Free The Amphisbaena by Gakuto Mikumo

very few people who knew of his true nature. That an unregistered demon like Kojou could continue living as an ordinary high school student was thanks to the strings she was pulling as an Attack Mage.
    But the price of that was that Natsuki occasionally asked him to help her with her side jobs. Invariably, Kojou had a near-death experience as a result.
    “I get the circumstances, but why do I have to help you out? Ain’t there anyone else?!”
    “Astarte is still being readjusted. She’s only just finished healing from the gunshot wounds Gardos gave her… But if you refuse to cooperate, I suppose I’ll have to have her help, anyway?”
    Natsuki invoked the name of the homunculus she had been granted protective custody of. Kojou couldn’t help but shudder at Natsuki’s underhanded negotiating tactics, as if she was using an injured person as a hostage.
    “Also, Dimitrie Vattler gave me a warning. He said not to involve you in this incident.”
    “The heck?! Aren’t you completely ignoring his warning, then?!”
    “If it annoys him, of course I’m going to do it.”
    Pettiness notwithstanding, Natsuki grandly puffed up her chest as she spoke.
    “We’ll rendezvous at nine PM at Thetis Mall. Don’t be late. If you’re even
one second
late, I’ll send compromising pictures of you and Aiba in the art classroom to the cell phones of all your classmates.”
    “…Why do
you
have something like that?!”
    Kojou let out an unrestrained shriek at Natsuki’s earth-shaking pronouncement.
    “Because I’m your homeroom teacher.
    “Huhuun,” went Natsuki with a proud smile. Kojou couldn’t judge how much she was joking and how much she was dead serious.
She really is a woman with no conscience
, thought Kojou.
    “…Gimme a break,” Kojou murmured helplessly as he watched Natsuki casually walk off.
    The crimson setting sun seemed to burn into the top of his head. Night would soon visit the Demon Sanctuary of Itogami Island…
6
    Thetis Mall was a commercial district right in the center of Island West.
    It was a convenient place with specialty shops, restaurants, and movie theaters lined up side by side, but Kojou didn’t really like how they were, quite naturally, all jumbled together. He liked even less the lethal crowd density in front of the station on Friday nights and on weekends. Natsuki appeared at the rendezvous point within those crowds just before eleven PM , or nearly two hours after the appointed time had passed.
    “…You’re late! And the heck’s with that outfit?! Aren’t you doing Attack Mage work here?!”
    Glaring as Natsuki walked over in a showy
yukata
, Kojou shouted, heedless of those being bothered around him.
    But Natsuki’s expression did not change.
    “Don’t get excited, brat. I saw there was a festival at a shopping district nearby. I thought I’d treat Astarte to some nighttime shopping.”
    “At least call to let me know that, geez!”
    “What are you angry for? I even bought you some fried octopus. Here, eat.”
    “…Well that’s nice of you.”
    Natsuki offered the package of fried octopus; Kojou indignantly took it.
    In front of Kojou, a little girl with what somehow seemed to be an artificially beautiful face quietly bowed her head.
    She had indigo-colored hair and a perfectly symmetrical, doll-like face. She was Astarte the homunculus. She, like Natsuki, was wearing a
yukata
. Her pale, lavender-colored eyes really went well with her hair.
    “We are one hour, fifty-six minutes late to our rendezvous. I apologize, Fourth Primogenitor.”
    “Nah, you don’t have anything to apologize for. …Did you have fun?”
    “…Affirmative,” Astarte curtly replied. Her tone was as robotic as usual, but she did seem cheerful.
    During that time, Natsuki’s gaze shifted to behind Kojou with an annoyed, reproachful look.
    “And what are
you
doing here, transfer student?”
    “I am the Fourth Primogenitor’s watcher, after all,” replied Yukina, wearing her school uniform