Izayoi took it off and was about to pass it to Homura----but his hand froze.
Because the headphones that he just took off his head was of a different appearance than before.
“……Oi, Homura. What’s up with this headphone’s appearance?”
“It’s the result of the adjustments in the head band. The folding of the headstraps for the adjustments will always end up like this no matter how I tinkered with it and hence it’s appearance.”
“No. That’s not the point. Have a good look at it yourself. No matter how you look at it, this toy seems to be nekomimi[5].”
“Nn. [Crescent moon No.2] will use the excess adjusted headband to form cat ears. That will definitely be a hit amongst the girls.”
“Oh? So you mean that I look like a girl?”
“Iza-nii is my walking advertisement. You must always wear my headphones and help advertise my [Crescent moon] series.”
“Oi Oi, to use me as your model will cost you quite a bit you know?”
“Then I will repay that sum on the day that I become famous.”
Homura got up from the chair of the reception area after giving his simple reply. Probably going off to modify the nekomimi headphones.
Having gotten up and walked a bit with his back facing Izayoi, he suddenly stopped and looked back.
“……I’m going back to my room. Do you need me to carry your bags up too?”
“Huh? Oh, yea sounds good. I will drop by later for them and the headphones.”
“Got it. I will wait for you to drop by then.”
Homura carried the bags and left for real this time.
Alone once more, Izayoi let himself sink into the chair again.
[……Nothing has changed even though I’ve been gone for a year.]
Izayoi looked up at the stains on the ceiling and gave a wry smile.
---CANARIA foster home was operating with the pretext of taking in children that were orphaned and with the goal of finding foster parents for them. But the reality was quite different.
This was the place where the children who are labelled as problem children due to normal people being unable to cope with their special needs gather ---Even with that kind of explanation, it might still sound similar to a normal children welfare organization.
But the word special held a much different meaning for them.
It wasn’t a word that described their family background but it meant that each and every boy or girl here was gifted with an extraordinary talent or ability. And that was what Canaria had decided to accomplish when she decided to take Izayoi under her wing.
Though it may be so, there wasn’t any other boy or girl that possessed the same incredible power that Izayoi harbored within him. When compared to him, theirs would definitely be seen as trivial abilities.
Take for example, Saigou Homura. As long as it’s something that he has taken apart with his own two hands, he would be able to analyze the interior structure and components of the equipment. And given enough time, he should be able to assemble a computer from various spare parts.
That youth had a massive ability in his [understanding], [reassembling] and [creativity] and that was so scary for normal people that they sent him off to CANARIA foster home.
[……But the one who would accept these special children, Canaria wasn’t around anymore. And this CANARIA foster home would probably end with Homura and Suzuka’s generation.]
Izayoi caught himself sinking into woes that were so not his usual way of doing things and that just made his wry smile much deeper.
Looking at his digital watch to confirm the time, he realized that fifteen minutes had passed. Thinking that it wasn’t much of a plan to continue waiting, Izayoi stood up from the chair.
Just then, he felt a presence behind him.
“---You are Sakamaki Izayoi-chan, right?”
“……”
Izayoi was surprised inside.
He didn’t know how far apart they stood from each other because he hadn’t turned his head yet, but the distance should be around five meters. Even if he were deep in his thoughts just now, this was still the first time ever that a person managed to get this close to Izayoi without him sensing their presence.
[Oh?......Looks like he’s more interesting than described in the rumors.]
Thinking about it in more detail, he realized that there wasn’t anything to be surprised about.
If the other party was a lawyer employed by Canaria to pass her will, there would be no doubt that he was no ordinary person.
Izayoi who was starting to feel interested in this man who stood behind him, happily turned to face him.
“……”
But he was stumped for words once more.
Suzuka had said that this person was a [Black Suit Strange Uncle]. And he saw that she was right about that.
But that wasn’t the main problem. It was his dressing that didn’t fit in with the normal daily dress of others in the country of Japan: A swallow-tailed tailcoat with a black round topped bowler hat with a single round monocle.
That man who looked about twenty-five years old with a dressing that could be described as a [Fake English Gentleman 3 Piece Getup] was looking at Izayoi while smiling.
“……Ah, right. You seem to have a good taste for that black round topped bowler hat.”
“Nn? Oh, Thank you. But before the praises, I would like you to answer my question. Are you Sakamaki Izayoi-chan?”
“That’s right.”
While replying to the question of the other party, Izayoi was also scrutinizing the man in the tailcoat.
Though he appeared to be around the age of twenty-five years old, but the demeanor that he showed seemed much older than that age and well-practiced. The facial appearance that seemed to fit well with his physique seemed to make him feel pleasant.
But the impression that people will not be able to miss should still be the eye that had this intense fiery gaze behind the monocle.
Izayoi had initially thought that the other party was measuring him up but it didn’t seem like it. For Izayoi could tell having had the judging glares of adults from a very young age, he immediately realized that he did not feel that particular unpleasant feeling that would have been elicited from him from such a gaze.
That steady and intense gaze from the eye behind that monocle caused Izayoi to feel as if he was being read like an open book.
“……what an unpleasant gaze.”
“Haha, I’ve been told that many times. Canaria had also said that when she first met me.”
“I guess so. So, where’s the will?”
“I’ve borrowed a room to pass it to you there. After all with that quantity, it’s too heavy to carry it around on me.”
The man in a tailcoat strode towards the interior of the compound.
Izayoi solemnly followed behind him
The Sun in May was less intense due to the cloud cover in the sky and that made the sunlight feel warm and comfortable. The wind was also slightly cool on the skin.
The diurnal temperatures were wide ranging as the crossover to the next season had arrived. As the wind blew through the corridors, the moisture in it was a sign typical to the precursor of rain.
Izayoi lifted his gaze to the darkening summer skies as he continued his way down the corridors. Finally reaching the room that was the destination, Izayoi who had followed the man in a tailcoat into the room was met with a large pile of papers in the centre of the room. And that immediately elicited an impatient response from him.
“Oi! Is that some kind of novel?”
“I guess it is her own autobiography? Anyways, you being her foster son should have the obligation to surrender to your fate and read it like a good child.”
Shifting a chair nearer to the window, the man in a tailcoat pulled down his bowler hat lower as he sat in it without saying anything further.
……He actually threw away his duties to take an afternoon nap? Even Izayoi was stumped by this sight and just looked blankly for a while. But the reason today wasn’t for this man and Izayoi gave in by sitting down at the table.
Dutifully, he untied the strings that tied the paper wrapped parcel of over 10 meters in depth and prepared himself to begin reading Canaria’s autobiography ---slowly---