Chapter 560: Sora's Bad Luck at School, Riven's Mission
When Cerberus first opened her eyes, her immediate instinct was to execute her signature spring-loaded pounce directly into Ren's arms. She coiled her legs, ready to launch—only to find the bed entirely empty. Blinking in confusion, the demon girl hopped out of bed and padded downstairs.
In the lounge, Nakiri Mana and the others were already awake. They were slumped against the plush sofas, yawning softly while lazily scrolling through their phones. Ren was nowhere to be seen.
Having no other choice, Cerberus walked down the rest of the stairs normally. She tilted her head, her canine ears twitching as she looked at the group. "Hmm? But... Rantabi, weren't you watching a movie with us last night?"
The WGO Inspector didn't even look up from her glowing screen. "My work wasn't needed at that time. Didn't you see me glance at my phone and then leave?"
"Oh, oh, oh! I saw that!" Cerberus nodded vigorously, then frowned. "But why do you guys still use your phones to talk when you're only a few walls apart?"
"Too lazy to move..." four voices chimed in perfect, lethargic unison.
Cerberus stood there, completely stunned. Aside from that one time she nearly died from eating chocolate and suffered terrible diarrhea, she genuinely had no concept of what 'laziness' felt like. She was the type of girl who was bursting with boundless energy the very second her eyes fluttered open.
By the time Nami and Justice strolled down the stairs, chatting and laughing brightly, almost everyone was present. The only ones missing were Modeus and Kasugano Sora. Pandora and Aoandon had already come down much earlier to start their day.
Asuna had also been up before the sun. As the class representative, her Monday schedule was packed with administrative duties, forcing her to leave early. She had still managed to drop by to buy breakfast, casually mentioning her plans to bring her mother to the shop for a meal. The timing was incredibly subtle, considering today was the day of her practical training.
Justice stretched her arms over her head, flashing a brilliant grin. "Yo! Good morning! Seriously, this bed is way too comfortable. It's my first time waking up this late!"
Nami nodded in absolute agreement, taking a seat at the table. "Right? I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow yesterday. By the way, where are Modeus and Sora?"
Rantabi smiled, finally setting her phone down. "That girl Sora stayed up late doing homework last night, so she's probably still dead to the world. As for Modeus... well, she should at least be able to sit up today."
"Eh?" Six different voices echoed in the room, laced with varying degrees of confusion.
Before anyone could press the issue, Lucifer walked into the dining area, effortlessly balancing a tray of fresh breakfast. The elegant CEO let out a soft sigh. "Sora really didn't get up. I can't believe her. Cerberus, be a good girl and go check on Modeus and Sora."
"On it!" Cerberus spun around and bolted up the stairs, practically vibrating with energy, leaving the others to marvel at her endless stamina.
Justice chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "Cerberus is still a ball of fire. Eh? Where's Riven?"
"Riven?" the room echoed again.
A knowing, amused smile graced Lucifer's crimson lips. "She's currently battling her formidable enemy."
"Hmm?!"
Justice's casual demeanor vanished in an instant. What the hell? Battling? A formidable enemy?! Had Beelzebub launched a surprise attack?! The former High Prosecutor immediately shot to her feet, her expression hardening into absolute seriousness as she prepared to summon her magic.
Lucifer calmly reached out and pressed a hand against Justice's shoulder, forcing her back down into the chair. After a brief, whispered explanation of what Riven was actually doing, Justice blinked, then burst into roaring laughter. "Ahaha! She really is a formidable enemy!"
Just as the laughter died down, the kitchen doors swung open. Riven voluntarily pushed a heavy food cart into the dining room, her posture rigid but her hands steady.
The moment the girls saw her, a wave of amazement swept through the room. Rantabi's eyes sparkled. "Wow! Another cool one! And why do I feel like she gives off the exact same vibe as Justice?"
Justice leaned over, inspecting Riven's crisp, practical outfit with an approving smirk. "Oh! It really suits her!"
Not wasting a second, the tomboyish demon stood up, sauntered over to Riven, and threw an arm casually around the former exile's tense shoulders. "Hey, hey, hey! Girls, isn't she just like me? Don't we have a ton of similar points?"
The surrounding women nodded in agreement. Courage tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Mainly, it's the temperament and the figure. You both have that very cool, battle-hardened aura. Eh? By the way, is Riven also from your company, Lucifer?"
Justice wisely kept her mouth shut. Lucifer, without missing a beat, answered with practiced, natural grace. "Riven is our former Head of Security."
Everyone at the table shot Lucifer a helpless, deadpan look. Nakiri Mana sighed, rubbing her temples. "All your department heads have run over here... Just what kind of company are you running?"
"Minor matters, completely harmless," Lucifer waved a hand dismissively. "It's not just us, anyway. Both Justice and Riven have already retired."
The group accepted the explanation, dropping the subject. A moment later, the sound of dragging footsteps drew their attention to the stairs. A deeply reluctant, half-asleep Kasugano Sora was being physically towed down the steps by Cerberus. Right behind them was Modeus, her face flushed a deep, rosy pink. Her legs were visibly wobbly, and she walked with a pronounced limp, gripping the banister for support.
Catching Lucifer's subtle, warning glance, Cerberus and Modeus instantly understood the assignment. They kept their mouths shut about the true cause of the lustful demon's exhaustion, successfully keeping Ren's late-night activities a secret.
As breakfast commenced, Riven was quickly pulled into the fold. Or rather, she was forcefully assimilated into their morning routine. The former Noxian commander sat there completely dazed, her sharp instincts failing to process the sheer normality of the situation. So many people were crowded around the table, chatting about lighthearted, mundane topics, laughing freely, and sharing incredibly delicious food.
There was no need to hide anymore. No need to draw her blade, no need to cause slaughter. She was being treated with genuine friendliness and warmth by complete strangers. Riven had never dared to dream of a life like this.
She knew this reality far exceeded anything she could have ever envisioned. Make Noxus like this? In her dreams. The blood-soaked earth of her homeland could never develop such gentle sunlight.
The overwhelming warmth solidified her resolve. She decided to stay.
Since there was no immediate crisis, Kasugano Sora's usual morning temper didn't flare up into a full outburst. After slowly chewing her way through breakfast, she unhurriedly slung her schoolbag over her shoulder and trudged out the door. Nakiri Mana and the others soon followed, heading out to handle their respective daily affairs.
Watching the last of the ordinary guests leave, Lucifer turned her gaze to the navigator. "Nami, the amount of time you can stay here has increased again."
"Eh?!" Nami's eyes widened in delight. "Did a guest who can control time come while I was resting yesterday?!"
Lucifer nodded gracefully.
Nami pumped her fists in the air. "Wow! Then I can stay for a long, long time! Yay!"
"Alright, hurry up and finish eating," Lucifer urged with a soft smile. "Later, we still need to take Riven out to look around the city and buy some daily necessities... and I also need to take you and Justice to a specific place."
"Hm?" Justice and Riven looked up simultaneously.
Riven blinked, her combat instincts flaring slightly. "Go to a place? What place?"
"Oh, that... you and Justice will definitely like it," Lucifer's smile took on a slightly mischievous edge. "It just so happens that I have a very difficult mission to assign to the two of you! This mission is something that even Kirari and I have a headache over."
At the word 'mission', Riven's posture instantly straightened. Her eyes sharpened with military discipline. "What mission? I will definitely complete it!"
"It's a small matter, really. No fighting involved," Lucifer chuckled, waving her hand. "It's just... well, you'll know when the time comes."
Meanwhile, on the streets leading to the academy, Kasugano Sora was dragging her feet. She held a chilled can of cola in one hand, taking a slow sip before frowning.
"Hm? Why do I feel like something isn't quite right?" she muttered to herself, her silver hair swaying in the morning breeze. "Is someone trying to trick me? Could it be... Teacher Hiratsuka?! No way..."
"Yo! Kasugano, you called for us?"
Sora nearly choked on her drink. She was almost in tears. How could her luck be this abysmal? Moving like a rusty machine, she stiffly turned her head. Standing right behind her were two beautiful women in sharp business suits—none other than Hiratsuka Shizuka and Sengoku Chihiro.
Sora swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "Teacher Hiratsuka?! How did you get here so early?! This is completely unscientific!"
"Ha?" Shizuka crossed her arms, a dangerous aura radiating from her smile. "I was only late that one day... Who gave you the impression that I'm late every day? And for the record... there are still five minutes before the bell. I wasn't even late that day."
"I... I... actually, you've got the wrong person..." Sora tried to slowly back away.
"Do you think we're stupid?" Shizuka snapped, pointing down the street. "Hurry up and get to school! And aren't you afraid of getting a stomachache from drinking iced cola first thing in the morning?!"
Sora flinched, clutching her bag tightly. "Got it!"
[Akarin's Note: Hiratsuka Shizuka is the chain-smoking, tough-loving language teacher from 'My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected'(Oregairu). Sengoku Chihiro is the lazy, alcohol-loving art teacher and dorm supervisor from'The Pet Girl of Sakurasou'. Both are infamous for their unkempt adult lifestyles, making their early and professional appearance here a shock to Sora.]
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