Itogami Island West District—High-End Residential Zone, Minamiya Residence.
In a guest room at home, Shizuka Koyomi sat on the bed, her wounds already nearly healed.
Himeragi Yukina, having regained her strength, sat on a nearby sofa, being attended to by Nagisa and Avrora.
"Senpai, please have some tea."
Kanase Kanon brought a tray with hot tea and placed it before Shizuka.
"Thank you."
Shizuka, seemingly unaccustomed to such care, accepted the cup solemnly. Kanon smiled faintly and stepped aside.
Kojou and Yuuma had already returned home. Nagisa and Avrora, meanwhile, supported Yukina and closely observed Shizuka, evidently still unclear what had happened.
Rozen leaned against the door, arms crossed, watching Shizuka on the bed. He then glanced at Nagisa and Kanon.
They immediately understood and were about to speak to Yukina, but Yukina spoke first:
"Shizuka-sama, was the one who injured you that man called Itogami Meiga?"
Yukina asked very solemnly.
Nagisa and Kanon's plan to take her away fell apart, and Rozen sighed—this girl clearly would not ignore the situation simply due to her physical state.
But Shizuka did not reveal her thoughts impulsively.
"Answer truthfully, Himeragi Yukina," Shizuka said sternly. "Have you already started undergoing Angelization?"
At her words, the first to react was Kanon.
"Angelization…?"
Kanon trembled slightly, as if she'd heard something she couldn't ignore—her eyes widened in pain.
Nagisa, too, was stunned.
"Angelization? That's not…"
Nagisa started to speak but was hushed by Avrora, who nodded at Kanon's reaction, silencing herself.
...
Yukina fell silent, speechless.
Seeing this, Shizuka didn't need an answer to understand.
"…It seems you've already shown signs of Angelization so soon."
Shizuka looked at Yukina with a complex expression—sadness, guilt, and then resolve.
"Since the signs have appeared, it's best you no longer involve yourself in what comes next," Shizuka commanded. "I will contact Yukari to take you back and retrieve Sekkaro."
Shizuka made a decision consistent with what Endo Yukari had said: to strip Yukina of her role as an Attack Mage and return her to an ordinary life.
"I…!" Yukina attempted to protest.
But before she could speak, Rozen intervened.
"That's enough," he said calmly. "I've already discussed Himeragi's situation with Endo Yukari. From now on, I will take custody of Himeragi and handle her Angelization. You don't need to worry."
Rozen's words left Shizuka momentarily stunned and Yukina equally surprised.
"Senpai, I…"
Yukina began but was interrupted again.
"We can talk later," Rozen shook his head. "For now, let me deal with the current situation."
Yukina, unable to continue, fell silent.
Rozen then turned to Shizuka.
"Itogami Meiga, right?" Rozen said. "From what I'm hearing, isn't he the only criminal who escaped from that Prison Barrier during the Harurouin Festival?"
Shizuka nodded silently after a moment.
"Yes," she said. "He didn't actively take part in the riot inside the Barrier. As soon as he escaped, he disappeared—and he stole the Fangzahn Weapon God Tool and remained in hiding until now."
"Hiding…" Rozen responded neutrally. "Then why has he suddenly appeared now, and why is he trying to kill you?"
Shizuka was speechless.
After a moment, Shizuka spoke with an expressionless face:
"He wants to kill me partly because he thinks I pose the greatest threat to their plan—and partly because he hates me."
Everyone reacted.
"He hates you?"
Yukina, Nagisa, Kanon, and Avrora looked at Shizuka in surprise.
"A plan?"
Rozen honed in on that key word, locking eyes with Shizuka.
Under everyone's gaze, Shizuka lowered her eyelids slightly.
Then—
"Itogami Meiga was once employed by the Lion King Agency as a researcher, responsible for developing new Weapon God Tools when he was still an ordinary human."
"Was...?" Nagisa leaned forward. "So he isn't an ordinary human now?"
It was obvious. No ordinary human could use Fangzahn, a tool that nullifies life energy so thoroughly. No one ordinary would smoke and burn from Yukina's divine aura.
Clearly, Itogami Meiga was no ordinary human.
"While human, Meiga was just a researcher with no special powers—only self-defense training. Then, during an experiment testing Fangzahn, he died."
Shizuka spoke softly.
"He died once. Then, years later, he suddenly reappeared at the Lion King Agency—now as a Yiangshi."
"Yiangshi."
The name froze everyone.
That was a Demon—a creature created from a human corpse, an artificial vampire. Or rather, a remnant that failed to become a vampire—worse than a Nosferatu. While vampires—like the Nosferatu—lacked the power to summon Beast Vassals but still had near-eternal lifespans, Yiangshi lacked even that regeneration ability. Severed limbs didn't reattach, and they retained all vampire weaknesses. They were undead beings—not quite human, not quite vampire—considered taboo and despicable.
Yet maybe because of this nature, Meiga could wield Fangzahn. Already effectively dead, even using a weapon that would kill a normal person left him unaffected.
As he said, it was likely made just for him—or perhaps he designed it himself.
"His talent in Weapon God Tool development was exceptional, so we eventually agreed to reinstate him—under conditions of periodic medical checks, counseling, and surveillance."
Shizuka's expression turned ominous.
"Perhaps from that moment, his fate became sealed."