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The final night before the Three Factions conference passed like this.
Time blinked forward to the next morning.
Still sleeping until naturally waking as usual.
When Bokue opened his eyes, he lay in his own apartment bedroom. What met his gaze was the familiar ceiling, familiar heavy pressure transmitted from his chest, along with Kuroka's steady breathing.
Knock knock knock...
Just then, perfectly timed knocking sounds came from the right side.
Bokue turned his head toward the sound. Through the window's white curtains, a girl's silhouette could be faintly distinguished standing in the sunlight outside.
Plus, judging from the silhouette's hairstyle, most likely... definitely Rias.
Don't ask why "most likely"—ask and it's because Venelana's hairstyle was actually almost identical to Rias's. Just their hair colors differed.
Like Rias was beautiful crimson red, while Venelana was more ordinary brown.
But Venelana probably couldn't possibly appear here at this time.
"Mmm~ so noisy, who is it, nya?"
Seemingly awakened by the intermittent knocking sounds outside, Kuroka—originally lying on the young man's chest—yawned long and unclearly. Then without opening her eyes, she extended both arms from beneath the covers to wrap around the young man's neck.
"Should be Rias..."
Feeling the soft sensation transmitted from his chest, Bokue gently stroked the nekomata girl's smooth back with pats.
"Let me up first, Kuroka. I'll check what's happening."
"Mmm~"
Though Kuroka's mouth kept asking who, who, her hand movements were surprisingly honest. Not only didn't she release—she tightened even more, burying her face deeply into the young man's chest for a deep inhale. After maintaining this posture silently for a while, she slowly exhaled breath before reluctantly opening her beautiful golden cat eyes. Lifting her head to expose half her small face, she made a muffled sound.
"Okay, go ahead."
Only then could Bokue extricate himself, sitting up from the bedding and getting down to bedside.
Whoosh—!
The curtains sealed all night were suddenly drawn open. Somewhat dazzling sunlight instantly streamed in from outside.
Outside the window, the red-haired girl already wearing Saikai Academy uniform stood in autumn morning's sunlight and breeze. One hand on hip, eyes narrowed as she glared at the scene inside the room.
Then Bokue also opened the window. Facing the breeze blowing in from outside, he greeted the red-haired girl face-to-face.
"Morning, Rias. Why so early today..."
"What else... seriously, did you forget what day it is, Bokue?"
Seeing the young man maintaining this extremely relaxed mental state, Rias immediately sighed helplessly.
Bokue briefly considered organizing language, hesitating before ultimately just responding randomly.
"Wedding anniversary?"
"Of course... not!"
Rias nearly choked on his words.
What the hell, even wedding anniversary came up. Forget that they still hadn't formally held a wedding—even if counting a relationship anniversary, it hadn't reached a year yet!
After all, they'd only met early this year. Though by now they'd done everything that should and shouldn't be done, objectively speaking, fully calculating meant establishing their relationship less than half a year ago total. Where did any anniversary come from??
"Hehe~ this one I know, nya!"
Words just falling—behind Bokue on the bed, Kuroka propped herself up with one hand, using the bedding to barely cover important areas. Her black long hair fell like satin on neck and collarbones, face written all over with pride.
"Today is Bokue and my relationship anniversary, right? Oh wait, can't really call it relationship anniversary. After all, thinking carefully, we met about ten years ago today. So should be called 'heart stirring anniversary,' nya. Oh my, didn't expect Rias would even know this. Plus I still remember the location was in Shenzhou..."
"Stop! Who asked you that??"
Rias's mouth twitched speechlessly as she stopped her.
"I'm obviously talking about the Three Factions conference day! Who's discussing that with you?? Plus, it's already eight a.m. now. You still haven't gotten up—what time did you sleep last night..."
"About... past three a.m.?"
Kuroka tapped her lips, thinking seriously before giving what she considered a fairly precise answer.
Past three a.m.???
Rias didn't know how to complain anymore.
Though she didn't know what exactly these two did in the apartment last night, didn't she already order prohibiting "group entertainment" these two days?
Though she definitely couldn't control what happened in their own apartment, even if doing it, at least start slightly earlier!
Even if eating dinner at seven, bathing at eight and lying in bed—that still left three full hours until eleven. Enough, right?
Start early, finish early, rest early—wouldn't that be good? Why insist on messing around until past three a.m.?
Couldn't be starting from eight straight until three, right? Full seven hours and still didn't get your cattery drilled through?
"Whatever, just hurry and get up anyway."
Forcing herself to stop thinking about these matters while holding her forehead, Rias urged somewhat helplessly.
Bokue maintained that unhurried appearance.
"I know today's the Three Factions conference. But is it really that urgent, starting this early in the morning?"
Hearing this, Rias sighed lightly.
"Of course! Onii-sama and Mom are already at school now. Currently Sona's handling reception for them. Plus, Sona just messaged saying Heaven's side—Archangel Michael—also arrived. We must go over immediately now."
"Got it, got it~"
"Ah wait, I'm going too! How can such an important occasion lack me, the legal wife, nya!"
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Scene switch—
Bokue and Kuroka were pulled by Rias to Saikai Academy's administrative building.
Originally, this was a place only faculty could come. Meeting rooms especially required school leadership-level application for rental. But because Sona had student council president status, today they'd directly reserved one meeting room as the Three Factions conference location.
The three walked upstairs through the corridor to the meeting room entrance.
When the meeting room door opened, inside three people had already sat around both sides of the long table's head.
Sirzechs, Serafall, plus the other side's... Archangel Michael.
Though Bokue had never seen Michael before, the golden armor plus twelve large wings behind him were far too eye-catching. Hard to ignore or fail recognizing.
"Haah~"
Just then, a familiar female yawning sound came from the long table's far end.
Rias instinctively turned toward the sound, seeing her mother Venelana sitting at the long table's far end. Having just finished yawning while covering her mouth with hand, behind her stood Grayfia in her usual maid outfit.
"Eh? Are you that tired, Mom? Didn't rest well last night?"
"Hehe, no, nothing."
Seeing her daughter arrive, Venelana smiled and waved her hand.
"Just simply slept late last night."
"I... see..."
Since even Mother said so, Rias didn't doubt, just nodded lightly.
But whether her imagination or not, she seemed to see behind Mother—Grayfia-neesan who usually wore no makeup—today seemed to have applied light cosmetics.
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