Novas Etier, Seventh Floor, private bedroom.
Sunlight streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire room in a warm golden glow.
Higashino Makoto lay in bed, showing no intention of getting up, with the blanket only covering his waist.
Her long, silvery-white hair was scattered messily on the pillow, and her golden eyes were half-open, gazing at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling swaying gently in the breeze.
There was an indescribable scent in the air, a primal scent, belonging to the temperature of last night.
Jibril is gone.
When the term ends, a replacement will be appointed.
She didn't look back as she left, but Higashino Makoto noticed that her wings were trembling slightly.
Knock knock knock.
The knocking sounded, unhurried, three times, with even intervals.
Higashino Makoto did not get up.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open.
It wasn't pushed open abruptly, but rather slowly, with a certain unhurried rhythm, the hinges creaking softly.
Then, a series of light, rhythmic footsteps reached my ears.
Higashino Makoto turned his head to look at the doorway.
A figure stood in the doorway.
Her long, pale purple hair, like flowing water in the night, cascaded down her shoulders, glossy and smooth.
A pair of extremely long rabbit ears on its head, covered with unique wrinkles, and decorated with button-like ornaments at the base, are now tilted slightly backward.
That seemed to be a posture of tension.
Her crimson eyes were staring at him, and deep within her pupils seemed to flow an endless moonlit night.
She was tall and slender, with a straight back, upright posture, and elegant demeanor. She had no wildness about her and was more like a well-trained soldier.
A white shirt with a red tie, paired with a black suit jacket and a casual blazer with a mini skirt, and black over-the-knee socks.
The overall style resembles a modern private school uniform, but it blends surprisingly harmoniously into this floating city made of data.
Reisen ·Utankain·Inaba.
One of the twenty-four guardians of Novas Etier.
She stood at the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen, her back ramrod straight.
Those crimson eyes looked at Higashino Makoto, his face reflected in the pupils.
Her expression was calm, but Higashino Makoto noticed that her ears were trembling slightly, especially her long ears on her head.
"Master... Master."
She spoke, her voice clear and calm, but with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
"Reisen Udongein Inaba, from today onwards, will serve as your secretary. Nice to meet you."
She gave a slight bow, performing a standard ladylike curtsy.
Her movements were textbook perfect, but Higashino Makoto noticed that as she bent over, her long ears tilted back a few degrees.
"Come in."
Reisen straightened up and stepped into the room.
Her steps were light and graceful, each one as if measured.
Not too much, not too little, just half a step.
She walked to the bedside, stopped, and looked at Higashino Makoto with her crimson eyes. Then she quickly looked away, at the bedside table, at the curtains, and at the window, but dared not look at him.
Are you nervous?
Reisen's fingers suddenly clenched the hem of her skirt.
No... no.
"But your ears are trembling."
Reisen instinctively reached out and covered her ear, then quickly lowered her hand, her face slightly flushed.
"That... that's a normal physiological reaction."
Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds.
"Like Jibril, her wings also flutter."
Reisen's lips twitched slightly.
"Master, I... I am not Lady Jibril."
I know you two are cute in different ways.
Reisen's face turned even redder.
"Master... Master..."
That's the truth.
Reisen lowered her head, her long, pale purple hair falling down and obscuring her face.
But Higashino Makoto could see that her ears were red.
It was so red it looked like it was about to bleed.
Reisen.
"Exist!"
"Come over."
Reisen walked to the bedside and sat down beside him.
Her back remained ramrod straight, her hands rested on her knees, and her eyes were fixed on the wall in front of her, avoiding his gaze.
Higashino Makoto reached out and gently pinched her ear.
The long ears trembled slightly between his fingers, and the button-like ornaments at their base made a soft tinkling sound.
"Owner--!"
Is it soft?
"Soft..."
Your ears.
Reisen paused for a moment, then her face turned even redder.
"Master--You--You--"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing..."
Reisen lowered her head, her ears drooping down and obscuring her face.
She muttered something under her breath, so softly it was almost inaudible.
Higashino Makoto didn't hear clearly, nor did he ask any further questions.
He withdrew his hand, leaned back against the headboard, and stared at the ceiling with his golden eyes.
Reisen.
"Exist."
"Where's the intelligence?"
Reisen took a deep breath, composed herself, then stood up, walked to her desk, took a thick document from her briefcase, and presented it with both hands.
"Master, intelligence on the Third Gate has just arrived."
Higashino Makoto took the document and opened it.
The handwriting was neat and clear, and each page was marked with the date, location, and source of the information. It also included hand-drawn maps and a biological encyclopedia, just as well as the ones compiled by Jibril.
It seems the guardians have all received standardized training in paperwork.
"Swords and magic..."
He muttered to himself.
"Humans, Orc, Elf Kingdom... multiple Wisdom races coexist. Their level of civilization is roughly equivalent to the Middle Ages. They have a magic system, but it's not as sophisticated as YGGDRASIL's. They possess a blessing, a special power similar to an innate ability, which not everyone has. Those who possess it have power far exceeding that of ordinary people in certain areas..."
Higashino Makoto turned a page, his finger pausing briefly on a passage of text.
"The Vollachian Empire, Baharuth Empire primarily founded by humans, whose emperor seems to possess some kind of powerful force—"
He looked up at Reisen.
"Do you have any more detailed information?"
Reisen nodded and took another document from her briefcase.
"The Doppelganger infiltrated a border town of the Baharuth Empire and gathered some information about Blessing. It is said that those who possess Blessing are called the chosen ones of the gods, and their abilities are incredibly diverse; some are superhumanly strong, some can control fire, and some can communicate with animals."
Higashino Makoto's brows furrowed slightly.
He felt like he'd seen this setup somewhere before.
Swords and magic, humans and Orc, Elf Kingdom living together, blessings... these elements combined are very similar to a work he had read in his previous life.
But he couldn't remember which one it was for the moment.
I read too many anime and novels in my past life, and the various settings are intertwined, so my memories are already blurred.
"Look familiar..."
He said in a low voice.
"But I can't remember."
Reisen tilted her head, her ears twitching slightly.
"Master, do you think there's something wrong with this world?"
"He might just know a few things."
Higashino Makoto closed the document, stood up, walked to the coat rack, and took down his outer robe.
"Reisen, get ready, let's go take a look."
Reisen paused for a moment.
"Now?"
"Now."
Higashino Makoto fastened his belt, straightened his collar, and turned to look at her.
"Is there a problem?"
No... no.
Reisen shook her head, her ears twitching slightly with her movement.
"I just didn't expect the master to go in person."
"It shouldn't be a dangerous world. There's no harm in going to take a look. I can now see 'gods' and roughly determine the upper limit of the world. Plus, with the constantly evolving smaller worlds, escaping shouldn't be a problem."
Higashino Makoto walked up to her and looked down at her.
"Besides, aren't you new here? Let me show you around."
Reisen raised her head, her crimson eyes looking at him.
Something was gleaming in those eyes.
"Owner..."
"Um?"
"Thanks."
Higashino Makoto reached out and ruffled her hair. Her long, pale purple hair slid through his fingers, soft and smooth.
The long ears on its head twitched slightly, and the button-like ornaments at its base made a soft tinkling sound.
Let's go.
He turned around and walked towards the door.
Reisen followed behind him, her steps light and upright.
Her hands no longer trembled, and her ears no longer tilted back; they stood straight up.
The two left the room, walked out of the corridor, and entered the teleportation hall of Novas Etier's Seventh Floor.
Higashino Makoto stood before the portal of light, his golden eyes gazing at the flowing curtain of light.
The light curtain was deep purple, with occasional ripples spreading from the center to the edges, as if something was swimming on the surface of water. This was the third of the three large doors in the small world.
Reisen stood behind him, holding a notebook in her hands, her crimson eyes fixed on him.
"Master, are you ready?"
"Ready."
Higashino Makoto reached out and pressed his hand on the light screen.
The light barrier dented beneath his palm, then cracked.
The light curtain split from the center to both sides, revealing a pitch-black passage.
Higashino Makoto strode into the passage, Reisen took a deep breath and followed him.
The passage was short. As he stepped out of the darkness, Higashino Makoto squinted, adjusting his eyes to the change in light.
The sunlight fell on my face, warm but not scorching.
"The air is nice."