After breakfast and getting ready, Kojou headed to the adjacent Touka's apartment, as he intended to see the girls before going out and eating various sweets.
With that thought, he arrived in front of the apartment and, without bothering to knock, opened the door and entered, as the said door wasn't even locked.
Touka's apartment layout was identical to his own before he expanded it. As soon as he opened the door, a small hallway greeted him, and at its end was a door leading to the living room and kitchen, with two additional rooms and a bathroom.
Kojou walked along the hallway and opened the door to the living room, where he had had a fierce fight with the girls last night before Yuuma swapped their bodies. He saw a familiar and astonishing scene.
Before him were the girls in various states and outfits. Some were wearing Halloween costumes, some were in the middle of getting dressed, and some were still naked and had just started putting on their clothes.
Hearing the door open, fourteen pairs of eyes of different colors turned towards him, causing him to be stunned.
Touka, Atalanta, La Folia, Astarte, Sayaka, Canon, Lucretia, Lili, Erica, Ena, Saeko, Yuriko, Rika, Shizuka.
They were all present in Touka's apartment, which shocked him because Erica and the others were on the mainland, and this included Saeko and the others too; he didn't expect them to be back on the island at this time.
"When did you guys return to the island?" Kojou asked curiously, forgetting to explain that he was in Yuuma's body due to the shock of everyone being here.
"Hmm, who are you?" Ena tilted her head, staring curiously at Kojou, who was in Yuuma's body.
"This is Yuuma-san, Senpai's childhood friend," Before Kojou could answer, Touka answered, although she had many questions inside her.
"I'm Kojou," Kojou said nonchalantly, walking towards the sofa and sitting down casually – "Although I'm currently in Yuuma's body."
Everyone breathed slowly, and some of their eyes widened in genuine astonishment after hearing what he said. The atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment, until Sayaka was the first to break the silence, raising her hand automatically as if in a classroom:
"Wait, what? How can you be Kojou while you're in Yuuma-san's body?!"
Kojou didn't pay any particular attention to her reaction; he just stretched a little on the sofa, his arms behind his head in a completely relaxed posture, while it seemed like a trivial matter to him.
"Long story. Yuuma used a strange power to swap our souls. I haven't gotten my body back yet... but no need to worry. Everything is under control."
He said it in a calm and reassuring tone, nonchalantly, as if explaining the weather.
La Folia let out a light laugh, a hint of mischief in her voice, examining Yuuma's body with eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Oh, what an amusing incident... Kojou in a girl's body? This must be annoying for you... or perhaps enjoyable?"
She winked with one eye, causing a slight blush on the cheeks of Lili, who was sitting next to her.
"It's not a big problem. I got used to strange bodies a long time ago."
Kojou replied indifferently, staring at the ceiling, which made Canon smile playfully.
Astarte took a step forward, with her usual quiet voice:
"Do we need to take action? Is there an external threat from Yuuma's ability?"
He shook his head in denial:
"No need to worry, everything is under control... I just need an idea and then everything will return to normal. Until that happens... I'd like to eat those sweets I promised myself."
He smiled a half-smile, as if announcing a temporary truce between chaos and daily life.
Touka was still staring at him, looking at him and the other girls, putting her mind to trying to connect the events:
"Well... I suppose we'll need an explanatory session after breakfast. But before that... I think we should tidy up the place first. There are clothes scattered everywhere."
"Your world is really strange," Rika muttered, staring at him curiously, which he also did upon seeing her Halloween costume.
Her dark purple hair, tied into two flying braids, flowed behind her like a waterfall of forgotten dreams, while the black protective glasses resting on her forehead added to her mystery and protection from the cold winds of fate. Beneath them, her eyes, even if hidden behind a small mask, radiated sharp intelligence and unyielding resolve.
Her clothes weren't just costumes, but a warrior's armor: a black cloak lined with vivid crimson fluttered behind her like the wings of a giant bat, whispering tales of the dark night. A black leather corset, tightly laced, accentuated her figure and granted her lethal flexibility, and beneath it was a stark white shirt with puffy sleeves, contrasting with the outfit's severity to add a touch of classic elegance.
Around her waist, multiple leather belts held a small arsenal of secrets: an antique pistol, adorned with strange engravings, gleaming with a metallic sheen in the moonlight, and a collection of green and brown glass vials, which might contain healing serums, deadly poisons, or magical potions. A silver necklace with a large cross glittered on her chest, a symbol of the faith that protected her in a world full of monsters.
Her tight leather pants, flowing smoothly down her legs, ended in high-necked boots with sturdy laces, ready to run into the depths of cursed forests or scale the walls of crumbling castles. Her stance itself was a story: hands on her hips, declaring a silent challenge to anything that dared stand in her way. She wasn't just a woman, but a protector, a huntress, a spirit that didn't fear the darkness, but penetrated it to seize her prey.
After examining Rika, he looked at the other women and girls in the room, where his eyes fell on La Folia, who had finished putting on her clothes.
A crimson dress flowed around her like a shadow, embroidered with black lace adding a touch of mystery. Over it, she wore a long black coat with a high red collar, making her look like a noble vampire who had just stepped out of an old story. Her long white hair flowed around her shoulders like a river of silver in the moonlight, and her blue eyes glowed with a hidden brilliance. She kept her pistol, which now looked like an artifact from another world, ready to face any nocturnal creature that might cross her path. She seemed like a unique blend of deadly elegance and hidden strength, a character unforgettable in this frightening and exciting night.
Next to her was Shizuka, who had also finished dressing.
She wore a classic witch outfit with a modern touch; an elegant and simple black dress, with a black long-sleeved shirt adorned with a dark red bow tie at the collar, accentuating her figure. Her wide-brimmed pointed hat with an orange stripe added to her mysterious appearance, with a small golden heart dangling from it, shimmering faintly.
Her long blonde locks flowed around her shoulders and back like a golden waterfall, and her wide golden eyes, which held a mix of bewilderment and pride, stood out. A faint blush colored her cheeks, as if she was slightly nervous or displeased about something.
The other girls were also beautiful and stunning to the same extent.
[A/N: I won't describe everything, but I will add pictures in the comments (if I remember).]
Kojou talked to La Folia and the others while waiting for those who were still getting dressed before heading out on a tour to eat the sweets and cake only available during the festival time.
He noticed that most of their clothes had a vampire theme, which made him a little happy, as he assumed this was because of him.
—
"So, are you saying that Yuuma-san stole your body to free her mother, who is sealed in the Prison Barrier?" La Folia raised an eyebrow with some surprise – "It seems she thought it through well, as without using your power, it's impossible to materialize the Prison Barrier even if she sacrificed all the island's inhabitants, because the Prison Barrier resides in the dream of the Witches who manage it, and without permission from a Witch herself or using a superior power, it's impossible to materialize it in this world or interact with it."
"But... doesn't that mean Yuuma-san has to kill Minamiya-sensei to free her mother from the Prison Barrier?" Touka cast a worried look at Kojou, as she knew he had a special relationship with Natsuki and valued her greatly, which is why she doubted he would accept such a plan that could lead to her death.
"I know..." Kojou nodded while swallowing the last piece of the sweet in front of him and signaled the waiter for more of his orders – "And don't worry, I won't allow Natsuki-chan to die. In fact, I will even bring her out of her eternal dream."
His words were strong and full of determination, and although he was in Yuuma's body, he gave everyone an undeniable feeling of reassurance.
"Do you intend to destroy the Prison Barrier? That's a reckless act, as doing so would release various criminals imprisoned from different eras," La Folia commented with some concern, as the Prison Barrier wasn't a spell exclusive to Natsuki; there were other people all over the world who possessed Prison Barriers, which were actually all connected to each other. The Prison Barrier contained various criminals since the creation of this spell, and it was even said that the Prison Barrier was an application of the same principle as Nod, meaning the Prison Barrier was connected to another world and time.
"Just killing all the criminals will solve this problem naturally," Kojou said indifferently, as he indeed intended to kill all the dangerous and uncontrollable criminals, while the others would submit to him, and this included Aya, Yuuma's mother.
Roar!
Suddenly, a primitive and terrifying roar erupted, shaking the entire island while a golden color illuminated the entire sky, causing panic among the people in the café.
"It seems the time has come to go," Kojou remarked as a purple magic circle appeared beneath his feet and he disappeared from the café – "Enjoy your time, as I will join you soon after recovering my body."
All the girls heard these words and didn't seem worried, as they knew his power better than anyone else.
...
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