“I’m back~”
Via pushed open the dorm door and tossed her bag onto the floor.
“Meow~”
The little yellow cat lounging in the corner spotted Via’s return and happily trotted over, gently nibbling at her white stockings.
“Hm? Were you waiting for me to come home?”
Via bent down and scooped the little yellow cat into her arms.
She was genuinely surprised. She had assumed the cat would stop coming by while she was away from the dorm.
“Meow meow!”
The little yellow cat let out a sweet, coquettish cry in response.
“So when I wasn’t here, you were watching the place for me, right?”
“Meow!”
“Then, did anyone come in?”
“Meow meow!”
“Good kitty, good kitty!”
Via rubbed the little yellow cat’s head, thinking to herself—This little guy is actually pretty useful. He even helps guard the place?
Maybe I should think about giving him a proper name.
By now, he was practically half her pet. She couldn’t keep calling him “little cat” forever, could she?
But whether in her past life or this one, she’d never owned a pet before. She had no idea what kind of name would suit a kitten.
Lost in thought, Via walked into the dorm’s living room. She immediately noticed the place had turned into a complete mess—clearly the work of the little yellow cat running wild while she was gone.
“I take back what I said earlier. You’re not a good cat at all—you’re a bad cat!!!”
“…… The maglev airship has already returned to Avalon Academy. If Via is okay, she should be back at the academy by now, right?”
A girl wearing a white beret and plain clothes stepped into the grounds of Avalon Academy.
She looked anxious, glancing around as if searching for something.
“Sophie, where are you right now?”
A familiar voice came through the communication device—none other than Archbishop Belon.
“Why did you disobey my orders and leave the Holy Knight Order without permission? Do you have no regard for the Holy Land at all?”
“Archbishop?”
Sophie lowered her head, staring at the device in her hand as Belon’s scolding poured out relentlessly.
“Answer me! Return to the Holy Knight Order immediately—right now—and follow them back to the Holy Land! His Holiness the Pope wishes to see you. Do you understand?”
“No……”
Sophie hadn’t confirmed Via’s safety yet. She couldn’t return to the Holy Land now.
She needed to see Via first.
“Sophie! A major incident occurred at the Demon King’s Castle ruins. As a cleric, you must return to the Holy Land and report everything you know to His Holiness the Pope in full detail! This is my final warning—obey the order at once! Otherwise, severe punishment awaits you!!”
Belon continued pressuring her.
Sophie didn’t respond. She ignored his command entirely, tossed the Holy Land’s communication device into a trash bin, and headed toward the academy dorms based on her memory.
When she reached the bottom of Via’s dorm building, she spotted a pink-haired girl angrily carrying a little yellow cat as she stormed outside.
“You bad cat, you’re not staying in my dorm tonight!”
“Via!”
Sophie called out her sister’s name. Without thinking, she rushed forward and pulled her precious family member into a tight embrace.
“Ah? Sister?”
Via was utterly shocked.
She hadn’t expected Sophie to chase her all the way to Avalon Academy.
Because of Sophie’s sudden movement, the beret fell from her head, revealing her dazzling rose-red long hair. It instantly drew the attention of nearby students.
“Red hair? Isn’t that Senior Sophie?”
“It really is! Why is Senior Sophie back at our academy?”
“Senior Sophie!!”
The students grew excited.
Via’s heart sank.
Though there weren’t many people around the dorm entrance yet, Sophie’s popularity would soon draw a crowd and turn the area into a mob.
Before things got out of hand, she grabbed Sophie’s hand.
“Follow me!”
“Huff, huff……”
Via leaned against a wall, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
She was now in a small grove somewhere on the academy grounds.
This spot was relatively secluded compared to other areas—perfect for talking.
She had originally planned to take Sophie back to the dorm, but after running a few steps, she remembered what happened last time. Not wanting any more accidents, she brought her here instead.
“No one else should come around here, Sister.”
“Mm……”
Sophie seemed distracted.
“Sister, how did you—”
Before Via could finish, Sophie raised her hand and gently caressed her cheek.
“Via, you’re safe. Thank goodness. I was so worried about you.”
“Safe? Sister, what do you mean? I don’t quite understand. I’m standing right here, perfectly fine, aren’t I?”
“Did you participate in Avalon Academy’s exploration activity and go to the Demon King’s Castle on the maglev airship?”
Sophie asked seriously.
“Um……”
Via averted her gaze.
She didn’t understand how Sophie knew about this.
“Sister, I did participate. Something pretty dangerous happened during the activity, so the academy ended it early. I only just got back.”
“The academy’s director of instruction led some instructors deep into the Demon King’s Castle ruins, where they were attacked by demons. There’s been no word from them since.”
“Ah? The Demon King’s Castle ruins are that dangerous?”
Via feigned surprise.
“Yes. I was so worried that you might have been among them and gotten hurt.”
“I didn’t go that deep, Sister. I stayed on the outskirts of the ruins the whole time—I even got lost for a bit. But luckily, I got the message from the academy and returned to camp. Nothing happened to me. After that, I just came back with the instructors.”
Via explained.
“So that’s what happened?”
“Sister, how did you know about all this?”
Via asked, even though she already knew the answer.
“I was nearby at the time, heading to the rescue with the Holy Knight Order. That’s when it happened.”
Sophie paused. Her crimson eyes stared straight into Via’s, as if trying to capture every tiny movement.
“A demon who resembled Demon King Ville.”
“The Demon King?”
Via put on a terrified expression.
“You mean that Demon King Ville who once started the war?”
“It’s very likely him.”
“Demon King Ville is humanity’s mortal enemy—an utterly evil being. After Lady Silver Sword Princess killed him, he should have gone to hell to pay for his countless sins. How could he possibly still be alive!”
Via displayed the fear and rejection toward the Demon King that any human would feel, without a single flaw.
“It could be that we were mistaken. The pressure at the time was immense…… Anyway, Via, I’m just glad you’re safe. You must never go to dangerous places again.”
“Mm, Sister. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
On the surface, Via seemed shaken, but inside, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Sophie was overjoyed that Via was alive and unharmed.
But without her sister noticing, her expression changed. She lowered her gaze.
Because—
She knew Via had lied to her.
The cross necklace she had sensed on Ville was still around Via’s neck right now.
That sensation hadn’t been an illusion.
For the first time since they were born, her twin sister—who had never held anything back from her—had deceived her.