Kojou walked with quiet steps through the crowded hallways, his handsome features effortlessly drawing eyes toward him. It was nothing new to hear whispers spark around him like faint embers—hesitant comments, questions about his mysterious nature, muffled admiration from some girls, and even envy from a few boys. Yet he moved on with complete indifference, as though none of that noise had anything to do with him.
He had grown used to such attention years ago, back when he was a shining star in his middle school basketball team. At that time, his presence on the court had been so striking that the local papers couldn't stop praising him, and the crowds gave him countless nicknames—especially after his legendary match against the Generation of Miracles.
But behind the glitter of glory lay another, darker truth. That fateful game had left him only with unhealed wounds. A sudden injury forced him onto the bench, helplessly watching as his team collapsed and suffered a disgraceful defeat. It was then he realized the harsh truth: he had been the only one truly giving his all, while his teammates treated the game as mere play. Worse still, they began isolating him deliberately, as if his brilliance had been an unforgivable crime.
Even though his extraordinary skills had allowed him to keep up with the Generation of Miracles and put pressure on them during the first two quarters, the final result was never in his hands. He lost because of others' weakness—and that shock was enough to shatter his passion. In that moment, he made the hardest decision of his life: to quit basketball, the game that had been more than just a sport. It had been everything—his dream, his future, his path to professionalism and the NBA. All of it vanished in an instant, leaving him with nothing but a crushing disappointment that dragged him into a hollow, meaningless existence.
But the darkness didn't last long. His encounter with Avrora turned his life upside down, making him the Fourth Primogenitor, the strongest of vampires. Yet this transformation brought him nothing but laziness and apathy. He buried his predatory instincts deep within, suppressing them so they would not devour what little humanity remained in him.
Fortunately, another thread of hope appeared. The invitation to join the guild opened a new path for him, giving him control over his immense power and restoring his inner balance. With time, it only made him more magnetic, to the point where he became strikingly handsome wherever he went—surrounded by countless admirers, though he seemed to care little for any of them.
"… Looks like I've gotten sentimental for no reason."
Kojou muttered with a wry smile before averting his gaze from the students' stares, which watched him as if he were something otherworldly.
He continued steadily toward the middle school building, his thoughts drifting in a warmer direction this time.
"But… maybe I should message him. It's been a while since we last spoke. And with the Halloween Fest coming up… it might be a good chance to invite him over."
He raised his eyes toward the blue sky streaked with faint clouds, a small smile forming on his lips—half nostalgia, half indifference. The kind of smile only he knew the true contradictions hidden behind.
Kojou pulled his phone from his pocket and snapped a photo of himself, wearing a confident, almost narcissistic smile, before sending it to Yuuma.
Despite her boyish appearance, Yuuma was an incredibly beautiful girl with short brown hair and violet eyes. Her beauty was undeniable, no less than Asagi's or the others around him.
Kojou resumed his way—he was supposed to meet Nagisa and her friends on the middle school rooftop. They had apparently found someone willing to take care of some cats, and they planned to hand them over there.
A faint smile crossed Kojou's lips as he read Yuuma's quick reply. He kept chatting with the tomboyish girl along the way, the two exchanging jokes and checking up on each other. She seemed especially amused by his slightly different appearance.
—
"Thank you for adopting the cats, Takemizuchi-kun."
Nagisa smiled gratefully at the boy who had decided to take in two of the strays Kanon had been caring for.
"It's nothing. I like cats, and since I live alone, they'll be good company for me."
Takemizuchi waved somewhat awkwardly, though in truth, his decision was more about scoring points with the two beautiful girls—Nagisa and Kanon—whose beauty was well-known even among the high school building. He couldn't be happier for this chance to get closer to them.
The rooftop door creaked open, letting in a soft gust of upper air that scattered the girls' hair. All eyes lifted at once, falling on Kojou as he entered with calm steps. His expression didn't reveal much, but his presence alone was enough to dominate the space. Behind him walked Sayaka, her usual serious look adding a touch of formality to the simple scene, as though she still refused to lower her guard.
"Senpai, Sayaka-san."
Touka bowed lightly, her hands folded politely before her, a small smile on her childlike lips. Though her wide eyes were busy watching the kittens circling her feet, she hadn't forgotten her manners before her master—the one she had pledged loyalty to—and her friend.
Kojou paused at the entrance, his gaze sweeping across the group: Nagisa, with her gentle smile that could dissolve any tension; Kanon, her innocent expression unable to hide her delicate beauty; and Takemizuchi, who seemed far too eager while trying—and failing—to mask his nervousness among the girls. The air was filled with a mix of soft meows and the scent of cat food from the bowls scattered across the concrete floor.
Kanon was a beautiful girl who bore a resemblance to La Folia Rihavein, though she had shoulder-length white hair, tied with a violet ribbon on the left side, with bangs falling over her brows, and clear blue eyes. She wore the standard Saikai Academy uniform with violet underclothes hidden beneath.
"Looks like you've been enjoying yourselves here."
Kojou spoke in a low voice, hands in his pockets, his tone blending his usual indifference with a hint of quiet mockery.
Nagisa lifted her head toward him with a shy smile.
"Oh, Kojou-kun, you came at just the right time. Takemizuchi-kun helped us by adopting two of the cats. I think Kanon feels relieved now."
Kanon quickly nodded, her face reddening slightly as she tried to hide her smile behind her soft hair.
"Yes… I really feel at ease."
Meanwhile, Takemizuchi looked as though he had just scored a great victory. He carefully raised the two kittens in his arms, trying to appear as gentle as possible before the girls.
"I'll take good care of them. Honestly… I think they'll be great companions for me."
A tender smile crossed Nagisa's lips, while Kojou exchanged a brief, silent look with Sayaka. Both of them seemed to interpret the scene in a completely different way from the others. Kojou knew perfectly well the real reason behind Takemizuchi's enthusiasm, and he couldn't help but smile inwardly in amusement as he turned his gaze aside.
He approached the remaining kittens clustered around Touka's feet, huddled like children seeking warmth. Slowly, he extended his hand, and a small gray kitten cautiously approached, sniffing his fingers before pressing its head into his palm. A small laugh escaped Touka as she watched.
"She really likes you, Senpai."
Kojou raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint side smile tugging at his lips, as though unused to such innocent creatures approaching him so easily—unlike the heavy stares and whispers of humans that followed him everywhere.
"Maybe…" he muttered softly to himself.
Though playing with the kitten, Kojou's senses remained fixed on Kanon. He could clearly feel a familiar power emanating from her—faint and imitated, but still unmistakably divine, the kind that belonged to angels.
He recognized that it was only a mimicry, a false power far from a true angel's might, at least for now. Yet it was obvious it was steadily growing, and it might not be long before it evolved into something closer to the real thing. That fact unsettled him slightly, for angelic power was nothing to trifle with—especially in this world, where angels were beings of a higher dimension. And Kanon was not far from ascending to such a realm.
Normally, Kojou wouldn't care. But Kanon was Nagisa's friend, and it didn't seem like she was undergoing this transformation of her own will. Rather, it was clear she was resisting it—consciously or unconsciously—struggling to delay its advance. For that reason, Kojou had no intention of ignoring the matter, especially knowing how deeply it would wound Nagisa if anything happened to Kanon.
...
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