What a drag...
Making me work so hard.
This is beyond tiresome.
You...
Were you aware that this ship, the Ragnvald,
is under the safeguard of the Order of the Sacred Ring?!
I told you, just hand over that rotten little bitch
you're all sheltering in the afterlife...
And then I'll give you a nice, painless death!
Oh?
So that's the false holy sword...
The Völundr system that the Kingdom of Aldegyr is so proud of?
Kinda puts a damper on things...
BB, looks like she got away.
The bridge and cabin are deserted,
and one of the escape pods is gone.
The little sow sure is quick to flee.
I wonder, will I even get paid for this?
We won't give her to the likes of you!
Say your prayers!
That has quite a kick to it, I'll give you that.
Any ordinary demon wouldn't even be able to get close.
But, unfortunately...
You're not up against a demon.
It can't be...
Those waves...
An angel?!
Now you know.
Senpai?
Senpai!
Wh-What?
We'll be arriving soon.
Sorry. I had something on my mind.
Is something troubling you?
Not really...
Why did you look away?
At this angle, what choice do I have?
Angle?
Senpai!
Wait a minute! You know that wasn't my fault!
That's true.
I'm relieved to see that you're your usual self.
What? Sayaka-san?
Yeah... She's been occasionally calling me
in the middle of the night since then.
That's why I didn't get enough sleep last night.
I don't get it. She doesn't even have any reason to call.
No reason... to call?
Sayaka-san was actually infamous once for her hatred of phones.
Even if it was her superior on the line,
she said she couldn't bear hearing a male voice near her ear.
She would even reject calls.
Oh, yeah, she's not very fond of guys, is she?
Yet, for some reason, she takes the time to call me.
She must really be worried about you.
Senpai...
Nothing.
I'll be taking my leave here.
O-Okay...
I just don't get women.
Only morning, and you're already tired?
I just didn't sleep enough.
Let me be.
From the shape of your brow and the flare of your nostrils,
it appears you're having difficulties with human relations.
The cause is someone very close to you...
I know! It's about a girl!
H-How did you know?!
Kojou...
You're the type who'd fall for fortune telling
scams and stuff way too easily.
Huh?
Damn it...
Oh, good morning, Asagi.
Morning, Rin.
And you guys.
What's wrong? You didn't sleep enough, either?
Some stuff came up yesterday...
So, neither of you slept much last night, eh?
You sure are close.
Wha— What are you smirking about, Rin?
It's not like that...
Then...
What is it?
Was that...
how you...
Kojou, are you free after school today?
Huh? Yeah...
Then come to the art room. Alone.
But, why?
You want to know, don't you?
Don't tell anyone else. Got it?
You're late.
Uh, yeah... Sorry.
Anyway, would you take them off now?
Oka— What? Take what off?
You don't know?
What else would a model take off? Your clothes, duh.
Model?
Oh, for that elective art project from last week?
You can just take off that sweaty-looking jacket.
"Sweaty-looking" was unnecessary.
This is boring.
This isn't stimulating my creativity.
Can't you make a more interesting face or pose or something?
Why should the model have to entertain the artist?
You have no spirit for service.
Oh, I know!
Wait a second.
Ta-da!
Where did you get these?
The theater club.
So hurry up and change, Kojou.
I still don't get why I should...
Won't I look stupid dressing up in this stuff alone?
Then, if I do it with you, there's no problem, right?
Huh?
H-Hang on, Asagi! That's not what I...
Too late. I already took off my uniform.
Okay, fine! I just have to wear a costume, right?!
R-Right.
Looks pretty good, even for you.
What'd you take a picture for?
For reference.
Relax, I won't send them to the whole class.
Damn it...
Hey...
Why are you taking pictures?
A necessary countermeasure.
Hey!
I swear...
Darn it!
Man, I have no idea what's going on anymore...
What the hell?
We didn't make any progress at all.
What're you gonna do? It has to be done by Monday.
Hey, Kojou...
You've been hiding something from me recently, haven't you?
Tell me what you're hiding.
Then I'll tell you...
what you want to know.
Asagi...
I'll have you model for me again on Saturday.
You'll be ready, right?
You look tired, Senpai.
Yeah...
Oh... Himeragi!
What have you been doing until so late?
Er, just helping a friend with an art project. Yeah.
And was that project
putting Aiba-senpai in a waitress costume and taking pictures?
So you were watching...
I am your observer.
This actually makes things easier, then.
There's something I wanted to ask you about.
Me?
Asagi told me I'm hiding something, and to tell her what it is.
I've gotten her into a lot of trouble...
It's no wonder she suspects something.
Are you going to tell her
that you're a vampire, and the Fourth Progenitor, no less?
Honestly, I'm not sure.
I know it should be best if she never found out.
But keeping her in the dark could just put her in more danger.
I can't make that judgment.
I see...
Aiba-senpai is important to you, isn't she?
She's my friend.
Besides, I've gotten you into a lot of trouble, too.
I guess it was selfish to wish for a normal life
after I became the Fourth Progenitor, huh?
But...
You saved Itogami Island from Combat Deacon Eustach and
the Black Death Emperor Faction terrorists!
I think you have the right to be selfish!
It's for you to decide whether you should tell Aiba-senpai the truth or not.
But no matter what you do,
I'll always continue to observe you.
I'm your observer, after all.
Himeragi...
Okay. I'll give it some thought.
Yes.
Though, if you're thinking of revealing everything,
your biggest problem isn't Aiba-senpai...
Yeah, it's Nagisa.
If she finds out...
Damn it, what do I do?
Nagisa?
And who's that guy?
That's a boy from our class.
A letter...
What is that?
Just a guess, but... maybe a love letter?
No way!
There's no guy who would give Nagisa a love letter.
Um... Nagisa-chan is actually popular.
Huh?
She's cute and cheerful,
and easy to talk to.
And she has lots of friends...
I don't see why guys wouldn't like her.
Anyway, looks like she only accepted a letter today.
Hello? It's me.
Sorry, but I'm not in the mood to listen to you today. Bye.
What?! W-Wait a minute!
Then make it quick.
What's with the attitude? You're just Kojou...
Listen, I'll be in Itogami City starting this weekend.
Did that stupid Vatler do something again?
No, other reasons.
The p— A very important person from Aldegyr is arriving in Japan,
so I'm supposed to be her guide and guard...
But there's a problem.
Aldegyr? Isn't that pretty far?
That's right.
Wow...
You're close to my age,
but you're trusted with some pretty important work.
Well... I'm not a half-baked Progenitor like you, you know.
So, I'll be really, really busy while I'm there...
But if possible—
I see. You'll be busy, huh?
I understand.
So you won't have time to see me and Himeragi, right?
Got it.
It sounds like a tough job, but good luck.
Yeah, that's right! Die, you jerk!
Sorry, but I'm cursed with immortality, so I can't die.
An accident? No... A fire?
Bye.
Himeragi!
You're actually quite the sis— the worrier, aren't you?
It's a little disturbing.
Then why are you following me?
Because I'm your observer.
Hey, keep still...
Come on, quit struggling.
No! Don't squeeze so much!
Sorry, I'm not used to this...
Th-That tickles...
If you're too loud, someone will hear us.
I know, but getting licked like this...
Ah, that hurts...
Break it up, you two!
H-Huh?
Kojou-kun!
What are you doing at the middle school?
W-Well... I saw you get that letter yesterday...
Letter?
You mean... this?
Member List
It's my sports club member list.
Akatsuki-san was looking for someone besides me to take the cat,
so I thought it might help her.
I can't believe you!
How did finding a home for a stray cat
give you the idea that he was confessing to me?
And even if he really was confessing,
why do you have to come butt in?
Well, you never told me you were looking for someone to take a cat...
Pets aren't allowed in our building, so Yukina-chan can't.
I didn't want to bring it up
and make her feel bad when she couldn't help.
Oh. Sorry.
You should be!
Where'd that cat come from, anyway?
Did you find it?
It wasn't me. Kanon-chan was taking care of it.
Is Kanon-chan...
H-Hi. That's me.
I'm Kanase Kanon.
This was all my fault.
I'm sorry.
So, Kanase-san, you were in Nagisa's class last year?
Yes. She was always helping me out.
I'm very shy, and guys tend to avoid me.
She helped me a lot today, too.
That's not true.
They just can't approach you because they like you so much.
Everyone calls you the middle school saint.
I can see why they would find it hard to talk to you, though.
You're so pretty...
Like you can talk.
Neither of you know that the boys in your classes have
their own laws about each of you.
There are rules about how long
one boy can have direct contact with you.
And they have regular meetings for cursing Akatsuki Kojou,
so you'd better watch yourself, Kojou-kun.
Wait, why do I have to be cursed?!
Anyway, I'm going to go apologize to Takashimizu-kun again.
Kojou-kun and Yukina-chan, help Kanon-chan for me.
Okay, sure.
Ready to go, Kanase-san?
Thank you, Onii-san.
Your hair color is... natural, right?
My real father was a foreigner.
I grew up in Japan, though, so I don't remember him well...
Is this... a church?
It's the monastery that looked after me when I was little.
Are you actually a nun?
No, I'm not. I only looked up to them.
Cats! They're cats!
Look, Senpai! Cats!
They're so cute!
Are you taking care of all these cats?
I only intended to look after them until I could find homes for them...
So this is what Nagisa meant by "helping."
Am I troubling you?
No, not at all.
I mean, look at Himeragi.
That's good.
I was a little worried.
I don't know if I can look after them all forever...
Kanase-san, I think you'd make a great nun.
Thank you.
Those words were enough for me.
I wondered who would ask to meet me at the office.
Never expected you, Yaze.
Sorry about that. The board of directors was short-handed.
So this is the fifth person apprehended last night?
I heard there was another demon fighting her.
No one knows who it was yet,
but there's one correction.
The company is of the opinion that she isn't a demon.
If anything, she shows faint traces of demonic modification,
but there's basically no mistake in calling her an ordinary human.
So an ordinary human was flying around a demon district,
knocking down buildings?
Very funny.
It's not funny at all.
Anyway, her injuries led to the loss of some organs.
Organs? Which ones?
Around her diaphragm and kidney.
Her Manipura Chakra, in other words.
They were eaten?
It wasn't exactly the organs that were taken.
It was her spiritual center...
No, her spirit itself.
Quite intriguing, isn't it?
What is a bat with no involvement in this case doing here?
No comment.
Diplomatic secrecy, you know.
Diplomatic secrecy?
So the Progenitor from the Warlord's Domain is involved in this?
Who can say?
It's also possible that all this has some connection with her.
What is it you know, snake charmer?
The Ragnvald of Aldegyr,
an airship of the Order of the Sacred Ring,
has been missing since yesterday.
Are you saying the royal family of Aldegyr is involved in this case?
There's no proof, though.
Regardless,
they are not your enemies.
It may prove more interesting to leave them be.
You're telling me to believe what you say?
I'm only doing this because I want something in return.
In return?
Don't involve the Fourth Progenitor in this case.
Akatsuki Kojou? Why?
Because he can't defeat her.
I can't have my beloved Fourth Progenitor dying just yet.
Next Time
Senpai, this looks like a deserted island.
Look! That coral reef is amazing!
The Amphisbaena II
"The Amphisbaena II."