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“Aren’t your reactions a bit muted, My lady? Shouldn’t you be exclaiming ‘Kyaa, Kagerou, you’re alive!’ or something along those lines?”

Kagerou posed the question while savoring the tea Hiyuki had brewed from the tea leaves found in the room. They had shifted from the bedroom to the adjacent room, which, ironically, was the very place where Kagerou had been previously slain.

“…Ah, that’s right. I nearly forgot about that.”

Hiyuki’s face lit up with sudden realization following Kagerou’s reminder, as if she had just recollected that particular detail.

“Do you really take my life so lightly? After all, you were the one who killed me, My lady.”

Kagerou’s tone was tinged with mock resentment as he looked at her. Hiyuki, unperturbed, placed her teacup back onto its saucer.

“But you’re not dead, are you?”
“Your lack of concern is astounding, My lady. I may be alive now, but I certainly did die back then.”

Kagerou responded with a mixture of amusement and slight annoyance. However, Hiyuki remained nonchalant, seeing the very much alive and well Kagerou before her.

“Anyway, I’ve left my previous occupation and am now unaffiliated. My presence here? Let’s just call it curiosity. The tri-party conference seemed intriguing. And, saving My Lady like a hero — it must be fate.”

Hiyuki scrutinized Kagerou’s face for any deceit, but his expression was as enigmatic as ever, revealing nothing.

“…Your assistance is appreciated, but I find it hard to believe you’ve left your former group so easily.”
“Haha, understandable,” Kagerou replied with a rueful smile.
“It’s surprising they let you go without any repercussions. I half expected a cliché ‘traitors must die’ scenario to unfold.”
“That was indeed the case. Instead of ‘die’, it was more about erasing your ‘existence’, rendering resurrection or elixirs futile. That’s why others adhere to the rules.”

Ah, right, elixirs are in-game items. I tended to forget, usually preoccupied with gacha games using my part-time job earnings. Curious, Hiyuki asked the obvious.

“Why are you still alive then?”
“Oh, My Lady, these are everyday matters in our line of work, nothing extraordinary.”
“……”

Kagerou casually dismissed the topic, seemingly unbothered, and requested another cup of tea as he finished his first. He watched Hiyuki, who brewed another cup with practiced ease, and continued with a charming yet almost cunning smile.

“It was a risky bet. I used a unique medicine that can alter one’s constitution. When I regained consciousness, I found myself being swept away like a lifeless body. It was a bit of a shock, but in the end, my gamble paid off. —Oh, thank you.”

He expressed his gratitude as Hiyuki handed him the freshly brewed cup, savoring the second serving with evident delight.

“Hmm… Your story sounds quite dubious, but let’s assume for a moment it’s true. What do you plan to do now?”
“Well, my former Master and a few colleagues believe I’m dead, so I’ll be laying low for a while. Also, I’m dealing with some side effects from the medicine, so I need to address that before it worsens.”

Hiyuki scrutinized Kagerou, who seemed to be in a tight spot, though his demeanor suggested otherwise. His vague answers and avoidance of clear explanations only deepened her suspicions.

“…You’re withholding something, aren’t you?”

Kagerou acknowledged with a casual nod.

“Yes, there are a few things I haven’t disclosed. But they’re more personal matters, not directly concerning you, My lady. Oh, by the way, you’re still planning to confront Shima, right?”

At Kagerou’s question, Hiyuki appeared torn but eventually conceded.

“Frankly, I’ve lost any desire to cooperate with the Holy Kingdom, but Shima is a different issue. He’s a real threat. I plan to take him down before it’s too late.”
“So you’ve decided. In that case, I have something for you,” Kagerou said, retrieving an item from his pocket.

“—!!!” Hiyuki’s expression paled as she saw the item, stumbling back to the room’s entrance.

Kagerou, seemingly unfazed, placed the palm-sized cross on the table, sliding it towards Hiyuki.

“This is the ‘Sealing Cross,’ the genuine article used to seal Shima, not the fake used by that fool over there. I thought it might be useful to you.”

Kagerou casually sipped his tea again, leaving the cross on the table.

“…What are you trying to achieve?”
“Well, you know how to use it and its effects, right?”

Hiyuki grimaced, recalling the traumatic experience.

“I won’t be accidentally sealed by it, will I?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Hiyuki cautiously used a spoon to draw the cross closer, avoiding direct contact.

“Who knows? But if you’re worried, test it on a stray vampire first. This artifact can be used repeatedly without destruction.”
“……Very well.”

Hiyuki gingerly held the cross between her fingertips, then stored it in her waist pouch.

“But why do you have this?”
“Ah, that’s a long story… I don’t have time to explain now.”

Glancing at the wall clock, Hiyuki noted it was almost time for Oliana and the others to return. After finishing his second cup of tea, Kagerou replaced his helmet.

“I should return to my post. Just treat me as another guard and ignore my presence.”
“Fine, fine. You’re supposedly dead to the world anyway. I’ll keep that to myself, but consider us even after this.”
“Much appreciated.”

Kagerou nodded and headed for the door but paused, turning back to ask, “What if I told you I’m not the ‘Kagerou’ you know, but just a soulless copy?”

Hiyuki shrugged nonchalantly. “Doesn’t matter to me. You’re the ‘you’ I’ve met and talked with here. If it doesn’t cause any trouble, why worry about it?”

Kagerou’s mouth curved into a semblance of a smile, visible beneath the edge of his helmet, as he made his way towards the door. His departure left a lingering sense of ambiguity in the air.

A few minutes passed in silence, filled only by the occasional distant sounds from within the tower. Then, the quiet was broken by the sound of the entrance door opening. The hurried footsteps of several people echoed up the spiral staircase, disrupting the stillness of the tower.

Hiyuki sat alone, her thoughts wandering as she finished her now cold tea. ‘Self-defense’ seemed the most justifiable explanation for the recent events, but the thought of how to manage Tengai’s reaction weighed on her mind. Keeping him in check, especially after such a tumultuous encounter, would undoubtedly prove challenging.