chikage-san, why don’t you refrain from eating spicy food?
Sakuya	But stopping yourself from eating your favorite food seems hard.
Citron	But this is for his role-building! You heard that, Chikage? No spicy food for a while!
Chikage	...Well, I think it’d be great to try that if I have the chance.
Chikage	I’m home.
Izumi	Welcome back, Chikage-san.
Chikage	Are we having Arrabbiata for dinner tonight? It looks delish.
Omi	I’ve also prepared the spice you’ve been into these days.
Chikage	How thoughtful of you, Omi. I expected no less from you. Alright, I’m gonna change clothes and–.
Citron	...Wait.
Izumi	Citron-kun?
Citron	Chikage is currently refrained from eating spices.
Omi	Oh, really?
Chikage	No, I’ve never said tha...
Kumon	Don’t tell me are we doing the whole role-building thingy for real!?
Tsumugi	Now that you mention it, avoiding your favorite food sure is a good way for role-building, since vampires usually hold back from drinking blood.
Izumi	Yeap, I agree. I support that idea!
Citron	Good luck, Chikage! Treat it as a trial to be a cool vampire!
Chikage	...
	...Guess I’ve got no choice, then.

Chikage	...
Itaru	Nice work today, senpai.
Chikage	Oh, hey, Chigasaki.
Itaru	Are you on your lunch break?
Chikage	Well, yeah.
Itaru	Can you come with me, then?
Chikage	How rare of you to be asking me such a thing. I have a bad feeling about this.
Itaru	That’s rude of you.
	You’re currently refrained from eating spices, right?
	So I figured you won’t eat anything spicy for lunch.
Chikage	That look... You’re having fun, aren’t you?
Itaru	I just want to have lunch with you, though?
Chikage	...Fine. You pick the restaurant.
Itaru	Hm? I didn’t think you’d agree this easily.
Chikage	It’s for my role-building, after all.
Itaru	How about pancakes, then?
	My female co-workers said there’s a new delicious restaurant nearby.
Chikage	Two men eating pancakes... That’ll be a whole different trial.
Itaru	Let’s have one with lots of sweet syrup on top.
Chikage	You’re really having fun with this, aren’t you?
	...phew.
Hisoka	Zzz...
Chikage	This sleepyhead is sleeping in such a place again...
Hisoka	...I’m not sleeping.
Izumi	Oh, you’re home, Chikage-san.
Chikage	Yep, I’m home.
Hisoka	...
Chikage	...What?
Hisoka	...You’re in a bad mood, Chikage.
Chikage	Huh?
Hisoka	Is it because the spice refraining-thing?
Chikage	....
	...You don’t need to say it out loud.
Izumi	(Huh? Chikage-san is in a bad mood...? I didn’t notice it at all...)
	(That’s Hisoka-san for you. He knows him well.)
	Are you all right? You don’t need to force yourself...
Chikage	I’m fine. Don’t mind what this sleepyhead said.
Hisoka	If I were in your shoes, I couldn’t hold back from eating marshmallows.
Chikage	In your case, you need to hold back a little bit. ...Good night.
Hisoka	...He really is in a bad mood.
Izumi	(Is Chikage-san all right...)
	(Today is tiring as well... But!)
	(My go-to curry restaurant is launching a new menu today!)
	(I could work hard at work because I looked forward to it!)
	(I can’t wait to see what kind of curry it is...!)
???	–Director-san?

Izumi	Chikage-san!
Chikage	On your way home?
Izumi	Yep. You too?
Chikage	Yeah.
Izumi	So you didn’t bring your car today, huh.
Chikage	Due to work’s circumstances, I took the train today.
	Are you heading somewhere?
Izumi	Yup! You see–.
	(Wait. Chikage-san is currently refrained from eating spices.)
	(Is it okay for me to tell him I’m going to eat something he can’t eat even if he wants to...?)
Chikage	Are you perhaps going to try out that restaurant’s new menu?
Izumi	How do you know?
Chikage	You looked troubled.
Izumi	...As expected of you.
Chikage	Just go, no need to mind me.
Izumi	But...
Chikage	I’m planning to go eat them once this role-building thing is over.
Izumi	...
	...On second thoughts, I won’t go today.
Chikage	Why?
Izumi	Let’s eat it together once your role-building period is over!
Chikage	...You don’t need to be that considerate of me.
CHOICE 1: Food will taste more delicious if you eat it with someone else. [+] Izumi Food will taste more delicious if you eat it with someone else. And I want to talk about curry with you. Chikage –. Fine. Guess I have no choice, then. I’ll keep you company. Izumi Hey, what’s with that tone!? Chikage You’re the one who invited me, though? Izumi You have a point... (I can’t accept it, but... Oh, well.)
CHOICE 2: It’s because curry will never go away! [+] Izumi It’s because curry will never go away! Chikage Well, it’d be scary if a curry has feet and runs away. Izumi I don’t mean it that way, though!? Chikage I’m joking. Still, you don’t need to hold back, Director-san. Izumi It’s fine! As long as it can help you with your role-building.
Chikage	...Thanks.
	I feel like the food you have been holding back from eating will taste so much more delicious once you eat it again.
	I guess this is how a vampire feels when they try to endure their thirst for blood.
Izumi	Ahaha, you’re right.
	(Looks like the whole refraining thing is showing its effect.)
Itaru	Ugh, I’m dead. Good job on overtime work, me.
	(Come to think of it, senpai said he’d be going home quickly today.)
	(Maybe he’s eating some spicy food somewhere since his role-building period is over.)
Citron	...
Itaru	...Hm? Citron?
Citron	Ssh, Itaru!
Itaru	What are you doing?
Citron	I sense something strange coming from this room...
Itaru	This room... It’s my room, though.
Citron	I can feel a strong, evil sense...
Itaru	Evil sense...? Now I’m curious.
Citron	Try opening the door for now! Trust my intuition.
Itaru	Yeah, yeah.
Chikage	...
Itaru	!?
Chikage	...Mixing these two spices together might be a good idea.
Citron	Ooh! What a strong smell!
	Ouch, my eyes! Poisonous gas is generated!
Itaru	Senpai... What are you doing?
Chikage	Mixing death sauce.
	Nothing beats a spice after you haven’t had it in a long time.
Itaru	Please don’t make it sound like you’re drinking alcohol.
Citron	Don’t do something rash, Chikage! You’ll die if you eat that much!
Chikage	Don’t underestimate how much I can endure spiciness.
	That’s right. Let’s try adding ghost pepper powder.
	I’m looking forward to seeing how it tastes...
Citron	That sauce is so red it looks like blood~.
Itaru	...His role-building is a success in that sense.

nids.