Episode 9
TL;DR
Zero dreams of a woman suggesting an unbreakable bond between them, while Yagari informs Cross that the woman Zero despises is still alive. At Cross Academy, excitement over an upcoming ball causes chaos, and new transfer student Maria Kurenai arrives, quickly stirring tension with her bold actions. Maria’s playful antics continue as she disrupts the Night Class and requests to move to their original dormitory, which Kaname permits. Zero grows suspicious of Maria, speculating that Shizuka may have altered her appearance. Kaname reveals to Ichijo that Maria’s presence and the assembly of her “pawns” at the academy are part of his plan. Elsewhere, Maria hints at an interest in Zero, teasing the masked man who accompanies her.
Recap
Zero dreams of a mysterious woman who cryptically suggests they share an unbreakable bond before he awakens. Meanwhile, Yagari informs Cross that the woman Zero loathes is still alive. At Cross Academy, excitement builds among the Day Class for the upcoming ball, though their enthusiasm also causes chaos, pushing Yuki through the halls. Aido escalates their jealousy by pulling Yuki into the Night Class building, only for Zero to drag her back outside. Elsewhere, the enigmatic girl and masked man from the previous episode arrive at the academy. Cross introduces the girl as Maria Kurenai, a new transfer student, and asks Yuki to guide her.
Maria’s bold entrance to the Night Class stirs tension. She playfully teases Aido, and her audacity to touch Kaname unsettles the entire class. Kaname calmly tells her to focus on introductions, after which she departs. Later, Yuki confesses to Zero her fear that he will leave to seek revenge on the vampire who destroyed his family. Soon after, Maria confronts Zero and Yuki, prompting Zero to draw his gun on her, but Yuki intervenes. Maria introduces herself, under Aido’s watchful gaze.
In class, Maria continues her playful behavior, taking a note from Shiki and disrupting the Night Class. She later requests to move into the Night Class’s original dormitory, citing discomfort in her current quarters, and Kaname agrees. Akatsuki shares with Hanabusa that Maria has a frail constitution and a mysterious background, while Hanabusa links her to the pureblood Shizuka Hio, rumored to have vanished after the Kiryu family tragedy.
Maria’s antics continue as Ichijo chases her through campus, drawing attention from the Day Class. When Yuki tries to intervene, Zero stops her, warning her to stay away from Maria. Hanabusa briefly distracts Yuki with a hug, sparking more jealousy among the Day Class girls. Suspicious of Maria, Zero talks to Aido alone, who tells him of the Kurenai family’s distant relation to the Hio family. Zero begins to wonder if Shizuka could have altered her appearance to evade capture. As Aido notes that Zero and Shizuka have a bond soaked in blood, Zero senses Maria watching him through a window, intensifying his unease about her intentions. At the same time, Yuki hides from the girls and encounters Ichijo, who reflects on the loyalty that purebloods command, noting that Kaname rarely uses the pureblood ability to compel other vampires to obey him. Meanwhile, Kaname instructs Ichijo to monitor Maria, explaining that her presence and the assembly of her “pawns” at the academy are part of a deliberate plan he orchestrated.
Elsewhere, Maria’s playful demeanor shifts as she teases the masked man, hinting at her interest in Zero while sparking jealousy in her companion. Though she considers biting the masked man, she ultimately refrains, leaving him visibly disappointed.