"So… because the person closest to her fell to the temptation of power, she's afraid to face her own?"
After hearing the entire story, Yoru let out a quiet, helpless sigh.
He wasn't sure what to say. Power—the thing everyone sought after—yet Koneko, who was born with it, despised it. She hated the blood flowing in her veins.
"Well… more or less. If possible, I'd like you to talk to that girl. Help her face her power. No matter what the past is, power itself isn't wrong—the only wrong lies in the one who misuses it."
"Me? Why me?"
Yoru looked puzzled. In his mind, he and Koneko weren't exactly close. Mostly because she usually kept to herself and didn't like talking to others.
"If not you, then who? The only suitable ones are you and Rias. You're the leaders."
"I'm just a soldier."
Yoru touched his nose. Even so, after the day's training ended, he still found himself standing outside Koneko's room, just as Azazel had suggested.
But once there, he hesitated. What should he even say after going in?
As he stood lost in thought, the door opened from the inside, and a very tired-looking Koneko stepped out.
"Eh… Eh?!"
Startled at the sight of Yoru, the girl let out a soft yelp—only to have him cover her mouth and gently push her back into the room.
What am I doing? he thought, amused at himself.
Before she knew it, Koneko was pressed onto the wide bed, Yoru's hand still over her mouth. But instead of panicking, once she realized it was him, she became surprisingly calm—almost like a house cat curling up against its owner.
"Sorry about that… Koneko."
"It's… it's fine, Yoru-sama."
Her formality made him blink.
"When did I become a sama?"
"Well… you're so strong, and you're going to marry Buchou in the future. Isn't it only right to call you that?"
She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Yoru tapped her lightly on the head, looking slightly awkward.
"Marriage, huh? Don't say things like that so casually. No one knows how the future will turn out. Right now, I'm just a soldier of the Gremory family—not anyone's sama."
Pulling her up to sit, an awkward silence settled between them.
Unlike usual, perhaps due to fatigue from training, Koneko wasn't suppressing her true appearance. Her adorable cat ears twitched slightly, and her two fluffy tails swayed restlessly behind her.
He wasn't entirely familiar with cat behavior, but constant tail movement usually meant unease. Why was she uneasy?
His gaze fell on her tails, and before he could stop himself, he reached out and gently squeezed one.
"Nyaa…!"
Koneko let out a small cry, her teary eyes looking up at him—but she didn't resist.
"T-that's… really sensitive. Please… be gentle, Yoru-sama."
"I told you, stop calling me sama. It sounds weird."
Her cheeks flushed as she lowered her head.
"Then… how about calling you Onii-chan?"
He thought for a moment before suggesting it.
But the moment he said it, Koneko's whole body trembled, tears welling up and falling silently.
"W-what's wrong?!"
"It's nothing… I just remembered something… sad."
Of course, Yoru knew exactly why she was crying—it was because of her sister.
"Koneko… I know about you."
"W-what?!"
"I know about your sister… and the Nekomata blood within you."
She froze.
"Azazel asked me to help you let go of your burden. I'm not sure how, but… do you still hate your sister?"
"I… I hate her… Why did she abandon me? Why did she do something so cruel? Because of her, everyone accused me… feared me… I don't want to be like her…"
"That's not true. Everyone likes you—everyone in the Occult Research Club, everyone at school, even Sona-kaichou. No one hates you."
He gently stroked her head, something that made her instinctively relax, as it would any cat.
"Nyaa~…"
Her pure white tail twitched, and gradually, her tears stopped. No matter how strong a Nekomata might be, in the end, she was still a cat.
"Thank you, Yoru-oniichan. Meeting Buchou, everyone, and you… it's the luckiest thing that's happened to me. You all gave me a new life, warmth, and family. That's why I don't want to be a burden… I want to be stronger… But… the power sleeping inside me—the Nekomata's power—I don't want to use it…"
"Koneko… remember this: power itself isn't good or evil. I don't think your sister was corrupted by it—maybe she had reasons she couldn't say."
"My… sister had a reason?"
Her eyes lit up faintly at his words.
"That's right. Believe in yourself—and in her. Deep down, you still love your sister, don't you?"
Yoru smiled warmly.
"If so, then you need to become stronger. Tame your Nekomata power, make it your own, and then… defeat your sister. Find out the real reason she left you."
"…D-defeat my sister?"
She looked up at him, eyes wide and brimming with tears.
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