Chapter 13

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April 11, 2019, 9:45 am.

A frail-looking man, his thin frame almost swallowed by his dark, tailored suit, checked his wristwatch with a faint grimace.

His short, slicked-back black hair glimmered under the dim corridor light, and his circular prescription glasses reflected the faint glow as he reluctantly raised his head.

His gaze fell upon the long, seemingly endless corridor before him, dimly lit by a single overhead light. The walls on either side were adorned with paintings of animals.

The floor beneath him was covered with an opulent red carpet that stretched straight ahead, leading to a polished, reddish wooden door that bore no signs or labels.

He stared at the door for a moment, his lips pressed into a tense line, before forcing himself to take a deep breath and walk toward it.

When he reached the door, his hand hovered uncertainly over the gleaming brass doorknob. His fingers trembled slightly as they reached out, hesitating just shy of touching the cool metal.

He had news for his boss—news that probably wouldn't sit well with him—and he didn't want to be in the line of fire.

But he had a job. With one last breath, he grasped the knob and turned it slowly. The soft creak of the door echoed in the silence as it swung open, revealing the room beyond.

The space before him was vast yet felt suffocating in its darkness. The air seemed heavier here, and the faint glimmer of polished gray marble beneath his feet reflected the dim light like a distant, glassy surface. The far corners of the room faded into shadow, obscuring any discernible furniture.

At the far end of the room, just barely visible, a glass wall stretched from floor to ceiling, but the thick blinds were tightly drawn, blocking any glimpse of what lay beyond.

In front of the glass stood the sole point of focus in the otherwise barren room: a polished wooden table adorned with sophisticated yet understated decorations.

The dim overhead light provided the only illumination, casting a narrow spotlight on the table and its occupant.

Behind the table stood a man, motionless.

He wore an impeccably tailored black suit, pristine white gloves, and a black bow tie perfectly positioned against his crisp collar. His expression remained impassive, but his eyes were intently fixed on a deck of cards in his hands.

The frail man focused on the figure behind the desk, and tension slowly returned to his body. No matter how many times he came here, it was always the same—and it never got easier.

Though he hadn't made a sound, the man with the deck of cards gradually lifted his gaze, locking eyes with him.

For a brief moment, the frail man struggled to suppress the hard swallow threatening to betray his nerves, but he kept his anxiety unvoiced.

The man behind the table, however, smiled.

"Oh, Harcourt, you have finally come." he said smoothly, setting the deck of cards aside with care.

The frail man, now identified as Harcourt, remained tensely silent, his gaze fixed on his boss as he adjusted himself in his chair, resting his elbows on the polished table.

"I assume you're here to inform me about something," the boss said calmly, gesturing toward the chair in front of the desk. "Please, take a seat."

Harcourt took a moment to register the instruction before quickly nodding and moving with short steps toward the indicated chair. The boss watched him with an unreadable expression as the still-tense Harcourt settled into his seat across from him.

The silence stretched on for a few moments before the man smiled again and said, "You can start talking."

Harcourt nodded once more, trying to keep himself composed while slightly adjusting his posture.

He debated internally for a moment on how best to begin, then took a deep breath and said, "Boss, I have an update regarding the experiment left in the Pentagon building."

The boss made a quiet hum, a subtle prompt for him to continue.

Now came the difficult part for Harcourt. "Between yesterday and today, the experiment was neutralized."

The boss gave a slow, deliberate nod, though his eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment, he spoke, his tone calm. "Your uncertainty suggests that the recording of the incident was lost."

Harcourt felt his stomach twist tighter at the remark, and his posture shifted as he nodded in acknowledgment.

"I beg your pardon, boss," he stammered, his composure slipping. "It seems the camera installed in the experiment was severely damaged." He hesitated, then added, "Mizuguchi says he didn't notice."

Despite Harcourt's anxious tone, the boss appeared entirely unbothered by the news. A grin slowly spread across his face as he leaned back in his chair. "So, Shikichi's latest experiment has once again trashed our equipment, I see." He chuckled, the sound filling the dimly lit room. "I can't say I'm surprised."

But even in light of the boss's non-aggressive reaction, Harcourt remained tense.

After a moment of contemplation, the boss gradually composed himself, though a lingering smile stayed on his lips. "Is there anything salvageable?" he inquired. "The neutralization of the experiment suggests interference from someone capable, just as I suspected Maruo would arrange." His expression darkened momentarily before returning to neutral. "Anyway, I'd like to know more about it if possible."

Harcourt nodded slowly, adjusting his glasses out of nervous habit as he spoke. "Yes, it's assumed that a battle occurred in the sewers," he explained, striving for clarity. "We weren't able to recover the experiment's body; however, we did find traces of cursed energy that didn't belong to it."

The boss raised an eyebrow, his smile fading slightly. "And just how does this information help us, Harcourt?" he asked. The sudden shift in tone made Harcourt freeze again. "It stands to reason that only someone with cursed energy could kill something infused with it. What I want to know is who they are."

Harcourt hesitated, his palms growing sweaty under the weight of the boss's piercing gaze. "Uh…" he stammered, struggling to organize his thoughts. "Unfortunately, given the loss of the camera, whoever neutralized the experiment remains a mystery," he admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush.

The boss's gaze lingered on him, the intensity making Harcourt increasingly tense. After a brief pause, the man shook his head, the smile slowly returning. "So it was a complete waste of resources," he stated calmly, his tone nonchalant. However, his smile took on a strange quality. "Well… at least it can be said that they now have some knowledge of what awaits them."

But he didn't say it as if it worried him. Quite the contrary.

Harcourt didn't feel reassured by this dismissal. "I could request another one of Shikichi's experiments if you wish…" he offered cautiously. "I'm sure we can place one more inside the building without any issues given Mizuguchi."

The boss shook his head without hesitation. "It won't be necessary. We've already taken too great a risk by placing one of these things in a public space," he said dismissively. A grin soon cracked his lips. "In some cases, human labor is more effective."

Harcourt paused, struggling to grasp the implications of the boss's words. His eyes soon widened in disbelief as he came to a conclusion.

"Boss, do you intend to send one of our men?" he asked, and the boss's smile only grew in response.

Harcourt swallowed hard, dread blooming in his chest at this prospect. He couldn't understand why the boss would gamble with one of their own against an unknown opponent whose strength they had yet to fully comprehend.

"But... I thought you wanted this to be a slow process," Harcourt stammered, trying to argue without overtly opposing the boss. "Wouldn't that contradict your plan?"

The boss slowly shook his head, apparently amused by Harcourt's barely concealed concern. "Please don't think I'm stupid," he said. "It will be a slow process, of course. I want to enjoy this, after all."

He reached under his desk and pulled out a peculiar object, placing it on the table between them.

Harcourt frowned slightly as he took in the object, finally recognizing it as a medium-sized replica of what could only be described as a Wheel of Fortune.

What was that supposed to mean?

The boss's smile grew proud when he noticed Harcourt's gaze fixed on the wheel. "Beautiful, isn't it? An acquaintance of mine made one of these available to me."

Harcourt glanced up at his boss and nodded slightly, eager to stay in his good graces. "It is, boss. But… if I may ask, what will it be for?"

"To decide which disposable pawns we will send this time, of course," the boss replied simply.

Harcourt looked at his boss, dumbfounded. Did he really intend to make such a decision with the spin of a wheel?

The boss chuckled at his reaction. "Surprised? Please, let's not burden ourselves with the trouble of choosing. Let luck guide us."

With that, the boss gave the Wheel of Fortune a spin. The two men watched as it twirled for several seconds, the colors and numbers blurring together.

Harcourt pressed his lips together, skepticism etched on his face. But after all these years, he probably shouldn't be surprised anymore...

The wheel finally slowed and stopped, pointing to number 23.

The boss hummed as he reached into a drawer, pulling out a notebook.

"Number 23 is…" He flipped through the pages, his fingers gliding over the paper until they paused. "Shienji Tanaka," he announced, pointing at a small photo of a man with short, slicked-back blond hair and green eyes, accompanied by a brief information sheet.

Harcourt frowned, studying the photo. "Tanaka?" he repeated, trying to place the name. After a moment, it clicked, and his skepticism deepened. "He's... he's just a trafficker. Are you sure he's the right pick for this?"

The boss raised an eyebrow, amused. "Funny, you seemed so concerned when you thought I'd send one of the heavy hitters. Now it's just a nobody, and you're still worried."

Harcourt tensed, his jaw tightening. "I-I'm sorry, boss." he muttered quickly.

The boss's gaze narrowed as he waved dismissively. "I know what you're thinking, and no, I don't expect Tanaka to pull off anything impressive," he said, his tone dry. "I just want the sorcerer's identity, and that's all Tanaka's there for."

Harcourt still didn't get it.

He knew he was pushing his luck questioning his boss so much, but he had to ask. "But Tanaka isn't a sorcerer. He doesn't even know about jujutsu. If the goal is to identify the sorcerer, wouldn't it make more sense to send a stalker?"

"A stalker for a sorcerer?" The boss's brow arched higher, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Do you hear yourself? That would never work."

Harcourt went quiet, mentally kicking himself. Maybe he should just stop talking.

The boss shut the notebook and continued, speaking more from a desire to explain than any sense of obligation.

"The experiment was placed in the Pentagon's restroom without raising any alarms. Mizuguchi-kun just had to wear a yellow uniform and carry a pest control bag," he said, barely containing an amused smirk. "And the experiment remained undetected for days. You could say it's because it was still developing, but I think there's more to it."

He tapped his finger on the table thoughtfully. "I'd wager the sorcerer Maruo Nakano hired isn't in constant contact with the family. At least, not often enough to notice something like that right away. Not like a bodyguard would."

"Tanaka may be useless on his own, but he's got numbers. And the one advantage a weakling has over a strong one is numbers," the boss said, leaning forward. "If the sorcerer isn't constantly by Nakano's side, Tanaka and his men might just get close enough."

"So, you plan to sacrifice Tanaka and his men just to learn the identity of this hired sorcerer?" Harcourt asked slowly.

"Exactly." the boss responded, smiling.

Harcourt stayed quiet for a few moments, absorbing what he'd just heard.

Finally, he spoke up, hesitant. "I have a concern about this." he muttered.

The boss gave a slight nod. "Go ahead."

"Since Tanaka's crew are just ordinary criminals, there's a very high chance they'll all be killed without ever standing a chance against the sorcerer. On top of that, Tanaka wouldn't agree to use equipment like a camera during a job. So how do we gather intel without witnesses or recordings?"

"Mizuguchi-kun will take care of that," the boss replied without missing a beat, leaning forward. "He still needs to make up for his previous mistake."

Harcourt forced himself to stay silent, swallowing any further protests. He'd already pushed too far, and there was no point in arguing. Besides, a direct attack on the Nakano family should be enough to keep the sorcerer distracted—enough for someone like Mizuguchi to slip by unnoticed.

Feeling the pressure of being in the boss's presence for too long, Harcourt nodded stiffly. "Understood, boss. Thank you for sharing your plan with me." he said, doing his best to sound professional. "I'll contact Shienji Tanaka immediately. Should I relay any specific instructions?"

"Tell him the targets are five high-status teenage girls," the boss answered calmly. "That should be enough to get him excited about the payout. The rest is on him."

Harcourt's stomach twisted at that, but he kept his composure and nodded. "Understood. May I go now?"

"You may."

Harcourt gave another nod, standing and offering a slight bow before quickly heading for the door.

The boss leaned back in his chair as the office door clicked shut, leaving him alone once more.

He hummed softly, his fingers drifting across the deck of cards on his desk. "All I need is a name..." he muttered.

Outside the door, Harcourt paused, taking a deep breath as the tension began to slowly drain from his body.

"God..." he whispered, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to clear his mind. Once he finally pulled himself together, he stepped away from the door, his hand slipping into his pocket to retrieve his phone.

Finding it, he powered it on and scrolled through his contacts until he landed on the one he needed. He tapped the name and brought the phone to his ear as it rang softly.

The call was answered with the expected silence.

"It's Hardwin Harcourt," he said quietly. That name alone was enough. "I'd like to speak with Shienji Tanaka."

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April 15, 2019, 7:27 am.

Yotsuba adjusted her backpack over her shoulder, a usual bright smile on her face as she walked through the halls of Asahi with her sister.

"Today's Monday, right?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

"It's the first day of the school week," Nino replied dryly. "What else would it be?"

Unbothered, Yotsuba continued. "And tomorrow?"

Nino raised an eyebrow. "You seriously don't know what comes after Monday?"

"I want you to say it!" Yotsuba pressed.

Nino sighed. "Tuesday."

"And after that?"

"You're starting to get on my nerves."

"Wednesday!" Yotsuba declared, her grin widening. "The day I join the basketball team!"

"I know," Nino replied flatly. "You've only mentioned it a thousand times. Hard to forget."

Yotsuba chuckled. "I can't help it," she said. "I'm just... really excited!"

Nino's expression softened a bit, but she still looked unimpressed. "When aren't you?"

Yotsuba ignored the jab. "You're coming to watch me, right?"

Nino hesitated. "...Watch? In that smelly gym? Hell no."

Yotsuba's face fell at the quick refusal. "Come on! You promised!"

"I said maybe," Nino corrected. "And I meant for the weekend games, not practices."

"But this is my first day!" Yotsuba protested. "It's a big deal. A major moment. My sister has to be there!" she tried to appeal to her sister's emotions.

But Nino wasn't easily swayed by her sentimentality.

"I already showed up for your first day once. On Black Rose's team." she said coolly. "I've done my part."

"Do your part twice!" Yotsuba shot back without hesitation.

"Demanding, aren't you?" Nino glanced at her sideways. "Kinda out of character. Try again."

Yotsuba huffed but quickly softened her expression, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. "Please, Nino, be there for me?"

"I will," Nino said, and just as Yotsuba started to smile, she added, "At the weekend games. Ocasionally."

Yotsuba pouted. "Come on, just today! It's my first day!"

"Ask Ichika or Miku," Nino suggested, still not meeting her gaze. "They didn't show up for Black Rose."

"Ichika has work this Wednesday," Yotsuba reminded her, "and Miku's not great with stuffy places, she gets sick. I need to make sure the gym's open enough for her before asking."

"I'll get sick in that dump too." Nino replied flatly.

"You're exaggerating!" Yotsuba shot back, but couldn't help a grin.

"Call Itsuki," Nino said after a pause. "She'll go for sure."

Yotsuba hesitated before sighing. "I will, but—"

"See? You've got your audience," Nino cut in. "No need for me to be there."

Yotsuba pouted. "Is it really that hard for you to come? The gym's not that bad."

"It is," Nino replied without a second thought. "I get that gyms don't smell great, but that one's awful. I'm pretty sure they never clean it."

Yotsuba looked momentarily defeated, but then let out a small laugh. "You're so dramatic."

"I just don't have your tolerance for gross places." Nino shot back.

"Now you're just changing the subject." Yotsuba teased with a faint smile.

"Take it however you want," Nino said, brushing her off. "Go to your class, it's about to start."

"I want to walk you to yours," Yotsuba said casually, then added, "And keep trying to convince you, of course."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're ridiculously persistent?" Nino asked flatly as she turned down a hallway.

"Every time." Yotsuba shrugged, following her sister.

"It's annoying."

"It's part of my charm." Yotsuba corrected.

Nino sighed. "If you say so." She headed toward the door to her classrom. "See you later, I guess."

"Wait!" Yotsuba called after her. Nino glanced back, barely interested. "You didn't answer me."

"I did. Plenty of times."

Yotsuba pouted again, but then shamelessly asked, "Is your answer still the same?" She blinked innocently.

"Exactly the same." Nino opened the door.

Yotsuba paused for a moment, then grinned and called out again, "Think about it!"

"I won't."

With that, Nino disappeared into her classroom, leaving Yotsuba standing alone in the hallway—still smiling, oddly confident, as she stared at the closed door.

"Um," Yotsuba hummed to herself, spinning on her heels and walking away. "She definitely will."

...

"You've been kind of distant lately..." Itsuki muttered, glancing curiously at Megumi beside her. "Did something happen?"

She hadn't seen much of him since their last lesson five days ago, and he seemed to vanish right after class, making it almost impossible to catch him for a conversation.

Megumi silently continued arranging his materials on the table for a moment before finally looking at her. "I've been busy." he said, his tone vague.

It was true—he had been busy. Ever since that incident with the creature, Megumi had been focused on tightening security at the Pentagon.

What began as five Rabbit Escape clones had spiraled into an infestation of rabbits swarming the entire building. Now, nothing happened there without Megumi knowing about it.

But keeping such a large number of shikigami active at once was taking its toll. Mentally exhausting, really—having to constantly feed cursed energy into over a hundred shikigami.

His body wasn't used to this kind of strain anymore, but Megumi knew he'd have to push through it.

Itsuki studied his face, noting the familiar dark circles under his eyes. Typical. She sighed. "Do you think you'll be able to teach us today?" she asked cautiously.

"I will," Megumi replied, then added bitterly, "assuming none of you have any last-minute plans."

Itsuki almost smiled at his tone—it amused her more than it should.

"We're all free today," she assured him. "If I can suggest, maybe schedule lessons for Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday?"

Those were usually the days they had no other commitments. Usually.

"Noted." Megumi muttered.

A brief silence fell between them. Itsuki's gaze drifted to her backpack as the conversation lulled. Then, she remembered something.

"Oh, right," she said, rummaging through her bag. "I finished reviewing the test. I didn't cheat by looking it up online." she added with a small note of pride, pulling out a sheet of paper and handing it to Megumi.

Megumi glanced at her before reluctantly taking the paper.

"...Good." he murmured, barely acknowledging her effort.

His eyes skimmed the first page, and slowly his brows furrowed. He continued flipping through the answers, checking the back of the sheet. His expression remained unchanged—still frowning.

"..."

He glanced at Itsuki, who was watching him eagerly, then back at the paper.

"...Uh..." He hesitated, unsure where to start.

The sections he had reviewed with her were fine—those were solid. But the parts she had handled on her own...

Itsuki quickly noticed his reluctance. Her excitement faltered a little as she caught his expression. "...How is it?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"...You tried, I guess."

Itsuki's lips parted in disappointment, the meaning behind his words hitting her hard.

"How... how many did I get right?" she asked, glancing at the sheet instinctively.

Megumi pressed his lips into a thin line. "One." he replied bluntly.

"One out of twenty?!" Itsuki blurted, her face paling. "That's worse than my original score!"

And she had worked so hard...

"That's why we're studying," Megumi said, handing the sheet back to her. "I was thinking we could review the other tests next lesson, since I only focused on yours. We can go over this one again, too."

Itsuki stared at the paper, her dismay clear, before sighing in defeat. "Okay..." she whispered.

She had hoped they could start working on the other areas she was struggling with, but it seemed that would have to wait.

Megumi watched her for a moment before turning back to his desk. "You've never had a proper lesson with me," he said. "It's normal that your performance hasn't improved yet."

Itsuki nodded slowly, setting the sheet down. "I know." she murmured.

Still, the sting of her academic struggles lingered. Her future hinged on her studies—how could she afford to stay at this level?

After a moment of thought, Itsuki glanced back at Megumi.

"Hey, Fushiguro-kun?" she called softly. When he met her gaze, she asked, "Can we study after school? In the library, I mean."

Megumi looked momentarily confused by the request. "The library?" he echoed. "Why not at your house?"

Itsuki bit the inside of her cheek. "We don't have much study material at home, and the library has a good selection," she explained. "I went there a few times during my first week. Their material's solid."

Megumi hummed in thought. "I see..." he murmured, then warned, "But if we study right after school, you'll have to skip lunch."

Itsuki blinked, suddenly reminded of the schedule. "Can't we leave for lunch and come back later?"

"I don't think so," Megumi replied, leaning back in his seat. "You can only re-enter the school if you're in the afternoon shift or forgot something important."

It was a bit strict, but with so many students at Asahi, letting the morning crowd wander around in the afternoon would cause chaos.

Itsuki's shoulders slumped. Skipping lunch seemed like her only option if she wanted access to the right study materials.

But the thought of studying—or doing anything—on an empty stomach didn't sit well with her.

Itsuki looked like she was about to give up, but then her expression hardened as an idea hit her. "That's fine." she declared with sudden resolve.

Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Is it?"

She nodded confidently. "I'll just eat twice as much during this break to make up for it!"

Megumi blinked, frowning as he processed her logic. "Wait, wha—" His question was cut off by the ringing bell, signaling the start of class.

Itsuki gave him a self-assured nod and turned her attention to the board, clearly done with the conversation.

Megumi watched her for a moment longer, waiting for her to reconsider. She didn't.

He sighed and faced forward. He should probably talk her out of it later, but... whatever. She'll do what she wants.

Still...

Is that even healthy?

...

Ichika glanced at her phone to check the time, then scanned the cafeteria for any sign of her sisters. Nothing.

She leaned back slightly in her chair, her gaze drifting back to the table. Reaching out, she grabbed the iced tea she had picked up earlier, bringing the chilled drink to her lips for a quick sip.

Class was over, and now she was just waiting for Yotsuba or Itsuki so they could head to the school library. Itsuki had mentioned that Megumi's lesson would be held there today or something like that.

Excited? Hardly. But it was Monday, and Ichika couldn't think of a valid excuse to ditch, so she'd just have to get through it.

As she lowered the cup back onto the table, she noticed a figure approaching from the corner of her eye. Hoping it was one of her sisters, she glanced over. But it wasn't.

A tall boy with slicked-back brown hair was heading straight toward her, his expression tight.

It took her a second to recognize him. Maeda—he was in her class.

She half-expected him to walk right past, but instead, he stopped awkwardly in front of her table.

Their eyes met. Ichika tilted her head slightly, assuming he wanted to talk.

His lips parted, but all that came out was an uncertain "Uh..." before he trailed off.

An awkward silence followed.

Maeda frowned and looked down, jaw clenched. Ichika raised an eyebrow.

It was obvious he wanted to say something, but the words weren't coming. His frustration was practically written all over his face.

Ignoring a classmate's earlier warning about him, Ichika decided to cut the tensio and be polite.

"Hi," she said, offering a friendly smile. "Do you need something?"

Maeda looked up at her, then quickly averted his gaze again. "Uhm... I..." He fumbled with his words, struggling to find them.

Ichika debated whether to wait or jump in. It was a bit uncomfortable watching him stutter when he clearly had something on his mind.

Before she could say anything, he blurted out, "I'm Maeda!"

She blinked, then gave a small nod. "I'm Ichika." she introduced herself.

"I know." he blurted out, causing her to pause. Realizing how that sounded, he quickly added, "I-I mean, you introduced yourself to the class on the first day. Yeah." His nervousness was painfully obvious.

"Uh..." Ichika started, feeling the awkwardness creeping back in. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, nice to meet..." Maeda's voice trailed off again, his eyes squeezing shut in frustration.

This was getting uncomfortable.

Ichika tried again. "Did you need something?"

Maeda's eyes snapped open, and he glanced around nervously before focusing back on her. "Uh... I..." Her gaze only seemed to fluster him more, and he looked away again. "I just... wanted to, uh, welcome you to the school."

Ichika raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, it's a bit late since you've been here a few weeks already..." he added quickly, clearly scrambling to recover. "But still..." His voice faded again.

Ichika sighed internally. She couldn't tell if he was trying to make a point or just couldn't find his words.

"Thanks, I guess," she said, offering a small smile to ease the tension. "It's been good so far."

Mostly.

Maeda nodded, but his posture stayed stiff. He shuffled awkwardly, looking unsure of what to do next. The silence stretched long enough for Ichika to think the conversation might finally end.

But then he spoke again. "I also wanted to say... if you ever need help with anything. Classes, the campus, or, uh, whatever—I could, you know, help." His voice faltered, and he quickly added, "Just if you need."

Ichika hesitated. "...That's nice of you, but I think I've got it covered." She didn't mean to sound dismissive, but she hoped it would close the conversation.

Maeda nodded stiffly. "Right. Of course."

Another heavy silence followed.

Normally, Ichika could break the ice easily, but this... was strange. Maeda didn't match the "bad boy" reputation her classmate had warned her about. If anything, he was just awkward.

Sure, she'd noticed him glancing her way before. She wasn't oblivious. But this was the first time he'd actually approached her instead of looking away when she caught him staring.

At least he had the guts to speak, she supposed.

She was beginning to consider using her phone as an excuse to leave when a loud "Hey!" echoed across the cafeteria.

Both Ichika and Maeda turned toward the sound, and Ichika's face brightened when she saw who it was.

"Ichika! I was looking for you!" Yotsuba called out, waving energetically as she skiped toward her sister in that way that would drive Nino up the wall.

"Hey, Yotsuba," Ichika replied, standing up, ready to leave the cafeteria at last.

Yotsuba came to a stop in front of her, adjusting her backpack as she began, "Sorry it took so long, I stopped to—" Her sentence trailed off when she noticed Maeda standing there.

She took a moment to assess the situation, then her expression shifted to one of apology. "Oh, sorry, did I interrupt you?" she asked him.

Maeda looked at her, then glanced at Ichika, and back at Yotsuba again. His eyebrows raised.

Ichika nearly chuckled at his reaction. Understandable. It was one thing to know they were twins, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely. The reactions never failed to amuse her.

After a brief silence, Maeda suddenly spun on his heel. "I was just leaving." he muttered before walking away without another word.

Yotsuba watched him walk away, confusion written on her face, before turning back to Ichika.

"...Friend of yours?" she asked cautiously.

Ichika shrugged. "Classmate. He seems to have some trouble getting his words out."

"Huh?" Yotsuba blinked, but Ichika just grinned. It didn't take long for Yotsuba to shake off her confusion, a smile spreading across her face. "Anyway, do you have your materials? Fushiguro-san and Itsuki are waiting for us!" She quickly shifted the conversation, her usual energy returning.

Ichika nodded slightly as she grabbed her iced tea and backpack. "Yeah, let's go."

Yotsuba started humming softly while Ichika slung the backpack over her shoulder, and soon, they were walking toward the cafeteria exit together.

After glancing around briefly, Ichika turned her attention to Yotsuba. "Is Miku joining us?"

"I texted her about today's lesson," Yotsuba replied. "She saw it but didn't respond."

Ichika chuckled. "Classic."

"But!" Yotsuba added with a grin, looking back at her. "I'm pretty sure she'll show up!"

"Maybe," Ichika mused. "She was willing to join last time, after all... I just wonder what made her change her mind."

"The important thing is that she did," Yotsuba said, turning forward again. "Now the only one missing is Nino!"

"Now that's someone who never changes her mind."

Yotsuba laughed. "She just pretends to play hard to get. We all know better!"

"You think Megumi-kun can get through to her?" Ichika asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yotsuba thought for a moment, then shrugged. "That's on him, right?" she replied with a grin. "If he managed to reach Miku, there's nothing stopping him from doing the same to Nino."

"Besides Nino herself."

Yotsuba laughed again. "You're not wrong." she said, reaching for Ichika's wrist. "Now let's go, we can't be late!"

Ichika smiled, letting herself be dragged along. "Just be careful not to bump into anyone." she quipped.

"Nino told you about that!?"

....

Megumi stared down at the test sheet in front of him, his eyes catching an upside-down image of an animal cell.

Slowly, he raised his gaze to Itsuki, who was focused on the same image, her prescription glasses perched on her nose. She studied the text below the diagram before looking back up at the image.

"That's the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, right?" she asked, pointing at a section of the cell before glancing at the textbook beside her. She squinted slightly, murmuring, "Looks like it..."

Megumi looked at the area she indicated and shook his head. "Golgi complex." he corrected.

Itsuki clicked her tongue in mild frustration and grabbed her pen, jotting down notes in her notebook.

"The endoplasmic reticulum is always near the nucleus," Megumi said flatly. "Remember that, and it'll be easier."

"Got it..." Itsuki muttered under her breath.

Silence.

Megumi's gaze drifted to his side, where Yotsuba sat reviewing the English portion of her test.

With the textbooks available in the library, studying had become much simpler. So far, Megumi hadn't had much trouble, as they rarely struggled to find answers in the books, which meant he often wasn't needed.

Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that the reason for this lack of help-seeking stemmed more from a reluctance to ask than the abundance of resources.

He glanced at Yotsuba's test sheet, noting the exercises she had been working on. His eyes narrowed slightly when he spotted something.

"What are you writing?" he asked.

"Rice!" Yotsuba exclaimed, tilting her test sheet toward him. "See?"

Yes, he saw.

"You wrote 'lice'."

At his words, Yotsuba blinked and looked down at her notebook. "Huh?" Her eyebrows shot up as realization hit. "Oh..."

Megumi sighed. "That's the third time you've made the same mistake, Yotsuba," he said wearily. "Are you planning to eat lice?"

Yotsuba's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she quickly erased the mistake. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "They sound so similar..."

Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Are you dyslexic?"

Yotsuba paused, staring up at him in confusion before nervously grinning. "What does that mean again?"

"He's saying you have a disorder." Ichika chimed in with a smirk.

Yotsuba's eyes widened, her face turning a deeper shade of red. "No, no!" she protested quickly. "Am I really that dumb? Do I seem like I have a disorder?"

Megumi grimaced, shooting Ichika a dirty look. "It's not like that," he muttered, turning back to Yotsuba. "I just meant—ugh, never mind."

"Dyslexia is a learning disorder that primarily affects reading, writing, and spelling," Itsuki explained, lifting her gaze to Yotsuba. "It's not about intelligence, it's just how the brain processes written language." she finished, adjusting her glasses slightly.

Megumi stared at her blankly. If only she had this— basic —level of knowledge in literally anything else...

"Oh..." Yotsuba's eyebrows rose as the explanation clicked, and she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Well, maybe I have it, then?"

Megumi shot her a sideways glance. "Don't self-diagnose."

"You were the one who brought it up." Ichika chimed in with a grin.

"It was rhetorical."

"Don't try to weasel out of it. Own your mistakes like a man." Ichika teased.

Megumi sighed and shifted his gaze to Ichika's test sheet. "Are you at least reviewing your answers?"

After all, he hadn't noticed her consulting any textbooks so far.

"Of course," she replied, casually pulling out her sheet to show him. "See? I marked different answers."

Megumi scanned her revised responses for a moment before deadpanning, "You just guessed everythin. Again."

Ichika shrugged shamelessly. "Eventually I'll get it right."

Megumi wasn't sure if Ichika's statement even deserved a response.

"Hey, Miku's here." Yotsuba suddenly announced, looking toward the end of the table.

The others followed her gaze, spotting Miku standing there. She didn't say anything, but the weight of four sets of eyes clearly made her uncomfortable, as she glanced away.

"Miku," Ichika greeted, patting the seat next to her. "Sit here."

Miku quietly complied, moving to take the seat.

"What took you so long?" Ichika asked, checking her watch. "We've been here for fifteen minutes."

"It's a big school." Miku said plainly, pressing her lips into a thin line. "And you didn't send me the location of the library."

Yotsuba tilted her head. "Did you get lost?" she asked, smiling brightly. "It's fine! I get lost all the time. Just today I got lost on my way to the cafeteria, and I take that same route every day!"

"Why are you proud of that?" Itsuki muttered under her breath.

Megumi's gaze lingered on Miku for a moment before shifting to her backpack. "Do you have your test?" he asked.

Miku nodded and reached into her bag, pulling out the test sheet. "Here." she said, placing it on the table.

He hummed. "We're reviewing the test," he said, before casting a brief look at Ichika. "Well, most of us."

Ichika gave him a cheeky grin in response.

Megumi turned back to Miku. "You should do the same," he said, nodding toward the textbooks spread across the table. "You can use them."

Miku gave a small nod, glancing down at her test paper.

"And if you need help with anything, you can ask me for help too." Megumi added quickly.

"Okay." Miku murmured.

Ichika nudged her. "If you follow our example, you'll end up needing help with everything."

"If she follows your example," Itsuki interjected critically, "she won't even bother reviewing the test."

"That's actually not a lie." Ichika agreed.

Itsuki wore an exasperated expression. "Why does it seem like you all take pride in your bad habits?"

Megumi turned his attention to Miku's test, searching for a distraction from the girls' conversation.

No one acknowledged him for several moments, so he seized the opportunity to think, particularly about his second job and the recent events.

Initially, he hadn't given it much thought, but as time passed, he began to realize just how absurd the situation was.

A creature that was neither a curse nor a human had been deliberately placed in the Pentagon's bathroom by an infiltrator posing as part of the pest control team.

Now that he reflected on it, the whole thing was... concerning. More than that.

What was the intention behind it? He wondered, leaning back slightly. Was that thing some kind of mutation? Created in a lab, perhaps?

If it was lab-made, then he was up against something entirely new.

Curses? He was used to those. Curse users? He had participated in the Culling Games, so facing sorcerers was nothing unfamiliar.

But this? He didn't even know what term to use for that creature.

Still, he had learned a little about it: its body was extremely tough, to the point where even Totality's claws struggled to break its skin.

Yet, every strength came with a cost, and this creature likely lacked physical offensive capability. Despite its sharp fingers, they barely affected Megumi, and he had no trouble blocking its physical attacks.

On the other hand, it could generate acid.

But unlike a blood manipulation user, that acid seemed uncontrollable. However, it could be blasted by force from the holes in the creature's body.

And those holes appeared to be its weak points...

Okay, internal damage is probably the weakest point of any living being, but this creature had access points to its vulnerabilities all over its body.

Megumi slowly closed his eyes, continuing to think. Myriad Elephant and Nue would be ideal shikigami for dealing with something like this... but I can't use Myriad Elephant everywhere, especially not its water.

Anyway, Totality was another viable option, and perhaps a supercharged Piercing Ox could cause severe internal damage upon impact.

Sure, he had other strategies that might work even better, but...

Megumi's expression darkened slightly, and he soon shook his head.

What I should be focusing on is why someone would take such a risky action...

It didn't make sense to him that someone would place that creature there without reason. It accomplished nothing; it didn't kill anyone and was only seen by him. It hadn't even hurt him that much.

At most, it caused some damage to the sewers, but that was more due to Myriad Elephant than anything else.

So why? Why reveal the existence of something like this? Why show off something like this? What drove the person in charge of this decision?

"Megumi?"

Then again, the person behind it hadn't exactly been careful, as far as Megumi could tell. They didn't even bother hiding the body of the security guard who was killed, leaving it to rot in the bathroom until Maruo found it.

But it still didn't make sense. It seemed like a complete waste of the element of surprise, and for nothing. Why leave that thing in the off-limits bathroom instead of placing it somewhere like the Nakano penthouse? Was this meant as a warning?

"...Megumi?"

But considering how long it took him to notice the creature... the bathroom had been closed for a few days, after all. It had been there for a while, and he hadn't sensed anything. Megumi definitely needed—

A nudge on his shoulder snapped his attention back to the present. He turned to the right, looking at whoever had interrupted him.

Yotsuba regarded him for a moment before nodding toward Miku. "She's been calling you."

He blinked, taking a moment to process this, before turning his gaze to Miku.

Miku was looking at him, but she quickly averted her eyes shyly. "Uh..."

Megumi's expression softened a little. Okay... I was zoning out. "What do you need?"

Miku slowly lifted her gaze to him, then pointed to an exercise on her test. "I couldn't find anything about this in the textbooks."

Megumi followed her finger to the math exercise and nodded slightly.

"Let me help you." He stood up and circled the table until he was next to her, positioning himself to read the question.

Ichika watches him as he slips between her and Miku, her expression knowing but curious. "Head in the clouds, huh?"

Megumi barely acknowledges her, offering just a quiet "hm" in response.

Ichika props her face on her hand, her gaze lingering on him for a moment. She narrows her eyes slightly, then looks away, saying nothing more.

Megumi turns his full attention to the problem Miku had been struggling with. Math, he realizes. Square roots, to be exact.

Beside him, Miku instinctively places her hands in her lap, nervously fidgeting with her fingers as she waits for him to explain.

After a moment, the answer is already clear in his mind. "Give me your pen." he says, and Miku soon hands it to him.

It was almost comical, really.

One minute, he was in the sewers fighting an acid-spewing mutant alongside his zoo of pets, and the next, he was teaching a square root formula to a teenage girl.

A teenage girl who had no idea that her life was in danger and that unknown assailants were after her and her family for some reason.

Megumi sighed inwardly as he began writing out the base of the solution.

How did he end up like this?

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A/N: I'm alive guys. They just didn't want me to use my cellphone.

This was probably the shortest chapter, sorry about that. But anyone who's read the original knows what's approaching now.