Veldiana looked uneasily at the plain, uniformed young woman.
"'Silence Breaker'? Shizuka Koyomi?" Shichen sized up the woman in the uniform. He remembered her—just not fondly. That blank, placid face of hers had always rubbed him the wrong way. And she was so by-the-book it hurt—stiff to a fault.
"Shichen, your actions are interfering with the Eternal Banquet. I hope you'll refrain from further involvement. Otherwise, as the Bookmaker, I am authorized to—"
"Oh? You mean you plan to act against me?"
Shichen smiled slightly, and a tide of magic rolled out to blanket Shizuka Koyomi. Her slim body rocked like a skiff in a storm, on the verge of capsizing.
"So it really is a Progenitor's power…"
Keeping her face calm, Koyomi pressed her lips together, then finally looked past him to Veldiana, her gaze turning cool. "Veldiana Caruana, would you care to explain why you're here? The Caruana count's line should have lost its qualification to attend the banquet, shouldn't it?"
"I…"
"Unlucky for you, she's under my protection now." Shichen stepped in front of Veldiana.
"Eh?" Veldiana stared at his profile in surprise.
"What? You're not willing? If you were going to rely on the Fourth Progenitor's power, why not consider relying on mine?" Shichen turned and asked with a smile.
"C-can I?"
"That depends on you."
"Why… why help me?"
"Call it payment for the little 'favor' you gave me."
In truth, Shichen just found Shizuka Koyomi annoying and wanted to take her down a peg. He'd even had a bold idea—though, in this world and in his current position, it wasn't really bold at all. He no longer needed to hide what he was, and he wasn't the least bit afraid of this world's powers.
"'Favor'…?"
Veldiana blinked, then realized what he meant. She clamped her knees together and blurted, flustered, "Y-you will forget that!"
"Sorry, my memory's fine. Also, aren't you being a little rude?" Shichen reached out and tilted her chin up between his fingers.
"I…" Veldiana tensed. She had almost forgotten that the man before her was not as harmless as he looked. He was exactly what he said he was—a true Progenitor, utterly above her, an existence that could stand on equal footing with the other Three Kings.
"So, your decision?" Shichen asked again.
"My… decision…"
Veldiana fell silent, but she decided quickly. After all, she was the last of her family.
"I—I understand. I'm willing to follow you. But… I'm still affiliated with the Warlord's Dominion. Is that a problem?"
"It's only the First Progenitor. Don't worry about it."
"I see…" She bit her lip, working to tamp down the surge of excitement. If Shichen was stronger than the First Progenitor, then her family might truly rise again.
"Shichen, you're breaking the rules!" Shizuka Koyomi finally snapped.
"Who said you could address me so familiarly?"
Shichen glanced her way—then vanished, reappearing right in front of her. He lifted a hand and lightly closed it around her throat.
"Mm—y-you…" Behind her glasses, Koyomi's brows drew together in disbelief. She couldn't break free. She was someone who could step from the void of time into reality, which meant that if she wished, she could alter any situation.
And yet the instant Shichen laid a hand on her, it was as if all her abilities were stripped away. She was just an ordinary woman again—helpless to do anything.
"The Lion King Agency is overreaching. Where did you get the nerve to manage this banquet? Who gave you that right?" Shichen leaned in and spoke mildly. Up close, he noticed, she was unexpectedly pretty.
"What do you intend to do?" Warm breath on her face made Koyomi uncomfortable, though she kept her expression ice-cold.
"What do I intend…? Right, that uniform—you're a Saikai Academy student, aren't you? I may be faculty, but I'm still a teacher. Shouldn't you show a bit more respect?" As he spoke, his fingers around her neck tightened ever so slightly.
"Mm—!" Koyomi let out a pained sound. She could feel that Shichen could end her at any moment, and a flicker of panic ran through her.
"Shichen-sensei…"
"That's better." He laughed and released her.
"Haa—" Suddenly able to breathe again, Koyomi gulped air.
"Go back and tell the others this banquet isn't yours to manage. I'll be ending it soon."
"But…"
"Hmm?"
Expressionless, Shichen fixed her with a look, then raised his hand. Invisible force seized her, lifted her off her feet, and bent her at the waist, back to him.
"W-what are you doing?" Koyomi asked, nerves tightening when she lost sight of him.
"You ask too many questions. As a student, your job is to listen to your teacher."
Instead of anything lewd, a crushing wave of pressure slammed her down—pure magical restraint that stung like a warning. Koyomi gasped, stunned, cheeks heating with a mixture of anger and humiliation. Shichen held her there for a beat, then dispelled the bind. She floated down and touched lightly to the ground.
She straightened at once, stiff as a board. After a long moment she managed to loosen up, shot him a fierce glare—like any ordinary woman who'd just been strong-armed—and vanished. She had the distinct feeling that if she lingered, things would only get worse.
Shichen wasn't the least worried about retaliation; she couldn't touch him anyway. In a flicker he was back in front of Veldiana.
"Y-you…" Veldiana took a wary step back—then, on instinct, moved her hands behind her.
"What? Want me to discipline you too?"
"N-no, no!" Veldiana shook her head quickly.
"Then let's go. This isn't a place to loiter."
"I thought no one could get in?"
"That's because I put a barrier up."
"Eh?"
"Just follow me." Shichen couldn't be bothered to explain further and led Veldiana away. As the barrier collapsed behind them, those who had been watching from the shadows saw… nothing.
…
"What is this place?" Veldiana looked around at the ruined, church-like building.
"You'll stay here for now. And help me look after the cats."
"Cats?" Only then did Veldiana notice the many cats lounging about.
"Is there a problem?" Shichen glanced at her.
"Isn't this a bit… shabby? And where am I supposed to sleep?"
"You're a vampire and you still need sleep… Whatever. I'll put up a house for you later. As for daily necessities, buy them yourself."
With magic, throwing together a house was easy—plumbing and all.
"You can just make a house?" Veldiana blinked, astonished.
"Why so many questions? Anything else you need? Say it now."
"N-no… that's fine." She almost reflexively covered herself again.
"Good. Oh—and a silver-haired young woman may show up sometime. She's one of mine. You can explain your situation to her."
"A young woman… one of yours…"
"Don't let your curiosity run wild." Shichen shot her a sidelong look.
"Oh…"
"Now then…"
From the Gate of Babylon he drew out the briefcase Veldiana had been guarding and opened it in front of her.
Inside lay a metal rod wrapped in cloth. Its silvery surface was etched all over with dense arrays of magical script, giving it a high-tech feel. It was roughly three to four centimeters in diameter and just under fifty centimeters long. One end had been ground to a point. It wasn't a gun or an arrow—it looked more like a stake.