Dust floated in the air. The corridor of the Clock Tower was shrouded in the heaviness of history, and the sound of falling rain echoed between the two of them. Sajyou Izaya quietly stood in place, lost in the softness of her embrace. For a moment, he was a little dazed. Though she smiled as she always did, he could tell best—this smile was different from usual… Only in front of him would she ever remove her professional mask completely.
Koyanskaya, to Counter Force, and even to all of humanity, was the greatest enemy. But for the young magus of the Sajyou family… he had witnessed her birth, named her, and even aided her in the ritual that crowned her as a full Beast. In Siberia, 1908, he had not chosen to trust Counter Force's judgment, but instead, the Koyanskaya he'd known day and night.
Her delicate form, now the symbol of the completed Beast, trembled slightly with excitement. She clung tightly to his arm, subconsciously using more force, so that the man's face was completely buried in her ample, warm chest. The increasing pressure and the subconscious squeeze slowly left Sajyou Izaya breathless. His breathing quickened as the scent of her high-end perfume, mixed with her unique fragrance, flooded his nose. The soft, full sensation left his whole body dizzy.
Just as he was about to drown in her embrace, Koyanskaya finally, reluctantly, let him go.
"I almost suffocated because of you…"
Sajyou Izaya slowly exhaled, lifting his head and speaking half-jokingly.
But as he looked up, he rarely saw apprehension and unease in her beautiful golden eyes. After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but smile.
"That's not like you, Koyanskaya."
Though he made light of it, he could understand her intense emotions. A hundred may not be a large number, but a hundred years… was a human lifetime.
Just imagine—watching the one you love die, then leaving that scorched, frozen land alone, wearing a false mask, endlessly chasing the faint 'possibility of resurrection,' and spending countless days and nights searching for his traces. Every day, looking for the possibility of him being summoned as a Heroic Spirit, even giving up her original plans for revenge… For this Beast, born from human vengeance, in the end, she saw a human who gave everything for her…
For her, he was the light—the only white light she could see in the darkness.
After this long-awaited reunion, Koyanskaya didn't want to say anything. Reminiscing could wait; right now, she just wanted to feel the warmth she'd missed for so long. She didn't need to wear her mask, didn't care about passersby. She just wanted to vent her emotions, to hold this light tightly, and let it stay by her side forever.
Sajyou Izaya had no chance to speak further. She pressed her plump form against him again, and the heat between them rose. Her dazzling golden eyes brimmed with affection as she pressed her forehead to his.
"Sorry… for making you wait."
After a brief silence, the black-haired man looked up and said softly, raising his hand to gently caress her fair, beautiful face. This time, his hand didn't pass through her cheek as before.
"That was the only choice left at the time…
You and your other self were both on the line. If you gave up the promotion… Counter Force wouldn't have spared you."
"I know."
Koyanskaya gently lifted his face, gazing into his eyes with a softness rarely seen.
"Whether it was me or her… I knew I had no choice. I just hated my own weakness."
She was weak in both character and strength. As a young girl, even if she was powerful, it was impossible to face multiple Grand Servants alone during that critical ritual. Counter Force knew this, and summoned each Grand one after another to block her path. Yet even Counter Force hadn't expected that an ordinary human magus could turn the situation around.
A Beast is a natural disaster, and originally, the Beast of Cherishment existed to enjoy all of humanity… But he gave her a whole new meaning. Now, after a century of rebirth, she'd become something else: a vast business empire, a perfected Beast's body… She no longer had any weaknesses. If she wished, she could keep him by her side forever, and no one could interfere.
She was born for revenge, but in the end… he was more important.
Under Sajyou Izaya's stunned gaze, Koyanskaya stepped forward, pushing him against the wall.
"Wait—"
Realizing what she intended, the man instinctively looked up, but before he could finish—
The softness of her red lips, a sensation from deep within his memories, sealed his words. Koyanskaya hungrily drank in his warmth, absorbing his mana, giving him hers in return. The air was thick with unspoken passion, only the sound of rain and the mingling of lips and breath.
Slowly, Sajyou's tense body relaxed. He gradually forgot the passage of time, lost in an embrace that seemed to exchange body heat and heartbeats. Only after a long while did Koyanskaya finally release him.
Sajyou Izaya gently held her hand, feeling the coolness of her fingertips.
"Your hands are still as cold as ever…"
At his words, Koyanskaya seemed momentarily lost, as if recalling a memory from Siberia.
She reached out, caressing his face, guiding his hand to her cheek.
"Just like before… warm me up a little more, Izaya-kun…"
Feeling the warmth from his fingers, she did something unexpected: she opened her mouth and gently bit his fingertips. For a moment, Sajyou Izaya felt a strong impulse… but reason held him back.
After all, the Clock Tower was anything but 'safe' these days.
He managed to maintain his composure. After a moment of warmth, he tried to change the subject.
"It's about time… I know you have a lot of questions, but I have things to do today. I'll come find you tomorrow."
At his words, Koyanskaya tilted her head.
"You've been busy lately?"
Sajyou Izaya nodded.
"More or less… I'm about to graduate, so I'm busy with my thesis—"
"I see."
Koyanskaya smiled sweetly.
"I thought you were busy with your fiancée."
Sajyou froze. The pink-haired lady smiled at him, her gaze gentle.
"Sajyou Manaka… right?"
…