Kojou Akatsuki might have been a blockhead when it came to romance, but that didn't mean he'd never been captivated by a beautiful girl before.
The first to ever make him freeze in awe and stir his heart had been Avrora.
That fairy-like beauty, that dreamlike allure—it had bewitched even elementary school–aged Kojou into a quiet obsession. Unfortunately, those memories had vanished with the end of the Blazing Banquet.
Later, Kojou had been drawn to Kanon Kanase's sacred beauty and pure aura, enough that Nagisa Akatsuki had teased him for ages over it. Even Motoki Yase had taken potshots at him more than once, and Asagi Aiba had been put in a sulk for quite some time because of it. Clearly, Kanon's beauty was a weapon strong enough to move even a clueless lump like him.
And now… Kojou found his attention drawn to Yukina Himeragi.
It wasn't quite enough to make him zone out, but he still ended up staring at her for far longer than was polite.
That was when—
"Ow, ow, ow, ow! What the hell, Nagisa?!"
Nagisa had pinched his cheek hard, yanking it outward until he yelped back to reality.
"That was so rude, Kojou-kun!" she scolded, clearly displeased. "Don't ogle Yukina like that! What if you scare off the guest I worked so hard to invite here?"
"I—I wasn't ogling her!" Kojou protested. "I just thought she looked a little like you, that's all!"
That, in truth, was exactly why he'd been staring.
Sure, Yukina was pretty—but having seen Avrora and Kanon Kanase, Kojou had moved past those "low-level" impulses. Being a blockhead also meant his resistance to beauty wasn't too bad. He wouldn't normally be that rude.
But because Yukina's looks reminded him so much of Nagisa—like a polished, idealized version—he couldn't help stealing a few extra glances.
The problem was… his explanation didn't land quite the way he thought it would.
"I swear, Kojou, all these years later and you're still a siscon?"
Yuuma Tokoyogi blinked at him in disbelief, then sighed with a wry smile.
"So, because she looks like your beloved little sister, you couldn't help but stare at her?" Kaiser gave him a big thumbs-up. "Classic. Wearing your siscon tendencies so openly—gotta respect that."
"Kojou-kun…" Nagisa's cheeks colored, her expression somewhere between exasperation and "why can't you do better?" "That was such a terrible thing to say. When will my brother finally be able to live without relying on his little sister?"
Even Yukina seemed startled, taking an almost imperceptible step back while giving Kojou a look of pure disdain—just short of outright calling him a pervert.
"That's not what I meant!" Kojou's face flushed bright red—half from embarrassment, half from frustration.
"I'm telling you, I wasn't staring at her because she looks like my sister!"
"Ah, so you were staring at her," Nagisa shot back immediately.
"Even I don't know how to defend you here," Yuuma added.
The two of them tag-teamed him mercilessly, pinning Kojou on the pillar of shame.
"I… I…"
Unable to explain himself—knowing that any explanation would sound like excuses—Kojou's mouth opened and closed before he fell into silent defeat.
Kaiser couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. Poor guy—once you got saddled with the "siscon" label, it was impossible to shake. No matter how you tried to explain, you'd only make it worse. Classic light novel protagonist—forever misunderstood.
At least Kojou's "siscon" tendencies didn't lean into anything… problematic—just an over-the-top level of sibling affection. Otherwise, Akatsuki Gajou and Akatsuki Mimori might've already broken his legs.
Nagisa herself knew her brother's so-called "siscon" was really just an inability to function without her. He might be her older brother, but in terms of dependency, he was like a child. It drove her up the wall.
But still—there was no denying the label. Even in the original story, Yukina had been chosen as Kojou's observer in part because she resembled Nagisa.
Granted, Yukina's looks and poise were a tier above Nagisa's, enough to rival Kanon Kanase—but her slightly youthful features, glossy black hair, and petite frame overlapped strongly with Nagisa's "type." Anyone could believe they were sisters.
In short, Kojou wasn't shaking that title anytime soon.
Nagisa let her sulking brother be and turned her bright energy toward introductions, making sure Kaiser, Yukina, and Yuuma got properly acquainted.
Both sides had strong ties to her—Kaiser and Yukina as the friendly new neighbors she'd been spending time with, Yuuma as her childhood friend. With a lively girl like Nagisa bridging the gap, it didn't take long for the group to warm up.
Yukina remained a bit reserved, but Yuuma was effortlessly sociable, quickly finding common topics with Kaiser and Yukina alike.
Only Kaiser noticed something odd—every so often, a flicker of something unreadable passed through Yuuma's eyes when she looked at him… and at Nagisa.
Now this is getting interesting, Kaiser thought with an inward smile, though his expression gave nothing away.
Before long, Nagisa had everyone seated for dinner—including a still-mopey Kojou—to enjoy the feast she'd cooked up.
Once the meal was done, Kaiser and Yukina took their leave, while Yuuma stayed over at the Akatsuki household to share a room with Nagisa.
As for the eve of the Warlord's Dominion Festival, no one planned to attend the pre-celebration.
The real highlight was tomorrow's main event. Tonight's parade was lively, sure, but aside from some costumes, fireworks, and music, it wasn't worth staying out half the night. Better to rest early and be fresh for tomorrow.
The group had already agreed to spend the day together. Nagisa, in particular, seemed eager to befriend Yukina, inviting her along as warmly as she had Kaiser.
Yukina, though slightly overwhelmed, recognized the goodwill and didn't decline. With Kanon still in Aldegyr, her official mission was on hold until Kanon returned. For now, her only task was to shadow Kaiser and learn about Itogami.
"Isn't it bad to go to a festival while on a mission?" she asked, looking a bit uneasy.
"What's the problem?" Kaiser replied calmly. "Until Kanon's back, you're free to do what you want."
He smirked. "I'm not glued to Nagisa right now, am I? And Sayaka—that crazy woman—has missions too, but she still pops by to attack me every few days. Guess she just likes making trouble for herself."
Officially, Sayaka Kirasaka was supposed to be monitoring Dimitrie Vattler. But since Vattler's arrival, she'd been absent whenever he made a move—like during the time Kaiser and Vattler clashed, or the artificial angel incident when Vattler slipped onto the deserted island. It was hard not to suspect she was letting him run loose just to sic him on Kaiser.
In reality, Kaiser knew she simply couldn't keep up with him. Even with her assassin's skill set, her cursecraft, and her Koukarin in hand, Sayaka couldn't truly threaten someone like Vattler—closest in power to a Progenitor. If he wanted to shake her off, he could do so effortlessly.
At best, her role was to act as a minor check on him.
If the Lion King Agency really wanted proper surveillance, they'd send the Three Saints.
Those three were humanity's strongest exorcists—wielding ancient inheritances and unique abilities. They could hold their own against a Progenitor, and with anti-demon weapons like the Seven-Form Assault Demon Machine Gun, they could even pose a genuine threat.
But threat wasn't the same as victory. Even Yukina, armed with the Schneewalzer, could endanger a Progenitor—but unless that Progenitor held back, she might not even get the chance to fire before being erased.
The Three Saints wouldn't risk themselves for mere surveillance. Losing one would be a catastrophic blow to humanity. So, the Lion King Agency made do with Sayaka's limited deterrence.
"I wonder what Sayaka's doing right now," Yukina mused.
"Who knows—probably up to no good," Kaiser said disinterestedly, shooing her toward the bath.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere on Itogami—
"Ha—ha-CHOO!"
Sayaka sneezed hard, crouched in the shadows as she tailed a pair of vampire nobles.
"Someone's talking trash about me. Bet it's that damned man," she muttered, bristling. "Next time, I'll make him pay for it."
Her focus returned to her targets. She'd recently spotted Vattler summoning his vampire retainers to the island and suspected him of scheming in secret. Naturally, she'd followed immediately.
She didn't realize this was a deliberate decoy—Vattler's way of drawing her away.
With Aradahl's arrival, Vattler didn't want the Lion King Agency or the Japanese authorities catching on yet. Sending his retainers to bait Sayaka away was the perfect distraction.
And so, once again, she missed something important, left spinning in circles by Vattler's games.
She had no idea that her beloved junior had already arrived on the island—and was staying in Kaiser's home.
If she did know, she'd probably storm over without a second thought… only to get smacked down by Kaiser again and humiliated in front of Yukina.
In a way, she'd just dodged a bullet.
…
By now, it was late at night.
Itogami still bustled—lights blazing, voices carrying through the streets. The island truly was a city that never slept.
With so many demon races disliking sunlight and preferring the dark, nighttime was when the city came alive—especially for vampires, who couldn't walk in daylight. Even on normal days, there was a thriving night scene; during a festival, it was nonstop.
Many restaurants and entertainment venues stayed open until dawn—or twenty-four hours straight—keeping the energy high.
Kaiser and Yukina, however, had turned in early.
At some point in the night, Kaiser's eyes opened in the dark.
A cold gleam flashed within them.