The Testament of Sister New Devil: Daily Life Contract
By [Author Name]
---
*"If you want to protect them, then protect them. If you don't want to, you can refuse. But those girls have nowhere to go."*
Toujou Basara has been alone for a year now. His mother is dead, his father is always overseas on photography assignments, and the fifteen-year-old has learned to fill the silence of an empty house with the rhythm of his own cooking. He's left his violent past behind—or so he tells himself. The mark beneath his eye and the strange pattern on his wr
The Testament of Sister New Devil: Daily Life Contract - Childhood Friend is the Watcher!? Mio-hime VS Yuki-hime, the War of Love Without Honor
Morning light spilled through the classroom windows, dancing white across the blackboard.
Toujou Basara sat at his desk, staring absently outside. Students trickled in through the main gate of Kirigaoka Academy, one by one, each carrying their own morning with them.
"...Another peaceful day."
He muttered it under his breath.
Several days had passed since Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria had come to the Toujou household. That night, the red-eyed shadow outside the window—a scout of the Valgrind faction. Since then, there'd been no sign of them. But Basara had gotten into the habit of circling the house every night before bed.
"Tch. Can't be helped."
He muttered it again, to no one in particular.
Mio had been in a foul mood since morning. The reason was simple. The fried egg Basara had made was slightly burnt.
"You idiot, Basara! You said my fried egg would be sunny-side up, didn't you!?"
"No, I didn't. You're the one who said you wanted it runny."
"Shut up! I'll kill you a hundred times!"
Mio whipped her long black hair and brandished her fork. Her purple eyes blazed darker with anger.
"Big sister, you're full of energy this morning~"
Maria tore off a piece of bread and popped it into her mouth, her pink twin-tails swaying. Her smile was oddly mature for her age.
"Maria, you be quiet!"
"Okaaay."
Even this morning commotion had become routine.
Basara felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward.
(...Well. Not bad.)
It was far noisier than when he'd lived alone. But somehow, that noise felt strangely comfortable now.
■
Morning homeroom.
The classroom door slid open with a clatter.
Their homeroom teacher, Sakazaki Mamoru, stood at the podium. A gentle man in his mid-thirties with glasses.
"Good morning. Today, I'd like to introduce a transfer student."
A stir rippled through the classroom.
"A transfer student?"
Basara looked up without thinking.
Sakazaki called toward the hallway.
"Come on in."
The door opened quietly.
—Light blue, short hair.
A single cowlick bounced at the crown of her head.
Clear aqua eyes. Pale skin. Long, slender limbs.
"I'm Nonaka Yuki."
The girl stood before the podium and spoke in a flat voice.
"Nice to meet you."
She gave a small bow.
The entire classroom went silent.
(...Yuki?)
Basara couldn't believe his eyes.
Nonaka Yuki.
His childhood friend—the girl he'd grown up with in the village of heroes.
"Yuki, you... why are you here?"
Basara was on his feet before he realized it.
Yuki's aqua eyes fixed on him, straight and steady.
"...It's been a while, Basara."
Her voice was surprisingly calm. But her cheeks were just slightly red.
"We get to meet again."
"Y-yeah. It's been a while. You doing okay?"
"Yeah. You haven't changed at all, Basara."
The corner of Yuki's mouth softened, just barely.
In that instant, the air in the classroom turned razor-sharp.
"...Hold on a second."
Mio rose slowly from her seat.
Her purple eyes glared straight at Yuki.
"You. You know Basara?"
"...Yes."
Yuki stared right back.
Aqua eyes and purple eyes.
The temperature of the room seemed to plummet.
"We're childhood friends. Basara and I were together from the time we were small."
Yuki's voice was utterly composed. But her words carried a clear claim.
"...Childhood friends, huh."
Mio's eyes shifted to a deeper purple.
"Hm. I see."
That was all she said before dropping heavily into her chair.
But her profile was unmistakably displeased.
Sakazaki pushed up his glasses, looking troubled.
"Er, Nonaka's seat... there's an empty one next to Toujou. You can sit there."
"...Yes."
Yuki walked quietly.
As she passed Mio's desk, their gazes crossed for a single instant.
It wasn't imagination that sparks seemed to fly.
■
Break time.
The classroom atmosphere had been restless all morning.
"Hey, did you see? The transfer student is gorgeous."
"Who do you think is cuter, her or Mio-sama?"
"Hmm, they're totally different types..."
Whispers like that drifted from every corner of the room.
Basara sighed at his desk.
(...Why did it have to turn out like this?)
In the seat beside him, Yuki had a textbook open. Her profile was the same as ever.
No—she seemed a little more grown up now.
"...So you really did transfer in."
"Yeah. Starting today, this is my school."
"Why now, all of a sudden?"
Yuki's hand stopped dead.
"...There's something I have to tell you, Basara."
"Something to tell me?"
"Yeah. But not yet. Can it wait until after school?"
"...Got it."
Yuki's profile was serious.
Ever since they were kids, whenever Yuki wore that face, it always meant something important.
(...I've got a bad feeling about this.)
Basara looked out the window.
The sky had lost its morning blue and was starting to cloud over.
■
Lunch break.
Basara headed to the rooftop alone.
Sitting in the classroom, wedged between Mio and Yuki, he felt like he couldn't breathe.
"...Seriously. Why me?"
He pushed open the rooftop door and wind rushed through.
No one else was there.
He sat near the fence and bit into a bread he'd bought at the school store.
(Yuki transferred in. Mio's in a bad mood. Maria is...)
Come to think of it, Maria had been strangely quiet since morning.
"...Whatever."
He finished the bread and looked up at the sky.
Clouds drifted slowly past.
—That was when it happened.
"Hey, Toujou."
A low voice came from behind him.
He turned. A large male student stood there with his arms crossed.
Takeda Gou, a third-year. President of the Mio-Hime Fan Club.
"...What do you want, Takeda-senpai?"
"Don't 'what do you want' me. You—what's your deal with that transfer student sitting next to Mio-sama today?"
Several male students stood behind Takeda. All of them fan club members.
"...She's just a childhood friend."
"Childhood friend!?"
Takeda's expression changed.
"You have Mio-sama, and you've got a childhood friend who's another girl!?"
"No, 'have Mio-sama'—Mio's my stepsister—"
"Don't make excuses! You insolent wretch!"
Takeda pushed into his space.
"Hold on. You're jumping to conclusions."
"Silence! Anyone who makes Mio-sama sad, I will not forgive!"
"I'm telling you, I'm not making her sad—"
—Clatter.
The rooftop door opened again.
"What's all the noise?"
Aqua hair swayed in the wind.
Yuki stood there, expressionless.
"Y-you're... the transfer student."
"Nonaka Yuki. So, what do you want with Basara?"
Yuki's voice was cold as ice.
"W-what? I'm Takeda Gou, president of the Mio-sama Fan Club. You're the one sitting next to Mio-sama—"
"And? What about it?"
Yuki took a step forward.
"What right do you have to complain to Basara about anything?"
"Wha—"
"Basara is my childhood friend. It's not your place to butt in."
—Kansai dialect.
Takeda and his gang gaped.
"...Huh?"
"Didn't you hear me? I'm saying it's none of your business."
Yuki's aqua eyes glinted.
Takeda swallowed hard.
"...R-remember this, Toujou!"
Takeda and the others hurried off the rooftop.
"...Yuki. You just spoke in Kansai dialect."
"...Ah."
Yuki clapped a hand over her mouth, startled.
"...Forget that. Pretend it didn't happen."
Her cheeks flushed bright red.
"No, it's nostalgic. You always slipped into Kansai dialect when you got worked up, ever since we were kids."
"...Don't say that."
Yuki turned sharply away.
Even her ears were bright red.
(...What do you know. She hasn't changed at all.)
Basara found it funny and let out a small laugh.
■
After school.
Basara waited for Yuki in front of the school gate.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Yuki came jogging up.
"Yeah. So, what did you want to tell me?"
"...We should go somewhere else. Here, you never know who's listening."
Yuki's expression was serious.
"...Got it. Want to come to my place? Mio and Maria are there, though."
"Yeah. Actually, that's better."
■
The Toujou house.
When they entered the living room, Mio was sprawled on the sofa.
"You're late! And—why is she here!?"
Mio shot up and pointed at Yuki.
"...Pardon the intrusion."
Yuki ignored Mio's fury and took off her shoes.
"Hey! Why are you coming home with Basara!?"
"Because I have something to talk to Basara about."
"Talk!? What could you possibly have to talk to Basara about!?"
"Mio, calm down."
"Shut up! You idiot, Basara! I'll kill you a hundred times!"
Mio hurled a cushion at him.
"Hey—!"
Basara caught it and sighed.
"Ahaha, big sister, your face is all red~"
Maria had poked her head out from the kitchen at some point.
"Maria! You stay out of this!"
"Yes, yes."
Maria bounced into the living room.
"Yuki-nee, nice to meet you. I'm Naruse Maria. Big sister's little sister—and a succubus."
"...A succubus."
Yuki's eyes narrowed.
"I know. You're Mio's bodyguard. Sent by the moderate faction."
"Oh my, aren't you well-informed."
"Naturally. I'm Mio's watcher."
The air in the living room went taut.
"...Watcher?"
"Yes. I've been dispatched by Crescent Watcher. To watch Mio—and if there are any dangerous signs..."
Yuki stopped there.
"...Depending on the circumstances, I've also been authorized to eliminate her."
Her voice was quiet.
But the words echoed coldly through the living room.
"...What did you say?"
Basara's voice dropped.
"Wait. That's not what I came to talk about. I'm here for a different matter."
Yuki looked Basara straight in the eye.
"...Basara. I have a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
"I want you to let me live here too."
—For a moment, time stopped.
"...Huh?"
"Whaaaaaat!?"
Mio's scream echoed through the house.
"Why would you live here!? I'll kill you a hundred times! A hundred times!"
"For surveillance. Being close to the target makes the mission easier to carry out."
"Don't be ridiculous! I will never, ever accept you!"
"You don't have veto power. This is my mission."
"What's with that attitude!?"
"I'm just stating facts."
Mio's eyes blazed deep purple.
Yuki's aqua eyes glinted coldly in return.
"...Both of you, calm down."
"Shut up! You idiot Basara, be quiet!"
"Basara, listen to me. Mio-chan can wait."
"Don't call me Mio-chan!"
"Wow, big sister, what a face~"
Maria clung to Mio's arm, giggling.
"Maria! This isn't funny!"
"But big sister, you're totally showing your rivalry toward Yuki-nee. Big brother's so popular."
"I'm not popular!"
"That's not it! What are you even saying!"
Basara held his head in his hands.
(...I want to go home.)
But this was his home.
■
Dinner time.
Mio stood in the kitchen.
"...I'll cook tonight."
"Huh, big sister is?"
"You got a problem with that?"
"No, not really... but big brother, you might want to get some digestive medicine ready."
"Wait, that bad?"
"Big sister's cooking looks normal, but the taste... it's honestly in the realm of a curse."
"A curse?"
"Hey, Maria! I can hear you!"
Mio brandished a kitchen knife.
"Eek."
"You just sit and wait."
Mio glared at Yuki.
"...I'll help, you know."
"No need! I'd rather do it alone than have your help!"
Mio snorted and yanked open the fridge.
"...Mio-chan, you're holding the knife backwards."
"Shut up! This is how you hold it!"
"It's not. The blade's pointing up."
"You're so picky! Who cares!"
Mio slapped vegetables onto the cutting board.
She chopped the cabbage with rough, heavy strokes.
—Plop.
A chunk of cabbage fell to the floor.
"...Oh."
"Big sister..."
"That was just my hand slipping!"
Mio picked the cabbage off the floor and tossed it straight into the pot.
"Hey, don't put the one you dropped in there."
"Shut up! It's fine once it's cooked!"
"It's not fine."
"Mio-chan, are you okay on basic hygiene?"
"I don't want to hear that from you!"
Mio put a frying pan on the heat.
Poured in oil.
—Sizzle.
Oil splattered.
"Kyaa!"
Mio jumped back.
"Hey, you okay?"
"I-I'm fine! This is nothing!"
Mio put on a brave face, but her hands were shaking.
"...Mio, don't push yourself. I'l
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.