That day, Rozen received a message.
That message left Rozen both surprised and helpless.
"I await you at the fated place."
With such a message, there was no need to think—he immediately knew who sent it.
"That girl…"
Rozen sighed, put away his phone, and headed out.
Even though Rozen wasn't in a condition to go out these days, he had no choice. This was something he absolutely could not ignore.
To avoid unnecessary attention—and to not be noticed—Rozen immediately performed a spatial transfer.
Naturally, this was a spatial transfer executed using the magic of Cleansing.
Zheng!
A complex sigil—resembling both a star map and a labyrinth—lit up on Rozen's right arm, its patterns and lines glowing through the sleeve of his clothes, fully visible.
Then, a phosphorescent light appeared, and glowing particles like fireflies emerged one by one around Rozen.
These luminous particles were in fact countless ultra-miniature and highly intricate magic circles.
They bore the exact same traits as the Cleansing used by the God of Sin, Cain.
However, the magic circles within Rozen's glowing particles were far more complex and delicate than those within Cain's crimson particles. The light they emitted wasn't deep red, but a luminous color resembling starlight or phosphorus.
This was the brilliance of Rozen's Cleansing—the ultimate magic that transcended worlds and embodied the mysteries of countless realms.
Under this radiance, Rozen didn't need to cast any spells, nor chant incantations. He only had to inject mana into the sigil and move his will—like making a wish—for the magic to be realized.
This was also the only spell Rozen had mastered at present—an omnipotent magic.
In the next instant, Rozen vanished like a beam of aurora.
When he reappeared, he was already in a shopping street in the West District.
At the end of the street stood a girl in a Saikai Academy uniform, waiting.
"I'm here, Avrora," Rozen said in a helpless tone, making it clear to anyone listening who she was.
"...Ugh…"
Avrora's shoulders trembled as she timidly turned around to face Rozen.
But Rozen didn't look at her directly—instead, he surveyed the area.
"This is the place I brought you to buy clothes when you first woke up, right?"
Rozen spoke.
It was right here that Rozen and Avrora first opened their hearts to each other—the place where their fates first intertwined.
In other words…
"Th-This is the fated place between you and me. I knew you would come."
Avrora summoned her courage to say this.
In truth, Rozen had instantly realized where Avrora meant—and came here without hesitation.
"And then?" Rozen looked at Avrora. "Why did you call me out here?"
Even as he asked, Rozen had already guessed her intention.
Lately, Avrora's emotional state had been off. She had clung to Rozen unusually tightly, allowing him to sense her inner anxiety and fear in the most direct way.
That fear was the result of him leaving.
Given that, the reason she called him here could only be one thing.
"Let me become your Beast Vassal!"
Avrora finally shouted her wish out loud.
"As I thought…"
Rozen gave a bitter smile.
This was the second time Avrora had brought this up—proof of how deeply she relied on him.
But perhaps that was only natural.
After all, when Avrora first awoke, the first person she saw was Rozen. The first voice she heard was his. The first hand she held was his. The first person to pat her head, to protect her, and to join her in the life-or-death struggle of the Blazing Banquet was Rozen.
Even later on, Rozen chose to seal the Original Fourth Primogenitor inside himself—half the reason being Avrora.
Otherwise, the duty of sealing the Original would have fallen to Avrora.
And if she had fulfilled that duty, she would've been forced into slumber once more—sealed in the ice hall, never again to see the light of day.
How cruel that would have been—anyone could imagine.
But Rozen was the one who saved such an Avrora.
It could be said that the reason Avrora even wished to continue living, to become the hope of her sisters, the only one cherished by the other Matrices, was all because of Rozen.
If it weren't for Rozen, Avrora might have resigned herself to her fate long ago—just like the other Matrices, she would've chosen the path of self-destruction.
Now, despite being a Matrix of the Fourth Primogenitor's Beast Vassals, Avrora could live peacefully on Itogami Island, attending school with Akatsuki Nagisa and the others, all thanks to Rozen's presence.
So then, ask this: if Rozen were no longer here, what meaning would there be in Avrora staying?
Perhaps this is also the true reason why the other Matrices acknowledged Rozen—even chose to submit to him?
Because only by protecting Rozen, by keeping Rozen alive and well, would Avrora find a reason to keep living.
Thus, Rozen being entrusted with their hopes by the Matrices and Beast Vassals, gaining their recognition and allegiance, was simply inevitable.
The same went for Avrora.
The choice she made now was also inevitable.
Because she couldn't live without Rozen.
Because she didn't want to be left behind.
If Rozen were to leave, then she had to go with him.
Even if Rozen was only going to be gone for a few months, Avrora couldn't bear it.
Last time, when Rozen mysteriously vanished for two months, Avrora nearly broke down. Otherwise, with her deep-seated fear and distrust of strangers, how could she have allowed Akatsuki Gajou to take her away from Itogami Island, to Shinjin Lake, and be used by the Lion King Agency?
Ultimately, it was Rozen's absence that caused Avrora to lose her will to live, falling into a state of despair, letting herself be manipulated by others.
This time, just remembering what happened last time filled Avrora with uncontrollable panic and fear.
She truly was someone who could not live without Rozen—not even slightly an exaggeration.
Rozen accounted for ninety-nine percent of Avrora's entire life.
For someone like Avrora—created to contain the Original and No. 12 within her body, sealed in an ice chamber and frozen for ages until she arrived on this island and met Rozen—Rozen truly was her everything.
Let alone the fact that—
"My sisters have all become one with you, and only I remain. I refuse to accept that—I won't allow it!"
Avrora raised her voice loudly.
"I was the first to meet you, the first to acknowledge you! I'm also the one closest to you! None of my sisters have ever eaten ice cream with you, gone to school with you, slept in your bed, had you button their clothes, or gone shopping and attended parties with you! All of those memories belong to me alone—so why do they get to become one with you before I do?!"
Avrora even spoke words full of jealousy and resentment.
It was clear how much Avrora envied—and even resented—her sisters.
Now that Rozen was about to leave, that fact became the final straw that broke the balance in her heart.
"I want to become your Beast Vassal! No matter what—it has to happen!"
For the first time, Avrora voiced her wish with unwavering resolve.