Akira lay sprawled across his bed in his old room, staring blankly at the ceiling. Night had already fallen, and the quiet of the mansion felt heavier than usual. His body ached with exhaustion, his mind sluggish, as if something had drained him during the castle's activation.
Selena had been perfectly fine, though. Strangely so. She'd smiled at him, waved them off, and sent both him and Erika back to the mansion, saying she had "important things to do now that the castle is fully under her control."
Akira hadn't argued. He was far too tired.
Erika had promised earlier to help him move into the room, but she had been just as drained, mentally more than physically. One revelation after another, too many secrets revealed in rapid succession in a single day. She had needed time to breathe and process. So she had gone back to her house, leaving Akira's room empty and lifeless.
Not that he minded. Right now, emptiness was fine. All he wanted was sleep.
Just as his eyes fluttered shut, Selena's familiar soft voice brushed against his thoughts. "How are you holding up, brother?"
Akira grunted. "Just tired."
"Of course you are. That's because your body took all the burden of the activation. Don't worry, you'll be fine after some rest." Then her tone shifted, as if she is amused. "By the way, brother… we have a guest."
Akira cracked one eye open. "…Guest? In the middle of the night, Sister. I'm in low-battery mode; I don't have the energy to entertain anyone right now. Whoever it is, they can come back tomorrow."
Selena giggled in his mind. "Too late. The guest is already inviting themselves in."
"What?" Akira muttered aloud, just as the balcony door creaked open.
A small shadow slipped inside. A black cat, sleek and elegant, with two tails. It padded across the floor, leapt gracefully onto the bed, then transformed mid-air.
A voluptuous woman with silky black hair, golden hazel eyes, and sharp feline ears landed on top of him, pinning him effortlessly against the bed. Her black kimono shifted with the movement, revealing pale skin and dangerous curves.
She looked at him with a sly grin, "Nyaa… You're so careless, Akira. If I were an assassin, you'd already be finished."
Akira sighed up at her, voice dry. "…Oh. It's you, Kuroka. Long time no see." He tilted his head lazily. "And please. If you were my enemy, you'd never have made it this far."
Kuroka's lips curved into a sly grin. "Ara, ara~ Cocky as always? Nyaa, but I like that about you."
"Oh, it's her," Selena's voice rang in his mind, slightly amused.
"Yep. Her alright," Akira replied silently.
Yes, this was Kuroka, the infamous nekomata from High School DxD. Long ago, when Akira had been traveling across the world with his parents, he had stumbled upon a certain black cat in the forest behind his mansion. His parents had left him alone again, chasing another dangerous mission that he now knew was just them keeping his twin sister company.
At the time, the cat had been wounded and unconscious. Normally, Akira would not have bothered; he believed nature should run its course. But something about this creature intrigued him. His Mystic Eyes told him it was no ordinary beast. It was powerful, and it had two tails.
Curiosity won. He carried the cat back, nursed it to health, and only when it awoke did he realize the truth. It was Kuroka, who had just killed her master and was now on the run. She had been wary of him at first, but he had only been a child, one who showed no intent to harm her. He had even let her hide at his estate, knowing devils rarely dared to trespass near him. That was how they had first become friends.
Selena chuckled in his mind. "Still can't believe when you first found her, your brilliant thought was, 'I wonder if I can study it if it's already dead.'"
"Come on, it was a two-tailed cat! I was just curious!" Akira protested internally.
Meanwhile, Kuroka traced a claw-like finger against his chest, her tail swaying lazily. "Nyaa… Still calm, even with a woman sneaking into your bed. Same as ever."
"I am in low battery mode." Akira groaned. "No power to deal with your antics. So if you don't mind, could you get off? Then we can talk normally."
Kuroka pouted, sliding off with exaggerated slowness. "Mou, no fun."
Akira sat up, rubbing his face. "So. You're here. What for?"
Kuroka crossed her arms under her chest, smirking. "I could ask the same. You're really back in Japan, nyaa? Going to stay for good this time?"
"Yeah. My parents… disappeared again. Told me to take up the family business."
Kuroka twirled her hair around her finger. "Don't they always disappear and come back?"
"Usually, yeah. But this time it's… different. They're on a dangerous mission. Might be a long while before I see them again." He leaned back. "Enough about me. What about you? Last I heard, you joined a terrorist group or something."
Kuroka's smile curled into a playful grin. "Nyaa, such harsh words. But yes… I joined Vali's team. It's been exciting. You should come join us, too. It would be even more fun if you were there."
"Join a terrorist group? I'll pass." He said, shaking his head.
"Ufufu~ Ara, terrorist, he says. So cruel." She pouted playfully. "We're not that bad, nyaa~"
Akira gave her a flat look. "You are wanted. For how much again?"
"That's old news. Don't worry about it," Kuroka teased, flicking her tails.
"Really? You're going to reject her?" Selena teased in his mind. "I thought you'd say yes. Because it sounds fun."
"I want to, sure. But not now. Maybe later… with a cool secret identity," Akira replied.
He looked back at Kuroka. "So, about your teammates? Can you tell me about them?"
Kuroka's grin returned. "Nyaa, they're all interesting. Vali is crazy strong. He said he wanted to meet you. Bikou's a complete idiot, but funny. Arthur is calm and always polishing his sword. And Le Fay…" Her expression softened. "She's sweet. She said she wants to meet you, too, after I told her about your interesting magic."
"Sounds fun," Akira admitted.
"Exactly. You'd fit right in. Why don't you join us?"
"Maybe later. If I feel like it."
Before Kuroka could push more, Selena's voice nudged into his mind. "Brother, ask her what's troubling her. She looks worried about something."
"Huh? Troubled?" Akira frowned inwardly. "She looks fine to me."
"Just trust me. Ask her."
Akira studied Kuroka for a moment, then asked casually, "So… what's troubling you?"
Kuroka froze, her golden eyes widening. "Nyaa? How do you… know that?"
Akira blinked. "Wait, she really is in trouble?"
Selena replied smugly, "See? I told you."
Akira gave a small laugh. "You looked worried. Even I can tell that much."
Kuroka stared at him, then slowly smiled. "Nyaa… you've grown up. Usually, you're so dense. Maybe you really are an adult now."
"Haha, even I can tell that", Akira said with an awkward laugh, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "Thanks, sister."
"Anytime, brother."
Then Kuroka's playful tone softened, her catlike eyes narrowing with a rare seriousness. She leaned closer, her voice a whisper.
"…I actually need your help with something important, Akira. Nyaa."