Sinking.
Consciousness slowly drifted into a vortex of light.
In this dark space of awareness, an inexplicably cool breeze began to stir.
The gentle wind ruffled the young girl's golden locks, causing her soft cat ears to twitch in response.
The girl opened her blue eyes, surveying the lightless surroundings without a trace of surprise.
Her gaze was utterly calm, as if accustomed to this darkness.
Seems I've been sealed away again. I can't feel my power at all.
That... Arcueid... is just ridiculous.
Root sighed inwardly.
Just then, a sliver of light abruptly tore through the darkness.
A radiance had appeared within her dark mental space.
What is this...
Root's eyes widened. This unprecedented change sent ripples of shock through her gaze.
Before her hung a full moon, emitting a clear, brilliant moonlight.
That massive moon hung high in the sky.
Suddenly—or was it just her imagination?—the moon drew closer.
Within seconds, a silvery light completely obscured her vision, confirming her suspicion.
The moon... the moon is falling!
Root stared in panic at the moon now terrifyingly close. Her sinking consciousness rapidly surged upwards, buoyed by the moonlight.
Her eyes snapped open.
Soft, warm morning light streamed through the transparent glass window, quietly spilling over her.
Minamiya Natsuki's apartment was on the top floor, offering a view of the distant blue ocean.
Outside, waves rose and fell, and birds skimmed across the sky, carried by the wind.
This unfamiliar environment left her sitting silently on the bed, stunned.
"You're awake. And you're my pet now."
From a corner away from the direct sunlight, a white figure sat on a chair, wearing a smile Root knew all too well.
Framed in the doorway beside the white figure were twelve small golden heads.
"...Aren't you going to kill me, Arcueid?"
Slowly sitting up straight, she looked at her own small palms as Root asked softly.
"What a waste that would be."
Arcueid rose slowly, brushing off her skirt.
She clasped her hands behind her back, leaned forward, and said with a beaming smile, "I'm short on staff here."
--+--
The submergence of the old southeast district was already two weeks in the past.
Since it was a condemned, abandoned area slated for demolition anyway, the citizens, though a bit skeptical, had accepted the official 'gas explosion' explanation.
"They still had gas lines connected in a place like that?" A salaryman citizen glanced at the newspaper in his hand and smirked. "A gas explosion, huh... I guess the gas company's stocks must be hitting rock bottom about now."
"Bottom's out! It'll bounce back! Trust me, if you don't buy now, when will you?"
"...You didn't buy a lot, did you?"
"Me? No way! No way! Such things..." The short-haired male citizen stared at the glaring red numbers on the screen before him, his lips trembling violently.
The salaryman shook his head and turned the newspaper page.
"Huh? A fourth Dominion?"
The crisp chirping of birds carried away the morning, while the rustle of falling leaves ushered in the dusk.
The fading rays of the setting sun quietly poured into the top-floor office of the Saikai Academy faculty building.
"...Snake Charmer."
Orange-tinted light fell on the mountain of documents. Minamiya Natsuki looked at Vatler standing before her, frowning slightly. "Does the Warlord's Empire have no one else to send?"
Since the declaration that Itogami Island now fell under the rule of the Fourth Primogenitor, the island's administrative authority had effectively passed into Arcueid's hands.
And the tasks that needed handling had landed on Minamiya Natsuki's desk.
Thus, a certain active teacher and active Attack Mage found herself dealing with administrative affairs.
"I just happened to be on Itogami Island." Vatler offered the documents with both hands, an innocent smile on his face.
"Regarding the Fifth—ahem—Fourth Primogenitor's Dominion, the Warlord's Empire extends its congratulations and hopes to establish diplomatic relations on friendly terms."
He definitely got that wrong on purpose.
Minamiya Natsuki accepted the documents and gave a silent nod.
Seeing her take the papers, Vatler turned and settled into a chair, sighing softly.
"To think the Fifth Primogenitor would intervene in this matter so directly. My, my~ Our old gentleman back home is utterly dismayed to have missed such an entertaining spectacle."
On the surface, it was the Fourth Primogenitor who had established a Dominion on Itogami Island. But those in the know were aware that a certain Princess had been playing quite happily behind the scenes.
Vatler shook his head with a smile, looking at Minamiya Natsuki with amused eyes.
"And now, the one handling Itogami Island's affairs is a certain young lady who denies being the Fifth Primogenitor's familiar."
"...Shut it."
--+--
"I didn't do anything today, but I sure worked hard."
The rocking chair swayed gently. Arcueid lay comfortably on it, bathed in the pure moonlight.
"Moonbathing. So nice."
"Arcueid, what did you mean earlier?" Root, sitting in Avrora's lap, stared intently at Arcueid, her cat ears twitching slightly.
Avrora gazed timidly at the swaying cat ears before her. After a few seconds, she gently leaned closer.
"Meow~"
Root let out a soft squeak, her body going limp as she leaned back against Avrora.
She turned her head, glaring back in shame, looking as if she wanted to gobble Avrora up right then and there.
But her weakened body prevented any real action. Root gave Avrora a deep, meaningful look, then sank her teeth into Avrora's arm.
"Yowch!"
Hair flying, the golden-haired girls tumbled and wrestled on the sofa.
"...What do you plan to do with Root?"
Ignoring the mother-daughter scuffle, Minamiya Natsuki watched the slouching Arcueid in the chair.
"Keep her~"
Arcueid sat up with a sudden swish. "Anyway, she can't use her Beast Vassals right now."
Root and all her Beast Vassals were sealed within Avrora's Mystic Eyes. For now, she was just a powerless mascot.
"Um, may I be responsible for taking care of Root?" Kanase Kanon raised her hand high, as if answering in class.
Ever since Arcueid brought her back, she had been living at Minamiya Natsuki's place.
"Do you like keeping pets, Kanon?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll leave her to you."
"I'll do my best!" Kanase Kanon's eyes sparkled as she nodded obediently.
"Mmph, 'm not a pet!" Root protested, her words muffled.
But her feeble protest was unanimously ignored by everyone.
Akatsuki Nagisa sat to the side, watching them with a smile. She took a sip of tea, her eyes narrowing comfortably.
"It's so good to see Kanon becoming more lively." She suddenly turned her head towards Trimmau, who was holding a tray. "Speaking of which, I'm surprised that you're a mage too, Miss Trimmau."
"Hmm... Trimmau isn't really a mage." Arcueid waved a hand towards Trimmau.
The mercury stirred.
"Yay~"
Trimmau's long silver hair, cascading down her back, instantly transformed into a silvery liquid. She formed a heart shape above her head with an expressionless face.
"Oooh~"
Not only Nagisa, but even the teary-eyed Avrora and Root, who was still biting her, widened their eyes in amazement.
"Trimmau is more of an artificial lifeform." Arcueid patted the smooth thigh in front of her.
Come to think of it, if you licked Trimmau... would you get mercury poisoning?
Watching the pale skin ripple, she slowly narrowed her eyes. "And I made her."
"So amazing~"
Nagisa nodded in wonder. Perhaps she'd gotten too used to it, but her Demonic Phobia didn't seem to react to this.
"Did you find a suitable place?" Arcueid casually scooped up the squirming Root and looked back at Minamiya Natsuki.
Avrora, clutching the spot where she'd been bitten, let out a soft "Eep!" and scurried over to Nagisa's side, curling up.
"Yes, it's settled." Minamiya Natsuki gave a slight nod.
Since the Fifth Primogenitor had intervened in Itogami Island, they needed some form of representation.
"So that's another duty for you, Root." Arcueid shook Root she held in her hand.
"You're entrusted with being the mascot of the café."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.