The Eighth Campione

Once, the Kusanagi family home was a bookstore. This two-story wooden building had stood since before World War II. Though old, the house had undergone three renovations and expansions, making it a fairly comfortable place to live.

Although the bookstore had long since closed, traces of its existence remained. The wooden shelves that once held merchandise were still standing strong, now storing personal collections and various books that failed to sell during the final days of the business. The attic had also been turned into a storage space, filled with piles of old books that had yet to be cleared out.

On the second floor of this house, there were several bedrooms, one of which was occupied by a young man still lying in bed. Morning light filtered through the slightly open blue and white curtains, illuminating the simple yet tidy room.

Inside the room, there was a medium-sized bed with a geometrically patterned blanket. A study desk sat in the corner, with a few books and school supplies on top. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with novels and other reading materials neatly arranged. A small television was placed on a low table in the corner, next to a shelf filled with magazines and old books.

"Hoam~..."

On the bed, a young man stretched his body, slowly opening his eyes after a deep night's sleep. His face couldn't be called handsome, but it wasn't ugly either—he looked ordinary, like your typical high school student. There was nothing striking about his appearance; he exuded the aura of a harmless, average guy.

However, behind this unassuming demeanor, this young man was someone who had shaken the mystical world. Although he had only recently become a Campione, he had already faced two other Campione—defeating the Sword King Doni and even forcing Marquis Voban to retreat.

Compared to the Seventh Campione, who had been born just a day earlier, his name was far more well-known, especially in Italy.

He was the Eighth Campione—a seemingly ordinary high school student.

He was Kusanagi Godou!

Godou grabbed the alarm clock on the table and panicked when he saw the time.

"Crap!"

In a hurry, he immediately got out of bed, quickly removing his pajamas and changing into his school uniform. In his panic, he didn't notice the blanket behind him moving—as if something was hiding beneath it.

Without thinking twice, Godou stepped in front of the mirror, hastily fixing his messy hair. His hand reached for the blazer in the closet and quickly put it on. However, his movements suddenly stopped.

"Eh...?"

In the mirror's reflection, he saw something that shouldn't be there.

A girl was lying on his bed—completely naked.

Instantly, Godou's blood rushed, his face turning red in shock that was hard to control. His breath hitched, his eyes widening as he realized who the figure was.

The girl's golden blonde hair spilled over the pillow, its shine so bright it seemed to emit its own light. Her beauty was extraordinary, surpassing any girl Godou had ever seen in his life. Her facial features were smooth like a sculpture, her lips slightly parted in peaceful sleep, adding an allure that was hard to ignore.

But more than anything, what shocked Godou the most was the fact that this girl wasn't a stranger to him.

Erica Blandelli.

There was no way he wouldn't recognize her. Erica wasn't just someone he had met in Italy; she was also someone who had sworn loyalty as his knight. And now, she was here, sleeping in his bed, in a state that made his heart race faster than ever before.

"..."

Godou remained standing with his back to the bed, his heart pounding. He swallowed hard, trying to ignore the fact that there was a naked girl behind him. However, a soft and languid voice soon broke the silence.

"Hey, Godou. I want a cappuccino~"

Erica's tone sounded coquettish, as if there was nothing unusual about the situation.

"...!!!"

Godou tensed. He restrained himself from turning around immediately.

"Why are you here?" He asked in a strained voice, still facing forward.

Instead of answering, Erica stretched lazily. She rested her head on her arm, enjoying the moment.

"Hurry up. I don't like my cappuccino cold."

Her coquettish tone remained, as if Godou had asked something unimportant.

Godou tried to control the frustration mixed with embarrassment.

"Fufufu..."

Erica chuckled softly at his reaction. Instead of panicking or feeling embarrassed, she found Godou's awkward expression to be morning entertainment.

Slamming the closet door shut, Godou finally gave in. He closed his eyes tightly before turning around.

However, as soon as he opened his eyes again, his face immediately turned red.

In front of him, Erica was still casually sitting on the bed, not a single thread covering her body. Her blonde hair cascaded wildly over her shoulders, her fair skin glowing under the morning light.

Godou couldn't take it anymore.

"Just put on your clothes first!" He shouted loudly, his face flushed.

Erica just smirked, clearly enjoying the overreaction of the Eighth Campione, who was still too innocent to handle her teasing.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

In the dining room, the aroma of tea and toast filled the air. A maid deftly served breakfast on the table, ensuring everything was neatly arranged.

Godou sat next to Erica, who looked relaxed as she elegantly sipped her cappuccino. Across from them, a young girl bit into a strawberry jam sandwich, her green eyes sharply staring at Godou with a suspicious expression.

The girl was Kusanagi Shizuka, Godou's younger sister. Her brown hair was tied with pink ribbons on both sides, giving her a cute appearance. Her uniform consisted of a short-sleeved white blouse with dark blue accents, paired with a green ribbon tie adorning the front.

Shizuka put her sandwich down on the plate, then took a sip of warm tea before speaking.

"So when you two first met, you didn't get along at all?"

"Right." Godou answered with a composed expression, though his eyes were closed.

"And you didn't know Erica-san was coming to Japan?"

"Right."

"And you're not happy about all this. My words are correct, aren't they?"

"Right."

Three consecutive "right" answers from her brother were hardly convincing, especially with how Erica was now clinging tightly to his arm, as if they were a pair of love-struck lovers.

Shizuka stared at her brother in disbelief.

"It doesn't look like that at all."

Godou tried hard to convince his sister, but Shizuka's skeptical gaze only grew sharper.

"It's true! Believe me, Shizuka."

Shizuka narrowed her eyes, still doubting her brother's explanation.

"I didn't know either, but her attitude toward me suddenly changed drastically."

Of course, Godou couldn't tell the real reason. Hiding the fact that he was a Campione was the only way to protect his sister's normal life.

"Changed drastically?"

"That's right, changed drastically."

Godou nodded seriously, feeling increasingly desperate under his sister's suspicious gaze.

However, Erica just smiled sweetly, enjoying the situation.

"Your words are rude, Godou. I just accepted your feelings of love. That's all."

"When did I ever confess my love to you?!"

"You did, didn't you? We slept in the same bed at Lucretia's house, and the next day we shared a passionate bacio."

Erica's face flushed, as if reminiscing about that beautiful moment, then she acted shyly in front of Godou.

Godou almost choked.

"Bacio?"

Shizuka turned to the maid standing calmly near the table, Arianna Hayama Arialdi, asking for an explanation.

"In Japanese, it means a kiss." Arianna answered with an easy-to-understand explanation.

"Oh?"

Once she understood the meaning of the word, Shizuka's eyes turned back to her brother with an even sharper expression.

"Don't make her misunderstand! That happened because we were fighting a God—"

Shizuka raised an eyebrow. "A God—?"

Realizing his mistake, Godou quickly changed his expression to a forced laugh.

"Never mind. Hahaha..."

'She wouldn't believe me even if I told her the truth.' He thought resignedly in his heart.

Erica leaned closer to Godou's face and stared directly at him.

"But it's true we kissed, right?"

"No! You always twist the facts..."

Godou retorted with a blush on his cheeks, his gaze unconsciously dropping to Erica's cleavage beneath her nightgown. Then, he quickly turned his face away.

"I told you, put on your clothes!"

"I already did. Or maybe you're interested in what's inside? It's only for Godou."

Erica actively teased Godou, ignoring Arianna and Shizuka, who were still in the same room.

"Gulp..."

Hearing that, Godou swallowed hard. It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted. After all, he was a normal teenage boy.

'Calm down, this must be a trap. Control yourself. But... Maybe I'll just take a little peek...'

However, just as Godou was about to sneak a glance at Erica's body, Shizuka's face suddenly appeared, blocking his view.

"Onii-chan. Can we talk on the balcony for a moment?"

"Shizuka, our house doesn't have a balcony."

"Don't argue!"

"I—"

Facing his sister's aggressive attitude, Godou was about to give in, but his body suddenly tensed as he sensed a terrifying magical energy.

'This feeling... it's like Doni and Marquis Voban!' He thought warily.

Not just him, Erica, who had been enjoying the sibling drama, now wore a serious expression.

"Godou. There's another King in front of your house." She said seriously, interrupting them.

Godou shifted his gaze toward the door, the discomfort growing stronger within him.

"Sorry, Shizuka, let's discuss this later. An acquaintance has arrived, I need to meet them."

Without waiting for Shizuka's reply, Godou and Erica hurried toward the front door.