This place is enormous... How many people actually live here? he wondered, feeling a twinge of nervousness settle in his stomach.
"Besides Yuuna-sama and myself, Hina-sama and a few others stay here occasionally," the maid suddenly chimed in. "Hina-sama is inside right now, while Kozue-sama is still on her way."
W-Wait, did she just read my mind?!
"No, Okumura-sama," the maid replied. "Your face is an open book, so I thought I'd answer your unspoken question."
"Aria, don't tease Okumura-kun like that. If I see him all flustered, I might not be able to control myself... I might just lunge at him right here, you know?" Sarushima teased, her tone dripping with playful menace, her smile curling wickedly.
"My apologies, Yuuna-sama," Aria said, bowing her head slightly.
Okumura's cheeks burned under their combined gaze, feeling like he was some sort of prey caught between two hunters. The way they looked at him—like they knew something he didn't—made his skin tingle, leaving him off-balance and more than a little self-conscious.
"Now then, shall we head inside?" Sarushima said, her voice dropping into something almost sultry as she pushed open the grand, heavy doors. The wood groaned under her touch, revealing the darkened, cavernous interior of the mansion beyond. Without waiting for his reply, she led the way, her footsteps echoing in the vast space as they all stepped inside together.
***
The inside of the house was just as regal as the outside, if not more so. The ceiling soared eight to ten meters above, making the space feel even larger, with shadows dancing along the edges from the light of a massive chandelier. It cast a warm, golden glow that bathed everything beneath it in an elegant light. A grand staircase dominated the room, curving upward to a platform that branched into various hallways and rooms. In the center of the room sat a cluster of plush red couches, already occupied by a gathering of people.
Okumura instantly recognized them—members of the student council. And among them... was Saonji.
The moment Okumura's eyes landed on her, Saonji met his gaze with her usual cold, indifferent stare.
As I thought, I don't understand her at all. Just last night, he had dared to think he might be getting closer to understanding her. But now, as she stared back at him with those frozen, detached eyes—like the Ice Princess she was known for being—he realized he was just as lost as ever.
But dwelling on that wouldn't help him. Even if Saonji didn't return his feelings, there was no point in sulking. The only option left was to keep pushing forward, to find a way to break through that icy exterior and make her see him differently. It was all up to his own effort.
"It seems that only Kozue is missing," Sarushima's voice cut through the air, firm and resolute. "But given how urgent the situation is, I'll proceed—Oh, it seems she's here already."
A low rumble from outside signaled the approach of a car, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps ascending the same grand staircase he'd climbed earlier. The door creaked open, revealing a woman standing in its frame.
Her straight black hair fell over her shoulders, framing her striking purple eyes. Okumura was used to seeing her in her school uniform, but now she wore casual clothes that made her seem more approachable. She panted softly as she leaned over, resting her hands on her knees to catch her breath—clearly, she had sprinted up the stairs to get here as quickly as possible.
"I'm here…!" she panted.
"Kozue," Sarushima addressed her, the serious edge to her voice cutting through the air, "I'll explain everything, so please, take a seat."
"Yes!" Catching Sarushima's grave tone, Touyama didn't dare delay. She shot Okumura a curious look before taking a seat beside Saonji.
"Well then…" Sarushima began, her eyes scanning the room before settling on Okumura. She took a deep breath. "Hina and Kozue already know this, but Okumura-kun is the child of anti-prophecy."
Gasps rippled through the room. Yuki Misuzu, the secretary, reacted first, her expression betraying her shock. Aizawa Yumi, the treasurer, stared wide-eyed, while Kiyohara Nagisa, the auditor, turned her sharp gaze toward Okumura.
"This boy is… the child of anti-prophecy?" Kiyohara asked, skepticism lacing her words.
"Yes," Sarushima affirmed, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"I'm sorry to question you, but… do you have any proof?" Yuki's gaze flicked between Sarushima and Okumura, as if searching for some hidden detail. To her, he didn't look like someone who could be the key to something so important—he seemed like the type who wouldn't even harm a fly.
"Hina," Sarushima commanded, turning to Saonji. "Come here and touch Okumura-kun."
"Eh? Touching is…" Aizawa trailed off, confusion coloring her voice.
"Trust me, this is the most effective way to prove to everyone that Okumura-kun really is the child of anti-prophecy," Sarushima pressed.
Aizawa bit back any further objections. Saonji, expression unchanged, rose from her seat and walked over to Okumura. Then, with a steady hand, she touched him.
"E-Eh? He's not dying?" Aizawa's voice trembled with disbelief as she blurted out the words.
"I heard whispers of this earlier, but I didn't think it could be true…" Yuki's voice wavered as she tried to process the sight before her.
"It seems he really is the child of anti-prophecy," Kiyohara said, her awe barely masked by her composed tone.
The three first-year representatives exchanged wide-eyed glances, their disbelief mirrored on each of their faces.
"Do you believe me now?" Sarushima's voice was firm as she addressed Yuki directly. "There's no room for doubt left, right, Misuzu?"
"Y-Yes, Yuuna-sama," Yuki stammered, still reeling.
"If he's truly here, then…" Aizawa mumbled under her breath, "We might finally have a real chance to win this war."
"That's right," Sarushima agreed, though a shadow of worry clouded her expression. "But… I made a mistake earlier. When I took Okumura-kun to a love hotel to investigate further if he really is the child of anti-prophecy, we were discovered by a demon hunter. I let my guard down, not thinking someone might be spying on us. That demon hunter reported that he is the child of anti-prophecy to the entire demon hunter association. And it won't be long before the angels catch wind of this too. They'll focus their attacks on our territory, hunting Okumura-kun down. That's why… all of you, I need you to protect Okumura-kun, no matter what."