Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 9 Prologue (section)

===Part 1===

There was a place filled with boys and girls who all shared a common feeling of liberation at the same time. It was just after the closing ceremony of the third trimester had completed at Hijirigasaka Academy. The facial expressions of most of the students who exited each classroom and started walking down the hallways towards the entrance were bright. Perhaps because the report cards handed to some students by the homeroom teacher weren’t particularly good, some had slightly depressed expressions mixed among them, but that had its own benefits. However, there were some students who didn’t return home at once and instead remained in the classroom, seemingly reluctant. In Hijirigasaka Academy, class changes were made every year. Therefore, when the opening ceremony was held in April, those classmates would not be reunited again.

“………”

There was one girl in class 1-B who felt that loneliness, as well as something else. Naruse Mio remained in her seat, bathing in the silence. While her classmates conversed with each other and moved out, Mio remained in the seat that she had spent the third trimester in, as her gaze fell to the desk.

…Today is the last time I’ll sit here, huh?

And then, as she reminisced of the past year…

“…What’s wrong?”

Softly, a quiet voiced asked from beside her — it belonged to Nonaka Yuki. Yuki was beautiful to begin with, but she seemed to have grown in that aspect as of late. Upon seeing Yuki, Mio immediately stood up from her seat and gave her answer to that question

“It’s nothing…I’m just thinking of a few things.”

She shook her head and revealed a reluctant smile.

“…I see.”

Perhaps being able to sympathise with that sentiment, Yuki let her gaze drift away from Mio and to the classroom around them. And so, Mio also allowed herself to indulge in the same scenery as Yuki – the class of 1-B that she belonged to. Once more, Naruse Mio thought back on the past.

—After they returned from the Demon Realm, Naruse Mio was able to spend her days normally. While there had been incidents with Maria and Zest soon after they returned, it had become something that they could laugh at now. Maria had discussed the chores of the Toujou household with Zest, and they had split things up, though it wasn’t strange to see the two of them side by side in the kitchen. …Having said that, there was something that they couldn’t late at lately. After the introduction of the jet bath, Maria had completely brightened up, and was in such perfect form that she had become an inconvenience to other. Although she had argued with Maria about it before…

…That time was seriously the worst.

As a result of seeing the other girls with Basara, Mio fell to a strong effect of the Master-Servant curse, and her whole body was attacked by a burning fever of intoxicating sweet sensations. In the end, her eyelids fluttered over her wet eyes as she said “let me join in too…”. She recalled how Maria looked so proud at the time as she said “if you were honest to begin with, you wouldn’t be in this much pain, you know?” and “if you want to join in, you should plead more lewdly”. Mio hadn’t forgotten those words as they got carried away by the mood.

…Remember it.

One day, she would take it down. That being said, there hadn’t been a point in their lives when they felt anxious at some impending danger. It was what Mio and the others always desired, and wished to attain — a tranquil and peaceful everyday life.

…One year has passed.

Mio earnestly ran through her memories of the last year. Last year in spring, Naruse Mio was alone when she came to Hijirigasaka Academy. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know anyone at all, as there were a few who came from the same middle school as her. However – they did not assertively seek to interact with her, because they knew of the brutal murder of her parents. —Naturally, they weren’t aware of the details of Mio’s upbringing, about how she wasn’t related by blood to her parents, and that she was adopted. They were demons, and so was she. Mio was also the only daughter of the previous Demon Lord Wilbert. Those secrets of her lineage weren’t something known by normal people. So while there were those who kept a respectful distance from Mio taking pity on her, in this high school — there were those who she started to get along with her a little more, bit by bit. And those who came from her middle school also began to talk normally to her in class. However, there were also some people who know of Mio’s lineage in this class, those who understood it as the truth. In other words, Yuki, who was by her side

…And Takigawa too.

Mio took a glance at his seat. However, Takigawa Yahiro was no longer there. As the demon spy named Lars, he had disappeared to some place when homeroom ended. The two of them had known about Mio’s identity ever since the beginning of the second trimester. — And the impetus for that, was a meeting right before summer break. Ever since that meeting, Mio’s circumstances had shifted rapidly. In this one year — she had met many people, and she had faced many fights and dangers that risked her life just as much. Those days of fighting were not something that she could have overcome by herself.

…But.

She had found a new family. Those she could trust slowly increased in quantity. That was why Naruse Mio was able to finish the first year of her high school life. She faced this day with a smile.

…Yes.

So, Naruse Mio thought — I, no, we are alright. And so

“Hey~ what are you two doing?”

“We should leave soon.”

Two voices called out to Mio and Yuki. They were friends from class, Aikawa Shiho and Sakaki Chika. Mio and Yuki had promised to go out with them after this. Hence, Mio took her bag and stood from her seat and strode towards Aikawa and Sakaki with Yuki.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

As she apologised with both hands clapped together, Aikawa let out a sigh before revealing a mischievous smile.

“Haha~n, you two got all melancholic when you thought about how you want to be in the same class as Toujou next year, huh~?”

Not surprised by how Aikawa was able to hit the bullseye, Mio and Yuki looked at each other.

“Well…I suppose.”

“I won’t deny it.”

Mio laughed uneasily in return, and Yuki replied back smoothly. Those words weren’t lies or misrepresentation. The desire to be in the same class next year rang true for both Mio and Yuki.

…But.

Because of that, it wasn’t merely hope. In the future, they would without a doubt be in the same class. The difficulties surrounding Mio, the demon race, and demon realm had only reached the first step of its resolution. The Moderates faction and the Current Demon Lord faction had just started their negotiations, and there were also other forces within the Demon Realm. The situation hadn’t entirely been resolved, and some problems still lingered – it was not known when that would happen. And so, as they didn’t know what would happen next, it was for the best if they stayed in the same class. As such, in the same way Yuki and Takigawa were assigned to the same B class as Mio in the past, plans had been made to put Mio, Yuki and Takigawa in one class again.

…Besides.

They were also plans for Kurumi, who was a year younger than them, to join as a new student in Hijirigasaka Academy. As such, it should be possible to have Aikawa and Sakaki in the same class as well. But for safety, reducing risks and use of magic to be in the same class, and the personal feeling of simply just wanting to be surrounded by people she got along with was different. To force her way through with whatever she wanted was much like betraying those she treasured around her. The moment she did that, it could cause harm to her surroundings. As such, although Mio wanted to be in the same class as Aikawa and Sakaki, that was something she hoped and wished for as she did not want to betray her friends.

“…But, it’s been a while since the four of us went out like this.”

Sakaki said softly as they changed their shoes in front of the lockers, having walked there from the classroom through the hallway.

“That’s true…. Toujou would normally be with us.”

 

Said Aikawa, thinking about it. After returning from the Demon Realm, there was a risk that some would want to disrupt the negotiations between the Moderates faction and the Current Demon Lord faction. For the purpose of safety, they had been mindful to stay together when they went outside.

“—Oh, what’s up with Toujou?”

Aikawa asked as she tapped her shoes against the floor to fit them on.

“Basara has plans with his friend too.”

Yuki answered before Mio had the chance.

“Oh, would that be with Takigawa-kun then?”

Everyone knew that Basara got along best with Takigawa from class. It wouldn’t have been strange to think that Basara and Takigawa were together. However, Naruse Mio shook her head in disagreement. And then, she explained Basara’s status.

“It seems like he has something to talk about with Tachibana from the class next door.”