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Thanks to Sheila-san's interception, Bokue ended up delivering the dinner groceries to Yukina's apartment a full two hours and twenty minutes later than planned.
And so time marched forward—from noon to afternoon, then from afternoon to evening.
As the fiery red sunset gradually sank below the distant horizon, the old schoolhouse at the peak of the Keystone Gate suddenly blurred for an instant—like a holographic projection experiencing minor fluctuations.
Simultaneously, faint spatial magical energy ripples spread across Itogami Island's sky.
This wasn't any sort of ominous portent—just a normal occurrence.
Because Bokue had connected the space above the Keystone Gate to the interior of Saikai Academy, essentially giving the old schoolhouse a fixed teleportation coordinate. Whenever it activated to switch positions, it would cause spatial disturbances.
While the Special Ward Security Team technically shouldn't allow such things, Itogami Island was now Bokue's private territory. Plus, their household included a Special-Class Attack Mage from that very security team.
As long as Natsuki Minamiya kept her little mouth shut, everything else was negotiable.
Simply put, whenever spatial magical energy suddenly rippled above the Keystone Gate in the evening, it meant Saikai Academy had let out for the day.
"Looks like Rias and the others are back."
Inside a certain sword shaman girl's apartment, Bokue sat on the sofa with one arm around Yukina and the other around Sayaka. He turned his head toward the window, looking in the direction of the distant old schoolhouse.
"Guess I should head back—"
Sayaka—who'd been left somewhat flushed and lightheaded by the young man—suddenly snapped back to awareness at those words.
Not because she felt inferior around Rias and the other "numerical monster" girls, but because she'd only just remembered she'd been away from La Folia's side for almost an entire day.
Thanks to Bokue's arrangements, she and La Folia had both relocated to live on the Keystone Gate—same as Mio Naruse and Maria's accommodations. The walk from this apartment to the hotel suite was literally just a few steps.
But still, abandoning her employer to fool around with her boyfriend all day as a bodyguard was pushing it a bit...
Bzzzz—
However, before the War Dancer could finish speaking, another surge of spatial magical energy rippled through the air.
This time, it didn't appear above Itogami Island—it manifested right inside... the apartment's living room.
"Finally home~!"
A crimson magic circle imbued with Primogenitor magic opened in midair. The petite, side-ponytailed girl carrying a school bag dropped down lightly, landing steadily before spinning in place. She then precisely aimed a cheerful peace sign at the three people still on the sofa.
"Man~ I'm exhausted today! Being at school all day..."
"Exhausted? Did something happen?"
Seeing Nagisa return from school looking so worn out, Yukina blinked in confusion.
After all... if it were someone else like Asagi-san complaining about being tired, she might assume they'd had fitness testing in gym class. But Nagisa was a vampire Primogenitor.
Something that could tire out a Primogenitor? That was a thing?
At least with Yukina's imagination, she couldn't quite picture what could cause such a situation.
"Huh? Nothing happened—just a normal day."
Nagisa tossed her school bag onto a chair beside the dining table, then bounced over to the sofa, unceremoniously squeezing between Yukina and Sayaka into Bokue's embrace.
Reaching her familiar position, she looked up at the young man and smiled faintly.
"But since Yukina-chan took the day off, I spent the entire time at school imagining whether you and Onii-chan were home doing all sorts of this and that. I couldn't focus at all! Yukina-chan, you have no idea how much willpower it took for me not to skip class and come home early!"
Yukina: "..."
Honestly speaking, by all reasonable standards, this was when she should remind Nagisa to focus on her studies at school instead of thinking about those things all the time. But looking back on what she'd actually done at home today... yeah, she really didn't have any standing to lecture Nagisa.
"Oh right, one more thing!"
As if suddenly remembering something, Nagisa clapped her small hands together lightly.
"Onii-chan, if you have time, you should probably head over to Rias-nee's place right now. Another big sister showed up at the old schoolhouse today—someone I haven't seen before and don't recognize. But she seems to know you, Onii-chan, and specifically asked to meet with you by name."
"Who?"
Bokue raised a questioning eyebrow.
Setting everything else aside, his contact information wasn't exactly classified. Anyone who knew him basically had his phone number. If they wanted to meet, couldn't they just call?
Unless... it was someone he didn't know?
"A tall big sister with straight black hair."
Nagisa stood on tiptoe, gesturing to indicate approximate height.
"I think her name was Kisaki Kiriha, and she said she's from Japan's Bureau of Astrology... something called the 'Six Blades'? I think that's what she said..."
The Bureau of Astrology??
The moment those words left her mouth, both Yukina and Sayaka visibly startled, instinctively exchanging glances.
After all, they'd learned about the Bureau of Astrology's potential movements just this morning from Master, who'd explicitly warned them to watch out for the Bureau of Astrology personnel.
Though they weren't sure what the Bureau of Astrology intended by visiting so openly, since Master had given that warning, being cautious couldn't hurt.
"The Bureau of Astrology... huh?"
No longer content to remain in the young man's embrace, Yukina—remembering her master's warning—immediately rose from the sofa.
"Senpai, remember what Master said this morning? Let's go over there together."
"Yeah, sure..."
Bokue shrugged.
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The scene shifted—the four who'd been in the apartment moments ago quickly arrived at the old schoolhouse.
Upon entering and stepping into the common room, Bokue glanced around. Everyone was there—whether Mio Naruse and Maria, or Asagi Aiba as well.
And then there was the "straight-haired big sister" Nagisa had mentioned.
"Pleased to meet you, Bokue Keikain."
Hearing movement from the entrance behind her, Kisaki Kiriha in the center of the common room turned around with a smile, her crimson eyes reflecting the young man's image.
She bowed politely.
"I'm Kisaki Kiriha from Japan's Bureau of Astrology, one of the 'Six Blades.' I've come on assignment and apologize for this sudden intrusion on your island. I wanted to introduce myself at the first opportunity."
"I'm here representing the Bureau of Astrology on behalf of Kusuki Happiness Enterprises to recover a missing asset—a girl named Eguchi Yume."
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