Strike the Blood - Volume 15 - Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE 

SIGNS OF DISASTER 

1 

“True, I promised Nagisa I’d go out and shop for her today…” 

Wearing the hood of his parka so it partially covered his eyes, Kojou Akatsuki listlessly shook his head. 

He was at a specially prepared event space at Thetis Mall, Itogami Island’s largest amalgamated commercial structure. 

The spacious, wide-open hall was full of glossy glass showcases with beautiful little pastries displayed as if they were precious gemstones. Curious customers had gathered all around, packing the narrow corridor to the brim, with fierce struggles over rare commodities taking place inside the shops. 

The throngs possessed a bloodlust rivaling that of a packed electric train in a major city. 

The one saving grace was that the vast majority of the customers assembled there were young women. 

“All the same, I didn’t hear one damn word about it being a place selling Valentine chocolates. I feel really, reeeally uncomfortable here, okay?!” 

“These are… These are for Valentine’s Day…” 

Yukina Himeragi, bewildered and frozen in place, murmured this with a trembling voice. It had not even been half a year since she had come to the island. This was her first time seeing with her own eyes the fiercely fought Valentine chocolate wars specific to Itogami Island. 

On Itogami Island, far removed from the mainland, the high-class chocolates for gift giving were not imported in large quantities, because the shipping costs were prohibitive due to the hot, humid climate. 

Furthermore, a Demon Sanctuary had special circumstances; even within the nation of Japan, Itogami Island was the only place to obtain commodities that suited the palates of vampires, beast people, artificial life-forms, and any other diversities of demons. 

With all these circumstances lumped together, at this time of year, Western-style pastry shops on the island were sites of constant chocolate strife, portraits of Hell painted in blood and washed away by more blood. 

“Geez, why does Nagisa need me to pick up obligatory chocolates for that shitty dad of ours…? I mean, at a time like this, it’s hard for a guy to even get close to a chocolate store…” 

Kojou’s lips twisted in distaste as he looked down at the high-end pastry-shop bags he was clenching in both hands. 

That day, Kojou’s role was to be his little sister’s errand boy. Inside the bags were enormous amounts of chocolates Nagisa would give to their father and her classmates. Even though Kojou knew they were just cheap obligatory chocolates, walking around with presents his little sister was giving to other guys didn’t make him feel warm and fuzzy. 

As Kojou sulked, Yukina trained an exasperated stare on him. 

“I don’t think you need to dwell on it. In the first place, I believe it’s customary to give gifts on that day regardless of a person’s gender.” 

“I hear you, but why celebrate Valentine’s Day in a Demon Sanctuary? Wasn’t that some European festival for some saint?” 

Most of the heroes hailed as saints were people who had achieved great feats in combat against demons in the days of old—in other words, they were demons’ enemies. He didn’t think that festivals for such people were very appropriate for neutral territory like a Demon Sanctuary. 

However, Yukina smiled and shook her head. 

“No, it would seem that Valentine’s Day originated with a festival in the honor of an ancient goddess of marriage. I believe that linking it to the name of a saint was an invention of a later age. In the first place, the custom of giving chocolates itself spread relatively recently.” 

“Ah, now that you mention it…” 

A complex expression clouded Kojou’s face as he fell silent. Of course, even he knew that the recent custom of giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day was largely created by major pâtissiers themselves. 

Yukina, however, gazed at the showcases of the chocolate-selling stores with an odd degree of admiration. “They even have a full line of chocolates for beast people. This truly is a Demon Sanctuary.” 

“For beast people specifically?” 

“Yes. After all, some beast people develop nausea, cramps, and other poisoning symptoms when they eat chocolate. So these ones do not contain the harmful components.” 

“What are they, dogs…?” Kojou blurted out, surprised at that information. 

Poisoning occurring from consuming chocolates containing theobromine was a symptom seen in many domestic pets such as dogs and cats. As a fellow Demon, he sympathized from the bottom of his heart with the beast people who experienced similar anguish. 

“Besides, to think that products containing sorcerous components are sold to the general public… I had heard the rumors, but it still surprises me.” 

“Sorcerous components…? Er, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, really.” 

Kojou made a small, pained smile when he noticed the poster stuck on a wall inside a shop. The pastries sold in the Demon Sanctuary included so-called Special Sorcerous Products, products containing Charm, aphrodisiacs, and similar effects. However, the magical effects were Category Four and below—the same level as a Charm made by an amateur, little more than a placebo. 

“But it’s a little surprising that you know so much about Valentine’s Day, Himeragi. I figured chocolate wasn’t really your thing.” 

“What kind of girl do you take me for…?” 

Yukina sullenly tapered her lips into a visible pout. Having received rigorous dawn-till-dusk training from the Lion King Agency ever since her youth, she had a high degree of knowledge as an Attack Mage and had combat capability drilled into her. On the other hand, she fell short in the department of common, everyday knowledge. Despite that, it seemed even she knew about Valentine’s Day. 

“Even at High God Forest, they sold chocolates just like everywhere else. In particular, Sayaka was very worked up around Valentine’s each year…” 

“Kirasaka, huh…? Yeah, I can picture that pretty easily…” 

Kojou gave a deep nod of acceptance. Sayaka Kirasaka, Shamanic War Dancer of the Lion King Agency, absolutely loved to dote on her former roommate. She and Yukina had grown up together, and when they were younger, they were practically joined at the hip. When Valentine’s Day came knocking, it was pretty much guaranteed she’d get excitable to an even greater extent than usual. He could picture her preparing handmade chocolates with a bizarre degree of enthusiasm. 

In an attempt to bolster Kojou’s deduction, Yukina smiled rather fondly. “Come to think of it, last year she gave me chocolates that she made from cacao beans.” 

“Made from pure cacao beans?!” 

“It would seem they had been fermented for two weeks.” 

“No, no, no. I mean, even for handmade, that’s a little intense, isn’t it…?” 

Naturally, Sayaka’s dedication to Yukina was so outside his expectations that Kojou was at a loss for words. Perhaps Yukina sensed Kojou being thrown off his stride, for she hastily shook her head as she attempted to follow up. 

“Oh, but the sweets Sayaka makes are quite delicious. After all, Shamanic War Dancers of the Lion King Agency have cooking skills drilled into them as part of their assassination training.” 

“Really…? That sort of makes me both want to try them and not want to…” 

The “part of their assassination training” thing bugs me, though , thought Kojou as he turned straight toward Yukina. 

“Come to think of it, can you make sweets, Himeragi?” 

“Eh? …Me?” 

Kojou’s abrupt question caused Yukina’s eyes to waver, her bewilderment evident. However, she was not gazing at Kojou, but rather, behind him. Yukina’s lips trembled, as if wary of some danger. 

“Haachaa—!” 

“Whoa?!” 

The bizarre voice from behind came with the downward swing of some dangerous object, which Kojou just barely evaded. A five-kilogram sack stuffed full of office-gift chocolates passed just in front of his eyes. 

The one who had assaulted him with chocolate was a familiar face to Kojou—Motoki Yaze, the classmate he’d parted ways with at school not too long ago. 

“Yaze, why you?! What gives, poppin’ out like that all of a sudden…?! For that matter, don’t use office-gift chocolates like a blunt weapon! That’s merchandise, you know!” 

“What are you talkin’ about? All I’m doing is trying to deliver divine retribution to the traitor pretending not to have a girlfriend, nonchalantly tryin’ to get Himeragi here to make handmade chocolates for him.” 

“Huh? The hell? It’s not like I’m demanding chocolates from someone like Himeragi, you know?!” 

Without thinking, Kojou immediately refuted the accusation of a crime he did not remember committing. Upon hearing this, Yukina stiffened her expression, to the point where you could almost hear a glass-like crack . 

“Chocolates from someone like me … Is that how you feel…?” 

Yukina emotionlessly repeated her murmur in a voice almost too small for the others around her to hear. Yaze smiled with a smug, victorious leer. 

“Listen here, Himeragi. A guy like this doesn’t need anyone handing him a single nibble of chocolate. Not even if this guy was stranded on a snowy mountain, going a week without food or drink!” 

“Um, if I was stranded like that, at least gimme one chocolate to eat, geez…,” said Kojou, playing along despite his deadpan expression. “For that matter, what’s this traitor business? You’ve got a girlfriend of your own, dammit. Who was she, Koyomi in the third y—?” 

“Kojou…you dare say that to me…” 

Yaze groaned, thrusting a hand against a wall, leaning forward as if buckling under the strain of his misfortune. Kojou tilted his head, perlexed by just how easily his friend had fallen into such a blatantly crestfallen pose. 

“Uh… Yaze?” 

“My senpai goes to a cram school. Furthermore, she’s a third-year at our school, so when school attendance is voluntary, like right now, there’s no way she’d come to school!!” 

“O-oh… S-sorry then…” 

Feeling awkward, Kojou averted his gaze from Yaze. If she’s using cram school as an excuse to not even give him chocolates, can I really call her his girlfriend anymore? he questioned, but he thought better of saying that out loud. 

“Um, if that is the case, why are you at a chocolate market, Yaze?” 

Ascertaining that Yaze had no one with him, Yukina voiced a rather naive question. Now that you mention it , thought Kojou, eyeing his friend with suspicion. 

“Then, what the heck are you doing in a place like this? You’re not tailing us, are you?” 

“O-of course not, I came to buy chocolates! Chocolates, dammit!” Yaze frantically shouted, trying to vindicate his rather suspicious-seeming conduct and demeanor. 

“You? Buying chocolates…?” 

“Yeah. Lately, a new custom’s been making the rounds. It’s called Reverse Chocolates. Guys give ’em to girls instead of the other way around.” 

“Oh…okay.” 

Sounds like a cheap excuse, but I probably shouldn’t pry any deeper , thought Kojou. 

It was right around then that Nagisa slipped through a gap in the dense throng of female customers, returning with a Western sweetshop leaflet in hand. 

“Yukina, Yukina! Which chocolates are we giving to the class reps? The ones with eight pieces or the ones with fifteen? I guess I’m worrying about quality versus quantity, huh? The fresh chocolates over there are really tasty, but I feel like Itogami Island temperatures will make them melt in no time…” 

Perhaps because she was high-strung, Nagisa was speaking in an even faster rapid-fire pace than normal as she sought Yukina’s advice. 

“Hmm,” went Kojou, glancing at the leaflets she was distributing. “I like the ones that aren’t supersweet. Also, ones with nuts in them.” 

“…What are you talking about? Do you actually want me to give you chocolates, too, Kojou?” 

Her large eyes fluttering, Nagisa looked up at Kojou in surprise. Yukina and Yaze both shot Kojou a cold glance, as if scolding him for his sister complex. 

For his part, Kojou seemed thrown off by his little sister’s unexpectedly blunt reaction. 

“Er, I mean, um… We’re family and all!” 

“Hmm…but Kojou, even if you say that, you’ve been getting expensive chocolates from Asagi last year and the year before that, too,” his little sister said. “So I was thinking, it’s not like you really need me to go out of my way to give you any this year…” 

“Uh, well, Asagi did give me some, but she said they were discount chocolates she got from the supermarket. I figured she got ’em cheap ’cause they were really close to their sell-by date, or something. Wait, those were expensive?” 

“Discount chocolates…? Oh, Kojou, you are such a…!” 

Righteous indignation ran across Nagisa’s face as she exhaled in a huff. 

“There’s no way the chocolates Asagi gave Kojou were cheap! The reason they had a short shelf life was because they’re high-class products! Don’t you know even that much…?!” 

“Well, I guess I don’t! And didn’t you eat over half of last year’s chocolates yourself?!” 

“But they were so tasty— Uh, speak of Asagi, and she appears!” 

Abruptly stretching her back higher, Nagisa gazed into the distance. Using a shopping mall escalator, Asagi Aiba was headed toward the train station. Even from a distance, her tastefully askew school uniform lent the high school girl a glamorous air. 

“I wonder if Asagi came to buy chocolates, too. I’ll call her over!” 

“H-hey…!” 

Faster than Kojou could call out to stop her, Nagisa broke into a run in pursuit of Asagi. That girl just can’t stand still , thought Kojou, shaking his head with an air of resignation. Yukina giggled as she watched Kojou do so. 

However, an oddly serious look came over Yaze as he stared at Asagi in the distance. 

“What’s up, Yaze?” 

“Er… I’m just wondering, what’s Asagi trying to pull here…?” 

Kojou’s question brought an absentminded murmur out of Yaze that seemed more to himself than to Kojou. Kojou thought that was suspicious, but the sound of a wild patter of footsteps accompanied the sight of Nagisa returning from the station. 

“K-Kojou! This is huge! Come here for a minute!” 

“What’s the big deal?” 

“Just come! Quick!” 

With his little sister dragging him by the arm, Kojou relented and walked forward. Naturally, Yukina and Yaze accompanied them. 

Asagi had already exited the shopping mall and was standing at a fountain in front of the station. That fountain, decorated with a statue of a penguin, was one of Itogami Island’s standard meeting spots. There, speaking to Asagi, was a young man with a handsome face that seemed as sharp as a cold blade. 

The atmosphere was nothing like him spontaneously flirting. It seemed that the pair had intended to meet there together from the beginning. 

“See? Look! Who is that guy? What’s his relationship to Asagi?” 

Still holding Kojou’s arm, Nagisa pointed to them and raised her voice. However, Kojou did not respond to his little sister’s question. 

The scene was so shocking to him that he could not manage a reply. 

“That’s…Kira’s partner…” 

“Count Jagan…?!” Yukina picked up where Kojou’s broken murmur trailed off. 

The person Asagi was meeting was Tobias Jagan, aristocrat of the Warlord’s Empire—an Old Guard vampire and said to be Dimitrie Vattler’s right-hand man. 

And as Kojou and the others watched, Asagi began walking with Jagan. The two were headed toward a parked, high-end, two-seater sports car. Jagan acted as Asagi’s escort, helping her to her seat as he got in the driver’s side. The sound of its exhaust reverberated violently as the two-seater sports car sped off. Forgotten in the blink of an eye, Kojou and the others watched them go with bewilderment. 

“Why is…Asagi with a guy like…?” 

Kojou seemed half beside himself. Rather than nervousness or unease, what swirled inside his mind was pure doubt. The same seemed to go for Yukina beside him. 

As if to console the shaken Kojou, Nagisa smiled especially brightly at him. “Ch-cheer up, okay? Hey, Nagisa will definitely make chocolate for you this year, too, so…” 

“Um, Kojou… She’s my childhood friend, so like…sorry?” 

Wide-eyed and showing compassion, Yaze put his hand on Kojou’s shoulder, the latter standing rooted to the spot. 

2 

A girl with hair the color of steel ran down an unnatural-feeling corridor adorned with modern glass decor. 

It was difficult to place the girl’s age. On the surface, she appeared to be thirteen or fourteen. Her contoured face looked a little more adult than that, but if anything, that made the outgoing, innocent expression on it feel even odder still. 

The girl wore only a thin green patient’s gown for undergoing intensive tests. Beyond that, she wore not even a T-shirt, let alone a single pair of underwear. As the girl ran barefoot across the floor, the hem of the patient’s gown ran up her legs, exposing her thighs right up to her hips. 

“Glenda!” 

Wearing a doctor’s uniform, Shio Hikawa emerged from the back of the corridor, chasing the steel-haired girl down. 

With a short haircut that was longer on the sides, she gave off an impression of a rather determined girl. Thanks to desperately chasing after the steel-haired girl—Glenda—her breathing was a bit heavy. She had picked up the bra and panties that Glenda had stripped off. The people coming and going in the corridor stood still, blinking hard at the bizarre scene unfolding before them. 

“Wait! Hey, Glenda! Put your clothes on!” 

“Yaaaaaa!” 

As if to mock the pursuing Shio, Glenda swiftly ran down a flight of stairs. 

Glenda wore a big smile, if not much else. Apparently, during the course of running away, she was having loads of fun, as if she were playing a game of tag. Suddenly, she lifted her head, throwing her arms wide as she let out a sound of delight. She’d noticed a new girl standing near the building’s entrance. 

Wearing the school uniform of a famous girl’s school in Kansai, this schoolgirl gave off an elegant air. 

She was just a bit shy of 160 centimeters in height. Her medium-bob hairstyle made her appear very put together. The bangs that fell down the sides of her head were even adorned with ribbon-style hairpins. This was Yuiri Haba, Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency. 

“Yuiri!!” 

“Huh?” 

Hearing Shio call her name in a loud voice, Yuiri lifted her head in apparent surprise. The sight of Glenda sprinting full force at her made her go “Huuuh?!” as she prepared herself, still with no idea what was happening. 

“Yuiri—!!” 

Glenda leaped at Yuiri’s chest as if attempting a full body tackle. “Oof!” went Yuiri, staggering as she found herself unable to resist the impact. Glenda brought her face to Yuiri’s neck, nuzzling her as if fawning like a little girl. She looked less like a dragon than a little dog excited that her master had come home. 

“Yuiri, hold Glenda right there, would you…?!” 

“Sh-Shio? What’s going on?” 

“She…ran out here without wearing any clothes…” 

Fiercely out of breath, Shio wobbled as she finally caught up. Based on how Shio, a Shamanic War Dancer of the Lion King Agency, was totally exhausted, Yuiri could begin to imagine just how much of an ordeal it had been to chase after this girl. 

“Hey, you! Glenda, don’t move. And get off of Yuiri!” 

As Glenda stayed glued to Yuiri, Shio tried to dress her in her underwear. However, the dragon girl thrashed her body in defiance. 

“Yaaa, pool! Let’s go, relax!” 

Glenda earnestly pleaded to be let outside as she pointed to the scenery visible on the other side of the glass. Having experienced playing in a pool for the very first time the day before, she’d taken a liking to it and had kept going down the waterslides until the sun set. She’d no doubt trusted that she’d be able to go to the pool again that day, as if this was the natural course of events. 

“So the tests are done already, then?” 

“Somehow, yeah.” Shio nodded at Yuiri’s question. 

Three days earlier, the girls had visited the small island dubbed Blue Elysium. 

Blue Elysium, aka Blue Ely. Constructed off the coast of Itogami Island proper, it was a brand-new model of sub-float. To most people, it was known as a high-end resort, with hotels, pools, and facilities filled with all manner of attractions. 

However, of course Yuiri and the others had not come to that island to goof off. As part of a Demon Sanctuary, Blue Elysium also had special facilities that did not exist on the mainland. Rare demon beasts from all over the world were raised, and biological research was conducted upon them, at a large-scale facility known as Demon Beast Park. 

It was Yuiri and Shio’s current mission to use the instruments and staff at that research facility to uncover the truth about Glenda, whose true nature remained shrouded in mystery. To casual observers, they may have looked like nothing more than Glenda’s playmates, but part of their mission was to observe her and manage her physical condition, so it really couldn’t be helped. 

“All right. Let’s go to the pool, then.” 

Yuiri made a strained smile as she stroked Glenda’s hair. The annoyed stares of the research facility employees were getting on her nerves right around then anyway. 

Glenda lifted her face, eyes sparkling. 

“Pool!” 

“But first, you’re going to put on your clothes. We’re going to buy some delicious chocolates, after all.” 

“Choco!” 

Accepting a box of chocolates from Yuiri, Glenda immediately tore the paper wrapping off and dug in. Now that she had finally stopped resisting, Shio somehow managed to successfully dress her. 

“Sorry, Yuiri. You’re a lifesaver.” 

“Tee-hee, thank you for all your hard work. Let’s move this to the changing room, shall we?” 

“I suppose so. We need to get a swimsuit onto Glenda, after all…” 

With her cheeks stuffed full of chocolate, Shio led her by the hand and walked in the direction of the changing room. Now that she’d accepted they were heading to the pool, Glenda was far better behaved. 

“Yes, swimsuits. There are plenty on loan, so pick whichever you like, Shio,” Yuiri said. 

Just as they were arriving at the changing room, Yuiri opened the tote bag she had been carrying and spread out the contents. As they would be staying at Blue Elysium for some time, she’d gone ahead and rented a whole bunch of swimsuits. Many had cutesy designs, meaning that lack of suitable candidates would not be an issue. 

However, Shio shot these a scornful expression. 

“I’m fine. There’s a rash guard in my supplies and all.” 

“Huh?! You mustn’t. Chances to visit a high-class resort like this come once in a blue moon. If you wear a plain swimsuit like that, you’ll stand out even more!” 

When Shio tried to take out a most unflattering piece of marine sportswear, Yuiri hastily tried to stop her. 

“Er, but…” 

Shio seemed angry as Yuiri’s fingers lifted one of the loaner swimsuits. It was an audacious string bikini with minimal skin coverage that didn’t seem suitable for anyone short of a gravure idol. 

“—Wait, there’s no way I can wear a flashy swimsuit like that! Th-that’s embarrassing…!” 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You’re slender and stylish, Shio. This much should be normal for you.” 

“We’re on duty, you know. I can’t carry spell scrolls for self-defense with this on!” 

“It’s all right. You can move easier without resistance from fabric, after all. You could just put the spell scrolls down your cleavage…” 

“If you really think that, you should wear this and hide them between your big breasts, Yuiri!” 

Yuiri was smiling as if it was someone else’s problem as she pushed the string bikini onto Shio. Shio’s unexpected counterattack made Yuiri’s face twitch. 

“Huh?! Me?! No way, no way, no way. My upper arms are too thick. And yesterday I ate too much when I was with Glenda, so I’ve got a little extra tummy pudge…” 

“That just makes you cuter, doesn’t it? I’m sure Kojou Akatsuki would think so, too.” 

“Th-this has nothing to do with Kojou!” 

“Even though you bought expensive-looking chocolates for him?” 

“Why do you know about that, Shio…?!” 

Yuiri lamented, crying out “Waaah!” as she shook her blushing face. 

“It—it’s not like that; I was thinking I could eat those together with Yukii…! So you’re wrong! And I mean, Shio, don’t you enjoy Kirasaka’s chocolates year in and year out?!” 

“I do not! Kirasaka calls that her leftovers… Hey, this isn’t about me anyway!” 

Finally, both Yuiri and Shio had become irritated during their heated war of words. Both had long forgotten what had sparked the argument in the first place. With the pair raising a ruckus in the cramped confines of the changing room, Glenda, the only rational person left, tugged on Yuiri’s school uniform. 

“Yuiri! I put on the swimsuit! Pool…!” 

The sight of Glenda as guileless as usual made Yuiri and Shio exchange a silent glance. 

“…Let’s get changed ourselves, huh?” 

“I suppose so. Ordinary swimsuits, for now…” 

They nodded with a twinge of guilt, and both Yuiri and Shio put on suitable swimsuits they had picked. Yuiri’s was an orthodox swimsuit with frills. Shio chose a simple monotone bikini. Putting on jackets to counter sunburn, the girls headed toward the pool. 

3 

The front gate of the pool was ten minutes from the demon-beast-related research facility via automated electric cart. Including pools designed to look like a great wave had crashed against a shore and waterslides that exceeded two hundred meters in length, the nine varieties of pools, featuring something for every taste, was Blue Elysium’s greatest selling point. 

Notwithstanding that Itogami Island was in the tropics, the February temperatures made it a little too cold to go swimming. Thanks to that, there were fewer guests than one might normally expect. Monopolizing a huge pool felt exhilarating. It was easy to understand why Glenda was so worked up. 

“Did you learn anything about Glenda?” Yuiri asked quietly, watching the girl head off and leap into the pool after some warm-ups. 

Shio, dipping her toe into the water to test its temperature, shook her head. 

“Apparently, it’ll be a good couple weeks before a detailed conclusion comes back. They don’t have many dragon-cell samples to begin with, so individual variation is pretty high, and that makes analysis take longer. They did draft a summary of what they know here and now, though.” 

“These are Glenda’s analysis results?” 

Gazing at the screen of the tablet handed to her, Yuiri’s expression stiffened. Upon it was data comparing the genetic information from cells taken from Glenda with those of other living creatures. 

The knowledge of demons Yuiri possessed was all related to fighting them; she was ill versed on their biology. Despite that, even she could immediately tell that Glenda’s analysis results were abnormal. 

Her cells resembled neither humans nor other dragons. The estimated density of the genetic information was dozens of times greater than normal living creatures, if not more. Dragons included, no living creature existed among Demonkind that held genetic information within their cells to such an extent. 

If there was a living creature that rivaled her results, it would probably be the cells of Wiseman’s Blood—the God created via alchemy. 

“Glenda is a new genus beyond any evolutionary tree ever known to have existed. Furthermore, there are traces of magical manipulation at a molecular level.” 

Shio spoke with a somewhat conflicted expression, prompting Yuiri to lift her face in surprise. 

“You mean…just like a homunculus…?!” 

“Yeah. Glenda is an artificial dragon made by…someone. That’s if the analysis results are correct, mind you.” 

“Creating a dragon—you can do that?!” countered Yuiri, half beside herself. 

“With humanity’s current technology, no way. But with the scientific strength of the Devas… Not that I get why they’d want to a dragon in the first place, though…” 

“Maybe…because they’re cute…?” 

“Well, that’s…not impossible…” 

Lounging poolside, Shio crossed her arms and began to mull over the issue with a pensive look on her face. While she did, Glenda rode a kickboard, going in circles within the flowing pool. It was a scene with no tension whatsoever. 

“Treasure…maybe?” Shio hesitantly murmured. 

“Eh?” 

“Prince Aziz of the Fallen Dynasty said dragons guard treasure.” 

“But there wasn’t any treasure in Kannawa Lake, was there?” Yuiri prodded, at a loss. 

“Yeah. But if Glenda is a treasure herself, then…,” Shio said nonchalantly. Of course, she probably didn’t seriously believe it herself. 

However, the words made Yuiri gasp, her eyes widening. “I see… Come to think of it, Major Azama of the Self-Defense Forces said something like that, I think. Like, ‘Glenda is the protector of the legacy Cain left behind, the vessel for the God’s information’ and stuff…” 

“The God’s…information…?” 

“No way,” said Shio, about to dismiss the notion with a laugh, when suddenly, her expression hardened. Reaching her hand toward the instrument case at her side, she pulled out the silver recurve bow folded and holstered within. 

Yuiri did likewise, opening her instrument case and smoothly drawing out a long, silver sword. 

The barrier Yuiri and Shio had deployed around the pool beforehand had alerted them to the presence of an intruder: a terrifyingly powerful Demon, at that. 

“Shio!” 

“I know! What’s with this ridiculous demonic energy…?!” 

“Glenda, get over here! Quickly!” 

“Dah?” 

Perhaps noticing Yuiri’s and Shio’s anxiety, Glenda immediately approached the side of the pool. 

A moment later, under the afternoon sunrays pouring down upon them, a pitch-black mist coalsced. 

“…!” 

Nocking a metallic curse arrow to her recurve bow, Shio gasped in abject shock. 

The mist then increased in density, changing into a human form. 

Standing there was a tall, slender man with a very dark appearance. He wore a well-tailored, old-fashioned coat, and his hair was so black that it seemed woven from the very darkness of night. His face was youthful and refined, but the quiet dignity shrouding his entire body produced a bottomless sense of implicit force. Even from a distance, they could clearly sense that this was a supernatural being incompatible with humankind. 

This was an Old Guard vampire that had lived for many years. Furthermore, he was a being of limitless danger close to that of a primogenitor. 

“Attack Mages of the Lion King Agency, are you not…?” 

The man spoke coldly, gazing indifferently at Yuiri and Shio, who put up their guard. 

Yuiri remained silent as her shoulders trembled. Fear kept her from raising her voice. Yuiri, a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency, was overwhelmed by the man’s presence. Surely the same went for Shio. 

The black-haired man did not give off the impression of someone crude or violent. If anything, his manner was calm and intellectual. In spite of this, Yuiri felt fear, for who could be calm in the face of a walking calamity. 

“I hereby demand that you hand over the Dragon of the Swamp.” 

Speaking those words, the man indicated the steel-haired girl with his eyes, causing Glenda to freeze in fear. 

Yuiri shifted to shield Glenda, turning her silver sword toward the man. “Who are you? And what do you want with Glenda?” she asked as she glared at the dark-haired man. 

Surprisingly, the man’s expression did not change. Yuiri’s blatant wariness didn’t seem to have any effect on him, and he looked plainly at the girls as he replied. 

“My name is Velesh Aradahl, of the bloodline of the First Primogenitor, the Lost Warlord.” 

“Velesh…Aradahl…?” 

“His Excellency Aradahl, the Duke of Severin?!” 

Yuiri and Shio spoke in hushed voices as they gawked. Duke of Severin of the Warlord’s Empire, Velesh Aradahl—of course they knew his name. 

After all, he was the chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the Warlord’s Empire—the vampire seen as the de facto second most powerful man therein, next to the primogenitor himself. He was a major player in both the worlds of politics and finance, with influence on a global scale. 

He was also well-known as a warrior, having left incredible exploits on battlefields of times past. It was said that even Dimitrie Vattler paid Aradahl appropriate respect. Such a legendary vampire stood before Yuiri and Shio at that very moment. 

“The Holy Ground Treaty Organization has determined that the Dragon of the Swamp poses a grave threat.” Heedless of the pair’s bewilderment, Aradahl one-sidedly made his case. “I shall now retrieve her, accordingly. Your cooperation would be most appreciated.” 

“The Holy Ground Treaty Organization…declared Glenda a threat…?” 

Shio’s voice quivered as she parroted the words back. The Holy Ground Treaty Organization was an international agency administered by the Holy Ground Treaty allied nations, which included the Dominions. It held the right to take countermeasures against grave sorcerous menaces and possessed military strength for this purpose. 

But naturally, the Holy Ground Treaty Organization only dealt with large-scale sorcerous crimes on a grand international scale. She couldn’t just blithely believe that Glenda’s existence posed such a risk. 

“If you do leave with Glenda, what do you intend to do with her?” Yuiri asked. 

As if he had anticipated that very question, the black-haired vampire calmly replied, “The Japanese government has failed to neutralize the Dragon of the Swamp. Accordingly, we shall do so in its stead.” 

“Neutralize…? You can’t mean…,” murmured Yuiri, fear apparent in her voice. 

“Seal her, dismantle her. Either way, it has nothing to do with the two of you.” 

“Now that you’ve said that, there’s no way we’re handing her over!” replied Shio, half shouting. 

“Is that so? How unfortunate.” 

Aradahl’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest. He simply waved his left hand. 

In the next moment, a sword appeared at his side with a blade that reached seven, perhaps eight meters in length. The giant, translucent blade materialized from dense demonic energy. This was a vampiric Beast Vassal—an Intelligent Weapon. 

“Glenda, get back—!” 

Yuiri called sharply toward the steel-haired girl as she leaped forward. 

The giant blade Aradahl had summoned flew like a bullet, rending the air in its wake. The Intelligent Weapon’s target was Glenda. Its purpose was to rip right through Yuiri’s shielding body to reach Glenda behind her. 

“Rosen Chevalier Plus, Boot Up—!!” 

Yuiri slammed her long sword into Aradahl’s Beast Vassal. 

No normal weapon could fend off a Beast Vassal, a mass of destructive demonic energy. However, Yuiri’s Rosen Chevalier Plus was the exception to the rule. The pseudo-spatial severing created in the wake of Yuiri’s attack formed an absolutely invincible defensive wall that even the Beast Vassal’s attack could not slice apart. 

“Request ID confirmation! Freikugel Plus Proto Three, Unlock!” 

“Confirmed—Freikugel Plus, Active.” 

At the same time Yuiri was stopping Aradahl’s attack, Shio was releasing the safety on her recurve bow. Shio’s Freikugel Plus was the completed area-suppression weapon that was the pride of the Lion King Agency. Producing high-density spell chants via whistling arrows, it could create large-scale ritual spell artillery on a scale beyond human limitations. Its might was said to rival even that of vampiric Beast Vassals. 

“I, Dancer of the Lion, Archer of the High God, beseech thee!” 

So powerful that its use was strictly limited, it was this Freikugel Plus’s ritual spell artillery that Shio was releasing from all limitations. She had judged that there was no other way to defeat Aradahl. Surely no one could blame Shio for that snap decision. 

But. 

“Shio, don’t—!” 

Yuiri screamed at Shio. The power of a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency allowed Yuiri to peer an instant into the future. However, Yuiri was not in time to stop her. Shio had already launched her artillery attack… 

“Let there be light—!” 

“Gouge, Invidia.” 

The whistling arrow unleashed by Freikugel Plus drew an immense magic circle in the air, creating ritual spell artillery in the form of a beam of light. It was a great sword the color of choking darkness that blocked that artillery attack. Aradahl had summoned a new Intelligent Weapon. 

The frontal clash between immense ritual energy and demonic energy spanned but a single second. 

Aradahl’s Beast Vassal sliced Shio’s artillery attack apart. With pressure exceeding the ritual energy’s critical limits, it was blown away, becoming a shock wave as it dissipated. Violently raging air ravaged the poolside concrete, blowing away every parasol and bench around them. 

Yuiri deployed a pseudo-spatial severing defensive wall, but even Rosen Chevalier Plus’s abilities could not fend off a shock wave that had turned into a waterspout. 

Batted around by violent winds on all sides, Yuiri and Shio were sent flying, at the complete mercy of the magic. Their insides were shaken to the point that they could not breathe. Every bone in their bodies cried out. They had only managed to remain conscious from the jolt of hitting the water. 

“Yuiri! Shio!” 

With Yuiri and Shio in danger of drowning, Glenda held them above the water’s surface as best she could. Glenda, who had already been in the water, got off lightly compared to them. 

Yuiri and Shio were severely injured. They’d taken the full impact of the explosion, and every joint in their bodies was screaming in agony. Contusions and sprains had completely wrecked their bodies with far too many abrasions from the concrete fragments to count. 

For his part, Aradahl was largely unharmed. Amid the still-raging violent winds, the only thing astir was his dark hair. Yuiri and Shio no longer had the strength to protect Glenda from his attacks. 

“Glenda…run…,” muttered Shio with a pained cough. 

Glenda’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “Shio… Yuiri…” 

“Run to Itogami Island. Kojou and Yukii will help you…okay?” 

“Uu…” Staring at Yuiri and Shio, their bodies mangled, Glenda shook her head in reluctance. 

“Go, Glenda!” Yuiri spoke the words in a strong tone, as if she was scolding Glenda. 

“…Dah!” 

Even though Glenda’s eyes were teary, she nodded deeply, her mind apparently made up. 

From the back of her swimsuit, large, steel-colored wings spread forth. Enveloped by the radiance of magic, Glenda’s body was changing into its enormous dragon form. With movements so elegant, reminiscent of a beautiful swan, she glided across the surface of the water and leaped into the air. It was some eighteen kilometers between Blue Elysium and Itogami Island. On her own, Glenda would surely reach it. 

“—Dance, Ghoula!” 

Aradahl summoned a new Beast Vassal, intent on chasing Glenda down. As Glenda danced in the sky, the giant sword scattered flames all around as it shot out toward her. The sentient great sword accelerated as if it were a cannonball, attacking the silver-colored dragon from behind like a hungry shark. 

Glenda, defenseless just after lifting off, had no chance to evade it. The pitch-black blade ripped through the air with a great roar, surely about to mercilessly impale the dragon through the back— 

As Yuiri and Shio drew in their breaths, an amber-colored net deployed in the sky, protecting Glenda. It was a net made of incandescent magma. 

Tracing a geometric shape reminiscent of a spiderweb, the thread held Aradahl’s Beast Vassal in place. 

“Nephila Ignis—” 

Poolside, with violent winds still raging, a gentle voice echoed forth. 

Shrouded in a silver mist, a short, handsome, androgynous youth emerged. There was a huge, gleaming, amber-colored spider at his feet. The youth controlled the incandescent spider that had caught Aradahl’s great sword and saved Glenda. 

“So you’ve come, Kira Lebedev—” 

Aradahl called out the small-statured person’s name. He was Kira Lebedev, Count of Voltislava. Like Aradahl, he was an aristocrat of the Warlord’s Empire. And yet, that very Kira had impeded Aradahl’s attack, lending a hand to aid Glenda in her escape. 

“Did Vattler put you up to this? Damn him, what does he intend to use the Dragon of the Swamp for?” 

“I believe you are well acquainted with that lord’s personality, are you not, Your Excellency Aradahl?” 

Kira spoke those words gently while smiling. Aradahl clicked his tongue, looking disgruntled. 

“Then that is all the more reason I cannot allow the Dragon of the Swamp to escape—Ghoula!” 

Aradahl’s Beast Vassal rotated in midair, slashing the incandescent spiderweb apart. The flaming great sword proceeded to divide into countless short swords. As Kira stood on the ground, these poured down onto him from overhead, impaling his body from all directions. 

However, even with his entire body impaled by the Beast Vassal, Kira’s peaceful smile did not falter. 

His entire body suddenly lost its shape, transforming into what seemed like shadowy ooze. Then, the ooze proceeded to flow into the pool’s drainage grate. 

“Deionika Nox… A dummy mirror image!” 

Brusquely clicking his tongue once more, Aradahl looked up at the sky above the sea. 

During the time Kira had held Aradahl’s attention, Glenda in her dragon form had already flown far over the ocean. Through manipulation of a clone created by a Beast Vassal rather than direct combat, Kira had successfully slowed Aradahl down. 

“Glenda… I’m so glad…” 

Once she saw that the dragon girl was safe, Shio smiled weakly. Then, as if her marionette strings had been cut, she fainted, floating on the water’s surface, depleted of strength. 

With Shio in that state, Yuiri kept hold of her as she somehow managed to reach the side of the pool. However, she no longer had the strength to pull their bodies to the surface. 

“Yukii…sorry to…drag you into this…” 

Recalling the sight of her junior on Itogami Island, Yuiri made a tiny apology within her heart. By sending Glenda to Itogami Island, Yuiri was involving Yukina in the fight against Aradahl. 

This she did, knowing full well that Yukina’s target for observation was a vampire as dangerous as Aradahl, or perhaps more— 

“Ko…jou…” 

Murmuring the boy’s name, Yuiri feebly closed her eyes. 

Then, bathed in the sunlight reflecting off the surface of the water, her consciousness sank to the bottom of somewhere cold and dark. 

4 

Humming a tune that was not quite the right melody, Mimori Akatsuki stepped down the stairs. 

She was in the deep subterranean section of Magna Ataraxia Research Inc.’s Itogami Island laboratory—a place known as the Coffin Room for short. The devices were all brand-new, but the strict isolation measures surrounding it left it an oddly cold place. 

Even among the elite research staff, few ever visited the place. 

The entry limitations were quite strict, but no one wanted to be close to it in the first place. 

The cause was simple. It was fear. 

They were afraid of the room. 

The eyewitnesses to spiritual and other bizarre phenomena were beyond counting. As a matter of fact, the number of researchers who had killed themselves or retired from mental illness was not small. Even the people who didn’t believe in such unscientific phenomena as “curses” wanted to keep their distance when they heard the sheer frequency with which measuring equipment broke down or gave false readings. 

Hard to blame them , thought Mimori. 

After all, sleeping within the room was the true Fourth Primogenitor, said to be calamity incarnate—for these were the remains of Root Avrora. 

“Mm-hmmm—” 

Mimori Akatsuki’s humming echoed through the lab devoid of another living presence. 

Placed in the center of the room was a cube of ice around three meters thick. 

A girl was sleeping within—a girl with rainbow-colored hair that resembled billowing flames. 

A silver glow emanated from the girl’s chest as she lay on her side within the block of ice, and a large object protruded from her chest; it was a metallic stake, which had impaled her heart. 

No power had been able to coax the block of ice enveloping the girl to melt. Accordingly, the silver stake had never been removed from her chest. This block of ice was her coffin. Thus, the room had been dubbed the Coffin Room. 

“Oh my?” 

However, just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Mimori Akatsuki halted. 

She had realized there was already a visitor in the purportedly unoccupied room. 

It was a small girl. She was wearing a yukata with a vibrant floral pattern. On her feet, she wore split-toe socks and glossy-black wooden clogs. An air of elegance and class hovered around her. 

When she turned around, the girl’s eyes glimmered in the darkness like blue flames. 

Her tied-up hair was a faintly golden color; yet, like a rainbow, it changed color depending on the angle of the light. 

Her appearance strongly resembled that of the naked girl resting within the ice—nay, the girls looked identical. 

She had the same face as the one who slept within the coffin: the girl known as Avrora, the twelfth Kaleid Blood. 

“My, my, we have an unexpected guest.” 

However, Mimori showed no sign of being shaken or put off. In fact, her tone was cheerful, her expression welcoming the unknown intruder. 

Mimori’s reaction made the girl in the yukata smile as well. Her beautiful eyebrows rose in apparent praise. 

“Thou gazeth directly at me, yet, your heart is not astir. ’Tis most unexpected.” 

“That’s because I suspected it was right about time that someone came to deliver a warning. Well, naturally I didn’t expect it would be you delivering it in person.” 

Mimori smiled as her feet remained still. There were about ten meters between her and the girl in the yukata . 

There was an emergency-warning button on the wall close to Mimori. If she touched it, heavily armored security personnel would surely bear down upon them in under three minutes. However, Mimori did not sound it, for she knew it would be futile to do so. 

Even with every security guard in the lab gathered together, they could do nothing to this girl. After all, she was one of the so-called World’s Mightiest Vampires. 

“…So do you mind my asking which number you are?” 

“I art Hektos…the sixth Kaleid Blood.” 

In contrast to her haughty tone, the girl in the yukata ’s smile appeared desolate. With the seal on Hektos released, she was the only one of the Numbered left with a complete seal. Perhaps that fact had instilled a sense of mortality within her. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hektos. Would you like some ice cream?” 

Mimori fished out a fresh ice cream bar from the compact cooler she carried on her hip. Regarding the frozen treat offered to her with a hint of suspicion, the girl who called herself Hektos winced. 

“Thou tempteth me with an offering? ’Tis futile, mother of Kojou Akatsuki. I am an envoy of the end of all things.” 

“Yeah, about that—could you give me a little more time?” 

Mimori teasingly narrowed her eyes. Hektos shook her head with a neutral expression, gazing at the other girl resting on her side within the ice. 

“…Thou desirest to revive my kin?” 

“I want to clone her, to be exact,” Mimori said gently. “If we can create a clone of the previous Fourth Primogenitor, the soul of the twelfth Kaleid Blood, Avrora Florestina, can be transferred into it, yes? Along with the Beast Vassal possessing her.” 

“And in so doing, save thy daughter?” 

“It would save the girl and my daughter both. Am I wrong?” Despite her playful smile, Mimori was completely serious. 

Long ago, artificial vampires, the girls known as the Kaleid Bloods, were created in order to seal away the Beast Vassals of the Fourth Primogenitor. There had been twelve of them. However, eleven had already been lost, leaving the sixth Kaleid Blood as the sole survivor. Playing the role of the seals, it was the girls’ destiny to disappear as the Beast Vassals of the Fourth Primogenitor were released. 

The one exception, the only not to have disappeared, was Avrora, the Twelfth—the girl who had left behind the body sleeping within the ice. 

Even at that very moment, the seal on her Beast Vassal had not been completely released. After all, the girl had been killed before the seal could be removed. The silver stake left in her chest was the proof. 

To this day, with her body slain, Avrora’s soul slept within Mimori’s daughter, Nagisa Akatsuki, who had wished for that very thing. 

However, even now, Avrora’s soul, fused with a Beast Vassal, was a great strain on Nagisa’s body. It was painfully obvious that one day, when the burden became too much for Nagisa to bear, she would die. 

Hence, Mimori had attempted to create a new body in which to insert Avrora’s soul. 

“Thou art not mistaken—,” Hektos murmured. “However, I shall not grant thy desire. It is her will that this body disappear.” 

“I suppose it is… Well, allow me to thank you anyway. I mean, if we ended up resurrecting Root Avrora at a time like this, we’d be in quite a pickle.” 

Mimori gave a vague smile and shook her head. Even with MAR Inc.’s sorcerous technology, creating a new Kaleid Blood—an artificial vampire—was exceptionally difficult, so Mimori’s objective had gone unfulfilled. 

The reason was that the Twelfth, Avrora herself, desired that her own body disappear completely. 

Wrought by the gods, the operating system for the Fourth Primogenitor—the Accursed Soul dubbed Root—had taken over her own body. Therefore, to destroy it, she had chosen to be killed . 

It was Avrora herself who had encased her corpse in a coffin of ice so that the Accursed Soul could never be revived anew. The coffin created by the power of a Beast Vassal completely quarantined Avrora’s body from the outside; Mimori and her fellow researchers had yet to obtain a single cell sample from her. All of this was the will of the Twelfth, Avrora. She intended to vanish from the world without a single speck of dust remaining of her. 

That was surely why Hektos had come to visit the lab. 

She, the sixth Kaleid Blood, had come to fulfill the dying wish of her kin, Avrora. 

“But… But even so… I want to save both of those girls. Please…,” Mimori pleaded quietly and earnestly, staring at the yukata -clad girl. 

Hektos slowly shook her head. She touched the block of ice surrounding the Twelfth. 

The coffin of ice wrought by the power of a Beast Vassal could not be broken. 

However, if another Beast Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor desired its destruction— 

“Forgive me. For that this be destroyed is both her desire and mine—” 

Before Hektos finished speaking, the coffin of ice began glowing. 

Without a sound, the block of ice shattered, turning into countless transparent fragments. 

The vast demonic energy resting in each and every one of those fragments unleashed an overwhelming tranquility from within. 

Finally, the remains the girl had left behind were wreathed in flame, scattered as particles of light, and vanished. 

“Forgive me…” 

With that, the Sixth departed. Wordlessly, Mimori watched her go. 

In the end, the only thing left on the lab room’s floor was a slender, silver-colored stake. 

The mass of metal had lost its radiance. Mimori stared at it for a long time. 

5 

The next morning, on February 13… 

Attending school earlier than usual, Kojou Akatsuki arrived in his classroom and surveyed the area with bloodshot eyes. It was then that the class representative, Rin Tsukishima, casually addressed him. 

“Good morning, Akatsuki. You’re quite early today, aren’t you?” 

Rin’s voice was as serene as usual, but her pupils visibly glimmered with curiosity. However, Kojou did not notice. 

“Ah, morning, Tsukishima.” 

“If you’re looking for Asagi, she hasn’t arrived yet,” Rin said, amused by Kojou’s head-in-the-clouds reply. 

Kojou stiffened in surprise. Apparently, it was obvious to Rin that he was trying to find his friend. 

“Well, I suppose it’s only natural for boys to be on edge around this time of year.” 

Giggling and smiling, Rin gave a knowing nod. For a second, Kojou blinked, not comprehending what had just been said to him. 

“Eh? Ah, what I want with her has nothing to do with that…” 

“Oh, really…?” 

Rin narrowed her eyes in even greater amusement. Apparently, she’d mistaken Valentine’s Day as the reason for Kojou’s nervousness. How should I clear this misunderstanding up? Kojou searched his thoughts, when suddenly, a girl with an extravagant hairstyle entered the classroom—Asagi Aiba. 

“Asagi!” 

Putting the issue of Rin on the back burner for the time being, Kojou raced toward her. Asagi, defenseless as she let out a yawn, blinked in surprise at Kojou’s urgency. 

“K-Kojou? What’s with that desperate look on your face?” 

“You got a sec? I need to talk to you.” 

Kojou was looking directly into Asagi’s eyes with a rare seriousness. Asagi warily narrowed her brows. 

“Talk—you mean, now? I’m on day duty today, so I’m preparing for the next class—” 

“It won’t take long. You met with someone yesterday afternoon, right?” 

“Yesterday afternoon?” 

What do you mean? said Asagi’s facial expression as she touched a finger to her temple, staring off into space. Then, as if she just remembered something, she gasped, her expression stiffening. 

However, Asagi’s visible distress lasted but an instant, not even spanning a tenth of a second of time. She immediately shook her head with an innocent expression. 

“Nah, I didn’t meet with anyone. I was watching a drama series on the net.” 

“I spotted you at the plaza in front of Thetis Mall.” 

“What are you talking about? You must have me mixed up with someone else.” 

Asagi tilted her head, mystified, turning a suspicious gaze toward Kojou instead. Her explanation was so bold that Kojou was nearly on the verge of swallowing it. 

“—Mixed up, my ass!! What are you trying to hide?!” 

“Whaaat? Hide—what would I be trying to hide from you?!” 

“Why were you there together with that Jagan guy—?” 

“Knock it off! I told you I don’t know anything!” 

As Kojou leaned forward and got more in her face, Asagi slammed the desk with a bam . She was furious. Her intensity made Kojou wince. He could feel the inquisitive gazes of his classmates boring holes in his back. 

“Asagi’s cheating on him…” “Jagan? Wait, does that mean…?” “The Warlord Empire’s…” “Come to think of it, he looked kinda cool…” Such whispers began circulating all over the classroom. 

Thanks to Kojou’s clumsy slipup, the name Jagan was now hot on their lips. Due to very particular circumstances, Tobias Jagan, a vampire of the Warlord’s Empire, had attended school at Saikai Academy for a short span of about two weeks. A girl who fell in love with a foreign vampire above her station, confronted by her former boyfriend—it was a truly gripping scandal. 

“Wait, Asagi! I’m not done talking to you, dammit—!” 

“About what?! I don’t know anything, and even if I did, it’s none of your business!” 

When Kojou’s hand reached out to try to keep her from leaving, Asagi violently swatted it aside. She then turned her back to Kojou and marched out of the classroom. 

“Asagi? Where are you going?” Rin asked calmly. 

Asagi glanced back for a single second before exiting the classroom. “The staff room! I need to get some printouts for homework!” 

“Like I said, hold on a sec—” 

As Asagi left to make her escape, Kojou headed out into the corridor to run after her. However, Rin put a stop to that, firmly pinning his arms behind his back. 

“Hold it, Akatsuki! Calm down!” 

“Let me go, Tsukishima!” 

“Now, now. Hold your horses. At times like this, it’s best to put a little distance between the two of you and cool off, yes? I understand why you’re burning with jealousy, but I’ll speak with Asagi, okay?” 

“Huh? Jealousy?” 

Rin’s assertion made Kojou’s cheek twitch as he unwittingly came to a halt. He realized far too late that his own actions were giving rise to a weird misunderstanding. 

“You’re wrong. This isn’t an issue of jealousy… Not at all!” 

Kojou’s problem with Asagi’s actions was that Tobias Jagan was involved. 

Jagan was no ordinary vampire. He was a subordinate of Dimitrie Vattler, the combat maniac who’d exposed Itogami Island to danger a number of times over. Kojou couldn’t help but worry about Asagi coming into contact with such a dangerous individual. 

However, Rin let out an eerily mature-sounding sigh. 

“Now, just a minute. If you’re going to make me spell it out, I believe you shoulder much of the blame for this, Akatsuki. You’re always ignoring Asagi while spending all your time with your little sister’s middle school friend, so it’s only natural that…” 

“What the heck are you talkin’ about?!” 

“I’m saying, I think it is a little unfair of you to pin all the blame on Asagi.” 

“I’m not blaming her at all. Like I said, I just want her to hear me out—” 

Wriggling free from Rin’s grip, Kojou gave her a rapid-fire retort. As he did, he heard an oddly haughty voice from behind. 

“You are making quite a scene, Kojou Akatsuki. What are you whining about in the corridor just before class?” 

“Natsuki…?” 

Kojou gasped and turned around. Standing there was a baby-faced teacher, not even reaching 140 centimeters in height. This was Natsuki Minamiya, Kojou and his classmates’ homeroom teacher. 

Hearing her pupil address her by her first name, Natsuki glared in disdain. However, Kojou ignored that, chasing her down to a corner of the corridor. 

“Natsuki, your timing couldn’t be better. Where’s Jagan?” 

“Jagan? Tobias Jagan of the Warlord’s Empire?” 

Perhaps awed by Kojou’s intensity, Natsuki simply prodded for detail. Kojou gave a big nod. 

“The Gigafloat Management Corporation keeps tabs on his whereabouts, right? So tell me!” 

“I wouldn’t know. And even if I did, I would not be telling an outsider like you, now would I? If you really want to know, you should just ask Asagi to hack the Corporation’s surveillance data.” 

“If I could do that, this would be simple…” 

Kojou clutched his head as he reeled. Asagi was the cause of Kojou searching for Jagan to begin with. For a time, Natsuki stared gloomily at the sight of Kojou writhing in anguish before exhaling in visible exasperation. 

“First of all, what business do you have with that man, Kojou Akatsuki?” 

“Asagi met with him yesterday! And now she’s being hush-hush about it!” 

“…Male jealousy. How trite.” 

“It’s not that, dammit! Are you okay with this?! He’s a vampire, you know?!” 

“Aren’t you something quite similar?” 

Kojou groaned, Natsuki’s frighteningly blunt assertion leaving him at a loss for words. To an objective observer, Kojou, possessor of the stupidly grandiose title of World’s Mightiest Vampire, was a more dangerous and troublesome being than Jagan. It wasn’t as if Kojou himself was ignorant of this, either. 

Unable to say anything in reply, Natsuki coldly stared at him with visible scorn. 

“This is a Demon Sanctuary, after all. You are free to love anyone you wish, be it an aristocrat of the Warlord’s Empire or some stray primogenitor.” 

“Even if it’s one of Vattler’s flunkies?” 

“He is no subordinate, but rather, an ally and an equal. Not that I think a major player like him would put up with a mewling brat like Asagi.” 

“Um… Calling her a brat is kinda…” 

You’re not one to talk , thought Kojou, beside himself. Due to certain circumstances, Natsuki’s growth had stopped at a point where her external appearance was that of an eleven- or twelve-year-old. To the naked eye, she was far more of a child than Asagi. 

“Of course, if he used a Charm power to force Asagi to obey him, that would be a crime. Failing that, there is no issue. You shouldn’t be so broken up over a girl being stolen from you in the first place.” 

“Is that a line that a teacher should be saying?!” 

Natsuki’s cold dismissal made him sigh in despair. Nor was there was any sign of Asagi returning from the staff room. 

“Aww, crap… It’s just one thing after another…” 

As the tepid gazes of his classmates washed over him, Kojou went to go sit in his own seat. 

Along the way, he caught sight of Motoki Yaze standing by the windowsill. Yaze, who normally would be first in line to get Kojou to cool down, was oddly quiet that day. He was staring out the window, showing no sign of having noticed the commotion Kojou had created. 

“…Yaze? …You good?” 

Yaze, finally taking note of Kojou’s existence, went “Yeah,” a very vague reply. He was staring squarely at the roof of the middle school on the other side of the campus. 

“Er… I was just thinking: Did our school have a statue like that?” 

“Statue?” 

Shifting his gaze in the direction Yaze was pointing, Kojou dubiously narrowed his eyes. Certainly, there was an unfamiliar object standing statuesque upon the roof where entry was supposedly prohibited. 

It looked like a huge living creature, covered in steel-colored scales. Its total length was several dozen meters. Its wings were folded in, and it had a long tail, making it resemble some kind of enormous sculpture of a demon beast. 

“Geh…?!!” 

Observing this, Kojou suddenly uttered a noise as blood drained from his face, for he had witnessed the sight of this demon beast before. It was a dragon with beautiful steel-colored scales—Glenda. 

“Sorry, Yaze. I just remembered, there’s something I have to do and it definitely can’t wait! I’m leaving the rest to you!” 

“Ah? Hey, class is about to—” 

“Make up some kind of reasonable excuse, please!” 

Kojou made that desperate plea as he rushed out of the classroom. He didn’t know why Glenda was sleeping on the Saikai Academy campus roof. Nonetheless, it was obvious that some kind of problem had arisen. 

Fortunately, only a few students had noticed Glenda’s presence at that point. Even if they had noticed, they’d probably mistaken her for a simple ornament, just as Yaze had. However, he didn’t think such a precarious situation could be maintained for long. Even students in a Demon Sanctuary would inevitably fall into a panic once they realized a dragon had suddenly appeared on school grounds. 

Before that happened, he had to pick up Glenda and get her out of the school somehow— 

“Kojou.” 

“Uh?” 

As Kojou nervously broke into a run, oddly, he heard Yaze’s voice loud and clear. 

When Kojou came to a surprised halt, Yaze was staring at him, issuing his warning with a sober look. Yaze, one usually so composed, looked like he had his back to the wall. 

“Hurry. There’s no time.” 

“R-right.” 

Bewildered by Yaze’s cryptic words, Kojou broke into a run once more. 

Seeing this for himself, Yaze shifted his gaze outside the window again. Staring beyond the water’s horizon, a place that surely could not be seen with the naked eye, he bit his lip without a word. 

6 

Racing up the emergency stairs at the back of the campus, Kojou arrived on the school rooftop. It was a bleak concrete space with a metal fence around it. A familiar, immature dragon rested in the space between neatly arranged rows of solar panels. 

“Glenda!” 

Circling to the dragon’s front, Kojou called out the girl’s name. 

Perhaps his voice reached her. The dragon’s eyelids twitched. 

From what he could confirm visually, there were no wounds that stood out on her body. She seemed to be sleeping out of fatigue from prolonged flight. According to the information he heard from Sayaka the other day, Glenda was supposed to be staying at Blue Elysium’s Demon Beast Park. Kojou had absolutely no idea why, in spite of that, she had apparently flown all the way to Itogami Island. 

“Dah…” 

The steel-colored dragon made a sound in her throat. The cute voice clashed with her appearance. Her large eyes opened wide, beholding the sight of Kojou within them. Her huge head slowly rose, and suddenly a faint light emanated from her enormous, steel-colored body. 

“G…Glenda?” 

As Kojou stared in bewilderment, Glenda’s body began to shrink right in front of him. At some point, her wings had vanished from sight, and her tail vanished as he watched. Her beautiful mane transformed into long, steel-colored hair. In place of four, stout limbs emerged the delicate arms and legs of a girl. 

“Hey, you! If you…turn back to human in a place like this…!” 

Kojou hastily averted his eyes as Glenda changed into her human form. Given the enormous size difference, there was really no way to prevent this, but right after transforming, Glenda was, of course, completely naked. Furthermore, this was on school grounds in broad daylight. Together with a naked girl on a rooftop with no one else around—if anyone else witnessed this situation, Kojou’s life would be over. 

“O-okay… For starters, let’s put something on you…” 

Kojou, knowing full well it was not a real solution to the problem, stripped his own parka off and tried to put it on Glenda. But having finished her transformation, Glenda was sitting flat on the roof, not moving a muscle. 

Then, as she looked up at Kojou without a word, tears began to spill from her eyes. This time, Kojou’s mouth hung open in confusion. 

“Kojou…” 

Glenda was sobbing and sniffing as she let out a frail voice. 

“Hey… Glenda? Did something happen? Are you in pain anywhere?” 

Thrown for a loop, Kojou earnestly attempted to soothe the girl. And as he did so, Glenda clung to him, still completely naked. 

“Kojou… Kojou…!” 

“Wait a… Wait, Glenda. At least get some clothes o—” 

“Yuiri… Shio… At the pool… They told me…to run…” 

“…Run…? What happened to Yuiri and Shio? Did someone attack you?” 

Kojou quietly sobered as he looked at Glenda. Now that he thought about it, there were two Attack Mages of the Lion King Agency assigned as Glenda’s bodyguards and caretakers. In spite of this, Glenda had been forced to flee all the way to Itogami Island all by herself. It had clearly been an emergency. 

“Uu…” 

However, all that came out of Glenda were sobs and tears; she was too hysterical for words. What the hell happened? Kojou sighed, lifting his face to the sky— 

“?!” 

He caught a black silhouette over the sea in the corner of his vision. An enormous birdlike object was gliding just above the water’s surface. The midsection had a large swell to it. This was a seaplane unfamiliar to him—a flying boat. 

It was heading in Kojou and Glenda’s direction, gradually closing the distance. 

The craft was far larger than his initial impression. The roar from the chorus of four turboprop engines prickled Kojou’s and Glenda’s skin. 

When Glenda noticed its presence, her shoulders quivered. Her silver hair seemed to stand up. She growled with naked enmity. 

“What is that thing…? Don’t tell me that’s…?!” 

Kojou’s expression froze over in shock. The flying boat had already arrived in Itogami Island airspace, yet, it was maintaining full speed. However, its height above the ground was thirty meters at most. It wasn’t any higher off the ground than a ten-story building. 

The sheer size of the craft made the resulting scene even more bizarre. The flying boat’s course was taking it over their heads, but it was kicking up an incredible cloud of dust along the surface of the ground, with ornamental trees and road signs along the streets being tossed around by the wind. 

The craft was advancing in the direction of Saikai Academy—toward Kojou and Glenda. The flying boat’s speed did not drop. There was no sign of it gaining altitude. The silver-colored craft’s net weight was probably in the realm of forty metric tons. Its speed was hundreds of kilometers per hour as it headed straight for the Saikai Academy school grounds. 

“It’s just charging straight in—?!” 

Kojou instantly stood up, poising himself to summon a Beast Vassal. However, the other party’s flight path was in the airspace above an urban area. Even if he shot the flying ship down with a Beast Vassal, damage to buildings and people would be unavoidable. 

“Glenda, get down!” 

“Dah…?!” 

Kojou clutched Glenda in his arms, rolling on the spot. By a scant several meters, the flying boat barely cleared the top of the campus as it sailed over Kojou’s and Glenda’s heads. 

Screams went up all over the campus. A shock wave caused the campus’s glass windows to shudder and sent several solar panels flying. Glenda’s hair flapped wildly as the onslaught of gale-force winds left Kojou unable to breathe properly. 

“Damn… What the hell’s with that flying boat?! This is totally against flight regulations…!” 

Spitting out sand that had gotten into his mouth, Kojou sluggishly sat up. The flying boat that had harmlessly passed over Saikai Academy was now rapidly gaining altitude as it sailed off up into the sky. 

“The hell was that all about?” Kojou vented in an annoyed, suspicious tone. Fear consumed Glenda from within Kojou’s embrace. 

“Kojou!” 

Glenda was staring fearfully at a water tank behind Kojou. Realizing that a person was standing on it, Kojou audibly drew in his breath. 

His face was unfamiliar to Kojou. He was a foreigner with long black hair. The sleeves of his old-fashioned coat were flapping in the wind as the man looked down at Kojou and Glenda. 

Kojou didn’t even have to think about where the man had come from. He’d been aboard the flying boat that had just appeared. The craft had no doubt passed through the airspace above the school so the man could drop down from it. 

“A human—you are not. So you are a vampire as well, boy?” the dark-haired man addressed Kojou. 

His calm tone was disconnected from any sense of coercion. However, Kojou felt a freezing chill nonetheless. His instincts as a living creature extolled him that the other party before his eyes was a dangerous being indeed. 

“Who are you? Did you attack Yuiri and Shio?” 

“Yuiri…?” 

Kojou’s question prompted the man to raise an eyebrow, going “Ahhh” as he seemed to remember something. 

“I see you are an acquaintance of those girls. Then, I shall return these to you—” 

Opening a magical gate out of thin air, the man drew two things out of it. Without fanfare, he tossed them at Kojou’s feet: a silver long sword and a bow—weapons that Kojou remembered seeing before. 

“These are Yuiri’s and Shio’s…!” 

Adding Glenda’s testimony to the weapons in the man’s possession, it was all too clear what had transpired. The man had launched a sudden attack on Glenda and company, robbing Yuiri and Shio of their weapons. 

“Exactly…what did you do to Yuiri and Shio?” 

“They got in the way of my objective, so I eliminated them. That is all.” 

“…Objective?” 

“To dispose of the Dragon of the Swamp.” 

“So that’s what this is…” 

Kojou grinded his teeth. The man had come to Saikai Academy in pursuit of Glenda, who Yuiri and Shio had managed to let escape, this time, to finish the job— 

“Hand the Dragon of the Swamp over to me, boy. If you do not, you shall meet the same fate as those two girls.” 

“Don’t mess with me!” 

Before the man finished speaking, Kojou unleashed his vampiric power in anger. Demonic energy exploded from every pore, so vast as to make the very air creak, taking the form of an enormous lion shrouded by lightning. This was potent demonic energy condensed into physical form—a vampiric Beast Vassal summoned from another world. 

“C’mon over, Regulus Aurum—!” 

“A Beast Vassal of the…Fourth Primogenitor?!” 

Beholding Kojou’s Beast Vassal with his own eyes, an air of faint surprise spread over the man’s face. But only for a moment. Composing himself and staring at the lightning lion barreling toward him from overhead, the man calmly raised his right hand. 

“Awaken, Archadia.” 

“Wha—?!” 

It was Kojou who let out a shocked voice. From out of thin air, the black-haired man summoned a long sword resembling a whip with a saw for a blade. Swung by some invisible, giant arm, the long sword moved at the speed of an electric flash, blocking the lightning lion’s claw from the front—and pushing it back. 

“As expected, incredible force. Enough that even Archadia cannot hold.” 

Brushing away the aftershocks of the titanic clash of demonic energy with visible annoyance, the man smiled ferociously. 

“However, that is all. Dance, Ghoula—!” 

“Oh cra—” 

The sudden appearance of a swarm of enormous short swords sent Kojou’s expression twisting in despair. The man’s Beast Vassals were targeting Glenda rather than Kojou. 

Kojou instinctively reached a hand toward Glenda, but her own body was in the way, rendering him unable to summon a new Beast Vassal. With the girl frozen in terror, the dark short swords rained down upon her. 

However, just in the nick of time, a flash from a silver blade shrouded in pale radiance struck down every single sword. 

“—Snowdrift Wolf!” 

Leaping clear over the roof’s fence was a girl dressed in a gym outfit, twirling a long silver-colored spear around as she intercepted the horde of sentient swords. The vampiric Beast Vassal, presumably immune to any and all physical attacks, offered all the resistance of paper as it split apart and vanished. These Schneewaltzers were said to be the Lion King Agency’s secret weapons—purging spears with the power to nullify all demonic energy and rend any kind of barrier. 

“Himeragi!” 

“—Are you all right, senpai?!” 

Having finished intercepting the Beast Vassals, Yukina Himeragi held her spear at the ready as she posed the question. Glancing at the sight of Glenda naked under a parka, a complex expression rose to her face. 

“…Senpai, there is a great deal I wish to say to you, but ensuring Glenda’s safety is our first priority.” 

“Let’s leave it at that… Um, why are you in your gym clothes, Himeragi?” 

“I slipped out right before gym class! But is now really the time for a question like that?! Please take this seriously!” 

“It’s not like I’m fooling around here!” 

Kojou left his lightning lion materialized as he turned to face the black-haired vampire. He didn’t want to do anything to stand out too much within Saikai Academy, but this man wasn’t an opponent he could fight without a Beast Vassal. 

Fortunately, Regulus Aurum’s lightning bolts danced around Kojou and the others, which ought to have hid them from the other students. All he could do beyond that was hope his classmates took shelter before they were caught up in the conflict. 

“I see, so this is a Schneewaltzer… You have quite a troublesome weapon, certainly worthy of one calling herself the Fourth Primogenitor’s watcher.” 

The black-haired vampire let out a sigh as he stared at the spear Yukina wielded. However, even though he had just called it troublesome, his composed demeanor remained intact. He was likely confident that he could simultaneously defeat Kojou and Yukina. That might even be true—Kojou, squared off against him, could sense no end to his opponent’s strength. 

“Boy selected by the Fourth Primogenitor, Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency, this is my final warning. Hand over the Dragon of the Swamp.” 

The ghastly aura surrounding the black-haired vampire shot out forcefully. It became a physical pressure that caused the very air to tremble. Had they been human beings with weak resistance to demonic energy, this alone might have been enough to knock them unconscious. There was simply too much demonic energy. 

Perhaps overwhelmed by that incredibly ghastly aura, Glenda grasped her own shoulders, shivering slightly. Shielding Glenda, Kojou glared right at the man. 

“I told you—don’t mess with me.” 

A torrent of malevolent demonic energy spewed from Kojou’s entire body like billowing flames. This slammed into the opposing vampire’s own demonic energy, making the air bend and shimmer with heat haze. 

“Very well, boy. Then, perish along with this accursed island!” he shouted, fangs bared. 

He spread both arms wide as if to summon a new Beast Vassal. Kojou clicked his tongue. Yukina bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity. 

A moment later, silver chains shot out of thin air and coiled around the black-haired vampire. 

The sudden attack twisted the man’s face for the first time. 

“That is far enough, Velesh Aradahl—” 

Natsuki Minamiya’s doll-like silhouette appeared before the eyes of Kojou and company with a rippling of the air. With a flutter of her extravagant, frilly dress, she haughtily tossed her head back at the enemy. 

“This campus happens to be my place of work. As a teacher, I cannot shut my eyes to an outsider who means to bring harm to my students. I would be most grateful if you politely removed yourself.” 

“Natsuki Minamiya…the Witch of the Void, yes?” Even with his Beast Vassal summoning sealed away, the black-haired vampire’s dignified demeanor was undaunted. “Someone merely possessed by a Demon would deign to defeat me?” 

“If I chose to take this girl under my protection, do you really think there’s anything you would be able to do about it?” Natsuki laughed scornfully. 

Aradahl grimaced. 

Natsuki Minamiya, a witch specializing in teleportation magic, was the owner of a vast realm within her own dream that was known as the Prison Barrier. If she held Glenda within that barrier, Glenda would be forever lost to him. Aradahl understood that for himself. 

“…Very well. Certainly, there is little to be gained from making an enemy of you. I deeply apologize for disturbing the sanctity of this campus, Witch of the Void.” 

Aradahl made the statement in an honest-sounding tone. The ghastly aura swirling around the area neatly dissipated, almost like it had never existed. 

“A wise decision, Velesh Aradahl. It seems that you are different from that Master of Serpents.” 

Speaking in a haughty tone, Natsuki recalled her silver chains. Aradahl twisted his lips in silence. Apparently, he did not like being compared to the Master of Serpents—Dimitrie Vattler. 

“Boy. Your name?” 

That same Aradahl suddenly looked at Kojou and asked that question. His voice was quiet and tense. 

“Kojou. Kojou Akatsuki.” 

Aradahl’s oddly formal demeanor put Kojou off. Aradahl solemnly nodded, removing the glove that covered his right hand, tossing it at Kojou’s feet. 

“Then, Kojou Akatsuki—in the name of Velesh Aradahl, chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the Warlord’s Empire, I formally challenge you to a duel.” 

“…A duel?” 

Aradahl’s extremely behind-the-times phraseology made Kojou’s jaw drop. 

Of course, seriously being challenged to a duel was a first for him. Yukina, standing beside Kojou, was also rigid, seemingly taken aback. 

However, the black-haired vampire nodded with an extremely serious expression. 

“Yes, a one-on-one match at sunset tonight. We meet at the breakwater in District D in the northern section of the artificial isle. We fight until an opponent acknowledges defeat or is rendered unable to continue fighting. Should you lose, you will surrender the Dragon of the Swamp to me.” 

“…And if I win?” Kojou asked, regaining his senses. 

He understood that Aradahl wasn’t kidding around whatsoever. 

“Yuiri and Shio, you said… I shall return the two Attack Mages of the Lion King Agency to you. In addition, my Warlord’s Empire shall promise never to raise a hand against the Dragon of the Swamp again.” 

“Can I trust you?” 

“I swear upon the name of our Primogenitor.” 

Aradahl, perhaps taking Kojou’s words as implicit acceptance of the duel, strongly made that declaration. 

Kojou was left with no option but to accept his proposal. 

Judging from his exchanges so far with the black-haired vampire, Kojou understood that he was a stickler for formality. This challenge was unlikely to be a trap. 

Nor were his proposal’s details so one-sided that Kojou got nothing out of them. 

Either way, fighting him was unavoidable if Kojou wanted to protect Glenda. At the very least, a duel meant that no one other than Kojou would get caught up in the fighting in the process. 

“Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency and Witch of the Void—I request your presence as formal witnesses for the duel. I imagine this makes my proposal more trustworthy to you?” 

“Very well. That would only be proper,” Natsuki agreed. 

Yukina, on the other hand, hesitated, clenching her spear as she shifted her eyes toward the side of Kojou’s face. Then, her mind apparently made up, she nodded. 

“If that is what the two of you desire.” 

“Well met. Then, I shall leave the Dragon of the Swamp in your custody for now.” 

Aradahl nodded in satisfaction, the sleeves of his coat draped over his shoulders fluttering as he turned his back to them. Smoky black mist surrounded him, and his back dissolved into thin air. Finally, all traces of his presence vanished, leaving behind only the single glove he had taken off and discarded. It was unclear whether the exasperated sigh that followed began with Kojou or Yukina. 

“Velesh Aradahl…chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the Warlord’s Empire, huh…” 

“Yes. I have heard of him. It is said he is a martial artist aristocrat, wielder of the Seven Sword Beast Vassals.” 

As Kojou clutched his head lightly, Yukina bit her lip, conflicted. She’d voiced no complaint over the duel only because she knew he’d had no other option. 

“He is strong, Kojou Akatsuki… Quite possibly stronger than that Dimitrie Vattler,” Natsuki said, delivering the cold, hard truth. 

“Seems like it, yeah,” he acknowledged. 

Having actually fought the man, Kojou had sensed that as well. Aradahl had bottomless strength, even compared to that maniac Vattler. His power was legitimate, backed by finely honed might. On top of that, he had no openings. Even with the power of the Fourth Primogenitor, he wasn’t sure that he could win. 

But still… , he thought. 

“Kojou.” 

The fingertips of the dragon girl grasped hold of Kojou’s back. Glenda, trembling in fear up to that point, looked up at Kojou as she desperately pleaded to him. 

“Save Yuiri and Shio…” 

Kojou nodded with a smile. Aradahl was, without doubt, a frightening opponent. In terms of combat proficiency and experience as a vampire, Kojou couldn’t hold a candle to him. He couldn’t even dream of how to bridge the gap. 

But even so…, he thought. If there’s any meaning to the stupid power, the stupid name of the Fourth Primogenitor, it has to be for the sake of protecting the people within my reach. 

“Yeah, of course—” 

Kojou responded resolutely to Glenda, which helped to put her at ease. 

Immediately afterward, the girl’s expression brightened. “Dah!” she called out in her usual tone of voice, tackling Kojou into a one-sided hug with the force of someone leaping off a diving board. 

Kojou only remembered the rather crucial fact that she was naked when his parka, the only thing Glenda was wearing, slipped down off her shoulders. The dragon girl’s smooth skin and innocent breaths mercilessly stimulated Kojou’s senses. Kojou detected a metallic scent in his nose as he toppled over in spectacular fashion. Gazing at this, Yukina’s shoulders quivered with silent rage. 

“Kojou! Kojou!” 

“I get it! I get it already; so, Glenda, back up a little, okay?!” 

“Senpai, your nose is bleeding! A-and how long are you going to embrace each other?! Glenda, put some clothes on—!” shouted Yukina, who had somehow become the third wheel. The commotion echoed across the school rooftop. 

Natsuki shook her head in exasperation as all tension vanished in the blink of an eye. 

It was at that moment when the students remaining within the school grounds began to notice them. Nervousness hit Kojou like a ton of bricks as he sensed the impending doom of his own public standing. 

Even amid that uproar, Kojou felt a faint whiff of doubt in a rational corner in the back of his mind. 

Chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the Warlord’s Empire, Velesh Aradahl— 

Why was he after the dragon girl’s life to begin with…?