Misaki City, outskirts, safehouse.
The moment Samael stepped through the door, he caught the heavy smell of smoke. Looking around, he saw a pile of crushed cigarette butts in the glass ashtray on the table, along with seven or eight empty beer cans and several takeout boxes of ochazuke and beef bowls. The place was a complete mess.
What had gotten into Touko? Why was she letting herself go more and more?
Seeing the filthy scene, the ancient serpent raised a hand to his forehead and muttered to himself.
Unable to stand it any longer, Samael swiftly drew the curtains, opened the windows to air out the room, sorted the trash and clutter into garbage bags, and even sprayed air freshener several times.
As he cleaned, a note pinned beneath a beer can caught his eye, along with a line of Rune code scrawled drunkenly across it.
"Six in the evening. Shopping street. Ahnenerbe Cafe. Table Three."
"Isn't that friend of yours here?"
Arcueid, who had been waiting outside, could not help peering curiously into the room as she asked.
"Mm, she went out."
The ancient serpent turned with a smile. At the same time, a spark rose from the fingers behind his back, silently burning the note to ash after he had read it. Then he gestured toward the alley nearby.
Before long, as ripples spread through the air like waves across water, five figures emerged from the dim corners and approached one after another.
Samael opened the door and ushered Arcueid and Altrouge, the two sisters, along with Arachne, the Blood Ancestor carrying Kuonji Alice on her back, as well as Fou and Ren, the two beasts, into the room.
Guests deserved hospitality, and Samael was the sort of hedonist who cared about quality of life and never