Hearing Natsuki's murmur, Aya Tokoyogi responded with a cold laugh before sitting beside her. Opening the book in her hands, she remarked dispassionately:
"Still the same as ever. No growth whatsoever."
Seeing Aya take a seat, Natsuki swallowed whatever she'd been about to say. Closing the magazine she hadn't been reading properly anyway, she frowned:
"Why did you come back?"
Aya continued turning pages, her demeanour detached and analytical:
"Your phrasing carries unfortunate implications. I recall no special significance this place holds for me that would warrant the term 'coming back'."
Here, Aya's lips curled in a mocking smile:
"Or perhaps you imagine I harbour some sentiment for that broken prison?"
Natsuki had formed a contract with demons. Regardless of the terms, its effect had created an alternate space serving as a prison.
Within this space, all inhabitants existed in a state between life and death, perpetually confined within the lightless prison castle.
This alternate dimension was known as the Prison Barrier.
In the original timeline, Aya Tokoyogi was a prisoner of the Prison Barrier, while Natsuki Minamiya served as its warden, creator, and the key to its entrance and exit.
In a way, Aya Tokoyogi and Natsuki Minamiya shared a relationship akin to that of prisoner and jailer.
Yet before being imprisoned within the Prison Barrier, Aya and Natsuki had been something like mentor and friend.
Their relationship was far too complex to be explained in just a few words.
It was precisely because of these complicated relationships that Natsuki Minamiya's current mood was rather complex:
"Why have you set your sights on Kisara?"
Hearing this, Aya Tokoyogi let out a light laugh:
"I see. So you're working for the SDS now?"
"Should I say this is typical of you? In the original world, you were loyal to the management corporation that reduced you to a witch, and now here you are, working for the SDS..."
"Oh, come to think of it, you have made progress. At least this time, you're not serving your enemies."
Listening to these mocking words, Natsuki Minamiya sighed:
"It's not what you think. My relationship with Luo Shu is more complicated than you imagine."
At this, Aya Tokoyogi slightly raised her head, her fiery red eyes fixed on Natsuki Minamiya.
She seemed somewhat surprised.
"I didn't mention that Demigod from the Hidden Management Department... And you're not serving an organisation that waves the banner of peace, but specifically one individual?"
Aya Tokoyogi was taken aback.
The Natsuki Minamiya in her memory shouldn't have reacted like this.
Immersed in so-called false peace, willingly serving organisations that championed peace.
Whether it was the management corporation maintaining order for hundreds of thousands of islanders in the original world, or the SDS now, advocating the continuation of human civilisation across multiple nations, Aya Tokoyogi saw no difference.
It was all just the same sanctimonious rhetoric from the human elite.
The only distinction was that the approach on Itogami Island disgusted her, while Lacus Clyne's methods struck her as foolish.
But in the past, Natsuki Minamiya had always served an ideal, an organisation—now she was referring to a single person.
Aya Tokoyogi felt inexplicably irritated, a vague restlessness stirring within her:
"Complicated? What an interesting description."
Quickly regaining her composure, Aya Tokoyogi sneered:
"Free from your demon's contract, no longer bound to maintain that prison, have you finally decided to pursue an ordinary life of peace?"
Hearing this, Natsuki Minamiya sighed and said plainly:
"There's no need for further probing, Aya."
"The me now is just an ordinary human."
Aya Tokoyogi's expression froze for an instant before she snapped her black book shut without hesitation.
At the same moment, intricate azure patterns of a technique suddenly crawled up Natsuki Minamiya's arms, encircling them like glowing bracelets.
Natsuki made no move to resist the sudden appearance of the technique, allowing Aya to proceed.
Only then did Aya Tokoyogi confirm something, murmuring in disbelief:
"You've truly reverted to being human... But your space control formula clearly..."
"That's a different foundational technique now."
Natsuki Minamiya explained truthfully:
"Not based on a demon's power, but derived from my personal understanding of space."
"This power—you've encountered it too, haven't you?"
"That which is called the power of concepts..."
At these words, Aya Tokoyogi fell silent.
She had only just learned that Natsuki Minamiya had shed her identity as a witch, returned to being an ordinary human, yet retained her former abilities.
Unlike her research on anti-demon formulas, which both opposed and allied with demons, this was another path – one that excluded demons entirely and moved forward alone...
At this thought, Aya Tokoyogi fell silent for a moment before speaking coldly:
"Is this the reward that man gave you?"
"You could say that." Natsuki Minamiya nodded, not denying Luo Shu's assistance to her.
Of course, she had no intention of explaining the matter of signing a contract and becoming Luo Shu's Familia.
Her intuition told her that mentioning this would only trigger a violent conflict she wished to avoid. Though she found it strange that she felt this way, she still instinctively kept it hidden.
Knowing that the biggest landmine in Natsuki Minamiya's life had already been defused by Luo Shu, Aya Tokoyogi's expression turned frosty:
"Director of the Hidden Management Department... quite capable, isn't he..."
"It seems the grand gift I prepared for you earlier is unnecessary now."
Hearing this, Natsuki sighed:
"Are you still hung up on me releasing you from the Prison Barrier?"
"Aya, even in another world, can't you understand me?"
"Back then, I stopped you because your technique would have killed hundreds of thousands on Itogami Island – not because of some management corporation's orders..."
'So now that we're in another world with no one I care about, I couldn't care less what crazy things you do...'
Natsuki held back the latter half of that thought, as saying it aloud would have struck her as somewhat odd.
Aya Tokoyogi's response to this was indifferent:
"How tedious."
"Indeed, whether you're a witch or not, you remain just as dull."
As she spoke, Aya Tokoyogi stood up and turned away impassively.
"Aya!" Natsuki quickly rose, attempting to stop her.
At that moment, Aya Tokoyogi, with her back still turned, said coolly:
"If you're about to suggest we both become common humans, spare me."
"Forcing your ideals onto others is foolish."
Turning her head slightly, Aya Tokoyogi fixed her crimson eyes on Natsuki:
"As I said before."
"The descendants of Behemoth only bring endless trouble."
"If I were you, I'd go back and warn that man to abandon his surveillance of Behemoth."
"Ah, I nearly forgot – it's already too late for that now."
"After all, the remnants of that demon noble in his possession are far more enticing to those Demon Warlocks than Behemoth's descendants."
"Even if you're no longer a witch, it seems you can't escape demons."
"Natsuki Minamiya..."
With these words, Aya Tokoyogi's figure dissolved into black ink, scattering through the air until vanishing into the surrounding colours.
Watching this, Natsuki, who had been reaching out, slowly lowered her hand and fell silent.
So besides Kisara, Truth Astronomy also targets what Luo Shu obtained from that demon noble...
Is it that Authority sealed within Luo Shu's body – the power of the viscount absorbed through the power of a Calamity Priest?
Natsuki Minamiya wasn't entirely clear about the specifics. After all, Aya Tokoyogi had her own thoughts, and revealing this much was already showing consideration for their past friendship.
Thinking this, Natsuki Minamiya couldn't help but curse under her breath:
"Whether it's demons or those madmen who worship them, every single one is utterly infuriating!"
But the immediate priority was to explain the situation clearly to Luo Shu.
Otherwise, if Luo Shu clashed with Aya again, she might lose her last chance to rescue Aya...
At this thought, Natsuki Minamiya suddenly paused, her expression turning suspicious:
"But come to think of it, why do I feel like after telling Luo Shu, he might be even more eager than I am to bring Aya back from Truth Astronomy..."
Long hair, kimono-clad beauty, the cool type... Natsuki Minamiya recalled the girls Luo Shu treated most warmly.
Whether it was Utaha Kasumigaoka or Yukino Yukinoshita, they all seemed to fit the same type.
It felt somewhat slanderous, but why did Natsuki Minamiya feel a twinge of nervousness?
Oh, right... she was also that type of girl.
In an instant, Natsuki Minamiya fell into deep silence.