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"Bastard, spit it out already!" Natsuki Minamiya barked at August, her patience wearing thin. She had already agreed to his terms, so she wasn't about to back out now. However, that didn't mean she had to be nice to him.

August, on the other hand, didn't mind her harsh tone. He knew he had the upper hand. To win over a guarded witch like Natsuki, the best strategy was to engage in a love-hate relationship, gradually making himself an indispensable part of her life. As the saying goes, habits are a powerful thing, especially between a man and a woman.

"Ahem, alright, let me think for a moment. Where should I start?" August mused, deliberately stalling.

"Cut the nonsense and just tell me who this guy is," Natsuki snapped.

"He's a Heretic Priest from the Western Church."

"A Heretic Priest?"

"Exactly."

"But why would a Heretic Priest from the Western Church come to Itogami Island to hunt vampires and destroy the island's keystone?"

"Why do you think? Have you forgotten what lies deep within the Keystone Gate?"

"Deep within the Keystone Gate is the island's foundation, the holy relic known as the 'Right Arm of the Saint.' Wait—"

Suddenly, it all clicked for Natsuki. This was an act of revenge from a devout believer. To a follower of the faith, the Right Arm of the Saint was a sacred relic, a symbol of their devotion. If they discovered it was being used as the foundation for Itogami Island, it was only natural they would try to reclaim it.

"But if he's after the Right Arm of the Saint, why is he hunting vampires and stealing their familiars?"

"To gain more power, I suppose."

"Gain power?"

"Well, that's just a little something I discovered while investigating the Magus Craft Corporation."

"Little something?"

"Facilities and enterprises from Northern Europe on Itogami Island."

"Facilities and enterprises? Are you saying—"

Natsuki was sharp. She immediately grasped what August was hinting at. If the Heretic Priest was from Northern Europe, his base of operations on Itogami Island was likely tied to facilities left behind by Northern European companies.

Itogami Island, being the world's first artificial island and a Demon Sanctuary, had attracted numerous global enterprises. However, many of these companies had failed and were forced to leave, leaving behind abandoned facilities. While the companies themselves were gone, the properties remained in their possession, and the island couldn't unilaterally demolish them. Northern Europe, in particular, had several such facilities on the island, some of which were quite large.

August smiled but didn't elaborate further. Natsuki, as a high-ranking officer in the Itogami Island's Anti-Demon Special Forces, had the resources to investigate these leads. With the information August had provided, tracking down the Heretic Priest wouldn't be difficult.

Without another word, Natsuki left the living room and headed straight for the Special Defense Force headquarters.

"Honestly, she's always so abrupt," August muttered, shaking his head.

"August, is Natsuki-sensei going to arrest that Heretic Priest from Northern Europe?" Kanon Kanase asked, her voice soft and innocent.

"Probably. But don't worry about it. Let's go to bed," August replied, his tone gentle.

"Okay~" Kanon's youthful face flushed slightly.

Yes, Kanon Kanase, now fourteen years old, shared a bed with August. This was one of the reasons Natsuki had labeled August a "pervert." Though he hadn't crossed any lines with Kanon, the girl was no longer oblivious to the adult world. August, out of care and affection for her, had been careful not to push things too far. Still, Natsuki wasn't pleased with the arrangement.

---

Meanwhile, at the Special Defense Force headquarters, Natsuki's sudden arrival didn't cause much of a stir. As the training instructor for most of the Anti-Demon Special Forces, her presence was a familiar sight.

"Captain Minamiya, what brings you here?" one of the officers on duty asked, surprised. Natsuki usually only showed up for particularly troublesome cases.

"I've obtained some leads regarding the recent vampire attacks," Natsuki stated curtly.

"Leads? Really, Captain?" the officer asked, his interest piqued.

"Yes. Take me to the database."

"Right away."

The two quickly made their way to the database, where a massive computer stored most of Itogami Island's data. More classified information was kept in the Keystone Gate's central database.

"Search for all Northern European facilities and enterprises on Itogami Island," Natsuki ordered.

"Yes, Captain."

The officer on duty immediately got to work. Soon, a large amount of data appeared on the screen.

"There are quite a few Northern European enterprises on the island. Do you have any other clues, Captain?" the officer asked.

"Narrow it down to those affiliated with the Lottie Holy Church," Natsuki instructed.

"Understood."

The Lottie Holy Church was a Northern European religious organization composed of devout followers and powerful Heretic Priests. While August hadn't mentioned the organization by name, Natsuki deduced that the Heretic Priest must be connected to it.

"Captain, there's one facility directly affiliated with the Lottie Holy Church and seven others linked to smaller sects."

"Focus on the church-affiliated enterprises."

"Yes, Captain."

"Found it. The Skuld Pharmaceutical Research Institute. Its headquarters is in Lottie, and its primary research involved testing new drugs on artificial lifeforms. The institute closed two years ago and is now listed as collateral for creditors."

"That's the place," Natsuki said, her eyes narrowing.

The officers around her looked at her with admiration. She had pinpointed the suspect's location with such ease. What they didn't know was that this information had come at the cost of her agreeing to make tea for August for twenty days. And even then, it was only a suspected location.

"Prepare a squad. We move out immediately," Natsuki ordered.

"Yes, Captain!"

The command was swiftly carried out. The Anti-Demon Special Forces operated like a military unit, and within minutes, a squad was ready. Under Natsuki's leadership, they set out for the Skuld Pharmaceutical Research Institute. Time was of the essence. If they didn't act quickly, the Heretic Priest could slip away, making it much harder to catch him.

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