Part 3: Chapter 4

    On the evening of the following day, Nakajima's mother was getting irritated at how late her son was returning.
    Even if he is helping with the investigation, I can't imagine they would need his help this much...
    She looked up at the clock; it was already long past eight o'clock. Recently Nakajima had been spending long amounts of time with Feed. This was to be expected; without him, there was no chance of the Demon Banishment Project ever coming to fruition. But Nakajima's mother had no way of knowing the truth behind the situation. MIT's Professor Charles Feed showing up. The Special Forces-like Cabinet Intelligence Office getting involved. All of the signs pointed to her son being embroiled in some sort of grave and important affair. Even though her primary concern was for her son to do well in his college entrance exams coming up the following spring, she was in no position to bother him about such a trifling affair.
    "I'm sure that at MIT, Akemi will be able to do research that will benefit the whole world. Please let me make arrangements for his matriculation." If not for Professor Feed's request, which sounded at least half-serious, right about now there might have been a great rift between her and her son.
    The doorbell rang.
    "He's finally back."
    But the slightly nasal voice from the intercom claimed to be a guidance counselor from Jusho High. Looking at the mirror and fixing her hair slightly, Nakajima's mother opened the door. A graceful, smiling woman stood in front of her.
    Is this really a teacher? I imagine none of her students would dare disobey her...
    Dressed in a colorful colorful one-piece, her supple body certainly didn't seem to be what one would expect of a teacher.
    "There's something I think I should talk to you about Nakajima." Ohara knew just what to say to gain her target's trust. Though slightly confused at her slightly overly-gaudy appearance, Nakajima's mother smiled politely and prepared from slippers.
    "The place is a mess, but please, come in."
    Ohara's expression stiffened for an instant as she watched Nakajima's mother turn around.
    She looks exactly like Nakajima Akemi...
    Trying to control her cascading emotions, Ohara bit down on her lip.
    Facing Nakajima's mother on the sofa, the teacher made an unexpected comment.
    "My name is Ohara. I was lying when I said I was a guidance counselor, so I apologize for that."
    "Eh...?" Nakajima's mother tilted her head in suspicion.
    Ohara's eyes narrowed as she watched the woman across from her.
    "I take it from your expression that you don't know who I am." There was an uneasy tension in the air between them.
    "You really do look a lot like him." Murmuring, Ohara felt the scales on her cheeks hardening beneath her makeup.
    "Have a look at this." Speaking in a restrained voice, Ohara extended her hands out toward Nakajima's mother.
    "What's this...!?"
    Green scales were slowly sliding out of the white skin on her hands.
    "Your beloved Akemi was the one who transformed me into this." Ohara's eyes burned with a silvery flame.
    "What do you mean?" Bewildered, Nakajima's mother spoke shrilly; even if she had wanted to stand up, it was if her body was rooted to the spot and she could not move.
    A tiny white snake stuck its head out of the purse that Ohara had put on the sofa. Its flat head turned and its red eyes fixated on Nakajima's mother.
    Nakajima's mother bolted to her feet. "Ah!! What is this thing? Who are you...?"
    The white snake swiftly slid across the ground to her feet, and deftly began to slither up her slender leg.