High in the sky, the projection showed that Emilia had not chosen to ignore Ayanokōji Kiyotaka. The crowd's vitriol seemed to dip for a split second, a slightly awkward silence spreading through the streets. But within moments, the bustling throng found its voice again.
"She wasn't trying to save him! She just wanted to show off her power to a commoner!"
"Exactly! That's it!"
While the praise for Emilia was nonexistent, the curses aimed at her seemed to lose a bit of their venom.
[ Looking at the fleeing bandits, the girl chose not to pursue. Instead, she turned a concerned gaze toward Ayanokōji to see if he was injured. At the same time, his strange attire caught her eye. A foreigner? she mused. Little did she know that Ayanokōji had categorized her just as quickly. She assumed he had remained frozen because he was paralyzed by fear. In truth, she had almost lost the trail of the thief who stole her insignia, but Ayanokōji's shout for help had drawn her here. ]
[ "Are you hurt?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine worry. ]
[ "No." The man named Ayanokōji Kiyotaka responded with flat indifference. His face held no trace of the typical post-traumatic shock, nor did he look particularly grateful to the girl who had just saved him. ]
[ "Honestly! We just saved your life, and you won't even say thank you?" Suddenly, the cat-like creature that had been resting in Emilia's palm drifted into the air, floating toward Ayanokōji's face. This sight completely bypassed every law of physics and biology Ayanokōji had ever studied, proving even more alien than the beastmen he'd seen earlier. ]
[ Ayanokōji spoke slowly: "I apologize. More than gratitude, I'm feeling shock. I didn't expect to meet a talking cat." Though he claimed to be shocked, his tone remained as level as a horizon. Aside from the girl's magic, he felt a flicker of clinical curiosity toward this creature. ]
[ "You've never seen a Spirit like me? Well, you look like you're from some backwater corner of the world, so I guess that's normal. Since you don't seem to have any ill intent, I'll tell you my name. I'm Puck," the cat said. ]
[ 'A Spirit?' Ayanokōji's brow twitched. A creature that should only exist in fiction was floating before him. His gaze shifted back to the silver-haired girl, searching for details he might have missed. He noticed that beneath her shimmering hair, a pair of slightly pointed ears—distinctly non-human—were visible. ]
"He dared to speak that forbidden name!"
"Blasphemy!"
The crowd erupted in a chorus of condemnation, ignoring the fact that the Emilia on screen had only lied to distance Ayanokōji from the stigma attached to her. Emilia, watching this, realized that by claiming to be "Satella" in front of the whole world, the hostility toward her would only intensify.
[ Hearing her answer, Ayanokōji narrowed his eyes. Based on the hesitation before she spoke, she clearly didn't want to reveal her identity—a normal reaction when meeting a stranger. He knew immediately that the name she gave was a lie; her body language screamed it. Furthermore, Puck's exaggeratedly surprised expression suggested that 'Satella' carried a very specific, likely dangerous, meaning. However, Ayanokōji decided not to expose her lie just yet. ]
[ "I see. It's a pleasure to meet you," Ayanokōji said with a simple nod. His lack of a reaction stunned the girl. She had expected him to recoil in horror at the mention of the Witch's name. His indifference was completely outside her calculations. ]
"He saw through it instantly?"
Watching the sky, Emilia's cheeks flushed a soft pink, like blooming cherry blossoms. "Am I really that bad at lying?"
Beside her, Puck chuckled. "You're far too honest for your own good, Lia."
[ "Right, what's your name? You haven't introduced yourself yet," Puck asked. Ayanokōji provided his real name without hesitation. To him, there was no tactical advantage in hiding it. ]
[ "So, Ayanokōji, where are you from?" the girl asked, her curiosity growing for this man who showed her no malice. ]
[ "Just a remote country. It's not worth mentioning," Ayanokōji replied dismissively, concealing his status as a transmigrator to avoid unnecessary complications. ]
In a manor on the border of the Holy Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica, a man in clown-like makeup sat in a garden. He held an exquisite, expensive teacup, steam curling from the liquid.
Roswaal L. Mathers, the Margrave of Lugnica.
"A meeting between a man from another world and Emilia... it seems we've arrived at the beginning."
A meaningful smile played on Roswaal's lips, his eyes glinting with fox-like cunning. "This is undoubtedly a hint from the future. Let's see what unfolds."
[ "Right, did you see a young girl who stole something from me? Since I saved you, I expect a reward!" The girl finally remembered her mission. The skirmish with the thugs had been brief; she might still catch the thief. "And don't forget—I didn't save you out of the goodness of my heart! I only did it to get information!" ]
[ "I did see her," Ayanokōji said calmly. "But judging by her speed and agility, you won't catch her." Even if this girl had magic, her footwork was vastly inferior to the thief's. Furthermore, he noted how clumsy her "acting" was; he knew she had saved him out of a pure desire to help, without any ulterior motive. ]
[ To Ayanokōji, this kind of baseless kindness was the hardest thing to comprehend. Within a few sentences, he had categorized her as a naive girl—and naivety was the easiest thing to manipulate. ]
[ "Is that so..." The girl's eyes dimmed with disappointment. "Thank you for the information. That settles our debt for me saving you..." She lifted her chin, refusing to admit her altruism. ]
Watching the screen, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka slightly shook his head, his eyes still lazy.
I really have no desire to get involved in trouble.
In reality, Ayanokōji would never choose to help someone unless there was a clear benefit. But watching the screen, he understood why his "other self" was making this move.
"I see." Horikita Suzune nodded thoughtfully, her elegant brows furrowing. "You're moving to secure a 'debt' of your own."
[ "Since I still owe you, I'll help you until the end," Ayanokōji said. His voice was lazy, yet carried a strange weight. He had seen right through her. "Besides, I've seen the girl's face. If we run into her again, I can identify her. Without a lead, you're just looking for a needle in a haystack." ]
[ "If we're going to work together, then tell me your real name." Ayanokōji's gaze locked onto the girl's refined but youthful face, seemingly peeling back her every thought. ]
[ "I..." A blush crept up her cheeks as she realized he had known it was a pseudonym all along. After a few seconds of hesitation, she finally spoke. "Emilia." ]
[ Trained as an elite since childhood, Ayanokōji was a master of psychological manipulation. Much like his actions in Class D—where he surrendered all credit to Horikita Suzune to push her into a leadership role—his current goal wasn't Emilia's well-being. He simply intended to use her influence to navigate this new world and eventually elevate himself to the top. ]