A week passed. If Leo were a typical dullahan, he would soon lose his head and yearn for a new one, or else die a lame death.
He nervously waited for something to happen, sitting on the sofa in Yvonne's living room. She was beside him, holding a pad and playing a game.
Leo also had a pad, but he couldn't focus. As much as he wanted to be casual, he just couldn't.
He had been training to grow stronger and even learned how to separate his head from his neck. He could do it with a thought or by lifting his head with his hands.
His head could then fly around. A new sense of vision appeared in his body, letting him see as though he had two pairs of eyes, even though his headless body showed no visible eyes.
Aside from that, he had not learned more about his dullahan self. Instead, he had bonded with Yvonne through training, games, food, reading, and music.
Sometimes, she let him stare at her for a few seconds before snapping him out of it and carrying on with her tasks. He didn't know if she was teasing him or simply aware of her beauty, but he enjoyed it wholeheartedly.
None of that would matter if he lost his head. That was why Leo was so stressed.
Shit, it was fun. Like a paid vacation.
I don't know if I'll ever experience something like this again, but it was great to fool around with someone as beautiful as her.
Leo glanced at the clock. Only a few minutes remained until he would learn the truth.
Time moved so slowly that he tapped the floor with his foot and sighed aloud.
Then the alarm on his phone rang. Leo jumped from the sofa.
Fuck! I set an alarm and forgot about it!
But wait, it's about time. My head!
He grabbed his head, refusing to let go, even though it was pointless. If his head vanished the same way that other dullahan had, holding it would not help.
A few minutes passed, then two more, then five. Nothing happened.
Leo didn't feel any thirst, and his head stayed in place. He plopped onto the sofa and laughed aloud.
"Safe!"
He turned and looked at Yvonne in her casual clothes. She wore a simple black hoodie and short jeans, sitting cross-legged on the sofa as she continued her game.
She felt Leo's stare, turned to him, and smiled. "There's a lot of potential in you," she said. "Congratulations on making it this far. You can leave my apartment. Is there somewhere you want to go?"
"Yeah. Tomorrow, my mom will make dinner for us. Then I can focus on this hunter business… or dullahan business."
He felt emotional about surviving. His parents still had their son, and he wanted to see them, hug them, and taste his mother's cooking before getting stronger.
Yvonne agreed with his decision. They went to his parents' home.
"In just a week! I'm so proud of you!" Leo's mom said, wiping her tears when she saw Leo come home with Yvonne.
Leo's dad nodded a few times and smiled widely. "You've topped your father, Leo."
Leo smirked.
Yeah, I forgot about their image of Yvonne and me. Oh well, who am I to correct them?
She must have noticed and isn't saying anything, so I'll let them stay in their bubble. Maybe the future will favor me, and things between us will become as intimate as my parents think.
He went about the visit calmly, because being alive mattered most. He relished his mother's dinner and talked with his parents.
Once they finished, it was time for Leo to learn more about dullahans and hunters.
"You must visit us next Sunday too! Yvonne, please take care of our silly boy!" Leo's mother said, and her husband nodded.
Leo rolled his eyes, and Yvonne gave a brief nod. In her car, he looked around the city, appreciating even the silly billboards that advertised heroes' social media.
Most of the heroes wore outdated costumes that Leo never liked. He only enjoyed the revealing outfits some heroines had.
"There's something I've noticed," Leo said.
"What is it?" Yvonne asked.
"I think I don't feel pain. I haven't felt it for a while, now that I think about it. I thought I had a good tolerance, but I really don't feel it. I didn't even feel it when that bastard beheaded me, so this must be related to my ability to become a dullahan."
"Good observation. Those are useful takeaways," Yvonne said.
Her praise made him giggle. His friends would have teased him for smiling too much, but he did not mind.
He tried to learn more about hunters, but Yvonne told him he would find out at their headquarters. Unable to squeeze more information from her, he gave up and switched to casual topics.
"I hate how Japanese webnovels update only once a week, and it's usually just one or two thousand words. Come on."
Yvonne squeezed the steering wheel. "Lazy bastards," she said with a nod.
Soon, she pulled up at the Hunters Headquarters. From the outside, it looked like a large hall that anyone could rent.
There were many halls like that, and Leo realized they all belonged to hunters. It reminded him of a factory.
"Since you have registered with our company online, we will begin your training right away," Yvonne said. "Zeke will be your sparring partner."
Leo harrumphed.
Yeah, she definitely knows what my parents think of us. Maybe she even knows about Zeke's feelings for her, since he was so pissed when we dropped him off a week ago.
Women are so shrewd. Only my mama is truly gentle.