One-way traffic

Although it was just a small salon room, she still prepared a simple meal herself.

Using the ingredients in the salon's refrigerator, I made a simple version of spaghetti bolognese... and it tasted pretty good.

"Is it a little too high in calories... I hope it won't make me fat?"

Bang! !

The girl was having dinner alone when the door was kicked open.

It was kicked open again... This poor door had already suffered a fatal blow this morning.

Kakine Teitoku walked in from outside the door.

He kicked the door open in great displeasure and leaned his whole body against the door frame.

"Ah, welcome back... or should I say that?"

"...Why are you still here?"

"They've become your manager, so it's only natural for them to stay here, right?"

Yuzai Haimi put the pasta she had just taken a bite of back on the table.

He casually picked up the contract documents that had been lying there for almost a day and waved them at Kakine Teitoku with a smile.

"Judging from your appearance, you probably came back without even having eaten, right?"

"What do you tube."

"There's some noodles I just made in the kitchen. I made a little extra, but if someone wants some, I can just ignore it."

Tsk. Kakine Teitoku curled his lip in even more displeasure.

He ignored everything Yu Caihai said and simply sat back down in his chair with his legs crossed.

"Hmm~ But I think you probably aren't in the mood for food right now."

However, even Yuki Ayami could still see a little bit.

"After all, the expression on your face right now is quite terrible."

bang-

Immediately afterwards, another loud bang was heard from beside me.

Kakine Teitoku, who had just sat down, suddenly stood up.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, expressionless, like a machine, staring intently at me.

"That's about enough of a fuss, you damn woman."

Even so, Yuzai Haimi remained indifferent to this.

She smiled lightly and looked at Kakine Teitoku.

"Although I don't know the details, the direction you went should be where the chairman of the board is located."

"..."

"Didn't you say it a long time ago? Your goal all along has been to see that person, the man who rules the entire Academy City. During the Dark Side War, that's why you chose to seek out Accelerator, who was number one."

"Chairman, that bastard Aleister isn't even there."

"...I see."

After hearing what Kakine Teitoku said, Yuki Aya paused for a moment.

"However, I think that even if the chairman is still in that building, it wouldn't make any sense for you to go looking for him."

"What did you say?"

A series of words made Kakine Teitoku frown deeply.

A dense, dark aura began to emanate from his entire body.

"Listen carefully, I haven't taken action in a long time."

He simply pulled one hand out of his pocket.

With this action, an unparalleled, violent tremor reverberated throughout the entire room.

It was as if, in the next instant, this salon room would be destroyed with Kakine Teitoku's action.

"But that doesn't mean I'm a guy without a temper."

"Yes, this must have hit a nerve with you to some extent."

Even when facing such a danger that could kill them at any moment.

Yu Caihai remained unmoved.

It's not just because she's a mental ability user; it's clear that Kakine Teitoku wouldn't actually kill himself right now.

Furthermore, it was because she was once a teammate of Kakine Teitoku in the same organization.

because of this.

She only knew a little about some of the secrets hidden in this man's heart that others didn't know.

"You don't need to vent your anger on me at all."

Despite the surrounding rooms bearing the brunt of Academy City's second-ranked wrath, which could erupt at any moment.

But Yuki Ayami's tone remained unchanged.

"Because you know it better than anyone else."

She painstakingly uncovered Kakine Teitoku's true thoughts, word by word.

correct.

He already knew this before he even went to see Aleister.

"Even if you actually met the city's chairman, Aleister Crowley, you still wouldn't be able to get him to make the slightest change."

He was the second-ranked person in Academy City, second only to the first, and after that, he experienced a tremendous change that even he himself found unbelievable.

He even came close to becoming a holistic superpowered individual at one point.

It's no longer possible to analyze him using the title of Level 5 Superpower User alone. Even the researchers in this city couldn't figure out just how incredible the true potential contained within this title truly is.

…However, it's meaningless.

Even with her incredible abilities, she could never make someone like Aleister take her seriously.

"You are indeed second only to Accelerator, but that won't change anything."

Second place is second place. No matter how good you are, there is no possibility of turning the tide unless you are first.

…No.

Ultimately, there's no need to get hung up on titles like first or second in Academy City.

Even if Kakine Teitoku actually managed to kill Accelerator, who was ranked number one, and elevate himself to the position of number one during the Anbu Wars, he would still be a prime example.

The chairman of the board, Aleister, would also ignore him.

Because what he cares about is not simply a title like "ranking of ability users".

Rather, it is the true self-worth that each person possesses and belongs to them.

in other words--

“In Aleister’s eyes, it seems that everyone has something to do, from the ordinary passersby to the core of the whole plan... He believes that everything is something that is meant to be done.”

If Yu Caihai knew about Aleister Crowley's code of conduct throughout his life, as well as the contents of his books, she would be able to express Aleister's thoughts more accurately.

"All people are like stars."

Even if you become number one, you can't change your status or the things you should be doing in Aleister's eyes.

"Because you are not Accelerator... but Kakine Teitoku."

"Therefore, Aleister will not let you do what Accelerator does, and you are destined not to receive the treatment that Accelerator should receive."

"Similarly, even Accelerator, who is number one, cannot do what you can do."

It was precisely because of this extremely subtle difference that Kakine Teitoku was unable to achieve his goal no matter what.

…Stand before the city's chairman and negotiate directly with him.

I will become the center of this city.

I will be able to completely change this city.

...that kind of thinking.

"Shut up, I've already said it."

Kakine Teitoku took a deep breath and sighed again, looking bored.

When he raised his head again, his expression had completely returned to calm.

"This has nothing to do with you. What I plan to do is none of your business."

"...Oh dear? Could it be that I said something wrong?"

Yuzai Haimi playfully placed her hand on her lips.

"...You are indeed wrong."

"Eh…?"

But the next sentence left the girl stunned.

Kakine Teitoku turned his head.

His eyes, on the contrary, were filled with a completely different look.

What you said before was my previous thought.

"The reasons why I wanted to meet that bastard Aleister... those preconditions have long since changed on my end."

Yuu Aya remained standing there, her expression one of surprise.

But that is indeed the truth.

At this moment, after regaining his composure, Kakine Teitoku's eyes seemed to be filled with a completely different look than before.

That's something that Yu Caihaimi can't understand yet.

In other words, the man in front of you...

She has completely become an unfathomable being, an "unpredictable psychological construct."

"...Then do as you please."

This caused her expression to turn completely displeased.

With a thud, the girl sat down on the sofa, only to see Kakine Teitoku walk into the side room, followed by a series of noisy sounds.

"What are you doing now?"

"As you can see."

Then, Kakine Teitoku came out of the room.

He sat down at the table, holding a plate of spaghetti.

"Let's eat first and then talk about it."

"…snort."

Yu Caihai looked at this man she couldn't understand at all and turned her head away in displeasure.

--------------------------

Academy City at 7 PM.

Before nightfall, a sudden announcement was broadcast that "no one is allowed to go out at any time tomorrow," and as a result, more people went out tonight.

Black holes around the world seem to have stopped moving. Could it be that the monsters have completely given up attacking them...?

With this in mind, some people went out into the streets, thinking things like, "Maybe this is the last day of my life, so I'll enjoy myself to the fullest," and started to have a great time in the city.

And so it has evolved into the scene we see today.

"Oh my, look at Reimu! These people seem to find our appearance quite novel."