Editing Leviathan:Volume 6 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 4===

"...So, Haruga-kun, I would like you to show some serious contrition," said Juuouji suddenly to Hal.

Hal went "huh?" and tilted his head, then asked, "Contrition for what?"

"Despite knowing my feelings, you still did ''that'' with Luna-san and even subjected Hazumi to it too. You must repent for your grave sins."

"Oh, umm..."

Very recently, Haruga Haruomi and Juujouji Orihime's relationship had advanced further.

'Am I allowed... to love you, Haruga-kun? Or is romance within the team forbidden?'

'O-Of course, you're allowed, Juujouji!'

The above exchange even took place between them.

Hence, Orihime had the right to admonish Hal.

Hence, there should be nothing wrong about her scolding Hal like this.

"Haruga-kun, you are a boy, so I cannot blame you for being a 'closet pervert'... However, when you keep making perverted moves on other girls when you already have me, there is a huge problem! Because as a man&mdash;no, as a person&mdash;two-timing is the worst!"

"Uh, I-I guess it's bad?"

Orihime was condemning him for his perversion and being the worst.

Rather than indignation spurring him towards denial, what Hal experienced first was he felt intensely shaken inside.

In truth, he felt quite guilty too. Although there was a kind of legitimacy, engaging in that behavior was ultimately not too good.

Only roughly a month had passed since the summer vacation began.

During this short period, he had already touched Orihime, Luna and Hazumi's breasts...

"I-I have to defend myself a little," Hal stammered.

"Unless I did that, I wouldn't be able to send magical power to you or the others. On those occasions, I only did it because you were not by my side. I tried my best to stay away from perverted thoughts... I think... I have evidence to prove my innocence..."

Under Orihime's angry gaze, his speech grew more and more incoherent.

In the end, in addition to Orihime's accusations, Hal was burdened by a guilty conscience inside as well, thus preventing him from denying allegations assertively.

Hal was painfully aware of this fact.

...Oddly enough, now that he thought about it, things had been different prior to summer.

Previously, Orihime was the only one whose breast he had pressed his palm firmly against in order to contact the heart. Back then, the girl named Juujouji Orihime already held a special place in Haruga Haruomi's heart.

Indeed. In fact, he had never met a girl like her.

Very feminine yet lively and outgoing. Lacking neither kindness nor courage...

When they first met, Hal even wanted to keep his distance from Orihime&mdash;No, that was because he found Orihime's special traits too dazzling to behold.

He could not help but feel gradually attracted to a type of person he had never interacted with before.

The reason why Hal had deliberately stayed away from Orihime was very likely because he had some vague self-awareness...

"Huh?"

Hal suddenly felt doubt when his thoughts reached this point.

How could Orihime know that he did ''that'' to Hazumi?

Hazumi had personally told her&mdash;Impossible, because they had parted ways during the Hannibal battle and never had a chance to meet up again so far.

Hence, Hal decided to stop thinking about his relationship with Orihime for now.

He should have spent the past half a day or so with Hazumi, planning how to escape the ark&mdash;

"Wait, Orihime-san!"

These words came from a new arrival.

"You are not the only one who loves Harry!"

"Luna-san, when did you arrive!?"

Luna Francois was standing between the dumbfounded Orihime and Hal.

"Fufufufu. Orihime-san, you may have been the first to win Harry's affections... However, I would advise you not to forget this."

The lips of the blonde beauty in the black formal dress curled to reveal an alluring and bewitching smile.

"I was the first to confess. I was also the first to share a passionate kiss with Harry. Not only that, but I never faltered at the prospects of marrying Harry and starting a new life. Bluntly stated, in terms of resolve, you are no match for me, Orihime-san, not even you..."

"Th-This isn't a matter of doing things earlier or later!"

Orihime complained defiantly. However, Luna remained calm and composed.

"You are correct. However, Orihime-san, my love is more 'substantial' than yours in various ways, isn't it?"

More aggressive than anyone, the American girl spoke softly.

She leaned herself against Hal all at once, even whispering in his ear. The pair of G-cups were pressing against Hal's chest.

Volume and softness that could not be ignored, yet that was not all.

The sensation also felt unbelievably elastic.

"Furthermore, Harry."

"Y-Yes?"

"If you were to choose me, Luna Francois Gregory, as your partner... I am confident that I will make sure you never regret it. You know that, don't you?"

Luna Francois was brilliant, calculative and deeply in love.

She was definitely capable of turning this declaration into reality. More importantly, the thought of "the calculative Luna willing to sacrifice so much for me" was quite a clinching factor for Hal&mdash;

Hal knew it himself.

Rather, he was deeply moved by what would be a bad girl's depth of affection.

In addition, he felt free and unfettered when working with Luna, unlike the sheltered young lady who had no exposure to shady underground work. There was a "sense of liberation" as though returning to one's homeland.

Luna Francois and Juujouji Orihime.

Facing these two, Hal felt extremely shaken.

How should he decide and act? His mind was filled by this question.

However, Hal noticed something else that was odd. Why was Luna here as well? He had clearly asked her stay in Tokyo New Town&mdash;

At this moment, he heard faint crying from somewhere&mdash;

"I get it now."

Hal figured it all out. So that was what was going on.

"This kind of psychological attack is Solomon-senpai... or rather, the ring's specialty."

He closed his eyes and focused his consciousness on his heart.

Producing magical power from his heart, he used it to activate the power of dragonbane in his right palm.

What Hal selected was not the Bow but the Rune of the Twin Katana. Although he could not confirm due to his tightly shut eyes, he felt the cross-shaped rune surfacing on the center of his palm.

"Excuse me but I've had enough of the ring's psychological attacks."

Hal poured magical power into the rune on his right hand and slowly opened his eyes.

Instantly, Orihime and Luna Francois disappeared from his side. More precisely, they were Haruga Haruomi's indecision and distress that had manifested through the Ring's psychological attack.

Magic for severing and erasing malicious spells, evil energies and wicked spirits&mdash;

This was precisely the domain of the Rune of the Twin Katana. It succeeded again.

His vision turned dim again.

In the next instant, Hal returned to the sky island.

Lying on the ground, he had apparently slept for several minutes.

Hal immediately got up. However, since he did not want to stand yet, he sat cross-legged.

...Hazumi was staying by his side.

There were traces of tears on her face, presumably due to extreme worry for the unconscious Hal.

"Senpai, you came back!"

"Sorry, it looks like I worried you. But I'm already ok&mdash;"

He jumped in surprise because Hazumi suddenly hugged him. As though trying to topple him over while he was sitting cross-legged, she pounced on him.

"Sorry! It was all because I asked you to stop your magical power...!"

"D-Don't say that."

At a loss what to do, Hal comforted Hazumi gently.

"It's all thanks to your suggestion that we were able to fight off Solomon-senpai swiftly. My injuries are nothing."

Also, the distant crying he had heard during the psychological attack&mdash;

At the time, Hal was convinced that it was definitely Hazumi's voice. She must have been crying, feeling responsibile for the situation.

Precisely because of that, he had come to his senses at that instant and counterattacked.

"I'm doing great, so you don't have to cry so much."

He patted Hazumi's back while she sobbed quietly, asking her not to cry.

Even if he really had a little sister, Hal doubted whether he would comfort her like this. Ever since he was young, Haruga Haruomi had been a cold egoist. Acting like a reliable older man as he was doing now did not match his style and was making him feel a little embarrassed.

However, if this was enough to stop the tears falling from his junior's eyes, it would be a trivial burden to bear.

"Sorry, I panicked a lot when I thought you would never open your eyes again, Senpai..."

The kindhearted girl immediately stopped crying.

Hazumi's eyes were red from crying, but she still smiled demurely at Hal and quickly separated herself from him.

He had forgotten. Until just a moment ago, they had been hugging together.

Finally, Hazumi sat down politely in seiza roughly half a meter away from the cross-legged Hal, face to face.

Then she smiled again.

This time, it was an angel's smile. Her innocent smile as always.

"Fufufufu. I don't know the reason, but I currently feel the same as I did earlier. Very happy and satisfied."

"As you did earlier?"

"Yes. Umm... Like when you said that chests like mine are fine too."

"......"

The angelic smile was always supreme in soothing Hal's soul.

However, this time it made Hal's heart skip a beat. For some reason, he sensed something "womanly" about Hazumi's vibe.
[[image:Leviathan 06 114.jpg|thumb]]

Was it because he had touched her chest earlier and delivered magical power into it?

Was it because the discussion topic had been a bit perverted just now? Was it because he had felt the sensations of her delicate limbs directly after embracing Hazumi earlier?

Or was it because&mdash;some kind of change had occurred to Hazumi?

Could it be all of the above?

The pounding of his heart was disrupting Hal's thoughts more and more. At that moment&mdash;

"Lord Haruga."

Shamiram called out to him. Unnoticed by him, she had arrived by his side.

Truly elusive in her comings and goings. However, she was an ancient witch and no ordinary person. This was nothing to be surprised about. Hal replied calmly, "It was quite a close shave, but at least we overcame the crisis."

"I am terribly sorry for not helping much. After all, my covenant was formed with Ashkelon, who is also one of the vassals serving Master Solomon..."

"Helping to deal the final blow to the Crimson Queen was more than enough."

Hearing Hal say that, Shamiram smiled.

"Thank you, Lord Haruga. It is most fortunate that you and Lady Hazumi are unharmed and even hitting it off."

"Hitting it off?"

"Fufufufu. Excuse me but I saw everything. The moment when the two of you embraced passionately, confirming each other's safety and affections."

"......"

Shamiram smiled suggestively.

Hal wondered if he should clear up the beautiful witch's misunderstanding but chose to shut up in the end. If she viewed Hazumi as "Hal's romantic partner," she would rein in her overly passionate services.

Hazumi said happily, "Do Senpai and I seem that close?"

"Yes. Besides, Lady Hazumi, for you to do that undeterred by the fact that Ashkelon and I were watching from the side, do not claim that you two are not hitting it off."

''No, but don't brothers and sisters hug each other too?''

Next to Hal who was thinking silently, Hazumi smiled innocently.

"That is definitely true... I am somewhat glad. Fufufufu."

What was going on? From appearances, Hazumi seemed almost like a girl secretly in love with Hal, except that she had not discovered these feelings herself.

...Could it be ''that''?

...No no no. Definitely not likely.

Anyway, one must not jump to conclusions. Also, if such thoughts of his were to come to light, it would undermine his dignity as the senior.

"By the way, Lord Haruga. The rune you used just now&mdash;"

While Hal was desperate, trying hard to stop the pounding in his heart from showing on his face, Shamiram said to him, "An interesting spiritual power seems to reside within it. The vanquishing of evil to uphold justice&mdash;A grand technique of exorcism, how astounding. Lord Haruga, do your powers of dragonslaying include more than just the bow?"

"It seems to be a rune of twin swords."

Hal opend his right hand to reveal the cross-shaped runic symbol.

After examining it for a while, the ancient beauty said in puzzlement, "Hmm... With just the spiritual power of this rune, it should only take you one hit to purify dead souls lingering in the living world such as myself or my master."

"You can see that? You're amazing."

Hal was very impressed by Shamiram's eyes of wisdom.

The Rune of the Twin Katana was capable of severing evil energies. In that case, one would expect it to be very effective against the likes of ghosts and the living dead.

However, an ordinary slash could not inflict a critical blow against a ghost of King Solomon's level.

Ultimately, Hal hoped to land a strike powered by a technique of assured annihilation.

"This rune is a bit hard to control. Right now, I don't think I can draw out more power than I did just now."

Hal still did not trust her completely, so he gave an ambiguous reason.

The twin katana's technique of assured annihilation was a mystic technique of extreme difficulty. Even Asya and Luna Francois were unable to use it singlehandedly.

Even if he asked Hazumi, his only companion at the moment&mdash;

Very unfortunately, given her capabilities, it most likely would not go well.

"What a shame when you have this rare sharp blade... No, hold on."

Shamiram suddenly began to ponder.

"In that case, allow me and Ashkelon to confer the spiritual power of exorcism to your Bow, Lord Haruga."

"Huh?"

Hal was taken aback. Shamiram continued, "If you attack my master using two types of dragonslaying power simultaneously... Victory might be yours."

"Is that kind of thing possible!?"

"Leave it to me. After all, like Lady Hazumi, I possess the ability to control a goddess' spiritual power."

If the sword of exorcism alone was unable to erase the evil spirit, just add a bow of exorcism.

The beautiful witch from the ancient kingdom brought up a simple theory effortlessly.  The modern and inexperienced witch asked in surprise, "E-Excuse me. May I ask what do you mean by like me?"

"Didn't you experience it just now? Minadzuki is her name, isn't it? Praying to a 'serpent' that has a goddess' divinity residing within her so that she sends down an oracle to show you the right path."

Like healing magic, it was an outcome arising from special techniques.

"I remember that move, isn't it impossible to perform using pseudo-divinity of ordinary alignments...?"

Hal muttered.

Modern leviathans basically fell under one of the four attributes of Earth, Water, Fire or Wind. At the same time, there were "serpents" with extremely special attributes, such as Rushalka's Moon or Glinda's Gravity.

However, goddess power did not belong to any attribute.

"Well, Lady Hazumi, you seem to still be unfamiliar with this path... However, a priestess capable of awakening the 'sacred goddess' aspect of a serpent' is extremely rare."

The ancient priestess stared straight at Hazumi and spoke quietly.

"I believe you are already amazing simply for achieving this. Yes."

There was nothing alike between the uninhibited Shamiram and the innocent Hazumi.

However, Hal expected Shamiram would be considered as having a special and outstanding talent among the priestesses serving King Solomon, possibly even surpassing modern master-class witches.

Sufficient to be chosen as the gravekeeper out of King Solomon's numerous retainers and favored concubines.

Apparently skilled in 'this path' since ancient times, the senior witch was showing an expression of worldly wisdom while praising the junior who had been born in the modern era.
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