— — — — — —
"..."
Ryo slowly opened his eyes and pushed the magazine off his face.
"He woke up, Yukina, he's awake!"
A hushed squeal came from nearby. Ryo didn't turn his head; he only raised a brow.
"What's with the panic? I wasn't asleep."
He sat up, adjusted his posture, then looked across the table at the two girls sitting opposite him.
Black hair, amber eyes, sharp features and a cool, delicate expression on one. Chestnut hair in a high ponytail, taller, green-eyed, and more developed on the other.
Both wore business suits that didn't quite fit their age, sitting with legs pressed together and backs straight.
Not that they had much of a choice. Those short skirts left very little margin for error if they didn't sit properly.
Seeing them, Ryo casually grabbed a sandwich from the table and took a bite.
"Relax. Your job isn't that troublesome."
"…Y-You don't seem surprised to see us," Yukina said, a bit disoriented.
"I wasn't sleeping. Just meditating." Ryo raised an eyebrow, clearly hinting at something.
Yukina flushed, suddenly remembering her entrance and the whole flustered exchange with the flight attendant.
He definitely heard that. All of it.
"You weren't actually asleep?" Sayaka asked, wide-eyed.
Ryo lifted his teacup and took a sip.
"For me, meditation is when my power is at its peak."
He smiled a little. "If someone tried to attack me while meditating, they'd die very fast."
He wasn't exaggerating. A Saint's meditation was essentially powering up their Cosmo to the limit. In that state, his body was already positioned for battle. Calling it his strongest state wasn't wrong.
"So… that's how it is…" Yukina murmured blankly.
"I thought that was the time you needed protection, so we sat down…"
The private jet wasn't that big, but there were seats for at least twelve people to rest. She and Sayaka had chosen the sofa closest to him so they could guard him.
Normally, sleep was when someone was most vulnerable. His posture had looked exactly like sleeping, which led to their misunderstanding.
Understanding clicked, and Sayaka stared at him, "So you already knew we were here?"
"The Lion King Agency notified me ahead of time." Ryo's gaze drifted to the endless white clouds outside the window. His lips moved slightly.
"People these days are unusually honest."
"Honest?" Yukina repeated, confused.
Ryo leaned back into the sofa and smiled. "I mean the people who are supposed to attack me. Why aren't they here yet?"
Attack him…?
A chill ran straight down Yukina's spine. Her entire body tensed.
"W-what do you mean?" she asked, voice trembling.
"The literal meaning." Ryo tilted his head. "You two didn't know?"
"What?" Yukina and Sayaka's hearts lurched, panic flashing across their faces.
Ryo slapped his forehead. "Right, I forgot. Only Itogami Island knows. The Lion King Agency hasn't been briefed."
"What does that mean? Can you please explain?" Yukina asked. Her hand edged toward her cello case.
Inside that case was the Demon-Purging Assault Spear Mark Seven, Snowdrift Wolf Schneewalzer.
Ryo spoke very casually. "Simple. Part of the reason I'm traveling is to act as bait."
His tone was light. "It's just small fry. Don't worry."
'How are we not supposed to worry…' Yukina's lips twitched.
"Small fry" from the strongest vampire in the world meant small fry by his standards.
Which meant the people coming to attack the Fourth Primogenitor would be extremely dangerous magical criminals.
And worst of all, in this entire plane, the only combat personnel were herself and Sayaka. Excluding the flight attendants and the pilots.
Ryo could fight the world if he wanted. They, on the other hand, would die if three enemies showed up at once.
'Why is my first bodyguard assignment a nightmare scenario…' Yukina clenched her jaw.
Sayaka awkwardly said. "Um… Mr. Ryo…"
"Yes? Sayaka," Ryo answered in a tone like he was greeting a familiar neighbor. "What is it?"
Sayaka swallowed. "If there really is an attack… may I take Yukina and retreat?"
"Sayaka!" Yukina jolted, not because she disagreed but because Sayaka actually said that in front of the person they were supposed to protect.
Ryo paused. His slightly raised eyes suggested mild surprise.
Then he smiled with a hint of mischief.
"…I don't recommend that."
Rejected. Yukina sighed internally. Great job, Sayaka, you managed to fail the mission briefing immediately…
She wasn't even fully graduated yet and somehow Sayaka, who'd trained a year earlier and scored better in theory, was even worse in practice.
Ryo placed his cup down and said. "I don't think there's any place on this plane safer than next to me."
"…?"
Yukina blinked. Sayaka stared.
"You mean… you'd protect us?" Sayaka asked. "But why?"
The client protecting the bodyguards?
It sounded strange, but that was exactly what he implied.
Ryo smiled, holding his teacup, "Why wouldn't I?"
"Protecting kids is the primary responsibility of adults. That doesn't need a reason."
"And seriously, two teenage girls coming to 'protect' the strongest being in the world sounds like something from a light novel. It doesn't happen in reality."
"Did you two misunderstand your mission a little?"
The two girls exchanged a look.
He wasn't wrong.
If they were being honest with themselves, protecting him was impossible. Not becoming a burden would already be a miracle.
"But the Lion King Agency really did give us that order," Yukina said with a complicated expression.
She had assumed the agency wanted to show goodwill, proving their country had no intention of assassinating Ryo by sending them to eliminate any magical criminals who attacked him.
Now the logic seemed questionable.
Sayaka was also lost.
"Why would Seniors assign us to this?"
"Why? Maybe she thinks I don't have enough female companions around me." Ryo smirked, half joking, half not.
.
.
.