The next day, inside Theresa's office, Kouga found himself standing in front of her desk. Theresa sat with her arms folded, Sakura quietly at her side.
Theresa squinted at the screen in front of her."You want me to what?"
Kouga stared down at the video call she had open—Otto's face filled the monitor. Kouga had no idea why the Overseer of Schicksal had summoned him so suddenly, and the request he'd heard only confused him more.
"I'm simply asking you to take a vacation," Otto said with a calm smile, as if he were offering something completely reasonable. "Your team has worked tirelessly for the past year. I believe all of you deserve a period of rest."
"Uh-huh," Kouga muttered. "Forgive me if I'm… not convinced you're giving anything away for free."
Otto sighed as if deeply offended. "I see my granddaughter's paranoia has spread far and wide."Theresa growled under her breath at that.
Ignoring her, Otto continued, "Very well. If you take on a simple mission for me, I will guarantee your squad one full month of vacation."
Kouga didn't hesitate. "There it is. What's the job?"
"Go to the helipad tomorrow morning. You'll receive the details then."
The call ended immediately. Kouga stared at the blank screen with narrowed eyes. Otto rarely contacted anyone directly, and certainly not for something this vague. Something felt off.
After the Chiyou incident, the team had been running nonstop—classes, training, missions across the globe. Minor eruptions, major outbreaks… if an S-rank Valkyrie wasn't available, their squad—or sometimes Kouga alone—was sent instead. They barely had time to breathe, let alone rest.
When Kouga had asked why they were suddenly being worked to exhaustion, Theresa had only shown him a long list of recordings: Kouga as Super GekiRed beating Durandal and Rita in a duel, and every instance of him summoning Super Sentai mechas.
He had no argument after that.
With nothing else to discuss, Kouga excused himself and headed back to the dorms.
Back at the dorm
The moment he opened the door, he heard a loud thud followed by a dramatic groan. Kouga didn't need to look to know who it was.
He entered the living room and found Kiana dragging herself across the floor before collapsing face-first on the couch. One arm hung off the side; the other dangled limply behind her.
The rest of the squad came in slowly—exhausted, bruised, and moving like the undead. Each claimed a chair or cushion and slumped down with deep, relieved sighs.
Kouga sat at the dining table just as Himeko—slumped over at the head seat—lifted her head enough to look at him sideways.
"You look way better than we do," she groaned.
"I simply heal faster," Kouga replied casually.
"Then maybe you should come with us on the next mission," Himeko muttered, cracking her back loudly before collapsing onto her arm again. "We could use something easy for once."
"Can't," Kouga said, lowering his sandwich. "Otto wants me on a mission tomorrow morning."
Kiana's head shot up over the couch."Are you kidding me!?"
She looked ready to explode.
"You're the only one who gets solo missions, and you've been home the least! Why is he pushing you so hard!?"
"Kiana-chan is right," Mei added, lifting her head weakly from her chair. "Couldn't someone else take the mission? Durandal-sama, maybe?"
Himeko snorted. "Not happening. Durandal decided to take her own break. She's not on tomorrow's active roster."
"Gaaah!" Kiana flopped back down. "I demand a vacation! I'm done! Let me sleep forever!"
A controller suddenly bonked her in the head.
Kiana turned to see Bronya, who simply pointed at the TV with her own controller—inviting her into their usual gaming rivalry.
Kiana's anger vanished instantly. She grabbed the thrown controller as if it were a weapon of honor.
But her character died three times in a row because she was still too distracted listening to the conversation.
"Yeah, well… that's actually what this mission gets us," Kouga said.
Every head turned toward him, even Bronya and Kiana mid-battle.
"Otto promised that if I take this mission, we get a whole month of vacation."
Kiana immediately changed sides."…I think you should take the mission."
"Kiana-chan!" Mei scolded, standing and walking into the kitchen. "We're exhausted. Forcing Kouga-kun to take another mission for our sake isn't fair."
"Not that simple," Himeko replied without looking up from her phone. "If the Overseer tells you to go, you're going."
Mei sighed. "I suppose…"
Kouga noticed her heading for the cabinet where the pots were kept. His eyes widened.
He moved instantly—appearing beside her to stop her before she could even reach the handle.
"The same applies to you, Mei," he said firmly as he gently steered her back to the living room. "You're worn out. I'm the most rested one here. Let me cook."
"I…" Mei hesitated far longer than usual before exhaling softly. "Very well. But next time you come home tired, I'm doing the same for you."
"…Sure," Kouga lied. He already knew she'd forget—or that he'd stop her before she could try.
With a weary sigh, Himeko watched him walk back into the kitchen. Soon, the scent of delicious cooking drifted through the dorm, lifting everyone's mood.
When dinner was ready, Kouga brought the plates over as everyone eagerly dug in.
After a few bites, Himeko glanced at the clock."You should get some sleep after this. If Otto wants you up early, you're going to need a sharp mind. It's almost midnight."
"I can just stay up," Kouga shrugged.
"No, you won't," Mei called out sharply, giving him a stern look. "If the mission is important, you need to be in top condition."
Himeko smirked. "Well, you heard her. As they say: 'Happy wife, happy life.'"
Kouga ignored the teasing, along with Mei's flustered stammering, and checked the clock himself. She wasn't wrong. The hour was creeping closer.
After a long minute of thought, he sighed.
"Fine."
The next morning, St. Freya's landing pad was unusually quiet. Kouga stood near the edge of the helipad, hands in his pockets, waiting for the transport Otto had promised.
Last night had been a disaster for him: the girls ganged up on him, shoved him into bed like he was a misbehaving child, and then—shockingly—Kiana and Bronya both agreed to help Mei and Himeko with the dishes while he was "forbidden from lifting a finger."He still wasn't sure how they'd managed to force him to sleep first, but they had.
A distant rumble of rotor blades snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up just in time to see a helicopter sweep over the treeline, banking sharply before descending onto the helipad. Dust whipped around him as it settled on the landing skids.
The next morning — St. Freya Landing Station
Kouga arrived early, standing alone on the helipad with his hands in his pockets.Last night had been a disaster. The moment he mentioned he had an early mission, the girls had banded together like a firing squad and forced him into bed. He barely managed to protest before Himeko shoved him toward his room, Mei closed the lights, Kiana barricaded the hallway, and Bronya helped them with the dishes.
He wasn't sure which part bothered him more: being bullied into sleeping first, or Bronya willingly helping Kiana.Probably both.
A distant whup-whup-whup broke the quiet air. Kouga lifted his head just as a sleek helicopter swept over the academy rooftops, circled once, then descended toward his platform.
It touched down with practiced grace.The hangar door slid open——and Otto Apocalypse stepped out with a pleasant smile, as if he hadn't just arrived in the gaudiest helicopter on Earth.
"My deepest apologies," Otto said in a tone that carried no actual remorse. "I trust I didn't keep you waiting long?"
Kouga pushed off the wall without responding. He'd learned long ago that any conversation with Otto only dragged out the inevitable. He wanted this mission over with.
Otto spread an arm toward the interior."Well then—everyone's here. Let's board. I'll brief you once we're settled."
Kouga followed him in, then immediately wished he hadn't.
The inside looked nothing like a helicopter; more like a royal lounge crammed into an aircraft. Gold-trimmed walls gleamed under soft lighting. Decorative candle sconces lined the sides—unlit, yet clearly expensive. Three velvet-lined chairs formed a seating circle, and a polished silver refrigerator stood off to the right like it owned the place.
At the very back, standing perfectly straight despite takeoff turbulence, was Rita—already in full formal maid uniform.
Kouga let out a long, suffering exhale.
"Please, take a seat," Otto said, gesturing to the nearest chair.
Kouga slumped into it, muttering, "Yeah. Definitely not showing off at all."
Otto ignored the jab. He clapped his hands three times, crisp and sharp.
Rita shifted her gaze."Rita, drinks for our guest. White wine, Kouga?"
"I don't drink," Kouga said flatly.
Otto blinked, genuinely surprised. "Really? I would've thought either your… tenant… or Miss Himeko's charming habits might have influenced you. And with your workload, I half-expected you kept something for stress relief."
"No interest," Kouga replied. "Mission first."
"Patience," Otto said with a casual wave. "A briefing goes down smoother with refreshments."
Rita returned with drinks—wine for Otto, water for Kouga after several failed attempts to get a preference out of him. Kouga accepted the glass purely so she would stop asking, though he didn't take a sip.
Otto sighed dramatically when Kouga continued to stare at him with a deadpan expression.
"Very well," he relented, handing his empty glass back to Rita. "If you insist on being utterly joyless, we'll proceed."
Rita collected both glasses—Otto's empty and Kouga's untouched—and returned to her place.
Otto leaned back, fingers steepled."I'm sending you to retrieve a Divine Key."
Kouga sat forward immediately, focus sharpening. "What do you know about its location?"
"Unfortunately, nothing concrete." Otto withdrew a folder from inside his coat and passed it over. "All we have is a possible lead—something uncovered at the British Museum in London."
Kouga took the file, arching a brow. "Kind of assumed the British Museum would be in Britain."
He flipped it open. Inside was a photograph of an ancient stone mural—King Arthur's life carved into panels: the sword, the battles, the founding of the Round Table.
He looked up, unimpressed."And this connects to a Divine Key… how?"
"Merlin," Otto answered simply. "A mysterious figure across every historical record we observe. If he was connected to the Previous Era, then it's entirely possible he hid something there."
"So why do you need me?" Kouga asked. "You've already got Rita. Seems like overkill for an archaeology trip."
"Under normal conditions, it would be," Otto said. "But the museum announced the discovery publicly. Which means anyone with an agenda is likely already moving."
Kouga closed the folder and handed it back. "Worried Anti-Entropy might show up?"
"Anti-Entropy… or another neighbor of ours." Otto's eyes hardened. "Either way, I want the two of you on the scene before anyone else."
Kouga frowned. "Hold up. Two?"
Rita stepped forward with a polite bow."I will be accompanying you. Lord Otto requires a trusted operative to oversee the operation."
Kouga leaned back, unconvinced. The mission was simple enough, which meant Otto was hiding something—again. But there was no point in arguing; the only way to find out was to go.
"When do we begin?" he asked.
Otto's smile widened—not reassuring in the slightest."Immediately. We'll be landing near Heathrow shortly. Prepare yourself."
The helicopter turned toward its path, engines humming with quiet menace as London loomed ahead.