Slowly, Hajime's eyelids opened as the boy regained consciousness.
The memories of his last hours had vanished, leaving behind an unfillable void.
"(What happened? Wasn't I in my room meditating? Where am I?)"
Goto's stepson got up from the bed, which clearly wasn't his, to try to figure out his location. His misty eyes took a while to clear.
"(Am I in the bunker? And why are they.......?)"
The young [mage] realized he was inside the house of his teammates. The three in question were in the infirmary with him.
Kuro was sitting, not very elegantly, on an armchair while resting silently.
Kohaku was slightly snoring while sleeping on one of the beds in the room.
And finally, Cloe had her head resting on Hajime's bed while sitting on a small chair.
All three had stayed awake all night out of worry. None of them could really relax while the latest addition to their team remained unconscious on a bed.
"(It's the first time seeing her up close… she's really cute.)"
In a very natural way, Hajime began to observe Cloe's face with more care. The girl really had a pretty face, especially with her curly white hair framing it.
Maybe because she felt watched, the 17-year-old suddenly opened her eyes. The silver-haired teenager and his teammate looked straight into each other's eyes for several, embarrassingly, seconds before she realized she wasn't dreaming.
"Hajime!? You're awake!?"
Kuro and Kohaku jolted out of their dreams, hearing Cloe's cries. The two were also surprised and happy that their teammate was conscious.
"Are you okay!? You really worried us to death!" (Kohaku)
"Tsk! Finally, we spent a hellish night because of you!" (Kuro)
"Um... I-I don't remember anything, how did I get here?" (Hajime)
At Hajime's declaration, a tense silence fell over the room. Fortunately, the perfect person arrived to break it.
"You were almost dead. Your [Grimoire] activated a power you weren't ready to use. When you arrived here, you were vomiting blood, and your [mana] was about to make you explode."
Fumio continued to explain the events of the previous night with absolute seriousness. Goto's stepson listened very attentively; with every detail added, his disbelief grew and touched unprecedented peaks.
It was obvious to the young [mage] that an event like this would eventually happen: [Grimoires] were considered far too dangerous for a number of good reasons.
Hajime's disbelief wasn't due to the fact that such an event had happened but from the awareness that he remembered nothing.
"What if it happens again? What if I do something wrong while the [Grimoire] is out of control? What if I already did something but don't remember it?" (Hajime)
"I strongly doubt that's happened before....." (Fumio)
"But you can't be sure, can you, Fumio-sensei?"
"........."
The silence that followed his question was the answer Hajime needed.
Now more than ever he needed to be careful; his life and those of the people around him could be in danger at any moment. The teenager didn't even want to think about what would happen if he unleashed his [mana] in a populated area, or at home, instead of in the training room.
"Kamijo-san, I have to ask you this: after last night's event, are you sure you want such an active role in the team? You don't have to fight every time just to......" (Fumio)
"I will continue down this path."
The affirmative answer, without hesitation or fear, from Goto's stepson surprised everyone in the room. A minimum of hesitation or doubt would have been understandable.
"I........ I'm afraid of what could happen to me or to others if I keep using my [Grimoire]....... but I know for sure what would happen if I didn't: I wouldn't keep the promise I made to myself, to free Goto from the life of Kaori-chan and my mother. So I won't back down."
"I understand, I don't agree with this, but I respect your decision. I will keep my promise: I will help you reach the end of the chessboard, Kamijo-san. Rest today; it's better that you don't go to school. I'm going to sleep; when I wake up, I'll tell you how the seal on your new power works." (Fumio)
"Crap! Kaori-chan and my mother will be........!"
"Don't worry about them. I hacked your phone remotely to send messages to them." (Kohaku)
Hajime sighed in relief at the news, even though his little sister and his mother would probably be on his case for a few days.
When Fumio left the room, the silver-haired boy began to have doubts about what his teammates now thought of him.
"S-so....... none of you are afraid of me?"
The reactions to his question varied. Cloe looked at him indignantly, Kohaku laughed, adding quietly something like "we all have our problems here." Meanwhile, Kuro dramatically scoffed.
"As if I'm afraid of you; I could kick your ass anyway." (Kuro)
"Oh, when would you have done that?!" (Hajime)
"Every time we train!"
"You're lying! That's never happened!"
The tension from the previous night nearly disappeared as the boys bickered among themselves, in front of the amused (Kohaku) and irritated (Cloe) eyes of the two girls.
Meanwhile, Fumio, arriving in his room, couldn't help but remember the events from the previous night, but not what had happened with Hajime, but the encounter with the [Scarlett Queen].
"(That woman is truly inhuman!)"
******
Yukihime was moving as fast as possible, without using [mana], to reach her goal. Fumio, just behind her, was trying to keep up.
The 30-year-old [mage] had insisted on coming with her, even though he knew that if a confrontation started, he probably wouldn't be able to do anything to help his leader.
"We're here." (Yukihime)
"Yes, it's here. Now what do we do, Yukihime-sama?"
"Nothing. She already knows we're here."
The two, passing through alleys and the dark zones of the city's cameras, had reached the White family's house.
The position was ideal for an aerial attack, given their location on a house slightly larger than their target's.
"I doubt that after 20 years, she's so rusty that she wouldn't keep an eye on the strategic points near her house........ there she comes!"
Fumio was left speechless; his right eye could see many things, it could even follow Yukihime when she moved at her maximum speed, even if he only saw her as a blur. But this time not even the [magics] of the man's ocular orb could follow the movements of the [Scarlett Queen].
"(Impossible!? How can she be so fast!?)"
"Hello little vampire!"
The woman had appeared before Yukihime, who squinted her eyes at the figure in front of her; she was far too friendly, which meant only one thing: she would soon start mocking her. Yukihime was sure of this; after all, she had already dealt with her.
"Hello to you too, Veronica-kun."
"You haven't changed a bit; you're as flat as a board, just like I remembered."
Veronica was a voluptuous woman, with orange hair and eyes, just like her daughter. Even though she was 40, she was still beautiful and attractive.
The [Scarlett Queen] was not vain, but she began to flaunt her chest before Yukihime's irritated eyes.
"Wouldn't you like to have a chest that isn't flat? Maybe that way you could have conquered..." (Veronica)
"I'm not here to play, Veronica."
"I know. But what's wrong with having fun with you? After all, we're friends."
"Friends? With you? I doubt you care about anyone but yourself."
Fumio felt the air become more tense and heavy after those words. The man was grateful that the murderous intent of the two wasn't focused on him; otherwise, he would have truly risked having a heart attack.
"How serious you are, as usual. You're right though. I see no value in the lives of others... people are so useless, mediocre, cowardly and weak; they aren't worth counting. In the end, they need to be used for the purposes of people who command them and are superior to them." (Veronica)
The bloodlust of the two calmed down; even though Veronica stopped smiling and took on a much more serious expression, the tension that had been in the air dissipated.
"Everyone except you." (Yukihime)
"And you. We are both [omega witches]; we are of the same race." (Veronica)
"I'm not at all like you."
"Ah ah ...maybe you're right little vampire, I wasn't born in a laboratory like a test subject; I don't waste time trying to save the world or humanity. The only thing that makes us slightly alike is our monstrous power. Anyway, why are you here? Surely not for a nice reunion."
"I need to ask you some questions."
"Hmmm.... I've been quite bored these 20 years, so I feel that trying to satisfy your curiosity is almost exhilarating. Ask me any questions you want."
"Why are you here?"
"Because I feel like it."
"Veronica! Answer seriously!"
"As you wish, vampi-chan! I'm here because I got tired of being a mercenary."
"I find that unlikely. They called you the [Scarlett Queen] for good reasons: your cruelty and brutality knew no bounds. I highly doubt that one day you woke up and realized you were tired of immersing yourself in the blood of your victims after all the hundreds of thousands of people you've killed."
"Instead, it's just like that. Next question."
"Do you work for Goto-kun?"
"The head of the [Black Corps]? Ahahahahahahahhaha! That pathetic caricature isn't worthy of my services; he'd try to kill me the moment he realized I'm more dangerous than him! And as I already told you, I'm no longer a mercenary; why ruin my peaceful life for someone like him?"
Yukihime sighed internally at those words. Veronica was many things: insensitive, mischievous, clever, cruel, and sadistic, but she certainly wasn't a liar; deceiving her victims was not her style.
"You can celebrate, I won't interfere with your little revolution." (Veronica)
"You know?"
"Of course I do. I know you; you have to save everything and everyone. You can't close your eyes in front of injustices. You would never leave this island in its current condition."
" ........"
"I guessed right, didn't I?"
"Yes. Last question. Do you care about your daughter and your husband?"
Veronica remained silent for a few seconds after that question. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her forehead furrowed as if she were trying to connect the dots or finish a puzzle.
"My husband is smart enough to know that I have a dark past behind me, but also naïve enough not to want to ask questions. He knows that I am far more powerful than an average human, but he can be stubborn when he wants to, even though he knows I could tear him apart in an instant. His courage is something I respect; that's why I married him."
"Only for that?"
Yukihime knew how stupid that question was the moment it left her mouth. Veronica didn't love anyone but herself. The woman didn't even respond to her question and went on as if it wasn't worth answering.
"My daughter, on the other hand, is... the worst thing I've ever done. I don't know how it was possible that she came out of me. She is weak, cowardly, manipulable, simple, and a hypocrite. You should have seen her tear-streaked face when she came home after stabbing her best friend in the back, the boy she had a crush on; it was... revolting; she wanted understanding from me, as if I could ever understand her. My daughter is scum of the worst kind; if I hadn't given birth to her, I would have killed her right then and there for the annoyance."
The vampire was left speechless after hearing what the [Scarlett Queen] thought about her daughter. Deep down, Yukihime wanted to believe that even someone like Veronica could love; how wrong she was.
"But I have to give that little brat some credit; if she weren't so pathetic, I would never have met the son of your dear friend."
"!?"
"Yes, little vampi-chan, I know about Kamijo Hajime. He has come to our house a few times with my daughter; he is... how could I say... ah, like his father, but I believe what he has been through has made him darker. It's quite interesting to see what will become of him, especially knowing he has no powers."
"Don't try to harm him! Otherwise, I will kill you, [Scarlett Queen]!"
"First: I have no reason to do so. Second: Would you really be able to kill me, Yukihime?! A pseudo-pacifist heroine like you could defeat me? Do you really believe that?"
The two women stared at each other for many minutes before deciding to end the meeting.
"Enough, I'm done answering you! Go away and don't come back; if you do, I will kill you, disgusting experiment!"
"Tsk! As if I wanted to come back to see you!"
Yukihime took Fumio and teleported away; they were done; there was not much chance of the second [omega witch] becoming a problem for their plans. Veronica huffed in anger before returning to her home.
Her absence hadn't been noticed by her husband, who was deeply asleep in bed. By chance, however, her daughter was awake and had gone to get a glass of water in the kitchen.
"Mama? Why did you go out?"
"It's none of your business!"
"F-fine......"
The [Scarlett Queen] narrowed her eyes at her daughter's hurt expression. She found her so pathetic; it only took one word from her to put her on the verge of tears.
"(How ironic, my daughter is a disappointment from every point of view, while Hajime is truly interesting: he has no powers, but he has a solid backbone, lives under the same roof as Goto but doesn't seem submissive to his will like his mother... it's a real shame I didn't give birth to him.)"