"Alright, I'm heading back!"
After dinner, Gabriel had already reverted to her usual self. Waving casually at the group gathered by the doorway, she prepared to leave.
"Are you really okay? It was your first time, and Shin's stamina is... well..."
Despite Gabriel's seemingly unaffected demeanor, Irisviel couldn't help but voice her concern.
She knew all too well just how absurd Shin's physical capabilities were, and Gabriel—petite, almost childlike in stature—looked more like a middle schooler than a high schooler. It was only natural for Irisviel to worry about whether Gabriel was truly unharmed. She even wondered if Gabriel was hiding some internal injury beneath that carefree facade.
"She's not exactly human. No need to worry too much."
Shin, standing nearby, offered a wry smile. He knew better than anyone that Gabriel was an angel—a being with inherent supernatural abilities. Not only was her physical resilience far beyond an ordinary human's, but she could even wield divine magic, such as teleportation spells—something she had demonstrated in the original series.
Still, while Shin wasn't concerned about Gabriel's physical state, there was something he needed to remind her of:
"Gabriel, even though I lifted your 'restrictions,' you should still take it easy. If Vignette notices your mental state, she'll figure things out."
After their... thorough exchange, Shin had used Vignette's Stand ability, Scales of Balance, to remove the "restrictions" placed on Gabriel. In other words, she could now game all night without worrying about her equipment disappearing due to an irregular sleep schedule.
Knowing Gabriel, she'd probably binge-play until dawn before collapsing into bed.
Fortunately, tomorrow was Saturday, so Vignette wouldn't catch her staying up late—but once weekdays rolled around, Gabriel's sleep-deprived state would be impossible to hide.
If Vignette investigated, she'd quickly realize the restrictions had been lifted. Not only might she confront Shin, but Gabriel would likely come running back to him for another "fix."
Shin wasn't some lock-picking service; he couldn't spend all his time removing Stand restrictions for her. So, he hoped she'd at least try to be subtle.
Just don't let Vignette find out.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Don't worry, I'll be careful."
Gabriel waved off Shin's warning with a carefree flick of her hand before skipping away in high spirits.
Not only had she shaken off Vignette's restrictions, but she'd also taken her relationship with Shin to the next level. Her mood was so buoyant that even his advice went in one ear and out the other.
But this airheaded nonchalance was just part of Gabriel's charm.
---
"This should do it..."
That night, in her apartment, Yukinoshita Yukino carefully placed the black feather Shin had given her into a talisman pouch.
Since the feather was larger than typical bird plumage, she'd had to visit several shrines before finding a suitably sized pouch.
She fastened the talisman around her neck—ensuring Shin's feather would always stay close to her.
Yet, once everything was in place, Yukino couldn't shake a peculiar feeling...
It's almost like... a girlfriend carrying her boyfriend's memento.
Yukino had no romantic experience and had never been interested in such things before. Shin was the only man who'd ever made her entertain such thoughts.
Perhaps it was the impression he'd left during their encounter at the kendo dojo, or maybe it was his now-unordinary status.
Whatever the reason, Shin had become someone Yukino couldn't easily ignore.
"...Well, it's not like anyone knows what's inside."
After a brief internal struggle, she decided to keep wearing it. The contents were confidential anyway; no one would assume any romantic connection between her and Shin.
But the moment the talisman settled against her skin, her phone rang.
It's too soon for Shin to call—we just spoke after school.
Still, her heart skipped a beat before she checked the caller ID—then sank.
Not Shin.
Someone far more... complicated.
Yukinoshita Haruno.
Her older sister.
In every conceivable way—social skills, charm, even physique—Haruno was the "upgraded" version of Yukino.
And precisely because of Haruno's excellence, their family's affairs had long been delegated to her, leaving Yukino in an awkward, sidelined position.
Naturally, Yukino had always kept her sister at arm's length, rarely responding to her attempts at contact.
Under normal circumstances, she'd have ignored the call.
But today was different.
She now knew about Shin's abilities—and that he'd interacted with Haruno before.
During their earlier conversation, Yukino had focused on Shin's "supernatural" aspects, forgetting to ask about his dealings with Haruno.
After a pause, she picked up.
It had been a while since she'd last answered.
"...Yes?"
"Oh? Finally gracing me with a reply, Yukino-chan?"
Haruno's voice, laced with amusement, was exactly as Yukino remembered—polished, playful, and utterly unreadable.
Her sister was a master of masking her emotions, leaving Yukino perpetually unsure of what she truly felt.
As if nothing ever troubled her.
"What do you want?"
Yukino's tone was icy, a stark contrast to how she'd spoken to Shin earlier.
"Can't I just call my dear little sister? ...Well, fine, there is something."
Haruno seemed ready to tease further, but sensing Yukino's frostiness, she switched gears.
"There's a banquet in a few days. The family's attending. Will you come?"
The Yukinoshita family's social gatherings were far from the extravagant affairs hosted by the Four Great Houses, but they still held significant influence in local circles. Attending would offer Yukino valuable exposure.
Yet she knew the truth: her presence would be purely ornamental. Haruno would handle everything, as always.
In the past, Yukino would've refused outright.
But this time—
Why did she ask this?
Almost involuntarily, Yukino murmured:
"...Will Shin be there?"
The silence that followed was palpable.
Yukino could feel the shift in Haruno's demeanor through the phone.
Haruno had never mentioned Shin to Yukino. As far as Haruno knew, Yukino should've seen him as nothing more than an ordinary classmate.
After a long pause, Haruno's voice returned—lower, sharper.
"Yukino. What exactly do you know?"
To be continued…