Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 1

2014-04-24T12:35:53Z

92.39.72.90:

{{Incomplete|percentage=40}}
==Chapter 1 - Tragedy of Apollo house and Mirabel's decision==
===Part 1===
''-Don! Don…! Don!''

The sun had just raised but Ash who spent a sleepless night was waken up by a loud knocking sound.

“What in the world…?”

He took that silver watch by his pillow side and noticed that it was just half past six.

After he angrily took a look at the window, he became wide awake.

“Uwaa…!”

There was a huge eye looking through the gaps of the curtain.

It was actually a dragon who was banging its nose against the window.

''-Don! Don… Dododododo!”''

He was worried that it may break the glass.

“Why is a dragon coming to my room!? Could it be another Necromancia attack!?”

So the Empire had finally shown their true colours and started attacking? Ash tried to leave the bed but he was stopped.

“Zzz…”

Eco rolled over and was hugging Ash.

Her hair was all over his shoulders and her arms were around his back.

And also her soft face that was on his chest…

''-Mmm…''

Ash was shocked by her sudden nibble.

“Hey, Eco… Please don’t bite that spot.”

Recently, her habit of nibbling had gotten less but she still had not gotten rid of her habit of a young dragon. Moreover, she was
nibbling on Ash’s sensitive spot which troubled him.

At that moment, there was a crack on the window.

“This is bad… It is not the right moment to let her continue to nibble.”

Ash carried Eco and they leave the bed together. The next thing he knew, the glass was smashed into pieces.

He managed to avoid the glass fragments at the last moment.

At the same time, there were two dragons that were trying to squeeze their heads into the window. Their hard scales protect them from the
sharp glass.

By taking a closer look, Ash noticed that one of them was a Maestro while the other was a Hydra. After knowing that he was not attacked by
a Necromancia, Ash breathe a sigh of relieve.

“Morning, Ash!”

“Good morning, Ash-sama!”

Finally, he could see the faces of the two riders.

They were the student council secretary Lucca and Jessica of the general affairs. Right beside them were Maestro Gawain and Rhiannon the
Hydra.

Ash started to protest after he placed Eco who was still sleeping on the bed.

“Lucca! Jessica! What in the world are both of you doing!?”

Since the time Ash saved Gawain who was in danger of dying, Lucca had become emotionally attached to Ash. In the dragon riding academy,
most of the girls are the more aggressive type, it was kind of rare to see someone as quite as Lucca. The beauty that only an Eckbald
possessed was out of this world.

Ash was a little surprise to see Lucca acting rashly. Perhaps she was influenced by Jessica.

“Ash… I hoped that you would come with me to the Eckbald village. I want to introduce you to the village chief, my otou-sama.” <ref>In the
raw version, Lucca called her father otou-sama, but the kanji written was foster father.</ref>

Her usual emotionless face had always given Ash a heck lot of trouble.

“Hold on! W-Why must you mention the chief!?”

“P-Please don’t ask anymore than this.”

Lucca was suddenly blushing.

This time, it was Jessica who pushed Lucca to aside.

Jessica who was usually eyeing at Ash’s sperm, though her actions had always been eccentric, she was still undoubtable one of the few
beauties of the academy.

“Ash-sama, I have a request!”

“Hey, wait a minute! This is the third floor! How did a hydra get here…?”

“Well. Climbing wall is not a problem for my Rhiannon.”

“Can’t you sympathize your Pal a little!”

Ash pitied her Pal. Although a Hydra may still be able to move on land, but only when they are in the water they are able to show their
true skills. It shouldn’t be its own intention to walk on land. Let alone climbing the walls of the student’s dormitory, which doesn’t
seem to fit the actions of a proud dragon.

“Putting that aside, Ash-sama! I am about to leave Ansarivan. What about you? Do you have any plans of returning?”

“Now I remember… today is the start of the holiday.”

-The first day of the month of Leo.

It was the first day of the holidays for Ansaraivan Dragon Riding Academy. Since it was a boarding school, most of the student will return
to their hometown.

Of course, not all of the students were going back home. There were also a small amount of students that were forced to stay in for the
holidays for certain reasons.

Ash was one of them.

“Nope, I am not going home.”

After hearing, Jessica’s facial expression changes.

“What! If that’s the case, I too will stay back here!”

“Uuh… If I don’t return soon… I will be scolded by my otou-sama.”

Compare to Jessica who was in high spirit, Lucca looks sad. Lucca who carry the hopes of all Eckbald with her probably doesn’t have as much freedom as Jessica has.

“Sorry to disappoint you Jessica, but you must return with me.”
[[Image:SnRK v05 044.jpg|thumb]]

Suddenly, there was another voice.

“Rebecca-san!”

Ash shouted.

There was a sweet smell from her red hair being blown by the winds. She looking like a war maiden in the legends when she was riding on Cú
Chulainn.

“Sorry for the trouble that this stupid girl from my house had given you. The Randall family will cover the fees for mending the window.
The servants fault is also the master’s fault.”

“Now that you mention it… I remember that Jessica was a servant in the Randall family.”

“Just that since she became a Breeder, she had forgotten about her place.”

Rebecca sighed.

“Hmph! Could stop calling me that? I don’t have the intention of serving the Randall family for my whole life!”

“I never thought of that. You are my important childhood friend. Also, your parents had asked me to take good care of you. That is why I
have my duty to bring you back to meet your parents.”

Although her lips were smiling, there was not even a hint of smile in Rebecca’s eyes. After Jessica saw Rebecca’s determination, her
elbows dropped in disappointment.

“Haa… I understand. However… I want Ash-sama to see me off!”

Ash gave a wry smile.

“I think that should be alright.”

The moment he answered, Jessica was once again with a big smile. But, she was then blushing and started to mumble.

“T-Then… According to my hometown’s custom…. There should be a parting k-kiss….”

“Hey! Jessica! When does our hometown have such a custom?”

Rebecca exposed Jessica’s lie with a wry smile.

“Hmph! Rebecca! Don’t you know how to look at the atmosphere?”

“I-I too would like you to see me off…”

While Jessica was in rage, Lucca shyly told Ash her wish.

“Of course.”

“T-Then… According to the Eckbald custom…. I want you to give me a princess carry.”

Ash’s heart skipped a beat when he first saw Lucca’s blushing face.

“A-A princess carry!”

Ash was in a fixed but Jessica shouted at Lucca:

“Hey! What are you trying to do in this mess! That must be a lie!?”

“Uuh…”

While Lucca turned speechless, the noise that Jessica made had spread throughout the school.

“Hey, can you believe it! The president and Jessica were making a night visit! And the other person… Could she be Lucca Sarlinen the
genius girl from the basic class!?”

Suddenly, a huge number of students were gathering outside of the Apollo House. It was something for three girls to be standing on their
dragons beside a window of a boy’s dormitory.

To say nothing of Rebecca Randall who was the most popular person in the entire academy, Jessica was also one of the centers of attentions
and let alone Lucca with her Yōsei like looks and her skills as a Dragner.

“I-I am just here to have Ash-sama see me off! Nothing else!”

Jessica tried to settle the misunderstanding by shouting towards the direction of the school.

“Hmm! By saying Ash-kun you mean… The Ash-kun who was knighted yesterday!?”

“The knighting ceremony was awesome!”

“I also want him to see me off!”

Right now all the girls were speaking with s shrill voice.

Rebecca gave him a bitter smile while she was enjoying all of this.

“Seems like your popularity had sky rocketed after you become a Dragner.”

“The situation outside… Somehow, it looks frightening.”

“Yeah. I just saw around thirty dragons flying towards this window.”

Rebecca told him the unthinkable news with a calm face.

“Huh!?”

“Sorry, Ash. Though I have many reasons to help you… But if I show my true skills, the girls would suffer some grave injuries.”

“Hol-! Don’t leave me!”

“You should try to solve your own problem if you are a Dragner. Also… If it is alright, I would also want you to see me off.”

“…Eh?”

Unfortunately, Ash was not able to catch everything Rebecca said. Her voice disappeared behind the loud noise from Cú Chulainn flapping
its wings.

“Good luck, Ash.”

Lucca too had reluctantly flew off with Gawain.

Right after that, the Apollo House faced a terrible attack.

“Ash-kun! Please see me off!”

“Ash-kun, you might as well come to my home town with me…!”

“Hey! Don’t cut the queue!”

Most of the girls returning were riders of stradas. They were like bats gathering together for food at the window.

But of course it was impossible for thirty riders of stradas to squeeze into the window at the same time.

Soon, they started pushing around.

“P-Please be patient! Calm down! Please calm down!”

Ash was panicking.

Every single roar from the Strada was enough to shake up this entire old building.

“Hey!...How dare you! Ash-sama is my important- Nooooooo!”

Unlike Rebecca or Lucca, Jessica who stayed until the end was finally pushed off the wall together with Rhiannon.

“W-What should I do?”

Ash retreated until his back was facing the wall while he was watching the girls fighting for a spot.

At that moment, Eco who had rolled herself into a ball while she was sleeping had woken up and was rubbing her eyes.

“Hmmm…. What’s all the noise about?”

“You ! How can you still think of sleeping!”

Eco was looking around in confusion. It seems that she wasn’t fully awake yet and wasn’t able to think properly.

Ash shouted with all his might towards the window.

“I beg you! Could you please not make a mess in front of someone else’s window! I promise to see off every single one of you!”

Too bad for him, his voice was not received by them.

Suddenly, Ash had a bad feeling.

“I couldn’t be…”

His entire body was shivering in fear. Since some time ago, the wall facing the outside was creaking. It appears that the Stradas were
putting pressure on it.

“It is dangerous to stay here! Lets run Eco!”

“Huh…! Could you care to explain!”

“Later!”

Ash was running with Eco on his hands.

He ran out through the door and out to the corridor.

Just when he was sliding along the floor…

''-Creak…! Eeeeekkkk……. !Do--------------n!''

The next moment, there was a loud explosion.

Ash cautiously took a peek through the cracks on the door while trembling. All he sees was dust flying around and even the corridor was
affected.

''“*Cough *!*Cough *!”''

While covering up Eco who was coughing, Ash waited until the dust had settled down.

Just moments later-

After the dust had cleared up, what Ash saw was a clear sky.

The morning rays were shining at the disastrous room.

The wreckage of the wall was all over his room. It was a painful sight.

Right now, with the wall that was facing the academy and the window destroyed, his room looked like a doll house that can be seen from the
outside.

“Err… Eco, am I dreaming?”

“I think so?”

Ash and Eco were looking at the room with their mouths wide open.

===Part 2===
Ash was brought to the director’s office on the first day of the holiday.

As for those girls who were the culprit, it seems that they had ran back home as soon as possible. That is why Ash who was the victim was summoned.

“I see… Now I understand what had happened.”

Mirabel who was acting as the director replied coldly and drank from her cup of tea.

The room was full of the smells of bergamot and the tea.

Just like a robot, Mirabel’s face was emotionless the entire time. ''Does this princess even have the thing known as feelings…?'' Ash thought.

“The academy will take responsible for mending the wall. Just some time before, I had asked the builders of this city and they estimated
that they will be able to complete it in around two weeks time.”

“Really…! Thank you very much!”

Ash was grateful that she was able to deal with this situation without delay.

“The problem is… During the renovation, where am I to place you and Eco.”

“I see…”

“Can you borrow a room from any of your friends?”

“I don’t think that would be possible…”

Unfortunately, Max and Raymond had gone home. For Ash who doesn’t have many friends, these were the’ only two friends that he could rely
on. Although there was an option of using it without asking for their permissions, but Ash couldn’t bring himself to do it.

''-Bang!''

The door behind him was opened with a slam.

The next time he knew, Silvia and Eco was right beside him.

“How much longer are the two of you going to keep on talking!? Can’t you just give us a new room!”

Eco was pointing at Mirabel in anger.

“Anee-ue! Why do you call for Ash! That incident was caused by a few girls! It had nothing to do with Ash! Aren’t you treating him like
the culprit!?”

Silvia on the other hand was trying to speak up for Ash.

“Where are your manners? Don’t you know that it is rude to walk into a room without knocking? You won’t be given special treatment even if
you are the descendant of the Avalon Holy Dragons Emperor’s family or my sister. “

Mirabel glared at both of them coldly.

“I am sorry… Anee-ue.”

Silvia stood still on her ground as if she had turned into a stone.

On the other hand, Eco was trying to intimidate Mirabel by showing her sharp teeth.

“Hey you!... How dare you act like that even when you know that I am Avalon’s holy dragons' emperor family's Imperial Princess! Why don’t
I try crushing the castle the next time? If I show you my true self, one or two Fontaine Place won’t…”

“Idiot! Stop spurting nonsense!”

Ash’s face was pale white when he was scolding Eco.

Since that incident, the Knight’s government took Eco as a treat. As long as there is the possibility that Mirabel was here to keep an eye
on Eco, they have to be careful with their own words.

But to his surprise, Eco calm down with just a single shout.

She turned her head around with her face blushing.

“I-I will listen to you… Just this time.”

Ash was taken aback from seeing Eco making such an expression for the first time. Just as he had expected, it was that transformation that
had made a change of her heart. Although the gentle Eco looked a lot cuter, at the same time, it was also a little confusing.

“Ahem!”

Mirabel tried clearing her throat and everyone’s attention was back on her.

“Silvia, you came at the right moment. Right now you are staying in the royal room in the Epona House right?”

“…What about it?”

Silvia was surprised.

“Until the renovation in the boy’s dormitory had been completed, Ash Blake and young dragon Eco will stay in your room for the time
being.”

“What!”

“I won’t repeat for a second time. This is an order from your sister. You are not allowed to have any objections.”

Naturally, Silva was enraged.

“What do you mean by this! This is against our family motto where ‘A knight shouldn’t carelessly touch another of the opposite sex’!”

“Hmm… Funny but I remember that I said to let Ash Blake and young dragon Eco stay in your room. When did I ever mention about touching
Ash?”

“T-That…!”

Right at this moment, even Silvia’s earlobes were red.

“Right now, if I were to mention the family motto that you love so much, ‘A knight should help those who are in need’. Am I wrong?”

After she replied coldly, Mirabel looked like she had lost interest in the case regarding Ash. She kept on looking at the tea cup on her
hand.

“I am done with you- What a pain, now a good cup of tea had turned cold.”

===Part 3===
Rebecca and Jessica had returned to the land ruled by the Randalls.

Lucca on the other hand had returned to her village.

After seeing them off, Ash and Eco once again returned to his room on the third floor of the Apollo House.

They once again looked at the disastrous room.

A bed full of glass fragments.

A floor full with the remains of the wall.

And the disorganized furniture.

With the wall gone, the room became bright and windy. Looking down from above was a few curious onlookers. When their eyes came into
contact with Ash’s, everyone scattered.

“Haa… First of all, I think we should try cleaning up a little. It is better to make it look a little more cheerful before the renovation
starts.”

Turning around, Ash noticed that Eco was sulking.

“What’s wrong, Eco?”

“Hey. Do you really want to stay in Silvia’s room?”

“It is not like I have a choice. It was an order from Princess Mirabel. It seems that even Princess-sama did not dare to go against her.”

“I… I hate it.”

“What’s the matter? You don’t look like your usual self. Well, if we stay at Princess-sama’s room, we may be able to eat Cosette’s
delicious homemade cooking.”

“That’s not the point! And also, I am not someone who thinks about food for an entire day!”

Eco face was red with anger and embarrassment.

“Is it… Sorry then.”

“It is fine if you understand. Anyway, just if you try to do something weird to Silvia… I will be sure to crush you!”

Eco was glaring at Ash.

“What do you mean by something weird!?”

With her ears fully red, Eco told Ash embarrassedly:

“T-To make it simple…. It is those perverted stuffs.”

“W-What are you even thinking!”

Ash stood still on his ground. He never expects Eco to speak of such a word. It kind of surprise him.

“Even I knew about those stuffs… Don’t look down on me just because I am a young dragon.”

“Could the source of information be…. The Dragweiss?”

“…Some of them were from there, but most of them were from the picture books that Cosette lend to me.”

“Hold on! Are they really… Just picture books!?”

In order to teach her the importance of aesthetic sensibility, Cosette had lent her picture books and books for children. For that, Ash
was grateful for Cosette.

However, there is a possibility that she mixed some picture books for adult in them.

“Anyhow, she is still this country’s princess. What you are worrying about will never happen, rest assure.”

''In the worst possible case, I will be beheaded…'' Ash thought secretly.

“A-Alright… I understand.”

Once again, Eco was smiling and she looked at the room around her.

“Then… What can I do to help you?”

“You are trying to help?”

“What? Is it weird for me to help?”

“Definitely not weird, but rare. Ain’t it always me who complete the house work?”

“A-About that… It doesn’t seem like I have a choice. I am a dragon. I don’t really understand how a human acts. But… I just feel like
helping for today… Can’t I!?”

Eco puffed up her rosy coloured checks and stared at Ash.

“Why not? I even want to thank you.”

Ash gave a wry smile and tried to pat her head.

But, Eco immediately dodge to a side.

“No! You mustn’t touch!”

“Sorry… I don’t know that you dislike it this much.”

“N-No! It is okay it you are just patting, but you mustn’t touch my horns. If they were just slightly touched, I… will turn weird. I felt
like floating in the air when they were touched...”

Ash could calm down after seeing Eco’s face when she tried to explain her feelings.

“I understand. I promise I won’t touch your horns.”

Ash carefully patted Eco’s head.

Her pink hair was fluffy and it gave his palm a nice feeling.

“Nn…”

Even when she was a dragon, Eco was smiling and shrugging her neck like what a cat would do.

Her innocent smile had grabbed Ash’s attention.

To be precise, it was her flower bud like lips.

His heart was beating rapidly.

This was actually the second time he had such a feeling.

The first time was when Eco said that she won’t be satisfied with just being a Pal in the guest room in Fontaine Palace.

“…”

Eco probably felt the change in the atmosphere too and her body suddenly tense up. Perhaps she too was also thinking about the scenario in
the Fontaine Palace.

In a short while, just like that time, Eco closes her eyes.

She also tried to purse her lips.

Ash also noticed that her long eyelashes were also trembling.

''-Eco…!''
[[Image:SnRK v05 060.jpg|thumb]]

The suddenly remembered the word ‘beloved Pal’ in the knighting ceremony.

During that time, Ash was only saying the standard pledge.

But this was totally different.

His feeling of love to Eco was born from deep in his heart. A feeling that could be explained using something a simple as the relation of
a Breeder and its Pal had grown.

Right now, they don’t need any words.

Ash placed both his hands on Eco’s shoulders and he closes their distance slowly.

A sweet smell was surrounding them which made him dizzy.

Right now, he felt as if his heart was going to explode.

They were now at a distance where their nose could easily touch each other.

Eco felt like being pierced through by the sunlight while she was waiting for Ash.

Ash made up his mind and closed his eyes.

And then- he kissed Eco on her lips.

===Part 4===

<noinclude>

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 1

2014-04-24T09:58:15Z

92.39.72.90:

{{Incomplete|percentage=40}}
==Chapter 1 - Tragedy of Apollo house and Mirabel's decision==
===Part 1===
''-Don! Don…! Don!''

The sun had just raised but Ash who spent a sleepless night was waken up by a loud knocking sound.

“What in the world…?”

He took that silver watch by his pillow side and noticed that it was just half past six.

After he angrily took a look at the window, he became wide awake.

“Uwaa…!”

There was a huge eye looking through the gaps of the curtain.

It was actually a dragon who was banging its nose against the window.

''-Don! Don… Dododododo!”''

He was worried that it may break the glass.

“Why is a dragon coming to my room!? Could it be another Necromancia attack!?”

So the Empire had finally shown their true colours and started attacking? Ash tried to leave the bed but he was stopped.

“Zzz…”

Eco rolled over and was hugging Ash.

Her hair was all over his shoulders and her arms were around his back.

And also her soft face that was on his chest…

''-Mmm…''

Ash was shocked by her sudden nibble.

“Hey, Eco… Please don’t bite that spot.”

Recently, her habit of nibbling had gotten less but she still had not gotten rid of her habit of a young dragon. Moreover, she was
nibbling on Ash’s sensitive spot which troubled him.

At that moment, there was a crack on the window.

“This is bad… It is not the right moment to let her continue to nibble.”

Ash carried Eco and they leave the bed together. The next thing he knew, the glass was smashed into pieces.

He managed to avoid the glass fragments at the last moment.

At the same time, there were two dragons that were trying to squeeze their heads into the window. Their hard scales protect them from the
sharp glass.

By taking a closer look, Ash noticed that one of them was a Maestro while the other was a Hydra. After knowing that he was not attacked by
a Necromancia, Ash breathe a sigh of relieve.

“Morning, Ash!”

“Good morning, Ash-sama!”

Finally, he could see the faces of the two riders.

They were the student council secretary Lucca and Jessica of the general affairs. Right beside them were Maestro Gawain and Rhiannon the
Hydra.

Ash started to protest after he placed Eco who was still sleeping on the bed.

“Lucca! Jessica! What in the world are both of you doing!?”

Since the time Ash saved Gawain who was in danger of dying, Lucca had become emotionally attached to Ash. In the dragon riding academy,
most of the girls are the more aggressive type, it was kind of rare to see someone as quite as Lucca. The beauty that only an Eckbald
possessed was out of this world.

Ash was a little surprise to see Lucca acting rashly. Perhaps she was influenced by Jessica.

“Ash… I hoped that you would come with me to the Eckbald village. I want to introduce you to the village chief, my otou-sama.” <ref>In the
raw version, Lucca called her father otou-sama, but the kanji written was foster father.</ref>

Her usual emotionless face had always given Ash a heck lot of trouble.

“Hold on! W-Why must you mention the chief!?”

“P-Please don’t ask anymore than this.”

Lucca was suddenly blushing.

This time, it was Jessica who pushed Lucca to aside.

Jessica who was usually eyeing at Ash’s sperm, though her actions had always been eccentric, she was still undoubtable one of the few
beauties of the academy.

“Ash-sama, I have a request!”

“Hey, wait a minute! This is the third floor! How did a hydra get here…?”

“Well. Climbing wall is not a problem for my Rhiannon.”

“Can’t you sympathize your Pal a little!”

Ash pitied her Pal. Although a Hydra may still be able to move on land, but only when they are in the water they are able to show their
true skills. It shouldn’t be its own intention to walk on land. Let alone climbing the walls of the student’s dormitory, which doesn’t
seem to fit the actions of a proud dragon.

“Putting that aside, Ash-sama! I am about to leave Ansarivan. What about you? Do you have any plans of returning?”

“Now I remember… today is the start of the holiday.”

-The first day of the month of Leo.

It was the first day of the holidays for Ansaraivan Dragon Riding Academy. Since it was a boarding school, most of the student will return
to their hometown.

Of course, not all of the students were going back home. There were also a small amount of students that were forced to stay in for the
holidays for certain reasons.

Ash was one of them.

“Nope, I am not going home.”

After hearing, Jessica’s facial expression changes.

“What! If that’s the case, I too will stay back here!”

“Uuh… If I don’t return soon… I will be scolded by my otou-sama.”

Compare to Jessica who was in high spirit, Lucca looks sad. Lucca who carry the hopes of all Eckbald with her probably doesn’t have as much freedom as Jessica has.

“Sorry to disappoint you Jessica, but you must return with me.”
[[Image:SnRK v05 044.jpg|thumb]]

Suddenly, there was another voice.

“Rebecca-san!”

Ash shouted.

There was a sweet smell from her red hair being blown by the winds. She looking like a war maiden in the legends when she was riding on Cú
Chulainn.

“Sorry for the trouble that this stupid girl from my house had given you. The Randall family will cover the fees for mending the window.
The servants fault is also the master’s fault.”

“Now that you mention it… I remember that Jessica was a servant in the Randall family.”

“Just that since she became a Breeder, she had forgotten about her place.”

Rebecca sighed.

“Hmph! Could stop calling me that? I don’t have the intention of serving the Randall family for my whole life!”

“I never thought of that. You are my important childhood friend. Also, your parents had asked me to take good care of you. That is why I
have my duty to bring you back to meet your parents.”

Although her lips were smiling, there was not even a hint of smile in Rebecca’s eyes. After Jessica saw Rebecca’s determination, her
elbows dropped in disappointment.

“Haa… I understand. However… I want Ash-sama to see me off!”

Ash gave a wry smile.

“I think that should be alright.”

The moment he answered, Jessica was once again with a big smile. But, she was then blushing and started to mumble.

“T-Then… According to my hometown’s custom…. There should be a parting k-kiss….”

“Hey! Jessica! When does our hometown have such a custom?”

Rebecca exposed Jessica’s lie with a wry smile.

“Hmph! Rebecca! Don’t you know how to look at the atmosphere?”

“I-I too would like you to see me off…”

While Jessica was in rage, Lucca shyly told Ash her wish.

“Of course.”

“T-Then… According to the Eckbald custom…. I want you to give me a princess carry.”

Ash’s heart skipped a beat when he first saw Lucca’s blushing face.

“A-A princess carry!”

Ash was in a fixed but Jessica shouted at Lucca:

“Hey! What are you trying to do in this mess! That must be a lie!?”

“Uuh…”

While Lucca turned speechless, the noise that Jessica made had spread throughout the school.

“Hey, can you believe it! The president and Jessica were making a night visit! And the other person… Could she be Lucca Sarlinen the
genius girl from the basic class!?”

Suddenly, a huge number of students were gathering outside of the Apollo House. It was something for three girls to be standing on their
dragons beside a window of a boy’s dormitory.

To say nothing of Rebecca Randall who was the most popular person in the entire academy, Jessica was also one of the centers of attentions
and let alone Lucca with her Yōsei like looks and her skills as a Dragner.

“I-I am just here to have Ash-sama see me off! Nothing else!”

Jessica tried to settle the misunderstanding by shouting towards the direction of the school.

“Hmm! By saying Ash-kun you mean… The Ash-kun who was knighted yesterday!?”

“The knighting ceremony was awesome!”

“I also want him to see me off!”

Right now all the girls were speaking with s shrill voice.

Rebecca gave him a bitter smile while she was enjoying all of this.

“Seems like your popularity had sky rocketed after you become a Dragner.”

“The situation outside… Somehow, it looks frightening.”

“Yeah. I just saw around thirty dragons flying towards this window.”

Rebecca told him the unthinkable news with a calm face.

“Huh!?”

“Sorry, Ash. Though I have many reasons to help you… But if I show my true skills, the girls would suffer some grave injuries.”

“Hol-! Don’t leave me!”

“You should try to solve your own problem if you are a Dragner. Also… If it is alright, I would also want you to see me off.”

“…Eh?”

Unfortunately, Ash was not able to catch everything Rebecca said. Her voice disappeared behind the loud noise from Cú Chulainn flapping
its wings.

“Good luck, Ash.”

Lucca too had reluctantly flew off with Gawain.

Right after that, the Apollo House faced a terrible attack.

“Ash-kun! Please see me off!”

“Ash-kun, you might as well come to my home town with me…!”

“Hey! Don’t cut the queue!”

Most of the girls returning were riders of stradas. They were like bats gathering together for food at the window.

But of course it was impossible for thirty riders of stradas to squeeze into the window at the same time.

Soon, they started pushing around.

“P-Please be patient! Calm down! Please calm down!”

Ash was panicking.

Every single roar from the Strada was enough to shake up this entire old building.

“Hey!...How dare you! Ash-sama is my important- Nooooooo!”

Unlike Rebecca or Lucca, Jessica who stayed until the end was finally pushed off the wall together with Rhiannon.

“W-What should I do?”

Ash retreated until his back was facing the wall while he was watching the girls fighting for a spot.

At that moment, Eco who had rolled herself into a ball while she was sleeping had woken up and was rubbing her eyes.

“Hmmm…. What’s all the noise about?”

“You ! How can you still think of sleeping!”

Eco was looking around in confusion. It seems that she wasn’t fully awake yet and wasn’t able to think properly.

Ash shouted with all his might towards the window.

“I beg you! Could you please not make a mess in front of someone else’s window! I promise to see off every single one of you!”

Too bad for him, his voice was not received by them.

Suddenly, Ash had a bad feeling.

“I couldn’t be…”

His entire body was shivering in fear. Since some time ago, the wall facing the outside was creaking. It appears that the Stradas were
putting pressure on it.

“It is dangers to say here! Lets run Eco!”

“Huh…! Could you care to explain!”

“Later!”

Ash was running with Eco on his hands.

He ran out through the door and out to the corridor.

Just when he was sliding along the floor…

''-Creak…! Eeeeekkkk……. !Do--------------n!''

The next moment, there was a loud explosion.

Ash cautiously took a peek through the cracks on the door while trembling. All he sees was dust flying around and even the corridor was
affected.

''“*Cough *!*Cough *!”''

While covering up Eco who was coughing, Ash waited until the dust had settled down.

Just moments later-

After the dust had cleared up, what Ash saw was a clear sky.

The morning rays were shining at the disastrous room.

The wreckage of the wall was all over his room. It was a painful sight.

Right now, with the wall that was facing the academy and the window destroyed, his room looked like a doll house that can be seen from the
outside.

“Err… Eco, am I dreaming?”

“I think so?”

Ash and Eco were looking at the room with their mouths wide open.

===Part 2===
Ash was brought to the director’s office on the first day of the holiday.

As for those girls who were the culprit, it seems that they had ran back home as soon as possible. That is why Ash who was the victim was summoned.

“I see… Now I understand what had happened.”

Mirabel who was acting as the director replied coldly and drank from her cup of tea.

The room was full of the smells of bergamot and the tea.

Just like a robot, Mirabel’s face was emotionless the entire time. ''Does this princess even have the thing known as feelings…?'' Ash thought.

“The academy will take responsible for mending the wall. Just some time before, I had asked the builders of this city and they estimated
that they will be able to complete it in around two weeks time.”

“Really…! Thank you very much!”

Ash was grateful that she was able to deal with this situation without delay.

“The problem is… During the renovation, where am I to place you and Eco.”

“I see…”

“Can you borrow a room from any of your friends?”

“I don’t think that would be possible…”

Unfortunately, Max and Raymond had gone home. For Ash who doesn’t have many friends, these were the’ only two friends that he could rely
on. Although there was an option of using it without asking for their permissions, but Ash couldn’t bring himself to do it.

''-Bang!''

The door behind him was opened with a slam.

The next time he knew, Silvia and Eco was right beside him.

“How much longer are the two of you going to keep on talking!? Can’t you just give us a new room!”

Eco was pointing at Mirabel in anger.

“Anee-ue! Why do you call for Ash! That incident was caused by a few girls! It had nothing to do with Ash! Aren’t you treating him like
the culprit!?”

Silvia on the other hand was trying to speak up for Ash.

“Where are your manners? Don’t you know that it is rude to walk into a room without knocking? You won’t be given special treatment even if
you are the descendant of the Avalon Holy Dragons Emperor’s family or my sister. “

Mirabel glared at both of them coldly.

“I am sorry… Anee-ue.”

Silvia stood still on her ground as if she had turned into a stone.

On the other hand, Eco was trying to intimidate Mirabel by showing her sharp teeth.

“Hey you!... How dare you act like that even when you know that I am Avalon’s holy dragons' emperor family's Imperial Princess! Why don’t
I try crushing the castle the next time? If I show you my true self, one or two Fontaine Place won’t…”

“Idiot! Stop spurting nonsense!”

Ash’s face was pale white when he was scolding Eco.

Since that incident, the Knight’s government took Eco as a treat. As long as there is the possibility that Mirabel was here to keep an eye
on Eco, they have to be careful with their own words.

But to his surprise, Eco calm down with just a single shout.

She turned her head around with her face blushing.

“I-I will listen to you… Just this time.”

Ash was taken aback from seeing Eco making such an expression for the first time. Just as he had expected, it was that transformation that
had made a change of her heart. Although the gentle Eco looked a lot cuter, at the same time, it was also a little confusing.

“Ahem!”

Mirabel tried clearing her throat and everyone’s attention was back on her.

“Silvia, you came at the right moment. Right now you are staying in the royal room in the Epona House right?”

“…What about it?”

Silvia was surprised.

“Until the renovation in the boy’s dormitory had been completed, Ash Blake and young dragon Eco will stay in your room for the time
being.”

“What!”

“I won’t repeat for a second time. This is an order from your sister. You are not allowed to have any objections.”

Naturally, Silva was enraged.

“What do you mean by this! This is against our family motto where ‘A knight shouldn’t carelessly touch another of the opposite sex’!”

“Hmm… Funny but I remember that I said to let Ash Blake and young dragon Eco stay in your room. When did I ever mention about touching
Ash?”

“T-That…!”

Right at this moment, even Silvia’s earlobes were red.

“Right now, if I were to mention the family motto that you love so much, ‘A knight should help those who are in need’. Am I wrong?”

After she replied coldly, Mirabel looked like she had lost interest in the case regarding Ash. She kept on looking at the tea cup on her
hand.

“I am done with you- What a pain, now a good cup of tea had turned cold.”

===Part 3===
Rebecca and Jessica had returned to the land ruled by the Randalls.

Lucca on the other hand had returned to her village.

After seeing them off, Ash and Eco once again returned to his room on the third floor of the Apollo House.

They once again looked at the disastrous room.

A bed full of glass fragments.

A floor full with the remains of the wall.

And the disorganized furniture.

With the wall gone, the room became bright and windy. Looking down from above was a few curious onlookers. When their eyes came into
contact with Ash’s, everyone scattered.

“Haa… First of all, I think we should try cleaning up a little. It is better to make it look a little more cheerful before the renovation
starts.”

Turning around, Ash noticed that Eco was sulking.

“What’s wrong, Eco?”

“Hey. Do you really want to stay in Silvia’s room?”

“It is not like I have a choice. It was an order from Princess Mirabel. It seems that even Princess-sama did not dare to go against her.”

“I… I hate it.”

“What’s the matter? You don’t look like your usual self. Well, if we stay at Princess-sama’s room, we may be able to eat Cosette’s
delicious homemade cooking.”

“That’s not the point! And also, I am not someone who thinks about food for an entire day!”

Eco face was red with anger and embarrassment.

“Is it… Sorry then.”

“It is fine if you understand. Anyway, just if you try to do something weird to Silvia… I will be sure to crush you!”

Eco was glaring at Ash.

“What do you mean by something weird!?”

With her ears fully red, Eco told Ash embarrassedly:

“T-To make it simple…. It is those perverted stuffs.”

“W-What are you even thinking!”

Ash stood still on his ground. He never expects Eco to speak of such a word. It kind of surprise him.

“Even I knew about those stuffs… Don’t look down on me just because I am a young dragon.”

“Could the source of information be…. The Dragweiss?”

“…Some of them were from there, but most of them were from the picture books that Cosette lend to me.”

“Hold on! Are they really… Just picture books!?”

In order to teach her the importance of aesthetic sensibility, Cosette had lent her picture books and books for children. For that, Ash
was grateful for Cosette.

However, there is a possibility that she mixed some picture books for adult in them.

“Anyhow, she is still this country’s princess. What you are worrying about will never happen, rest assure.”

''In the worst possible case, I will be beheaded…'' Ash thought secretly.

“A-Alright… I understand.”

Once again, Eco was smiling and she looked at the room around her.

“Then… What can I do to help you?”

“You are trying to help?”

“What? Is it weird for me to help?”

“Definitely not weird, but rare. Ain’t it always me who complete the house work?”

“A-About that… It doesn’t seem like I have a choice. I am a dragon. I don’t really understand how a human acts. But… I just feel like
helping for today… Can’t I!?”

Eco puffed up her rosy coloured checks and stared at Ash.

“Why not? I even want to thank you.”

Ash gave a wry smile and tried to pat her head.

But, Eco immediately dodge to a side.

“No! You mustn’t touch!”

“Sorry… I don’t know that you dislike it this much.”

“N-No! It is okay it you are just patting, but you mustn’t touch my horns. If they were just slightly touched, I… will turn weird. I felt
like floating in the air when they were touched...”

Ash could calm down after seeing Eco’s face when she tried to explain her feelings.

“I understand. I promise I won’t touch your horns.”

Ash carefully patted Eco’s head.

Her pink hair was fluffy and it gave his palm a nice feeling.

“Nn…”

Even when she was a dragon, Eco was smiling and shrugging her neck like what a cat would do.

Her innocent smile had grabbed Ash’s attention.

To be precise, it was her flower bud like lips.

His heart was beating rapidly.

This was actually the second time he had such a feeling.

The first time was when Eco said that she won’t be satisfied with just being a Pal in the guest room in Fontaine Palace.

“…”

Eco probably felt the change in the atmosphere too and her body suddenly tense up. Perhaps she too was also thinking about the scenario in
the Fontaine Palace.

In a short while, just like that time, Eco closes her eyes.

She also tried to purse her lips.

Ash also noticed that her long eyelashes were also trembling.

''-Eco…!''
[[Image:SnRK v05 060.jpg|thumb]]

The suddenly remembered the word ‘beloved Pal’ in the knighting ceremony.

During that time, Ash was only saying the standard pledge.

But this was totally different.

His feeling of love to Eco was born from deep in his heart. A feeling that could be explained using something a simple as the relation of
a Breeder and its Pal had grown.

Right now, they don’t need any words.

Ash placed both his hands on Eco’s shoulders and he closes their distance slowly.

A sweet smell was surrounding them which made him dizzy.

Right now, he felt as if his heart was going to explode.

They were now at a distance where their nose could easily touch each other.

Eco felt like being pierced through by the sunlight while she was waiting for Ash.

Ash made up his mind and closed his eyes.

And then- he kissed Eco on her lips.

===Part 4===

<noinclude>

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

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|-
| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol2 Ch1

2013-01-21T10:59:44Z

92.39.72.90:

== '''Night 1: A Series of Misfortune''' ==

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Edict
Body ★ Hello——this is Usarin. Did you think I’d say that? You weirdo, go die! So where are you strolling around now? With your
personality you should’ve already left school to come see Rinne. So we didn’t contact you. Then—we ended up waiting until noon! I
didn’t think you were this half-hearted with your love. You keep proclaiming your love for her. Is that just something you say?
Whatever. Rinne has me, Guriko, to comfort her. You can die somewhere in the street.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: Edict
Body ★ Hey—what makes you think you can just use Her Majesty's cell phone like that. No matter how you look at it, it’s best if you
just died. Your harassment will someday give me a heart attack. Stop using her cell phone. Cell phones record phone numbers. So
caller ID identifies that phone as “Usarin”. This crap you’re pulling will make me think Her Majesty suddenly changed. On another note,
since when did you know how to use a cell phone?</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ So much talk. Look. I wrote my name. Does that satisfy your demands? Go die now. Though it’s a bit too much talk, where
are you right now, Sakaki? Rinne’s friend died so she’s depressed. How can you not be at her side at a time like this? There’s
more. You small, unworthy person. I’ve lived fifty times longer than you. Our level of experience can’t be compared. I can learn
something like cell phone operation in an instant. Don’t underestimate me!</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ Any grade-schooler can learn something like using a cell phone. Ah——my bad, wait a minute. You should know that as soon
as I learned about Her Majesty’s condition I came running over. But even before I arrive, you take what little you know and form conjectures
about me. You idiot.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Re: Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ …You're seriously infuriating. Whatever. Just get over here quickly. If you’re slow, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs.</pre>

“…”

The handsome man with golden hair and blue eyes——Sakaki Guryuu, closed his cell phone with a “Thap”. He sighed deeply. This man, humanity’s pinnacle of intelligence, financial resources, appearance and athletic ability, was Usagawa Rinne’s lover as well as her Japanese History teacher at Kannonsakazaki High School.

A year earlier, Sakaki fell in love with Rinne due to a certain incident, and abandoned the giant company controlling Japan from the shadows——the Sakaki Organization. He had forsaken his position as its heir, as well as all his higher education, and became a high school teacher all in order to stay by Usagawa Rinne’s side. He felt that she was the only worthwhile existence in his life. That was the man named Sakaki Guryuu.

Sakaki, unhappiness dominating his face, surveyed his surroundings while watching all four sides surrounding him. People dressed in black were blatantly displaying illegal firearms.

“You see, one of my dear students has threatened me with eyeball gouging. She can easily carry out her threat, so you guys can get lost! I’d like to reject that eyeball gouging——if I don’t hurry to Her Majesty’s home, I’ll lose these blue eyes I inherited from my mother!”

Rinne was absent from school that day. As soon as Sakaki knew this, he immediately stopped his class and ditched the staff meeting to go see her, but he was ambushed. It was around eight o’clock when he rushed out of class, and math shows that he had been fighting for four hours. He kicked aside some of the black-suit flock, but was immediately surrounded again. Fighting them down one by one didn’t tire him out, but it started to frustrate him.

Rinne, he thought of Usagawa Rinne.

The one who gave Sakaki’s life meaning, the most important person in the world, was currently suffering. Yet these people in black suits obstructed his path, which implied suicidal tendencies——but who exactly were these enemies? If this continued blood would probably start to spill.

“Are you ‘Mushi’?”

No response.

“Mushi”, were the mysterious beings searching for the “Apples”——also called “Apples of Eden”, the forbidden fruit which allowed humans who ate them to become immortal——and they attacked humans to do so. Their true objectives remained a riddle, though someone who called himself Snake described them as beings similar to angels or demons.

When Sakaki fought against Snake the previous month, he happened to eat an Apple, and had since met multiple “Mushi” seeking to kill him. Thus, he assumed that this incident was the same, but——

If they were “Mushi”, they should have unhesitatingly tried to kill him as fast as possible. But these black-suited people surrounding him showed no sign of using their guns. The tell-tale sign of the “Mushi”, eyes that shone with red light, could not be verified due to concealment by sunglasses.

“Even when there are guns pointed at you, that cell phone still takes priority, brother?”

Suddenly, he heard a female voice that tried to hide mediocrity with an air of elegance. That was a familiar voice——Sakaki’s patience ended as he turned to the source.

Behind the still wall of black-suited men, a girl stood.

“People that I, the [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Black Dragon | Black Dragon]], can stand the least are people like you who act as though everything lacked difficulty.”

From her black dress that was completely incongruous with this street in a small, rural town to the ribbon on her head, all of her clothes were black. Aside from her skin, teeth and the whites of her eyes, it was as if her entire body was buried under black. She was one of the backup step-siblings prepared in case something happened to Sakaki.

"Kuroki -- Tatsue? Sakaki mumbled her name as he put his cell phone in his pocket and looked at the black-suited men surrounding him. "So, you're Sakaki Organization's men. How pointless. Bothering me is a waste of time. Hey -- I've already memorized your faces. Since you've pointed guns at the heir to the Sakaki Organization and committed the crime of preventing him from going to his destination, you'll all be thrown out into the street."

"Brother, you are still ignoring me?" Tatsue nervously raised her eyebrows as she spoke unhappily, holding onto a scarlet teddy bear that added an alien color to her monochrome look.

Should we say she was still too cautious, or is it more accurate to say that she was simply too petty?

Sakaki shifted his sight away from the black-suited men who didn't know what to do as they lowered their guns, and looked toward his step-sister. "You’re just a spare part, what did you come find me for? Back to the main topic, it's been a long time, Tatsue. How many years has it been? Nine? You've grown so much. Last time I saw you, you were still crying 'I didn't wet the bed! I didn't!' Ah, good times."

"D-d-do not speak of that!" Tatsue's face turned red. She waved her arms at the whispering black-suited men in front of her as she said this while on the verge of tears, "It's because you're so arrogant and ill-hearted that I cannot stand you."

"Oh, and there's that pretentious speech pattern you like to use. Don't talk like that, you seem even more pathetic. In fact--"

Sakaki silently watched Tatsue. No, more accurately, he watched the scarlet teddy bear she held. It was something that could be bought anywhere, yet impossible to sell. Rather than looking cute, it horrified people with a blood-stained appearance that made it useless for consolation --

"Father." Sakaki mumbled, crossing his arms as he sternly said, "You're communicating with us like that again. How distrusting of your own son."

"Eh?"

The surprised one was Tatsue. She was frightened enough to almost drop the teddy bear, and quickly tried to steady herself. As cold sweat ran down her face, her cute bluffing expression completely disappeared.

"F-f-father?"

It was the current president of the organization with more power than a nation -- Sakaki Ganhou. He likely feared assassination, as not even Sakaki had seen his face before. This led to Sakaki thinking: Is my father even alive?

"......"

The scarlet teddy bear casually made a sound.

"Hey, Gu-kun, it's dad."

A clear, disarming synthetic voice came from the stuffed animal with a unique echo. Then again, with this type of voice, the speaker generally wants to avoid allowing his actual voice to be recognized. Sakaki nodded, and said casually, "What do you mean 'It's dad', you idiot father. What do you want? I need to visit Her Majesty. If it's just some pointless little thing, then just leave!"

"B-b-brother! How could you speak like that to father!"

Sakaki paid no attention to Tatsue's noisy shouting. No matter whose voice came out of it, that thing was just a stuffed animal that deserved no respect. Besides, Sakaki never respected his father who forcefully molded him into an ideal heir. With study and training that was practically infused inro his blood, this person destroyed Sakaki's childhood.

Without moving, the teddy bear laughed in a poorly synthesized voice.

"Hahaha! You're still so frightening. Dad's heartbroken! Mmm -- actually, there isn't really anything too serious. I just wanted to see my cute son that I haven't seen in a long time."

"Good bye."

Sakaki ignored Tatsue and the teddy bear and walked toward his destination. Running to Rinne's home from there would take about ten minutes. So much time had been wasted!

"Wait up, wait up, wait up, Gu-kun! Tatsue, chase him!"

The teddy bear said so nonchalantly, and Tatsue desperately followed its orders with a pale face. Too bad, it seems like this time she would only be used as a convenient transporter.

As Sakaki thought this, the teddy bear issued a cruel order.

"Ah, what a pain. He's trying to escape. Alright, you goons, shoot him in the thigh! Then he'll stop, right? Don't worry, even if Gu-kun gets injured he'll quickly recover, so there's no need to hold back."

Those words...

Sakaki suddenly turned around, and looked angrily at the teddy bear held by the pale-faced Tatsue.

"Father, where did you find out about that?"

His injuries would recover. In other words, he knew that Sakaki ate an Apple and became immortal, with the superhuman ability to resurrect.

Speaking of that, a monster had wrecked the town a month earlier, and after that Sakaki had asked his father to pretend that nothing happened. The incident was reported to be a result of an earthquake, and eyewitnesses were forced to keep silent. Needless to say, the hidden truth should have gone straight to the man behind the cover-up----the father.

However, only Sakaki, Rinne, and of course the "Mushi" and Snake as well as Guriko should have known about the Apples.

"Who do you think I am?" The teddy bear naturally continued, "Of course I know more than you do! I just don't tell you because I don't want you to sink deeper into this business. All in all there's nothing worthwhile there, and the knowledge would just be disgusting. Do you understand?"

He used an unnerving, emotionless voice to talk to the silent Sakaki.

"Last month." The teddy bear's words still sounded natural. "An immensely large monster----a Dream World Beast rampaged, right? Who do you think killed it? Or... How was it killed? Do you really think a few bombs dropped from a plane would be enough?"

That voice mocked Sakaki rather than questioned him.

"Whether with explosives or firebombs, did you think it was possible to soundlessly kill such a large monster? Not only that----to exterminate a monster with extraordinary life force gained from an Apple, that can easily cause so much destruction? Can a weapon that incredible really exist?"

That was a joyful and delighted voice.

"If you just think about last month's events, so many things don't make sense. Gu-kun, you didn't know anything. You misunderstood the whole situation despite having overcome that conflict. The Apple, the clock, the 'Mushi'! You barely understand any of them! ----But you don't need to understand them either since you're my cute, adorable successor."

These words pierced Sakaki's ears and made his eyebrows furl.

After overcoming that and passing through a period of peace, he finally felt secure----but now, it all became undone. What was going on? He felt horribly uneasy. His doubts suddenly layered up, and he began to feel disgusted by the Apple taking root in his soul.

"You, what are you trying to get at?"

"Ah? I'm just worrying like any normal father over his child's life. Basically, I want you to inherit the Sakaki Organization like a good boy while I do my best to keep you away from danger. Watch out for the names Melodia Noise, Poison, Ultimate Shield, Unpleasant Counter-Current, Single Room, God Insect Emperor, and Sterilization Disinfection. It's just as their names imply. If you involve yourself with them you die.”

Mindlessly saying these unclear words, the head of the Sakaki Organization----Sakaki Ganhou laughed gloomily with his synthesized voice. Tatsue felt very afraid and looked at the stuffed animal in alarm.

Mushi, eyeball, and a teddy bear.

Not showing up in the previous month's events, hiding in the darkness, the third person who stayed out of sight while acting----he was here. Sakaki Ganhou: what did he know, what did he want? The horrifying teddy bear merely spoke cheerfully to Sakaki, yet it seemed accusing.

"Mmm, I need to pick something to say. Since I'm pretty busy, I only wanted to say this one thing, but it got dragged out so long. Ah, that's right, I almost forgot."

The teddy bear suddenly moved and clapped its hands. It probably carried this function. "Waah!" Tatsue made a strange sound.

"Usagawa Rinne is your girlfriend right? These few months----I sent people to thoroughly investigate her. Honestly, I don't know why you like her so much."

Its head tilted.

Sakaki's expression turned cold as he glared at the teddy bear.

"Father, since you insulted Her Majesty, you will pay with your life!"

"How frightening. How frightening. See, even Tatsue's scared.”

Actually, Tatsue was afraid of her father.

"Whatever, let's move on. Me, I don't care who you take as your wife. Your mother actually came from a slum in America, and besides, the organization isn't run by wives. But, as it is now, no one would stay quiet. They'd say the Sakaki family's situation is questionable since the head's wife has questionable status."

"Just eliminate those fools, father!"

"No way, that would be too troublesome. Since most of those idiots are famous, I'd have a lot of problems dealing with the aftermath!"

Hearing these negative words, Tatsue secretly sighed at another direction. Sakaki acted as if he didn't notice and glared at the ground, seeming to be in the mood for a fight.

"So what? You----would have me leave Her Magesty? I'll tell you now, if I have to choose between this company and her, I'd pick her without any hesitation."

"How stupid, to even give up your inheritance for a woman..." Tatsue probably didn't understand what was going on, and took Sakaki's rant as truth, "Th-then, Brother's decision to not inherit the company is exactly what I've wanted!"

"Tatsue, stop acting tough. Your knees are shaking." Sakaki quietly looked downward.

"......Oh."

Tatsue's back was stiff with fear, and she gritted her teeth. The Sakaki Organizaion held enormous power, and inheriting its might would take far more ability and willpower than that possessed by a normal person. Tatsue had only recently turned fifteen. She was only in high school, and definitely did not hold such a level of tolerance or calmness. "Okay, in short". The teddy bear----Ganhou ---- nonchalantly gave his conclusion in the frightening monotonic synthetic voice.

"You say you can only love Usagawa Rinne, and the people around me say she's not good enough. Then isn't it easy? Yup. Just make Usagawa mature. Turn her into a woman acceptable as the lady of the Sakaki. For this, I've prepared a lot. And since you two want to marry as soon as she graduates, have her use her time in school to improve in every aspect."

After hearing these words, Sakaki was forced to remember his own hellish upbringing, and frowned.

Forcing Rinne to change like that----that would be exceedingly harsh, and the mere thought of it disgusted Sakaki.

Her close friend just died. She was in an unstable mood; what would happen if she were to suffer even more?

"Father."

Sakaki showed a grave face. He serenely said, "If you subject Her Majesty to that sort of inhuman preparation, I would not hesitate to overthrow you. Do not forget, that moment will be the moment when you and I part ways."

The teddy bear did not respond, possibly having said all that it wanted, and beckoned Tatsue to leave. The men in black followed, saluting Sakaki before disappearing down the road.

Tatsue looked back one last time.

For the first time, she showed a human expression filled with worry. "Brother, be careful."

Sakaki did not respond as he turned toward Rinne's home, walking over the poorly paved road.

"No problem, no problem, Guriko-chan worries too much. It's fine, because I'm really good at cooking and using this knife. Ah... mmmhmm, hahaha."

"Blood! Wait, Rinne, you're slicing your own finger! Blood, blood... Calm down, don't force yourself to try to cook, since Sakaki and I don't need to eat anyway. If you weren't immortal, you'd be in a lot of trouble from cutting off your fingers!"

Guriko was truly at a loss for what to do.

Near Kannonsakazaki Private High School which Rinne and Guriko attended and where Sakaki worked, past the shopping district and a small, bumpy road – stood the apartment building where Rinne lived.

With walls that seemed like they would collapse with a light knock, this shabby building had an extraordinarily cheap rent. She lived in a apartment with – counting the bathroom – 7.5 square meters of space, and next to her lived a self-proclaimed musician, an older girl whose face reflected tough times.

Ever since Katou Katsumi was murdered for unclear reasons, Rinne holed up inside this room without taking a single step outside.

As one would expect, the shadow of a murder grievously damaged her heart. For immortal people, the mind was a place of weakness. When physical harm removes relationships, they would be even more hurt than normal people.

That's right, three days ago, a dreadful murder had occurred for the first time in Kannonsakazaki town. The victim's name was Katou Katsumi. Like Rinne and Guriko, she was a student at Kannonsakazaki Private High School, who had formed an unbreakable bond with Rinne since middle school.

This person. After walking away from Rinne in front of a coffee shop, she was immediately murdered by someone. What's more, the method was quite merciless; she had been violently slammed against a stone wall and ground. Guriko didn't care so much since she was already used to death and corpses. The one who suffered was Rinne. As the last person to have seen Katsumi, she was thoroughly questioned. Over and over again, the fact that Katsumi died was shoved at her.

What kind of feelings did she hold?

Rinne in this state, at first glance, appeared no different from how she was before. She smiled like before, and though her voice trembled a bit it still seemed far from insane. But those were obviously only her attempts at stoicism. Not only were her actions more sluggish, her expression was also fixed at a barely sustainable fake smile. As if insisting there's nothing wrong, she cooked, but only created worthless products of failure that caused problems for Guriko.

People who had eaten an Apple slowly lost their sense of taste. Any sort of feeling from an empty stomach would also disappear. So, Rinne's actions were completely meaningless. But, Guriko thought, this could at least help turn her mood around, and wordlessly accepted the behavior.

And so, Rinne stopped preparing a dish out of her fingers without losing that small smile, but as soon as she began to rest, the doorbell rang.

"Sakaki?"

Guriko mumbled to herself, staying cautious as she walked over to open the door.

"Guriko, is Her Majesty alright?"

As expected, there stood a handsome man with blue eyes and blond hair who seemed more like art. He had grabbed Guriko's shoulders and forcefully shook her, while she sighed with her eyes half closed.

"What do you mean 'Is she alright?', it's not like she'll die. Stop panicking and calm down. And stop shaking me, I feel like throwing up. Really, as soon as anything involves Rinne, you immediately lose all common sense."

Guriko called at Rinne, but when she turned to look, she noticed that Rinne had suddenly collapsed.

"Rinne?" Sakaki's eyes widened, with an expression appropriate for the apocalypse. "Ah, ah----Your Majesty! Her Majesty died!"

"She didn't die, calm down! And, stop shaking me or I'll gouge out your eyes, idiot!"

As Gankyuu Eguriko endured the shaking, she prepared her spoons.

"She's definitely extremely tired."

With a head of her distinguishing wolf-like hair, eyes deep like the barrel of a gun that seemed to tell people off, and with the brutal name "Gankyuu Eguriko", this immortal girl had lived for over a thousand years. Once, due to some random event, she had changed her name to True • Gankyuu Eguriko, but, actually giving the reason that it was too hard to pronounce, she reinstated her original name.

This uncute girl who lived with Rinne for some reason placed the collapsed girl on prepared bedding, and started talking, "If you feel stressed, your body reacts accordingly. You would get a stomach ache, vomit, or get a headache. However, people who have eaten an Apple won't feel those. So, they push themselves to their limit, until they can't take it anymore and collapse. Really, if your friend dies isn't it alright to bawl your eyes out? No one would blame her."

Guriko looked at Sakaki, who just walked in, and silently held the shoulders of the fast-asleep Rinne and gave her to Sakaki. He wasn't sure what to do and just held her, feeling that her powerless form was exceptionally vulnerable.

"Guriko?"

"I don't understand friendship or love."

Guriko showed a pained expression, and she began to clean the blood-splattered simple kitchen. Probably trained by Rinne, Guriko had gained the ability to clean and do laundry. Yet a thousand years' emptiness had, in the end, erased from her any form of emotion or common sense.

As if reciting text, Guriko nonchalantly said, "I don't understand, I forgot. So there's no way I can comfort Rinne, which is frustrating......All I can do is annihilate Rinne's enemies. I definitely can't cure the scars carved in Rinne's heart."

She then turned toward Sakaki with those lonely eyes that, according to Rinne, seemed to be very similar to Sakaki. "So, I'm a bit jealous of you."

Was he really similar to her? Compared to Guriko, who admitted that she could only defeat Rinne's enemies but could not heal her pain, wasn't he only able to comfort Rinne without any way to fend against Rinne's enemies? Sakaki pondered this.

Helpless, Sakaki held Rinne tightly, and Guriko looked at them with concern. Rinne's closed eyes brimmed with tears; was he unable to save her, even in her dreams? Her face looked devoid of blood, and her fingertips were abnormally cold. To warm her up, Sakaki held her even closer.

Sakaki instinctively spat out insults.

"How repulsive, just who was it that killed Katou?!"

"How would I know?"

As she washed the cutting board with dishwashing liquid, Guriko crooked her head and said, "Although, just by looking at the facts, the culprit shouldn't be a normal person. Possibly some super-strong man or an animal. Or it's--"

She turned on the faucet.

"A monster."

Monsters, those things that quietly lived outside the world of people like Sakaki that overstepped the boundary of normality. During the events in the month before, Sakaki encountered quite a few monsters. The most powerful of them was large enough to flatten buildings with each step.

Katsumi's tragic death truly didn't seem to be caused by humans.

Sakaki's mood worsened, but he still said uneasily, "Anyways, it's best to stay cautious; after all, we haven't confirmed the culprit. Hopefully it's some criminal that the police can handle... Guriko?"

He carelessly looked over, and noticed Guriko's grim gaze toward the entrance. Her expression was strange, as if she was shocked, staring at the door with stiff face.

"What is it?"

"Someone's here."

Guriko replied curtly.

Sakaki's eyebrows scrunched together. "Could it be the mailman? Or... the murderer?"

Even though he felt it was unlikely, he couldn't deny the possibility. Guriko firmly gripped her three spoons; whether in the past or now, her weapon of choice had always been spoons.

"I don't know. Don't talk, someone will hear you. Although, I don't think it's a monster."

Possibly listening for activity, Guriko's face turned beastlike, instinctively searching out enemies and avoiding danger. That was the first-rate caution developed over a millennium.

"Humans, two of them."

Guriko was incredulous. Humans; and since there were two, it probably wasn't that self-proclaimed musician woman who lived next door. And it shouldn’t be Rinne’s friends since students had already been instructed to avoid going out without good reason.

And Guriko definitely did not have anything that could be considered even similar to a friend--

As Sakaki thought this, the doorbell rang. After an eye signal from Guriko, he cautiously walked toward the entrance. They planned so that even if Sakaki was knocked down by a surprise attack, Guriko could repel the intruders. That is to say, Sakaki was bait--"living sacrifice" might also be accurate. He tried to put on a calm voice as he asked, "Excuse me, who is this?"

"We're with the Sakaki Group."

"Please leave," Sakaki immediately declared, turning his back to the door as he shrugged his shoulders and sighed to Guriko, "No need to be so careful, they aren't people who matter."

"I see." Guriko naively set down her spoons.

At that moment, the door was suddenly forced open. Although, the door wasn't locked to begin with.

The pair standing on the other side of the door solemnly saluted.

"Though it was quite rude, please forgive my rudeness."

"Hino. You're talking weird."

"I'm [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Itsuwara | Itsuwara]] Hino."

"My name is Itsuwara Kio."

Standing there were--an exceedingly normal man and woman of about forty years of age, wearing a gray suit and a milky white outfit respectively. They were people who didn't stand out, people the likes of whom one would probably brush past while walking in the city.

"What do you want?"

Sakaki looked at them with barely-concealed disgust. Since they were men of the Sakaki Organization, they must have been his father's men. There was no way he could trust them.

The two people smiled tenderly, so much that they seemed unnatural. "Nice to meet you, Guryuu-san."

"You're in a good mood as always, it seems. Anyway--"

The man calling himself Kio smoothly pointed at Guriko.

"Today we have business with that young lady..."

Guriko was bewildered.

"..."

A wild flurry of colors. In simpler terms, toys with many different colors. For some reason, it seemed like a child's toy with purely primary colors, and it was painfully dazzling. The confusing red, blue, and yellow made one dizzy.

This was the shopping center called Chaos Zen Q -- an underground street where all sorts of specialty shops and peddlers gathered. Probably since it was a holiday, customers were abundant, and Guriko almost got lost multiple times.

She had no interest in shopping, nor did she enjoy it, and she wanted to get as far away from this overcrowded place as possible. Plus, since Rinne had such a low income, she couldn't go shopping often, and had never deliberately taken the bus to come three stations to this shopping center. This place seemed to Guriko like a different, miniature world.

The activity now all seemed like normal, human life, which made Guriko feel like she fit into modern Japanese society. Yet in this "Chaos Zen Q", there were too many things she had never seen. Was it really Japan, just like Kannonsakazaki?

For example, Guriko was standing in "Witch's Torture" for some reason, a specialty toy store with a name sounding like a finishing move, but completely she lacked knowledge on the toys arranged there. She tentatively picked up a nearby teddy bear. "So this is what they call a teddy bear?" And she sighed deeply.

"Ah, Guriko-chan, you like that teddy bear?" "Then everyone in the family can get a teddy bear. Wow, Guriko, you picked a teddy bear that's just as cute as you are. Then I'll pick a teddy bear that looks as serious as I do, and Hino should a torture bear that's like Hino's deformed body!"

"Really, you idiot Kio , that was unnecessary!"

"Hahaha."

"....."

'What's going on now? These people have made enough noise, she really wanted to slaughter them.' The Itsuwara couple, Hino and Kio, smiled gently behind the grimacing Guriko, and one would find the excessive smiling somehow strange. With no reservation, they brightly said to Guriko, "Guriko-chan. You don't have to be so polite, because we'll be your parents. Just tell us if there's anything you want, and talk with us if anything's troubling you."

'’...My worries all stem from you two.''

Facing the stiffened-up Guriko, Kio tried to talk again, "Guriko, girls usually name their teddy bear. Wanna try it out? Since common sense and normal societal ethics develop through things like this."

Common sense and normal societal ethics, huh?

Guriko refused to recognize those things. But, even so...

"A name? Yono."

With a serious face, Guriko looked at a teddy bear that looked like a delinquent acting cool. Hino smiled, saying some meaningless words of praise -- Oh, what an excellent name. Truly worthy of Guriko-chan --

What was going on now? Guriko pondered.

The Itsuwara couple Hino and Kio suddenly appeared, claiming to be sent by the Sakaki Organization. Since they had identification, they probably weren't lying. In this country, if someone tried to con others using the Sakaki Organization's name, he'd suffer more than if he were arrested on the spot. The Sakaki name had that kind of power; conversely, by associating oneself with the Sakaki Organization, one's position in life was as good as guaranteed.

Guriko set the still-unconscious Rinne on the futon and let Hino and Kio sit down.

Even though they claimed to have business with her -- Guriko eyed them suspiciously. She was sure she had never seen them before.

The narrow, 7.5-square-meter room was filled with the scent of food. Since the kitchen was part of the room, it was impossible to eliminate the smell even if air freshener is sprayed every once in a while. Rinne was quite a meticulous and neat person, but it was impossible to deny that the undersized room would easily appear cluttered and messy. Between the wardrobe, T.V., textbooks and the like, and the kotatsu, even walking around was difficult.

"Common sense and normal societal ethics training?" Sakaki was bewildered.

"What did you say?" Guriko didn't understand.

Hino smiled with happiness that almost seemed fake, as if saying "This is really great". With hands folded she continued, "Right, common sense and standard societal ethics training. That's what it's called, it's like someone's trying to act smart by using hard words."

"Yup, though it sounds like a legal term it's actually pretty simple."

Kio forcefully interjected with a cheerful voice. This couple thought quite similarly.

"In simple terms -- no, using the most obvious and clear terms, it's 'Have Guriko-chan understand common sense' or ‘The Sakaki Organization won't be able to help you either if you never live a normal life'. So... That's how it is."

His words made Sakaki's expression change as the teacher disgustedly looked at Guriko.

"Guriko, what the hell did you do?" "No clue."

She really had no idea what they're talking about. After all she had only been living according to her own beliefs.

Plus, with that giant smile, Hino was saying stuff that really shouldn't be said smiling.

"Guriko-chan isn't someone who should be living with Miss Usagawa Rinne."

Hearing this, Guriko's eyebrow twitched a little. She was someone who shouldn't live with Usagawa Rinne?

''I don't need others to tell me some like that, even I know that. From the start we only lived together out of practicality, since I had nowhere else to stay.

But, I don't want some outsider who doesn't understand anything to tell that to me.''

Guriko glared at them. Kio, completely unfazed, looked toward Sakaki.

"Guryuu-san. Ganhou-san believes it is most important to begin fixing Miss Usagawa's surroundings. A person's behavior will be greatly affected by her environment. If the environment is filled with trash, the stench will permeate the person, and if she is surrounded by people using vulgar language, she will inevitably start speaking the same way."

"So we need to clean up her surroundings. By thoroughly fixing the things around Miss Usagawa Rinne's, it will be possible for her to mature in a sound environment." Hino picked up where Kio left off, making it seem as though they planned it in advance.

Sakaki's face stiffened, contemptuously glaring at them. "Basically, Guriko's a hindrance?"

Hino and Kio spoke together. "You are correct, Guryuu-san."

"Why..."

Guriko couldn't ignore this, and banged her fist on the kotatsu with flaming eyes. She made a loud noise, but Guriko still took care not to break it.

The teacups set on the table rattled and fell.

Guriko released the anger she held: "You... How am I a hindrance? Aren't you saying that I'm a bad influence on R-Rinne?"

The words lacked her usual sharpness. Guriko vaguely felt that she had brought Rinne into an abnormal world. Granted, even if she did not appear, Rinne would have eventually noticed her Apple's power. But in the end, it was Guriko who made this happen faster.

But, even so...

''I don't want Rinne to say she doesn't need me or, even worse, think of me as a nuisance.''

Yet Kio naturally said, "Yes, you're quite a hindrance and a poor influence."

Toward this formality that was like defining simple English words, Guriko didn't know whether to feel enraged or hurt. She looked toward Sakaki, whose face showed a rare expression as he remained silent.

"But," Sakaki spoke with weight and earnestness in his deep voice, "Her Majesty was saved thanks to Guriko. You cannot deny that."

"True, we know that."

"But right now, her influence is undesirable in many ways."

Hino shot a glance at Kio, who rapidly set onto the table several documents from a bag. Guriko couldn't resist looking at them, but the convoluted text filled with complicated words made her head spin.

Hino explained with a bitter laugh: "These are the recent records of Guriko-chan causing injuries, breaking things, attempting murder, etc. Mmm, there's really too much. Even though these incidents won't be investigated since Ganhou-san's handling them, if you don't consider the fact that she's a minor, this is truly too terrible."

"Guriko isn't a minor." Guriko nodded in consent with Sakaki's words.

The Itsuwara couple were shocked, looking at each other as if asking "What's going on?"

That's right, Guriko was about a thousand years old. Even though she couldn't remember the exact number, she should probably be the elder of every human on this lump of land. At events like [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Shichi-Go-San | Shichi-Go-San]] people would eat thousand-year candies; the makers probably never imagined that someone would actually be that old. Though this isn't relevant to what Hino was saying, it's still true.

Normally, beating someone up or attempting murder would result in punishment; that is justice. It's something that's obvious with a little bit of thought. Yet from the start, one shouldn't expect Guriko, who had wandered for a thousand years, to have this kind of common sense or belief.

Guriko looked at Hino, who nodded her head as if understanding Guriko's feelings.

"Right, developing common sense and normal societal ethics is the goal, so that Guriko-chan will stop doing that kind of stuff and become a normal person. You've been committing crimes for too long. Ganhou-san has decided that living with a person like that will definitely hamper Miss Usagawa's development."

''To be honest, this makes a lot of sense.''

''And if possible, I don't want to trouble Rinne.''

As if to let her relax, Kio gently smiled. "Obviously, you'll be able to return immediately after the training finishes. When you can fit into society without upsetting the sense of normalcy that an average person develops throughout life, and it is decided that you no longer threaten Miss Usagawa's development, the training will end."

"..."

Guriko thought about it: ''So it's like this. I can understand. But the problem is, I want to stay be Rinne's side. I don't want to leave her --Even though I understand the logic.''

Guriko looked at Rinne who was sleeping, curled in the futon.

''I can't make problems for her.''

"Alright, I accept."

Guriko made her resolution; it shouldn't take too long anyway, and time itself isn't limited. There's no rush, nothing's wrong with accepting their common sense and normal societal ethics training! Guriko thought this way.

Astonished, Sakaki turned toward her. "Is that alright? Guriko, if you really don't want to do it, I can think of something."

"You're too nosy. You have nothing to do with this. In short, I don't want to trouble Rinne."

Hino and Kio's faces lightened into unrestrained smiles.

"Wah, thanks. Guriko, I'm really happy!"

"I, I, I'll strive to become a superb mother!"

"I'll also become a dependable father! Let's go, it'll get busy starting today!"

Guriko noticed something weird, looking without understanding at the two people who got incredibly happy on their own.

"Wh-what? What's the meaning of this? What mother, father?"

"What?"

Kio, who was elated to shivers while embracing Hino, spoke of something absurd with an indignant tone: "Common sense and normal societal ethics training consists of Guriko living with us as our daughter! The plan is to slowly teach common sense and ethics through cohabitation!"

"There is much to teach, Guriko-chan! From today onward you are Itsuwara Eguriko! Waahhhh----"

''Isn't it a bit early to decide that?''

Gankyuu Eguriko--correction, Itsuwara Eguriko sighed.

"That said, who is Itsuwara Eguriko?"

Things have gotten crappy; Guriko thought this as she sat in an Italian restaurant on a restaurant-filled street eating spaghetti. In fact, not only did Guriko have no appetite, she didn't even need food, so what she did was meaningless. But to prevent the Itsuwara couple, who knew nothing, from getting suspicious, it was best for the time being to act like she was hungry and let the food flow into her stomach. Back before she became immortal, she never thought stuffing down alien substances could be so disgusting.

"Wah, Hino, this pizza's on the level of national treasures! Call the chef over!"

"That pizza was definitely frozen! But it's so good!"

"Guriko. It's good, right?" "Guriko-chan, don't you also think it's good?"

They were also strange.

Their affection -- strange.

Swallowing it was a bit disgusting.

"..."

''That's right, to me these should meaningless, unrelated people. They're a couple that I didn't know yesterday. Their names are Itsuwara Hino and Itsuwara Kio, but aside from the fact that their personalities are ridiculous and over-the-top, they aren't anything special, just a man and woman that can be found anywhere.''

Guriko agreed to take the common sense and normal societal ethics training with that overly long name, and after entrusting the unconscious Rinne to Sakaki came along with these people. What followed was nothing but a series of new irritants. Was this normalcy? Guriko could not understand.

--It's alright as long only you are unhappy--

Guriko recalled that time when she was still called Yono. A thousand years ago, when Guriko was genuinely human, without anything like immortality.

Guriko had been taken into a household, and received cold treatment from the family members. She thought this was alright, since they gave her food to eat and at night time they helped prepare bedding for her. When her older brother was in a good mood he would even play with her. But she often felt an indescribable loneliness, and when she noticed she was by herself.

Over and over again her parents would say to her, it's alright as long as you are unhappy. Though Guriko felt hurt, she still accepted it completely, and she felt that this was the normal relationship between parent and child. The parental relationships that Guriko knew, that remained in her memory, were dry and without feeling, like the relationships between a pack of beasts.

But--

Guriko lightly stroked the teddy bear on her leg, that one called Yono. ''Rinne seemed to have said before that she wanted a teddy bear. But I never thought the day would come when I would get one.''

Even though she didn't particularly want one.

For some reason, she didn’t want to throw it away either.

Toy stores, clothing stores, stationary stores; they went to every type of store and bought everything they needed. Guriko bought three shirts, shoes, and things which she had always wanted but never thought to buy: high quality spoons that didn't come from a dollar store.

She never expected a day to come when she didn't need to steal and could obtain her own things legally. This teddy bear was Guriko's, and Guriko's alone.

Thinking like this, her mood suddenly improved.

So--

"Ugh."

While suppressing her urge to vomit, Guriko forked down her spaghetti. Giant bite after giant bite, she ate expressionlessly, and then politely said, "It's not bad."

Just this much was enough for them to heartily laugh.

"Wah! Guriko seems to like it too!"

"This restaurant really is the best! Even though it's a chain restaurant!"

"Call the chef over! Call the chef over!"

''Really, why are they so idiotic, I've had enough. I don't accept them as my family. But... This doesn't really feel bad."''

''Can I find a way to treat them as my parents? No, that's impossible. There's no way today, but maybe one day I'll be tricked by this irredeemable, ridiculous kind of atmosphere. I can't be sure if I will one day form some illusions from this.''

"Yono died a thousand years ago."

She stroked the teddy bear as she spoke softly.

"Ever since then, I've always been Gankyuu Eguriko. I... can I already stop using that freakish name? I don't know... Do I want to? I can't figure it out."

Guriko's reflections didn't produce results, so she just decided to leave her worries for tomorrow; her time won't run out, anyways. Back to the present. It's enough to go along with this situation that can only be described as disastrous.

Kio looked at Guriko, whose head was lowered, and his expression was like he stuck gold. "Wah, Guriko! There's sauce stuck on the corner of your mouth! I'll wipe it off for you!"

"That's my job, Kio! Move!"

"--Let's get wiping together!"

And so Guriko ended up in this doubly-being-wiped situation, becoming aware of the peculiarity in the corner of her mouth as her muscles moved a little. Unable to believe it, she pushed aside the napkin pressed to her and placed her fingers on the corner of her lips.

She understood. And as a result felt somewhat surprised.

"I'm... smiling."

Guriko smiled very faintly. Such a rare occurrence, and in front of people she met for the first time today to boot.

Apparently, she actually was enjoying herself.

"Whoa, Guriko smiled! It's so cute, I'm gonna collapse!"

"Same here! Ah--Guriko LOVE, LOVE! Mmmmmmmm...."

After finishing their weird noises the two pretended to faint, causing nervous murmurs from the other customers.

Even though this wasn't her desire at all, Guriko seemed to feel a little joy.

That night.

"Art."

In an empty park.

"Art--Yeah, what is called misery, when taken to the limit will be called beautiful art."

A ball abandoned by children after they finish playing, sad-looking playground equipment that seemed to absorb the silent desolation. A messy sandpit. Inside this slightly small park, the bench in front of the water fountain.

"Obscene, vulgar, base, filthy--this corpse that normal people hate without reason, shines as art. Hahaha. It's true, the beautiful human corpse is beautifully artistic. Lavish and wonderful, miserable and wonderful, cruel and wonderful. Man, what's going on, why is the heartless me unable to suppress my excitement and shuddering body!"

Sitting there was a female.

"How about a toast to this beauteous night? The full moon and stars are all so beautiful, so how about sweet wine? Let’s use death of the highest quality to make people shiver."

Around her were the flesh pieces of humans.

Under the lamppost that struggled to keep shining, without speaking to anyone in particular, the woman weaved words in a honey-sweet voice. Signs of life were completely gone in this playground in the residential area after sundown and no one noticed this bloody, brutal scene. Flesh and blood surrounded the woman on the bench; only these two things were scattered around. Just what kind of flesh was it? It was impossible to tell by looking at the pieces, but that glossy red flesh was still fresh, steaming in the chilly winter air.

With some light from the moon, stars, and lamppost the flesh looked a bit brown, and the blood lying all around had turned completely black while seeping into the ground. This was a scene that lacked a sense of reality, leaving only a ruthless stillness.

As if appreciating a famous painting, the woman merely sat silently, watching.

“I really want to keep –”

She sighed.

"Looking at this--Ah, I made something awesome! No wait, that's too arrogant. The creators of this work are none other than you who have become corpses. I am only the lucky one who can appreciate the art before it rots."

Truly, how many wonders are hidden within this Earth? She can’t see this entire world no matter how long she lives. Simply, this woman loved this wondrous world.

The only things that could be heard were the horn of a distant car, the wind, and the rustling of the leaves on the park's trees. The only thing that could be seen was the darkness-covered world that seemed a bit mysterious.

There was only the shadow of a building, mixing with the park's gravel ground, and a group of moths attracted by the scent of blood.

“Moths -- ah."

The woman sighed again. Every time she did so, a sound would come from her mouth similar to the sound of a teapot releasing steam.

That would be expected, because a mask was covering her mouth. It was not for blocking colds or allergies; rather, the clear purpose was to block dust or toxic gas. The unusually-shaped hard mask seemed especially out of place on her graceful appearance.

Thanks to a mask, it was hard to see her expression, and her age was uncertain though she seemed to be between 25 and 29. Slim yet dangerous, she reminded one of a sharpened blade. Over her thin, tender body, she wore extremely revealing clothes.

A tank top with angel wings printed on the back hid a girl-like body that belied her outer appearance. It was winter now, but her snow white skin was completely free of goosebumps. The only thing barely covering her waist area was a pair of jeans shorts that stopped at her thighs.

A head of flawlessly pure white hair, untainted by anything; it was the color of fresh snow. The waist-length hair was tied into a ponytail. On her wrists she wore all sorts of bracelets and colourful strips of cloth.

This strange looking woman's eyes turned sinister, and she spoke into the darkness as she crossed her legs as if pondering something. She had a habit of speaking out loud to organize her thoughts, feeling that doing this let her sort out important points.

"Mushi... Ah, Mushi. That group of Mushi acted strange last month, and though it quickly became peaceful again I don't know what happened in the first place."

A breeze brushed past her hair.

"It is believed that the one responsible is an Apple holder living in this town. The four confirmed individuals are Usagawa Rinne, Sakaki Guryuu, Gankyuu Eguriko, and--"

As she spoke, she seemed to think about something.

"The one who tried to steal their Apples by pretending to be and manipulating 'Mushi'. Honestly. I didn't think that clan still existed! This is ominous; Adam, Eve, and the Snake. The humans descended from Adam and Eve reproduced far too quickly to eliminate, but if the last descendant of the Snake causes trouble I can exterminate him."

The woman stared forward with a grave expression.

"I'll start by taking Apples away from their owners. If that works, I can ask about what happened at that time. Really, why do I have to do this kind of annoying thing? I'm just a digestive organ. Seeking out truth is God Insect Emperor's job."

The others were just too lazy; it felt like she was doing all the work.

"This is so annoying. I'm going to tremble."

The woman's body shook, and then she hugged herself as if to protect herself. This was something she did without any particular meaning.

With a "Fshuu--Fshuu--" breathing sound coming from the mask, she muttered to herself, "Basically, it doesn't matter which of those four. I'll start by taking the Apples."

Then she looked at the pieces of flesh scattered in front of her, thinking, thinking, and thought through all the main points.

"-Then, I really will need these pieces of flesh. Even though I don't want to use these pieces of art on anything--"

"Wh-Whooa?"

A scream?

The woman's expression instantly became alert as she turned toward the sound. The rapid movement made her hair swish high. In her line of sight was--

"Eh, umm. These are corpses... Waahhh!"

The woman calmly watched this person. He was a blue uniformed police officer, male, without any distinctive features, and didn't seem to be an excellent cop. Shuddering, he pointed at the hands and guts and other body parts on the ground, and screamed before collapsing on the ground as his mouth opened and closed.

Did the police notice? Of course police officers patrolled residential areas. Chances were Long-Armed Demon acted on her own too much, so the police had been especially alert recently.

"Long-Armed Demon, Apple holders, police----" The woman sighed with a "Fshuuu", and seemed to be exhausted as she shrugged her shoulders. "So troublesome."

Then she got up and turned to the policeman sitting paralyzed on the ground. He seemed to have just noticed her, and let out a stiff shout as he scooted backward.

"Don't... Don't tell me! Are you the L-long Armed Demon?"

"Ugh."

The woman scrunched her eyebrows, slowly walking next to the man. "I'm not one of those changed children. Now, my name is [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Saibara Mina | Saibara Mina]], I really hate this name because--it's not cute."

After that, she took a spray can from somewhere and pointed it at the policeman. It was an extremely common spray can, simple and unlabeled. On the outside it didn't look different from insecticide or deodorant that gets sold.

"Hmm."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

The woman shook it while remaining still, shaking in a way that didn't look special.

"If you want address me, please call me Sterilization Disinfection."

With a face like he'd seen a ghost, the police officer screamed loudly and frantically tried to crawl up and escape.

He kneeled, screaming as he tried to get up, but his legs didn't listen to his commands and he collapsed again. He seemed so scared that he couldn't even control himself anymore.

"Fshuu"--Mina sighed in resignation.

"What an unbearable policeman. No courage at all, he's contaminating my field of view."

The policeman could not understand Mina's words, screaming as he stood up.

"S-Senpai! Save me! Nageki-senpai!" Did he have companions? It would be troublesome if he called over too many people.

Mina quickly made her decision.

"Save me! L-Long Armed Demon, she's the Long Armed Demon!" ''I’ve told you I’m not that person. ''

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Mina shook her spray can, and slowly turned it to the man.

"Let's sterilize and disinfect."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol2_Open|Open: Clock of Endless Nights]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch2|Night 2: Melancholic Officer and a Long-Armed Demon]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol3 Prologue

2013-01-21T07:16:45Z

92.39.72.90:

== '''Start: Lady with a Helmet''' ==

Minazuki Natsuko, 28 years old, was was the owner of the cafe "Indian Bar" in the shopping district. She opened this cafe three years ago, and possibly due to the gloomy atmosphere, despite the few regulars the place was almost always completely deserted. However, remaining expressionless and silent to the point where people began to think that she was a decorative doll in the shop, Natsuko continued with this unprofitable business, and furthermore --

"Heehee."

No one could tell what she was happy about, but every small thing would make her laugh.

Spring is a time when people assimilate into society, when students assimilate into school; it's a time when people can begin a new life.

Everything about the season comes too abruptly, leaving people with no time to prepare, coming as if in defiance to humanity's will. Sometimes, there are people who cannot keep up and try to confirm their own existences through odd actions.

Basically, "There are weird people", "Oh, that's because it's spring", that kind of thing.

She was also one of the people who turned strange because of spring's witchcraft.

Natsuko thought so as she looked at the girl who had been in the cafe for two hours already.

"[[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations| Auuu, hrum... mmph]]"

She was probably a high school student. She acted and felt more childish than she appeared, and even her clothes were childish, so it was hard to determine her actual age. Furthermore, she wore a bizarre outfit.

The most prominent of which was the giant-eared hat she wore. Her brown hair was tied into two short pigtails, and a curled tail could be seen behind her.

Though it's warm in early spring, her clothes were still too thin, and her belly and thighs were showing. She also wore needlessly large, out-of-place gloves. This truly was a strange outfit, that seemed like cosplay.

"Waaaah..."

For some unknown reason, this girl made noises while she gleefully ate "Indian Bar's" infamously sweet chocolate sundae. This chocolate sundae was one that made even dessert-loving high school girls surrender halfway through. However, the girl already had three empty cups in front of her.

"Aahm."

With an angelic smile, the girl brought her spoon to her mouth, and making that same noise she put the chocolate sundae in her mouth. Afterward, with a slight shake, she lowered her head for a while before quickly raising her face, red with excitement, and enthusiastically shouting, "Mmm--"

"Bang, bang bang", she noisily knocked on the table.

"Mmm, mm! Mmm -- it's so awesome! DELICIOUS! It's sweet and it tastes so good!"

"Ahm", "Mmmum", with joy on her face she ate one bite after another.

"Aah, the cherries are round, the cornflakes are crispy, the thick chocolate flavoring makes an unbelievable taste -- Was it God? Angels? Who made food this wonderful--"

The girl stroked her cheeks with hands in giant gloves, and turned, "It's no good, if I eat this my brain will melt."

If she just ate and ate until she collapsed it would have been fine, but she kept making strange sounds to herself; such a troublesome customer. But, there weren't any other customers, and she only made noises without causing trouble, it might be okay to leave her be.

Natsuko thought to herself, [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|squinting]] as she looked at the girl who was eating a chocolate sundae.

Speaking of which, she could actually eat that much of something like that.

That thing was triple the size and sweetness of anything found in a normal cafe, and was placed on the menu half as a joke. Yet, a girl that slim was eating it non-stop, and even non-doctors would be worried. Had she lost her sense of taste? It wouldn't be odd to get diabetes after a single cup of that stuff.

Furthermore, she would make a strange gesture every once in a while.

Sometimes, she would take her spoon with ice cream or chocolate, and put it to her stomach rather than her mouth.

A place like that obviously would not have a mouth; normally, she would just be getting herself dirty. But when she brought back her spoon, the ice cream in it would mysteriously have disappeared.

That wasn't all, she would occasionally reach out and put the spoon in her backpack, which she had placed on the seat next to hers.

"Mmm, sis, you wanna try some? It's a new taste, a new flavor, a new experience for you to enjoy."

Her spoon swayed as she said those words that explained no details. Unlike with her stomach, the spoon's ice cream did not disappear this time.

The girl puffed her cheeks and unhappily put the spoon in her mouth.

"Really, you're like this every time, if you're so picky you'll never taste anything good."

Suddenly, Natsuko noticed that while the girl innocently mumbled to herself someone seemed to respond.

"Mitsuki, I'm not like you, I've long since lost any enjoyment in eating. Besides, if I ate that thing that I can tell is too sweet just by looking at it, I'd get sick. Mmm... although, even if I get sick, this body would immediately restore itself."

"Then you want some?"

The girl smiled and laughed, and dug her spoon in. But. A cold voice rejected her.

"Who'd want that! I have been freed from activities like eating and drinking that allow so many impurities to enter my body -- for that, I am thankful from the bottom of my heart. And again, Mitsuki, didn't I tell you to not talk to me outside? I hate disobedient children."

Hearing those words, the girl's face suddenly turned white, and she desperately shook her head. Tears appeared in the corners of her eyes.

"No, no... Sis, don't hate me. I'm sorry, I just wanted you to eat something tasty."

"I know. Mitsuki, you're a considerate child."

Those were whispers that could not be detected by a normal person's sense of hearing. But Natsuko heard them, and she furrowed her eyebrows.

This voice was...

"Actually, our luggage still isn't ready, right? Stop indulging in food, and let's hurry up and go home!"

"Alright, sis. Just one more bite -- Aahm."

The girl scooped up the remainder of the ice cream and sent it down her mouth with an enchanted smile.

"Ah -- this is great. The moment it's in my mouth, it's like being in heaven. Mm, I want to come again."

The girl spoke to herself, and stood up in high spirits. Then, like a small animal she ran to Natuko who silently watched her. Placing her hand on the counter, she giggled as she said, "[[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|I'd like to pay.]]"

Natsuko nodded, took out the bill and smoothly tapped at the register. Extra-large chocolate sundaes were rather expensive, and the girl had four, so the price would obviously be extremely high.

"In total, 5400 yen."

"Whoa..." The girl's eyes opened wide, and she poked her head.

"I ate too much, I need to reflect a bit... is this enough?"

With a rustle the girl searched in her backpack. She was probably looking for her wallet, and Natsuko tried not to look in; but, in that situation it was impossible to hide.

Natsuko looked at the bag, and gasped after seeing what was inside.

"..."

A head.

It was a human head.

A female head. The bone-chilling head was turned backward, so its face could not be seen. But Natsuko knew, she understood, and she went on guard.

This head, this woman was --

"Ooh, I found it!" The girl slapped a bundle of paper money on the counter, seeming to not notice Natsuko's state.

A bundle of money?

"Keep the change."

Saying so, the girl bluntly turned around. If those were 10,000 yen bills, then there would have been a hundred thousand, or possibly even a million yen. Natsuko calmly picked up the thick bundle of money and inspected it.

The top and bottom were bills worth a thousand yen.

Everything else was folded up newspaper.

"..."

"..."

As Natsuko looked at the stack of newspaper, the girl stopped walking. Probably realizing that she had been caught, she once again searched in her bag and took out a cute wallet, and she pulled out three thousand-yen bills and some change.

"Sorry."

Natsuko did not respond, and operated the register with a "Ding".

"I always thought you were a foolish child, but Mitsuki, you're really an idiot. What was that back there? Don't embarass me, okay?"

"It was because... because, I wanted to try it out. I wanted to try acting like a rich person."

The girl cried and wailed in her home, as she whined. It was a room in a lonely old apartment reached by crossing the street from "Indian Bar" and going all the way down the poorly maintained road.

The narrow room lacked anything of interest, and there was basically no furniture. Probably due to a recent move in, unopened cardboard boxes were spread all around.

As she used the room's stove to cook hotpot, the girl pouted. Though she was inside, she did not remove her hat or gloves. "Because I'm a girl, sometimes I wanna pretend to be rich."

"I can't understand you at all. Whatever, we can worry about that later. Why did you want to move into this apartment?"

Like before, the voice came from the backpack placed to the side. The girl turned to look at the backpack that rolled on the ground, giving an angelic smile.

"Well obviously, it's to look for Sis's body, and also the great fragment that was stolen."

The girl tossed the noodles she just bought from a convenience into the boiling water, and stirred with long chopsticks. The [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|cooking utensils]] had been taken out of the cardboard boxes first.

"Sis had it tough, if I didn't find you at the hospital you would've been killed by Ultimate Shield. Since I'm a horrible match for Ultimate Shield I escaped -- But, next time, I'll take her head-on and take back your fragment."

"That's too dangerous." That concerned voice said, "Mitsuki, Ultimate Shield is cunning. Even if you're the mighty Unpleasant Counter-Current --"

The girl smiled, and beat eggs into the pot. "Really sis, you keep treating me like a little kid. No problem, I'll be careful. Just wait like they guys who went on Noah's Ark."

"That analogy's rather disturbing."

The girl smiled with a sigh, and put the finished noodles into a large bowl. She covered it with plastic wrap,[[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|*]] and picked it up with gloved hands.

"Besides -- we have plenty of time. I think Ultimate Shield's only good at running away. It won't be easy to find her, so I decided to move into this apartment to look for the one who attack you... was it Gankyuu?"

"Gankyuu Eguriko?"

"Right, I wanna find that Gankyuu person. She was the one who gouged out sis's heart and took away the great fragment. Even if she doesn't doesn't know where your body is, we'll at least be able to find the fragment."

The girl smiled, and with unsteady steps brought out the steaming bowl.

"To achieve this goal, I decided to infiltrate Gankyuu's school as a student. Though I've been classified as dead a long time ago and don't have any documentation -- that kind of thing is simple, I can just use the fragment's power to twist reality a little."

Inside this girl resided power that was called a "Fragment of God", and so she could do things like this.

But, this didn't really make the girl special; whether it was a great fragment or one of the small fragments known as "Apples", pretty much anyone with a fragment could do things like this.

Those with fragments had the world's blessing.

If one wished so, infiltrating a school or company would be easy. As for the reason, even the girl wasn't too sure.

It was like -- one only needed to go to someone important in the school and say, "I want to attend this school starting tomorrow", and it would be treated with standard enrollment procedure.

That girl with an incomprehensible name, Gankyuu Eguriko, probably used this ability of the fragments, too, to enter school.

The girl, thinking while making sure not to spill the bowl, opened the door. From the backpack left behind came a worried voice.

"Wait, Mitsuki, where are you going?"

"I'm bringing noodles to go greet our neighbors. It's Japan's wonderful custom."

"Heehee", she laughed and closed the door with her giant gloves.

Though it was spring, it was still cold at night.

After cutting off her [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|sense of touch]], the girl knocked on the door of the third-floor apartment next to hers. "Nageki" was written on the nameplate, while the strange words "[[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Questionable translations|Girls in prison must praise]]" underneath.

"Excuse me -- " She knocked on the door while holding onto the bowl. She felt a human prescence behind the door, but no one came to answer her, as if pretending to be out. The girl was confused, and after deciding to meet this neighbor later she went down a floor. If she didn't hurry the noodles would get cold.

This building had three floors, with two apartments each. The second floor seemed to have at one point been an office for some business, and now it was empty with a "Bankrupt" sign on the door.

"'Bankrupt'... They should've used a more tactful term."

The girl mumbled to herself, and went down a floor. The rooms on the first floor should be occupied. The floor had room A and room 8. The nameplate on room 8 said "Breaksun=Hanselmine". The girl knocked --

Another one pretending to be out! Why didn't anyone want to answer the door? How annoying, the girl frowned.

Floor one room A was her last hope.

She walked to the door with a nameplate simply saying "Usagawa" while the old washing machine next to her clanked and rumbled rather loudly.

"Hello -- "

She pressed the doorbell that her own room did not have, resulting in a "Dong -- " like a clock's chime. The bell's sound pierced the dusk, and birds resting on power cords were frightened away by the noise.

After a while, the door was leisurely opened.

"Ah -- "

Out came a girl who seemed lost. Her beautiful pink hair was adorned with a cute butterfly knot, while her slightly disorderly clothes showed her collarbone.

Did she just get up? The girl looked ahead of her, thinking.

"Ooh..."

Looking closely, the girl made a moaning noise as she mechanically tilted her head.

Seeing that, the girl wearing a giant-eared hat frowned slightly.

"Meat... doll."

"Who is it?"

Suddenly, a tall youth appeared behind the girl.

His handsome appearance was breathtaking. With blond hair and blue eyes, his features seemed to be a work of art. But the dark rings under his eyes diminished his looks, and a short, out-of-place beard had grown.

This haggard-looking man looked out the door with suspicion.

The girl was perplexed and stepped back slightly, and then introduced herself while holding out the bowl.

"I just moved over, and I came to introduce myself. These are superior noodles."

"I see..."

Seeming like he recalled something, the youth calmly received the bowl. He pulled back his hand and put on a shelf an object resembling a pistol, and his expression softened.

"The landlord told us, are you the one who moved to the third floor? I was only cautious because of that name... but she's not that person? No, I still can't be careless."

"Eh?"

As this incompresible monologue confused the girl, the youth sincerely introduced himself. "My name is Sakaki Guryuu, and due to some circumstances I've moved into her -- Usagawa Rinne's home. As you can see, she's a bit sick, and might act a bit strange, but please don't mind her. Hey, your majesty, greet her."

"Greet her."

The girl who was called "your majesty" repeated the words like a child, and imitated a smile. "Hello."

"Say 'Nice to meet you'."

"Nice to meet you -- "

Though she already figured out the truth about the girl from her movements, she pretended not to notice and nodded. "Please take good care of me, Sakaki-san, Rinne."

Then she bowed deeply, and stated her name.

Her tail swayed with her body, and her hair also fluttered.

"My name is Saibara Mitsuki."

<noinclude>
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|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol2_AN|Volume 2, Author's Notes]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol3_Ch1|Night 1: Black Dragon Black Snake Black Rat]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~:Volume 1 Chapter 0

2012-11-07T12:01:48Z

92.39.72.90:

===Глава 0===
Магия.

Это продукт не из легенд или сказок, но реальная технология, со временем открытая людьми.
Первые записи проявления магии датированы 1999 годом.
Инцидент, в котором обладающие специальными силами офицеры полиции остановили теракт, спланированный группой фанатиков, использовавших ядерное оружие ради того, чтобы исполнить пророчество об уничтожении человечества, стал первым зафиксированным случаем использования магии в современное время.
Первоначально, эти необычные способности назывались «сверхъестественными силами». Умения, присутствующие в человеке c рождения, внезапные мутации, классификация которых как технологии, которые могут распространиться в массы, считалось невозможным.

Это было ошибочное мнение.

Благодаря исследованиям «сверхъестественных сил» влиятельными странами, как на востоке, так и на западе, существование людей, которые передавали "магию", постепенно было обнародовано. Поэтому стало возможным распространить «сверхъестественную силу» посредством «магии».

Конечно, нужен талант, чтобы стать волшебником. Только те, кто благословлен высоким талантом, могут достичь мастерства на профессиональном уровне, как и любой другой, кто обладает способностями в изобразительном искусстве или науках.
Сверхъестественная сила была систематизирована посредством магии, а магия стала техническим навыком. "Пользователи сверхъестественных сил" стали называться «Операторами Магии».

Могущественные магические техники способны подавить даже ядерное оружие, мощнейшее оружие в стране.

В конце 21-го столетия - в 2095 году, различные страны мира были втянуты в гонку по обучению операторов магии (волшебников).

Отделение Национального Университета Магии, Первая Старшая Школа.

Наивысший уровень учреждения магии, которое отправляет наибольшее количество выпускников в Национальный Университет Магии каждый год.

В тоже время, элитная школа, которая выпускает множество отличных волшебников.

Что касается магического образования, нет официальной позиции по обеспечению равных возможностей по обучению.

Эта страна не может позволить себе такой роскоши.

Тем не менее, детские идеалистические обсуждения явного неравенства, между талантливыми и не талантливыми, не допускается.

Обучение Талантливых, самых перспективных учеников.

Это мир магии.

В этой школе, в которую поступает только элита, с самого зачисления ученики разделены на успевающих и неуспевающих.

Даже если двое только новички, они не обязательно равны.

Даже если они родные брат и сестра.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~:Volume 1 Preamble|Высшая Школа Магии]]
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~|Главная Страница]]
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Глава 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~:Volume 1 Preamble

2012-11-07T11:58:29Z

92.39.72.90:

==Высшая Школа Магии==

[[File:Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei 01 011.jpg|thumb|x210px|right]]

По всей стране созданы высшие школы для обучения «Операторов Магии», практикующих современную магию.
Есть девять таких школ по всей стране.

Их расположение:

Первая Высшая Школа: Hachioji (Канто, Токио)

Вторая Высшая Школа: Nishinomiya (Кинки, Хёго)

Третья Высшая Школа: Kanazawa (Хокурику, Исикава)

Четвертая Высшая Школа: Hamamatsu (Токаи, Сидзуока)

Пятая Высшая Школа: Sendai (Тохоку, Мияги)

Шестая Высшая Школа: Izumo (Санин, Симане)

Седьмая Высшая Школа: Kochi (Сикоку, Кочи)

Восьмая Высшая Школа: Otaru (Хоккайдо)

Девятая Высшая Школа: Kumamoto (Кюсю, Кумамото)

Среди них, с первой по третью, установлена фиксированная квота в двести учеников, которые разделены на два потока, первый поток и второй (школы называют их «специализированный поток» и «нормальный поток»). Различия между ними это наличие персональных инструкторов, если не брать их во внимание, то учебный план первого и второго потока такой же. С четвертой по девятую школу квота установлена в сто учеников. Все ученики обеспечены инструкторами, но если сравнивать с первыми тремя школами, их уровень немного ниже. Хотя в школах учебный план установлен Национальным Университетом Магии, у них также есть свои особые характеристики. Например, Третья Высшая Школа делает акцент на практической магии боя, и, напротив, Четвертая Высшая Школа акцентирует внимание на большом количестве производственной магии, которая играет важную роль в области инженерной магии. Помимо фокусирования на различных типах магии, есть также школы, специализирующиеся на использовании магии в определенной среде. Учителя Седьмой Старшей Школы, отдельно от обычного учебного плана, обучают высокому уровню магии, которая имеет практическое применение над водой или морем, в то время как Восьмая Высшая Школа включает практические уроки в регионах чрезмерного холода или в горах, где условия окружающей среды очень экстремальные.

<noinclude>
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|-
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~: Volume 1 Illustrations|Иллюстрации]]
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~|Главная Страница]]
| [[Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ~Russian Version~:Volume 1 Chapter 0|Глава 0]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kokoro Connect ~ Russian:Volume 1 Chapter 2

2012-11-02T05:14:17Z

92.39.72.90:

==Глава вторая : «Они» начинаются с «О»==

На следующий день члены СтуККа сломя голову бросились в свой штаб, желая продолжить вчерашнее собрание. Естественно, Тайти был среди них.

Все пятеро расположились за прямоугольным столом. И хотя между Аоки и Юи все еще чувствовалось напряжение, они не смели ослушаться Инабу и были ниже травы. Из-за деликатности вчерашней темы, Тайти все не решался открыть рот. В комнате 401 рекреационного корпуса висело напряжение.

Не обращая внимания на царившую атмосферу, вице-президент клуба, Инаба решительно скомандовала:
- Боже! Итак, начинаем собрание! Во-первых…

- О! Я кое-что забыла в классе.

Президент, Нагасэ Иори, внезапно оборвала свою заместительницу.

- Хммм?! В тот самый момент, когда я всерьез решила взяться за дело, ты резко дала по тормозам!

Инаба медленно начала заводиться.

- Инаба-тян, успокойся, держи себя в руках…

- Ты же понимаешь, что сама виновата?

- Тогда, Инаба-тян, не возражаешь, если я пойду?

Инабу наградили невиннейшей детской улыбкой. Собранные на затылке в хвост волосы вице-президента, казалось, сейчас начнут извиваться и шипеть…

- Возьмешь свое «кое-что» потом… Нет, стоп, заберешь сейчас… Марш!

- Есть, сэр!

- Я тебе не сэр… Ага, так и послушала.

Не дожидаясь ответа, Нагасэ выбежала из комнаты.

- Ха-ха, даже Инаба не в состоянии удержать Нагасэ. – Кирияма впервые открыл рот, с тех пор как зашел в комнату.

- Дело даже не в том, в состоянии я или нет… в общем, так надо. – Вздохнула Инаба.

Атмосфера, похоже, начала разряжаться. Молчавший до этого Аоки вернулся к своему обычному состоянию и тут же начал отпускать шутки направо и налево. Кирияма и Тайти остроумно огрызались.

- Думаю, она сделала это, чтобы все расслабились. Поэтому я и отпустила ее.

Едва низкий голос Инабы затих, в глазах у Тайти потемнело…

Когда он пришел в себя, мир вокруг оказался горизонтальным. «Да нет, это потому что я сам лежу» - мыслительные процессы Тайти были на удивление превосходны.
Он сидел на том же стуле, что и недавно, а лицом упирался в стол. Тайти поднял голову и оглянулся: классная комната. Не клуб. Вокруг не было никого. Со двора школы изредка доносились крики. Иногда долетали звуки от удара битой.

У Тайти слегка закружилась голова. Он облокотился на стол и выпрямился. Перед глазами плыло… Быть может, это из-за головокружения? Нет, похоже, причина была более значительной.

«Я должен находиться в клубе на четвертом этаже рекреационного корпуса. А убежден я в этом потому, что пару секунд назад болтал с Инабой и остальными. Однако по неизвестной причине сейчас я оказался в совершенно другом кабинете».

И что произошло?

Пытаясь разобраться в ситуации, Тайти снова оглянулся вокруг. Расположение столов, плакаты на стенах, номера телефонов на доске и даже маленькая полочка в углу кабинета – все казалось весьма знакомым. Короче говоря, Тайти был в своем классе, 1С.

Даже если бы мир вокруг рушился, Тайти потребовалось бы минимум пять минут, чтобы добраться сюда от СтуККа… Парня прошиб холодный пот, под ложечкой засосало.

Его что, телепортировали из клуба в класс? Или он сам дошел до кабинета, а потом что-то там, и память отшибло? Или все это время он прохрапел на парте, а собрание в СтуКК ему только приснилось? Или… еще что-то?

- И что же это… Э?!

Это было слишком неожиданно. Тайти был так поражен, что его всего затрясло, а рука импульсивно зажала рот.

- Да не может быть…

Пролепетав это, Тайти потянулся рукой к шее. Но она была гладкой, словно спелое яблоко: кадык таинственным образом исчез.

Ему, должно быть, послышалось. Тайти всем сердцем открещивался от того, что сейчас вылетело из его рта. Но, несмотря на все его усилия, разум нисколько не сомневался в услышанном. Ошибки быть не могло.

- Почему мой голос стал девчачьим?

Это сон?

Если бы! С каждой секундой Тайти все больше убеждался в реальности происходящего.

«Спокойно», - повторял он про себя, однако, несмотря на это, мозг продолжал рисовать картинки, одну хуже другой. Вчерашние слова Аоки вспыхнули в памяти…

В любом случае, пора было сдвинуться с мертвой точки. Тайти глубоко вдохнул, затем выдохнул и медленно опустил глаза.

Ткань от талии до колен, трапециевидной формы. Отчаянно напоминающая исключительно женский предмет гардероба… короче говоря, это была юбка. Под ней вырисовались стройные бедра, а недлинный подол открывал глазу изящные икры, туго обтянутые черными гольфами.

- А-а-аргх! – вскрикнул от неожиданности Тайти. Но голос был не его… Или мы должны сказать, что теперь это был его голос?

Тайти опустил голову и, воспользовавшись своими новыми конечностями, ощупал верхнюю часть наряда, чтобы окончательно убедиться.

Так и есть. Это была униформа старшей Ямабоси, правда, женская.

Тайти впал в ступор. Он просто не мог понять ни своего состояния, ни своего положения, ни ситуацию в целом.

«Такого не могло случиться!» кричало все внутри. Но, как и свойственно человеческому мозгу, мыслей становилось все больше, и вскоре они вытеснили панику, в которую впал несчастный парень. Суровая реальность наконец открылась ему.

Если он, особь по имени Тайти, - мужского пола, тогда «их» вообще не должно существовать… этих штук, которые приковали внимание с самого начала.
Грудь Тайти стала больше.

Не могла же она до такой степени опухнуть. Да что бы с ней ни случилось, до такого объема мужская грудь увеличиться не могла.
Несомненно, это должно принадлежать только женщине. Те самые «Они», которые начинаются с «О». Если «они» реальны, ему не останется ничего, кроме как принять происходящее.
Тайти нервно сглотнул, пытаясь успокоиться.

Наконец решившись, он выставил руки вперед, а затем схватился ими за грудь.

Жамк, жамк, жамк, жамк…

Податливые, но упругие и эластичные. Кажется, сейчас проскользнут между пальцами, но остаются на месте…

Это было удивительное и не поддающееся описанию ощущение. Абсолютно новый, фантастический опыт. За все 16 лет своей жизни не прикасавшийся к женской груди, Тайти искренне верил в это.

- Так «Они» настоящие!

И каждый раз, как он сжимал «их», то чувство возвращалось. Значит, ему не привиделось, и это не приклеенные к нему неведомые штуки. Только Тайти так подумал…

Замок на двери кабинета щелкнул, и она открылась. Вошедшая в класс девушка встретилась глазами с Тайти. Шокированный таким поворотом, парень даже не нашелся что сказать.

Перед ним, поблескивая глазами из-под дорогущей оправы очков, величественно стояла президент класса 1С – Фудзисима Майко. Несколько секунд оба глядели друг на друга в молчании.

- Я… чтобы… Я увидела, что окна в классе нараспашку, и вернулась, чтобы их закрыть. К вечеру дождь обещали… Эм, Нагасэ-сан, что… ты тут делаешь?

«Фудзисима назвала меня Нагасэ?»

Так, значит, он теперь Иори?

- Если бы меня попросили ответить, я бы сказала, чтобы ты щупаешь себя за грудь.

Услышав это от Фудзисимы, Тайти внезапно осознал, что все еще сжимает «их». Он в спешке разжал ладони, и тут до него дошло, что он вляпался по самое не хочу.

- …

- …

Фудзисима, распахнув глаза и не мигая, смотрела на Тайти. В этой ситуации он даже не смог бы сбежать: тело одеревенело.

В комнате царила мертвая тишина. Но вопрос Фудзисимы был намного хуже.

- Хочешь, чтобы я помогла тебе с этим?

- Чё?

Это что еще за новости?

- Я имею ввиду, что лучше предоставить это кому-нибудь другому. Более эффективно, знаешь ли.

- Нет, не стоит.

Хотя часть про «более эффективно» показалась интересной, Тайти продолжал отказываться.

- Не нужно стесняться. Я в этом деле спец.

Фудзисима шагнула вперед.

- Фудзи… Фудзисима?

Президента как будто подменили. На Тайти надвигалась совсем не та примерная ученица, которую он привык видеть: взгляд у Фудзисимы стал каким-то странным.

Это что, кризис девственности? Хотя кто в этой ситуации девственник-то? Стоп, сейчас не об этом думать надо! Тайти запаниковал.

[[Image:Kokoro p029.png|thumb]]

- Ты, ты успокойся, Фудзисима! Нам обоим надо успокоиться и поговорить! И тогда мы точно придем к пониманию!

- Да, давай поговорим… на языке тела!

- Те-тела? Ст-стой!

Да что ж это происходит? Как это вообще получилось?

В этот самый момент в класс ворвался еще один человек.

- Та-а-а-йти-и-и-и!

Прерывисто дыша и крича, в дверях стоял «Яегаси Тайти»… Нет, стойте, кто-то в теле Яегаси Тайти.

Вновь пойманный врасплох, бедный парень пытался собраться с мыслями.

Фудзисима назвала его «Нагасэ»… Тогда, если смириться с этим сверхъестественным феноменом, и сложить имеющиеся данные, ворвавшимся в класс человеком должна быть Иори?

- Яе… «Яегаси-кун»?

Внезапно залетев в комнату, «Тайти» застала Фудзисиму врасплох.

- Фудзисима-сан! Если тебе надо поговорить с Тайти… Нет, это же я… нет, если надо поговорить с «Нагасэ Иори», тогда звиняй! В связи с экстренной ситуацией я должен забрать ее! Ок. Пошли со мной!

Нагасэ подошла к Тайти и схватила его за руку, намереваясь дать деру. Но в этот момент Фудзисима схватила его за другую.

- Что? Что стряслось-то? «Яегаси Тайти»? Ты что не видишь, что мы тут важным делом заняты?!

- Точно, эта ситуация уже почти произошла! Отпусти, Фудзисима! Я должна идти! – сказал Тайти.

- Смотри, даже сам Тайти… то есть сама Нагасэ так говорит! – вскрикнула Нагасэ.

- Что-то мне, ребята, ваш тон слишком подозрительным кажется. В любом случае, если решил увести Нагасэ-сан, предъяви мне вескую причину!

Фудзисима все еще пыталась выиграть спор.

- Хммм… Тогда я применю секретное оружие! – Нагасэ прыгнула на президента.

- Боишься щекотки?!

- Ммм. А-а-а. Прекрати! Мой живот не выдержит! Ха-ха-ха! Яегаси Тайти, то, что ты вытворяешь, это секс-сексуальное домогательство! Аха-ха-ха, хватит, пожалуйста!

Кабинет класса 1С потонул в отчаянных воплях…

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- И что за идиотские шутки вы придумали на этот раз?

Инаба обвела взглядом Тайти и остальных.

«Тайти» и «Нагасэ», вернувшись в клуб, немедленно решили проверить свое положение (если его можно было так назвать). И хотя они довольно долго кричали у зеркала, сейчас их паника улеглась.

Как рассказала Нагасэ, у нее внезапно потемнело в глазах, пока она была в кабинете. А потом, когда сознание вернулось, она уже оказалась в клубе, перед таращившимися на нее Инабой и остальными. Те же, в свою очередь, сообщили, что внезапно «Тайти» почти хлопнулся в обморок, но все вроде пришло в норму.

После пробуждения Нагасэ немного поистерила, но потом вспомнила рассказ Аоки и подумала: «А не это ли сейчас приключилось?». С этой мыслью она пулей вылетела из клуба, чтобы найти Тайти. Вот так развивались события до текущего момента.

- Эм… короче, мы с Тайти, скорее обменялись личностями, чем душами! – протараторила Нагасэ и весело рассмеялась.

- Редко дождешься такой улыбки от Тайти. Обычно от его смеха уши скручиваются в трубочку. – С удивлением пробормотала Кирияма.

- Ага. Кстати говоря, на вид он тоже ничего. А если бы еще и улыбался почаще, то девчонки бы штабелями к его ногам падали! – подключился Аоки.

- Неужели я, правда, так жутко улыбаюсь? Я думал, все нормально…

- Хватит чушь пороть! Сменим тему! – разъяренная Инаба стукнула кулаком по столу.

- Ауч…

- Ну еще бы, так долбануть-то!

- Та-и-ти! Захлопни варежку!

Инаба повернулась, чтобы отлупить своего друга, но вспомнила о том, что произошло, и попыталась остановить удар. Балансируя на кончиках пальцев, словно балерина, Химеко выставила руки вперед и сумела удержать равновесие. Ее лицо продолжало подергиваться. От ярости или от смущения?

- Инаба просто светится от счастья! – Нагасэ решила добить свою заместительницу. – И вот что здесь произошло: Инаба подверглась предательскому нападению остряка-Тайти и решила ответить физической атакой, но спохватилась, что перед ней лицо лучшей подруги, Нагасэ Иори, и остановилась на полпути.

- Инабу осудил даже Аоки… Какой ужас…

Аоки и Кирияма приняли эстафету и не упустили случая поиздеваться над вице-президентом.

Лицо Химеко внушало ужас, но она продолжала сохранять позу.

- Впервые Инаба так чудит! – рассмеялась Нагасэ и тут же получила убийственный взгляд.

- Ты щас у меня дождешься, Та… - Едва начав говорить, Инаба замолчала и округлила глаза.

Нагасэ лукаво усмехнулась.

- Инаба, ты только что назвала ее «Тайти», так?

- Ммм… - вице-президент тяжело вздохнула. - Это все потому… Вы двое просто отличные актеры…
- Так ты думаешь, что Тайти может передразнить меня, Нагасэ Иори, с таким мастерством?! – разъяренная начальница, хоть и очутилась в чужом теле, но сохранила все свои движения и мимику.

- Инаба, ты, возможно, не поверишь… да, я и сам бы не поверил, но ты должна! Я –Тайти, а в моем теле – Нагасэ. – Яегаси все еще пытался уговорить Химеко.

Покусав несколько раз кончик пальца, вице-президент деловито приступила к расспросам:

- А как на это смотрят Аоки и Юи? Вчера вы… Нет, только Аоки доказывал, что вы поменялись телами или что-то типа того?

- Ага, Тайти и Нагасэ обменялись душами. Уж я-то в этом деле понимаю! Да, Юи?

- Хмм… Похоже на то... Я лишь подтверждаю, что именно ''это'' и произошло…

- Ты же вчера открещивалась, как могла! – с упреком сказала Инаба.

- Да потому что это «дело» - полный отврат! - вспыльчивая Кирияма резко вскочила со стула, разметав длинные волосы по плечам.

- Оу! Так Юи уже согласна, что вчера мы обменялись телами?

На обращенную к ней лукавую улыбку, Кирияма ответила гримасой, полной отвращения, но все-таки медленно кивнула:

- Ага…

- Ну, это потому что… Если бы я сказала, что это был не сон, вы бы назвали меня чокнутой, а теперь и Тайти с Нагасэ поменялись, и…

- Эй… ребятки, окститесь! Такое только в сказках бывает!

Понятное дело, Инаба не верила им; в конце концов, этот «феномен» было трудновато объяснить или даже описать. Однако, какими бы странными и невероятными ни казались подобные явления, люди, которые в них вовлечены, с удивительной легкостью их принимают.

Даже если речь идет о «самом невозможном из миров», стоит вас закинуть в самый его эпицентр, вы очень скоро привыкнете к новым условиям и забудете о «старой жизни».

Инаба обвела четверку испытующим взглядом: те синхронно покивали.

- И вы так легко это признали? Хоть бы порыдали для приличия!

- Эм… ну… Раз уж так получилось, ты просто вливаешься и, это… Да, да!

- Нагасэ, твои объяснения – для умственно отсталых… - Тайти, как всегда, не преминул подколоть.

- У меня уже голова от вас трещит… но мы должны закончить… Так, еще раз: вы двое не шутите, Нагасэ и Тайти на самом деле поменялись телами… Или, как там… душами?

- Да-да. Поэтому я – Тайти, несмотря на то, что выгляжу, как Нагасэ.

- Это значит, ты сохранил только свои воспоминания, а Нагасэ – свои?

Видимо, Инаба решила проверить своих друзей.

- Проще говоря, да. Так что можешь спрашивать о чем угодно, я с радостью отвечу на любой вопрос. Другое дело, что навряд ли найдется вещь, о которой знаю я, и не знает Нагасэ.

Тем не менее, Инабу совсем не волновала дилемма, с которой столкнулся Тайти. Она просто взмахнула рукой и сказала:

- Без паники! Так, с этого момента я задаю вам вопросы, вы – незамедлительно отвечаете.

Инаба встала из-за стола и наклонилась к Тайти. Но, несмотря на чары, которые источала вице-президент, парень нашел в себе силы смотреть ей прямо в глаза.

- Я готов!

- Ты должен будешь отвечать за миллисекунду!

- Ок. Я знаю.

- Ладно, поехали!

Инаба сделала паузу, глубоко вздохнула… и протараторила на одном дыхании:

- Какой диск последним дал тебе посмотреть Аоки?

- «Большегрудые старшеклассницы»! – на автомате выдавший название Тайти начал паниковать. - Постой-ка, что ты пыталась выяснить? И, и… Инаба, ты же сама не знаешь ответа!

- О-оу! Впервые вижу, чтобы Тайти так орал и нервничал. Но меня больше волнует, откуда Инаба знает о нашем обмене?

- Неважно. Но ты поможешь мне проверить ответ. Итак, Тайти, твой ответ?..

Хотя Инаба выглядела серьезной и сосредоточенной, на дне ее темных глаз плескалось удовольствие и лукавство.

Тайти уставился на Кирияму и Нагасэ…… Красная, как рак, Юи взглянула на него в ответ, в то время как Нагасэ бубнила про себя: «Большегрудые, да…». Тайти занервничал еще больше.

- Эм, Инаба-сан, не соизволите ли дать поблажку и разрешить мне шепнуть ответ на ухо Аоки?

Подумав несколько мгновений, вице-президент едва заметным движением указала подбородком на Ёсифуми.

Слегка расслабившись, Тайти повернулся к приятелю и быстро прошептал ему на ухо несколько слов.

- Твой вердикт, Аоки?

- Ответ верен, капитан Инаба! Спешу доложить, что слышать такую пошлятину от Нагасэ – редкая удача!

Клоунское выступление Аоки заставило Нагасэ задуматься о своей пошатнувшейся репутации и компенсации, которую можно было бы выбить из болтуна Ёсифуми.

- Итак, выяснив, что оба наших придурков еще и загоняются по пятому размеру, продолжим опознание. Теперь ты, Нагасэ.

- Могу ли я предположить, что устроив нам «проверку», Инаба просто решила отомстить за издевательства над ней? – вспомнивший о крутом нраве вице-президента, Тайти теперь дрожал от ужаса.

- Лучше бы никогда не попадаться ей под горячую руку… - казалось, Кирияма боялась Инабы еще больше.

Тем временем Химеко поднялась, подошла к Нагасэ и что-то прошептала ей на ухо. А затем…

- Кха-кха… Стой, Ина… Инаба-сан, это правда?

- Абсолютная.

- Почему… Могла бы и не говорить об этом сейчас.

Нагасэ прикрыла глаза рукой и медленно сползла под стул. Похоже, «новости» от Инабы были неутешительными.

- Но… Сейчас-то мы уже взрослые, ну. Всхлип.

Инаба невозмутимо вернулась на место. Затем наконец-то расслабилась и уставилась в потолок, бубня про себя:

- И правда обменялись... Это точно…

Четверка возликовала.

- Даже если все это – шутка, откровенно говоря, я скорее поверю в обмен телами, чем в актерский талант Тайти.

- И что я должен на это ответить? И… Эй, почему эта троица согласно кивает с таким сочувствующими лицами?

- Так, я понимаю природу обмена телами Тайти и Нагасэ… Ладно, не понимаю… И все же, что вы вдвоем теперь собираетесь делать? – безжалостная Инаба без предисловий ударила по слабому месту.

- Хммм… Что делать, говоришь… - ухмыльнулся Тайти.

- Что-то ты подозрительно беспечен… - с удивлением сказала Инаба.

- Ну, перво-наперво я бы хотел узнать подробности обмена Аоки и Кириямы. Вы же вернулись в свои тела через какое-то время, так?

- Ага… Если не ошибаюсь, это случилось около трех ночи. Я сладко посапывал, но вдруг проснулся от смутного беспокойства. А когда огляделся по сторонам, то понял, что ни разу не бывал в той комнате! И хотя я был испуган сменой обстановки, обнаружить в зеркале личико Кириямы было приятным сюрпризом! Ах… Я даже немного смутился. А потом я как-то незаметно вернулся в свое тело и снова оказался в родной спальне. Примерно так все и было. Юи, у тебя так же?

- Ага, похоже… Только разница в том, что я приняла это за кошмар, когда увидела свое отражение в зеркале, и поэтому все время провалялась под одеялом, боясь выползти. А после того, как я вернулась в свою комнату… точнее, в свое тело, в спальне был жуткий беспорядок. – Кирияма с презрением зыркнула на Аоки.

- Мн… мне правда очень жаль, - извинился тот.

- Эм… И как долго все это продлилось? – вмешалась Нагасэ.

- Думаю, не больше часа. 30-40 минут, не больше.

- 30-40 минут… Странно… Нет, сам этот феномен, конечно, тоже ненормален… - Инаба говорила сама с собой.

- Получается, просто ждать? Или тут дело не только в этом, и надо… - не успев закончить предложение, Тайти замолчал, будто ему вырубили звук.

- …Эй! Ты в порядке?

Гул голосов внезапно ворвался в уши. Тайти нахмурился и открыл глаза. Темнота сразу отступила, и перед глазами вновь появился родной клуб. Хотя нет, не так… До этого момента Инаба стояла справа от него, теперь же она была прямо перед ним. Аоки и Кирияма тоже изменили свое положение. А «Нагасэ» теперь была Нагасэ, и в данный момент не мигая смотрела на него.

Это значит, что…

- Мы снова в норме! – заорал Тайти, и к нему тут же присоединилась Нагасэ, лицо которой внезапно просияло.

- Так это правда… - выдавила шокированная Инаба, сползая по стулу.

В конце концов, и это собрание Студенческого клуба культуры ни к чему не привело. Единственное постановление вице-президента было весьма ожидаемо: «Феномен обмена телами оставить в секрете и ни в коем случае не проболтаться».

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| Назад к [[Kokoro Connect ~ Russian:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Глава 1]]
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