After having lunch at the restaurant Nagisa recommended, Shichen went with the girls to the mall to buy clothes.
Shopping, after all—if there are girls in the group, the final destination is always the clothing stores, especially when no one has any other plans.
"Shichen-sensei, what do you think of this outfit?"
"Mm~ I think it suits you, Asagi."
"Really? Then I'll just buy it."
"...Hold up—try it on first."
"Oh. Shichen-sensei, wait a sec and check it for me."
Aiba Asagi happily headed for the fitting rooms with a set in her arms.
She had barely left when Akatsuki Nagisa came over with another outfit. "Shichen-sensei, do you think this would look good on me?"
"Let me see... Nagisa, you'd look really cute in it."
"Really? I'll go try it right now! Shichen-sensei, wait for me!" Nagisa dashed off to the fitting rooms, buzzing with excitement.
Watching her lively figure disappear, Shichen shook his head with a smile.
"Shichen-sensei..."
A dejected voice sounded behind him. Shichen turned to find Akatsuki Kojou staring at him with a conflicted expression.
"Kojou, what's up?"
"Sensei, how come Nagisa only asks what you think?"
"Good question. You can ask her yourself in a bit."
"On second thought... maybe not."
"Kojou, some things are fine as long as you understand them in your heart. Plus, you're a total straight-laced guy—why would Nagisa ask you?" Yaze Motoki laughed, patting his shoulder.
"Ugh..."
"By the way, Kojou, do your ribs still hurt?" Shichen asked.
"Huh? They don't hurt anymore."
"Yeah? Have you felt that pain before—like it comes and goes?"
"I have... and I think I've been seeing things, too—like a hazy, dreamlike silhouette."
"Kojou..." Yaze Motoki's face tightened.
He knew the reason. He'd always stayed close to Kojou—not just because they made good friends, but because his older brother had told him to keep an eye on Kojou.
Kojou had become a blood servant of the Fourth True Ancestor. One of his ribs had literally been replaced with a rib from one of the vessels—No. 12, in fact.
That's why Avrora said earlier that Kojou had one of her ribs inside him.
Back when the Akatsuki siblings were summoned to help on Gozo Island, Nagisa was possessed by the Fourth True Ancestor's soul and Kojou was on the verge of death.
To save her brother, she transplanted one of Avrora's ribs into his body.
Becoming a True Ancestor's blood servant, his physical abilities had naturally become far beyond ordinary.
But his memories had been sealed, so he knew none of it.
"Kojou, let me ask you—do you want to go back to normal?" Shichen's expression turned serious.
"Back to normal?"
"Yeah. I can help you. Your ribs won't hurt, and your physical condition will be the same as a normal person's."
"Eh? My physical condition? You mean—"
"That's right. The reason you're like a superhuman now is that rib."
"So that's it... I can go back? Just like before...?" Kojou's face lit up.
Because of his 'superhuman' body, he'd given up the basketball he loved, something that had always weighed on him.
He didn't want these abilities.
"I can really go back to the way I was?" he asked, eyes shining at Shichen.
"I can help you—but are you willing to give up that superhuman physique?" Shichen countered.
"I am!" Kojou nodded hard.
"Kojou..." Motoki stared at him in surprise.
If it were him, he might not be able to let it go.
"Motoki, I don't want to win games with this kind of cheating ability. I want to fight side by side with my teammates."
"You... so you really can't let basketball go after all." Motoki couldn't help laughing.
Someone like this wasn't a bad person to be friends with.
"Of course not!"
Kojou nodded with a grin, then looked at Shichen, serious again. "Shichen-sensei, please help me get back to normal."
"Have you really thought it through? Even if you become ordinary, even if you lose that incredible healing, even if your lifespan becomes normal?"
"Huh? I was that amazing? Even so, forget it. With powers like that, trouble's bound to come knocking. I just want a normal life," Kojou said, unconcerned.
"Impressive. Most people couldn't do that."
Shichen gave his shoulder an approving pat. "Then tomorrow. I'll come to your place and fix you up."
"Come to my place? Shichen-sensei, what are you planning?" Kojou eyed him warily.
"What do you think? I'm obviously going to help you. Don't tell me you think I'm going to do something to Nagisa?" Shichen's mouth twitched.
"Who knows..." Kojou pouted.
"If that's what you think, maybe I really should make a move on Nagisa." Shichen smiled faintly, half-joking, half-threatening.
"I'm sorry! I was wrong, Sensei!" Kojou bowed his head at once.
"You sis-con... This isn't something simple. We'll need to do it somewhere safe—your place makes sense," Shichen finally explained.
"Oh, so that's it..."
"Shichen-sensei, I'm done changing—come look!"
"Sensei, me too! Come see!"
Asagi and Nagisa called out from the fitting rooms at the same time, cutting Kojou off.
"Alright, I'm coming," Shichen said, heading over.
"...I'm still worried he'll do something to Nagisa," Kojou sighed helplessly.
"And you still claim you're not a sis-con," Motoki said, slinging an arm around his shoulders.
"I am not! I'm just worried!" Kojou protested.
"What's the difference?"
...
By the time Asagi and Nagisa finished and paid, the afternoon was already half gone. Shichen split off early because he had plans to go see the cats with Kanase Kanon.
He'd paid for both girls' outfits—two sets each—which made them treasure them all the more.
Shichen went home first. Minamiya Natsuki wasn't there. Given the stir he'd caused and how public their relationship had become, the higher-ups were probably questioning her right now.
He wasn't worried anyone would do anything to her. Never mind how important she was to the island—just the power he'd shown should be enough to make people think twice.
Nina was still surfing the networks. Shichen left her be. When it was about time, he teleported straight to the back hill.
As expected, Kanase Kanon was already there playing with the kittens, with Veldiana keeping her company.
"Kanon," Shichen called as he walked up.
"Onii-chan, you're here." Kanon's angelic face bloomed into a radiant smile.
Just seeing that smile could calm anyone's heart.
"You're early," Shichen said, ruffling her hair when he reached her.
"Mmm." Kanon closed her eyes, enjoying the attention.
"Have you gotten to know Veldiana?"
"Uh-huh. Veldiana-nee already explained everything," Kanon nodded.
"Good." Shichen turned to Veldiana. "How are things on your end?"
"P-pretty good. But could I have a pool?"
"Sure. Consider it your reward for taking care of Whitey and the others."
"Yay!"
Shichen went inside alone, converted the bathroom into a pool, even filled it with hot water, then came back out to play with whitey and the rest together with Kanon.
Veldiana didn't join them—she practically sprinted off for a soak.
Shichen didn't think anything of it. He'd rather stay by Kanon's side and listen to her soft "Onii-chan" anyway.
It was genuinely relaxing.
He kept her company until dusk, then walked her home—stopping, as usual, at the corner near her house.
"Hurry on home."
"Mm. Bye-bye, Onii-chan~"
"Oh, right—try not to go out the next few days. It's a bit dangerous outside. Don't worry about whitey; Veldiana will look after them. If you really want to see them, tell me ahead of time and I'll take you," Shichen said with a smile.
"Got it."
Only after Kanon's silhouette vanished around the corner did Shichen head back.
Natsuki still wasn't home, so Shichen released Avrora.
"You can live here from now on," he said gently to the elf-like girl before him.
"Um..." Avrora's face flushed red. One arm crossed over her chest; the other shielded her lower belly.
"What's wrong?"
"C-clothes..." she murmured.
"Oh, sorry—almost forgot." Shichen said the words, but he didn't look sorry at all; he openly gave her a once-over.
Under his gaze, Avrora blushed even harder, pink flooding across her skin.
"Y-you mustn't look! And clothes..." she was on the verge of tears.
"Heh~ You know, you can conjure clothes yourself."
"Eh? Why didn't you—"
"Oh? You've got some nerve—bringing home a stark-naked girl while I'm out."