Shichen's attention was drawn to the small figure of the girl in front of him.
The words "holy maiden" imdiately appeared in his mind. Faced with her in person, he realized she truly lived up to that description.
A gentle smile adorned the girl's face, making it feel like a warm spring breeze had washed over him; the dire surroundings no longer mattered. Clearly, she didn't quite fit in with the environnt.
Her snow-white, silvery hair and pale blue eyes shone like glacial light, emanating a noble air that was difficult to describe—pure and otherworldly, quite unlike an ordinary mortal.
Though her face was delicate and sowhat youthful, her height was not childlike—presumably related to the fact that she wasn't of local (Japanese) heritage.
She wore a short-sleeved uniform, which Shichen recognized as belonging to a nearby elentary school. In other words, she was still just a primary-schooler; yet she was already so tall, her refined features making her look like a middle-school student.
"Um..." The silver-haired girl spoke again, trying to get his attention.
"Sorry." Snapping out of it, Shichen gave an apologetic smile. "I didn't an to intrude."
"It's all right..." The silver-haired girl lowered her head sowhat shyly. Whether it was because she was astonished by his appearance or simply her natural personality was unclear.
"Little one, why are you here by yourself?" Shichen asked, though he already had a guess.
"I... um..." The silver-haired girl glanced at the stray cats gathered around her feet, hesitating.
"I see. You've co here to feed the little cats, right?" Shichen said kindly.
"Mm..." She nodded slightly.
"No need to worry. I'm a teacher at Saikai Private Academy. My na is Shichen. I was just wandering around this area in my free ti," he explained gently.
"I see." A look of relief flickered across the silver-haired girl's face. She raised her gaze, offering him a soft smile.
"Sensei, hello. I'm Kanase Kanon."
She seed to trust him the mont he introduced himself.
"Hase—so these stray cats here, did you take them in?" Shichen asked.
"Um... that should be okay, right?" Kanase Kanon tentatively looked at Shichen, like a small, wary animal—making her all the more endearing.
"It's definitely fine. At least, I have no issue with it."
"Th-thank you very much, Sensei."
"Why thank ? I'm not in charge of this place." Shichen chuckled, shaking his head.
"Uh..." At a loss for words, Kanase Kanon lowered her head bashfully.
"So," Shichen continued, "why have you brought all these strays here? How do you manage on your own?"
Kanase Kanon simply nodded her head, then bent down a little. "They don't really need to look after them. I only co by sotis to check on them."
"'Sotis'?"
"...Sorry, it's actually every day," she said, self-conscious.
"You don't have to apologize to . This place isn't mine either. But how co you decided on this spot?"
"Once, this used to be a convent. I stayed here...they took in."
"Ah, so it's actually your place, then?" Shichen teased.
"N-no!" Alard, she waved her hands. "It doesn't belong to . I'm just borrowing it for a while."
"Ha, I'm just teasing you. It's abandoned anyway, so feel free to use it."
"...Sensei is kind of an," Kanase Kanon said, feigning annoyance.
"My apologies. As compensation, how about I help you look after these strays?"
"Huh? Really?" Kanase Kanon's eyes lit up in disbelief. "Are you sure, Sensei?"
He nodded. "I do like kittens, too. I can't resist if I see them. If my place allowed pets, I'd take one ho. But at least I can help you out here."
"Sensei, thank you!" she exclaid, then bowed deeply to him.
"That's not necessary. I benefit just as much—I get to play with them."
"Sensei really is a kind person," she said softly, beaming at the cats. Her face glowed with happiness.
"w~" as if in response, the little cats rubbed against her ankles, letting out soft cries.
This heartwarming scene briefly transfixed Shichen. With Kanase Kanon's sacred aura and the cats' affection, it cleansed his mind.
"How do you know I'm kind?" Shichen asked out of curiosity.
"I just get that feeling," she replied with a grin.
"So that's it."
Perhaps her special intuition had told her he posed no harm. And indeed, he was acting gently.
Under her guidance, Shichen soon got along well with all seven kittens. One particular snowy cat beca especially attached and nuzzled into his arms of its own accord.
"Sensei, Snow-chan seems to really like you," Kanase Kanon observed joyfully.
"So her na is Snow-chan, huh? Seems we have a connection. Sha I can't take her ho."
After all, Natsuki's apartnt didn't allow pets. Even if Shichen tried to persuade her, the building's rules were unlikely to change.
"It's okay. As long as you co see them now and then, that's plenty," Kanase Kanon reassured him sweetly.
"I didn't bring anything for them to eat today. Maybe I'll co back in the afternoon with so food for them."
"Sensei, you'll really co back this afternoon?"
"Sure. I'm a PE teacher, so my schedule's not heavy," Shichen answered with a smile.
"In that case, can I join you later?"
"You want to co, too?"
"I—I was thinking of dropping by after school. Is that all right?"
"Why ask ?" Shichen chuckled. "Aren't you worried about your family?"
"It's fine... My father doesn't restrict my movents."
"Your father, huh..."
"Actually, I was adopted. But he's my mother's brother, so he treats well," she said.
"I see." Shichen silently clenched his fist, then gave her an approving nod. "You really are kind."
"I just like small animals."
"That's a good thing. I love them, too, so we do get along."
"Mm."
"Then it's settled. After school, I'll wait here for you."
"Thank you, Sensei."
"Sure. Let's wrap up for now. You'd better head back to school. It's still a distance away, right? I can stay with Snow and the others for a bit."
"All right, Sensei. Thank you again. I'll be going."
"Sure. Take care."
Kanase Kanon walked off, pausing every few steps to look back, then eventually descended the hill and vanished from sight.
Shichen didn't leave right away. He played with the kittens a bit longer, certain that she wouldn't be returning for now, then stood up.
"Snow-chan, can you gather the others and wait over there?" he said softly.
"w~"
Seemingly understanding, Snow-chan led the other kittens off to hide away from the ruined building.
Feeling glad about the cat's cleverness, Shichen stepped up to the tal plaque with its intertwined serpents.
[Detected the Wiseman's Alchemical Blood. Use a fragnt of divinity to activate?]
Wiseman's Blood—an independent, crimson liquid-tal lifeform created by the alchemist Nina Adelard. Inserting one's soul into this lifeform would theoretically grant them true immortality.
The key lies in a certain red gemstone called a "Hard Core." By rging their consciousness with that core, they could fuse with the blood yet retain their mind, effectively transforming themselves into an immortal tallic being comparable to a vampire primogenitor's power.
Shichen had co here precisely because he recalled this Wiseman's Blood. Though he wasn't interested in turning himself into a tal-based lifeform—he already possessed an immortal body—what if he could absorb the Wiseman's Blood to acquire magic power?
Opportunity favors the prepared. It was worth trying.
He knew about the "Hard Core," but given that he had his fragnt of divinity, there might be a way to attempt it. Sure enough, it seed he'd guessed correctly.
~~~
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