Itogami Island – Morning
"Cats?"
Kojou raised an eyebrow in surprise, his eyes scanning Nagisa's face, which was marked with a hint of confusion. In truth, keeping pets was forbidden in their apartnt, yet his gaze involuntarily drifted toward Atalanta, who was standing near the door. A small smile ford on his lips—after all, she could also be considered a "cat" in a certain sense, albeit completely different from ordinary cats.
"Right, my friend takes care of cats and is currently looking for people to adopt them. So I'm helping her find new owners… and I was wondering if you'd like to help us too."
Thud!
A muffled thump echoed as Nagisa dropped her leather shoe onto the wooden floor of the entrance, then extended her foot clad in elegant black socks to put it on quickly. Her movents were instinctive, yet the quiet morning atmosphere lent a warm, holy touch to the scene.
It was early morning; the gentle sea breeze from the surrounding waters of Itogami Island slipped through the slightly open window. That day, only Kojou, Nagisa, and Lucretia had breakfast together, as Erica and the other girls were occupied with Lion King Organization matters and had temporarily gone to the mainland.
"It's fine… but I don't think it's just about the cats, right?" Kojou said, casting a skeptical side glance at her as Nagisa bent to pick up her school bag.
anwhile, Kojou grabbed his school bag, previously given to him by Astarte, while Atalanta stood by his side, skillfully adjusting the collar of his short-sleeved white shirt and straightening his jacket. Her ticulous attention to detail made her seem more like an older sister or mother figure than just a "companion."
His school uniform consisted of slightly loose black pants, a clean white shirt, and simple black shoes. But unusually, today he wore a light brown oversized jacket, similar to the one Asagi usually liked, giving him a relaxed and different appearance.
His silver hair was tied back into a small ponytail, leaving bangs to fra the sides of his face. This simple touch changed much; it added vitality and an uncommon elegance to his features, making him look more mature and refreshed than ever.
"Actually… I sensed a hint of Demonic modification from her," Nagisa said softly, lowering her eyes for a mont as if carefully choosing her words. "That's why I'm a little worried… I'm sure she's human, yet sothing about her felt completely unnatural. So… I want you to check it out and help her if she's in trouble."
The quiet atmosphere rose for a mont as if silence itself had settled in the small apartnt. Nagisa did not hide her worry—it was evident she had been carrying this concern since yesterday, perhaps even earlier. Even if Kojou didn't bring up the subject, she had intended to tell him sooner or later. But, true to his impulsive nature, he didn't give her a chance to explain from the start.
Kojou paused briefly, tightening the strap of his bag. His dark blue eyes narrowed slightly, as if filtering the words of his sister, then his gaze shifted toward the window, where the morning light reflected on the distant sea. A cold breeze swept through, breaking the gentle silence that had settled over the room.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to help your friend," Kojou said.
He smiled faintly and patted Nagisa's head to reassure her; it was clear she was worried about her friend.
"So, who is this friend you want to help?"
"Kanase Kanon. She's famous… you should know her, right?"
Nagisa's tone faltered for a mont, as if she feared her brother's reaction. Kojou, however, didn't hesitate to respond, raising a corner of his mouth in a small smile:
"Oh~… you an The Saint of Middle School. Yeah, I've heard of her before."
As he slung his bag over his shoulder, the face of that girl flashed in his mind—he had heard her na more than once. A girl with long, silky silver hair and clear blue eyes like the ocean. Her beauty was striking; boys in class couldn't stop sharing pictures or talking about her. It wasn't surprising that she carried the title "Saint," as her captivating foreign features didn't go unnoticed in middle and high school halls.
"Don't worry, I'll investigate thoroughly and help her if she needs assistance," Kojou said lightly, happy to see Nagisa so concerned for her friends.
"Mm, I'll rely on you, Kojou-kun."
The two walked side by side, leaving the apartnt to find Touka and Sayaka waiting for them. Both were in the Saikai Academy uniform, as Kojou had arranged for Sayaka to study at the sa school.
Sayaka was a first-year transfer student, aning she was a kouhai, while Kojou was in his second year.
As for Asagi, she had spent the previous night at her close friend Rin's house for a sleepover or so similar event.
The four walked together toward the train station while Nagisa chatted with Touka and Sayaka. Kojou's mind, however, drifted back to last night, when he had seen two masked beings fighting in the island's sky, even causing a sizable fire.
The two wore plain white masks and had a pair of white wings.
"Their power… they seem like angels, but much weaker than a true angel."
Kojou could only ponder over them; their power was similar to his, though at a lower level. Clearly, they weren't true angels—but the re fact they could wield angelic power was astonishing and worrying.
"I should check on this once I finish with Kanase."
Though Kojou was curious about those pseudo-angels, Nagisa's request ca first. And perhaps her request was sohow related to the pseudo-angels.
...
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