Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 4 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Trial of the Moon

Part 1

“Hikaru-senpai, will doing this really quicken the magic power recovery?”

“Yeah. I heard about this somewhere before. When fellow Magica Stigma get into close contact with each other, their minds would increase their activity mutually and heighten their magic power recovery.”

On top of the bed in Kazuki’s room, the two took a seat and huddled their body together while Hikaru-senpai whispered.

Today is Sunday, the day after the date. Despite the semifinal that was waiting for Kazuki on Monday, he had consumed a considerable magic power in the date last night.

He could take a break in this Sunday, but with just this much time it was hard for a complete recovery.

Thereupon Hikaru-senpai said something about a strange superstition. She came clinging on Kazuki’s side.

Until now they had passed their times together for quite a while under the pretext of curing the male phobia, but Hikaru-senpai had the male phobia at any rate so they never stick this close with each other meaninglessly like this.

“Senpai said somewhere, where exactly? How vague.” Kazuki murmured shyly.

“Your consumption of magic is my responsibility, so let us both pass this day clinging at each other like this!”

“It’s too late to say this but, can senpai stop looking like that if we are going to cling to each other like this? The truth is I have been concerned for quite a while, but that appearance is a little lewd you know?”

Today too senpai was in her usual thin and tightly sticking fit-wear appearance.

“…Actually I had noticed Kazuki is troubled over where to stare. But I’m really happy that you are being conscious of me as a girl .”

“So senpai is actually doing this intentionally!?”

“Yes. I was being obstinate and said that I’m a man but, deep inside I also felt, even though Kazuki was looking at me with that kind eye…”

Senpai looked down with a red face, she did an unbelievable coming-out.

“…I, I was aroused.”

“Senpai…are you a covert pervert…”

Hikaru-senpai touched her fit-wear covered breasts pointedly at the area around Kazuki’s elbow. Kazuki spontaneously stiffened his body, making senpai peek at that expression with upturned eyes.

“Senpai, weren’t you also saying that you are not very good on my bed? Right now you are sitting on my bed though.”

“I was embarrassed so I said that, but actually I also don’t hate this smell of a boy.”

Now that she mentioned it senpai had never said that she hated the smell of the bed. She only said that her heart kept beating hard and she couldn’t calm down. Hikaru-senpai took Kazuki’s pillow in her hand and hugged it hard while burying her face on it.

“Rather this smell might become a habit…”

“Wa, please stop it senpai!”

Kazuki forcefully confiscated the pillow from Hikaru-senpai that kept sniffing it.

“I, became unable to understand my condition but…by some chance do I look like I’m becoming a deviant?”

Senpai whose pillow was confiscated lowered her eyebrows and made an anxious face.

Was that so, for a long time she had killed down her feeling as a girl. Senpai that for the first time had been liberated, now had her feeling completely running wild because she hadn’t found the balance as a girl.

“Such a thing is not true, I don’t think a beautiful person like senpai is a pervert at all.”

“That’s so? I’m glad! Then I have a request though, Kazuki, I wonder if you could take off your clothes?”

“…Eh?” Kazuki froze.

“Actually I have an interest in how the shape of the symbol of a man would change when it got aroused…I was treated as a male but I didn’t have something like that attached on me…that’s why, I wonder if you can show it to me!”

“Senpai is a pervert! Pervert prince!!”

Against senpai who was coming closer with a red face trying to take off his clothes, Kazuki reflexively shouted.

“When you say it like that, for some reason I get excited you know.”

“Please don’t be delighted when you are called a pervert!”

“Of course it’s a joke. By the way, I remember just now but, I had also heard before about how entering the bathtub together would also stimulate the magic power recovery. That’s why let’s enter together? Take off the clothes.”

“Senpai, you said magic power recovery, from some time ago you are just saying really irresponsible things right!?”

“How about playing games like usual for a moment. The one who lose will take off one piece of clothing as the punishment game.”

“Please stop it with the undressing! Rather that, if the senpai right now lost two times then you will become nude!”

“Whatever is fine so come on show me your penis♪”

“Hey, use indirect expression at the very least!”

Kazuki knocked Hikaru-senpai’s head with a snap. Hikaru-senpai was “Ahaha, it’s a joke, a joke” and laughed.

He had the feeling that half of it was serious.

From there, the breast that kept poking at him from some time ago was pressed at him while Hikaru-senpai said “Breast attack!” and made fun of Kazuki. And then wondering whether there was no change that happened at Kazuki’s lower half, she kept throwing glances downward. As a Hayashizaki swordsman, Kazuki had to resist by freeing himself from all worldly thoughts. The prince was a pervert in reality.

Heart marks kept flying at him without pause from Senpai that had been liberated as a girl.

Part 2

May 20―The day of the semifinal.

Now that he looked back once again, unexpectedly and also terrifyingly Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai had been eliminated in the road to this semifinal.

The only one remaining from the Witch Mansion who has the chance to grasp the championship was only Kazuki alone.

There was no more uncertainty left about the existence of a dark shadow of someone that was lurking in this battle election. On that subject the investigation on the students that attacked Kazuki and Hikaru had been recovered by the Knight Order was supposed to be performed steadily, but there was still no information that had been sent to Kazuki or Headmaster Amasaki.

It would be better if he could understand something but…. In any case, for now he should concentrate on winning through this semifinal.

“I should have said it! Sword without ideology is powerless!”

Going out from the waiting tent and entering the ground, the moment they faced the opposing team the Takasugi brothers came pouring disparagement on them.

“Looking at the cowardly face of you bastard, I cannot see any meaning of your fight! From the very beginning you bastard was a human that entered the Magic Division grudgingly just because an enigma appeared on your hand!”

―The purpose of his fight.

Since he enrolled into this Magic Division he had the feeling that he kept continuing to think about such matter.

But when he noticed he had already naturally found what was important to him, and then in order to protect those important things he entered many battles. Right now in this moment too―if he let these guys and Hayashi Shizuka and her partner do whatever they pleased, then his companions in this academy, possibly even far more greater number of people, they all would fall into great predicaments, was something that he understood.

The answer that Kazuki found, there was also Headmaster Amasaki who spoke for him in the form of written opinion.

He had no more hesitation in battle. By no means he was fighting without possessing any purpose at all.

“My strength is not something so powerless just so you know. Enough with the tedious talk, let’s decide that in the match.”

While thinking of his many bonds, Kazuki talked back.

“…Fufufu, it’s just really as you say. It’s troubling for my leader-dono to be big headed.”

Miyabi-senpai laughed with low voice. Her fluffy wavy silver hair swayed behind her.

“There is no doubt in your strength. That had been proven in your battle until now. It is a different strength that had never existed until now in the Magic Division. However…I wonder about the strength of your heart?”

“…Heart?”

“I’m going to test the strength of your heart okay? Prove the strength of your heart too and make my heart go kyun-kyun! …Shem ha MeforashI know thy name! Thy name is…Gremory! Become the moon light that is affection! O goddess who is putting a smile to the moon, light the bottom of the heart!”

While the long silver hair glittered and fluttered, Miyabi-senpai’s body was wrapped in light. What floated beside her was <the countess of hell Gremory>. However she was once called as <the moon goddess Levana>, but it was said that in the future years her existence was repainted.

But as if proving that her essence was by no means stained, Gremory’s avatar floated a smile filled with affection and granted Miyabi-senpai a lovely Magic Dress.

What was created was a rare dress with little exposure rate as a magic dress. The Prima Materials that were forming it one by one was releasing spiritual silver light that shined like stars.

According to what he had heard from Kaguya-senpai, Gremory’s strong point was in mental attack and reinforcement magic.

“Shem ha MeforashI know thy name…. Thy name is Marchosias. O gallant hell’s bombing beast, spread the contradicting wings on your back, display that longing.”

Miyabi-senpai’s twin little sister, the black wavy haired Shinobu-senpai also performed the Access. What was floating beside her was the female wolf with wings made from red crystal Marchosias. The wolf pup that lost its mother and wandered the forest was picked by Gremory, it was said that she was a beast that received that power and brought up by Gremory.

At first she was nothing more than a mere wolf, nevertheless for the sake of Gremory that was swallowed in a war with the heaven, she built the war exploits of the greatest demon of the sixth realm with furious vigor, <the strongest Demon Beast>. She didn’t even heed the king Solomon, only fighting for the sake of Gremory. It was reported in the mythology that her offensive power might be the strongest among the Solomon 72 Pillar.

The avatar of Marchosias granted her contractor Shinobu-senpai a Magic Dress consisted of armor that was constructed with mysterious red and blue metal decorated with fur that made the one seeing it think of a Demon Beast’s pelt.

As if to protect those two, Takasugi brothers move forward and formed the Heaven and Earth Formation.

“Shem ha MeforashI know thy name…Thy name is [Phoenix]…Become a poet that is a magician! O singing bird that play with reason with its sweet tongue, show that strength in accordance with my life!”

Kazuki’s trusted partner also wrapped her own body with Magic Dress.

As if to oppose the Takasugi brothers, Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai moved forward.

“Then without further ado…Semifinal, begin!”

The referee teacher informed the start of the match loudly.

The swordsmen clashed against each other in two versus two at the very front. Kanae said before that the Takasugi brothers were nothing great, but even with a glance from Kazuki he too knew that they were no match against Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai.

That was why the one that Kazuki and Mio should be aware of was the Ryuutaki sisters.

“”Barrett!””

Kazuki and Mio matched their voices and invoked the attack magic that they were both most proficient in. Their aims were―Miyabi-senpai. In all their matches until now, this team was always using Miyabi-senpai’s [Lunatic Labyrinth] to fight. First they had to make her unable to use this magic.

The flame bullet went past the Takasugi brothers, directly flying towards Miyabi-senpai.

Those lines of shots were predicted by Shinobu-senpai who wedged herself in to block.

Shinobu-senpai covered Miyabi-senpai and blocked the bullets using Resist. With excellent Pyrokinesis and Psychokinesis, the heat and force of the flame bullets were killed and the damages were reduced.

“Mio, one more shot at the same time!”

“Understood! …Barrett!”

“Glacier Wind!”

With an instant flash, Kazuki matched Mio’s timing and attacked with magic of cold this time.

Simultaneous attack of flame and cold. …If it like this then Resist wouldn’t be able to be used. If she tried to steal the heat of the flame then the consequence was the power of the cold would be heightened.

Even if she chanted a defensive magic, she should not be able to defend perfectly no matter what element she used!

However Shinobu-senpai chanted a defensive spell and invoked it.

“Thy wing granted from Belphegor, O <icicle of flame>! Cover and hide me, become an irrational wall of contradiction! Wings Fall of Flame and IceCross Conflict!!”

From Shinobu-senpai’s back wings made of red crystal spread out widely, wrapping around herself and Miyabi-senpai. It was something impossible but―those wings emitted heat and cold at the same time.

The bullet of flame and the stream of cold were perfectly blocked at the same time.

While being protected by the wings of red crystal, inside it Miyabi-senpai was chanting her spell.

“Kazuki, if it’s me I cannot break through that effectively!”

Reluctantly Mio moved her target to the Takasugi brothers.

“Understood! …Lightning Line!”

Kazuki chose the magic of Hikaru-senpai that he became able to use recently.

The bow and arrow of lightning pierced the defensive wall of wings. The <electric heat> possessed by the lightning was erased completely by the power of cold owned by the wings. However the <electricity> that flowed through the wings and was transmitted to Miyabi-senpai couldn’t be blocked. On the other side of the wings, the blue light of defensive magic power could be seen.

However it couldn’t obstruct Miyabi-senpai’s chanting.

“Lunatic Labyrinth!!”

With a flash, a light so bright it dazzled the eyes flickered. The light didn’t permit any Resist, it invaded the heart of Kazuki and the others.

…When he came back to his senses Kazuki was in a world of pure white. Inside the light, countless his selves were floating. He soon noticed that he was surrounded by countless mirrors.

He was surrounded by walls of mirrors in every direction.

The mental world of Miyabi-senpai where Kazuki and the other’s heart were dragged into―it was a <labyrinth of mirror>.

The mirror that surrounded him from four directions reflected the scenery, putting close-quarter combat out of order. He couldn’t grasp at all whether in front of him there was a wall of mirror or a road to proceed forward.

There was none of his comrade around him. He could guess that the initial positioning of the allies and enemies in this alternate world was controlled by Miyabi-senpai to a certain degree. And then their attempts to regroup would be blocked by these walls of mirror.

If he didn’t hurry to regroup with his comrades they would be picked off one by one. This place was a labyrinth with terrifying time limit.

Kazuki dashed with impatient feeling, but his face immediately crashed against a mirror.

His current self should be a <spiritual body>, but it felt completely similar with his original flesh and blood body.

Even though he said spiritual body it didn’t seem like he could make anything he like using his imagination.

The flesh and blood body and the spirit was bounded with each other in atomic level. Something that couldn’t be done in the actual flesh body wouldn’t be able to be performed too in this spiritual body, both were tied with each other. …Magic should be able to be used just the same as usual too.

From afar―he could hear the scream of Kazuha-senpai.

“Kazuha-senpai!”

He spontaneously ran to the direction of the voice, but the direction where he was running to was a wall of mirror which Kazuki crashed into with his face hard once more.

Even with the defensive magic power erased it didn’t mean it was painful but…how dare they look down on him with this child’s play!

Kazuki tottered for a step or two and looked around his surrounding, he discerned that this magic couldn’t be torn down with feat of strength.

Then―with his own magic at hand, how would he break down the deception produced by the mirrors.

At that time, Kazuha who was abruptly summoned into this alternate dimension suddenly found herself standing in front of Takasugi brothers and Ryuutaki Shinobu, that was why she spontaneously raised a voice of terror. These three people in front of her were a group with scary faces after all.

During the moment when she still couldn’t even grasp the situation, Takasugi brothers came slashing at Kazuha.

“Kuh…what cowards! Even though I’m not going to lose in one-on-one, to do this kind of thing!”

When Kazuha blocked the attack on one side she got slashed on the other side, she immediately kept getting hit repeatedly. The mirror world reflected irregularly the blue light that Kazuha emitted from her defensive magic power.

At the same time Shinobu was chanting a spell. To defend or the like against that was something that Kazuha couldn’t possibly do.

“O lonely wolf wandering the forest, thy art bestowed with moonlight from the goddess. That light is the power of soldier…change the sharp fang into blade, show that valor! Twin Sword of Beast FangBlade Tusk!!”

At Shinobu’s side, the avatar of a female soldier holding swords in two swords style was floating.

It was said that Marchosias could also take the form of a human soldier.

The avatar of the female soldier vanished in a moment, but only the pair of swords didn’t vanish and remaining behind floating in the air. As if they were being manipulated by an unseen swordsman, both swords flew at Kazuha.

Counting the attacks by Takasugi brothers, Kazuha was attacked by four pieces of swords in total. Her chance to defend against those swords, didn’t exist.

“Watch out! Kazuha-senpai!!”

With timing exactly on that verge of desperate situation, Kazuki came running.

“O wisdom piled up in the history of human race, become the armor that armored my body in many layers! Heavily, thickly, reject every brutality! Seusenhofer!!”

He immediately protected Kazuha-senpai with defensive magic that was effective against physical attacks.

The armor reliably repelled the four pieces of swords.

“Ha, Hayashizaki! Thank you!!” A heart mark came flying from Kazuha-senpai.

“…How, to arrive this fast.” Inside Shinobu-senpai’s expressionless face, a surprise was mixed.

Kazuki had his body covered with faint wind. It was [Storm Fort] with its output suppressed. The wind that spread and swirled around Kazuki was pushing the walls of mirror and only flowed into one point of the surrounding.

The direction that the air current indicated―that was the path that the irregular reflection of the mirror masked.

Furthermore, with the help of Leme’s Magic Dress the <Solomon’s Ring>, it not only showed the graph of his companion’s positivity level, but it was also equipped with a map function to display the coordinate of his companions that was a target of conquest.

With these two abilities, Kazuki headed to help Kazuha-senpai at full speed.

“We, we are retreating from here!” “Ou Big Bro!”

He didn’t know which one was the big brother, but Takasugi brothers quickly leaped into a mirror while raising pathetic voices. Both of them were not colliding with the mirror, but they were absorbed and vanished.

Wordlessly Shinobu-senpai too followed them from behind and vanished as well.

“Kazuha-senpai, we are going to search for Mio and Kohaku and regroup!”

Kazuki took Kazuha-senpai’s hand. It was so they wouldn’t collide against the mirror, that was all, he didn’t have any other intention. With a little shy expression, she grasped back that hand hesitantly.

“Kazukii―! Kazuki Kazuki Kazukii―!! Kazu-nii! Nyaa―!”

While they were running, they immediately heard Mio’s loud voice reverberating.

“Amasaki-san, she is shouting so recklessly but…”

Kazuha-senpai made a face that was wondering what in the world Mio was shouting but…there was no way Mio was just shouting around without thinking. Most likely she was yelling loudly to echo her voice against the walls of mirror, then she read that wave motion of the sound with Extra Sense and grasped the structure of the surrounding labyrinth like a sonar.

At the same time it looked like she also had the intention to notify her comrade about her current position. It was also like this when she healed his heart that was stopped, but Mio was surprisingly clever when in a fight.

However he could feel what kind of route Mio was taking with Solomon’s Ring, but her steps were uncertain. Even Mio who was said to be a prodigy in magic, she couldn’t possibly dash ferociously like Kazuki while using such advanced Extra Sense.

[Lunatic Labyrinth] was a magic that originally couldn’t be smashed if they didn’t go until that far.

And then probably―Mio was being chased by the enemy.

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai ran with all their strength for a while, they found Mio’s figure at the end of the road turn.

“Kazu-nii!” Mio noticed Kazuki with a bright voice.

Kohaku was also in that place with Mio. It seem Mio was able to link up with her while running around.

The place where the two of them were located was not a narrow path, the space became a slightly open spot like a plaza.

From the opposite side…The four people of Ryuutaki sisters and Taksugi brothers were coming in pursuit. From the katana of the Takasugi brothers and Shinobu-senpai’s [Blade Tusk], Mio and Kohaku had already bore considerable damages on them.

“Lightning Line!”

As soon as Kazuki came running, he attacked Shinobu-senpai who was manipulating the twin swords with an arrow.

“Kazuki, rather than this side…Miyabi-senpai has been chanting some kind of high level magic since some times ago!”

After listening of Mio’s call, Kazuki finally directed his attention toward Miyabi-senpai. However, it was already too late.

“Oh, you are surprisingly quick. But your expression when you came running so desperately is so cute.”

Miyabi-senpai turned her face to Kazuki with elusive smile and calm voice.

“However I wonder about this next one? …The maiden offering prayer every night, be that as it may, the moonlight illuminate the beast in thy heart. Expose thy true nature…Moon Mirror Heart GnawingLunatic Luna Light!”

At Miyabi-senpai’s back a gigantic moon was floating looking like a halo that shined, releasing silver lights!

Kazuki who received that light...was just fine.

“…!? Everyone is”

However looking at the companions around him, Kazuki was startled.

The face of Mio who was looking at Kazuki…turned into a sullen look at the blink of an eye.

The eyes of Kohaku who was looking at Kazuki …turned into teary eyes in the blink of an eye.

Kazuha-senpai who was looking at Kazuki…gritted her teeth grindingly and glared at him with a terrible look.

“Kazu-nii you idiot! I don’t know you anymore!!”

Mio suddenly yelled and came attacking with “Barrett!” flame of bullet.

“Mi, Mio, what are you doing!?” Kazuki yelled while evading in panic.

“Kazuki…why, why are you acting cold only to this one! Prepare yourself!!”

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Filthy! Pervert! Harem king! I won’t hand over Kohaku to someone like you!!”

Kohaku who was half crying and Kazuha-senpai who looked scary came slashing at Kazuki altogether.

At the same time the Takasugi brothers also came attacking.

“Blade Tusk.” Furthermore the twin swords that Shinobu-senpai summoned were also dancing in the air and came attacking.

“Wha, what the hell is this!? Mio, what are you doing! …Seusenhofer!!”

Kazuki Foresighted and evaded the flame bullet, the remaining everything were fortunately only physical attacks coming from all direction that he repelled using Prometheus' heavy armor that covered his body.

“You asked me why…just ask that question to yourself!”

“Do you really think, I can ask myself in this kind of situation!”

Tears were slowly gathering in Mio’s eyes―she suddenly yelled out some inappropriate things.

“Kazu-nii only pampered Koyuki and Lotte calling them cute, cute! You never called me cute except just a few times! Even though I also want to be pampered, Kazu-nii you idiot!!”

Wha, what the hell is this! What is this girl saying in the middle of battle!?

“You, you misunderstand Mio! Because Koyuki looked lonely, Lotte’s situation is where she’s all alone in an unknown country…I can’t just leave them alone so…”

“Compared to those two, you think someone like me is just inconsequential right!?”

“Wrong! To have Mio as my partner…I unconsciously feel really relieved! I didn’t intend to make light of you but I unconsciously feel too comfortable…if I hurt Mio’s feelings, I’m sorry!”

For Kazuki, Mio was a companion that he could come in contact with relaxed and open attitude next after Kanae.

However, that carefree feeling in reality might be him taking advantage of Mio.

That’s right, because Mio was always wondering anxiously how Kazuki was thinking about her.

At that point Kazuki noticed it. …The magic just before, was that a magic that magnified the dissatisfaction of his companions!?

“Cornering all of you into this plaza and chanting this magic is just as planned. Now it’s seven versus one, well now, what will you do?”

Miyabi-senpai grinned widely. Certainly this would still be better if they were still in a narrow corridor.

In this plaza of mirror, Kazuki was surrounded by the hostility of seven people.

However…there was no way their bonds could be torn apart with this kind of magic!

From the hostility that surrounded hum, Kazuki immediately fixed his face on Mio.

“Mio…I like you! It’s embarrassing to say it like this, but there is no way Mio is not cute!”

Mio’s spell chanting suddenly stopped. “I’m cute? Really?”

“You are cute! That’s obvious, you always keep making my heart beat so hard! No matter whether your angry or smiling face, even your rapidly changing expression is cute, each of them is my precious treasure! You are also the one most suited in maid uniform! Even though I didn’t like maid uniform that much, it’s your fault that I turned to like it so much before I noticed it! Besides, when you hugged and fawned at me in stimulating appearance like your Magic Dress or racing swimsuit, before long…my male instincts were always at the limit you know!? Why are you always feeling anxious so willfully, stop bullshitting me! There is no way in the world that you are not cute!!”

While Kazuki shouted with all his strength he hugged Mio tightly. Immediately after he did that,

“Kazu-nii…I like you Kazu-nii! I love you too!!”

Mio hugged Kazuki back. Mio had returned to her sanity!

Right there Kohaku’s sword that didn’t forgive their negligence came flying.

“This one will kill Kazuki and then die together too―!”

Kazuki took Mio who fawned on him in a princess carry and nimbly dodged.

“Kazuki…why are you being cold to this one only!?”

Kohaku blamed him with teary eyes.

“I’m not being cold to you or anything!”

So Kohaku thought about things like that. But…,

“Isn’t Kohaku the one that doesn’t try to face me right from the front!? I don’t have any intention to go out with a girl just for the sake of a sword school!”

“Bu, but, because…!”

“There is no but or because! All this time wasn’t Kohaku just pushing your own convenience to me!!?”

He properly understood that Kohaku liked him in her true feelings. However he had been thinking all along, that if Kohaku acted like that then there was no way Kazuki could accept her feeling.

Even between that kind of conversation, Takasugi brothers were still attacking. Shit, don’t be a nuisance!

“So I beg you, face me right from the front! Don’t hide behind something like the sword school or the like! The starting line of our relation begin from there right!?”

“This one was…running away even from taking the normal first step on the starting line…”

The color of sanity had returned back into Kohaku’s eyes.

“Kazuki…until now this one only kept saying unreasonable things, forgive this one! This one is incompetent, but let’s start back from friend!!”

Kohaku too came hugging Kazuki. Looking at that situation…Kazuha-senpai flared up even more in fury.

“Youu―! How dare you seduce even Kohakuu!!”

“I’m not seducing her!”

Carrying Mio and Kohaku at both arms, Kazuki continued to run from Kazuha-senpai’s sword while talking back.

What an absurd battlefield…!

“If you are saying this is not seducing, then what do you think this is!? You are liked by a great number of girls, in the meanwhile you keep tottering saying things like harem with a lewd look on your face! E, even me…. But, do you think I can trust someone like that!?”

“Certainly I might be in a harem situation…. But I also don’t have any reason to betray anyone!”

He might be running away from the matter of choosing just one person. However the truth was that there was no need to choose one person.

It might be cowardice. No, I’m not doing anything cowardly.

“What are you saying!?”

“Everyone is important to me! I don’t want to make anyone unhappy, I want everyone to laugh together! If it’s for that sake…I will offer my everything to everyone until the very last!!”

“You, you are prepared until that far…if it’s like that then it’s as if Hayashizaki is not having a harem, doesn’t it look like Hayashizaki is everyone’s pet instead!!”

“Harem or pet, it’s the same! It’s not a relation where I make everyone my servant, and everyone is also not making me their servant, it’s only…the connection of our bonds are our happiness, that’s all!!”

Right now with this situation right now…I can accept it just as it is!

{King! …Right now, in a certain meaning you have attained a great enlightenment!}

Against Kazuki’s determination, Leme came and transmitted her vice in delight.

“I, I don’t get it…are you a man with great caliber, or are you just a simple good-for–nothing…”

“If senpai wants to know then regain your sanity and please ascertain it with your own eyes.”

“…Okay. I will be by your side, only to make sure of that with my own eyes okay! Remember that I’m not the same with those other girls!”

Kazuha-senpai made a reversal so suddenly and slashed at Takasugi brothers. She also had her sanity returned!

Kohaku too separated herself from Kazuki’s arm and made her assistance. Mio too launched her offense magic.

The order of the battlefield had recovered to how it originally was.

“Kuh, to persuade your comrades while running away from our swords.” “Ryuutaki Shinobu, use even stronger magic!”

“Useless…” Shinobu-senpai murmured. “…I am already doing it.”

Using the opportunity while Kazuki and the others fell into pandemonium―Shinobu-senpai was chanting her spell.

From the scale of that magic power―just from a glance he understood that it was a dangerous magic.

“Thy wings granted by Belphegor, O <icicle of flame>! Grasp the air superiority of hell, hand down the inescapable contradicting bombing! Icicle of FlameBurning Icicle!”

The space split apart with ‘bikibikibiki!’ sound, then a gigantic wolf with red crystal as its wings flew out from it. That wolf should not be the real materialization of Marchosias herself, but it looked like a clone body that contained some tens percentage of Marchosias’ strength. When Shinobu-senpai and Miyabi-senpai rode on its back, the wolf flapped its wings and flew.

“You, you are not going to let us ride too!?”

The Takasugi brothers that were left behind hopped up and down (pyon pyon) from below.

“My bad, but this wolf is for the exclusive use of only me and Nee-sama.”

“Fufufu, oh Shinobu. …You two run away so you won’t get swallowed into this.”

The wolf smoothly evaded Mio’s [Barrett]. From those wings, countless red crystals were scattered toward the people below in drops. Those red crystals were explosive. DON! DON! DON! Explosion roars were ringing one after another, the surrounding area was swallowed into the explosion’s blast.

The explosions’ blasts were inconsistent but―they possessed both sides of mighty heat and cold.

Resist was ineffective! That explosion didn’t permit any defense and reliably gouged large damage on the target. Kazuki and the others desperately ran from place to place away from the red crystals―[Burning Icicle]. However the wolf Ryuutaki sisters were riding on flew at the sky as if there was nothing like a wall of mirror on their way. In regards to that, Kazuki and the others had to run around the mirror wall so they wouldn’t collide.

When they slipped out from the plaza they had been fighting at since a while before, Kazuki and the others entered a narrow path.

Even with red crystals exploding, the walls of mirror didn’t break, instead the narrow spot made the blast from the bomb’s explosion even stronger. The explosions that kept arising one after another shaved out Kazuki and the others magic power rapidly while they were running with their bodies close with each other even though they couldn’t possibly escape.

<Burning Icicle>. Marchosias who boasted unrivaled strength in spite of being just a mere wolf was transplanted with a weapon called <Burning Icicle> by the Demon King Belphegor. She was remodeled even further as the ultimate fighting beast. That terrible strength was right now becoming reality and raining down at them.

Think. What kind of magic he had that could defend against this explosion? To defend against this magic…!

But even faster than Kazuki could work his brain―Miyabi-senpai invoked her magic.

The girl was again concentrating on chanting for quite long.

“O heart locking mirror, open…the reflection of the moon shoot out the illusion of ostentation until everywhere deeply! Illuminated his true nature as a person in this place…Moon Mirror SealMan in the Moon!!”

Suddenly a mirror appeared right in front of Kazuki who was escaping. Kazuki’s face was largely rising to the surface in that mirror, that face grinned widely on its own accord. At that instant, Kazuki’s consciousness became distant…,

“Wa, wait Kazuki!? In this kind of emergency, just wait!!”

Kazuki fainted.

His mind sunk down deeper and deeper.

Kazuki had a similar experience of fainting like this―when he fell into magic intoxication.

The bottom of his own mind. The border line between his own mind and Astrum. In the lowest strata of his unconsciousness that was far separated from the consciousness, forgotten pasts were precipitating as if being thrown away,

A deep memory that he already couldn’t even recall anymore even if he will it himself.

Inside the darkness, only the reminiscence was shaking.

Suddenly among those memories, one memory came back to life on its own accord inside the darkness of the mind.

The sounds, scenery, and touch of that time were being reproduced as it was.

That’s right, this magic forcibly made the person remember his [trauma]…!

The drawn scenery was a snowy night. The orphanage Kazuki once was living at, <Nanohana Institute>, in front of its gate there was a lone woman holding a baby.

The moment he saw that woman’s face, Kazuki’s chest was tightening.

If right now there was a flesh body along with his consciousness, he wouldn’t even be able to try to bear it before shedding his tears.

His mother. His mother had this kind of face.

He remembered. He remembered about this day. The coldness that pricked the childish skin just before the dawn. My mother deserted me at this time in this place and became gone!!

Why…what kind of situation made her did this…?

Around this time was an age of chaos immediately following the birth of magic in this world.

Tokyo was destroyed because of the illegal magicians, this country was just in the middle of pandemonium. She might have had some kind of circumstances. However, what kind of circumstances that made her do this kind of thing….

{After all your reason of fighting is this kind of thing.}

There was a woman’s voice. It seemed like the voice of Miyabi-senpai, but it also sounded similar with Gremory’s voice.

“A pitiful child that didn’t even get loved by his own real mother. That is you. In actuality, you don’t think of the other person as important or anything. Your true essence is servility. That is not kindness. You fight only for your own sake in the end.”

While Kazuki was seeing off his mother’s back that became farther from Nanohana Institute, he heard that voice.

Isolation without end. Yes, the former Kazuki was always crying.

But suddenly, inside Kazuki’s head a voice reverberated like a flash of lightning. Mio’s voice.

{But I’m an orphan after all…, no one needs me anyway…stop that kind of thinking already! Because I like Kazu-nii very much! Because it made me sad if you are just ignoring my feelings like that! Because it’s not just me, surely everyone else also think so too!}

…That’s right, right now is different! I’m not throwing a tantrum continuously at everyone asking [give me love] from them! The feeling is not a one-way street, didn’t he just get worried about by Mio not long ago!?

Certainly the me in the past was without a doubt desperate about wanting to be loved by someone.

Even right now sometimes there were moments where he got close into desperation without thinking of his own well-being.

However if I say something self-depreciating, I’m going to be scolded by Mio.

Even Kanae would say something like “Nii-sama you moron―!” and sock him hard.

Even in Nanohana Institute, even in Hayashizaki house, everyone loved me like a real family.

That was why I got back on my feet already from this kind of traumapast. The past is the past, now is right now.

If he got caught in this kind of past, the words he said to Koyuki and Lotte would become completely irresponsible.

Kazuki looked back at the back of his mother that became more distant.

…Kaa-san, I don’t know what kind of circumstance you have.

However…I’m fine already.

At that moment, the world of darkness was filled with light in a flash.

…Though someday, why did Kaa-san threw me away, I want to know that reason….

While leaving a trail of such feeling faintly, Kazuki returned back to the world of reality.

How much time had passed?

After the world was overflowing with light once more―Kazuki returned to the former world where his companions were waiting.

It seemed in the time Kazuki lost consciousness [Lunatic Labyrinth] had used up its energy and the battlefield revolved back to the original ground. Kazuki’s heart returned to his flesh body.

And then the first sight that entered Kazuki who just awakened was wall of flame. Mio invoked [Blazing Wings], as if a parent bird protecting her chicks, those gigantic wings enveloped and defended everyone.

Over their head even now too the Ryuutaki sisters were still riding on top of the huge wolf and flew in circle while dropping bombs of [Burning Icicle] repeatedly.

His companions were in tattered conditions with their remaining magic power almost used up. While running about trying to escape, it seemed Mio finally succeed in chanting the [Blazing Wings].

However even that was nothing more than buying time. The contradicting explosions of [Burning Icicle] emitted heat and cold at the same time. The wings of flame protected them from the heat but the cold was encroaching inside little by little. Even the wings of Phoenix were already in the verge of decaying. He woke up in that kind of timing.

“Kazuki, you're awake!?” Mio’s expression brightened.

Kazuki immediately exerted his brain, groping about for means of protection against this bombing with the magic at hand. Even armor of flame, or divine protection of cold, or armor of steel, all of it couldn’t defend against this bombing. To protect themselves form this…!

“O stream of atmosphere, converge on this body, become the storm that reject the resented person! The eye of typhoon is my throne! Storm Fort!”

Kazuki remembered what was probably the single most optimum solution. In the surrounding of the four people that were huddling together under the exposure of aerial bombing, fierce wind was whirling about forming a typhoon.

The raining down red crystals was blown about even before they exploded by the typhoon.

The typhoon also counterbalanced the blast of the explosion from far away.

“To return this fast…you really make my heartbeat become increasingly faster.”

Miyabi-senpai who was riding on the wolf flying at the sky looked down at Kazuki leisurely.

The bombing stopped. Maybe the Burning Icicle was finally running out of bombs.

When he looked around, Takasugi brothers had exited the ground. Had Mio and the others made a frantic effort and defeated them, or had they possibly gotten swallowed by the aerial bombing of the Burning Icicle…?

“Kazuki, that…” Mio’s eyes opened wide looking at Kazuki.

Suddenly, Kazuki noticed how he, before he was even aware, was currently gripping a thing he had no recollection of in his hand.

It was a sword transparent like water and emitting a magical gloss of rainbow color.

Where in the world did it come from?

The sword constantly released weak magic power, little by little its substance was fading. Before long it would vanish. However right now Kazuki’s palm felt it, the fierce strength it possessed.

“With your victory over your trauma, Gremory gave that proof of your spiritual purity. That is the shape of your spirit’s crystallization, your symbol.”

Miyabi-senpai informed him from the sky.

“Gremory is a goddess that changes those with strong heart into a true warrior. Warrior that can prove their strength of heart would be granted power, it’s that kind of magic.”

Kazuki was baffled inside his heart. …Why did she use that kind of magic on me?

Was it because she had the confidence of deciding the match while I was being tied up?

The fact was, Kazuki recovered with just a paper thin difference in timing.

“It’s troubling for a magic to do things like empowering the enemy. But we too were also chanting a spell while your heart was restrained though. If you can do it, try to protect your important comrades with that sword…Right here right now I will test the purity of your heart!”

Miyabi-senpai stopped the idle talk and restarted her interrupted spell chanting.

“”Moon at the sky, wolf at the ground, the fierce howling voice prosecuted the sin above the earth loudly!””

That chanting was not from Miyabi-senpai alone. She matched the magic power’s wavelength of Shibobu-senpai beside her. That magic was something spun by two people. …Chorus Magic!!

It couldn’t possibly be level 10 Materialization Summoning!?

…No, no matter how long Kazuki had fainted, that magic was supposed to need an even longer time.

Moreover this magic, he felt how the magic power of Gremory and Marchosias were mixing and overlapping with each other….

<Union Magic>. Mixing the strength of two Diva together and realizing a single magic.

…There is that kind of magic!? There was no doubt that this was only possible because of the connection possessed by Gremory and Marchosias that was really strong to the degree that could be said to be unique even among the Solomon 72 Pillar.

“”O moon that shine even above the sinful person, transform that light of motherhood into anger, squash this surface! The nightmare of setting moon is right here…Panic Setting Moon DestructionMoon Strike!!”

The clone body of Marchosias faced the moon in the sky and howled as if calling for someone beloved. Gremory was the goddess of moon. In the clear sky of the broad daylight, a faint white full moon was emerging.

That white moon gradually became bigger, filling up the sky completely. It grew bigger vividly until he could make the distinction of several craters on it with naked eye…the moon was falling!!

GOGOGOGOGO! The celestial sphere falling down with reverberating sounds as if crushing flat the air resistance had already made it obvious to Kazuki that there was no defensive magic at his hands that could possibly do anything. If they got hit, Kazuki whose damage was relatively small might be able to hold out, but the other three’s removal from the fight were inevitable.

In the end, Kazuki brandished up the sword held in his hand.

This was Kazuki’s spirit in the form of sword. Its power was inferior compared to the katana produced by Prometheus’ [Olympia Forger] but―if you call yourself the crystallization of my spirit, then show me how to rescue my companions!!

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Against the falling down celestial sphere, Kazuki brought down his sword. There was no other resistance he could do.

A light that made everything else vanished. A sound that made everything else seemed far away.

Like the legend of Moses splitting the sea with his cane, that slash of Kazuki parted the approaching celestial sphere that was covering up the sky into two. The largely bisected moon and the sword inside Kazuki’s hand scattered apart into particles of rainbow light like a momentary dream.

At the audience stands, loud cheers were raised from their witnessing of the embodiment of human’s spirit to protect their comrade.

Ryuutaki-senpai was watching that with her own eyes. The clone body of Marchosias that flew in the sky used up its power, it put down the sisters on the ground and vanished.

“I had hypothesized anything and everything but, what an unforeseen result.”

Miyabi-senpai who went down and stood on the same surface faced Kazuki and talked.

Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai prepared their stance with their katana as though they were about to attack.

Seeing that, Miyabi-senpai turned to Kazuki and raised both her arms high.

“I surrender.”

“Nee-sama!” The one who reacted the first was Shinobu-senpai who was in the immediate side of Miyabi-senpai. She flared up hearing that declaration.

Kazuki and the others were dumbfounded too hearing that sudden declaration.

“It can’t be helped can’t it, we have no chance of victory anymore right? The Takasugi brothers had left the stage, our greatest offensive magic that was invoked by sacrificing those two was also defended completely. If it had become like this, to spin a new magic from zero with those four as the opponents without a vanguard of our own, it’s impossible with our chanting ability you know. This is unexpected, but it’s also my expected conclusion.”

Miyabi-senpai shrugged her shoulders. The referee teacher that watched over the situation also agreed with that point of argument.

“Winner, Team Hayashizaki!” The referee declared.

The watching students who were satisfied with the flashy offense and defense at the end raised loud cheers. Even the voice of blessings from Kaguya-senpai and the others were also audible from here. However for Kazuki all of it felt very far away.

He was not fully satisfied with Miyabi-senpai’s intention.

[I’m going to test the strength of your heart], that was what Miyabi-senpai said before the match.

Certainly throughout this match, there were many things that he was tested on, he thought.

Because of that, he had this strange feeling that he wanted to thank the opponent rather than the victory itself.

“Why didn’t senpai fight normally, rather senpai behaved as if senpai was testing me wasn’t it?”

Within the loud cheers, Kazuki inquired Miyabi-senpai who had became the loser.

He didn’t think that she had pulled her punches. That miraculous sword that Kazuki received was from Miyabi-senpai's magic, but at the same time if she didn’t use that magic then Kazuki’s team wouldn’t allow them to finish chanting that Union Magic.

On the other hand, the Takasugi brothers of the opposite team had been defeated by their own doing before Kazuki’s team even noticed. By no means they could say that they were the one in the disadvantaged situation at this battle.

However he had the feeling that Miyabi-senpai had another way of fighting that she was more used to.

Like this everything was shrouded in mist.

“Nee-sama, what are your intentions?”

Shinobu-senpai too, she asked Miyabi-senpai because she was unable to surmise Miyabi-senpai’s intention.

“Ryuutaki Miyabi! Why didn’t you fight until the very end!!?”

The Takasugi brothers that had been removed from the match and took refuge in the tent glared at Miyabi-senpai with burning eyes.

Judging from how the Takasugi brothers were the son of Board Chairman Takasugi, they were most likely complicit with the scheme behind the scene of this battle election. However Miyabi-senpai who were solicited by the Takasugi brothers might actually hold a totally different objective close to her chest.

“My plan was only like that you know. Fufufu, things like the reason for my plan, even I myself don’t understand. In the end this plan is just something like a whim don’t you agree?”

Miyabi-senpai laughed and dodged the question about her true intention.

“No, it must not be like that.” Kazuki shook his head and denied it.

“Before the battle election began, senpai was despairing against this country and this academy. It doesn’t matter whatever this country become of, senpai said those words carelessly. However humans that had truly despaired won’t ever think of trying things like testing someone else. Something comes into mind. Surely because someone cannot give up hope that they planned this, not merely in a whim. Senpai…what are you expecting from me?”

Hearing Kazuki’s straight to the core question, Miyabi-senpai showed a surprised expression for the first time.

“I give up. …When my true feelings are seen through like completely up to that point, as a contrary person it feels really embarrassing. Yes, certainly I have an expectation for you. But for someone in my position, it’s not strange to discover hope in you right?”

Miyabi-senpai is an elf. ―And Kazuki had defeated the sworn enemy of every elf with this hand.

At the center of the ground, Miyabi-senpai whose body was covered with dress-type Magic Dress slowly approached near Kazuki. She gently brought her face near Kazuki…’chuu’ and she kissed his cheek.

“””Wha!?””” Mio and Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai opened their eyes wide.

Kazuki too made an amazed face and looked back at Miyabi-senpai.

Miyabi-senpai’s cheek reddened, then she made a bewitching smile and stared at Kazuki.

“Onee-sama!? Wh, why did you do that kind of thing to that kind of man!? Even Shinobu, even though I never got a kiss or anything from Onee-sama!?”

Shinobu-senpai who had been wrinkling up her eyebrows the whole time suddenly had her expression crumbling, she clung to Miyabi-senpai while tears were falling down from her eyes in big drops.

“What are you saying, there is no reason for sisters to kiss isn’t it? Kiss is something to be done to good-looking guys you know?”

“Onee-sama is recognizing that man as a man!?”

“This person overcame the trial. There is no way I cannot feel my heart going pitter-patter for him.”

Miyabi-senpai said while brushing up her silver long hair. What on earth is this trial she was talking about?

“NO! NO NO NO!! Shinobu doesn’t approve that kind of thing! Shinobu and Nee-sama will be together forever just the two of us! Onee-sama must only look at me…If Nee-sama is not, then Shinobu…”

“This person is the savior of elves, my heart is charmed by him already. It’s going kyun-kyun right now.”

“That’s why- what is nee-sama is saying!? Onee-sama is not an elf or the like at all!”

…What? Kazuki felt like his breath was stopping. Even Mio and the others that were flaring up at Miyabi-senpai even now because she suddenly kissed Kazuki now had their expression frozen with a start from the surprise.

“No, I am an elf you know, Shinobu.”

Miyabi-senpai floated a bitter smiling face and turned back to Kazuki.

“We are twins with a really intimate relation after all…when I became an elf this child was shocked and she became unable to recognize [the real me]. She can’t hear words inconvenient for her. This child rejected reality and shut herself in a world where she is together with a false me, just the two of us. In the eyes of this child my hair still looked pitch black, it reflected me as her older twin sister that is her spitting image.”

Miyabi-senpai stroked the head of her twin with sadness, but Shinobu-senpai’s pupils were empty, she made a face as if she didn’t hear any of the words just now.

“But thanks to this child I was saved. When I became an elf, just like all other elves I too was treated by the world like a monster. But only this child stayed by my side. If this child was not there, I wouldn’t be able to get back at my feet like this. But even though I stand back up like this, this child was still unable to see reality. She kept seeing only the false me, locking herself in a world of just the two of us―where she is actually just by herself alone. That’s sorrowful isn’t it?”

Kazuki was also saved from solitude by all his companions from the orphanage and everyone of Hayashizaki house.

For Miyabi-senpai, Shinobu-senpai was the only existence that had saved her.

The feeling of Miyabi-senpai that wished to save Shinobu-senpai, Kazuki could understand it so well it was heartbreaking.

“Hey, Ou-sama. I wonder if this girl’s heart could be conquered if it’s you?”

…How does she know my ability? This person, isn’t she really too well informed…?

{Oi, Gremory. You gave unneeded hints to your contractor right?}

Leme materialized besides Kazuki.

{…Forgive me Leme-chan. Because these sisters, they are really pitiful even though they are such good children see? That’s why I want to teach them that there is a great person called BasilleusKing.}

Besides Miyabi-senpai, an avatar of a really neat and clean young lady even though she was called <The Duchess of Hell> was floating. She was wearing a silver dress that had a similar shape with Miyabi-senpai’s dress.

{Right now is the testing phase for the human, that’s why we have already decided not to get too involved, haven’t we?}

When Leme was scolding her with cold eyes, Gremory vanished as if to run away.

“That was the hope I embraced. Does Ou-sama not have an interest in a sister sandwich?”

Sister sandwich. A terrific word came out, Kazuki was losing strength and faltering halfway.

“The merit of conquering both of us is really big you know? Marchosias is a powerful Diva, and probably if it’s you, you could also chant the Union Magic of Gremory and Marchosias, other name [Gremory-neesan Great Indignation Pun-pun Full Moon Fall], by yourself alone.”

Miyabi-senpai proposed while raising her index finger. What’s with that another name where people could do nothing other than make a tsukkomiretort.

“…I won’t do such a thing like conquering a girl just for the sake of power.”

“Don’t say such lonesome matter like ‘for the sake of power’. You are a king that I recognize…”

While whispering with a sweet voice, Miyabi-senpai once again brought her face near Kazuki―

“Nee-sama, please stop!” “Kazuki, what are you doing in a public place!”

―However Shinobu-senpai and Mio cut in between them and put a stop to it.

Just like they said, they were in front of the eyes of the students from the whole school.

“Fufufu.” A heart mark come flying from Miyabi-senpai who laughed in amusement. …Don’t tell me!

Amasaki Mio―150 Lotte―120 Hiakari Koyuki―119 Otonashi Kaguya―100

Hoshikaze Hikaru―87 Tsukahara Kazuha―55 Ryuutaki Miyabi―40 Ryuutaki Shinobu―2

Both of their positivity level was displayed! Even with positivity level of 40, could a person do all these kinds of bold things? Also Shinobu-senpai’s score of 2…

With a glare, Shinobu-senpai’s teary eyes were stabbing at Kazuki while she made a terrible expression. It was as if she was a wolf pup that stood in front of the enemy of her mother wolf and growled [gururu]. It was absolutely impossible wasn’t it, to conquer this girl.

“You have seen it right, the positivity level? Gremory is an existence that also governed the love between male and female after all, I wonder if there is a blessing from her?”

Certainly the positivity level of Mio and Kazuha-senpai had gone up in a casual manner. Especially conspicuous was Kazuha-senpai’s climb in number.

“…Even though I challenged the match with the intention of fighting seriously, as I expected I cannot be fully satisfied when it looked like I was only made to dance on top of your palm the whole time.”

“There is no such thing. Without doubt this victory is something you should be most proud of even compared to all your victory before this right? You have proven your strength in all your battles until now, you have proven your quality as leader with this battle election, and you have proven the strength of your heart with the trial of Gremory and me. If it’s said by me then right now you had become a King in its true meaning.”

The meaning of strength, the reason of fighting, the significance of bonds…Such things couldn’t be expressed clearly in words, however its forms were built little by little inside him, such feelings clearly existed inside him.

{Uh huh, when you spoke sharply to Tsukahara Kazuha and made her return to her sanity was also excellent. Leme too had got a better opinion for the King. That is for sure Leme’s contractor…the Harem King.}

“However enemies that are threatening against that kind of you are still remaining.”

Even now Miyabi-senpai continued her words that were as if seeing through behind the scene.

“Win through the battle election and take the first step as a King. Regarding your true enemy, saying it clearly, those like Takasugi brothers are just pawns that look like a joke. The star performer is the opponent that you are going to meet in the final.”

Final…the team which Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka belonged…. At that time Kazuki had an auditory hallucination of the most unforgivable enemy that tormented Hikaru-senpai while raising an evil laughing voice.

The semifinal was nothing more than a trial. The enemy that he really needed to defeat was waiting in the final.

Translator's Notes and References

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