The moonlight filtered through the smart glass of the master bedroom, casting silvery reflections across the floor.
"..."
Damian was leaning against the headboard, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the bed as silence filled the room.
That night was supposed to be Marin's turn to sleep in the master bedroom, but she had pushed him inside, leaving a smile on his lips and a single sentence before disappearing into the adjacent room used for her costumes: "Wait and get ready for the surprise."
The smart clock on the wall read 11:47 p.m.
Damian was considering going to look for her when he heard a faint sound at the sliding door.
The noise was barely a whisper, muffled by the soundproofing system, yet his ears picked it up immediately.
Through the crack appeared a gloved hand covered in white fabric, followed by the edge of a short skirt adorned with frills.
When the person fully entered the room, Damian's fingers stopped mid-motion.
The young lady of the Shinomiya family had left behind all her usual elegance.
The maid outfit she wore was a modified, provocative version: the black skirt barely covered the upper part of her thighs, and the white apron tied at the back formed a large bow that accentuated her figure.
The small gap between her skirt and the over-the-knee stockings gleamed with a pearly tone under the moonlight, while the lace headband on her head was slightly crooked, hastily placed—most likely by Marin herself.
"M-Marin said… you'd like it." Kaguya's voice was so soft it was barely audible.
She held the edge of her skirt with both hands, and her swan-like neck was flushed a deep red that extended all the way to her collarbones.
That young woman—always composed and flawless—was now trembling, caught between nervousness and embarrassment.
Damian then remembered that during the barbecue, Marin had whispered something to Kaguya's ear. Seeing her now, there was no doubt that this "surprise" had been planned ever since, under the supervision of the great cosplayer herself.
"…I do like it, but the fact that you're the one wearing it… makes it beautiful."
Damian smiled and extended his hand. The moment his fingers brushed Kaguya's glove, she shivered as if a current of electricity had run through her skin.
Without looking away, he gently drew her closer. The sliding door closed behind them with a soft click, and under the pale light of the moon, the gloves fell to the floor.
…
The next morning
Damian, wearing sandals, walked into the dining room dressed in a tank top and shorts.
In the open kitchen, Rin wore an apron and was focused on the pan where dumplings sizzled continuously.
The sound of oil filled the air with a familiar aroma.
"Good morning…" Damian approached the counter with a calm tone. "Why so early?"
Rin didn't turn around. But suddenly, she scraped the spatula forcefully across the bottom of the pan.
!
Damian took a couple of steps back.
Silence took over the place for a moment, broken only by the steady crackle of the oil.
Rin murmured, "Because someone keeps saying they miss the breakfasts we used to have."
Damian smiled in amusement when he heard her. He didn't respond; he simply walked over and began to help. With smooth, practiced movements, he chopped onions and beat eggs.
The two worked naturally, in perfect sync, and soon the kitchen was filled with a delicious aroma.
A short while later, breakfast was ready, and the sound of footsteps began to fill the hallway.
Marin appeared first, her hair a messy halo and a T-shirt hanging down to her thighs. She walked half-asleep, followed by a still-drowsy Sakura.
Artoria, dressed in bear-print pajamas, was sniffing the air as if following the scent of breakfast, while Yukino was already seated quietly, perfectly dressed and sitting with a straight posture.
"Good morning~." Marin yawned, and when she saw Damian, her eyes lit up. She ran toward him with her arms open. "Hug! Kiss!"
Damian welcomed her with a smile and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
Marin came back to life instantly.
Her energy returned as she bounced back to her seat. As she sat down, her eyes drifted over the empty chairs, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face.
"Eat." Damian ruffled her hair and poured milk for everyone.
The dining room soon filled with the clinking of cutlery.
Artoria devoured her food at an impressive speed, while Rin, frowning, served her a third bowl of porridge. Sakura, worried, quietly asked her to slow down.
Yukino drank her milk with elegance, though her gaze occasionally wandered toward the hallway leading to the master bedroom.
Damian served a bowl of porridge, added a few sides to a tray, and stood up. As he walked down the hallway, Marin's laughter echoed faintly in his ears.
"..."
The door to the master bedroom was slightly open. Damian pushed it gently with his shoulder and saw Kaguya sitting in front of the vanity, brushing her hair.
At the sound of the door, two of Kaguya's fingers froze mid-movement, trembling slightly. In the morning light, the tips of her ears had turned a delicate shade of pink.
She turned slowly. Even after the two passionate nights they had shared, her nervousness was still visible.
"G-good morning…"
Damian set the tray down on the small table beside the bed and smiled at her calmly. "Why don't you sleep a little longer? You must have been exhausted after yesterday."
The blush on Kaguya's ears deepened instantly. Images from the previous night flashed through her mind, and her breathing grew unsteady.
She quickly shook her head. "N-no… that's not necessary. Today's our first breakfast in the new house, I can't miss it."
"All right." Damian smiled with quiet resignation before turning toward the door.
Kaguya quickly followed him with small, slightly unsteady steps, trying her best to hide it.
In the dining room, Marin was spreading jam over a slice of bread, but when she saw Kaguya enter, her eyes lit up immediately.
"Kaguya-chan~" she said with a mischievous smile. "The maid outfit looks perfect on you!"
At those words, Kaguya almost lost her balance, though Damian was faster and caught her by the waist before she could stumble.
Artoria lifted her head from her fried eggs, a bit of yolk still at the corner of her lips. "Did Lady Kaguya not sleep well last night?"
"Eat your own food." Rin dropped a bun onto her plate.
Without saying a word, Yukino slid a glass of milk toward Kaguya, who accepted it gratefully.
Marin suddenly cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"All right, everyone!" She straightened up and tried to take on an authoritative stance. "Hurry up!"
She looked at Kaguya and Yukino. "We have to go." Then she turned toward Rin and Sakura. "And since Rin-chan's and Sakura-chan's schools are far away, you'll have to leave early while the enrollment is being processed."
Kaguya took a napkin and wiped her lips. "Don't worry, Marin. Last night I asked Ai to arrange the car. She's probably already waiting for us outside."
"Perfect!" Marin clapped her hands, excited. "Come on, finish up!"
Damian watched her, amused by her attempt to act like the group's leader. It was impossible for him to take her seriously; with all that energy and that determined expression, she looked more like a kitten.
Marin noticed his expression and glared at him. "What are you laughing at? You hurry up too!"
She pointed at the bowl of porridge in front of him.
Damian just smiled and reached for his phone, which had vibrated on the table. The screen lit up with a new notification.
The sender was none other than Satoru:
[Ne~ro~kun, if you don't have anything important today, could you stop by the school? I have a favor to ask, please~]
Curious, Marin leaned over to look at the screen and frowned slightly as soon as she read the message.
The reason was simple.
Damian had already told her that Satoru and his students were special people, responsible for handling incidents related to those "monsters" no one talked about.
Just yesterday they had all eaten dinner together at the new mansion, and now, so early in the morning, a message like that arrived—so casual and playful. Marin immediately sensed something was off… she feared something new was about to happen.
Damian ruffled her golden hair. "Don't overthink it. He probably just wants to talk about the progress on the garden's construction."
"..."
Marin looked at him silently for a moment before sighing and nodding reluctantly. Even so, the faint crease between her brows betrayed that she was still worried.
The others also noticed the brief tension, and their gazes shifted back and forth between them without a word.
"Eat up, then go calmly to school or work," Damian said, tapping the table lightly. "I have a few matters to take care of today, so I won't be able to go with you."
They all replied almost at the same time, finishing their breakfast a little more quickly. The meal ended in a hurried but warm atmosphere.
Outside, the luxurious Shinomiya family car waited under the golden light of dawn.
Damian accompanied each of them to the entrance. Before getting in, Marin turned toward him. "Be careful, okay!"
"I know." Damian smiled calmly and waved his hand.
The door closed, and the car drove off slowly, disappearing among the trees.
Only then did Damian glance to his side. Artoria, still in her bear-print pajamas, was watching him with a firm expression—her demeanor completely different from a few minutes earlier.
"Are you staying home or coming with me?"
Artoria straightened her back, her eyes sharp. "Where the Master is, there my sword shall be. It is my duty to accompany and protect you."
"Good." Damian nodded and, with a casual motion, extended his hand into the air. Yamato appeared between his fingers.
He flicked his wrist, and the blade drew a clean cross-shaped slash in front of him.
!
The air tore apart like a curtain.
In the middle of the space, a dark portal formed, rippling as if it were breathing.
Artoria didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and vanished into the portal. Damian followed a moment later, and their figures disappeared.
…
Tokyo — Metropolitan Curse Technical College
The director's office was filled with the smell of pork ramen. Satoru and Yuji were slurping noodles enthusiastically, Megumi leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, pretending to sleep, while Nobara played with the nails scattered across the table.
!
Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed, so loud that everyone flinched, and without warning, a black portal burst open in the middle of the office.
"Pff—! Cough, cough, cough!" Yuji, scared out of his mind, choked on his noodles. Some came out of his nose as he hit his chest, coughing until his eyes filled with tears.
Megumi barely moved, lifting only one eyelid to glance at the portal before closing it again, returning to his pretend nap.
"AAAH!" Nobara jumped up, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Two figures emerged from the portal, one after the other.
The first was Artoria. At some point, she had changed from her pajamas into her usual blue dress and silver armor. Her green eyes shone with a firmness that commanded respect.
She scanned the room silently, assessing each person.
Behind her, Damian stepped out of the portal, and Yamato vanished from his hand in a blue flash.
He looked around the office—Yuji coughing with a flushed face, noodles on the floor, nails scattered everywhere, and Satoru with his cheeks puffed out.
"Yo, Nero-kun! That was fast!" Satoru dropped his chopsticks and waved cheerfully. "Did you have breakfast? Want some ramen to warm up your stomach? Itadori's treating!"
"Huh? I'm paying?!" Yuji shouted, eyes wide.
"Itadori, go to the cafeteria and bring a few more cups of ramen," his teacher ordered with a smile.
"But I haven't even finished mine yet!" Yuji muttered under his breath, resigned, as he wiped his nose and ran off.
Damian didn't respond to the jokes. He walked over to the couch and sat down calmly, crossing one leg over the other.
"What is this about?"
Artoria stood behind him, firm and watchful. However, when her gaze passed over the steaming ramen cups on the table, her throat moved.
"..."
Gojo's relaxed smile slowly faded. Although he kept his casual tone, his eyes turned serious.
"Nero-kun," he said, leaning forward and interlocking his fingers over his knees, "you know that the force driving this world isn't limited to cursed energy… right?"
His gaze shifted toward Artoria's figure, making the meaning of his words clear.
Damian frowned slightly. "What do you mean? Speak clearly."
Gojo nodded, raising one finger. "Recently, the school received an invitation. One… coming from an independent organization."
He paused, carefully watching Damian's reaction.
"Have you ever heard of the Hero Association?"
________
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