The house kitchen was filled with familiar aromas that reminded me of my previous life. I was cooking for Miko and myself—a task that at first seemed like a simple hobby, but had now become a true source of rexation. The feeling of control, of creating something from scratch, felt incredibly calming.

  "Alright, breakfast is ready. Miko, get up—you have to get ready for school," I called from the kitchen, my voice only slightly louder than usual. My tone was enough for her to hear, although in this house, speaking in a normal voice feels like shouting.

  I heard her bedroom door open on the second floor, and that brought memories of my past life. Back then, my mother used to yell at me to get up, but now everything is different. Just speaking normally here feels like making too much noise. Sometimes I think even an arm clock is too loud in this house. Most of us speak in whispers. Talking at a normal volume is like shouting.

  Miko:"Good morning, brother," Miko said sleepily, still in her pajamas.

  Shido:"Good morning, Miko. Go wash your face and get changed before breakfast," I told her as I pced the dishes on the table for both of us.

  Miko:"Yes, brother," she replied and walked off to the bathroom.

  Shortly after, Miko returned, already dressed in her uniform, and sat at the table, ready to eat.

  Shido:"Thanks for the meal," I said, pressing my hands together in gratitude.

  Miko:"Thanks for the meal," she echoed, doing the same.

  Miko:"It's delicious as always, brother," she said while enjoying the rice with asparagus and egg I had made.

  Shido:"Eat a little slower, and thanks for the compliment," I told her, handing her a gss of juice.

  It's funny how, over time, cooking has become my favorite pastime. It’s no longer just a necessity—it’s something I genuinely enjoy. Afternoons I once spent doing nothing, I now spend cooking and baking. I didn’t even know I liked it that much, but one day I gave it a try and ended up hooked. Now I’m the one in charge of the kitchen at home, and my mother—who used to do everything—decided to return to work. Apparently, the trust she pced in me to take care of the house gave her the confidence to resume her career.

  Shido:"Alright, since you're ready, let's go," I said as I finished putting the clean dishes away.

  Miko:"Yes, brother," she replied as she stood up and walked out the door.

  Even though Miko has a somewhat cold expression and a distant air, I know it's not out of malice. She's focused on her surroundings, trying to block out the sounds her incredible hearing picks up. Being born with super-hearing can’t be easy, and even though she always wears the headphones I gave her, sometimes I can still hear her pick up my voice from the bathroom—even when I whisper.

  And while we go about our daily routine, not everything in my life is ordinary. I’ve been training with the angels Raphael and Sandalphon. Since I’m finally the right size to train, I’ve been perfecting the bance of sword and bow, spear and chains. I’ve been following Rasiel’s fencing guides to improve my technique with broad or bastard swords. The bow was the easiest to learn, followed by chains, and stly, the spear.

  For those unfamiliar with the powers of Raphael and Sandalphon, here’s a summary:

  Raphael

  Weapons:

  Combined: Bow and Arrows

  Kaguya: Spear

  Yuzuru: Pendulum

  Both Yamai sisters have the power to manipute the wind, controlling air currents gracefully to fly. Their combined power can create devastating typhoons, and when united, they can form a bow and arrow capable of piercing the territory of Arbatel.

  Skill Moves/Attacks:

  Kaguya: Re'em (Piercer)

  Yuzuru: Na'ash (Constrictor)

  Combined Attack: Kanaph (Sky Rider)

  Sandalphon

  Angel: Sandalphon (Ruler of Massacre)

  Weapon: Throne, broad sword

  Halvanhelev (Final Sword): A massive, single-edged sword shaped like a zanbatō, greatly enhancing the angel’s destructive power.

  My training with these powers has been intense. I’ve learned to maintain bance with swords, shoot arrows, and handle chains with skill. I’ve also started practicing spiritual energy control—creating barriers and firing them as pure energy. I’ve learned to fly and even create my astral outfit, which seemed essential. Though I’m half-human, half-spirit, my ability to control angelic powers is something I’m still discovering. With Raphael, I can control the wind to keep it from hitting my face as I fly. I even found out I can fly faster by using Sandalphon’s throne as a vehicle and accelerating with Raphael’s power. At such high speeds, my ears no longer suffer thanks to my own territory.

  Even though I’ve postponed it, I’m considering hunting a street demon to develop my combat instincts. I’m not worried about injuries, since Camael will heal them. I need to develop pain resistance so I don’t freeze up in the middle of a fight.

  Shido:"Miko, what do you want for lunch?" I asked as we walked to school. In Japan, it’s common for kids to walk to school alone once they know the way, so Miko and I are used to it.

  Miko:"Fried rice with hamburger, please," she replied, speaking slightly louder than usual as we walked together.

  As we chatted, a few acquaintances approached us.

  Satoshi:"Shido, Miko, good morning," said Ash in a soft voice, aware of Miko’s super-hearing.

  Aika:"Good morning, Shido, Miko. How have you been?" asked Aika as she adjusted her gsses.

  Shido:"Good morning to both of you, everything’s been fine," I replied, while Miko simply nodded in greeting.

  On the way to school, more friends joined our group. Among them was a girl with orange hair named Hana, one of Miko’s few close friends. Hana is very quiet around Miko, but normally she’s full of energy. I don’t know how, but she and Miko became good friends. In fact, Miko always carries an extra bento, which seems to be for Hana, who’s always hungry. The image of Miko feeding Hana like a little puppy always makes me smile.

  So far, I’ve made good friends in my grade and even among uppercssmen. I haven’t had any problems with my studies, and English css has been easier than learning Japanese. I consider myself a good student.

  My pn:When the time comes to enter Kuon Academy—and it’s no longer an all-girls school—I pn to be accepted as student council president. However, I don’t intend to keep the position. Instead, I’ll hand it over to Sona and name myself vice president. That way, I can stay at the center of important events without losing control—and know when they’ll happen. And most importantly, I have no intention of becoming a demon; I’d rather stay as I am, a human-spirit hybrid.

  jeromaro