◆◇◆

“Now, this may be a sensitive issue, Freya, but I must know. Who was it that harassed you this morning?” Yuki’s gaze shifted to the catgirl as she took one last sip of miso.

Freya stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She avoided eye contact, staring down at her now-empty plate. 

Emi held her breath. The Lady of Little Hōjo had finally asked the question that had been gnawing at her all morning. Surely, Freya would open up to her.

“I…I do not wish to burden you with my troubles, Ojou-sama…”

“Nonsense!” Yuki’s voice was firm yet reassuring. “If you are in trouble, it is my duty as your senpai to aid you however I can.” She met Freya’s hesitant gaze. “No one has the right to treat another as though they are lesser than dirt.”

Yuki…

Emi nodded. “Yuki’s right, Freya,” she added. “If you need help, we’re here for you. We all came to this school to learn and grow. Those who want to be here have that right. You deserve to feel safe, just like anyone else.”

Cady grinned and gave Freya’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

“I concur! Now, if ya don’t mind blabbin’...” She cracked her knuckles. “Who do we have to go and beat up?”

“Cady!”

“What? Oh, c’mon now, Emmers, I know we’re all thinkin’ it!” 

“That isn’t the…” Emi blinked. “‘E-Emmers’?” 

“Mm-hmm! That’s yer nickname!” Cady beamed.

Emi groaned and covered her face with her hands. Her name was already short enough—why did she need a nickname?

Now’s not the time for this…

She inhaled deeply, refocusing. “D-Don’t mind Cady,” she assured Freya. “That’s just a… strange habit of hers.” Adjusting her glasses, she cleared her throat. “Look, Freya, it’s like Yuki said, we just want to know who’s responsible for pouring coffee on you. Were those jerks from earlier connected to them?” 

Emi tried to keep her tone even, but the memory of Freya that morning—drenched, humiliated, trembling—stirred something deep and raw inside her.  

Freya hesitated, fingers twisting together. “I… um… I bumped into this girl. She fell and scraped her knee… it was an accident, but then her brother walked over… saw me standing over his sister and…”

She trailed off. Yuki shot up from her seat.

Emi’s gaze snapped to her, heart skipping a beat. The look in Yuki’s eyes—sharp, unyielding—was unlike anything she had seen before.

She put it together that fast…

“Valcour Harvester!!” Yuki’s voice rang through the cafeteria, cutting through the noise like a blade. Silence followed, all eyes turning toward her. Seconds later, a boy with auburn hair leaned lazily over the balcony railing. 

“Ah! Well if it isn’t Lady Kageryuu,” he said with a queer smile—one of those polished, insincere grins Emi had seen nobles wear like masks. “As pulchritudinous as ever! To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Uh…Pul-kra-what now?” Cady muttered beside Emi, but neither took their eyes off the unfolding scene. The air had shifted. Emi could feel something on the horizon.

Yuki crossed her arms. “I’ve just been told that you hurt one of my dear friends this morning. That a misunderstanding caused you to lose your temper and lash out.” 

Valcour’s smile vanished. His gaze shifted downward, landing on Freya, who didn’t dare look his way. That’s when Katsumi rose from his seat and stood beside Yuki. Then Cady. Then Emi. 

Yuki remained firm, her voice unwavering. “That said. I would like for you to apologize to her.” 

Valcour's face twisted in disbelief. “Heh…Excuse me?”

“Hmm. Funny. I could’ve sworn I was speaking at a decent enough volume.” She shrugged sarcastically and cupped her hands around her mouth. “I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO APOLOGIZE TO MISS FREYA!” 

“I… heard you loud and clear, Milady! Trust me.” His fingers tightened around the railing. “Ai.”

Right on cue, a green-haired automaton materialized beside him. “You called, Young Lord?”

“Be a dear and get me down from here,” he said, eyes never leaving Yuki. “I wish to speak to Lady Kageryuu face-to-face.”

“Acknowledged.” Ai raised a hand, and her glowing aqua-colored eyes pulsed with energy. A square platform of digital light formed mid-air just beyond the balcony. Without hesitation, Valcour hopped over the railing, landing smoothly as the construct descended, placing him a mere step away from Yuki and the others. The moment his feet touched the ground, the platform dissipated.

“Right, now we may speak properly.” He cleared his throat.

Away from prying ears, you mean… Emi thought, watching him closely.

“Under normal circumstances, Milady, I’d agree with you,” he began, voice carefully measured. “But understand that I was merely looking out for my dear sister. Therefore, I see no reason to apologize..”

What?!  Emi’s hands balled into fists. This guy is unbelievable! 

Yuki’s eyes darkened. “And pouring hot coffee over a girl's head was your way of 'looking out' for your sister?”

“Tell me this, Milady: If you saw a barbarous and unpredictable creature standing over your loved one, how would you respond? Wouldn’t you go to any length to ensure their safety?” 

His gaze flicked toward Emi and the others. “Wouldn’t any of you?”

A low, guttural growl rumbled beside Emi. She turned to see Cady, pink eyes burning with fury. 

“Now, you listen here, ya no-good poltroon—” 

Just as she stomped towards him, Katsumi stepped forward, raising a hand to block her path, holding her back without taking his lone eye off the boy. Freya, meanwhile, stood frozen, head bowed, trembling. 

Valcour smirked, sensing victory. “You see? And it’s not just me, mind you. Many here would’ve done the same in my position. Beastkin are unpredictable. You never truly know what they’re capable of.” He rubbed his temple, lost in thought for a moment, before continuing. “Besides, with that enhanced durability of hers, I highly doubt it even hurt that much.”  

Yuki seethed. “That’s enough, Valcour! Such a pathetic excuse. You should be ashamed!” 

His eyes flicked briefly to Freya, then to Cady—her hostility almost tangible—before settling back on Yuki.

“It wasn’t the first time my sister was put in danger,” he murmured. “I was careless then, and she paid the price. I won’t make that mistake again.”

His voice was softer now, almost reflective. Then his gaze sharpened, and he regarded Yuki and Katsumi with something unreadable.

“Of course, you two would know better than anyone what that kind of fear is like.” A knowing smirk crossed his lips. “Wouldn’t you, Lady Kageryuu?”

Katsumi, who had remained quiet for much of the exchange, finally spoke.

“Trying to turn this on us, are we, Valcour?” His voice was measured, but there was an edge beneath it. “I understand wanting to protect your family. I sympathize, truly. I’m even glad to see your sister doing well. But to compare your situation to what Yuki and I endured? To the lives we lost that day? That is both insensitive and misguided.”

His words struck like a blade, cutting through the tension in the room. 

Cady inhaled sharply, her fists still clenched, but she eased back as Katsumi gave her a small nod. Then, with deliberate steps, he moved forward, positioning himself between Valcour and Yuki. His hand rested on the strap of his shinai bag—a silent warning.

Emi watched him, heart pounding, caught between awe and apprehension. This wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

“I'm sorry about what happened to your sister,” Katsumi said, his voice steady but firm. “But that doesn't excuse your actions today. What you did was reckless and unjustifiable. You owe Freya an apology, and you need to understand the weight of what you've done.” He exhaled sharply before adding, “And if you refuse...”

He reached for his bag, unzipping it with deliberate slowness before pulling out a forty-inch bokken. A quiet ripple of magic pulsed from his lean frame, sending a shiver through the air. Rising up with his back to Yuki, he closed the distance between himself and Valcour, his expression unreadable. 

“...Then I shall make you.”

The students' collective shock and curiosity were echoed across the cafeteria by the declaration. Emi was also taken aback. It was already unlikely that a freshman would challenge an upperclassman. But Katsumi had an aura about him, and it wasn't only his mana output; it was his sheer presence, which demonstrated to any mage worth their salt that he was no ordinary freshman.

Whoa… 

Yuki’s breath hitched. “Kabō…” she murmured, placing a hand over her chest.

Valcour smirked, unfazed. “Is that so, Milord?” He tilted his head, intrigued. "I've always wanted to test my mettle against a Kusanagi. There are countless tales of your father’s exploits on the battlefield. Let’s see if The White Tiger’s one-eyed cub is worthy of the name.”

“Oh? A duel?”

An airy female voice from above cut through the tension. All eyes turned upward.

Shina Urahara sat cross-legged in midair, her body suspended effortlessly as if lounging on an invisible chair. She hummed a little tune to herself, idly bouncing one foot, the bells on her tricorn hat jingling with each lazy movement.

“Urahara-senpai?” Yuki gasped, eyes widening. The implications of her presence settled over her in an instant. She exhaled sharply, regaining composure before meeting Katsumi’s gaze. “There’s no turning back now, Kabō… Are you certain?”

“Do you even need to ask?” he replied, his tone unwavering.

Emi's eyes shone with realization. So that's his angle…

She understood now. Katsumi wasn’t just reacting to Valcour’s cruelty toward Freya—he was standing up for the honor of Little Hōjo itself. A noble from another territory had insulted not only its people but its liege lady. Any loyal vassal would have done the same.

Yuki, too, seemed to grasp this, letting out a sharp titter. She shook her head and smiled. “Of course not. That was rather silly of me, wasn't it?”

“Harvester… Kusanagi… Hmm…” Shina’s voice drew everyone's attention once more. Her piercing gaze flickered between the two boys, measuring them like a scholar examining an old relic. The bells on her tricorn jingled softly as she tilted her head.

Emi swallowed hard. The cafeteria had gone utterly silent.

It was the same suffocating stillness she had felt that morning in their homeroom. No whisper of mana in the air, yet the sheer weight of the moment pressed down on every student present.

Only a member of Phoenix Academy’s upper forms could command such an atmosphere.

“I…will oversee this bout,” Shina finally declared. 

A collective inhale rippled through the crowd. Even Emi found herself holding her breath.

Then, the enigmatic shaman turned her full attention to Katsumi.

“Katsumi Kusanagi… you are the challenger.” Her voice carried an almost ceremonial weight. “What are your terms?”