On the evening of May 4th, at 9 PM.
Kyoto.
Shugakuin Headquarters of the Onmyou Agency.
Beneath a withered cherry blossom tree.
A boy draped in a white cloak with wine-red long hair raised his hand, catching a falling pink petal with his fingertips.
"Another cycle of falling blossoms..."
Hao Asakura opened his eyes, gazed at the cherry blossom resting on his finger, then shook his head as he spoke to the presence behind him:
"If I recall correctly, our last meeting also coincided with the season of falling blossoms..."
"Not quite. From my perspective, it was the season of blooming camellias."
A girl wearing a white beret with curly hair leaned on her cane yet moved nimbly to appear behind Hao Asakura, her tone playful:
"We meet again, teacher."
Hao flicked his finger, letting the petal continue its descent:
"I don't recall having such an excellent disciple."
Kotoko Iwanaga seemed genuinely surprised, her expression shifting to one of astonishment:
"I never expected you'd actually compliment me?"
"You consider that a compliment?" Hao turned his head, a scornful smile playing on his lips. "I suggest you revisit your language studies."
"Still, guarding a phoenix for three years before successfully advancing isn't entirely unintelligent."
Kotoko's expression stiffened at these words. She instinctively raised a hand to adjust her white beret, masking her discomfort:
"So... you knew all along..."
That Ravel, leader of the Phenex Society, was the phoenix itself—this old man had been aware the entire time?
After all her searching, he'd kept silent. Truly, the epitome of malice...
For a moment, resentment welled up within Kotoko.
Hao merely smiled without responding.
With a sigh, Kotoko raised her right hand, revealing the spatial ring on her finger. With a flip of her palm, a letter materialised in her grasp.
Observing this, Hao cast her an indifferent glance:
"Since when did you take up the role of intermediary?"
"Not quite." Kotoko maintained her smile. "I'm delivering this letter on behalf of our boss."
Hao's eyebrows rose in surprise:
"You've joined the Hidden Management Department?"
"Aren't you going to guess again?" Kotoko pursed her lips in a feline manner, visibly taken aback.
"Cheeky brat." Hao chuckled before extending his right hand, clad in a deep red glove.
On the back of the glove, a black pentagram was clearly visible:
"Hand it over."
Kotoko narrowed her eyes and flicked her wrist—whoosh!—the envelope shot towards Hao like a throwing dart.
Casually raising his hand, Hao caught the letter between two fingers. After opening and scanning its contents, he let out an amused huff:
"Rather intriguing."
Having read the message, he gave another soft laugh. With a casual wave, flames engulfed the envelope—not burning the paper, but transforming the written characters into an entirely different script.
He tossed the letter back towards Kotoko and turned away, saying:
"Tell Luo Shu I accept his proposal."
"And do remind him—"
Hao Asakura spoke as he began walking away. Before leaving the garden, he remarked coolly:
"The Witch of the Notaria isn't so easily confined."
Hearing this, Kotoko Iwanaga pressed a hand to her white beret and replied with a smile:
"I'll deliver the message."
With that, Hao Asakura's figure vanished from the courtyard.
Observing this, Kotoko narrowed her eyes slightly before turning on her heel and departing without another word.
...
Rome.
A particularly rich dessert shop near Cafarella Park.
Dressed in a blue nun's habit that blended seamlessly with her surroundings, Sharon strolled down the street.
She arrived before a dessert shop and looked up to see a strikingly beautiful yet isolated woman with snow-white hair tied in a high ponytail. The woman wore a white sweater paired with dark blue jeans, exuding an aura that kept others at bay.
Noticing Sharon's gaze, the woman eating a strawberry sundae turned her head, fixing Sharon with empty grey eyes in a dispassionate stare.
"If you're here to fight, I'm not in the mood today."
After appraising Sharon, the tall woman delivered this statement matter-of-factly.
Sharon responded with a faint smile:
"Challenging the world's strongest swordswoman would be premature for someone like me."
As she spoke, Sharon studied the woman leisurely leaning against a lamppost while eating her dessert, then uttered her title:
"Twin-Wings Edelweiss."
The world's strongest swordswoman. Leader of the Seven Knights Alliance. The most renowned blade master in the mystic side. A Demigod monster.
—Twin-Wings Edelweiss.
Only upon meeting this woman in person did Sharon truly comprehend the chasm between them.
It was a bone-chilling sense of danger, like the Siberian winter—something only direct exposure could convey.
Though she carried no sword, dressed casually while eating dessert, Edelweiss radiated the lethal presence of a blade pressed against one's throat. Unlike Kurumi Tokisaki's eerie friction or Mukuro Hoshimiya's beautiful peril, Edelweiss felt like an icy sword poised to sever everything at any moment.
Facing this dangerous woman, Sharon raised an eyebrow and feigned nonchalance:
"Troublesome. Had I known you'd be this intimidating, I'd have demanded higher pay from my boss."
Edelweiss continued eating her sundae with a transparent spoon, eyeing Sharon sideways for a moment:
"You're a sorcerer who's mastered a concept, aren't you?"
"There can't be many in this world qualified to be your boss."
Her words flowed between increasingly rapid spoonfuls of dessert:
"What business brings you here?"
Without hesitation, Sharon retrieved an envelope from her spatial ring and tossed it over.
Edelweiss caught it with mild surprise, her gaze lingering on the ring:
"Would you sell that ring?"
Sharon frowned momentarily before producing an identical ring from the Divine Pantheon and flicking it toward Edelweiss.
Catching the ring without even glancing at the envelope, Edelweiss stated flatly:
"Request accepted."
"???"
Before Sharon could react, Edelweiss had already entered the dessert shop, pointing at all the ice cream varieties:
"Three of each flavour to go, please."
Watching as the swordswoman fearlessly packed all her purchased ice cream into the spatial ring in full public view, Sharon waited silently before finally muttering when completely ignored.
"Strange woman."
...
May 5th, 7:00 AM at the Hidden Management Department.
"So? They all agreed?"
"Good. You may return now. Don't worry about the rest."
Luo Shu hung up the internal communication line of the Divine Pantheon, stood up, and picked up the suit from the coat hanger. After putting it on, a playful smile appeared on his face:
"Looks like this game can finally begin!"