Scene 1: Aftermath of Shadows
The Battle God's trembling voice lingered in the air as Nero vanished, leaving Ayumi alone in the fractured dimension. She stared at the void where he'd stood, her sword trembling. Why spare us? she wondered, but the god offered no answers—only fear.
Nightfall draped the Priest Academy in silence. Nero slipped into a secluded cottage where Eri waited, a candlelit dinner laid out. They ate in quiet camaraderie, the weight of the day unspoken.
In bed, Eri broke the silence. "What do you think of Ayumi?"
Nero's golden eyes flickered. "A nuisance. Her face…irritates me."
Eri smirked, tracing a finger over his horn. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."
He swatted her hand away. "Don't start. I don't share my heart."
Scene 2: Whispers and Wounds
Eri's laughter chimed like bells. "But your soul whispered 'I love you, Eri' earlier. Admit it."
Nero's ears reddened. "You're hallucinating."
She pounced, tickling him until he relented with a grudging smile. Their playful scuffle dissolved into stillness, Eri's head resting on his chest. "Idiot," she murmured fondly.
By dawn, Nero's mask was replaced by a new guise: a silver-haired student named Wanderer, his horn hidden beneath an illusion. Eri looped her arm through his as they strode toward the academy.
"Plan for today?" she asked.
"Find Tessa Akihiro. Quietly."
Eri squeezed his hand. "No need to ask, right?"
He smirked. "You own every right."
Scene 3: The Unmasked Classroom
Gasps erupted as they entered the classroom. Wanderer's ethereal beauty rivaled Eri's, his eyes—strikingly gold—locked onto Ayumi, who sat rigid in her seat.
Soul connection:
Nero: Why is SHE here?
Eri: Classmate, remember? Verlord enrolled us. Keep up, genius.
Ayumi shot to her feet, finger trembling. "It's Nero!"
The teacher slammed a book. "Ayumi! Apologize to our new student!"
Wanderer feigned confusion. "Nero…? I'm afraid I don't know that name."
The class snickered. Ayumi slumped, fists clenched. No one believes me. Not even Father.
Scene 4: Bonds Reforged
Wanderer took a seat beside Saki, a girl with storm-gray eyes. "A pleasure, Saki-san."
She blinked. "How…do you know my name?"
He leaned closer, voice a velvet murmur. "Good friends never forget."
Her breath hitched—that phrase. Years ago, a ragged boy in the slums had whispered it before vanishing. "Let's…study together," she stammered, heart racing.
After class, Saki cornered him. "How do you know Eri? You two seem…close."
Wanderer's smile was cryptic. "We share a bond deeper than blood."
Eri materialized, linking arms with both. "Saki! Join us for tea?"
Ayumi watched from the shadows, her gaze sharp as a blade. I'll expose you, Nero. Even if it kills me.