The night sky in Mato wasn't a calming darkness like in the human world. There was no beautiful scattering of stars or softly shining moon. What existed was an expanse of oppressive and eerie emptiness.
The horizon was shrouded in a deep purple color that looked like a large bruise, with static grayish-red cloud clumps hanging low and motionless, as if the atmosphere was made of ash from fires that never extinguished. There were no twinkling stars; only pale and cold points of light scattered far in the distance, more resembling monster eyes peering from behind a curtain.
However, inside a special barrier protecting it, the Sixth Unit Anti-Demon Corps headquarters building stood firm.
The building resembled an Edo-style Japanese castle that had been elegantly modernized—a fusion of dark wood, stone, and steel and glass structures that didn't disturb the traditional aesthetics. Inside, the atmosphere was far more normal and comfortable.
In a corridor lit by modern lamps, a girl came out of the kitchen carrying a tray containing tea and small cakes for a nighttime snack.
The girl had a slightly shorter stature than Tenka, with sharp yellow eyes and dark green hair in two braids tied with white ribbons. She wore a white sweater with a red collar and a black skirt with flower patterns that hung gracefully below her knees.
Her name was Azuma Yachiho, vice-commander of the Sixth Unit, the older sister of Azuma Himari from the Seventh Unit whom Tenka had mentioned in her conversation with Naoki.
"Oh, Yachiho, how did you know?" Tenka asked cheerfully.
Yachiho rolled her eyes with a bored expression. "No normal person dresses this beautifully and does their makeup neatly at night unless they want to go out, Commander. Don't tell me you're going on a date? Just kidding~"
Yachiho threw out that sentence as pure jest, because she knew how difficult it was to find a worthy man in the eyes of a Unit Commander. However, she didn't expect to receive an answer that almost made her drop the tray.
"Yup~ Tonight I have a date with Naoki-kun~" Tenka smiled broadly, her fingers twirling the ends of her hair. "What do you think? Do I look beautiful?"
She spun gracefully to show her appearance fully, ignoring Yachiho's stunned expression.
Tonight, she had shed her military uniform. She wore a lavender silk dress that hugged her body curves perfectly, paired with cream-colored high heels that made her legs look even longer. Her face was adorned with light but elegant makeup, giving a feminine impression far from the image of a war commander.
"This is my first time dating, so I need honest judgment from others."
"..."
Yachiho pinched her own cheek hard enough to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The faint pain convinced her.
"R-Really? Commander is really dating?! With whom?! I've never seen you close to any man before!"
Tenka just placed her index finger in front of her smiling lips, her emerald green eyes blinking mischievously. "It's a secret~"
"Guh..." Yachiho sighed in surrender. "Whatever. I don't really care who Commander is dating, it's not my business."
Indeed, although curious, she had no desire to keep pressing. For a siscon like her, this world revolved around her younger sister, Himari. She wasn't too interested in romance, let alone other people's romance.
However, as vice-commander and someone who respected Tenka, she felt the need to give an honest comment.
"But, as for appearance... Commander is naturally beautiful. I doubt there's a normal man who wouldn't be captivated seeing you like this." She nodded, judging objectively. "I don't know who that man is, but he must have made a very great achievement in his previous life to be able to win the heart of our Sixth Unit Commander."
"Glad to hear it~" Tenka nodded satisfactorily, her smile widening further. Then, she said something that confused Yachiho slightly. "I also don't know if Naoki-kun achieved great feats in his previous life. But, one thing I'm sure of in the future, he will."
"What do you—"
Yachiho wanted to ask further, but Tenka had already skillfully changed the topic of conversation.
"By the way, where's Sahara-chin?"
"Sahara is bathing. Need me to call her?"
"No need. For the next two to three hours, I'll be in the real world. If there's an emergency or very urgent matter, contact me immediately through the communicator. Don't worry it will ruin my date; everyone's safety and the mission remain priority."
"Alright, Commander. Hope your date is enjoyable."
"Thank you, Yachiho. See you~"
After leaving instructions for the Sixth Unit, Tenka waved her hand cheerfully at Yachiho. With her mind, she triggered her Peach Blessing, «Ame-no-Mitori».
*BUZZ!*
In the middle of the room, a black portal adorned with falling white bird feathers opened instantly.
Access between the real world and Mato was usually very limited, only through natural or artificial Gates that were tightly controlled. However, with «Ame-no-Mitori», Tenka had the rare ability to open dimensional rifts herself, allowing her to move between worlds without having to go through official procedures or specific Gate locations.
For her teleportation to be accurate, Tenka usually used an internal coordinate system or strong markers. As long as she had a clear mental image or specific destination point in the real world, she could cross that dimensional boundary instantly.
With cheerful steps and a heartbeat pounding full of anticipation, Tenka stepped into the portal, leaving Mato's darkness for the glittering lights of the human world to meet her chosen man.
"I'm curious, what kind of man is Commander's boyfriend?" Yachiho muttered while walking down the corridor to her room, the tray containing tea and cakes still in her hands.
"Rich? Or maybe very handsome?"
She shook her head herself. "Ah, impossible. Commander isn't the type of woman who's materialistic, and as far as I remember she's never been crazy about men's visual appearances either. She must value character and inner content more!"
Her conclusion sounded logical. Tenka always appeared mature and wise, surely she chose a partner based on inner qualities, not superficial things.
Suddenly, a far more terrifying thought crossed her mind. That thought was like a lightning flash in the night, illuminating a possibility she had been trying to suppress all this time.
"If even Commander has started dating..." Yachiho whispered with a tense voice. "Will there come a day when... Himari will also date?"
In her wild imagination, Yachiho envisioned her beloved younger sister, Himari, walking away from her while holding hands with a strange man. She imagined Himari smiling shyly at that man, then packing her things to live together in a small house, leaving Yachiho alone in silence.
"NOOOO!!!"
A hysterical scream—only in her mind—resounded in her head. In the real world, her facial expression changed drastically, from curious to panicked and full of determination.
"Onee-chan won't let random men seduce Himari!" Yachiho's eyes blazed with frightening determination. "No one is allowed to approach my little sister without going through my approval first! Only worthy men, whom I've tested, are allowed to approach her!"
She nodded to herself, as if compiling a long and impossible-to-fulfill list of requirements.
With steps that were now faster, Yachiho finally arrived in front of her bedroom door. She opened it and entered.
Her room was a real manifestation of her obsession. The walls were almost completely covered by photos of Himari that had been printed in various sizes and neatly pasted.
There were photos of little Himari, teenage Himari, Himari in school uniform, Himari in Seventh Unit Anti-Demon Corps uniform, Himari smiling, Himari being serious, even possibly candid photos taken from afar.
It didn't stop at the walls. The pillows on her bed had covers featuring Himari's face. So did her bolster. Her sheets and blanket were also patterned with smaller Himari photos.
There was a special shelf containing photo albums, figures (possibly custom-made), and other merchandise related to her sister.
The atmosphere of this room exceeded a sister's admiration; it had reached a level of obsession that might make others feel horrified, no less than a deviant stalker.
However, for Yachiho, this was her place of refuge.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, her gaze swept the "ocean" of Himari around her. Her mood that had been bad and anxious because of visions of Himari dating, slowly began to improve. Her tense face gradually softened, replaced by a gentle smile and a dazed gaze.
"Ah~" A voice full of longing and satisfaction. "I want to meet Himari right now..."
Yachiho lay down on the bed, tightly hugging a pillow with her beloved sister's face. In the silence of the room filled with those images, she felt calm, as if she were surrounded by her sister herself.
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