"Are you ready, Avrora?" Nagisa, already in uniform, directed her words to Avrora in the living room.
"Is your backpack organized? Do you have all the textbooks for today's classes? What about tissues and handkerchiefs? Are you planning to prepare lunch if you're not eating in the cafeteria at noon?" Nagisa kept talking incessantly.
"Are you acting as her mom?" Kojou, wearing his high school uniform, quipped.
Not only Kojou, even Rozen couldn't help but smile wryly.
"I mean, Nagisa, being so serious might scare Avrora, you know?" Rozen reminded.
Indeed, Avrora, already nervous about going to school, became even more anxious with Nagisa's incessant chatter, looking restless and on the verge of fainting.
Just going to school shouldn't make one so nervous; it was quite amusing.
But considering it was Avrora, it somehow seemed normal.
However, Nagisa's non-stop talking did make Avrora even more nervous, that was a fact.
"Besides, instead of worrying about Avrora, you should worry about yourself," Rozen said with irritation, making even Kojou nod in agreement.
"Is your health okay? Do you really not need to continue taking leave? Wouldn't it be better to rest at home if you're feeling unwell?" Kojou unintentionally started echoing Nagisa's concern.
"I think you're more like her dad." This time it was Rozen's turn to mock.
Kojou's excessive care for Nagisa had crossed certain boundaries, giving the impression of an inappropriate closeness.
Only Nagisa seemed accustomed to it, smiling as usual.
"It's okay. After all, it's better to go to the classroom on the first day of the new semester. I really want to know who's in the same class with me this year. If I could be in the same class as the class president, that would be great. Oh, but Avrora is in the same class as me. Minamiya-sensei told me to take care of Avrora. It feels like being an older sister, it's so exciting." Nagisa seemed genuinely excited, speaking rapidly and bombarding others with her words.
But Nagisa was right. For Avrora's convenience and comfort, Natsuki had indeed arranged for Nagisa and Avrora to be in the same class.
Otherwise, with Avrora's timid and shy nature, she might have ended up crying if there were no familiar faces around her.
So, having Nagisa and Avrora in the same class was indeed a good thing.
Moreover, Nagisa's health condition fluctuated, so it was good to have someone around, even if that person was somewhat unreliable.
"I... I will try my best!" Avrora declared courageously, her eyes still full of nervousness and timidity, yet showing no signs of backing down.
It was evident that Avrora really wanted to go to the same school as Rozen and Nagisa, or rather, she really wanted to be a student in school.
Compared to being sealed in the underground tomb of ice, this was indeed more meaningful. Avrora might be nervous, but she would never resist.
"In that case, let's get ready to go." Rozen handed everyone their backpacks.
"The car is waiting outside," he added.
At this, leaving Avrora aside, both Kojou and Nagisa felt a bit sentimental.
"Having a dedicated car for transportation every day is quite comfortable."
"I bet everyone will envy us. Once we get to the classroom, I'll definitely show off."
Kojou and Nagisa exchanged such remarks.
Then, they all prepared to leave.
Just then, the TV, which had been playing the morning news, emitted a voice.
"At present, the Dynasty of Destruction has issued a final ultimatum to the Nelapsi Provisional Autonomous Government. If there's no suitable explanation, it will be considered a declaration of war, worsening the relationship between the Dynasty of Destruction and Nelapsi, with the possibility of war looming."
That was the news broadcast from the TV.
"Nelapsi?" Rozen suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at the TV.
Upon seeing this, everyone was taken aback and then turned to look at the television, understanding what Rozen was focusing on.
"Is it Nelapsi again?" Kojou's expression turned somewhat serious.
"Nosferata..." Nagisa's face also displayed some unease.
It was inevitable.
"Lately, there have been more and more reports related to Nelapsi," Kojou remarked.
And he was right.
Since the encounter with Balthazar Zaharias within Itogami Island, although they hadn't faced any more attacks from Nosferata and it seemed like he had left the Demon Sanctuary of Itogami Island, as Kojou mentioned, reports related to Nelapsi had been increasing.
It all started with an outbreak of a vampire infection within the Nelapsi Autonomous Territory.
It was an infection of unknown origin that turned individuals into vampires regardless of whether they were humans or demons. Once infected, they immediately turned into vampires, lost their rationality, and attacked those around them, spreading the infection further.
Those infected with this disease initially experienced enhancements in physical strength, senses, and agility, but their memories started to show significant gaps over time. Eventually, they completely lost their rationality, turning into zombie-like beings that crazily attacked those around them, spreading the disease.
Due to the inability to identify the cause of the infection and confirm any treatment methods, the World Health Organization was helpless, watching as Nelapsi descended into chaos.
However, before the chaos could subside, Nelapsi suddenly launched an attack on the Dynasty of Destruction's territory.
Their target was the Caucasus, which bordered the Warlord Dominion's territory, a strategically vital point for the Dynasty of Destruction. Due to its rugged terrain, deploying large-scale forces was difficult, so the area was heavily guarded by well-trained soldiers and members of the Dynasty of Destruction's royalty.
And guarding the Caucasus region for the Dynasty of Destruction was...
"The second-generation vampire, the ninth prince of the Dynasty of Destruction, Iblisveil Aziz," Rozen whispered the name.
The Nelapsi Provisional Autonomous Government suddenly attacked the Caucasus, breaking into Iblisveil's fortress and completely destroying it, leading to the disappearance of the ninth prince without a trace.
This action by Nosferata infuriated the Dynasty of Destruction.
Now, what Rozen and the others were seeing was the report related to this incident.
Clearly, the Dynasty of Destruction was issuing a final ultimatum to Nelapsi.
If there was no satisfactory explanation, then war between the two factions was inevitable.
Rozen watched the television, deep in thought.