13 Returning to School before the Calamity

[Third POV]

While Ayaka pondered about her fate within the confines of her family's estate, a separate scenario unfolded in a distant location. Standing alone on the balcony at night, the noble fox person named Sanjourno Kyosuke found himself consumed by turmoil and hatred.

"Damn those Kamisato clan," he murmured under his breath, his voice tinged with frustration as he gazed out into the darkness. "To think they could wield such influence over a goddess sickens me so badly."

Kyosuke's thoughts stirred with resentment as he pondered the implication of the newfound alliance between the Kamisato clan and the thunder goddess. The mere idea of an average family holding sway over a divine being belittled his pride and filled him with humiliation.

"I won't allow those cretins insult me again, especially that brat, Ayaka," he vowed to himself, his resolve fueling his grudge for the Kamisato clan as he plotted his next move.

"Milord, we have a situation!"

Unexpectedly, a fox attendant appeared from the corner of his balcony, wanting to deliver a message. However, the disgruntled noble rolled his eyes and confronted his servant. 

"What is it now?" he inquired, his irritation evident in his tone.

"A visitor seeks an audience with you, milord," the fox attendant declared, his demeanor thick with urgency.

In response, Kyosuke furrowed his brow, seemingly unimpressed by the notification. "Who in their right mind seeks my attention in the dead of night?"

"I do not know, milord," the servant replied nervously. "But he claims to possess information about the Kamisato clan that you might want to hear."

Hearing the mention of the Kamisato piqued the noble's interest. With a nod, he decided to instruct the attendant to usher the visitor into his presence.

"Very well. Bring him in," Kyosuke commanded, his mind already racing with the possibilities of what this encounter might bring.

The fox servant departed to fetch the visitor and soon returned escorting a mysterious man holding a parasol. The man exuded an aura of calmness, dressed in Buddhist monk attire, but what caught Kyosuke's attention was the mask covering half of his face.

"Who are you, and what information do you have regarding the Kamisato clan?" the fox noble asked, inclined to hear what the visitor had to say.

The man smirked, placing down his parasol before responding, "My name is a secret, though you can just call me the Doctor. Anyway, I know a way to rid yourself of people you loathe."

"Really? Then tell me how to dispose of them," Kyosuke pressed onward, raising his eyebrow in curiosity over the sound of the stranger's proposition.

However, the doctor raised a finger and waved it mischievously. "Hold on, before I could tell you the method, I wanted something particular in return."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Kyosuke questioned inquisitively.

With that question, the doctor's smile grew wider, casting a malicious aura. Unbeknownst to the fox noble, an ominous bargain was about to take place, one that would alter the fate of a clueless family.

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On the following day, Ayaka decided to return to school, realizing that she was absent on the previous day because of the unexpected meeting with Raiden. Hastening through breakfast with her family, she immediately changed into her school uniform while being assisted by the household attendants.

"Remember, Ayaka, Her Excellency is currently busy in matters of war," the father reminded her earnestly. "Try to avoid any troubles that may require her intervention, alright?"

Ayaka nodded, taking his words to heart before turning to her mother, who offered her own advice. "Just stay calm and attentive, my dear. I know you are strong, but even the strongest need moments of serenity."

"I will, Mother," the young girl replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing inside her.

But before she departed, her brother Ayato approached her with a final message. "Take care, my dear sister. Just remember that I'll be visiting your school later to pick you up."

"Thanks, brother. I'll be going now," she announced firmly, bidding her family farewell before stepping into the awaiting carriage.

Her parents, older brother, and unexpectedly, Shinobu waved her off, their figures gradually receding as the carriage set off toward school.

As the vehicle rolled along the familiar path of the destination, Ayaka's thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous day. The recollection of her conversation with Raiden and the revelations shared with Shinobu weighed heavily on her mind, stirring a tempest of emotions within her chest.

Eventually, the carriage arrived at the school entrance, where a crowd of students streamed past the gates. Ayaka stepped out of the vehicle, her gaze scrutinizing the courtyard as she prepared to catch up with the lessons she had missed.

"Hey, over here, Ayaka."

Amidst the crowd, a familiar voice called out to Ayaka, causing her to turn towards the sound and notice someone waving their hand underneath a Sakura tree. Looking closer, it turns out to be her dear friend, Gojourno Kaguya.

Seeing that, Ayaka couldn't help but feel pleased and approached to have a chat. "Kaguya, it's good to see you again. How have you been?"

"I'm fine. But more importantly, how were you yesterday?" Kaguya inquired, feeling curious about what happened to her friend.

"Well, you see..."

Ayaka proceeded to recount all of the previous events to Kaguya, starting from Mikoto's late-night playtime invitation to the subsequent meeting with the Thunder Goddess.

Kaguya listened intently, her expression tinged with steady curiosity as her friend described the encounter. After she finished speaking, a moment of silence passed between them, filled only by the gentle rustling of the sakura leaves overhead.

"I see, it appears you have quite an adventure, Ayaka," remarked Kaguya. "To think you have encountered not only one but two goddesses in one night. No wonder you didn't show up to class yesterday."

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, did anything unusual happen while I was gone?" Ayaka inquired, interested to know about yesterday's events in school.

In response, Kaguya shrugged, casually replying, "Nothing much, just the usual lectures and activities. But hey, if you want to, I will lend you some of my notes."

"Really? Thanks, I appreciate it," Ayaka voiced respectfully, giving her friend a genuine smile.

In return, Kaguya smiled as well, showing how much she cared. "No problem."

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Later that day, the two friends attended their classes together, the companionship they had provided them comfort amidst the mundane routines of school life. Sitting side by side, they listened to lectures and participated in class discussions. 

While it appeared that Ayaka endured the classes without much disturbance, not everything was as peaceful as it seemed. A few of the stricter teachers took notice of her absence the previous day and decided to interrogate her about it during class. One such teacher who was bold enough to ask was Professor Tanaka, a history teacher.

"Miss Kamisato Ayaka, why were you absent yesterday?" he inquired, his gaze intense as he directed his attention towards her.

Ayaka, who appeared intimidated by his question, considered her response carefully. "I had an urgent family matter to attend to with a goddess, sir."

Professor Tanaka raised an eyebrow skeptically, clearly not satisfied with her response. But before he could press further, Kaguya came to her friend's defense.

"Excuse me, but I can vouch for Ayaka. Her family indeed had a personal engagement with a deity. Particularly, the goddess of thunder, lightning, and storm, Raiden."

"What?!"

Gossip elicited from the students, and even the teacher seemed taken aback upon hearing the goddess's name. Ayaka breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for her friend's intervention.

"Hmph, meeting that goddess doesn't excuse your absence, pipsqueak."

Suddenly, a resentful voice interrupted from the corner of the room. Ayaka turned to notice Kunikuzushi, a student who harbored animosity towards her, sitting defiantly. His face was covered with bruises and his right eye was covered with bandages. 

She was puzzled over what had happened to him but she then recalled Raiden's resolution when they first met, about punishing Kunikuzushi for deceiving her.

"What did you say? I'll have you know that you've already faced divine retribution from the thunder goddess herself. So, if you don't wish for it to happen again, I suggest you watch your mouth," Kaguya retorted firmly, addressing Kunikuzushi with dominance.

With those remarks, the resentful student's expression twisted with anger, his fist clenching as if planning to strike Kaguya. Sensing the tension, Ayaka immediately tugged at her friend's uniform, signaling her to stop provoking him.

"That's enough. Put an end to this pointless quarrel and we'll return to the lecture," Professor Tanaka declared, effectively defusing the situation.

Reluctantly, Kunikuzushi fell silent under the teacher's command, although his resentful gaze lingered on Ayaka. The class continued as intended, albeit with a lingering sense of suspense in the air.

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After several hours had passed, the last lecture finally concluded, and the two close friends made their way out of the classroom amidst the throngs of students. As they walked out of the building, the events of the day weighed heavily on Ayaka's mind.

"Are you alright, Ayaka? You looked worn out," Kaguya asked, noticing her friend's distracted expression as if she was thinking of something disturbing.

Ayaka shook her head and offered a forced smile to suppress her concerns. " Ah, it's nothing. I'm just tired from class, that's all."

"Oh, is that so? The way I see it is that you're bothered by something, perhaps that annoying Kunikuzushi from earlier," Kaguya suggested, her tone tinged with sympathy as she recalled the tense encounter in the classroom.

Ayaka's smile wavered, and she let out a weary sigh. "I guess you are right. It's just... I don't understand why he's always so hostile towards me."

"I know, right? What was the deal with him anyway?"

As they pondered the reason for Kunikuzushi's animosity, the boy himself emerged from the shadows, interrupting their discussion. His gaze shifted between Kaguya and Ayaka, showing his resentment towards them.

"What do you want this time?" Kaguya demanded, positioning herself protectively in front of her friend.

Kunikuzushi's lips twisted into a wicked sneer as he addressed Ayaka directly. "I just wanted to remind you that you haven't seen the last of me, Kamisato. You and your buddy won't be able to escape your unfortunate fate."

"Huh?! Was that supposed to be a threat? I have you know-"

"Wait a second, Kaguya. Let me handle this."

Ayaka interjected, halting her friend's response before she turned to face Kunikuzushi. She met her gaze with the boy's uncovered left eye. For a moment, they locked eyes in a silent confrontation when suddenly...

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Kunikuzushi."

The white-haired girl bowed her head at the boy, prostrating to him for some reason. This took Kaguya and even Kunikuzushi by surprise. He then shook his head and doubted Ayaka.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, I apologize if Her Excellency went too far with your punishment. I just don't want any trouble, so let's end this hatred here."

Kunikuzushi's eyes widened in disbelief at Ayaka's unexpected apology. He remained silent for a moment, softening his expression slightly before stiffening it again and huffing at her.

"Hmph, do you think a simple apology is enough to absolve you of everything, Kamisato? No, I want you to beg for me and grovel at my feet if you want to be forgiven."

Hearing his outrageous requests, Kaguya immediately grabbed Ayaka's hand and glared at Kunikuzushi, pointing her finger at him.

"Listen here, you ungrateful bastard. I have you know that my friend is not someone you can push around with your petty demands. If you dare to cause her any more harm, you'll have to deal with me!"

Kunikuzushi recoiled at Kaguya's fierce proclamation, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. For a moment, it seemed as though he might retaliate, but then he wavered, seemingly daunted by her unwavering decisiveness.

"Let's go, Ayaka. We don't need to waste any more of our time on this fool," Kaguya declared, pulling her friend away from the confrontation.

As they walked away, Ayaka glanced back at Kunikuzushi, feeling a mix of reassurance and apprehension. She couldn't shake the idea that their encounter was far from over.

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While the two girls hastily retreated from the confrontation, Kunikuzushi watched them with a sinister glint in his eyes. He observed them boarding their respective carriages before disappearing into the distance.

"Tch..."

He clicked his tongue in frustration and turned his attention to a particular shadowed area of the school building.

"They're gone. You both can come out now."

As he called out, two menacing figures emerged from the shadow. It was Kyosuke and the doctor, who seems enjoying the performance.

"So, it seems the girls have backed down. Oh well," Kyosuke remarked nonchalantly.

Kunikuzushi rolled his lone eye in annoyance and glanced to the masked man. "What's our next move, Doctor?"

"Now? Well, it's time for them to say goodnight." the Doctor retorted ominously.