Izumi continued pulling out one cat toy after another, testing them relentlessly on Toujou Kuroka.
Feathers.
Little bells.
Rolling balls.
Strange, inexplicably professional-looking teasing tools that no normal human should reasonably carry around.
By the time he finally stopped, Kuroka had been completely drained of strength, sprawled flat on the ground like a limp, overcooked caterpillar.
Only then did Izumi straighten up, stretching his back in satisfaction.
He looked down at Kuroka with eyes shining in excitement.
Then—
His gaze slowly shifted toward Koneko.
The moment their eyes met, Koneko shuddered violently.
She instinctively took several steps back.
"W-What are you planning to do…?"
"H-Hentai… pervert…"
"Stay away from me. Don't come any closer!"
Izumi rolled his eyes.
He hadn't even done anything to her.
Was this really necessary?
That said, he didn't tease her further. Instead, he turned his attention back to the collapsed Kuroka and spoke calmly to Koneko.
"Koneko."
"Don't you think you should talk to her properly?"
Koneko frowned.
"There's nothing to talk about."
"I don't want to see her."
The moment those words left her mouth—
Kuroka, who had been reduced to a barely functional state, immediately bristled.
Forcing out the last of her strength, she pushed herself upright and sat down on the ground with absolutely zero elegance.
"Damn it!!"
"Shirone, you know what condition your body is in right now!!"
Koneko snorted coldly.
"That's none of your business."
"I don't want to talk to you."
Seeing her little sister's stubborn expression, Kuroka grew visibly irritated.
"Don't you get it yet?!"
"You've been suppressing your youkai power and senjutsu this whole time."
"And now your special cycle has arrived."
"Do you want to die?!"
Koneko's body trembled.
Of course she knew.
She wasn't ignorant.
As a nekomata, her physiology wasn't much different from an ordinary cat's—she too had a dangerous special period.
If it wasn't properly resolved…
If something went wrong because she was too young…
It could end in death—for both her and the child.
She had even thought it through already.
If that time truly came—
She would give everything to Izumi.
Even if it meant dying.
But even so—
She absolutely refused to talk to her sister.
A traitor.
Someone who abandoned her.
She didn't like her.
Watching the two sisters clash, Izumi snapped his fingers lightly.
"Alright, that's enough."
"You two should talk things through properly."
Then his gaze fell on Kuroka.
"Toujou Kuroka, right?"
"If you don't explain yourself properly…"
"I'm pretty sure Koneko will never acknowledge you in her entire life."
"And she'll probably despise you forever."
"If there's a misunderstanding, then explain it."
"Lay everything out."
"Besides, whatever happened back then—hasn't enough time passed already?"
At his words, both sisters fell silent.
Izumi smiled faintly.
"Well, if neither of you wants to start…"
"I'll help you out."
"If you don't talk this through, you're not coming out."
As his voice fell—
The world around them suddenly warped.
In the next instant, the three of them were standing atop an enormous tree.
Built into its massive branches were countless wooden houses, connected by bridges and platforms, forming what looked like a small village in the canopy.
Izumi casually tossed both sisters inside one of the treehouses.
Then he summoned two maids and turned back to them.
"Talk it out properly."
"There's nothing that can't be resolved through conversation."
"Especially when the two of you are each other's only remaining family."
With those words—
Izumi vanished.
Leaving the space entirely to the two sisters.
He knew exactly what had happened between them.
But this wasn't something he should interfere with.
Some things had to be settled by the people involved.
After leaving his inner world, Izumi strolled leisurely back toward the villa.
He hadn't gone far when—
A figure suddenly dropped from the sky.
Vali Lucifer landed in front of him.
Seeing him, Izumi raised an eyebrow.
"What? Here to get beaten up?"
Vali immediately surrendered.
"I'm not an idiot."
"You're way too strong—I can't beat you."
"Where's that stupid cat?"
Vali wasn't here to fight.
He was here for his teammate.
Izumi's lips curled with obvious malice.
"Oh, her?"
"She's mine now."
"You can go."
Vali froze.
"…Huh?"
You bastard—are you serious right now?!
Vali's expression darkened instantly.
"Hey, hey, aren't you going a bit too far?"
"Are you trying to dig out my entire team?"
"The only two women I had are both gone now, you know?!"
Le Fay had been one thing.
But now even Kuroka?!
Was he trying to force his team into disbandment?!
Izumi nodded solemnly.
"Correct."
"That is indeed what I'm doing."
"Why do you even need women?"
"They're just dead weight."
"I'm helping you."
"All you need are men."
"Bikou. You. Arthur."
"The golden trio—sounds great, doesn't it?"
"As for the women?"
"Leave them to me. I'll take good care of them."
As he spoke, Izumi walked up and patted Vali's shoulder.
Then he turned around and headed straight into the villa without looking back.
Vali stared at his retreating figure.
He nearly spat blood.
Damn it… if I could beat you, I'd already be fighting you to the death.
Inside him, Albion, the White Dragon Emperor, spoke calmly.
"I think he's right."
"Partner, your team doesn't need unnecessary burdens."
Vali's mouth twitched.
Even Albion was piling on.
In the end, Vali said nothing more.
He transformed and shot back into the sky.
"Whatever. I'm done thinking about it."
"I'll go grab Gogmagog."
"If that idiot cat's really gone, then she's expelled."
With that, he flew off toward the distance, remarkably open-minded about the whole thing.
…Mostly because he didn't want to court death.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Izumi didn't particularly care about the encounter with Vali.
Kuroka had already delivered herself to his doorstep.
Letting her go now would've been a waste.
Back at the villa, Izumi wrapped his arms around Katō Megumi and quietly went back to sleep.
Despite everything that had happened, it didn't affect his rest in the slightest.
Megumi snuggled closer, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
She was clearly happy.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next morning—
When Izumi woke up, he found Rias and the others frantically using magic to search the surrounding area.
Seeing this, Izumi felt puzzled.
"What are you looking for?"
"Did something go missing?"
Rias turned toward him anxiously.
"Koneko is gone!!"
Izumi blinked.
Then nodded in realization.
"Ah. Right."
"No need to look."
"She's with me."
As he spoke, Izumi extended his consciousness into his inner world.
The others stopped and stared at him strangely.
…With him?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ignoring their looks, Izumi checked the situation inside.
And immediately froze.
Koneko was clinging to Kuroka, acting spoiled.
That alone was already absurd enough.
But around them—
There were a lot of little girls.
Especially Fuse Midori.
For some reason, Kuroka seemed extremely fond of her.
Izumi stared in disbelief.
What the hell…?
Did she turn into a full-on lolicon?!
Is this for real?!
More importantly—
The sisters had already reconciled?!
With a thought, Izumi released Koneko, Kuroka, and Fuse Midori back into the real world.