Editing BlazBlue:Bloodedge Experience Part 2 Chapter 7 (section)

==Part 1==

In the sudden turn of events, Naoto was left speechless. 

It was a Sunday afternoon, a peaceful day with a clear sky and a gentle breeze. The laundry, which had been slightly overdue, was swaying pleasantly on the sunny balcony. 

Interrupting this ordinary, and therefore all the more precious, peace, a young girl arrived. 

The unexpected visitor paid no mind to the entranceway; she knelt on the cold tiles where multiple shoes were lined up, sitting with her back as straight as if a wire were running through it.

Her long black hair, neatly tied up high, was glossy and without a single kink. Her white skin made her intense red eyes stand out strikingly. Those eyes gazed up at Naoto. Her kimono, in soft pink and pale purple fabrics adorned with gold dust, swirled with fan patterns, giving her the air of a princess from a period drama. Without even applying lipstick, she smiled faintly with her red lips.

The girl’s name was Saya Terumi. She was Naoto's biological sister.

"There's no need to be so surprised, brother. Or have you forgotten about your little sister?" Placing her very white hands together on her lap, Saya asked teasingly but fiercely.

"N-no, I..." Naoto managed to squeeze that out, then fell silent again. The tension was palpable.

A nasty, sweat-inducing sensation spread to his fingertips. His mind was in disarray, unable to find the right words or response. The surprise and confusion left him in a daze. 

Just then, a small tug on his clothes caught his attention. It was Haruka, Haruka Hayami. She was Naoto's childhood friend and the daughter of the landlord who had graciously rented him his apartment at a low price.

“Naoto-kun, why don’t you come in for now? I’ll make some tea,” she said soothingly. Naoto could only nod in response.

With a reassuring smile, Haruka's large brown eyes seemed to encourage him. Her soft hair, tied up simply with a hair clip, made her look even more gentle and warm. Giving his back a light pat, she headed toward the kitchen.

Naoto couldn’t even afford to glance after her as he turned his face towards the entrance, furrowing his brow as he looked at Saya, who was still seated. He was reluctant. He wanted her to leave right away, but it felt too harsh to shout at her to go away. Besides, he didn’t want Haruka to witness anything too harsh.

With a self-deprecating sigh, Naoto nodded toward the interior.

"Come in. I'll hear you out," he said in a low voice, which he usually only used when he was bored. Dragging his heavy feet, Naoto returned to the living room with its out-of-place, open window. The window, which had just been inviting a pleasant breeze into the room, was now tightly closed, and even the lace curtains had been drawn to block out the outside world.

With his back to the setting sun, Naoto sat cross-legged on the living room floor. On the opposite side of the light brown coffee table, Saya sat in a formal posture on a flat cushion, ignoring the sofa. 

Saya had a well-defined face. Rather than being glamorous, her quiet beauty made her look much older than her thirteen years. However, her petite frame was slightly below average for her age, and each of her composed movements made Naoto feel as if he were facing a doll.

Many might call Saya beautiful and adorable. However, Naoto couldn’t view his sister's demeanor with such fondness.

"Um, would you like some black tea?" Haruka asked from the kitchen counter, her voice full of concern. Naoto was about to say that anything was fine, but before he could, Saya turned and placed her own order.

“I don’t really like black tea. Could I have green tea instead?”

“Yes, of course.” To Haruka, Saya was still a child. With an affectionate smile, she opened a small tea canister. 

As Haruka efficiently prepared the tea, something stirred at her feet. Naoto turned his gaze to that spot. From behind the counter, a girl with hair like golden ribbons peeked out. It wasn’t just her hair. The owner of that hair, Raquel Alucard, was watching them with distrust in her golden eyes.

(What the hell is she doing?) Naoto couldn’t help but mutter to himself. But at the same time, he quickly understood what was going on.

Raquel was a vampire with a life force beyond human comprehension, and she had an aversion to being around women. Despite her extraordinary nature, she was mentally weak when faced with them. Suddenly, an unfamiliar girl had appeared, and she was clearly on familiar terms with Naoto and Haruka. Being left out of the situation without any explanation, there was no way she could maintain her usual aloof attitude.

“Here you go,” Haruka said, crossing Naoto’s line of sight as she brought over a small tray with two teacups. Saya sat up straight and bowed at a perfect forty-five-degree angle. 

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy this.” She picked up the hot teacup placed in front of her and took a sip. “It’s delicious, Haruka-san.” 

“I’m glad. Feel free to ask for more anytime.” It was as if it were just a casual visit from a relative and the warm welcome of a family member. That was indeed how it appeared. But Naoto couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, and his mind was filled with anxiety and caution. The more Saya talked and smiled, the more a sense of crisis and caution pricked at Naoto’s insides. Because Saya…

“Saya... how did you get out?” Naoto asked, his voice stern as he intertwined his fingers. Saya, who had been sipping her hot tea, looked up and slowly placed the teacup down, her lips curving into a slight smile.

“‘How did I get out?’ You make it sound as if I were being held captive.”

“It’s not ‘as if’...” It was exactly as the words implied. But Naoto bit back his words just in time. Haruka was right there.

It took effort. Naoto couldn’t just blurt everything out.

Saya met Naoto's accusing gaze head-on, tilting her head slightly.

"Why are you so angry, brother? It's been so long since we've seen each other, and you're so cold."

“Y-Yeah, Nao-kun, you don’t have to look so scary…” Haruka, surprised by Naoto’s demeanor, spoke soothingly, but he didn’t look at her. He pretended not to hear her words. He couldn't afford to be so relaxed in this unexpected situation.

"Saya, just tell me what you want."

"Oh dear, what a hasty brother you are." With a mocking tone as if ashamed of her inept brother, Saya smoothed her pale purple kimono and took out a white envelope. She placed it quietly on the table. Naoto's eyes widened in surprise. There was no stamp or address on the envelope, but there was a seal in the center as if to substitute for everything else.

It read “Amanohokosaka.”

“It’s a letter from Lady Mei herself.” Saya placed her hands neatly on her knees again and slightly smiled, her red lips curving. At the mention of the name, Naoto instinctively looked up and stared intently at Saya, confusion filling his eyes. 

The name Saya had just mentioned belonged to the current head of an old family called Amanohokosaka. Naoto had met Mei, the head of the family, a few times. However, they weren’t close enough to exchange personal letters. So why would the current head go out of her way to send a letter to Naoto through Saya?

Naoto’s brow furrowed deeper.

“Haruka, I’m sorry, but could you leave us alone for a moment?” Suddenly, Saya turned her head and spoke in a tone that allowed no refusal. Haruka, taken aback by the unexpected request, widened her eyes in surprise.

"I'm fine, but... is Nao-kun okay?" She turned to Naoto. Naoto nodded reluctantly, making a sour face.

"I'll be fine. I'll keep an eye on Raquel."

"Okay, I'll leave it to you. If anything happens, call me and I'll come right away." 

With a nod, Haruka returned to the kitchen with the tray. On her way back, she pulled Raquel, who was still hiding behind the counter, to her feet and led her out of Naoto's house. As they left the living room, Raquel turned back to glance at Naoto once, her golden eyes filled with displeasure. Their gazes met, but she quickly looked away, pushed by Haruka.

As he watched them leave, Naoto felt a bitter taste in the back of his throat.

(This is getting complicated... damn it.)

Naoto never expected Saya to find out about Raquel. In fact, he hadn’t thought he would see Saya again at all—at least not outside the Amanohokosaka residence. When he was alone with Saya, the atmosphere felt heavy, as if it had thickened around them.Saya probably didn't feel that way. She might not even realize that she was the cause of this heaviness.

To shake off the unpleasant feeling of resistance, Naoto grabbed the envelope roughly. His fingertips tensed slightly at the solemn and imposing seal. A direct letter from the Amanohokosaka family. It was incredibly difficult to open. Even so, when he unfolded the thin paper, he found elegant, finely penned handwriting.

The letter itself was short. That’s why Naoto gasped at its contents immediately.

"What does Lady Mei say? I heard that Lady Mei's magic is on this letter, so apparently no one but you can read the contents," Saya asked curiously, though it was unclear if she was genuinely interested.

Naoto folded the letter back up, slightly irritated by her response. “You don’t know what it says?”

“Not really. But, considering it’s Lady Mei, I can guess a bit,” she replied, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she sipped from her teacup.

Naoto glanced at the folded letter. It was true that Mei Amanohokosaka wouldn't tell Saya the contents, even if she knew Saya would guess. And she probably wouldn't have entrusted the letter to anyone other than Saya.

This letter wasn’t a pleasant one.

“By the way, brother,” Saya’s voice pulled Naoto out of his thoughts, as he contemplated crushing the paper in his hand. “Who was that unfamiliar person from earlier? The ridiculous woman peeking out from behind the shadows?”

She must be referring to Raquel. Calling her ridiculous was unexpected. Naoto couldn’t help but smirk at the thought. He wondered what Raquel would have said if she’d heard that. He was grateful to Haruka for taking her away.

"It's none of your business. Besides, is that all you have to say?" Naoto had no intention of telling Saya about Raquel. Or rather, he didn't want to involve her. He tapped the edge of the table with the folded letter, urging her to speed up her words. "So why don't you just go home? I don't have any more..."

"Oh, please," With a cool and composed face, Saya smiled for the first time, a full-blown smile. It was as if she found Naoto's words utterly ridiculous. “I’m sure you know why I came to your home, brother. I came to… collect something.”

A red tongue flicked out from behind her smiling red lips. Naoto let out a deep, long sigh.

Saya was right. He had known all along why she was here. It wasn’t just to deliver a letter. The letter was an afterthought. Mei had simply sent the letter along because she knew Saya would definitely come to Naoto.

So what was Saya's purpose? It hadn't changed since the beginning.

"Brother," she said cheerfully—no, gleefully—and then her form blurred. At the same time, there was a loud bang as she struck the table. The blur was a lunge.

By the time Naoto's eyes found Saya again, she was right in front of him. He tried to pull back, but for Saya, whose arm shot out with lightning speed, Naoto’s reflexes felt like they were moving in slow motion.

"Gah..." A crushed sound escaped Naoto’s throat before he even realized it. At that moment, his feet were no longer on the floor. Something white had caught his neck. It was Saya’s hand. Her arm, surprisingly pale for a human, lifted Naoto’s body effortlessly despite its slenderness.

From behind her black bangs, Saya’s red eyes smiled sharply. “‘The Hunter's Eye’… I’ll take your eyes, brother. I’ll kill you.” Her red eyes burned with murderous intent.