From the Warlord's Empire

by Gakuto Mikumo

Kojou replied with a question as he put a shopping basket on top of a shopping cart left near the entrance.

  “The Warlord’s Empire?”

  “A Dominion in Eastern Europe…the land under the control of the First Primogenitor. You know about the First Primogenitor, the ‘Lost Warlord,’ yes?”

  “I’ve heard the name, at least. That’s the vampire conqueror served by seventy-two Beast Vassals…isn’t it?”

  Kojou was flabbergasted that something so completely nonsensical had come out of his own mouth.

  After all, even a single Beast Vassal controlled by a primogenitor-class vampire could wipe out a city or two; they were genuine monsters. He couldn’t wrap his mind around controlling dozens of them.

  He felt like he should doubt that such a being could even exist.

  It was actually Kojou, thinking such thoughts, who was the World’s Mightiest Vampire, surpassing even the First Primogenitor, but…

  “It is said that the Holy Ground Treaty that enabled the coexistence of man and demon was made possible only with that ruler’s cooperation. Otherwise, the remaining primogenitors probably never would have joined the negotiations, for even among fellow primogenitors, the Warlord’s Empire boasts overwhelming military superiority and is the oldest Dominion.”

  Yukina explained the frightening power of the First Primogenitor like she was chiding the nonchalant Kojou. Kojou quietly shrugged his shoulders. At any rate, the problem in front of him wasn’t the “Lost Warlord” himself.

  “…So, this Vattler guy is a retainer of that First Primogenitor?”

  “That’s what it amounts to. He’s a noble ruling his own autonomous territory—in other words, a blood relation of the First Primogenitor himself, what one might call a pure bloodline vampire.”

  “Hmmm.”

  Relying on the note Nagisa had given him, Kojou stuffed vegetables and fruits into the shopping cart. The ingredients were enough to feed three people, enough for Kojou, Nagisa, and Yukina. This was the result of Nagisa, well aware Yukina lived by herself, strenuously inviting her over for supper.

  Nagisa was overjoyed at having someone to talk to during meals, after all. Kojou was quite grateful that Yukina was playing the role of listener in his stead. In the first place, with observing Kojou being Yukina’s prime objective, it wasn’t exactly a bad deal for her, either. So, since all of their interests coincided, it had at some point become customary for Yukina to come to the Akatsuki residence for supper.

  “What’s a big shot like him coming to Itogami Island for? Hey…that’s too many onions!”

  “You mustn’t be picky about your vegetables. Also, I think his aim is probably to meet you, senpai.”

  “It couldn’t be because I’m the Fourth Primogenitor, is it…?”

  “There really wouldn’t be any other reason…and senpai, don’t sneak green onions back onto the counter. You are not a child.”

  Yukina sighed as Kojou brought the greenish-yellow onions he detested back into the cart. They looked like a young, recently married couple getting along nicely as they shopped, but neither of them realized it. They were trying to converse about what was a rather serious subject.

  Actually, between the store employees and the neighbors, people whispered rumors about such as, “They’re living together?” “Not brother and sister?” “He seems to live with some other girl…,” “Don’t tell me the three are living together…,” and so on, but of course the persons concerned did not notice any of this.

  “Why does some vampire from somewhere in Europe know my name…?”

  Kojou murmured in dissatisfaction as he checked the name the invitation was addressed to one more time.

  Yukina, seemingly feeling guilty somehow, made a sigh.

  “I believe he noticed your existence because of the Lotharingian Armed Apostle incident in recent days. It’s because you spectacularly burned the city like you did…”

  “That wasn’t me! That Beast Vassal did it on its own!”

  “Of course, I understand that…but the world at large may not think so.”

  “Shit…that’s no reason for some piece of origami to come attacking me. Did he come all the way overseas to pick a fight?”

  Kojou made a groan of loathing as he recalled the steel beasts he’d encountered at school. He managed there because Yukina had come, but if she had not, Kojou’s Beast Vassals might have gone berserk.

  For someone well aware of the danger posed by a primogenitor’s Beast Vassals, it was a rather violent way of doing things.

  “A declaration of war…perhaps?”

  Yukina’s lips formed the ominous words. A primogenitor holding sway over a Dominion was treated the same as a national army under international law. Kojou, though lacking both retainers and brethren, was technically no exception.

  “Although it is not impossible, I believe he seeks negotiation for the moment…”

  “So I’ve gotta respond to this invitation either way, huh…?”

  As Kojou unfurled the invitation as he spoke, a perplexed look came over his face as he read the content.

  As Yukina’s sharp eyes picked that up, she dubiously looked up at Kojou.

  “Senpai? What’s wrong?”

  “Err…it kinda says here to bring my partner with me…”

  “Partner?” Yukina went “ahh” and made an affirming nod. “Come to think of it, it’s standard to bring one’s spouse or lover with you when attending a party in the West.”

  “…Hey, this is a pretty big problem, out of the blue like this. What’s a single guy supposed to do?”

  “In this circumstance, perhaps you could ask an acquaintance to act as a substitute?”

  “Substitute…you say.”

  Kojou’s lips twisted as if he was conflicted. A substitute for a lover would have to be someone close in age, a family member or good friend, and furthermore, of the opposite sex…

  “I can’t take Nagisa to a party hosted by vampires, and Asagi seems angry over something, and I don’t really wanna get her wrapped up in anything bad, anyway…”

  “I suppose not.” Yukina cutely cleared her throat and looked at Kojou. “I think you have no choice but to select someone who knows your true nature and who can deal with dangerous situations.”

  “Suppose so.”

  Kojou lowered his eyes and made a reluctant sigh at how troublesome this was.

  “I don’t like involving her, but…maybe I can try asking Natsuki.”

  “Wh-what?”

  Yukina’s eyes went wide with shock and froze that way. Kojou didn’t notice as he scratched his head.

  “I’m scared what favor she’s gonna drag out of me later, but this ain’t the time or place to complain… Well, I bet she’ll come along to a mere party if one of her adorable pupils seriously asks her to.”

  “…How did Ms. Minamiya’s name come up there?” Yukina asked in a low voice. There was no great change in her facial expression, but her every word was so charged with electricity that they conveyed a very thorny impression. She seemed upset for some reason.

  “Er, I mean, she knows all about my condition, she has her Counter-Demon Mage certification, so she’s suitable, right? Although I do think looking a little too young might be a bit of a problem.”

  “I believe there is someone else who is of appropriate age, who knows your condition, and who also has Counter-Demon Agent Agacertification, senpai,” Yukina murmured in a blunt tone, almost as if speaking to herself. As Kojou listened, he finally realized the reason for Yukina’s anger.

  “Can I ask you to come? It’s not gonna be a problem with the Lion King Agency?”

  “It cannot be helped. In this instance, I think letting you out of my sight would be the greater problem, senpai.”

  Yukina spoke coldly, as if to conceal her blush. Seeing her mood somehow recovering, Kojou breathed a sigh of relief and made a strained smile.

  “I see. Sorry.”

  “No, watching you is my mission after all, senpai
…ah!”

  After speaking in a tone of jest, Yukina’s expression suddenly darkened.

  “Himeragi? So there is some kind of problem?”

  “I suppose it…could be a problem. I do not have clothes to wear to a party.”

  Yukina had a brooding look as she bit her lip. Watching her face like that from the side for a while, Kojou spontaneously burst into laughter. As Kojou’s slumped shoulders shook, Yukina snapped him an indignant glare.

  “Is something funny?”

  “Er, sorry. I thought, you’re just like Cinderella. So even you worry about these things, Himeragi.”

  “…I suppose so. If I am the soot-covered princess, you must be the mean stepsister, senpai.”

  The gaze Yukina turned toward Kojou was like ice. Kojou looked a bit hurt.

  “If you’re not gonna say I’m the prince, at least make me the wizard or something!”

  “In the Grimm fairy tale, Cinderella scraped the heels and toes off the mean stepsisters and put their eyes out. Please be careful, senpai.”

  “…I’m thinking you’ll look cute in anything, so it’s not that much of a problem, Himeragi.”

  Kojou strived to put on an earnest face as he spoke. He did not intend it as idle flattery, since this was his honest opinion, but all the same…

  “You’re so transparent, senpai.”

  Yukina simply made a sigh, as if giving up. Still angry, Yukina walked off at a rapid pace, with Kojou pushing the cart ahead of him as he followed.

  Having finished their shopping, Kojou and Yukina carried various shopping bags as they headed home.

  The evening sun had already sunk below the horizon; dusk was already starting to envelop the city. It was three hours and change until when Dimitrie Vattler’s party was due to start. That really wasn’t much time to spare.

  “If you went all the way to Island West, there’s rental shops, but I doubt they’d still be open at this hour. Nagisa doesn’t have any clothes for a party, either, so maybe borrowing something from Natsuki might be our only…”

  “Ms. Minamiya’s Western clothes…you mean…? I don’t think I can wear them, though…”

  Yukina pressed upon her own breasts as she muttered. Certainly, both were small girls, but Natsuki was still significantly smaller than Yukina, both in height and in overall figure.

  “Er, but…”

  “I won’t wear it, but what is it?”

  Kojou, who was about to say there wasn’t much difference between them in breast size, went silent as Yukina glared at him. The glacial atmosphere continued until Kojou and Yukina arrived back at their apartment building. Then…

  “What’s that package?”

  Kojou inclined his head slightly as he noticed a slip with a delivery notice on it. Apparently a package had been delivered to the locker for home deliveries. Though nothing came to mind, Kojou held no special doubts as he opened the locker.

  Inside was a flat, rectangular cardboard box. Considering its size, it wasn’t very heavy.

  But when they saw the name of the sender on the package, both Kojou and Yukina were beside themselves.

  “Lion King Agency?”

  “But…why to senpai’s address?”

  Both of them were in shock at the package from a completely unexpected sender.

  The Lion King Agency was a special agency under the Japanese government for dealing with large-scale sorcerous disasters and terrorism.

  Their having dispatched Yukina to be Kojou’s watcher was also for natural security… In other words, they had judged Kojou’s very existence to be a grave threat on a national scale.

  And yet, such a group had gone out of its way to send something to Kojou. Kojou couldn’t believe it meant anything good.

  Even Yukina, a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency, seemed to be in the dark about what it was.

  Kojou and Yukina’s eyes met with sharp looks on their faces, seemingly hardening their resolve before stretching their hands toward the top of the cardboard box. They cautiously peeled the wrapping off, opening the parcel with bated breath.

  Within the box was something meticulously folded, made of thin, glossy fabric. It was clearly made of expensive material. Kojou immediately came to suspect that there was some kind of curse embedded in it. However, Yukina only shook her head in silence. Apparently she did not sense any special danger.

  Kojou spotted a note with fine print in the corner of the package’s box and picked it up. In the meantime, Yukina gently pulled up the fabric by the edge. With a soft rustle, it spread into a skirt with voluminous frills. The rest of what was packed gently fell with a soft patter. It was an slip, complete with cups, and silk underwear.

  “The heck is this…Order-Made Party Dress, Type One? Height a hundred and fifty-six centimeters, B seventy-six, W fifty-five, H seventy-eight, C sixty…to Miss Yukina Himeragi, paid in full…eh?”

  As Kojou read what was written on the note out loud, he suddenly lifted his head, looking at Yukina, who stood right before his eyes.

  Looking from the slip in the grasp of the red-faced Yukina back to the note with mysterious letters and numbers on it, Kojou finally grasped the reason why Yukina’s shoulders were shaking in embarrassment.

  An awkward silence came over the two. Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, Kojou judged that remaining quiet was a poor plan of action. Thinking he ought to console her first, he looked to the chest of her uniform.

  “Err…C, huh? More there than I thought. Mm, I’m impressed.”

  That instant, the air itself seemed to freeze over. The expressionless Yukina’s entire body emitted an incredible surge of bloodlust. Realizing he’d spoken poorly, Kojou stiffened, unable to move, like a corpse in rigor mortis.

  “Is that all you have to say before I erase your memory, senpai?”

  With a wobble, Yukina soundlessly rose up, clenching her fists as she posed her question to Kojou. Wait, calm down, deep breath, he thought. Kojou desperately tried to talk her down.

  “It’s all right, Himeragi. The dress has dress padding and everyth—”

  Before Kojou finished that last word, Yukina’s unleashed heel plunged down onto Kojou’s crown. “Hrgh!!” he uttered in anguish as he clutched his head. Looking down at him, Yukina’s cheeks swelled up in what seemed like a pout.

  9

  A little past 9:00 p.m., Kojou finished changing his clothes and came out of his room.

  He was wearing a three-piece tuxedo. It had been packed together with Yukina’s dress in the package sent by the Lion King Agency. Their objective was unclear, but apparently the Lion King Agency bunch wanted Kojou and Yukina to meet this aristocrat from the Warlord’s Empire.

  Though he found being used for no apparent reason to be distasteful, it’s not as if he had any other clothes he could wear to a party. The clothes had committed no crime, Kojou told himself as he fastened his necktie and closed the buttons of his vest, heading toward the entryway. Then…

  “K-Kojou? What’s that? What’s with those clothes?”

  Having come face-to-face with Kojou in the living room, Nagisa, fresh out of the bath, widened her eyes as she looked at him.

  Her hair was drenched; her cheeks were still a little pink. With water droplets still on her skin, she looked quite defenseless with only a bath towel wrapped around her. Kojou was a bit taken aback at her gawking at his outfit while she walked around like that.

  “Ah, this. Actually I’m doin’ a part-time job.”

  He gave her the excuse he’d thought up beforehand.

  Nagisa was instantly taken aback, looking over Kojou’s whole figure in what seemed like shock.

  “A part-time job? At night?”

  “I’m subbing for a classmate who collapsed from workin’ too hard. It’s just for tonight. On his end, his parents have a hundred and fifty million yen debt left to pay, so if I don’t do this in his place, they won’t be able to pay the medical costs for his sick older sister.”

  “I-is that so…?”


  Kojou thought it was a sorry excuse by his standards, but Nagisa seemed to believe it with surprising ease. The tuxedo must have added credibility. In point of fact, a normal high school student had very few opportunities to wear something like this unless he was part-timing at a bar.

  “I guess it can’t be helped. But don’t do anything indecent,” Nagisa warned him with an uneasy expression.

  What in the world is she worried about? Kojou thought with a pained smile.

  “Yeah, it’s okay. Not gonna happen. Sorry about leaving you to hold the fort, but thanks.”

  “Yeah, I get it… You take care, Kojou.”

  Kojou left while Nagisa saw him off with a cheerful wave.

  Though he of course felt guilty about tricking his younger sister, he couldn’t be honest with her and say he was meeting a vampire from the Warlord’s Empire, so it couldn’t be helped.

  Kojou went into the corridor, making an annoyed exhale, thoroughly disgusted with himself.

  As he did so, Kojou sensed someone right beside him coming even closer, as if to nestle against him.

  When Kojou looked, there stood Yukina. She’d no doubt heard Kojou’s conversation with Nagisa.

  Glancing sideways at the door to the Akatsuki residence, she spoke as if trying to console Kojou.

  “Nagisa’s a good girl.”

  “Well, the wilder a story, the easier she’ll believe it, you could…sa…”

  As Kojou spoke, turning around to face Yukina, he was suddenly at a loss for words.

  His gaze was stolen by the outfit so very different from what she usually wore.

  It was a white party dress with deep blue highlights. The cleavage was conservative, but in contrast, the outfit was boldly cut from her shoulders all the way down her back. The thin fabric made the contours of Yukina’s body stand out, with her white, firm thighs poking out from under her elegantly frilled miniskirt.

  As might be expected of something made-to-order, it suited Yukina to a frightening degree. The outfit was tidy, pretty, and gave off a slightly risqué feeling. Even Kojou, well acquainted with Yukina’s beauty, could only look in shock with a dumbstruck look on his face.

  “Senpai?”

  As if delivering a warning, Yukina glared at Kojou with her eyes half-narrowed.