~ Hachiman POV ~
—????—
Is it cold… or not?
It feels suffocating… but that is probably just my imagination.
This heavy, dragging sensation spreading throughout my entire body makes it feel as though my physical form is sinking into a mass of raw asphalt, both sticky and bottomless.
Every time I try to exert effort to move my fingertips, it requires twice as much physical strength as usual, as if the air around me has transformed into a heavy substance, compressing me from every direction.
'It is a familiar feeling that I never want to experience again.'
I slowly open my eyes. However, it is not opening my eyes in the traditional sense; rather, it is a heightened perception of the darkness enveloping me. There is no light, no way out—only the profound depth of a thick blackness, as if I am floating in a deep sea where the further I plunge, the more the light fades away.
'This place again?'
"What is it this time?"
I say it dismissively out of sheer boredom. Looking from any other angle right now, it would appear that I am standing alone, talking to myself.
But I know full well that there is someone else in this place, even if that someone is also myself.
"Come on~ Don't be so cold to yourself."
A familiar deep, low voice echoes from behind, accompanied by a freezing touch on my shoulder that sends shivers down my spine. A figure that looks exactly like me down to the last detail steps out from the darkness. This time, the golden glint in his left eye looks brighter and more powerful than ever... Of course it does, because he just consumed a 'massive meal' a year ago.
I violently brush his hand off my shoulder, taking a step back, staring at him with disgust—no, rather, with disgust toward myself.
"How revolting... How many times do I have to tell you to stop using my face to make that kind of flirtatious smile?"
Unfazed, he lets out an amused chuckle in his throat. Folding his arms, he walks in circles around me as if admiring a piece of merchandise.
"How cruel, my other self... Even though for this past year, you ran away to hide your head in the human world, living a slow life and pretending to forget about that night. But the power of that 'Beautiful Queen' flowing inside us—it is still warm, isn't it? The touch of that soft flesh, the faint moans of Nee-san... You remember every single detail perfectly, don't you?"
"Shut up!.."
I grit my teeth tightly, clenching my fists so hard they tremble. The memory of that night, which I tried my hardest to bury deep within my brain, is being ruthlessly dragged out and exposed by this bastard. The night that primal beastly instinct, or whatever crazy devil cells, awakened...
…The night I destroyed my adoptive sister's trust with my own hands.
This guy loves to mock me every time he appears. Over the past year, counting the first time, this is already the fifth time I have had to set foot in this place.
"Acting like you can't accept it."
He brings his face close, flashing a wide, squint-eyed smirk.
"The reason you fled to the human world isn't just because you couldn't accept it yourself, right, Hachiman?... You are just a 'coward' who is afraid of her gaze, afraid that if you meet again, you won't be able to resist the hunger of this Incubus bloodline."
"And who do you think is the root cause of everything that happened?! I didn't want it to happen! It was you... You were the one who forced me!"
I glare at him with cold eyes while shouting into his face.
"I forced you?"
His smile vanishes, replaced by a sharp, pitiful gaze.
"Don't make me laugh. I only gave you a little push. Even if the cause wasn't me, you would have done it yourself eventually anyway. I just accelerated the process, that's all…"
"..Besides, if you really resisted it from the bottom of your heart, why did you let yourself go with the flow? A human body isn't good at lying, you know. Especially when you held her so tightly... You were utterly happy with it."
"...."
His words are like a wedge driving into the truth I fear most… Yes, the instinct drove it, true, but a part of my heart... cannot deny that it felt good—
No, no, no! Originally, I was never that kind of person. This guy is clearly trying to find reasons to accuse me.
"So what is it? This is the fifth time you've shown up in my dreams. You didn't just come here for the fun of sarcastically rubbing past events in my face, did you?"
I try to keep my voice from trembling.
I feel uneasy every time I show up here, because every time, this guy always has something unexpected to surprise me with...
...Just like before.
"Of course not. The past is just a funny story; whenever you try to forget it, I will drag it back up every time to make you accept it."
His mocking smile returns to his face once more. His tone is flat but laced with amusement derived from my misery.
If I could kill him, I probably would have done it since our second meeting. Unfortunately, such a hope is nowhere to be seen because I cannot touch him; his body passes right through every time I reach out to grab him.
He merely forms a smirk like a victor before stepping back to stand with his arms crossed in a dark corner.
"..Before we get to the main point, my previous offer remains the same. Consume that Fallen Angel girl."
"And my answer is still the same: No! There is no way I'll do it!"
Yes, indeed. This is the surprise he gave me prior to this.
A monstrous, unhuman proposal that he intentionally thrust upon me in the previous dream... To 'consume' the Fallen Angel who had just survived and returned, and was currently making food waiting for me in my room.
His use of the word 'consume' does not mean taking her life or regular killing, but rather, it means copulation.
Engaging in sexual intercourse to drain power according to the primal instinct of the Incubus bloodline within me. Just thinking about doing such a thing to another woman I know, my rationality instantly commands me to refuse, even if instinct dictates otherwise.
Yes… I am talking about Kalawarna, the woman I thought was dead, but somehow managed to survive.
It turns out she survived because of the ring I gave her the night before, though I still can't recall when exactly I gave it to her.
The property of that ring is that it automatically teleports when the wearer is in a life-threatening situation, and the destination it sends them to is my room.
If you ask why it had to be my room, it's because I configured it that way.
"Heh~... Quite a stubborn refusal, even though that girl lunged forward to hug you so tightly that it was skin-to-skin."
He lets out a low chuckle, his left golden eye gleaming with playful mockery.
That infuriating attitude causes the veins at my temples to throb rapidly.
"I told you, didn't I? Every decision is up to me! Not you!"
I snap back instantly to remind this piece-of-shit fragment exactly who rules this body.
"Yes, yes, I suppose it is like that…"
He pretends to nod dismissively, not giving a damn.
"But do you know... the reason I told you to consume her isn't just to make you stronger, but for her own sake as well."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
I furrow my brows deeply, letting out a confused exclamation. No matter how I look at it, Kalawarna doesn't seem to gain any benefit from this part at all, even if that happens to be her own deep desire...
That's right, Kalawarna had almost seduced me once before. Fortunately, back then, the memory of that mistaken past with my adoptive sister flashed violently to interrupt the moment, allowing me to wrench my consciousness back just in time.
"First of all, do you know why my manifestation appeared?"
He doesn't answer the question directly, but throws a new question back with a mysterious smile.
"....."
Of course, I don't know... In the past, I have questioned myself about this too. The only thing I am certain of is that this guy is definitely a reflection of the devil cells, judging by the highly lustful personality he displays. But that still doesn't explain the major doubt in my mind...
Why is it that only he shows his face to me? Even though the cell extract injected into my body... contains the proportions of five different races combined, doesn't it?
"The reason is because you spent a long time mingling with the Devil race, which stimulated the dormant cells to awaken through an inter-racial response system, you see…"
"Hmm? If that's the case, shouldn't it apply to the Fallen Angel race as well? I myself have coexisted with some of them long enough."
I narrow my eyes.
If mingling with devils is the trigger that wakes up the devil cells to run amok inside me…
Then the cells of the other races should be able to awaken the same way, shouldn't they? Because during the past period, I had to ditch my slow life at certain intervals to get involved with quite a few Fallen Angels on a regular basis—long enough to trigger whatever absurd response system that is, for sure.
"No, no... I haven't finished speaking yet."
My other self raises a finger, wagging it back and forth with a provocative smile.
"The conditions for each cell to 'truly' awaken are different. Look closely... inside you right now, you can only use the basic special abilities of those races on a superficial level. All of that is just low-tier passive skills, not even the true essence of those entities."
"To give an example... it's like having a level-one character in your hand; even if you want to use its ultimate move, you still can't use it anyway."
He pauses, taking a step closer.
"But in my case... it met the conditions perfectly from the moment you started messing with devils, coupled with you allowing low desires, lust, and passions regarding women into your head. Those things directly reflect and resonate with my Incubus entity, so it's like a shortcut that woke me up, so to speak…"
"And my entity as well as the abilities you obtained from me became significantly clearer and more powerful when you formed a direct bond—or to put it correctly, when you had an intimate encounter with devils, just like in the case of that silver-haired maid girl."
"....."
The reason this guy became this prominent isn't due to anything else, but because my behavior happened to fully satisfy the specific conditions of his race's clan.
...An absurd reason that I couldn't comprehend, and didn't want to comprehend in the slightest.
"Then what does that have to do with the proposal you told me to do with Kalawarna?"
I take a deep breath, firing the question back.
"You know what my true power is, right?"
Because I know this all too well, it makes me even more skeptical.
For regular people, when speaking of a desire devil like an Incubus or a Succubus, everyone would only think of using charm to seduce people in order to drain the target's life energy. But that... is just a fraction of the basic capability.
The 72 purebred Devil clans each possess a unique hereditary ability, and one of them is the Beleth clan, which is the origin of the Incubus lineage inside my body... Its true power is not just draining energy, but it is 'absorbing and accessing all of the opponent's ability data through sexual intercourse.'
Let me emphasize and explain clearly right here: it is NOT copying.
These two things are entirely different. Copying or replicating energy is much simpler, because it is just taking the opponent's power and manifesting it to look exactly like the original without having to think.
But the power of the Beleth clan is deeper... It is completely seeing through and understanding the system, structure, components, and entire manifestation process of the opponent's power. To put it simply, it's like getting a secret recipe, knowing all the ingredients of a dish, and having the entire cooking method in your head…
Except whether you can cook it deliciously and match the original after that is another matter entirely, depending on your own skill.
Of course, this cheat-level ability comes with severe limitations and fatal weaknesses... That is, if the opponent's power is a 'unique special ability restricted only to that specific clan's bloodline' or a 'Sacred Gear' type of power, the power of Beleth cannot convert it into actual usage. We can only retain the structural data of it in our head.
It is comparable to holding an excellent recipe in your hand, but the recipe specifies that it requires a 'rare ingredient' available only within the opponent's clan... Since our side can never obtain it, knowing the process is utterly useless.
But so what? I still don't understand. In Kalawarna's case, she is just an ordinary Fallen Angel. What reason is there to do that kind of thing with her?
"Everything you know is just a perspective from your side."
He scoffs while crossing his arms, looking down at me with a superior gaze as always.
"Hmm? My perspective?"
"Listen carefully... It's not only you who receives the benefits from that matter; even the other party receives them as well. As long as the other party holds love for you, in whatever form it may be... the stronger you become, the stronger they will become as well. But there is a catch... your crest must appear on her body, which, of course, will manifest after having done it, just like your 'Nee-san'."
What did he say?
I didn't mishear that just now, did I...
"What did you just say?! That lewd, monstrous crest appeared on Nee-san's body?!"
I scream at the top of my lungs until my voice echoes loudly, my boiling rage surging past its limit, making me completely forget the freezing cold around me.
"Hmm? You didn't notice at all?"
He raises an eyebrow, feigning a look of surprise mixed with amusement, before flashing a provocative, wide smirk to deliver the final blow to my heart.
"That crest... it is prominently displayed right below her navel, Hachiman~"
Ah..
It's over... the vain hope that one day I would go back to bow my head and apologize to her to make amends for my sin.
As if leaving her with absolute humiliation through my monstrous actions that night wasn't enough, I even left that mark of lust on her flesh to constantly remind her of my brutality.
This reality hits like a sledgehammer striking the middle of my heart, leaving me barely able to stand. My body grows numb, plunging even deeper into the darkness. Guilt rushes up to choke my throat until I can hardly breathe.
Everything is utterly ruined…
"Hahaha, rest assured, it only shows up when she is within your radius... Ah... I mean, even when she misses you, that happens to be the case too."
His words do not comfort me in the slightest... On the contrary, they drive the wedge of torment even deeper into my chest.
This guy can ramble on all he wants, I can't do anything to him anyway. My powerlessness within this realm of consciousness is truly pathetic.
He watches my sinking state with a satisfied smile before letting out a long, exaggerated sigh and continuing.
"Oh well, let bygones be bygones... Alright, continuing from just now, since my entity could awaken due to the low desires and the Devil race around you."
He abruptly changes the subject dismissively before moving in close to whisper into my ear with a cheerful yet cunning voice.
"Then if you want to extract the power of the remaining ones buried deep inside your body through a shortcut... don't you think 'eating' and exchanging energy currents directly from a subject of that bloodline would serve as a superb catalyst?"
"...Are you trying to say the reason you want me to do that kind of thing to Kalawarna is because you want to stimulate the Fallen Angel cells inside me!?"
I ask back instantly in utter shock.
"Correct! Quick-witted as expected of me, Hachiman."
My other self smirks widely. He snaps his fingers loudly amidst the silence before backing away from me.
"Because we don't know what kind of thoughts or actions can link to the remaining cells like in my case. Therefore, instead of wasting time hoping for it to respond in the future, isn't it better to directly stimulate it right away?"
I feel that the more I listen, the more it feels exactly like I am being lured to walk down an even deeper abyss.
Who on earth does he think I am?
Does he really think I would actually do it myself?
I am not some dark-skinned, blonde male character who usually shows up to do that kind of thing in an NTR plot, damn it!
"Is this all you wanted to tell me?"
I don't want to stay here any longer... I don't even want to converse with him for a single second more.
Having to sit and listen to a monstrous plan that flings past sins to torture my heart, while guiding me forward to commit atrocious acts against another woman in exchange for some crazy power.
This is no different from being locked inside a toilet that reeks of a nauseating stench. The longer I stay, the more the human dignity I painstakingly try to preserve seems to melt away before my eyes.
"Oh! I almost forgot the actual purpose."
That guy strikes his fist against his palm as if he just remembered. Then, he stares deep into my eyes with a serious expression he has never made before, before speaking further.
"There is one more thing I must warn you about... If it isn't absolutely necessary, you shouldn't use that part of the power. You might not have realized it up until now, but the more frequently you use it, its influence will gradually consume your identity more and more... Among all the cells present in your body right now, that guy is the most dangerous one…"
His parting warning echoes loudly... But before I can open my mouth to ask what 'that guy' he is referring to means, his figure begins to distort and dissolve into the darkness.
The surrounding darkness starts to crack, before shattering into mirror fragments in the blink of an eye.
—
Gasp!
"...Ha... Ha..."
I snap awake, my eyes flying wide open. The first image to greet my sight is the familiar bedroom ceiling, accompanied by the sound of my own heavy, ragged panting echoing through the silence.
Beads of cold sweat drench my face and back.
I prop myself up to sit... but I can't do it as intended. An unusually heavy weight pressing down on my stomach and midsection brings my body to an instant halt.
The contact pressed close against me is soft, warm, and shifting slightly with the subtle rhythm of breathing.
I try to glance down through the dimness of the room. As soon as my eyes adjust to the environment—
I see Kalawarna's body lying draped across me...
Her face is buried close to my chest. Her long, beautiful blue hair spreads out, brushing against my bare skin and causing a prickly itch. Even though nothing of that sort has happened between us yet, and she remains perfectly safe from the monstrous conditions of my power,
Having her lying straddled over me at such close range completely blurs my brain, leaving me at a total loss.
The next question that pops into my mind is:
'Why is she sleeping in my room... and on top of me at that?'
I'm pretty sure I told her last night to use the guest room specifically prepared for visitors.
Right then, I finally realize that the position where she has dropped her weight is far too precarious... My aroused, swollen member has grown prominently rigid and is unavoidably poking right against her hip.
The situation right now is too dangerous to permit lying still any longer.
"Hey, wake up."
I reach out to grab her shoulder and shake her firmly.
"Mnn... nnn..."
A groggy moan escapes low in Kalawarna's throat. Yet, instead of pulling away, her body twists and squirms with laziness.
That seductive movement utterly destroys my train of thought...
Her plump thigh and hip shift, rubbing back and forth right against that hardened spot of mine. The friction grinding through the fabric sends a sharp jolt of pleasure straight to my brain, causing me to subconsciously catch my breath.
"Damn it... this girl."
I mutter under my breath in a raspy tone, straining my abdomen to pull my hips back. But the harder I try to move away, the deeper Kalawarna nestles herself between my legs.
Eventually, her entire weight bears down squarely on my body. The fragrance drifting from her form pressed so close is causing me to lose my sanity.
The tight, throbbing ache at that spot intensifies until I have to grit my teeth.
With her warm flesh shifting around on top of me like this, it triggers my primal instincts to skyrocket.
'This is getting bad.'
My body is starting to respond uncontrollably.
If she doesn't wake up right now, I'm bound to lose my mind.
It can't be helped... I'll have to use the most effective method to wake her up.
I aim my middle finger at her forehead and flick it with all my might.
Flick!
"...Ugh!?"
Kalawarna's beautiful brows instantly knit together before her eyes slowly flutter open. She freezes for a moment before looking up to lock eyes with me. The two of us just stare at each other silently...
1..
2..
3..
...
...
10...
Okay, I give up.
"If you're awake, could you please get off me?"
Even though I say that, she does nothing but keep her gaze locked onto me, unmoving.
'This is incredibly awkward, for crying out loud.'
Instead of willingly getting up, Kalawarna reaches both arms up to loop around my neck, audaciously burying her face into the crook of my neck.
"Mmm... sniff... Haa..."
She takes a deep breath, relishing the scent of the male right in front of her.
"Hey... Didn't you hear what I said?"
I feign dropping my voice to a lower register to threaten her.
"I heard you... Hikage-sama."
"Then get off my body already!"
Why is she being so stubborn this time around? Did she eat something weird or what?
"I want to stay like this for a bit—hmm?"
The moment Kalawarna moves to press her body even closer to mine, she senses a certain hard object poking against her thigh.
Using both hands to prop herself up against the mattress, Kalawarna lifts her upper torso slightly to investigate the foreign object beneath her.
Her gaze shifts downward for a brief moment. Before long, her beautiful eyes widen slightly, and the corners of her mouth instantly curl into a sly smirk upon realizing what that foreign object is.
She doesn't pull away as I hoped, but intentionally grinds her soft hip down right onto that spot, sending a sharp wave of pleasure through me.
"Ngh... Ah...!"
"Hmm... What is this hard thing pushing against my leg, Hikagaya-sama? Do all humans get like this when they wake up in the morning?"
Kalawarna asks in a feigned flat tone and her usual cold face, as if she is merely asking about the daily weather.
..Even though her cheeks are flushing crimson.
Her sharp gaze carries a hint of mockery and amusement at seeing the reaction of the man in front of her.
"I have heard that human male bodies tend to accumulate energy in the morning... But for it to expand and press against my leg this tightly, it couldn't mean you are thinking about something weird, right?"
She acts as though she is conducting a calm, business-like analysis, but as she utters the word 'weird', Kalawarna intentionally grinds her plump hip slowly and heavily against my manhood.
"Ha!... Ngh! ...Stop talking nonsense and get off right now!"
I have to clench my jaw so tightly it hurts. A curse slips out, cracking embarrassingly out of key, forcing me to quickly avert my face as my skin burns hot.
This girl clearly knows everything, yet she plays dumb just to corner me.
Then, Kalawarna shifts her entire body into a straddling position, causing most of her weight to press fully between my legs.
And she begins to shift her plump bottom, grinding and rubbing down slowly. She mercilessly presses her weight directly onto my manhood.
"—Ah!..."
Having witnessed my tormented state to her satisfaction, Kalawarna stops playing dumb. The corner of her mouth curves up before she voices her desire directly in a raspy whisper.
"Hikage-sama~... Do you know how much restraint I've been exercising? Even last night, if I hadn't seen how exhausted you looked, I would have taken you and done that sort of thing a long time ago."
"What crazy things are you talking about...!?"
Damn it! I'm reaching my limit!
My body refuses to listen to my commands. It won't move—no... it's not that it can't move. My body is actually struggling to scramble and respond to her touch!
Primal instinct is running completely counter to what my brain thinks, forcing me to summon every ounce of willpower I possess to restrain myself from pinning the woman in front of me down onto the bed.
….If one looks closely, a golden glow in Hikagaya's left eye begins to reveal a pattern resembling the crest of the Beleth clan. It flickers rapidly, pulsing in sync with the rhythm of his inner desire…..
"It's torturous, isn't it~? Wouldn't it be better to let me help unleash it~?"
She says this while grinding her bottom back and forth, increasing her pace.
"Ngh... S... Stop... Kalawarna..."
I squeeze the words out with great difficulty. The raspy voice that slips out lacks any of the weight I hoped would intimidate her.
"Your mouth says stop... but your sword is testifying that it's dying to slash me~"
Kalawarna giggles in her throat, her voice filled with adoration and dominance. She uses her fingers to trace up and down the shaft of the sword through the thin fabric.
"Look... this part of you has expanded so much it's crushing my hip until it's burning hot... The body is far more honest than words, you know~"
What is wrong with her today? She is aggressively pursuing me far more than usual.
It doesn't feel like the Kalawarna I know at all. Because even though she has shown some stubbornness in the past, she always backed off whenever I put on a serious face.
Or have I simply not known her well enough all this time? Is this her true nature?
But... her cold facial features blended with her current playful demeanor suit her incredibly well—
No, no... That's not right! What on earth is wrong with my brain!?
First of all, I have to stop her actions. Otherwise, our condition in the next few hours will definitely turn into something extreme.
Unfortunately, my body right now cannot be relied upon at all. Instead of wanting to push her away, it craves to pounce on her onto the bed.
Since my body has betrayed me, the last remaining option to stop her has to be 'words'!
It seems I've been too soft on her past actions, causing her to get careless and overconfident. It's time to play hardball.
I bite my lip hard, controlling my expression to look as cold and still as possible. My dead-fish eyes narrow into a sharp, dangerous glint. I stare deep into her eyes while forcing out a decisive, commanding tone...
"Kalawarna... Don't make me repeat myself. Otherwise, I won't be nice to you anymore."
"...Ah..."
Kalawarna's eyes widen slightly. Her body freezes, halting her movements instantly upon witnessing that.
Seeing her frozen response, I inwardly smirk with satisfaction, thinking that those firm words just now actually worked.
However, before I even have a chance to breathe a sigh of relief...
Grab!
"—Ugh!"
I flinch as a heavy, violent weight slams down on both of my shoulders. The force is enough to sink my upper body deep into the plush pillow supporting my back.
The source comes from both hands of the woman in front of me, pinning me down.
My field of vision now consists of nothing but Kalawarna's face, because her long, beautiful hair falls down, completely blocking out the scenery around me to both the left and right.
"...Pant... Pant..."
Her face is flushed crimson as she lets out heavy, ragged breaths.
Those beautiful eyes staring deep into mine at point-blank range can be interpreted in only one word: 'Voracious'.
'What is happening?'
I can only remain confused in my mind by her unpredictable actions.
"Hikagaya-sama~... You really shouldn't act cold toward me in your current state... Pant~..."
Huh? Why? Is she angry?
…From Kalawarna's perspective, my current state is the absolute worst time to put on a cold face, because it only makes my appearance twice as enticing and highly breedable. A face slick with beads of sweat, damp hair falling to partially obscure my vision, a flushed countenance, and rapid, heavy breathing.
To Kalawarna, the man beneath her at this moment is no different from a delicious prey struggling to fight back with a flimsy defense just to survive from a predator like her.
"Do you have any idea how sexy you look right now~?"
"I... pant... don't know..."
This is insane... Did I accidentally trigger some weird switch inside her!?
Then, Kalawarna drops her body weight, slumping her entire form flat on top of me once again, forcing me to take her full weight while her hands keep a tight grip on my shoulders. She leans her face down to whisper into my ear in a seductive voice that sends shivers down my spine.
"Or is all of this actually your plan? Pretending to push me away just to provoke me into attacking you even harder~ If that's truly the case... then congratulations, it worked beautifully~"
"...Pant... Kalawarna! I'm serious!..."
Her long, beautiful hair drapes down to completely cover my face, stimulating my olfactory senses.
I can smell nothing but the sweet scent of rose shampoo mingled with a faint trace of sweat and her potent pheromones.
"Judging by your tone, it seems you really aren't pretending,"
Kalawarna murmurs, her voice softening slightly as if she might actually listen.
"Then!—"
"But who cares~"
Huh?
"Right now, whether you're serious or not, I don't care at all~ Since your body is responding to me so honestly, what reason do I have to stop, right~?"
Ah...
It's no use... There's really no stopping her now! This time she isn't playing around; she completely intends to claim me as her wife—no, claim me as her husband for real, one hundred percent!
"Look~ Even your own hands are dying to do lewd things to me~"
Hmm?
Her teasing remark accompanied by a sly smile makes me realize that my two hands, which had been struggling earlier, are now aggressively squeezing and kneading her plump butt cheeks so hard that the soft flesh deforms along my finger marks.
Moreover, my fingers are clawing deep into that supple softness, as if the beastly instinct within my body is commanding me to lock her down so she can't escape.
'Oh! Shit! Since when did this happen!?'
Seeing such blatant evidence right before my eyes, my eyes widen in shock, and I immediately release my grip on her bottom.
She smirks, letting out an amused chuckle in her throat, before grabbing one of my wrists and forcing my palm back onto her bottom at the exact same spot.
"If it feels that good, then keep playing with it. I don't mind~"
"No!... That's not it! I didn't mean to—Ahhh!"
My denial cuts short, turning into an unseemly groan echoing through the room when Kalawarna, whose face is buried close to my ear, takes advantage of my panic. She gently bites into my earlobe before beginning to chew on it repeatedly, tracing and licking with her warm, damp tongue in a teasing manner.
"Ngh!... Mnnn!..."
The sensation striking the sensitive spot on my ear sends a wave of intense pleasure down my spine. My body twitches, and my other hand, still pressed against the suppleness of her backside, violently squeezes her flesh once more without my conscious consent.
"...Ah~... Yes, just like that... Hikage-sama~"
Kalawarna immediately releases my earlobe from her lips. She lets out a sharp hiss of breath as she feels the mixture of pain and pleasure from my fingernails digging into her flesh.
"...Pant... Pant..."
Damn it!.. I've never felt this pathetic in my entire life. Being pinned down on a bed by a woman in a completely helpless state feels like an absolute insult to my dignity as a man.
Inside, I'm dying to flip our positions and pin her down instead, but I have to suppress it because I know full well that once I cross that line, there will be no turning back.
After a moment, Kalawarna slides her face down to rest at the crook of my neck—her absolute favorite spot to invade—before pressing her nose down to take deep, obsessive sniffs of my scent.
"Haa♡... Hikage-sama. Even though I have seduced you before, I have never crossed the line further than that whenever you ordered me to stop... Do you want to know why I refuse to stop under your command this time~?"
She speaks, blowing hot breaths against my neck while tightly squeezing my manhood between her bare thighs, causing my rigid, protruding length to bury itself deeply between her inner thighs, flesh against flesh.
"...Ngh..! P... Please...!"
I squeeze out a trembling groan, begging her, because the tight constriction between her thighs is targeting my vital spot, driving me close to madness with intense pleasure.
"Because before, I didn't know your true identity. Even though I pursued you, I still possessed some fear and respected you as well, which made me hold back out of courtesy...."
Yes... That was the Kalawarna I knew and had always dealt with.
Then what about now? Why did she suddenly pull a complete 180 and completely disregard my authority like this!?
"...But now I know~ That you are just an inexperienced teenage boy~ Both clumsy and naive… Just look at your current state, it looks utterly pitiful and pathetic~"
Did I hear that right?
Is she looking down on me?
The Kalawarna I know is talking down to me and insulting me?
If that's really the case...
"Kalawarna... pant... say that again...!"
A freezing tone laced with pressure slips from my mouth.
Despite hearing such a chilling threat, instead of trembling with fear, she begins to shudder with excitement, as if she was actually anticipating that kind of response from me.
Kalawarna smiles broadly with delight. She leans down to plant an affectionate kiss on the crook of my neck, before sliding her lips toward my thick shoulder... and sinking her fangs down with all her might, biting deep into my flesh.
"Argh!... Damn it!"
I let out a loud cry from the mixture of pain and sharp pleasure. My body jerks violently as the pain from her sharp fangs contacts my flesh.
"Why is that~? Have you gotten angry at me now? Are you going to punish me with that pitiful-sounding voice again~?"
"...You..."
I can only squeeze the words through gritted teeth.
"If you're that angry... why don't you use your strength to hurt me? My body right now is already in your hands. Or perhaps you want to use your sword to slash me from within? That feels much better than me doing this, you know~?..."
"Ngh..! My sanity... pant....."
Her reckless, provocative words cause the temperature in the room to spike. To make matters worse, Kalawarna deliberately increases the squeezing force, grinding my member tightly between her thighs once more, before adding with a mocking smile...
"Or... could it be that in reality, you can do nothing but lie breathing beneath my body, letting a woman control the game all by herself~?...."
She pauses for a moment.
"..Of course~ You're still just a naive child after all~..."
"...."
Silence envelops the room as I run out of arguments.
She giggles victoriously. Shifting her face to whisper right next to my ear once more, she delivers a contemptuous, mocking remark.
"Come on... Don't be all talk. If you truly think you are superior to me... then show me what a naive, inexperienced boy like you can possibly do to me~"
—And just like that, his thread of rationality snaps.
~ Third-Person POV ~
Grab!
"Ah...!"
Kalawarna lets out a startled gasp as her wrists are suddenly seized in a tight, heavy grip. The force of the squeeze is enough to make her eyes widen in shock.
Before she can even process what is happening, Hikagaya's body, which had been lying completely helpless against the pillows, springs upward.
Rustle! Flip!
It happens in the blink of an eye. Utilizing his momentum, the young man flips Kalawarna's voluptuous body over, pinning her flat against the soft mattress. The bedsprings creak under the sudden, heavy impact.
In an instant, the roles of 'predator' and 'prey' are completely reversed.
Hikagaya straddles Kalawarna's body, using one hand to pin both of her wrists firmly above her head, locking her in place.
"Ha... Hikage-sama...?"
Kalawarna stares up at the young man looming over her, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She had initially expected him to lash out in a blind fury or hurl insults and empty threats. Instead, his reaction is entirely unexpected.
His dark hair, streaked with strands of white, falls forward to shadow a face that is utterly calm—devoid of any emotion or feeling. Those dead-fish eyes locking onto her are completely indifferent, making his prior frantic reactions look like a mere act.
Furthermore, his golden left eye, bearing that strange crest, is glowing intensely. It radiates an oppressive pressure, akin to a monarch looking down upon a lesser creature.
Though Kalawarna had noticed the strange glowing crest moments before, she couldn't care less about how unnatural or dangerous it might be. In this very moment, her only focus... is his physical response.
"Kalawarna... you talk too much."
Hikagaya addresses her in a flat, emotionless tone.
"Why~? Am I wrong to say that you—Mmmph...!?"
Kalawarna's sentence is cut short, turning into a muffled whine as Hikagaya takes advantage of her open mouth, sliding his index and middle fingers from his free hand straight into her warm, damp cavity.
"Mmmgh... Ngh... Mmmph!?"
The young man firmly pinches her long tongue like a pair of pliers, forcing her to stop spewing any further provocations or insults.
"Didn't I tell you that you talk too much? That means shut your mouth."
Hikagaya repeats himself in a cold, absolute voice, gazing down at the woman beneath him without a shred of emotion.
Yet, despite the stern command, Kalawarna does not show a hint of fear. On the contrary, she welcomes the intrusion. Closing her lips around his fingers, she begins to suck and bite down gently, mounting a seductive counterattack.
"Mmm~... Smooch... Mmm..."
Wet, squelching sounds echo in the silence until his grip on her tongue begins to slacken. Seizing the opportunity, Kalawarna skillfully sweeps her tongue over his fingertips, tracing a figure-eight pattern.
She looks up, her beautiful eyes locking onto his golden left eye with a voracious, challenging gleam, as if to declare that this is nowhere near enough.
Seeing her defiant attitude, Hachiman abruptly withdraws his fingers, refusing to play along with her provocations.
"You really are a hopeless woman, Kalawarna."
Hikagaya remarks, glancing down at his own fingers, which are glistening with her warm saliva. His gaze then shifts back to her slightly parted lips, panting out hot breaths of arousal.
"...Pant... Haa... See? In the end, you're just a bo—Oohh!!"
Kalawarna's body jerks violently, her head snapping back as a sudden jolt of static electricity surges directly through her voluptuous chest.
She trembles beneath him, caught entirely off guard by the mysterious current striking her sensitive spot.
Through the thin fabric of her clothes, Hachiman's hand grips her breast without mercy. Not stopping there, he uses his thumb and index finger to intentionally pinch and roll her rigid, protruding nipple.
"Kalawarna, why do you keep running your mouth off with me like that?"
Hachiman gradually increases the pressure on her nipple, coolly rolling and kneading the flesh over and over.
"..Ngh!!.. Ooh!.."
"Before you let anything else slip from your mouth, you'd better remember your position right now."
Tears begin to well in Kalawarna's eyes from the deep, invading pleasure. She bites her lower lip hard to stifle the moans, caught in a chaotic blur of pain and ecstasy.
After tormenting her for a moment, Hachiman slowly eases his grip. He doesn't pull away, however, choosing instead to gently massage the bruised flesh to soothe the stinging ache.
"...Pant... Haa..."
Her body, which had been twitching from the static discharge, gradually quietens under his warm, soothing touch. Even so, her breathing remains incredibly heavy.
"Kalawarna... it's still not too late. Retract what you just said."
Kalawarna shifts her gaze back to his dead-fish eyes, a sly smirk returning to her face. Her eyelids heavy with mischief, she taunts him.
"Is this the best you can do~? Did you think a little trick like this would make me submit... In your dreams. This level is tamer than an amateur's~ And no... I am never taking back what I said~"
"..."
"—Ngh.."
The ensuing silence is shorter than expected. Hachiman swiftly clamps his hand over her chin. Leaning down until they are inches apart, he stares unblinkingly into her eyes.
"Unapologetic to the end. When I show you kindness, you should accept it gracefully, Kalawarna."
While tilting her chin, Hikagaya uses his thumb to gently trace her soft, saliva-slicked lips. The unexpected tenderness causes Kalawarna's heart to skip a beat.
"Mmm~... Nnn... Smooch~..."
Not one to back down, Kalawarna darts her tongue out to lick his thumb as it hovers over her lips, eventually drawing it into her mouth, sucking on it like a piece of candy. She fixes him with a sultry gaze, throwing his tenderness right back at him.
"You know, there are very few people in this world that I actually care about or value," Hachiman murmurs in a low register.
He slowly draws his finger out from her warm mouth, sliding his palm to gently caress her smooth cheek.
"..Mmm.. haa.."
Kalawarna leans into the warm touch of his hand. His fingertips carefully brush away the tears welling at the corners of her eyes.
"Yes... you are one of them. Even though you're wicked and have done all sorts of terrible things, I can't help but worry about you. I should have just let you die to face the consequences of your actions... and yet,"
Hachiman moves his hand to her other cheek, using the back of his index finger to tenderly wipe away the stray tear tracing down her skin.
"The mere thought of you disappearing makes me feel so suffocated I can barely breathe. I don't understand why myself..."
"...Hikage-sama..."
Hearing his words, laced with raw sincerity and devoid of any pretense, Kalawarna freezes entirely. Her heart throbs violently. Her arrogant, seductive facade crumbles to pieces.
What replaces it is a wave of warmth she has never felt from anyone else. Her eyes tremble as she gazes up at him in profound gratitude, large tears rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. Even the dampness between her thighs grows heavier, fueled by her surging emotions.
"It's a pity you refuse to accept my kindness, preferring my punishment instead..."
Hachiman's voice turns raspy as his hand moves back to cup her chin.
"...Ah~..."
Hachiman's indifferent expression gives way to a wicked smirk—a smooth, villainous grin meant to drive women entirely mad with infatuation.
"Since you are such a troublesome woman, stifling you with words clearly doesn't work. So... actions should prove much more effective, wouldn't you agree~?"
"...Pant... Pant... Haa..."
Kalawarna's breathing hitches instantly. Her instincts scream that what comes next... will be the real deal, with absolutely no holding back.
"Stick out your tongue~ Kalawarna."
"...Ah~..."
The fallen angel opens her mouth, obediently extending her slender tongue. Hachiman catches it with his fingertips, expertly and gently massaging the muscle as he speaks in a deep tone.
"There is one thing you have completely misunderstood about me... do you know what it is?"
He pauses for a brief moment, letting go of her tongue as his hand hovers over her. The corner of his mouth curves upward.
"...In truth, I am not inexperienced in these matters."
—!?
Kalawarna's euphoric trance shatters. Her eyes widen in shock and confusion. But before she can open her mouth to demand who that other woman was... her plump lips are utterly sealed by the sudden, heavy descent of his mouth.
"...Mmmph!... Mmm!... Ngh... Mmmph!..."
Muffled groans fuse into Hachiman's burning, highly practiced kiss. He drives his tongue inside, tangling and sucking her own with masterclass technique. The sheer finesse of the kiss completely obliterates any lingering notion of the 'inexperienced boy' she had mocked.
As their lips remain locked in a heated embrace, Hachiman slides his hand down to firmly grasp her full breast. He squeezes and kneads heavily over and over, forcing the soft flesh to overflow past his fingers, entirely ruining its shape under his raw grip.
"Mmmph!!.... Mmm!!.."
Kalawarna's eyes bulge as she groans in protest. Her body twitches repeatedly, her nervous system overwhelmed by the onslaught. The intense yet tactical touch ignites her primal urges, leaving her brain completely blank. Her legs writhe helplessly against the thick mattress in a mix of torment and bliss, alternating between curling inward and arching her toes to their absolute limit.
Meanwhile, her wrists, still pinned above her head by his other hand, twist and turn frantically, trying to break free from the restraint just so she can wrap her arms around him.
"...Slurp... Ngh... Mmmph..."
Having thoroughly feasted on her sweetness, Hachiman slowly pulls his mouth away. The lingering suction and saliva part with a sharp snap! echoing through the room.
Simultaneously, he relinquishes his grip on her wrists, setting them free.
The silver thread of saliva breaks as Hachiman looks down at the heavily flushed face of the woman beneath him.
"Haa... Pant... Ngh..."
Kalawarna gasps for air like a drowning person surfacing for oxygen. Her glazed eyes tremble in utter defeat. The haughty, sharp-tongued woman from earlier has completely vanished, leaving behind nothing but a raw, undisguised longing.
"What's the matter, Kalawarna? Weren't you just running your mouth off... Now that you've tasted the real thing, you're shaking like a frightened bird."
Hachiman whispers in a low, teasing tone.
"Ngh... You're... a devious man... Mmm..."
She whimpers in protest, averting her gaze in intense embarrassment from the lingering aftershocks of pleasure.
"I am merely punishing your arrogance—huh?"
As he shifts his posture, Hachiman feels an intense dampness soaking through the front of his trousers.
Looking down, he notices a wide, soaked patch on his crotch. It isn't sweat; it is Kalawarna's own overflow of arousal, which has heavily drenched her clothes and seeped directly into his pants.
"Heh... Your mouth called me worse than an amateur, but your fluids... are far more honest than your words. Sapping through to my pants like this, are you trying to drown me in your slickness?"
Hachiman smirks victoriously, watching her face flush so red it looks ready to explode, contrasting sharply with her trembling thighs beneath him.
"Well? Are you satisfied now~?"
Kalawarna doesn't answer. Instead, she extends her newly freed arms toward him, slowly parting her moist lips to extend her glistening tongue, tracing it seductively as an open invitation.
"...."
Gazing at the alluring invitation before him, Hachiman doesn't need words. His instincts tell him exactly what she wants. It is a green light to launch another onslaught on her body.
Without hesitation, Hachiman leans his upper torso down, intending to claim her lips once more.
However... a fraction of a second before their lips can meet—
"...Hikage-sama~..."
'...Hachi~...'
A sweet, familiar voice echoes in his mind. Concurrently, the vision of the woman before him blurs and shakes, clearly overlaying with the silhouette of another girl.
"...Huh?.."
The sensation of a splash of ice-cold water hitting his face snaps the young man to an absolute halt. The mysterious glowing crest in his golden left eye fades away, and his rogue, villainous smirk vanishes entirely.
His natural, weary, dead-fish eyes blink rapidly as his consciousness floods back... returning him to the original Hachiman, who is now fully taking in the reality of the situation before his eyes.
~ Hachiman POV ~
"....."
No matter how many times I blink, the sight before me possesses far too much destructive power, causing my lower half to spike instantly.
Kalawarna is lying there, completely disheveled, offering herself up to me with her glistening tongue extended. The 'me' from a few seconds ago would have dived right back in without a single shred of hesitation. But the current, normal me? Absolutely not.
'Holy shit! That was way too close!'
What the hell just happened to my brain?
I was fully aware of what I was doing and saying to the woman beneath me; every sensation was crystal clear... But the question is, why did I just give in to those actions so easily?
This is exactly like what happened that night.
Everything flowed so smoothly and naturally, as if that were my true self. Yet another part of my mind screamed that it wasn't me at all. Spewing out those bone-chilling, commanding lines... Am I being possessed by something?
Kalawarna looks surprised when she notices that I've stopped my assault. She clearly senses the sudden confusion and panic plastering my face, a complete 180 from my demeanor a moment ago.
Sensing that I am about to tear myself away from her, she moves quickly to cut off my escape, throwing her arms around my neck and locking me down.
"Kalawarna...?"
The name slips out in a panic as I desperately try to pry her hands off me.
"Where exactly do you think you're going?"
She knits her brows, staring deep into my eyes with clear irritation. Her desires have already been stoked to the absolute boiling point, ready to cross the line, only for the brakes to be slammed on out of nowhere.
"Listen, Kalawarna! What just happened... it isn't right! Let's hit the pause button and just lie down and talk normally, okay?!"
I try to bring back a stern, tense tone, despite the fact that our current lower-half configuration is doing absolutely no favors for a human's rational intellect.
"What is there left to talk about... Didn't you say it yourself just now? If you want to shut my mouth, actions work much better."
She fires back in a low, cold, absolute voice. The eyes that were glazed with ecstasy are now filled with intense resentment at being left hanging.
"Uh... well, about that..."
'Shit! She is incredibly pissed!'
Is a woman this terrifying when she's left stranded at the peak of her arousal? Since I've known her, she has never used such a low, freezing register with me. This is a total first, and honestly...
'It's scary as hell!'
The grip around my neck tightens further, as if trying to squeeze out the authoritative answer I gave her moments ago.
'What do I do!?'
I can't let this slide. I don't even know when I might turn back into that 'charismatic bastard' again, so I need to find an exit strategy for this crisis immediately.
Then again, this isn't the first time I've been backed into a corner. I've survived similar crises countless times back in my own world. This is no different... I just need to wring my brain a little harder.
What angle should I use to defuse this?
Think, think! Hachiman Hikigaya! Dig through the archives of your brain for an emergency fix.
Today... morning...
...The clock...
...School... Late!
—!
"Kalawarna... are you sure it's a good idea to keep me pinned down like this?"
I shift my expression into a troubled, serious look.
"What do you mean?"
She murmurs, her brows furrowing in confusion. Her gaze carries a cynical undertone, as if saying, 'What kind of excuse are you trying to play me with now?'
"It's almost late. I have to get to school right away..."
"Is that all? Then it's entirely pointless to—"
Before she can finish her sentence, I quickly bring my index finger up to seal her lips.
"I haven't finished speaking yet, Kalawarna."
Her furrowed brows soften slightly. Taking advantage of the finger against her lips, she parts them slightly, drawing my index finger into her warm mouth and lazily swirling her tongue around it.
"...Mmm~... Slurp..."
She turns a heavy, sultry gaze up at me, clearly trying to reel me back in.
'Ugh...'
To be fair... even though my conscious mind is back to normal, suppressing a man's natural urges under these conditions is still a monumental task. Ultimately, I have to leave my finger in her mouth to keep her from interrupting while I spin my words.
"First of all, you're missing the point, Kalawarna. Didn't I tell you before exactly why I drag my feet to that school every day?"
"...Mmm~..."
She continues to feign ignorance, letting out muffled hums while increasing the suction on my fingertip.
'Hey, crazy girl, are you even listening?'
"Right... I go there to keep an eye on Issei Hyoudou. There are rumors that he possesses a dangerous 'Sacred Gear' that could pose a severe threat to your kind. Or perhaps... something even worse."
"...Mmm~..."
"You know... based on the events that unfolded yesterday, his Sacred Gear is actually the 'Boosted Gear'—the gauntlet of the Welsh Dragon..."
—!
Kalawarna freezes instantly, her tongue stopping dead on my finger! Her beautiful eyes widen slightly as she frantically processes the statement I just dropped.
"Yes... it's one of the thirteen 'Longinus', the strongest artifacts in the world. Do you grasp the situation now? Pining me down here like this... what do you think Azazel, your leader, would think of your actions?"
The name 'Azazel' hits her like a physical blow, leaving her completely stunned.
I know full well that no matter how intense her desires for me are, the moment the 'Governor General' is brought into the equation... even the boldest fallen angel is bound to pull their horns in.
"Besides, the unsanctioned stunt your group pulled yesterday hasn't exactly been cleared up yet, has it? If he finds out that this massive operation was compromised because you wanted to pursue a personal matter... the punishment he hands down might just be an eternity in the coldest, bleakest abyss—Cocytus."
At the mention of the frozen prison of Cocytus, Kalawarna's face turns entirely pale. Her body trembles with sudden dread. She flinches slightly as a sudden warmth presses against her cheek.
She notices that the finger previously in her mouth has moved up to gently cradle her cheek. She finally meets my eyes squarely.
"Don't worry... if you let me go this time, I'll take the lead and settle the issues with that side on your behalf..."
"...."
She remains silent, staring at me unblinkingly, hanging on my next words as my thumb gently strokes her cheek to ease her anxiety.
"Didn't I tell you... that you're important to me too? So just relax and put your trust in me."
"...Hikage-sama..."
Tears well up in Kalawarna's eyes once more, overwhelmed by a genuine sense of warmth and comfort.
"So, we have a deal?"
"...Fine..."
I instantly feel the arms that were tightly locked around my neck finally loosen, dropping away completely.
'Phew...'
See? If I had just used my brain to spin a narrative from the start, this would have been over ages ago. Why couldn't I think of a clean method like this earlier?
The moment I begin to push myself up to back away...
"But before that... I need one more taste."
"Huh?— Mmmph!! Mmm!!"
Out of nowhere, Kalawarna lunges forward, crashing her lips against mine with fierce desperation. The arms that had just loosened wrap around my neck tighter than before, one hand firmly locking behind my head, sealing our faces together so tightly that not a shred of air can pass between us.
Not stopping there... her long tongue darts into my mouth with incredible speed, twisting and tangling with mine in an obsessive, heated kiss to claim her parting reward.
"...Mmm~... Slurp... Mmm..."
'Sigh... in the end, I still didn't escape completely. But hey, at least it's better than crossing the point of no return… right?'
.
.
(Break)
Evening
Occult Research Club
"Since everyone is here, let's get Asia's welcoming party started!"
"Welcome, Asia-chan~"
"Please look after me from now on."
"Yay!"
"I... I as well, please treat me well from now on!"
The atmosphere inside the clubroom was lively and warm. Spread out on the table in front of us were numerous sweets and drinks, especially a large cake that was placed as the highlight of this small banquet to celebrate the new member joining the club, and as the new servant of the President.
Sitting together in the circle, I cast my eyes toward the blonde girl who was frantically bowing her head as she accepted everyone's welcome, before thinking to myself quietly.
'I never thought she would be reincarnated as a devil.'
At that time, I only put her into a state of hibernation. If about half an hour passed, she would have woken up just the same. I didn't think the result would turn out like this.
Maybe the original plot was supposed to be like this?
But never mind that for now…
"Um... well, you see."
I cleared my throat softly, breaking the lively atmosphere inside the room.
"I think... it might not be necessary for me to join this party. After all, I didn't contribute anything to the raid to rescue Argento-san at all."
I spoke honestly while avoiding everyone's gaze.
I felt very uncomfortable that I was the only one in this room who had no achievements whatsoever, yet had to sit here showing my face and celebrating with everyone else…
…As if.
Actually, I just still felt guilty toward Argento-san.
That feeling made the delicious-looking welcome cake in front of me become something I didn't want to touch. Even tasting just a single bite wouldn't be pleasing at all.
"Now, now, Hikigaya, don't overthink it. It's just a small matter. Besides, you are a member of this club. If you aren't here, the party wouldn't have everyone."
Issei, who was sitting next to me, spoke with a smiling face before lightly punching my shoulder in a friendly manner.
"That's right~ Hikigaya-kun doesn't need to worry about that at all. You already helped Issei-kun before this too, so it counts as you contributing as well."
Akeno-senpai, who was pouring tea, added with her characteristic gentle smile.
"Mm, that's correct."
Buchou nodded in agreement with those words.
"What you did at that time showed that you are worthy of our trust."
"Mm, I agree too."
Kiba smiled and added while enjoying the party atmosphere in a good mood.
And what about the other person...?
"...Stare..."
'Okay... looks like there is one person who refuses to say anything at all.'
I mean, I can pretty much understand that she is usually a quiet person who speaks little but hits hard as her style. But if she stays quiet and does nothing but glare sharply, staring at someone's face without blinking like this, I think it's starting to be a bit much.
Tojou Koneko... ever since I stepped foot into the clubroom, she had been keeping her eyes on me the entire time. Even while she was scooping sweets into her mouth, she still refused to look away.
'Did something happen? Did she catch onto something?'
She frowned deeply back and forth, as if inside her brain a debate was going on between the words 'yes' or 'no'.
A few days ago, I just realized that she has a sense of smell that is superior to ordinary people... No, it should be said that it's too good. I remember from the previous inspection that her true nature is originally of the Youkai race, but I just don't know for sure yet which specific kind she is.
'Could she be a cat?'
When my brain happened to think about cats, it made me think of 'Kuro' right away. I wonder how that cat is doing around this time...
—!
Hmm?
At the moment my thoughts were drifting, my eyes happened to turn toward the clubroom window. I caught sight of a strange reddish-yellow bird that had just quickly spread its wings and flown away from the tree outside.
'That's a familiar, isn't it?'
"Is something the matter, Hikigaya-kun?"
Seeing my confused expression and manner, Akeno-senpai asked me.
"Ah.. no, it's nothing."
I narrowed my eyes and turned toward the window once again while thinking to myself:
'Spying? Who is it?'
'Please, don't let a new event happen just yet. Can I get a month to rest and catch my breath.. sigh.. I'm really tired.'
.