Chapter 1 – The Witch and the Bicycle

The night air of the city was cool, the streets glowing with neon. Claire Laradam, with her long white hair flowing like moonlight, walked without a care, her crimson eyes fixed on the sky instead of the road.

Which is why she didn’t notice the bicycle rushing straight toward her.

“Out of the way—!”

BAM!

The crash sent Claire stumbling back. Her robe fluttered, her pride bruised more than her body.

“Are you blind?! Do you have any idea who you just ran into?!” she snapped, glaring at the boy who had knocked her over.

The rider—messy black hair, sharp golden eyes—didn’t flinch. He brushed dust off his shirt, utterly calm.

“Next time, watch where you’re walking, Miss… Cosplayer.”

“COS—WHAT?!” Claire’s voice cracked through the street like thunder. Passersby turned their heads as if a street performance had just begun.

Enraged, she raised her hand, summoning sparks of crimson magic. “You dare insult me? I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Her spell shot straight for his bicycle wheel.

Crack!

Instead of exploding, her magic shattered like glass midair, fading into nothing. Claire’s jaw dropped.

“…What?!”

The boy simply pushed his bicycle past her, uninterested.
“Try harder next time, Cosplayer.”

“Ughhh! You arrogant mortal!” Claire stomped her foot, cheeks red from humiliation.

Later that night, she arrived at the small apartment her sister had arranged. Inside, she found an elderly woman waiting with a warm smile.

“Welcome, dear. I’m Sentou Suzuki. You’ll be staying here. Many witches will soon arrive for the Humanity Test tomorrow. Try to get along, alright?”

Claire rolled her eyes.
“Tch. I don’t care about other witches. I’ll pass this test faster than anyone.”

With her pockets stuffed with coins and notes from her world, Claire dove into human pleasures: eating, shopping, partying. She threw bills around like confetti, grinning ear to ear.

“Ahhh, the human world is amazing! I could live here forever!”

But when hunger struck again, her nose caught a scent that made her stomach growl.

“Th-this smell… it’s heavenly…”

Drawn like a moth to flame, she stumbled into a local restaurant.

“Welcome, miss! Table for one?” a waiter asked.

Before she could answer, her crimson eyes froze on the figure serving drinks across the room.

“Y-you…!” Claire pointed dramatically. “YOU’RE THE ONE FROM LAST NIGHT!”

Sentou Kaji looked up, holding a tray, unfazed.
“Oh, it’s you. The cosplayer girl. Feeling better?”

“Cos—stop calling me that! Because of you, I’m hurt! Do you know what that means?!”

The entire restaurant quieted. Customers leaned in, whispers rising.

“Did that boy… assault her?”

“How shameless… taking advantage of such a beauty…”

The manager slammed a hand on the counter, glaring.
“Kaji-kun! What have you done to this young lady?!”

Sentou sighed, setting a glass in front of Claire with perfect calm.
“You’ve got it wrong, Manager. She’s not as innocent as she looks. And besides…” he narrowed his eyes at Claire, his voice dropping. “…I know why you’re here. You came to this world for that ridiculous ‘Humanity Test,’ didn’t you?”

Claire blinked.
“H-how do you know about—”

Sentou’s gaze sharpened, his tone cold.
“It’s a waste of time. On the battlefield, no test of manners or humanity will save you.”

Her mind spun. A strange dread crept in when she remembered the name the old woman had told her earlier.

Sentou Suzuki…
Which meant this boy was—

Her chair screeched as she leapt to her feet, eyes wide.
“Y-YOU MEAN TO TELL ME… YOU’RE HER GRANDSON?!”

The whole restaurant burst into confused murmurs. Sentou only sighed, adjusting his tray.

“…And here I thought my shift was going to be quiet.”