/CUCKOO/ /CUCKOO/

With shining sunlight coming from the windows, Aliya woke up early in the morning.

"Ahh!"

However, before she could even stand up from the place she was lying, a sudden pain assaulted her on her lower abdomen, making her flinch.

'That's right, last night we.... I finally became one with Callius.'

Remembering the things she and he did on the last night, her face got red for a second.

'He was like a beast.'

With her hand touching her lower sacred place, she thought.

'But, he was so good. It is not his first time, isn't it? I wish that was me.'

Who wouldn't like being his/her partner's first time in the first place?

Looking around to see any signs of Callius around, she saw a note and a sphere nearby.

"What is this? Did Callius leave that?"

Seeing the note, she slowly stood up and grabbed that reading it.

"Ah.... I see.... So, this orb is what my father got for me as my birthday present, and this is how we will be talking from now on."

Mumbling like that while reading the note, her eyes fired up again.

'This time, I will really show him how valuable I am that he won't ever think of leaving me. I will make sure of it.'

Before she could even realize it, her thought process had already changed.

If before she was trying to be worthy of Callius in her mind, now she is trying to show him how good she was.

And this was her first step to becoming the real self that she would have been in the game.

It was at that moment that the future Demoness of Money regained her future characteristics.

'I will pull your legs if you seduce another lady while I am not with you.'

With a smile on her face, she thought, looking at the greenery from the window.

'I am looking forward to meeting you at the academy.'

******

After a very good and long night with Aliya, she was exhausted at the end.

It was a very normal thing considering it was her first time.

And I don't know why, but bidding my goodbyes to others is not my type.

I don't like doing that.

When you leave the person like that, it leaves the impression of mystery, and that either would make the other party overly anxious or would make them remember the night more.

In Aliya's case, this will be the second scenario. I am pretty sure of that.

Therefore, after seeing her sleeping soundly, I grabbed the pen and left the room, grabbing my clothes and everything.

'She will be able to contact me with this orb, anyway.'

Thinking that, I left the inn feeling the cold night breeze coming through my face.

Although it was an active night, that was nowhere close enough to tire me of a three-star knight.

Therefore, even a sleep of two hours was enough to bring me to my top condition.

Well, not my top condition but enough to train.

Since tonight will be our last lesson with Akira, I first reached my room while looking at the bright moon and the darkness surrounding the sky. I remember the first time I came to this world.

'It has already been a year, isn't it? From being two different souls to becoming one. From being a college student and a villain child of the story to Callius. And this was just the beginning.'

'All Seeing Eye.'

With my [All Seeing Eye] opened, I started looking at the sky.

'Today is indeed the day I got my class for the first time. The day of Night's Fall.'

Seeing the mana fluctuations, I thought.

And then reached the place where I promised Akira to meet.

There I saw a man with a straw hat hanging over his head.

With bright black kimono on his waist and a hakama hanging over his legs, he was leaning towards the tree behind him, slowly blowing a flute.

"You are here."

"I am."

"Are you ready for the last lesson?"

"...."

"Answer me."

"I am."

"I see. That's good, then."

"....."

"Before we start, let me ask you. Have you ever heard of something by the name of Otakemaru?

'Otakemaru, huh? The evil yokai was represented in Japanese mythology. But, I have never heard of such a thing in this world, neither in the game.'

"No."

"I see....."

"Then, let me begin with our family first. As you already know, we have different clans that go as the nobility of this continent. And all those clans stemmed from one simple family that would rule those lands. We call them Samurai Families."

"My family was such a Samurai Family, Renshou Clan. We were one of the strongest families in our land, with our unique sword style and strong warriors that founded our family. Every patriarch of our family had a unique strength. Even if our warriors were behind in number and strength, the strength of the patriarch would always close the gap making the balance in our lands at the same time, making our family one of the strongest.

"However, there was one thing that was hidden in the backlines. In this world, there is no power that comes without a price. And, of course, such power that wouldn't fit the common sense had its own price."

"It was related to the children of the lineage. Aside from one child that would be chosen as the future leader of the family, every other child would be sacrificed for the sake of the family to the being our family made the deals with."

"Otakemaru, huh?"

"That's right. The life of the children of our family would be sacrificed to the Otakemaru, aside from that one child chosen. That was how I lost my brothers and sisters one by one, not knowing anything about this cruel truth."

"But that is not everything isn't it?"

"You are right. In case the people of the family would betray the deal made, there is that one condition. The body of the person youngest would be the vessel of the Otakemaru, making him descend to the mortal world, on Yoru Ochiru."

"I see. So, that's why you were trying your best to teach me your techniques."

"That's right. To make you beat it."

/SCHLINK/

"Now, Callius. Let us begin our final lesson."

With his sword raised from his handle, he locked his eyes with mine.

"Show me your prowess."

/SWOOSH/

And dashed towards me with the sword in his hands raised....