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It was well past midnight when Natsuki Minamiya finally returned home. Kasane Yase had already gone to bed, leaving the house quiet and still.

The exhaustion on Natsuki's face was unmistakable. The day had clearly been a troublesome one, as was often the case in the Demon District. The island of Itogami was home to countless supernatural beings, all possessing immense power. Despite the strict regulations imposed on them, tensions naturally arose.

On Itogami Island, incidents were as common as the tides. Brawls, robberies, and even murder were part of the daily chaos. As the Attack Mage Instructor, Natsuki was constantly summoned to restore order.

Especially with her title as the Witch of the Void, Natsuki's spatial manipulation magic and her Prison Barrier made apprehending rogue demons an effortless task. But even so, the relentless pace of her duties wore her down.

"Those damned beastfolk," Natsuki muttered irritably as she stepped inside, slipping off her boots. "Can't they go a single night without causing trouble?"

Though her form was a magical construct—a clone of her true body—even she could feel fatigue after the day's madness.

"Yo, Natsuki-chan. You're finally back," came a familiar voice from the couch.

Natsuki's sharp eyes snapped to the speaker. It was August, lounging comfortably, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Huh? August? Why aren't you asleep yet? What are you doing up?"

"Waiting for you," he replied casually, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

"Waiting for me? Why?"

Her tone was laced with suspicion as she narrowed her eyes. Dealing with August often meant dealing with trouble, and she wasn't in the mood for another headache tonight.

"I've got a question," he said, sitting up straight.

"What kind of question?"

Not waiting for a response, Natsuki headed to the kitchen, setting a kettle on the stove. The day had left her drained, and she needed tea to unwind. Three brawls, four robberies, and a murder case—all in one night—had pushed her to her limits.

"How do you summon a familiar?"

"Pfft—!"

Natsuki choked on her tea the moment the words left August's mouth. She barely managed to set the cup down before sputtering, "Summon a familiar? What are you planning now?"

"Nothing serious," August replied, feigning innocence. "I was just curious, that's all."

"Do you think I'm stupid? You don't just ask that kind of question out of curiosity."

"I mean, aren't you curious too? Familiars seem ridiculously powerful."

"Of course they're powerful! Why do you think the Night Empires of the Three Progenitors exist, while no other nations can compare?"

Wiping her mouth, Natsuki poured herself another cup of tea and took a calming sip. The strength of familiars, especially those wielded by progenitors, was beyond comprehension. A single progenitor's familiar could obliterate an entire nation. That alone spoke to their catastrophic power.

"Well, now I'm even more curious," August said, leaning forward.

"You're not a vampire, are you?"

"Nope."

"Immortal?"

"More or less."

"What?"

Natsuki's eyes widened in surprise, staring at August as if seeing him for the first time. She hadn't expected him to reveal something so shocking. If he truly was immortal like a vampire, then perhaps he could wield a familiar without succumbing to its life-draining curse.

Still, she couldn't help but voice her concern. "Listen, don't get cocky. Familiars may be powerful, but the price of using them is equally terrifying. Anyone who isn't a vampire risks their life summoning one. You'd be playing with death."

"Do I seem like the reckless type to you?"

"Yes, you do."

"Can we have a proper conversation, Natsuki-chan?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Just tell me how to summon a familiar."

"I don't know."

"Huh? How can you not know?"

"Why would I know? I'm a witch, not a vampire."

"But—"

August found himself at a loss for words. Natsuki Minamiya's argument was airtight—how could a witch possibly know how to summon a familiar? Summoning familiars was the domain of vampires, not mages.

Realizing this, August shifted his focus. If he wanted answers, he needed to go straight to the source: a vampire.

And he knew just the person—Beatrice. She was the owner of Arcane Constructs and, more importantly, the only subordinate August had acquired since arriving in this world. Despite bringing her under his control, he had yet to make full use of her expertise.

With a plan forming, August grabbed his phone and dialed her number.

Ring… ring…

After a dozen seconds, the line finally connected.

"Who is it? Calling so late at night, disturbing my sleep…"

Before August could say a word, Beatrice's irritated voice cut through the silence. Clearly, the vampire had been sleeping, and her foul mood was evident.

August frowned. Sleeping? At this hour? It wasn't even that late—barely past midnight. Weren't vampires supposed to be nocturnal creatures?

"It's me," August said simply.

There was a moment of silence before Beatrice's tone shifted dramatically. "M-Master!"

Her voice was now laced with both respect and fear. Beatrice knew better than to test August's patience—this was someone not to be trifled with.

"Beatrice," August said calmly.

"Yes, Master. How may I serve you?"

"Come to my place immediately. I need to speak with you."

"Now?"

"Did I stutter?"

"But it's already past midnight…"

"Hmm?"

"I'll be there right away!"

Without another word, Beatrice hung up, leaving August satisfied as he pocketed his phone.

Beside him, Natsuki shot him a disapproving glare. "Really? You're calling a vampire over here in the middle of the night? What are you even planning?"

"To ask her how to summon a familiar," August replied nonchalantly.

"This could've waited until morning, you know."

"I couldn't sleep without answers."

Natsuki groaned in frustration, suppressing the urge to yell. It was already late, and Kasane Yase was sound asleep in the next room. No point in waking her up over this nonsense. Still, she couldn't believe August's audacity—dragging someone out of bed in the dead of night.

August, unfazed by her annoyance, raised his hand. Three orbs of dark energy materialized above his palm, each marked with unique symbols. The orbs pulsed with a sinister, primal energy that sent a chill down Natsuki's spine.

"Hey, what is that?" she asked, her tone sharp with concern.

"These?" August gestured to the orbs. "They're Commandments. Fragments of my power. This one is the Commandment of Wrath, this one Gluttony, and this one Pride."

Natsuki's expression grew darker. "Those… are curses, aren't they?"

"Correct. The Commandments are curses I bestow. Anyone who inherits them gains a fragment of my power, along with the curse I grant them."

"And what exactly do you plan to do with those… things?"

"I'm going to reward Beatrice with one," August said casually. "If I expect her to perform well, I need to give her proper motivation, don't I?"

Natsuki scoffed. "You're unusually generous, I'll give you that."

August smirked. "If you'd like, I can give you one too. How about the Commandment of Pride? It suits you."

"Ha! No thanks," Natsuki retorted, crossing her arms. "I'm the Witch of the Void, not some servant of darkness."

"Same difference," August muttered, waving her off.

Natsuki bristled at his flippant remark, but August didn't seem to care. In his eyes, it was all the same. Beatrice had offered her loyalty to gain his favor and power, while Natsuki had forged her own pact with a demon to achieve her goals. Both were merely different paths to strength, each with its own price.

If anything, August considered his power the better bargain. At least his curses didn't leave their recipients condemned to eternal solitude, like Natsuki's contract, which bound her to slumber within her prison barrier for eternity.

By comparison, the Commandments were almost… merciful.

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