…Make him hers?
Was she serious?
Listening to the words Light Koyanskaya had uttered in that utterly serious tone, the Dark Koyanskaya's expression inevitably went blank.
It was abnormal—almost unbelievable.
The other her didn't intend to "devour" him, but wanted to keep him by her side out of emotional attachment between a man and a woman.
This woman was born sly and mischievous—
Yet the instincts of a Beast told the Dark Koyanskaya that the other wasn't joking.
Thinking that, an involuntary look of disdain spread across her face.
"Heh…"
"A Beast trying to keep humans as pets, and yet she has special feelings for this teenager… With thinking this indecisive, you'll die sooner or later."
"Maybe."
Light Koyanskaya raised her eyes. Her enchanting golden pupils locked onto the Dark Koyanskaya.
"But you won't live to see that day."
"Before that day comes, you'll just be the nourishment that helps me ascend to a complete Beast."
Even faced with such brazen provocation, the Dark Koyanskaya didn't truly mind. Her gaze returned to the black-haired man on the altar, candlelight flickering in her golden eyes.
"Who will kill whom…"
"Right now, it's still far too early to say."
"And if 'he' finds out about the special feelings you harbor toward this teenager…"
"Do you really think your evolution plan will proceed smoothly?"
At that, a subtle light flickered in the Dark Koyanskaya's eyes.
"I know how proud you are of yourself… But you're still afraid, aren't you?"
"You're not worried about your own safety. But if he ever hesitates to destroy your human reason, that hesitation will come from the young man…"
"He would do anything to kill this man."
"Or do you think you can always protect him? Or drive that man away whenever you wish?"
The Tunguska Event was later considered a bizarre, unsolved anomaly in history.
It was also the day the Dark Koyanskaya was born.
At the same time, the first fragment of the "Foreign God" that would one day annihilate humanity arrived on Earth in the Tunguska explosion of 1908.
The Foreign God's true body was far too large and too high-dimensional to directly interfere with Earth. So it split itself into countless fragments.
Each "fragment of the Foreign God" was equivalent to its clone.
That clone had already left long ago, but whether it would someday notice Koyanskaya's "abnormality," no one knew.
To be precise, the abnormality was Koyanskaya's attitude toward Izaya.
"Dark Koyanskaya, can you really protect his safety at all times?"
"…"
Light Koyanskaya's red lips pressed into a thin line. It was almost impossible for her to give a firm denial.
She couldn't deny it.
If she were truly facing a cosmic lifeform from beyond the solar system—even if it was merely a clone—she had to admit she would be extremely cautious.
And even protecting Izaya's safety at all times would be difficult.
Seeing her fall silent, the Dark Koyanskaya shook her head and spoke slowly:
"In the end, you're still too soft."
"If I were you, before ever leaving this land, I'd find someone to help guarantee his safety in my place…"
The night wind blew. Candle flames flickered, scattering the darkness.
Standing in that pale firelight, Light Koyanskaya suddenly sensed something off.
"Wait a moment…"
She realized a blind spot. Her gaze sharpened as she looked at the woman before her.
"Why have you been so worried about his safety… from the very beginning?"
Thinking carefully, the Dark Koyanskaya had "kidnapped" Izaya tonight. She hadn't made demands, hadn't done anything. Instead she kept dropping hints and prodding at Koyanskaya.
Something was wrong.
This woman was acting strange.
Staring at the other woman for a long moment, Light Koyanskaya narrowed her eyes.
"Dark Koyanskaya… You shouldn't get close to him."
Before she could finish, the Dark Koyanskaya lightly cut her off.
"I'm just saying he's still useful to me."
That "uneasy" answer made Koyanskaya chuckle.
"The Beast who claims to loathe humans so much will go to all this trouble—and even temporarily 'shake hands' with me—for such a trivial reason?"
"You really expect me to believe you just want to send him back to me for safekeeping?"
"It's just…"
The Dark Koyanskaya replied flatly:
"Just a suggestion."
"Until you evolve into a complete Beast, he cannot be harmed."
"So you don't have to go to such lengths to protect him."
"As long as I'm here, that's enough."
Koyanskaya sneered.
"I'm not stupid enough to trust a Beast who already did something to him."
…
[In the end, Light Koyanskaya personally carried you back to the tent. However, the Dark Koyanskaya's words from tonight clearly still weighed on her mind.]
[She set additional magical barriers outside the tent and created dozens of demonic beasts condensed from resentment, keeping them on constant guard.]
[When you awakened, she was sitting by the table, blankly gazing out at the vast river of stars.]
Izaya slowly opened his eyes.
His entire field of vision was filled by the woman before him.
Compared to usual, she looked particularly delicate and enchanting tonight. Her rose-colored lips glowed seductively in the candlelight. In an era when modern formalwear wasn't supposed to exist, Miss Beast was clad in a black evening dress.
The black was as deep as an eternal night.
Yet her white skin stood out even more starkly against it, drawing the eye. The dress accentuated the elegant, perfect curves of her figure.
Perhaps because she had relaxed her guard, she looked especially at ease, unconsciously leaning forward against the table.
That simple movement pushed her generous chest down onto the tabletop.
"…How long are you going to keep staring at me after waking up?"
Feeling the youth's gaze fixed on her, Light Koyanskaya shifted, slightly ill at ease.
"Because you're beautiful," Izaya replied with a small smile.
Hearing that, Koyanskaya turned her eyes away, a hint of embarrassment flitting across her face.
Not long ago, in front of the Dark Koyanskaya, she had still been that domineering persona who could casually say she wanted to "make him hers."
But now, she seemed more like the one being led along.
If that woman ever saw her like this… she'd be mocked for the rest of her life.
Thinking that, for an instant, panic flashed through her beautiful eyes, and a faint, intoxicating blush rose to her cheeks.
Soon, however, as if remembering something, her gaze grew serious.
"Sajyou-kun… there's something I need to ask you."
Why the sudden gravity?
Izaya wondered, but nodded.
"Go ahead."
"Do you… want to save humanity?"
The abrupt question stunned him.
Every time he'd raised the topic lately, Koyanskaya always found some way to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Yet now, she had taken the initiative to ask.
After a short silence, he nodded without hesitation.
"It's not that I particularly 'like' them…"
"But if no one cares, eventually I'd lose the place I live in too, right?"
Izaya smiled.
"So I'll save them."
Koyanskaya's thoughts stuttered to a halt.
She stared at the man's face, dazed.
There was always a gentle look in his expression. In his dark eyes, the candlelight reflected her own figure.
They hated humans so much that they now wanted to use human weapons to capture them all.
That was the meaning behind the birth of the "Dark Koyanskaya."
But now, instead of "destruction," she found herself gradually sinking into the childish kindness of this man.
Still, it wasn't that simple—
If she truly gave up her original idea for his sake, would the "Dark Koyanskaya" even have a reason to exist anymore?
At that moment, Izaya suddenly climbed out of bed and slowly walked over to her.
He reached out and gently caressed the woman's beautiful face, speaking softly:
"I won't force you to change your mind."
"But if, someday, you truly decide to destroy human reason…"
"I'll stop you."
"Stop me…?"
Light Koyanskaya froze for a moment, slipping into a brief trance.
She suddenly realized she seemed to have overlooked something very important.
He had his ideals. She had her own unshakable goal.
To evolve into a complete Beast, annihilate the human ecology, and make them experience what it meant to be abused, abandoned, and exploited like animals.
That was her purpose as the Dark Koyanskaya.
It directly conflicted with Izaya's naive ideals.
But who said enemies couldn't become lovers?
"Really~?"
Thinking that, a tempting curve formed at the corner of Light Koyanskaya's lips.
She bent slightly, closing in on the youth, pressing her soft, delicate body gently against his. Her alluring voice brushed his ear:
"Then how exactly will you stop me?"
"If you want to save humanity… what will you do?"
Their eyes met. Candlelight danced in their pupils.
Izaya thought for a moment.
"Probably start by creating some kind of Human Survival Security Organization…"
"Considering I don't have much money, I'll probably have to find a sponsor—or have someone else run it."
"Oh? An organization dedicated to protecting humanity…"
Koyanskaya raised an eyebrow.
"Have you thought of a name?"
Izaya pondered, then smiled and nodded.
"…Let's call it Chaldea."