— — — — — —
Once the initial shock wore off, Sayaka immediately pressed Koyomi.
"When you say the Fourth Primogenitor… you mean the one from a year and a half ago, right? The guy who occupied Itogami Island and turned it into his own Empire?"
"Yes," Koyomi answered calmly.
A year and a half earlier, an artificial island nation in the Pacific had declared independence. A being who had existed only in legend, the Fourth Primogenitor, appeared in reality and used Itogami Island as the foundation to establish the Dawn Empire.
It was a world-shaking event everyone knew about.
Within Japan, public opinion toward Itogami Island plummeted overnight. The political fallout was massive, with ministers stepping forward one after another to take responsibility.
As the instigator, the Fourth Primogenitor naturally became a terrifying monster in newspapers and online discussions.
Rumors ran wild. Stories about him consuming a dozen virgins a day, or demanding the first night of every woman on Itogami Island before marriage, spread everywhere.
It was only after Itogami Island applied heavy pressure that the media tone on this side finally softened a bit.
But for Sayaka, that was beside the point.
She did not care what kind of demon or monster this so-called Fourth Primogenitor was. Sending her Yukina to serve as that man's bodyguard? Over her dead body.
With that in mind, Sayaka raised her head and looked straight at Koyomi, her tone respectful but firm.
"By convention, protection duties are handled by War Dancers, correct?"
"If that's the case, I respectfully request that you withdraw the order concerning Yukina Himeragi. I alone am sufficient to carry out the protection of the Fourth Primogenitor."
Sayaka did not know the details, but she understood that the Lion King Organization expected returns on the investment it had made in them.
She did not mind being used as a tool for missions.
But Yukina was different.
There was no way she would send her precious Yukina into the hands of a man rumored to be some kind of perverted womanizer.
Beside her, Yukina froze, clearly not expecting Sayaka to make such a request.
Behind the curtain, Koyomi seemed to have anticipated this reaction. She sighed softly.
"This situation is… special. It requires the cooperation of two members."
That answer made Yukina frown.
Two members made sense, but why her and Sayaka specifically?
She did not mind working for the Lion King Organization, and she even felt she owed them a debt. That did not mean she was foolish enough to walk blindly into danger.
After a brief pause, Yukina spoke, her tone edged with doubt.
"Please forgive my bluntness. While Sayaka and I perform well, we are not the top students here. We have only just begun advanced spiritual techniques for the middle division. By any standard, we are still considered reserves."
She paused again, studying the three silhouettes behind the curtain.
"What reason could there be to believe that we would be more suitable for this mission than our seniors, including those who are already full-fledged Sword Shamans and War Dancers?"
Silence followed.
Five or six seconds passed before a voice with a hint of amusement broke it.
"Haha. I told you, Koyomi. These two were going to push back. See? Didn't this blow up exactly as expected?"
"Please talk less," Koyomi replied with a weary sigh.
Before Yukina and Sayaka arrived, Endou had already predicted this outcome. She had said the assignment would definitely be questioned, and that Sayaka would be the first to speak up.
Koyomi thought it was possible, but after seeing how well-behaved the two had been over the past year, she assumed they would not openly challenge the Three Saints.
Turns out she was wrong.
Even the reserve trainees were full of thorns these days. The Lion King Organization was getting harder and harder to manage. When could she finally retire?
At that moment, Shirona let out a small laugh. "Well, since our juniors are asking so directly, we might as well explain."
Not long after she spoke, a photograph drifted out from behind the curtain and landed on the tatami in front of the two girls.
It showed a young man with black hair and black eyes, handsome features, and a faint smile playing at his lips.
"This is…" Yukina stared at the photo. It felt oddly familiar, yet she could not immediately place it.
Sayaka, on the other hand, blurted out in shock, "Isn't this Mr. Ryo Yagami?"
Even though she had only met him once, a year and a half ago, Sayaka remembered him clearly.
After all, he was the first man she had ever had physical contact with. Even if it had just been holding hands, it had left an impression.
She had assumed Ryo was a teacher from a boys' academy, or perhaps a high-ranking member of the Lion King Organization. Looking at the photo now, she was no longer so sure.
"Mr. Yagami?" Yukina searched her memory and finally recalled that special examination from a year and a half ago.
The gentle-looking man who had been seated beside the Three Saints at the time.
Why was Shirona showing them his photograph?
Shirona spoke again, her tone deliberately measured. "The man in that photograph is the Fourth Primogenitor. The strongest man in the world, and the reigning King of the Dawn Empire."
"What?"
"You're kidding!"
Yukina and Sayaka's eyes flew wide open as they stared at the photo on the floor.
Ryo was the Fourth Primogenitor? That legendary, world-shaking vampire?
They had met him face to face a year and a half ago. They had even been evaluated by him.
Wait.
Evaluated by him?
The realization hit both girls at the same time. They turned and looked at each other.
"Do you understand now," Shirona said with a helpless tone, "why the two of you were chosen?"
"That selection a year and a half ago," she continued, "was a test to choose potential bodyguards. And only the two of you passed."
Koyomi added quietly, "Finding someone who can perform protection duties without provoking His Majesty's displeasure is already difficult enough."
"Among all our candidates, the only ones he has shown genuine goodwill toward are you two."
"And as the strongest Primogenitor, every action taken by Ryo Yagami can drastically affect the international balance. At the same time, he deeply dislikes surveillance of any kind…"
Koyomi stopped there. There was no need to say more.
Those words alone were enough to shake Yukina's resolve.
As for Sayaka, wherever Yukina went, she would follow. That had never been in doubt.
So I'm one of the only two people who can… watch over the Fourth Primogenitor?
Yukina stood there in a daze before shaking her head hard.
No. Not "watch over." Protect.
They were guards, not spies.
Still, how was she supposed to protect the strongest Primogenitor in the world? If anything, it should be the other way around.
Unless the Lion King Organization's true intent was for them to deal with criminals attempting to assassinate him and spark chaos.
That made sense.
The Fourth Primogenitor had wrested his territory away from Japan by force. If anyone had motive to kill him, their nation would be at the top of the list.
So, to prove its innocence, the Lion King Organization, headquartered here, had to take responsibility for his security.
And among all their people, only two were suitable.
When she reached that conclusion, Yukina paused and took a deep breath. The weight of "the lives of a hundred million people" settled onto her slender shoulders.
After a long silence, she let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm willing to accept the assessment."
"Yukina?!" Sayaka looked at her with concern.
But inwardly…
Protecting Ryo? The only man she did not dislike?
Wasn't that great?
And guarding the Fourth Primogenitor had to be a long-term assignment. This kind of VIP protection usually lasted years, with excellent benefits.
Good news on top of good news.
On top of that, the Lion King Organization was doing something unprecedented by assigning two guards together, and specifically her and Yukina?
This was practically divine assistance.
Three blessings at once.
No, no, don't smile. Don't smile. I need to look reluctant. If Yukina sees me grinning, she'll definitely think I'm being frivolous…
Sayaka forced down the grin threatening to break free and spoke with a stiff, overly serious expression.
"I… I'm also willing to accept the assessment."
At those words, the Three Saints let out a huge sigh of relief.
The matter was settled.
.
.
.