The dim glow of the student council room was disturbed by a sudden ripple of magic.
A silhouette emerged—playful yet imposing.
Serafall Leviathan.
Sona Sitri sighed heavily, pushing up her glasses.
"Onee-sama. What are you doing here?"
"You don't look happy to see me, So-tan!"
Serafall pouted, twirling in place before plopping herself onto a chair.
Sona pinched the bridge of her nose.
"That's because you just warped into my student council room without warning—again. I should set up anti-Serafall barriers."
Serafall gasped dramatically.
"You wouldn't! You'd cut off your beloved sister from visiting?"
"Try me," Sona said flatly. "Now, why are you here?"
Serafall grinned, leaning forward. "I brought you a gift~"
Sona's suspicion immediately flared. "What kind of 'gift'?"
"A person!"
Sona's frown deepened. "I beg your pardon?"
Serafall clapped her hands excitedly. "I found a mysterious boy! He's around 15 or 16, and guess what? His demonic power is already at the level of a high-end Middle-Class Devil. And—get this—he's not in a peerage yet!"
Sona narrowed her eyes. "A person with that much magic potential? And you're just handing him over to me? What's the catch?"
Serafall gasped, feigning innocence. "What catch? So-tan, I'm just being a caring Onee-chan!"
Sona was unimpressed. "You have five seconds before I start designing Serafall-proof barriers."
Serafall panicked, waving her hands. "W-Wait, wait! I-It's not my fault! It's Sirzechs' fault!"
Sona raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."
Serafall pouted. "There was an accident, okay? And this boy might be related. Sirzechs told me to keep an eye on him. Observation duty and all that. So, really, it's all his fault!"
Sona sighed, rubbing her temples. "So, you're just offloading your work onto me?"
Serafall crossed her arms. "Nooo! I'm giving my cute little sister a golden opportunity! Think about it, So-tan. He's already at high-end Middle-Class. If you capture him for your peerage now, imagine how much he'll grow! He could be a powerhouse!"
Sona stared at her sister for a long moment before exhaling. "...Fine."
Serafall blinked. "Eh? Really? Are you sure? You're actually taking him in?"
Sona adjusted her glasses. "I'll be back next spring break. Until then, go."
Serafall leaned forward, still disbelieving. "Wait-wait-wait, did I hear that right? You're actually going to—"
"Go."
Serafall pouted. "No fun…" She stood up, stretching. "Alright, alright, I'll leave. But you better take good care of him, So-tan~!"
With a flick of her wrist, the air shimmered once more, and Serafall vanished as suddenly as she had arrived.
At her side, Tsubaki Shinra finally spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "Is that fine, Kaichou? The person seems to be a bit problematic."
Sona glanced at her Queen, then turned her gaze back to where Serafall had just left. "It doesn't matter. Onee-sama wouldn't let me be in danger."
——————✗—————
It had been a few weeks since I started staying at the Sitri mansion.
The sheer luxury of my new surroundings was something I was still getting used to.
Currently, I sat comfortably in the grand library, savoring the warmth of a finely brewed cup of tea.
My attention was on a small book I had pulled from the farthest section of the library: The Magical Girl's Guide to World Domination.
I turned a page, my brow twitching at the over-the-top illustrations and battle strategies.
One could only imagine who this belonged to.
A few minutes later, I heard the soft but deliberate steps of multiple people approaching.
I placed the book down just as the library doors opened, revealing two figures.
Sona Sitri and her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.
Sona glanced at me, tilting her head slightly before speaking.
"So, you're the one my sister was talking about?"
I met her gaze, confused.
"Me?"
Sona adjusted her glasses as if my confusion wasn't important, studying me for a moment before continuing.
"Your name?"
I blinked.
My name?
For a second, I hesitated.
That was something I hadn't thought about—because until now, I never really had one.
Back at the lab, the researchers never called me by anything other than—
"Test Subject No. 12."
"No. 12."
A beat passed before I spoke.
"…Noel."
Sona arched a brow. "Noel?" she echoed, rolling the name over in her mind, as if testing its weight.
Then, without missing a beat, she straightened.
"Alright, Noel. I'm here to test you."
Unlike her sister, she was direct—no unnecessary theatrics.
Sona leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on interlaced fingers as she observed me.
"I only have one question: You must choose between two options—"
"Wait, wait, before that, can I ask what this test is for?"
"I'm considering adding you to my peerage. This test determines if you're suitable."
"But I don't remember signing up for that?"
"Then do you have money for reimbursements?"
"…Reimbursements?"
"You've been living here for six weeks—food, basic needs... No, luxury—without paying a single coin. Do you have any idea how much that costs?"
"…Do you need a butler?"
"No. And even if you became one, it would take a total of 245 years of work without a single day off to pay it back."
"That can't be right! I never spent that much money!"
At some point, Tsubaki silently handed Sona a piece of paper.
Sona immediately began reading.
"Let's see... You imported 10 tons of Papier d'Arménie from France using the Sitri family's network."
I blinked.
"Well... The post office doesn't know where to send my letters, so I just burned them in the fireplace."
Sona exhaled sharply.
"You burned too much. You're basically sending smoke signals."
"Exactly. If it smells like vanilla and regret, it's probably from me."
Sona's eye twitched. She continued reading.
"Next—every day, from 6 to 9 PM, you conduct a three-hour banquet for supper."
I sipped my tea.
"What's there to be surprised about? It might be the last one."
"You have a personal servant at all times, rotating every single command."
"As they say—gotta keep them fresh."
"In a dark room, alone, you pretend—"
"Okay, stop! I get it! I get it! Where do I sign the contract for peerage?!"
Sona briefly exhaled.
"Like I said—you need to pass the test first."
Hearing my silence, she continued.
"I only have one question: You must choose between two options—betray someone who trusts you or let innocent people suffer. What do you do?"
The question lingered between us, stretching the silence taut.
I lowered my gaze, absently tracing the rim of my teacup with a finger.
She wasn't making this easy.
I cupped my chin, tilting my head slightly as if weighing the words. "...That's a tough one."
Innocent people.
A vague, faceless collective. A concept more than individuals.
And then there was the one who trusted me—a person with a name, a voice, a place in my world.
I let out a slow breath, giving Sona a small, almost apologetic smile.
"I'd let innocent people suffer."
Tsubaki blinked. Sona's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker in her eyes.
"Explain," she prompted.
I leaned back, drumming my fingers lightly against my teacup before answering.
"Trust isn't something that comes easily," I began. "It's built, brick by brick, over time."
I smiled faintly, as if recalling something distant.
"When someone places their faith in you, it means they've judged you worthy of it."
I turned my gaze back to Sona, resting my cheek on my palm.
"Innocence… is often a matter of perspective. To me, an 'innocent' person is simply someone I haven't formed a bond with yet."
I let the words settle before continuing, my voice softer this time.
"Their suffering is tragic, sure. But it's distant."
I took a sip of my tea before setting the cup down gently, the quiet clink echoing through the vast library.
"But the person who trusts me? They're part of my world."
"They chose me, and I, in turn, choose them."
"To betray that is to sever something irreparable."
"It is to lose something that can never be regained."
I let out a short, quiet chuckle.
"Morally, it's wrong. Logically, it's selfish. But in the end, we don't make choices based on logic alone."
I met Sona's gaze directly.
"We choose based on what we can live with."
Sona tapped a single finger against the table, studying me.
"You believe trust holds more value than morality?"
I gave a half-smile, lifting a shoulder in a light shrug.
"Morality is a system. Trust is personal."
"In a world where everyone can justify their actions with 'the greater good,' trust is the only thing that makes someone more than just a piece on the board."
A long pause.
Then, Sona leaned back, exhaling through her nose, a ghost of something unreadable in her expression.
"Interesting answer."
She didn't say whether it was right or wrong.
Because it wasn't about that.
It was about who I was.
And now, she had a glimpse of me.
Sona studied me for a moment longer, fingers lightly tapping against the polished surface of the table.
The silence stretched—measured, deliberate.
Then, with a quiet exhale, she leaned back and made her decision.
"Alright. I'll accept you."
The words were calm, almost casual, but the weight behind them was undeniable.
I blinked.
That was it?
Sona glanced at Tsubaki, who had been watching quietly the entire time.
At her King's signal, Tsubaki stepped forward and inclined her head slightly toward me.
"Welcome," she said simply.
There was no exaggerated warmth, no unnecessary pleasantries—just an acknowledgment. An acceptance.
And yet, something about it carried a quiet sincerity that made it feel real.
I exhaled slowly, tension easing from my shoulders.
"That's it?" I asked.
Sona adjusted her glasses. "Did you expect more?"
"Honestly? Yes."
She smirked. "You've already answered what I needed to know."
She stood, pushing her chair back effortlessly.
"I don't expect absolute obedience, Noel. But I do expect loyalty. Can you give me that?"
I met her gaze.
I didn't need time to think.
"Yes."
Sona nodded, satisfied.
Tsubaki allowed a small smile to form.
"Then let's hope you live up to it."
With that, my place in their world was set.