Saikai Academy – Gymnasium
The gymnasium of Saikai Academy was brimming with life, filled with an air of joy and excitement. Laughter echoed as students took turns using the polished floor to train for the upcoming sports festival. Rows of ropes and balance equipment were set up, balls bounced across the room, and the cheers of encouragement blended seamlessly with the heavy breaths of those practicing.
The atmosphere carried a rosy, almost intimate feeling. Many students were no longer just teammates but had turned into harmonious pairs in the events, couples training side by side, smiling and laughing together—as if the festival were merely an excuse to bring hearts closer rather than a true competition.
In a distant corner, Kojou watched quietly. His expression remained calm, but his eyes carried the weight of heavy memories.
"I suppose I'll need to place more seals on myself…", he muttered inwardly, turning his gaze away from the noise.
He wasn't particularly interested in the event. True, he didn't mind participating in the sports festival, but he had never been one to cheat or rely on supernatural abilities in a simple human contest. That was why the thought of using the Seal of the Twelve Star on himself occurred to him—to bring his body back to the level he once had as an ordinary basketball player, when sweat and effort were his only strength, not magic, blood, or foreign powers.
Memories of harsh training resurfaced: carefully balanced meals, long sleepless nights, wounds and bruises… all of it part of his struggle, a feeling he had no intention of abandoning.
With steady steps, he left the gym and headed toward a nearby vending machine. He pressed the buttons, and after a brief rattle, a cold drink dropped down. Picking it up, sweat trickled down his forehead under the summer heat. Though he was secretly cooling his body with the power of Alrescha-Glacies, the scorching warmth remained suffocating, as if even the heat itself was challenging him.
Fss!!
The can opened with a muffled hiss. Kojou raised it to his lips and sipped slowly, unfazed when a massive Shikigami suddenly materialized behind him—two colossal lions, their thick fur bristling with an eerie spiritual pressure, golden eyes glowing like infernal embers. He had sensed them long before they appeared, so he wasn't surprised.
ROOAR!!
Their deep roar shook the ground as they lunged, jaws wide, fangs gleaming like knives sharp enough to tear through steel. Each lion was one and a half times the size of a grown man, and every step thundered like a hammer striking stone.
PA-DOOM!!
Just before their fangs could pierce him, a deep heartbeat resounded—a majestic thrum that made the very air solidify. In that instant, the lions froze in place, as though the world itself had halted.
BOOM!!
With a sudden tremor, they shattered into scattered fragments of light, leaving behind three cards that drifted slowly downward. Two were ordinary, carrying only the remnants of the torn Shikigami. But the third was different—denser, wrapped in an ominous aura, marked with a bold crimson seal.
The seal depicted a grand chalice entwined by two opposing serpents, their venom dripping into the cup in black rivulets. A strange, grim symbol that exuded an ancient dread, as though merely looking at it invoked cursed memories.
"…The crest of the Duke of Ardeal."
Kojou murmured quietly, narrowing his eyes at the letter in his hand, unfazed by what had just transpired. He said nothing more, simply taking another calm sip of his drink, as if annihilating two giant Shikigami had been nothing but a minor summer inconvenience.
He walked over and sat on a nearby bench with nonchalance. The letter rose into the air and settled gently into his free hand just as he caught sight of Asagi approaching from the corner of his eye.
She wore a white sports skirt that stopped above her knees, revealing her long, slender legs, paired with a soft pink top that complemented her outfit. Moving with elegance and grace, her bright red lips curved into a smile brimming with affection.
Asagi's golden hair shimmered with every step, her rosy eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint that masked a warmth beneath. Her presence alone drew glances from those nearby—some students even stopped their practice to watch her approach. Yet she ignored them all, her gaze fixed solely on Kojou.
"Kojou, so here you are," she said cheerfully, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear before tilting her head slightly to study him more closely.
Looking up at her, the boredom and indifference vanished from his face, replaced by a gentle, loving smile as he gazed at his beautiful girlfriend.
"These clothes suit you well," Kojou said with a smile. He set the can aside, reached for Asagi's wrist, and pulled her onto his lap on the wooden bench.
Gracefully, Asagi settled into his embrace, her smile never fading. Her golden hair fell softly over her shoulders, occasionally brushing against his arm. Without hesitation, she picked up the half-finished drink and took a sip, her eyes drifting toward the letter in Kojou's hand.
"What's this letter?" Asagi asked curiously, her pink eyes scanning the paper until she easily recognized the seal. "The Duke of Ardeal? What business would a noble from the Warlord's Dominion have with you?"
"I don't know. I haven't read what it contains yet," Kojou replied casually, breaking the seal and unfolding the letter, which turned out to be filled with unnecessary words.
"So… it's an invitation to a dinner party aboard his ship…" Asagi muttered as she read along with him. Her eyes then caught the part mentioning that he could bring a partner with him. "So, who are you going to take with you?"
...
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