Chapter 9: Why and How?

As the lecture droned on, Kuro used half of his mental faculties to listen in, while he used the other half to assess the situation.

Sitting right beside him was The Hero—his supposed natural enemy. He had chosen this college because of how little popularity it had. He had assumed that Heroes wouldn’t want anything to do with such a place, instead seeking an institution of great prestige.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized the recklessness in that kind of thinking. He did not know the Heroes values or standards, so how could he be so sure they would have any form of bias against the school.

But still, he had put in place countermeasures—several of them—or so he believed.

Kuro had persuaded Talmarius to rally up quite a number of Demons who had influence in the education sector. Their job was to report back to his reliable butler whenever a “potential” threat might want to enroll at this institution.

And up until now, there had been no issues with that plan.

So why…? Kuro raised a hand to support his chin. He threw a sly side glance at the person seated to his left—Irina Belova.

It seemed she felt his subtle gaze as she shifted a little in place trying not to meet his eyes—an uncharacteristically bashful gesture. That was no surprise. That level of perception should be completely normal for her. It also led to another pending question of his…

And how…?

How was she able to easily gain admission into this college in the fourth week of the first semester? How were his defenses so easily avoided? Just how deep did her connections go?

These were all the questions echoing in his mind…

● ● ●

The Previous Evening at Ground Zero…

“That is a photo of… ‘The Feather of the Creator’.”

“Indeed, it is.” Shun nodded with crossed arms at Irina’s words. “I took the photo on a trip to the Museum of Primordial Existences.”

Irina knew all about this establishment sited on a private island in Greece. The only people aware of this place were the members of the Heroic Clan and their associates.

She herself had gone there once as a child to see the monumental artefact.

Her befuddlement came from the fact that he had managed to take a single photo. The Feather of the Creator was said to have been found shortly after the birth of the Heroic Clan—the day when that godly light shone down from the Heavens.

It is believed to have come from a being of supreme status; possessing unparalleled power—depicted as a single encompassing ruler of all of creation by many faiths.

This feather had a twist to its nature: comprehending its existence.

Normally, when people attempt to take photos or draw portraits, it would appear blank. Blank on the film, and blank on the canvas as well. Sometimes it would be an entirely different object, say a flower, or a lion. Only in people’s thoughts and the words they spoke did they agree that it was indeed a feather.

So for the young and uncanny Shun to have managed this…

“I just happened to get lucky, I suppose,” Shun said airily with a raise of his shoulders. “Even though everything I do tends to oppose things like luck or chance, leading to precisely planned outcomes. But, whatever.”

“I think this goes beyond mere luck, Shun…” Irina could only mutter weakly as she admired the photo on that wall.

“Okay, let’s get to brainstorming ways to raise your—”

“I almost forgot!” Irina exclaimed, pinching her nose bridge. “The admission—for that college. I am sure the first semester has already begun. How will Osamu get me in?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I’ll be handling that, too.”

Irina cocked a brow as if to ask, “Are you going to solve every problem I encounter?”

“I know a few people in the academic sector. Some of them are tied to the Clan as well. Getting you in covertly this late into the semester would be as easy as naming all the elements on the periodic table.”

Shun gave an indulging chuckle after his remark, before quickly adding, “So yeah, leave all that to me.”

After that, Irina’s opinion of Shun went up by a decent amount of points…

● ● ●

Oh well… Guess I’ll focus on getting through this day for now. Kuro immediately directed the bulk of his attention to the rest of the lecture.

After the professor rounded up with some closing notes, he adjusted his spectacles and made for the door. The hall not long after started filling with idle chatter.

“Is she from overseas?”

“She’s definitely not from around here…”

“Sitting right next to Kuro, too.”

Kuro resisted the urge to hold his head in his hands as he picked up on all the gossip spreading around him.

Then suddenly, Irina began squinting at him—not a hint of discretion at play.

Is she about to make her move? Now?! Kuro pondered. Will she try to get back at me for before?

On the other side of things, Irina was trying very hard to remember something important.

Those clothes… They remind of that Demon I was chasing the other day. But his face…

She squinted harder.

His face is far too…different… Nothing like what I remember.

Her memory of that other face she had caught a glimpse for a short moment had grown…hazy.

Then her gaze broke off and she flicked her eyes over the crowd.

Three… Five… Eight…

The number of people who had a similar style of clothing to Kuro weren’t small at all. Little did she know that, they had started dressing like him after a little over two weeks since the semester began. His sense of style had left quite the impression.

Maybe this is the latest fashion trend… She faced him again. And I can’t sense magic of any sort coming from him.

She had made sure to memorize the sensation of the aura of the one she thought was the Demon King—not that she could ever forget such an overwhelming power…

Irina jerked her shoulders, now conscious that she was staring so rudely at someone she had “just met.”

“Oh, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Her cheeks slightly flushed. “I did not mean to stare—”

“No, I should be sorry,” Kuro said. “I’ve been thinking about how good your Japanese is. How long have you been here?”

“Not very long. I just came fairly recently from Russia.”

So she’s a foreigner, and she’s probably using Omni-Lingual to communicate, too.

As Kuro hypothesized, Irina was thinking of a different matter…

He complimented my Japanese? I am so glad I spent that night going over the dialect and tone. It is nice to know all that studying paid off…

She smiled at him, and Kuro smiled right back.

“Geez, get a room you two,” Hisashi muttered bitterly under his breath.

Kuro wished he knew just how dangerous she was. But, he had to admit. She was a real beauty, a truly fine young woman.

I wonder if she would look cute with glasses—Gargh! This is not the time for that!

“What are you studying?” Kuro decided to ask. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to know, Irina?”

Hisashi angled his ear to make sure he would hear whatever Irina responded.

“Business Admin. That is what I am here for.”

That was the final nail on the coffin. She was studying the exact same major as he and Shun. This was truly bothersome.

Kuro had chosen to study Business Admin for one singular goal: to one day open a little shop. At said shop, he’d would sell manga, DVDs, light novels and a bunch of other niche items. It was a little dream of his, one that Hisashi’s own dreams aligned with. A match made in Heaven, or was it Hell?

But that was beside the point. He had just received a bombshell of information. This called for action. Kuro needed a plan—any plan.

“Alright. Everyone, please settle down.” That was the next professor entering. She asked, “I hope everyone can hear me clearly from over here?”

Kuro lowered his head and grinned. Not because he could hear the professor just fine, or anything superficial like that, but because the peaceful, quite life he led had just received a new variable—The Hero…

The next lecture started, and the professor began speaking on principles like “value creation”, and “efficiency and optimization.” She said a business that didn’t do these things wouldn’t even be a business in the first place.

Kuro in a passing thought imagined a business that offered a service that would provide value by efficiently handling all your woes and worries by optimizing your life choices for the best possible outcome…

Like that would ever happen, Kuro groaned in his head.

And this was the beginning of a new phase of his life. A shift that would change everything he strived to achieve…forever…