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Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 2

2014-04-13T06:51:47Z

Sobokal:

== Chapter 2: The Blue World and the Travelling Girl ==

The autumn in Zchted was short, though one might also say that winter simply came early.

The deep green of vegetation as they had bathed in the midsummer sun had since faded with the autumn wind.

It wasn't all bleak; however, autumn was also the season of harvest.

Under the blue sky, golden wheat fields stretched far along the highway. As the wind blew, plump ears of wheat rustled softly. It seemed that with the abundant harvest around here, the faces of the farmers who were cropping were also smiling broadly.

Also standing out were green apple trees, whose branches hung down, heavy with plump green apples.

Looking at such peaceful scenery, Tigre felt at ease. The wind was cool to a comfortable extent, filling him with the desire to chat with the farmers in their fields. However, he suppressed this desire and urged his horse onward.

In places with many people, he avoided riding at great speed. Such an action was far too ostentatious. If he was seen riding leisurely, the presumption would likely be that he was just some young noble, off on a hunt. His neat clothing and bow, hung on his saddle, served to further reinforce this image.

At sunset, he'd find his way to a hamlet or small village, looking for accommodation as well as food, for the night.

Having thus traveled for a few days, Tigre exited LeitMeritz, and after passing through the King's territory, entered Legnica.

Three days after that, he arrived at the Imperial Palace where the Vanadis Sasha lived. Though an appointment was made upon handing over Ellen's letter; in truth, it was another two days before he was able to meet her.

''---Two days, huh. That doesn't leave much time.''

He'd heard from Ellen that Sasha was suffering from a debilitating illness. As the silver-haired Vanadis handed her letter to Tigre, she'd warned him.

"If Sasha's condition isn't too bad, you will also be able to meet on the day you hand over the letter. However, after handing over the letter, if you cannot meet her even after waiting for three days, please continue to Asvarre."

The Imperial Palace was composed of sand-coloured stones laid upon one another, with white marble to scattered all over. Though its appearance was surprisingly peculiar, there was no doubt on the solidity of its construction.

Leaving his black bow, Tigre walked down the hallway of the Imperial Palace, led by an aged servitor.

''---Truly a palace that gives off quite a calming presence.''

Looking at the ceiling and the walls, Tigre couldn't help but be moved.

LeitMeritz aside, this was his first time setting foot in an Imperial Palace, and thus everything intrigued him. Far from a single monotone gray, the walls were inlaid with white marble. The design was masterfully built upon the labors of previous architects, and one did not tire of simply gazing upon their splendor.

''---And here I'd thought carved murals were the only way to decorate a wall. To think that you could do things like this......''

Still awed, Tigre reached the front of Sasha's room.

The servitor made Tigre's presence known, before Tigre proceeded to open the door.

''---This is somewhat of a lonely room.''

The room was bright, lit by the sunlight which shone through the window, which was flung wide open, as well as the candle holder near the bed. However, with regards to furniture, the furnishings were the barest of the bare, and plainly coloured at that. Aster flowers by the bedside provided the room's only colour.

"Nice to meet you."

An unclouded voice struck Tigre's ears.

The woman on the bed sat up as she greeted him. Her dull black hair was trimmed to shoulder length, and she wore a loose white gown. She had a thin face and skin that was shockingly white. She was abnormally slender, and the loose fit of her clothes was the evidence of her wasting away.

Above her knees, wrapped in a thick blanket, were two swords. Above their white hilts and finely decorated black crossguards, the blades shone with a brilliant gold and red. The blades were rather short, and their sole distinguishing factor was their gold and vermilion colours.

From their design, Tigre realised the two swords were paired.

''---So this is her {{furigana|Dragonic Tool|Viralt}}, huh.''

Apparently belying her welcome, her swords rested near at hand.

Notwithstanding, Tigre found such an action neither rude nor unnatural. Ellen placed her Silverflash Arifal within reach even while working in the office, and assuming this girl to be no different, he instinctively comprehended the reasoning behind her actions.

Tigre bowed and stepped into the room. As he walked up beside the bed, he bowed again.

"I am Tigrevurmud Vorn. Nice to meet you."

"I am Alexandra Alshavin. I would have liked to have met with you much sooner than this, but because of my illness, I've made you wait. My humblest apologies."

Responding to the black-haired beauty who apologised politely, Tigre shook his head to indicate he did not mind.

"More than me, please take good care of your body, Alexandra-dono."

When he said so, Sasha sweetly smiled, and invited Tigre to sit.

"You can call me Sasha, Lord Tigrevurmud."

"Thank you. Please call me Tigre, then."

Sitting down, Tigre returned her smile. Looking up close, he thought she was a beautiful person.

That said, her beauty was quite unlike that of the energetic and lively Ellen. Like the aster flowers that swayed in the gentle breeze by the window, hers was an ethereal beauty; tranquil, like water.

''---If you're not feeling well......''

About to speak out, Tigre changed his mind.

Sasha's illness was nothing recent. She alone was the best judge of whether or not she was fit enough to converse. Moreover, the servitor who'd guided him until then was also checking Sasha's condition. Though it was only natural to be worried, doing too much wasn't for the best either.

"Then, Tigre. May I ask you something?"

Smiling from ear to ear, Sasha tilted her head quizzically. The adorable charm of her action made his heart skip a beat, and hiding the disturbance in his heart, he smiled and nodded.

"Please, speak."

"If possible...... I wish to speak with you candidly, as if with a close friend. I know the importance of courtesy, but I worry the tenseness of such a thing will serve me poorly."

She was already speaking more casually. Tigre, with a wry smile, answered that he understood.

''---If I'm not mistaken, this person is 22 this year.''

He heard so from Ellen. In other words, Sasha should be five years older than Tigre, but it did not seem that way from her earlier behavior. Though she did not seem to be the same age, it was as if she was only one or two years older.

Sasha extended her right hand. Being careful not to use excessive force, Tigre gripped her hand in turn. Her soft hand carried a faint warmth.

"So it really is true that you don't use a sword."

Staring at Tigre's hand, Sasha spoke in surprise. At those words, Tigre suddenly clenched his hand and stared widely.

''---She must have determined this from the condition of my palms, by tracking calluses and blisters, even though she didn't grip my hand all that tightly.''

"If possible, can you tell me about your encounter with Ellen?" Sasha asked.

At her eyes, filled with curiosity, Tigre tilted his head.

"Didn't you already hear it from Ellen?"

"I did. But that was from Ellen's perspective. I would like to hear your side of the story."

Tigre pondered inwardly. Though there was no reason to refuse, he wondered if he had time for such things. He was after all, in a hurry to reach Asvarre.

Nonetheless, his hesitation lasted but a brief moment. Having already read Ellen's letter, she was undoubtedly aware he was pressed for time. Accordingly, there must be some deeper meaning behind her request.

"I understand. I'm not the greatest orator, so this might take some time."

"That's fine."

He did his utmost to clearly and concisely convey the events of the past year, from his captivity after the battle at Dinant to the battles in Brune following.

He tried to avoid diving into unnecessary details. Though the haste he felt within his heart was certainly a factor, the primary reason was due to the strong emotions that would arise as he recalled each event. It had been, after all, only a short half-year since these things had transpired.

Sasha nodded from time to time, following Tigre's story with great exuberance and interest.

When Tigre rested, Sasha rang the bell by her bedside and called the servitor, ordering him to prepare wine. Tigre, who'd been talking for half the day, was quite thirsty and gratefully accepted her goodwill. The servitor placed two goblets on the table and quietly filled them with wine.

"Thank you. It was very interesting, and I learned a lot."

"I'm happy to hear that."

"By the way, what kind of relationship do you have with Ellen?"

At this sudden question, Tigre almost dropped the silver cup which he'd just received from the attendant.

Sasha continued happily, "From what you've said, it doesn't look like you're anything more than allies, but......what you've told me is a little different from what I'd heard from Ellen."

A chill ran down Tigre's spine. What on Earth had Ellen said?

''---Even if you ask me what kind of relationship we have, I'm not entirely sure myself......''

It would be a lie to say that it was not a special relationship.

For example, the other day the two of them had gone to the city to play and had danced together. When he'd placed his hands on her slender waist, Tigre had suddenly blushed. As if his blushing was contagious, Ellen had blushed as well, leading their fellow dancers to tease them mercilessly.

However, those kinds of thoughts were not to be made public. Tigre and Ellen both had their respective positions to consider, and neither could place priority on their personal feelings. Even though there were times he couldn't restrain his feelings, he would not allow them to be more than an impulse.

Buying time, he brought the silver cup to his mouth while stealthily evaluating the look on Sasha's face. Though the smiling face of the Vanadis with black hair did not change, Tigre perceived the sincerity in her eyes.

Then I'll answer honestly. Lowering the goblet from his lips, he spoke.

"Ellen is...... She is an important comrade-in-arms. She has saved me many times. Should anything to happen to her, I would do my utmost to help. That's what I think."

"......Is that so."

Though Sasha's reaction was decidedly brief, her face revealed a satisfied smile. The strained atmosphere passed and after a short pause, Tigre carefully asked, "By the way, when you say it's a little different what you'd heard, which parts were you referring to?"

"Oh! The part where you peeked at Ellen in the bath, or when you sucked Lim's breasts......"

Sasha replied without a hint of shyness. Caught off guard by her words, Tigre was struck speechless, his face fast reddening up to the ears.

"It definitely seems like Ellen and Lim like you, but I don't think that's all there is to it. I've put some thought into it. Are you the type that's so adorable you're immediately forgiven or are you ridiculous to the point that others feel like their anger is wasted on you?"

"......Well, what kind of person would you say I am?"

Finally pulling himself together, Tigre straightened his posture and questioned Sasha in turn. Rather than answering immediately, Sasha let her eyes wander to the sky before turning to smile at him, her expression filled with mischief.

"Isn't it fine to leave that to your imagination? That said, it would be pointless to not tell you at all, so when you return from Asvarre, I'll tell you then."

Tigre's only response was to blink, unmoving, unable to mask his surprise in the least. So she can make that kind of expression too......

''---It seems my first impression of the sickly Sasha was stronger than warranted.''

Having spoken to Sasha now for the last four hours, Tigre felt that as compared to her gentle smiles earlier, that smile just now suited her far more. The similarity to Ellen was undeniable, although it was hard to say if that was merely the effects of the former's influence on the latter.

"I understand. I'll look forward to it then."

Tigre responded with a smile. He realised that they had digressed from their original topic of conversation, but the thought of something to look forward to upon his return wasn't bad.

"Now then, let's return to the matter at hand."

Though her smile never left her face, Sasha’s black pupils was filled with a stern light. She handed the silver cup in her hand to the attendant and sent him off with words of gratitude. Understanding her intent, he left quietly. As the door closed, the black-haired Vanadis opened her mouth.

"According to Ellen's letter, it is her desire that I assist you. I've heard you need to visit Asvarre; would you allow me to hear the full story?"

Tigre settled himself, and began to recount the details of King Victor's request and Ellen and Lim's views on the matter; in short, the circumstances behind his appointment as envoy from beginning to end.

This time Sasha, far from interrupting as she had done before, simply sat in silence like a statue, never moving a muscle. That notwithstanding, her eyes radiated her fierce will.

As she finished hearing the story she relaxed her whole body and gave a small sigh.

"I don't envy you."

"Yeah......I don't think it's all that simple a thing to sneak across the sea and deliver a letter to a blood-soaked battlefield either."

Deliberately speaking in a joking tone, Tigre shrugged. His comments were half his real feelings, and half a follow-up to Sasha's joking words. Though the Vanadis with twin swords laughed delightedly, her serious aura returned immediately.

"Do you understand just what position you hold in Zhcted at this point in time?"

"It would be a guest, I think. And likely also a hostage from Brune."

Though Tigre's answer did not seem wrong, Sasha did not appear satisfied by his response. She shook her head.

"Of course, there are those who harbor goodwill toward you, like Ellen or Mira. And from what I've heard, that might also include Sophie? However, those who begrudge your existence or would otherwise seek to exploit you are not the minority."

"It's not as if I haven't realised that there are people who are trying to use me......"

Tigre frowned. He was pretty sure this referred to those who had made an effort to visit him in his half-year in LeitMeritz. Nonetheless, he had no memory of anyone who had borne outright ill will toward him. Watching Tigre tilt his head in puzzlement, Sasha continued on in a grave tone.

"You've greatly altered the power structure of the Brune Kingdom. The Zhcted nobles who suffered losses, both large and small, as a result are not few in number. Such can only be expected given that the two great nobles said to represent Brune have since been deposed."

A groan escaped Tigre's mouth. He was dumbfounded.

Were the ones the subordinates of Duke Thenardier who harbored a grudge against Tigre, that would have been understandable. He had, after all, personally confronted Thenardier on the battlefield and slain him with the bow.
However, after Duke Ganelon had lost to Thenardier, he'd set fire to the city and died. Tigre had not been involved at all. It was absurd to resent him for such a thing.

Perhaps guessing the thoughts that ran through the young man's mind, Sasha flashed him a look of sympathy.

"Allow me to repeat that what's most important here is the way in which the power structure has been altered. Losing influence over Brune can be seen as another kind of loss. Furthermore, since you have strong ties to both Ellen and Mira, eliminating you would be no easy task."

"But the one who made this request was King Victor, right?"

There was no way the lord of a small country could ignore such happenings, but King Victor ruled over a great nation, and should thus have been well accustomed to losses here and there.

"Suggestions like these are proposed to the king by court officials as a matter of course, regardless of the country in question."

A shout nearly escaped Tigre's mouth. Though he hadn't considered such an eventuality personally, he was persuaded immediately upon hearing it. Tigre too had often heeded the advice of local leaders and his subordinates when governing Alsace or commanding the {{furigana|[Silver Meteor Army]|Unstoppable Silver Flow}}.

"I'm sure the question of this appointment has caused His Majesty no small amount of grief. Nonetheless, to choose you, a foreigner, is simply too risky a choice for such a cautious person as His Majesty to make."

"Is King Victor a cautious person then?"

Tigre was struck by this fresh comment. This was because both Ellen and Mira had assessed King Victor quite severely. Sasha gave a wry smile.

"Speaking more frankly, he has something of a passive personality, though he can be somewhat cunning. He doesn't intervene in the battles between the Vanadis at all, prioritising his personal safety first and foremost. With that said, in the decades he has sat on the throne, there have not been any major wars. This is the one thing I grant him."

Tigre didn't immediately respond. Wasn't it precisely because King Victor failed to intervene in conflicts between the Vanadis that in the winter of last year, the Vanadis Elizavetta Fomina had advanced her troops to Legnica? As for Ellen having fought against Mira, wasn't that also his fault?

However, Tigre didn't express his thoughts, swallowing them instead.

He was, after all, a man of another country. He wasn't King Victor's vassal either. Furthermore, three years hence, he would return to Brune. In such circumstances, it was not his place to criticise the King of another country.

"Returning to our discussion earlier, what has been said is correct. Choosing you as the emissary is killing two birds with one stone. As His Majesty has said, your appointment represents the support of both Zhcted and Brune. In other words, rather than sacrificing a pawn, sending a beloved hero such as yourself to a land embroiled in civil war implies-"

"So that's how it is. It will give Prince Germaine the appearance that Zhcted values him greatly."

At Tigre's words, the Vanadis with black hair nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes. As such, our country can seize the initiative in negotiations with Asvarre, as long as the emissary neither errs greatly nor oversteps his bounds. Such is the advantage of sending you."

"And the disadvantage?"

"If anything happens to you, the consequences will be unimaginable," Sasha replied coldly.

"First of all, there will be a crack in the relationship between Zhcted and Brune. In the worst case, Asvarre will become an enemy. Furthermore, even within the bounds of our own country, it's unlikely that either Ellen or Mira will ever forgive His Majesty. Though they would never dare openly rebel, it would nonetheless be the ruin of this nation."

Turning her gaze to the aster flowers by the window, she continued.

"I won't refute Ellen's conjecture. There is no doubt that His Majesty wants to test your mettle. I believe this was the point of the letter - to prevent you from realising his motives during a face-to-face meeting. Nevertheless, it is my feeling that there are other schemes at play here."

A thorny problem indeed. After ruffling his red hair vigorously, his face taut, he exhaled deeply and smiled to change the mood.

"Thank you. I'll take care."

His attitude surprised Sasha. Though the country clearly hid individuals who sought to ensnare him, she caught no hint of fear in Tigre.

"Don't tell me you have some countermeasure in mind?"

"No."

Wearing an expression that feared neither heaven nor hell, Tigre answered firmly.

"I'm not about to shirk my responsibility from just this much. Though I know neither the identity of this individual nor his or her true intent, being afraid is pointless. Besides, I'm already resolved."

This was not, of course, a resignation to inevitable death, but rather the resolution to survive no matter what. The resolve to see this task to completion. After being given this task in LeitMeritz, when parting with Ellen and the others, he'd determined to fulfill his duty and return safely.

If that someone was trying to take his life, he would crush him.

Though he did not express it with words, Sasha seemed to have understood Tigre's intentions through his expression. She gave a sigh of relief.

"No wonder Ellen trusts you so much."

Saying that, she turned to look once more at the aster flowers. However, rather than taking in the sight, she seemed to be considering something.

At just about ten o'clock, she returned her gaze to Tigre.

"According to Ellen's letter, after this you are supposed to go to the port city of Prepus...... Could you change your destination to the port city of Lippner?"

Though Tigre frowned to this sudden request, his doubts were soon dispelled.

"Do you plan to hook that someone?"

It was King Victor's plan he go to Prepus. If Sasha's thoughts were correct, the person trying to entrap Tigre would certainly know. Therefore, she proposed to deceive that person.

She wanted him to meet with a man called Matvey who was at the beach.

"Go to the port and ask Matvey of the Goldy Belluga. Well, you will understand."

"Thanks for your help, but will that be alright?"

The follower who was scheduled to meet him afterwards might have information that would be useful in negotiations with Germaine. When Tigre asked about it, Sasha shook her head to say not to worry.

"His Majesty would not do such a thing. The negotiations would get confused, and your value would decrease. He should tell you all you need to know about the negotiations before they take place. Even that man would understand that he may die by unnecessarily disrupting negotiations."

"That is also true. Thank you."

After bowing with a smile, Tigre made a face that seemed to hesitate before saying something.

"By the way, what is that proud beluga you talked about?"

The Vanadis with black hair could not immediately understand the meaning of his question. Sasha gazed at the perplexed expression of the youth and after saying "Eh!" with an unexpected expression, asked:

"You, don't you know what a beluga is?"

Tigre nodded.

"......Have you already seen the sea?"

This time he shook his head.

Sasha wide opened her eyes; she stared at Tigre's face with a face that said she couldn't believe it. She smiled and murmured that she wonder if everything will be alright. Still she didn't certainly consider that a person who had never seen the sea had been entrusted with a secret envoy to a country on the other side of the sea.

At that time, the door was knocked on from outside. After a hoarse voice "Excuse me" was uttered, the aged servitor came in. Looking at him, disappointment appeared in Sasha's black eyes.

"It's already time, Vanadis-sama."

"......Can you give us a little more time? I feel better today."

Sasha's expression was like that of a child who wanted something even though she understood that it would be impossible. The servitor answered promptly without moving an eyebrow.

"It is exactly because you feel better that you must not push yourself."

From the conservation of those two people, Tigre realized that the time of parting came. He stood up quietly and bowed to Sasha.

"I will leave for today. Thank you very much."

"......No, I also thank you. It was fun."

Sasha extended her hand, and the two people shook hands quietly.

When Tigre was about to leave the room, the Vanadis with dark hair suddenly stopped him. Sasha, whose face was turned around, didn't know that the sunlight from the window made a backlight.

"Tigre. I leave Ellen to you. Become that child's strength."

"I will do what I can."

When he gave her a reassuring reply while smiling, Sasha seemed to smile too.

It was early in the morning of the next day that Tigre left the Imperial Palace in Legnica. Straddling the horse, he went dashing straight about the highway which led to the town of Lippner.

''---In the end, I was not able to meet with Sasha after that.''

He wanted to at least say goodbye, but he could do nothing but leave a message to the aged servitor since it was impossible to meet her because of her disease. The servitor had also handed him a letter which contained a map describing the way to Lippner and Matvey's features.

''---Will we meet again?''

She was a Vanadis. There should be no such thing as a disease that could not be cured.

Though he thought so, he remembered the feeling when they shook hands. Thin flesh, skinny fingers, that was indeed the hand of a sick person.

When leaving the Imperial Palace, Tigre offered a prayer to the gods. Even if it would be no problem to pay his respects to the gods because Brune and Zchted believed in the same gods, Tigre was not so religious as to pray every time like Teita.

Tigre often invoked the name of Elis, the goddess of the wind and the storm, while hunting and he sometimes went to the shrine to pray when an arrow flew well. But Elis was not a Goddess that healed disease. This sort of thing would be the in the jurisdiction of Moshia, the mother Earth Goddess or Vors, the God of livestock.

''---No, I must concentrate on the things that I should do right now.''

Shaking his head, Tigre dispelled his unease. Failing in this duty would be to trample upon Sasha’s kindness, but if he succeeded and returned safely he would have a good tale to tell of his travels. Holding the reins, Tigre went over the highway.

By the time Sasha woke up, it was well into the day.

Her body felt heavy, feverish. The court physician examined her condition, telling her to rest after drinking medicine and taking a light meal.

She did as she was told, and had begun to stare blankly at the ceiling by the time her servitor came in.

"How is your physical condition?"

"I am a bit tired...... I didn’t intend to, but I might have overdone it yesterday - it’s been a long time since I’ve had visitors."

While lying on the bed, Sasha gave a wry smile and answered the servitor. She hadn’t even managed to say half the things she’d initially intended to.

"I have been entrusted with a message from that Earl Vorn. It says: 'I wish to express my gratitude for your kindness. Let's meet again after I return from Asvarre. I pray to the Gods for your early recovery'."

As the aged servitor reported with a solemn look, Sasha chuckled and then laughed.

"What did you think of him?"

"To me, he looked like a boy of his age. However, Vanadis-sama seems to have a different impression."

Though likely not to mean any harm, Sasha found it amusing when he used the word "boy." She, even at 22, was probably still a young girl in this old gentleman’s eyes.

"I wouldn’t say that you’d understand just by speaking to him......but well, I understand very well that he is a sincere person, and that he possesses a strong will."

How Tigre met with Ellen, how he went through the civil war of Brune. She asked to hear the entire story that she had already heard in part beforehand from Ellen intending to better understand Tigre’s personality.

Whether the person himself would show off talking about his own distinguished military service, or he understated it and emphasized his good luck, it was likely to she would know the way he behaved when he talked to Ellen and the others.

Supposing that he had spoken frankly without dramatization after noticing her intentions, she would be inclined to think him a thoughtful person.

''---Well, but I think he did not seem to think too deeply there.''

So indeed, he probably had a straight personality after all.

"Though I understood that when I met him, he is very interesting...... No wonder Ellen lent him a hand."

"Does the Vanadis of LeitMeritz like such kinds of people?"

"I don't dislike him, either. If that child stays by Ellen's side in LeitMeritz, I wonder if this Legnica will therefore also be safe."

The two Vanadis whose territories bordered Legnica were Ellen and Elizavetta Fomina. There had been a conflict with Elizavetta last winter, and though Ellen had helped to repulse her somehow, their relationship had yet to be normalized. As such, the conflict could yet continue in the future.

If Leitmeritz were to stabilize, Elizavetta would likelier than not cease to interfere with Legnica.

Though Ellen could not be on support whenever something happened, it would be nice if she could be a deterrent.

"Then, please rest soon."

The servitor said with a kind voice.

"You will meet Earl Vorn again. It will probably be around the winter when he comes back from Asvarre. At that moment, you will be able to finish your conversation with him."

"......Yes. Thank you."

With a smile, Sasha calmly closed her eyes.

Though they had not spoken for long, it was still dangerous to upset her health in autumn when the cold was not yet severe. Preparing from now to spend the winter of this year was necessary.

The servitor bowed and left.

Soon, the quiet breathing of a sleeper began to leak from her thin lips.

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As the sun grew high overhead and the heat grew oppressive, the port town of Lippner came into Tigre’s view. Under a pure blue sky, low walls stretched from North to South and the extension beyond the shadow of a building was visible. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Tigre loosened the horse reins and went to the castle gate.

Two days had passed since he left Sasha’s Imperial Office; so far the journey had been smooth and without incident.

As soon as he entered and passed through the gates in the city, Tigre opened his eyes wide in surprise. Men and women with different skin colors and facial features traversed the road, and the languages of many countries flitted about.

''---There are many people here, and not just people from Brune or Zchted. There are some Muozinel people with brown skin, some people of Asvarre and also some people of Sachstein.''

Foreigners exchanged words to each other as a matter of course; if languages with words did not work, they would draw and show pictures. They also communicated in gestures.

Even after recovering from his surprise, Tigre walked for a while looking around restlessly in admiration. Signboards, such as those for bars and inns, which were expressed with pictures that stood out immediately.

''---Pictures certainly seem better than characters in such a town.''

After that, he was concerned about the smell, too. From the Muozinel people who were in the traffic crowd, there was the smell of perfumed oil and spices, the cheese from Brune's and Sachstein's people, and a smell similar to the smell of smoked meat from Asvarre.

''---Anyway, this is a lively town.''

Similar to the castle town of LeitMeritz, but more vibrant. A merchant of Muozinel had spread a shabby carpet on the side of the street, selling jewelry on it side by side.

Next to that was a bard of Brune singing deed-of-arms poetry, furthermore next to that, Sachstein's people were selling a number of small and large mirrors. Tigre, who was walking while enjoying this rare blending of cultures, had his shoulder suddenly struck from behind.

When he looked back, a beautiful woman who grew bright red hair to her waist was standing there. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and she wore a rather provocative ensemble that emphasized her ample bosom even as she suddenly drew closer.

"Is it your first time in this town? I can be your guide if you want, what do you say?"

She had the accent of Sachstein's people. Though Tigre was surprised for a moment, he regained his composure at once.

"Thank you. But I have already decided where to go."

"Ara, is that so? That's a shame."

"......By the way, do you know a store that serves a good meal? Though I hope it is close to the port."

The woman looked puzzled and smiled happily when he asked her so.

"Are you inviting me to dinner?"

"I wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to while eating. If it tastes good, it doesn't matter if it is expensive."

To Tigre's answer, the woman shrugged with a smile.

"Well, thank you, but I finished cooking dinner a little while ago, so I'll just tell you about some good shops I know of."

In exchange for being told of three shops near the port, Tigre gave her one big copper piece as a reward. Receiving it with a smile, she disappeared into the crowd with a light wave. Seeing her off thusly, Tigre resumed walking while carrying his luggage on his shoulder.

''---Was it out of goodwill?''

Those who suddenly offer guidance were not necessarily people like her. Among them, there were fellows who lured travelers with honeyed words to the back alleys before stealing their wallet or baggage.

Tigre had also seen such persons whether in Alsace or LeitMeritz. Again, this time, he thought that he was slightly aggressive and must have appeared as if he was harassing her.

''---However...... Though it was unusual, maybe I am too restless.''

He inwardly persuaded himself to be careful. On the way, he dropped by one of the stalls to buy some fruit, picking them from a big barrel of water used to cool the mix of apples, pomegranates and figs - as well as a few ceramic bottles which most likely contained alcohol.

Though the summer was already over, it was fairly hot today. Tigre bought an apple, wiped it with his sleeve and bit it as he walked.

Seeing all this, he once again felt that there were many different kinds of people in this town.

Not only race, but there was also various occupations in the town. There were some mercenaries who wore dirty leather armor, there were swords hanging at their waist, and some travelers dressed in similar fashion as himself. Sometimes, he heard the language of an unknown country, or even noticed some characters in languages he had never seen before.

''---So, this is a port city, huh.''

Tigre stopped suddenly, causing the man who was walking immediately behind him to pass by the side with a bemused face. Twitching his nose doubtfully, he stopped. There was a strange smell. No, it was not just the smell. The blowing wind had also taken on some moisture.

''---Is the wind coming from this direction? ......And this strange smell too?''

He wondered if an accident had occurred, but this smell didn't seem to concern the people of the town as far as he could observe from the circumstances.

''---I wonder if I should have asked for some more information from that woman a while ago.''

While thinking about such things, Tigre passed through the crowd and arrived at the port.

Tigre stopped again. But this time with surprise.

The first thing he noticed were several huge ships, each so large that one might mistake it for a shrine or a mansion. Each were either connected to a wharf, or they were about to set sail.

There were a fleet of a dozen galleys that were arranged in wedge formation<ref>V-shaped formation</ref>, and there was also a sailing boat with a white sail emblazoned with the motif of some small dogs.

He had never seen a ship until now. Tigre knew that a ship was something made to go across big rivers and lakes. Still, this was his first time seeing anything as huge as this.

Around the moored ships, sailors with robust sunburnt bodies were moving around busily.

There were people who had to clean the ship, those who were carrying cargo, and those who had to inspect the cargo. There was a person who had made a temporary grill, and grilled shellfish and fish when taking a break.

Tigre was looking up at the ship stunned, and began to walk at a brisk pace to recover from his surprise. He stood from the wharf at some distance.

"......This is the sea, huh."

After saying those words, he fell silent. Tigre was gazing at the dark blue ocean which spread throughout his field of view, fascinated. The sea surface which waved gently reflected sunlight and was dazzling, the roars of the sea were echoed continuously and sea birds were dancing in the sky. The ships which left the port gradually became smaller.

Tigre noticed that the smell he was worried about a while ago, was the smell of the sea. The Wind that came blowing across the sea was cold . The meaning of "an end of the land" became clear.

He had been told that he would encounter "an end of the land" roughly when he found the sea. Asvarre was across the sea, beyond the horizon.

Then, what was beyond Asvarre?

How many countries lay in lands yet unseen by him? Were there dragons dwelling in uninhabited lands at the end of this sea? How far did the sea spread, or was it boundless and without end?

It was the sound of the bell which made Tigre, who kept standing on that occasion and was gazing at the sea for about 1/4 koku, come to himself. Thinking about it, he had only eaten an apple since he entered this town. He spoke to the sailors, who were cooking and eating fish and shellfish nearby, and he tossed them a copper coin and got a portion of their food.

The grilled fish, skewered through from mouth to tail, was as big as a two large buns. When he dug in, the skin had a plump and crispy texture.

The shellfish soup was also delicious. Though the soup was too hot and he nearly burnt his tongue, it was seasoned with ash salt, a seasoning made from burnt seaweed, which created a saltiness which gradually permeated throughout his mouth. While enjoying the fresh taste, Tigre asked a seaman about Matvey. But he shook his head in a way to show he didn't know Matvey, then he exclaimed as he remembered.

"The [{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]'s Matvey? If it's that guy, he is usually on the wharf on the north side. You should go and look over there."

The port in Lippner drew a gradual curve near the oval, and five wharves of various sizes had been installed from the north to the south. According to the sailors' talk, it seemed that ships which entered the port anchored in the same place as long as there were no special circumstances.

Telling them thank you and farewell, Tigre headed to the wharf in the north. Having relieved his hunger, he now worried about the sea breeze that blew from the ocean. He turned his gaze to the black bow in his hand.

''---I don't think that this bow will be affected by the salty air, but......''

It was not just a simple bow. It was the heirloom of the Vorn House, and though he did not know much more than that, it was an item related to the gods. It had not occurred to him before that this may be a problem as he begins to journey onto the unsteady domains of the seas.

''---Let's take care more than usual while riding on the ship.''

Tigre had made that decision after some thought, though the deciding factor had not come from any respect or fear he might have had for the bow. Rather, it had been the fact that it was the heirloom of his house and his instincts as a hunter that caused him to decide thus.

Afterwards, Tigre caught some sailors and asked if he was able to meet Matvey.

"Do you have business with me?"

He was a man in his mid-thirties or such. Though the sailors who he had seen on his way here had all been stout and well-built, Matvey stood head and shoulders above them, giving him a far more intimidating presence.

His hair was short, his skin was a burnt bronze, and his beady small eyes had a sharp glint to them. His black silk hat and gold-trimmed crimson jacket gave him a brutish air; and with his build he gave off a dominating presence just by standing still. As such, his polite way of speaking came out rather grim instead.

"Nice to meet you. I am Tigrevurmud Vorn."

Visibly unintimidated by the man, Tigre put his bags on the ground and retrieved Sasha’s letter. Upon receiving it, Matvey broke its seal and quickly read its contents.

"Oh! Do you know the content of this letter, Lord Tigrevurmud?"

Matvey smiled as Tigre shook his head, though his frightful countenance twisted the expression to resemble that of a shark that had discovered its prey.

"It says to accompany you and help out as much as possible. I cannot refuse a favor from Alexandra-sama. Please step on my ship "The [{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]"."

Bowing his head as thanks to his words, Tigre was impressed by his attitude. Despite knowing the current state of Asvarre, Matvey showed no fear. A most reliable man - as expected of someone Sasha had trust in.

"I hope to get along with you. By the way, when does this ship depart?"

When the answer “after a half koku” came back, Tigre’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"The '[{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]' was originally scheduled to head to Asvarre. You are lucky. If you had come here a little later, we would not have even been able to meet."

Matvey laughed as one revealing a trick as he continued to explain.

"Though the '[{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]' is a merchant vessel, we often let other various customers aboard, so I don't think you will particularly stand out."

"I’m sorry, but I’ve yet to see that beluga thing......"

When Tigre answered so apologetically, Matvey turned around quickly. On the back of his crimson coat, there was a pretty design of a beluga<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_whale Beluga] AKA White Whale.</ref> jumping. Though Tigre thought that it didn't look good at all<ref>I think Tigre means that Matvey’s appearance doesn’t match that of the beluga</ref>, he wisely avoided putting those thoughts into words.

"With this picture as basis, I have put on a white mantle for the title '[{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]'."

"......I understand."

"Though I should be here at about a quarter koku, what would you do? Will you come to my ship with me?" <ref> I think he means that he needs to stick around for the next half koku, and if Tigre wants to stick with him, hence why Tigre replies that he wouldn’t want to be a nuisance for that amount of time.</ref>

"Thank you for your kindness. If it's alright with you, I would like to go on ahead to the ship. I don't want to interfere with your work."

Bowing, Tigre answered so. As Matvey nodded with a smile, he took something out of his jacket pocket and presented it to Tigre.

At first glance it looked like a silver coin, but its design differed from those of Brune or Zchted: a beluga, like the one on display on Matvey’s back, was engraved upon it.

"Please take that. This is like a boarding permit, if you show that to the people in the ship, they will let you through with a smile."

Accepting the token with a word of thanks, Tigre left the place. As he walked while looking at an average ship on the wharf, he was wrapped with tension and excitement at the same time. He would be finally riding on a ship for the first time.

"Can I have a few moments of your time?"

He was suddenly called to from behind. As he looked at that place while thinking that he had been called out pretty often today, he saw a boy-like traveler with a small bag in his hand standing.

His body, short in stature, was wrapped in a slightly soiled mantle, and only a small part of his face was visible as he raised his face to look at Tigre, since it was being covered with a hood cast over his eyes.

"...I'm looking for a ship called The, Proud, Beluga, Do you know where it is?"

His voice had an accent that Tigre didn't know. There was a little interval between the words as he uttered the ship's name.

Since he seemed to have difficulty remembering the name.

Tigre looked down at the boy with a mystified look. The boy's height was only around his chest level.

Supposing he was a traveler, it seemed to be the age where one was still likely to be accompanied by parents.

"Since I am also boarding the same ship, would you like to go together? And, are you alone or are there still other-"

-companions? Those words were dispelled by a sudden snarl. When he looked there with a frown, three men who probably had not yet reached 20 years old walked forward with squared shoulders.

"You bastard, we said that we will show you the way around, what are you thinking by running away from us?"

One of the three stared angrily at the boy, and he shouted while pointing his finger at the boy. Whether it was his expression or his attitude, these were young people who seemed suited for the word hooligan.

The boy didn't show any signs of fear even though he was yelled at and calmly responded.

"Please don't continue to chase me. It's troublesome."

"D-Damn kid!"

The man became extremely enraged, and with a red face, he struck out with his fist. Tigre, with the bow still in his left hand, after placing his bag in his right onto the ground, came in between the boy and the man and caught the man's fist.

"He is my companion. Could you tell me what exactly is going on here?"

"These people agreed to guide me to the ship originally, but they then tried to take me out of the port."

Although Tigre tried to calm the mood for the time being, the boy was the one that answered back immediately. The man did not deny it, and moreover the two men who were watching the situation from behind held their tongues, then began to move. One of them went straight towards Tigre aggressively, and the other headed toward the boy.

However, Tigre's action was quicker. Others would have thought that he would first release the fist of the man who had struck out initially, however he promptly twisted it while gripping the arm without mercy and raised it. The man screamed in pain.

Then while using the man as a shield and checking the whereabouts of the second person, he pushed him away vigorously. The two thugs who collided collapsed together onto the ground.

''---I need to hurry up and help that child...''

When he looked back while thinking so, the battle was also already finished there. The hooligan only managed to pull off the boy's hood, while on the other hand the boy had jumped right in front of the thug's body, and he shot one sharp blow to his belly.

The man collapsed without a sound. Tigre, with a look of surprise and admiration, turned to the boy.

"Well then... What do you guys intend to do now?"

Looking back to the thugs that had fallen on their feet, Tigre used a cold voice to address them.

"We are not that free either. If you would just obediently allow us to leave, we will not pursue this matter any further."

Though the man growled in vexation and scowled at Tigre, he had to admit that he was no match for Tigre at all. Being challenged two against one, and despite Tigre only using one hand, they were still defeated.

As the men stood up unsteadily, they lent their shoulder to their friend who was holding his belly and then turned their backs on Tigre.

They disappeared into the crowd while cursing the onlookers. Thinking the uproar to be settled, the people who were looking at this situation from afar walked away.

The clamor of the port returned. As Tigre turned back to look at the boy, almost at the same time, the boy also looked at him.

''---A girl...?''

Tigre opened his eyes wide. He had thought all along that the traveler was a boy, but it turned out to be a girl.

Perhaps thirteen, or around fourteen years old, with disheveled light pink-coloured short hair and large eyes reminiscent of dull black pearls.

Her face was stained with dust, though the outline was slightly roundish, suitable to her age. Upon closer look, she was beautiful enough to arouse admiration. Although she gave an impression as though she were slightly absentminded with an expressionless face, she brought about an indescribable feeling and was extremely lovable.

"Thank you very much for helping me."

With a very monotonous voice, the girl quickly bowed her head.

"It was not a big deal. Though I think you are alright, did you get injured?"

When Tigre asked that while picking up his luggage, the girl looked up and issued a question while tilting her head in wonder.

"I'm not hurt. ---Why did you help me, a total stranger? Those people may have been in the right."

"More or less, because there are such people in every town, you will know who is right and wrong after you see such things happening several times. Even if it were not because of this, after seeing three large adults chasing after a child, if they were to strike you without even saying anything, it wouldn't be considered proper conduct now would it? In addition, you did not run away when I went in between you and those people."

At this answer, the girl narrowed her eyes while seeming to think about something. Her black eyes were, this time, directed to Tigre's black bow.

"What didn't you let go of your bow? Without even hesitating, you used one hand to-"

"Even if it looks like this, this thing is my family heirloom. Though it also depends on the situation, I don't want to treat it roughly if I can help it."

As he answered, Tigre thought that he couldn't understand this child very well. Although he didn't know about what she was always thinking about while being absent-minded, she was calm unlike a child. Her questions was clear too. After she seemed to have been convinced by this answer, she nodded and gave her name.

"Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Olga. So, Proud... U-Uh, Proud... Beluga..."

She stammered over her words. Opening her eyes, which were nearer to being half-opened, wider, Olga repeated the words desperately. Her blushing and flustered look made her seem a girl suitable of her age, and Tigre unknowingly gave a smile. He bent his knees, crouched and adjusted the height of his gaze to be level with hers.

"'[{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]', right? Let's go together. I'm Tigrevurmud."

It was half for a precaution not to have given his family name, and the other half was for consideration to her. Giving only her name must mean that Olga was very likely to be a commoner and not a noble. He took care not to frighten her. Of course, he also considered the fact that Olga didn't give her family name for precaution.

"Tig, revurvur... Tig, vurm..."

"If it's hard for you, just call me Tigre."

Looking at Olga repeating painfully while mumbling, Tigre gave a wry smile this time.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

When standing on the deck, he felt like the sea breeze became stronger.

"It shakes more than I thought."

In accordance with the waves of the sea surface, the ship had been repeating its up and down motions gradually. That feeling was fresh to Tigre and it was a strange thing. He thought it will take some time until he got used to it. The 'Proud Beluga', a ship that belonged to a big class of the ships which was at anchor in the port.

There were two big masts, upon which folded sails soared, and the deck under was a three-layer barrel structure including the bottom of the ship. While the deck was narrower than he thought, sailors were moving about busily between the barrels that were present everywhere and the rope that was spread all around.

Everyone there had very stout bodies, and there were many instances where they almost knocked into Tigre.

"Let's quickly go to the cabin."

As Tigre said this profusely, Olga, who was walking beside him, nodded slightly. She put back her hood again as she got on the ship, therefore Tigre found it hard to see the expression that she had .

She had not spoken much since then. Although Tigre thought that it was because she was ashamed of being unable to neatly speak Tigre's name or that it was because of her accent, it did not seem to be the case judging from her words or her attitude.

She did not try to engage in polite banter. Regarding herself, the only thing that she told Tigre was that she was traveling alone.

As he got off the ladder in the stern and entered under the deck, he walked down the aisle which was filled with the sea breeze's smell mixed with that of the wood. Tigre ducked into the room where he was told to stay for the time being while on the ship.

When he opened the door, there was a really small room. In addition to the bed fixed to the wall and the floor, there was only about three or four steps of walking space in the room. There was nothing to do other than to put his luggage on the floor and then go to sleep. By the way, the lock for the door was a rough lock handed over to him at the time of his boarding.

To Tigre who was stunned by this sight, Olga said with a monotonous voice.

"Well then, see you."

To her words, Tigre rethought that, unlike himself, who was assisted by Sasha and Matvey, Olga paid the fare as a simple guest to board the ship. At the time of boarding, the boarding permit she had passed to the sailors, though it was similar to his, it was in a copper colour instead.

"If it's okay with you, may I see your room?"

As he asked out of curiosity, Olga approved it while nodding her head as if looking down.

While walking across a narrow passage, Tigre was observing while running his eyes to the left and to the right. This layer was for the guests' and sailors' rooms, and it seemed as though there was also an Armory and some other rooms as well.

When they arrived at the vicinity of the prow and got off the ladder to the lower layer, it gradually became dimmer and a peculiar stench became increasing stronger. The narrowness of the passages did not change. Olga stopped after walking about ten steps and stood in front of one door.

After she opened the door, inside there was nothing special apart from the fact that it was pretty large. Compared to Tigre's room that could be called a private room of an inn, this place would be the equivalent of a large room used by many people. Inside the room were 12 to 13 men.

Half of them were armed with swords and armor, and they were leaning on the wall or sitting on the floor. Though the others were not armed, that didn't change the fact that a dangerous atmosphere was released from their whole body. They had distanced themselves moderately and everyone was watching each other closely.

Those eyes mixed with hostility were of course turned to Tigre and Olga that opened the door.

''---Well that is to be expected...''

Though Tigre did not show that on his face and his voice, he was aware of that. The destination of this ship was Asvarre that was in the maelstrom of a civil war. Naturally, there were only certain types of people who would go to such a place. If not a mercenary, than it would be a merchant, or else it would be people with special circumstances such as Tigre.

"Would you like to come to my room instead?"

To Olga who were standing nearby, he asked quietly. On her face looking up at Tigre, there was faint surprise in her expressionless absent-minded face.

"Is it okay?"

"As you saw a while ago, it is a small room. But it'll guarantee your security. And there is also a lock."

Tigre didn't know why she was heading to Asvarre. It was not like he didn't care about that, but he had no intention to ask since he was in a position in which it would be troublesome if he himself were to be inquired.

Therefore, though he didn't know anything about her, as expected he was reluctant to let a girl who was younger than him stay there.

Soon after that, 'The [{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]' departed from Lippner town.

A white sail gathered the winds and 'The [{{Furigana|Proud Beluga|Górdyj Beluga}}]' leisurely progressed along the azure blue sea. Tigre and Olga were standing on the deck, looking at the boundless sea and the far away silhouette of an island.

"How do you feel riding on my boat?"

With his crimson coat flapping in the sea breeze, Matvey came walking toward them. Turning his gaze to Olga, he made his small eyes shine keenly.

"Oh! An acquaintance of yours?"

Tigre replied "Yes" with a smile and Olga nodded silently. Tigre was impressed (without saying anything) since the fact that she was not perturbed even before Matvey's evil look was admirable.

"In about how many days will we arrive in Asvarre?"

"If the wind continues to be good like now, in seven or eight days I guess. Since this is not a windless season, we can think that at the very least it won't take more than ten days."

Tigre was relieved to hear that. He had no other choice but to let Olga lay down on the only bed there was, and he himself intended to sleep on the floor. It seems he would only have to endure it somehow for eight days.

"Matvey-san, about how old were you when you first became a sailor?"

"I was younger than you are now. Those who were born and raised in Lippner that decide to live with the sea think that they must have their own ship first. Therefore, to work towards this goal, while working and earning money in the ship of an acquaintance, I also learned how to trade various things for business and how to handle a ship."

"Were you not scared to go out to the sea?"

To tell the truth, Tigre was a little scared. Puffing out his chest with pride, Matvey replied while laughing.

"It's something familiar around here. As for me, though I did not mind since I saw shipwrecks drifting to the outskirts of the town where I was playing in my childhood, there are, as expected, many people who still get nervous when they get into a boat for the first time. Nonetheless, I overcome the fear with various experiences."

"Various experiences?"

Olga tilted her head.

"Storms, shipwrecks, pirates... In addition, with narrow ships, close combat which involves killing may occur, causing a situation where it becomes impossible to continue sailing. There are also things such as sharks and the sea dragon."

"Sea dragon?"

Though the last words were a little theatrical, the word "Dragon" attracted Tigre's interest. Hearing his parrot-like repeat of the word, Matvey gave a wry smile and answered.

"A long time ago, I saw it only once from afar. Like this, his body was like a long rope, looking like that of snakes, and that body was much bigger than this ship's mast. I wondered if it was capricious or was not hungry, since it did not come to attack us, and ran away with all its might."

"Such a thing is...in the sea."

"It is nothing to be concerned about. Even among the sailors who kept going to the sea for 40 or 50 years, those who happened to see it is low in number, making it a very rare sight. Unless you are extremely unlucky, or else there is usually no chance to see it within a single voyage.

To Matvey's words that reassured him, Tigre sighed.

From then on Tigre who asked a lot of things about the ship and the sea, suddenly asked about what was on his mind.

"Matvey-san, do you know the details about Asvarre?"

"Yes, since it's an important customer. Is there something that worries you?"

"I'm sorry if my question is not clear, but... What kind of country is Asvarre? For example, I don't know what kinds of Gods are worshipped in Asvarre."

He had intended to ask Sasha but unfortunately he missed the chance to. He knows the current situation in the Kingdom of Asvarre and also the fight between the princes. But, regarding anything else, it might be more accurate to say that Tigre doesn't have the slightest idea of it at all.

"Alright. Since there is no problems now with the ship, then I will have the privilege to have a nice long chat with you."

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Asvarre is called the country of the fog and the forest.

It was once a territory that was limited to only a small floating island in the North Sea - the island country of Asvarre, and there were five tribes competing for supremacy over the island. The origin of the country's name came from the island. There were few mountains but many hills, rivers and forests.

The wind-tinged heat which blew constantly from the west sea, was cooled by the time it reached the middle of the island, and hence most of the year the island was covered with fog.

"...So it is said, but as expected, to say that most of the year it is covered with fog would be an exaggeration. There are also regional variations, like between cities for example. In additon, it would not be strange for the fog to just appear at any place regardless of the time."

The island was under the constant threat of war. While it was a given for conflict to exist between the five tribes, the continental nations tried to invade the island aboard their ships, and pirates roaming around the coast was also a daily occurrence.

"Though these words may be a little too pessimistic, it can be said that where people exist, there will always be conflict, this is the reality. There is a saying, there is never a day where Asvarre goes by without having blood spilled. However, that situation changed completely due to one hero alone. His name was Artorias. He was the king founder of Asvarre."

One day, Artorias said that he dreamed that he transformed into a red dragon.

The red dragon is a symbol of the king who bundles the five tribes' leaders. Artorias, who was until then a very ordinary warrior, believed in the oracle, and decided he will become King. Though most people laughed at Artorias, 12 companions decided to follow him.

Afterwards, Artorias would always fight at the front lines while wielding his sword, fighting in countless battlefields and obtaining victory. Various tribes began to pledge allegiance to him, the pirates were cleared up, and repelled the nations that had invaded them. The 12 people following Artorias were then given the title the Knights of the Round Table.

"...It looked somewhat like the myths in Brune and Zchted, right?"

Tigre harbored such an impression. Regarding the myth of Brune, Charles, who became the successor of the king founder, started his battles after receiving a revelation from a highly virtuous monk living in a holy cave shrine. And according to the myth of Zchted, a man claiming to be the incarnation of the Black Dragon appeared before the many feuding tribes, then led his followers and started his conquest.

Seemingly not taking any offense to Tigre's sudden interuption, Matvey responded with a smile.

"Though I am not well informed about the myths of other countries, I think there are points that are in some way common."

Tigre showed his consent as well obediently and Matvey resumed the talk.

"Though Artorias and the 12 Knights of the Round Table are not gods in Asvarre, they have become objects of worship. Because it is thought that all the victories of Artorias were assumed to be due to the blessing of God. It is also assumed that each knight of the round table had the divine protection of angels - seemingly beings like spirits that obey God."

After Artorias' death, as the kingdom of Asvarre was spending a peaceful time without conflict. However, one day the peace was suddenly broken. There was the Cadiz kingdom of the continent, which possessed a large fleet, that crossed the sea and invaded Asvarre.

"Asvarre desperately resisted, but succumbed before the pressure of an overwhelmingly large army. It is said that it was deprived of half of the island in a short time. After the king ended up sick in bed, the people who recommended surrender and those who attempted to escape came out one after another, and the fate of the kingdom was without doubt in a precarious state."

However, among these people, someone appeared. Scolding the frightened retainers and soldiers, there was a person who showed a firm attitude. That person was Princess Zephyria.

"While it was said that Princess Zephyria was the owner of an incomparable beauty, she also possessed a heroine's mantle. She personally took up the sword and jumped into the battlefields, showing bravery to the extent that it was difficult to think she's a woman, . And thus, she obtained victory that was comparable to the founder, Artorias. It seems her mantra is: 'The armor is my husband and the battlefield is my palace'."

Afterwards, the king died without recovering from his illness, and after a year of conference within the court, Zephyria became the first queen of the kingdom of Asvarre. The impact that this gave to the continental nations was not small. It was because the idea of a queen in either Brune or Zchted was something absurd.

"Queen Zephyria was also excellent as a ruler. The country that was shaken by the death of the king was firmly brought together by the birth of the queen,then she subjugated the pirates in the coast, stabilized both internal and external matters of the country, and later launched an invasion of the kingdom of Cadiz."

The Cadiz kingdom was ultimately defeated by her in the end.

"Asvarre then took possession of a territory of the continent. That was something the king founder Artorias had strongly desired for, but was not able to accomplish. Queen Zephyria, who accomplished it, received the prestigious title of 'Supreme King', continuing to rule without even marrying, and finally proposed a person who had the closest blood relationship with her Father the king to be the successor, then died."

"The queen huh..."

Tigre gave a breath of admiration. Olga, who was still wearing her hood, raised a question from the back.

"I have heard stories that Queen Zephyria actually had a lover."

"Of course, many such similar gossips exists as well. I know some, too. For example, someone like the vassal who secretly supported her, the wandering knight, the traveling bard cum hunter... It is precisely because this portion of her life was non-existent when she was a ruler that is why the people had such fanciful imaginations."

Though Tigre showed honest agreement to the words of Matvey, Olga was thoughtfully silent.

"After that, up to current times, there hasn't been anything major to talk about. I think that even now Artorias and Zephyria are still heroes representing Asvarre, and even local farmers are proud of them."

"Thank you. Well then... Now, how about the current situation of civil war?"

Tigre asked it with a careful tone.

"What I know is only the information I heard from about 10 days ago - That there are skirmishes that happen frequently, but no major fights, and that the situation has fallen into a stalemate."

''---It meant that the ones suffering the most from the quarrel between the two Princes were the people in Asvarre.''

Unbearable anger blotted Tigre's expression. A stalemate meant that the hope for the end of the conflict was no where in sight. Anyhow, it would be fine if the soldiers of each side did not move too much and from the beginning to the end and just glared at each other, but it was a different matter if there were many conflict-ridden areas.

Not knowing when they will get dragged into the war, without even knowing when the war would end. Even though it was not even a battle they wished for.

Seeing through Tigre's feelings of turmoil, Matvey deliberately continue to speak with a businesslike tone.

"Concerning the number of soldiers, Prince Elliot seems to be superior, but on Prince Germaine’s side, there is a very remarkable general that is able to often overturn the numerical inferiority and obtain victory. Therefore, this war isn't likely to be able to be settled easily."

"Is there such a person? What is his name?"

"If I'm not mistaken, his name is Tallard Graham. There is rumor saying that if that man was not there, Prince Germaine might have already been defeated."

Though Tigre was interested in the man named Tallard, for the time being he pushed aside that matter in the corner of his brain and proceeded with his thoughts. Compared to what he heard from Ellen, it seemed that there wasn't much change in the situation.

Would his would meeting with Prince Germane be able to change this situation?

Tigre stood there with a disappointed face, while Olga, whom he had not the slightest idea of what she was thinking about, absent-mindedly and expressionlessly gazed at him.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

As the sun sank, the ship moored at a small island.

Tigre was in his room. Sitting on the bed, he was taking care of his bow. There was only a lamp with light that dangled down from the ceiling, swaying from side to side to match the floating of the ship.

The door was knocked on from the outside. He put his bow on the bed, stood up and opened the door. He stood up before Olga who wore an absent-minded face and was holding a deep pot. White steam was rising from the deep pot. Before returning to the room, she had bought hot water from the kitchen.

"How much was it?"

"It was two copper coins."

Only about half the deep pot was filled with hot water. Though it seemed that it would not spill even if the ship more or less shook, Tigre thought that this amount of water for two copper coins was expensive.

As Olga put the deep pot on the floor, she removed her mantle. As for the clothes that she was wearing, a cuff was loose, and there was delicate embroidery decorating the neckline and sleeves. Her waist was wrapped around with a belt, and it was something not seen much in Brune and Zchted.

However, what further attracted Tigre's attention was the axe which she hung on her waist. It had a grey edge with a small ax head and a short hand grip, so that even Olga with her small stature can easily handle it.

What looked out of place, was it's elaborate handle.

A topaz, which was also about fist sized, was embedded at the junction of the handle and the blade, and a fine pattern was engraved on the blade as well. It seems, I guess, that most people would consent even if it was said to have been built for affluent nobles to decorate their residence.

However, Tigre held a different impression. Certain weapons flashed through his mind after he saw that axe.

There was the long sword that Ellen carried, Mira's spear, the bishop's staff of Sophie and Sasha's twin blades. These weapons flashed like a bolt of lightning through the darkness inside his mind.

''---It can't be... A {{furigana|Dragonic Tool|Viralt}}?''

Weapons that had paranormal power and were only allowed to be owned by the seven Vanadis.

"Are you interested in this?"

Hearing the voice, Tigre was startled and pulled himself together. He was very likely staring too much, and although Olga still had her dimly expressionless face, some caution had crept into her black eyes.

"Oh! That axe has a splendid structure."

Tigre answered so while rummaging his dull red hair. He banished the question he wanted to ask in his innermost thoughts. Certainly it was an axe with a very remarkable structure, but there was no way that a Vanadis would be in such a place.

"Because it is a heirloom."

Olga leaned the axe against the wall while answering in a monotonous voice. She untied her obi and took off her clothes. Her upper body that became bare was slim, and the flesh was thin, and the swelling of her chest was over modest. She had a very soft, healthy body, which was also exceedingly beautiful, though it was still far from maturity.

In the presence of a dumbfounded Tigre, Olga sat down on the floor, took her hemp cloth from the cargo bag, soaked in the hot water and squeezed it. She wiped herself her body gently.

"...As expected, I don't think it's a good idea to expose your body in front of a man."

Tigre gently reproved the girl with pink turtle's hair with an embarrassed face. Olga stopped her hand that was wiping the dirt off her body, gave a glanced to Tigre, then answered while returning the hemp cloth to the hot water once again.

"It can't be helped. There is no other place."

"Even so, this is definitely not very appropriate. You should have let me turn around..."

"This is a room that you borrowed, and I am here because you have let me use it."

''What a sincere child.''

Tigre let out a sigh and turned his back to Olga.

He thought that it was good that she was young. He would have been more frantic if she were about the age of Ellen and Mira.

Tigre waited for a little while more even after finishing the maintenance of his bow.

Before long, the sound in which the hot water was squeezed was no longer heard, and the rustling of clothes reached his ears.

"It is alright now."

Looking back to the voice, Olga, who was already dressed up wearing a cloak, was currently sitting on the floor. Pointing at the deep pot, she continues speaking.

"Though it is now lukewarm, if it is alright with you, use it."

"It that so. Then, please allow me to gratefully accept it."

Since he had stood for a long time on the deck, even Tigre's body had become sticky because of the sea breeze. It was a troublesome thing to go to the kitchen now to buy hot water.

Swapping places with her, Tigre wiped his body quickly. After putting on a mantle similar to Olga's, Tigre pushed aside the deep pot to the corner of the room.

"Well then, let's go to sleep? I will sleep on the floor, so you can use the bed."

"It's impossible for me to accept your kindness to that extent."

Tigre who was going to plop himself down on the floor looked troubled at the refusal of Olga and raised his body. Though the girl with pink color hair was still expressionless, there was slight anger in her voice.

"I understand that you are behaving as an elder, since I'm younger. However, I... I want to be independent and be responsible for myself."

Although she hesitated to say it at first and turned down her eyes, Olga raised her face and asserted flatly. Guessing that he may have hurt her self-esteem, Tigre scratched his head and apologised.

"I'm sorry but I did not have the intention to hurt you. This room is considerably cold, and though you seem to be accustomed to traveling, but..."

It is probably because they were on top of the sea, therefore the ship's air becomes fairly cold at night. It was becuase ot that that both Tigre and Olga put on a mantle.

"Let's sleep on the bed together then."

Olga said without even showing a hint of shyness.

"There is only one blanket. As for sleeping on the floor, the shaking of the ship, in addition to the cold, goes directly into your body. Then, even though it will be slightly cramped on the bed, it is still better to do so. ---You look unexpectedly stubborn."

Though Tigre thought the two of them were on equal levels regarding their stubbornness, he felt that talking about that would be going off topic and thus decided to keep that for himself. He still had something he wanted to say.

"I understand what you are saying. I understand that but... Should I say that you should be a little bit more ashamed or that you should pay more attention to your surroundings?"

"If it seems as though I am trying to seduce you, then let me clarify things. If you do ever something with ill-intent, I will kick you down."

"...Understood. Then let's sleep together."

The reason Tigre compromised was because she was stubborn, and he thought that if that situation continued, she would not use the bed and would instead just lie down on the floor. When he saw her nude not long ago, though he thought that she had a healthy body, he did not hold have any other thoughts about it. The reason why he had such a thought was because Olga was still young.

They lined up and lay down on the bed. Turning the light off, Tigre slowly turned his back toward her.

Riding on a ship for the first time, he began to progressively become sleepier since he was so filled with excitement and the tension in the morning.

It was not long before the breathing of sleep could be heard from the both of them.

There was a Vanadis in the port of Prepus where Tigre was scheduled to go originally.

She had been staying in that town for a few days already, disguised as a noble woman who was on a trip, and had spent those days staying inside a room of a certain hotel. It was far more expensive than other hotels, had thick stone walls with complimentary horse carriages for people who want to travel out of the hotel, and had a reticent owner who was also good at preparing delectable meals.

Many wealthy aristocrats and affluent merchants and ambassadors from various foreign countries commonly visit this place, mostly because of the continuous arrivals of merchant ships from Brune and Asvarre to Prepus, thus allowing this particular hotel to be as successful as it is.

The Vanadis, Valentina Glinka Estes, was now receiving a disappointing report from her subordinate.

"...Is that so. Tigrevurmud Vorn did not head to this Prepus port but to Lippner port instead."

In a room that existed in the deepest part of the hotel. Only the lamplight that hung from the ceiling shone in the room. With a light source that weak, the light did not reach the corners of the room, and darkness hovered in the background. In the darkness, there was a huge sickle.

Valentina sank her body into a soft chair that used cotton and feathers in abundance while listening to the words of her subordinate. Her long black hair that seemed to melt into the darkness. She revealed a beautiful smile, making people feel that it was impossible to not be enchanted by her breathtaking beauty. She wore a pure-white dress decorated with roses and had an open book on her knees.

The subordinate was kneeling on one knee in front of the faraway doorway and continued reporting plainly.

"Although I, your humble servant, thought that it may be because Earl Vorn, being someone who is from Brune, may have taken the wrong way, but it seems like he who had entered Lippner without any change in direction had changed his plans by himself."

"Thank you very much for your efforts. I originally wanted to meet up with Earl Vorn to give him my greetings, but there's no helping it."

"Should I continue the pursuit?"

"That is not necessary. He must have already gotten into a boat heading for Asvarre at this time. I guess the greeting can only wait till after Earl Vorn comes back."

After her subordinate left, Valentina stared at the dark and sighed softly.

''---He ran away, huh.''

It was Valentina that had made the proposal to King Victor to choose Tigre as a secret messenger to Asvarre, but not directly. Another two elder statesmen had slipped in the word, and she made sure that others would not know that the idea was originally hers.

Though there were a few reasons, the most important one was because she wanted to meet him once at a place where there were no other Vanadis.

According to the agreement, Tigre could not move out from LeitMeritz unless there was some kind of special situation happening.

Having said that, she had to go through an official procedure if she wanted to meet with him in LeitMeritz and Ellen will definitely become suspicious of her actions. This is something she wanted to avoid happening.

''---I wanted to speak with him about various things, and to know his personality in detail.''

If their interests matched and there exist possible benefits for each other, there would be a possibility for them to join hands, but in the case where he would be an obstacle for her ambitions, she would find a way to eliminate him. If it was the former, she intended to support him so that he could achieve his duty as a secret messenger safely, but things did not go her way.

''---Was it Eleonora...? No that is not possible. It did not seem as though she had good knowledge of the geography of Legnica. In that case, it is likely to be Alexandra.''

She heard that he had stopped by her Imperial Palace.

What to do now? Thought Valentina.

Even if Tigre were to die because he got involved in the civil war of Asvarre, it did not matter. At the present time, after Ellen and Mira, he had also built a close relationship with Sasha. His death would be a shock to them, and it will lead to the deterioration of relationship between Zchted and Brune.

Even King Victor would be held responsible if such a thing came to pass. Nevertheless, if he came back safely, he would come to the Royal Palace. It would be necessary to report the results. King Victor will also have to thank Tigre for his services, and would give a reward depending on those results.

''---At that time, if I visited the Royal Palace, I am likely to be able to meet him.''

Depending on his attitude and his personality, she would then reveal that it was she who made the proposal to send him as an emissary, in order to receive his favour, and might conversely criticize King Victor to make him believe that she is a friend.

She examined Tigre's schedule to know when he might come back and must think about a reason to visit the Royal Palace on that day. Since she was supposed to be sick and lacked physical strength.

''---For example, I cannot frequently go to the royal palace like Sophia Obertas.''

Though it was troublesome, Valentina did not hate to think about such things. Instead she was more of a character that seemed to enjoy that. Besides, it was convenient for her to pretend that she had a weak body.

''---For example, even if I am ordered to dispatch my troops, I would delay it by the reason of my sickness to the very limit and retreat as soon as I fought a little, and I can thoroughly control the damage to my soldiers. Also, I can report that I am sick when I am summoned to the Royal Palace, collecting as much information as possible before facing whatever crisis may be happening that required my intervention. From the past till now, that is what she has been doing.''

The reason she did so is to cause everyone around her to underestimate her, to let all of them become more relaxed and unaware around her.

After organising the thoughts forming in her head, Valentina turned her gaze to inspect the book that was expanded across her knees. On the front of the book was the title that was carved in gold, "Records of the war of Zephyria".

Queen Zephyria who expanded the territory of Asvarre greatly. In the record that details her history of battles, and her popularity was shown to be able to rival with the founder King, Arturius, in the kingdom of Asvarre. After discovering it by chance in her residence and reading it when she was young, that became Valentina's favorite book.

However, she did not limit herself to only enjoying it, as the book also encompasses her notions of dreams or ambitions.

''---Someday I will become a queen, too.''

Then she would show that she would become an existence that reigned in Zchted kingdom. After some investigation, she found out that the blood that flows through her seems to be connected to royalty.

However, it was so thin that it would hard for her to insist on the succession of the throne as her ancestors are but minor relatives of the previous Kings. Therefore, she did not intend to rely on such a thing.

With her own wits, in addition to being born and raised in the Estes House, and by using the good luck that allowed her to be chosen as a Vanadis, she intended to reign on the throne. Though she did not know when that will be, but she was convinced that that day will come.

As she had already read the book many times before, she already knew the contents of the book like the back of her hand. However, she could not stop once she opened the book.

The light of the room did not disappear until it was very late into the night.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre was exposed to a severe sight.

Five girls were standing before his eyes. There was Teita with Ellen, Lim, and Princess Regin of Brune with Mira. Ellen and Lim, together with Mira were familiar with combat uniforms, and Teita had her usual maid figure. Regin's formal dress as a princess was based on white and decorated with gold and silver everywhere.

Somehow they were uniformly angry.

Ellen sharply glared at him with her arms folded. Lim looked amazed and seemed to be heaving a deep sigh even now. Teita withheld her anger and frowned. Mira seemed to be measuring the timing to put her hands on her waist, and looked ready to pour out an angry tirade.

Regin did not hide her dissatisfaction, but she was at loss as to whether she should be angry or not.

"What's wrong?" Being driven by impatience and anxiety, Tigre asked so, and Ellen then angrily answered.

"Why don't you touch your chest and ask yourself that question."

Tigre, in a panic, hurriedly looked at his chest after taking her words literally. Olga was there. She stuck her body to Tigre, naked from the waist up. In a voice without the intonation, she said.

"Please take responsibility..."

Thereupon, he woke up. There was a slightly stained wall spreading through his view.

His body felt a slight shake.

''---A dream, huh...''

With a small breath, he soliloquize "That's right, isn't it?" in his innermost thoughts. It was only once that those 5 girls gathered in one place. It was only that day when Tigre defeated Duke Thenardier and returned in triumph to the Royal Palace of Brune. However, even during that time, there was never an occasion when those five were lined up all together.

''---Fatigue must be accumulating. It was a trip where I was in a hurry all the time until I got on the ship.''

"If you have already woken up, I hope you can release me."

He heard a monotonous voice from the side right away. At that time he noticed that his right hand was touching something soft and that there was also a feeling like hair in his left hand. Above all, he felt a small amount of heat on his body.

When he moved his gaze, there were Olga's eyes. Tigre's left hand held her head, and his right hand gripped her butt. Before he was aware of it, he started embracing her while sleeping.

"And... It is hitting me."

Tigre took his hands away from her in a hurry, and jumped up vigorously. Seems like not everything was a dream. However, Olga was wearing clothes though, unlike in his dream.

"No, what should I say, that's... I'm sorry."

While taking a rough breath, Tigre covered his face with his hand and bowed his head in shame. Speaking of Olga, she woke up quietly with her usual expressionless face, not seeming in the least flustered by the situation. Lowering her gaze from Tigre's face, she looked down to his waist.

"I was told by my mother and my older sister that it can't be helped that a man is like this in the morning as it is out of their control."

Although it was good that she understood, it was still extremely shameful. All Tigre had the strength to do was to nod without speaking. Olga continued indifferently.

"Also, I understand that you did not hug me intentionally, since I confirmed that you were still sleeping. Your body instinctively search for heat because it was getting cold at night, right?"

There was a reason why Olga did not blame the young man at all. The girl with pink coloured hair was also clinging to him as she woke up.

The surprised Olga originally wanted to push Tigre away, but her feet which protruded out from under the blanket allowed her to feel exactly how cold the room was. At the same time, she felt the physical warmth of Tigre. The blanket which they covered themselves with simply could not provide such a warm feeling of comfort.

It was because of that that Olga readily compromised. Of course, she did not intend to say that to Tigre.

"I'm very thankful that you can say that, I... I will take more notice of this."

Tigre bowed once more with an apologetic face. Nonetheless, there were some things that cannot be solved with only sincerity.

In the end, until he arrived at Asvarre, there was not a morning where Tigre was able to wake up without finding himself hugging her.

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>
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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
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</noinclude>

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 1

2014-03-10T11:44:58Z

Sobokal:

== Chapter 1: Emissary ==

A buck casually walked atop a mountain ridge with an arid wind whistling around it.

The creature stood head and shoulders above its brethren and its right horn grew in a bizarre shape. The beast looked repulsive and monstrous.

To the villagers living at the foothills, it was a monster to be feared. In broad daylight, the creature trampled their fields as it pleased and ate its fill of the crops before disappearing into the mountains.

They could not stop it. Those who dared to give chase, with hoes at the ready, were gored by its horns and suffered grievous wounds. Teams of seasoned hunters were sent to hunt it down. But this buck had a prodigious sense of smell, and leg strength beyond the norm. It saw through every trap and when the hunters drew close, it would leap across cliffs, jump atop the rocky crags, or simply slide down steep slopes to elude them. As a result, even after three days and nights they had not been able to take it down.

And yet one young man was now bringing his bow to bear on this creature.

He could not have seen more than twenty winters and was of average build. But if one espied the arm which peeked out from his sleeves, one could see that he was not lacking in training. There was vigor under his dark red locks and his gaze was keen as it focused on the buck.

From his hiding place in the crags below the stag’s ridge, there was a distance of about 300 alsin. Not a distance for a mere bow. If asked, any seasoned hunter would shake his head and advise to close in sixty, even seventy paces. What's more, this boy was also aiming against the grain of gravity, shooting from a low position to a higher one. A light breeze blew downhill from the ridge to the crag. With this, his approach and attack would be masked from his prey. Yet if he missed, this good fortune would have been in vain.

All this, the young man knew well. But he did not waver. He kept calm, notching a single arrow with an ease born of unceasing practice, following through until he had drawn the bow taut.

The wind ceased for just an instant. The young man, as though foreseeing this, let loose that arrow. It traced an arc through the sky and struck the stag in the neck.

It was an unerring blow, almost as if it was sucked in by some unknown force. And yet the beast did not cry out. Rather it turned and fled in the direction opposite to the young man.

At this, he at last showed consternation. “Looks like that huge frame wasn't just for show...”

Leaving his hiding spot he nocked another arrow as he made his way up the slope. It was not meant for the buck - in his mind, the hunt had been all but ended by his first strike. This arrow was meant for any surprises that might crop up along the way.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Patata* The sound of flapping wings entered his ears as a creature the size of a large cat passed by his side.

But it was no cat. It was a dragon - its reptilian form was scaled bronze with a greenish hue from head to tail, with horns, coarse sharp teeth, and wings that reminded one of a bat. It flitted about freely, as though disregarding the young man that was its companion.

If they were on level ground, he might have traveled on equal pace with it. But as it was, he stood in the rough of the rocks, only able to smile bitterly at the departing form of the dragon.

Regulating his breathing carefully, he scaled the ridge-

-and was dumbfounded by what he saw.

The area where he had hidden before was naught but a barren rocky wasteland, and yet beyond the ridge sprawled a large forest, filled with trees, bark, and dense greenery.

“Well. It’s not that I can’t find it...but this is going to be a chore.”

He was hesitant to go down. But he could not simply leave the mountain. The villagers would remain uneasy if he merely told them ‘the beast has been taken care of’. He needed proof of his hunt.

“And I still need to find Lunie...”

Lunie, of course, was the dragon who had just left him behind. Thankfully, he knew that he needn’t worry. It was small, but it was a dragon nonetheless. No creature in the woods would dare attack it. And though it was now nowhere to be seen, it was likely that it had gone after the wounded buck.

Making his way down the slope, the young man took great care as he stepped into the thicket. There could be snakes about, and he didn’t want to risk snagging his clothes on the branches. Once past the thicket, the cold air wrapped around him as he stepped into the verdant woods. The sunlight was greatly dimmed by the undergrowth and some trees even snaked along the slope’s surface.

Indeed, there were few things worse than traversing through a forest infested by overgrown weeds and roots.

As he approached cautiously, another *patata* of wings flapping could be heard. He stopped and sure enough, out from deep within the forest’s gloom came Lunie. Recognizing him, the dragon whelp did an artful about-turn in mid-air and went back the way it came.

The young man gave chase and in less then ten paces, found himself standing before the fallen buck. It had long breathed its last, having bled enough from the wound on its neck to stain its fur-coat a deep crimson. Even so he did not relax - there were many tales of seemingly dead beasts using their last ounce of strength to rise up and bring their killers down with them in a rage. And judging from the distance between the ridge and the forest there was still a possibility that more wild beasts would come, having caught the scent of blood.

But Lunie seemed unwilling to humor his cautiousness, plonking itself unceremoniously onto the carcass and spat him with a look of impatience. ‘Hurry up’, it seemed to say.

The young man grimaced, but made no hurried move nonetheless. Slowly he crept up to the buck, making sure that there were no other creatures about. Only when he had been absolutely certain did he return the arrow to its quiver, before kneeling in front of the creature.

“Well done, Lunie,” he said, and at last flashed a genuine smile.

The young man’s name was Tigrevurmund Vorn.

Those close to him called him Tigre.

This year, he would be 17. Half a year had gone by since the day he left the land of his birth in Alsace to live in LeitMeritz, in the neighbouring country of Zhcted.

Tigre had initially thought to bring the buck down the mountain with him, but he’d happily given up on that thought upon realizing that the creature was heavy. Extraordinarily so at that.

So he hung the creature by its legs to a tree using a rope he’d prepared beforehand and prepared to dissect it.

Uncharacteristically, Lunie was curled up at his feet, but Tigre was not fooled. It was there only so it could get at the entrails that fell from the carcass at its convenience. It seemed rather eager to do so too, at that.

“Well, I guess I can only take the pelt back with me.” He definitely needed to bring the oddly-shaped horn back as proof of his success and that was no small amount of baggage to carry by itself. So, unfortunate though it was, he knew that apart from what he would eat, the rest had to be left behind. "Bones—those would work as proof too, but no, too heavy. Meat, it seems like I have to discard them all..."

Suddenly, he became aware of something rubbing against his trousers. As he looked down, he was chagrined to see Lunie stuffing a face full of blood and entrails into the bottom of his pants—its unique way of saying ‘More, please’. Well, nothing to be done about that. With a sigh, Tigre hefted his dagger, slicing off a few more pieces of meat for the hungry whelp.

By the time he actually finished the whole process, the sun had already reached its zenith. The removal of the horns had taken a large amount of time due to their size. He tied the pelt, still ringed with residual flesh and fats, with a rope of hemp, and put it into a backpack. Afterward, he washed his hands using the water in his canteen and got on to start a campfire. That done, he dug a trench, into which he dumped and buried the arbitrarily sized remains of the carcass.

While he was doing all this, Lunie, having eaten its fill, was lying asleep beside the campfire.

Half a year ago, when the breath of spring had only just begun its reign, Tigre had come to LeitMeritz. There, a chill wind still blew upon the plains, as a sign of Zhcted’s coming springtime, albeit late, when compared to his homeland Brune.

He had waited for the mountains of LeitMeritz to thaw before trekking across them, hoping to see with his own eyes the land he now lived in, to feel with his hands and feet its depths and heights—or so he claimed; in actuality all he simply wanted was to experience to the fullest the thrills of hunting in unknown terrain.

Interestingly, for all the interactions together during his time as a captive in the court, or even later as a guest commander, he had never once enjoyed Lunie’s favor. Rather, that honor was given by the dragon to his servant-girl, Teita. Yet it insisted on being by his side when he went hunting. It would even sit on the horse that Tigre rode on when he went hunting, insisting that it be brought along regardless.

And how did the silver-haired Vanadis, who was the whelp’s master, reply when asked for her opinion on this strange turn of affairs?

“This fellow is probably bored to tears from being cooped up in a world of stone walls, so if you would be willing to bring him along...”

She even tacked a joke onto the request, “Don’t go returning to the wild now...”

Though he was unwilling, it was impossible to refuse her. Not when she looked upon the dragon she petted with an expression of both affection and regret at her inability to satisfy its desire to fly freely in the skies. She wasn’t all that different from the dragon, Tigre realized. She too was a person who could not live and do as she pleased.

In any case, he had the excuse of studying the geography of LeitMeritz. Of course, he wasn’t just there to hunt. So he had ended up bringing Lunie along anyway. And it had exceeded all his expectations—well, at least his expectations for a companion in battle anyway, like during this buck hunt. The rest of the time, it did not display any such attitude. In fact, Tigre fully expected that it would start treating him akin to a roadside pebble once they got off this mountain.

A regrettable situation. But despite his disappointment, Tigre made no move to improve their working relationship. After all, this wasn’t a human he was dealing with. Lunie may still be just a stripling, but it was still a dragon.

---''I can’t understand for the life of me why it follows me at all. Maybe for now I should keep my distance.''

Tigre thought as he watched the dragon snoozing by the fireside.

And as he continued to keep watch, well fed on a meal of venison, his thoughts turned to the events that led up to the present day.

He was born as the heir to Earl Vorn of Alsace in the northwest of Brune. He had inherited the title, together with the stigma of being of the lowest rank of nobles in the land, at the tender age of 14 when his father succumbed to illness.

But his life would change on a battlefield at summer’s end.

At Dinant, the nations of Zhcted and Brune had clashed over the right to control the stream along the borders, and Brune had been defeated. Tigre had led a hundred men in that battle, and there he had encountered the commander-in-chief of Zhcted’s forces—silver haired Eleanora Viltaria, whom they called [{{furigana|Danseuse of the Sword|Meltis}}] and [{{furigana|Wind Princess of the Silverflash|Silvfrahl}}], one of the Seven Vanadis.

His attempt to assassinate her had failed, but Ellen was taken by his skill with the bow and took him as a captive.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rivalry between Dukes Ganelon and Thenardier—the two foremost nobles of Brune—came to a head, and Alsace was swept up by the wave of turmoil into the fires of war. Upon hearing this news from his father’s loyal servant Batran, Tigre borrowed soldiers from Ellen to save the place of his birth, eventually avenging himself upon Thenardier after a great many battles to the death.

And yet even after all this, there was no happy conclusion. He had only achieved a brief time of peace, and would have remained Ellen’s captive, if not for the new ruler of Brune, the king’s daughter Regin, helping to intercede on his behalf. Under the terms negotiated, he was to be returned to his homeland after spending three years as a guest commandant in Zhcted. That was the best that could be done for now. And so with the promise that he would return to them in three year’s time, Tigre bid farewell to the people of Brune and crossed the border into Zhcted, with his only companion being his maid Teita.

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Half a year had passed since that day. The tardy spring had gone swiftly by, and now even the summer would soon pass. Indeed, the brief nature of Zhcted’s summer compared to Brune’s was enough to leave an impression in and of itself.

His life in LeitMeritz so far had not been easy. One half of that he’d expected and the other of it he’d experienced. He had to learn how to speak, write, and to immerse himself in the local culture.

There was also no shortage of important personages from Zhcted who wished to meet with him. And though most of these chose to send emissaries rather than come in person, Tigre knew that establishing good relations with them was a necessity. In any case, failure was not an option; any failing on his part would smear the name of Ellen, who had given him a place to stay, and he couldn’t rightly allow that to happen.

Adding to his litany of woes were the almost daily assignments left to him by Ellen’s second-in-command Limlisha. The topics were of a grand scale, ranging from governance to military affairs—under governance, the subject could be anything between internal governance and multilateral relations.

She would also enlist his aid in her work often. This was a cause for some complaint on his part. But he went along with it anyway. For one thing, the knowledge he gained while accompanying her would be useful in developing Alsace upon his return.

And for another, she wasn’t all work and no play. Under the guise of ‘inspections’ or ‘reviews’, she would sometimes allow him some free time to roam.

At last, dawn broke.

Smothering the fire with mud, Tigre shouldered his backpack and set out. Antlers in his right hand, a bow in his left, and alongside him, Lunie flew with its trademark *Patata* resounding. They reached the village in the foothills by the afternoon. There they presented the antler and pelt to much rejoicing and eased many minds among the villagers. However, among those who had been counted with the hunters, there were many wide eyes.

“So he really managed to bring it down, eh...” The village chief, who had been responsible for leading the hunters, had only this to say.

He had gone into the mountains three mornings ago, alone. Having turned down the offer that the villagers made to have their hunters serve as his guides.

“For a hunt like this, I alone will be enough.” He’d said that even as he gazed up at the foothills from the village. “And with more people we run a greater risk of the buck getting wind of us, whether it be by sight or sound.”

It wasn’t arrogance, of course. And besides, he had subsequently grilled both the chief and the hunters for detailed information concerning the mountain.

Seeing this, the village chief had mixed feelings. On one hand he thought it was to be expected of a knight of the court. And yet on the other, he felt that the boy was only 17. Could he really be relied upon?

But Tigre had surpassed all their expectations, setting out alone and returning triumphant, having shot the beast down brilliantly.

He had succeeded where a group of six—including the chief himself—had failed throughout their five day long hunt. And he did not waste his breath on swaggering or on boasting about his ability.

Rather, Tigre just asked for a bed he could borrow for the night, which the chief obliged. He turned in rather early too.

When Tigre rose the next morning, the sky was still dark. It was a tad early for ‘morning’—even those whose farms were their livelihood had barely gotten out their beds.

“I’m sorry to wake you at this hour,” he said as he called the village chief forth from dreamland before informing him of his decision to leave.

The chief seemed shocked, and even a little disappointed. “If it is convenient for you, sir knight, please do tarry another day in our good village. We will prepare a feast for you as much as we may with our meager means.”

He asked once again. However, soon after expressing both gratitude and pushing a gentle refusal, Tigre quietly left the village and went on his way. The horse galloped along the path under a brightening sky, though it wasn’t very fast with both Tigre and Lunie sitting on it.

“What a waste...” Tigre mumbled to himself as he gazed heavenward. “...It’s not like I had anything urgent to do anyway.”

He was, of course, bemoaning the missed opportunity in the village chief’s offer. If this was Alsace, he might just have taken the proffered boon, but here he had Ellen to consider. She might have been alright with it, but she did not speak for all her subordinates. Particularly for those who already held a certain dislike for Tigre himself.

He couldn’t care less if they criticized him, but he would not allow them to do the same to Ellen.

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The sun was already falling into the west when they arrived at the capitol. They rode in via a side road constructed for the exclusive use of those in official service—with Lunie around the two of them would have made a sight for sore eyes in the crowded main streets of the city.

“Tigre-sama!” Just as they passed the gates, a familiar voice reached their ears, calling the youth’s name. It was Teita, chestnut hair tied behind her head, running towards them. She dressed after her usual fashion, long-sleeved one-piece dress falling into black folds below her legs and a clean white apron over it. Notably, she had discarded her old twin-tailed hairstyle for a single ponytail, which Tigre believed looked well on her too.

Of their immediate reactions, Lunie’s was the greater. It took to the air with a *Patata* and flew into her arms. Tigre merely exchanged smiles with her.

“I’m home, Teita.”

Upon catching Lunie, she held it close and it snuggled in her embrace. While doing so, she walked over to the youth.

“Welcome home, Tigre-sama.”

“Are you alright? You don’t have to carry it like that if it’s too heavy, you know?”

“Thank you. But Lunie’s not as heavy as it appears. I might get my clothes dirty though.” So she said, but if she was distressed, it did not show. Instead, like a mother beguiling a child, she petted the little dragon whelp.

This sixteen-year old girl, who like him was born in Alsace, had served him in the capacity of a maidservant since she was 11 till today, and even when he was set to live in LeitMeritz, she had insisted on following him.

This had been his wish as well, and Ellen had acquiesced. Nonetheless, he had worried at first that she, whom he treated like a sister, might not be able to adapt to the new environment. She had rendered his concerns moot, however, breaking the ice easily with the ladies of the court and their maids. Indeed, naught but a few days had passed before they all loved her.

Upon hearing this, Ellen had grimaced before saying thus.

“You’re quite something yourself, but it seems Teita hasn’t fallen behind. Quite the unexpected catch, isn’t she?” These words relieved Tigre greatly.

“Oh, yes. Tigre-sama, Eleanora-sama and Limlisha-san have important matters to discuss with you.”

“Important matters? With me?”

“Indeed. Ellen-sama instructed me to inform you of this upon your return.”

Upon hearing Teita recall her previous conversation with the Vanadis and her second, Tigre set his head askew in thought as he dismounted. It was all very odd. He had just returned, and had yet to greet anyone yet. Moreover, he was required to report to Ellen anyway.

Therefore, it must have been something of extraordinary importance, for her to have left him such specific instructions.

“Are they going to remind you not to take so many detours?” Teita asked.

Naturally, she did not say this in earnest. Those mischievous words were only meant to lighten his mood, Tigre guessed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

“Hmmm. That’s possible...” He did after all have a history of chatting Rurick up in the halls for too long while en route to the administration office. This habit which had earned him many a stern earful from Lim, and at times some nattering from the officials who disliked him whenever they could catch him. “In any case, I’ll head up there. Thank you, Teita.”

After handing both horse and dragon over to her, he headed up to the administration office. In the dying light of day, the corridors were dim, lit only by the flames of pinewood torches. But Ellen would be in there at this hour, he knew. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly, calling out as he did so. Sure enough, a moment later a ‘come in’ could be heard.

Opening the door, Tigre’s eyes were met by a familiar scenery. A modestly-sized room, a table of black sandalwood piled high with a veritable mountain of books, and two ladies attending to the paperwork.

The first of them sported waist-length silver hair and a blue-based silk dress. Her crimson eyes burned with vigor, and against a wall close within reach, she laid a longsword by. She was so fair of face, it was hard to imagine her as a skilled sword maiden capable of holding any man at bay. Yet she was, and more. She was the administrator of this capitol, ruler of LeitMeritz and one of the seven Vanadis of Zhcted, seventeen year-old Eleanora Viltaria.

The other was golden-haired Limlisha—Lim, as both he and Ellen would normally address her—, Ellen’s second-in-command and confidante. Tall, twenty and well-endowed, her look of detached stoicism as she silently perused the documents before her was quite the opposite of Ellen’s.

“Looks like you made it back safely.”

After looking him up and down for a moment, Ellen’s expression relaxed visibly, and Lim greeted him with an upward quirk of her lips.

“I’m back indeed,” Tigre noted, before closing the door and pulling a chair over to sit on.

Ellen’s eyes glittered. “And how did the deal with the buck go?”

He gave a simple explanation of what had transpired in the village and on the mountain while Lim prepared wine for three. Naturally, the whole request had been their doing; Ellen had dispatched him to deal with the problem after the village had informed them of its plight.

Stopping the work in their hands, the three offered up a small toast in celebration of this success, and after having finished his explanation, Tigre switched topics.

“So I hear from Teita that you have important affairs to discuss with me.” At this, the two ladies exchanged glances, and Ellen dipped her gaze to the cup in her hands, as though considering her reply. A moment later, she lifted her eyes once again.

“Tigre. Have you heard of Asvarre?”

The sudden question came as a surprise, but Tigre recovered quickly. “It’s situated northwest of Brune, across the western sea of Zhcted, I think. It’s best known for its agriculture-based economy, but a few generations ago, they had a queen who led many campaigns of expansion into the continent.”

In actuality, the number of things he knew for sure about Asvarre could be counted off on one hand, and all that, he had learnt from Massas. But being in the northeast, Alsace had no stake in that country. So for all he knew of Asvarre, it could be a fairy tale land—only the story of the conquering queen had made any lasting impression on him.

Once again, the two women exchanged looks. But these were looks of unease.

Draining her cup, Ellen spoke. “A certain someone has requested your presence in Asvarre.”

At this Tigre furrowed his brow. He did so not so much in surprise as he had in consternation. Judging from her tone, this request must be awfully hard to refuse. And there were only so many people in this world who could cause a Vanadis apprehension of this level. “And who might that be?”

“His majesty, the King,” Lim replied coolly.

Tigre’s eyes widened.

Victor, King of Zhcted. He had met the man once, when he was living in Zhcted following the conclusion of Brune’s civil strife. It was a formality that no official guest could avoid, especially not one staying for 3 years in the country, and in any case, he had heard from Ellen that the king desired to see him.

But for all that was worth the audience itself was frightfully short. The king had merely saw fit to praise his talents, and assure him that he would be given full freedom in Zhcted—with that, their meeting had come to an abrupt end.

Within that brief time, he had indeed felt the oppressive stateliness and authority emanating from the man on the throne. But what had struck him most profoundly had been the man’s eyes. Victor’s eyes were tranquil, yet cold and subdued. It made one think of the inmost depths of a dark forest, bereft of sunlight for a hundred years; like a deep bog without breath or sound of life.

But such thoughts about the monarch of a nation could not be shared with anyone, and so Tigre hid them, buried them deep in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t make a good impression, Tigre thought. ‘An enigmatic old man’ was the most honest summary he could give on his thoughts concerning that man.

And now this person was ordering him to go to Asvarre.

“So what does he want me to do there?”

“Essentially, he wants you to serve as a secret envoy.”

At this point, Ellen put her cup down and folded her arms, a distressed look on her face.

“Tigre. What do you know about Asvarre’s situation, really?”

“Well, that there’s people in it, and they sing, dance and hunt all day long?”

“Indeed, and they slaughter their own people with axe and sword while they’re at it too.” He’d actually expected this, but still it seemed there was no chance that this would be a comfortable topic.

Lim put her still unfinished cup on the table, and then proceeded to retrieve a piece of parchment from a drawer beneath the table.

“...I suppose I’ve never really told you about Asvarre either, Tigre. I’ll try to make this brief.”

“Please do, sensei.” Tigre said mischievously.

Ellen laughed. “Yes, please do, sensei.”

With a sigh, Lim turned to the parchment and began to draw a simple map. “Now, until half a year ago, King Zechariah was still on the throne of Asvarre. At that time, there was intelligence suggesting that he planned to invade Brune, but due to his own poor health, he ultimately decided to sit back for a while and observe the situation.”

Tigre’s breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated till now just how much Brune had been like a sheep thrown among wolves during those times of turmoil half a year ago. True, Sachstein was repulsed by Roland, and he himself had driven Muozinel back. But if Asvarre had invaded from the west at that time...heaven only knew what would have happened then.

“A short time after the civil war in Brune ended,” Lim continued, “King Zechariah breathed his last. I can’t really say how exactly he died. Some say he died in an accident, others say he died of food poisoning.”

Now, the King of Asvarre had six children. His eldest, Germaine, was to ascend the throne.
And that was where the madness began.

“A few days before the coronation ceremony, Germaine called his siblings together and had them executed on counts of treason.”

“Heh, or so we heard afterward,” Ellen added drily, supplementing Lim’s lecture with her own comments. “It seems Germaine is quite the arrogant character, and paranoid as well. I guess he hid his true colors while his father still lived, but with the throne in sight he must have decided to take action.”

This subject was repugnant to Tigre, but he nodded for Lim to continue anyway.

“However, two of the king’s children escaped Germaine’s grasp—the second prince, Elliot, and the first princess, Guinevere.”

The larger part of the details that Lim mentioned afterward could be summarized as such: After making his way to safety, Elliot had begun a revolt against his brother. Despite the succession having been the king’s will, there were many among the nobility who had opposed Germaine’s kin-slaying, and the revolt had been a success. Germaine was forced to abandon the palace and flee.

“So now Asvarre is split into two—” Lim broke off as she concluded, “no, perhaps you could say three parts. Germaine has hired mercenaries from Sachstein to bolster his own forces, while Elliot has done much the same by bringing the pirates of the coast into his ranks. Asvarre is in a state of chaos.”

“What about the princess Guinevere?” It was strange that she was not mentioned, so he asked.

“Rumors say that she is indifferent to either side, and has retired to a more quiet life. Most likely, she will not make any moves until the conflict between her brothers has been settled,” Lim said.

“And till now Zhcted has been supporting Elliot,” Ellen added.

“Oh yes. There’s that,” Lim said. “Okay, let’s stop talking about Asvarre for now.” With that, she produced another parchment, and began drawing up a map of the continent. Zhcted in the center, Asvarre west of the sea, Muozinel to the south on land and Brune to the southwest.

“Tigrevurmund.” Lim’s voice was scholarly and stern, like a teacher asking a question of her pupil. That meant that if he answered wrong, he was sure to be reprimanded. “Who, in your opinion, is the greatest threat to Zhcted at this time?”

“Muozinel, I suppose.”

“Correct.” Lim confirmed, unsmiling, as though this answer was a given.

“So you see, the situation in Asvarre is as we stated before. And in Brune, the scars left by the civil war have yet to heal. At best, it would take two or three years for it to make a full comeback.”

Needless to say, the next major factor was Muozinel. Even though they had been beaten back during their assault on Brune six months ago, in reality, only their navy had been dealt any significant casualties. Their land army—footsoldiers and cavalry both—had withdrawn before a decisive battle could be fought, as such minimizing their losses.

Muozinel now had an axe to grind against Zhcted as well—Tigre had the help of Zhcted troops in his rout of their advance army. Moreover, currently, Zhcted held Agnes, originally part of Brune, as their own territory, thus forming a strip of land belonging to Zhcted that Muozinel had to pass through first before it could attack. As such, Muozinel could only attack via sea, and that was impossible with their damaged navy: it could hardly even defend against an enemy attack as it was, let alone launch an invasion. So they could only sit on their hands and watch Brune recover.

“Sooner or later, we and Muozinel will surely clash. But when that will happen, no one knows. It could be three, even ten years from now.”

So saying, Ellen gazed at the wall behind her and the two flags that adorned it.

A silver sword upon black, for LeitMeritz, and for Zhcted the black dragon.

“The balance of power hangs on Asvarre’s decision—whether to join hands with Muozinel, or with us.”

Upon hearing Ellen’s words, Tigre at last understood. If Asvarre were to align itself with Zhcted, then the latter could concentrate all its energy on Muozinel. But if Asvarre were to make Muozinel its ally instead, then Zhcted would be beleaguered from both the south and the west, and it would have to divide its forces to tackle such a dire situation.

“As we were saying before, we would have preferred Elliot, but it seems he personally leans towards Muozinel. As such we shall have to support Germaine instead.”

“So, this secret envoy you speak of...” Tigre trailed off.

Ellen looked distinctly apologetic. Seeing her struggle to reply, Lim stood in for the silver-haired Vanadis. “Tigrevurmund. I believe we had said before that this is the King’s request, not that of Eleanora-sama.”

“I know. There is no way Ellen would ask something like this of me.” He answered decisively to reassure them. It worked. Almost immediately the tension in the room decreased several fold. Both women loosed smiles, and Ellen heaved a sigh of relief while still hanging her head in apology.

“I’m sorry, Tigre.”

“You needn’t be, Ellen,” Tigre said. “More importantly, what does King Victor hope to achieve by sending me?” He didn’t have the foggiest idea about how Asvarre was. He hadn’t even been there. Ever. The king’s intentions were unfathomable in this regard.

“From a certain point of view you could say he wants to recruit you,” Ellen noted while passing her now empty cup back to Lim. “It’s basically selling favors, giving you honor and glory in exchange for your services. Isn’t that practice quite common in Brune as well?”

Tigre set his head askew—he still could not accept this. “But I am not King Victor’s subject, I am a citizen of Brune, a guest who will return to Brune in 3 years time, no?”

“And that’s precisely why he wants you. Think about it—do you really expect to live off the fat of the land once you get back after 3 years? If it were up to me, I’d make you a military advisor. That way you wouldn’t ever leave the palace even after a few years.”

Upon hearing Ellen speak so solemnly, Tigre could only contemplate in silence. It was true, for he was undeniably a person of meritorious deeds.

“Having received the title of [{{furigana|Star Shooter|Silvrash|}}] and [{{furigana|Knight of the Moonlight|Lumiere}}] from an enemy general and your own king respectively, you are someone who will definitely be in an important position once you get home. So as far as the King of Zhcted is concerned, selling you favors is the right thing to do.” Lim added coolly after pouring Ellen some more wine.

For her part, the Vanadis pulled open a drawer on her own desk, and from there retrieved a letter, two rings and a sleek tube.

The tube was half an arm long, and covered by a dark black cloth. On its cap, the seal of the King of Zhcted was engraved and inlaid in gold.

“This contains a secret message to Prince Germaine, and the rings will be proof of your identity as the King’s envoy. But what I really want to show you is this—the king’s letter.” Taking the letter, Tigre read it carefully. The words of a king could not be ignored, not a single one.

It started with the normal salutations, with the King giving some praise for his gallantry in Brune and celebrating the newly forged peace between Brune and Zhcted before diving straight into the main topic.

—You are proof of the strong ties between Zhcted and Brune, and thus able to represent both nations before the Prince Germaine. No one is more suited than you are to accomplish this task.

Written below are instructions as to how far we are willing support the prince in terms of finances and in the sending of troops, as well as the duration for which we shall do so. There are contingencies should extenuating circumstances force you to deviate from the initial plan, but you should return immediately should the situation go too far out of hand.—

So, Tigre mused. He wants to use me as a bargaining chip then.

At the end of the letter, there were instructions as to how he should enter Asvarre. He would travel from LeitMeritz to Regnis, and then from there he would rendezvous with some men the King sent before setting out together for Asvarre. He was flabbergasted at the sheer amount of detail the letter went into. It even mentioned what street he should be travelling by.

Suggesting that both Zhcted and Brune were in support of Prince Germaine—quite clever of the King, really, Tigre thought.

Still. He glanced up from the letter and gave Ellen a look of unease. “Was Brune told of this?”

Ellen shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Lim nodded in agreement. “If it were so, Queen Regin would have passed the orders down to you herself, Tigrevurmund.”

She was right. In the end he was still a guest commandant, and not under any obligation to obey King Victor. Even the letter itself closed with these words—

“I, the King of Zhcted, earnestly ask of you—”

—meaning that this was no order, but a request.

And yet he could not so flippantly refuse. It was a request from a king, after all.

“...Aside from me, is there no one else who can take on this task?”

“Zhcted doesn’t lack for such people. But to the king, he couldn’t claim to be doing you a favor without at least asking you to do this much.”

Tigre tried to contemplate this for a few seconds, and then gave up, shrugging. Immediately, Lim scolded him in a low voice, and then proceeded to explain.

“You see, something like rooting out mountain bandits wouldn’t be adding any additional feathers to your cap. Your role in the Brune civil war has already demonstrated your bravery, and therefore your worth, enough.”

“There are other ways of winning honor, yes, but these would mostly involve you becoming a counsellor to the king. And that would put you in a precarious position—most of our nobles would oppose the idea of Brune interfering in affairs of governance, and it would undermine the king’s authority. So a diplomatic assignment would be the best option.” Ellen sighed.

It was true, Tigre knew. The advantages of sending him were exactly as King Victor had stated—and in those regards no one in Zhcted could compete with him.

“...And that’s how it is. Assuming that the King bears you no ill-will in the first place.” Ellen griped, leaning back in her chair.

Her casual posture relieved the young archer greatly, and he smiled. “I don’t remember ever doing anything to incur his ill-will.”

“If a country has a skilled general, do you not think that his very presence will cause the surrounding nations to be on their guard?” Lim noted coolly, remaining upright and altogether serious despite them. “In our country, there are many people who are displeased by your presence, Tigrevurmund...although I am not saying the king is one of these.”

“But the negotiations are important to Zhcted. Failure would be disastrous—so why would he give the task to me if he has enmity towards me?”

Ellen furrowed her brows as she spoke, her displeasure plain to see.“Well, since there is a contingency in place you will most likely be held responsible for any failure.”

“Of course, success would be still be best, but if you were to fail, getting rid of you would eliminate some future concerns. Depending on the situation, the blame could also be shifted onto Brune.” At this, Ellen swung back upright with a *BANG*, ignoring Lim, who cocked an eyebrow at her. “Actually, don’t you find it all very strange? If I were in the king’s place, I would throw you a banquet with someone else as the host, and make my request while the host distracts the rest of the guests.”

That was true. Tigre thought. He and the King had only met once—they weren’t friends by any means. There should have at least been some sort of party thrown to improve their relationship.

“It would only take a simple check to know that you’ve never been to Asvarre. Sending you there is like asking a child who doesn’t know left from right to go to a neighbouring village to buy something. And then there’s the men the king sent. We have no details on them. The whole thing practically screams ‘this is suspicious’!”

Indeed, it was getting quite hard to think that the king had given him this job for his ability.

“But King Victor has yet to reveal what he thinks of me, correct?” Tigre asked cautiously.

Both Lim and Ellen nodded.

“I can only think of 3 reasons why this was assigned to you. One would be to do you a favor by letting you take the honor of being a diplomat. The other might be to destroy you by putting you in a situation where you would be helpless. And the last would be to gauge your abilities.”

“Gauging my abilities?”

Ellen held up a hand. “In short, he wants to know if you are merely a person who is skilled in warfare, or if you have other skills besides. I still can’t tell if he wants you on his side, or if he wants to destroy you. But whatever it is, he definitely wants to use you.”

The silver-haired young woman chuckled a little, causing Tigre to grouse silently. None of the three options was anything to be glad about.

“And if he has any other design,” Ellen noted in a low, more serious tone, “it’s most likely to use your actions to see how the Vanadis—myself included—and the Queen of Brune will act.”

“Ellen, what should I—”

“Tigrevurmund,” Lim said in a stern voice, cutting him off. “Do not ask that of us.”

Ellen shook her head bitterly. “No matter what your decision is, I will respect it and do my utmost to help you. But it is you who must make the decision, Tigre.”

“I’m sorry.”

He could refuse. But that would lower the king’s opinion of him, and it would also affect Ellen and Brune. Turning to the map, Tigre thought about what was just said. He did not like Prince Germaine, whom Zhcted was planning to support. And yet if his rival Elliot were to ascend to the throne, his alliance with Muozinel would threaten both Zhcted and Brune, for Brune and Asvarre shared a border.

And then there was the alliance with Zhcted to think about.

For the sake of our countries, must I support a foreign tyrant?

By virtue of lending support to Germaine, it might be possible to request that he mend his ways. But he was not the King of Zhcted, Tigre knew. His words would most likely have no significant impact.

But he had to move past that. Sighing, he asked another question. “What sort of person is Prince Elliot, then?”

“Rumor has it that he’s not all that different from his brother. But at least he didn’t kill his whole family.”

“But previously you said that he roped pirates into his army to make up for his lack of numbers. Doesn’t that mean the army is no more than a band of thieves?”

King Victor must really want me to disappear, asking me to go into such a place alone.

“Will you refuse, then?”

“Might as well go. It might be a good opportunity to visit Asvarre anyway.” He meant this in earnest, but more because he did not wish to further burden the similarly-aged Vanadis. “But isn’t this a rather roundabout method? Asking me to be a secret envoy, and yet openly supporting Prince Elliot at the same time?”

“Playing both sides isn’t an uncommon tactic. Ludmira was like that during the last war.” Ellen said.

“What?” Tigre asked, not comprehending her intent. “I thought Mira was a more straightforward person than that.”

Mira of course referred to Ludmira Lurie, [{{furigana|Snow Princess of the Frozen Wave|Michelia}}] of the seven Vanadis and the governor of Olmutz, a province to the south of LeitMeritz.

“You forget that she was Duke Thenardier’s ally at first, which was why she led troops to constrain us. In addition, she continued her pursuit even when we offered to retreat. In order to fulfill her obligations to the duke, she even fought a duel with me.” Ellen’s eyebrows arched in annoyance as she said this, but Tigre could not tell if it was his casual mention of Ludmira’s nickname, or general displeasure at his reply that caused her to act this way.

“But she protected Eleanora-sama from the assassin’s blade that time, even going so far as to risk her own life.” Lim pointed out stoically.

“W-Well, that was just her trying to make me owe her a favor!” Ellen blustered, her expression that of one caught off-guard. “Even if she didn’t think about it that way at the time, when the need arises, she will definitely find an excuse to bring it up!”

“It’s only natural to do that in negotiations,” Lim reminded.

Ellen ignored her, instead turning to Tigre. “And there was that battle against Muozinel. She didn’t come to help you right away, did she? She held off to observe, right? That’s not helping you, that was just her waiting for the moment where she could make you most indebted to her. And she only severed ties with Thenardier after that incident, don’t you forget!”

With that, she downed her cup of wine with much gusto.

Tigre, for his part, understood. This Machiavellian aspect to Ludmira’s character was probably so deeply ingrained that she did not think any worse of herself despite it. Still, given that she had been forced into a conflict due to her rival’s character, it was not surprising that Ellen would be so angry.

If it was Mira, how would she respond to this request?

During his time at LeitMeritz, Ludmira Lurie had paid three visits to the capitol, and she came for three reasons. Firstly, to inquire about the state of the mountain road in Vosyes and Brune in general; secondly, to make a show of being on excellent terms with Ellen. Lastly, she came to prevail upon Tigre to join her.

Every time Ellen received a report of her arrival, she would say ‘tell her not to come again’. But who would dare say that to a Vanadis? And in any case she was half joking. They needed the information that Ludmira regularly brought them concerning Muozinel, and a petty rivalry was no reason to hinder important exchanges of intelligence.

Following her meetings with Ellen she would go looking for Tigre. The first time, she attempted to use the promise of money to win him over, and failed. From then on, she would simply come to make small talk. She did try to invite him on a hunt, but Ellen had turned her down.

If it were her, she would hint at agreeing while avoiding giving a direct answer, all the while gathering intelligence as best she could in the background. And when the critical moment came she would refuse decisively.

Perhaps this is only the first of more difficult requests to come.

He still didn’t like the given task, but he could see it for its uses. And in any case, his complaints were best kept to himself.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

After staring at the door Tigre had closed after his exit for a while, Ellen let out a sigh.

“Is this really alright?” Lim asked.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Ellen replied brusquely.

She’d agreed to let him go to Asvarre after their meeting. It was an odd thing—actually, she had been prepared to give way should he refuse adamantly, but as it turned out, he gave an unexpectedly decisive answer. She should have been glad about that, but her heart still felt heavy. Unwilling.

“I’m sorry about just now, Lim,” Ellen said with an apologetic smile. ‘Just now’ naturally referred to the point when Lim had butted in to stop Tigre from asking for her help in deciding. “I...probably wouldn’t have been able to answer him.”

In her heart of hearts, she wanted to say ‘don’t go’. But to deny the king’s request, they needed a viable alternative. Another way to foster closer ties between Zhcted and Asvarre. Or even someone to replace Tigre. But there was no such option. With regards to the king’s requirements there was none better than him, and she would be hard pressed to find such a substitute.

During Brune’s civil war, she was able to mollify the king by claiming that she had no choice but to do battle. And it had been a sweet deal overall. Brune footed much of the war bill, Zhcted had gained Agnes in the south, and Ellen had gained Tigre’s services through her co-ruling of Alsace.

This time, she had no such cards to play—as such, even a Vanadis must obey her king.

So despite herself, she could not tell him to stay. Supporting him was the only thing she could do now.

Turning her face to the window, Ellen gazed out at the scenery. The slow breeze of late summer blew across a land where the descent of darkness was nigh complete, with only a little sun peeking out from beyond the western horizon. The stars too, though she could not see them, must have already come out.

“When he came, the snowdrops were still in bloom...”

Snowdrops grew everywhere in Zhcted, and they were the herald of springtime. But spring had passed them by in a hurry. She spent hers governing, and he spent his getting accustomed to the land. And now, even summer was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, Ellen shook her head vigorously. Clearing her mind, she turned back to Lim once more, with a smile on her face. “Well, since he has decided to go, we should pave the way for him. I’ll be counting on you, Lim. This is the king’s request, so people can’t speak ill of it anyway.”

“Yes.” Lim flashed a rare smile, her voice ringing clearer than usual. But it seemed some anxiety came upon her, casting a shadow over her turquoise eyes. “Yet there is still much to worry about. Becoming a secret envoy to an unknown country, with only one other person following...”

“Let us trust him,” Ellen said brightly, her words and eyes brimming with confidence. “He has shown us many miracles during this year we spent together. Yes, you could call it luck, but without the skill to use such good-fortune there would have been no miracles, and he has that sort of ability.”

That was exaggerating somewhat, but that was because she too felt uneasy. She could not help but worry. Indeed, perhaps she had even wished for him to refuse back then.

“He will return successful. We will send him off smiling, and we will receive him with that same smile. We can do that much, even if we can neither officially celebrate his designation as envoy due to its secret nature, nor reward him easily due to his status as a citizen of Brune.”

“Indeed.” Lim said, glad that her master had erased her worries.

With that they returned to their duties. But as Ellen sorted through the papers, a sudden thought came to her.

I wonder, has the distance between him and I lessened any?

Though she was busy most of the day, and Tigre was under constant scrutiny by the court officials, they still spent their free time together often. When the weather was good they would take afternoon naps on the roof, sometimes even sneaking out the palace under the noses of Lim and the other officials to roam the city streets. During official breaks, they would have tea and refreshments with Lim and Teita. These were all small, but important memories.

We even danced together in the city once.

In the tradition of Zhcted, such festivals always began with everyone singing and dancing together, and only later would couples form and dance alone. Apparently, this had originally been a way for men to choose their brides, but that custom had long been phased out, leaving behind only that fragment of knowledge and the form of the dance itself.

When they had found out about the origins of the practice, they had both gone red in the face, but did not stop holding hands as they departed. (Of course, no one else knew, for both of them were too embarrassed to speak of it.)

They never crossed the line, each having understood the other’s position. But the silver-haired Vanadis recalled those memories of their daily lives together, and she felt her heart grow warmer.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre’s room was somewhere in the bowels of the palace. Here, unlike outside where the employees of the palace still milled about even after sunset, there was relative peace. This had been one of Ellen’s considerations, for as a guest, he drew significantly more attention than when he had been a captive.

It was not a particularly luxurious place, but the deep green carpet, brick fireplace and an oak table-and-chair set gave it a relaxing atmosphere. There was no lack of necessities either; in the corner there was a cabinet draped with grapevine as well as a long table.

Upon entry, Tigre lit the lamp by the doorway, and hit the bell on the table.

Before long, footsteps approached the door. Teita’s footsteps.

“Tigre-sama, may I enter?”

“You needn’t be so uptight, I’m the only one here,” Tigre replied in a gentle tone.

The door opened, the chestnut-haired maid entering with a curtsy before lifting her head and sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m used to it already. And besides, I’m away from home.”

Back in Alsace, they had been even less formal with one another. Tigre favored shouting across the hallway to ringing a bell anytime, and Teita, for her part, would inquire clearly as to his requirements before entering, sparing them a lot of hassle. But this was not Alsace, and there were many officials here who disliked him for being so close to the likes of Ellen, Lim and Rurick. In front of such people, they had to pay more attention to such formalities.

“So,” Teita asked after receiving Tigre’s outer coat, “have you finished speaking to Eleanora-sama on the matter?”

A dark look crept over his face. “Do you have some time, Teita? I have some things I need to tell you concerning that.”

She nodded, perplexed.

Seeing that, Tigre walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. This would be worrying to her, he knew, but nonetheless, he wanted her to know the truth.

After having her take a seat, he poured the wine. First for her, then for himself.

He downed a mouthful.

And then made his announcement.

“I need to go out for a time. I’ll be counting on you to take care of this place.”

Her eyes shot open, staring into the depths of the glass before her, the crimson fluids reflected her depression.

“This isn’t a hunt, is it?”

She was right. If this was a hunt or just some inspection in a nearby city, he would have spoken differently. He had done his best to sound calm, but there was no way he could completely hide the anxiety of stepping into unknown territory. Not from Teita, who had been serving him for so long.

So he didn’t bother playing dumb, merely lowering his gaze to meet hers.

“I know you won’t say unnecessary things to others. So I need you to keep a secret for me.”

After confirming her assent, he told her of the trip to Asvarre.

“I can’t tell you the details, but this is a very troublesome matter. While I’m gone, you will tell anyone who asks that I have gone to Silesia,” Tigre said. “And...oh yes. Take care of Lunie while I’m out.”

“I understand the part about Lunie. But ‘to the capitol’?” Teita shook her head, uncomprehending.

“Don’t worry, Lim and Ellen are the ones cooking up the cover story. You just need to tally your account to theirs,” he assured her. “I did think of claiming illness to avoid meeting people, though.”

“That wouldn’t have been like you at all, Tigre-sama. I mean, those aren’t the sort of words a person who would go out during deep winter in furs to hunt would say. And I don’t think I could fool everyone like that,” she said, displaying her resolve in an ironic sort of way, to which he could only scratch his head, at a loss.

Seeing this, she smiled. “Tigre-sama. How far away is this Asvarre?”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time going there too. All I know is that I need to go northwest from here, and then head there by ship.”

“Ship. Sea,” Teita muttered, her eyes wide. Neither of them had ever even seen anything like those. The closest they had come was in images stirred up by the songs of a wandering troubadour, or from the stories of travelling artists who had been as far as Celeste, a town in Asvarre.

She bit her lip, her fists tightening about her apron as she tried to restrain the unease welling up inside her. Reaching for her cup, she downed it all in one go—

—and with a sigh she stood, placing the cup back on table, hazel eyes locking on his.

“I don’t really understand how important this task is. But you must come back safely, Tigre-sama.”

Tigre placed his own cup aside, and held her lightly, the fragrance of her hair wafting into his nose as he did so.

You’ve grown taller...

“I will come back,” he repeated over again. “I’ll definitely return safely.”

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre left the palace before the dawn of the next day. He would travel not as Tigrevurmund Vorn, but as a common soldier of LeitMeritz. He had said his farewells to Lim and Teita, but not to Ellen.

I wish I could have said goodbye to Rurick and the others as well.

These things left him quite a few regrets, but as a secret envoy, his departure needed to be made known to as few people as was possible. Perhaps Rurick might figure it out on his own, though.

He also had to leave by the back gate, instead of from the front. At the side of the gate, a saddled horse was already awaiting him—Lim’s handiwork, most likely.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tigre placed his black bow on the saddle and secured a quiver full of arrows to his luggage—if one could call a small pack with a bear doll tied to it ‘luggage’—behind.

The bear had been obtained from Lim the night before, when she had come to check on his luggage to confirm that he had brought everything.

“Well then, take everything out.” She had said this rather strictly, and he had complied, laying out each item on the table. Food and water for several days, a stone flint, a dagger with a bottle of oil, and a purse full of silver and copper coins.

There was also a letter Ellen had written to her friend Alexandra Arshven, the Vanadis Sasha. She had done this in a hurry, and had given instructions for him to see her friend when he passed through Legnica.

“Sasha will give you additional guidance on my behalf, so it doesn’t matter if you are late by one or even two days—You must go to see her. Understood?” And with that, she had given the letter to him.

Lastly, there were the two rings as well as the silk-covered tube that contained a secret message in the king’s own hand. The surface of the tube had been rolled over with a tanned hide painted black, rendering it completely waterproof.

After inspecting everything item by item, Lim had told him to wait, and left the room for a while.

Before long, she returned, carrying between her arms quite a few new items: a bag of herbs, a bottle of ointment, ropes of hemp and straw, needle, thread and even a hand mirror.

“Bring these along too.”

She said this matter of factly even as she let him help her to arrange these additional things, much to Tigre’s shock.

“Isn’t this a little overdone?” Actually, all of these should have been necessities for travel as well, but he hadn’t thought to bring them with him initially. When he got to the port town at Legnica, he could just purchase all of those trifling things there.

“And what will you do if something happens before you get to Legnica?”

His suggestion had been coldly rejected. He knew she meant well though, and didn’t argue.

But his thoughts inadvertently spilled out into words. “It feels like you’re my mother or something.”

“M-Mother?!” Lim’s stoic mask shattered outright, her eyes going wide as she stared at Tigre, dismayed. In the face of this unexpectedly strong response, Tigre quickly backed down.

“I’m really sorry if that made you unhappy. Teita’s mother was like this too—she would inspect my luggage very scrupulously every time I headed out of town.” Here, he paused for a moment, barely stopping short of calling her naggy. “You reminded me of her.”

“I understand. Still, you should watch how you say things,” Lim said. She seemed to have regained her composure after a few moments, but Tigre still felt terrible about calling a twenty-year old woman ‘mother’.

“In that case, take this with you.”

At this moment, Lim put something into Tigre’s hand. Into his hand, not onto the table—it was a small bear doll.

“It’s a charm. Mothers always give them to their children when they go off travelling, so take it. —I don’t remember having a child this old, though,” she said roughly as his shocked gaze alternated between her and the doll. Perhaps if the room had been brighter lit he might have seen her blushing right up to her hair.

Honestly speaking, it was embarrassing to have to hang a bear doll onto his luggage. But when he thought of Lim’s feelings, he could not bear to take it off.

Leaping into the saddle, Tigre trotted the horse forward a few steps. Then suddenly he turned, gazing atop the city walls. It was still dark, and the contours of the palace walls were silhouetted against the darkness. But he could feel someone watching him.

Straining his vision, he caught a small movement.

Who’s there?

It wasn’t a soldier—a soldier would be carrying a torch at this hour. But it was not an intruder either. He could not feel the person trying to conceal his or her breathing.

A gust of wind blew in.

It did not come from the left or the right. It came rushing down from above, blowing his hair every which way and forcing him to squint.

In the midst of the gale, he caught sight of an object hurtling towards him, glittering faintly as it caught the light. About the size of an insect, but not as fast. He reached out and caught it.

It was a silver coin, and on closer inspection there were words written in ink on it.

‘Good luck’

His eyes scanned across the walls again, but that person was gone.

Glancing at the coin once more, he put it into his waist-pocket with great care. That done, he grabbed the reins and rode out into the streets, his form enveloped by the darkness.

He knew who the one standing on the walls was. The Vanadis who commanded the winds.

She could not send him off openly, and so she had chosen this method instead.

His drowsiness was far behind him now, gone with the wind. He felt warm, and full of vigor.

I will definitely return safely.

He would give her a pleasing result with his own hands.

So decided, he spurred his horse forward, through the streets at the crack of dawn.

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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume06_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 1

2014-03-10T10:00:34Z

Sobokal:

== Chapter 1: Emissary ==

A buck casually walked atop a mountain ridge with an arid wind whistling around it.

The creature stood head and shoulders above its brethren and its right horn grew in a bizarre shape. The beast looked repulsive and monstrous.

To the villagers living at the foothills, it was a monster to be feared. In broad daylight, the creature trampled their fields as it pleased and ate its fill of the crops before disappearing into the mountains.

They could not stop it. Those who dared to give chase, with hoes at the ready, were gored by its horns and suffered grievous wounds. Teams of seasoned hunters were sent to hunt it down. But this buck had a prodigious sense of smell, and leg strength beyond the norm. It saw through every trap and when the hunters drew close, it would leap across cliffs, jump atop the rocky crags, or simply slide down steep slopes to elude them. As a result, even after three days and nights they had not been able to take it down.

And yet one young man was now bringing his bow to bear on this creature.

He could not have seen more than twenty winters and was of average build. But if one espied the arm which peeked out from his sleeves, one could see that he was not lacking in training. There was vigor under his dark red locks and his gaze was keen as it focused on the buck.

From his hiding place in the crags below the stag’s ridge, there was a distance of about 300 alsin. Not a distance for a mere bow. If asked, any seasoned hunter would shake his head and advise to close in sixty, even seventy paces. What's more, this boy was also aiming against the grain of gravity, shooting from a low position to a higher one. A light breeze blew downhill from the ridge to the crag. With this, his approach and attack would be masked from his prey. Yet if he missed, this good fortune would have been in vain.

All this, the young man knew well. But he did not waver. He kept calm, notching a single arrow with an ease born of unceasing practice, following through until he had drawn the bow taut.

The wind ceased for just an instant. The young man, as though foreseeing this, let loose that arrow. It traced an arc through the sky and struck the stag in the neck.

It was an unerring blow, almost as if it was sucked in by some unknown force. And yet the beast did not cry out. Rather it turned and fled in the direction opposite to the young man.

At this, he at last showed consternation. “Looks like that huge frame wasn't just for show...”

Leaving his hiding spot he nocked another arrow as he made his way up the slope. It was not meant for the buck - in his mind, the hunt had been all but ended by his first strike. This arrow was meant for any surprises that might crop up along the way.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Patata* The sound of flapping wings entered his ears as a creature the size of a large cat passed by his side.

But it was no cat. It was a dragon - its reptilian form was scaled bronze with a greenish hue from head to tail, with horns, coarse sharp teeth, and wings that reminded one of a bat. It flitted about freely, as though disregarding the young man that was its companion.

If they were on level ground, he might have traveled on equal pace with it. But as it was, he stood in the rough of the rocks, only able to smile bitterly at the departing form of the dragon.

Regulating his breathing carefully, he scaled the ridge-

-and was dumbfounded by what he saw.

The area where he had hidden before was naught but a barren rocky wasteland, and yet beyond the ridge sprawled a large forest, filled with trees, bark, and dense greenery.

“Well. It’s not that I can’t find it...but this is going to be a chore.”

He was hesitant to go down. But he could not simply leave the mountain. The villagers would remain uneasy if he merely told them ‘the beast has been taken care of’. He needed proof of his hunt.

“And I still need to find Lunie...”

Lunie, of course, was the dragon who had just left him behind. Thankfully, he knew that he needn’t worry. It was small, but it was a dragon nonetheless. No creature in the woods would dare attack it. And though it was now nowhere to be seen, it was likely that it had gone after the wounded buck.

Making his way down the slope, the young man took great care as he stepped into the thicket. There could be snakes about, and he didn’t want to risk snagging his clothes on the branches. Once past the thicket, the cold air wrapped around him as he stepped into the verdant woods. The sunlight was greatly dimmed by the undergrowth and some trees even snaked along the slope’s surface.

Indeed, there were few things worse than traversing through a forest infested by overgrown weeds and roots.

As he approached cautiously, another *patata* of wings flapping could be heard. He stopped and sure enough, out from deep within the forest’s gloom came Lunie. Recognizing him, the dragon whelp did an artful about-turn in mid-air and went back the way it came.

The young man gave chase and in less then ten paces, found himself standing before the fallen buck. It had long breathed its last, having bled enough from the wound on its neck to stain its fur-coat a deep crimson. Even so he did not relax - there were many tales of seemingly dead beasts using their last ounce of strength to rise up and bring their killers down with them in a rage. And judging from the distance between the ridge and the forest there was still a possibility that more wild beasts would come, having caught the scent of blood.

But Lunie seemed unwilling to humor his cautiousness, plonking itself unceremoniously onto the carcass and spat him with a look of impatience. ‘Hurry up’, it seemed to say.

The young man grimaced, but made no hurried move nonetheless. Slowly he crept up to the buck, making sure that there were no other creatures about. Only when he had been absolutely certain did he return the arrow to its quiver, before kneeling in front of the creature.

“Well done, Lunie,” he said, and at last flashed a genuine smile.

The young man’s name was Tigrevurmund Vorn.

Those close to him called him Tigre.

This year, he would be 17. Half a year had gone by since the day he left the land of his birth in Alsace to live in LeitMeritz, in the neighbouring country of Zhcted.

Tigre had initially thought to bring the buck down the mountain with him, but he’d happily given up on that thought upon realizing that the creature was heavy. Extraordinarily so at that.

So he hung the creature by its legs to a tree using a rope he’d prepared beforehand and prepared to dissect it.

Uncharacteristically, Lunie was curled up at his feet, but Tigre was not fooled. It was there only so it could get at the entrails that fell from the carcass at its convenience. It seemed rather eager to do so too, at that.

“Well, I guess I can only take the pelt back with me.” He definitely needed to bring the oddly-shaped horn back as proof of his success and that was no small amount of baggage to carry by itself. So, unfortunate though it was, he knew that apart from what he would eat, the rest had to be left behind. "Bones—those would work as proof too, but no, too heavy. Meat, it seems like I have to discard them all..."

Suddenly, he became aware of something rubbing against his trousers. As he looked down, he was chagrined to see Lunie stuffing a face full of blood and entrails into the bottom of his pants—its unique way of saying ‘More, please’. Well, nothing to be done about that. With a sigh, Tigre hefted his dagger, slicing off a few more pieces of meat for the hungry whelp.

By the time he actually finished the whole process, the sun had already reached its zenith. The removal of the horns had taken a large amount of time due to their size. He tied the pelt, still ringed with residual flesh and fats, with a rope of hemp, and put it into a backpack. Afterward, he washed his hands using the water in his canteen and got on to start a campfire. That done, he dug a trench, into which he dumped and buried the arbitrarily sized remains of the carcass.

While he was doing all this, Lunie, having eaten its fill, was lying asleep beside the campfire.

Half a year ago, when the breath of spring had only just begun its reign, Tigre had come to LeitMeritz. There, a chill wind still blew upon the plains, as a sign of Zhcted’s coming springtime, albeit late, when compared to his homeland Brune.

He had waited for the mountains of LeitMeritz to thaw before trekking across them, hoping to see with his own eyes the land he now lived in, to feel with his hands and feet its depths and heights—or so he claimed; in actuality all he simply wanted was to experience to the fullest the thrills of hunting in unknown terrain.

Interestingly, for all the interactions together during his time as a captive in the court, or even later as a guest commander, he had never once enjoyed Lunie’s favor. Rather, that honor was given by the dragon to his servant-girl, Teita. Yet it insisted on being by his side when he went hunting. It would even sit on the horse that Tigre rode on when he went hunting, insisting that it be brought along regardless.

And how did the silver-haired Vanadis, who was the whelp’s master, reply when asked for her opinion on this strange turn of affairs?

“This fellow is probably bored to tears from being cooped up in a world of stone walls, so if you would be willing to bring him along...”

She even tacked a joke onto the request, “Don’t go returning to the wild now...”

Though he was unwilling, it was impossible to refuse her. Not when she looked upon the dragon she petted with an expression of both affection and regret at her inability to satisfy its desire to fly freely in the skies. She wasn’t all that different from the dragon, Tigre realized. She too was a person who could not live and do as she pleased.

In any case, he had the excuse of studying the geography of LeitMeritz. Of course, he wasn’t just there to hunt. So he had ended up bringing Lunie along anyway. And it had exceeded all his expectations—well, at least his expectations for a companion in battle anyway, like during this buck hunt. The rest of the time, it did not display any such attitude. In fact, Tigre fully expected that it would start treating him akin to a roadside pebble once they got off this mountain.

A regrettable situation. But despite his disappointment, Tigre made no move to improve their working relationship. After all, this wasn’t a human he was dealing with. Lunie may still be but a stripling, but it was still a dragon.

---''I can’t understand for the life of me why it follows me at all. Maybe for now I should keep my distance.''

Tigre thought as he watched the dragon snoozing by the fireside.

And as he continued to keep watch, well fed on a meal of venison, his thoughts turned to the events that led up to the present day.

He was born as the heir to Earl Vorn of Alsace in the northwest of Brune. He had inherited the title at the tender age of 14 when his father succumbed to illness and with it, the stigma of being of the lowest rank of nobles in the land.

But his life would change on a battlefield at summer’s end.

At Dinant, the nations of Zhcted and Brune had clashed over the right to control the stream along the borders, and Brune had been defeated. Tigre had led a hundred men in that battle, and there he had encountered the commander-in-chief of Zhcted’s forces—silver haired Eleanora Viltaria, whom they called [{{furigana|Danseuse of the Sword|Meltis}}] and [{{furigana|Wind Princess of the Silverflash|Silvfrahl}}], one of the Seven Vanadis.

His attempt to assassinate her had failed, but Ellen was taken by his skill with the bow and took him as a captive.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rivalry between Dukes Ganelon and Thenardier—the two foremost nobles of Brune—came to a head, and Alsace was swept up by the wave of turmoil into the fires of war. Upon hearing this news from his father’s loyal servant Batran, Tigre borrowed soldiers from Ellen to save the place of his birth, eventually avenging himself upon Thenardier after a great many battles to the death.

And yet even after all this, there was no happy conclusion. He had only achieved a brief time of peace, and he would have remained Ellen’s captive if not for the new ruler of Brune, the king’s daughter Regin, having helped to intercede on his behalf. Under the terms negotiated, he was to be returned to his homeland after spending three years as a guest commandant in Zhcted. That was the best that could be done for now. And so with the promise that he would return to them in three year’s time, Tigre bid farewell to the people of Brune and crossed the border into Zhcted, with his only companion being his maid Teita.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Half a year had passed since that day. The tardy spring had gone swiftly by, and now even the summer would soon pass. Indeed, the brief nature of Zhcted’s summer compared to Brune’s was enough to leave an impression in and of itself.

His life in LeitMeritz so far had not been easy. One half of that he’d expected and the other of it he’d experienced. He had to learn how to speak, write, and to immerse himself in the local culture.

There was also no shortage of important personages from Zhcted who wished to meet with him. And though most of these chose to send emissaries rather than come in person, Tigre knew that establishing good relations with them was a necessity. In any case, failure was not an option; any failing on his part would smear the name of Ellen, who had given him a place to stay, and he couldn’t rightly allow that to happen.

Adding to his litany of woes were the almost daily assignments left to him by Ellen’s second-in-command Limlisha. The topics were of a grand scale, ranging from governance to military affairs—under governance, the subject could be anything between internal governance and multilateral relations.

She would also enlist his aid in her work often. This was cause for some complaint on his part. But he went along with it anyway. For one thing, the knowledge he gained while accompanying her would be useful in developing Alsace upon his return.

And for another, she wasn’t all work and no play. Under the guise of ‘inspections’ or ‘reviews’, she would sometimes allow him some free time to roam.

At last, dawn broke.

Smothering the fire with mud, Tigre shouldered his backpack and set out. Antlers in his right hand, bow in his left, and Lunie tagging alongside him, trademark *Patata* resounding as it flew. They reached the village in the foothills by the afternoon. There they presented the antler and pelt to much rejoicing and many eased minds among the villagers. However, among those who had been counted with the hunters there were many wide eyes.

“So he really managed to bring it down, eh...” The village chief, who had been responsible for leading the hunters, had only this to say.

He had gone into the mountains three mornings ago, alone. Having turned down the offer that the villagers made to have their hunters serve as his guides.

“For a hunt like this, I alone will be enough.” He’d said that even as he gazed up at the foothills from the village. “And with more people we run a greater risk of the buck getting wind of us, whether it be by sight or sound.”

It wasn’t arrogance, of course. And besides, he had subsequently grilled both the chief and the hunters for detailed information concerning the mountain.

Seeing this, the village chief had mixed feelings. On one hand he thought it was to be expected of a knight of the court. And yet on the other, he felt that the boy was only 17. Could he really be relied upon?

But Tigre had surpassed all their expectations, setting out alone and returning triumphant, having shot the beast down brilliantly.

He had succeeded where a group of six—including the chief himself—had failed throughout their five day long hunt. And he did not waste his breath on swaggering or on boasts of his ability.

Rather, Tigre just asked for a bed he could borrow for the night, which the chief obliged. He turned in rather early too.

When Tigre rose the next morning, the sky was still dark. It was a tad early for ‘morning’—even those whose farms were their livelihood had barely gotten out their beds.

“I’m sorry to wake you at this hour,” he said as he called the village chief forth from dreamland before informing him of his decision to leave.

The chief seemed shocked, and even a little disappointed. “If it is convenient for you, sir knight, please do tarry another day in our good village. We will prepare a feast for you as much as we may with our meager means.”

He asked once again. However, soon after expressing both gratitude and pushing a gentle refusal, Tigre quietly left the village and went on his way. The horse galloped along the path under a brightening sky, though it wasn’t very fast with both Tigre and Lunie sitting on it.

“What a waste...” Tigre mumbled to himself as he gazed heavenward. “...It’s not like I had anything urgent to do anyway.”

He was, of course, bemoaning the missed opportunity in the village chief’s offer. If this was Alsace, he might just have taken the proffered boon, but here he had Ellen to consider. She might have been alright with it, but she did not speak for all her subordinates. Particularly for those who already held a certain dislike for Tigre himself.

He couldn’t care less if they criticized him, but he would not allow them to do the same to Ellen.

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The sun was already falling into the west when they arrived at the capitol. They rode in via a side road constructed for the exclusive use of those in official service—with Lunie around the two of them would have made a sight for sore eyes in the crowded main streets of the city.

“Tigre-sama!” Just as they passed the gates, a familiar voice reached their ears, calling the youth’s name. It was Teita, chestnut hair tied behind her head, running towards them. She dressed after her usual fashion, long-sleeved one-piece dress falling into black folds below her legs and a clean white apron over it. Notably, she had discarded her old twin-tailed hairstyle for a single ponytail, which Tigre believed looked well on her too.

Of their immediate reactions, Lunie’s was the greater. It took to the air with a *Patata* and flew into her arms. Tigre merely exchanged smiles with her.

“I’m home, Teita.”

Upon catching Lunie, she held it close and it snuggled in her embrace. While doing so, she walked over to the youth.

“Welcome home, Tigre-sama.”

“Are you alright? You don’t have to carry it like that if it’s too heavy, you know?”

“Thank you. But Lunie’s not as heavy as it appears. I might get my clothes dirty though.” So she said, but if she was distressed, it did not show. Instead, like a mother beguiling a child, she petted the little dragon whelp.

This sixteen-year old girl, who like him was born in Alsace, had served him in the capacity of a maidservant since she was 11 till today, and even when he was set to live in LeitMeritz, she had insisted on following him.

This had been his wish as well, and Ellen had acquiesced. Nonetheless, he had worried at first that she, whom he treated like a sister, might not be able to adapt to the new environment. She had rendered his concerns moot, however, breaking the ice easily with the ladies of the court and their maids. Indeed, naught but a few days had passed before they all loved her.

Upon hearing this, Ellen had grimaced before saying thus.

“You’re quite something yourself, but it seems Teita hasn’t fallen behind. Quite the unexpected catch, isn’t she?” These words relieved Tigre greatly.

“Oh, yes. Tigre-sama, the Eleanora-sama and Limlisha-san have important matters to discuss with you.”

“Important matters? With me?”

“Indeed. Ellen-sama instructed me to inform you of this upon your return.”

Upon hearing Teita recall her previous conversation with the Vanadis and her second, Tigre set his head askew in thought as he dismounted. It was all very odd. He had just returned, and had yet to greet anyone yet. Moreover, he was required to report to Ellen anyway.

Therefore, it must have been something of extraordinary importance, for her to have left him such specific instructions.

“Are they going to remind you not to take so many detours?” Teita asked.

Naturally, she did not say this in earnest. Those mischievous words were only meant to lighten his mood, Tigre guessed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

“Hmmm. That’s possible...” He did after all have a history of chatting Rurick up in the halls for too long while en route to the administration office. This habit which had earned him many a stern earful from Lim, and at times some nattering from the officials who disliked him whenever they could catch him. “In any case, I’ll head up there. Thank you, Teita.”

After handing both horse and dragon over to her, he headed up to the administration office. In the dying light of day, the corridors were dim, lit only by the flames of pinewood torches. But Ellen would be in there at this hour, he knew. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly, calling out as he did so. Sure enough, a moment later a ‘come in’ could be heard.

Opening the door, Tigre’s eyes were met by a familiar scenery. A modestly-sized room, a table of black sandalwood piled high with a veritable mountain of books, and two ladies attending to the paperwork.

The first of them sported waist-length silver hair and a blue-based silk dress. Her crimson eyes burned with vigor, and against a wall close within reach, she laid a longsword by. She was so fair of face, it was hard to imagine her as a skilled sword maiden capable of holding any man at bay. Yet she was and more. She was the administrator of this capitol, ruler of LeitMeritz and one of the seven Vanadis of Zhcted, seventeen year-old Eleanora Viltaria.

The other was golden-haired Limlisha—Lim, as both he and Ellen would normally address her—, Ellen’s second-in-command and confidante. Tall, twenty and well-endowed, her look of detached stoicism as she silently perused the documents before her was quite the opposite of Ellen’s.

“Looks like you made it back safely.”

After looking him up and down for a moment, Ellen’s expression relaxed visibly, and Lim greeted him with an upward quirk of her lips.

“I’m back indeed,” Tigre noted, before closing the door and pulling a chair over to sit on.

Ellen’s eyes glittered. “And how did the deal with the buck go?”

He gave a simple explanation of what had transpired in the village and on the mountain while Lim prepared wine for three. Naturally, the whole request had been their doing; Ellen had dispatched him to deal with the problem after the village had informed them of its plight.

Stopping the work in their hands, the three offered up a small toast in celebration of this success, and after having finished his explanation, Tigre switched topics.

“So I hear from Teita that you have important affairs to discuss with me.” At this, the two ladies exchanged glances, and Ellen dipped her gaze to the cup in her hands, as though considering her reply. A moment later, she lifted her eyes once again.

“Tigre. Have you heard of Asvarre?”

The sudden question came as a surprise, but Tigre recovered quickly. “It’s situated northwest of Brune, across the western sea of Zhcted, I think. It’s best known for its agriculture-based economy, but a few generations ago, they had a queen who led many campaigns of expansion into the continent.”

In actuality, the number of things he knew for sure about Asvarre could be counted off on one hand, and all that, he had learnt from Massas. But being in the northeast, Alsace had no stake in that country. So for all he knew of Asvarre, it could be a fairy tale land—only the story of the conquering queen had made any lasting impression on him.

Once again, the two women exchanged looks. But these were looks of unease.

Draining her cup, Ellen spoke. “A certain someone has requested your presence in Asvarre.”

At this Tigre furrowed his brow. He did so not so much in surprise as he had in consternation. Judging from her tone, this request must be awfully hard to refuse. And there were only so many people in this world who could cause a Vanadis apprehension of this level. “And who might that be?”

“His majesty, the King,” Lim replied coolly.

Tigre’s eyes widened.

Victor, King of Zhcted. He had met the man once, when he was living in Zhcted following the conclusion of Brune’s civil strife. It was a formality that no official guest could avoid, especially not one staying for 3 years in the country, and in any case, he had heard from Ellen that the king desired to see him.

But for all that was worth the audience itself was frightfully short. The king had merely saw fit to praise his talents, and assure him that he would be given full freedom in Zhcted—with that, their meeting had come to an abrupt end.

Within that brief time, he had indeed felt the oppressive stateliness and authority emanating from the man on the throne. But what had struck him most profoundly had been the man’s eyes. Victor’s eyes were tranquil, yet cold and subdued. It made one think of the inmost depths of a dark forest, bereft of sunlight for a hundred years; like a deep bog without breath or sound of life.

But such thoughts about the monarch of a nation could not be shared with anyone, and so Tigre hid them, buried them deep in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t make a good impression, Tigre thought. ‘An enigmatic old man’ was the most honest summary he could give on his thoughts concerning that man.

And now this person was ordering him to go to Asvarre.

“So what does he want me to do there?”

“Essentially, he wants you to serve as a secret envoy.”

At this point, Ellen put her cup down and folded her arms, a distressed look on her face.

“Tigre. What do you know about Asvarre’s situation, really?”

“Well, that there’s people in it, and they sing, dance and hunt all day long?”

“Indeed, and they slaughter their own people with axe and sword while they’re at it too.” He’d actually expected this, but still it seemed there was no chance that this would be a comfortable topic.

Lim put her still unfinished cup on the table, and then proceeded to retrieve a piece of parchment from a drawer beneath the table.

“...I suppose I’ve never really told you about Asvarre either, Tigre. I’ll try to make this brief.”

“Please do, sensei.” Tigre said mischievously.

Ellen laughed. “Yes, please do, sensei.”

With a sigh, Lim turned to the parchment and began to draw a simple map. “Now, until half a year ago, King Zechariah was still on the throne of Asvarre. At that time, there was intelligence to suggest that he planned to invade Brune, but due to his own poor health, he ultimately decided to sit back for a while and observe the situation.”

Tigre’s breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated till now just how much Brune had been like a sheep thrown among wolves during those times of turmoil half a year ago. True, Sachstein was repulsed by Roland, and he himself had driven Muozinel back. But if Asvarre had invaded from the west at that time...heaven only knew what would have happened then.

“A short time after the civil war in Brune ended,” Lim continued, “King Zechariah breathed his last. I can’t really say how exactly he died. Some say he died in an accident, others say he died of food poisoning.”

Now, the King of Asvarre had six children. His eldest, Germaine, was to ascend the throne.
And that was where the madness began.

“A few days before the coronation ceremony, Germaine called his siblings together and had them executed on counts of treason.”

“Heh, or so we heard afterward,” Ellen added drily, supplementing Lim’s lecture with her own comments. “It seems Germaine is quite the arrogant character, and paranoid as well. I guess he hid his true colors while his father still lived, but with the throne in sight he must have decided to take action.”

This subject was repugnant to Tigre, but he nodded for Lim to continue anyway.

“However, two of the king’s children escaped Germaine’s grasp—the second prince, Elliot, and the first princess, Guinevere.”

The larger part of the details that Lim mentioned afterward could be summarized as such: After making his way to safety, Elliot had begun a revolt against his brother. Despite the succession having been the king’s will, there were many among the nobility who had opposed Germaine’s kin-slaying, and the revolt had been a success. Germaine was forced to abandon the palace and flee.

“So now Asvarre is split into two—” Lim broke off as she concluded, “no, perhaps you could say three parts. Germaine has hired mercenaries from Sachstein to bolster his own forces, while Elliot has done much the same by bringing the pirates of the coast into his ranks. Asvarre is in a state of chaos.”

“What about the princess Guinevere?” It was strange that she was not mentioned, so he asked.

“Rumors say that she is indifferent to either side, and has retired to a more quiet life. Most likely, she will not make any moves until the conflict between her brothers has been settled,” Lim said.

“And till now Zhcted has been supporting Elliot,” Ellen added.

“Oh yes. There’s that,” Lim said. “Okay, let’s stop talking about Asvarre for now.” With that, she produced another parchment, and began drawing up a map of the continent. Zhcted in the center, Asvarre west of the sea, Muozinel to the south on land and Brune to the southwest.

“Tigrevurmund.” Lim’s voice was scholarly and stern, like a teacher asking a question of her pupil. That meant that if he answered wrong, he was sure to be reprimanded. “Who, in your opinion, is the greatest threat to Zhcted at this time?”

“Muozinel, I suppose.”

“Correct.” Lim confirmed, unsmiling, as though this answer was a given.

“So you see, the situation in Asvarre is as we stated before. And in Brune, the scars left by the civil war have yet to heal. At best, it would take two or three years for it to make a full comeback.”

Needless to say, the next major factor was Muozinel. Even though they had been beaten back during their assault on Brune six months ago, in reality, only their navy had been dealt any significant casualties. Their land army—footsoldiers and cavalry both—had withdrawn before a decisive battle could be fought, as such minimizing their losses.

Muozinel now had an axe to grind against Zhcted as well—Tigre had the help of Zhcted troops in his rout of their advance army. Moreover, currently, Zhcted held Agnes, originally part of Brune, as their own territory, thus forming a strip of land belonging to Zhcted that Muozinel had to pass through first before it could attack. As such, Muozinel could only attack via sea, and that was impossible with their damaged navy: it could hardly even defend against an enemy attack as it was, let alone launch an invasion. So they could only sit on their hands and watch Brune recover.

“Sooner or later, we and Muozinel will surely clash. But when that will happen, no one knows. It could be three, even ten years from now.”

So saying, Ellen gazed at the wall behind her and the two flags that adorned it.

A silver sword upon black, for LeitMeritz, and for Zhcted the black dragon.

“The balance of power hangs on Asvarre’s decision—whether to join hands with Muozinel, or with us.”

Upon hearing Ellen’s words, Tigre at last understood. If Asvarre were to align itself with Zhcted, then the latter could concentrate all its energy on Muozinel. But if Asvarre were to make Muozinel its ally instead, then Zhcted would be beleaguered from both the south and the west, and it would have to divide its forces to tackle such a dire situation.

“As we were saying before, we would have preferred Elliot, but it seems he personally leans towards Muozinel. As such we shall have to support Germaine instead.”

“So, this secret envoy you speak of...” Tigre trailed off.

Ellen looked distinctly apologetic. Seeing her struggle to reply, Lim stood in for the silver-haired Vanadis. “Tigrevurmund. I believe we had said before that this is the King’s request, not that of Eleanora-sama.”

“I know. There is no way Ellen would ask something like this of me.” He answered decisively to reassure them. It worked. Almost immediately the tension in the room decreased several fold. Both women loosed smiles, and Ellen heaved a sigh of relief while still hanging her head in apology.

“I’m sorry, Tigre.”

“You needn’t be, Ellen,” Tigre said. “More importantly, what does King Victor hope to achieve by sending me?” He didn’t have the foggiest idea about how Asvarre was. He hadn’t even been there. Ever. The king’s intentions were unfathomable in this regard.

“From a certain point of view you could say he wants to recruit you,” Ellen noted while passing her now empty cup back to Lim. “It’s basically selling favors, giving you honor and glory in exchange for your services. Isn’t that practice quite common in Brune as well?”

Tigre set his head askew—he still could not accept this. “But I am not King Victor’s subject, I am a citizen of Brune, a guest who will return to Brune in 3 years time, no?”

“And that’s precisely why he wants you. Think about it—do you really expect to live off the fat of the land once you get back after 3 years? If it were up to me, I’d make you a military advisor. That way you wouldn’t ever leave the palace even after a few years.”

Upon hearing Ellen speak so solemnly, Tigre could only contemplate in silence. It was true, for he was undeniably a person of meritorious deeds.

“Having received the title of [{{furigana|Star Shooter|Silvrash|}}] and [{{furigana|Knight of the Moonlight|Lumiere}}] from an enemy general and your own king respectively, you are someone who will definitely be in an important position once you get home. So as far as the King of Zhcted is concerned, selling you favors is the right thing to do.” Lim added coolly after pouring Ellen some more wine.

For her part, the Vanadis pulled open a drawer on her own desk, and from there retrieved a letter, two rings and a sleek tube.

The tube was half an arm long, and covered by a dark black cloth. On its cap, the seal of the King of Zhcted was engraved and inlaid in gold.

“This contains a secret message to Prince Germaine, and the rings will be proof of your identity as the King’s envoy. But what I really want to show you is this—the king’s letter.” Taking the letter, Tigre read it carefully. The words of a king could not be ignored, not a single one.

It started with the normal salutations, with the King giving some praise for his gallantry in Brune and celebrating the newly forged peace between Brune and Zhcted before diving straight into the main topic.

—You are proof of the strong ties between Zhcted and Brune, and thus able to represent both nations before the Prince Germaine. No one is more suited than you are to accomplish this task.

Written below are instructions as to how far we are willing support the prince in terms of finances and in the sending of troops, as well as the duration for which we shall do so. There are contingencies should extenuating circumstances force you to deviate from the initial plan, but you should return immediately should the situation go too far out of hand.—

So, Tigre mused. He wants to use me as a bargaining chip then.

At the end of the letter, there were instructions as to how he should enter Asvarre. He would travel from LeitMeritz to Regnis, and then from there he would rendezvous with some men the King sent before setting out together for Asvarre. He was flabbergasted at the sheer amount of detail the letter went into. It even mentioned what street he should be travelling by.

Suggesting that both Zhcted and Brune were in support of Prince Germaine—quite clever of the King, really, Tigre thought.

Still. He glanced up from the letter and gave Ellen a look of unease. “Was Brune told of this?”

Ellen shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Lim nodded in agreement. “If it were so, Queen Regin would have passed the orders down to you herself, Tigrevurmund.”

She was right. In the end he was still a guest commandant, and not under any obligation to obey King Victor. Even the letter itself closed with these words—

“I, the King of Zhcted, earnestly ask of you—”

—meaning that this was no order, but a request.

And yet he could not so flippantly refuse. It was a request from a king, after all.

“...Aside from me, is there no one else who can take on this task?”

“Zhcted doesn’t lack for such people. But to the king, he couldn’t claim to be doing you a favor without at least asking you to do this much.”

Tigre tried to contemplate this for a few seconds, and then gave up, shrugging. Immediately, Lim scolded him in a low voice, and then proceeded to explain.

“You see, something like rooting out mountain bandits wouldn’t be adding any additional feathers to your cap. Your role in the Brune civil war has already demonstrated your bravery, and therefore your worth, enough.”

“There are other ways of winning honor, yes, but these would mostly involve you becoming a counsellor to the king. And that would put you in a precarious position—most of our nobles would oppose the idea of Brune interfering in affairs of governance, and it would undermine the king’s authority. So a diplomatic assignment would be the best option.” Ellen sighed.

It was true, Tigre knew. The advantages of sending him were exactly as King Victor had stated—and in those regards no one in Zhcted could compete with him.

“...And that’s how it is. Assuming that the King bears you no ill-will in the first place.” Ellen griped, leaning back in her chair.

Her casual posture relieved the young archer greatly, and he smiled. “I don’t remember ever doing anything to incur his ill-will.”

“If a country has a skilled general, do you not think that his very presence will cause the surrounding nations to be on their guard?” Lim noted coolly, remaining upright and altogether serious despite them. “In our country, there are many people who are displeased by your presence, Tigrevurmund...although I am not saying the king is one of these.”

“But the negotiations are important to Zhcted. Failure would be disastrous—so why would he give the task to me if he has enmity towards me?”

Ellen furrowed her brows as she spoke, her displeasure plain to see.“Well, since there is a contingency in place you will most likely be held responsible for any failure.”

“Of course, success would be still be best, but if you were to fail, getting rid of you would eliminate some future concerns. Depending on the situation, the blame could also be shifted onto Brune.” At this, Ellen swung back upright with a *BANG*, ignoring Lim, who cocked an eyebrow at her. “Actually, don’t you find it all very strange? If I were in the king’s place, I would throw you a banquet with someone else as the host, and make my request while the host distracts the rest of the guests.”

That was true. Tigre thought. He and the King had only met once—they weren’t friends by any means. There should have at least been some sort of party thrown to improve their relationship.

“It would only take a simple check to know that you’ve never been to Asvarre. Sending you there is like asking a child who doesn’t know left from right to go to a neighbouring village to buy something. And then there’s the men the king sent. We have no details on them. The whole thing practically screams ‘this is suspicious’!”

Indeed, it was getting quite hard to think that the king had given him this job for his ability.

“But King Victor has yet to reveal what he thinks of me, correct?” Tigre asked cautiously.

Both Lim and Ellen nodded.

“I can only think of 3 reasons why this was assigned to you. One would be to do you a favor by letting you take the honor of being a diplomat. The other might be to destroy you by putting you in a situation where you would be helpless. And the last would be to gauge your abilities.”

“Gauging my abilities?”

Ellen held up a hand. “In short, he wants to know if you are merely a person who is skilled in warfare, or if you have other skills besides. I still can’t tell if he wants you on his side, or if he wants to destroy you. But whatever it is, he definitely wants to use you.”

The silver-haired young woman chuckled a little, causing Tigre to grouse silently. None of the three options was anything to be glad about.

“And if he has any other design,” Ellen noted in a low, more serious tone, “it’s most likely to use your actions to see how the Vanadis—myself included—and the Queen of Brune will act.”

“Ellen, what should I—”

“Tigrevurmund,” Lim said in a stern voice, cutting him off. “Do not ask that of us.”

Ellen shook her head bitterly. “No matter what your decision is, I will respect it and do my utmost to help you. But it is you who must make the decision, Tigre.”

“I’m sorry.”

He could refuse. But that would lower the king’s opinion of him, and it would also affect Ellen and Brune. Turning to the map, Tigre thought about what was just said. He did not like Prince Germaine, whom Zhcted was planning to support. And yet if his rival Elliot were to ascend to the throne, his alliance with Muozinel would threaten both Zhcted and Brune, for Brune and Asvarre shared a border.

And then there was the alliance with Zhcted to think about.

For the sake of our countries, must I support a foreign tyrant?

By virtue of lending support to Germaine, it might be possible to request that he mend his ways. But he was not the King of Zhcted, Tigre knew. His words would most likely have no significant impact.

But he had to move past that. Sighing, he asked another question. “What sort of person is Prince Elliot, then?”

“Rumor has it that he’s not all that different from his brother. But at least he didn’t kill his whole family.”

“But previously you said that he roped pirates into his army to make up for his lack of numbers. Doesn’t that mean the army is no more than a band of thieves?”

King Victor must really want me to disappear, asking me to go into such a place alone.

“Will you refuse, then?”

“Might as well go. It might be a good opportunity to visit Asvarre anyway.” He meant this in earnest, but more because he did not wish to further burden the similarly-aged Vanadis. “But isn’t this a rather roundabout method? Asking me to be a secret envoy, and yet openly supporting Prince Elliot at the same time?”

“Playing both sides isn’t an uncommon tactic. Ludmira was like that during the last war.” Ellen said.

“What?” Tigre asked, not comprehending her intent. “I thought Mira was a more straightforward person than that.”

Mira of course referred to Ludmira Lurie, [{{furigana|Snow Princess of the Frozen Wave|Michelia}}] of the seven Vanadis and the governor of Olmutz, a province to the south of LeitMeritz.

“You forget that she was Duke Thenardier’s ally at first, which was why she led troops to constrain us. In addition, she continued her pursuit even when we offered to retreat. In order to fulfill her obligations to the duke, she even fought a duel with me.” Ellen’s eyebrows arched in annoyance as she said this, but Tigre could not tell if it was his casual mention of Ludmira’s nickname, or general displeasure at his reply that caused her to act this way.

“But she protected Eleanora-sama from the assassin’s blade that time, even going so far as to risk her own life.” Lim pointed out stoically.

“W-Well, that was just her trying to make me owe her a favor!” Ellen blustered, her expression that of one caught off-guard. “Even if she didn’t think about it that way at the time, when the need arises, she will definitely find an excuse to bring it up!”

“It’s only natural to do that in negotiations,” Lim reminded.

Ellen ignored her, instead turning to Tigre. “And there was that battle against Muozinel. She didn’t come to help you right away, did she? She held off to observe, right? That’s not helping you, that was just her waiting for the moment where she could make you most indebted to her. And she only severed ties with Thenardier after that incident, don’t you forget!”

With that, she downed her cup of wine with much gusto.

Tigre, for his part, understood. This Machiavellian aspect to Ludmira’s character was probably so deeply ingrained that she did not think any worse of herself despite it. Still, given that she had been forced into a conflict due to her rival’s character, it was not surprising that Ellen would be so angry.

If it was Mira, how would she respond to this request?

During his time at LeitMeritz, Ludmira Lurie had paid three visits to the capitol, and she came for three reasons. Firstly, to inquire about the state of the mountain road in Vosyes and Brune in general; secondly, to make a show of being on excellent terms with Ellen. Lastly, she came to prevail upon Tigre to join her.

Every time Ellen received a report of her arrival, she would say ‘tell her not to come again’. But who would dare say that to a Vanadis? And in any case she was half joking. They needed the information that Ludmira regularly brought them concerning Muozinel, and a petty rivalry was no reason to hinder important exchanges of intelligence.

Following her meetings with Ellen she would go looking for Tigre. The first time, she attempted to use the promise of money to win him over, and failed. From then on, she would simply come to make small talk. She did try to invite him on a hunt, but Ellen had turned her down.

If it were her, she would hint at agreeing while avoiding giving a direct answer, all the while gathering intelligence as best she could in the background. And when the critical moment came she would refuse decisively.

Perhaps this is only the first of more difficult requests to come.

He still didn’t like the given task, but he could see it for its uses. And in any case, his complaints were best kept to himself.

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After staring at the door Tigre had closed after his exit for a while, Ellen let out a sigh.

“Is this really alright?” Lim asked.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Ellen replied brusquely.

She’d agreed to let him go to Asvarre after their meeting. It was an odd thing—actually, she had been prepared to give way should he refuse adamantly, but as it turned out, he gave an unexpectedly decisive answer. She should have been glad about that, but her heart still felt heavy. Unwilling.

“I’m sorry about just now, Lim,” Ellen said with an apologetic smile. ‘Just now’ naturally referred to the point when Lim had butted in to stop Tigre from asking for her help in deciding. “I...probably wouldn’t have been able to answer him.”

In her heart of hearts, she wanted to say ‘don’t go’. But to deny the king’s request, they needed a viable alternative. Another way to foster closer ties between Zhcted and Asvarre. Or even someone to replace Tigre. But there was no such option. With regards to the king’s requirements there was none better than him, and she would be hard pressed to find such a substitute.

During Brune’s civil war, she was able to mollify the king by claiming that she had no choice but to do battle. And it had been a sweet deal overall. Brune footed much of the war bill, Zhcted had gained Agnes in the south, and Ellen had gained Tigre’s services through her co-ruling of Alsace.

This time, she had no such cards to play—without such, even a Vanadis must obey her king.

So despite herself, she could not tell him to stay. Supporting him was the only thing she could do now.

Turning her face to the window, Ellen gazed out at the scenery. The slow breeze of late summer blew across a land where the descent of darkness was nigh complete, with only a little sun peeked out from beyond the western horizon. The stars too, though she could not see them, must have already come out.

“When he came, the snowdrops were still in bloom...”

Snowdrops grew everywhere in Zhcted, and they were the herald of springtime. But spring had passed them by in a hurry. She spent hers governing, and he spent his getting accustomed to the land. And now, even summer was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, Ellen shook her head vigorously. Clearing her mind, she turned back to Lim once more, with a smile on her face. “Well, since he has decided to go, we should pave the way for him. I’ll be counting on you, Lim. This is the king’s request, so people can’t speak ill of it anyway.”

“Yes.” Lim flashed a rare smile, her voice ringing clearer than usual. But it seemed some anxiety came upon her, and cast a shadow over her turquoise eyes. “Yet there is still much to worry about. Becoming a secret envoy to an unknown country, with only one other person following...”

“Let us trust him,” Ellen said brightly, her words and eyes brimming with confidence. “He has shown us many miracles during this year we spent together. Yes, you could call it luck, but without the skill to use such good-fortune there would have been no miracles, and he has that sort of ability.”

That was exaggerating somewhat, but that was because she too felt uneasy. She could not help but worry. Indeed, perhaps she had even wished for him to refuse back then.

“He will return successful. We will send him off smiling, and we will receive him with that same smile. We can do that much, even if we can neither officially celebrate his designation as envoy due to its secret nature, nor reward him easily due to his status as a citizen of Brune.”

“Indeed.” Lim said, glad that her master had erased her worries.

With that they returned to their duties. But as Ellen sorted through the papers, a sudden thought came to her.

I wonder, has the distance between him and I lessened any?

Though she was busy most of the day, and Tigre was under constant scrutiny by the court officials, they still spent their free time together often. When the weather was good they would take afternoon naps on the roof, sometimes even sneaking out the palace under the noses of Lim and the other officials to roam the city streets. During official breaks, they would have tea and refreshments with Lim and Teita. These were all small, but important memories.

We even danced together in the city once.

In the tradition of Zhcted, such festivals always began with everyone singing and dancing together, and only later would couples form and dance alone. Apparently, this had originally been a way for men to choose their brides, but that custom had long been phased out, leaving behind only that fragment of knowledge and the form of the dance itself.

When they had found out about the origins of the practice, they had both gone red in the face, but did not stop holding hands as they departed. (Of course, no one else knew, for both of them were too embarrassed to speak of it.)

They never crossed the line, each having understood the other’s position. But the silver-haired Vanadis recalled those memories of their daily lives together, and she felt her heart grow warmer.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre’s room was somewhere in the bowels of the palace. Here, unlike outside where the employees of the palace still milled about even after sunset, there was relative peace. This had been one of Ellen’s considerations, for as a guest, he drew significantly more attention than when he had been a captive.

It was not a particularly luxurious place, but the deep green carpet, brick fireplace and an oak table-and-chair set gave it a relaxing atmosphere. There was no lack of necessities either; in the corner there was a cabinet draped with grapevine as well as a long table.

Upon entry, Tigre lit the lamp by the doorway, and hit the bell on the table.

Before long, footsteps approached the door. Teita’s footsteps.

“Tigre-sama, may I enter?”

“You needn’t be so uptight, I’m the only one here,” Tigre replied in a gentle tone.

The door opened, the chestnut-haired maid entering with a curtsy before lifting her head and sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m used to it already. And besides, I’m away from home.”

Back in Alsace, they had been even less formal with one another. Tigre favored shouting across the hallway to ringing a bell anytime, and Teita, for her part, would inquire clearly as to his requirements before entering, sparing them a lot of hassle. But this was not Alsace, and there were many officials here who disliked him for being so close to the likes of Ellen, Lim and Rurick. In front of such people, they had to pay more attention to such formalities.

“So,” Teita asked after receiving Tigre’s outer coat, “have you finished speaking to Eleanora-sama on the matter?”

A dark look crept over his face. “Do you have some time, Teita? I have some things I need to tell you concerning that.”

She nodded, perplexed.

Seeing that, Tigre walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. This would be worrying to her, he knew, but nonetheless, he wanted her to know the truth.

After having her take a seat, he poured the wine. First for her, then for himself.

He downed a mouthful.

And then made his announcement.

“I need to go out for a time. I’ll be counting on you to take care of this place.”

Her eyes shot open, staring into the depths of the glass before her, the crimson fluids reflected her depression.

“This isn’t a hunt, is it?”

She was right. If this was a hunt or just some inspection in a nearby city, he would have spoken differently. He had done his best to sound calm, but there was no way he could completely hide the anxiety of stepping into unknown territory. Not from Teita, who had been serving him for so long.

So he didn’t bother playing dumb, merely lowering his gaze to meet hers.

“I know you won’t say unnecessary things to others. So I need you to keep a secret for me.”

After confirming her assent, he told her of the trip to Asvarre.

“I can’t tell you the details, but this is a very troublesome matter. While I’m gone, you will tell anyone who asks that I have gone to Silesia,” Tigre said. “And...oh yes. Take care of Lunie while I’m out.”

“I understand the part about Lunie. But ‘to the capitol’?” Teita shook her head, uncomprehending.

“Don’t worry, Lim and Ellen are the ones cooking up the cover story. You just need to tally your account to theirs,” he assured her. “I did think of claiming illness to avoid meeting people, though.”

“That wouldn’t have been like you at all, Tigre-sama. I mean, those aren’t the sort of words a person who would go out during deep winter in furs to hunt would say. And I don’t think I could fool everyone like that,” she said, displaying her resolve in an ironic sort of way, to which he could only scratch his head, at a loss.

Seeing this, she smiled. “Tigre-sama. How far away is this Asvarre?”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time going there too. All I know is that I need to go northwest from here, and then head there by ship.”

“Ship. Sea,” Teita muttered, her eyes wide. Neither of them had ever even seen anything like those. The closest they had come was in images stirred up by the songs of a wandering troubadour, or from the stories of travelling artists who had been as far as Celeste, a town in Asvarre.

She bit her lip, her fists tightening about her apron as she tried to restrain the unease welling up inside her. Reaching for her cup, she downed it all in one go—

—and with a sigh she stood, placing the cup back on table, hazel eyes locking on his.

“I don’t really understand how important this task is. But you must come back safely, Tigre-sama.”

Tigre placed his own cup aside, and held her lightly, the fragrance of her hair wafting into his nose as he did so.

You’ve grown taller...

“I will come back,” he repeated over again. “I’ll definitely return safely.”

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre left the palace before the dawn of the next day. He would travel not as Tigrevurmund Vorn, but as a common soldier of LeitMeritz. He had said his farewells to Lim and Teita, but not to Ellen.

I wish I could have said goodbye to Rurick and the others as well.

These things left him quite a few regrets, but as a secret envoy, his departure needed to be made known to as few people as was possible. Perhaps Rurick might figure it out on his own, though.

He also had to leave by the back gate, instead of from the front. At the side of the gate, a saddled horse was already awaiting him—Lim’s handiwork, most likely.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tigre placed his black bow on the saddle and secured a quiver full of arrows to his luggage—if one could call a small pack with a bear doll tied to it ‘luggage’—behind.

The bear had been obtained from Lim the night before, when she had come to check on his luggage to confirm that he had brought everything.

“Well then, take everything out.” She had said this rather strictly, and he had complied, laying out each item on the table. Food and water for several days, a stone flint, a dagger with a bottle of oil, and a purse full of silver and copper coins.

There was also a letter Ellen had written to her friend Alexandra Arshven, the Vanadis Sasha. She had done this in a hurry, and had given instructions for him to see her friend when he passed through Legnica.

“Sasha will give you additional guidance on my behalf, so it doesn’t matter if you are late by one or even two days—You must go to see her. Understood?” And with that, she had given the letter to him.

Lastly, there were the two rings as well as the silk-covered tube that contained a secret message in the king’s own hand. The surface of the tube had been rolled over with a tanned hide painted black, rendering it completely waterproof.

After inspecting everything item by item, Lim had told him to wait, and left the room for a while.

Before long, she returned, carrying between her arms quite a few new items: a bag of herbs, a bottle of ointment, ropes of hemp and straw, needle, thread and even a hand mirror.

“Bring these along too.”

She said this matter of factly even as she let him help her to arrange these additional things, much to Tigre’s shock.

“Isn’t this a little overdone?” Actually, all of these should have been necessities for travel as well, but he hadn’t thought to bring them with him initially. When he got to the port town at Legnica, he could just purchase all of those trifling things there.

“And what will you do if something happens before you get to Legnica?”

His suggestion had been coldly rejected. He knew she meant well though, and didn’t argue.

But his thoughts inadvertently spilled out into words. “It feels like you’re my mother or something.”

“M-Mother?!” Lim’s stoic mask shattered outright, her eyes going wide as she stared at Tigre, dismayed. In the face of this unexpectedly strong response, Tigre quickly backed down.

“I’m really sorry if that made you unhappy. Teita’s mother was like this too—she would inspect my luggage very scrupulously every time I headed out of town.” Here, he paused for a moment, barely stopping short of calling her naggy. “You reminded me of her.”

“I understand. Still, you should watch how you say things,” Lim said. She seemed to have regained her composure after a few moments, but Tigre still felt terrible about calling a twenty-year old woman ‘mother’.

“In that case, take this with you.”

At this moment, Lim put something into Tigre’s hand. Into his hand, not onto the table—it was a small bear doll.

“It’s a charm. Mothers always give them to their children when they go off travelling, so take it. —I don’t remember having a child this old, though,” she said roughly as his shocked gaze alternated between her and the doll. Perhaps if the room had been brighter lit he might have seen her blushing right up to her hair.

Honestly speaking, it was embarrassing to have to hang a bear doll onto his luggage. But when he thought of Lim’s feelings, he could not bear to take it off.

Leaping into the saddle, Tigre trotted the horse forward a few steps. Then suddenly he turned, gazing atop the city walls. It was still dark, and the contours of the palace walls were silhouetted against the darkness. But he could feel someone watching him.

Straining his vision, he caught a small movement.

Who’s there?

It wasn’t a soldier—a soldier would be carrying a torch at this hour. But it was not an intruder either. He could not feel the person trying to conceal his or her breathing.

A gust of wind blew in.

It did not come from the left or the right. It came rushing down from above, blowing his hair every which way and forcing him to squint.

In the midst of the gale, he caught sight of an object hurtling towards him, glittering faintly as it caught the light. About the size of an insect, but not as fast. He reached out and caught it.

It was a silver coin, and on closer inspection there were words written in ink on it.

‘Good luck’

His eyes scanned across the walls again, but that person was gone.

Glancing at the coin once more, he put it into his waist-pocket with great care. That done, he grabbed the reins and rode out into the streets, his form enveloped by the darkness.

He knew who the one standing on the walls was. The Vanadis who commanded the winds.

She could not send him off openly, and so she had chosen this method instead.

His drowsiness was far behind him now, gone with the wind. He felt warm, and full of vigor.

I will definitely return safely.

He would give her a pleasing result with his own hands.

So decided, he spurred his horse forward, through the streets at the crack of dawn.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume06_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-29T03:46:49Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Venom Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Perhaps other students were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark, even during the day. It was even darker at night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't such a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the dilemma of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following and yelling incessantly at him from behind.

“It is night time, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen after I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

Whether it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, would have their minds dominated by the vampire, where their only consideration was for the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, and only kept on walking silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, carrying the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In this pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment he has is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there was nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantage, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I just want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, changing their shape into something resembling that of a cat's.

Then her eyes---released a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met her's, he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this was not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention that a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowered his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's body collapses on to the ground in shock.

Some insignificant human, where a Vampire's bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless against.

It appears that her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus, no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes that she had been ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself would definitely not visit or even step on the streets nearby, if this house belonged to someone else. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

He definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a little painfully. A line ran down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her look of hunger, she must have been thirsty for a long time. But that was definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, they will transform into a vampire after being bitten, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling when meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

Not transforming into a vampire after being bitten and the ability to cancel out special powers was due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

However, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

Even so his wounds would close rapidly, and his speed of regenerating blood is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he was no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless he runs into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, scattering all information related to her from his head and then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape will you? This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about the neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, unable to step forward no matter how hard she tries.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in other words, she was being bound by a supernatural force and thus, a proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for an untold number of minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, it is significantly sharper than humans' and is able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked out from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but unforgettable. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched in wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed through the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming deathly pale, rapidly losing blood color.

Heartbeat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two extremely ripe fruits pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's peculiar body.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man that appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, sorry for troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's slam his face against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella beam a smile at him that could captivate any male.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange of seats with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, it looks like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-28T02:23:26Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Venom Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Perhaps other students were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark, even during the day. It was even darker at night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't such a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the dilemma of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following and yelling incessantly at him from behind.

“It is night time, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen after I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

Whether it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, would have their minds dominated by the vampire, where their only consideration was for the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, and only kept on walking silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, carrying the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In this pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment he has is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there was nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantage, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I just want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, changing their shape into something resembling that of a cat's.

Then her eyes---released a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met her's, he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this was not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention that a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowered his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's body collapses on to the ground in shock.

Some insignificant human, where a Vampire's bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless against.

It appears that her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus, no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes that she had been ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself would definitely not visit or even step on the streets nearby, if this house belonged to someone else. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, or perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

Definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a little painfully. A line running down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her hungry look, she must have been thirsty for a long time. But that is definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, after being bitten they will transform into a vampire, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling when meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

Not transforming into a vampire after being bitten and the ability to cancel out special powers was due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

However, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

Even so his wounds would close rapidly, and his blood regeneration is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he is no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless he runs into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, scattering all information related to her from his head and then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape will you? This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about the neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, unable to step forward no matter how hard she tries.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in other words, she was being bound by a supernatural force and thus, a proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for an untold number of minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, it is significantly sharper than humans' and is able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked out from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but unforgettable. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched in wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed through the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming deathly pale, rapidly losing blood color.

Heartbeat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two extremely ripe fruits pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's peculiar body.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man that appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, sorry for troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's slam his face against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella beam a smile at him that could captivate any male.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange of seats with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, it looks like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-27T06:26:23Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Venom Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Perhaps other students were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark, even during the day. It was even darker at night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't such a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the dilemma of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following and yelling incessantly at him from behind.

“It is night time, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen after I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

Whether it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, would have their minds dominated by the vampire, where their only consideration was for the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, and only kept on walking silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, carrying the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In this pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment he has is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there was nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantage, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I just want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, changing their shape into something resembling that of a cat's.

Then her eyes---released a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met her's, he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this was not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowers his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's shocked body collapses on to the ground.

Some insignificant human. Both Vampire bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless.

It appears her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes she was ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself would definitely not visit or even step on the streets nearby, if this house belonged to someone else. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, or perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

Definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a little painfully. A line running down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her hungry look, she must have been thirsty for a long time. But that is definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, after being bitten they will transform into a vampire, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling when meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

Not transforming into a vampire after being bitten and the ability to cancel out special powers was due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

However, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

Even so his wounds would close rapidly, and his blood regeneration is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he is no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless he runs into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, scattering all information related to her from his head and then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape will you? This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about the neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, unable to step forward no matter how hard she tries.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in other words, she was being bound by a supernatural force and thus, a proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for an untold number of minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, it is significantly sharper than humans' and is able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked out from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but unforgettable. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched in wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed through the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming deathly pale, rapidly losing blood color.

Heartbeat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two extremely ripe fruits pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's peculiar body.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man that appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, sorry for troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's slam his face against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella beam a smile at him that could captivate any male.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange of seats with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, it looks like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-24T12:00:41Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Poison Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Other students perhaps were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark even during day time. It was even darker during the night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the question of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following him and incessantly yelled from behind.

“It is nighttime, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen when I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

No matter if it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, their mind would be dominated by the vampire, with their only consideration to be the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, only kept walking on silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, I carry the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In this pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment he has is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there is nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantage, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I just want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, changing their shape into something resembling that of a cat's.

Then her eyes---released a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met her's, he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this was not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowers his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's shocked body collapses on to the ground.

Some insignificant human. Both Vampire bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless.

It appears her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes she was ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself would definitely not visit or even step on the streets nearby, if this house belonged to someone else. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, or perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

Definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a little painfully. A line running down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her hungry look, she must have been thirsty for a long time. But that is definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, after being bitten they will transform into a vampire, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling when meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

Not transforming into a vampire after being bitten and the ability to cancel out special powers was due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

However, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

Even so his wounds would close rapidly, and his blood regeneration is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he is no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless he runs into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, scattering all information related to her from his head and then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape will you? This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about the neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, unable to step forward no matter how hard she tries.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in other words, she was being bound by a supernatural force and thus, a proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for an untold number of minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, it is significantly sharper than humans' and is able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked out from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but unforgettable. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched in wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed through the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming deathly pale, rapidly losing blood color.

Heartbeat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two extremely ripe fruits pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's peculiar body.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man that appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, sorry for troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's slam his face against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella beam a smile at him that could captivate any male.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange of seats with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, it looks like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-24T10:03:29Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Poison Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Other students perhaps were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark even during day time. It was even darker during the night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the question of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following him and incessantly yelled from behind.

“It is nighttime, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen when I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

No matter if it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, their mind would be dominated by the vampire, with their only consideration to be the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, only kept walking on silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, I carry the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In this pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment he has is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there is nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantage, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I just want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, changing their shape into something resembling that of a cat's.

Then her eyes---released a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met her's, he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this was not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowers his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's shocked body collapses on to the ground.

Some insignificant human. Both Vampire bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless.

It appears her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes she was ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself would definitely not visit or even step on the streets nearby, if this house belonged to someone else. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, or perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

Definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a little painfully. A line running down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her hungry look, she must have been thirsty for a long time. But that is definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, after being bitten they will transform into a vampire, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling when meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

Not transforming into a vampire after being bitten and the ability to cancel out special powers was due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

However, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

Even so his wounds would close rapidly, and his blood regeneration is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he is no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless he runs into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, scattering all information related to her from his head and then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape will you? This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about the neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, unable to step forward no matter how hard she tries.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in other words, she was being bound by a supernatural force and thus, a proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for an untold number of minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, it is significantly sharper than humans' and is able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked down from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but an unforgettable fact. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming a death like palor, rapidly losing blood color.

Heart beat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two highly ripe fruit pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's body's particulars.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man who appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's slam his face against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella beam a smile at him that could captivate any male.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, and it look like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Silver Cross and Draculea:Volume01 Chapter1

2012-12-14T14:51:54Z

Sobokal:

==Chapter 1: Poison Proof==

Aau.

This kiss, that came with blood, tainted Kujou Hisui's first day of high school with red.

Right after the opening ceremony, he was suddenly bitten by a vampire on the way home.

Other students perhaps were going to celebrate with their parents, maybe even going out for a feast, to commemorate this special day. But for Hisui, who was living alone, it wasn't possible to have a party like that.

While he was leisurely walking home, the sky was already dark.

With the cool night breeze blowing on his face, Kujou walked into a park near home.

The lush foliage and trees blocked out the light from the street lamps, so the entire area was extremely dark even during day time. It was even darker during the night, so dim that one couldn't even see his own fingers in front of him.

But why did he choose such a route? ...Even Kujou himself couldn't understand.

If he had to justify it, it would be the scent he was smelled.

When he got through the park, he smelled what appeared to be the noble aroma of a rose.

He was drawn in by the scent, and by the time his head cleared, he found himself on a lane that he normally wouldn't be on.

The result of this—was a complete disaster.

A vampire from the myths had suddenly appeared in the flesh in front of him. However, before he could even resist, he was bitten.

No, stepping back a bit, being bitten isn't a big deal.

Although it felt more or less awful to have so much blood drained from him, his life was far from being endangered.

If he was your average person, he would be confronted with the question of bidding farewell to his humanity right before the touch of death. But to Kujou, it was not an issue to be concerned with.

There was the possibility of death from blood loss, but no matter how much blood was lost, he won't become a vampire.

In other words---the issue he was confronted with was about...

“What on earth is going on? Is this some kind of magic? Or a cheap little trick? Answer me, Human!”

He was entangled with this stubborn vampire girl.

After she finished drinking his blood, she kept following him and incessantly yelled from behind.

“It is nighttime, so could you be a bit more quiet?”

“I am more lively at night!”

“I see, you're a vampire after all...”

Vampire's Special Characteristic # 2 - They become active after sunset and retreat at dawn. Due to this characteristic they were called the king of the night, but to night-cats<ref>'''night-cats''' = night-owl for westerners</ref> like Kujou it was extremely annoying.

“Why did nothing happen when I bit you? After being bitten you should become my servant and follow my orders!”

“I don't wanna~~.” Kujou categorically rejected her.

"Impossible...to think that you wouldn't follow my orders!? Even though I definitely sucked your blood!?"

Truly, to a vampire, for this kind of impossible thing to happen, it was as if the world has toppled over.

No matter if it's saints, nobles or murderous thugs, as long as they are born human, being bitten by vampires will trigger the transformation.

Also the people who are bitten, their mind would be dominated by the vampire, with their only consideration to be the master's welfare....but Kujou does not even appear to pay attention.

“What kind of person are you?! What kind of magic is this!?”

“I have no idea, this is not a skill, it is a physical trait, phy-sical.”

I have answered your questions several times already, an angry Kujou replies in an unfriendly tone.

“How could such a situation exist? Also, I am a VAMPIRE, you are meeting a lady like myself! Thus, you should be like..... that right??”

“I am afraid. You are wearing this 'I am a vampire' outfit, I didn't expect I would be targeted by you.”

“Didn't think you were an expert. From the way you talk, this is not the first time you met a vampire?”

“.....Ah, I used to know a vampire, that's it.”

Kujou didn't speak anymore, only kept walking on silently.

Rushella also realized asking such questions would be futile, thus she remained silent for a few minutes before bringing up a different question.

“....Backup, I will recognize the fact you have an absurd body. And I don't care about those run-of-the-mill vampires; you cannot escape the fangs of a (True Ancestor). Confess, what trick are you using?”

Kujou suddenly stops.

Rushella suddenly brings up a certain description that he cannot ignore.

“True ancestor? Are you joking?”

“Of course not? I am at the apex of the vampire race, I carry the blood of the founder, the mighty 'True ancestor'-sama!”

As Rushella proudly replies, her full chest puffs up, and Kujou couldn't help but lower his sight.

“In a society like today, something like a true ancestor, is rarer than endangered species. Where are you from? Some place far in the mountains?”

“The way you speak is so impertinent....”

When she replied, Kujou begins to sense danger, and suddenly becomes more alert.

The opponent is a vampire. In pitch-dark night.

Other than his body, he does not have any special abilities, so there is no way to struggle or win.

And the vampire girl has a pair of short swords attached to each of her legs. Each of her snow-white legs has a sheath bound to her fishnet hose, releasing a dangerous aura.

Against that, the only equipment is a high school book-bag.

Naturally, there is nothing in that bag that can be used against a vampire.

Recognizing his own disadvantages, Kujou's face darkens with fear. But Rushella answers him with an enchanting smile.

“Don't worry, I won't use any violence that would harm your body. I want you to voluntarily offer me your neck.”

Rushella squints her black pupils, and their shape changes into something resembling a cat's.

Then her eyes---releases a beam of scarlet light.

As his gaze met hers', he understood what Rushella is trying to do.

Vampire's Special Characteristic #3 - Magic Eyes.

People who are weak willed would be enchanted by those scarlet pupils, and their spirit forever trapped in the darkness.

“Although this is not my original idea, but it is more noble than hunting you down. Not to mention a spiritually stubborn person, a person like you, cannot possibly escape my eyes' binding. Kneel before me, and offer me your neck!”

“Ah, magic eyes don't work on me either...”

Kujou scratched his head, and replied slowly.

Based on what he is saying, his eyes were not dazzled by the <Magic Eyes>.

Rushella's jaw drops, and she stares back blankly.

Looking at her, Kujou couldn't help but feel sorry, and lowers his gaze.

“Thus......Sorry?”

“....Don't be sorry! This is making me even more mad, why is this? Why are my <Magic Eyes> not working?”

“That can also be said to be a physical attribute. You know I would not transform into a vampire, and didn't expect this? Pretty much all vampire abilities don't work on me.”

“No...impossible...”

Rushella's shocked body collapses on the ground.

Some insignificant human. Both Vampire bite and Magic Eye appear to be useless.

It appears her very existence as a vampire is in doubt.

“I am actually [defeated] by a human?”

Looking at the depressed Rushella, Kujou realizes this is his chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Rushella recovers quickly.

“No...this is impossible. Something must have went wrong. Maybe I haven't practiced enough!”

“........? That, using <Magic Eyes> should be second nature to vampires right? Especially for a (True Ancestor)-sama, who should have been using this for years right?”

Facing Kujou's analysis, Rushella looks away.

As if she is trying to avoid the other person's question, her eyes falls upon a nearby feral cat.

[Lets go test it on a nearby prey]

Rushella reaches out her hand to catch the cat.

This black cat appears to be a bit chubby, but it is extremely alert. As soon as Rushella approaches, it dashes away.

But in the end, it is only a cat, and thus no match for the King of the night. After a fierce struggle, Rushella catches the wild feline, and holds it up by her hands.

“Making me waste my time...hey, look at me!”

But the cat instantly looks away.

Rushella could only use her hand to turn its head toward her, and the scarlet light from her eyes met the cat.

Although she didn't need to release (Scarlet vision), but the wild cat becomes relaxed.

“Shouldn't you quickly greet your master?”

Listening to these words, the cat's attitude does a 180 degree turn, it begins to meow cutely and lick her hand.

“Very good....isn't it effective. It looks like I am not having a problem. Ok, one more time! Human, look at my eyes again!”

She turned around, but no one is in sight.

Only the night wind blowing across an empty park.

Rushella opens her mouth, speechless.

Only a few seconds later, she realizes she was ditched.

“That Human.....!!!”

“ESCAPED!”

Sighing at the night sky, he finally arrives home.

Kujou's home is a western styled two stories house, extremely large for someone living alone. The house's white walls have turned dark and grey due to age and weather, giving it an ancient look. Thus, is understandable for the neighboring children to claim the place to be haunted.

Even Kujou himself, if this was someone else's house, at night, he would definitely not visit, or even step on the streets nearby. But this is after all his own home, although this night stroll was not peaceful, a shower is always the first.

After washing his body, Kujou contently dips into the tub, but he still could not stop thinking about that strange girl.

“Vampire, huh....haven't met one in a long time”

He murmured while smiling bitterly.

Who would thought in this era, you could still meet such archetypical, or perhaps an antique, or “Full vampire” vampire.

He thought he would never meet someone like this again... nor does he want to meet one.

Definitely does not want to have dealings with a vampire again.

Kujou unconsciously reaches out to his chest, which is throbbing a bit in pain. A line running down his chest. This scar blemished his otherwise pale chest, making Kujou frown.

“Couldn't pick anyone else, has to come suck my blood.....”

Kujou felt a bit sorry for her. From her hungry look, she must had been thirsty for a long time. But that is definitely not his fault.

If it is a normal person, after being bitten they will transform into a vampire, or be ensnared by the <Magic Eyes>. Of course, for a normal person, the first feeling meeting a vampire would be pure terror.

But Kujou is unique in this aspect.

From Vampire related knowledge and personal meeting experience---the most important part of this is his physique.

After being bitten he would not transform into a vampire, and the ability to cancel out special powers—due to this special physique, thus he has no fear of vampires.

But, he can still die from something classic like violence, or massive blood loss like a normal person.

But his wounds would close rapidly, and his blood regeneration is borderline superhuman. Other than that, he is no different than the average boy.

Furthermore this specialty, he doesn't even realize it himself.

Unless running into a vampire, he mostly doesn't feel how these traits could be advantageous.

But now, his blood red troubles are over.

Only that girl's features in the dark---the vampire known as Rushella's beauty, is unable to fade from his mind.

“...... She looked pretty cute.”

Kujou shakes his head, and scatters all information related to her from his head, then leaves the shower.

Using a towel to wipe his head, Kujou walks toward the kitchen.

Pulling a milk bottle from the fridge to drink is just perfect, but he suddenly hears a loud banging from the door.

Although there is an intercom on the door, that person kept slamming the door.

A really bad feeling.

An especially bad feeling.

“......Shouldn't be...right?”

With an unsettled feeling, Kujou walked toward the entrance hall.

But not only does the banging not stop, it becomes even louder.

“Coming coming! I heard it, I am coming to open the door”

Kujou puts the towel on his head, then opens the door.

Peering from the door gap, he sees a beautiful girl with her arms crossed in front of his door.

Rushella returned.

And stared at him with piercing eyes.

“Found you, Human....decided to scurry away and escape. This time you will become my servant!!!”

“It is already late, please walk home slowly.” <ref>This is a traditional Asian way to see off a guest</ref>

Kujou then promptly closes the door.

Just when he wishes to forget everything, the pounding on the door becomes even louder. Worrying about neighbors complaining, the youth could only reluctantly open the door.

“....What do you want? And how did you find my house?”

“Just because it does not work on you, my <Magic Eyes> can still control animals. So I decided to use them to help me out.”

Rushella *hums* (Sound-translator) with her nose, and flicks her index finger behind her.

There was a group of wild dogs following behind her awaiting orders.

Dozens of them became her servants, and are kneeling behind the Vampire girl.

It appears she decided to use (Scarlet sight) to enchant the hounds, and then used their nose to help their mistress to sniff out Kujou's home.

“Quite impressive...that is an amazing use of your abilities.”

Kujou sighs, but then he notices Rushella's face is rapidly turning red.

“.......? What?”

“Why, why are you looking like this?! Go put on some clothes!”

Kujou then realizes his appearance.

Having just finished his shower, the upper half of his body is naked, and the lower half is only covered by a pair of sleeping-underwear.

While it could be exciting to the opposite sex, but being half naked shouldn't be that shocking.

But Rushella's face is turning utterly scarlet.

“Hey, what? Are you shy? You were jumping for my neck earlier, now you see a naked torso and..?”

“Stop talking! Put some clothes on!”

“Why don't you complain inside?”

Kujou opens the door, letting her inside.

Although she could cross inside with a single step, but Rushella does not enter.

As if she is stopped by an invisible force, and cannot step forward no matter how hard she trys.

“In other words...you can't enter....if you don't have my permission.”

Vampire's Special Characteristic #4 - First time visiting someone's house, they must receive permission or else they cannot enter.

Even though this characteristic is absolutely absurd, and completely without reason, but it is the truth.

Rushella standing in front of the door and unable to enter is ironclad evidence.

There is no material barrier, but she is held back by her racial trait—in order words, she is being bound by a supernatural force, thus, it is proof of being a vampire.

“Don't look down on me, Human. Give permission quickly, this is for your own good....”

Rushella coldly warns Kujou with a voice full of supernatural potency, but he is the one with the advantage.

“I can't do that. If I give the permission, wouldn't you gain the freedom of movement?”

“So it is like this, then I have no choice, boys, give him some colors!” <ref>Easterner way to say “teach him a lesson”</ref>

Rushella snaps her fingers; the dogs behind her begin to howl like mad.

WONG WONG WONG WONG WONG!!!!!!!

The high-tenor dog barks fill the street under the night sky.

Kujou covers his ears, and complains bitterly.

“What are you doing! Neighbors are going to come to me and complain! I am going to get yelled at.”

“Who cares about you. I will proclaim now, before you give permission, don't even think about them stopping. Don't think your little human intelligence can outfox me!”

After all, Kujou had escaped once, Rushella's attitude became hardened.

Kujou ended up surrendering, sighed, and answered her request.

“Ok, Ok, I under-stand<ref>breakup of the word is intended</ref>. But, before I welcome vampire-sama to enter, I need to make some preparations, can you wait a few minutes?”

“....Don't even think about locking the door all night and refusing to come out, otherwise they will bark all night!”

“I understand, it won't take long. I need to put on my clothes, right? It is chilly right now, and your eyes are pretty disturbed, right?”

She definitely appears to be uncomfortable with Kujou half naked; Rushella, who is clearly unhappy still nods her head.

“Please wait a bit”

Kujou closes the door, then vanishes into the depth of the house.

Rushella waits for untold minutes before the door finally opens. Kujou comes back with a pair of black T-Shirt.

“Hum, you have put some clothes on. Now, according to our agreement, let me in!”

“Yes-Yes, please enter.”

As these words were spoken, the atmosphere changed.

As if a tight rope has been snapped, or as if thin glass has been shattered—Kujou has these images in mind.

“Permission received. Good, now offer me your blood!”

Two eyes blazing with fire, Rushella walks straight through the door.

Looking at Kujou's neck, to taste the delicious red blood again...

“.....Eh?”

As she almost reaches the boy's neck, she smells a stench.

Although a vampire's sense of smell is not good as a dog's, but it is significantly sharper than humans', able to distinguish the source of the odor.

It is a forbidden smell to vampires.

“You, did you?”

Taking advantage of Rusella's shock, Kujou covers her face with the towel in his left hand.

The great king of the night instantly collapses and faints on the floor.

Kujou stares at her with understanding eyes, and holds out a plastic jar in his left hand.

On the label it's marked:

[Specially made Garlic Powder]

Vampire's Weakness #1 - Fear of Garlic.

Even though it is an old fact, but it is very effective on the fainted Rushella. Pouring the entire can on to the towel was highly effective.

To be safe, Kujou waits for several minutes, then finally lifts the towel from her face.

A beautiful vampire knocked down from a face full of garlic, looking absolutely pitiful.

But still, her dark beauty remains untouched. Beauty is her greatest weapon, something that Kujou already understood.

If her face came close, it would way exceed the killing power of the <Magic Eye>

“Now....what to do next.”

The best way to get rid of a vampire would be to drive a stake through her heart, and the next step is to cut off her head, but Kujou doesn't plan to be that extreme.

Because, he is not willing. Even though she is not human, Kujou is still incapable of such blood-lust. Also, she is a girl with a huge bust; to slam a stake through that-is extremely conflicting.

Or Kujou could leave her where she is and she will turn to ash at dawn.

While considering his options, he realizes there is something often associated with a vampire next to Rushella.

It is something to help her to pass the daytime - a coffin.

It is another old vampire item, but something very critical to a vampire. Pure black at the back with elaborate workmanship, it is engraved with well carved runes. The design could be called a work of art. There is a heavy lock on the side, but Rushella did not appear to lock it.

“She even brought her sleeping gear....but this coffin is really old fashioned, what is she about...”

Kujou with a surprised face opens the lid; the internal design is well made, with extremely soft padding in red.

Carefully placing Rushella into the coffin, Kujou closes the lid.

“This ought to do it. Go go, you all should leave too.”

Kujou drives away the dogs, due to Rushella fainting, the effect of the <Magic Eyes> ended, so Rushella's groupies all leaves.

As his front door clears, Kujou sighs in relief.

Exhausted. Lets sleep first. I will think about things after sleeping.

Finding a good place for Rushella's coffin, the boy yawns, and heads for his room on the second floor.

Dreaming a highly uncomfortable dream.

Possibly due to meeting a vampire, it is a scenario that one wishes not to be in, a memory that is not to be remembered, but an unforgettable fact. Part dream, part conscience.

It is a sun drenched wilderness.

Kujou finds himself lying on the ground.

The heat sears his skin, sapping moisture and strength.

Like death is not far-as if one foot has already passed the gate of hell.

His snow white skin, becoming a death like palor, rapidly losing blood color.

Heart beat already stopping, the source of life's blood flow, also loses its use.

But his conscience still remains. As if he is watching his body from a different angle, this could be considered a dying experience. Trying to command his own body, trying to scream at his own body.

“.....COME! YOU CAN'T...AHHH!!!!”

Her voice sounded exhausted in the background.

Two hands unable to stop squeezing his chest.

To recover a throbbing pulse, to ignite the fire of life.

“It is...enough. It really is....enough, ahhhhh....”

He wanted to tell her that.

Wanted to reach out for her hand.

But he could not do it, his body unable to budge.

Thus, she never stopped. Doing her best to call back his life.

Behind her is the searing sun, with two hands relentlessly pushing into his chest.

“Stop....if you keep doing this, you will.....!”

Finally opening his eyes and screaming.

“........Ah?”

Kujou finally realizes the dream is over.

His sight returns to his familiar room.

Yup...it was only a dream, a memory of the past.

It is already past....but there is still something heavy on his chest.

As if it is being held down by something.

It has a certain kind of softness, but it's not heavy. It feels like something soft yet bouncy holding him down.

And there is a very high class fragrance flowing into his nose. Maybe this is still a dream.

The alarm clock still had not rung. Lets sleep a little bit more, as Kujou thought. In that instant, there is a sudden sharp pain coming from his neck, and he wakes up.

AH WO! <ref>cry of pain</ref>

There is the sound of being bitten from the left side of his neck.

“PAIN!”

Kujou wants to jump up and hold his neck, but the heavy thing on his chest refuses to move.

“You are awake”

“You”

That is Rushella, lying on his body, penetrating his neck with her fangs.

It is especially important to point out, her arousing look.

Clad only in a towel, with water droplets rolling and landing on to his chest.

From the look of her steamy body, it appears she just came out of the shower.

“Why, why...”

“Do you think garlic can stop me? Even though my race hate it, but I am a real [True Ancestor], something like that will only work short term on me.”

“....So garlic has a reduced effect against high class vampires, so now I recognize you are indeed high level. But why go take a shower? Why do you have to use my bath?”

“Because you gave me permission to enter your home. In other words, everything here is open to my use. Also, you can't blame me, because you are the one who sprayed me full of garlic, even my coffin stinks of it! Finally, hot water is really convenient. I was worried about the effect of the running water, but there seem to be no effect. Humans can be really capable too.”

Looking at Rushella's happy face, Kujou couldn't help but think about vampire's other weakness.

Vampire's Weakness #2 - Running water.

Moving and cleansing water- is a dangerous weakness for vampires.

But apparently it is limited to natural running water, or holy water.

Human made water, containing chlorine and different to natural water, shouldn't have any effects on Rushella.

“....Thus, after you happily bathe yourself, coming to suck my blood now?”

“So noisy, shut up. But it appears you are really weak right now. Is it because of that? Despite being a human, do you dislike morning?”

Kujou's resistance is indeed weak. To be honest, keep on holding like this is not bad.

“Indeed, I heard certain kind of people, because of low blood pressure will become like this. Let me look how is your current blood flow. I can feel your blood flow by touch. Normally, with some adjustment and blood consumption will be even easier.....strange, how come all the blood went to the bottom half of your body?”

“That is a young man's most sensitive area, please don't play with it....but, it is a morning phenomenon, how should I explain this?”

Kujou couldn't explain it properly, so he turns his face away.

But his line of sight still reaches Rushella.

In other words, it is zoomed towards her chest.

Two highly ripe fruit pushing onto his chest.

Twin snowy peaks, complimented by her impossibly slim body. A valley that you just lose your sight into....

To be exact, her towel was about to fall off, and her pink spot was about to be revealed....

“LECHEROUS FIEND!!!!”

Rushella's face goes scarlet, she instantly leaves the boy's chest, and repeatedly slaps his face in the process.

His face is loudly slapped left and right.

“What are you doing! You are the one who revealed it to me to look at! Your completely unreasonable body, elasticity and softness is what is to blame!”

“So, so noisy!”

Her beautiful face again comes close to Kujou, and her fangs clamp down on to his neck.

“HEY! LET GO!!!!”

“This time you will become my property, offer all of your blood to me!”

Lets suck first then talk later—This is Rushella's new strategy toward Kujou's body's particulars.

Definitely will not let him struggle, with no time to savor the flavor, just finish him off in one gulp.

Against the (real)<ref>''Real: ''real here imply as she is serious</ref> Rushella, the boy's face changes color.

The body's blood is rapidly decreasing—If he doesn't do something, in a few seconds it will pass the critical point, or approximately half drained.

“....Move aside”

The situation is becoming dangerous, so Kujou had to use extreme measures.

Right next to the bed is the window, Kujou rips the curtain aside, flooding the room with sunlight.

“Damn you...!!”

That fearless Rushella, for first time shows true fright.

She immediately dives away from Kujou, and hides in the corner where the sunlight cannot reach.

Vampire's Weakness #3 - To vampires, after being struck by sunlight, the area struck by sunlight will turn into ash, eventually leading to total destruction. The total time till death depends on the vampire, but it is definitely a fatal weakness.

“You're really afraid of this...”

“You bastard, you dare to use sunlight against me.....!”

Rushella became so filled with rage her shoulders shook causing her to let go of the towel, that was covering her naked body, which flutters down to the floor.

Kojou wanted to look away, but suddenly, his male urges exceeded his willpower, letting him look.

In the middle of his sight, is the white tinted with red chest, a beautiful and dreamlike tender body.

The most delicious part, is full and soft chest, fleshy colored and cute peaks, looking up; while following the contour of the body and searching downwards, a small patch of grassland....

“STOP LOOKING AHHHHH!!!!”

Something that was placed over there is picked up by Rushella and flung toward Kujou's head, such that that beautiful image vanished in the ensuing concussion.

“You want to kill me?!!....Hey, not really right!?”

Looking at the object that struck his head, the boy's face turns dead pale.

It is his own beloved alarm clock.

The front side has a fist shaped conclave buried into it, the minute arrows are completely smashed out of place.

“Oh, that? I don't know why it kept screaming non-stop, so I hit it once. Humans invent such odd objects.”

“This is a necessity!! Already rang?”

Kujou's pale face looks at his watch by the bedside, and checking for the correct time his face becomes paler.

“This is bad.....even if I break off in a full speed run I won't be on time....didn't eat last night, was going to have a full breakfast!”

Kujou murmured to himself, then starts to strip off his clothes.

Although he didn't want any awards, nor does he wish to become an all-star student, but arriving late on the first day of high school is something that would be totally unexplainable.

“Why are you taking your clothes off!!! Could...could it be that this insignificant human wants to do me!?”

Rushella grabbed the towel defensively protecting her own body.

Naturally, Kujou could understand her reaction.

“If you don't want to look, then get out of this room, I don't have the time for you anymore."

Seeing Kujou about to take off his shorts, Rushella could only dash out of the door.

But due to her own curiosity she still wanted to peek, however Kujou rapidly put on his uniform and dashes out the door, thus the peeking was unsuccessful.

“Where are you going!?”

“Going to school, School. But let me tell you this first. My body will not be affected by blood sucking. Even if all the blood is drained, I will only die from blood loss, I won't become a vampire.”

“Your constitution is so strange....but, you are still afraid of death. That is why you panicked earlier.”

“Anyone would. The average person would hate to get his blood sucked.”

“Only this?”

Rushella chases and asks, twin eyes blinking scarlet light at him.

Kujou moves his eyes away, and impatiently warns: “If you only want to drink blood....it is OK. A little bit more than this is not a big deal. But don't suck past the point of death, this is for your own good as well.”

“Your request is a bit strange. Are you threatening me? You dare to threaten a vampire like me?”

“To make it simple.....you should do it safely. If you drink too much then it will be too late.”

Hearing Kujou's serious tone, Rushella didn't say anything. Only silently sent him to school.

“After dusk you should go back to where you live. I will leave the keys with you. Lock the door and leave them in the mailbox.”

Rushella, who is left alone, stands there dumbfounded for a quarter of hour or so, and she continues to think about something while placing her finger on her chin, mumbling,

“School, is it?....”

“I am Kujou Hisui from Akanishi Middle School. Interests are, interests are reading and cooking. No special talents. If you discover one please tell me.”

Adding a bit of witty substance to the end, Kujou finishes his self-introduction, before walking to the right of the classroom and taking his seat.

Right now it is the school's orientation, the self-intro part.

Some people would use this opportunity to give a great speech, instantly attracting everyone's attention, but Kujou is not that kind of person.

Being able to maintain some distance, yet adept enough to talk to anyone about anything, nor making any great mistakes, having a peaceful school life is the best.

All he desires is this peaceful lifestyle.

Following Kujou, came a female student.

Although he already gone ahead, he decides to listen, but as this girl is assigned to his left, so he paid a bit of attention.

“I am Sera Reina from Aishin Middle School. My interests are reading and pastry making, my specialties are tracks and athletics. Please take care of me.”

In that instant, her eyes and Kujou's met.

“Please take care of me....”

“Each other, each other.” <ref>Standard reply to “please take care of me”.</ref>

Kujou replied to this shy young lady with a faint smile.

Reina, right after the self introduction, she was suddenly named class representative, this girl is a bit unlucky.

In this kind of prestigious high school, the freshman leaders are usually selected by the Homeroom teacher.

Especially the class representatives are usually selected from recommended students.

The class selected Reina as well.

This beautiful girl who looks as if she came out of a painting, but does not appear to be arrogant. Rather she gives the impression that she is easy to approach, an image of someone who's always doing her best for all the students. Should be a natural Class rep.

“This class doesn't seem to have anyone else from Aishin Middle School....eh, that is understandable....”

“Aishin, that is a Catholic school right? So it is a school for Ojou-samas from elementary and up. Usually they will be admitted to their high school division, of course they wouldn't show up here.”

“Right, this is true...ah, but Kujou-san's middle school name is also very rare?”

“......I think I am the only one here that came from there.”

“Really? Then....I guess we are the same.”

Coming to this high school alone formed a common bond, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they have differences—But, on this busy first day, they were able to find a conversational topic.

Kujou was able to breath a sigh of relief, as self-introductions finally drew to a close.

“Ok, then next is the day schedule.” The short and radish faced lady, of an undetermined age, yelled.

She is the teacher who did the self-introduction, Horie Jyuri.

Apparently her subject is world history, thus she also wears a uniform, which makes her look no different than the students. Her body is completely unexpected, but her curled hair compliments her cute face, which makes her popular with the male students. However she lacks the fear-inspiring presence a teacher should have. Therefore, there is all kinds of chatter occurring around the classroom.

“Okay, this afternoon there is a health examination, after the noon rest, please change into your gym uniform, female students will meet in the gym, males out in the yard.”

Kujou listens, then grumbles that the first day will be tiresome exercise; just then someone knocks from outside the door.

Everyone became inquisitive of who came, Jyuri as a representative opened the door, then walked into the hallway to converse with who had arrived.

“Ah, Hashimoto-sensei, what is going on?”

The person who came was a strong and proper man who appeared on the opening day ceremony. <ref>He also has a title which is equal to “Grade Administrator” or someone who manage one year of students....couldn't find a good title to fit into the sentence</ref>

He was talking to the homeroom teacher regarding something, and the other person kept shaking her head.

“Ah? At this time.....? But, I haven't heard of anything....also, yesterday didn't.....”

“Ah, there is none, but this is principal’s idea....so, troubling you.”

The Administrator appeared to be confused as well.

Jyuri  becomes even more mystified, then came back to the podium.

“There is a transfer student, so there is a new friend for everyone.”

“Ah? There is another one?”

“Shouldn't they have come for the opening ceremony?”

“So, they didn't show up yesterday?”

“Ah, but there isn't anyone not on the record”

This announcement becomes more curious and chaotic, and the entire class begins to discuss and gossip.

Even the teacher herself has suspicions, a face full of confusion.

But, since the person came.

She clapped her hand, indicating everyone to be quiet, and brought in the new student.

“Please come in, um, name....Rushella....-san.”

Kujou's face slams against the desk.

The classroom teacher backs up a few steps, as a beauty in a dress walked into the classroom.

She had come to school not wearing a uniform, but fully clothed in a private outfit.

Her dazzling looks, even attracted the girls, and the boys opened their eyes wide.

“My name is Rushella, Dam  , Draculiea. Kneel before me, commoners!”

Rushella commands with great pride.

With the exception of Kujou, everyone responded with a [Huh?] and a question mark, while time itself stopped.

“Ah, Rushella-san....ah, family name Draculiea-san...right?”

Ignoring the confused teacher, Rushella begins to carefully scan the entire classroom.

Kujou does not want her to find him, so he lowers his line of sight, hugging the desk to appear to be asleep.

NOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESSNOTMYBUSINESS

IDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIREIDONTKNOWTHATVAMPIRE.

Heavily murmuring his desire to escape, Kujou desperately heads for a world of dreams.

But, Rushella easily finds him, lifts him by the neck and brings him back to reality.

“Found you. Really, casuing me to waste a whole bunch of effort.....”

“.........Why are you here?”

This unending nightmare, the girl in front of him is real.

In that few seconds, Kujou appeared to be a world older. But Rushella reveals a smile that could provoke love in any male captive.

“Did you miss me?”

"Is she your girlfriend?!"

Not sure who spit that out, prompting the entire class to rivet their attention on the two.

“What's going on? What are you all looking at?”

To avoid having Rushella cause trouble with the other students, Kujou grabs her hand and leads her to the corner of the classroom.

“....What are you doing? How did you know I was here?”

“I went to a place called 'Administration Office' and asked about where you are. At first they said something like “individual privacy,” or something like 'nothing to do with you', so I stared at them for a bit, and they told me everything.”

“Ah, must have used <Magic Eyes>, I reckon.”

“Also, there was a place called 'Principal's Office', I went to meet their head, gave him the order of 'give me your cooperation', then they made me a 'transfer student'”

“Um, this should be <Magic Eyes> too. But you really came to the school.....”

Because the sun is a great weakness, vampires shouldn't move during the day.

Rushella laughed, happily brought out the parasol she was holding in her left hand.

“Idiot, do you think our race only hides in the dark? Holding this specially made parasol for vampires, I can completely avoid the sun. It also can ward off the rain. For a race that hates rain water as well, this is a real treasure.”

“If I have the strength, I really want to rip your treasure in half this instant...”

“Ah, I brought the keys. Since we are going back together, you can hold them.”

Rushella brought out the keys from the morning.

As a reflex, the boy reaches out, but he instantly realizes the meaning of that action, and begins to furtively look at the classroom.

Everyone was looking at him.

Feeling it is the duty of the class rep, or perhaps because she sits next to him, Reina courageously asked, “Hisui-san, you and her....know each other? In order words, perhaps you …...live together?”

“......that isn't a bad development, right?”

He tries to play dumb, but it appears to be futile.

Everyone is now completely focused on him.

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD, REALLY BAD NOW
“What the hell? That guy knows such an AAA class girl? And they are living together!?”

“Hey hey, this is only high school...”

“Made me all excited, but it seems this flower has a master....” <ref>(Translator-IE she is taken)</ref>

“The classroom seat is not even warm yet, and something like this happens.....”

Facing gossip from the entire class. Kujou begins to sweat, racking his brain for ideas.

Becoming the focus of so many people---is something he seriously does not wish for.

Not making huge mistakes, not to be hated by others, not making enemies, live a normal high school life....he only has this small wish.

“You guys, what the heck are you looking at!? Is it because you are enchanted by my beauty, can't blame you, pitiful humans...”

Rushella would keep on talking, so Kujou reaches out and covers her mouth.

“(stop, what are you doing?)”

Kujou ignores her, then stammers at the assembled students,

“Sorry, that, this person....is my relative, relative! Came from far away, always lived in another country, I only met her recently....she received royal education, grew up in another country, a bit....no, it is natural to be a bit strange, everyone please forgive her!! She is a transfer student, that, you see, entering from another country requires a great deal of paperwork, very tired, so no time to attend the open ceremony....right?”

Kojou stretching all reason trying to explain, looking at Rushella and begging for her approval.

Of course she does not cooperate, she breaks free, then begins to contradict him.

“What are you ******** about? I'm a princess, how could I be related to you.”

Before she finishes, Kujou holds out her cheek, and whispers.

“Ok ok, can you not talk for a bit....please?”

Perhaps from Kojou's pale face, or because of his hollow but forceful look, even a royal princess like Rushella became silent.

Thus, even Rushella unexpectedly nods.

“.....It is so, my self introduction is over, please continue class!”

“Ah, good.....”

The completely speechless teacher, finally remembered her authority as a teacher, claps her hands, and made everyone look at the podium.

“Ok, then, let us continue class. Rushella-san, please sit down, just sit at that empty seat.”

Jyuri points to a seat far away from Kujou, left back corner, but Rushella did not pay attention, instead she walks near to Kujou's seat.

“Then...what?”

She ignores Reina, and looks at the male student with glasses sitting next to Kujou.

“Move aside.”

It was a command impossible to resist.

Only an idiot would follow this order, but Rushella's twin eyes blazed red, the boy gets up and limps towards the empty seat, before finally sitting down.

“What? Sit down quickly, isn't that your seat?”

She cheerfully points at the adjacent seat, commanding Kujou to sit down.

Kujou, feeling hopeless, sits down, then hits his head against the desk.

To an observer, he is among beauties.

In reality, a normal day-destroying vampire is near with her poisonous fangs, which makes him a sacrificial animal on an altar.

All the male students shot envious looks, and most would welcome an exchange with him.

Just right after school opens and his peaceful life is disrupted, and it look like there will be endless trouble.

On the first day while going home he gets attacked by a vampire, now on the first day of classes he has a vampire in the same class and she sits next to him as well.

With his eyes full of tears, Kujou can only stare at the ceiling, holding back the despair within his heart.

Goodbye, my normal and peaceful school life.

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

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|-
| Back to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Silver_Cross_and_Draculea:Volume01_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1

2012-04-07T12:09:10Z

Sobokal: /* Chapter 1: You are my contracted spirit */

==Chapter 1: You are my contracted spirit==

=== Part 1 ===

In a quiet forest where the sun rays were shining through leaves.

"Paa--"

Suddenly, the rippling sound of water resounded in the air.

Kamito, he--opened his mouth wide and just stood there.

A girl...In front of his eyes was a fully naked girl.

She was cute, extraordinarily cute. Her eyes were big and red like rubies, her cherry-red lips were wet and lustrous, her dazzling white flesh was as silky as milk, and on the surface of the water, her beautiful legs were slender and fine. Also, what caught his eyes more than anything was--

The hair that clings on her gorgeous fine glass work like body, crimson red like burning fire.

Of course, she was naked. Stark naked.

"......"

Kamito felt cold sweat on his back.

Not good.

It's really not good that she is seen naked.

......I should really run away quickly. Even though he gave that rational advice to himself, his body wouldn't move. Actually, he was ''charmed''. The scene was so surreal that Kamito felt a bit detached from reality.

And at that time, the girl--

[[Image:STnBD V01 013.jpg|thumb]]

Her moist and beautiful eyes blinked, having found the unexpected intruder.
Staring blankly, she seemed yet to have fully grasped the situation.
She didn't even try to cover her still developing small breasts.

Tick.

The water drops fell from the young girl's bangs. Kamito's consciousness came back at the sound of the water.

"Ah-that......"

Kamito coughed once, and removed his glance from the naked girl　who was standing motionlessly.

"How can I say it......it looks like an accident, right? It is an unfortunate accident for both of us..."

At that time, Kamito made two fatal errors. The first, of course, was that he started to make futile explanations. The best choice was to take advantage of the fact that the girl was dazed, and run away from the trouble immediately.

And the other error was--

"Even though it was an accident, I have seen you in such a situation. Sorry, my apologies."

Until here it was still fine, but the last part......

"Though, don't worry. I'm still a healthy boy, so I don't have ''that kind of interest''. I......"

Looking at the young girl's ''still developing small chest''--

"I have no interest towards a kid's body."

Looks like he stepped on a gigantic landmine.

"......"

A frozen silence fell.

Silently, the girl raises her arm with red hair coiled around. Her shoulders were slightly shaking. However the reason wasn't because of the cold, but Kamito was oblivious to that fact.

"Sixteen--"

"Eh?"

The girl's delicate lips were mumbling something, and Kamito lifted his eyebrows.

"I-I-I AM ALREADY SIXTEEN-YEARS OLD!!!"

At the instant when she screamed that out, the young girl's red hair stood on its end.

"Haa!?"

As Kamito opened his eyes wide in surprise--

"Sixteen!? For real? How can you have such a pitiful chest--"

He quickly covered his mouth. But it was already too late.

"......Unforgivable."

The young girl said that in a low, cold voice.

"D-Definitely unforgivable......you, you, you, you peeping demon, pervert, lewd beast!"

"You know it well, words like lewd beast." 

Kamito said that in a low voice with narrowed eyes.

"Hn?"

......At that time, he noted that the forest's trees were making a low whisper-like rustle.

(Is that the wind? No, that's--)

--- Guardian of Crimson’s blaze, Keeper of the Sleepless furnace!

--- Now is the time to abide the contract of blood, hasten to my side as commanded!

From the young girl's cute lips came a smooth incantation in spirits’ language. At that instant, accompanied by the sound of an air blast, a scourging flame whip appeared in the hand of the girl.

(.....a Spirit Contractor!)

Kamito shouted in his head.

Spirit Contractor --- another dimensional layer of this world, the “Astral Zero”.

Witches who had signed a contract with a fierce spirit from that place are called “Spirit Contractors”.

The Spirit Contractor can use different types of spirits, wielding its powers freely.

It seemed that the girl in front of him had a contract with a flame type spirit.

The young girl is a Spirit Contractor. It isn't something to be surprised about.

After all, this is the place where the country's excellent Spirit Contractors are gathered together.

(.....However, surprisingly she is even capable of using Elemental Waffe.)

The natures of the spirits summoned into this world from the Astral Zero can be roughly divided into two types.

The first type is a massless, shapeless type that appears in its original state as a ‘Divine Core’. This is purely the summoning of a spirit's power, and is used as a vault of magical power for the spirit magic.

There is another type, the pure state of summoning a part of the spirit’s existence as it is. Because of the tremendous amount of power required and the difficulty to control it, it is said that only a tiny portion of the spirit contractors can do it to this extent.

Even so, the girl before his eyes is not just using a spirit, but could use it to the extent of using the spirit as a highly optimized elemental buff.

(.... it means that, eh? – Am I now in a life or death situation?)

As the thought suddenly hits him, Kamito was stunned.

At the place where the flame whip touched the water's surface, a gush of white steam was rising from it.

"You, you have the guts..... "

The girl murmured with a trembling voice. Her face was red. Was it due to her anger, or her embarrassment?

"Rea-really, you have some nerve, to p-peek , while I, Claire Rouge, am taking my bath....."

“W-Wait, that's a misunderstanding! Let me explain it first!"

Kamito shook his head in panic.

"I will not listen to your excuses. Please turn into ashes, PERVERT!"

The flame whip ignited furiously in the wielder’s hand and was moving as if it was licking the water surface.

"Oooooh..!?"

Kamito threw his body, and quickly jumped into the dense brushes at proximity.

Nearly at the same time, the flame whip brushed its way over his head.

The idle red residue remained on the trees, which were cut off like a complete joke. The cut surface of the tree trunks' remains were surprisingly clean, without any trace of burn. The attack was so quick that the flames didn't even have the time to ignite the trees.

The hair on Kamito's forehead was fluttering down on his mouth while cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

(.....Um, that's a joke, right? I'm not going to die like that, will I?)

Zing, biyutsu – there was like an endless dance of crimson flash cutting horizontally and vertically in the forest. The bush was mowed down in a blink of eye and losing his place of hiding, Kamito hurriedly dashed out.

“You wild beast, stay still and let me hit you!“

“That's nonsense, I’m not a pervert!“

Kamito screamed out and at the same time, the whip swung downwards on his feet, causing a violent spark to scatter. Rising from the ground, the whip immediately sprang up in the direction of the forest woods, which got ruthlessly severed. But fortunately among all the unluckiness, the girl - Claire's aim wasn't quite accurate. After all, one hand was hiding her pitiful chest from being revealed, and in order to conceal her most important part, she squatted down in the pond. However, considering how she handled her whip in such a position, she should be normally talented at using it.

“How conceited despite being a pervert, please obediently turn into charcoal!“

“As I am saying, I’m not a pervert!“

Kamito stopped and turned around. He pointed out something that he had been mindful for sometime.

“Hey, are you sure that you're hiding it properly? Between the gaps of your finger, you can’t hide it delicately.”

“......eh?”

Instantly, Claire’s facial expression froze. And-

“Kyaaaaaaaaaah!”

Blushing deeply and screaming strangely in a cute voice - she quickly hid her chest with both of her hands.

“Ah, idiot!”

Kamito involuntarily exclaimed.

Claire let go and lost control of the flame whip, and it severed the trees behind the girl. Slowly, the huge trees came falling down right at her. However, Claire didn’t notice it since her eyes were closed in embarrassment while embracing her naked chest with both hands. 

(Damn--)

At this instant, Kamito kicked the ground. Running with his whole strength towards the pond, he then jumped while grabbing Claire’s shoulders.

“Wha-!?”

Claire’s red pupils dilated widely. Kamito ignored it and aggressively pressed her down in the water. The moment Claire’s hand touched the water, a gush of steam rose, and the flame whip disappeared. Immediately after, the trees　nearby fell down, and giant tree trunks collapsed down on them.

Duuuun!

Deafening sound almost broke the ears, and magnificent large water columns rose.

Absorbing the heat of the burning flame, the warm pond water poured down like heavy rain.

.....A few seconds later.

“Um......“

With a seductive rising voice, Claire slowly opened her eyes. She had an expression of shock, and her eyes blinked in wonder. Kamito was lying on top of Claire, and briefly he found himself staring into her eyes. Their faces were so close that if someone was to push his back lightly, their lips would likely touch. The crimson red hair clung closely to her nape. Her moist lips were cherry red. Delicate glass doll like perfect face was in front of Kamito's eyes. For a short moment it looked like he had involuntarily fallen for her. Kamito quickly shook his head.

“......Um, are you alright? Are you hurt..”

Claire nodded. Somehow, it seemed she had not fully absorbed the situation yet. Kamito sighed, then tried to stand up.

Funyuu.

His hand under the water had touched something soft.

“Hwaaah!”

(What is that? Mud?--)

Funyu. Munyu (touch, touch).

“Hm, ya, hwaaa”

From her moist lips came a shallow sweet voice. Claire's submerged naked body twitched for some reason.

“Um ..this is?”

Having come this far, Kimito finally arrived in a certain conclusion. A certain......awfully frightening conclusion.

(No, wait, calm down, maybe --- could I have mistaken)

It can’t be. There was no such thing. While letting a flow of cold sweat, he desperately tried to deny such a possibility.

"When I looked it earlier, it wasn't so..."

“Wh..wha.. wha..whattt .... are..you...do..ing”

Claire’s lip trembled, shaking involuntarily. She was blushing with tears in her eyes.

Apparently, it probably wasn't.....a lump of mud that he touched.

“You, PERVERT----!”

“Gwah!”

Because he got hit hard by a knee in the stomach, Kamito collapsed into the pond's water.

Gugugugugu....!

With rising wobbling heat haze behind her, Claire slowly stood up. Before one knows, the flame whip materialized by the flame spirit was again grasped in her hand. The water in the pond instantaneously started to boil, and bubbles began to show here and there.

“No..No, it’s a misunderstanding! Wait, I’m really gonna die.....”

“Sh..Shut up pervert, you will die here!”

Together with an almost ear breaking deafening sound, Kamito’s body whirled highly into the air.

=== Part 2 ===

“.....Un”

Few minutes later. Kamito starts to recover his consciousness, before his eyes, trees within the forest unfold.

He tried to rise---

Suddenly, he noticed something which was coiled around his neck.

It was a leather black whip for torturing. (What is this thing…), Kamito tried to remove it,

“Finally woke up, You Peeping Tom Pervert”

The thing on his neck tightens.

“Gweh!? Release me....”

Kamito coughed then looked upward-

Scarlet haired young girl – Claire, stood with her hands at her waist. Keeping her slim eyebrow arc raised, she gazed sharply down at Kamito.

This time she was not naked. The girl has changed into an adorable uniform. It has the pattern of black line within the pure white, Areishia Spirit Academy’s uniform.

A ribbon tie decorated the front of her chest. Instead of a button, a talisman was sewn on it. Between the gap of knee sock stockings and a pleated skirt, her slender beautiful legs stuck out brilliantly. The tiny ribbons tied her blazing crimson hair on both sides. This was the so called twin tail hair style. Judging from her still wet hair, it seems that he hadn’t lost consciousness for that long.

Keeping the neck of Kamito bound tightly, Claire puffed up her small chest.

“Well, be grateful. I went easy and didn’t kill you”

“That has to be lying. You definitely intended to kill me. ”

“What are you talking about? If I was serious, you would've been cinders by now. ”

..... She just said something terribly frightening in a calm manner.

By the way, cinders are the soft ash residue left from incinerated firewood.

“I beg your forgiveness to spare me from becoming cinders. After all, I helped you.”

“Yeah, I’m a fair noble, I’ll give you credit for that. You are of a higher grade than an average pervert, so you are a high grade pervert.”

“In the end the pervert designation doesn't change. By the way, isn't a high grade pervert even worse than an average pervert?”

“Wh.. What.....pretending to help, you ...you touched, my breast!”

Recalling what happened earlier, Claire's shy face suddenly turns red.

(Hmm?)

Seeing such a reaction from her, Kamito had an idea.

.....This girl, could it be that she is that kind of person?

“So it seems, that my lady is a pervert that has a hobby of whipping man.”

Kamito teased her nonchalantly -

“What!? Wr, Wro, Wrong, I’m not!”

The response was immediate as expected. Claire shook her head, and her cheeks instantly became bright red all the way to her ears.

“Then do you enjoy being whipped?”

“.....m! Wha... What.. are...you..sayi..ng?”

Claire's eyes twirled, as a steam puff rose out from her head. She is surprisingly flustered.

(Oh, as I expected....)

Kamito smiled bitterly in his heart.

(This girl, is really really innocent.)

Perhaps, this girl is not that special. After all, this is the Areishiya Spirit academy, where witch princesses who have made contracts with spirits are gathered.

Only pure maidens are capable of communicating with the spirits
from Astral Zero. Among them, those who retain enough divine
power so that they can command a contracted spirit, are noble girls
from the family of kings or lords of ancient and honorable
lineage, whose spirit contractor blood was strengthened through
marriage of many generations.

To maintain the purity of their body and heart, these girls are
raised in an environment that's completely separated from the
males since childhood: the so called elite education for
spirit contractors. Therefore, all the girls attending the
academy are super boxed-in princesses who are unaccustomed to
men.

Finding the unexpected weak point of the girl, Kamito had the
slight desire to play a prank on her.

Keeping a kneeling position, Kamito looked up at the embarrassed
bright red face of Claire.

"ah, then, there is something I have meant to say since earlier."

"wh...what, you pervert!"

"I can see your panties from this angle."

"Fuwah!" 

Tears begun to float in her crimson eyes, Claire hastily pressed down the fringe of her skirt with both hands.

“you... you saw it?”

“Only a glance, you are unexpectedly quite daring. It has the same color as your hair.”

"You... you lie! It is not red! It’s white, white!" 

“So, it’s white.”

“......ha!?”

Realizing that she was tricked, Claire bit her lips-

“U, uuuuuuuuuh~”

..... Somehow she started to cry.

At this sudden unexpected reaction, Kamito panicked. “What a slutty unladylike person, to confess the color of her own panties,” he had planned to tease her more with such words..... but he felt pity seeing her like this. 

Taking the chance while Claire was still in disarray, Kamito removed the the whip coiled around his neck.

“My bad, I went a bit too far with my prank. Sorry.”

Kamito stood up and placed his hand on Claire's head. Claire stopped crying, and looked puzzled.

“My bad that I have seen your naked body while bathing, and I have .... have touched your breast as well. But they were not intentional. Please believe me.”

“Wha, What.....”

Seeing the truthfulness in Kamito’s eye, Claire can not help but to avert her eyes.

“....What, What is this? If you are not a pervert, then '''why are you here?'''”

A question of matter of course. This forest is under the jurisdiction of Areishia Spirit Academy, known as the “Spirit Forest”. There is no reason for the presence of a man in the academy where pure witch princesses are gathered.

Even if he is not a pervert, there is little doubt that he is someone suspicious. 

“I was, summoned here by Greyworth.”

“Greyworth..... the academy director!?”

Claire suspiciously questioned. Indeed, it is only nature to doubt.

“I’m not lying. Look, here’s the evidence.”

Kamito shrugged his shoulders, and took out one letter from his burned coat’s inside pocket. The letter was signed by the renowned academy director. Also, it was stamped with the emblem seal that symbolize the five great elemental lords.

“Is....that, the first rank emblem seal of the empire!?”

Claire let out voice of dismay from her lips. The first rank emblem seal is produced by sealing spirits with a special technique. It is rated as the highest among the emblem seals issued by the empire, and is said to be completely impossible to counterfeit. Of course, it is something that is rarely seen, but as a spirit contractor, Claire could certainly tell its authenticity. 

“.....It seems to be the real thing. But, why would the academy director call a man here?”

“Well, for that you have to ask Greyworth, that old hag. It was troublesome for me, too.”

“That.. that old hag!?”

Instantly, Claire's face stiffened.

The Dusk Witch, Greyworth is greatly respected by the witch princesses who aim to become spirit knights. It was said that her popularity in the Orudesia Empire is neck and neck with the Strongest Sword Dancer Ren Ashbell. Even after a decade since she retired from the squad of the twelve knight generals, the most elite force of the spirit knights known as the <Numbers>, her legendary name as a witch is still being feared and revered to the highest degree. 

(Well, for me, she is nothing but a nightmare....)

Tucking away the letter in his pocket, Kamito shrugged his shoulders.

“Greyworth is an old acquaintance of mine. I have came all the way here, but the academy ground is very large, so I have lost my way”

Areishia Spirit Academy ground is incredibly vast. After all, beside the academic town at the foot of the hill, it also includes the entire spirit forest that spreads around it.

“Could it be, that you were misled by the spirits in the forest. That's so lame.”

“.....Yeah, that’s how it is”

Claire chuckled, while Kamito nodded, feeling a bit dejected.

Existing in various location of the continent, the spirit forests are connected with Astral Zero through the GATE, and are inhabited by the spirits that have gone astray to this world. Most of the spirits have no interest in the humankind so they are harmless. But there are also spirits who enjoy playing pranks, and they deliberately mislead the travelers who stray into the forest. As he was guided by the spirits'　whispers and went deeper and deeper in the forest, he must have lost the way to the academy.

“Anyway, I’m really glad that I met a person. It is not very appealing to become a victim of the forest. From here onward, which direction should I follow to get to the academy?”

“Which direction.....for your own information, I shall tell you, that it takes two hours to get to the academy from here on foot.”

“What, that far!?”

If he was to walk for such long distance, most likely he would be once again tricked by the spirits. Since a student of the academy was here, he had thought that the academy was much nearer than it was. 

(.....hmm? Why was this girl taking a bath at this kind of place?)

A plain question suddenly arises. Today is indeed a bit hot, nonetheless instead of coming all the way here, there should be showering facilities inside of the academy no matter what. Anyhow there are only girls in the school, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Being asked, Claire dug her hands into her wet twin tail hair and tried to comb it.

“I was here for the purification ritual for a spirit contract. Being a spring next to a shrine, the water here has the highest holy quality. Do you at least know that spirits like a woman which has a pure mind and body?”

“Spirit Contract?”

The moment he hears those words, a throbbing pain came from the back of his left hand covered in leather gloves. Kamito grimaced from the burning sharp pain.

“A bit further from here, there is an ancient holy sword in a historical shrine. Rumor has it that a powerful “Sealed Spirit” is inhabited there. Since the foundation of the academy, not a single witch princess has successfully formed a contract with it. It surely sounds like a very proud spirit."

Sealed Spirits – are not the spirits that reside in Astral Zero.

Among the spirits, there are those who were sealed into weapons or armors by powerful ancient spirit contractors. Most of them have brought about terrible disasters to the humans, and are dreadful beings called djin or efreet by ancient societies. 

Of course, they are not meant to be empolyed by the human spirit contractors. For that purpose, the ancient great spirit contractors sealed them in weapons or armors so that they will never be summoned again.

“You, do you plan to form a contract with a sealed spirit?”

“That's right! Do you have a problem with it?”

“Stop, it’s too dangerous.”

“Hmm, you seem to know it quite well, even though you are not a spirit contractor. I’m quite aware of the danger, but I need a powerful spirit no matter what.”

Claire muttered, biting her tightly close lips.

Seeing her serious facial expression, Kamito involuntarily shuts his mouth.

“But, don't you already have a contract with the flame spirit from earlier? That is also a quite powerful spirit, won't it be fine if you raise it up?”

For its tribute, a flame spirit is not very rare. But, there are only a handful spirit contractors who can control a spirit of such rank and even capable of <elemental waffe> in the whole empire. Besides, spirit contractors that have formed a contract with multiple spirits are so rare that they almost don't exist. Discordance between the spirits can cause deterioration of the balance of divine power. Without enough talent one can't control them.

“'''Scarlett''' is an important partner. But-”

I need more power-- Claire calmly shook her head.

“I have a goal. To achieve it, I must have a strong spirit.”

=== Part 3 ===

Chasing the back of Claire on which her fluffily crimson twin tails swung, Kamito followed her inside the forest. Although Claire's leather loafers looked quite difficult to walk in,　Claire was a well trained spirit contractor after all, and her steps were light and frivolous.

“Here”

Then, suddenly her well proportioned feet stopped walking.

With her hands on her hips, she looked back with a half eye glare towards Kamito.

“Why are you following me? You pervert peeping maniac. ”

“Without you, I don’t know the way towards the academy. As I have said several times, I am not a pervert peeping maniac. It’s Kamito, Kamito Kazehaya”

“Fufu, what a weird name. Kuina’s origin?”

Kuina is an empire in the eastern region of the continent. It is said that its language, culture and the relationship of people with spirits largely differed from Orudeshia.

“No, It’s not from Kuina. I was born in a far remote island minority group village.”

Kamito intentionally obscures his own statement. Certainly, he was born in an island country in the east, but the larger half of his childhood life wasn't spent there.

“Your name also has quite a rare taste, Claire Rouge”

“Don’t call my name in a friendly manner. Anyway it’s a strange name.”

“Really? But, I consider it a nice name”

“Wha, What are you saying, stu, stupid!”

Claire's face blushes, then she suddenly changes back to her former direction, and briskly walks faster than usual.

Claire Rouge ---- obviously a Pseudonym.

Most of the students attending the Areshia spirit academy are surely young ladies of noble families who has been trained as spirit contractors since childhood. But Kamito has never heard of the Rouge residence. For hiding a noble family name, she must have some reason for it, but Kamito had no intention to delve more.

(.....Everyone has some secrete to hide. )

Kamito glanced in the direction of his left hand covered by a leather glove.

Even I have mine, too -

Claire keeps advancing steadily. Kamito hastily chased after her back where the twin tail were swaying. Now, losing sight of Claire inside the forest will bring only trouble for him. Kamito was well aware of the dangers of spending one night inside the “Spirit Forest”.

“Is that dress the academy's uniform?”

“Yah”

Claire nods in a cold manner while walking.

Areishia Spirit Academy Uniform is pretty sturdy and also served as a protective garment, which has undergone spirit’s blessing, and it had the effect of raising the sacred attributes. It could also function nicely as a high ceremonial dress for contracting with spirits.

“What, are you saying that it doesn't suite me?”

“No, it suite you gorgeously. Honestly speaking, I am charmed.”

Kamito shrugged his shoulder, and then answered it honestly. 　Fine feathers make fine birds, Kamito planed to mock her with some caustic words, but it did fit her perfectly that Kamito couldn't help but to compliment her.

“Wha, Whatt, What are you saying! Aren't you an idiot!”

(Kaatsu) Claire blushes in deep red, while (Pyun-Pyun) waving her whip.

“Uwahh, Calm down!”

“Wasn't it because that you said some weird thing?”

“''Me saying a weird thing?, I am just speaking the truth - *in pain*, I got it, I got it, please stop waving your whip for every triviality.''”

(....phew, I need her as a guide, but what a bothersome princess.)

Dodging the whip which was swung downward at a paper thin distance, Kamito sighed in his mind.

The shrine that held the holy blade stood quietly　in a clearing in the forest.

Claire easily removed the entry forbidding ward, then stopped her steps, and turned to Kamito.

“From here onwards, it will be really dangerous, so, as a commoner you should stay away.”

“If you know that it’s dangerous, why not stop?”

“As am I saying, ''I need to have a strong spirit''.”

Claire calmly shook her head, and stepped into the shrine.

Disregarding her warnings, Kamito followed her. As for coming all the way, it was true that he needed a guide, moreover he was just worried about Claire.

After all “Sealed Spirits” are strong and in the same time have a wild nature. They prefer destruction and chaos, given the chance they would also murder the spirit contractor that employs them.

They are not something that can be managed by humans --- that's why they have been sealed.

Sixteen years of age, with such an innate talent of wielding a spirit, Claire might as well be called a prodigy. However, if by any chance, she was to release a sealed spirit and fail to control it, what would happen?

Although she was just a girl he met by chance, Kamito couldn't let her alone.

“Why did you follow me? I can't guarantee what will happen to you.”

“Don't you have the absolute confidence to tame it?”

“Of, of course I do!”

“Then there’s no problem that I come alone. ”

Kamito shrugged his shoulder and Claire turned away from him.

“....Suit yourself”

Inside the shrine is a dark gloomy misty atmosphere. Claire frowned slightly at the mold smells mingled inside the air.

“......Flames, let there be light.”

A tiny fire ball immediately starts to glow from Claire's fingertips, a basic spirit spell drawing on the power of Flame Spirit. The flickering light of the fire ball dimly illuminates the walls of the shrine which looked like a stalactites cavern.

The sword was at the innermost of the shrine.

“That..... is the sword that the sealed spirit resides in?”

Kamito muttered, while Claire nodded quietly.

A naked sword was stabbed standing in a huge stone. Although without doubt it was an antique of hundreds years old,　it has no rust in its body or dent of its edge. Delicate ancient runes were engrossed on its belly, radiating a dimly blue light.

“Existing here even before the academy was found, <the holy sword of Severian>.”

“The holy sword of Severian? The one that slayed Demon King Solomon?”

Demon King Solomon --- commanding seventy two powerful spirits, brought chaos and destruction to the continent, and '''the only male spirit contractor in history'''.

It was said that the one that slayed the demon king was the sword of Severian.

“Idiot, there’s no way that’s the real thing.”

Claire stated like she was amazed.

“Holy sword of Severian stabbed in a stone can be found everywhere in the empire. Some remote villages even has one for the revitalization the village. Anyhow, even if it is not the real deal, since it is a rune sword, there might be a powerful spirit sealed in itself. ”

“.....Indeed. Certainly, the real thing will not be at such a place...”

Claire walked toward the sword determinedly.

“Hey....”

“You stay back.”

Gesturing to Kamito who was coming close, Claire clenched the hilt of the holy blade.

“Don’t strain yourself ”

“....Got it”

Kamito decided to watch over Claire at the edge where the light barely reached. The sealed spirit might be provoked by the presence of other people. A heavy silence filled the surroundings.

“.....Let's do this, Claire Rouge.”

Breathing deeply, Claire murmured to herself. Her voice trembled a bit: it seemed that she was nervous after all.

--- Oh Noble Spirit Sealed in Ancient Holy Sword!

--- Thou Shall Accept Me As Thy Master, And I Shall Be Thy Sheath!

From her cherry red lips flew a fluent incantation for contract ritual in spirit language. Her crimson hair stands on its ends. A crashing wind started to swirl inside the shrine.

Holding his breath, Kamito watched her intensively. Once the contracts had been exchanged and the spirit recognized Clair as its master, a spirit seal would be engraved somewhere on her body. The contract vows entered its conclusion. In this moment, a dreadful gust of wind swept inside the shrine.

“......eh?”

But, Claire is unfazed. She calmly recites her contract vow.

---And, dazzling light radiated from Severian’s holy blade in her hand.

(I can’t....believe it, She was exchanging a contract with the sealed spirit!?)

Preventing being swept by the wind, astonished Kamito raised his voice.

From the holy blade stabbed in the stone　came overwhelming tremendous divine energy. If it was an average spirit contractor, she would have already passed out.

“---Thrice I Command Thee, Exchange Vows With Me!”

And, Claire’s vow reverberates inside the shrine --- in that instant.

Clink!

“Pulled, pulled out. I pulled it out.”

“.....What, seriously!?”

Brandishing overhead the sword pulled out from the stone, Claire exclaimed with joy. In the next second---

The ancient runes engraved in its belly suddenly shined violently!

“......ha!?”

Claire involuntarily releases the blade from her hand ---

The holy blade thrust into the ground. With a flash it blasted into bits.

“Kyaaaaah!”

A short shriek flew, then Claire collapses into the ground.

“Hey, are you okay!”

Kamito quickly runs towards Claire.

“Wha, What? What exactly has....”

Claire held her temple and got up, then looked around restlessly.

“My, My sealed spirit?”

“No, I....can sense something terrible.”

Sweat is flowing intensely from the back of Kamito's neck. Wearing a terrified facial expression,　he looked up at the shrine’s ceiling. In that place, '''swinging while floating in the air was the blade'''.

It's not the shattered holy sword. But, It was a rough steel blade that looked very sharp.

“Is that.....the sealed spirit in the sword!?”

“So it was of the <sword spirit> class. Looks it is rather irritated.”

“How do you know so much? You are not even a spirit contractor!”

“It is plain to see. No matter how you look at it, that doesn't seem to be someone who pledges his allegiance to his matter.”

“.....umm, indeed so.”

Claire unusual meekly nodded.

The floating sword slants pointing its tip in a downward direction, suddenly it become motionless.

Then ---

“.....Get Down!”

Kamito in that instant, pushes down Claire to the ground. A buzzing sound of an insect grazed the ear, in a flash it went far away.

“Wai, Waa, Wait, where are you touching me, I will turn you into cinders!”

With her face deeply red, Claire beat on Kamito's chest repeatedly.

“Idiot, stop rampaging!”

Kamito quickly moved his body away, and looked in the direct that the sword spirit had flown to.

Fragments of rocks fall down with clattering sounds. The shrine’s ceiling was completely sliced off cleanly.

“It is remarkable to release spirit of such rank ---”

Kamito glared with half opened eye towards　Claire .

“......but the spirit has completely gone berserk.”

“Shu. shut up. The, the taming of it starts now.”

“YOU....”

Kamito was stupefied, but he was in no situation to quarrel with her.

The spirit sword releases a chattering noise while approaching them. Inside the shrine, they can't move freely, and even the eye sight was restricted.

Kamito grabbed Claire’s hand and stood up. Touching each others soft skin, (Doki) a heart beat, but he showed no vexed expression 

“Hwaah”

“Stopping making cute reaction at every little thing. Let's flee.”

“Wha.. whaa. whatt.. Cute.. what me, Kyaa!”

“Let’s run outside!”

Pulling Claire’s hand, while running towards the direction of the shrine’s exit that was basking with sunshine.

The spirit sword did no immediately chases after them. Maybe as of now it has not yet completely awakened. With this opportunity they might be able to run away.

The moment they are out of the shrine, the flash of the sword grazed in front of his eyes. Kamito's forelocks fell while dancing in the air. The spirit sword lets out a tremendous roar, decisively knocking domn the surrounding trees in succession.

“Crazy, What a wild Spirit, just like a certain princess.”

“Alwa, always, you’re noisy...”

Feeling slightly awkward, and Claire fake coughed, then stood up.

“What a rebellious child.....I will give you some proper training”

Her pair of crimson eyes which where burning with a fierce determination, somehow she said some line provocative. Rolling up the fringe of her skirt, she then took out the leather whip which was coiled in her thigh, hitting it hard in the ground. Kamito's heart beat for the brief sight of her white underwear, but he said -

“Are you insane!? You’re opponent is a high rank sealed spirit!”

“Easy victory. Amateur like you please stay back!”

“Where are you getting all of your confidence? Whatever, let's run away!”

Claire shook off Kamito's hand that was grabbing her wrist.

“No, you escape yourself. I will absolutely make this spirit mine.”

“You, for what reason --- do you need a strong spirit that badly?”

“.....You will never understand”

At the same time Clair averts her eyes.

“I need...power, I need a unbeatable powerful spirit that will not lose to any other spirit!”

--- Guardian of Crimson’s blaze, Keeper of the Sleepless furnace!

--- Now is the time to abide the contract of blood, hasten to my side as commanded!

Claire recited the summoning spell of her “Flame Spirit”. A crimson flame surges and she was engulfed by intense heat.

“The hunting begins, Scarlett!”

Together with scorching flame – a Scarlet Red Hell Cat appeared. Instead of a fur, it was blazing scarlet red colored flame that was wrapped around the beast's body.

(Is that the real form of her flame spirit!?)

Indeed, she was not all talk. To manifested in beast form is a proof that it is a high rank spirit. "Scarlett" might just be as a name of affection, perhaps it was not the true name of the spirit. Without doubt it is a high rank spirit that carries a true name. 

Claire wields her whip, and the hell cat growls with a frightful roar, then rushed towards the sword spirit. Dancing sparks scattered. The atmosphere trembled at the roar of the beast. The floating spirit sword went against them, cutting all the trees in its way.

“Scarlett, go get it!”

In response to Claire’s shout, the hell cat leaped.　High above the floating sword it went, and sharp blazing claws swung down at the sword. With a high pitched shrill sound, intense sparks sprinkled down, and the spirit sword dropped to the ground.

Claire ran at the same time. It was not a fatal hit. The spirit sword rose and flew in a split second, rolling over while drawing an arc in the air.

The flame spirit chased after it, trying not to loose it from its hands. Roaring loudly, it made a great leap again.

Violent sparks scattered once again. Clare strikes hard at the ground with her leather whip, slowly pressing forward against the sword spirit. It looked like that the leather whip was not meant for battle, rather for signaling instructions to the spirit.

At the fiercely attacks of Scarlett, the spirit sword's movement stopped --- At this instant,

“Eat this, searing fire ball!”

Clair releases a huge fire ball from her palm.

Fire Ball is a high level spirit magic which use ultra hot flames and can terribly burn up any of its target, leaving it traceless. The spirit magic’s power is determined by the spirit contractor’s own divine spiritual energy and the contracted spirit’s strength as a whole.

The released fire ball drew an arch in the air, then exploded in a blast that even scarlet was caught in. The shock wave of the explosion knocked down the trees in the surrounding and fallen tree trunks radiate from the explosion center.

(What Terrible Power......)

Shielding himself from the flying stones coming at his head, Kamito wrapped his tongue and marveled.

Such power was nothing like a sixteen years old girl was capable of.

Inside the swirling fire the hell cat's figure shows up. Naturally, the hell cat can’t possibly be harmed by the blazing fire because of its fire nature.

The spirit sword float motionlessly in the air. It seemed that it had not received any damage either. Naturally, Claire didn't think that she would bring down a high rank spirit with spirit magic. But she should be able to get its attention.

“Scarlett!”

Claire exclaimed. The flame spirit's claws attacked at the spirit sword again. Its scourging hot claws could melt the iron steel. If its opponent was an average spirit, it would be instantly eradicated. But, the spirit sword quickly turned around, and the attack was stopped by the steel edge of the blade.

In an instant, the strange sound of metal scratching each other reverberated in the trembling atmosphere.

“Wh...What?....”

Kamito suppressed both his ears with his hands.

Receiving the full impact of the sound, Claire's face distorted from pain and she crouched down there.

The spirit sword released a weird sound - and then, transformed. Its shape changed from an average long sword to that of a huge bastard sword.

In a flash.

“What!?”

Claire’s flame spirit took the unexpected strike and couldn't avoid the big swing. The body was severely into two, and it vanished into the void together with the flames wrapped around its body.

With only one hit, it had lost the strength to manifest in this world.

(....Damn! Isn't it in a completely different league? It seemed that it has completely awakened.)

Kamito cursed, then took a glance at Claire -

Claire had collapsed on the ground, and her stunned blank eyes were fixed upward at the void where the flame spirit has disappeared.

Having finished off the flame spirit in one swing, the spirit sword aimed its next attack at Claire. 

The huge bastard sword flew with a bursting sound -

“Claire!”

Kamito shouted, and started to run. Without reason, his own body just moved before he known it.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Diving in front of Clair, he thrust his palm toward the bastard sword. Not his left hand enclosed by the leather glove – it was his right hand.

(……No choice but to do this! )

--- Oh Noble Spirit Sealed in Ancient Holy Sword!

--- Thou Shall Accept Me As Thy Master, And I Shall Be Thy Sheath!

Sweats rushed down from his forehead, he started to recite the incantation for spirit contract ''that he had sworn to never utter again''. The spinning tip of the sword pierced the skin of his palm. Red blood gushed intensely from it.

(.....Gwaah, Gah!)

Crushing amount of divine energy knocked on him, the soil and sands surrounding them are whirling up from the wind pressure. He almost lost his consciousness from the sharp pain. But if Kamito fainted here, Claire protected behind him would surely be cut in half.

--- Thrice I Command Thee!

“.....No way, a Spirit Contract!?”

A surprised sound came from Claire’s throat.

Kamito's heels sunk into the ground. And, the sound of his breaking bones resounds underneath his scalp.

--- Exchange Vows With Me!

Withstanding the terrible sharp pain, Kamito finished his last word of the contract ritual.

Instantly, the body of spirit sword radiated a pale blue light.

(What!?)

Intense flashes and thunderous sounds filled his consciousness.

=== Part 4 ===

He opened his eyes, and Claire Rouge’s face was there. Hanging lower onto his face was her twin tailed hair tickling his face.

It seemed that she shouted something, but he can't hear it clearly. Probably the sound blast had messed up his ears.

(.....Looks like I’m alive)

Weary lying on the ground, Kamito let out a breath of relief. The chance of success against a spirit of such rank was very low, but it looked like his gamble had paid off.

Raising his eyebrow, he grimaced from the torment of pain from all of his body and raised his right hand slowly.

In his right hand where was stabbed -

Instead of a wound, an emblem of two swords crossing each other was engraved on it.

It was the proof of the spirit contract - The spirit seal.

(Aah, I did it....)

Staring at the carved seal on the back of his hand, Kamito mumured.

A sharp sense of guilt bit his heart.

He has broken the promise with ''her'' ---

But, to save Claire under such a situation, that was the only method.

Claire noticed that Kamito has woken up, with her hands in his nape and her face approaching him. So close that he could feel her breath. With her clear crimson eyes, she stared at Kamito. Her cherry colored lips weakly trembled.

“......Why ”

"''Why, you’re a male, how can you contract a spirit!''”

“......”

Kamito does not answer and slowly rises up. Being ignored, the annoyed Claire raised her eyebrows.

“My, My Sword Spirit!?”

“My bad. Just a moment ago, I had contracted it”

Kamito sighes and at the same time he shows her the back of his right hand where the spirit seal is engraved.

“Wha, Whaa, Wha, Whaaaat!”

Claire wore a stunned expression with her mouth wide open.

(Well, A natural reaction....)

A long sigh --- Kamito felt a faint ache in his heart. Of course, he could clearly understand such response. Originally, a privilege that was granted to no one except pure maidens --- the spirit contract.

The existence of a man which could contract a spirit, throughout the history, belonged solely to one person. And the one who brought chaos and destruction in the world, the so called Demon King spirit contractor.

It is natural to fear him, who carried the same power of spirit contracts as the Demon King.

Kamito stands up and quietly turns around.

He does not regret. To save the girl, this is the only way he could think of.

“Wait, as am I saying Wait!”

Kamito was about to leave, but a voice called him from the back.

Turning around, he saw that Claire with her hands in her hips intensely glared at him.

"You stole...my spirit...take responsibility for it!"

“Huh?”

Kamito frowned. ....It doesn't make any sense to him.

At such reaction of Kamito, Claire impatient　brushed her twin tailed.

“I should have been the one who had obtained that spirit, as am I saying, you have to take responsibility for it”

“Re..sponsibility?”

Because of that unexpected word, Kamito had become even more confused.

....What was the girl saying.

“Therefore....”

Claire snapped her whip, then she points her index finger toward Kamito.

"You have to become my contracted spirit!"

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Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Chapter 1

2012-04-06T16:06:40Z

Sobokal:

== Chapter 1 - Towards North-Northeast ==


Die!!

If just saying that one word will cause someone to die, then no matter how many lives one has, it will never be enough.

That’s why, at the instant when,

“...... die!!”

Was shouted at Ryner Lute,

“Hn ah~?”

He groaned while scowling.

With messy black hair, and lazy black eyes,

However, his habitually sluggish, tall, lean, slouched figure, was entirely tensed up.

The reason was because, right now,

“...... oiy oiy spare me that would you ~”


He was attacked by a monster.

And with his lazy eyes, he looked at the monster in front of him.

“............”

Looking at the red haired "muscled brain" who shouted ‘die’ at him.

Currently, the person before Ryner was a man who had fiery red hair, and sharp gleaming eyes.

Ryner knew his name.

Field Marshal Claugh Klom.

The monster sent by Roland Empire’s Hero King, Sion Astal, to destroy Imperial Nelpha.

Claugh Klom.

The death god of the battlefield --- Claugh Klom.

That name was notoriously famous.

A man who once appears on a battlefield, will paint the ground red as the blood falls like rain and cause his enemies to scream in fear.

Everyone is afraid of his name.


Everyone will shake in fear at this name.

That was the name of Claugh Klom, one who can completely change the scenery of a battlefield.

And Ryner, in response to that,

“............”

''How idiotic can this be.''

He made a comeback at himself with his inner voice.

''No matter how strong Claugh is, how can just the appearance of one man turn the tide of a battle? It can’t be as simple as that'', he thought.

That’s why he made light of that, thinking that eighty percent of the rumors were exaggerations, and came here as a result.

With Ryner alone, he thought he could render one, two or three Claughs helpless and capture them.

On top of that, Ryner already had a grasp of Claugh’s strength, for he had sparred lightly with him once before.

At that time, Claugh’s movements were really terrific. He was strong and fast. Furthermore, contrary to him being a muscle brain, he was quick-witted and deployed his magic at a high speed.


If you don't consider him as a monster, then who can you call a monster?

That was how strong Ryner, a former member of the covert ops group called '''The Greatest Magician of Roland''', thought of and ascertained Claugh.

But, but still.

“............”

Ryner thought he could win.

''I’m probably a little stronger than Claugh Klom'', he thought.

That’s why he came here.

In order to capture Claugh, he came to the campsite erected by Roland army who came to invade Imperial Nelpha.

And then he attacked Claugh.

He attacked the Claugh who was standing carelessly on top of the hill a small distance away from the campsite.

And Ryner would easily defeat and capture Claugh Klom with an overwhelming strength......

“............”

That should have been the case however.

Claugh pulled out a knife.


As he did so, with an incredible speed and accuracy, he aimed at the center of Ryner’s chest.

“Woah.”

Ryner groaned. If he tried to dodge, he wouldn’t make it.

Thus he knocked it away with his hand.

But, at that moment, Claugh was already moving. A move for killing Ryner.

Every bit of his movement was very much faster than the moves that they had exchanged previously.

On seeing that.

“............”

''Shit, I was tricked'', Ryner scowled.

The sparring that happened previously was in preparation for this instant.

A year ago.

Meaninglessly, Claugh had come to spar with Ryner. He came to attack Ryner, whom he disliked.

After having fought for about two, three rounds, and deploying their magic then --- Ryner had thought.


Claugh was indeed strong, but nothing like what the rumors had said, Ryner had thought.

But that was what he was made to think.

With a fed-up face, he glared at Claugh.

“What a swindler.”

On hearing that, Claugh grinned.

“You are the one to blame for being deceived.”

On hearing that, ''That’s quite right'', Ryner thought.

In a battlefield, the one who’s deceived and killed has only himself to blame.

That was the first thing that Ryner had learned when he was undergoing battle training at the Germer Kleisrole Training Institute.

Every battle starts with deception and ends with deception.

''"Now, how will you deceive me in order to stay alive?"''

That was Germer Kleisrole had said.

''"Now, how will you deceive the world in order to stay alive?"''

That was what Ryner’s master had said.

While remembering those words,


“...... seems like I’ll be the one deceived and killed, Germer.”

He muttered softly.

Claugh said,

“Die.”

His right hand moved in his direction.

That arm was covered in a pitch-black color.

Pitch-black scribblings and patterns crawled around the surface of his arm.

So what in the world was that? Just by looking, Ryner understood.

A '''forbidden curse'''. An abnormally unthinkable sinister forbidden curse was implanted into that arm.

However, that was not a matter that could be considered sane.

This was just knowledge Ryner knew about; in experiments where the '''forbidden curse''' was placed into human bodies, ten thousand out of ten thousand people experimented on died --- it was the kind of experiment in which the odds of success were insanely low.

But yet, this fella had it implanted into his arm.

Despite the strength he possessed, in order to seek a new power, he further went on to implant the curse into his arm.


And Ryner understood what in the world the curse might be.

He closed and opened his eyes again.

With vermillion pentacles floating above his black pupils, he saw through the entirety of the curse attached to Claugh’s arm.

On that arm of Claugh.

“............”

Blue-black dragons cursing the world were sealed in it.

The eight cursed dragons that release blue flames.

Looking at that,

“............”

As Ryner was looking at that,

“...... isn’t there something wrong with your head?”

He muttered without thinking.

That was how abnormal the curse sealed in Claugh’s arm was.

On releasing the curse, the dragons will fly from Claugh’s arm all at once.


And then attack the enemy.

Anyone who’s bitten will be engulfed by the curse in an instant, and have his life force seeped away.

However, he won’t die immediately. Despite having his life force seeped away, he won’t die. Without dying, he will become a puppet of the person who has afflicted him with the curse, and live for ten hours.

After ten hours have passed, the curse will run its course and disintegrate his body, killing him.

“............”

On seeing that effect alone, Ryner understood how convenient the curse was. A magic that can kill and make the victim his puppet.

If it’s used on the battlefield, it will be an extraordinary  powerful and convenient magic.

However, it’s not practical.

The '''forbidden curse''' that’s sealed is not something that can be used.

Why is that so?

The reason is simple.

This magic has too many flaws.

First, the burden on the user is too heavy. During its use, the user’s body will have to go through an excruciating amount of pain. The intensity of pain is so great that it’s impossible for one to retain his consciousness --- no, if it doesn’t go well, it won’t be strange even if he dies from shock.


But yet, why was Claugh, who was about to activate his curse, able to retain his consciousness? This was something Ryner could not understand. 

On top of that, on activating the magic, even if all eight dragons can be released, only at most three of them can be controlled.

The remaining five will attack their surroundings indiscriminately.

In other words, if there were comrades around, it can’t be used. No, in that case, there was a chance that the remaining dragons will attack their user.

And if he’s bitten, death will surely come pay a visit.

“............”

No matter how he looked at the Claugh who was about to activate his curse before him, he could only see that it was a foolishly flawed magic.

Such a magic should not have been usable.

“............”

But Claugh released that magic which should not have been usable.

“You're kidding right.”


As Ryner groaned, Claugh’s arm was clad in blue black fire and the eight dragons came forth.

And then three out of those looked around their surroundings. After ascertaining that there was no target, they went after Claugh’s shoulder, waist, and foot, devouring them.

A sure-death curse.

The most terrible curse.

A curse of despair.

And Claugh should have readily died --- from his own curse that was invading him.

“............”

But that red hair muscle brain seemed completely fine and a smile floated on his face. And he ignored two other dragons which further went on to bite at his neck.

Looking at that, Ryner,

“...... are you immune to the curse?”

“............”

But Claugh did not answer. Only a smile of delight floated on his face. Embedded with killing intent, his piercing eyes looked towards here .


And then Claugh said.

“Now, the preparations have been made. Let’s kill each other seriously, shall we? '''Greatest Magician of Roland'''-kun.”

In a flash.

Two dragons were released from Claugh’s arm.

“Woah.”

Ryner uttered as he dodged.

One came from his right.

The other came from above.

Their movements were not that fast. It was possible to dodge.

But, on top of that,

“...... what I seek is iridescent destruction......”

On hearing Claugh’s voice,

“Seriously!?”

Ryner shouted as he looked towards Claugh. Claugh was drawing out a magical inscription with his left hand. The magic being deployed was '''Kuuri'''.


Firing spears of light, among Roland’s magic, it was one with the most destructive power.

It was of a high difficulty level, and not usable by one without a good mind.

''To say it clearly, if a muscle brain, who can already move fast and has great strength, could use such a spell, he will be way too powerful!'' As he wanted to make a comeback, he turned to the Claugh who was wielding both a powerful magic and a '''forbidden curse''' at the same time,

“Isn’t this too unfair!”

Ryner hollered.

But a smile floated on Claugh’s face again,

“Who in the world was the one who said that you have to play fair?”

At that moment, Claugh had completed his '''Kuuri'''.

But, on seeing that, Ryner frantically drew his magic inscription in the air,

“What I seek is iridescent destruction...”

He chanted the same magic as Claugh.

And then.

[[Image:DDnYnD v03 027.jpg|thumb]]

"'''Kuuri'''"

Their magic were activated at the same time.

Light started to gather at the center of both their magic inscriptions. And then, for the sake of killing the enemy, the multi-colored beams that were conjured were fired, and clashed with each other.

Instantly.

A strong eye-dazzling light was dispersed into their surroundings, but, in such a dangerous situation, if he were to shut his eyes from the blinding light even for an instant, he would be killed. So he squinted his eyes to ascertain his surroundings, and with all his might, he retreated backwards.

Towards the forest where he was hiding earlier from Claugh, who was on top of the hill.

But,

“I won’t let you escape.”

He heard the voice of Claugh --- the monster called the death god of the battlefield.

While he was pursued by a monster with a power which he never encountered before,

“Ahh noww, this is terriblyyyyyyyyy bothersomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

Ryner withdrew into the forest.

The forest of the deep night.


Today’s weather was fine, and though the moonlight lit up the surroundings, it did not reach the inside of the forest.

Despite the fact that it should have been advantageous to escaping.

Just a casual glance towards his back yielded a sight of flaming blue-black dragons coming from behind, right after Ryner,

“Shit!?”

He rolled onto the ground and dodged them. Immediately after that, he stood up, kicked the tree to his left, and jumped. He further went on to grab hold of a branch of a tree in front of him, then used it as a foothold, and went further up.

Up.

Up.

And then he turned his head around.

As he turned his head around in order to ascertain where his enemy was on the ground,

“Slow.”

Immediately, just right behind him, Claugh’s left fist came flying towards Ryner,

“How the heck can you be so fast!”

Ryner moaned as he pushed the fist aside.


Following that, he avoided the oncoming dragons and sent a kick towards Claugh’s face, but it was dodged.

At the same time, Ryner grabbed hold of another tree branch near him, and pulled himself towards a different tree, and then jumped.

Of course, Claugh was following right behind him, but Ryner could no longer turn his head around as that would surely get him chomped up by the dragons behind him.

Flying from tree to tree, and while doing that, Ryner drew a glowing magical inscription in the air.

And he completed it.

He chanted.

“WHAT I SEEK IS BURNING FIELDS >>> KURENAI”

Instantly, exploding flames burst out from the Ryner’s magical construct and sprung in the direction behind him, and then coming from behind him,

“WHAT I SEEK IS WATER MIST >>> MISUMI”

He heard the incantation of a magic that would bring forth an exploding jet of water.

As the flames and water clashed, the hissing sound of water turning into steam could be heard, but yet, Ryner did not look back.


But, ''Ahhhh, dang, he got me, what kind of monster is this!'' He complained silently.

“............”

''Dang, he really got me.''

The plan was to quickly defeat Claugh, restrain him, and use him as a hostage for many things.

''But yet, what’s this?''

''What the hell is this?''

Ryner gave a quick glance towards the monster that was chasing him from behind.

He looked at the form of Claugh, who was sending his cursed dragons towards him while in pursuit.

“............”

And then he started to believe somewhat. He started to believe somewhat in the rumor of him being able to turn the tide of a battle all by himself as he appears on a battlefield.

This really is a monster.

Using the '''forbidden curse''', with a higher level of physical ability than Ryner, and on top of that, he readily deployed a counter magic to neutralize Ryner’s '''Kurenai'''.

That was some kind of an impossible strength.


It was a strength that would make one want to get away in a flash.

“............”

But, he couldn’t run away.

No matter what it took, it was necessary for Ryner to make this fella a hostage.

It was necessary to make this monster whom god may even fear a hostage.

It was for the sake of stopping the most terrible war that was going on in these lands.

Capturing Claugh was absolutely necessary for the sake of stopping this war started by his best friend, the Hero King of the largest country in the southern part of the continent, Roland Empire, Sion Astal.

“............”

Ryner once again gave a quick glance behind him, looking intently at the red haired monster who was closing in . And then.

“...... it seems like it’s completely impossible to restrain him......”

Ryner said with a exasperated voice.

He was way too naive. To have thought of restraining this fella all by himself, he was so naive that he wanted to beat himself up.

If he was seriously wanting to kill him, this could end up in a draw, he thought. But if he were to end up killing him, then it would become meaningless.


It was necessary to keep this red haired monster who was known as Sion’s right hand man, alive, restrain him, and on top of that, threaten him, and make him a hostage.

And once again,

“Ugh ~ super bothersome.”

Ryner groaned as he said.

“So as to speak, I really hate this kind of bothersome stuff.”

He lamented.

“In the first place ~, getting chased by this monster, working hard in order to stop the war, creating world peace, to say this clearly, I'm not the least interested at all, let some other hero-wannabe take on such bothersome stuff......”

At that moment, from behind him, the blue black dragons again come biting,

“Woah, that’s really dangerous, no, someone save me please, I seriously hope this will stop! I really hate working hard like this!”

He yelled, and from behind him, Claugh said.

“Then, get on with it and die.”


“You are right. If I just die, I can relax and struggle no more, isn’t it.”

“I’ll lend you my hand.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I shall accept your kind offer, will you kill me ~”

Even as he said that, Ryner’s feet kept moving. While jumping from tree to tree, he drew glowing words in the air.

That was a magic which he had previously stolen from the mage knight battalion of the Kingdom of Estabul. Looking back, this was something from a long time ago. It was during the time when he and Sion were still students and fighting the mage knight battalion of the Kingdom of Estabul; a magic he copied when he was in danger of getting killed.

He’s using that magic now.

“I OFFER THE CONTRACTED WORDS, LETTING THE SLUMBERING MALICIOUS SPIRIT DWELL WITHIN”

Instantly.

Ryner’s body appeared to shimmer. At the same time, his speed increased.

The magic he chanted was one that released  the limiter in his mind, and allowed his physical abilities to increase dramatically.

And then a smile floated on his face,


“Alright. Preparations done. With this, it’s time to fight a little with the monster......”

In the midst of saying that.

He once again heard the voice of Claugh from behind him.

The voice of Claugh chanting.

But, in response to those words, Ryner,

“............”

His eyes widened and he turned his head around in shock.

As he did that, Claugh’s spell was completed.

The glowing words that appeared from his left hand were the same as those drawn out by Ryner seconds ago.

The same construct.

The same magic.

But that was something impossible.

Because it was Estabul’s magic.

It was a pretty high level magic, which only pretty excellent magic scholars, after studying the basics and architectural constructs of Estabul’s magic, could acquire after three or four years.

A normal soldier couldn’t possibly use it.


No, even if the soldier is a capable one, he shouldn’t be able to use it.

And besides, it was not even two years since Estabul had been absorbed by Roland. Even if both sides were to exchange and share magical knowledge they possess, many years should have been needed before a soldier could use it.

Of course, it was a different story for people like Ryner who could copy magic with their special eyes, but he had never heard that Claugh was an '''Alpha Stigma''' bearer.

''Then, how was it done?''

''How did this fella accomplish it?''

“You...... how in the world did you manage to learn Estabul’s magic?”

On hearing Ryner’s question, Claugh shrugged his shoulders readily,

“...... hard work?”

“Huhh? It’s not something you can achieve by hard work alone, isn’t it?”

“It might be so for a normal person. But it seems like I’m a genius, you know?”

“Uweh ~, a person who calls himself a genius has to be an ordinary person...”

However, Claugh was undoubtedly a genius.

It was something he had already recognized.


Even when Ryner was active in Roland’s covert ops group, he had never quite seen any monster like that.

On top of that, those geniuses who were not spoiled and actually put in hard work simply didn’t exist.

Ryner,

“This could be bad.”

As he groaned, Claugh laughed ‘haha’. As he laughed, he chanted.

Estabul’s magic.

“I OFFER THE CONTRACTED WORDS, LETTING THE SLUMBERING MALICIOUS SPIRIT DWELL WITHIN”

As he did that, the magic really activated.

The magic which should not have been usable by a Roland soldier was activated.

Claugh’s body started shimmering faintly, and in one breath, his movement speed increased.

He closed the gap.

Those movements of his were even faster than the magically sped-up Ryner.

Ryner was already at a loss.

Ryner was at a loss of what to do with such a monster all by himself.


And Claugh delightfully,

“What’s this. Just running away, isn’t that boring? Or is this all you’ve got? Perhaps, this Estabul magic was your trump card? If that’s the case......”

At that moment, he further went on to increase his speed. He kicked a tree with all his strength, closed in the gap between him and Ryner, side by side with him, he looked at him and said.

“...... can I finally kill you now?”

Ryner looked at Claugh’s face,

“You can’t.”

He replied.

“Alright. Then I shall kill you.”

“Didn’t I say that you can’t!”

“Haha. You’re noisy.”

As he said that, Claugh swung his right arm. Three blue-black flaming dragons were about to attack Ryner.

On seeing that, Ryner,


“Ahh ~”

He said.

''Ahh'', he said it with a really exasperated voice.

''Ahh, I can’t take this anymore''.

“...... if I don’t fight seriously, I’ll really get killed......”

He said.

His opponent was fighting seriously with an intent to kill. It’s time for him to get serious and do the same as well.

His original plan to defeat his opponent and restrain him had to be changed.

No, well, he had another plan that could have settled things without fighting, but it seemed like it wouldn’t come through in time.

If, there’s a one in million chance that Claugh is insanely strong --- no, he is in fact strong --- and Ryner could no longer cope with it; there was in fact another plan for such a situation, but,

“...... if I wait for that, I might be killed. Then.”

At that moment, Ryner's eyes changed into a sharp piercing gaze.

Following that, in his head, a battle plan against Claugh started unfolding.


There were three parts to it.

First, sidestep his opponent’s attack.

Second, trick him.

Third, kill him.

“...... shall I get started?”

At that moment, Ryner stepped onto a large branch, and turned and changed the direction he was facing.

In response to that, Claugh also stopped in his tracks on the large branch. And then,

“Orh, at last, you’re getting serious?”

As he said that, he made a guarded face, having realized that Ryner’s aura had changed.

On seeing that, ''this fella is really a tough nut to crack'', Ryner thought as he scowled again.

If he were to let his guard down, it would be possible for Ryner to take advantage of an opening without killing him.

However, there was entirely none at all.

Even though from appearances, he seemed to be  enjoying the fight from his broad grin, he was certainly not fooling around.

That’s why, with a sad and tired looking face, Ryner said.

“Geez, I really don’t want to kill you, you know.”

On hearing that, as expected while looking as if he was enjoying himself, Claugh,


“An interesting joke.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Furthermore, you won’t be able to kill me.”

“Perhaps. But, you won’t know till I try.”

“I know.”

“Really, I wonder?”

“Yeah.”

“I see...... well, it’d be a bother, but let’s get on with it.”

“Hurry up and get on with it.”

“Yeah.”

After he nodded, Ryner, for once, drew out all his strength. And he turned off the switch. That was the switch in his head. He released the inhibition in which he would unconsciously take it easy on his opponent. Following that, he gradually lowered his stance. While drawing soft breaths, he gathered power into his body.

And then,

“Here goes.”


At the same time he spoke.

He released all the built-up energy in his body.

In a breath, he lunged at Claugh.

Even though Claugh set two of his dragons on him, he readily dodged. While dodging, he drew out magical inscriptions in mid-air.

A complex construct. As he quickly drew out an elaborate magical construct, Claugh reacted.

The magic that Ryner drew out was the same as before. The flame magic which Claugh had counteracted with '''Misumi''' previously, '''Kurenai'''.

He chanted that once again.

With a relaxed expression, Claugh began,

“That’s the same one as before.”

He said, and then started chanting '''Misumi'''.

But that was a fake.

Rather, the '''Kurenai''' Ryner had cast earlier was a fake.

Earlier, Ryner had intentionally activated '''Kurenai''' at a slow pace. His real magical construction ability was at a speed so fast that there was no way Claugh would have time to finish chanting a counter-spell.


But, earlier, he had chanted his magic slowly.

In order to make Claugh think that he was superior in his magical construction ability, and induce a mistake from him, he had chanted his magic slowly intentionally.

And Claugh had fallen into his trap.

On seeing Ryner’s '''Kurenai''', Claugh started chanting '''Misumi''' at a relaxed pace.

But he was too late.

He was entirely too late.

From here on, in the time before Claugh could finish constructing his '''Misumi''', he would already be done with '''Kurenai’s''' inscription, and on top of that, he would be able to thrust his hand into the magical inscription of '''Misumi''' that Claugh was drawing, and change the construct.

That’s why,

“It’s the end.”

As he said that, he immediately completed '''Kurenai''', and further went on to thrust his hand into Claugh’s magical inscription of '''Misumi'''.

On seeing that, at last, Claugh’s expression changed.

“Damn you.”


As he said that, he gave up on working on his magical construct, and started attacking Ryner instead, but he was too late.

The '''Kurenai''' behind Ryner had started activating.

Flames had gathered in the center of the magical inscription, and was aimed in Claugh’s direction,

“Shit.”

Claugh groaned. Following that, he extended a dragon from his right arm, which bit onto a tree some distance away from him, and subsequently, he was reeled towards it.

With that, he somehow managed to evade the flaming missiles, but that was the end.

Ryner had completed changing the '''Misumi''' drawn out by Claugh, forcibly changing it to '''Kuuri'''.

And aiming it towards Claugh,

“WHAT I SEEK IS IRIDESCENT DESTRUCTION >>>......”

As he was chanting the spell, and just as he was about to fire off '''Kuuri''', his hand stopped moving.

Following that, he slowly.

“............”

He slowly shifted his line of sight, and looked at the dragon shrouded in blue-black flames, which was about to bite into the back of his neck.


Before he knew it, a dragon, with an instant death curse embedded within its fangs, had encircled him from behind and was in position to bite into his neck.

If Claugh were to order it, in a flash, Ryner would be killed.

However, it was the same the other way round.

'''Kuuri''' was almost completed. What’s left was the incantation --- just one more line to utter, once the incantation was completed, Claugh would be impaled by '''Kuuri''' and die. At this kind of near distance, no matter how his body movements had been sped up, he wouldn’t be able to dodge.

It was one more step for the both of them.

Both of them were in a position to kill each other in just about a tenth of a second.

Ryner turned his eyes to face the Claugh who was hanging from his dragon clinging on to a tree some distance away.

“...... damn. After getting so serious, it’s a tie.”

“............”

But Claugh did not answer.

Ryner shrugged his shoulders,


“So, what’s next? If we end it in a tie like this, it’d be a little fruitless, I think.”

As he was staring at Ryner, Claugh said.

“I don’t think so. You are strong enough to make me think that it’s better to kill you here even if it’s a tie.”

“Ah-rah? Are those words of praise?”

“You can take it that way.”

“Then shall we call it a tie?”

“............”

Claugh glowered at him. And his killing intent further swelled up.

An intent to kill.

An intent to kill by sacrificing himself.

And there was no way the both of them could evade each other’s attacks.

It was the worst.

It was the worst kind of situation.

But still, even so,

“............”


A smile floated on Ryner’s face.

A relaxed smile. It was his usual languid, unmotivated smile.

On seeing that, Claugh raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.

“Why did you smile?”

But Ryner,

“No, I think in the end, it’s my win.”

“Huh? How so? Where did your chance of winning come......”

However.

At that point, Claugh stopped his words. And then Claugh’s sharp expression contorted.

Ryner looked at him and smiled.

“Ah, you’ve noticed?”

“............”

As expected, Claugh did not answer.

But, it didn’t matter anyhow.

Then Ryner turned his gaze to behind Claugh.

He was looking in the direction of the place where the original alternative plan of capturing Claugh, the plan that he was previously waiting for, had activated.


Behind the Claugh who was hanging from a tree.

Below him, a peerless beauty was looking up at them.

With long golden hair, and clear blue eyes. An extraordinary well featured face. Wearing a one-piece <ref name=”one_piece>'''One-piece:''' A one-piece, in Japanese, refers to a single piece dress. </ref> with a short skirt portion that was unsuitable for a battlefield. At the waist portion of that one-piece, she wore a long sword which those slender arms of hers do not seem capable of wielding, and as usual, in her right hand was a skewer of dango.

Ryner’s partner, Ferris Eris.

Ferris was looking up at them with an uninterested look.

“What? Didn’t you say ''Single-handedly, I’ll win effortlessly puppu ~'' in a high and mighty manner, and you’re still fighting like an idiot?”

She said.

On hearing that, Ryner smiled wryly,

“I never did say ''I’ll win effortlessly puppu~''.”

“Then it’s ''poppo'' -?”

“No, there’s not where the problem is...... this fella is a thousand times stronger than I thought, you know.”

“Isn’t it because you’re weak?”


“No, to fight such an opponent till this point, I would even praise myself for it.”

As he said that, Ryner looked at Claugh.

As always, he had a stern face. No, it was a face of someone desperately thinking about how to break out of this situation.

It was the face of a fellow who refuses to give up no matter how bad the situation was.

Seeing that, Ryner frowned and began,

“But, it’s useless, you see, Claugh? Your loss is set. No matter how strong you are, you won’t be a match for both me and Ferris, besides......”

At that moment, Ryner looked at Ferris again. No, he was looking at the trump card of his plan, which she had been dragging along with her left hand.

“............”

Trump card --- gripped at the nape of the neck and dragged along by Ferris, an unconscious, young, blond man.

This was another plan that Ryner had devised.

In the situation where he were to carry out negotiations with Claugh, in order to make him listen to his demands and on top of that have him accept them, it was necessary to have an advantageous leverage of such an extent.

What could he do to bring about this?


One.

Ryner to beat down Claugh and capture him. But there was a danger to that. If Claugh was stronger than he thought --- well, as a matter of fact, he’s really a thousand times stronger than he thought --- in reverse, Ryner might be killed instead, and on top of that, even if he could capture Claugh, there was also the possibility that he would not submit and say something like ''Kill me!'', and not listen to Ryner’s demands. Furthermore, fighting him with Ferris at the onset was also not an option. If they did that, then it’s possible that Claugh’s comrades would reinforce him and with a large army against them, they would have no chance of winning at all.

That’s why, so as to speak, Ryner had another plan prepared.

Ryner would attack Claugh alone, and draw him away from the camp, and in the meantime ---

“............”

At that moment, Ryner looked down at the man dragged by Ferris,

“Well, is that the guy?”

Ferris nodded.

“The vice officer of that red haired man. The name is Shuss Shirazz. ''If I’m to become a burden to Field Marshal Klom, I’ll kill myself'', as he was saying that, I knocked him out.”


Ferris said.

Ryner began delightedly,

“I see ~. You sure have an excellent subordinate, don’t you, Claugh-chan ~.”

As he said that, he looked at Claugh.

Without saying anything, he glared at Ryner.

But, Ryner appeared indifferent. He only had to move according to his plan.

He grabbed hold of the dragon which was about to bite into his neck.

“Well now, first, dismiss this dragon. Just killing me alone, and in exchange for that, losing the lives of the famous Claugh Klom-sama, and the capable vice officer Shuss Shirazz, that won’t make it too worthwhile right?”

He said.

On hearing that, while Claugh continued glaring at him,


“...... what do you want?”

He said in a low, menacing voice.

However, in response to those words, a smile surfaced on Ryner’s face.

All this while, he had been working hard at getting those words out from his opponent.

And there was only one thing he wished for.

''Can you give me some time?''

That was it.

Even for him, he was well aware of the current situation in Roland Empire.

The fact that Roland was currently invading Nelpha, and carrying out large scale massacres as a show to kill the other countries’ spirit of putting up a resistance.

After showing the massacre in Nelpha, it would strike a dent into the other countries’ will to resist, and Roland could get them to surrender without fighting.

That was a necessary path to a minimum loss of lives and the fastest way to end the war.

That was what Sion had seemingly considered.

Even though he hated wars, he hated people dying, and he hated causing grief to others, that was the path that Sion had seemingly considered, choosing to shoulder all the burden upon himself.


And Ryner also understood the need for such a war.

Even though he couldn’t accept it, but on this Menoris continent where the flames of war were spreading fiercely, he could understand how that was the only available choice.

That’s why ''would you give some time to Nelpha?'', that’s what Ryner had come to negotiate about.

What’s transpiring in Imperial Nelpha right now could be said to be the worst case scenario for both Nelpha and Roland.

Sion’s plan was probably to invade Nelpha with an overwhelming force and secure a swift surrender.

No, that really did happen.

The benevolent king of Nelpha, Gread Nelphi,

''"I shall offer my own head and the confinement of my son, Prince Starnel...... so in exchange, would you stop massacring Nelpha’s people?"''

That was the proposal he had intended to put forth to Roland.

However, just before that, the stupid son Prince Starnel, caring only about his own life, went berserk.

First, he killed his own father, Gread Nelphi, and slammed down the declaration of surrender.


On top of that, in order to buy time for his own escape, he sent forth ten thousand soldiers to clash with Roland’s forces, ordering them to repel Roland.

Furthermore, he commanded the remaining sixty eight thousand troops himself and started massacring and looting his own people.

That was a worst case scenario that was already beyond anyone’s expectations.

With this, until Roland had killed the unyielding stupid son, the war had to continue.

Destroying all the cities, killing all the soldiers, completely obliterating Nelpha, and the need to show all this to the entire world.

The reason was because, thanks to the stupid son who valued his life more than the country and people, Nelpha would never surrender.

However, in such a dreadful worst case scenario, it was not without a glimmer of hope.

That would be Toale Nelphi.

The son of that stupid prince Starnel and his commoner mistress, who one year ago, extended his hand to help Ryner and Ferris, who should have been strangers to him and had somewhat drifted to Nelpha while they were searching for relics, a kind, nice kid, that Toale, who of course was much more popular than the stupid prince Starnel among the populace, had stepped out to take command of the abandoned ten thousand troops and stopped them from advancing.


He stopped a pointless clash between Roland and Nelpha’s armies.

And Roland should be happy about that as well.

Since with the appearance of Toale, Roland’s original goal of minimizing the loss of lives and making Nelpha submit was once again possible.

And the wise Toale would definitely,

''"I will surrender, so could you let the ten thousand soldiers and people off?"''

He would request.

Of course, Roland would refuse. Since if Roland were to let them off, then it would not be able to make a display to the other countries.

That’s why Roland would tell Toale,

''"Go take the throne from the current king of Nelpha, from that stupid prince. After that, if you make a surrender to Roland, we will accept it. Of course, in order to make a show to the other countries, Toale Nelphi of royal lineage will be executed......"''


And Toale would definitely accept. If he’s able to save everyone with his life, Toale would accept.

However, regarding that demand, it would be a pretty unreasonable one.

The reason was because right now, Toale only had ten thousand soldiers with him.

On the other hand, Starnel was commanding a sixty eight thousand troop army.

Roughly seven times.

No matter one thought about it, not a single chance of winning could be seen.

On top of that, even if Toale were to win, what was going to come after that would be his execution.

And furthermore, Toale would accept that execution with a smiling face.

And there’s no way he could be saved, something at the level that would make one cry out ''what the hell’s that'',

That’s why.

“............”

''Could you please wait a while'', that’s the bargain Ryner wanted to strike.

With even less sacrifices.

In order to advance in the direction of a scenario with even less people getting hurt, Ryner had come to strike a deal with Claugh.


The time for Ryner to go capture Prince Starnel alone.

And the time for Toale to escape out of the country before the situation whereby the royalty of Nelpha gets killed arose.

In order to accomplish these two things, he needed the time.

Even though Ryner came here to ask for more time, there was no way he could say that he needed more time and expect it to be given to him.

That’s why Ryner said.

“For now, could you leave your troops here and return to Sion’s side?”

On hearing that.

Claugh, while glaring at Ryner,

“...... I see. You’re trying to buy time.”

He said.

With only one sentence from Ryner, Claugh could get roughly what Ryner was thinking about.

Furthermore, Claugh said.

“But, why are you supporting Nelpha? It has nothing to do with.......”

But, Ryner interrupted there,


“Toale is my friend. And, I can’t betray my friends...... well, it’s some ultra naive talk, can you agree to it?”

On hearing those words,

“............”

A slight smile floated on Claugh’s face. But it’s not a mocking smile.

“Are you agreeing to it?”

“............”

But, as expected, Claugh did not reply. And without replying to that question,

“However, what’s in it for me to cooperate with you in saving your friend? Are you going to abduct Starnel and bring him to me?”

“Yeah.”

Ryner nodded, and Claugh laughed.

“Ha. That’s an unnecessary thing. If it’s just that, we could do it as well. Supporting Toale Nelphi, killing Starnel, and executing Toale after that. The only difference our methods lies only in whether Toale is going to die or not. However, in order to make a demonstration to the other countries, we need to kill Toale. Roland is no longer a cowardly country that will let someone of royal lineage and who has commanded an army once live.”


“Is that Sion’s view?”

“That’s right. Sion’s different from you, he wouldn’t sacrifice the lives of others just for the sake of saving one life.”

“............”

That’s right, Ryner thought.

Claugh’s words.

The path that Sion was taking.

There was nothing more right than that.

But even if this was said to be right, it didn’t mean that everyone would follow along with it, Ryner thought.

Even if this was said to be right, it didn’t mean that everyone would achieve happiness, Ryner thought.

At the very least, if Toale were to die.

If he were to die, Ryner would be sad.

No, not just Ryner. Toale is a well-liked person. He is well-liked by the people of this country. To kill the Toale who is well-liked the people of this country was not really a good choice for the Roland that’s subjugating Nelpha from here on, Ryner thought.


Of course, it would be good for an instant. To overwhelm Nelpha with fear, and to overwhelm the neighbouring countries, and to further overwhelm their neighbouring countries, if it  were to sweep across everything with its might alone, then that choice might be the correct one, but was there really a need to move forward in such a hurry?

A little.

Wouldn’t it be a good thing to take things a little more slowly, and move forward along a path that could bring a smile to everyone.......

“...... that’s how the naive stupid me thinks though.”

He murmured as he was looking southwards, in the direction where Sion was, the direction of Roland.

And Claugh who could hardly hear him,

“Huh?”

He said, but Ryner appeared indifferent to that.

He turned to face Claugh again,

“Well, I’ve already known right at the start that you are going to reject my offer though.”

“Then, that’s the end of our talk. Let’s get on with the killing.”

“That’s why I was saying, if we do that, it’ll be unfavorable against you......”


But, a smile surfaced on Claugh’s face again,

“I have the confidence to evade your '''Kuuri'''. The one’s who’s gonna die is only you.”

He said something scary.

On hearing that, Ryner,

“...... even for me...... erm...... I also have the confidence to probably dodge your dragon barely, you know?”

“Right.”

“No, I’m serious. Anyway, even for you, it’ll be by a hair’s breadth to dodge '''Kuuri'''.”

“We’ll know for certain once we try it.”

“No no, that’s why I say, once we try it, we can’t take our actions back anymore. And besides, if we do that, what’s going to happen to Shuss? I’ll dodge the dragon. You’ll dodge '''Kuuri'''. But the hostage Shuss......”

But, while smiling, Claugh said.

“For a soft, naive person like you, can you kill a hostage, I wonder?”

On hearing those words.

A wry smile surfaced on Ryner’s face,

“...... ah-rah, you really hit where it hurts. But, to go against such a naive opponent, do you really need to fight so frenziedly? Do you really think such a naive guy will become a threat to you in the future?”

This time round, it was Claugh’s turn to smile wryly.

“...... no, I don’t think so.”

“Isn’t it? Then, why don’t you listen to me till the end? At any rate, the things we say will just be nonsense, unsophisticated stuff that can’t pose a threat to you, so if you’re willing to listen to me with a magnanimous heart, I’ll be really happy, I guess.”

On hearing those words.

Claugh appeared to consider those words for a moment. Seconds later, appearing to have reached a decision, he closed one eye and,

“Disppear, << Cursed Harp >>.”

He issued some kind of command, and the dragon that was poised to bite into Ryner’s neck disappeared.

On top of that, the dragons that were surrounding Claugh also disappeared and he dropped to the ground.

In response to that, Ryner,

“Ferris.”

He called out, but even before he had even done so, Ferris was already moving towards him, dragging Shuss alongside, but.


“Hey hey, leave Shuss here.”

Claugh called out from behind Ferris, stretching out his hand.

In response to that, Ferris,

“You’re hindering me.”

As she said that, she drew the sword at her waist at an unbelievable speed. And that was already at a speed which Ryner could not follow with his eyes.

The sword was drawn at a timing which should have been impossible to evade, but,

“Woah.”

Claugh uttered as he dodged it. And following that, he caught hold of Shuss’s head. And on top of that, he picked up a fallen branch from the ground and attempted to thrust it towards Ferris.

“Hm?”

Ferris turned her body, and sidestepped it. At that instant, Claugh straightened his stance. While hauling Shuss towards him, his right hand started drawing a glowing magical inscription.

And as Ferris was about to slice at that magical inscription with her sword.

At that moment, Ryner,


“That’s enough Ferris. Come back for now.”

He said.

Immediately, Ferris reacted and jumped a step backward. She further went on to kick the ground, then kicked a tree trunk, and landed on the branch next to the branch that Ryner was standing on.

For some reason, she had a dissatisfied look on her face,

“That red head...... he’s much stronger than the last time I fought him.”

“Hn? Even Ferris had a go with him before?”

“Yeah. It was three years ago. It was on Sion’s orders, I recall.”

“I see. So, did you win?”

“We didn’t manage to finish it.”

“Then, can you win now?”

''I wonder?'', Ferris tilted her head in such a manner in response, after which, a faint smile, which would have been indecipherable by other onlookers, floated on her face,

“But, together with you, he won’t be a match.”

She said.

Ryner nodded and smiled thinly.

[[Image:DDnYnD v03 065.jpg|thumb]]

And then, he looked down at Claugh.

“Well then, are you ready to listen to what I have to say now? Even with Shuss returned to you, the situation hasn’t changed one bit. You won’t be a match for the both of us. Even if there are moves we can’t use because of our naivety, the situation won’t change. That’s why, there is no good reason for you to easily dismiss what I have to say...... so will you listen to me right till the end?”

“What if I refuse?”

“Then Ferris and I will make lots of holes in you and slowly, I shall say what I want to say right next to your ear.”

On hearing that, Claugh grimaced.

“How annoying.”

He said and Ryner smiled.

“Really? Are we really that annoying?”

“Uwah, these guys are really annoying...... that’s why I’ve told Sion this, ''don’t mix around with that dubious'' '''''Alpha Stigma''''' ''bearer''...... well, it seems like I don’t have a choice. So, speak. At any rate, I won’t be listening to your bullshit, but somehow, right now, since you guys have the upper hand, I’ll just stay still and ignore you for a while.”<ref name=”claugh_bullshit_sentence”>'''Claugh’s Deaf Ears:''' I kind of “un-translated” this sentence back to its original form. Reason is to match the dialogue that follows in page 67. What Claugh is saying here is that, “I’ll hear you out but I’m not listening”, (聞き流してやるぞ) → “I shall let your words fall on my deaf ears”, he’s implying that Ryner can say whatever he wants, but it’s pointless, which was my original translation, but that didn’t fit the next part of the dialogue. </ref>


“Alright, I did it. Well then, please hear me out.”

“Though even if I hear you out, things won’t go the way you want, and nothing will change.”

That was what Claugh said, but a smile floated on Ryner’s lips.

Since things were moving along according to his plans.

Ryner said.

“You know, Claugh. Sion is trying to show the might of Roland to the world right?”

On hearing that, Claugh scowled with an annoyed face,

“I told you I’m ignoring you, and didn’t say that I’ll answer your questions one by one.”

“You’re mean.”

“Whatever, just move on.”

Ryner shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“In other words, this invasion against Nelpha must succeed at all costs.”

“............”

“To achieve that perfectly. In order to make Nelpha and the other countries shake in complete fear of Roland’s might, and kill their spirit to resist Roland, it is necessary for Roland to overwhelm Nelpha.” 


“............”

“However, if say, in the midst of it, a rumor about Roland’s army losing somewhere spreads, what will you do?”

At that question, Claugh finally responded. With piercing eyes, he looked at Ryner,

“...... what on earth are you scheming? In this southern part of the continent, there’s no longer any country that has the power to go against Roland......”

But Ryner interrupted.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

He said.

And that was the truth.

Nelpha, and Roland’s ally Runa Empire, as well as the Cassla north of them, not one of these countries would probably have a fighting force that would be a match for Roland.

Roland was blessed with an excellent king. A king who would not rest, who would not slack, and on top of that possesses a brilliant mind, a king who would not make a mistake in his decisions.

That’s why he’s called the Hero King.

One who would definitely not stop moving forward, the saviour of the country, the one called Sion Astal.


As long as Sion remained as the king, the current Roland was probably peerless in power in the southern part of this continent.

But still, even so.

“...... even so, if Roland were asked whether it has enough energy to deal with both Nelpha and Runa together, what would be the answer, I wonder.”

“............”

“No, that’s not right. Perhaps it can really stand up to the both of them. The current Roland probably has that kind of power. But having the ability to deal with both countries at the same time and whether it’s necessary to deal with both countries at the same time are two separate matters, isn’t it? If you do that, there will be too many sacrifices. To become the supreme ruler of the south with the least sacrifices and in the fastest amount of time...... in other words, Sion’s plan may fall apart if he had to deal with both Nelpha and Runa at the same time. If possible, I’m sure Sion would like to absorb and integrate the might of Nelpha and Runa into Roland, am I right?”

On hearing all that, Claugh already more or less had an idea of what Ryner was planning, and he glared angrily at him,

“Damn you, are you going to instigate Runa to start a war with Roland?”


He said and in response to that, Ryner smiled. He smiled delightedly.

And then,

“No, I’m going for something more distasteful.”

He said.

Ryner was brewing a really bad-ass plan.

It was bad-ass to Roland.

No, even to Nelpha, to Runa, to everything, it was a bad-ass plan.

Ryner told him of that plan.

“Didn’t you guys lose track of the location of Toale and his ten thousand soldiers?”

On hearing that, Claugh glowered at him and said.

“So, it’s your damn doing?”

“You can say that.”

“What the hell are you trying to accomplish?”

“Well now, what is it indeed?”


“Hurry up and spit it out. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”

“But the current you can’t kill us.”

On hearing that, Claugh’s red eyes were filled with a scarlet hatred, and Ryner could tell they were redder and deeper, but he appeared unconcerned.

Claugh was already dancing in his palm.

Ryner knew the location of Toale, a piece of information which Roland most wanted to get hold of.

For the matter to progress, Claugh would now have to listen to what Ryner had to say.

With a smile of satisfaction, Ryner continued.

“So, where on earth did the ten thousand soldiers disappear to?”

“............”

“The answer is at a location further east of the place where your scouts had thought where they should have been...... at a dangerous position just touching the borders of Runa, and they are still on the move in fact.”

On hearing those words, Claugh’s expression changed.

However, as expected, Ryner continued indifferently.

“And on top of that, for some reason, the ten thousand army led by Toale is carrying a Roland flag we’ve prepared...... now, what will that be for, I wonder?”


At that point, there was no longer a need to further explain it to Claugh.

Claugh had a dark look of despair and despondency on his face. That was how distasteful Ryner’s plan was.

In other words, this was what Ryner had been shooting for.

Toale would lead his ten thousand soldiers to attack Runa while carrying Roland’s flag.

Of course, Runa would mistakenly think that Roland, which had acquired power and had grown impudent, had broken their alliance and come to attack them.

Runa and Roland would then probably end up being plunged into a war. Even if not so, the fact was, in order to make an example of Nelpha to the world, Roland had carried out some unseemly acts against Nelpha.

Afraid of suffering the same fate as Nelpha, Runa would do its utmost to stand up to Roland.

And it’s probable that Runa would join forces with Nelpha and start to fight back against Roland.

They might even request aid from Cassla to their north.


''The tyrant Sion Astal has run amok, lend us your hand in defending against Roland'', such a development might unfold.

That would be the most extreme case that Roland needed to prepare itself against, that’s why it’s making an example of Nelpha now.

Imperial Nelpha, Runa Empire, and the Autonomous Holy City of Cassla, and the other counties in the southern part of the continent, in order not to have them gang up together, Roland had to make an example of Nelpha by crushing it.

But all that would come to naught.

All that would come to naught if Ryner and Toale were to attack Runa by masquerading as Roland’s forces.

To top it off.

“...... the army we’re leading, that is ten thousand soldiers masquerading as Roland’s forces, will run away in fear upon meeting Runa...... that’s the act we’re going to put on, you know? What will happen then, I wonder? The guys from Runa, as well as from Cassla, will start thinking, ''Hey, aren’t the Roland fags surprisingly weak? Is there a need to fear them?'', something like that......”

At that moment.

“Enough.”


Claugh said. And he continued looking at Ryner.

“...... I get your shitty plan. So, what is it that you want? In exchange for not carrying out that idiotic plan to spread this war in an idiotic way, what do you want from us?”

Once again, Ryner smiled.

With his plan moving on perfectly, he smiled.

“Hadn’t I said it right at the start? Won’t you give me a little time? Won’t you give me a little time to capture Starnel and hand him over to you, and furthermore, enough time for Toale to get out of the country, that is.”

On hearing those words,

“............”

Claugh was about to say something, but Ryner shook his head.

“Ah, but you don’t have the authority to decide, I already knew that...... for now, just go back to Sion, and tell him my proposal, that’s what I meant, so how does that sound?”

Continuing to look intently at Ryner, Claugh,

“...... so, during this time, you’re going to catch hold of Starnel?”


“Exactly.”

“Can you do it?”

“Well, please wait for me till I get it done.”

Once again, Claugh appeared to consider. He averted his eyes from Ryner and looked behind him at his camp and then,

“...... fine. I will go ask Sion. But as to how Sion will reply.”

But, that was interrupted by Ryner.

“Sion will agree to my plan. Since this is the path to the least number of sacrifices. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

He said.

He had come to understand Sion well after spending the past few years with him.

Sion would definitely jump at the proposal that Ryner had put forth in this current situation.

On the surface, Roland could not save Toale outright. Since this would show a weakness of Roland to the other countries.

However, if a third party --- for example, in this case, Ryner --- a person who had no affiliation with Roland were to save Toale, what would happen?


In that case, it would not show Roland as being soft. That’s why Ryner had the confidence that Sion would jump onto his proposal.

And Claugh should also understand that. Claugh’s expression relaxed slightly.

He turned to face Ryner.

“...... but from now on, you should know that you will be carrying the lives of a pretty large number of people on your shoulders right?”

He said to Ryner.

On hearing that, Ryner,

“............”

He smiled with a slightly weary look and shrugged his shoulders.

Since he had already known this a long time ago.

The lives of the ten thousand soldiers led by Toale.

The lives of the hundreds of thousands of people of Nelpha to be massacred by Roland in its campaign.

The almost seventy thousand lives of the troops led by Starnel.

The tens of thousands of victims on Roland’s side.


Sion could not save them.

Carrying everything upon himself alone, crying and hollering in anguish, and even so, Sion had to continue moving forward and could not save them.

That’s why, those lives exceeding hundreds of thousands rest on Ryner’s plan.

For the first time, the lives of other people rest heavily on Ryner’s shoulders.

In response to that,

“............”

He truly felt like running away.

It was frightening, heavy, and painful enough to make him feel like crying, he thought.

But, he could no longer.

“............”

He could no longer run away from it anymore.

He had always let Sion carry the heavy burdens, and he himself had been running away all this while, so he could no longer run away from it anymore.

He had to fight alongside him.

If the next time he met him, he would still want to call himself a friend, he could no longer afford not to fight; it would be inexcusable.


That’s why Ryner looked down at Claugh and said.

“...... I shall carry them properly, I think. Since I had been letting Sion carry them all this while, I shall carry them properly. That’s why, could you tell Sion about it. The words I’ve said earlier......”

“Huh? The words you’ve said earlier? What words? Regarding giving you more time?”

On hearing that, Ryner grimaced and,

“No...... ermm, that, it’s that, you know. The same reason for saving Toale that I was mentioning about, it’s the same for Sion...... tell him that for me.”

He said.

The same reason behind him saving Toale.

That was,

''"I can’t betray my friends."''

Those words.

Those stinking words that were embarrassing to the point that one could die if he hears them from the other party himself, but currently, it was necessary.


In order to make this plan succeed.

In order to stop the Sion who was running amok all by himself, shouldering everything upon himself.

That’s why, Claugh scowled.

“Why do I have to say such embarrassing words!”

“Ah, ah, they are really embarrassing huh?”

“Beyond embarrassing, gross!”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“But, still tell him that for me.”

“Don’t shit me!”

“Ehh, if you don’t do it, this plan won’t succeed, so c’mon, please ~”

On hearing those words, Claugh’s scowl increasingly deepened.

And then, from beside Ryner,

“Yeah. And one more thing, tell Sion to immediately send two thousand cases of dango skewers from Wynitt dango shop......”

“As if I can tell him that!”


Claugh shouted angrily, and then sighed in exasperation.

“Seriously, why is it that I can actually overlook all the annoying things that you guys put me through throughout our entire meeting...... I’m really shocked for a change.”

On hearing those words, Ryner and Ferris,

“Hahhahha.”

“Fuffuffu.”

“Duh, super annoy......”

Once again, Claugh sighed.

Following that, he picked the fallen Shuss up,

“Well, since the proposal you’ve put forth does have some benefits to our side, I’ll properly transmit it to Sion. So, in exchange for that, make sure you succeed, get it?”

Ryner nodded.

“Well, I’ll put my best foot forward --- please tell that to Sion Ahotaare.”

“...... Ahotaare, hm. Well, I’ll tell that to him. So, where do you want me to send you the reply? It’s not like it’s guaranteed that things will go according to your plan yet...... well then again, you did say you will be near the borders of Runa. Then, I’ll send it there.”


Ryner nodded.

“Thanks.”

“Ahh. Well, I’ll get going. You guys should disappear as well. If not, I’ll bring some men here with me later.”

“Ehhh ~, you still have energy to fight?”

As Ryner said that in a weary voice, a smile floated on Claugh’s face.

“Well, I wasn’t being serious earlier.”

“You’re joking again.”

“Well, whether it’s a joke or not, you’ll find out the next time we meet on the battlefield.”

After saying that, with Shuss slung over his shoulder, Claugh left.

After seeing his figure disappearing into the darkness of the forest, Ryner murmured softly,

“...... in the end, wherever I go, he would be an enemy......”

Following that, he turned to face the beauty beside him.

As usual, while munching away on her dango, she was looking in Ryner’s direction as if she was watching somebody else carrying out a conversation.

“Hn. Is it finished?”


“It’s finished.”

“Well well, did it go well?”

“Uh~n. I wonder. I can’t really say for sure until the outcome is clear...... But, it probably went forward in a good direction, I guess.”

As he said that, she nodded, but for some reason, she made a complicated expression,

“But don’t let your guard down, Ryner. At any rate, this plan was concocted by the number one blockhead of the blockhead industry, Ryner Blockhead. In the end, ''Aahh, as I thought, I’m a blockhead wah ~'', that kind of development........................”

But, for some reason, at that moment, she stopped and once again put her dango into her mouth and started munching,

“Aahh, as I thought, dango is delicious.”

“Duh, why did you stop in the middle?”

“I got sick of it in the middle.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Yeah.”

As they were carrying out their meaningless talk, they started moving.


Towards north-northeast.

So as to speak, they had to move real quick. The reason was because, Ryner had yet to meet Toale.

In the conversation with Claugh earlier, it seemed like Ryner had already linked up with Toale, and it was Ryner who had given the order to the ten thousand soldiers to move close to the Runa border, however, the truth was that he had yet to meet Toale.

On top of that, Ryner had not yet told Toale of his plan.

Well, how Toale and his ten thousand soldiers had escaped detection from Claugh and Roland’s army was thanks to a capable comrade of Ryner.

Ryner’s comrade had went on ahead to persuade Toale to move his troops, but the actions to be taken from here on were not something that his comrade could talk Toale into single-handedly.

That’s why they had to hurry, and Ryner descended from the tree branch.

And then,

“...... Kiefer, will she be ok?”

He said, and following that, Ferris who also got down,

“That cutesy girl will probably do fine. She seems to be good with men.”


She said.

And Ryner started,

“Cutesy girl......”

“Huh? What?”

“No, nothing...... erm, ahh, well, nevermind......”

He took in a breath.

Currently, the comrades Ryner had brought along were Ferris, Kiefer, and Iris, and among the three of them, ''Ferris and Kiefer, well, to say they are not on good terms, or to say they are on good terms, that's kind offff''.

“...... I’m not going to think about it anymore......”

Ryner said in a tired voice, and Ferris turned to face him,

“What are you mumbling about?”

“Nothing nothing.”

“Are you hiding something from me!?”

“No, it’s not something that needs to be hidden......”

But, as usual, Ferris, without listening to Ryner,


“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! A hentai, while hiding something perverted, is running about naked in the forestttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!”

She started yelling.

Ryner, with a weary face,

“...... I’ve always wonder about that, is it fun?”

On hearing that, she nodded in an exaggerated manner,

“Yup!”

In response to that, Ryner also nodded,

“I see...... if it’s fun, well, I’ll leave it at that.”

As he said that, their pace quickened.

Their destination was the border dividing Nelpha and Runa.

Heading towards Toale, the single man who had taken ten thousand soldiers under him, and to go give Kiefer a hand.
<noinclude>
 
----

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>
 
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|-
| Back to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Interlude|Interlude]]
| Return to [[Dai Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu#daiden vol3|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Chapter 1

2012-04-06T07:48:27Z

Sobokal:

== Chapter 1 - Towards North-Northeast ==


Die!!

If just saying that one word will cause someone to die, then no matter how many lives one has, it will never be enough.

That’s why, at the instant when,

“...... die!!”

Was shouted at Ryner Lute,

“Hn ah~?”

He groaned while scowling.

With messy black hair, and lazy black eyes,

However, his habitually sluggish, tall, lean, slouched figure, was entirely tensed up.

The reason was because, right now,

“...... oiy oiy spare me that would you ~”


He was attacked by a monster.

And with his lazy eyes, he looked at the monster in front of him.

“............”

Looking at the red haired "muscled brain" who shouted ‘die’ at him.

Currently, the person before Ryner was a man who had fiery red hair, and sharp gleaming eyes.

Ryner knew his name.

Field Marshal Claugh Klom.

The monster sent by Roland Empire’s Hero King, Sion Astal, to destroy Imperial Nelpha.

Claugh Klom.

The death god of the battlefield --- Claugh Klom.

That name was notoriously famous.

A man who once appears on a battlefield, will paint the ground red as the blood falls like rain and cause his enemies to scream in fear.

Everyone is afraid of his name.


Everyone will shake in fear at this name.

That was the name of Claugh Klom, one who can completely change the scenery of a battlefield.

And Ryner, in response to that,

“............”

''How idiotic can this be.''

He made a comeback at himself with his inner voice.

''No matter how strong Claugh is, how can just the appearance of one man turn the tide of a battle? It can’t be as simple as that'', he thought.

That’s why he made light of that, thinking that eighty percent of the rumors were exaggerations, and came here as a result.

With Ryner alone, he thought he could render one, two or three Claughs helpless and capture them.

On top of that, Ryner already had a grasp of Claugh’s strength, for he had sparred lightly with him once before.

At that time, Claugh’s movements were really terrific. He was strong and fast. Furthermore, contrary to him being a muscle brain, he was quick-witted and deployed his magic at a high speed.


If you don't consider him as a monster, then who can you call a monster?

That was how strong Ryner, a former member of the convert ops group called '''The Greatest Magician of Roland''', thought of and ascertained Claugh.

But, but still.

“............”

Ryner thought he could win.

''I’m probably a little stronger than Claugh Klom'', he thought.

That’s why he came here.

In order to capture Claugh, he came to the campsite erected by Roland army who came to invade Imperial Nelpha.

And then he attacked Claugh.

He attacked the Claugh who was standing carelessly on top of the hill a small distance away from the campsite.

And Ryner would easily defeat and capture Claugh Klom with an overwhelming strength......

“............”

That should have been the case however.

Claugh pulled out the knife.


As he did so, with an incredible speed and accuracy, he aimed at the center of Ryner’s chest.

“Woah.”

Ryner groaned. If he tried to dodge, he wouldn’t make it.

That’s he knocked it away with his hand.

But, at that moment, Claugh was already moving. A move for killing Ryner.

Every bit of his movement was very much faster than the moves they had exchanged previously.

On seeing that.

“............”

''Shit, I was tricked'', Ryner scowled.

The sparring that happened previously was in preparation for this instant.

A year ago.

Meaninglessly, Claugh had come to spar with Ryner. He came to attack Ryner, whom he disliked.

After having fought for about two, three rounds, and deploying their magic then --- Ryner had thought.


Claugh was indeed strong, but nothing like what the rumors had said, Ryner had thought.

But that was what he was made to think.

With a fed-up face, he glared at Claugh.

“What a swindler.”

On hearing that, Claugh grinned.

“You are the one to blame for being deceived.”

On hearing that, ''That’s quite right'', Ryner thought.

In a battlefield, the one who’s deceived and killed has only himself to blame.

That was the first thing that Ryner had learned when he was undergoing battle training at the Germer Kleisrole Training Institute.

Every battle starts with deception and ends with deception.

''"Now, how will you deceive me in order to stay alive?"''

That was Germer Kleisrole had said.

''"Now, how will you deceive the world in order to stay alive?"''

That was what Ryner’s master had said.

While remembering those words,


“...... seems like I’ll be the one deceived and killed, Germer.”

He muttered softly.

Claugh said,

“Die.”

His right hand moved in his direction.

That arm was covered in a pitch-black color.

Pitch-black scribblings and patterns crawled around the surface of his arm.

So what in the world was that, just by looking, Ryner understood.

A '''forbidden curse'''. An abnormally unthinkable sinister forbidden curse was implanted into that arm.

However, that was not a matter that could be considered sane.

This was just knowledge Ryner knew about though, in the experiments where the '''forbidden curse''' was placed into human bodies, ten thousand out of ten thousand people experimented on died --- it was the kind of experiment in which the odds of success were insanely low.

But yet, this fella had it implanted into his arm.

Despite the strength he possessed, in order to seek a new power, he further went on to implant the curse into his arm.


And Ryner understood what in the world the curse might be.

He closed and opened his eyes again.

With vermillion pentacles floating above his black pupils, he saw through the entirety of the curse attached to Claugh’s arm.

On that arm of Claugh.

“............”

Blue-black dragons cursing the world were sealed in it.

The eight cursed dragons that release blue flames.

Looking at that,

“............”

As Ryner was looking at that,

“...... isn’t there something wrong with your head?”

He muttered without thinking.

That was how abnormal the curse that was sealed in Claugh’s arm was.

On releasing the curse, the dragons will fly from Claugh’s arm all at once.


And then attack the enemy.

Anyone who’s bitten will be engulfed by the curse in an instant, and have his life force seeped away.

However, he won’t die immediately. Despite having his life force seeped away, he won’t die. Without dying, he will become a puppet of the person who has afflicted him with the curse, and live for ten hours.

After ten hours have passed, the curse will run its course and disintegrate his body, killing him.

“............”

On seeing that effect alone, Ryner understood how convenient the curse was. A magic that can kill and make the victim his puppet.

If it’s used on the battlefield, it will be an extraordinary  powerful and convenient magic.

However, it’s not practical.

The '''forbidden curse''' that’s sealed is not something that can be used.

Why is that so?

The reason is simple.

This magic has too many flaws.

First, the burden on the user is too heavy. During its use, the user’s body will have to go through an excruciating amount of pain. The intensity of pain is so great that it’s impossible for one to retain his consciousness --- no, if it doesn’t go well, it won’t be strange even if he dies from shock.


But yet, why was Claugh, who was about to activate his curse, able to retain his consciousness? This was something Ryner could not understand. 

On top of that, on activating the magic, even though all eight dragons can be released, only at most three of them can be controlled.

The remaining five will attack their surroundings indiscriminately.

In other words, if there were comrades around, it can’t be used. No, in that case, there was a chance that the remaining dragons will attack their user.

And if he’s bitten, death will surely come pay a visit.

“............”

No matter how he looked at the Claugh who was about to activate his curse before him, he could only see that it was a foolishly flawed magic.

Such a magic should not have been usable.

“............”

But Claugh released that magic which should not have been usable.

“Kidding right.”


As Ryner groaned, Claugh’s arm was clad in blue black fire and the eight dragons came forth.

And then three out of those looked around their surroundings, after ascertaining that there was no target, they went after Claugh’s shoulder, waist, and foot, devouring them.

A sure-death curse.

The most terrible curse.

A curse of despair.

And Claugh should have readily died --- from his own curse that was invading him.

“............”

But that red hair muscle brain seemed completely fine and a smile floated on his face. And he ignored two other dragons which further went on to bite at his neck.

Looking at that, Ryner,

“...... are you immune to the curse?”

“............”

But Claugh did not answer. Only a smile of delight floated on his face. Embedded with killing intent, his piercing eyes looked towards here .


And then Claugh said.

“Now, the preparations have been made. Let’s kill each other seriously, shall we? '''Greatest Magician of Roland'''-kun.”

In a flash.

Two dragons were released from Claugh’s arm.

“Woah.”

Ryner uttered as he dodged.

One came from his right.

The other came from above.

Their movements were not that fast. It was possible to dodge.

But, on top of that,

“...... what I seek is iridescent destruction......”

On hearing Claugh’s voice,

“Seriously!?”

Ryner shouted as he looked towards Claugh. Claugh was drawing out a magical inscription with his left hand. The magic being deployed was '''Kuuri'''.


Firing spears of light, among Roland’s magic, it was one with the most destructive power.

It was of a high difficulty level, and not usable by one without a good mind.

''To say it clearly, if a muscle brain, who can already move fast and has great strength, could use such a spell, he will be way too powerful!'' As he wanted to make a comeback, he turned to the Claugh who was wielding both a powerful magic and a '''forbidden curse''' at the same time,

“Isn’t this too unfair!”

Ryner hollered.

But a smile floated on Claugh’s face again,

“Who in the world was the one who said that you have to play fair?”

At that moment, Claugh had completed his '''Kuuri'''.

But, on seeing that, Ryner frantically drew his magic inscription in the air,

“What I seek is iridescent destruction...”

He chanted the same magic as Claugh.

And then.

[[Image:DDnYnD v03 027.jpg|thumb]]

"'''Kuuri'''"

Their magic were activated at the same time.

Light started to gather at the center of both their magic inscriptions. And then, for the sake of killing the enemy, the multi-colored beams that were conjured were fired, and clashed with each other.

Instantly.

A strong eye-dazzling light was dispersed into their surroundings, but, in such a dangerous situation, if he were to shut his eyes from the blinding light even for an instant, he would be killed. So he squinted his eyes to ascertain his surroundings, and with all his might, he retreated backwards.

Towards the forest which Ryner was hiding earlier from Claugh who was on top of the hill.

But,

“I won’t let you escape.”

He heard the voice of Claugh --- the monster called the death god of the battlefield.

While he was pursued by a monster with a power which he never encountered before,

“Ahh noww, this is terriblyyyyyyyyy bothersomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

Ryner withdrew into the forest.

The forest of the deep night.


Today’s weather was fine, and though the moonlight lit up the surroundings, it did not reach the inside of the forest.

Despite the fact that it should have been advantageous to escaping.

Just a casual glance towards his back yielded a sight of flaming blue-black dragons coming from behind, right after Ryner,

“Shit!?”

He rolled onto the ground and dodged them. Immediately after that, he stood up, kicked the tree to his left, and jumped. He further went on to grab hold of a branch of a tree in front of him, then used it as a foothold, and went further up.

Up.

Up.

And then he turned his head around.

As he turned his head around in order to ascertain where his enemy was on the ground,

“Slow.”

Immediately, just right behind him, Claugh’s left fist came flying towards Ryner,

“How the heck can you be so fast!”

Ryner moaned as he pushed the fist aside.


Following that, he avoided the oncoming dragons and sent a kick towards Claugh’s face, but it was dodged.

At the same time, Ryner grabbed hold of another tree branch near him, and pulled himself towards a different tree, and then jumped.

Of course, Claugh was following right behind him, but Ryner could no longer turn his head around as that would surely get him chomped up by the dragons behind him.

Flying from tree to tree, and while doing that, Ryner drew a glowing magical inscription in the air.

And he completed it.

He chanted.

“WHAT I SEEK IS BURNING FIELDS >>> KURENAI”

Instantly, exploding flames burst out from the Ryner’s magical construct and sprung in the direction behind him, and then coming from behind him,

“WHAT I SEEK IS WATER MIST >>> MISUMI”

He heard the incantation of a magic that would bring forth an exploding jet of water.

As the flames and water clashed, the hissing sound of water turning into steam could be heard, but yet, Ryner did not look back.


But, ''Ahhhh, dang, he got me, what kind of monster is this!'' He complained silently.

“............”

''Dang, he really got me.''

The plan was to quickly defeat Claugh, restrain him, and use him as a hostage for many things.

''But yet, what’s this?''

''What the hell is this?''

Ryner gave a quick glance towards the monster that was chasing him from behind.

He looked at the form of Claugh, who was sending his cursed dragons towards him while in pursuit.

“............”

And then he started to believe somewhat. He started to believe somewhat in the rumor of him being able to turn the tide of a battle all by himself as he appears on a battlefield.

This really is a monster.

Using the '''forbidden curse''', with a higher level of physical ability than Ryner, and on top of that, he readily deployed a counter magic to neutralize Ryner’s '''Kurenai'''.

That was some kind of an impossible strength.


It was a strength that would make one want to get away in a flash.

“............”

But, he couldn’t run away.

No matter what it took, it was necessary for Ryner to make this fella a hostage.

It was necessary to make this monster whom god may even fear a hostage.

It was for the sake of stopping the most terrible war that was going on in these lands.

Capturing Claugh was absolutely necessary for the sake of stopping this war started by his best friend, the Hero King of the largest country in the southern part of the continent, Roland Empire, Sion Astal.

“............”

Ryner once again gave a quick glance behind him, looking intently at the red haired monster who was closing in . And then.

“...... it seems like it’s completely impossible to restrain him......”

Ryner said with a exasperated voice.

He was way too naive. To have thought of restraining this fella all by himself, he was so naive that he wanted to beat himself up.

If he was seriously wanting to kill him, this could end up in a draw, he thought. But if he were to end up killing him, then it would become meaningless.


It was necessary to keep this red haired monster who was known as Sion’s right hand man, alive, restrain him, and on top of that, threaten him, and make him a hostage.

And once again,

“Ugh ~ super bothersome.”

Ryner groaned as he said.

“So as to speak, I really hate this kind of bothersome stuff.”

He lamented.

“In the first place ~, getting chased by this monster, working hard in order to stop the war, creating world peace, to say this clearly, I'm not the least interested at all, let some other hero-wannabe take on such bothersome stuff......”

At that moment, from behind him, the blue black dragons again come biting,

“Woah, that’s really dangerous, no, someone save me please, I seriously hope this will stop! I really hate working hard like this!”

He yelled, and from behind him, Claugh said.

“Then, get on with it and die.”


“You are right. If I just die, I can relax and struggle no more, isn’t it.”

“I’ll lend you my hand.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I shall accept your kind offer, will you kill me ~”

Even as he said that, Ryner’s feet kept moving. While jumping from tree to tree, he drew glowing words in the air.

That was a magic which he had previously stolen from the mage knight battalion of the Kingdom of Estabul. Looking back, this was something from a long time ago. It was during the time when he and Sion were still students and fighting the mage knight battalion of the Kingdom of Estabul; a magic he copied when he was in danger of getting killed.

He’s using that magic now.

“I OFFER THE CONTRACTED WORDS, LETTING THE SLUMBERING MALICIOUS SPIRIT DWELL WITHIN”

Instantly.

Ryner’s body appeared to shimmer. At the same time, his speed increased.

The magic he chanted was one that released  the limiter in his mind, and allowed his physical abilities to increase dramatically.

And then a smile floated on his face,


“Alright. Preparations done. With this, it’s time to fight a little with the monster......”

In the midst of saying that.

He once again heard the voice of Claugh from behind him.

The voice of Claugh chanting.

But, in response to those words, Ryner,

“............”

His eyes widened and he turned his head around in shock.

As he did that, Claugh’s spell was completed.

The glowing words that appeared from his left hand were the same as those drawn out by Ryner seconds ago.

The same construct.

The same magic.

But that was something impossible.

Because it was Estabul’s magic.

It was a pretty high level magic, which only pretty excellent magic scholars, after studying the basics and architectural constructs of Estabul’s magic, could acquire after three or four years.

A normal soldier couldn’t possibly use it.


No, even if the soldier is a capable one, he shouldn’t be able to use it.

And besides, it was not even two years since Estabul had been absorbed by Roland. Even if both sides were to exchange and share magical knowledge they possess, many years should have been needed before a soldier could use it.

Of course, it was a different story for people like Ryner who could copy magic with their special eyes, but he had never heard that Claugh was an '''Alpha Stigma''' bearer.

''Then, how was it done?''

''How did this fella accomplish it?''

“You...... how in the world did you manage to learn Estabul’s magic?”

On hearing Ryner’s question, Claugh shrugged his shoulders readily,

“...... hard work?”

“Huhh? It’s not something you can achieve by hard work alone, isn’t it?”

“It might be so for a normal person. But it seems like I’m a genius, you know?”

“Uweh ~, a person who calls himself a genius has to be an ordinary person...”

However, Claugh was undoubtedly a genius.

It was something he had already recognized.


Even when Ryner was active in Roland’s covert ops group, he had never quite seen any monster like that.

On top of that, those geniuses who were not spoiled and actually put in hard work simply didn’t exist.

Ryner,

“This could be bad.”

As he groaned, Claugh laughed ‘haha’. As he laughed, he chanted.

Estabul’s magic.

“I OFFER THE CONTRACTED WORDS, LETTING THE SLUMBERING MALICIOUS SPIRIT DWELL WITHIN”

As he did that, the magic really activated.

The magic which should not have been usable by a Roland soldier was activated.

Claugh’s body started shimmering faintly, and in one breath, his movement speed increased.

He closed the gap.

Those movements of his were even faster than the magically sped-up Ryner.

Ryner was already at a loss.

Ryner was at a loss of what to do with such a monster all by himself.


And Claugh delightfully,

“What’s this. Just running away, isn’t that boring? Or is this all you’ve got? Perhaps, this Estabul magic was your trump card? If that’s the case......”

At that moment, he further went on to increase his speed. He kicked a tree with all his strength, closed in the gap between him and Ryner, side by side with him, he looked at him and said.

“...... can I finally kill you now?”

Ryner looked at Claugh’s face,

“You can’t.”

He replied.

“Alright. Then I shall kill you.”

“Didn’t I say that you can’t!”

“Haha. You’re noisy.”

As he said that, Claugh swung his right arm. Three blue-black flaming dragons were about to attack Ryner.

On seeing that, Ryner,


“Ahh ~”

He said.

''Ahh'', he said it with a really exasperated voice.

''Ahh, I can’t take this anymore''.

“...... if I don’t fight seriously, I’ll really get killed......”

He said.

His opponent was fighting seriously with an intent to kill. It’s time for him to get serious and do the same as well.

His original plan to defeat his opponent and restrain him had to be changed.

No, well, he had another plan that could have settled things without fighting, but it seemed like it wouldn’t come through in time.

If, there’s a one in million chance that Claugh is insanely strong --- no, he is in fact strong --- and Ryner could no longer cope with it; there was in fact another plan for such a situation, but,

“...... if I wait for that, I might be killed. Then.”

At that moment, Ryner's eyes changed into a sharp piercing gaze.

Following that, in his head, a battle plan against Claugh started unfolding.


There were three parts to it.

First, sidestep his opponent’s attack.

Second, trick him.

Third, kill him.

“...... shall I get started?”

At that moment, Ryner stepped onto a large branch, and turned and changed the direction he was facing.

In response to that, Claugh also stopped in his tracks on the large branch. And then,

“Orh, at last, you’re getting serious?”

As he said that, he made a guarded face, having realized that Ryner’s aura had changed.

On seeing that, ''this fella is really a tough nut to crack'', Ryner thought as he scowled again.

If he were to let his guard down, it would be possible for Ryner to take advantage of an opening without killing him.

However, there was entirely none at all.

Even though from appearances, he seemed to be  enjoying the fight from his broad grin, he was certainly not fooling around.

That’s why, with a sad and tired looking face, Ryner said.

“Geez, I really don’t want to kill you, you know.”

On hearing that, as expected while looking as if he was enjoying himself, Claugh,


“An interesting joke.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Furthermore, you won’t be able to kill me.”

“Perhaps. But, you won’t know till I try.”

“I know.”

“Really, I wonder?”

“Yeah.”

“I see...... well, it’d be a bother, but let’s get on with it.”

“Hurry up and get on with it.”

“Yeah.”

After he nodded, Ryner, for once, drew out all his strength. And he turned off the switch. That was the switch in his head. He released the inhibition in which he would unconsciously take it easy on his opponent. Following that, he gradually lowered his stance. While drawing soft breaths, he gathered power into his body.

And then,

“Here goes.”


At the same time he spoke.

He released all the built-up energy in his body.

In a breath, he lunged at Claugh.

Even though Claugh set two of his dragons on him, he readily dodged. While dodging, he drew out magical inscriptions in mid-air.

A complex construct. As he quickly drew out an elaborate magical construct, Claugh reacted.

The magic that Ryner drew out was the same as before. The flame magic which Claugh had counteracted with '''Misumi''' previously, '''Kurenai'''.

He chanted that once again.

With a relaxed expression, Claugh began,

“That’s the same one as before.”

He said, and then started chanting '''Misumi'''.

But that was a fake.

Rather, the '''Kurenai''' Ryner had cast earlier was a fake.

Earlier, Ryner had intentionally activated '''Kurenai''' at a slow pace. His real magical construction ability was at a speed so fast that there was no way Claugh would have time to finish chanting a counter-spell.


But, earlier, he had chanted his magic slowly.

In order to make Claugh think that he was superior in his magical construction ability, and induce a mistake from him, he had chanted his magic slowly intentionally.

And Claugh had fallen into his trap.

On seeing Ryner’s '''Kurenai''', Claugh started chanting '''Misumi''' at a relaxed pace.

But he was too late.

He was entirely too late.

From here on, in the time before Claugh could finish constructing his '''Misumi''', he would already be done with '''Kurenai’s''' inscription, and on top of that, he would be able to thrust his hand into the magical inscription of '''Misumi''' that Claugh was drawing, and change the construct.

That’s why,

“It’s the end.”

As he said that, he immediately completed '''Kurenai''', and further went on to thrust his hand into Claugh’s magical inscription of '''Misumi'''.

On seeing that, at last, Claugh’s expression changed.

“Damn you.”


As he said that, he gave up on working on his magical construct, and started attacking Ryner instead, but he was too late.

The '''Kurenai''' behind Ryner had started activating.

Flames had gathered in the center of the magical inscription, and was aimed in Claugh’s direction,

“Shit.”

Claugh groaned. Following that, he extended a dragon from his right arm, which bit onto a tree some distance away from him, and subsequently, he was reeled towards it.

With that, he somehow managed to evade the flaming missiles, but that was the end.

Ryner had completed changing the '''Misumi''' drawn out by Claugh, forcibly changing it to '''Kuuri'''.

And aiming it towards Claugh,

“WHAT I SEEK IS IRIDESCENT DESTRUCTION >>>......”

As he was chanting the spell, and just as he was about to fire off '''Kuuri''', his hand stopped moving.

Following that, he slowly.

“............”

He slowly shifted his line of sight, and looked at the dragon shrouded in blue-black flames, which was about to bite into the back of his neck.


Before he knew it, a dragon, with an instant death curse embedded within its fangs, had encircled him from behind and was in position to bite into his neck.

If Claugh were to order it, in a flash, Ryner would be killed.

However, it was the same the other way round.

'''Kuuri''' was almost completed. What’s left was the incantation --- just one more line to utter, once the incantation was completed, Claugh would be impaled by '''Kuuri''' and die. At this kind of near distance, no matter how his body movements had been sped up, he wouldn’t be able to dodge.

It was one more step for the both of them.

Both of them were in a position to kill each other in just about a tenth of a second.

Ryner turned his eyes to face the Claugh who was hanging from his dragon clinging on to a tree some distance away.

“...... damn. After getting so serious, it’s a tie.”

“............”

But Claugh did not answer.

Ryner shrugged his shoulders,


“So, what’s next? If we end it in a tie like this, it’d be a little fruitless, I think.”

As he was staring at Ryner, Claugh said.

“I don’t think so. You are strong enough to make me think that it’s better to kill you here even if it’s a tie.”

“Ah-rah? Are those words of praise?”

“You can take it that way.”

“Then shall we call it a tie?”

“............”

Claugh glowered at him. And his killing intent further swelled up.

An intent to kill.

An intent to kill by sacrificing himself.

And there was no way the both of them could evade each other’s attacks.

It was the worst.

It was the worst kind of situation.

But still, even so,

“............”


A smile floated on Ryner’s face.

A relaxed smile. It was his usual languid, unmotivated smile.

On seeing that, Claugh raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.

“Why did you smile?”

But Ryner,

“No, I think in the end, it’s my win.”

“Huh? How so? Where did your chance of winning come......”

However.

At that point, Claugh stopped his words. And then Claugh’s sharp expression contorted.

Ryner looked at him and smiled.

“Ah, you’ve noticed?”

“............”

As expected, Claugh did not answer.

But, it didn’t matter anyhow.

Then Ryner turned his gaze to behind Claugh.

He was looking in the direction of the place where the original alternative plan of capturing Claugh, the plan that he was previously waiting for, had activated.


Behind the Claugh who was hanging from a tree.

Below him, a peerless beauty was looking up at them.

With long golden hair, and clear blue eyes. An extraordinary well featured face. Wearing a one-piece <ref name=”one_piece>'''One-piece:''' A one-piece, in Japanese, refers to a single piece dress. </ref> with a short skirt portion that was unsuitable for a battlefield. At the waist portion of that one-piece, she wore a long sword which those slender arms of hers do not seem capable of wielding, and as usual, in her right hand was a skewer of dango.

Ryner’s partner, Ferris Eris.

Ferris was looking up at them with an uninterested look.

“What? Didn’t you say ''Single-handedly, I’ll win effortlessly puppu ~'' in a high and mighty manner, and you’re still fighting like an idiot?”

She said.

On hearing that, Ryner smiled wryly,

“I never did say ''I’ll win effortlessly puppu~''.”

“Then it’s ''poppo'' -?”

“No, there’s not where the problem is...... this fella is a thousand times stronger than I thought, you know.”

“Isn’t it because you’re weak?”


“No, to fight such an opponent till this point, I would even praise myself for it.”

As he said that, Ryner looked at Claugh.

As always, he had a stern face. No, it was a face of someone desperately thinking about how to break out of this situation.

It was the face of a fellow who refuses to give up no matter how bad the situation was.

Seeing that, Ryner frowned and began,

“But, it’s useless, you see, Claugh? Your loss is set. No matter how strong you are, you won’t be a match for both me and Ferris, besides......”

At that moment, Ryner looked at Ferris again. No, he was looking at the trump card of his plan, which she had been dragging along with her left hand.

“............”

Trump card --- gripped at the nape of the neck and dragged along by Ferris, an unconscious, young, blond man.

This was another plan that Ryner had devised.

In the situation where he were to carry out negotiations with Claugh, in order to make him listen to his demands and on top of that have him accept them, it was necessary to have an advantageous leverage of such an extent.

What could he do to bring about this?


One.

Ryner to beat down Claugh and capture him. But there was a danger to that. If Claugh was stronger than he thought --- well, as a matter of fact, he’s really a thousand times stronger than he thought --- in reverse, Ryner might be killed instead, and on top of that, even if he could capture Claugh, there was also the possibility that he would not submit and say something like ''Kill me!'', and not listen to Ryner’s demands. Furthermore, fighting him with Ferris at the onset was also not an option. If they did that, then it’s possible that Claugh’s comrades would reinforce him and with a large army against them, they would have no chance of winning at all.

That’s why, so as to speak, Ryner had another plan prepared.

Ryner would attack Claugh alone, and draw him away from the camp, and in the meantime ---

“............”

At that moment, Ryner looked down at the man dragged by Ferris,

“Well, is that the guy?”

Ferris nodded.

“The vice officer of that red haired man. The name is Shuss Shirazz. ''If I’m to become a burden to Field Marshal Klom, I’ll kill myself'', as he was saying that, I knocked him out.”


Ferris said.

Ryner began delightedly,

“I see ~. You sure have an excellent subordinate, don’t you, Claugh-chan ~.”

As he said that, he looked at Claugh.

Without saying anything, he glared at Ryner.

But, Ryner appeared indifferent. He only had to move according to his plan.

He grabbed hold of the dragon which was about to bite into his neck.

“Well now, first, dismiss this dragon. Just killing me alone, and in exchange for that, losing the lives of the famous Claugh Klom-sama, and the capable vice officer Shuss Shirazz, that won’t make it too worthwhile right?”

He said.

On hearing that, while Claugh continued glaring at him,


“...... what do you want?”

He said in a low, menacing voice.

However, in response to those words, a smile surfaced on Ryner’s face.

All this while, he had been working hard at getting those words out from his opponent.

And there was only one thing he wished for.

''Can you give me some time?''

That was it.

Even for him, he was well aware of the current situation in Roland Empire.

The fact that Roland was currently invading Nelpha, and carrying out large scale massacres as a show to kill the other countries’ spirit of putting up a resistance.

After showing the massacre in Nelpha, it would strike a dent into the other countries’ will to resist, and Roland could get them to surrender without fighting.

That was a necessary path to a minimum loss of lives and the fastest way to end the war.

That was what Sion had seemingly considered.

Even though he hated wars, he hated people dying, and he hated causing grief to others, that was the path that Sion had seemingly considered, choosing to shoulder all the burden upon himself.


And Ryner also understood the need for such a war.

Even though he couldn’t accept it, but on this Menoris continent where the flames of war were spreading fiercely, he could understand how that was the only available choice.

That’s why ''would you give some time to Nelpha?'', that’s what Ryner had come to negotiate about.

What’s transpiring in Imperial Nelpha right now could be said to be the worst case scenario for both Nelpha and Roland.

Sion’s plan was probably to invade Nelpha with an overwhelming force and secure a swift surrender.

No, that really did happen.

The benevolent king of Nelpha, Gread Nelphi,

''"I shall offer my own head and the confinement of my son, Prince Starnel...... so in exchange, would you stop massacring Nelpha’s people?"''

That was the proposal he had intended to put forth to Roland.

However, just before that, the stupid son Prince Starnel, caring only about his own life, went berserk.

First, he killed his own father, Gread Nelphi, and slammed down the declaration of surrender.


On top of that, in order to buy time for his own escape, he sent forth ten thousand soldiers to clash with Roland’s forces, ordering them to repel Roland.

Furthermore, he commanded the remaining sixty eight thousand troops himself and started massacring and looting his own people.

That was a worst case scenario that was already beyond anyone’s expectations.

With this, until Roland had killed the unyielding stupid son, the war had to continue.

Destroying all the cities, killing all the soldiers, completely obliterating Nelpha, and the need to show all this to the entire world.

The reason was because, thanks to the stupid son who valued his life more than the country and people, Nelpha would never surrender.

However, in such a dreadful worst case scenario, it was not without a glimmer of hope.

That would be Toale Nelphi.

The son of that stupid prince Starnel and his commoner mistress, who one year ago, extended his hand to help Ryner and Ferris, who should have been strangers to him and had somewhat drifted to Nelpha while they were searching for relics, a kind, nice kid, that Toale, who of course was much more popular than the stupid prince Starnel among the populace, had stepped out to take command of the abandoned ten thousand troops and stopped them from advancing.


He stopped a pointless clash between Roland and Nelpha’s armies.

And Roland should be happy about that as well.

Since with the appearance of Toale, Roland’s original goal of minimizing the loss of lives and making Nelpha submit was once again possible.

And the wise Toale would definitely,

''"I will surrender, so could you let the ten thousand soldiers and people off?"''

He would request.

Of course, Roland would refuse. Since if Roland were to let them off, then it would not be able to make a display to the other countries.

That’s why Roland would tell Toale,

''"Go take the throne from the current king of Nelpha, from that stupid prince. After that, if you make a surrender to Roland, we will accept it. Of course, in order to make a show to the other countries, Toale Nelphi of royal lineage will be executed......"''


And Toale would definitely accept. If he’s able to save everyone with his life, Toale would accept.

However, regarding that demand, it would be a pretty unreasonable one.

The reason was because right now, Toale only had ten thousand soldiers with him.

On the other hand, Starnel was commanding a sixty eight thousand troop army.

Roughly seven times.

No matter one thought about it, not a single chance of winning could be seen.

On top of that, even if Toale were to win, what was going to come after that would be his execution.

And furthermore, Toale would accept that execution with a smiling face.

And there’s no way he could be saved, something at the level that would make one cry out ''what the hell’s that'',

That’s why.

“............”

''Could you please wait a while'', that’s the bargain Ryner wanted to strike.

With even less sacrifices.

In order to advance in the direction of a scenario with even less people getting hurt, Ryner had come to strike a deal with Claugh.


The time for Ryner to go capture Prince Starnel alone.

And the time for Toale to escape out of the country before the situation whereby the royalty of Nelpha gets killed arose.

In order to accomplish these two things, he needed the time.

Even though Ryner came here to ask for more time, there was no way he could say that he needed more time and expect it to be given to him.

That’s why Ryner said.

“For now, could you leave your troops here and return to Sion’s side?”

On hearing that.

Claugh, while glaring at Ryner,

“...... I see. You’re trying to buy time.”

He said.

With only one sentence from Ryner, Claugh could get roughly what Ryner was thinking about.

Furthermore, Claugh said.

“But, why are you supporting Nelpha? It has nothing to do with.......”

But, Ryner interrupted there,


“Toale is my friend. And, I can’t betray my friends...... well, it’s some ultra naive talk, can you agree to it?”

On hearing those words,

“............”

A slight smile floated on Claugh’s face. But it’s not a mocking smile.

“Are you agreeing to it?”

“............”

But, as expected, Claugh did not reply. And without replying to that question,

“However, what’s in it for me to cooperate with you in saving your friend? Are you going to abduct Starnel and bring him to me?”

“Yeah.”

Ryner nodded, and Claugh laughed.

“Ha. That’s an unnecessary thing. If it’s just that, we could do it as well. Supporting Toale Nelphi, killing Starnel, and executing Toale after that. The only difference our methods lies only in whether Toale is going to die or not. However, in order to make a demonstration to the other countries, we need to kill Toale. Roland is no longer a cowardly country that will let someone of royal lineage and who has commanded an army once live.”


“Is that Sion’s view?”

“That’s right. Sion’s different from you, he wouldn’t sacrifice the lives of others just for the sake of saving one life.”

“............”

That’s right, Ryner thought.

Claugh’s words.

The path that Sion was taking.

There was nothing more right than that.

But even if this was said to be right, it didn’t mean that everyone would follow along with it, Ryner thought.

Even if this was said to be right, it didn’t mean that everyone would achieve happiness, Ryner thought.

At the very least, if Toale were to die.

If he were to die, Ryner would be sad.

No, not just Ryner. Toale is a well-liked person. He is well-liked by the people of this country. To kill the Toale who is well-liked the people of this country was not really a good choice for the Roland that’s subjugating Nelpha from here on, Ryner thought.


Of course, it would be good for an instant. To overwhelm Nelpha with fear, and to overwhelm the neighbouring countries, and to further overwhelm their neighbouring countries, if it  were to sweep across everything with its might alone, then that choice might be the correct one, but was there really a need to move forward in such a hurry?

A little.

Wouldn’t it be a good thing to take things a little more slowly, and move forward along a path that could bring a smile to everyone.......

“...... that’s how the naive stupid me thinks though.”

He murmured as he was looking southwards, in the direction where Sion was, the direction of Roland.

And Claugh who could hardly hear him,

“Huh?”

He said, but Ryner appeared indifferent to that.

He turned to face Claugh again,

“Well, I’ve already known right at the start that you are going to reject my offer though.”

“Then, that’s the end of our talk. Let’s get on with the killing.”

“That’s why I was saying, if we do that, it’ll be unfavorable against you......”


But, a smile surfaced on Claugh’s face again,

“I have the confidence to evade your '''Kuuri'''. The one’s who’s gonna die is only you.”

He said something scary.

On hearing that, Ryner,

“...... even for me...... erm...... I also have the confidence to probably dodge your dragon barely, you know?”

“Right.”

“No, I’m serious. Anyway, even for you, it’ll be by a hair’s breadth to dodge '''Kuuri'''.”

“We’ll know for certain once we try it.”

“No no, that’s why I say, once we try it, we can’t take our actions back anymore. And besides, if we do that, what’s going to happen to Shuss? I’ll dodge the dragon. You’ll dodge '''Kuuri'''. But the hostage Shuss......”

But, while smiling, Claugh said.

“For a soft, naive person like you, can you kill a hostage, I wonder?”

On hearing those words.

A wry smile surfaced on Ryner’s face,

“...... ah-rah, you really hit where it hurts. But, to go against such a naive opponent, do you really need to fight so frenziedly? Do you really think such a naive guy will become a threat to you in the future?”

This time round, it was Claugh’s turn to smile wryly.

“...... no, I don’t think so.”

“Isn’t it? Then, why don’t you listen to me till the end? At any rate, the things we say will just be nonsense, unsophisticated stuff that can’t pose a threat to you, so if you’re willing to listen to me with a magnanimous heart, I’ll be really happy, I guess.”

On hearing those words.

Claugh appeared to consider those words for a moment. Seconds later, appearing to have reached a decision, he closed one eye and,

“Disppear, << Cursed Harp >>.”

He issued some kind of command, and the dragon that was poised to bite into Ryner’s neck disappeared.

On top of that, the dragons that were surrounding Claugh also disappeared and he dropped to the ground.

In response to that, Ryner,

“Ferris.”

He called out, but even before he had even done so, Ferris was already moving towards him, dragging Shuss alongside, but.


“Hey hey, leave Shuss here.”

Claugh called out from behind Ferris, stretching out his hand.

In response to that, Ferris,

“You’re hindering me.”

As she said that, she drew the sword at her waist at an unbelievable speed. And that was already at a speed which Ryner could not follow with his eyes.

The sword was drawn at a timing which should have been impossible to evade, but,

“Woah.”

Claugh uttered as he dodged it. And following that, he caught hold of Shuss’s head. And on top of that, he picked up a fallen branch from the ground and attempted to thrust it towards Ferris.

“Hm?”

Ferris turned her body, and sidestepped it. At that instant, Claugh straightened his stance. While hauling Shuss towards him, his right hand started drawing a glowing magical inscription.

And as Ferris was about to slice at that magical inscription with her sword.

At that moment, Ryner,


“That’s enough Ferris. Come back for now.”

He said.

Immediately, Ferris reacted and jumped a step backward. She further went on to kick the ground, then kicked a tree trunk, and landed on the branch next to the branch that Ryner was standing on.

For some reason, she had a dissatisfied look on her face,

“That red head...... he’s much stronger than the last time I fought him.”

“Hn? Even Ferris had a go with him before?”

“Yeah. It was three years ago. It was on Sion’s orders, I recall.”

“I see. So, did you win?”

“We didn’t manage to finish it.”

“Then, can you win now?”

''I wonder?'', Ferris tilted her head in such a manner in response, after which, a faint smile, which would have been indecipherable by other onlookers, floated on her face,

“But, together with you, he won’t be a match.”

She said.

Ryner nodded and smiled thinly.

[[Image:DDnYnD v03 065.jpg|thumb]]

And then, he looked down at Claugh.

“Well then, are you ready to listen to what I have to say now? Even with Shuss returned to you, the situation hasn’t changed one bit. You won’t be a match for the both of us. Even if there are moves we can’t use because of our naivety, the situation won’t change. That’s why, there is no good reason for you to easily dismiss what I have to say...... so will you listen to me right till the end?”

“What if I refuse?”

“Then Ferris and I will make lots of holes in you and slowly, I shall say what I want to say right next to your ear.”

On hearing that, Claugh grimaced.

“How annoying.”

He said and Ryner smiled.

“Really? Are we really that annoying?”

“Uwah, these guys are really annoying...... that’s why I’ve told Sion this, ''don’t mix around with that dubious'' '''''Alpha Stigma''''' ''bearer''...... well, it seems like I don’t have a choice. So, speak. At any rate, I won’t be listening to your bullshit, but somehow, right now, since you guys have the upper hand, I’ll just stay still and ignore you for a while.”<ref name=”claugh_bullshit_sentence”>'''Claugh’s Deaf Ears:''' I kind of “un-translated” this sentence back to its original form. Reason is to match the dialogue that follows in page 67. What Claugh is saying here is that, “I’ll hear you out but I’m not listening”, (聞き流してやるぞ) → “I shall let your words fall on my deaf ears”, he’s implying that Ryner can say whatever he wants, but it’s pointless, which was my original translation, but that didn’t fit the next part of the dialogue. </ref>


“Alright, I did it. Well then, please hear me out.”

“Though even if I hear you out, things won’t go the way you want, and nothing will change.”

That was what Claugh said, but a smile floated on Ryner’s lips.

Since things were moving along according to his plans.

Ryner said.

“You know, Claugh. Sion is trying to show the might of Roland to the world right?”

On hearing that, Claugh scowled with an annoyed face,

“I told you I’m ignoring you, and didn’t say that I’ll answer your questions one by one.”

“You’re mean.”

“Whatever, just move on.”

Ryner shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“In other words, this invasion against Nelpha must succeed at all costs.”

“............”

“To achieve that perfectly. In order to make Nelpha and the other countries shake in complete fear of Roland’s might, and kill their spirit to resist Roland, it is necessary for Roland to overwhelm Nelpha.” 


“............”

“However, if say, in the midst of it, a rumor about Roland’s army losing somewhere spreads, what will you do?”

At that question, Claugh finally responded. With piercing eyes, he looked at Ryner,

“...... what on earth are you scheming? In this southern part of the continent, there’s no longer any country that has the power to go against Roland......”

But Ryner interrupted.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

He said.

And that was the truth.

Nelpha, and Roland’s ally Runa Empire, as well as the Cassla north of them, not one of these countries would probably have a fighting force that would be a match for Roland.

Roland was blessed with an excellent king. A king who would not rest, who would not slack, and on top of that possesses a brilliant mind, a king who would not make a mistake in his decisions.

That’s why he’s called the Hero King.

One who would definitely not stop moving forward, the saviour of the country, the one called Sion Astal.


As long as Sion remained as the king, the current Roland was probably peerless in power in the southern part of this continent.

But still, even so.

“...... even so, if Roland were asked whether it has enough energy to deal with both Nelpha and Runa together, what would be the answer, I wonder.”

“............”

“No, that’s not right. Perhaps it can really stand up to the both of them. The current Roland probably has that kind of power. But having the ability to deal with both countries at the same time and whether it’s necessary to deal with both countries at the same time are two separate matters, isn’t it? If you do that, there will be too many sacrifices. To become the supreme ruler of the south with the least sacrifices and in the fastest amount of time...... in other words, Sion’s plan may fall apart if he had to deal with both Nelpha and Runa at the same time. If possible, I’m sure Sion would like to absorb and integrate the might of Nelpha and Runa into Roland, am I right?”

On hearing all that, Claugh already more or less had an idea of what Ryner was planning, and he glared angrily at him,

“Damn you, are you going to instigate Runa to start a war with Roland?”


He said and in response to that, Ryner smiled. He smiled delightedly.

And then,

“No, I’m going for something more distasteful.”

He said.

Ryner was brewing a really bad-ass plan.

It was bad-ass to Roland.

No, even to Nelpha, to Runa, to everything, it was a bad-ass plan.

Ryner told him of that plan.

“Didn’t you guys lose track of the location of Toale and his ten thousand soldiers?”

On hearing that, Claugh glowered at him and said.

“So, it’s your damn doing?”

“You can say that.”

“What the hell are you trying to accomplish?”

“Well now, what is it indeed?”


“Hurry up and spit it out. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”

“But the current you can’t kill us.”

On hearing that, Claugh’s red eyes were filled with a scarlet hatred, and Ryner could tell they were redder and deeper, but he appeared unconcerned.

Claugh was already dancing in his palm.

Ryner knew the location of Toale, a piece of information which Roland most wanted to get hold of.

For the matter to progress, Claugh would now have to listen to what Ryner had to say.

With a smile of satisfaction, Ryner continued.

“So, where on earth did the ten thousand soldiers disappear to?”

“............”

“The answer is at a location further east of the place where your scouts had thought where they should have been...... at a dangerous position just touching the borders of Runa, and they are still on the move in fact.”

On hearing those words, Claugh’s expression changed.

However, as expected, Ryner continued indifferently.

“And on top of that, for some reason, the ten thousand army led by Toale is carrying a Roland flag we’ve prepared...... now, what will that be for, I wonder?”


At that point, there was no longer a need to further explain it to Claugh.

Claugh had a dark look of despair and despondency on his face. That was how distasteful Ryner’s plan was.

In other words, this was what Ryner had been shooting for.

Toale would lead his ten thousand soldiers to attack Runa while carrying Roland’s flag.

Of course, Runa would mistakenly think that Roland, which had acquired power and had grown impudent, had broken their alliance and come to attack them.

Runa and Roland would then probably end up being plunged into a war. Even if not so, the fact was, in order to make an example of Nelpha to the world, Roland had carried out some unseemly acts against Nelpha.

Afraid of suffering the same fate as Nelpha, Runa would do its utmost to stand up to Roland.

And it’s probable that Runa would join forces with Nelpha and start to fight back against Roland.

They might even request aid from Cassla to their north.


''The tyrant Sion Astal has run amok, lend us your hand in defending against Roland'', such a development might unfold.

That would be the most extreme case that Roland needed to prepare itself against, that’s why it’s making an example of Nelpha now.

Imperial Nelpha, Runa Empire, and the Autonomous Holy City of Cassla, and the other counties in the southern part of the continent, in order not to have them gang up together, Roland had to make an example of Nelpha by crushing it.

But all that would come to naught.

All that would come to naught if Ryner and Toale were to attack Runa by masquerading as Roland’s forces.

To top it off.

“...... the army we’re leading, that is ten thousand soldiers masquerading as Roland’s forces, will run away in fear upon meeting Runa...... that’s the act we’re going to put on, you know? What will happen then, I wonder? The guys from Runa, as well as from Cassla, will start thinking, ''Hey, aren’t the Roland fags surprisingly weak? Is there a need to fear them?'', something like that......”

At that moment.

“Enough.”


Claugh said. And he continued looking at Ryner.

“...... I get your shitty plan. So, what is it that you want? In exchange for not carrying out that idiotic plan to spread this war in an idiotic way, what do you want from us?”

Once again, Ryner smiled.

With his plan moving on perfectly, he smiled.

“Hadn’t I said it right at the start? Won’t you give me a little time? Won’t you give me a little time to capture Starnel and hand him over to you, and furthermore, enough time for Toale to get out of the country, that is.”

On hearing those words,

“............”

Claugh was about to say something, but Ryner shook his head.

“Ah, but you don’t have the authority to decide, I already knew that...... for now, just go back to Sion, and tell him my proposal, that’s what I meant, so how does that sound?”

Continuing to look intently at Ryner, Claugh,

“...... so, during this time, you’re going to catch hold of Starnel?”


“Exactly.”

“Can you do it?”

“Well, please wait for me till I get it done.”

Once again, Claugh appeared to consider. He averted his eyes from Ryner and looked behind him at his camp and then,

“...... fine. I will go ask Sion. But as to how Sion will reply.”

But, that was interrupted by Ryner.

“Sion will agree to my plan. Since this is the path to the least number of sacrifices. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

He said.

He had come to understand Sion well after spending the past few years with him.

Sion would definitely jump at the proposal that Ryner had put forth in this current situation.

On the surface, Roland could not save Toale outright. Since this would show a weakness of Roland to the other countries.

However, if a third party --- for example, in this case, Ryner --- a person who had no affiliation with Roland were to save Toale, what would happen?


In that case, it would not show Roland as being soft. That’s why Ryner had the confidence that Sion would jump onto his proposal.

And Claugh should also understand that. Claugh’s expression relaxed slightly.

He turned to face Ryner.

“...... but from now on, you should know that you will be carrying the lives of a pretty large number of people on your shoulders right?”

He said to Ryner.

On hearing that, Ryner,

“............”

He smiled with a slightly weary look and shrugged his shoulders.

Since he had already known this a long time ago.

The lives of the ten thousand soldiers led by Toale.

The lives of the hundreds of thousands of people of Nelpha to be massacred by Roland in its campaign.

The almost seventy thousand lives of the troops led by Starnel.

The tens of thousands of victims on Roland’s side.


Sion could not save them.

Carrying everything upon himself alone, crying and hollering in anguish, and even so, Sion had to continue moving forward and could not save them.

That’s why, those lives exceeding hundreds of thousands rest on Ryner’s plan.

For the first time, the lives of other people rest heavily on Ryner’s shoulders.

In response to that,

“............”

He truly felt like running away.

It was frightening, heavy, and painful enough to make him feel like crying, he thought.

But, he could no longer.

“............”

He could no longer run away from it anymore.

He had always let Sion carry the heavy burdens, and he himself had been running away all this while, so he could no longer run away from it anymore.

He had to fight alongside him.

If the next time he met him, he would still want to call himself a friend, he could no longer afford not to fight; it would be inexcusable.


That’s why Ryner looked down at Claugh and said.

“...... I shall carry them properly, I think. Since I had been letting Sion carry them all this while, I shall carry them properly. That’s why, could you tell Sion about it. The words I’ve said earlier......”

“Huh? The words you’ve said earlier? What words? Regarding giving you more time?”

On hearing that, Ryner grimaced and,

“No...... ermm, that, it’s that, you know. The same reason for saving Toale that I was mentioning about, it’s the same for Sion...... tell him that for me.”

He said.

The same reason behind him saving Toale.

That was,

''"I can’t betray my friends."''

Those words.

Those stinking words that were embarrassing to the point that one could die if he hears them from the other party himself, but currently, it was necessary.


In order to make this plan succeed.

In order to stop the Sion who was running amok all by himself, shouldering everything upon himself.

That’s why, Claugh scowled.

“Why do I have to say such embarrassing words!”

“Ah, ah, they are really embarrassing huh?”

“Beyond embarrassing, gross!”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“But, still tell him that for me.”

“Don’t shit me!”

“Ehh, if you don’t do it, this plan won’t succeed, so c’mon, please ~”

On hearing those words, Claugh’s scowl increasingly deepened.

And then, from beside Ryner,

“Yeah. And one more thing, tell Sion to immediately send two thousand cases of dango skewers from Wynitt dango shop......”

“As if I can tell him that!”


Claugh shouted angrily, and then sighed in exasperation.

“Seriously, why is it that I can actually overlook all the annoying things that you guys put me through throughout our entire meeting...... I’m really shocked for a change.”

On hearing those words, Ryner and Ferris,

“Hahhahha.”

“Fuffuffu.”

“Duh, super annoy......”

Once again, Claugh sighed.

Following that, he picked the fallen Shuss up,

“Well, since the proposal you’ve put forth does have some benefits to our side, I’ll properly transmit it to Sion. So, in exchange for that, make sure you succeed, get it?”

Ryner nodded.

“Well, I’ll put my best foot forward --- please tell that to Sion Ahotaare.”

“...... Ahotaare, hm. Well, I’ll tell that to him. So, where do you want me to send you the reply? It’s not like it’s guaranteed that things will go according to your plan yet...... well then again, you did say you will be near the borders of Runa. Then, I’ll send it there.”


Ryner nodded.

“Thanks.”

“Ahh. Well, I’ll get going. You guys should disappear as well. If not, I’ll bring some men here with me later.”

“Ehhh ~, you still have energy to fight?”

As Ryner said that in a weary voice, a smile floated on Claugh’s face.

“Well, I wasn’t being serious earlier.”

“You’re joking again.”

“Well, whether it’s a joke or not, you’ll find out the next time we meet on the battlefield.”

After saying that, with Shuss slung over his shoulder, Claugh left.

After seeing his figure disappearing into the darkness of the forest, Ryner murmured softly,

“...... in the end, wherever I go, he would be an enemy......”

Following that, he turned to face the beauty beside him.

As usual, while munching away on her dango, she was looking in Ryner’s direction as if she was watching somebody else carrying out a conversation.

“Hn. Is it finished?”


“It’s finished.”

“Well well, did it go well?”

“Uh~n. I wonder. I can’t really say for sure until the outcome is clear...... But, it probably went forward in a good direction, I guess.”

As he said that, she nodded, but for some reason, she made a complicated expression,

“But don’t let your guard down, Ryner. At any rate, this plan was concocted by the number one blockhead of the blockhead industry, Ryner Blockhead. In the end, ''Aahh, as I thought, I’m a blockhead wah ~'', that kind of development........................”

But, for some reason, at that moment, she stopped and once again put her dango into her mouth and started munching,

“Aahh, as I thought, dango is delicious.”

“Duh, why did you stop in the middle?”

“I got sick of it in the middle.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Yeah.”

As they were carrying out their meaningless talk, they started moving.


Towards north-northeast.

So as to speak, they had to move real quick. The reason was because, Ryner had yet to meet Toale.

In the conversation with Claugh earlier, it seemed like Ryner had already linked up with Toale, and it was Ryner who had given the order to the ten thousand soldiers to move close to the Runa border, however, the truth was that he had yet to meet Toale.

On top of that, Ryner had not yet told Toale of his plan.

Well, how Toale and his ten thousand soldiers had escaped detection from Claugh and Roland’s army was thanks to a capable comrade of Ryner.

Ryner’s comrade had went on ahead to persuade Toale to move his troops, but the actions to be taken from here on were not something that his comrade could talk Toale into single-handedly.

That’s why they had to hurry, and Ryner descended from the tree branch.

And then,

“...... Kiefer, will she be ok?”

He said, and following that, Ferris who also got down,

“That cutesy girl will probably do fine. She seems to be good with men.”


She said.

And Ryner started,

“Cutesy girl......”

“Huh? What?”

“No, nothing...... erm, ahh, well, nevermind......”

He took in a breath.

Currently, the comrades Ryner had brought along were Ferris, Kiefer, and Iris, and among the three of them, ''Ferris and Kiefer, well, to say they are not on good terms, or to say they are on good terms, that's kind offff''.

“...... I’m not going to think about it anymore......”

Ryner said in a tired voice, and Ferris turned to face him,

“What are you mumbling about?”

“Nothing nothing.”

“Are you hiding something from me!?”

“No, it’s not something that needs to be hidden......”

But, as usual, Ferris, without listening to Ryner,


“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! A hentai, while hiding something perverted, is running about naked in the forestttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!”

She started yelling.

Ryner, with a weary face,

“...... I’ve always wonder about that, is it fun?”

On hearing that, she nodded in an exaggerated manner,

“Yup!”

In response to that, Ryner also nodded,

“I see...... if it’s fun, well, I’ll leave it at that.”

As he said that, their pace quickened.

Their destination was the border dividing Nelpha and Runa.

Heading towards Toale, the single man who had taken ten thousand soldiers under him, and to go give Kiefer a hand.
<noinclude>
 
----

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>
 
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|-
| Back to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Interlude|Interlude]]
| Return to [[Dai Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu#daiden vol3|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Interlude

2012-04-06T07:38:43Z

Sobokal:

==Interlude – '''Him''' and '''her''' and==

''That day.

''That night.

'' 'Why did it come down to this?'

''You said while crying, but I couldn’t answer, since I was crying as well.

'' 'Really, why did it come down to this?'

''You said with a shaking voice and cried while clinging to my chest, but I didn’t know, so I couldn’t answer.

''You love me.

''And I love you.

''Really, everything should’ve been fine with that.

''Why did it come down to this?

''Why is the darkness expanding like this?

''I looked around me.

''But as expected, all I saw was darkness, and I gave up.

''The two of us gave up.

''And we knew.

''We knew that we couldn't turn back time no matter how much we cried.

''The light wouldn't return.

''But still.

''“…”

''You said.

''You raised your face.

''You raised your tear-stained face, and said to me.

''“…if we’re born again.”

''“Hmm.”


''“Make sure you kill me.”

''“Hmm.”

''“If not, then everything will come down to this again.”

''“Hmm.”

''“I mean…this is just too painful.”

''“Hmm.”

''“You have to kill me, you know?”

''“Hmm.”

''“…………liar. You’ll refuse to kill me again.”

''“Hmm.”

''“I love you.”

''“I love you too.”

''“Then make sure you kill me.”

''“…”

''I couldn’t respond to that, and she cried again.


''“I won’t kill you because I love you.”

''“Idiot.”

''“Hmm.”

''“You’re an idiot.”

''“That’s right.”

''I said, and I embraced her body.

''But she’d already lost her body.

''No, my body is beginning to disappear as well.

''Everything is covered in darkness.

''The entire world is being covered in nothingness.

''And she, using what little time she had left, said again.

''“Promise me.”

''“…”

''“Say that you’ll kill me.”

''“…”

''“Please.”


''“…”

''“Hey, promise me. Make sure you kill…”

''“…”

''And her words stopped.

''She disappeared with a sad expression.

''In the end, I couldn’t respond to her words.

'' 'Promise me.'

'' 'Promise that you’ll kill me.'

''She said.

''But that’s impossible.

''It’s impossible for me to kill someone I love.

''That’s why I can only curse god.

''Why did he make it this way?

''Why did he make everything this way?

''I’ll kill you, I thought.

''If you existed.

''If something like god existed, then I’ll definitely kill you – I cursed.

''But those damning words of mine never reached god.

''No, they didn’t reach anyone.

''Because they were erased right away.

''Because they disappeared right away.

''And I’ll disappear as well.

''I’ll disappear along with her.

''Come now, the world is collapsing.

''And the next one will begin.

''Will I be able to choose properly in the next one?

''Will I be able to choose to kill her?

''It’s still impossible, I…

''I…

''But everything disappeared right then.

''And the next one began.

<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;"
|-
| Back to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 The Trail of Ryner and Gang and The Standing Between The Countries|The Trail of Ryner and Gang and The Standing Between The Countries]]
| Return to [[Dai Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu#daiden vol3|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Dai Densetsu no Yūsha no Densetsu:Volume 3 Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Chapter3

2010-03-27T05:02:24Z

Sobokal:

===Chapter 3===

Although it was good to have sunny weather even after going into the monsoon season in June, the result of going into summer so early was that it became extremely hot. This was something that happened on the day that I got so fed up with the heat that I wanted to move to Australia to play with the Kangeroos and Koalas.

After school, I mustered up all my strength to clean up the music preparation room.

Firstly, I sorted the vaious papers into their respective categories, placing them back on the shelves and then I pulled out an amplifier from under the abadoned-looking conductor's stand. When I lifted a piece of music score from the teacher's table, a cloud of dust suddenly burst into the air like snowflakes.

"Cough Cough......"

The music preparation room looked as though it had been completely abandoned, just like the house of a useless men whose wife had divorced him and then kicked him out of the house.

"My god......"

I couldn't help but mutter.

I knew that the situation would be bad, but I would never have imagined that it was this bad. Looks like I've underestimated the potential ability of that person.

Looking at the music preparation room that could never be cleaned up, I sighed deeply.

As to why I'm cleaning up this place, it's all because of the owner of this room, the music teacher who is also my class teacher (A woman whom I have no resistance against).

I'll have to start from three hours ago.

"Yuu-kun~Are you free today?"

After the homeroom period, I had finished packing my bag and was just about to head home when the music teacher came looking for me. Her voice was as silky as the purr of a cat that was having it's chin rubbed by its master.

"No I'm not. My schedule is completely packed. I have absolutely no free time at all."

"I have a favour to ask of Yuu-kun~"

"I don't want to do it."

"If you're willing to do it, Onee-san will reward you for it~"

"I don't think I have a need for your reward."

"I have three types of set meals for you to choose from, how about that?"

"...I'm going home."

Since she pretended not to hear what I was talking about, I decided to just ignore this idiot and go home.

"Wait......Wait up!"

My arm was caught in a vice-grip, this is not good.

"...What?"

"I've already said that I have a favour to ask of you."

"And haven't I already said that I'm not interested?"

Nothing good ever comes out of doing her 'favours'. I speak from my personal experience.

"Don't say that. Why don't you hear me out first?"

Looks like she won't let go of me unless I hear her out. I don't have a choice but to nod my head reluctantly.

"...Fine, I'm only going to listen though."

"Mm~Onee-san loves it when you say that."

She pressed me into her sizeable bust. The soft feel that came into contact with my cheek, and the flowery smell that floated into my nostrils was indeed extremely tempting, but if I were to admit defeat here, I would have fallen right into Yukari's trap.

"What do you want to say exactly?"

In response to my question, Yukari gave a strange expression before saying,

"To be honest~The year director gave me a direct order today~"

"What kind of order?"

"He wants me to clean up the music preparation room by today."

"...Goodbye."

I only managed to turn away before my arm was caught by Yukari's vice-like grip again.

"Wait! Why are you trying to run away before I finish what I have to say~"

"I already know what you want, you want me to help you clean don't you? Please clean up by yourself, I've already cleaned the toilet for you before.

"Ah, that's such a pity. Although you're close, but that's not what I'm here for."

"It's not?"

I was sure that I won't be wrong, since all this person does is to trouble others.

Or could it be that I'm wrong?

"Hmm, it's not like that. Because I'm not trying to get you to help me clean, but trying to get you to do it for me."

Just what is going through this person's head!

There should be a limit to how shameless one can be!

"......Please die!"

I was already prepared to run for my life after throwing that phrase at her, but I would never have thought that Yukari would cling on to me for dear life.

"Hang on! I really want to help you, but I have something important going on today."

"What important thing?'

"It's SERAPH's live performance (whispers)!"

"...Huh?"

I thought that I had heard wrongly.

"SERAPH's having a live concert today, and I've already gotten my hands on the VIP ticket that I pre-ordered six months ago, so if I'm unable to go, I'll die because of this unfufilled desire."

'...You're serious about this?"

"Of course I am."

Yukari gave me a serious expression that I've never seen before as she replied. On a side note, SERAPH is the name of her favourite visual-kei band.

"Yuu-kun, I'm begging you, I really don't have anyone else to turn to, this is the biggest wish of my life."

Yukari attempted to climb on top of me while begging me with tears in her eyes.

Even though it was her own fault that things have come to this, but I was unable to just leave her in the lurch like that. I guess I don't have a choice but to help her then.

Since I have nothing to do after school today anyway, might as well let Yukari owe me a favour!

"...I've got it, so please stop trying to squash me from above, I'll clean the music preparation room for you alright?"

"Eh? You're willing to do it for me?"

"Yes, I'll help you for the time being."

Upon hearing my answer, the twenty-three years-old female teacher who was a diehard fan of visual-kei bands was filled with happiness.

"Thank you so much Yuu-kun, I love you!"

"...You're welcome."

That's basically what happened.

This is how I come to be cleaning up this heap of trash, but right now, I really regretted my decision.

"This is ridiculous..."

Due to the corrosive influence of the owner of this room, the sparkly clean music preparation room had become a nightmare island of rubbish in merely two months.Feeling despondent, I swiped off a layer of dust off Beethoven's portrait with a duster, while writing the word 'meat' on his dust-covered forehead. This primary-school level prank probably has the legendary musician turning in his grave.

Just as I tiredly prepared to magically wipe of the word that I had written on Beethoven's forehead...

Poron~~

I seem to have heard the sound of a piano.

At first I had thought that I was hearing things, so I just ignored it, but after a while, I realised that there was a melody to the notes. The melody was one that was sounded melancholic at times and and poignant at other times, while sounding sorrowful throughout, and it seemed to be coming from the neighbouring music room.I looked at the clock that was hung up on the wall, it was almost seven o'clock atnight, which means that all the students who were involved in club activities should already have gone home by now. So why would there be anyone playing the piano at this time?

My first thought was of one of the school's seven mysteries - The piano that plays by itself in the music room.

It can't be?

I opened the door of the music preparation room quietly and surveyed the situation in the neighbouring music room. But from my perspective, the position of the piano was in my blind spot, which meant that I was unable to see the person playing the piano (hopefully it is a person playing the piano). But I could now confirm that the sound was indeed coming from the piano.

I hesitated for a moment before deciding to step into the music room. I slowly shuffled towards the piano while praying that a person was indeed playing the piano. As I gazed at the piano, what I saw was actually--

"..."

Haruka.

Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, Haruka was playing the piano.

Probably because she was too engrossed in playing the piano, Haruka did not notice my presence. Her soft fingers nimbly danced across the keyboard as I looked on, mesmerized.

The piece finally finished, Haruka breathed out.

"Good work."

"Ah?"

Haruka jumped at the sound of my clapping, her eyes wide with surprise as though she just saw a rhinoceros beetle in the middle of winter.

"That...That's strange? Why would Yuuto-san be here? There wasn't anyone here when I came in..."

Of course she would be surprised at seeing a person that shouldn't be here after finishing a piece.

I explained my predicament to her.

"Ah,I see, you must be tired."

Haruka's tinkling laughter swept away the tiredness from the cleaning that had built up in my body. She's definitely an angel!

"Speaking of which, why are you still here at this hour?

In comparison, this should be stranger shouldn't it? It's not strange that Haruka would be in the music room, it's the timing that is strange.

"Well...It's complicated..."

Haruka tilted her head slightly as she replied.

"Enlighten me!"

I excitedly requested.

"Alright, I'll tell you then. To be honest, I was reading in the library a while ago when I came across this description of Shakespeare in a world history book..."

"Shakespeare? You mean that playwright?"

"Yes, I really like his works. He left behind an entire collection of brilliant plays, plays like <<Macbeth>> and <<A Midsummer Night's Dream>>.

"Ah...I see."

I nodded while feeling extremely guilty.

Because out of Shakespeare's works, I only know of <<Romeo and Juliet>>, and only a rough outline of the story at that.

"But, how does that tie in with you playing the piano?"

"Because the tempest is mentioned in one of Shakespeare's plays. Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 17 also carries the name of 'The Tempest', which is why I felt like playing this piece when I saw Shakespeare's name in the book...I also have a performance coming up, so I had wanted to practice a little before I went home."

"I...I see."

Reading -> World History -> Shakespeare -><- The Tempest -->> Piano, so this is how Haruka thinks. A little complicated, but still understandable.

"Do you usually read until this hour?"

If she went straight to the library after school, then she would have read for about three and a half hours, probably longer than the time I read for the entire week.

"Yes, because mid-term exams are coming."

"...Mid-term exams..."

I was roughly hauled back to reality by those words.

Before that moment of enlightenment, I really had forgotten all about the mid-term exams (that is to say, I've been running away from reality the whole while). Two weeks from today, the dreaded mid-term exams will begin.

Although Hakujo Academy has a two-term system, which means that there are only four exams a year, students who failed the exams (thirty percent and below) would be forced to
burn a third of their summer holidays on remedial lessons. Perhaps some people may think that thirty percent is extremely easy to get, but for people who aren't academically talented like me, it is an extremely dangerous obstacle.

"Is Yuuto-san also in the midst of preparing for the mid-term exams?"

"No, I haven't started preparing at all."

Since I just remembered that mid-term exams actually exist, I obviously have not even started on revision.

"Not at all? But you should already have a study plan for the next two weeks right?"

"Well......I'm not very good at things like that."

I really don't like studying, but if I don't study, then I'll have to burn a third of my summer holidays. It's unthinkable to give up a third of one's once-in-a-lifetime seventeen year-old summer holiday and to be stuck in a small classroom with mountains of notes and teachers, whose tempers are hotter than the weather (Why is it that most of the teachers in Hakujo Academy are single and male?).

"Now that I think about it, my notes are not even complete......"

I spend seventy-percent of my time in class daydreaming, so my notes are extremely disorganized and incomplete; one entry in April, the next one in June.

"I've got to borrow someone's notes to photocopy."

Although I said that, but I had no one to borrow from. In the years leading up to this year, the best candidate was Nobunaga (his results are extremely good), but since we're in different classes this year, our notes aren't the same either. I probably have to borrow from the three idiots.

...Looks like it's a matter of life and death.

Seeing that I was getting flustered, Haruka gave a pensive expression as she placed her finger next to the corner of her mouth, her head tilting forty-five degrees to the side.

She held that position for about thirty seconds.

After thirty seconds, Haruka seemed to have thought of something, as she opened her mouth to speak,

"Yuuto-san, why don't we study together?"

"Hmm..."

Study? Haruka and I?

"That's right, if you don't mind, I can lend you my notes to photocopy, even though my notes might not be that complete either..."

No,there would never be anything incomplete about Haruka's notes, for she's always attentive in class.

"That'll be too inconvienient for you..."

My results and Haruka's results were at opposite ends of the academic spectrum, so borrowing her notes would be the vital boost that I desperately need to pass the exams, but this wouldn't benefit Haruka anyway, and could even cause her to be docked points if the teachers found out.

But Haruka shook her head.

"It's not inconvienient at all! Studying is more enjoyable with a partner."

Is that so? I always hear that studying alone would be more efficient. But as long as Haruka doesn't mind, this would be a life-saver.

"...Is it really alright?"

"Of course it is."

Haruka answered without hesitation.

"Then...Thank you very much."

I have to take this chance to turn my results around. If I continue like this, I'm in real danger of landing in remedial classes.

"Then, what about the time and place? You can just pick a time that you're free..."

"Hmm..."

Haruka thought about it for a moment.

"About the time...How about this Sunday? From One O'clock onwards, the place...how about my home?"

"Ah, I'm alright with anything..."

I answered without thinking.

"...Hmm?"

I suddenly realized that there was a strange noun in Haruka's suggestion. Did she just say 'my home...'?

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

My ears must be playing tricks on me. Haruka would never invite me to her home. I must have heard wrongly because I was expecting too much. Mm, it must be like that.

Seeing that I was in agreement, Haruka happily repeated the time and place.

"I'll see you on Sunday then, please don't forget about it!"

And so, I came to Haruka's home on Sunday to study for the mid-term exams.

I got lost.

"This is a map detailing the route to my home, it's only ten minutes away from the train station, so I don't think you'll get lost..."

I should have known something like this would happen the moment I received the hand-drawn map from Haruka, but I was too excited about being able to visit her home that I had completely overlooked the probable result if I were to follow her map. It was already too late when I took out the map at the train station near Haruka's home.

I took out the map that Haruka had given me and saw monstrous creatures and hysterical eight-eyed eels covering most of the map.

A wide-eyed bird-like, sadistic-looking creature was drawn at the side of the map. It had a satanic smile on its face as it drove a sharpened rod into the belly of an eel, the words on the sharpened rod reading 'it's here'.

...What is this? Is it some kind of psychological test for first-timers?

I really feel like crying.

A row of neatly written words at one corner of the map detailed 'Drawn by Haruka'.

Now...what do I do?

I attempted to go forward, but immediately got lost at the first crossroad junction. I wanted to call for help, but Haruka didn't have a cellphone, while I didn't take down the number of her home phone. There was an address written on the map, but since I didn't live around that area, I had no idea where it was, and to make things worse, there wasn't a traffic police in sight.

"I'm dead..."

Just as I was pathetically sitting at the side of the road like a tired bird, somebody called out to me from behind.

"Onii-san,what's wrong?"

I looked back to see a girl looking back at me. She looked like a middle schooler, with a pretty face and eyes that twinkled with charm. Her hair was tied down at the sides into two ponytails, giving her a mischievous but cute look. She would definitely become an extremely pretty girl in a few years.

"You've been groaning for a while now, are you having a stomache? Do you want me to call the funeral car?"

"What, are you planning to send me to the crematorium?"

"Ah! I should be calling the ambulance in this kind of situation."

The girl laughed, but stopped almost immediately as she realized the seriousness of my situation.

"What do I do? I should call for help if you're really not feeling well, shouldn't I?"

She was serious.

"I'm not feeling unwell, I'm just lost..."

I suddenly thought that since this girl looks like she lived in the area, perhaps she would be able to understand the map. Maybe Haruka's map is a perfectly readable map to everyone but me.

And so I hopefully showed the map to the girl, who looked disgusted as she looked at the mep.

"What's this? Demons? Or the Tiger Lady?"

"..."

"Or are these ghosts?"

My last hope was destroyed in a moment...Well, at least I expected this reaction.

"...This...Should be a map."

Hearing the truth, the girl jumped in surprise.

"...A map? This is a map? That's impossible..."

"It's true."

I don't want to believe it either but this is really supposed to be a map.

"Hmm, it still looks like a drawing of ghosts and demons no matter how I look at it."

The girl looked at the map with the look of a person looking at a rare animal. I completely agree with her assessment of the picture.

"Are the giant snakes supposed to be roads? Ah! There's a weirdly shaped thing here! Ah! There're two Karakasas over here."

This girl's really jumpy.

"...Hmm?"

She suddenly quietened down when her gaze stopped on a certain portion of the map.

"...It can't be!"

And then, she mercilessly tore the map to pieces.

"Hey, hey......"

I can understand her painful feelings of wanting to tear the map to pieces, but destroying the map would also destroy any clue that I had to finding my way to the Nogizaka residence.

"Hmm...Onii-san, you'll never get to your destination if you look at this map!"

"Even then......It's better than nothing isn't it?"

"It's definitely better to have nothing than that piece of map! I'll draw a new one for you, do you have any stationary with you?"

After tearing my only hope to pieces, the girl stretched out her right hand towards me. Although I don't know what she intended to do, but since she seemed to be willing to help me draw a new map, I quietly handed her my notebook and a pencil.

I let the girl have a look at the address written on one of the pieces of the map. The girl only took one look before beginning to work.

"This is how it should be."

Her pencil flying over the notebook paper, the girl drew a map for me.

"There, it's finished."

"Huh?"

Compared to Haruka's map, this map was on a completely different level! To be honest, I would even think that even comparing the two maps would be an insult to the girl's map.

"You're really good at drawing..."

Even a monkey could get to Haruka's home with this map.

"Not at all, it's actually a very simple route to your destination, and it should be harder to draw a map that resembles a drawing of demons and ghosts right?"

Though the girl said something like that, but anyone could tell that she was rather pleased with herself.

"But you really saved my life here, thank you."

"You don't have to say that! It's not something to be so grateful about. And also...I'm partly responsible for something like this."

"?"

"Ah, it's......it's nothing! I'll be going now, see you soon, Onii-san."

"Ah, wait!"

Without any hint of acknowledgement, the girl left.

...Just what was that about? Well, at least I'm saved.

It was all thanks to the map that the girl drew for me that I managed to get to the Nogizaka residence safely.

Technically, even though I had already reacher the Nogizaka residence, but...

"What is this..."

That was the first thing that I had to say after reaching the Nogizaka residence.

A huge door was in front of my eyes, along with a line of ridiculously tall walls that extended far beyond my line of sight. From far away, the Nogizaka residence looked like an estate that nobles in the middle-ages lived in, complete with a fountain like the one in <<Roman Holiday>>.

Is this place really in Japan? The estate in front of my eyes really made me question whether this was indeed Japan. I had known that the Nogizakas were rich, but...this is beyond the wildest imagination of normal people.

And that was only the beginning.

Seriously, that was only the beginning.

Immediately after I pressed the doorbell, a maid came out to welcome me. A real maid! Although I had seen cat-eared maids in Akihabara, but a real maid in a real japanese household was right in front of my eyes! I was too shocked for words.

The maid bowed respectfully the moment she saw me.

"Ayase Yuuto-sama right? Haruka-sama is expecting you. Please enter."

"Ye...Yes..."

I didn't even have the time to be moved over being addressed as 'sama' for the first time in my life before I was whisked into the huge garden. Whoa! The garden of the Nogizaka residence was like a forest, with bubbling streams running through the residence like a natural park.

"This way please."

After walking through the huge garden, I finally stepped foot into the residence itself. The residence looked like a castle from the outside, and even more from the inside.I've never been in hall with such a highly vaulted ceiling, and the luxurious decorations, ancient armor sets and art pieces were completely unknown to the son of a working class family like me.

"Wow, this is great..."

The Nogizaka residence was ridiculously luxurious.

Just as I was stupified by the impressive entrance hall, the maid told me something extremely scary.

"Please follow closely behind me, it'll be dangerous if you get lost."

Could this place be a huge labyrinth? Judging by the scale of the place, a direction-idiot like me would probably die if I got lost here. I do not wish to get lost and embarrass myself in this place.

Following behind the maid, I turned seven corners, walked through two long corridors, went up and down three flights of stairs, finally reaching the living room (because the hall was extremely large, I didn't know if this was the living room or still the entrance hall), and finally met Haruka. I spent twenty whole minutes from the moment I stepped into the residence to get to the living room...It's ridiculous!

"Ah, Yuuto-san, welcome."

Haruka was wearing a white summer dress as she smiled at me, standing up from an ancient-looking sofa in the middle of the room.

"Hazuki-san, thank you for bring Yuuto-san here."

"It's nothing, I'm merely doing my job."

The maid answered expressionlessly.

"Please sit down and make yourself at home."

In accordance with the maid's directions, I sat down on the sofa. What a soft sofa!

"Would you like some tea?"

"Ah, would you mind?"

Haruka replied to the maid's suggestion.

"Not at all. Which kind of tea leaves would you like to use."

"Hmm, how about two pots of Royal Bengal Tigers?"

"What about snacks? We have Madeleine,plum pudding,and Victorian cakes in the kitchen right this moment."

"We'll have the plum pudding."

"Alright, please wait for about ten minutes."

The maid left after receiving her orders from Haruka. I couldn't understand more than half of the vocabulary that they used in their conversation. Royal Bengal Tiger? Is that the name of a monster?"

"Please wait for a moment, Hazuki-san makes really good black tea."

...It's actually the name of a tea.

I've only ever drank canned and bottled black tea, so I wasn't knowledgeable about the different types of tea at all, perhaps it's actually a very common type of tea?

Exactly ten minutes later, the maid returned.

She placed the cups and pudding in front of us before standing behind Haruka like a statue.

Haruka then turned to face the maid.

"Hmm...Let me introduce the her to you. This is Sakurazaka Hazuki-san, she's the head maid, in charge of our accomodation."

'Head' maid? So you're saying that there are more of these maids?"

"I am Sakurazaka Hazuki, it's an honour to meet you."

The maid gave a perfect bow together with her perfect greeting, but her face remainded expresionless throughout. Mm...Looking at how she interacted with Haruka a while ago, she seems to be the calm and collected type. Although she's really pretty, but she seems to be hard to interact with. I was quietly assessing her.

"Hazuki-san looks to be a strict person, but she's actually really gentle."

Did Haruka say that in response to what I was thinking in my head?

"A while back, she fed the leftovers from dinner to a stray cat. She almost always goes to the pet shop on rest days. Her hobby is collecting stuffed toys, so her room is filled with cute stuffed toys."

Stuffed toys? Hmm...I really couldn't imagine such a strict-looking person would have a room full of stuffed toys and even name each and every one of them.

"...Haruka-san, I can hear you."

Hazuki-san retorted softly. Hmm? She's actually blushing!

Ah~Hazuki-san's blushing."

"......I'm not."

She seems to be a little lost as to what she should do.

The three of us talked for a while longer.

After talking to Hazuki-san, I realised that although she looked stern, she wasn't hard to interact with, as she'll answer your questions and react to your jokes (she doesn't laugh, but at least there's a reaction). But the only thing that bothered me was that her expression almost never changes, means that you'll never know what she's actually thinking. But to that, Haruka said that 'You'll learn how to read the small changes in her expression once you get to know her better.' Hmm...Is that really the case?

So much had happened that I almost forgot what I was here for. I am here to study for the mid-term exams, not to get a feel of the upper-class lifestyle.

To achieve our original aim, we moved to Haruka's room after finishing our refreshments (I won't go into detail about the other halls, the dance floor and the mini cinema that I saw on my way there).

So this is Haruka's room...It's surprisingly normal.

Haruka's room is about thirty tatamis large, with a huge piano in the middle of the room and a luxurious-looking bed in a corner. Of course,this kind of room wouldn't be considered 'normal' in the usual sense, the normal that I'm referring to is the lack of any sign of Akihabara-influences in the room.

"Ah, please make yourself at home, I'll bring out the table."

Haruka said to me before she walked into a hidden closet to bring out the table. Judging by the size of that closet, it's probably bigger than my entire room.

I sat on the expensive-looking carpet before looking around the room once again. No matter how I look, this was the normal room of the daughter of a rich family, no Akihabara references to be seen anywhere.

This was really a room that looked like it belonged to the 'Nuit étoile', It would indeed be extremely strange if Haruka's room was like Nobunaga's with posters, manga, novels and figurines all stewn around the place.

Haruka brought the table out at this moment, so I asked,

"There doesn't seem to be any posters in this room."

"Ah, that's because..."

Haruka stopped abruptly. Hmm? Did I just ask something I should not have asked?

"Those things are really cute, and I really want to display them in my room if it were possible......but......I don't have a choice, because my family doesn't know about my hobby."

"Huh?"

Even her family doesn't know?

"My parents.......especially my father, he's extremely strict, so he'll probably throw all my anime posters and figurines away if he saw them. Because he thinks that these things are bad for my education, so I can't put them in places that are obvious."

Haruka lowered her head as she explained.

That's......really too bad for Haruka. I seem to have gained an insight as to why Haruka lacks some common sense. And that's also because there's nothing that could be classified as entertainment in this room right? No television, no computer, this must be the reason why Haruka doesn't have a cellphone either.

"Oh right, is your family at home?"

I suddenly thought of her family.

If her father is at home, then I better go and pay my respects to him, or he'll think that I'm a good-for-nothing who's here to corrupt his precious daughter if he sees me.

"I'm the only one at home today. Father's at the Pentagon, mother's teaching at the cooking school that she runs, it'll probably be midnight when they return. My grandfather's in Hokkaido hunting bears, so he left in the morning......."

"......"

My god! Just what kind of person is her father? I could possibly disappear from the face of the earth if I make one wrong move.

Not noticing my feelings, Haruka happily continued talking,

"So you can relax, just treat this place as your own home. Let's start with english, since it'll be tested on the first day of the mid-term exams."

Haruka really wasn't the top student in the level for nothing, as she nonchalantly did her own set of practice questions while helping me with the foundation questions given by the school, pointing out my mistakes and explaining the solution to me at the same time.

"Ah this is a special usage of the future tense, so you can translate it as "After moving to the city,he never went back to his home village ever again", that is to say, he might have invested a large sum of money after he moved to the city, but it turned out to be a failed investment, and not able to find a job, he could only work part-time in a convienience store. And in the end, because his landlord refused to renew the rental contract, he got kicked out of his apartment, and so he died alone in a public park, with his dreams of returning to his home village as a rich man shattered.

"Hmm,mm...I see......"

"This question tests your ability to differentiate between verbs and adverbs, and in comparison with the former "stopped to smoke", the meaning of the latter is "to stop smoking". Which is to say that the firet sentence refers a middle-age smoker who's in the late stages of nicotine poisoning and couldn't help but stop for a smoke at the roadside or some other place where it's illegal to smoke, and got fined for it. As for the second sentence, it refers to a person who really liked to smoke, but later quit smoking for the sake of his child, and now hates smoking to the extent that he'll want to kill anyone who smokes in front of his child."

"...Hmm, even though I won't know about the middle-aged man's condition regarding nicotine poisoning, but I guess that's probably it..."

Although Haruka was teaching me this whole time, our study session was proceeding rather smoothly. Even when she was teaching me, her right hand was still writing down the answers to her own practice questions.

"Oh, and this is..."

Just as Haruka-sensei was about to launch into her n-th explanation of the day, her left hand suddenly knocked my eraser off the table and onto the carpet.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Haruka stretched to pick up the eraser, but I was closer to it,

"It's alright, I'll pick it up."

"No, I'll..."

Miraculously,we reached for the eraser at the same time.

"..."

"..."

My fingers came into contact with something soft. Definitely not my eraser.

My heart started pumping into overdrive.

"Ah......I......"

"I......I'm sorry!"

I hurridly pulled my hand back, my heart still beating furiously as though I was on drugs and overheating. My face was also burning up as though I just came out of a hot spring.

What's going on! What a strange atmosphere! I looked over and saw Haruka blushing furiously, just like that time in the small park at Akihabara...If I were to describe the atmosphere in terms of colours, then the middle of this room would be covered in a shade of pink...

Haruka's slightly moist eyes were right in front of me.

Now that I think about it, right now, Haruka and I were the only ones in this room. By the only ones, I mean that there isn't anyone other than the two teenagers in this enclosed space. From this, the keyword that we'll naturally think about it......Secret room murder?

Not that! But if it's not that keyword, then I really can't think of any other keyword that's so, encompassing.

No,it's not the time to bash myself over my lack of imagination.

Anyway, I have to think of a way to pull away from this pink-shaded atmosphere, because if this goes on, my sense of reason will fly off like a satellite that's gone off-course, all the way to the other end of the universe...... Alright, to calm myself down, I shall start counting prime numbers. Starting from 0......Hmm, is 0 even a prime number?

Shouldn't I be starting from 1? Hmm, that doesn't sound right either...

My brain suddenly got itself into a knot.

My mathematics results are so bad that my math teacher came to me with tears running down his cheeks, 'I'm begging you, even if you're able to promote to the third year, please don't come for the science class mathematics lesson, alright?' That's basically a guarantee letter certifying that I'm an idiot.

......I'm so pathetic to call myself an idiot.

I turned to look at Haruka's face feeling sorry for myself and realized that Haruka was also looking at me.

Our eyes met! Haruka's face reddened even more, as she fidgeted around in her seat and looked away awkwardly before closing her eyes slowly as though preparing herself...... That's strange, why did Haruka close her eyes?

Another ten seconds passed like this.

Hmm...it'll would be an insult to Haruka if I were to do nothing at this juncture wouldn't it? I've never been in such a suggestive situation before, so I really don't know what to do.

Now that it has come down to this, I only have two choices, either I go with the flow and don't think about the consequences, or I pretend to fall asleep. After struggling with myself for a while (that is to say, after my mental condition deteriorated for a while), I was about to choose the first choice when...!!

"Please forgive me for breaking the nice atmosphere between the two of you."

Someone suddenly spoke from behind us.

"!?"

I turned around to see a maid stand behind us.

"Argh!"

"Kya!"

"...Do I look that scary?"

The maid answered our screams of terror with a mildly disappointed expression. No, that's not the point, the point is, since when has she been standing there?

"I knocked five times, but no one answered, so I had no choice but to let myself in."

No... Even if all my focus was on Haruka, it was impossible for me to not know if someone had come into the room. This maid is scary.

"Ha,Hazuki-san, is there anything you need?"

Haruka hurridly changed the subject.

"Yes. Mika-sama just returned and has something to talk to you about, are you free right now?"

"Hmm? Mika?"

"Yes."

Haruka was a little confused.

"Umm...Haruka, who's Mika?"

"Hmm? Ah, I haven't told Yuuto-san about her, she's my sister."

"Sister? I didn't know that Haruka has a sister."

"Yes, she's in the second year of middle school."

Not that she mentioned it, Nobunaga seemed to have mentioned it to me some time ago.

"I'm sorry, I'll go over to Mika's for a while......"

"Mm, I got it."

"I'm really sorry...I'll be right back, please relax and rest here for a little while."

After Haruka and the maid left, I was the only one left in the room.

Haruka wants me to relax, but I was unable to calm myself down in such a big room, feeling like a lab rat that has just been released from its cage into a huge laboratory.

It was really boring to just sit here, so I decided to take a tour around the room.

The first thing I looked at was the the large piano in the middle of the room. The mad'''(!)''' had said that it's a Steinway grand piano...anyway, this is a branded piano that costs around 20 million yen, something my family could never afford. Even if we could afford it, we don't have anywhere to put it.

"..."

I suddenly felt this strong sense of defeat as I couldn't help but shift my gaze away from the piano.

I walked towards the bookshelf opposite the piano.

There were many music scores placed on the shelf, Beethovan, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, I only knew the composers that my music teacher at school had introduced to the class.

"Could it be......that Haruka can play all of these pieces?"

<<Twelve Super Technical Practice Pieces>>...Although some of the scores sounded extremely hard, but I guess Haruka should be able to play all of them right? She was probably playing a super technical practice piece the last time I heard her play in the music room.

All of a sudden, I saw a book without a title hidden between the music scores. This book was covered with a classy white cloth, and was obviously treated more importantly than the music scores.

"What's this?

I was curious as to the true identity of the book.

I took the book down from the shelf and unwrapped the cloth around it.

"..."

It was a comic book.

"...This..."

No, to be precise, this should be a comic magazine, it's an old magazine that's the same size as a music score. The name of the magazine is,

<<Innocent Smile>> First Edition.

--Ah, that's the one.

Looking at the name of this magazine, I was reminded of how Haruka and I snuck into the school library at midnight about two months ago. This is something that Haruka loves, the magazine that started everything. The magazine had 'First Edition', so it should be the one that I saw at the library the other time, the magazine that got Haruka interested in the world of anime and manga. This megazine was the only thing worthy of Haruka's careful protection.

The magazine in Haruka's memory...

My gaze locked onto a smiling long-haired girl on the cover of the magazine.

"...Hmm?"

She attracted my attention deeply.

Why would I be attracted to that drawing? I don't know, but it seems to have awakened some distant memory in my mind.

"Yuuto-san, Mika wants to say hello, would you mind?"

Haruka's voice came from outside the room.

"Of course I won't mind!"

I don't have a reason to reject a person who wants to say hello to me, and I'm also rather interested in Haruka's sister. I should think that her sister would be just like her, a natural Ojou-sama right?

"Is that so, Mika will be really happy. Let's go in, Mika!"

"Alright!"

A lively girl walked in from the other side of the door.

"Hmm? This..."

"Hehe, good afternoon, Onii-san, we meet again!"

It's the girl who drew the map for me! She's Haruka's sister?

"Ah, don't be so surprised! Onii-san's such a naive person. Didn't I said 'see you soon'?"

She did say something like that. But...How could she have known that I was Haruka's friend?

Seeing that I was still confused, the girl came over and whispered into my ear.

(Because only my sister could draw such a demonic-looking map, plus her name was on the map.)

...Ah, so that's how it is.

(And also, Onee-san had mentioned that a guest would be coming today.)

The girl giggled again. Her innocent expression was exactly the same as Haruka's, proving that they were indeed sisters.

"...Demonic-looking drawing?"

Haruka asked confusedly.

"Ah, it's nothing. Onee-san, introduce him to me!"

"You're right, but it looks like the two of you already know each other...Yuuto-san, she's the sister I was talking to you about earlier..."

"I'm Nogizaka Mika, fourteen years old this year. My hobbies are playing the violin and rearing wild boars. Onii-san, please take good care of me!"

"..."

I seemed to have heard something impossible when she was talking about her hobbies. Well, I guess I should just pretend that I didn't hear anything!

After putting my own feelings in order, I started to introduce myself.

"Mm, I'm Ayase Yuuto, Haruka's classmate, please good care of me as well."

"Ah...Yuuto-san?"

That's strange, why would Haruka's sister have this kind of reaction to my name?

"Mika, he's older than you, it's rude to address him by his name..."

"It's alright, I don't mine, it's just that...is my name very weird?"

"Ah, hehe, it's that..."

"?"

"It's nothing much, just that you call Onee-san 'Haruka'."

Haruka's sister, Mika, looked at Haruka and I with strange smile on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Nope, it's just that there aren't a lot of guys who refer to Onee-san so intimately..."

Is that so? Well, everyone in school does seem to address Haruka as either Nogizaka-san, Haruka-sama, or the 'Nuit Étoile', and if a guy wanted to address her by her name directly, he'll have to go through the same punishment as I did (rolled up into a grass mat and thrown into the water). If I wasn't a guy who liked to step on such landmines, we probably won't have such a relationship right?

"It's......It's nothing special! It's just that, Yuuto-san is my classmate, and, we're friends, so.......so......"

"Hmm, Yuuto-san...it's my first time hearing Onee-san calling a guy by his name."

From Haruka's faltering answer, I could see how the relationship between this pair of sisters worked.

Seeing that Haruka was uncertain as to what to do, I decided to step in.

"Don't make any wild guesses, Haruka and I are just friends."

In truth, this explanation wasn't exactly correct, but since Haruka's family didn't know about her special hobby, so this should be how our relationship should look like on the surface shouldn't it?

"Onee-san, is that right?"

"Ye...Yes, we're just friends, our relationship isn't that spe......special."

Haruka answered in a suspicious manner.

Mika looked at Haruka as she gave a suggestive smile.

"Hmm, I see, so that's how it is."

"What do you mean?"

"Nope, nothing. If this continues, I think I'll be able to dig out all sorts of interesting things, but since I've gotten the gist of things, I'll let the two of you off today.

Oh, right! Onii-chan, please call me Mika from now on!"

"Got it."

"Great."

Haruka's sister was surprisingly different from her. If Haruka's the moon, then her sister would surely be the sun.

After that, I never got to touch my books again.

Under pressure from Mika, we played monopoly, international chess, and pieced puzzles together......and spent several hours like that.

"Mika, Yuuto-san's here to study."

"Ah, it's alright, just a while, just let Onii-chan play with me for a while longer."

"You..."

Although Haruka's tone carried a hint of displeasure, she actually didn't seem to mind it much.

"Yuuto-san, I'm really sorry, Mika usually doesn't warm up to people she just met for the first time. If you don't mind, please play with her a while longer..."

"I'm alright with it."

"Yay, then lets play poker cards next."

And thus, I ended up feeling as though I was here to play instead of studying, but...I guess it's not a bad thing to just relax and enjoy myself! There should still be sufficient time to prepare for the mid-term exams next week, things will surely work out (I'm just running away from reality).

It was already evening when I looked at the time.

Haruka invited me to stay for dinner, but as I had a problematic sister who would go out of control if she wasn't fed at home (sometimes a problematic music teacher would be there as well), I had no choice but to regretfully reject her invitation.

"I see, that's such a pity."

"I'm really sorry to reject your invitation like this, I'll make sure to prepare dinner for her before I come next time."'''(!)'''

"Prepare dinner? Yuuto-san, do you have a dog at home?"

"Ah, yes..."

The two were similar in that 'both need to be taken care of', but 'she' would probably be unhappy about being put on the same level as a dog.

"A dog...Ah, that's right, there's still a bit of the plum pudding we had earlier left. If you don't mind it, please bring it back for your dog."

"No, I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"No, not at all, please don't stand on ceremony, I think your dog will like it."

Haruka jogged out of the room to tell Hazuki-san about the plum pudding. She really seems to think that I have a dog at home.

"Well, I guess she's not far off the mark..."

There isn't a lot of difference between the two anyway.

"Onii-san, come over for a while!"

"Hmm?"

Mika beckoned towards me. Could it be that she wants to show me Haruka's childhood photos while she's out of the room?

I went over expectantly.

"Onii-san, did you have fun on your date at Akihabara?"

"!?"

She suddenly asked me something like that.

"You went on a date with Onee-san right? That's great, did the two of you hold hands? Did you guys kiss?"

My tongue got tied into a knot due to the flurry of questions thrown at my direction; why would she know about that?

"You..."

"What are you talking about..."

"Hehehe, there's no point in pretending, I know everything."

"Pre,pretending? What are you talking about..."

Since she mentioned Akihabara, she must be referring to the shopping trip that I went with Haruka last month, she can't be referring to anything else. But, how would she know about that? Even if she was trying to get me to divulge certain information, but don't you think that it's a little too accurate?

Mika probably saw through my inner dismay as she continued with her next wave of attack.

"Hmm, you're still pretending? But I have proof you know. It should be the Sunday of that long weekend right? Because Onee-san happily went out wearing her new clothes on that day you know."

Seeing my trepidation, Mika gave me the finishing blow.

"Onee-san even prepared a special 'shopping bookmark' for Onii-san, you know, that demonic-looking drawing."

"..."

I had no choice but to confess.

"How do you know about that......"

Seeing that I finally admitted defeat, Mika flashed a victorious smile.

"Hehehe, because I saw the 'shopping bookmark'! But it's not my fault, because Onee-san placed it on the table in the living room right in the full view of everyone."

"......"

"I took a look at it and saw two copies of the 'shopping bookmark'. One copy had 'specially for Yuuto-san'. At that time, I was still wondering who that mysterious 'Yuuto-san' was..... Until I heard from Onee-san that a guest named 'Yuuto-san' was coming today."

"Ah......I see."

I understand now, If it really was like this, then of course Mika would know about our shopping trip.

It was really something that Haruka would do, absentmindedly forgetting something on the living room table. Though Haruka looked to be perfect on the surface, she had an inclination to slip up at important moments. But I was already used to this inclination of hers.

"Right--Could I ask you something?"

".......Please do."

Right now, I don't think any question would make me more surprised than I already am now.

"Onii-san, you also know about Onee-san's secret right?"

"Eh......"

This was something I wasn't expecting.

Speaking of Haruka's secret, she could only be referring to one thing, should I just answer her? No, Haruka's family do not know about her secret don't they? Or did Haruka tell Mika? God......I'm getting more confused by the minute.

"Onii-san, so do you?

"About this.......no......"

"Ah, just by looking at you I think that you should know about it. You'll be better off if you were more honest."

Mika said as she tickled my sides.

"Hey......Hey......I'm really ticklish!"

"Then answer my question! Hehehe"

"Ughahahahahahaha......Stop......Stop it......."

"hehehe"

After a few minutes of fooling around, Mika asked me again with a serious expression.

"Onii-san, please answer me seriously. Do you know about Onee-san's secret?"

"......"

Although I hesitated for a moment, but I still decided to tell the truth. Because something about Mika's gaze told me that I should.

"......I know about Haruka's secret. I stumbled onto it by mistake, but Haruka told me everthing after that."

"I see."

Mika's expression brightened considerably.

"Mm. I guessed as much. A woman's instinct is the most accurate thing in the world."

Mika smiled as she explained her rationale.

"Then, can I ask a question now?"

"Sure, what do you want to ask?"

"How do you know about Haruka's secret? She hasn't told her family has she?"

Although she might have guessed by looking at the 'shopping bookmark', but Mika's tone suggested that she has known about it for a long time already.

"Ah, about that."

Mika gave a slightly exasperated smile.

"Hmm......Onee-san did try very hard to hide it, but Hazuki-san and I have known about it for ages, because Onee-san never tells lies. I think my parents are the only ones who have not found out about it yet. But I know that Onee-san really wants to hide this secret of hers, so I haven't told her that I know her secret."

She didn't even stumble over such a long line of words. Mika thinks extremely far for a girl of her age......looks like she's a really good sister. In comparison, I really want to exchange my sister for a bag of toilet rolls.

I finally understood how Mika came to know of Haruka's secret.

But there was still one last thing that I didn't know.

"Why did you assume that I also know Haruka's secret?"

Regarding this, Mika should have been rather confident of my answer before asking me. But I already had been very careful in hiding the fact that I knew.

"This is easy. Onee-san would never invite someone who doesn't know of her secret to Akihabara, and she even prepared a special demonic drawing......Ah, no, I mean, she even prepared a special hand-drawn map."

"......You're right."

Her explanation made a lot of sense.

"And......even if I don't go down that line of thought, it's easy to guess at the truth from Onee-san's facial expression."

"Facial expression?"

"Yes. Because I've never seen such a happy expression on Onee-san's face before, until today. That expression means that she's giving you her heart. It definitely means that she's giving her heart to you. I guess that's because she's able to show her true self in front of you."

"......The real Haruka......you say?"

The Haruka that I see, is more real than the 'Nuit Étoile' that people in school sees......Is it because of the fact that I know her secret? I've only noticed recently that Haruka's actions in school are a little awkward, and that even when she's smiling, there's a small distance between the other students and her.

"I believe that Onee-san doesn't dislike Onii-san, and that this is something she's clear about, I also believe in my own assessment that Onii-san's a good person."

"Mm."

Both of them say that I'm a good person when I'm not as good as they think I am.

"Onii-san."

Mika's expression suddenly changed, as she looked at me with a serious expression on her face.

"No matter what happens......please don't abandon Onee-san."

"Abandon......"

About that......No matter how you look at it, it should be the other way round isn't it? Because Haruka is the 'Nuit Étoile', while I'm just an average student!

But Mika shook her head.

"Onee-san had a period of painful memories when the people around her found out about her secret. Because everyone around her felt that she should be a perfect Ojou-sama. In other words, they forcibly expect Onee-san to be the perfect person that they imagine her to be, which is why they would abandon her once their perfect image of Onee-san has been shattered. In actual fact, Onee-san's just a clumsy girl with a strange hobby.

Perhaps......it's really like what Mika says. There's a Haruka fan club in school, but how many of those fan club members would know about this side of Haruka? And how many of them would be able to look at her the same way they did before once they know about this side of her? A girl who gets addicted to capsule machines, who loves to read weird manga, who cries because she wasn't able to buy the game console that she wanted......This would never be part of the image of the 'Nuit Étoile' that everyone in school has of Haruka.

"I think the Onee-san needs someone beside her who doesn't look at her through coloured lens, so......no matter what happens, please be good friends with Onee-san, because I......never want to see an abandoned Onee-san crying ever again......"

Mika bowed to me as she spoke.

Mika really cares about Haruka. I can see that she's a really good girl from the way she speaks and her attitude towards me.

"......Don't worry, I will never abandon Haruka."

I placed my hand on Mika's head and told her using my kindest voice.

"Mm......"

Although I hesitated for a moment, but I still decided to tell Mika about my feelings.

"Because Haruka's a very important friend of mine, and also......"

"And also?"

"......I......I think she's very cute. Whether it's her natural clumsiness or her strange hobby, I think she's really cute."

If I didn't feel this way, then I wouldn't have gotten into so many incidents in the two months after I found out about Haruka's secret (Breaking into the school at midnight, being ignored by all the members of Haruka's fan club etc)

"Onii-san......You're just like what I thought you would be like!"

Mika happily shouted as she hugged me tightly. The twin tails at the side of her head swished past my nose, bringing with it the same scent that Haruka has, probably pointing to the fact that they use the same shampoo. For a moment, I had the impression that the person in my lap was Haruka, and that......

Just at this moment......

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The door opened with a click, announcing Haruka's return.

"The doggie's present has been prepared......Huh?"

"Ha......Haruka......"

Haruka walked in with a paper bag in her hands, her gaze coming to rest on Mika and I.

"Haruka, no, this is......"

This is the worst timing. Because from an objective point of view, it looks as though I'm the one who's hugging (or attacking) Mika.

"Mi......Mika! Say something!"

"Onii-san felt that I was too cute for words, so he suddenly hugged me. And then situation just continued as how such situations would continue, kya~"

Now's not the time to 'kya~'!

Not knowing what to do, my body stiffened like a husband caught in bed with a lover by his wife, but Haruka merely smiled.

"That's enough, Mika, you shouldn't trouble Yuuto-san anymore."

"Alright~!"

Mika let go of me as she gave a mischievious look, while Haruka continued smiling at Mika, what's going on?

"......Haruka, you're not angry?"

"Hmm? Why should I be angry?"

Haruka replied me confusedly, as though a question mark suddenly popped up in her head. It looks like she doesn't think that there was anything wrong with Mika hugging me......

For some unknown reason, I suddenly felt extremely sad.

"Onee-san's really slow about such things."

Mika latched onto my arm as she nodded knowingly.

"This is one of Onee-san's good points, as well as one of her bad points."

"?"

"Ah~ It's nothing if Onee-san doesn't understand. Onii-san, the most important thing is still......"

"Hmm?"

Mika turned her gaze from Haruka to me as she said with a serious expression on her face,

"I know that Onee-san frequently gets into accidents, but......no matter what happens, please take good care of her......Onii-san~! (This Onii-san is different from the other Onii-sans as Mika's calling Yuuto 'brother-in-law')

Is it just me, or did that last 'onii-san' sound a little different from the ones that came before it? Or did I hear wrongly? I must be be imagining things.

"Then......I'll see you tomorrow."

Haruka, who saw me to the door, said her goodbyes reluctantly.

"This is the leftover pudding that we had in the afternoon, and some other presents."

A hand-drawn hellhound looked at me with demented eyes beside the words 'For Doggie-san' on the package that Haruka gave me. Looks like the contents of this package must be something extremely valuable.

"Then......I'll see you to the train station......"

"Even though I'll really like that, but I don't think you need to. It's not a long way to the train station, so I'll be able to get there by myself."

I rejected Haruka's suggestion reluctantly since it's only ten minutes to the train station (while it took me twenty minutes to get to the entrance from the 'castle' in the Nogizaka residence)

"Onii-san, be careful on your way back!"

"Please come again soon."

Mika and Hazuki-san also came to see me off.

"Goodbye."

"I waved to the three of them before turning to walk towards the train station.

Just like that, I had a beautiful day.

Not only did I get to meet two interesting people, Hazuki-san and Mika, I also got much closer to Haruka. Although I got lost on my way to Haruka's home, jumped on from the back by that soundless maid, and also interrogated mercilessly by Mika, today was a beautiful day for me.

I hope that I'll have more days like this in the future.

What comes after this is not important to the story at all.

When I gave Haruka's present to the doggie-san in my home......

"Wow, this is delicious! The pudding's good, but the smoked meat is great to go together with Japanese sake. Although the taste is a little too light for my liking, but the person giving the present has been generous enough, so I'll probably be struck down by heaven if I complain anymore."

"......Smoked meat?"

So there was something like that in the package? Oh, right, Haruka mentioned something about other presents.

I suddenly had a bad feeling about the package! I peeked at the 'thing' beside my sister.

It was a paper bag that read 'High class beef jerky'. Only thing is......it also read 'for dogs'.

"......Argh!"

I was lucky that my drunk sister didn't notice as she happily stuffed the beef jerky into her mouth. And so I kept my eye on my sister as I quietly transferred the beef from the paper bag into another plastic bag before throwing the paper bag into the dustbin (to destroy any evidence). Because if my sister found out......she'll kill me.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Ah,it's......it's nothing, it won't taste as nice if it gets wet, so I placed it in another bag."

"Oh, thank you."

After saying a rare 'thank you', my sister reached for the beef jerky again. Looks like she really likes the taste of this beef jerky (for dogs).

Oh well, it's not like she'll die from eating it. And I've also heard that recently, pet food is becoming even classier than human food, so I guess it won't be a problem right?

"......I think I'll go sleep now, you should sleep early!"

"Alright, I'll go sleep when I finish this bottle."

Just like that, I was able to leave the living room without getting killed.

In the end, the beef jerky (for dogs) that Haruka gave me that day, all went into Ruko's stomach.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume1 Prologue

2010-03-24T11:51:53Z

Sobokal: /* Prologue */

===Prologue===

Everyone held their breath and sealed the flood of terror within their throats.

“…”

Nina did the same.

She sat in the last row of the bus and looked out of the window, peering past the short and fat businessman, who sat in front of her hugging his head in his trembling arms. On the other side of the dirt-smeared window was a vast wilderness. Cracks crept across the dry earth and sharp edges of soil rose to point upwards. A dark shape, a mountain as tall as a tower, loomed before Nina.

But everyone on the bus knew that it wasn’t a mountain.

“This is … Peligi,” murmured the man sitting in the middle of the bus. He observed the dark shape through a pair of binoculars. Nina could see big droplets of sweat on his face, his large Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement of swallowing saliva.

Nina squinted at the dark shape. That wasn’t a mountain. That was a city. What had looked like the mountain peak was in fact the peak of a tower. On the top of that tower was a tattered flag, fluttering in the wind. Nina couldn’t make out the crest that should name the city on the flag. She couldn’t confirm whether the city’s name was indeed what the man had uttered.

A strong wind blew against the side of the bus, rocking it.

“Hey!”

Startled and surprised, the passengers bent and held their heads down in their seats . They curled up, not wanting to be discovered in this place. Instead of holding her head down like everyone else, Nina held her breath and stared at the city again, trying to sense a response from it.

This city was already dead.

The multiple legs of the bus bent on their knees, immobilised.

The buildings in the city were also dead. Traces of terrible wounds were carved into most of the buildings near the border of the city. Nina could see that a part of the city’s edge had been gorged away, creating a mountain of debris. Smoke columns rose everywhere. Perhaps, the attack on this city didn't happen too long ago.

Looking out from the bus, it wasn’t possible to confirm any survivors, and Nina couldn’t get to the city to confirm if anyone were still alive. The bus was weak and insignificant outside the city. Nina understood that it wasn’t possible for there to be any survivors. Humans couldn’t breathe without an air shield around the city, and this city had lost it's shield.

Next to her, Harley said in an anxious voice, “Nina …”

“Don’t worry. We haven’t been discovered.”

Nina realized her voice came out shaky. She felt compelled to lick her lips, but she swallowed the motion and gazed resolutely at the attackers hovering in the sky above the city. Even though her mouth was dry, cold sweat broke out on her skin.

“This is the world we live in, Harley,” she said to her childhood friend, but she did not get a response from him.

The effortless movements of the cruel attackers above the city gave off a royal aura. The attackers …Were called the Kings of Nature, the filth monsters. They flew lower, flying slowly between buildings.

“Now!” someone roared shrilly.

The driver started the engine. The legs of the bus rose and raised the body upwards.

Nina’s line of sight rose and the bus moved forward in a skipping motion. It was better to leave here. The bus continued to run. Nina gazed back at the shrinking city.

After some distance had been put between the bus and the city, Harley sighed, “It’s okay now.”

As the tension in the atmosphere eased, Nina clenched her fists tightly and said, “… We’re so weak.”

<center>◇</center>

The sound of huge feet trampling the ground at the edge of the city rang in ears of people. The footsteps of the city drowned out all other sounds, including the furious roar of the wind.

“Are you still not giving up?”

A voice must be loud to be heard over this din.

A girl spoke to a boy at the roaming-bus station in the city. Strong winds shook her golden hair. Her clear blue pupils rested directly on the boy. Her face, appearing younger than her real age, was full of disapproval and unease. She gazed at the boy standing at the bus stop.

Looking troubled, the boy kept glancing back and forth between the girl and the bus waiting to depart. A chain held up the long multiple legs of the bus that were folded and bent. The body of the bus swayed along with the movement of the city, bumping against a cushion pad. Since it was dangerous when the city moved, the driver and all the passengers were staying in the small waiting area. This kind of bus was built to withstand up and down shaking movements, but it couldn't stop itself from swaying sideways.

“Layfon!”

The only passenger not yet in the waiting area – Layfon, looked away from the bus. He had tea colored hair and blue eyes. His face showed an expression that came from the loss of adolescence. This look was now coupled with a smile that seemed powerless.

“Even so, I can’t stay here anymore, Leerin.”

Layfon didn’t raise his voice, so Leerin stepped closer. Even with her expressive eyes right in front of him, Layfon didn't feel attracted to his childhood friend.

“But! You didn’t have to pick a school so far away!”

“Even here……” Again, the sound of the city’s movement drowned him out. A strong gust of wind blew past them. Layfon reached out and placed a hand on Leerin's shoulder to steady her.

“That can’t be helped. The only place that I obtained a scholarship for is Zuellni. The money at the orphanage can’t be spent on me, right?”

“You must have forced yourself to choose such a distant place. There are closer places you could have gone to. If you take the exam for scholarship next year, you can find a better school that is also closer, right? Then you can stay here with me...”

It didn't matter what words came next; nothing could change Layfon’s mind. To emphasize that point, he slowly shook his head.

“I can’t give up on leaving.”

Leerin held her breath. He couldn’t bear looking at the hurt in her clear eyes, so he moved his gaze to his hand on her shoulder. His hand was like that of an old man’s, hard and rough.

“I’ve made my decision and I won’t change my mind. Nobody wanted it to be like this, not even me. But Her Majesty wants me to experience the outside world. Besides, she doesn’t wish for my presence here.”

“I wish for it!”

This time, Leerin's powerful and persuasive words caused Layfon to hold his breath.

“The light is my wish. Is that not enough?”

To Layfon, Leerin's crying gaze and words were too cunning. He tried to find some words to pass this over, but couldn’t find any. He felt pain, pressuring him to convey his feelings.

Layfon’s lips trembled and so did Leerin’s.

They were each trying to find words to say.

In the end, they realized that the words to pay lip service didn’t exist. No matter who wanted Layfon to stay, nothing could change the reality of him leaving. Layfon himself didn’t intend to stay so no one could change the ending. It was impossible to not hurt Leerin and make her agree with him.

A shrill whistle sounded behind him.

As if to tear them apart, the simple sound of the whistle squeezed between the sound of the city’s footsteps and that of the furious howl of the wind echoing within the bus station. The warning that the bus was about to depart. The driver, having blown on the whistle, entered the bus. He started the engine. A vibration different from the city’s radiated out in the vicinity of the battered body of the bus. The passengers in the waiting area took their luggage and headed for the vehicle.

Layfon’s lips stopped trembling. He took away his hand from Leerin to take up the luggage beside his feet. That was all he had with him now. His other belongings would be given to the kids at the orphanage or tossed away.

“I’ve to go,” he said to the red-eyed Leerin. As if feeling this was a truth she couldn’t change, Leerin’s trembling also stopped.

She gazed at him with reddened eyes.

“Since the decision’s been made, I want to start anew. I can’t return to the orphanage and to the side of Her Majesty. That is the consequence of my action. I’ll make up for it no matter how much I have to pay. But nobody wants that; they just want me to disappear. Even so, things can’t be resolved with me just going away……”

He couldn’t continue his words. He didn’t want to just say some nonsense, yet, even if he were to tell the truth it’d only sound like an excuse. He hated himself for acting like that.

“Even I haven’t really made my resolution.”

He added weakly, “Though I really want to start over in many areas……”

“Enough!” Leerin cut him off coldly. Layfon held tight to his luggage, not daring to look at her.

The driver blew his whistle again. The time for departure was close.

“I’m going now.”

Dejected, he turned his back to Leerin.

“Wait!”

The small voice stopped him.

What happened next was one single, brief moment.

Leerin grabbed hold of Layfon’s shoulder and forced him to turn around. Her face was so very close to his.

It was only a moment as they overlapped.

The rough but soft pressure dominated Layfon. In that swift moment while he was numb and spaced out, Leerin jumped away. Her smile was stiff but that meaningful expression of having played a prank was familiar to him.

“You have to send letters though. I don’t think everyone wants you gone,” she said, and ran away. Looking at her figure flying past in a flurry of skirts, Layfon realized why he felt so strange.

(Ah, I see…… because she’s wearing a skirt……)

Lively Leerin didn’t like to wear skirts, but she wore one today. And there was also the sweet and soft feeling of that swift moment left on his lips. As if to feel the warmth left on them, he touched his lips with his finger.

(So naïve)

While mocking himself, he quickly moved to the bus.

I’ll write when I get there.

Yes. He has decided.

The bus started. Wishing to take one last look of the scene, Layfon sat in the last row, gazing at the city he had always lived in until now.

<center>◇</center>

Regios could be seen in every corner of the world. The existence of these cities was as natural as breathing air. Numerous buildings were built on the tabletop-like surface, with the tallest structure of all spreading out and lowering in height from the center. Located beneath the table were legs, huge metallic legs that lined up close beneath. Walking with precision, those legs moved together as if to take the city far away from the bus.

Layfon gazed at the tallest, tower-like building in the center of the city.

The huge flag sitting at the peak of that building bore the pressure of the wind. On the flap was a dragon with the body of a lion. It seemed to be breaking a sword with its teeth but the sword was unyielding. The flag with that crest weaved on its surface danced a wild dance with the wind.

Layfon stared at that huge flag, wondering what he’d write to Leerin about in the first line of his letter.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume1_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Sobokal

2010-03-24T11:21:28Z

Sobokal: New page: <insert text here>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Chapter3

2010-03-24T09:11:45Z

Sobokal:

===Chapter 3===

Although it was good to have sunny weather even after going into the monsoon season in June, the result of going into summer so early was that it became extremely hot. This was something that happened on the day that I got so fed up with the heat that I wanted to move to Australia to play with the Kangeroos and Koalas.

After school, I mustered up all my strength to clean up the music preparation room.

Firstly, I sorted the vaious papers into their respective categories, placing them back on the shelves and then I pulled out an amplifier from under the abadoned-looking conductor's stand. When I lifted a piece of music score from the teacher's table, a cloud of dust suddenly burst into the air like snowflakes.

"Cough Cough......"

The music preparation room looked as though it had been completely abandoned, just like the house of a useless men whose wife had divorced him and then kicked him out of the house.

"My god......"

I couldn't help but mutter.

I knew that the situation would be bad, but I would never have imagined that it was this bad. Looks like I've underestimated the potential ability of that person.

Looking at the music preparation room that could never be cleaned up, I sighed deeply.

As to why I'm cleaning up this place, it's all because of the owner of this room, the music teacher who is also my class teacher (A woman whom I have no resistance against).

I'll have to start from three hours ago.

"Yuu-kun~Are you free today?"

After the homeroom period, I had finished packing my bag and was just about to head home when the music teacher came looking for me. Her voice was as silky as the purr of a cat that was having it's chin rubbed by its master.

"No I'm not. My schedule is completely packed. I have absolutely no free time at all."

"I have a favour to ask of Yuu-kun~"

"I don't want to do it."

"If you're willing to do it, Onee-san will reward you for it~"

"I don't think I have a need for your reward."

"I have three types of set meals for you to choose from, how about that?"

"...I'm going home."

Since she pretended not to hear what I was talking about, I decided to just ignore this idiot and go home.

"Wait......Wait up!"

My arm was caught in a vice-grip, this is not good.

"...What?"

"I've already said that I have a favour to ask of you."

"And haven't I already said that I'm not interested?"

Nothing good ever comes out of doing her 'favours'. I speak from my personal experience.

"Don't say that. Why don't you hear me out first?"

Looks like she won't let go of me unless I hear her out. I don't have a choice but to nod my head reluctantly.

"...Fine, I'm only going to listen though."

"Mm~Onee-san loves it when you say that."

She pressed me into her sizeable bust. The soft feel that came into contact with my cheek, and the flowery smell that floated into my nostrils was indeed extremely tempting, but if I were to admit defeat here, I would have fallen right into Yukari's trap.

"What do you want to say exactly?"

In response to my question, Yukari gave a strange expression before saying,

"To be honest~The year director gave me a direct order today~"

"What kind of order?"

"He wants me to clean up the music preparation room by today."

"...Goodbye."

I only managed to turn away before my arm was caught by Yukari's vice-like grip again.

"Wait! Why are you trying to run away before I finish what I have to say~"

"I already know what you want, you want me to help you clean don't you? Please clean up by yourself, I've already cleaned the toilet for you before.

"Ah, that's such a pity. Although you're close, but that's not what I'm here for."

"It's not?"

I was sure that I won't be wrong, since all this person does is to trouble others.

Or could it be that I'm wrong?

"Hmm, it's not like that. Because I'm not trying to get you to help me clean, but trying to get you to do it for me."

Just what is going through this person's head!

There should be a limit to how shameless one can be!

"......Please die!"

I was already prepared to run for my life after throwing that phrase at her, but I would never have thought that Yukari would cling on to me for dear life.

"Hang on! I really want to help you, but I have something important going on today."

"What important thing?'

"It's SERAPH's live performance (whispers)!"

"...Huh?"

I thought that I had heard wrongly.

"SERAPH's having a live concert today, and I've already gotten my hands on the VIP ticket that I pre-ordered six months ago, so if I'm unable to go, I'll die because of this unfufilled desire."

'...You're serious about this?"

"Of course I am."

Yukari gave me a serious expression that I've never seen before as she replied. On a side note, SERAPH is the name of her favourite visual-kei band.

"Yuu-kun, I'm begging you, I really don't have anyone else to turn to, this is the biggest wish of my life."

Yukari attempted to climb on top of me while begging me with tears in her eyes.

Even though it was her own fault that things have come to this, but I was unable to just leave her in the lurch like that. I guess I don't have a choice but to help her then.

Since I have nothing to do after school today anyway, might as well let Yukari owe me a favour!

"...I've got it, so please stop trying to squash me from above, I'll clean the music preparation room for you alright?"

"Eh? You're willing to do it for me?"

"Yes, I'll help you for the time being."

Upon hearing my answer, the twenty-three years-old female teacher who was a diehard fan of visual-kei bands was filled with happiness.

"Thank you so much Yuu-kun, I love you!"

"...You're welcome."

That's basically what happened.

This is how I come to be cleaning up this heap of trash, but right now, I really regretted my decision.

"This is ridiculous..."

Due to the corrosive influence of the owner of this room, the sparkly clean music preparation room had become a nightmare island of rubbish in merely two months.Feeling despondent, I swiped off a layer of dust off Beethoven's portrait with a duster, while writing the word 'meat' on his dust-covered forehead. This primary-school level prank probably has the legendary musician turning in his grave.

Just as I tiredly prepared to magically wipe of the word that I had written on Beethoven's forehead...

Poron~~

I seem to have heard the sound of a piano.

At first I had thought that I was hearing things, so I just ignored it, but after a while, I realised that there was a melody to the notes. The melody was one that was sounded melancholic at times and and poignant at other times, while sounding sorrowful throughout, and it seemed to be coming from the neighbouring music room.I looked at the clock that was hung up on the wall, it was almost seven o'clock atnight, which means that all the students who were involved in club activities should already have gone home by now. So why would there be anyone playing the piano at this time?

My first thought was of one of the school's seven mysteries - The piano that plays by itself in the music room.

It can't be?

I opened the door of the music preparation room quietly and surveyed the situation in the neighbouring music room. But from my perspective, the position of the piano was in my blind spot, which meant that I was unable to see the person playing the piano (hopefully it is a person playing the piano). But I could now confirm that the sound was indeed coming from the piano.

I hesitated for a moment before deciding to step into the music room. I slowly shuffled towards the piano while praying that a person was indeed playing the piano. As I gazed at the piano, what I saw was actually--

"..."

Haruka.

Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, Haruka was playing the piano.

Probably because she was too engrossed in playing the piano, Haruka did not notice my presence. Her soft fingers nimbly danced across the keyboard as I looked on, mesmerized.

The piece finally finished, Haruka breathed out.

"Good work."

"Ah?"

Haruka jumped at the sound of my clapping, her eyes wide with surprise as though she just saw a rhinoceros beetle in the middle of winter.

"That...That's strange? Why would Yuuto-san be here? There wasn't anyone here when I came in..."

Of course she would be surprised at seeing a person that shouldn't be here after finishing a piece.

I explained my predicament to her.

"Ah,I see, you must be tired."

Haruka's tinkling laughter swept away the tiredness from the cleaning that had built up in my body. She's definitely an angel!

"Speaking of which, why are you still here at this hour?

In comparison, this should be stranger shouldn't it? It's not strange that Haruka would be in the music room, it's the timing that is strange.

"Well...It's complicated..."

Haruka tilted her head slightly as she replied.

"Enlighten me!"

I excitedly requested.

"Alright, I'll tell you then. To be honest, I was reading in the library a while ago when I came across this description of Shakespeare in a world history book..."

"Shakespeare? You mean that playwright?"

"Yes, I really like his works. He left behind an entire collection of brilliant plays, plays like <<Macbeth>> and <<A Midsummer Night's Dream>>.

"Ah...I see."

I nodded while feeling extremely guilty.

Because out of Shakespeare's works, I only know of <<Romeo and Juliet>>, and only a rough outline of the story at that.

"But, how does that tie in with you playing the piano?"

"Because the tempest is mentioned in one of Shakespeare's plays. Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 17 also carries the name of 'The Tempest', which is why I felt like playing this piece when I saw Shakespeare's name in the book...I also have a performance coming up, so I had wanted to practice a little before I went home."

"I...I see."

Reading -> World History -> Shakespeare -><- The Tempest -->> Piano, so this is how Haruka thinks. A little complicated, but still understandable.

"Do you usually read until this hour?"

If she went straight to the library after school, then she would have read for about three and a half hours, probably longer than the time I read for the entire week.

"Yes, because mid-term exams are coming."

"...Mid-term exams..."

I was roughly hauled back to reality by those words.

Before that moment of enlightenment, I really had forgotten all about the mid-term exams (that is to say, I've been running away from reality the whole while). Two weeks from today, the dreaded mid-term exams will begin.

Although Hakujo Academy has a two-term system, which means that there are only four exams a year, students who failed the exams (thirty percent and below) would be forced to
burn a third of their summer holidays on remedial lessons. Perhaps some people may think that thirty percent is extremely easy to get, but for people who aren't academically talented like me, it is an extremely dangerous obstacle.

"Is Yuuto-san also in the midst of preparing for the mid-term exams?"

"No, I haven't started preparing at all."

Since I just remembered that mid-term exams actually exist, I obviously have not even started on revision.

"Not at all? But you should already have a study plan for the next two weeks right?"

"Well......I'm not very good at things like that."

I really don't like studying, but if I don't study, then I'll have to burn a third of my summer holidays. It's unthinkable to give up a third of one's once-in-a-lifetime seventeen year-old summer holiday and to be stuck in a small classroom with mountains of notes and teachers, whose tempers are hotter than the weather (Why is it that most of the teachers in Hakujo Academy are single and male?).

"Now that I think about it, my notes are not even complete......"

I spend seventy-percent of my time in class daydreaming, so my notes are extremely disorganized and incomplete; one entry in April, the next one in June.

"I've got to borrow someone's notes to photocopy."

Although I said that, but I had no one to borrow from. In the years leading up to this year, the best candidate was Nobunaga (his results are extremely good), but since we're in different classes this year, our notes aren't the same either. I probably have to borrow from the three idiots.

...Looks like it's a matter of life and death.

Seeing that I was getting flustered, Haruka gave a pensive expression as she placed her finger next to the corner of her mouth, her head tilting forty-five degrees to the side.

She held that position for about thirty seconds.

After thirty seconds, Haruka seemed to have thought of something, as she opened her mouth to speak,

"Yuuto-san, why don't we study together?"

"Hmm..."

Study? Haruka and I?

"That's right, if you don't mind, I can lend you my notes to photocopy, even though my notes might not be that complete either..."

No,there would never be anything incomplete about Haruka's notes, for she's always attentive in class.

"That'll be too inconvienient for you..."

My results and Haruka's results were at opposite ends of the academic spectrum, so borrowing her notes would be the vital boost that I desperately need to pass the exams, but this wouldn't benefit Haruka anyway, and could even cause her to be docked points if the teachers found out.

But Haruka shook her head.

"It's not inconvienient at all! Studying is more enjoyable with a partner."

Is that so? I always hear that studying alone would be more efficient. But as long as Haruka doesn't mind, this would be a life-saver.

"...Is it really alright?"

"Of course it is."

Haruka answered without hesitation.

"Then...Thank you very much."

I have to take this chance to turn my results around. If I continue like this, I'm in real danger of landing in remedial classes.

"Then, what about the time and place? You can just pick a time that you're free..."

"Hmm..."

Haruka thought about it for a moment.

"About the time...How about this Sunday? From One O'clock onwards, the place...how about my home?"

"Ah, I'm alright with anything..."

I answered without thinking.

"...Hmm?"

I suddenly realized that there was a strange noun in Haruka's suggestion. Did she just say 'my home...'?

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

My ears must be playing tricks on me. Haruka would never invite me to her home. I must have heard wrongly because I was expecting too much. Mm, it must be like that.

Seeing that I was in agreement, Haruka happily repeated the time and place.

"I'll see you on Sunday then, please don't forget about it!"

And so, I came to Haruka's home on Sunday to study for the mid-term exams.

I got lost.

"This is a map detailing the route to my home, it's only ten minutes away from the train station, so I don't think you'll get lost..."

I should have known something like this would happen the moment I received the hand-drawn map from Haruka, but I was too excited about being able to visit her home that I had completely overlooked the probable result if I were to follow her map. It was already too late when I took out the map at the train station near Haruka's home.

I took out the map that Haruka had given me and saw monstrous creatures and hysterical eight-eyed eels covering most of the map.

A wide-eyed bird-like, sadistic-looking creature was drawn at the side of the map. It had a satanic smile on its face as it drove a sharpened rod into the belly of an eel, the words on the sharpened rod reading 'it's here'.

...What is this? Is it some kind of psychological test for first-timers?

I really feel like crying.

A row of neatly written words at one corner of the map detailed 'Drawn by Haruka'.

Now...what do I do?

I attempted to go forward, but immediately got lost at the first crossroad junction. I wanted to call for help, but Haruka didn't have a cellphone, while I didn't take down the number of her home phone. There was an address written on the map, but since I didn't live around that area, I had no idea where it was, and to make things worse, there wasn't a traffic police in sight.

"I'm dead..."

Just as I was pathetically sitting at the side of the road like a tired bird, somebody called out to me from behind.

"Onii-san,what's wrong?"

I looked back to see a girl looking back at me. She looked like a middle schooler, with a pretty face and eyes that twinkled with charm. Her hair was tied down at the sides into two ponytails, giving her a mischievous but cute look. She would definitely become an extremely pretty girl in a few years.

"You've been groaning for a while now, are you having a stomache? Do you want me to call the funeral car?"

"What, are you planning to send me to the crematorium?"

"Ah! I should be calling the ambulance in this kind of situation."

The girl laughed, but stopped almost immediately as she realized the seriousness of my situation.

"What do I do? I should call for help if you're really not feeling well, shouldn't I?"

She was serious.

"I'm not feeling unwell, I'm just lost..."

I suddenly thought that since this girl looks like she lived in the area, perhaps she would be able to understand the map. Maybe Haruka's map is a perfectly readable map to everyone but me.

And so I hopefully showed the map to the girl, who looked disgusted as she looked at the mep.

"What's this? Demons? Or the Tiger Lady?"

"..."

"Or are these ghosts?"

My last hope was destroyed in a moment...Well, at least I expected this reaction.

"...This...Should be a map."

Hearing the truth, the girl jumped in surprise.

"...A map? This is a map? That's impossible..."

"It's true."

I don't want to believe it either but this is really supposed to be a map.

"Hmm, it still looks like a drawing of ghosts and demons no matter how I look at it."

The girl looked at the map with the look of a person looking at a rare animal. I completely agree with her assessment of the picture.

"Are the giant snakes supposed to be roads? Ah! There's a weirdly shaped thing here! Ah! There're two Karakasas over here."

This girl's really jumpy.

"...Hmm?"

She suddenly quietened down when her gaze stopped on a certain portion of the map.

"...It can't be!"

And then, she mercilessly tore the map to pieces.

"Hey, hey......"

I can understand her painful feelings of wanting to tear the map to pieces, but destroying the map would also destroy any clue that I had to finding my way to the Nogizaka residence.

"Hmm...Onii-san, you'll never get to your destination if you look at this map!"

"Even then......It's better than nothing isn't it?"

"It's definitely better to have nothing than that piece of map! I'll draw a new one for you, do you have any stationary with you?"

After tearing my only hope to pieces, the girl stretched out her right hand towards me. Although I don't know what she intended to do, but since she seemed to be willing to help me draw a new map, I quietly handed her my notebook and a pencil.

I let the girl have a look at the address written on one of the pieces of the map. The girl only took one look before beginning to work.

"This is how it should be."

Her pencil flying over the notebook paper, the girl drew a map for me.

"There, it's finished."

"Huh?"

Compared to Haruka's map, this map was on a completely different level! To be honest, I would even think that even comparing the two maps would be an insult to the girl's map.

"You're really good at drawing..."

Even a monkey could get to Haruka's home with this map.

"Not at all, it's actually a very simple route to your destination, and it should be harder to draw a map that resembles a drawing of demons and ghosts right?"

Though the girl said something like that, but anyone could tell that she was rather pleased with herself.

"But you really saved my life here, thank you."

"You don't have to say that! It's not something to be so grateful about. And also...I'm partly responsible for something like this."

"?"

"Ah, it's......it's nothing! I'll be going now, see you soon, Onii-san."

"Ah, wait!"

Without any hint of acknowledgement, the girl left.

...Just what was that about? Well, at least I'm saved.

It was all thanks to the map that the girl drew for me that I managed to get to the Nogizaka residence safely.

Technically, even though I had already reacher the Nogizaka residence, but...

"What is this..."

That was the first thing that I had to say after reaching the Nogizaka residence.

A huge door was in front of my eyes, along with a line of ridiculously tall walls that extended far beyond my line of sight. From far away, the Nogizaka residence looked like an estate that nobles in the middle-ages lived in, complete with a fountain like the one in <<Roman Holiday>>.

Is this place really in Japan? The estate in front of my eyes really made me question whether this was indeed Japan. I had known that the Nogizakas were rich, but...this is beyond the wildest imagination of normal people.

And that was only the beginning.

Seriously, that was only the beginning.

Immediately after I pressed the doorbell, a maid came out to welcome me. A real maid! Although I had seen cat-eared maids in Akihabara, but a real maid in a real japanese household was right in front of my eyes! I was too shocked for words.

The maid bowed respectfully the moment she saw me.

"Ayase Yuuto-sama right? Haruka-sama is expecting you. Please enter."

"Ye...Yes..."

I didn't even have the time to be moved over being addressed as 'sama' for the first time in my life before I was whisked into the huge garden. Whoa! The garden of the Nogizaka residence was like a forest, with bubbling streams running through the residence like a natural park.

"This way please."

After walking through the huge garden, I finally stepped foot into the residence itself. The residence looked like a castle from the outside, and even more from the inside.I've never been in hall with such a highly vaulted ceiling, and the luxurious decorations, ancient armor sets and art pieces were completely unknown to the son of a working class family like me.

"Wow, this is great..."

The Nogizaka residence was ridiculously luxurious.

Just as I was stupified by the impressive entrance hall, the maid told me something extremely scary.

"Please follow closely behind me, it'll be dangerous if you get lost."

Could this place be a huge labyrinth? Judging by the scale of the place, a direction-idiot like me would probably die if I got lost here. I do not wish to get lost and embarrass myself in this place.

Following behind the maid, I turned seven corners, walked through two long corridors, went up and down three flights of stairs, finally reaching the living room (because the hall was extremely large, I didn't know if this was the living room or still the entrance hall), and finally met Haruka. I spent twenty whole minutes from the moment I stepped into the residence to get to the living room...It's ridiculous!

"Ah, Yuuto-san, welcome."

Haruka was wearing a white summer dress as she smiled at me, standing up from an ancient-looking sofa in the middle of the room.

"Hazuki-san, thank you for bring Yuuto-san here."

"It's nothing, I'm merely doing my job."

The maid answered expressionlessly.

"Please sit down and make yourself at home."

In accordance with the maid's directions, I sat down on the sofa. What a soft sofa!

"Would you like some tea?"

"Ah, would you mind?"

Haruka replied to the maid's suggestion.

"Not at all. Which kind of tea leaves would you like to use."

"Hmm, how about two pots of Royal Bengal Tigers?"

"What about snacks? We have Madeleine,plum pudding,and Victorian cakes in the kitchen right this moment."

"We'll have the plum pudding."

"Alright, please wait for about ten minutes."

The maid left after receiving her orders from Haruka. I couldn't understand more than half of the vocabulary that they used in their conversation. Royal Bengal Tiger? Is that the name of a monster?"

"Please wait for a moment, Hazuki-san makes really good black tea."

...It's actually the name of a tea.

I've only ever drank canned and bottled black tea, so I wasn't knowledgeable about the different types of tea at all, perhaps it's actually a very common type of tea?

Exactly ten minutes later, the maid returned.

She placed the cups and pudding in front of us before standing behind Haruka like a statue.

Haruka then turned to face the maid.

"Hmm...Let me introduce the her to you. This is Sakurazaka Hazuki-san, she's the head maid, in charge of our accomodation."

'Head' maid? So you're saying that there are more of these maids?"

"I am Sakurazaka Hazuki, it's an honour to meet you."

The maid gave a perfect bow together with her perfect greeting, but her face remainded expresionless throughout. Mm...Looking at how she interacted with Haruka a while ago, she seems to be the calm and collected type. Although she's really pretty, but she seems to be hard to interact with. I was quietly assessing her.

"Hazuki-san looks to be a strict person, but she's actually really gentle."

Did Haruka say that in response to what I was thinking in my head?

"A while back, she fed the leftovers from dinner to a stray cat. She almost always goes to the pet shop on rest days. Her hobby is collecting stuffed toys, so her room is filled with cute stuffed toys."

Stuffed toys? Hmm...I really couldn't imagine such a strict-looking person would have a room full of stuffed toys and even name each and every one of them.

"...Haruka-san, I can hear you."

Hazuki-san retorted softly. Hmm? She's actually blushing!

Ah~Hazuki-san's blushing."

"......I'm not."

She seems to be a little lost as to what she should do.

The three of us talked for a while longer.

After talking to Hazuki-san, I realised that although she looked stern, she wasn't hard to interact with, as she'll answer your questions and react to your jokes (she doesn't laugh, but at least there's a reaction). But the only thing that bothered me was that her expression almost never changes, means that you'll never know what she's actually thinking. But to that, Haruka said that 'You'll learn how to read the small changes in her expression once you get to know her better.' Hmm...Is that really the case?

So much had happened that I almost forgot what I was here for. I am here to study for the mid-term exams, not to get a feel of the upper-class lifestyle.

To achieve our original aim, we moved to Haruka's room after finishing our refreshments (I won't go into detail about the other halls, the dance floor and the mini cinema that I saw on my way there).

So this is Haruka's room...It's surprisingly normal.

Haruka's room is about thirty tatamis large, with a huge piano in the middle of the room and a luxurious-looking bed in a corner. Of course,this kind of room wouldn't be considered 'normal' in the usual sense, the normal that I'm referring to is the lack of any sign of Akihabara-influences in the room.

"Ah, please make yourself at home, I'll bring out the table."

Haruka said to me before she walked into a hidden closet to bring out the table. Judging by the size of that closet, it's probably bigger than my entire room.

I sat on the expensive-looking carpet before looking around the room once again. No matter how I look, this was the normal room of the daughter of a rich family, no Akihabara references to be seen anywhere.

This was really a room that looked like it belonged to the 'Nuit étoile', It would indeed be extremely strange if Haruka's room was like Nobunaga's with posters, manga, novels and figurines all stewn around the place.

Haruka brought the table out at this moment, so I asked,

"There doesn't seem to be any posters in this room."

"Ah, that's because..."

Haruka stopped abruptly. Hmm? Did I just ask something I should not have asked?

"Those things are really cute, and I really want to display them in my room if it were possible......but......I don't have a choice, because my family doesn't know about my hobby."

"Huh?"

Even her family doesn't know?

"My parents.......especially my father, he's extremely strict, so he'll probably throw all my anime posters and figurines away if he saw them. Because he thinks that these things are bad for my education, so I can't put them in places that are obvious."

Haruka lowered her head as she explained.

That's......really too bad for Haruka. I seem to have gained an insight as to why Haruka lacks some common sense. And that's also because there's nothing that could be classified as entertainment in this room right? No television, no computer, this must be the reason why Haruka doesn't have a cellphone either.

"Oh right, is your family at home?"

I suddenly thought of her family.

If her father is at home, then I better go and pay my respects to him, or he'll think that I'm a good-for-nothing who's here to corrupt his precious daughter if he sees me.

"I'm the only one at home today. Father's at the Pentagon, mother's teaching at the cooking school that she runs, it'll probably be midnight when they return. My grandfather's in Hokkaido hunting bears, so he left in the morning......."

"......"

My god! Just what kind of person is her father? I could possibly disappear from the face of the earth if I make one wrong move.

Not noticing my feelings, Haruka happily continued talking,

"So you can relax, just treat this place as your own home. Let's start with english, since it'll be tested on the first day of the mid-term exams."

Haruka really wasn't the top student in the level for nothing, as she nonchalantly did her own set of practice questions while helping me with the foundation questions given by the school, pointing out my mistakes and explaining the solution to me at the same time.

"Ah this is a special usage of the future tense, so you can translate it as "After moving to the city,he never went back to his home village ever again", that is to say, he might have invested a large sum of money after he moved to the city, but it turned out to be a failed investment, and not able to find a job, he could only work part-time in a convienience store. And in the end, because his landlord refused to renew the rental contract, he got kicked out of his apartment, and so he died alone in a public park, with his dreams of returning to his home village as a rich man shattered.

"Hmm,mm...I see......"

"This question tests your ability to differentiate between verbs and adverbs, and in comparison with the former "stopped to smoke", the meaning of the latter is "to stop smoking". Which is to say that the firet sentence refers a middle-age smoker who's in the late stages of nicotine poisoning and couldn't help but stop for a smoke at the roadside or some other place where it's illegal to smoke, and got fined for it. As for the second sentence, it refers to a person who really liked to smoke, but later quit smoking for the sake of his child, and now hates smoking to the extent that he'll want to kill anyone who smokes in front of his child."

"...Hmm, even though I won't know about the middle-aged man's condition regarding nicotine poisoning, but I guess that's probably it..."

Although Haruka was teaching me this whole time, our study session was proceeding rather smoothly. Even when she was teaching me, her right hand was still writing down the answers to her own practice questions.

"Oh, and this is..."

Just as Haruka-sensei was about to launch into her n-th explanation of the day, her left hand suddenly knocked my eraser off the table and onto the carpet.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Haruka stretched to pick up the eraser, but I was closer to it,

"It's alright, I'll pick it up."

"No, I'll..."

Miraculously,we reached for the eraser at the same time.

"..."

"..."

My fingers came into contact with something soft. Definitely not my eraser.

My heart started pumping into overdrive.

"Ah......I......"

"I......I'm sorry!"

I hurridly pulled my hand back, my heart still beating furiously as though I was on drugs and overheating. My face was also burning up as though I just came out of a hot spring.

What's going on! What a strange atmosphere! I looked over and saw Haruka blushing furiously, just like that time in the small park at Akihabara...If I were to describe the atmosphere in terms of colours, then the middle of this room would be covered in a shade of pink...

Haruka's slightly moist eyes were right in front of me.

Now that I think about it, right now, Haruka and I were the only ones in this room. By the only ones, I mean that there isn't anyone other than the two teenagers in this enclosed space. From this, the keyword that we'll naturally think about it......Secret room murder?

Not that! But if it's not that keyword, then I really can't think of any other keyword that's so, encompassing.

No,it's not the time to bash myself over my lack of imagination.

Anyway, I have to think of a way to pull away from this pink-shaded atmosphere, because if this goes on, my sense of reason will fly off like a satellite that's gone off-course, all the way to the other end of the universe...... Alright, to calm myself down, I shall start counting prime numbers. Starting from 0......Hmm, is 0 even a prime number?

Shouldn't I be starting from 1? Hmm, that doesn't sound right either...

My brain suddenly got itself into a knot.

My mathematics results are so bad that my math teacher came to me with tears running down his cheeks, 'I'm begging you, even if you're able to promote to the third year, please don't come for the science class mathematics lesson, alright?' That's basically a guarantee letter certifying that I'm an idiot.

......I'm so pathetic to call myself an idiot.

I turned to look at Haruka's face feeling sorry for myself and realized that Haruka was also looking at me.

Our eyes met! Haruka's face reddened even more, as she fidgeted around in her seat and looked away awkwardly before closing her eyes slowly as though preparing herself...... That's strange, why did Haruka close her eyes?

Another ten seconds passed like this.

Hmm...it'll would be an insult to Haruka if I were to do nothing at this juncture wouldn't it? I've never been in such a suggestive situation before, so I really don't know what to do.

Now that it has come down to this, I only have two choices, either I go with the flow and don't think about the consequences, or I pretend to fall asleep. After struggling with myself for a while (that is to say, after my mental condition deteriorated for a while), I was about to choose the first choice when...!!

"Please forgive me for breaking the nice atmosphere between the two of you."

Someone suddenly spoke from behind us.

"!?"

I turned around to see a maid stand behind us.

"Argh!"

"Kya!"

"...Do I look that scary?"

The maid answered our screams of terror with a mildly disappointed expression. No, that's not the point, the point is, since when has she been standing there?

"I knocked five times, but no one answered, so I had no choice but to let myself in."

No... Even if all my focus was on Haruka, it was impossible for me to not know if someone had come into the room. This maid is scary.

"Ha,Hazuki-san, is there anything you need?"

Haruka hurridly changed the subject.

"Yes. Mika-sama just returned and has something to talk to you about, are you free right now?"

"Hmm? Mika?"

"Yes."

Haruka was a little confused.

"Umm...Haruka, who's Mika?"

"Hmm? Ah, I haven't told Yuuto-san about her, she's my sister."

"Sister? I didn't know that Haruka has a sister."

"Yes, she's in the second year of middle school."

Not that she mentioned it, Nobunaga seemed to have mentioned it to me some time ago.

"I'm sorry, I'll go over to Mika's for a while......"

"Mm, I got it."

"I'm really sorry...I'll be right back, please relax and rest here for a little while."

After Haruka and the maid left, I was the only one left in the room.

Haruka wants me to relax, but I was unable to calm myself down in such a big room, feeling like a lab rat that has just been released from its cage into a huge laboratory.

It was really boring to just sit here, so I decided to take a tour around the room.

The first thing I looked at was the the large piano in the middle of the room. The mad'''(!)''' had said that it's a Steinway grand piano...anyway, this is a branded piano that costs around 20 million yen, something my family could never afford. Even if we could afford it, we don't have anywhere to put it.

"..."

I suddenly felt this strong sense of defeat as I couldn't help but shift my gaze away from the piano.

I walked towards the bookshelf opposite the piano.

There were many music scores placed on the shelf, Beethovan, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, I only knew the composers that my music teacher at school had introduced to the class.

"Could it be......that Haruka can play all of these pieces?"

<<Twelve Super Technical Practice Pieces>>...Although some of the scores sounded extremely hard, but I guess Haruka should be able to play all of them right? She was probably playing a super technical practice piece the last time I heard her play in the music room.

All of a sudden, I saw a book without a title hidden between the music scores. This book was covered with a classy white cloth, and was obviously treated more importantly than the music scores.

"What's this?

I was curious as to the true identity of the book.

I took the book down from the shelf and unwrapped the cloth around it.

"..."

It was a comic book.

"...This..."

No, to be precise, this should be a comic magazine, it's an old magazine that's the same size as a music score. The name of the magazine is,

<<Innocent Smile>> First Edition.

--Ah, that's the one.

Looking at the name of this magazine, I was reminded of how Haruka and I snuck into the school library at midnight about two months ago. This is something that Haruka loves, the magazine that started everything. The magazine had 'First Edition', so it should be the one that I saw at the library the other time, the magazine that got Haruka interested in the world of anime and manga. This megazine was the only thing worthy of Haruka's careful protection.

The magazine in Haruka's memory...

My gaze locked onto a smiling long-haired girl on the cover of the magazine.

"...Hmm?"

She attracted my attention deeply.

Why would I be attracted to that drawing? I don't know, but it seems to have awakened some distant memory in my mind.

"Yuuto-san, Mika wants to say hello, would you mind?"

Haruka's voice came from outside the room.

"Of course I won't mind!"

I don't have a reason to reject a person who wants to say hello to me, and I'm also rather interested in Haruka's sister. I should think that her sister would be just like her, a natural Ojou-sama right?

"Is that so, Mika will be really happy. Let's go in, Mika!"

"Alright!"

A lively girl walked in from the other side of the door.

"Hmm? This..."

"Hehe, good afternoon, Onii-san, we meet again!"

It's the girl who drew the map for me! She's Haruka's sister?

"Ah, don't be so surprised! Onii-san's such a naive person. Didn't I said 'see you soon'?"

She did say something like that. But...How could she have known that I was Haruka's friend?

Seeing that I was still confused, the girl came over and whispered into my ear.

(Because only my sister could draw such a demonic-looking map, plus her name was on the map.)

...Ah, so that's how it is.

(And also, Onee-san had mentioned that a guest would be coming today.)

The girl giggled again. Her innocent expression was exactly the same as Haruka's, proving that they were indeed sisters.

"...Demonic-looking drawing?"

Haruka asked confusedly.

"Ah, it's nothing. Onee-san, introduce him to me!"

"You're right, but it looks like the two of you already know each other...Yuuto-san, she's the sister I was talking to you about earlier..."

"I'm Nogizaka Mika, fourteen years old this year. My hobbies are playing the violin and rearing wild boars. Onii-san, please take good care of me!"

"..."

I seemed to have heard something impossible when she was talking about her hobbies. Well, I guess I should just pretend that I didn't hear anything!

After putting my own feelings in order, I started to introduce myself.

"Mm, I'm Ayase Yuuto, Haruka's classmate, please good care of me as well."

"Ah...Yuuto-san?"

That's strange, why would Haruka's sister have this kind of reaction to my name?

"Mika, he's older than you, it's rude to address him by his name..."

"It's alright, I don't mine, it's just that...is my name very weird?"

"Ah, hehe, it's that..."

"?"

"It's nothing much, just that you call Onee-san 'Haruka'."

Haruka's sister, Mika, looked at Haruka and I with strange smile on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Nope, it's just that there aren't a lot of guys who refer to Onee-san so intimately..."

Is that so? Well, everyone in school does seem to address Haruka as either Nogizaka-san, Haruka-sama, or the 'Nuit Étoile', and if a guy wanted to address her by her name directly, he'll have to go through the same punishment as I did (rolled up into a grass mat and thrown into the water). If I wasn't a guy who liked to step on such landmines, we probably won't have such a relationship right?

"It's......It's nothing special! It's just that, Yuuto-san is my classmate, and, we're friends, so.......so......"

"Hmm, Yuuto-san...it's my first time hearing Onee-san calling a guy by his name."

From Haruka's faltering answer, I could see how the relationship between this pair of sisters worked.

Seeing that Haruka was uncertain as to what to do, I decided to step in.

"Don't make any wild guesses, Haruka and I are just friends."

In truth, this explanation wasn't exactly correct, but since Haruka's family didn't know about her special hobby, so this should be how our relationship should look like on the surface shouldn't it?

"Onee-san, is that right?"

"Ye...Yes, we're just friends, our relationship isn't that spe......special."

Haruka answered in a suspicious manner.

Mika looked at Haruka as she gave a suggestive smile.

"Hmm, I see, so that's how it is."

"What do you mean?"

"Nope, nothing. If this continues, I think I'll be able to dig out all sorts of interesting things, but since I've gotten the gist of things, I'll let the two of you off today.

Oh, right! Onii-chan, please call me Mika from now on!"

"Got it."

"Great."

Haruka's sister was surprisingly different from her. If Haruka's the moon, then her sister would surely be the sun.

After that, I never got to touch my books again.

Under pressure from Mika, we played monopoly, international chess, and pieced puzzles together......and spent several hours like that.

"Mika, Yuuto-san's here to study."

"Ah, it's alright, just a while, just let Onii-chan play with me for a while longer."

"You..."

Although Haruka's tone carried a hint of displeasure, she actually didn't seem to mind it much.

"Yuuto-san, I'm really sorry, Mika usually doesn't warm up to people she just met for the first time. If you don't mind, please play with her a while longer..."

"I'm alright with it."

"Yay, then lets play poker cards next."

And thus, I ended up feeling as though I was here to play instead of studying, but...I guess it's not a bad thing to just relax and enjoy myself! There should still be sufficient time to prepare for the mid-term exams next week, things will surely work out (I'm just running away from reality).

It was already evening when I looked at the time.

Haruka invited me to stay for dinner, but as I had a problematic sister who would go out of control if she wasn't fed at home (sometimes a problematic music teacher would be there as well), I had no choice but to regretfully reject her invitation.

"I see, that's such a pity."

"I'm really sorry to reject your invitation like this, I'll make sure to prepare dinner for her before I come next time."'''(!)'''

"Prepare dinner? Yuuto-san, do you have a dog at home?"

"Ah, yes..."

The two were similar in that 'both need to be taken care of', but 'she' would probably be unhappy about being put on the same level as a dog.

"A dog...Ah, that's right, there's still a bit of the plum pudding we had earlier left. If you don't mind it, please bring it back for your dog."

"No, I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"No, not at all, please don't stand on ceremony, I think your dog will like it."

Haruka jogged out of the room to tell Hazuki-san about the plum pudding. She really seems to think that I have a dog at home.

"Well, I guess she's not far off the mark..."

There isn't a lot of difference between the two anyway.

"Onii-san, come over for a while!"

"Hmm?"

Mika beckoned towards me. Could it be that she wants to show me Haruka's childhood photos while she's out of the room?

I went over expectantly.

"Onii-san, did you have fun on your date at Akihabara?"

"!?"

She suddenly asked me something like that.

"You went on a date with Onee-san right? That's great, did the two of you hold hands? Did you guys kiss?"

My tongue got tied into a knot due to the flurry of questions thrown at my direction; why would she know about that?

"You..."

"What are you talking about..."

"Hehehe, there's no point in pretending, I know everything."

"Pre,pretending? What are you talking about..."

Since she mentioned Akihabara, she must be referring to the shopping trip that I went with Haruka last month, she can't be referring to anything else. But, how would she know about that? Even if she was trying to get me to divulge certain information, but don't you think that it's a little too accurate?

Mika probably saw through my inner dismay as she continued with her next wave of attack.

"Hmm, you're still pretending? But I have proof you know. It should be the Sunday of that long weekend right? Because Onee-san happily went out wearing her new clothes on that day you know."

Seeing my trepidation, Mika gave me the finishing blow.

"Onee-san even prepared a special 'shopping bookmark' for Onii-san, you know, that demonic-looking drawing."

"..."

I had no choice but to confess.

"How do you know about that......"

Seeing that I finally admitted defeat, Mika flashed a victorious smile.

"Hehehe, because I saw the 'shopping bookmark'! But it's not my fault, because Onee-san placed it on the table in the living room right in the full view of everyone."

"......"

"I took a look at it and saw two copies of the 'shopping bookmark'. One copy had 'specially for Yuuto-san'. At that time, I was still wondering who that mysterious 'Yuuto-san' was..... Until I heard from Onee-san that a guest named 'Yuuto-san' was coming today."

"Ah......I see."

I understand now, If it really was like this, then of course Mika would know about our shopping trip.

It was really something that Haruka would do, absentmindedly forgetting something on the living room table. Though Haruka looked to be perfect on the surface, she had an inclination to slip up at important moments. But I was already used to this inclination of hers.

"Right--Could I ask you something?"

".......Please do."

Right now, I don't think any question would make me more surprised than I already am now.

"Onii-san, you also know about Onee-san's secret right?"

"Eh......"

This was something I wasn't expecting.

Speaking of Haruka's secret, she could only be referring to one thing, should I just answer her? No, Haruka's family do not know about her secret don't they? Or did Haruka tell Mika? God......I'm getting more confused by the minute.

"Onii-san, so do you?

"About this.......no......"

"Ah, just by looking at you I think that you should know about it. You'll be better off if you were more honest."

Mika said as she tickled my sides.

"Hey......Hey......I'm really ticklish!"

"Then answer my question! Hehehe"

"Ughahahahahahaha......Stop......Stop it......."

"hehehe"

After a few minutes of fooling around, Mika asked me again with a serious expression.

"Onii-san, please answer me seriously. Do you know about Onee-san's secret?"

"......"

Although I hesitated for a moment, but I still decided to tell the truth. Because something about Mika's gaze told me that I should.

"......I know about Haruka's secret. I stumbled onto it by mistake, but Haruka told me everthing after that."

"I see."

Mika's expression brightened considerably.

"Mm. I guessed as much. A woman's instinct is the most accurate thing in the world."

Mika smiled as she explained her rationale.

"Then, can I ask a question now?"

"Sure, what do you want to ask?"

"How do you know about Haruka's secret? She hasn't told her family has she?"

Although she might have guessed by looking at the 'shopping bookmark', but Mika's tone suggested that she has known about it for a long time already.

"Ah, about that."

Mika gave a slightly exasperated smile.

"Hmm......Onee-san did try very hard to hide it, but Hazuki-san and I have known about it for ages, because Onee-san never tells lies. I think my parents are the only ones who have not found out about it yet. But I know that Onee-san really wants to hide this secret of hers, so I haven't told her that I know her secret."

She didn't even stumble over such a long line of words. Mika thinks extremely far for a girl of her age......looks like she's a really good sister. In comparison, I really want to exchange my sister for a bag of toilet rolls.

I finally understood how Mika came to know of Haruka's secret.

But there was still one last thing that I didn't know.

"Why did you assume that I also know Haruka's secret?"

Regarding this, Mika should have been rather confident of my answer before asking me. But I already had been very careful in hiding the fact that I knew.

"This is easy. Onee-san would never invite someone who doesn't know of her secret to Akihabara, and she even prepared a special demonic drawing......Ah, no, I mean, she even prepared a special hand-drawn map."

"......You're right."

Her explanation made a lot of sense.

"And......even if I don't go down that line of thought, it's easy to guess at the truth from Onee-san's facial expression."

"Facial expression?"

"Yes. Because I've never seen such a happy expression on Onee-san's face before, until today. That expression means that she's giving you her heart. It definitely means that she's giving her heart to you. I guess that's because she's able to show her true self in front of you."

"......The real Haruka......you say?"

The Haruka that I see, is more real than the 'Nuit Étoile' that people in school sees......Is it because of the fact that I know her secret? I've only noticed recently that Haruka's actions in school are a little awkward, and that even when she's smiling, there's a small distance between the other students and her.

"I believe that Onee-san doesn't dislike Onii-san, and that this is something she's clear about, I also believe in my own assessment that Onii-san's a good person."

"Mm."

Both of them say that I'm a good person when I'm not as good as they think I am.

"Onii-san."

Mika's expression suddenly changed, as she looked at me with a serious expression on her face.

"No matter what happens......please don't abandon Onee-san."

"Abandon......"

About that......No matter how you look at it, it should be the other way round isn't it? Because Haruka is the 'Nuit Étoile', while I'm just an average student!

But Mika shook her head.

"Onee-san had a period of painful memories when the people around her found out about her secret. Because everyone around her felt that she should be a perfect Ojou-sama. In other words, they forcibly expect Onee-san to be the perfect person that they imagine her to be, which is why they would abandon her once their perfect image of Onee-san has been shattered. In actual fact, Onee-san's just a clumsy girl with a strange hobby.

Perhaps......it's really like what Mika says. There's a Haruka fan club in school, but how many of those fan club members would know about this side of Haruka? And how many of them would be able to look at her the same way they did before once they know about this side of her? A girl who gets addicted to capsule machines, who loves to read weird manga, who cries because she wasn't able to buy the game console that she wanted......This would never be part of the image of the 'Nuit Étoile' that everyone in school has of Haruka.

"I think the Onee-san needs someone beside her who doesn't look at her through coloured lens, so......no matter what happens, please be good friends with Onee-san, because I......never want to see an abandoned Onee-san crying ever again......"

Mika bowed to me as she spoke.

Mika really cares about Haruka. I can see that she's a really good girl from the way she speaks and her attitude towards me.

"......Don't worry, I will never abandon Haruka."

I placed my hand on Mika's head and told her using my kindest voice.

"Mm......"

Although I hesitated for a moment, but I still decided to tell Mika about my feelings.

"Because Haruka's a very important friend of mine, and also......"

"And also?"

"......I......I think she's very cute. Whether it's her natural clumsiness or her strange hobby, I think she's really cute."

If I didn't feel this way, then I wouldn't have gotten into so many incidents in the two months after I found out about Haruka's secret (Breaking into the school at midnight, being ignored by all the members of Haruka's fan club etc)

"Onii-san......You're just like what I thought you would be like!"

Mika happily shouted as she hugged me tightly. The twin tails at the side of her head swished past my nose, bringing with it the same scent that Haruka has, probably pointing to the fact that they use the same shampoo. For a moment, I had the impression that the person in my lap was Haruka, and that......

Just at this moment......

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The door opened with a click, announcing Haruka's return.

"The doggie's present has been prepared......Huh?"

"Ha......Haruka......"

Haruka walked in with a paper bag in her hands, her gaze coming to rest on Mika and I.

"Haruka, no, this is......"

This is the worst timing. Because from an objective point of view, it looks as though I'm the one who's hugging (or attacking) Mika.

"Mi......Mika! Say something!"

"Onii-san felt that I was too cute for words, so he suddenly hugged me. And then situation just continued as how such situations would continue, kya~"

Now's not the time to 'kya~'!

Not knowing what to do, my body stiffened like a husband caught in bed with a lover by his wife, but Haruka merely smiled.

"That's enough, Mika, you shouldn't trouble Yuuto-san anymore."

"Alright~!"

Mika let go of me as she gave a mischievious look, while Haruka continued smiling at Mika, what's going on?

"......Haruka, you're not angry?"

"Hmm? Why should I be angry?"

Haruka replied me confusedly, as though a question mark suddenly popped up in her head. It looks like she doesn't think that there was anything wrong with Mika hugging me......

For some unknown reason, I suddenly felt extremely sad.

"Onee-san's really slow about such things."

Mika latched onto my arm as she nodded knowingly.

"This is one of Onee-san's good points, as well as one of her bad points."

"?"

"Ah~ It's nothing if Onee-san doesn't understand. Onii-san, the most important thing is still......"

"Hmm?"

Mika turned her gaze from Haruka to me as she said with a serious expression on her face,

"I know that Onee-san frequently gets into accidents, but......no matter what happens, please take good care of her......Onii-san~! (This Onii-san is different from the other Onii-sans as Mika's calling Yuuto 'brother-in-law')

Is it just me, or did that last 'onii-san' sound a little different from the ones that came before it? Or did I hear wrongly? I must be be imagining things.

"Then......I'll see you tomorrow."

Haruka, who saw me to the door, said her goodbyes reluctantly.

"This is the leftover pudding that we had in the afternoon, and some other presents."

A hand-drawn hellhound looked at me with demented eyes beside the words 'For Doggie-san' on the package that Haruka gave me. Looks like the contents of this package must be something extremely valuable.

"Then......I'll see you to the train station......"

"Even though I'll really like that, but I don't think you need to. It's not a long way to the train station, so I'll be able to get there by myself."

I rejected Haruka's suggestion reluctantly since it's only ten minutes to the train station (while it took me twenty minutes to get to the entrance from the 'castle' in the Nogizaka residence)

"Onii-san, be careful on your way back!"

"Please come again soon."

Mika and Hazuki-san also came to see me off.

"Goodbye."

"I waved to the three of them before turning to walk towards the train station.

Just like that, I had a beautiful day.

Not only did I get to meet two interesting people in Hazuki-san and Mika, I also got much closer to Haruka. Although I got lost on my way to Haruka's home, was jumped on from the back by that soundless maid, and also mercilessly interrogated by Mika, to me, today was a beautiful day.

I hope that I'll have more days like this in the future.

What comes after this is not important to the story at all.

When I gave Haruka's present to the doggie-san in my home......

"Wow, this is delicious! The pudding's good, but the smoked meat is great to go together with Japanese sake. Although the taste is a little too light for my liking, but the person giving the present has been generous enough, so I'll probably be struck down by heaven if I complain anymore."

"......Smoked meat?"

So there was something like that in the package? Oh, right, Haruka mentioned something about other presents.

I suddenly had a bad feeling about the package! I peeked at the 'thing' beside my sister.

It was a paper bag that read 'High class beef jerky'. Only thing is......it also read 'for dogs'.

"......Argh!"

I was lucky that my drunk sister didn't notice as she happily stuffed the beef jerky into her mouth. And so I kept my eye on my sister as I quietly transferred the beef from the paper bag into another plastic bag before throwing the paper bag into the dustbin (to destroy any evidence). Because if my sister found out......she'll kill me.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Ah,it's......it's nothing, it won't taste as nice if it gets wet, so I placed it in another bag."

"Oh, thank you."

After saying a rare 'thank you', my sister reached for the beef jerky again. Looks like she really likes the taste of this beef jerky (for dogs).

Oh well, it's not like she'll die from eating it. And I've also heard that recently, pet food is becoming even classier than human food, so I guess it won't be a problem right?

"......I think I'll go sleep now, you should sleep early!"

"Alright, I'll go sleep when I finish this bottle."

Just like that, I was able to leave the living room without getting killed.

In the end, the beef jerky (for dogs) that Haruka gave me that day, all went into Ruko's stomach.

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| Back to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter4]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Chapter2

2010-03-24T07:40:28Z

Sobokal:

===Chapter 2===
__NOTOC__
==0==
A certain scorching hot Sunday in May.

I stood in front of a certain store situated in the largest electronics street in Japan.

Looking at the strange sights in front of me, I couldn't help but sigh soundlessly.

"...Why isn't it out yet? I've been playing this for a long time..."

An extremely pretty girl muttered with a crestfallen look in her eyes as she leaned her petite head to one side.

This kind of expression wasn't particularly strange, since the pretty girl is still, in principle, human (although some people would think otherwise), and she seems to be frustrated with an unsolvable problem. In truth, it wasn't a very complex question, it's just that...

It's just that, the only problem lies between......the object that the pretty girl held in her right hand, and the object in front of her eyes.

"This isn't the one again..."

Her slender fingers clutched a spherical object about 6cm in diameter, obtained from an exchange of coin currency. The object that had been rolling out of the machine incessantly since a while ago was what we commoners call a capsule vending machine.

"That's strange..."

Everytime she checked the toy in the egg-shaped capsule, Haruka's voice would become weaker, but even so, the hand that was constantly rotating the lever on the vending machine never stopped. Who would have guessed that her gambling instinct would be so strong.

"Next one...I'll surely get it on the next try..."

Anyway...This extremely pretty girl who was frantically throwing coins into a capsule vending machine as though her life depended on it gave people an overwhelming sense of discordance. Everyone who passed by the two of us would involuntarily look at the strange situation that we were in.

"Haruka...Isn't it enough already?"

She already had more than ten capsules rolling around on the ground beside her, but Haruka continued to shake her head.

"...Because the piano-playing Aki-chan isn't out yet..."

In other words, we'll be here forever if the piano-playing Aki-chan doesn't come out? God, don't be caught in the trap of despicable merchants......

"..."

Clank clank, the lever sounded again. Haruka looked at the object within the capsule and frowned deeply as she gave a mournful expression.

"I didn't get it again..."

I didn't know what to do anymore as I helplessly watched Haruka continue to toss coin after coin into the machine, only to let out a sigh that's probably deeper than the Mariana Trench.

What...Just what am I doing!

I really don't understand myself. It's such a rare opportunity to go shopping with Haruka, so how did we end up here? Right now, I felt the overwhelming need to rethink the decision to take the new direction in life that I had made about a month ago.

How did I end up in this kind of situation?

I'll have to start...from three days ago.

==1==

After the Golden Week holidays had ended, everyone in school hurriedly began to prepare for the upcoming mid-term examinations. On a certain day, after school, I had been half-forced by the music teacher, who was also my assistant class teacher, to be her assistant (she made me clean the staff toilet all by myself). When I returned to the classroom, panting heavily from exertion, I found a letter in the drawer of my desk.

"If you have time after school, please come to the music room, I have something to discuss with you."

When did this letter get into my drawer? The handwriting on the letter was perfect, and I wouldn't be surprised if any other person would see this as a love letter or something similar.

"..."

There was only one unfortunate flaw in the letter. An animal with demonic eyes (its an animal right?) was drawn beside the line of words. If the person looking at the drawing was an innocent child, he'll probably be completely heartbroken and his eyes opened to the cruelty of the world outside his sheltered environment.

I knew from first sight that only she could be the author of this letter. Or should I say, only I knew that she was capable of such satanic drawings.

"As I expected...Haruka."

Just as I expected, the signature at the bottom of the letter read 'Nogizaka Haruka'.

She's my classmate, the multi-talented daughter of a rich and powerful family, nicknamed the 'Nuit étoile' and the most famous person in the school with a three digit member count in her fan club. There may be some people in Hakujo Academy who doesn't know the name of their principal, but no one wouldn't know the name of Nogizaka Haruka.

Why would someone as famous as her, call someone as average as me to the music room after school? Because I knew a secret of hers...

Looking at the clock, I saw that it was going to be five o'clock in the afternoon, almost an hour and a half after school had ended. Even though I couldn't have possibly avoided the assignment that had been forced onto me, the princess would probably have gone home already after waiting in vain for such a long time.

I ran towards the music room. There was no one in the corridor that was illuminated by the setting sun, and the only sounds that could be heard were from the sports clubs that were practicing outside the windows of the corridor.

Though it was only May, the weather was already extremely warm, so warm that even a short run during the evening hours would have one work up a sweat. I took out a towel from my bag to wipe my sweat, deciding that I would buy a can of Mango juice (Summer Limited-edition product) from the vending machine. Phew, it's really hot.

When I reached the door of the music room, I could hear the sounds of people talking alongside the music from the piano; looks like there are a few people in the music room. Don't tell me that there're other besides Haruka in the room?

I pushed open the thick, acoustic door. On the other side of the door laid... the forbidden garden.

The first person I saw was Haruka. That's alright, since she was the one who called me over. I would be in trouble if I hadn't saw her.

But...Why were there so many girls around Haruka?

These girls had completely surrounded Haruka, who was playing the piano. At first glance, there were more than ten girls from all levels, from the first year kouhais to the third year senpais. Maybe these people were jealous of the 'Nuit étoile's' popularity?

...That's impossible, Haruka shouldn't be the subject of anyone's jealousy. From the expressions on the girls' faces as they watched Haruka's slender fingers fly across the keyboard, they should be full of admiration for her.

Which leaves me with only one answer; Nogizaka Haruka, the 'Nuit étoile', was just as popular with girls as she was with guys. In other words, in the eyes of her fellow girls, Haruka was in an extremely influential position. Such that even playing the piano in the music room after school would draw a crowd.

At the end of a piece, all the girls applauded enthusiastically.

"Haruka-senpai, that was a really good piece, what's the name of that piece?"

"That was <<Jeux d’eau>> (playing water), by the French composer Maurice Ravel."

"Wow, you could really feel the ripples in the water! I was completely enthralled."

"It really did give the impression of a smooth flowing stream."

The girls excitedly discussed their own opinions on the piece.

Hmm...So this is the world of girls! A field of lilies made up the background of this world, urging one to move forward. Right now, those girls were busy fawning over Haruka, while Haruka was busy answering their questions, so no one actually noticed that I had walked into the music room... Which made me feel left out and unimportant.

I had no choice but to announce my presence in the room.

"Hey, Haruka!"

I waved at her from a corner of the music room. As expected... my words completely changed the atmosphere in the room, although I didn't really want to do something like that.

"...Who is he?"

"He just called Haruka-senpai by her name, what's their relationship?"

"He's Ayase from class one..."

More than ten murderous looks shot towards me at the same time. D...Did I do something wrong?

I broke out in cold sweat as I involuntarily took a step backwards. At this moment, Haruka finally noticed my presence as she smiled at me.

"Ah, Yuuto-san, you're here, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Haruka-senpai called him by his name..."

"Haruka-senpai looks really happy..."

"Who does he think he is to do something like this!"

The piercing looks from the girls became even sharper, and I felt as though I was kneeling on the carpet of needles in the <<Legend of King Arthur>> with a huge stone mat in my lap.

"I'm very sorry, but I have a meeting with this person. We'll stop here for today..."

Haruka bowed her head in apology as the girls objected with cries of 'No!', 'We still want to hear senpai play the piano'. Even so, they still left the music room, not daring to oppose Haruka's decision.

As they passed by me, some of them glared at me murderously, while others threatened me with a variety of death threats ranging from 'If you dare to do anything strange to Haruka-senpai, I'll stab you!', to 'Watch your back when you're walking alone at night!' and to extreme ones like 'Be careful of an errant tub of acid!'.

"...What did you want to talk to me about?"

After I had confirmed that those girls (Murderous spirits) had indeed left the room (It would be dangerous not to do so), I went into the topic that I had gone to the music room for.

Haruka lowered her head as she shyly asked,

"Yuuto-san...Are you free on Sunday?"

"Sunday? I don't have anything planned for that day."

Though I was wondering why Haruka would ask something like this, obviously I couldn't tell her that I had to wash the laundry for my idiot sister on Sundays (mostly household chores). Meanwhile, Haruka gave a happy expression after hearing my answer before apprehensively asking me another question ...

"Th...Then, could you go out with me?"

"..."

In that moment, my brain was completely blank as I desperately tried to process the meaning behind Haruka's words.

Gah...

This sudden event had really caused my brain to devolve. Could this be...

"A date?"

Did Haruka just ask me out on a date?

"No no no, it's not that, it's not a date..."

Haruka shook her head vigorously as her face was as red as a cooked shrimp. Looking at how Haruka frantically denied that it was a date...I felt a stab of disappointment.

"It's not a date, just that I wanted to buy something and I wanted you to go with me."

A red-faced Haruka explained. So that's what it's about. While we've been on extremely good terms this past month, the 'Nuit étoile' would never ask me out on a date. But then...from another perspective, wouldn't normal people see something like this (two people going shopping together) as a date?

"So...So what do you think? Of...Of course, if you're not interested, you don't have to force yourself..."

"No, it's alright, I'll go."

My answer was faster than the speed of light.

Anyone who dared to reject Haruka's invitation would surely be eaten by demons.

"Really?"

Haruka suddenly beamed.

"Th...thank you. Because it's my first time going there, I'd feel insecure by myself... I was thinking of what to do if Yuuto-san turned me down."

Hmm, for some reason I would accept with excessive pleasure. You might say I was extremely happy.

"By shopping, do you mean...?"

When I asked such a fundamental thing, she answered with a beautiful smile to the extend that 100% of the highschool boys in the street would fall in love with the 'Nuit étoile'.

"Yes. Akihabara"

Well in a word... I got it now. This is the secret of Nogizaka Haruka. A strange string that ties her and me, a surprising side of the 'Nuit étoile' that I'm the only one to know.

So.

What can I say... Nogizaka Haruka... is an otaku.

==2==

And that was how I decided the way I was to spend my Sunday.

To be honest, I wasn't particularly excited.

Of course, it's not that I didn't want to spend Sunday together with Haruka. I should be barking with excitement at Haruka's invitation, since it was a Sunday that I would be spending with the 'Nuit étoile' alone, something that was way better than washing clothes at home. And, Haruka's very cute, so I should be as happy as a mouse when I'm with her.

The reason for my lack of enthusiasm was because I only have bad memories of Akihabara.

That day was the third time in my entire life that I've been to Akihabara. The previous two experiences were painful, to say the least...of course, it wasn't Akihabara's fault, but the fault of the idiot who dragged me to Akihabara. But the deep mental scars that I had from my first two trips to Akihabara would not disappear so easily.

I first came to this place when I was in first grade.

At that time, I had accepted Nobunaga's invitation, leaving the familiar surroundings of my house to this huge street with an adventurous mindset. But in merely just an hour later, I had already regretted accepting his invitation.

Because I got lost.

I was alone on the crowded and chaotic street.

The reason was simple, the fellow who had brought me here forgot about my existence the moment he ran off to buy the things that he wanted. He was the same age as me, but nonetheless Akihabara was already his second home, unlike me, who was unable to differentiate North, South, East, and West the moment I walked into the place (though this happens frequently to me), which was why it didn't take long for me to get lost.

After getting lost, I obviously was unable to find my way to the train station.

After two long hours, the crying and wailing me finally received the protection of the police.

The second time was a few years later, when I was in my senior year at my primary school.

Even though I had already swore never to come to Akihabara ever again, I once again accepted that his invitation. This time, that fellow ran off again when we were shopping, leaving me behind. It's been an extremely dark part of my life until now, despite managing to get home by myself this time.

And that is why I view this street with a slightly fearful and suspicious look.

We had agreed to meet in front of the Akihabara train station. Because it was a Sunday, the station was flooded with people. Oh right, Haruka had said that it was her first time coming to Akihabara. I was surprised when I first heard that, but upon closer inspection, it actually wasn't anything to be surprised about. I had already come to know that Haruka was a clever, beautiful, kind-hearted and talented daughter of a rich and powerful family in our one month's worth of interaction. Which means that as an Otaku, she wasn't very experienced, but I could see that her potential was probably higher than Mount Everest.

Just as I was lost in my own thoughts...

"...Have you been waiting for long?"

Speak of the devil. In the time that I was embroiled in my own thoughts, Haruka had already arrived.

"I'm sorry, I had wanted to be on time..."

"No, you're not late, I was early."

I was speaking the truth. To be precise, as I was so looking forward to spending the day with Haruka that I woke up extremely early. That kind of excited feeling was like that of a primary school kid before going on a field trip. Because it was so embarrassing, I didn't dare to mention it to Haruka.

But even then!!!

"...Mm..."

Today was the first time I've seen Haruka in casual clothing...How should I describe her? She's really extremely cute. A white ribbon was tied around her silky long hair, coupled with a white one-piece western dress and a cream cardigan, she really looked like the daughter of a rich and powerful family. This combination served to amplify her charm by a full 2.5 times in comparison with any other daughter of a rich and powerful family (My personal subjective opinion). Every inch of her being simply oozed class......Ah! I was already at a loss for words, so in short, she was so cute that she had the power to attract the entire galaxy.

"What...What's wrong? I'll be embarrassed if you continue to stare at me like this..."

"Ah, I'm sorry."

I couldn't help but stare at her dazedly. But the way Haruka raised the edges of her eyes and looked at me while blushing was so cute...

No, I can't continue to fantasize! I'm worried that something will happen to my brain if I continue in this vein.

I shook my head vigorously, throwing all my prior thoughts out of the window. Haruka, on the other hand, looked at me apprehensively.

"...Is there something wrong with me? It's my first time wearing this dress...Is it ugly?"

"No, of course not."

Of course there wasn't anything wrong with her, the dress suited Haruka perfectly.

Haruka may not have realized, but since her appearance, all eyes (especially the male ones) had been trained on her. In all honesty, no matter where Haruka went, she'll always be the focal point in a crowd. She has always stood out, like the beautiful swan that flies into a crowd of ugly ducklings (myself included).

"Let's go!"

"Ah, yes"

Upon hearing my suggestion, Haruka smiled shyly as her dress fluttered slightly in the wind. That simple action made everyone around her sigh in amazement, because it was.......really really really really really really cute.

I'm so lucky to be able to see her like this! I shouted out in my mind before walking off with Haruka.

I think I'll explain the reason behind our shopping trip to Akihabara.

No, I mean, of course we're here to buy something. I just wanted to describe in more detail what exactly we were here for.

Below is the contents of a conversation I had with Haruka.

"Well...I want to buy a silver Portable Toys Advance."

The 'Portable Toys Advance' that Haruka is talking about is an extremely popular handheld gaming console, commonly referred to as the 'PTA'. To my knowledge, the silver PTA should be an extremely rare limited edition model, something that even Nobunaga wants to get his hands on.

"Then we should go to the toy shop shouldn't we?"

"Right, I think that any toy shop or electronics store should have it. I'm not very sure either, I'm just following what's stated on the magazine."

She's not very trustworthy is she...

"Then let's go check out the electronics stores, since every store on this street is an electronics store..."

To be honest, it'll be harder to find a store on this street that isn't an electronics store.

"Then let's start from the electronics store on that corner alright?"

I attempted to steer us in the right direction.

"Ah, wait a moment."

My suggestion was rejected.

"Hmm...actually, I've specially prepared something for today."

Haruka fumbled in her bag for a while before taking out two pieces of paper.

"Hmm...Yuuto-san, this is your copy, I hope it'll be useful..."

"...What's this?"

"A shopping guide."

Haruka smiled proudly.

"Huh..."

What in the world is this?

"This is a guide that I specially created for today. I've already organized the places that we're going to, the path we're going to take, and our estimated time of arrival on this piece of paper, so it's a universal map. I spent three hours making this guide, hee hee."

Haruka laughed conservatively.

So it's actually a map. It's a good idea to plan out our schedule ahead of time, but after looking at the strange lines that bear a strong resemblance to two snakes entangled in a fight, I don't think any one would think that it's a map, right?

I didn't let my uneasiness show as I raised the guide up for a better look. Although I had already lost hope in the map part of the guide, the other parts seemed to have been done well, so we shouldn't get lost with the information written here. There shouldn't be any problem as long as we're able to reach our destinations without any trouble.

According to the schedule on the guide, Haruka had placed the buying of the PTA (estimated to be around 5 O'clock in the afternoon) as the last activity of the day.

"Why did you put the most important thing at the last place on the schedule? If you really want to buy it, shouldn't you get it earlier..."

I thought that the average Japanese citizen would want to get their hands on their target object as soon as possible. Perhaps Haruka had other intentions when she placed this as the last activity on the schedule, maybe she's saving the best for last?

In response to my question, Haruka squinted playfully at me.

"If we buy it at the beginning of the day, it would mean that our shopping trip has ended. Though it's something that I'm looking forward too... it'll be such a waste to just let it end so quickly. And also..."

"And also?"

"And also...I think that the most important activity should be saved till the end of the day."

Looks like Haruka is the type of person who would eat her favorite food last.

Anyway, the purchase of the PTA should be the main objective of the day.

But before the completion of the main objective, it seems like we have a few side objectives to complete first. So the two of us followed the schedule as we began shopping in Akihabara.

This place...is still as crowded as ever.

No matter where one turned to, one would always see posters of anime and video games, even some life-sized advertisements. To be here was like stepping into another dimension, giving one the feeling of being in a completely different world.

"Hmm...We'll turn left at this junction, walk forward for a bit, then turn right..."

Haruka looked at the map as she guided me through this strange new world.

...How does she read this map? To me, the map, looked more and more like eels with stomaches that were entangled with each other and a certain kind of talent seemed to be needed to be able to draw such a map. However in comparison, an even larger amount of talent was required to be able to decipher this map...Although, I would never want to have that kind of talent.

"And then after turning right here, we should see a white building."

Thanks to Haruka, we didn't get lost and got to each of our destinations safely, swiftly completing all our side objectives (shopping at anime stores, buying otaku merchandise etc). Right now, we're moving towards out fourth objective - an anime bookstore.

As we walked across the large road, we saw many small groups of people. There were even thirty, forty people forming a queue outside some shops. Maybe those people were participating in some event? On such a hot day, they really do have it hard. I would be happy to help them stand in for a while. But, obviously that isn't possible.

Just as I was looking at those people,

"Ah! That's!"

Haruka, who was standing beside me, suddenly ran off. Ah, not again! Her target was yet another store, and I could only quietly observe her excited figure.

This was already the third time this had happened today, so I wasn't surprised anymore.

I slowly walked towards where Haruka was headed.

Haruka had plastered her entire body onto the display window of that shop.

"So cute..."

Her gaze was fixated on a model of a red-haired girl playing the piano (the price was extremely expensive, at twenty-five thousand yen.....). The look in her eyes was exactly the same as the youth who goes to the music store everyday to look at his favorite trumpet.

Haruka would rush over like a bull charging towards a red flag whenever she saw anything that she liked, not caring about anything else that was happening around her. Even the me that's beside her would be completely forgotten.

Which is why for a few times already, I had been thrown into an uncomfortable situation whereby I was holding a handful of goods but abandoned by my shopping partner, which made me feel rather lonely and empty.

Why am I here? I began to question the validity of my existence in this place...But, I came to terms with this feeling of emptiness as time wore on.

"Wouldn't it be a form of happiness if one was able to see something as cute as this?"

However, being abandoned by Haruka didn't seem such a big deal after seeing how happy she was, something which I would definitely not have seen in school. Because being able to look at such an innocent and happy 'Nuit étoile' was the best form of payment.

After fifteen minutes, Haruka still didn't look as though she was going to peel herself off the display window.

"Umm...If you like it so much, why don't you just buy it!"

If this goes on, we'll be disrupting the store's ability to conduct business. But when I suggested this to her, Haruka answered with a gloomy expression on her face,

"There are too many things that I want to buy, but...I don't have the budget for it."

"Budget?"

Who'd have thought that the daughter of a family that's as rich as royalty would say something like that. Judging by their standard of living, Haruka's pocket money should be at least a million yen a month, and her new year's gift money should be at least five million yen right?

When I asked,

"N...not at all!"

Haruka shook her head violently in denial.

"My pocket money's really little...I have a hard time just trying to save up a bit of money every month."

"Just how much do you get a month?"

I wanted to know more, just for reference.

"Well..."

The amount that came out of Haruka's mouth was surprisingly similar to the amount of my pocket money.

"That's really surprising..."

I was really extremely surprised. The eldest daughter of the rich and powerful Nogizaka clan receiving exactly the same amount of pocket money a month as the son of the middle Ayase clan, that probably won't even be able to trace their family tree up to more than a few generations, would probably surprise anyone.

"My father's extremely strict...For today, I even took out my precious ten-thousand yen bill from my saving box...even my pig-san was called to be with the Lord."

Pig-san...Is she referring to her piggy bank?

"That's why I can't spend my money rashly...It's alright, I'll be happy just by looking."

Haruka laughed happily. She really attracts the affection of others, just for that (before the store assistants come out to chase us away), Haruka, Uncle promises to let you stare at the display for as long as you want!

And then, we stayed for about ten more minutes in front of the store display.

"Thank you for allowing me to have such a blissful experience."

Haruka was finally satisfied. But, just as we prepared to set out towards our next destination...

"Ah!"

Haruka seemed to have noticed something once again, as she rushed towards the side of the main road for the fourth time.

This time, her target was a shop selling anime merchandise. However, she didn't step into the store, but made a beeline for a block of squarish objects that were out in front. Ah! Isn't that the vending machines that sell what we call capsules! How nostalgic, I remember frequenting such machines during my primary school days. The capsules contained plastic figurines of the gundams and certain muscle-bound superheroes which I loved, and if I were to go through my old stuff, I'd probably turn up quite a sizable amount of those figurines.

"This should be what you're talking about right? A capsule will roll out if you put a coin in...Ah! Isn't that 'Clumsy Girl Aki-chan'?"

...I seemed to have heard that name somewhere. The rectangular box that Haruka was pointing her finger at had a picture of the figurine of a familiar-looking blue-haired girl on a piano.

"That's...really cute."

Haruka had a childish look in her eyes. I felt like I was becoming more and more familiar with Haruka's interests.

"Why don't you try it?"

This was different from what she was looking at just now, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

"Hmm? Try it? You're saying that I should try this machine?"

"That's right."

"Hmm...But..."

I encouraged her to try the machine, but for some unknown reason, Haruka was extremely hesitant about my suggestion. Ah! Could it be that she wasn't interested in these things?

In response to my question, Haruka answered in a tiny voice.

"Umm...To tell the truth, it's my first time trying something like this."

"Your first time?"

Her first time using a capsule vending machine?

"Yes."

Haruka nodded abashedly.

"Today's the first time I've ever seen something like this, and it's also my first contact with it. Hmm...How should I put it...This should be my first experience right? That's why I'm a bit worried...would I be able to do it?"

"..."

The word is probably correct. However I'd like you to stop speaking of your first experience in the middle of the afternoon in the presence of others.

"W...what do you think?"

"Hmm... you're probably right. It's not something particularly difficult."

Just put the coin in and turn the handle for the capsule to roll out. Even kindergarten kids can do it.

"Is that so? Then I guess I'll give it a try."

Haruka seems to have finally made up her mind. She took out her purse from her bag and approached the machine with an extremely serious expression reminiscent of a middle-aged technologically-challenged employee's expression towards the company computer on his desk. Looks like I'll have to gently watch over her for the time being...

"A...ah? Ah? It's strange... what's happening?"

Suddenly, I saw that Haruka had a confused look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Yuuto-san...Is this machine broken? I can't put the money in."

"It shouldn't be broken...Let me have a look."

I leaned over for a closer look.

"..."

Only when I leaned over did I see that Haruka was attempting to stuff a ten-thousand yen bill into the coin opening. My clever Haruka-sama, if it's a paper note, you'll never be able to stuff it into an opening designed for coins.

"??"

"...Haruka, you can't use notes for capsule machines, they only accept coins."

"Ah? Seriously?"

"...Yes."

I beg you, please don't ask such questions with a perfectly straight face.

"I get it, it only accepts coins."

Haruka opened her purse once more, only to give an upset expression, as though she was unable to eat a delicious dish that's right in front of her.

"...I don't have coins."

"...I'll lend you some!"

If this goes on, god knows when Haruka will finally start turning the handle of the capsule machine, so I made that suggestion.

"...I'm sorry to bother you."

I placed a thousand-yen bill into the coin exchange machine in return for ten hundred-yen coins. Looking at the transmutation of my paper note into coins, I felt as though I had lost money, since after all, I'm just your average stingy city-dweller.

"Here, take it."

"Th...Thank you."

Haruka nervously took a hundred-yen coin from my hand.

And that was how Haruka began her first experience with capsule vending machines...Even though...I personally felt that this first experience was rather dangerous.

I was worried about whether she would become addicted to the machine.

From past experience, I know that for anyone using the capsule vending machines, it's extremely hard to stop once one has chosen a target. Unless the target object has been obtained, the person using the machine would usually not be able to bring him/herself to stop.

If that person is a primary school kid, then it isn't that bad, because no matter how much he/she wants to continue playing, he/she has to stop once his/her money is used up. In other words the wallets of primary school children are natural deterrents. If at that exact moment, the person next to that particular primary school kid coincidentally gets the figurine that he/she wants, that kid will surely burst into tears on the spot. But, after going through countless such trials and tribulations, that primary school kid will eventually mature and grow up...Wait, I seem to have gone off topic here.

Anyway, what I want to say is that, if the person playing is a high school student with a significantly bigger wallet, what would the situation be like?

Just thinking about the probable outcome gave me a headache.

Though I fervently hoped that my predicted answer was wrong, the truth has no pity...

As I expected, in order to obtain her target object (The piano-playing 'Clumsy girl Aki-chan'), Haruka sent four pieces of Natsume Soseki up into heaven, while the emptied capsules rolled around on the ground beside us like pebbles on the riverbank.

==3==
And then it was lunchtime.

According to the schedule, the place where we're supposed to have lunch is a restaurant named 'Calotte-culotte'.

"What kind of restaurant is it?"

It could be a family restaurant, but it was impossible to tell from the name of the restaurant.

Haruka gave a mysterious smile, looking as though she had been waiting for that question for a long time.

"It's a cafe that I read about in a magazine, a place which I've been wanting to go for a long time. This is the second-most important activity of the day, so please look forward to it!"

The second-most important activity of the day? Hmm, upon closer inspection, there's a small flower-shaped symbol beside the name of the cafe, something which I had missed (or had subconsciously deleted from my field of vision). And also, a 'monster' was drawn beside the large electronics store that was the focal point of our shopping trip. This 'monster' had a needle-like beard, sharp claws and blood-red eyes...Haruka was probably trying to draw a cat wasn't she?

"Lalala...♪"

Haruka hummed the tune of 'A Young Maiden's Prayer' as she skipped along.

But I was unable to relax. My body was ensnared by an unknown sense of uneasiness, like the sudden appearance of rain clouds, together with thunder and lightning on an impossibly sunny day.

"We're here."

Haruka's voice brought me down to earth. Looks like we have already reached our destination while I was lost in thought.

"Looks like there aren't a lot of people inside yet, that's great! Yuuto-san, let's go inside!"

Haruka's voice sounded extremely joyful.

Just what kind of weird (please forgive my rudeness) cafe has Haruka recommended? I looked up while holding on to my biased opinion.

"...Huh?"

It's a very normal-looking cafe!

The exterior of the cafe gave passerbys a cute yet elegant impression, the type which girls like. Looking in through the glass windows, the interior decorations also weren't too flashy, giving potential customers a good feeling about the cafe. After going into the cafe itself, I didn't find anything that was particularly abnormal or unacceptable. Anyway, the interior decorations of this restaurant had white as it's basic theme, giving the cafe a simplistic feel. Although I was a bit concerned about the fact that most of the customers were male, since everything was within my area of tolerance, I didn't give much thought to it.

We sat down at a table beside the window and looked at the menu. The menu had...many imaginative dishes, but...it's still rather normal I guess!

Hmm...Looks like I've been worrying for nothing. Haruka should have placed this cafe as the second most important activity due to its cute decor. Yes, that must be it, in principle, Haruka's still a normal girl.

Just as I sighed in relief and prepared to order, a girl's voice sounded above my head.

"Welcome, would you be ordering now?"

Ah! The waitress was here to take out orders. I was still trying to decide between 'Pasta from the unbelievable kingdom', or the 'Seven dwarves' apple pie', while Haruka was also having a hard time deciding on what to order. Well then, I'll just have to ask the waitress to wait for a while more!

I put down the menu and raised my head.

"Hmm, I'm sorry, but we'll need a bit more time to decide, please..."

I was unable to finish the sentence.

Because what I saw made all my bodily functions come to a complete stop.

Even my brain stopped working.

"..."

"Mister, what's wrong?"

Because standing in front of my eyes was a...how should I put it...a maid. She was wearing an apron with a similarly colored hairband (something like a hairband, I don't know the official name for it), and she also had something that looked like cat ears on her head. Was I hallucinating?

"Your friend hasn't decided on her order yet?"

"Ah, that's right. Could you please wait for a while more?'

"I got it~~Please take your time."

The plate-bearing cat-eared maid nodded. A cat-ear maid...If I were to describe her appearance, I would say that her performance is extremely outstanding.

"Then please call for me when both of you have decided..."

The cat-ear maid smiled kindly as she walked away, her tail swaying from side to side behind her. To confirm that my vision was still normal, I immediately shot a question at Haruka.

"Haruka...what is this place?"

"Isn't this a cafe?"

That I know... I mean, when did cat-eared maids become the standard accessories of a Japanese cafe?

"The uniforms of the waitresses here are all very cute, that's why everyone comes here just for the maids."

"..."

...Hang on, Haruka said 'everyone'?

I rushed out of the cafe to check out its sign once again, realizing that the sign really did say 'Maid cafe' 'Calotte-culotte'.

So that's it...It really is that kind of cafe.

I sat back down feeling emotionally drained.

A maid cafe! Since the truth was now in front of my eyes, I could only agree with the cafe's decision to let their waitresses dress up as maids, since that was their main selling point. There would be no point in running a maid cafe without maids in it.

Which was why I could only compromise. No, not that I wasn't disturbed, but if I was too disturbed, we won't be able to eat lunch. But...

"...Hey, why are all of them wearing cat ears?"

That was my biggest question. And upon closer inspection, some of the maids even had tails...From a purely academic point of view, what are they trying to do with that kind of accessory?

"Isn't it because it's very cute?"

Haruka's answer was short and sweet.

"The original maid costume is already extremely cute, so adding a pair of cat ears would serve to amplify that cuteness. This is a perfect example of a situation whereby 1 plus 1 does not equate to 2, but equates to 3, or even 4."

Haruka smiled. I agree with her analysis, but...

[[Image:NHnH vol01 142.jpg|thumb]]
"It's really cute...I want to try on a maid costume too. I think I'll borrow one from Hazuki next time..."

Haruka looked at the maids with a dreamy look in her eyes. Hmm...I want to imagine...how Haruka would look like in a maid uniform. Haruka in a maid costume and wearing a pair of cat ears, smiling as she says 'Master♪'...it has a nice feel to it.

...What am I thinking about!

I don't like the me that's thinking unwholesome thoughts. To purge those impure thoughts from my brain, I twisted my body and looked at Haruka, who was still looking dreamily at the maids in the cafe out of the corner of my eye. Suddenly, Haruka lightly hit the palm of her left hand with her right hand as though she suddenly remembered something.

"Yuuto-san...I thought of a good idea."

"...What good idea?"

I don't think that it'll be anything good for me, which was why I was rather afraid of Haruka's answer.

"I want to ask them to allow us to take pictures of them."

"Huh?"

"It's such a rare chance for me to be here, so I want to take a photo with the maids ."

"Wait minute..."

I wasn't even able to try to stop her before Haruka started moving with a digital camera that had popped out of nowhere in her hand.

"Excuse me, but...could I take a picture with you?"

Haruka called a maid over and made her request.

"I'm very sorry, but our cafe prohibits the taking of pictures..."

The cat-eared maid rejected the request politely.

"Hmm? Is that so?"

"Yes, I'm really sorry..."

The maid bowed apologetically. That's great, though I felt that it wasn't very nice to Haruka, but at least I won't be forced to take an embarrassing picture in this kind of cafe.

But, I seemed to have relaxed a tad too early.

"Really...can't? I really really wanted to take a picture with cat-ear maids..."

Haruka looked like an abandoned kitten. Perhaps the cat-ear maid couldn't bear to see a customer in such a depressed state, she thought about it for a while before telling Haruka, 'Hmm, please wait for a while, perhaps there's a way,' and then ran off towards the employee area of the cafe. I fervently hoped that she wouldn't come back with a solution...but before I could do anything, the cat-eared maid came running back.

"Mister, Miss, please follow me."

"?"

"About this, I told the manager about your request, and he allows you to take pictures. If you don't mind, I could take the picture with the two of you. But so as to not disturb the other customers, we'll have to go into the employee section of the cafe to take the pictures..."

"Really? Of course that would be alright. Thank you."

Haruka nodded in appreciation as she smiled joyfully, causing the cat-ear maid to blush in embarrassment. How should I put it, because Haruka used her angelic smile (ultimate move), that was effective against both genders. Hmm...perhaps there would be one more female member for the fan club, which doesn't have many female members. (By the way, the male:female ratio of the Hakujo Academy Nogizaka Haruka Fanclub is 5:1).

Anyway, on that day, the 'Nuit étoile', the cat-eared maid and I smiled for the camera (my face was cramped up), obtaining a photo that could be passed down to later generations, but was too embarrassing to talk about.

Under the smiling face of the cat-ear maid, I left the maid cafe feeling extremely tired. But almost immediately, Haruka saw something that she liked once again, swiftly going into her fifth special operation of the day. I could only sit down on the dirty bench in front of the store, staring blankly at Haruka.

"Ah! Isn't that Yuuto?"

A voice that shouldn't be heard here came from the crowd.

I pretended not to know this person as I turned away. But this fellow was extremely stubborn and never gave up easily.

"Hey, Yuuto..."

"..."

"Yuuto?"

"..."

"Ah, you're ignoring me on purpose! Alright, you have a strategy, I have one too."

"..."

"Hmm...watch out! Ayase Yuuto, Hakujo Academy Year 1 Class 2, during his kindergarten years, had once been......"

"...I get it, I get it, Nobunaga, it's my fault."

Seeing that I surrendered, this childhood friend of mine said childishly, 'That's more like it.'

"But...Nobunaga, what are you doing here?"

"Huh? You just asked a very strange question. As long as it's not a school day, I'll always be here. You of all people should know that this is our sacred land."

"...Right, now that you mention it."

...I guess I do.

"It just so happens that there's an event today! No, to be precise, it started from yesterday...The more surprising thing should be your presence here. You always reject my invitations to come here!"

I don't want to come precisely because you're the one inviting me. To me, the combination of this person and this street was the worst copulation on earth. Particularly during New Years and festival times, it feels like everyone on this street is attending a funeral or something.

This fellow was right, it wasn't surprising at all for him to be here, for it was like seeing fish in the ocean, a natural phenomenon. For where else would Otaku be if not here at Akihabara?

The problem was, I had completely forgotten about shopping with Haruka. Ah, now that I've remembered the reason behind my presence on this street, I have to think of a solution to this situation.

"What's wrong? Yuuto, you don't look well."

"I have a slight headache..."

"That's bad, do you want me to give you a pill for it? Half of the contents of this pill is my kindness."

How could he say something like that to a person with a headache!

"Never mind, Nobunaga, aren't you busy? You don't have to care about me, just go!"

"I'm not busy. The main event has already ended, so I'm free."

"But isn't being together with me really boring? On such a rare Sunday, you should spread out your wings and fly!"

"Yuuto, why do I get the feeling that you're trying to brush me off."

"No, why would I do that..."

The situation was really bad. I have to make this fellow disappear before Haruka comes back or things will get ugly.

"Hmm...Whatever makes you happy! Since my event has finished and I'm so tired, I think I should just go home and sleep."

A sleepy-looking Nobunaga gave a loud yawn, a rare action for someone as healthy as him.

"Because the event started yesterday, I've practically been awake since yesterday. Luckily everything went smoothly at the stall. Hahaha,"

Looks like this guy is really tired.

"Then I'll be going first. Yuuto, see you in school tomorrow!"

Nobunaga waved the paper bag in his right hand as he walked towards the station.

==4==

After spending a period of time with Nobunaga.

The main activity of today (in Haruka's opinion) was finally going to be completed, as the scheduled time to buy the PTA drew nearer.

"It's now four forty-eight in the afternoon...It's time for the main activity of the day!"

I followed behind Haruka as we made our way towards our final destination. Because we had completed all our previous objectives successfully, Haruka was in an extremely good mood. Right now, I had two paper bags in my hands, filled to the brim with the spoils of war (all Haruka's), other than the mountain of free coupons, posters and catalogues, there were also manga (the newest issue of <<INNOCENT SMILE>> etc) and a few light novels. Though there weren't a lot of them, due to the fact that all of them were paper products, the two paper bags were extremely heavy.

"Yuuto-san...Are you alright? Maybe I should take one bag."

"No, it's alright, I'm fine."

Her concern came as a relief, but if not to carry things, I don't know what I'm here for today.

"But..."

"I'm really fine, I'm used to such heavy loads."

Ever since I started primary school, Ruko and Yukari would hire me to carry things for them at a cost of 50 yen per hour (I was forced to take the job).

Especially when it was summer, where I would be panting like crazy in the hot weather while the two of them happily ate ice-cream beside me...Now that I think of it, shouldn't that be classified as child abuse?

Thinking of how I was abused in the past, I naturally felt a tad depressed, while Haruka looked at me worriedly.

"You don't look so good...Umm...Is...Is it because the bags are too heavy?"

"No...I just remembered my cruel past."

"Cruel?"

"That's not an expression for something else."

"?"

A question mark appeared above Haruka's head.

"Ah, it's nothing, let's not talk about me anymore. We should move on! It won't be good if the PTA's sold out."

I mustered all of my strength to lift the bags higher and walked on ahead of Haruka.

"Yuuto-san."

I was immediately halted by Haruka.

"Shouldn't it be that way?"

"..."

Speaking of which, I don't know where the store is.

"It's this way."

"...Right."

I nodded and followed behind Haruka.

My words actually came through.

Even though I had said it on a whim, I had never expected it to come true.

"...Sold out?"

"Yes, I'm really sorry..."

The bespectacled shop assistant bowed deeply in apology.

Right now, we were in the video game section on the third floor of the large electronics store. The two of us, who managed to reach the store by the scheduled time, only saw the 'out of stock' sign that had been pasted onto the box that had formerly stocked the limited edition silver PTAs.

"The limited edition silver PTAs are extremely popular, such that 70% of our stock were pre-ordered, while the remaining 30% were sold out before lunch."

The shop assistant also told us that the situation in the store today was extremely chaotic, such that if the customers didn't start queuing up yesterday, they wouldn't have been able to get their hands on the limited edition silver PTA.

"So there aren't any ways to get it?"

"All the other chain stores are also out of stock, so even if you were to go to any of our chain stores, you probably won't be able to buy it..."

The shop assistant answered my question seriously. He looked like those giant apes that live in the mountains, but he was probably a nice guy.

All in all, the result was clear.

"We were too naive..."

If we had really wanted the limited edition silver PTA, we should have had been prepared to have started queuing way before the store's opening time. To saunter into the store at 5 in the afternoon was really a grossly uninformed decision.

"..."

I looked to my side at Haruka, who stood there like a statue, her eyes devoid of all light.

"Ah, Haruka."

Though Haruka was usually perfect, and occasionally clumsy, looking at this blank expression of hers, I didn't know what to say to her.

"It's alright, we were just unlucky."

"..."

"Haruka?"

"...Huh? Ah?"

Haruka finally came back to reality, but she had a dead look in her eyes...looks like she suffered a deep psychological wound.

"Let's just leave this place first, since we can't do anything about it."

I wanted to prevent the atmosphere from becoming too awkward.

"...Al...Alright."

After answering lifelessly, Haruka walked towards the elevator. But her body started to sway unsteadily halfway to the elevator.

"Haruka?"

"Hmm? What?"

Just as she answered me, Haruka's body suddenly fell forward.

"!"

The second before Haruka slammed into the ground, I managed to catch her. Wow! Her waist is so thin, and she smells so nice...No, now's not the time to think about such things,

"Haruka! Are you alright?"

Haruka squeezed her eyes together in my arms.

"Mm, I merely lost my balance..."

It's probably anemia or something similar! Haruka's skin, which was already extremely white, now became even paler...What do I do, should I ask for help from the shop assistants? Or should I call for an ambulance?

"Umm...Yuuto-san, I'm alright. I should feel better after resting for a while."

Haruka shook her head weakly as though she knew what I was thinking about.

"But..."

"Please don't make this into a big incident, I don't want to cause you any trouble."

...No choice, looks like I should respect Haruka's opinion.

"...I get it, either way, we should leave this store and find some place to rest...Please endure this for a while."

"Huh? Yuu...Yuuto-san!?"

I carried Haruka, whose eyeballs rolled into the back of her head, but this action was misunderstood as the people around us started to cheer and whistle, leading me to run out of the store awkwardly.

...Whether it was carrying a princess in my arms, or being carried (of course I don't want to be carried like that), this was the first time that I've experienced something like this.

Looking for a place to rest, I ended up in a small park.

"It's....so tiring..."

I really carried Haruka in my arms while running. Though Haruka wasn't heavy, on the contrary, she was as light as a feather, as the club that I joined in school was the 'go-home club', it was still extremely tiring for the me who never exercises. God, I'm getting older now...Perhaps it's time to consider whether to buy the products from the fourth store. The kind of products that I'm talking about are the products that foreigners advertise to the people in front of the televisions in the wee hours of the morning, products like weird-looking all-enabling indoor track machines - "Hey! Nancy! I have something really nice to give you today!" "Wow! Bill, what's that?" That kind of product. This product can be paid for in installments, only 12800 Yen including taxes...ah, that's just my impression of such advertisements!

"Hey, oh!"

Haruka probably fell asleep as I was carrying her, and she was sleeping as soundly as Sleeping Beauty. I placed her lightly on the park bench, and finally relaxed.

--She really did faint.

She really did wish to buy the limited edition silver PTA, and as all her expectations were dashed in that one moment, it was just like what people say, that the higher the expectations, the greater the fall.

Haruka, who was now lying on the bench, was breathing regularly again.

If she still doesn't wake up after a while more, maybe I should seriously consider whether I should call an ambulance. Although I didn't want to blow up the incident either, Haruka's condition was the top priority.

If I were to call an ambulance, should I use my cellphone, or use one of the public phones that are now as rare as a fossil? I mulled over the two choices as I turned to look at Haruka once more...

"Ah..."

Haruka had already woken up.

Coincidentally, our eyes met.

"..."

"..."

...This was rather awkward.

"Ah, are you feeling better now?"

"Ah, yes..."

Haruka nodded, looking a little nervous.

"Thanks to you, I'm feeling much better now, I think it's probably because I wasn't able to sleep properly yesterday night."

"Wasn't able to sleep properly?"

"...About that...Yes, I was really looking forward to today, so I couldn't bear to close my eyes, just like the night before I'm about to go on a trip..."

"I see."

"..."

"..."

We lapsed into silence.

It might have been less awkward if we shifted our gazes away from each other, but for some reason, we were unable to do that. My eyes just couldn't bear to move away from Haruka's beautiful features, her hair that was slightly wet from sweat, her lightly blushing cheeks, and her small, cute cherry lips. But, why was Haruka also staring unblinkingly at me?

I felt that my heart was beating furiously, my throat was parched, and even my breathing became rough and irregular. It can't be...are these the symptoms of cardiac arrest?...No, it can't be, I don't have any history of heart problems, and my body should be perfectly healthy (even though my level of fitness is around that of a sixty year-old grandfather), and my meat intake was far lesser than that of the American Leopard, so that should count in my favor.

But...Why...Just what is happening?

This kind of charged atmosphere didn't change and just like in the last moments before an engine completely goes out, it will be working over-capacity, resulting in overheating.

I felt that if this were to continue for another 10 seconds, I could very well depart from this world. Just at that moment, a strange sound came from my pocket, breaking the tension.

"Ah..."

The charged atmosphere was broken.

<<The Ride Of The Valkyries>>

This was a tune from the movie <<Apocalypse Now>>, composed by Wagner, a tune with an extremely frightening rhythm. This wasn't a ring tone, but a message incoming tone...Only one person would select this tune as the message incoming tone.

"Ruko..."

Just as I expected, three simple words appeared on the LCD screen of my cellphone: Message from Sister.

"Feel like eating curry tonight. Go and buy the ingredients quickly, be back before seven!"

...It wasn't any of my business whether she liked curry or not, but she's already twenty-three, and not only can she not cook, but she even pushes all the household chores to her younger brother (me)! What kind of woman is she, what kind of sister is she! And she even wants me to be back home before seven! I really have a lot of complain about, but only this time...Perhaps I should squeeze out some tears of gratitude for this timely message.

"A message?"

"Yes, from my sister."

All thanks to the timely appearance of the message, the tense atmosphere was completely broken down.

"You have a sister?"

"Hmm? Haven't I told you about her before? She's seven years older than me..."

"Is...Is that so..."

But this could only break the silence for a while, Haruka's cheeks were still flaming red, and I've also accidentally made a weird action...What should I say now?

Anyway, I have to divert the topic somehow.

"Yes, it's like that. Ah, right. Haruka, are you thirsty? I'll go get us some drinks, so just sit here and wait for me alright."

"Ah, alright. Then..."

"I'll be right back."

I let Haruka, who seemed to have something to say, sit on the bench before making myself scarce. Because if I continued to stay with Haruka, I felt that the atmosphere would become extremely awkward.

I bought red tea and coffee at a nearby vending machine, taking the opportunity to regulate my breathing and to calm myself down. I don't know what's happening, but I must first let my heart slow down to its normal rhythm. I breathed in and out deeply five times in a row (from an objective perspective, I'm really a strange person), finally managing to get my heartbeat back to an acceptably normal level. Whew, I think I'll be able to relax for now. I can't make Haruka wait for long, so I should go back now.

I ran back to Haruka.

"Here, this is for you. Do you mind red tea?"

"Mm, thank you. I like red tea very much."

I passed her the can of red tea that had the logo of a lemon of it. As Haruka brought it up to her mouth with a smile,

"Mm, it has a really unique taste, this kind...may taste nicer."

"Unique?"

This wasn't anything special, just a can of lemon red tea that could be bought anywhere.

"This is my first time drinking canned red tea."

...So that was why. In school, I've really never seen Haruka drinking canned or packet drinks before as she always brought her own teacup and water bottle.

Looking at Haruka gulping down the red tea, I also started to sip from my can of coffee. A crow that was above me kept making melancholic cries, perhaps it had seven children waiting for it to come home in the mountains!

"About just now...I'm really sorry."

Under the setting sun, Haruka softly apologized.

"Fainting in front of so many people...I must have given Yuuto-san quite a bit of trouble, right?"

"Ah, it wasn't much!"

Though the looks that were cast on me from all directions were indeed rather painful when I was carrying the sleeping beauty in my arms, this wasn't Haruka's fault, and I did get something out of it.

"...I'm really very sorry. Yuuto-san specially made time to go shopping with me, but in the end..."

Haruka lowered her head.

"...I'm really useless. Because of my oversight, all the silver PTAs were sold out. Not only was I not able to complete the main objective of today's shopping trip, I also got Yuuto-san into quite a bit of trouble...I'm really really useless, as useless as 'Useless Girl Megu-chan'. If I had known this was going to happen, we shouldn't have come at all. Yuuto-san, you must be thinking the same thing right..."

Haruka gripped the metal can tightly as she took a deep breath. I could understand that Haruka was extremely depressed, but...she doesn't have to put herself down like this. And anyway, who's Megu-chan?

And also, there was a huge flaw in Haruka's logic.

"Wait a minute. It might have been due to your oversight that we weren't able to get the limited edition game console, and we do feel sad about not being able to get it, but...I didn't force myself to go on this shopping trip with you, I accepted your invitation because I wanted to go shopping with you.

That's the assumption that you've made which I want to challenge."

"Hmm..."

"Anyway...I enjoyed myself immensely today, I saw a lot of new things that I've never seen before (For example, cat-ear maids, cat-ear maids, and cat-ear maids), which is why I cannot agree with you when you say that we shouldn't have come in the first place if we had known that we'll be unable to buy the silver PTA. On the contrary, I feel that it is an honor for me to be able to accompany you on this trip."

This were my true feelings on the matter.

"Yuuto-san..."

[[Image:NHnH vol01 163.jpg|thumb]]
Haruka started sobbing with her head leaned to one side.

"Sob...Thank you...Thank you very much. I...I also had a lot of fun today, this is the first time that I've gone shopping with someone...I'm really really happy today, though I'm sad at not being able to get the PTA, I'm really really sorry, and...and..."

"Ah, don't cry."

"Alright..."

Though Haruka agreed to not cry, her sobs only got louder and louder. I had an overpowering urge to offer her my handkerchief...but I realized that my handkerchief wasn't of good quality enough to be offered to another person, so I could only dig out a packet of tissue that was being handed out on the street (as for the company that was giving out tissues, it's a certain financial corporation whose president had recently been arrested).

"Sob......Thank you."

Looking at Haruka using both the mass-produced cheap tissues together with higher quality silk tissues to wipe her tears was rather unbelievable.

It took ten minutes for Haruka to stop crying.

"We should get going..."

"...Right, it's getting late."

Haruka, who finally stopped crying, stood up from the bench with a smile on her face.

"But...I still feel depressed over the fact that we weren't able to get the silver PTA."

"We could go and ask the other stores whether they still have the silver PTA in stock the next time we have a day off."

Upon hearing my words, Haruka gave a shocked expression.

"Really?"

"Of course. Haven't I already said I also had a lot of fun today, and I also wish to be able to go shopping with you?"

"Ah, I'm so happy!"

Haruka skipped forward, while in front of her was---

"Haruka! In front of you!"

"Hmm?"

It was too late.

Bang. After that huge noise,

"...It hurts!"

...Haruka had knocked into a pole, which must have been really painful. Should this be classified as being an airhead? Or just plain clumsiness? But after looking at Haruka, I couldn't help but smile slightly.

"...Yuuto-san, it's mean to laugh at other people!"

"Hmm? I'm not laughing."

"Yes you are! You're laughing! And you're laughing really happily!"

Haruka smashed her small fists into my chest, of course, it wasn't painful at all.

"Yes, yes, it's all my fault."

"...I can't feel your sincerity."

"Really, I'm being really sincere over here."

What to do? I looked around me, hoping to find a way to get out of this tight corner, when I suddenly saw a rectangular shaped machine. That's it, that's the thing.

"Why don't we try that again as the last activity of the day? My treat."

I pointed to the capsule vending machine that Haruka had used during the day, and our current position was in the park right behind that store.

Haruka's indignant expression immediately changed to an excited one.

"Really!? Yay!"

I took out a hundred-yen coin and passed it to Haruka, who promptly threw it into the coin slot and turned the handle, causing a round capsule to roll out.

As she opened the capsule, Haruka suddenly shouted loudly.

"This is the one! This...This is...the 'Shy shy pose'."

Huh? What? Is she speaking Japanese?

"This is the favorite pose of the female protagonist of the <<Shy Triangle>> Aki-chan. Look, it's really cute isn't it?"

Resting in the palm of Haruka's hand was the figurine of a blue-haired girl who was lightly grabbing onto the hem of her skirt with her fingers. I see, this pose is called the 'Shy shy pose L'. For some reason, this pose seems strangely familiar?

"I'm going to treat it like a treasure!"

Haruka smiled happily as she hugged the figurine.

"...Treat this like a treasure?"

She was planning to treat this figurine with a strange-looking pose like a treasure? Could it be that Haruka likes this figurine more than the piano-playing one?

"This pose is very cute, so I really like it, and..."

Haruka blushed as she said...

"And...this is something that Yuuto-san bought for me. So it's extremely valuable, a most important piece of treasure to me."

She actually said something like that.

......Now this was a predicament.

She was so serious and was blushing so furiously that I didn't know how to answer her, so before I could figure out my answer, my face was burning as I didn't dare to look straight at Haruka.

The cold wind of the sunset blew onto my face, and I took the respite given by the cold air blowing onto my burning face (about three minutes) to finally come up with an answer.

"...Please take good care of it."

......To be honest, I don't know if that was a god enough answer, but at least I gave an answer.

My first shopping trip with Haruka ended like this.

On a side note, this was something that I heard from Nobunaga after the shopping trip, that the figurine with the strange pose seemed to be an extremely rare item, with only fifty of them in existence, an extremely valuable product...I really don't know how this society works sometimes...

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| Back to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Chapter1

2010-03-23T15:31:54Z

Sobokal:

===Chapter 1===
__NOTOC__
==1==
The lunch break on that day wasn't any different from the usual lunch breaks.

I was eating lunch and chatting with a few classmates whom I am close to (Nagai, Takenami, and Ogawa, more commonly known as the three idiots) in the 2-1 classroom of the private high school Hakujo Academy. The topic of conversation would probably induce suicidal thoughts in other people.

"That's why I think that the female sports uniform should have bloomers, anyone who wears [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_shorts Bermuda shorts] that reach down to the knees isn't human. Anyone who's opposed to this motion isn't a citizen of Japan."

"That's right, I think so too."

"You're absolutely right."

Ogawa and Takenami nodded their heads vigorously in agreement with Nagai's opinion.

"Yuuto, what do you think?"

"Hmm? Well, I'm alright with anything I guess."

I was really alright with anything that the girls wore, which was why I answered the way I did.

"Alright with anything? It's because of your sitting-on-the-fence attitude that Japan has been brought to its current state of affairs. You're always like this, not taking sides on anything."

"Ayase, that's what you are. You don't have your own opinion on anything, you always cross the bridge only when you bump into it. You'll be sorry one day if you continue like this."

"That's right, you can't carry on like this!"

The three of them took turns to take shots at me, but they were merely meddling in other people's affairs. I don't deny that I'm an irresponsible and insensitive guy (though it's rather embarrassing that I say that about myself), but even I don't want to hear such criticism from three guys who discuss about bloomers with perfectly straight faces.

"Alright, let's do this! You can listen to our respective arguments before deciding which side you're on. We'll start with the visual impact of bloomers."

Gosh, they really are the 'three idiots'.

I sighed soundlessly while casually looking around the classroom. Everything was normal, students were eating their lunch while chatting with their friends, making up the familiar lunchtime scenery.

The spot in the classroom that attracted me the most was that seat next to the corridor. Because in the classroom that is so messy that it would make even the monkey closure look tidy, only that particular spot had a soothing and comforting aura around it.

Seated in that place, was a beautiful girl endowed with the nickname "Nuit Étoile".

She's my classmate, Nogizaka Haruka.

She had probably finished lunch already, as she leaned slightly backward and was concentrating on the book that she held in her left hand. The way she flipped the pages of her book with her fingers looked like a scene straight out of a painting. Colloquially, it means that she's too cute to be described. Or perhaps I should say that she's the very embodiment of a perfect and beautiful lady. Anyway, it seems as though all traces of corruption could be washed away just by looking at her.

[[Image:NHnH vol01 021.jpg|thumb]]

I stared, mesmerized, at Nogizaka Haruka with my mouth stuffed with bread (while completely ignoring the discussion between Nagai and the others). Yes, the psychological wound received a few moments ago had already been healed. The feeling of pure bliss would probably be something like this, right?

I immersed myself in the joy of watching her while fantasizing.

But after a few short minutes, this feeling of bliss was abruptly ended.

I heard a familiar voice coming from the other side of the corridor. It wasn't a very loud voice, but it would probably take up a lot of my time, since it's probably Nobunaga. I sighed soundlessly again; here comes another idiot.

"Is Yuuto here?"

Just as I expected, a familiar face appeared at the entrance of the classroom. He's a petite pretty boy with light brown hair whom others would mistake as a girl from afar. This fellow started shouting the moment he saw me.

"Ah! There you are! Yuuto, did you catch the anime that aired late last night? I recorded it as I watched because I feel that that's the best way to appreciate it."

The volume of his voice attracted some attention from the other students in class, but after everyone saw that it was from Nobunaga, they resumed whatever it was they were doing before immediately. I don't know how to put it, but anyway, my classmates have gotten used to his presence after he's been coming over to talk to me since the start of the school year.

"You didn't watch it? Yesterday's 「The Shy Triangle」 will air its last episode next week, and the climax of the entire series is when the good friend of the protagonist...Ah, the DVD seems to be going on sale soon, I'll definitely go and buy it, since it's going to be a limited edition and will come with a figurine of the protagonist 'Clumsy girl Aki-chan'..."

The guy who ran into my classroom and started talking about a topic that one would find it hard to associate with his appearance is Asakura Nobunaga. I've known him since kindergarten, which is why you could use the phrase 'hellish bonds of friendship' to describe our relationship, though he's still a good friend of mine, since he doesn't get me into any trouble. Honestly speaking, he's still quite a cheerful and sociable person, which is why he can strike up a conversation with almost anyone. His academic results are extremely good, with Physics and Mathematics being his best subjects. From his earlier actions, you can tell that his hobby is a rather extreme one, a form of otaku-ism...which is what we all know as the 'Akihabara clan'. The man whose name is a combination of the names of two imperial generals has a weak looking exterior and a hobby which neither fit the names of a warring general nor his appearance. In conclusion, he's a guy with complicated characteristics and is hard to place into any category.

"Yuuto, you've really missed out by not watching. This anime series was adapted from a manga, but its something like a tale prior to the story, explaining why the protagonist and his best friend turned against each other......"

"Ah------ I got that already!"

I had to do something to shut him up or he'll eat up my entire lunch break. I took this course of action precisely based on past experiences.

"It's not nice of you to be such a wet blanket when I was just getting into my rhythm!"

"It's not nice of you to suddenly run into someone else's classroom to spam him with your personal hobby!"

"Is that so? But doesn't everyone like to talk about these kind of things?"

"Please do not think that everyone is like you!"

"Hmm, but, you like these kind of things, don't you?"

"Don't I always say that I don't have any special inclination?"

I don't like it, but I don't hate it either. I don't agree with it, but I don't disagree with it either. This is my stance regarding this fellow, and the rest of the Akihabara clan. No, to be more precise, it's more of 'I don't really understand them'. In short, I'm still quite mystified regarding the age-old question of 'why are people at this age still so interested in cartoons', and even more surprisingly, I'm actually good friends with someone like this.

"Hmm...But I've always thought that you have the right attributes."

What kind of attributes?

"That's the highest level of praise that I'll give to anyone, you know. Hmm...let's not talk about this anymore. Yuuto, I've got big news for you!"

"Big news?"

I felt that what this fellow was going to say probably won't be anything serious and wholesome, but...

"I've been looking for a certain magazine all this while, haven't I? Our school's library finally bought this old issue! Our library's the best, I can import in any rare book that I want by just filling in an application form. The school can afford to buy all these books because of the extremely generous donations that they have been receiving. Their funds seem limitless. Money really makes the world go round indeed, yah~"

Nobunaga grinned widely as he babbled on and on about this big news.

Magazine? I seem to remember him asking me to help look for a magazine with an extremely strange name a while back. Looks like the school had approved his application form.

"......Wait a minute, did you fake an application form?"

I looked at him suspiciously.

"That's rude, I would never do something like that."

Nobunaga shook his head as he gave a "you're totally wrong" expression, and then answered with a perfectly straight face, "I merely threatened them."

That's even worse.

But that fellow completely ignored my reaction.

"「INNOCENT SMILE」 is an extremely famous magazine! The original manga of the anime that aired yesterday night was serialized in this magazine. It wasn't too long ago, so you probably should have some memory of it. It caused quite a stir when its first edition came out."

Just as Nobunaga went into his extremely long-winded debate mode, there was a huge noise in the classroom.

Our position was in the middle of the classroom, while the sound came from the opposite direction. To be more precise, it came from the second-last seat from the corridor, which was the place that held my attention before Nobunaga came in. From a certain perspective, that was the one place in class that would never be associated with loud and jarring noises.

But right now, Nogizaka-san was standing there with her eyes trained on the two of us, with a chair lying face-down, the source of that loud noise, beside her feet.

The classroom suddenly became extremely quiet. Nogizaka-san, who always wore an expression of peaceful serenity, now had a disturbed expression on her face.

"No...Nogizaka-san, what happened?"

"I...I don't know, we didn't do anything weird did we?"

"She seems to be looking at Ayase-kun..."

Murmurings were heard in the classroom.

Did we do something wrong?

Even though I felt that we hadn't done anything, the sharp gaze that Nogizaka-san threw at us was that of a policewoman who has just caught a molester in the act on a crowded train. Under a gaze of that nature, Nobunaga and I really looked like we had done something against the welfare of society, and the looks from the rest of the class seemed to ask the exact same question, 'What did the two of you do?'.

"Yuuto, what do we do? Everyone's looking at us."

"Ye......Yeah......"

I thought that the most probable reason would be that Nobunaga's voice was way too loud, disturbing Nogizaka-san's reading. Even though I was already used to it, Nobunaga's voice would naturally become extremely loud when he talked about his hobby. It wouldn't come as much of a surprise if that had disturbed Nogizaka-san.

Which would mean that we had really done something wrong. So we should probably apologize.

Under the watchful eyes of the rest of the class, I walked towards Nogizaka-san's seat.

"Erm......I'm sorry for disturbing you with our loud conversation."

I bowed deeply as an apology, Nogizaka-san then seemed to regain her usual expression.

"Ah, that's not it, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean to blame the two of you or anything, so you don't have to apologize to me."

"?"

But, weren't you glaring at the two of us just a few moments ago?

"It's nothing, so, it's nothing......I'm sorry for troubling everyone."

After saying that, Nogizaka-san politely bowed to the rest of the class as she righted her chair and sat down as though nothing had happened.

However, this left us extremely confused.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know...... Wasn't it because of the noise you were making?"

"I'm not noisy!"

I ignored Nobunaga's contradictary loud shout to defend his stand that he's not loud, but instead I stared at Nogizaka-san like someone who had been played around with by a fox spirit. On the regal face of the "Nuit Étoile", a trace of uneasiness could still be seen... there has to be some reason for that.

Deviating from the topic at hand, from the time when Nobunaga rushed into the classroom to when Nogizaka stared at us, Nagai and the other two were still heatedly debating on the topic of bloomers. Was that due to concentration, or just plain stupidity?

I think the correct answer should be the latter.

Actually, I didn't really care if they're idiots or not.

The fifth and sixth periods ended without incident. After class had ended, I walked towards the library only because that Nobunaga told me......

"Yuuto, I'm really sorry, but could you help me return this book to the library? Since you're free after school anyway, while I have to rush back to finish the map for WonFes--"

......Geez! I don't know what Wan Wan Fes. (Could it be a festival for dogs? But I recall that guy having a cat instead...). If it's like this, then he should have just returned it yesterday! But thoughts are just thoughts, and I agreed to help him, as he had often helped me out before (like him lending me textbooks when I forgot mine: helping me to repair my computer when it broke down......etc), oh well, I really had nothing to do after school anyway.

And this was why I came to the library, a place where I would normally almost never set foot in.

It was said that the rate of usage for our library was unbelievably low, because, the number of people, including yours truly, who've actually used the library could be counted on one hand. To increase the rate of usage of the library, the school even set up an electronic lending system, renovated the library to be an extremely comfortable place for reading, and had bought books of all genres. But to the modern generation of children who're far disposed from printed products, all these measures were for naught, as nothing had changed. But I have not used the library for anything other than for afternoon naps, so who am I to really say anything.

Anyway, because of the pitiful number of users, I shouldn't need much time to return a book.

I walked towards the computer terminal and started to tap the keyboard. One has to use the computer to borrow or return books, which was rather tedious (Nobunaga said that once you get used to it, computers would definitely be faster than human processing). Oh well, if I felt that something as simple as this was tedious, then I probably won't be able to survive in modern society. The man who doesn't work does not get to eat. I entered the reference code of the book and my student identification number......OK, that's it. I only have to return the book to its place on the shelf. (By the way, the title of the book is 「Pretty Girl Models Collection III --- The History of Ball Joints」. Our school really does buy everything). Mission accomplished, I can go home now.

Just as I was about to walk towards the exit.

"..."

I spotted a suspicious character.

How should I put this? Mm, it is an extremely suspicious character indeed.

Because this person is hiding her face with her schoolbag while attempting to move stealthily behind the bookshelves like a ninja or assassin, and its a female student to boot. Thus if this is not strange, then what is (sarcasm)... What is with that person? She seems to want to conceal her movements, but isn't this making it worse, and attracting more attention instead? Or, could it be that she actually wanted attention instead?

In any case, it would be better not to come into contact with someone like that. Troubles come about from the mouth, as long as you are not overly curious, even the cat could suffer an unexplained death. Just as I decided to pretend not to see anything and tried to get out of the library---

I saw the face of the suspicious character behind the bookshelf.

At that moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

I thought I was hallucinating due to my brain's rejection reaction towards this library that I almost never step into.

"......"

Why would I think that way?

Because I was extremely familiar with that face.

"That's......"

Nogizaka-san?

As unbelievable as it sounds, that suspicious person really was Nogizaka Haruka. I would never miss that beautiful face of hers even if I was a mile away. But, why was she behaving so strangely?

I was bursting with questions, but Nogizaka-san didn't notice me as she ambled up to the computer terminal beside me, with the air of a 15-year old girl who's preparing to steal a motorcycle in the middle of the night, and began to type. I saw a magazine beside her, so she was probably planning to borrow it.

Tap, tap, I heard the sound of fingers on the keyboard.

She had probably finished borrowing the book, as Nogizaka-san lifted her head from the terminal with the smile of a German expert. Just as she prepared to walk towards the exit......

Our eyes met.

"..."

"..."

At that moment, time stopped.

"..."

"..."

"...Erm...What brings you here?"

That was what I wanted to ask her, but it wasn't surprising that Nogizaka-san would look at me as though she was looking at that legendary giant monster Uma, because the probability of meeting me in the library was lower than meeting a yeti.

"Since when have you been standing here?"

"For a while now."

"You...You saw it?"

"?"

Saw what?

"You...You saw the book that I borrowed..."

"No, I didn't see it..."

"Oh, is that so? Hoo!"

Nogizaka-san's expression was reminiscent of a middle-aged manager who just found out that he wasn't on the list of retrenched personnel. What's happening?

"?"

"Ah! It...It's nothing, Ayase-kun, please don't think about it, I'll be going now."

Nogizaka-san hurriedly nodded to me as she strode towards the exit. Maybe because she was disturbed by my presence, but she totally didn't notice that she was walking towards a reading table and chair set.

"Ah...Nogizaka-san, that's......"

"Hiiee!?"

And then!

Smash!

In the midst of the noise of falling furniture, Nogizaka-san, who'd tripped over a chair, fell onto her back. This was a breathtaking set of actions that one would be hard-pressed to produce.

"Ou...Ouch! Why would there be a chair here..."

Things were becoming stranger, those chairs have always been there, and the serenely-peaceful Nogizaka-san would actually do something out of character. Just what was happening? Perhaps this was what "even the most complete strategy could fail" was referring to?

Whatever the case, I couldn't possibly just leave her there, so I helped Nogizaka-san up. From a certain perspective, Nogizaka-san probably brought it upon herself! But it would have been ungentlemanly of me not to help a girl who has just fallen down in front of you (especially if that girl is Nogizaka Haruka), and I have a National Gentlemanly Conduct Grade 2 certificate......Even though I just made that up myself.

"Ah......Thank you! I'm so sorry!"

After helping up the almond-eyed Nogizaka-san, I turned my eyes to her personal belongings that were scattered all over the place.

It was really a mess, but just as I was going to help her pick up her things...

"No...You can't!"

That scream was unbelievably loud, the kind that you hear when a bedroom scene suddenly shows on the T.V. when you're eating with your family. I can't? What does she mean? Is she saying that I'm not allowed to touch her personal things with my dirty hands......? No, I don't think Nogizaka-san would think that way.

"?"

Although I didn't know why Nogizaka-san wanted to stop me, I still reached out to help her pick up the magazine.

"No, don't do it!"

Nogizaka-san reached out towards the magazine at my feet like a depraved bandit.

But...

"Ah?"

On the path of her trajectory, there was a mathematics notebook!

"Ah? This...!?"

She stepped onto that notebook with one hundred percent accuracy!!

"Ehhhhhhh!?"

The foot that had all the force of her body weight behind it, was set free from its contact with the ground by virtue of the friction (or lack thereof) between the notebook and the floor of the library!

"Kyaaaaaa!"

And then, her body flew into the air, while directly in front of her......was a bookshelf.

Smash! Boom!

In the midst of an even louder crash, the bookshelf toppled over from Nogizaka-san's spinning attack. And then, the toppled shelf hit the one beside it, and the one beside it toppled over onto another shelf......the bookshelves toppled one by one like dominoes.

In the space of a few short seconds, all the bookshelves had toppled over.

"..."

In a mere instant, the library had become ground zero.

Erm......

What just happened? I frantically tried to piece together the chronology of events.

What I see now is a library floor that's completely covered with books, making it look like a library from hell, and Nogizaka-san, who's never gotten into a fight her whole life, but had boldly smashed her way towards the bookshelf, plus her personal belongings that were spread out all over the floor.

What am I doing here?

Though I had blanked out for a moment there, I suddenly remembered what I was doing when I looked at all the things on the floor. That's right, I was trying to help Nogizaka-san pick up her personal belongings.

Nogizaka-san didn't seem to be hurt, so I wanted to help her pick everything up. And the first book that I picked up was that magazine by my feet!!!

---I finally found out the reason behind Nogizaka-san's panic.

"..."

"..."

There was an anime-style picture with a girl who had hair the color of the sky, something that could never be achieved through natural genetic inheritance, and a pair of biologically impossible large and sparkling eyes. The girl was smiling as she grabbed the hem of her skirt lightly with her fingers.

Below the picture was an overly photoshopped caption which read 「INNOCENT SMILE」 in bold and think yellow letters.

"This..."

I was speechless for a moment. This...was definitely the magazine that Nobunaga was talking about. But, why would Nogizaka-san want to borrow this book...

I had no time to continue my line of thought before a surprising voice entered my ears.

"Sob...sob...I've been seen, I've been seen!"

I only realized that the situation was serious when I saw that it was the sound of Nogizaka-san crying.

Due to the commotion, a few students from the art room had already gathered at the library.

"It's all over......sob..."

Nogizaka-san was still crying.

Actually, in this kind of situation, I felt that I should be the one that it was 'all over' for.

The stares from the surrounding students were sharp and piercing, turning the library into a much more dangerous place. Though there were only four or five students from the art room at the scene, their looks made me feel like I was the kind of contemptible man who extorted money from his girlfriend until she couldn't take it anymore and wanted a break-up, whereupon I bullied her until she cried. That kind of look was extremely uncomfortable to bear.

"What's happening? Aren't those two dating? -whisper whisper-"

"They are? But the guy looks like he doesn't really care about what's happening? -whisper whisper-"

"Was he the one who pushed down all the bookshelves? -whisper whisper-"

"Isn't he Ayase-kun of class 1? -whisper whisper-"

Listening to the contents of the whisperings, the only bright spot was that they hadn't realized that the crying girl was Nogizaka Haruka.

"The girl must have been begging him not to abandon her when he pushed her into the bookshelves."

"How could he! That's despicable!"

"Enemy of all women!"

"Detestable man!"

They were really going overboard here.

But from an objective point of view, it really did look like I had made Nogizaka-san cry, because that was practically the only possibility that could be inferred from the situation in the library, so I couldn't really blame the whispering students either.

In a nutshell, one thing was certain.

And that was, if I continued to stay at the scene of the crime, my bad reputation would be the talk of the entire school by tomorrow morning.

That's why...

With reference to the wisdom passed down by our ancestors, it was time to make a retreat! Therefore I picked up the stuff scattered all over the floor at breakneck speed, grabbed the hand of Nogizaka-san, who was still crying, and ran for our dear lives!! In truth...

We really were running for our lives!! From the library that is. From behind us...

"Ah! They've escaped!"

"He's kidnapping her?"

"They're eloping?"

"It should be the former, it's obvious that it's the former."

Those few lines were slightly better. But, why must they see me as the villain? I haven't done anything wrong.

Even I felt like crying, but when compared to a woman's tears that are like pearls, a man's tears are merely salt water. Other than the ability to melt slugs, salt water was practically useless.

But...why did it turn out like this?

I sighed deeply as I tried to look for a place where we wouldn't be seen. My feelings right now were heavier than a meat-cow that was being sent to the slaughterhouse.

Because of this...

I, who had been accused of breaking the law and of being a detestable man, finally made it out of the library with Nogizaka-san in tow, coming to a stop on the roof of the school. To someone without an exceptional  brain like me, this was the only place I could think of which could let us talk in peace and not be seen.

Nogizaka-san had already stopped crying...but right now, she still wore a blank expression as her shoulders continued to shiver, giving an impression that was completely different from the perfect 'Nuit Étoile', as she appeared to be infinitely delicate. I had never noticed that Nogizaka-san was actually so petite.

There was only one reason behind Nogizaka-san's panic.

And that was the copy of 「INNOCENT SMILE」 that I held in my left hand.

Because everything happened so fast, I had no time to organize my thoughts. But after calming down and thinking about it, I understood why she was in such a panic.

Which is to say...

"Nogizaka-san...You're an otaku..."

Nogizaka-san gave a start at my words. Bingo! Looks like I was right!

Which means that the incident at lunch break was only her reaction to Nobunaga's reference to 「INNOCENT SMILE」. But no, now is not the time to be analyzing her actions calmly.

Nogizaka-san was extremely depressed.

Looks like Nogizaka-san was extremely bothered by the fact that someone knew that she was an otaku, but it was indeed extremely surprising.

Normal people would be more condemning with regards to the different hobbies of a small group of people, but there were so many of such things in Nobunaga's room that it made you want to vomit (literally), so I don't really mind these kind of things.

"Erm, Nogizaka-san..."

I decided to move on.

"...Mm?"

A flash of fear suddenly cut across Nogizaka-san's dull-looking eyes.

"Erm...I've already forgotten everything that I saw today."

"Huh?"

Nogizaka-san, who was looking like a wilted flower, finally perked up a little.

"I'm not saying that I don't care about you......but you seem to be extremely disturbed about this incident, right? So I'll forget everything that has happened today, I won't tell anyone about this, and I won't mention it in front of you either, so you don't need to worry."

"..."

After listening to my long sentence, Nogizaka-san had a stunned expression on her face, looking like a deer that was going to be shot by a hunter. Did I say anything weird?

"..."

For a while, Nogizaka-san stopped moving. Hmm...this looks bad, and it could become even worse if I don't try to cheer her up. Just as I started to think of ways to do that...

"Ayase-kun, please do not take me for an idiot, and please do not look at me with such a strange gaze."

Nogizaka-san spoke.

"Strange gaze? What do you mean?"

"Well......Because......most people are openly disapproving of this kind of hobby. So..."

Maybe she had thought of something, which was why Nogizaka-san would say this kind of thing. Openly disapproving? Though there was some truth in that, but...

"I understand what you're trying to say, but...even if you have that kind of hobby, a normal person is still a normal person, a strange person is still a strange person. That's why I don't believe in judging a person by their hobbies."

Nobunaga is the best example. He's the perfect embodiment of an otaku, and though he is a bit...strange, he's definitely not a bad person, or I wouldn't have been his best friend for more than ten years.

"But...But..."

Nogizaka-san still had a worried look on her face. Hmm...How should I explain this?

"What I mean is, even if you have this kind of hobby, you're still you, right? That won't change, so you don't have to think about it so much."

"I'm...still myself?"

Nogizaka-san stuttered a reply.

"That's right! To be honest, being an otaku is just another hobby. In the end, I just think that it's an accompanying gift of a person's character. Because the nature of that gift differs from one person to the next, it's merely a small part of a person's character. A person's most important part shouldn't be here, should it? And..."

"...And what?"

"Hmm...I don't really know how to say this. But when I found out that you have a side that no one else knows about, I felt that it was really interesting..."

"Huh..."

"Or maybe I should say that I feel that I've gotten a little closer to you, so I'm happy..."

Nogizaka-san's face was beet-red.

Although my words seemed to be nonchalant, it was a true reflection of my feelings.

But Nogizaka-san seemed to be seriously listening to my words.

"You're probably the first person to say this to me."

Probably? If not for this chance encounter, I didn't think I'd say something like this to the 'Nuit Étoile' either.

"Anyway, that's how it is, so I don't think you need to be too bothered by it."

Seeing that Nogizaka-san had calmed down, I passed the magazine to her, patted her lightly on the shoulder, and left the roof of the school building. I walked down the stairs, changed shoes at the lobby, and walked out of the school gate, finally able to move freely again.

I lectured Nogizaka Haruka.

I actually lectured Nogizaka-san with a mountain of extremely weird talk. Something which I really regret doing now, because I actually lectured a classmate with whom I had barely exchanged two sentences with before. Looks like I'm the weird one here. But it was all over now, and there was no point thinking about how I regret doing it.

In conclusion, my relationship with Nogizaka Haruka should probably stop here shouldn't it?

No matter how you look at it, she's the prettiest girl in school, she's an extremely smart girl with brilliant academic results, and also the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Japan, while I'm an average common citizen. Even if I do know that Nogizaka-san has her panicky moments, even if that has brought me closer to her, to be honest, we're still two people from completely different worlds. Today's incident was merely an accidental crossing of two parallel lines.

At least, that was what I had thought at that time.

==2==

Over the next few days, nothing of particular importance happened.

Nogizaka-san was still the school's most unattainable girl, while I continued to stumble through school. Rushing into class before the first bell rang, fighting against the sleep demon during lessons, chatting with Nagai and the others for a few minutes after lessons, either going to the arcade or listening to Nobunaga's endless fountain of otaku knowledge after school. I didn't have any goal in life, and I've never had a lifelong dream either. Though my everyday life was boring, it was extremely stable; it was the average life that I loved.

But within these unchanging days, I realized that one thing had changed.

And that was...

From that day onwards, the times which my gaze settled on Nogizaka-san has increased. In the classroom, I suddenly realized that I was staring at her. Hmm...Just what is happening?

"About that, I think that's called love."

"Argh!?"

Nobunaga's idiotic face suddenly appeared from the side.

"Yo! Yuuto! Let's eat lunch together!"

"When...When did you get here?"

I didn't feel his presence at all.

"Heh heh, stealth is one of my 48 special abilities!"

I've known this fellow for more than ten years, and still do not know everything about him...oh well, its not like I want to anyway.

Going back to the main topic.

"Love? Nobunaga, what do you mean?"

"Gaining and losing, unable to differentiate between what's true and what's not, that's a person in love."

I know that, but my situation's not like that.

"I would advise you not to have any ideas about the 'Nuit Étoile'."

Nobunaga ignored my response as he pulled up a chair from a neighboring table to sit in front of me while he began to speak.

"How should I put this...For someone like you, she's in another league. Hmm...it's just that your social statuses are different!"

"Hmm."

"Yuuto, I don't think you know this, but in the time span of a little more than a year that she has entered this school, the number of people who have confessed their love for the 'Nuit Étoile' was, 94 people in total, 78 guys and 16 girls, about 20% of our school's population, while the number of people who have been rejected was also 94, which means that there is a 100% chance of getting rejected. An extremely scary statistic isn't it!"

My god...I know that Nogizaka-san was popular, but 16 girls? What's the meaning of that? Girls! And why would this guy have such detailed information on his hands?

"This kind of information gathering is one of the mandatory skills required of the modern man. I could also tell you the basic personal information of the 'Nuit Étoile', hmm...Nogizaka Haruka, 16 years-old, born on the 20th of October, 155cm tall, excels at every subject, does not have a weak subject, has a grandfather, her parents, and a sister that's 3 years her junior in her immediate family..."

Nobunaga read off a notebook-like contraption that he fished out of his pocket...when did he become a stalker?

"Hey, don't look at me like I'm some kind of pervert, that's really rude of you! I'm not interested in real-life girls, for 2D girls are better, the most special of them being the cat-maid with a tail......"

I didn't even ask him about that kind of thing, as even if I were to retort, it would be obvious that we were on a different wavelength.

"And in such an information-laden time, anyone would be able to find out such information. This is a digitalized society, though there's a law regarding the protection of personal privacy, as long as one has the will, it's extremely easy to extract such information. Just tell me if you need information regarding other people. I know just about everything about everyone in school."

Nobunaga told me as he smiled generously.

...This person's dangerous! I've got to avoid having him as my enemy!

"This is just my personal opinion! It's lamentable, but if you were to attempt to woo the 'Nuit Étoile', I think your chance of failure is 99.9%. According to my sources, even the basketball team captain, Sasaoka-senpai, was one of the rejected. He's actually a man-made hunk who had gone for plastic surgery, so if even someone like him got rejected, you..."

"...Don't look at me with that glimmer of pity in your eyes!"

"No, I'm not saying that you're not good or anything, it's just that you've chosen the hardest opponent of all. I just wanted to warn you that the 'Nuit Étoile' is the strongest opponent in our school."

Nobunaga shrugged as he smiled,

"But, no matter what you decide to do, I'll support you since we're childhood friends."

It's really disgusting to be described as 'childhood friends' by another guy. No, that's not the point.

"...I've never thought of wooing Nogizaka-san."

"Really?"

What are you so suspicious about! I've never told anyone about this from the start.

"Since you said it, let's not talk about this anymore. But, have you heard this phrase before?"

Nobunaga had a wise expression on his face as he continued,

" 'To start to care is to start to fall in love!' BY Asakura Nobunaga."

Just where did he get that from! I've never heard that!

I don't know if it was the influence of Nobunaga's words, but the frequency with which I looked at Nogizaka-san actually increased after that conversation. During lessons, after lessons, after school, as long as I had the chance, I would look for her. This is bad, I seem to have contracted some serious disease.

A few more days passed after that.

This incident happened one morning two weeks after that day.

==3==
"We're going to conduct a check on personal belongings now, so please take out everything from your bag!"

The form teacher's, Tanabe Shigeo (38 years-old, male, single), words caused a stir in the classroom. While it was a mandatory check, it was understandable that the students were still unhappy about it.

"Be quiet! I'll be checking the guys, while Kamishiro-sensei will be checking the girls."

Kamishiro-sensei is our assistant-form teacher, and a light music teacher who had only just graduated from an all-girls university last year. She didn't put on any airs, was well-liked by her students, and was also extremely pretty. She's pretty, cute, and her figure's......Hmm? I seem to have deviated from the main topic.

Speaking of which, I immediately thought of one thing when I heard that there was going to be a check.

It can't be that much of a coincidence can it? Nogizaka-san can't be holding that book right now, right?

The time limit for borrowing a book from our school library was two weeks. If she had really held the book until the last day, then she would have to return it today. No, she can't be that unlucky!!

I nonchalantly looked behind me, and saw that Nogizaka-san's face had gone ashen, looking as though she was the victim of a murder.

....Ah, she must be holding the book right now.

"Please endure the check for a while more, it's finishing soon."

As per the instructions of Kamishiro-sensei, the female students began to place their personal belongings on their desks, as Nogizaka-san could only do the same with a helpless look in her eyes. I seemed to have caught a glimpse of the magazine that I had seen two weeks ago hidden among the textbooks and music scores on her table.

What should I do?

I thought about it, and I shouldn't do anything, since it's not like I'm not obliged to help her or anything.

But...

The image of Nogizaka-san crying from two weeks ago suddenly flashed across my mind. Even though I've already seen her uncontrollable sobbing, if that were to repeat itself in front of the entire class, just what kind of situation would it result in? Hmm...I didn't even dare to imagine it, but I know that it wouldn't be pretty for the pampered daughter of a wealthy family like Nogizaka-san to react to this kind of sudden event. She probably wouldn't even know what to do.

Was there really no way around it? No matter if it was a mud boat or the Titanic, she had already boarded the vessel, so I should be doing something to help her. But just as I realized that the opponent was Kamishiro-sensei, I couldn't think of any plan of attack. Two negatives make a positive, there must be a way, I can't miss this opportunity!

God, why is my brain so slow to react in the morning!

I raised my hand to speak.

"I...My stomach really hurts, may I make a trip to the washroom?"

"What's wrong? Did you eat too much for breakfast? Never mind, since you've passed the check already, you may go."

The 38 year-old Tanabe Shigeo obnoxiously said something which implied that he didn't care about his students at all. As he made his way around the desks of his students, I thought that the reason behind the fact that he still hasn't gotten married was due to his character...Oh well, it's not like it's any business of mine. I pretended to be in pain as I slanted my body while walking towards the exit of the classroom, passing by Nogizaka-san's seat in the process.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

After saying that to Nogizaka-san, who was on the verge of tears, I pretended to trip on a bag on the floor as I deliberately fell towards her table.

"Eh? Ah!"

The table fell over as the textbooks, scores and other stuff that were on it flew onto the floor as well. Together with Nogizaka-san's low scream, her surroundings descended into chaos.

"Nogizaka-san, are you alright?"

"Ayase, get lost!"

"All you do is to get in the way of others! You better get away from Nogizaka-san this instant!"

My classmates started shouting at me from all corners of the classroom. How could it be that not even one of them cared about my condition?

"Ayase-kun. What are you doing!?"

Kamishiro-sensei walked over. She probably didn't see it.

"Sorry, I was trying to get to the washroom as soon as possible when I tripped."

"You're always so rash. Alright, just carry on and leave this to me."

"Sorry to trouble you."

I nodded towards Kamishiro-sensei, who had a conspiratorial smile on her face, and hurried out of the classroom.

I walked along the corridor to the washroom, clutching my stomach with one hand.

There shouldn't be a stalker hiding in the men's toilet right now, but for the sake of secrecy, I confirmed that there wasn't anyone else in the washroom before taking out a rectangular object from the inside of my uniform. No prizes for guessing the correct answer, of course it was the 「INNOCENT SMILE」. The blue-haired girl on the cover was still smiling happily. Phew, at least I successfully smuggled it out!

"This is..."

Just as I was congratulating myself, I suddenly realized that there was something else beneath the magazine, an expensive-looking green book. This is a book of musical scores, one of those that was on Nogizaka-san's table. Looks like in my hurry to smuggle the magazine out of the classroom, I had taken something else out along with it.

"Composed by Franz Liszt. Erster Mephisto-Walzer No. 1, S514"

Such a resounding name for a piece. The Waltz of Mephisto. I flipped the book open, only to find that its interior was covered with musical symbols which I didn't understand. Wow.

She's too brilliant! I don't know anything about playing the piano. But in that moment, I already knew that this wasn't a piece that an average high school student could play. Which was why I could only stand there in awe of Nogizaka-san's piano prowess.

I carefully closed the thick score that once again reminded me of how perfect Nogizaka-san is.

At that moment, something strange loomed up in the corner of my vision.

"..."

This is a drawing right? A horrific-looking villain with the eyes of a bloodthirsty bear was drawn in one corner of the piano score. He was holding a conductor's baton in one hand, while in a speech bubble beside him contained, 'please remember not to play at too fast a tempo at this part♪', written in pink ink. In the stark contrast between the picture and the contents of the speech bubble, the reminder appeared to be extremely impish.

But the bear really wasn't drawn very nicely, as it also looked like a man-eating wolf, or a large bloodhound, or a failed clone of Godzilla. As for the object that it held in its hand, it looked like a saber, a police baton, or even an ill-designed lightsaber.

To be honest, that drawing was extremely bad. So bad that a kindergarten kid with a little bit of talent in the arts would be able to draw something better.

"...I'll just pretend that I didn't see it!"

After mulling it over, I felt that this was the wisest course of action. There are a lot of things in the world that are best left hidden and not known to mankind. See no evil.

After looking at it for a while more, I quietly closed the score.

After school, Kamishiro-sensei called me to the office.

She seemed to have seen through my act in the morning.

"You hid something at that time didn't you?"

Kamishiro-sensei crossed her legs in a way that would desolate the eyes of innocent youths as she asked. Against this sort of opponent, that the ill-conceived trick would be seen through shouldn't be much of a surprise. So I thought about how best to answer the question.

"Hmm...I admit that I hid something, but I assure you, it wasn't anything contraband. It was an object that would bring great distress to a teenage girl, which was why I took such a drastic and rash measure to solve the problem.

I just gave an answer that even I didn't understand, but Kamishiro-sensei gave a devilish smile as though I just sold my soul to her.

"I believe you. You were trying to protect Haruka, right?"

"No, about this..."

"Am I wrong?"

"Ugh..."

It seems like...she's seen through everything. It's true that aged ginger is more pungent, so I should just keep my mouth shut for now.

"Alright you don't have to give me the details, so let's just put this matter behind us. Mm...it must be nice to be young and so full of energy. The exuberant youthfulness of the E generation, if only I was five years younger!"

Kamishiro-sensei's eyes sparkled with an unearthly light, she seemed to be rather happy. Though she seemed to have misunderstood something, but any attempts to explain the situation would probably fall on deaf ears, so I decided not to act rashly.

"It's true that one should experience every type of situation while one's still young, like dating two girls at once or a triangular relationship, anything goes! If you don't play your cards properly, you could even get into a 6-way relationship..."

And this was how I spent the next five minutes.

After Kamishiro-sensei finally snapped out of her own world, she uncrossed and crossed her legs again before continuing our conversation.

"Hmm, I don't have anything else to say to you, you can go now...Ah, wait a moment, I remembered something. Yuu-chan, do you know where my cellphone is? I lost it after I went to borrow some music scores during lunch break."

"How would I know the location of your cellphone..."

"Really? Actually, I was thinking that you had hidden it! Good boys also have times when they want to play bad, it's the special psychology of teenage boys..."

"I categorically deny that."

"If you say it so seriously, onee-san will be sad you know..."

"..."

I retorted softly.

"Ah, such a cruel retort, but I'm not bluffing...I really forgot where I put it, it's really strange. Oh well, I'll just continue looking for it, I'll think of something else if I really can't find it."

"You really do know how to act blur..."

Though I'm hardly one to say that, but,

"Really? Hmm! Haruka and you...To be honest, the two of you are a surprising couple."

"No, we're not dating..."

I retorted immediately, she really had misunderstood our relationship.

"It's alright, there's no point hiding it, onee-chan knows everything already."

[[Image:NHnH vol01 060.jpg|thumb]]

"It's not a question of hiding it or not...she's the 'Nuit Étoile'! I'm not good enough for her, so this is all just a misunderstanding."

However.

"An inter-caste love relationship! So touching..."

God, this person isn't absorbing anything I'm telling her.

"...You haven't changed one bit, Yukari."

As expected of my sister's friend, for people who aren't dense enough will never be able to make friends with my sister...But why am I surrounded by such dense people! Nobunaga, the three idiots, Yukari, and my sister. Is this what they call 'birds of a feather flock together'? I really don't want to go down that line of thought.

"Hey, please call me Kamishiro-sensei when in school."

In that moment, I remembered that I had the habit of calling other people by their given names.

"I'm alright with anything, Sen---sei."

Under the influence of the pleading brown-colored eyes of Kamishiro-sensei, I lost the power to retort. Oh well, since this incident's over, I can go back to the classroom. But just as I prepared to walk back to my classroom, Yukari suddenly put on an expression that middle-aged obasan's have when they're preparing to sexually harass their female colleagues and happily told me,

"Saito-sensei's out on official business today, and the bed in the infirmary is empty! Work hard! Young man!"

I just walked out of the teacher's office when I saw Nogizaka-san standing there.

She stood there quietly, like the only lily in a garden full of tulips, though a little conservative, but still different from the rest.

"Ah..."

Nogizaka-san fiddled with her white hairband when she saw me as she stepped forward, looking as though she had something to say.

She stood there for a while before finally making up her mind,

"Umm...Ayase-kun..."

Her pink lips parted to say something, but...

"Ah! Isn't that the 'Nuit Étoile'?"

A voice rudely interrupted her.

"Where?"

"Look! There!"

On the other end of the corridor, there were a few guys who were pointing in our direction and talking among themselves.

"It's true, and some guy is trying to flirt with her."

"What!? A guy?"

One of the guys gave a murderous shout.

To be honest, after so much had happened, I had almost forgotten that Nogizaka-san was a famous person in school. A famous person like her talking face to face with a serious-looking guy (me) outside the teacher's office was extremely noticeable.

"What!? The 'Nuit Étoile'?"

"And a guy?"

"What's the matter? Just what is happening?'

Other than the loud voices of the group of guys, even the other students who were passing by had stopped and were looking at us curiously, some even moving closer to get a better look. In a few moments, the two of us had been completely surrounded by people.

Hmm...

The popularity of the 'Nuit Étoile' was extremely scary, so much so that we couldn't even hold a conversation in peace in public.

For the first time in my life, I realized that personal privacy was actually so worthless and meaningless. Though it's not my place to give out such lamentations,

Because 120% of those guys' interest was on Nogizaka-san and not on me.

Just as I was thinking about that, more and more people started to arrive. I looked around me...about twenty or even thirty people had already gathered, just where did all these people come from?

Anyway, it would be suicide to continue staying here. Under the watchful eyes of so many people, we won't be able to speak to each other properly.

Since it has come down to this, there was only one way of resolving this.

"Nogizaka-san, let's go."

"Ah?"

I pulled Nogizaka-san, who had a dazed expression on her face like a duckling who has just been born, away from the scene. It's so strange! Why am I always running whenever I'm together with Nogizaka-san?

"Hey, that fellow actually dared to flirtatiously drag the 'Nuit Étoile' by her hand!"

"What!? By her hand?"

Just as we ran through the layers of human walls around us to escape, angry shouts sounded from the surrounding crowd.

"Damn! Don't run away!"

"Unforgivable..."

"Damn it, I've remembered his face! The next time I see him, I'll tie him up and hang him upside down from the roof!"

My god, those are such extreme words, I even started to hallucinate, as I thought I saw a group of people putting on red headbands that read 'Protect Haruka-sama~ The Nuit Étoile Protection Force~'.

......Those should be the hallucinations generated by my own mind.

Once again, we came to the rooftop.

The only difference was that this time, Nogizaka-san wasn't the one crying, though I felt like I was going to. Looks like the legendary secret fan club really exists, I should get Nobunaga to dig up some information on them. I do not want to be the public enemy number one of these people, for if I don't take the appropriate actions, I might really be hung upside down from the rooftop.

As I thought about the fanclub members, all of whom had looked at me murderously, I felt extremely depressed.

I finally understood the extent of Nogizaka-san's popularity. It was rumored that Nogizaka-san's fan club membership was a three digit value, and it looked to be true. In the context of our school population, a three digit value would be equal to roughly a quarter of the entire school population. In other words (including girls), of every four students in our school, one is a supporter of Nogizaka-san. That's a bit too terrifying isn't it?

Nogizaka-san was panting loudly beside me due to fatigue, which wasn't a surprise, given the long distance that we ran to get here.

After Nogizaka-san's breathing had become more even, I opened my mouth to speak.

"Did......Did you have something to say to me?"

Actually I could already guess what Nogizaka-san would want to say.

"Yes I do, about this morning's incident......"

After she stopped panting, Nogizaka-san finally lifted up her head.

As I expected! That would be the only reason why Nogizaka-san would come looking for me.

Even though it's a bit sad to say that, but......

"Ah, I'm really sorry for lunging at you so suddenly in the morning."

As I said that, Nogizaka-san became a little nervous.

"Eh? That......That was very nice......No! It wasn't nice, but......"

So was it nice or was it not nice?

Nogizaka-san suddenly lowered her head like a dove, her slightly messy hair moving along with the movement of her head. At this point in time, the soft and silky fragrance of her hair was blown over.

"I'm really grateful to you. That time.....You were helping me, weren't you?"

"It's nothing!"

You could say that I was helping her, or you could say that I just couldn't leave her like that, because I know Nogizaka-san's secret!

Nogizaka-san giggled.

"Ayase-kun, you're a really nice guy."

"Nice guy..."

Normally, by saying that the guy is a nice guy, the girl usually means 'you're a hopeless nice guy', so it wasn't anything to be happy about. But since it came from Nogizaka-san, she probably doesn't mean it that way!

"Anyway, I want to thank you for helping me. I'm grateful for you helping me keep the fact that I borrowed the 「INNOCENT SMILE」 a secret...And I'm really sorry......Because of me, you got called to the teacher's office."

She bowed her head in apology again.

"It's nothing, don't think too much about it. It was Kamishiro-sensei who called me to the office, so it's nothing!"

"But..."

"It's alright, I wasn't scolded or anything!"

Finally convinced after my repeated explanations, Nogizaka-san finally raised her head again.

"Ayase-kun, thank you for all your help."

Nogizaka-san gave me a shy smile. Hmm......If she continues in this vein, I'll start to feel embarrassed too.

Which was why I decided to change the topic.

"Oh right, I gotta return this to you."

After checking to make sure that no one was around, I took out 「INNOCENT SMILE」 and the music score.

"Ah, Ayase-kun, you even took away the music score."

"I used too much force when I was trying to hide 「INNOCENT SMILE」! This piece of music looks really difficult, are you able to play it?"

I asked Nogizaka-san who was for an instant slightly embarrassed.

"Yes... it's the piece I'm currently practicing, so I'm almost able to play the entire piece."

I nodded. So she can play it after all. As the name of the piece, 「The Waltz of Mephisto」 suggests, this wasn't a piece that normal people would be able to play, but she could.

Just as I was filled with awe at her piano prowess, Nogizaka-san suddenly thought of something, and abruptly looked up at me...

"So......could it be that you looked inside?"

Nogizaka-san's voice carried a tinge of uneasiness, as though saying that I saw something.

"I......Didn't I drew a lot of drawings in it?"

She looked up at me.

"Ah......That's right......"

That man-eating bear who looked like it just killed two of three people! Because the visual impact was too jarring, I remembered that drawing in exquisite detail, the drawing which would bring at least three days of nightmares to anyone who looks at it.

"I'm sorry, but I saw it...or rather, it ran into my line of sight, I merely glanced at it."

"S..so, you saw it?"

Nogizaka-san lowered her head. Hmm...that really was something that I shouldn't have seen, it was forbidden fruit! Just as I was frantically trying to think of a way to get over this awkward atmosphere, Nogizaka-san surprised me with her next sentence.

"What do you think of it?"

"Huh?"

What do you mean?

"That is......it's quite nice isn't it? It's the first time anyone has seen my drawings"

Nogizaka-san's eyes sparkled when she said that, her expression showing the confidence she had in her drawing skills. Don't tell me......that she's asking for my opinion? I never thought that things would turn out like this.

'The main source of nourishment of that bear seems to be humans'...That doesn't sound like a compliment. 'The bear's eyes make it look like it's sniffing drugs'...that's definitely not a compliment. 'If we were to put that bear into a hot pot, it'll probably be very delicious'...I really didn't how I should phrase my answer.

After mulling it over...

"The bear's gaze is extremely evil...no, or rather, it's very piercing. Everyone's perspective is different, so I suppose some people would find it very cute..."

In the end, my polite and invincible compliment was shattered by Nogizaka-san's response.

"...Hmm? Bear? But that's a cat!"

Nogizaka-san tilted her head as though asking, just what are you talking about.

"..."

"..."

"...Ah, you're absolutely right, it's a cat."

A cat?

I honestly didn't knew that it was a cat. Because a normal cat wouldn't have fangs would it?

"Umm...Uh...It's really creative to let the cat hold a conductor's baton!!"

"...It's supposed to be a cat toy!"

"..."

"..."

"Ah, that's right, it's a cat toy."

The book is a music score, and adding those two things sure add a new perspective.

Luckily, Nogizaka-san didn't seem to have heard my soundless murmurings.

"It's embarrassing to say it myself, but I'm rather confident about that piece of art!"

Nogizaka-san continued.

"..."

Is she serious?

I stared at Nogizaka-san.

The look in her eyes was extremely serious.

There was no look in the world that could be more serious than that.

"..."

Well, no point picking out her faults, no one's perfect after all!

"...Hmm, that's a really creative and outstanding piece of work, I like it! I think I see a hint of Picasso's 「Guernica」 in it."

I expressed my own opinions very tactfully, but this was already the best I could say.

"Really? I'm so happy!"

Looking at the joy expressed on Nogizaka-san's innocent face, I felt a sense of guilt weighing down on me. At least I wasn't lying.

"I'm really really happy! I'm glad I asked for your opinion!"

"Righ......Right......"

I'm glad she didn't ask somebody other than me.

"Well......then please take good care of me in the future!"

"?"

What?

"I think I'll improve faster if I show it to other people. I've always been practicing alone, but its hard to improve like this...Of course, only if you have the time..."

"..."

Was she planning to show me these satanic drawings that bring down nightmares and summon demons on a regular basis?

"What......What do you think?"

"...About this......"

"You don't want to?"

I didn't give an immediate answer and Nogizaka-san's expression immediately turned to one reminiscent of a puppy that had been abandoned by the roadside. That expression is a banned technique, for no one can reject the 'Nuit Étoile' or let the 'Nuit Étoile' put on such an expression. Furthermore, that Nogizaka-san would implore me like this is because I'm the only one who knows about this hobby of hers......I didn't have a choice, for I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I really think that I've boarded the Titanic.

"If you don't mind, I'm willing to discuss it with you anytime."

I deliberately pitched my voice higher so as to impress upon my sincerity.

"Really!"

Nogizaka-san gave a blissful smile. God, I think I'll lose a hundred days of my life everytime I see this smile in the future...oh well, no point thinking about that now.

After that, for a long period of time (at least 30 minutes), I was listening to Nogizaka-san talk about her passion for drawing.

"I have to go now, thank you very much for today. After I finish some new drawings, I'll show them to you again. I'll be going first."

Because of her piano lesson, Nogizaka-san left first. She was in extremely high spirits, humming the tune of 「Für Elise」 as she walked.

Looking at her receding figure, I couldn't help but mutter to myself.

"...Have I acted too rashly...?"

==4==
That night, I was studying in my room when an exaggeratedly loud voice came from downstairs.

"Hey! Yuuto! You've got a call!"

I was slightly miffed at being interrupted just as I was getting into the rhythm of my English-Japanese translation homework, but my sister was in a worser mood, ready to explode at any moment.

"I said, you've got a call!!!"

She kicked the door to my room open!! She even took down one of the door hinges along with her kick!! And then she stomped into my room.

The tall person who entered my room.

"Ruko..."

My sister (A karate second-dan holder, but often abuses her martial arts skills. In the Ayase household where my parents are rarely at home, she has the highest authority) appeared to be extremely unhappy, like an Asian black bear woken up from its slumber during winter time.

She only wore a white shirt on top of her underwear, such a disgraceful appearance.

"How could she wake me up from my sweet slumber! I don't know who she is, but you better teach her a lesson and tell her not to call in the middle of the night!"

Middle of the night? It's only ten! Though it wasn't early, but it wasn't that late either. And what did she mean by 'teach her a lesson'? Shouldn't she say lecture or something!

I knew that retorting was useless, but I still gave it a try.

"Whatever makes you happy, since both mean 'input' in one way or another."

Those two phrases are completely different! They have totally different meanings!

But to Ruko, who was even lazier and more perfunctory than me, those two phrases really weren't that different. She gave an irritated expression as she glared at me.

"...You're really annoying! Just answer the phone will you! I'm so sleepy.......I'm going to sleep now, so you better remember to unplug the phone after you finish your conversation! "

Ruko threw the phone over to me before going through the door that was swinging on only one of its hinges.

For the love of God! Who'd have believed that she's actually the secretary for the CEO of a top-class firm, which goes to show that anything can happen in this society of ours. It was indeed the state of affairs that beautiful women would always have their way. Though my sister is pretty, I don't really want to comment on her character. For a society that is perpetually harping on equality, we're extremely unfair.

I thought of all this as I answered the phone.

"Hello?"

And then...

"Ah, hello? Is this Ayase-kun? It's Nogizaka."

A surprising voice came from the other end of the line, the female voice that had the power to calm anyone who hears it, one that I've been hearing quite a lot of recently. But right now, this voice sounded extremely serious, nothing like the cheerful one I had heard in the day. Something must have happened.

"I'm really sorry to disturb you at such a late hour. Umm...I would like to ask for a favor from you, Ayase-kun..."

A favor? My heart beat really fast at that word.

"...I'm really embarrassed to say this right now. But I know I'll regret it for life if I don't say it now."

The seriousness in that voice was mixed with a heavy dose of embarrassment. Could it be that? No, Nogizaka-san would never ask me to do something as absurd as imitating the way crickets walk upside-down.

"Erm......Are you listening?"

"Ah, of, of course I'm listening."

I had no reason not to be listening.

"That's great...Ayase-kun, could you come out and meet me now?"

"Huh..."

After a second of lightning-quick analysis......

"Meet up...just the two of us?'

"That's right."

To meet up at this time......She can't be planning to have a secret date with me can she? The two of us sitting on a bench in the park. Time has stopped, and then the two of us......No, I can't continue fantasizing! I'll start to think about contents similar to the plot in a third-grade novel if I continue fantasizing.

I shook my heard violently. Got to stay calm, got to stay calm, I have to keep my cool.

To return my heartbeat to normal, healthy levels, I mentally recited the multiplication table. At this time, Nogizaka-san continued,

"Actually...I would like you to accompany me to school."

"School?"

The school in question...would obviously be the Hakujo Academy that we both attend. Why would she pick such a time to go to school when there wasn't a late night dare challenge of any kind going on......

"......The magazine...I forgot to return it."

The soft and hesitant voice cut off my line of thought.

"I had planned to return it after meeting Ayase-kun, but as I was feeling extremely happy after our conversation, I felt that I could return it a bit later......and I forgot to return in the end."

"You're talking about......that magazine?"

「INNOCENT SMILE」

"......Yes."

"..."

The situation......was really serious. The basic rules of our school were rather loose, but our school was extremely strict regarding the usage of school facilities. If a book that was borrowed from the library wasn't returned by the due date, the school would publicly remind the student through the PA system.

Of course, the public reminder would also include the student's name, year, and the name of the borrowed book.

"If I'm mentioned, I'll...sob..."

Probably thinking about what would happen if the book that she borrowed was publicly announced to the entire school, Nogizaka-san was whimpering slightly.

"Th, that's why I thought I'd go return it instead. *sniff* Bu, but going alone to school when it's this late...it's scary. So, I thought I'd ask somebody to go with me...B, but..."

Nogizaka-san said in a tearful voice.

So that's how it is. About this, I was the only one whom she could turn to for help. Because if she was to look for someone else, she'd have to show them 「INNOCENT SMILE」, bringing her hobby to the knowledge of one more person.

"Sob......Is it too much to ask? I'm really sorry to always bother you like this, but..."

It wasn't her fault. And......only a demented man would abandon a crying Nogizaka-san, right?

Therefore.

"Hmm...Let's just meet up at school now, alright?"

"Sob...Ah...?"

A surprised exclamation came from the other side of the line.

"You're willing......to go with me?"

"Yup, since I've got nothing to do right now anyway."

It was decided. Though I haven't finished my English homework, that's not important at a moment like this! I would like to avoid both Nogizaka-san's tears and the scolding given by my English teacher (forty-two years old, characteristic: Extremely annoying), but I don't have the time to deliberate any further on this.

"Thank you......sob......Thank you so much"

And that was how I decided to sneak into school at such an unearthly hour.

The campus was extremely creepy at night.

The thirty-something year-old white cement campus looked as thought it was floating in the sky in the dark, and from an angle, it really looked like an abandoned mansion, giving any observers a severe case of the goosebumps. This atmosphere was like the one in the supernatural shows on television where the spiritually-inclined guest appears and declares to the audience that 'an extremely evil aura can be felt here', whereupon the audience painfully wrestles with their inner-selves whether to continue watching or not. Nogizaka-san, who was standing next to me, was looking at the campus with exactly the same expression on her face, looking as though she was about to burst into tears any moment.

Now, how should we go about infiltrating the campus?

Of course the main gate wouldn't be open at this time, so perhaps we should try going by the staff entrance. Since it's the staff entrance, it should be near the teachers' office. But we'd have to be extremely careful if we were to go in by the staff entrance so as to avoid getting caught by a patrolling teacher. Or should we break a window and reach in to take the key, use a power tool to break the lock of the main gate, or just smash our way through the gate with a metal pole. Just that...all the above-mentioned methods were illegal.

Isn't there any way that's quieter? (Even though no matter how quiet an act of infiltration is, it's still an illegal act) Just as I was trying to come up with a better idea...

"Ayase-kun, this way."

Nogizaka-san pulled on my arm.

"We can get in by the back gate."

"Back gate......why?"

"Because I have a backup key."

"A backup key?"

Why would she have something like that?

"The key was in my father's study, so I just borrowed it for a while, because I thought it might come in handy!"

So it was from her father's study...I seem to have understood something, but why would her father have a backup key of the school?

"I'm not very sure about the specifics...but it seems like my father donated a large amount of money to the school, and to prepare for emergencies, he asked for a backup of all the keys in the school."

Investment...Right, I've heard this before. Ever since Nogizaka-san came to study at this school, ninety percent of all the money donated to Hakujo Academy came from the Nogizaka family. So it probably wouldn't be surprising if Nogizaka-san had a backup copy of all the keys in the school......right?

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing......"

Now's not the time to voice my questions, but since she had the backup copies to all the keys in the school, she'd surely have the key to the main gate. Wouldn't it be much better to just go in by the main gate? But I didn't say that out loud.

"Let's go!"

"Yes!'

Because the library was on the second story, we walked in the direction of the stairs.

Not surprisingly, the interior of the school was also empty, and as silent as a cemetery.

"It's really creepy..."

Nogizaka-san said as she looked around the deserted corridor. She gripped the sleeve of my shirt tightly, not daring to let go for even a second.

"If this was a game, a zombie should be jumping out from this corner."

"Ah!!!"

I had played this game where you had to fight off hordes of zombies, giant spiders and other monstrosities while attempting to escape from a western-style building. For the first ten minutes of the game, you would probably feel like you're about to be devoured by two of three zombies, but...

Never mind, forget I said it, now's not the time to think about something like that.

"Ayase-kun, do you know about the seven mysteries of our school?"

As we neared the stairwell, Nogizaka-san suddenly mentioned that. The seven mysteries of the school, though I'm not exactly sure as to the actual number of the mysteries, but there should be quite a few of them. Like...

There's the 'Thirteen steps of death to the rooftop'.

As for the others, I only know of the 'Dancing human figure in the science classroom', 'The self-playing piano in the music room', 'The self-bouncing ball in the empty gym'.

"There's still 'Hanako-san, who lives in the toilet' 'The big mirror in the infirmary that reflects the death of the user', and...'the dead book-reader'."

Nogizaka-san filled in the gaps.

"..."

An extremely bad premonition filled the air after hearing such rumors.

This was my first time hearing about 'The dead book-reader'. Since it has to do with a book-reader, it should be connected to the library right? And we just had to be going to the library at this time.

"..."

Should we just head back?

"Don't...Don't leave me behind!"

[[Image:NHnH vol01 084.jpg|thumb]]

My arm was held in a vice-like grip by Nogizaka-san, who had tears rolling about in her eyes. Looks like I wouldn't be able to perform the 'great escape'.

During the time when I was struggling with myself about whether to run away or not, we reached the library in question. The wooden door that looked so normal in the day now looked like the gates to hell.

It was a really bad feeling.

"So...What's the story behind 'The dead book-reader'?"

I asked Nogizaka-san.

"A long long time ago, when the campus was still made of wood, there was a student who really liked to read. Because he was crazy about reading, so this student would go to the library every day, until one day, where he passed away after getting into an accident on his way to the library. But it's rumored that for the sake of reading, this student would still report to the library everyday, which is why in the dark and silent library, footsteps and the sound of a book dropping onto the ground can be heard, and the shadow of a reading figure can also be seen at the window."

"You really know a lot about that."

"We're going off track here, but I heard that someone really came down to the library in the middle of the night, and that book-reader really did appear in front of that person."

"..."

"I only heard this story the day before yesterday. So now......I kind of regret hearing it..."

Nogizaka-san lowered her head. Even if she regrets hearing that story, it was already too late...

"...It'll probably be even worse if this story was told to someone who's never heard of it before."

"You're right......It would be worse."

"I've never heard this story before."

"Huh...you..."

Nogizaka-san placed a finger at the edge of her mouth as she lapsed into deep thought.

"...So you're saying that...You just heard the story for the first time from me?"

"That's right."

"..."

"..."

The surroundings were deathly silent.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said all that."

Nogizaka-san apologized with a horrified expression on her face, just like a puppy who did something wrong and was getting scolded by its master. I believe that no one would be able to grumble even a word more after seeing her like this.

"Ah, it's alright, since you didn't do it on purpose."

And I was the one who was asked for the details in the first place.

"But, if you meet the dead book-reader and get murdered by him because of my words..."

Nogizaka-san's face was terribly pale as she fervently prayed that I would not become the victim of a supernatural murder!

"It'll be alright! The dead book-reader won't run out just because of your story! And my only redeeming feature is that I'm really tough, so I'd probably be able to survive a supernatural attack without much effort."

Because I have been forced to accept Ruko's rigorous training since I was young.

"But...the attack of a spirit...isn't a physical attack, but a mental one, like curses..."

"That's alright too."

Regarding mental attacks, besides Ruko's training, I've also been on the receiving end of a lot of training from Yukari. So my defensive ability against mental attacks would probably be even higher than my defensive ability against physical attacks. I'm not proud of this inhuman defensive capabilities of mine, but it's the unfortunate truth.

Nogizaka-san smiled as she squinted slightly, probably hinting that she accepts my answer?

"......You're really kind."

"No......I'm not that kind......"

Why would she suddenly say something like this?"

"Hehe!"

"No...That's..."

I wanted to deny it, but couldn't find the right words. To mask the fact that I was blushing, I turned my gaze to the direction of the library.

"Cough, though I can't deny that this library's really creepy...we still have to go in don't we?"

Once I said that, Nogizaka-san immediately nodded her head furiously with a serious expression on her face.

"Let's...Let's go!"

Even though Nogizaka-san was the one calling for us to go, she didn't move at all as she looked at me as if trying to send me some kind of telepathic message...she probably wants me to lead the way. Alright, let's do it!

I pushed open the gigantic wooden door to the library, the wooden frame creaking under the force exerted by my hands before it opened. On the other side of the door was...an empty library. If this was a horror film, then at the exact moment where the door was opened, we would have gone face to face with 'the dead book-reader', a worst-case scenario that I wanted to avoid at all costs. The atmosphere in the empty room seemed to be extremely sinister, as though a ghoulish white face would appear from behind the black-painted shelves any moment.

"You can't leave me. Please don't leave me alone, I'm begging you."

Nogizaka-san grabbed my arm tightly as she whimpered, a flowery smell making its way to my nostrils. In fact, she needn't have been so worried, since she was grabbing me so tightly that I wasn't even able to move.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Nogizaka-san hurriedly let go of me, my body finally regaining its freedom of movement. But for some reason, I suddenly felt a trace of regret.

"Let's just maintain this position. Please don't leave me alone alright?"

Nogizaka-san looked up at me as she requested me to stay by her side while she held on to my arm. I nodded as we made our way towards the book-return counter.

It was about fifty meters to the counter, and we carefully made our way over.

During this short journey, Nogizaka-san's beautiful face almost touched mine a couple of time. Her alluring amber eyes, her exquisitely white skin, and her pink lips all made my heart beat faster after every close encounter...Is there a problem with the regularity of my heartbeat?

"Kya!"

Nogizaka-san seemed to have tripped over something...it should be the reading chair again, right? She lost her balance, but fortunately, she broke her fall just before her face was about to come into contact with the floor. That was close!

"Why is there a chair here..."

How could you say that when the chair's always been here, and you've already tripped over it once before already?

"I've embarrassed myself again, I'm so clumsy!"

She smiled embarrassingly before continuing to walk, but promptly tripped over another chair, and fell flat on the floor this time.

"..."

I was thinking, she can't be...

Nogizaka-san's a little...no, extremely dense.

"...I've been tripping over or knocking into things since young."

Nogizaka-san answered the question in my mind.

"I would be able to fall down even when walking on flat ground, and I've even walked into electrical poles and parked cars."

"You're not good at sports?"

But I had thought that she does quite well during physical education classes.

"Hmm......I don't think this has got anything to do with physical ability."

"...I think you're right."

Was she really like this? I've never seen her trip over something or knock into something at school though.

"I'm usually extremely careful...but maybe it's because Ayase-kun has already seen me trip over something that I probably subconsciously let my guard down, leading to me to trip over more things."

Nogizaka-san smiled abashedly. Looks like she's been putting in a lot of effort to maintain her public image.

"...Ah, what have I been saying! We should quickly return the book!"

The red-faced Nogizaka-san suddenly remembered our mission and walked towards the book-returning counter, this time not tripping over anything. After reaching the counter, Nogizaka-san immediately turned on the computer, which powered up with a whir as the monitor displayed the operating system.

"Hey, I suddenly thought of something."

"Thought of what?"

"Even if the book was returned now, won't the data be stored in the computer?"

It's a computer specially designed to handle the borrowing and returning of library books. Which is why the date and time of all transactions would definitely be recorded in the computer. To be more precise, in the hard-disk of the computer. It'll definitely show that on the twenty-second day of April, at 23:08, book number 1203 (INNOCENT SMILE) was returned to the library.

"..."

Nogizaka-san froze for five seconds.

"...I never thought of that."

Hey, Hey!

"Hmm...There's got to be a way. Let's think logically. Since no one in their right minds would return a book at this time, I would expect the librarian to assume that there's a problem with the data. People always look for a reason to explain such small and insignificant inconsistencies."

Maybe she's right. But I would never have guessed that she had this careless side to her.

"Please wait for a moment while I return the book."

Nogizaka-san concentrated on the computer in front of her after saying that.

I had nothing to do, so I couldn't help but look at Nogizaka-san, who had both eyes on the monitor.

Sleek, black hair, snowy white skin, under the weak light of the moon and the reflection of the light from the screen, her body was bathed in a bluish white light, making her look as mysterious as the Goddess of healing magic in legends. She's the beautiful, clever, dignified and musically talented 'Nuit Étoile'. But the string of compliments didn't seem to fit the girl standing in front of me.

Because my impression of Nogizaka-san isn't like this.

Before this, I had thought of Nogizaka-san as a calm and collected lady. And I'm sure the rest of my classmates would see her in the same way.

But right now, I finally understand why we can never judge a book by its cover.

Which daughter of a wealthy and powerful family would illegally infiltrate her own school just to return an otaku magazine?

And even crying while tripping over numerous things in front of another in the process, embarrassing herself by being extremely clumsy...

But, compared to the normally perfect Nogizaka-san, I felt that the Nogizaka-san that I was seeing right now was more 'human'. A much better feeling. But I guess I should keep such thoughts to myself! Because Nogizaka-san probably won't be happy with that, even if I thought this side of her was better.

"Nogizaka-san."

"Yes?"

Nogizaka-san didn't turn her gaze as she continued to operate the computer.

"Why did you start this hobby...I mean, how did you become an otaku?"

I finally asked that question! God, what have I said! I had already promised Nogizaka-san not to speak of this anymore.

"Hmm, how..."

Surprisingly, Nogizaka-san didn't seem to mind it at all as she answered my question.

"Actually, I'm not very sure myself, by the time I realized it, I was already an otaku. Just that...I'm quite sure that 'that' set off this whole hobby of mine."

She place a finger on the edge of her mouth as she thought about what 'that' was.

"This happened about six years ago. Because I quarreled with my parents over all the skills that I had to learn, I ran to a park near my house to cry. The reason for that quarrel should have been...I had promised some friends to go and play together, but it clashed with my Japanese dance class so I couldn't go. That was the first time anyone had invited me out to play, so I was extremely happy, but I had to reject their invitation because my parents had enrolled me in the Japanese dance classes...I was really upset, so I ran out to the park to cry my heart out. I ignored the stares of people passing by and just wailed. I think I probably wanted someone to come over and comfort me, but this world wasn't as caring as I had thought it was. More than a few people walked past me, but they all ignored me, since a crying kid is really annoying. But...there was one person, just one person came over to talk to me."

Nogizaka-san had a faraway look in her eyes, as though she was looking at a distant place.

"Although he was a bit rough about it, he tried his best to comfort me. I still remember what happened as though it was yesterday. At that time...He let me read the first edition of 「INNOCENT SMILE」."

Nogizaka-san continued in a slightly exaggerated tone.

"Before that, I had never read manga before, so it was a refreshing experience for me...In the flash of an eye, I was enraptured by the magazine. People who read manga would feel very happy, and I was probably deeply attracted to that kind of atmosphere...And in the end, I even asked that person to give that first edition to me."

Nogizaka-san laughed.

Wow! What a touching story! How did that guy even thought of using the 「INNOCENT SMILE」 to comfort a primary school girl! This guy was incredible.

"That's probably the beginning of my hobby. After that incident, whenever I thought of that happy atmosphere, I would hide and read manga...which is why, even till this day, 「INNOCENT SMILE」 has a special place in my heart."

So that's why she was willing to take the risk to return this book to the library. Even Nobunaga had said that old editions of 「INNOCENT SMILE」 were priceless books. I think I finally understand why Nobunaga would do anything to achieve his goals.

"Phew...I'm finally done."

I heard the sound of the ENTER key being depressed. Looks like our mission was complete.

Nogizaka-san finally noticed my gaze. Just as she stretched in front of the computer screen, she suddenly stopped moving, like an electric toy dog that had run out of batteries.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Nogizaka-san's face was beet-red due to her embarrassment, a reaction that I would never see in the classroom.

"No...I just think that you're a strange daughter of a wealthy and powerful family."

I told her my honest opinion.

"Hmm...I think it's really rude to say that to the person in question..."

Though she said that, Nogizaka-san didn't look angry at all. On the contrary, I thought she looked rather happy.

"In my opinion...Ayase-kun's much stranger than me. Yes, you're so strange that I can guarantee you'll win any All-Japan weirdo competition that there is."

"Thank you for the compliment."

What kind of competition is that!

"..."

"..."

For a moment, all was quiet.

"...Hahahaha!"

"...Hahahaha!"

In the next moment, both of us looked at each other and laughed. At the stroke of midnight, male and female laughter coming out of the empty library! If anyone hears that, there'll probably be a new version of the seven mysteries of the school. That'll be 'The terrifying maniacal laughter of a spirit couple in the library at midnight'.

I don't long how long we stood there laughing.

After our laughter had subsided, Nogizaka-san suddenly spoke rather seriously.

"I had thought......that everything was over." She began to talk about such a thing abruptly.

"Everything was over?"

"Yes."

Nogizaka-san nodded her head furiously.

"At the time when Ayase-kun saw that I had borrowed 「INNOCENT SMILE」, and also saw me trip and fall...I thought that everyone would know that I have this kind of hobby, and then everyone will look at me with strange looks and make fun of me. I really thought that it was going to turn out like that."

She's right. Although I didn't do it because I come into contact with such material on a regular basis through Nobunaga, there were many people in society who looked down on people with such hobbies. If anyone knew that the 'Nuit Étoile' was an otaku, that person would probably announce it to the whole school without hesitation.

Wait a minute, Nogizaka-san's tone seems to be suggesting that...

"Nogizaka-san, did you think that I would go around telling everyone that you're an otaku?"

Could it be that she thinks I'm that kind of person?

Nogizaka-san looked away embarrassedly.

"I'm...I'm really sorry! Because I didn't know what kind of person you are! So I couldn't deny that there was a definite possibility of that happening. And I've almost never talked to guys before...So I was a little afraid...of you."

"Never talked to..."

Nogizaka-san? The 'Nuit Étoile'? Now I would have never known that!

"For some reason, guys are always extremely stiff around me, unable to relax like they do around other girls. It seems that only Ayase-kun's able to talk to me normally."

I think it's because Nogizaka-san's too cute and perfect. But...I don't have to be like the other guys!

Nogizaka-san continued,

"Which is why I really thought that everything was over, so much so that I even thought about running away to a faraway place...But the truth has proven that I was wrong, because Ayase-kun kept his promise and didn't tell anyone about my hobby, and even after knowing about my hobby, you didn't make fun of me. You treated me like a normal person....and even helped me. If not for you, I really won't know what I would have done...I think I'm really despicable to doubt you in the first place, I really want to shout out how much of an idiot I am. I really......really want to thank you, Ayase-kun."

Nogizaka-san stood in front of me as she gave a curtsy to me to express her gratitude.

"Thank you......Thank you so much for everything you've done!"

That posture was extremely similar to one I had seen in a certain magazine a few days ago, but now that Nogizaka-san was the one doing it, it was probably the cutest pose of the century...

Just as I was about to lose all sense of reason...

Shuffle, shuffle!

"!?"

A sound came from behind the shelves.

"What...what was that......sound?"

Nogizaka-san grabbed me with lightning-quick reflexes. This kind of speed is the type that would only appear when one's caught in a fire...no, it should be an inhuman display of fleet-footedness, right? Whatever the reason as to Nogizaka-san's unnatural display of power, the point is, my arm came into contact with two soft orbs...

"It...It seems to have come from the other side of the shelves, could it be the 'dead book-reader'...

"Spirits don't exist in this world..."

They don't exist...Or rather, I hope they don't exist.

"What do we do?"

Nogizaka-san looked up at me anxiously. There are three courses of action available to me right now. One, under the influence of my considerable curiosity, I go over to check it out. Two, remain calm and run away. Three, pretend to be frightened and take advantage of the situation to hug Nogizaka-san. Personally, I hope to choose number three, but...No, it's merely my personal fantasy, and I could get charged for sexual harassment.

Logically, I should choose option two, since we've already done what we set out to do, there's no need to find out about anything that doesn't concern us.

"Ah, Ayase-kun..."

"I'll go and take a look, wait here for me."

She hugged me tightly around my waist.

"I'm going with you."

"But, you may see something scary..."

"I'll be even more afraid if I were to stay here by myself."

She's right.

"Then, let's go over together?"

"Al...Alright..."

The two of us started to walk towards the direction in which the strange sound had come from.

"I think...that sound came from the shelve with the music scores."

"Music scores?"

We even have music scores in our library? I only thought that it was weird they had 「INNOCENT SMILE」, but it shouldn't be much of a surprise if they had music scores as well.

"It's around here."

Under the guidance of Nogizaka-san, just as we neared the corner of the shelf in question...

Dangdangdang.......

We heard a different sound from just now.

Shuffle shuffle...

And then we heard the sound of a book dropping onto the floor.

"Kya..."

Nogizaka-san grabbed my hand while covering her ears with surprising agility.

"I think..."

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"It must be the 'dead book-reader'...Ayase-kun! I think we should run!"

"No, wait a moment..."

The sound of books dropping onto the floor stopped, but another sound took its place. Dingdangdangdingdangdang...It sounded familiar. Ah...could it be 'that'!

"Ah, Ayase-kun!"

I went up to the shelf and saw my conjecture validated.

"...It's a cellphone."

There was a white object on the shelf with the music scores, the white object was vibrating as it knocked into the music scores on the shelf. Because it's a cellphone that's receiving a call.

"...I seem to have seen this somewhere."

There was a keychain on it with YUKARI spelled out in English. Ah! Didn't that person say that she lost her cellphone? It looked as though she left it here when she came to borrow music scores. She really knows how to create a stir! I decided to return it to her tomorrow as I turned off the power to cut off its annoying ringtone.

"Nogizaka-san, it's alright, I've found the source of the sounds."

I called out to the ashen-faced, shivering Nogizaka-san who was hiding behind the shelf. Probably because the strange sounds had disappeared, Nogizaka-san seemed to have relaxed a little as she slowly made her way towards me.

"You know what was causing those sounds?"

"Yes, this is the source of it all"

I showed the white cellphone that had the opposite color to its owner's heart to Nogizaka-san, as she slumped down onto the ground as though her soul had just been sucked away.

"Ah, I feel weak now that I've loosened up ."

Nogizaka-san seemed to have been scared witless. This was the first time I've seen someone who's been scared to that extent, and that person was the 'Nuit Étoile'...It was a scene straight from the world of slapstick comedy.

"Hah..."

I couldn't help but laugh. Seeing that I was laughing at her, Nogizaka-san puffed out her cheeks.

"What...What are you laughing about! What's so funny? It's not like I did it on purpose, it's because...because it was too terrifying!"

She was retaliating, but soon stopped.

"You're......really a strange person."

"Same to you to!"

And then we looked at each other and started laughing again, laughing so loudly that even the people staying beside the school would probably be able to hear us.

Maybe a new version of the seven mysteries of the school would be heard in school tomorrow?

==5==
We finally completed our mission.

As we walked out of the school gate, Nogizaka-san bowed deeply to me.

"Thank you so much for today, Ayase-kun, you saved my life. Maybe...Today's actions wasn't legal, but I was very happy."

It was fun. Yeah, that expression was pretty improper, but it wasn't without its merit. That's why I could respond with a large smile.

"You're welcome, I enjoyed myself too."

Those were my true feelings.

"You...can just call me Haruka."

Nogizaka-san requested timidly.

"I'm saying that, you can just call me by my name. It feels like I'm an outsider if you keep calling me Nogizaka-san. No, I am an outsider, ah, I don't mean it that way...sob, I'm really bad at this...anyway, I wish that you'll call me Haruka and not Nogizaka-san."

She was serious about that.

Hmm...I don't know why she would be so flustered, but since she was the one who requested me to call her by her name, I don't think there should be any problems. To be honest, I felt that it would be an honor to be able to call her by her name.

"I got it, so I'll just call you...Haruka."

"Yes!"

Nogizaka-san nodded her head happily...No, I should refer to her as Haruka now. Right now, Haruka looked extremely cute.

"Then you should also call me Yuuto, all my good friends call me that."

For some reason, I suddenly felt embarrassed then and I purposely looked away from her.

"Good friends..."

Haruka mumbled before smiling again, an honest smile straight from the heart that I've never seen before in the classroom.

"I got it, Yuuto, please take care of me from now on."

And thus, the relationship between Nogizaka Haruka and I began.

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| Back to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
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</noinclude>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Prologue

2010-03-23T11:14:06Z

Sobokal:

===Prologue===

My classmate Nogizaka Haruka is completely flawless.

It may seem a little, you know… to hear this stupid-sounding sentence as an opening, but this is indeed a fact. An undeniable fact at that.

Nogizaka Haruka has beautiful soft hair that stretches down her back, obvious double eyelid and clear eyes that are slightly hanging down at the sides. Adding on to that, she emits an astonishing aura all over her, I believe any man that walks past her on the streets, a hundred out of a hundred of them would be charmed into turning back to look at her once more. Speaking of which, I am one of them. After all, she was crowned Miss Hakujō Academy when she was just a mere first-year student last year with an amazingly high number of votes, and ever since that beauty contest, everyone calls her “Nuit Étoile” (The Silver Star of the Night). The number of guys that confessed to her in that year, reached a three digit figure, a secret fan club was established specially for her, and there were sayings that even the principal is a member of that fan club, and it was likely that that was more than just a rumor.

Even with that, it is still not that special yet, because there is always someone that is like a school idol in any school. Taking a stroll across the entire country, you will be sure to find tens, hundreds of people like this.

However, Nogizaka Haruka’s outstanding quality lies in that: her good qualities that deserves special mention, goes beyond her appearance that was mentioned above.

Firstly, she has a very good character.

Her personality is prudent and mature; she shows a smile to whomever she meets and treats others gently, giving off an atmosphere like lillies blossoming. Let's not talk about others first, she is a precious example to defy the logic that all beauties have an ugly personality.

Besides that, she is very smart.

One year ago, during the ability test that was conducted at the start of school, all her subjects were above ninety marks, taking the place of first place for the entire grade leaving a big gap between her and the second placing. Ever since her astonishing feat, she has maintained the first place up till now. Maybe it could be said that her brain structure is entirely different from normal people…… Compared to her, all our brain juices must be stuff that is like dried up dregs of beans.

Furthermore, she is cultured.

Japanese folk dance with flower arrangement, the art of tea with calligraphy. The skills that she has learnt since young must add up to at least ten and in each of the areas for these skills she is able to show an unparalleled talent, making it all the more shocking. Among which, her best would be piano, her piano skills has been commented to be of professional standard, receiving a single-sided praise in the music realm. Now she is performing before the eyes of the entire class, just watching her two fingers dance elegantly on the piano keys would make one agree to those comments.

Even more so, she is clever and deft, possessing a first-rate qualification for English, a qualification for a certain ancient martial art style that allows her to take lessons in place of the master, the title of being a daughter of a renown business family…… etc. All in all, she is someone that takes on the phrase “Heaven does not bestow more than a single gift” (A phrase that is to say one person possesses no more than a single gift or talent [translation may not be too accurate to get the direct phrasing]) head-on and obtain a total victory over it.

However……

Even Nogizaka Haruka, that is so close to perfection, has one single weakness or that is to say, a secret.

But right now, the only person that knows this secret is me; and because of this, I have a closer relationship with her. In the end, I was half forced into stepping into a world I have never touched on before. Just that……

Then, her performance ended while I was thinking.

"What you've just heard was the third movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Appassionata, performed by Nogizaka Haruka. Thank you, Haruka."

Under the the music teacher's, Yukari (twenty-three years old, currently looking for a boyfriend), direction, every one of us started to clap warmly, while Nogizaka Haruka gave a shy smile that could melt the audience.

I feel bliss just by looking at her. She's just too cute to be true. It wasn't just the normal guys, even the class president, Morita, the one who kept a serious, no-nonsense face even when listening to jokes, was squinting with a slight sinful look in his eyes. As for the girls, they all gave her looks of respect and admiration that were devoid of any traces of jealousy. I guess the smile of an angel would be what Haruka has on her face right now.

Suddenly, her eyes, with pupils as clear as the water from the Alps, locked onto mine. When she caught me looking, she smiled and waved at me discreetly. I could feel that at this moment her smile was more affectionate than usual, different from the smile that she gave to her other classmates.

Mm, she's indeed a cute girl.

I couldn't help but show a smile.

Not too long ago, this kind of situation would have been like a red pig flying on a plane, something that would never have happened to us. The "not too long ago" in question, was the time before I knew of Nogizaka Haruka's secret, because before I found out about her secret, Nogizaka Haruka and I were just normal classmates--- And she was the school idol, while I was just an average student--- that never even had a single real conversation before.

I thought about how we began.

It was only three months ago, but looking back now, it feels as though it happened a very long time ago. Maybe it's because we've spent so much time together in the three months that we've known each other.

That's right.

Our relationship started from that incident in the school library during the after school hours.

That is, the incident that happened was the day I found out about Nogizaka Haruka's secret.

From that day onwards, I waved goodbye to my plain school life to begin the subtle and exquisite relationship between Haruka and I.

That is, Nogizaka Haruka's Secret!!

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| Return to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu:Volume1 Prologue

2009-08-02T13:03:39Z

Sobokal:

===Prologue===

クラスメイトの乃木坂春香《のぎざかはるか》は完全｜無欠《むけつ》である。

いやいきなりこんな頭の悪そうな表現で始めるのもアレなのだが、それは事実なのである。もう厳然《げんぜん》たる事実なのである。

背中《せなか》まで伸ばされたサラサラの髪《かみ》。ぱっちりとした二重まぶた。少し垂《だ》れ気味《ぎみ》の目には澄《す》んだ瞳《ひとみ》。そのどこか凛《りん》とした雰囲気《ふんいき》ともあいまって、町を歩けばたぶんすれ違《ちが》った男の百人に百人がだらしない顔をして振《ふ》り返《かえ》るだろうな。かくいう俺もその一人だったり。何せ去年、一年生にしてミス白城《はくじょう》学園にダントツのトップで選ばれ、その時以来『白銀の星屑《ニユイ・エトワーレ》』の二つ名で呼《よ》ばれたりしているくらいである。この一年の問に告白して玉砕《ぎよくさい》した野郎の数が三桁《けた》を越《こ》すとか、学園長までもが会員の秘密《ひみつ》ファンクラブがあるとかいうのもあながちウワサだけではないかもしれん。

とはいえ、これだけならそう珍《めずら》しいものではない。どんな学校にも必《かなら》ず一人はいる単なるアイドル的存在《そんざい》というやつである。全国を探《さが》せば同じょうなヤツが何十人何百人と見付かることだろう。

だが乃木坂春香のすごいところは、その特筆《とくひつ》すべき点が容姿《ようし》のみにとどまらないことにあった。

まず性格《せいかく》がいい。

しっかりとした大人びた性格で、だれに対しても分《わ》け隔《へだ》てなくにこやかに穏《おだ》やかに接《ぜっ》する。

まさに白百合《しらゆり》が咲くような雰囲気とでもいうか。何にせよ、美人は性格が悪いという定説《ていせつ》をひっくり返してくれる貴重《きちょう》な実例である。

続いて頭がいい。

一年前、入学してすぐに行われた実力テストでは全教科九割以上という驚異《きょうい》の得点をたたき出し二位以下に大差をつけての学年トップという離《はな》れ業《わざ》をやってのけ、それ以来今に至《いに》るまで常にトップをキープし続けているぇ人《ぼんじん》とは根本的に頭の出来《でき》が違うっていうか……彼女と比べれば、きっと俺たちの脳《のう》ミソなんてスカスカの豆腐《とうふ》みたいなもんなんだろうな。

加えて教養《きょうよう》もある。

日舞《にちぶ》に生け花、茶道に書道。彼女が幼い頃《ころ》から習っている稽古事《けいこごと》の数は優《ゆう》に十を超えるというが、その全てにむいて類稀《たぐいまれ》な才能《きいのう》を発揮《はつき》しているというから驚《おどろ》きである。中でも最も得意とするピアノは、もはやプロ並《な》みの腕前《うでまえ》だとそっちの道ではもっぱらの評判《ひょうばん》だとか。今もクラスの皆の前で優雅《ゆうが》に鍵盤《けんばん》の上に指を躍《おど》らせているその姿《すがた》を見れば、それも納得《なっとく》である。

さらに彼女は手先も器用《きょう》で、英検一級の資格《しかく》を持っていたり、とある流派《りゅうは》の古武術《こぶじゆつ》の師範代《レはんだい》だったり、実家が代々続く貿易商《ぼうえきしょう》であるお嬢《じょう》様であったり……何というか、天は二物《にぶつ》を与《あた》えずという言葉《ことば》に真正面《ましょうめん》からケンカを売ってかつ完膚《かんぷ》なきまでに完全勝利したみたいなヤツである。

しかし。

そんなほとんど完壁《パーフェクト》超人みたいな乃木坂春香《のぎざかはるか》にもたった一つだけ弱点、というか秘密《ひみつ》があった。

ただし今のところその秘密を知っているのは俺しかおらず、それゆえに俺は彼女と個人的に関《かか》わりを持つことになり、結果《けっか》今まで足を踏《ふ》み入《い》れたことのなかった世界へと半ば強制的に引きずり込まれていくことになるのだが――　

などと考えていると、そこで彼女の演奏が終わった。

"What you've just heard was the third movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Appassionata, performed by Nogizaka Haruka. Thank you, Haruka."

Under the the music teacher's, Yukari (twenty-three years old, currently looking for a boyfriend), direction, every one of us started to clap warmly, while Nogizaka Haruka gave a shy smile that could melt the audience.

I feel bliss just by looking at her. She's just too cute to be true. And it wasn't only just the normal guys, even the class president, Morita, the one who kept a serious, no-nonsense face even when listening to jokes, was squinting with a slight, sinful look in his eyes. As for the girls, they all gave her looks of respect and admiration that were devoid of any traces of jealousy. I guess the smile of an angel would be what Haruka has on her face right now.

Suddenly, her eyes, with pupils as clear as the water from the Alps, locked onto mine. When she caught me looking, she smiled and waved discreetly at me. I could feel that at this moment, her smile was more affectionate than usual, different from the smile that she gave to her other classmates.

Mm, she's indeed a cute girl.

I couldn't help but relax.

Not too long ago, this kind of situation would have been like a red pig flying on a plane, something that would never have happened to us. The "not too long ago" in question, was the time before I knew of Nogizaka Haruka's secret. Before I found out her secret, Nogizaka Haruka and I were just classmates! She was the school idol, while I was just an average student! We didn't even have a single real conversation.

I thought about how our relationship started.

It was only three months ago, but looking back now, it feels as though it happened a very long time ago. Maybe it's because we've spent so much time together in the three months that we've known each other.

That's right.

Our relationship started from that incident in the school library during the after school hours.

That is, the incident that happened was the day I found out about Nogizaka Haruka's secret.

From that day onwards, I waved goodbye to my boring high school life to begin the subtle and exquisite relationship between Haruka and I.

That is, Nogizaka Haruka's Secret!!

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