Every time Rias thought back to that moment, her feelings grew complicated.
Her followers weren't mere subordinates—they were her friends, her family. Unlike some demons who treated their subordinates as nothing more than tools, she cherished them.
Yet Rokou's words back then had thrown her completely off balance. Fortunately, she later learned that her close friend Tatsuji Kotone had also recognized Rokou's talent and had tried to recruit him through her own followers, only to meet the same fate—rejected.
"Keep observing him… and don't cut off contact," Rias sighed.
"By the way, Rias, regarding those Fallen Angels who snuck in recently… when do we plan to act?" Junno asked, her previously gentle expression hardening, a subtle hint of lethal intent flickering in her eyes.
"No need to rush. Let's first see what they're planning in secret, then prepare," Rias said firmly.
Meanwhile…
While Rias and Junno discussed plans late into the night, the so-called culprit, Rokou, had already returned home.
His residence was a single-person villa, unusually spacious for this island nation, and at present, he lived alone.
Well… almost alone.
As Rokou tossed his backpack aside, a silver light suddenly erupted from his body. The glow shimmered, gradually forming the shape of a sword—and then, astonishingly, it took the form of a young girl.
Silver hair, pale, flawless skin, petite frame—she looked like an elementary school student.
Her name was Treminus Est.
When Rokou first received her, he had been stunned. Most people who crossed over got gear or maybe a familiar. He got both… fused into one.
"Thanks for your help today, Est," Rokou said with a gentle smile, reaching out to pat her warm little head.
"As long as I can help you, brother, it's no trouble," Est replied. From the moment she appeared, her affection toward Rokou was maxed out—she obeyed nearly everything he said.
Except for one detail: the black thigh-high stockings.
Even Rokou couldn't force her to remove them. Otherwise, she was completely unbothered by her otherwise nude body.
At first, Rokou had been a little uncomfortable with this quirk, but after years of living together, they had developed a seamless understanding. Outwardly, they presented themselves as siblings.
Though one had black hair and the other silver, in this mixed-anime world, hair color didn't affect whether siblings were related. After all, some fathers had daughters with completely different hair colors, yet they were still real sisters.
"Brother, what shall we have for dinner tonight?" Est asked, her face expressionless, as if speaking mechanically.
Rokou was long accustomed to her personality. Despite her cold exterior, she wasn't emotionless—she simply expressed herself differently than most.
"Let's make some buns. We still have some filling leftover from yesterday," he said.
Thanks to his "Tend to Diligence" ability, Rokou had mastered countless skills with ease. Skills that would normally take years to refine, like cooking, were honed to near-Michelin standards in just two and a half months.
Besides cooking, he had mastered painting, singing, writing, driving, boxing, and more—each to a level surpassing even renowned masters in their respective fields.
Yet Rokou never flaunted his abilities. Having trained from childhood with his "cheat" system, he considered himself only slightly stronger than ordinary people, nothing worth bragging about.
With the decision made, Est's eyes narrowed into a slit, and she followed him into the kitchen to help.
After preparing the buns, they steamed them for roughly forty minutes.
"Too hot…" Est murmured, taking a bite of the steaming white bun.
Her cat-like tongue couldn't handle it, and she quickly began blowing on it, prompting Rokou to hand her a glass of cold water with an indulgent smile.
Seeing the little silver-haired girl so adorable, Rokou felt a rare sense of peace.
The life of a traveler across worlds was lonely, and since Rokou had never intentionally revealed himself in the past, having only himself at home, Est's presence brought a light he hadn't known before.
Every night, she would even transform into her human form to warm his bed, curling up with him until he fell asleep. Rokou had never viewed her as a weapon—she was truly his little sister.
At the dining table, Rokou noticed Est secretly spitting out some of the filling. He sighed, speaking gently.
"Being picky isn't a good habit. There's ginger in the filling—it's good for you, eat a little."
"...Fine," she said expressionlessly, pinching her nose as if swallowing poison, forcing down the ginger-filled portion.
Rokou couldn't help but chuckle. "And you complained when I didn't add ginger before."
"Because without it, the flavor changes," Est replied calmly.
"Alright. After dinner, get some rest. I still have classes tomorrow."
"Mm."
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