The three of them sat around the living room table, tension thick in the air.
Draconis studied the two sisters, both still visibly shaken.
"What happened to me? Why do I look like Mai now… Is this some kind of dream?" Nodoka—wearing Mai's face—looked utterly lost, her world upended by this bizarre twist.
Mai, in Nodoka's body, fixed Draconis with a serious gaze. "I think this is similar to what happened to me before," she murmured.
"Could be," Draconis nodded. "Sometimes, regular people end up with Sacred Gears, or awaken strange powers out of nowhere. It's rare, but it happens."
He hadn't expected both Mai and her sister to be so "lucky."
Watching the other two calmly discuss the supernatural, Nodoka felt like she'd landed on an alien planet. "What are you guys even talking about? How can you be so chill about this?"
Mai gave a faint, knowing smile. "There's a lot you don't know, Nodoka. Trust me—don't freak out. It's not the end of the world."
Nodoka stared, speechless. Not a big deal? She'd woken up in her sister's body! What did it take to impress these two—an actual apocalypse?
Draconis caught her look and sighed. Honestly, he was a little grumpy himself—thanks to this mess, he'd missed out on Mai's good morning kiss and the usual "getting dressed" show. But watching Nodoka make faces with Mai's features was oddly entertaining. Mai was usually so composed; Nodoka's expressive reactions on that face were a novelty.
He grinned. "You know, since you've swapped appearances, maybe you should swap clothes too. Feels weird otherwise, doesn't it?"
Mai considered, then nodded. She pulled Nodoka off to the bedroom, and soon both returned in freshly swapped outfits—looking much more "right."
"Any ideas?" Mai asked Draconis.
He shook his head. "Not yet. But from what I can tell, it's not a full body or soul swap. You've just changed appearances—your bodies and souls are still your own."
Nodoka shot him a skeptical look. "Why even ask him? What does he know…" Her attitude toward Draconis was frosty—he was her sister's boyfriend, after all, and in her mind, that made him the villain who'd "stolen" Mai away.
Mai was unfazed. "Draconis knows more than you think," she replied, leaving Nodoka speechless. Great—her sister was already taking his side.
Mai gestured for Draconis to explain. "Why are you so sure?"
"It's simple," Draconis said. "Soul and body are uniquely matched. If your souls had actually swapped, you'd feel physical rejection—like your body wasn't yours. But you don't, which means it's just your looks that changed."
He explained further, using the devil's understanding of souls: the body is a vessel, the soul its water. Souls can separate from bodies, but can't enter someone else's vessel without being 'contaminated'—rejected.
Mai visibly relaxed at that. As long as her body and soul were hers, she could handle it. If not… she couldn't even imagine facing Nodoka.
After all, if they'd truly swapped, it would mean she'd let her boyfriend see her little sister's body. Even though Draconis had seen everything this morning, at least it was only "her" in Nodoka's skin—not the real Nodoka.
Draconis and Nodoka had no idea what Mai was thinking. Nodoka just stared at Draconis, eyes wide. "Soul compatibility? What are you even talking about? Who are you, anyway?"
She couldn't help doubting Draconis's identity. Her sister was amazing—how had she ended up with this guy? Sure, he was handsome, but so what? Nodoka had seen plenty of pretty boys. What else did he have?
Draconis's eyes lit up. Suddenly, he realized Nodoka could be a contract candidate too. What an opportunity.
"…Well, maybe we should get properly introduced." He flashed a sly smile. "I'm Draconis. I'm a devil."
He stood, and with a sweep of his shoulders, a pair of black wings unfurled behind him.
Nodoka's jaw dropped.
Draconis casually kept one hand in his pocket, the other raised. A silver sword materialized in his grip, and a floating shield spun around him, shimmering in the air. His golden eyes gleamed, and his clothes rippled with magical energy—Nodoka was left speechless.
Satisfied, Draconis sat down again. "So, that's the truth. Want to make a contract with me?"
"A… contract?" Nodoka stammered.
"Yep. Mai's already signed one."
Before Nodoka could reply, Mai cut in. "Hold on, Draconis—you want to make a contract with Nodoka?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"
Mai's brows drew together, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "…Does that mean I'd have to share you with her?"
…Share?
Share what?
Draconis blinked, then burst out laughing as the realization hit. "Come on, it's just a contract—not a marriage license."
Mai turned crimson. So… she'd been misunderstanding all this time?
Draconis caught her expression and couldn't resist poking fun. "Heh, don't get the wrong idea. I'm just curious—why are you so chill about other devils and girls, but when it comes to Nodoka, you're not?"
Mai blurted out, "That's different—Nodoka's my sister!"
Nodoka, meanwhile, was still lost, unable to follow their rapid-fire exchange. Which, honestly, was fair—today's events had hit her worldview like a nuclear bomb.
…
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