"What have you been doing since high school?"
Kuroha asked.
She knew she had duties as a guard, however, currently, she was talking to her old friends. Kuroha wanted to make the most of their meeting.
"Well... I went back to England with my sister. I did get scolded by my father but I never really listened to him after I returned."
She said.
"He did his best to shame me in public so that he would have an excuse to disown me."
"That's going too far, isn't it?"
Kuroha asked, slightly disturbed.
"It's my father we're talking about. In the end, he failed and was exiled because the Queen noticed his actions. My brother was the heir ever since and I won the title from him not long ago."
"Bravo."
"Is that all you have to say about my wonderful story?"
"It is."
"Why you...!"
Anastasia put Kuroha in a headlock, rubbing her head with her knuckles, laughing.
Yuuki felt slightly left out. It was not because of him being the only male in the room but it was because he was the only one who did not attend Altheria.
He stayed silent and walked towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
Hysaka asked him.
"I'll be guarding the door."
"We don't need guards. You can relax."
As Hysaka spoke to Yuuki, the door opened. The SSB officer was holding the door for another person who walked in.
"Have a wonderful time, Miss Farmuth."
"Farmuth... Why does that name—?"
A woman walked into the room. She was a fairly young woman dressed in a sparkling gown. She had a designer handbag and jewellery belittled her body. She looked like the stereotypical noblewoman that people would imagine.
"Ugh, why am I in this room with others?"
She also acted like one.
The woman dropped herself onto a sunbed and set her bag beside her. She faced Yuuki.
"Hey, you, shouldn't I have this room to myself?"
"Ah, well..."
Yuuki looked back at the door, which closed in a hurry. The SSB officer dumped the noblewoman onto Yuuki because she was too much to handle.
"That...!"
"I knew I heard the name before! So, it's you, Elira!"
Hysaka threw herself in front of the woman, Elira Farmuth. Elira stared at Hysaka, confused.
"Hah? I don't know who you..."
Her voice trailed away. When the memories began flooding back to her, Elira broke into a sweat. She backed away.
"H-H-Hysaka?!"
"Hysaka, you know her?"
Anastasia asked, looking through the wine cellar. She picked out a bottle of vodka.
"Yeah, we used to know each other in middle school. Who would've thought that we'd be in the same room years later."
"Y-yeah..."
Elira backed away slightly.
Elira Farmuth was Hysaka's bully from middle school. She would bully Hysaka at almost every opportunity she had. The reason why Elira backed away from Hysaka was due to her own experience.
On the day of their graduation ceremony in middle school, Elira attempted one more time at bullying Hysaka. It ended with Elira's face in the ground. Ever since she's been traumatized. A defence mechanism in her mind activated, causing her to practically forget about Hysaka completely. Until now, that is.
Once more, the door opened.
"Someone else? Who is it now—"
Anastasia paused as she was pouring vodka into a cup. Everyone did.
A body dropped. The SSB officer was laying on the floor, lifeless.
"Haha... Three targets."
Three people walked over his corpse without making a single footstep. A woman, a girl and a man. They all wore masks and white cloaks. All of them bore the white ankh.
Kuroha was the first to move. She turned and tensed her hands. Anastasia dropped her bottle and knelt, ready to pounce. Hysaka did not turn but noticed their presence. Yuuki was the only one who did not turn.
Without an incantation, she fired a bolt of purple lightning at the group.
The man stood in front of the girl to parry the lightning bolt.
"Gravity Zone: North."
Hysaka aimed at the group—as her Singularity activated, they were sent flying backwards, through walls until the woman, Nixie, produced a solid wall behind the trio.
"Is this the Demon Gravity I've heard so much about?! I want to have a piece of that!"
"Yeah, go and take a piece, whore."
The small woman, Peitho, teased her.
"Why you—!"
"Eyes forward, you two."
Like a meteor, Anastasia flew into the group with her fist. Albatross grabbed her fist, taking the rebound onto himself, tearing his cloak. Anastasia was in her Azrael Armour.
"Aren't you strong?"
"I won't be the one to take you on."
Albatross threw Anastasia away and Peitho leapt towards her, summoning a giant broadsword beside her. She swung her hand forward; it pierced towards her, grazing her armour.
"You'll be a great plaything! Don't fall in love with me!"
Peitho winked.
Wings protruded from Anastasia's back and flapped fiercely. She soared towards Peitho.
"I haven't had my own fun in a while."
She grabbed the woman and took her with her down the corridor.
Nixie and Albatross walked into the corridor, coming face to face with Kuroha, Yuuki and Hysaka. Nixie walked up to Hysaka. Yuuki was ready to attack but Kuroha stopped him.
"Demon Gravity... I want to have fun."
"Is that so?"
Nixie's hand transfigured as she raised it.
"Gravity Zone: North."
Hysaka floated slightly. She was knocked into Nixie and they banged into the solid wall formed her earlier. She used the same move as Hysaka but since the direction was the same, it caused Hysaka to ram into Nixie.
"You're not a target."
Albatross spoke, walking away.
Kuroha fired a spell at him, stopping him from going anywhere.
"I'll keep you here for as long as I need to."
"I'll help too."
Yuuki's body sparked with electricity.
"No matter. I'll just kill you. Erebus."
With a single word, from his shadow, a sword rose towards him. Albatross unsheathed the katana, revealing a sable blade. Shadows danced along the edge of his blade.
Kuroha's heart skipped a beat. The sword that Albatross was wielding was similar to the one that Shoya had. No, it was the same.
Her mana output skyrocketed and she unconsciously activated her Nyx State. Baring her fangs toward Albatross, she growled.
"Where did you get that sword?"