The moment we finished buying groceries for the welcome party, we jumped straight into the kitchen. It was me, Roger, and, to my surprise, Freed who took the lead with cooking. For someone whose reputation was steeped in laziness, Freed's presence at the stove was both shocking and impressive. But perhaps I shouldn't have been so startled—especially when I found out that Shizu and Diana had absolutely no idea how to cook. That explained a lot. Apparently, Roger and Freed had been the ones feeding them all this time.
Still, the biggest shock wasn't their inability. It was Zhong—yes, the zombie—who joined us in the kitchen. A zombie, with presumed brain loss, cooking alongside us like a perfectly normal roommate. I couldn't help but stare. "Shouldn't zombies be into raw flesh and brains?" I muttered under my breath, watching him handle vegetables with unexpected finesse.
The party itself was a warm and chaotic affair. We sang off-key songs, played ridiculous games, and even reintroduced ourselves at Diana's insistence. Shizu, ever the sentimental one, made us take a group photo. There was laughter, teasing, and this strange sense of belonging. The whole night felt... unfamiliar. For someone who had no memories of his past—no family, no childhood recollections—I often assumed I came from a typical household. But tonight, felt like something new, something far removed from whatever "normal" used to be. I wasn't sure what to make of the warmth curling in my chest, but I didn't resist it.
Eventually, the celebration wound down. Freed, now overly giddy, slumped on the couch while Roger, Shizu, Zhong, and I tackled the aftermath—plates, crumbs, and confetti scattered everywhere. Diana sat watching us with a calm detachment, not bothering to help.
"Hey, Deluke!" Freed called out, his hand waving erratically like a man halfway between sleep and drunkenness.
"Yes?" I narrowed my eyes, suspicious of whatever nonsense he was about to unleash.
"We should totally have a sleepover. It's already dark," he suggested, his tone oddly playful.
"No," I said flatly, not even blinking.
"Come on," he whined like a sulky child. "You've got all this space, and you don't even want to share? That's just mean."
"Freed-san, are you drunk?" I asked, now genuinely concerned.
"Of course not!" he replied sharply, his voice suddenly more composed. "I'm just saying... It's a great way to bond with everyone."
"We've bonded enough for one night," I replied, my patience wearing thin.
"Freed," Diana's voice cut in with quiet authority. "The others are done cleaning. Let's go."
"Fine," he sighed and stood up. "We've got a lot to talk about tomorrow, so be here right after school, Deluke. You too, Shizu."
"Okay," Shizu and I responded in sync.
"You guys go to school?" Zhong asked, watching as Freed, Diana, Roger, and Shizu waved goodbye and filed out of my house, leaving the two of us alone.
"I'll explain tomorrow," I said, exhausted.
"Alright," he replied. "So, where are you headed?"
"To sleep," I answered, then added, "Come on, I'll show you your room."
The following day unfolded much like any other—school in the morning, followed by special Paranormal Class in the afternoon.
After the sessions wrapped up, I returned to the familiar hum of the Izana Café. The warm aroma of roasted coffee beans drifted through the air, mingling with the subtle scent of old books and polished wood. As the entrance bell chimed, signaling the arrival of someone new, we all instinctively glanced toward the door.
Shizu stepped inside, her school bag slung casually over one shoulder. She scanned the room, taking stock of what everyone was doing. I was tucked away in my usual corner, sipping a fresh cup of coffee brewed to perfection by Roger, and reading a novel titled Hardcore Cultivator. Freed and Diana sat across the room, heads close together, discussing something in hushed but serious tones. Meanwhile, Roger was explaining the fundamentals of the paranormal realm to Zhong, who listened with wide-eyed curiosity and respectful silence.
"Hey guys, I'm back!" Shizu called out cheerfully, expecting a chorus of welcomes.
She was met with... silence.
Our eyes briefly flicked to her, but no one said anything. We were each engrossed in our respective activities.
"Oh, come on," she groaned, stepping further inside. "At least pretend you're happy to see me."
Roger, always the gentleman, rose from his seat and offered a graceful bow. "Welcome back, Mrs. Shizu."
Zhong followed with a grin. "Welcome, Shizu!"
"Thank you," she replied with mock dignity, before making a beeline toward me. Without warning, she leaned down and plucked the book from my hands, holding it out of reach. "Why didn't you greet me?" she demanded, grinning mischievously.
"I didn't see you come in," I replied, reaching calmly for my novel. "I was a little too focused."
"Yeah, right. I'm so invisible that you couldn't even say 'hi,' huh?" she said, squinting at me playfully.
Before I could answer, Freed clapped his hands and stood up, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, kids," he said with exaggerated cheer. "Oh, Shizu—you're here. Perfect timing."
I shot her a look. "See?"
"Tsk." She looked away, clearly annoyed but hiding a smirk. Folding her arms, she took a seat beside me. "So? Why did you drag us here so early? I could be out grinding for value points in my free time."
Freed's expression turned serious as he walked to the center of the room. "That's exactly what this is about," he began. "As you know, Zhong has joined our team, but the Paranormal Officer Candidate Exam has already ended for this year."
We nodded, waiting for the point.
"In order for him to become a trainee without waiting for the next exam cycle, he'll be joining the Temporary-Trainee Program," Freed continued. "Under this system, if he can reach Level 3 within one year, he'll qualify as a permanent trainee."
"One year?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow. "That's pretty intense."
"Exactly," Shizu agreed. "It's already hard enough grinding value points to level up. And now you want Zhong to hit Level 3 in under a year?" She paused, narrowing her eyes at Freed. "Unless... Don't tell me—"
A smirk curled across Freed's lips. "Yes. You've guessed it."
He rose from his chair, radiating a sense of command that filled the room. "I want all of you to reach Level 3 within the year. And lucky for you, I have the perfect first mission to get things rolling. You'll earn a ton of value points from it. But..."—his smile deepened— "there's a catch. You're not going anywhere until you pass a round of preparation training."
I sat forward, intrigued.
Diana took this moment to join the conversation. "Deluke," she said, eyes locking onto mine. "You're currently in a half-step EEE-Rank. That's not enough. This week, you need to fully step into EEE-Rank status. That means learning to use your Rein to perform a Secret Art. No exceptions."
I gave a slow nod, mentally reviewing everything I had learned so far.
"Shizu," Diana continued, turning toward her. "Your control of Rein needs to be refined. I want you to solidify your current rank into a full-stage EEE-Rank. Your techniques are good, but they need polish."
Shizu nodded, fire igniting in her eyes. "I'm ready."
"Zhong," Diana said at last. "You've just begun, so your training will be intense. We'll build up your basic Rein control and spiritual sensitivity. You'll need a solid foundation to survive this mission, let alone thrive in it."
Zhong looked nervous, but he nodded with determination. "Understood."
For a moment, silence settled over us. Then, almost in unison, we broke into smiles.
"Well," I said, leaning back in my chair, "this is going to be interesting."
"Finally! My first mission," Shizu cheered, raising her fist triumphantly.
As the excitement buzzed through the room, Roger quietly approached Freed.
"Master Freed," he said, bowing slightly. "It's almost time for the annual summit. The meeting of all Japanese Paranormal Company Leaders."
Freed raised an eyebrow. "Already? I suppose I can't keep those old men waiting."
His lips curved into a knowing smirk. "They'll be dying to hear how I snagged Deluke... and now Zhong. This will rattle a few cages."
With a sudden gust of air, Freed vanished. No sound, no movement—just gone, like wind evaporating into silence. Even the door hadn't creaked open.