After all, relying on the Forbidden Hand alone is no guarantee of complete peace of mind.
Even if the so-called "disobedient gods" in the Campione world are dismissed as false gods, once bound by myth, their power can hardly be called "false." Only by fully mastering the Tyrant Dragon can one qualify to stand on the same stage as those disobedient gods.
After tallying his gains, Hikaru slept soundly—he never carried over any fatigue to the next day.
The following morning:
The early morning air held a faint sweetness that lifted one's spirits. After recalling Est, Hikaru headed to school with Asia. Strictly speaking, with his current status, he no longer needed the school as a stepping stone, but Hikaru didn't dislike campus life or studying; he only hated the boring piles of homework and exams. Thanks to his perfect scores in all subjects, he simply didn't bother with any assignments besides the required tests. Even in class, as long as he didn't disturb other students, he could do whatever he liked.
"Hikaru, Asia, you're here."
Koneko greeted them.
"Go on."
Hikaru patted Asia's head. Since enrolling, she had become the class's second mascot, inseparable from Koneko.
"Ah… Hikaru-kun?"
After taking his seat, a voice came from nearby. Eriri lay sideways on her desk, looking at Hikaru with an almost fairy-like face and a silly grin.
"What is it?" Hikaru asked.
"It's nothing. I just felt like calling you that... Ahem, back to business: you criticized me before, so I've been making changes. There shouldn't be any issues with my artwork now. Once the final piece is done, could you take another look?"
Half her face was squished against the desk, making it look distorted, but Hikaru didn't reply. He merely smiled faintly. Eriri immediately realized how she must look—her pale cheeks grew visibly red.
"It's n-not what you think! I'm serious this time!"
She lowered her voice in a pleading whisper. "Please, don't look at me like that."
"Then let's wait until this Saturday. I'll visit you again."
Hearing Hikaru's response, Eriri beamed. Soon after, some girl classmates called for her, and she reverted to her usual self.
During lunch break, Hikaru received a notification from his bank:
"One hundred million yen has been deposited."
He replied briefly: "Thanks."
Meanwhile, in the upper classroom:
Rias stared at the two-word message on her phone, clutching it in both hands, unsure how to respond. After all, if she didn't say something more, as Akeno suggested, it would feel too distant. She was his fiancée now.
"'No need to thank me…' That's no good..."
Just as she typed out those words, a voice sounded behind her. Akeno gave a wry smile: "You should be more direct in asking him out now, rather than circling around here. If you keep dithering, I really will make a move myself."
"Wouldn't that be too forward of me?" Rias hesitated.
"Then let's say I'll go by myself this weekend, and you stay behind."
"That's definitely not happening," Rias said, rejecting the idea without a second thought.
Nervously, she edited her text and sent it: "Are you free this weekend?"
At the same time, Hikaru received her message: "I, Akeno, Koneko, and the others would like to visit your place."
He was hardly surprised: "Feel free to come."
Meanwhile, Akeno rubbed her forehead as Rias stared at her phone screen, flustered.
"Rias, you're usually so composed and elegant. How is it that you can't even manage a single sentence now?"
"I... I don't know! It's like what I'm thinking in my head and what I actually type are completely different!"
Rias threaded her fingers through her crimson hair, feeling for the first time that being in love might be harder than any Rating Game.
…
The day passed calmly but enjoyably. After school, Hikaru drove Asia back home, Est woke up right on schedule and came out to watch TV on the sofa, while Asia helped prepare dinner ingredients—waiting for Hikaru, as usual, to show off his culinary skills.
After they finished eating, Hikaru once again summoned Ddraig. Diving into the consciousness space of his Sacred Gear, he continued absorbing the residual souls of the previous Red Dragon Emperors. Thanks to his efforts over the past few days, it would only take three or four more days to finish cleaning them out. Once the souls were fully absorbed by the Myriad Soul Banner, he would have to find a safe place to test the Tyrant Dragon's power.
Unlike Forbidden Hand, the Tyrant Dragon was on another level entirely, and the impact it could have wasn't something he wanted unleashed at home—not unless he fancied a massive cleanup afterward.
Late in the evening, just as he was about to store Ddraig away again, a message popped up on his phone—sent by someone named "Hozuki Yayoi."
~~~
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