Chapter 7
The city lights glimmered over the cobblestone streets as Senji and Leticia walked calmly. Italy had a unique charm, but what truly stood out that night was the strange sense of peace that lingered between them.
Leticia, with a faint smile, broke the silence.
"You know... sometimes I think about how ironic it all was."
Senji turned his head, not understanding what she meant. "What do you mean?"
"That the only reason we had Alicia was because Jesus managed to make you change for a time."
Senji stopped for a moment, his expression tense. "...Tsk. It's not like I planned it."
Leticia let out a soft laugh, enjoying his reaction. "But you did. You changed. You went a hundred years without causing a massacre, without looking for fights, without bringing destruction everywhere you went."
Senji scoffed. "I didn't do it for him. I did it because at that moment... I simply wanted to try."
Leticia glanced at him with a gentle look. "Yes, you tried... and in that attempt, we ended up with a daughter."
Senji remained silent.
Leticia continued, her tone softer. "Jesus told me a few years ago that he was sad because you had gone back to being 'rebellious.' He said you were like a child who couldn't stay still, who always had to challenge something or someone."
Senji's brow furrowed, and one of his eyebrows twitched visibly. "He said that about me?"
"Yes," Leticia replied, suppressing a smile. "Though he said it with affection. After all, he was the one who helped you take that first step."
Senji sighed, crossing his arms. "I don't understand why he still believes in me. Even I know I'm not worth it."
Leticia drew a little closer to him and, with a serene but firm tone, answered:
"Because, whether you believe it or not, you did something valuable during that time. And I'm not just talking about not killing... I'm talking about what you created."
Senji averted his gaze, knowing exactly what she meant.
"If Jesus hadn't helped you change, you never would have opened your heart enough for Alicia to be born." Leticia smiled warmly. "You may have gone back to being a Demon Lord, but that time you spent with us was real, Senji. No matter how much you try to deny it."
Senji exhaled slowly, lowering his gaze to the cobblestones.
"...Hmph. I'm not denying it."
Leticia stopped in front of him, tilting her head with a teasing expression. "Oh? Then what was that reaction earlier? Looked like someone didn't want to admit Jesus was right."
"Tsk! Don't exaggerate," Senji growled, looking away. "I'm just saying... it was a strange moment in my life."
Leticia smiled. "A strange moment, but one that gave us something wonderful."
Senji didn't answer right away. In his mind, Alicia's image flashed briefly—her radiant smile and carefree way of speaking, so much like her mother.
Finally, he sighed and kept walking.
"You still find ways to annoy me, huh?"
"Always," Leticia replied with a victorious smile as she followed him, enjoying every moment of that walk through Italy.
The night breeze wrapped around the streets of Rome as Senji and Leticia finally headed toward their real destination. The walk through the city had been a respite, a moment of calm before diving into more serious matters.
Now, their steps echoed on the ancient stones as they approached the Vatican, the heart of Catholic faith in the outside world. However, what they sought there had nothing to do with religion... but with a secret very few knew.
Upon reaching the imposing St. Peter's Square, Senji crossed his arms, watching the enormous columns surrounding the place with indifference.
"Hm... Curious. Despite everything that's happened, this place is still the same."
Leticia smiled faintly. "Some things in the outside world change constantly, but others remain unaltered, no matter the time. Like this place... and like you."
Senji glanced at her. "Is that another subtle jab to get me mad?"
"Not at all," she said with an innocent expression. "But if you took it that way, maybe deep down you know I'm right."
He clicked his tongue, choosing not to answer.
The main entrance to St. Peter's Basilica was closed at that hour, but they weren't heading there. Instead, they walked firmly toward a less-traveled passage, where a dark-robed figure silently awaited them.
The man, wearing a rosary around his neck, inclined his head slightly in greeting.
"We've been expecting you."
Senji showed no reaction. Leticia, however, smiled politely. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Cardinal Mateo."
The elderly cardinal raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if the pleasure is mine, but I understand this visit isn't by chance. Come."
He motioned for them to follow.
The three of them went through a narrow corridor that seemed to vanish into darkness. The lighting was scarce, just a few torches fixed to the stone walls.
"Nothing has changed since the last time," Leticia murmured.
Senji glanced at her. "How many times have you been here?"
"More than you think."
The hallway sloped downward, taking them beneath the Basilica. It wasn't the first time Senji had walked through hidden places, but even he acknowledged the importance of what lay beneath the Vatican.
The stone walls widened into a circular chamber with ancient inscriptions in Latin and Greek. At its center stood a great metallic door with golden symbols, emanating a faint vibration.
The Astral Gate.
It was a portal that connected directly to Little Garden, but not something just anyone could use. Only those with Vatican approval could cross it.
Cardinal Mateo approached the door, taking out a small golden reliquary. He opened it carefully, revealing inside a blue crystal key that glowed faintly when brought close to the door.
"The Pope has authorized your entry," the cardinal said solemnly. "But we must not forget that someone will participate in the war in his name."
Senji placed a hand on the door's structure, feeling its energy pulse beneath his skin.
"And who will that be?"
The cardinal remained silent for a moment before replying.
"Some young people of incredible ability have been chosen to represent the Holy See in the War of the Solar Authorities."
Leticia tilted her head, feigning interest, though she already knew this information. "Hoh... The Vatican wants to claim a solar authority? That's unusual."
"The world has changed greatly, Lady Leticia," Mateo responded. "The Pope has decided we cannot remain on the sidelines."
Senji sighed. "Do whatever you want. It's not my problem."
Without waiting further, he pressed his hand against the Astral Gate, which began to open, releasing an intense golden light.
The air around them vibrated with overwhelming power. No matter how many times Senji used that portal, the sensation was always the same: the weight of a world entirely different on the other side.
Leticia smiled softly.
"It's time to go home."
With one last step, both of them crossed the golden light, leaving the Vatican behind... and returning to Little Garden.
[•••]
Seirei Private Academy – Japan
In classroom 1-D, the students' eyes were fixed on Kurumi Tokisaki and Kurome Tokisaki, the two newcomers who had already caused a stir with their mere presence.
Kurumi looked perfectly at ease, resting her cheek on her hand while smiling with an enigmatic air.
"Fufu~, how nice it is to see so many curious faces."
Beside her, Kurome lazily chewed on a taiyaki, paying no mind to the stares.
One of the girls in the class leaned toward another, whispering: "Don't you think Kurumi-san is incredibly beautiful?"
"She is! She looks like a European noble."
The murmurs continued, but Kurumi ignored them with elegance. Instead, she turned her attention to Kurome, who kept eating as if nothing were happening.
"Ara~, you should moderate yourself a little, Imouto. If you eat that much in class, the teacher might get annoyed."
Kurome sighed, swallowing the last bite. "No one's said anything yet."
Kurumi let out a light laugh. "What a spoiled girl."
Just then, the classroom door opened, and the teacher entered with a stern look.
"Alright, enough chatter. It's time to begin class."
The students returned to their seats, though more than one kept sneaking glances at the newcomers.
Elsewhere in the academy, in classroom 1-C, the other two new students, Akame Tokisaki and Sawa Yamauchi, found themselves in a similar situation.
Akame, with her neutral expression and relaxed posture, sat in the back row without saying much. She didn't seem particularly interested in socializing.
Sawa, on the other hand, was more outgoing. She turned to one of the students and smiled confidently. "Well, I don't know about you, but I hope this school will be interesting."
A boy sitting nearby tried to strike up conversation. "Interesting in what way?"
Sawa leaned slightly over the desk with a smile. "Oh, you know, something with a little action."
The boy blinked, unsure if she meant sports, fights, or something else.
Meanwhile, Akame watched the teacher with little emotion. Class was beginning, and though her face didn't show it, she was analyzing everything around her.
Her work in the Muramasa Clan didn't stop just because she was in the academy.
[•••]
The school bell rang through the hallways as students poured out of their classrooms. Among them, Ai Hoshino walked with a frown, phone in hand, scrolling through information with unusual intensity.
"So... he disappeared?" she muttered, narrowing her eyes.
Masachika, walking beside her, sighed. "I don't know what you expected. It's Senji. He's not going to leave traces that easily."
Ai ignored him, swiping quickly across her phone's screen. "But this doesn't make sense. There are no records of him leaving Italy by plane, nor of him being in any hotel."
Julie, following close behind, spoke in a calm tone. "Maybe he just found a more... discreet method."
Ai snapped her head toward her. "More discreet? Like what?"
Julie looked at her with a faint smile. "I don't know. But if you think too much about it, you'll drive yourself crazy."
Ai huffed, putting her phone away. "Don't underestimate me. I'm going to find out what he's doing."
Masachika watched her with a mix of amusement and weariness. "Whatever. Just don't drag us into trouble."
...
Ai Hoshino sat in her room, the dim light of her screen reflecting in her eyes as her fingers typed quickly. The rest of the world disappeared whenever she entered this state.
"Alright... if there are no official records, then I'll just have to look elsewhere."
She had long since learned that the best way to track someone was to follow their digital shadow. Senji didn't use social media, didn't have a phone that could be easily traced, and his movements always seemed to vanish as if they never existed.
But everyone left traces. Even him.
Ai redirected her IP with a VPN, hopping between servers around Italy, disguising her real location. Then, she accessed multiple CCTV networks in Rome, exploiting weak security points. She couldn't get into all of them, but enough to reconstruct his movements.
One by one, she checked the points where Senji had been detected.
And then she found it.
A video captured on a lamplit street, showing his figure with his usual carefree attitude, walking at an unhurried pace. But what truly caught her attention was the little girl with golden hair and red eyes walking beside him.
Ai narrowed her eyes.
"...Who the hell is she?"
She rewound the footage, examining every detail. The girl wasn't just walking with Senji... she was holding hands with him!
A vein popped on Ai's forehead.
She's going to beat me... a little girl?!
She leaned closer to the screen, her eyes gleaming with intensity as she analyzed the scene. The girl had a noble air, her golden hair reflecting the light with elegance, her expression utterly calm. As if being with Senji was the most natural thing in the world.
Ai felt a pang in her chest.
"Wait... since when does Senji allow that kind of closeness?" she murmured to herself.
She tried to calm down and kept watching, searching for more clues about the mysterious girl's identity.
The recording showed Senji and the girl walking through Rome's streets, passing several cameras until they reached St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
And then...
They vanished.
Ai rewound and replayed the footage several times. The last clear image she had was of Senji being guided by a shadowy figure. The person who led them past the square never revealed their face, hidden in the darkness.
"...No way." Ai frowned. "How the hell did he disappear?"
She tried accessing more cameras inside the Vatican, but even with her skill, the security levels were far too high.
She couldn't see where Senji went.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.
"Tsk. This isn't over."
Her gaze stayed fixed on the frozen image on her screen: Senji, walking hand in hand with the golden-haired girl.
"...I'm going to find out who you are."
But what Ai still didn't know was that this girl was much more than just Senji's companion.