In front of him, Koneko stared straight into Rian's bright blue eyes through the tint of his glasses. Her expression was stiff and uneasy. Her heart was pounding so fast, yet she waited.
Waited for Rian's reaction.
Would he be afraid? Disgusted? Would he turn away? Anything could happen—and Koneko truly had no idea what to expect.
On the sofa, Rias and Akeno also watched closely. Rian's silence dragged on for too long. Too quiet.
So quiet that even the air itself felt tense—like a thread pulled too tight, about to snap at any moment.
Then, without warning and without a single word, Rian slowly raised both hands—reaching toward the pair of soft white cat ears atop Koneko's head.
And then… his fingers made contact.
Koneko jolted. Her eyes went wide, her entire body stiffened in shock.
The next instant, her small frame trembled, and her white tail puffed up, swaying erratically—a clear reflection of the chaos inside her heart.
Her face? Bright red. Embarrassed? Angry? Or both? No one could really tell.
Clearly flustered, Koneko quickly turned her gaze away, biting her lower lip to keep any sound from escaping.
"Ah…"
On the sofa, both Akeno and Rias instinctively covered their mouths with their hands, eyes wide in shock.
The entire room froze in stunned silence.
That was… a violation.
What Rian had just done—touching a Nekomata's ears—wasn't just an impulsive act. It was crossing into forbidden territory. Practically equivalent to touching the most private, most sensitive part of their pride as a race.
And yet—
"I knew it! I was right!" Rian exclaimed, eyes gleaming with pure admiration, a wide, delighted grin spreading across his face.
"These white ears… they're not just soft—they're the softest!" he said with unrestrained enthusiasm.
His hands began tracing gently along the outer edges, and even the delicate inner curves of her cat ears. His movements resembled that of an excited child who had just found his new favorite toy.
Koneko's body trembled, a faint shiver running through her small frame, until finally she collapsed onto the floor.
But Rian didn't stop. He crouched down beside her and continued to stroke the Nekomata's ears, utterly absorbed in the sensation.
"This… this is perfect for these handsome hands," Rian added proudly, completely forgetting the world around him. "How could something this soft even exist in this world?"
"S…Senpai, please stop…"
Koneko's voice came out in a trembling whisper—barely audible, quivering with a storm of mixed emotions: embarrassment, anger, and confusion all at once.
"Oh, goodness…" Rias and Akeno both shot up from the sofa, clearly alarmed as the situation had gone far beyond acceptable limits.
But before they could take a step forward, a small point of convergence appeared beneath their feet.
In an instant, both girls were forced back into their seats, their bodies pinned down by a sudden surge in gravity.
And more than that—Infinity was active.
Rian had isolated all sound vibrations around them, sealing himself and Koneko within a silent barrier.
The result? No matter how loudly Rias or Akeno tried to shout, their voices would never reach Koneko's ears.
Meanwhile, Rian remained crouched in front of her, his expression serious—like a scholar examining an ancient relic of immeasurable value.
His fingers carefully traced every curve of Koneko's white ears, each gentle touch making her body grow weaker and more unsteady.
But… Rian wasn't done yet.
Behind his glowing Six Eyes, a thought suddenly crossed his mind—one that, in his logic, made perfect sense.
"These ears…" he thought, "…so soft. Like mochi."
And before reason could catch up with him—driven entirely by a wave of impulsive affection—Rian leaned in closer.
"Chomp."
His front teeth gently bit the tip of Koneko's right ear. Not hard, not painful—just the kind of soft, affectionate nibble a child might give a beloved plush toy.
"Nyaah~"
Koneko jolted in shock. Her entire body stiffened; her face turned a deep shade of red. Her heart was pounding so fast it almost hurt.
Then, with a voice as soft as a whisper, Rian murmured near her ear, "Nee~ Koneko-chan… would you like this handsome man to adopt you?"
Koneko's eyes went wide. For a moment, her whole body froze—then exploded in an eruption of mixed emotions: fury, embarrassment, and utter disbelief.
Her aura flared violently, and her voice echoed through the room like a whip crack—
"PERVERT SENPAI!!"
Without giving Rian a chance to react, Koneko's small fist struck his stomach with perfect precision.
"Ugh…!"
Rian staggered back several steps, his body bending from the pain as one knee hit the floor. But Koneko wasn't done yet.
With her usual speed, the petite girl darted forward, grabbed Rian's shirt collar with fiery anger, and—
With one fierce motion, fueled by boiling emotion—she threw him.
The impact sent Rian flying toward the clubroom window.
Glass shattered in a burst of glittering fragments. The evening wind, cool and sharp, greeted the handsome young man as his body was hurled out from the upper floor of the building.
***
The night sky stretched wide—like black ink spilled across the canvas of the world. The lights of homes, shops, streets, and cars flickered below, like living ornaments adorning Kuoh City.
A digital clock on a small roadside store displayed 7:00 PM.
The streets were still lively—people coming and going, some heading home from work, others preparing for night shifts, and a few walking in pairs, lost in their own little worlds.
Amid the gentle hum of Kuoh Town's evening, Rian Andromeda strolled casually, as if nothing important had happened today.
His right hand was wrapped neatly in white bandages—at first glance, it looked like his joints and bones had been fractured.
In reality? The injury had already healed completely, thanks to Rian's naturally high vitality and regeneration.
Still, true to his theatrical nature, Rian chose to keep the bandages on.
He let the world see him as the "innocent victim" of an unforeseen incident. A victim of one thing only—the wrath of a small girl named Koneko.
In addition, Rian was now wearing a new pair of glasses—round frames with light blue lenses that didn't fully conceal the brilliant glow of his Six Eyes.
The design was identical—a perfect replica of the ones worn by Gojo Satoru back in his high school days. It was an item Rian had purchased long ago from the Infinity Room System Shop, but never had the chance to use… until today.
Not that he regretted it. The word regret simply didn't exist in Rian's dictionary—unless it involved buying the wrong face cream.
Setting that aside, Rian had finally learned something important: Touching—let alone biting—a Nekomata's ears was considered a severe invasion of privacy. Extremely severe.
"Haha…" Rian chuckled softly, glancing at his bandaged right wrist. "At least that girl's starting to make peace with her past, right?"
He shrugged lightly, continuing his stroll beneath the streetlights.
"One problem solved," he said with a faint smile—before his expression shifted.
"But… ugh, there's still so much to prepare for tomorrow. And Akeno's issue isn't handled yet, either."
Rian let out a long sigh.
It wasn't without reason — Rian had already prepared a long list of training regimens for every member of Rias's peerage. Training that would begin the very next day and last for ten days.
"Ah, right…" he murmured, remembering something. "Since I'll be busy starting tomorrow… I should let Ophis-chan know tonight. I won't be able to play with her like usual."
After taking a few turns and crossing a now-quiet street, Rian finally arrived at a small playground tucked away in the middle of a peaceful residential area.
There, sitting on one of the swings, was a small, beautiful girl. Her long, jet-black hair flowed neatly down her back.
She wore a simple white dress adorned with a red ribbon on her chest, covered by a bright purple parka that was a bit too large for her. On her feet were just a pair of white flip-flops.
The overall look suited her perfectly. Despite its simplicity, it only emphasized the quiet grace she carried.
She was Ophis, the Dragon God of Infinity.
And that casual, down-to-earth style of hers? That was clearly Rian's influence.
He, who cared deeply about aesthetics and appearance, had unknowingly passed down part of his fashion sense to the quiet-seeking girl.
And now, Ophis was staring at Rian. That flat yet profound gaze followed each of his steps as he approached the swings.
"Been waiting long for this handsome man, Ophis-chan?" Rian asked with a gentle smile, his steps light as he moved closer to the swing beside her.
Ophis's eyes remained fixed on him, her expression unchanged—though her slightly widened gaze revealed that she was truly paying attention.
When Rian finally sat on the swing next to her, he turned his head slowly, and their eyes met.
The night breeze drifted softly, carrying with it the faint creak of the swing's chains and the rustle of leaves. The atmosphere felt calm—almost too calm.