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Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2 Chapter 4

2015-05-10T17:54:31Z

122.178.114.124: /* Chapter 4 – Love Simulation */

==Chapter 4 – Love Simulation==

===Part 1===

As soon as Kazuki exited the student guidance room, Leme materialized in the air behind Kazuki’s head.

Like that, she clung to Kazuki’s head with both arms while both her legs were stuck to Kazuki’s shoulders, turning into shoulder ride.

“It is imprudence to say this, but…this sure turned interesting right, my King!”

“…Why are you riding on my shoulder?”

“I’m showing you that there are various ways to materializing in this world.”

Kazuki felt closely a girl’s lower body on his head and neck beyond the thin one-piece tunic she wore, but―this was only Leme after all. Her form was a little girl when they first met, but now her appearance had grown into an upper elementary grade school student. Even with that growth, she still felt like a child.

“Is that so? Leme felt my nervousness before the fight and came to calm me down, thank you.”

“No, this is just a joke though.”

“You are heavy, get down.”

Okay, Leme replied obediently and ‘pyon’ jumped down.

“At any rate, this situation is bad for Prophet and Lotte, but even so this is still interesting. For our King to declare that he would protect Lotte by himself in the middle of this whirlpool of conspiracy of the country, that was intense. Even the development that you need to raise Lotte’s positivity level for the sake of defeating an opponent of higher status is pleasant! When you pass through this tribulation, you would be really praiseworthy as our King for sure!”

Kazuki, together with Leme, went out of the school building walking through the park towards the Witch’s mansion. The classmates passing by were calling out to him -“Hayashizaki-kun’s relation with his contracted Diva is really good, isn’t it?"

Kazuki talked to Leme after he confirmed that there was no one around.

“Knights that shouldn’t be there, adding to that…the Cancer outbreak in the middle of the fight with Beatrix. …Thanks to that we could escape, but the timing was completely unnatural. Did someone cause that phenomenon?”

Kazuki happened to know only one person that could cause such phenomenon using magic.

“…By chance that was about me, right Onii-chan?”

A voice that he had heard before came right from his back.

That voice that reminded him of those feelings of powerlessness was so dear and also regretful.

When he turned back, the girl that was not supposed to be inside the Knight Academy―Kaya was there.

“…!” Kazuki’s breath was taken away. His whole body had goosebumps. Only that girl's existence could do this to him.

Her clothes were not the tattered rags from that time. She wore a black t-shirt printed with a skull image and jeans that was roughly damaged, boots that was arranged with silver thumbtacks(the so-called punk style), while her silver hair was fluttering around. Kaya stood there so naturally that he doubted his own eyes.

There was no way. Why is this girl here? Even though right now, Japan’s Knight Order with help from Einherjar were in a frenzy searching for Loki.

…Moreover, how could Kaya have returned to her own body?

Kaya’s body was supposed to have beeen stolen by Loki. But now, right in front of his eyes was not the too skinny male with blue hair, but the silver haired Kaya before she was hijacked by Loki.

“Onii-chan look flabbergasted. Loki is laughing raucously inside me you know? His enjoyment is even transmitted unto me with our shared perception.”

Kaya giggled lightly. Not only her appearance, even the voice was her's.

“If I have to say what happened…Loki didn’t erase my personality, he just put me under his control. Right now I’m Kaya, however at the same time Loki is in here too.”

Kazuki cautiously observed her.

A Diva is a lump of magic power. In other words―if the Kaya in front of him was attacked, her magic power shaved while magic power sealing measure was performed,…then the only one left would purely be Kaya.

If Kaya’s personality still remained, she could still be saved.

“Stop it Onii-chan, I don’t want to lose this power. Moreover…the current Onii-chan won’t be able to win against a serious Loki, right? I can use Loki’s power properly you know?”

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 156.jpg|thumb]]

…Just like what she said. At the Haunting Ground, Kazuki noticed Loki’s existence as the one that caused the unnatural Cancer. However at that time, he thought his chances of victory was zero, so he chose to escape.

“But, Onii-chan. Loki respected my personality, so there is no need for Onii-chan to have useless thoughts like forcing yourself to try to rescue me. Because I’m not really unhappy with this.”

Kaya shrugged her shoulders, saying that Kazuki’s action was fruitless effort.

“Why did Loki leave behind Kaya’s personality that he had already hijacked?”

“That’s because he decided it’s more fun that way you see, Onii-chan! Loki is currently storing battle strength in Japan, and then the pawn for playing around ridiculing the key person of this country - that is the [King], you, Onii-chan…that was me I wonder?”

Inside Kazuki’s mind, he can hear Loki’s sneering voice that was rubbing him the wrong way.

Rage spontaneously welled up inside him, but the enemy that he should clash with―was not there.

For Kaya, who he thought he wanted to save, telling him that she didn’t need to be saved. Such a thing…

“Fufufu, although if there was no one killed, I think the current situation would be more fun. Compared to my powerlessness from a long time ago, being half assimilated with Loki is much more…”

“You said you are happy? Then even now, you show up in front of me just to make fun of me?”

“Today is different, we have a proposal. For the sake of defeating our common enemy―the hunter of German’s Einherjar, Beatrix Baumgard, how about Onii-chan forming a united front with us?”

Kaya looked around restlessly then, said something in a carefree smiling face.

“Talking about this while standing around is a little bit…how about we continue this in Onii-chan’s room?”

{Enter now.}

{Okaaayy―♪}

Night―Kazuki opened his room’s window, then sent a thought message using telepathy to Kaya who was waiting and standing by outside.

Normally, it was a common magic that was rarely used because it was subtly inconvenient even though it appeared so.

First, using a thought message to another party who didn’t open their heart, even if they sent it one-sidedly, would get it deflected by <The Wall of Heart>. It couldn’t be done without informing the other party beforehand that a message would be sent.

Moreover, when matching their consciousness and hearts with each other, not only the message, but even thoughts and emotions could flow on its own accord to the other party.

And then to protect from an incident of leaking private thoughts, an advanced control of magic power was needed.

Kazuki who was poor at telepathy magic was not inclined to do this, but…he couldn’t greet Kaya from the front entrance of the Witch’s Mansion. There was no other way than this to invite her in.

Kaya’s head ‘pyon’ protruded from the window.

“Making this kind of weak girl climb up a wall, Onii-chan you brute.”

Of course what made such acrobatics possible for her came from Enchant Aura which is based on Loki’s magic power.

“That way of talking…You, the truth is Loki's the one inside, right?”

“That’s not true Onii-chaaan! It’s true that Loki can transform into a girl though. But right now, the personality of Kaya is the one that properly moves this flesh. Loki is in the middle of resting.”

Kaya jumped lightly over the window frame and landed in the room.

“So this is Onii-chan’s room. As expected, what a stoic room. Uwaa, dumbbells scattered around in the floor…. Where are the porn books?”

“There is no such thing, I'm not interested. Wait, remove your shoes.”

“Is there really no porn book here? Ah, that’s right, Onii-chan knew I will come so he already cleaned it up in a panic before, right? Perhaps the girl that had entered into this room…I wonder if I’m the first one?”

“Just so you know, the residents of this mansion frequently comes and goes.”

The smiling expression disappeared from Kaya’s face hearing Kazuki’s blunt words.

“…I want to murder all the girls in this mansion except Mio-chan right now…”

At the same time, a skull mark that signed the decrease of positivity level floated over from her chest and was absorbed into Kazuki’s ring. Wait, wait right there! What was that just now!?

Amasaki Mio―130 Otonashi Kaguya―79 Hiakari Koyuki―52 Hoshikaze Hikaru―43

Lotte―44 Kaya―50

Kazuki was amazed the moment he flowed magic power into his ring.

“Why are you being added into the conquering target!?”

“That ring…recorded my positivity level huh? Loki is proud of his eyes in appraising things. You see, that positivity level is the embodiment of the lending of our power in this united front, Onii-chan. I hope that this can be proof that there is no double-dealing in our cooperation with Onii-chan.”

Certainly the ring acknowledged the existence of Kaya in front of him. If Loki was actually disguising himself as Kaya, then the ring shouldn’t show the value of positivity level of 50.

“Because Onii-chan slashed him before, Loki needs to rest as much as possible. Diva is a lump of magic power, if they receive damage, then their divinity would be wounded. It’s the same with Lotte’s contracted Diva who possessed her to accumulate power. Possibly…it’s also the same with the three major gods who once led the world and used up their power, and now they inevitably lay dormant for a long, long time.”

Used up their power…three major gods?

But before Kazuki could interpose his question, Kaya continued her talk fluently.

“Though if Loki was awakened forcibly, he could still do something like dealing with Onii-chan. Be that as it may, he is not in perfect condition. Even if he dealt with someone like Onii-chan…Beatrix would be more troublesome as an opponent. Loki is not that strong in close quarter combat. That is where he wants to cooperate with Onii-chan who is a specialist in close quarter combat. I mean Onii-chan who crossed swords with a knight, who was blessed with Thor’s divine protection, with just pure swordsmanship was too abnormal. It’s out of the ordinary.”

Who did you say is abnormal? Even though he thought he was going to die at that fight,

Kaya suddenly looked around restlessly.

“By the way…can I meet with Mio-oneechan? It’s okay if we call her to this room, right? I wanted to meet her for a looong time.”

“I still haven’t decided if we want to cooperate with you.”

“How obstinate Onii-chan. Even though Onii-chan doesn’t understand if he can win before the fight. Just so you know, I can become a powerful war asset if I borrow Loki’s power.”

“Even if it’s only temporary for example…I'm still reluctant to join hands with guys like Loki.”

“Loki is not that bad of a guy. Loki’s objectives are to bring forth chaos in the world and take revenge from the gods of the Norse Mythology. For that, he wakes up illegal magicians and ask them to become his comrade, but in reality he avoids actions like killing humans in mischief. Even people like me who was driven mad and thought that they were going to be killed, they were sort of allowed to escape in reality. Well, sometimes he might overdo it as the guy who pursues chaos though. He sort of killed Mio-chan inadvertently while raising the tension and provoking Onii-chan before.”

What? She said a guy whose words and deeds like Loki was not a bad guy?

“…Surely Onii-chan had heard that there were still no dead victims in the incident of the attack against the Knight Order.”

That one was quite puzzling. At first it was said that Loki used Hit & Away tactic and avoid getting too deep to injure the Knight Order, but…

“They only attacked to whittle away the Knight Order’s strength, then ran. It seems illegal magicians are easy to rile up. Because all the illegal magicians lost their reason, it’s safe for Loki to lead them. As a result, the victims who died decreased.”

“But if the Diva of illegal magicians are woken up…at the very least, there will be victims that will have their personality devoured.”

Kaya’s personality was left behind, but not everyone would be like her.

“Humans that had their personality absorbed are victims, that is only Onii-chan’s personal opinion.”

Kaya―asserted so definitively.

Even when Kaya was hijacked by Loki, she could only raise a scream of grief.

“At first I was also scared because Loki drove me to the wall mentally to steal my flesh efficiently. I was made to think to kill various people. But now that I am already absorbed―it feels so good. The fools who obtained power according to their wishes, and in the end integrated with god or devil…that is not repulsive. In the first place, the humans that have a hand in illegal contracts were nothing but humans that pursued <Chaos> somewhere deep in their heart.”

“…What are you saying, chaos was?”

She said that was Loki’s objective, but….

“See, what is called Chaos is the other side of the Mythology. Illusions going toward sweet decadence, the desire and impulse of living things called humans that they can’t deny. If the gods on the front side of the mythology start to control humans with the thing called <Order>, then we, the gods of the reverse side will start to move seeking those things that belonged to Chaos!”

The gods of the front side that she mentioned―was she referring to the Mythology of the magic advanced countries that demanded faith?

And then the opposing force towards those front side…were those Divas of Chaos?

In the Norse Mythology, Divas like Loki…?

“It’s not good to see everything just from one side you know? Hearing words like Chaos, it would tickle your Chuuni<ref>Disease you got around middle school, where you fantasized yourself as a fantasy like character so much, it bled into your real life. I wonder how many of us have this before or even now.</ref> mind for sure, no doubt there are a lot of humans like Kaya in society nowadays! Abandoning our body to Chaos and releasing ourselves from all shackles, attaining supreme ecstasy - humans like us! …Well, I won’t ask a man of common-sense like Onii-chan to understand the values of our aesthetics though. Because in a certain meaning, this happiness is only for the humans who chose it for themselves.”

Kaya said all those in a tone of ecstasy. But it could be seen from her words and expression, there was danger that it would turn bad if you could appreciate what she said.

“It’s one hundred percent impossible for Onii-chan to appreciate Chaos, but…if Onii-chan have already heard about Lotte’s story, then Onii-chan won’t be able to be positive towards Germany that was ruled by the powerful Order of the Norse Mythology, right?”

Certainly, Kazuki couldn’t think of Germany’s way of doing things as righteous.

However, was it fine for him to easily let slide everything Loki had done till now?

He couldn’t get rid of this uncomfortable feeling no matter what. He didn’t understand how he should feel toward Kaya who was right in front of him. The more he heard her talk…the more he felt swallowed into the depth of Chaos.

“Even so Onii-chan’s Solomon 72 Pillar position was neither Order nor Chaos. But fellows like Asmodeus that’s closer to Chaos also exist there. It’s important for Onii-chan who is the {{furigana|King|Basilleus}} of Solomon to pick out allies from inside both Order and Chaos. Because so far Solomon 72 Pillar too increased their number like that. Looking out for ally within the enemy’s side is also an important job for a King. Onii-chan is pampered too much by Lemegeton if she doesn’t teach you things like that, isn’t it?”

“…So are you saying I need to be broad-minded enough to join hands together with Loki temporarily to probe him out, is that so?”

“Yee―ess! Just like that, Onii-chaa―n!”

Suddenly Kaya leaped toward Kazuki and hugged his arm.

“…Just, I hope you can think of me more as the genuine Kaya right now…”

Kaya whispered faintly while hugging Kazuki and burying her face to Kazuki’s chest.

“Well, let’s form a united front for the meantime for the sake of beating Beatrix, okay? Onii-chan’s breadth of tactics will spread even further by getting me as a comrade. It’s important right? Your breadth of tactics?”

“…Do you have some kind of plan? Though I can’t think of anything other than unpleasant thoughts from Loki’s cunning.”

“It can’t be said as a plan, but I can propose a policy for the way of fighting. In any case, the opponent’s contracted Diva…Thor, Loki knows everything about the scope of his powers.”

Loki and Thor were both Divas from the Norse’s mythology.

It was even depicted in the mythology that both of them were completely [mutual close friends].

“The fundamental is for Onii-chan to endure the opponent’s close-quarter attack. There Onii-chan will obstruct her from chanting the spell for area-attack magic while also whittling her magic power. But if Thor succeeds in chanting high level magic, it’s already over at that point of time. That’s the lifeline.”

“What should I do if she keeps running away while chanting high level magic?”

Beatrix’s physical ability, after she finished chanting her two stage reinforce magic, had exceeded even Hoshikaze-senpai in her [Ride Lighning] by a large margin. If Beatrix could run away, it was impossible to overtake her.

“No, most of Thor’s summoning magic has the weak point of being unable to be chanted while not fighting. As the compensation of granting overwhelming fighting strength, Thor is a Diva that wouldn’t listen to anything other than the voice of a soldier right in the midst of battle. That is, Beatrix’s breadth of tactics is narrow.”

This was an important information. If it was like that, if he could endure Beatrix’s close-quarter combat, he could bring the battle into protracted war. However…

“The problem is Thor’s Magic Dress of helmet and armor. It has the divine protection of defensive power. The most efficient method of attack is to inflict damage from the inner part of the armour.”

An attack that operated in the inner part…[electricity] huh.

“In addition, a magician of her level is not depending in only defensive magic power to defend against an attack, she’d also use psychokinesis against physical attacks and pyrokinesis against heat to offset the attack precisely. Compared to releasing defensive magic power depending on instinct, controlled magic power has better defensive efficiency. Unfortunately, there is a difference between Onii-chan who is a student and a professional knight for the know-how in this area.”

…Protracted battle. During those period, he would fall into a desperate situation if he let the enemy invoke a high level magic even once.

He was taught some significant information, but it seems it would become a considerably severe battle.

“But it would be fine if Onii-chan prepared solidly. Onii-chan is going to raise Lotte’s positivity level as high as possible the whole day tomorrow. Lotte’s Diva is pretty strong, that guy.”

“You know Prophet’s real identity!?”

“I have a conjecture. I wonder if that teacher has also guessed it already? If I have to say how important it is to make Lotte become lovestruck to Onii-chan, it’s because Beatrix had brought a troublesome Sacred Treasure from Germany. That shield that could even block the flaming fist of the Muspelheim’s giant that I summoned before―that was the Sacred Treasure of Norse Mythology, [Svalinn]. That shield has absolute resistance towards flames. The battle power of a King like Onii-chan that could only use fire will be reduced in half. While unfortunate, a flame user like Mio-chan wouldn’t be able to do anything other than be a cute mascot character as long as that shield is there.”

As expected, that shield was a Sacred Treasure.

Our side’s attack was inclined to flame, so Beatrix’s defense could only be seen as absolutely overwhelming.

The Scared Treasure was forbidden to use in Japan…but Germany used them properly.

“Onii-chan’s job is to raise Lotte’s positivity level. Kaya feels offended to her though. Even though the one that can call Onii-chan as Onii-chan is only me and Mio-chan who was in little sister position in the orphanage!”

That provocation speech was going to make Kanae-san burn though.

“My job on the other side, the comrade that this form of Kaya can control…Midgardsormr…with his cooperation, we will decrease the area of the Haunting Ground that Onii-chan will challenge for the quest in the day after tomorrow. It would be troublesome if uncertain factors that would become a hindrance in the fight would increase. Though there needs to be some allowance because if all Demon Beasts are exterminated then the quest would also get terminated. This is an important role right?”

…Certainly, there was no part that he could criticize in her proposal.

“…On the contrary, don’t you dare to prepare some trap that would cause our defeat.”

“…Kyaa☆ Onii-chan, can you explain logically what kind merit there is in those action for me and Loki?”

A skull mark flew while Kaya stared scornfully to Kazuki who kept distrusting her.

“Pass the whole day tomorrow sweetly just with Lotte okay, Onii-chan! Irritating! Well, but harem…that kind of sore romance, Kaya is the understanding type you know!”

While spinning round and round without even any meaning, Kaya was “Ha―rem♪” in high spirit.

“…Isn’t it more natural if we go together with Mio under the pretext of party’s friendship deepening meeting rather than just me and Lotte, with that Lotte could be more relieved, have more fun and then her positivity level would also go up, right?”

While more skull marks flew from Kaya because of Kazuki’s objection,

“Block-head-O-ni-i-chan☆” she cursed Kazuki with a sweet voice.

“Prattling things like that is the proof that Onii-chan doesn’t even see Lotte as a girl. It’s okay to gamble too, but I bet Lotte would be happy being alone with Onii-chan, the chance to increase the positivity level would also increase. Because somehow her positivity level had already passed over 40. Even if in the case that Onii-chan thought of her as someone like a little sister…a girl would still be a girl for sure.”

Kaya waved her finger while going ‘tsk tsk tsk’.

“Furthermore, this talk also fits with me who is in the same position of younger little sister, so this will also serve as reference when Onii-chan is going to conquer me in the not so far future, right☆ Kyaa!”

“True, just like what this chuunibyou little sister said. Our King is still lacking regarding romantics.”

Even Leme appeared beside Kazuki and found faults in him.

“Tonight…looks like there are no more trains. Onii-chan…can I stay in this room, can I?”

While doing an impressive action behavior, Kaya said so in embarrassment.

“Tonight, Kaya want to pass the night with only Onii-chan doing this-and-that filled with Chaos that was hard to describe, pleaseee♥”

“Go home.” With that, Kazuki opened the window of the room.

In any case, he must talk with Lotte to set the promise of the date.

Both Liz Liza-sensei and Kaya talked about raising Lotte’s positivity level like it was something so easy to do, but…it was not so simple if he thought realistically. He hesitated in this juncture.

Although the other party was Lotte who was very friendly, but a guy who invited a girl who he just met for a few days, wasn’t that too frivolous and thoughtless….

But the situation had turned into a battle that they couldn’t withdraw from anymore.

He hardened his resolve and searched for Lotte, he found her in the kitchen chugging an entire bottle of milk in one gulp right after she came out of the bath. She was wearing a T-shirt and short pants while a towel was wrapped at her neck.

“O, Onii-san.”

“…What are you doing Lotte?”

“I learned from anime that in Japan you have to do this after getting out from the bath. There is no custom to warm our body inside the bath in our country, so I yearned for this desu.”

“The path of drinking milk after bathing is deep, you know? There are also coffee milk or lemon milk and many others.”

“Is that so desu…I want to master them all desu.”

Lotte whispered with an expression that’s hard to describe. That expression seems to be tinged with a little worry.

“Moreover, I also heard that your breast will get bigger if you drink milk. I learned many important things in human life from anime desu. Does Onii-san like big breasts?”

“Eh, I wonder…I don’t really think about that honestly.”

The moment he said that, the images of breasts that almost spilled over from the figures of Kaguya-senpai and Mio in their Magic Dress appeared clearly in his mind, Kazuki shook his head and cleared those images from his head.

“I’m ashamed because mine is not big desu. My stature is also small and scrawny desu…”

“Based on your age, won’t you still have a lot of growing up from now on?”

“That’s right isn’t it desu? Until now my body is weak and underdeveloped, so…from now on is a crucial moment desu. I’ll drink various milk, and grow rapidly from now on…”

While saying [From now on], Lotte’s expression clouded over drastically.

Lotte spoke of the [Future] that she couldn’t grasp in her hand even until now.

Despite that, why is she so…speaking of future with that kind of helpless expression?

“Kazuki-oniichan, the Einherjar that came to attack us at the end of the quest…she was aiming at me, right desu?”

Aah, that’s right…there was no way she wouldn’t notice.

“As expected, I am a bother for everyone, isn’t it desu? Probably, no matter where I go, I’ll always be a bother to the people in those places…”

Lotte whispered frailly like a flower petal that was scattered in the wind.

That expression made Kazuki’s chest feel painfully crushed.

“You are not a bother.”

“…Why desu? For all that it’s my fault that we were attacked…”

“Because I’m so glad that I met Lotte. The plus is much bigger than the minus, so don’t think that you are a bother. To not have any place to belong to anywhere in the world, you must not think such sad things.”

Kazuki remembered the time when he was an orphan. Even that me was found by people who gave me a place to belong. Then I too, for this girl…

Inside Kazuki’s head, the nervousness and hesitation he felt in inviting her to a date disappeared.

“But as it is, I will surely be…killed.”

“It’s okay. I will protect Lotte.”

Lotte’s face was dyed with surprise, blue sparks were released around those face’s vicinity.

The girl who was a genius in telepathy perceived Kazuki’s heart unconsciously.

Lotte’s face contorted and almost cried when she sensed the inside of Kazuki’s heart.

“Onii-chan’s words…why is there not even a bit of lie mixed there desu? Even though you said such unbelievable words…”

“It’s not unbelievable. That Germany’s Einherjar can only stay in Japan for one month. They won’t also get any open help from the internal of Japan. The other side only have limited chances. I’ll drive away that female soldier for sure!”

Lotte’s pupils shook in anxiety. “It’s okay.” Kazuki held Lotte’s cheeks between both his hands.

It was Kazuki’s habit that he used to calm down Kanae, when she was crying, during their childhood.

“Lotte, let’s go play tomorrow.”

“Eh? Playing…why so suddenly…”

“I want to teach Lotte about happiness and your place to belong in this world.”

“This world’s enjoyment…my place…? For me, that kind of thing…? Seriously desu?”

Lotte blinked her eyes in surprise while her cheeks were held between Kazuki’s hands.

“…Bu, but! If I go play with only Kazuki-oniisan, it would turn out as a date like in the love comedy anime…!? Or maybe, Mio-oneesan will also come together?”

“Let’s go for a date. Just the two of us.”

Immediately, blue spark scattered around Lotte and she undsrstood Kazuki’s honest feelings.

The cheek that was kept between Kazuki’s hand suddenly burned hotly.

And then in the next moment―a super large heart mark flew towards Kazuki. He was involuntarily taken aback because it was so large even though it was just a vision with no substance.

Lotte’s positivity level increased to 57 in one go. Lotte understood whether her company was lying or honest using telepathy. Maybe that was why the jump in her positivity level was so drastic.

Lotte perceived Kazuki’s heart and came to believe it.

“If Kazuki-oniisan says that it’s fine, then I want to go on a date with Onii-san desu…”

Lotte replied with a face so red that smoke ‘pushu―’ came out from her face.

“Please treat me well…date of man and woman…”

“Then, is there any place that you want to go? By any chance, you haven’t gone sightseeing around Tokyo since you arrived right?”

Kazuki removed his hands from Lotte’s cheeks. Lotte put her own hands on her cheeks and,

“Tokyo’s sightseeing! Those words tickle my chest desu…!”

She said that cheerfully and with that, her spirit returned. Then she thought for a while and replied.

“…I, want to go to Akihabara desu!”

===Part 2===

It would be embarrassing if everyone from the Witch’s Mansion saw them off, so Kazuki and Lotte met up at the school’s gate. This was a great and clever plan by Mio.

Kazuki got out of the mansion and waited in advance, then a flowery excited voice rang out.

“Kazuki-oniisan!”

Lotte ran ‘patapata’ steadily toward Kazuki while her skirt fluttered about.

She was wearing a dress, like the one worn by an upper class young lady to a party.

Her skirt’s length was not too long, so it was not hard to run in it. Their appearance to the world was different when they lined up. Just like the scene of a commoner escorting a princess….

“This is the dress that I wore when I sought asylum here, the only clothes that I brought from Seinmundo desu.”

“So you are coming here wearing your special clothes. I mean, it’s pretty. Like this…”

Rather than pretty, it was beautiful. The bottom of the neck and the shoulder were exposed boldly, the part on the hips was slender, and the skirt spread out like flower petals. Those clothes combined with Lotte’s own loveliness made her look like a character that came right out from a fairytale.

“Receiving a man's honest praise from the heart…my heart is beating so fast desu.”

Lotte looked down while fidgeting and holding the tips of her skirts.

―Now, which way is good to leave from here?

It would be a mistake to walk in front of her and guide her with a distance between them, he already received instructions from Mio beforehand. What he learned was to link their arms together or to hold her waist.

But the initiative to hold the hand of the lady couldn’t come from the man. If it became like this…!

“Well then, shall we go?”

Kazuki gently embraced Lotte’s hips that was so slender, it looks like it could break with his one hand.

…Mio said that for an adult, it was only natural to do this, but as he thought, this was overdoing it.

However, Lotte looked up to Kazuki in a daze and a heart mark flew out from her.

The advice from Kaya to treat Lotte properly like a girl flashed inside his head.

“Kazuki-oniisan…this is what people call as a date between a man and a woman, right desu? I have never participated in something like this, but this is completely like the royal dance party desu!”

When he thought about it, this kind of exaggerated way might have originated from a foreign country.

“I…thought that romcom<ref>Romance comedy</ref> of a man and a woman would not ever happen in my life. …This is like seeing a dream, I feel so light desu. Is it really fine to believe this desu…?”

Lotte whispered so while snuggling closely to Kazuki’s arm that was holding her.

―And then their destination was the [{{furigana|Alchemics Mega City|Alchemy Cyberbrain City}} - Akihabara].

Once called as Electric Town, those plot of land became the town of Anime afterwards, and when it entered the age of magic, it became known as Alchemics Mega City.

There they were pursuing the use of alchemy for the use of entertainment however much.

What they were especially pursuing was the genre of entertainment known as <Moe><ref>If you’re reading LN, you should know what moe is, right?</ref>.

The alchemists that were specializing in Moe, the <Otaku> were gathering in this town to set up their workshops.

Various Moe was created from those Otaku workshops and released to the public.

Using alchemy, alchemic figures in advanced model and all possible colors, and also three-dimensional illustrations were projected freely using {{furigana|phantasmagoria|magic light slide projector device}}.

And then using telepathy to transmit sound, image, and even unfamiliar tactile sense to the player, applying alchemy to anime and galge<ref>Visual novel, gal game</ref>, so to speak the <Ultimate virtual reality of Moe>.

Even though Kazuki had watched anime with Kanae before, this was the first time he had ever stepped foot on this zealous town. When Lotte got off from the train, she “{{furigana|Mein gott|Oh my god}}!” leaked out cries of joy.

“Mein gott! {{furigana|Klasse|How amazing}} desu! Anime I have never seen before are scattered all around the city desu!”

“…Looking carefully, posters of galge with warning of 18+ was pasted boldly all around in the open during daytime, is this really okay? Shouldn’t this be sold more secretly than this?”

Now that was mentioned, was this really a place for a date?

“No, this is…this is…magnificent!”

The one who appeared so suddenly beside Kazuki was Prophet’s avatar.

A diva felt that galge was magnificent…?

“In short, this is the place where greed was materialized by the transcendence of material control using their mental activity…the human race does not need to be shackled by their flesh anymore regarding their sexual desire. The significance of flesh was eliminated in an ultimate civilization. The people who have their mind sublimated using this galge have transcended the concept of their flesh and transformed into hermaphroditic angels, though having said that is not an exaggeration at all. Like what was mentioned in Kabbalah, when the conclusion of the age of the Earth come and humans step into the age of the Ram. The most beautiful of the human race are already here! Lotte, let’s go buy one souvenir and return home.”

With tensions that looked completely like a drunk person, Prophet said some incomprehensible things.

Even Leme also materialized besides Prophet and “Uh huh” nodded along.

“A love simulation game huh…It might be useful for Our King's education in love.”

“Prophet! Leme-san! Today is the date of Kazuki-onii-san and me, just the two of us desu!”

Lotte said so while puffing her cheeks, Prophet twitched in surprise and disappeared.

Leme too said “Sorry, I became a hindrance just now” and withdrew.

“Well then, first let’s visit some of the workshops. How about if we look around for some new anime that Lotte haven’t seen yet? Well, not like I know anything in that area though. What kind of anime does Lotte like to see?”

“Man and woman…I like man and woman romance desu!”

Lotte pulled Kazuki’s hand happily to a workshop that was decorated with Moe illustrations.

“If Onii-san is not well-informed of anime, then as someone without background knowledge, I want to ask which one is Onii-san’s number one preference, seeing from the girl’s illustration desu. Let’s discover Onii-san’s [Moe]!”

Kazuki smiled wryly to Lotte’s words. Somehow it was scary to reply thoughtlessly.

“Okay, let’s buy everything that looks interesting and go home. We’ll watch a lot until we drop as soon as possible.”

“…Watching until we drop, is it?”

―After all from now on, Lotte would have a future to look forward to.

“I watched anime and manga the whole time I was in the sick bed desu. Though in the area around Germany, everything that are categorized as contradicting the Mythology there, are prohibited desu.”

Lotte talked suddenly while taking a package of anime.

“As I grew older, I could feel in my skin how the country rapidly idolized the teaching of the faith. Originally there was no scriptures of Norse Mythology. Then for the sake of spreading the faith, they compiled a new scripture. There was a lot of really strict taboo and commandment. An example is the teaching of Odin where the creation of things to fulfill their own desire must be denied desu. The truth is that the weapon and tool of Norse gods, everything, were only presents from others.”

The alchemists were producing new things everyday, and while they were looking around in the middle of the workshop that displayed and sold those things, Lotte whispered “Strange isn’t it, those teachings?”

“There are also people that were able to live well rather than being tied to commandments. However I could only think about how all of it impaired my heart. From the start I already have my body impaired, and with all that, even my heart also become impaired. I thought that I couldn’t be called alive anymore, right?...Then I ask for something unreasonable for the butler and maid to collect manga and anime for me desu.”

Lotte started to recollect the days she spent on her bed.

“Even when I was in the middle of watching anime, various events were happening outside. For example…the successor fight. Humans that are strong in magic power have high status in Seinmundo. I am a human with very strong magic power desu. That’s why, even though my life was already like a candle in the middle of a blowing wind, people that planned to elevate me started to appear. Even though I don’t have any intention for that.”

A fight for succession in the royal court. It was a world unknown to Kazuki who was born and raised in Japan, except for those inside the tale.

Human relationship that was like a swamp where they couldn’t escape, a whirlpool of conspiracies―such things might have happened to this girl just like the image of that tale.

“People who wanted to use me and got promoted…people who ostracized me as an existence who brought chaos in the royal court…everyone around me turned into people who had various ulterior motives, everyone hid their real intention from me, saying things that didn’t exist in their heart. They took attitudes full of sympathy as family, in the surface desu. …Despite my power to perceive their real intention by telepathy.”

Lotte smiled wryly in cynicism. She had that kind of ability, so she got to this point of her life having more experience being betrayed than anyone.

“My environment was surrounded by people who wore masks, I who was dying at that time didn’t want to live in the world of reality anymore, I wanted to live in the fickle world of anime. So…I felt that I was born again when I escaped to this country desu.”

Inside that workshop, there was no love anime that was Lotte’s favorite.

Exiting the workshop, Lotte squinted her eyes from the radiant clear sky of Akihabara.

“…Even so, in the end, I couldn’t become free…the dark shadows came to chase me.”

At that time, figures of knights in the road of the spacious pedestrian mall entered their eyes.

Among the white knights who patrolled Akihabara, a black German knight was mixed in.

Lotte was startled and afraid.

“It’s okay.” Kazuki embraced the shoulder of the shivering girl.

“Those guys absolutely couldn’t do anything in this place.”

While keeping Lotte’s shoulder in his embrace, the group of knights walked towards their direction. Then they passed them. The moment they passed each other, the black Germany knight glanced their way.

“It’s okay to only think about fun things today. I will absolutely protect you.”

Kazuki transmitted his feelings to Lotte using telepathy and a heart mark flew from Lotte’s chest.

“I somehow…have no other person I can rely other than Onii-san, so I’m scared of my own feelings desu. Somehow keeping like this, I want to cling to Onii-san so much…Is it really okay, for me to be spoiled by Onii-san…”

Rather, Kazuki thought that Lotte is too over-conscious to the expression of their surroundings.

Her telepathy magic might be a sad tendency, because it made her learn that there were only people that she couldn’t rely on around her.

“I wonder, the characters that Onii-san prefer are similar to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion, isn’t it?”

Lotte made fun of Kazuki amusingly.

“I, I don’t have any background knowledge of anime, so I was influenced unintentionally by reality.”

Lotte laughed heartily hearing Kazuki’s excuse.

“So Kazuki-oniisan likes everyone in Witch’s Mansion desu. I wonder if I’m also like that, my preference of anime character has also changed. If it’s Onii-san, to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion…”

Kazuki hoped that Lotte would also turn like that to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion. So that the current Lotte can also have a place where she belongs.

Kazuki held bags from workshops packed full of anime’s {{furigana|URD|Ultra-shortwave Ray Disk}}that was their war gains, in both hands. All those anime were filled with the appearance of characters that resembled the Witch’s mansion’s residents. Kazuki would also watch it together and have fun with Lotte.

…However the problem was which one (which character that’s going to come out) that they were going to watch first in turns.

“Well then, how about going to a game center next so we can play a two person game?”

There was a large scale game center in Akihabara that they wouldn’t be able to find around the Knight Academy.

The game center business that was once thought to be on the decline, received their second wind because of the alchemic game’s craze.

Objects that was invented using advanced alchemy, whether it was game or something else, were unsuitable for mass production, that’s why alchemy game was more suited for the use of large scale businesses rather than for residential use.

The alchemy game in game centers had even more dynamic virtual reality that could be experienced personally compared to the alchemy game for residential use.

On the contrary, gal game had became the mainstream for residential use because it didn’t need high specs.

When they entered the game center, the atmosphere couldn’t be compared to anything they saw until now, what with all the overflowing sounds and lights. Everywhere was filled with over the top devices and clamoring people. Lotte’s eyes were darting about.

“All this devices just for the sake of playing…what a lovely pointlessness isn’t it?”

“Looks like it’s not the style of this town to consider playing as pointless. What kind of game should we play?”

Without even a bit of hesitation, Lotte chose the gun-shooting zombie to the death action game that can be experienced in person.

“Somehow, I feel that I have the confidence to handle a gun desu!”

―After the game ended, Lotte told Kazuki while keeping her face from laughing.

“Kazuki-oniisan…is not really strong in a game isn’t it desu?”

“…No, damn, why, it’s eerie how I cannot read the enemy’s movement in the game! That was not real at all! For them to be proofed against my father’s Hayashizaki-style…if only they also focused more in reproducing the muscle actions or their breathing!”

“Kazuki-oniisan, it doesn’t matter what kind of excuse you make desu! …Pupuu!”

Kazuki was one-sidedly helped by Lotte, who attacked splendidly with her gun, even though she was surprised and going ‘kyaakyaa’ by the approaching zombies. …How frustrating. He wanted to train more and improve.

“…It’s fun to play with two people rather than playing alone desu! Onii-san who needed to be saved by me is somehow cute desu♪”

A heart mark flew from Lotte by her smiling face, Kazuki was thinking “Well, this is fine.”

The next thing Lotte was interested in was the print sticker machine.

“I have seen this before in anime! Both of the boys and girls enter and it can photograph small stickers of commemoration picture, right desu? It’d make a cute photo ornament!”

“Though I think it’s also okay for two boys to enter.”

“Kazuki-oniisan, logically that’s true but…!”

This print sticker machine had a strong image related with couples, and today they came for dating, so Kazuki and Lotte entered the box without hesitation.

The two of them were isolated from the crowd inside the narrow space, it really made the mood like that of an embarrassed couple. Kazuki didn’t understand what kind of face was good to make in front of the camera, in the end, he made a peace gesture while his expression was half grimacing and half smiling―

In his side Lotte was tiptoeing on her feet while kissing ‘chuu’ Kazuki’s cheek.

The sound of the shutter’s click reverberated at that moment.

Lotte laughed in embarrassment ‘tehehe’ looking at Kazuki who stiffened his body.

“The meaning of what Onii-san said before, about how it’s no good to kiss someone who is not your special person, I understand it properly now. I already understand it so…it’s okay right desu?”

Lotte held the sticker’s result showing the two idiot couple<ref>The original word is bakaple, the Japanese slang that combined baka(idiot) and couple, which means couple who was so sickening and sweet you’d get diabetes seeing them</ref> happily in her hands.

“The memory of the two of us desu.”

Memory―By chance if there was no future for Lotte, all this would be meaningless.

“This is a weird story but, I, from the time when Onii-san scolded me in the bathroom because I was naked, I feel that Onii-san really saw me as a human desu. Then Onii-san also said that he’d protect me…Onii-san looked so reliable and I was so happy that my heart beats so fast and my feeling felt like it was going to burst…Right now, I, I love Onii-san so much desu. If I could have a future, I want to have even more special relationships between man and woman. …Am I too spoiled?”

Lotte who peeked above at Kazuki’s expression with upturned eyes shyly caused Kazuki to be filled up with the desire to impulsively hug her. From that sort of Lotte, a vision of a key floated from her chest. <The key of the heart>. It was absorbed into Kazuki’s ring.

They were tired from playing games, so now they are planning to relax in a café.

“…Summon cosplay café-Solomon Wonderland?”

Among the lined up cafes in the main street, Lotte chose this one by saying “I want to enter this desu”, a store that feels like it was taking too much freedom in their naming scheme. Having said that, the other cafes were all maid cafés only though…

“Klasse desu. There is nothing but cute premonition from the store’s name.”

Lotte pulled Kazuki’s arm while breathing excitedly from her nose. What is it with this kind of hobby.

When they opened the door, a dazzling Solomon space awaited Kazuki and Lotte.

“Welcome―! Astaroth Keiko de―su!”

“Welcome! Zepar Fujiko desu!”

Welcome, Gamygyn Kanako desu.”

Various older girls each cosplaying a different Solomon 72 Pillar with bright voices, crowded around Kazuki and Lotte.

Astaroth was a fallen angel that grew black wings, Zepar was a demon that wore a red bikini armor, Gamygyn had the form of a death god who wore a skull necklace.

Of course their appearances were totally different with the Solomon 72 Pillar that the knights and knight cadets summoned. Each of the cosplayers were arranged to look like girls, it exposed their navels and thighs.

{Oi…what is with this café? What happened with Leme and the other’s copyrights!?}

Leme kept her silence throughout the date, but she couldn’t bear it any longer and retorted to Kazuki.

“Cute!” Lotte raised her voices. . Though he thought that whichever of them he saw were more sexy than cute.

“Is this your first time coming to this shop?”

The fallen angel, Astaroth Keiko-san was asking while jolting her black wings.

“The theme of this café is the present-day era of magic, a concept café.”

“Of course the café employees are cosplaying as Solomon 72 Pillar, we also lend the Solomon outfit to the Guest-sama.”

The knights were hero to this country, Solomon 72 Pillar were also popular to the general population. This was surprising but it might be natural for this kind of development to make an appearance in Akihabara.

“The corner where we served the food and drinks is separated, we also arranged for petting corner where the Guest-sama can pet and play around with the fearsome Demon Beasts.”

“Demon Beast…petting them?”

To Kazuki’s doubtful expression, the god of death Gamygyn Kanako-san, pointed to the space where it was partitioned by glass walls in the depth of the café. There was a door in the glass wall where people could freely come and go. Over there, a few customers were―frolicking around with puppies.

“…Hey, those are not Demon Beasts but puppies right?”

It seems this café was a cosplay café cum puppy café.

“Wrong, those are the existence of Demon Beast that should be talked about with dread, the [{{furigana|Saint Bernard|Holy Temple Watchdog}}] from the dreadful legend of [The Dog of Flanders] that couldn’t be told without tears flowing.”

“Adding that ‘Saint’ is only to appeal to the chuunibyou even though that was only a breed of dog, isn’t it!?”

“I want to cosplay desu!” Lotte announced her choice excitedly.

“Then please this way.”

Zepar Fujiko-san took Lotte’s hand and guided her to the changing room. There was a legend about the demon called Zepar that she would take the opposite sex the summoner wished for, though it didn’t have any relation at all with this occasion.

“Please play with the Demon Beasts while waiting for that Guest-sama changing her clothes.”

For the moment Kazuki passed through to the food corner and came to the petting corner.

There was a puppy inside that cramped space, when Kazuki came, it immediately dashed at full speed and frolicked at Kazuki’s feet. Kazuki received a shock like he was hit in the chest.

…Cute. Kuh, a swordsman of all people had his heart stolen by this fluffy creature, like a girl caught by a smooth talker in the street…! A swordsman must keep his composure at all times!

Kazuki sat in place while feigning calmness and then while he was petting that puppy,

“Guest-sama, look here, this child was just born not long ago.”

Astaroth Keiko-san led a especially small puppy, like she was trying to tempt Kazuki to fall into depravity, and made him carry the puppy in his arm. Exactly like the deed of a fallen angel.

With white and brown patterns characteristic of the Saint Bernard, it also had the trait of clever and friendly personality to humans. Saint Bernard was a type of dog that was large and strong, but there was nothing but puppies in this place.

The puppy that was just born not long ago had a cute and chubby face, its round eyes looked up to Kazuki with a sure-kill devilish cuteness. Kazuki couldn’t hold back anymore and finally “Shit, it’s cute! This animal…is super cute!”, he buried his face to the puppy to enjoy its fluffiness and smoothness like a man possessed.

“Onii-san, I have finished changing!”

Sounds of footsteps came from the direction of the changing room, when he turned back―Lotte had transformed into a cute puppy.

“Wha, what kind of Solomon 72 Pillar is that?”

“Glasya Labolas desu wan<ref>Dog’s barking</ref>!”

{That was just a puppy! Glasya Labolas has a pair of griffon wings, possessing high power for bloodshed, a huge dog like a monster you know!}

Leme yelled inside Kazuki’s head, vehemently expressing her protests.

Lotte donned a drooping dog’s ears, fluffy fur around her neck, and wearing a fur bikini while nonchalantly exposing her white skins. A poor excuse for wings were attached to her back.

“So, somehow isn’t the exposure degree too high…!? Even if you compared it to the other people’s cosplay!”

“Fufufu, I know that Onii-san’s heart was beating so fast right now! This is well matched for me, furthermore I chose this so Onii-san will be aware of me as the number one girl desu!”

Lotte unexpectedly thought such thing like a little devil…!?

Lotte hugged Kazuki along with the other puppy. Did the other puppies thought of Lotte as their comrade? They also came together to frolick at Kazuki.

When the puppy licked Kazuki’s cheek, Lotte also licked Kazuki’s other cheek with ‘peropero’.

“Onii-san…wan!”

“Lo, Lotte, what in the world are you…!”

“Lotte is a dog wan!”

Damn, as a swordsman, I won’t be shaken by this kind of animal cosplay…!

{No, Glasya Labolas is not cute like that…he look more like a gorilla dog…}

Leme’s words couldn’t enter Kazuki’s head anymore.

“Onii-san, please be [affectionate] to Lotte like what you did to that puppy while you were waiting for me!”

“You, you saw that! The moment when I lost my senses to this puppy!!”

Kazuki was “Cu, cute, cute” and stroked Lotte’s head stiffly.

“Onii-san, you were more intense when you were affectionate to that puppy desu! Please do the same to me, is this puppy cuter than me desu?”

There was no way the puppy could be cuter than Lotte.

“Cute! Shit, you’re so cute! Super cute!”

“Onii-san, right now you’re thinking that I’m super cute, it’s so thrilling desu♪”

Kazuki turned desperate and hugged Lotte’s hips as tightly as he could and nuzzled her. “Wan, wan♪” A heart mark flew from Lotte and she kept licking Kazuki’s cheek happily.

It was a space where their strange hobby awakened.

“Kazuki-oniisan…this, might be the happiest I ever felt in my life…”

“Guest-sama, please try to present them with this food.”

The god of death Gamygyn Kanako-san came and handed over cookies to Kazuki.

Lotte opened her mouth and ‘a―n’, so Kazuki fed her the cookie, then Lotte was ‘Wan, wan! Ku~n♪” and chewed with a large smiling face. This high spirited behavior…!

“The normal Guest-sama usually were too shy to do this, but…this is the first time a Guest-sama turn completely into Solomon like this.”

{Uuu, Leme and the other Solomon 72 Pillar are not like this at all!}

“Please accept this Best Solomon & Summoner award.”

For some reason Kazuki and Lotte were awarded with a trophy.

“Onii-san, next time let’s bring Mio-oneesan here too.”

“Wh, why?”

“Mio-oneesan dressed in a slightly indecent costume, imagining her blushing red face and her licking Onii-san ‘peropero’ while acting embarrassed…that’d be extremely cute desu. That’s Moe desu.”

What is this devil’s plan?

Kazuki tried to imagine it…A troubled Mio shaking her head in fluster with her twintails going ‘bunbun’.

“This is the best day in my life desu♪” With those Lotte was laughing.

Lotte's positivity level increased up to 80.

It was possible to use Prophet’s magic up to level 3 with those numbers.

―Thus in the next day, Kazuki would face the fight of his destiny.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 187.jpg|thumb]]

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{{SimpleNav}}
</noinclude>

Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2 Chapter 3

2015-05-10T17:14:23Z

122.178.114.124: /* Chapter 3 – Quest, Re-challenge! */

==Chapter 3 – Quest, Re-challenge!==

===Part 1===

“Recently Onii-sama is licentious! Lecherous Onii-sama!!”

“I never thought the day will come where you can say licentious…”

“Then, receiving private lessons from an older woman…what in the world does she plan to teach Onii-sama? Does Onii-sama plan to climb the stairs of adulthood!?”

A morning in the Witch’s Mansion―when Kazuki did special training with Hoshikaze-senpai, Kanae came out of nowhere.

“Kanae-san, you don’t need to be that nervous, I won’t take your big brother, okay? Besides Hayashizaki-kun doesn’t see me as a woman. We are friends, you see.”

With a clear, beautiful face that glittered with light, Hoshikaze-senpai soothed Kanae with eloquent speech.

“…Nii-sama, Kanae doesn’t understand at all what this [beautiful girl] is saying. If Kanae’s common sense is still normal, then this person is enough of a beauty, isn’t it?”

“Ahaha, what are you saying? Against some female like me….compared to me, your cuteness can’t possibly be expressed in words. Here, I’ll show you, so raise your head.”

Hoshikaze-senpai held up Kanae’s chin, and then she whispered while staring directly into Kanae's eyes. Toward that beautiful face which destroys the barrier of gender, Kanae’s eyes were stolen and she fell into a daze, and then suddenly “hah”! came to her senses.

“Nii-sama, this person is dangerous! There is a dangerous aura around her!!”

Kanae came clinging to Kazuki in fright, but Kazuki honestly understood that feeling.

In exchange for Kazuki’s instructions in sword skills, Hoshikaze-senpai gave Kazuki magic lectures. Yesterday, it was Kazuki’s turn to teach her sword skills, so today was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn.

“Honestly, I was like Kanae, sometimes while I was teaching Hoshikaze-senpai, I was also charmed by her…I thought of senpai as a really charming woman.”

Hoshikaze-senpai blushed slightly due to Kazuki’s words, and a heart mark flew from her.

However she soon shook her head lightly, “Geez, stop it already―” and laughed it away.

“Hayashizaki-kun, it’s no good to be too kind, okay? If you said that kind of thing to everyone, then when the crucial time comes, your precious person won’t be able to believe that word anymore!”

With a scolding tone, Hoshikaze-senpai flicked Kazuki’s forehead .

“Onii-san, so you are in this kind of place desu. Good morning!”

Suddenly a bright voice came from the direction of the mansion, the figure of Lotte in her uniform approached.

“I didn’t see onii-san anywhere, so I searched for you. I want to talk with Onii-san…about the matter yesterday evening, I don’t mind about the nakedness! I want to talk to clear the air between us desu!”

Hoshikaze-senpai exclaimed “Naked?” blinking her eyes in surprise.

This is bad, Kazuki thought. This is the worst timing.

“Ni, Nii-sama, what the hell is this about―! Even though you have me but to make another little sister somewhere else…also what is that about, the nakedness of yesterday evening―!?”

Kanae trembled ‘buruburuburu’ like a volcano just before eruption, and ‘gogogogogogo’ shaking like crazy.

―Toward the howling Kanae, Kazuki desperately explained about the matter of Lotte as the special transfer student and the force majeure of yesterday evening. However, Kanae ignored all of that and drew her kodachi<ref>Japanese short sword</ref> and a dangerous smile floated on her face.

“…Nii-sama…for a long time Kanae wanted to face Nii-sama seriously…”

“I―I have a feeling that I’m going to lose for the first time in a while against today’s Kanae…”

Lotte watched the sibling's face alternately, then she looked down downheartedly.

“Does my existence somehow disturbed Onii-san’s complex human relationships desu…?”

“Calm down, Kanae-san. It was just about increasing the number of comrades in the Witch’s Mansion.”

“I won’t accept it! …This puppy-like foreigner, does she have befitting strength to be included in {{furigana|Magic Division|Magica}} Student Council!? Even though it looked like I was staying quiet, I only allowed Amasaki Mio and Hiakari Koyuki to stay in Nii-sama’s side because they are competent, I recognized them, but only limited for staying in Nii-sama’s side!”

Kanae had the personality of not opening up her heart other than towards people with real strength. Kaguya-senpai was another matter, for her to also evaluate Mio and Koyuki that highly…it was unexpected.

“Competent? …Someone who is not strong is forbidden to stay beside Nii-sama desu…?”

“Yosh, her real strength will be tested personally by this me―!”

Kanae held her kodachi with an expression like a Shura toward Lotte, who was puzzled. At a glance, this scene looked like a one-sided bullying. At that moment―a person cut in.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 109.jpg|thumb]]

“Wait!”

A vivid voice came from the interval between the trees that surrounded the Witch’s Mansion.

From the opposite side of the voice, The figure of first year swordsman, Hikita Kohaku, appeared like an actress entering the stage.

“…Fufufu, there is no need for Kanae-kaichou<ref>President</ref> to expressly come out for that puppy. The duty of testing the hooligans clinging around Kazuki, I will be the one to accept it!”

Kohaku appeared while puffing her chest grandly―however, Kazuki couldn’t hold back from retorting.

“…You, did you hide in that bush while peeping on our situation?”

“Tha―that, I had business with Kazuki but because of nervousness, I couldn’t catch the timing to come out…, that, the truth is yesterday, I kept worrying how to get along with Kazuki, however…”

Kohaku presented the huge package that she kept holding in both her hands, in front of Kazuki.

“I had a good idea of appealing as seasoned good wife! Kazuki, I had made a bento so come with I to eat lunch together today! Then let’s get married!”

“Hayashizaki-kun, you had finished my portion of the lunch box, haven’t you?”

The moment when Kazuki was going to accept the lunch box, Hoshikaze-senpai said something that was best left unsaid.

“Wha―what…for a manly person like Kazuki to have that family-oriented side in him…it is outside my calculation…”

Kohaku’s face turned pale, the bundle of lunch box was dropped with ‘gashan’ a crashing sound.

“Kohaku! You bastard, you planned to butter up Nii-sama huh!? Forget that, what is this about, marriage!? Explain it in detail!! Nii-sama will marry his little sister!!”

Kanae’s complexion changed and she threatened Kohaku. No, there was no way he would marry his little sister.

“Humph, Kanae-kaichou who had already wagged her tail to Otonashi Kaguya of Magic Division has no right or anything to question the action of I who is focused on the future of sword skills. Forgive my rudeness, but please stay out of this.”

“Wagging my tail to Kaguya!? Wh, whwhwhwho the hell are wagging her tail to that kind of person!! Sure, recently I am in a same party with her, I also recognized her strength, but I hate that girl!!”

While swinging her hand around like the tail of cat in panic, Kanae bared her fang and yelled.

“What a tsundere. Even though in the student council room you talk about nothing but Otonashi Kaguya or Kazuki…rather than that matter, what matters now are these hooligans who are approaching Kazuki!”

Kohaku belligerently grinned and glared at Lotte.

“…I feel a strong hostility desu. In short, if I fight this person and win, then it will be okay for me to stay at the Witch’s Mansion with everyone, right desu? …Then, let’s do it desu!”

Unexpectedly, Lotte showed a burning spirit and glared back at Kohaku with flaring eyes.

“This kind of thing is my strong point! Summoning Magic is nothing to be afraid of, I will show the skillfulness of one’s own sword style!”

Acting in concert with Lotte’s spirit, Kohaku increasingly roared.

Kazuki was lost whether he should stop this fairly useless quarrel. However―

“I wanted to do a mock battle around today to witness Lotte’s magic, so isn’t this a godsend?”

Hoshikaze-senpai was “Ahaha” laughing without care, the matter of the fight between the two was settled.

There was still enough time until the morning assembly, so like that, the four people moved into the ground.

“Because the student council president of Sword Division, Kanae, is here…it’s okay even without the acknowledgement of Kaguya-senpai, isn’t it?”

“This is not a formal duel that influences the ranking. Kaguya is weak in the morning, so she is still sleeping while drooling, you know. It’s fine as long as we, the judges doesn’t let anyone get hurt.”

And then Kohaku, the strange swordsman that carried seven katanas, and Lotte, the princess of another country, faced each other while separated by a distance of 50 meters. Lotte chanted her incantation and called out Prophet.

“{{furigana|The truth shall set me free|Veritas me Liberabit}}••••••the wise man who became father the protector of humanity, show that wisdom right here.”

Along with light, the girl’s uniform was changed into her {{furigana|Décolleté Oblique|Magic Dress}}. The magic dress that covered her white smooth milky skin was a bikini that only hid the little surface of the girl’s chest and lower body. It was strangely dull compared to all the Magic Dress that Kazuki had seen until now.

Kohaku drew one of her katanas among the seven that she carried. It seems she wouldn’t use several katanas at once.

“Yosh. Then, begin!”

Kohaku ran at Hoshikaze-senpai’s signal, and Lotte chanted her spell.

“Howl! Civilization teach human destruction! The roar of wisdom scorch thy’s body, break, shut those dignity below the rubble!! {{furigana|Mitrailleuse|The Opening Curtain of the Age of Black Steel}}!”

That chanting speed was exceedingly short, immediately light concentrated on Lotte’s right arm. The light was―transformed into a gatling gun almost as long as Lotte’s own body.

“…!?” Toward that sight, even Kohaku opened her eyes wide, dumbfounded.

“Heavy firearms!? Is that kind of magic possible!?”

Originally, weapons couldn’t pierce magic power, it didn’t have the power to kill or wound magicians. Toward the defensive magic power that distorted reality, nothing would pierce it unless it was a weapon that was filled with the same magic power.

Swordsman magic sword could pierce magic power, because of the swordsman's trained Enchant Aura. It had the effect of stretching until the blade of the swordsman's beloved sword because the swordsman was so familiar with it that it could be even said it is a part of their own body.

However it was hard to endow magic power to a projectile weapon type, not to mention heavy firearms. Even bow and arrow―not only hard, but it was supposed to be impossible. Many alchemists tried to experiment whether it was impossible or not to endow scientific weapons―like nuclear weapon, but only a history of failures have appeared.

“Prophet…Fire!”

‘ZUDADADADADADADA!’ Thunderous roar that split the eardrum were scattered, the gatling gun spouted fire. Kohaku ran diagonally just before the firing and avoided the line of fire, however no matter how fast she ran, Lotte only needed to shift the muzzle a little for the bullet to keep chasing her. It was a violent rapid-fire unlike the single shot Barrett, avoiding this was impossible even for Kazuki.

All those bullets were filled with magic power. Kohaku’s defensive magic power were smashed-up looking like it was gouged with countless holes. But Kohaku pressed on despite the shock of her smashed magic and charged toward Lotte.

After the bullets were strewed around to a certain extent, it was cut off and the gatling gun disappeared.

“In a glance, one shot of that seems to be fairly weak, isn’t it? It doesn’t have any power to stop a swordsman, but it’s power to disrupt the concentration for chanting a spell is high. It’s also interesting that as long as there are bullets remaining, it will stay in her hand like my Thunder God Bow.”

Hoshikaze-senpai analyzed from the side. Occasionally, she seemed inattentive, but she was a person that could think fast.

“…Mitrailleuse!”

Lotte immediately finished her second spell. Once again a storm of gatling gun bullets swept over toward Kohaku from the front, but Kohaku unmindfully charged ahead and raised her katana.

“One’s self can’t be stopped by an attack only to that degree!”

“Wisdom accumulated over the course of human history, armored my body over and over! Heavily, thickly, reject all brutality! {{furigana|Seusenhofer|Radiant Steel Mobile Armor}}!!”

A large armor appeared on top of Lotte’s simple Magic Dress along with a bright light. Kohaku’s strong slash was ‘Gakin!’ repelled by the armor with solid brilliance.

“Heavy armor defensive magic! That’s pretty solid. But I wonder if the gap between it was the weak point?”

Just like what Hoshikaze-senpai pointed, that armor didn’t cover the whole body.

Kohaku sheathed her sword in a flash and immediately choose from her seven sword and drew out the shortest wakizashi<ref>another type of short sword, Usually, samurais brought this together with their normal katana.</ref>. This swordswoman had the skill to accurately aim the gap between the armor.

On the other side, Lotte took some distance from Kohaku with nimbleness unthinkable for such heavy equipments while bullets keep raining on her. Her side was already possibly, couldn't be thought of, as the way of fighting of a magician.

“Kohaku’s reaction regarding the bullets is fast…. Kanae, does Kohaku know how to predict the magic power?”

“That girl’s Shinkage-style seems to be practiced with the premise of fighting a magician. It’s not organized nearly as practical as our style’s [Foreseeing] but…she seems to compensate that with her considerable [Wild Intuition] to take evasive action.”

The gatling gun broke Kohaku’s magic power. Even so, Kohaku didn’t let Lotte escape, chased her, and stabbed the point of her sword into the gap of the armor. Kohaku tried to disturb Lotte’s spell chanting with that damage but―with Lotte’s chanting speed as the opponent, it was difficult.

“This hand reached toward Babel’s height, now this hand grasped God’s thunderbolt! In accordance with my life, oh lightning, whirl at your will! {{furigana|Collider Field|Super Electromagnetic Barrier}}!!”

Lotte’s level 3 magic―Lotte’s left hand was armed with a large gauntlet. Her armored body, with her right hand holding a gatling gun and her mechanical gauntlet in the left hand, drew an imposing figure.

The more Lotte chanted magic―the more that delicate body would be covered with weapons.

“Prophet…blitzz!”

At the same time with Lotte’s shout, the gauntlet armament scattered some sparks ‘BIRIRI’ and radiated light.

On the center of Lotte’s left palm―lightning barrier was taking form. Kohaku who didn’t have any method other than close range combat, was caught by that net barrier, so she stepped back while taking a huge damage.

Close range combat was difficult as long she was checked by that gauntlet.

“Damn…don’t make light of I!”

Kohaku sheathed her wakizashi and pulled out a different katana. Was there any kind of meaning in that action?

Kohaku was thinking while keeping that position, then her face warped in frustration and she sheathed that katana again.

“Kohaku still has a trump card…but she choose not to use it here huh.”

Kanae whispered so. …Trump card.

Now that she mentioned it, Kohaku said before that she had a countermeasure toward opponents that had resistance against a sword.

Did that countermeasure have the flexibility to break the deadlock of this situation where it could be said that the swordsman's moves had been sealed?

“Both of you still have magic power left but…if you continue to fight more than this, then it will obstruct your class, right? This is over! …Shall this become Lotte’s win by decision?”

Hoshikaze-senpai stopped the battle with a somewhat awfully pragmatic reason.

“Does this mean, it’s fine for me to stay together with all the big brothers and big sisters here desu!?”

Lotte who was still covered in her armaments rushed over to Kazuki with ‘GASHAAN-GASHAAN’ noise. Uwaa…it’s scary somehow! “Onii-san, why do you run away desu!?”

“Nuuu…I real strength is only this much…Kazuki, it’s vexing but I will come again! Someday you’re going to eat I bento, farewell!”

Kohaku who was crouching because of her damage, hit the ground once in frustration, then she turned her body swiftly and left from that place.

“Charlotte Liebenfrau is contracted with a different Diva than Solomon 72 Pillar.

In other words she is legally an illegal magician but…according to the result of her psychology test and telepathy scan, etc. there was no trace of intrusion in her mind. Because it was considered that there was almost no danger, she was entrusted to our school to be monitored. Around that area, it was similar with the rank E trash―Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Diva’s traits differed based on the Mythology they belonged to. Solomon 72 Pillar that we handle, have a lot of magic that are really magic-like. In addition to that, battle tactics like the Heaven and Earth Formation was developed but, Charlotte’s contracted Diva is a fairly different type. Watch carefully, it will be useful when fighting unknown Diva. In addition, there are also some worth to watch the girl’s chanting speed. Now you should be prepared when it come's time for you to face against the magic of {{furigana|Possession Summoning|Drive}}. Use that for reference too.”

At Lotte’s first practical magic class since transferring to this school, Liz Liza-sensei introduced one part of Lotte’s special characteristic to the students. As expected, the matter about being a refugee was not touched.

Lotte deployed her Magic Dress, then fired her gatling gun for real, after that, the classmates surrounded Lotte with gleaming eyes of interest. Basically the students that aimed to become knight's for real were gathering, so there was no frivolous atmosphere at this kind of time. Kazuki who had already witnessed Lotte’s magic, was outside that circle and inquired Liz Liza-sensei:

“Liz Liza-sensei…Lotte will compensate the weak point of our party, but”

The attack magic that Lotte had shown so far were bullets and electric shock. For Kazuki and Mio who had few attack patterns, the new attack patterns were added with Lotte’s joining. But…

“Could we fight an enemy who is resistant to heat with the party consisting of me, Mio, and Lotte? Aren’t fire and electric shock, any of them was [heat] in the end…”

“Trash, it would be good for you to experience getting shocked once. If you observed the wound, you will understand the differences for sure.”

Liz Liza-sensei returned a harsh reply toward Kazuki’s question,

“Electric shock burn has two aspects. First, it’s certainly just like you said, it produces heat damage but, in contrast with the normal burn that is produced on the outside body, the electric shock burn inside the body’s interior have some difference with the spot that was burned by heat. That’s why in the case of facing against an enemy with strong skin or armored body, using electric shock to inflict damage from their inside can be said to be effective.”

Kazuki was reminded with that red slime. That slime, he couldn’t see the difference between its surface or its inside. This lesson was not applicable to that case.

“One more thing, an electric shock can also destroy living things nervous system. Many living things operate their body structure like muscle using electric signals. A strong electric current will exert large influence against that activity. If you apply electricity to a human, his heart will stop. Do you think someone with their heart stopped can move? Like ventricular fibrillation<ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventricular_fibrillation </ref> and AED<ref>Automatic External Defibrillator</ref>. Why do patients with paralyzed hearts can be resuscitated with an electric shock? It is because the muscle composition of the heart moves using electric signals.”

Kazuki was immediately reminded of Hoshikaze-senpai’s reinforcement magic, [{{furigana|Ride Lightning|Thunder God Body Flicker}}] that strengthened the whole body muscle and nervous system. "I see, so electricity also has that kind of effect".

“What came out in the quest that you guys accepted the other day…it was slime according to the report. How do you think that slime’s body can move? Of course slime doesn’t have any muscle and it is formed by mucus, but what is the source of those mucus’ operation? The study of Demon Beast’s ecology is still not progressing, but at least from my real life experience, electricity was effective against slime. The moment strong electric current flowed, the slime was shaking intensely because of the vortex of abnormal electric signals. Before long, it couldn’t maintain its body’s activity and was scattered and turned into just a mucus. Interesting right? They look like they came out of fantasy, but surprisingly, they are not some separate existence that ridiculed our logic. It is a very interesting lesson.”

“You said those slimes use the same system as human's to move their body around!?”

“Maybe. Even though it was scattered around, it was still possible for them to act. That was its core that transmitted electric signal so the mucus that make its composition can gather back. It seems that slime is a colony of living things linked with each other.”

“Now that sensei mentioned it, Hiakari-san also said that she killed the slime by drowning it…”

Breathing by taking in oxygen and moving their body by electric signals, it was really a [living thing].

“It turned into a good lesson huh, teacher will give a blessing of special knowledge to students who asked.”

Liz Liza-sensei’s tone was harsh but inside, she was a gentle person. She then stood on her tiptoe and knocked on Kazuki’s head.

“With your party right now, there should be no more problem clearing the previous quest where you failed. It’s fine even if you re-challenge the quest over the weekend. Remember, it’s also for the sake of keeping Amasaki Mio’s rank.”

===Part 2===

Suppress the Demon Beast that lived in the forest of the Haunting Ground that spread out in the West Tokyo, and liberate the forest―

Kazuki and the others applied to re-challenge the quest that they failed during Golden Week.

There was no class in the Knight Academy on Saturday, but this holiday was not spent to play, it was recommended as the knight cadet to challenge the quest in their spare time.

Kazuki and the others headed to the station after taking their meal at the Witch’s Mansion.

The traveling method to perform the quest was mainly using rail transport. Thanks to the magic light train to travel inside the metropolis area and the new type Shinkansen<ref>Japan’s bullet train</ref> to travel outside the city, the time needed to travel didn’t take too long. Of course the cost was burdened by the academy.

Quests were done for the sake of the students' growth to become knight, it was linked with the class work.

“Will it really go well by just adding me to the party?”

In the middle of their walk to the station, Lotte came to asked Kazuki anxiously.

Kazuki was interposed between Lotte to his left, and Mio to his right, The three of them walked down the road.

“It’s reassuring to have Lotte with us. It’s going to be ok this time around when the red slime comes out like last time.”

“Then I will always keep the electric magic in standby desu.”

It seems the armament that Lotte produced with her magic would continue to be equipped as long the number of bullet or energy remained. If she prepared it beforehand, she could move to attack immediately without needing to chant the spell.

The destructive power was lowered but it could be said that it was a fairly convenient magic for quests.

…Once again Kazuki recognized anew the importance of using various magic to respond against different circumstances. If only he could use Lemegeton’s power more skillfully…

“Kazuki, that, look there.”

Suddenly Mio pulled Kazuki’s sleeve and pointed her finger to one side of the street corner.

At the shopping street before the station, the [Knights] in their white uniform with the coat of arms attached were walking.

This group of several knights were investigating by collecting information in the vicinity of the Knight Academy.

Most likely the Knight Order was searching where Loki was hiding.

Loki hid while taking along the illegal magicians who lost their sanity, so there should be some sign of them somewhere for sure. Interviewing witnesses should be fairly effective. If the knights keep collecting information about the area with connection to Kaya and Loki steadily, the possibility of obtaining related testimony to Loki was not low.

“…Hey, I wonder if that [Black Knight] mixed with the other white uniformed knights is the one mentioned at the news, the knight from Germany’s Knight Order?”

Mio noticed it and whispered.

Among Japan’s Knight Order’s group who were wearing white uniforms, a person wearing black was mixed in.

Only one head looked taller than the heads around her and that face’s facial features had the appearance of a foreigner.

It seems the uniform of Germany’s Einherjar was black.

“I heard that they had arrived in Japan but…it only feels real after witnessing it directly like this.”

Kazuki had already heard this information from Kaguya-senpai one step ahead though.

A few days after that night, the news of Einherjar’s arrival in Japan spread even to the world at large.

Cooperation to subjugate Loki with the leading power of North Europe, Germany’s Einherjar. It was a cooperation set for one month.

With the current situation where Japan had severed all diplomatic relations, the coming of a foreign knight was a major event.

Of course the undisclosed circumstances of the negotiation between Japan and Germany was hidden from the news.

“…” Besides Kazuki, the refugee Lotte was cowering because of the German knight’s presence.

“It’s okay. She is not chasing Lotte, she only came here to defeat the Diva named Loki.”

Kazuki tapped the shoulder of the shivering Lotte ‘ponpon’ lightly.

“Tha, thank you very much, Kazuki-oniisan.”

Lotte made a smiling face that seemed forced, then came clinging on Kazuki’s arm like she was depending on him. A flying heart mark came from her chest.

“…muu.” For some reason Mio also let out a moan and hugged Kazuki’s opposite arm.

…It’s hard to walk. While three people were sticking to each other, they continued along the street to the station without minding the knights.

Facing those three people, Germany’s female knight, wearing a black uniform, stole a glance toward them…Kazuki had such a feeling.

“…Chih. Isn't this the Knight Academy brats who ran back home immediately the other day?”

When they arrived at the gate of the Haunting Ground, the soldier who kept guard spat out such a thing.

“Forgive us from the last time. But this time, we reinforced our party properly, so we will be showing results.”

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 123.jpg|thumb]]

At Kazuki’s words, the guard saw Lotte’s figure, “Caucasian? How rare…” and his eyes opened wide. It was a discourteous manner of speaking but [Caucasian with Japanese citizenship] in truth, was a rarity.

In any case, Kazuki and the others passed through the station gate and into the inner part of the Haunting Grounds.

A short while after passing the gate, the scenery was just a normal forest but there was no sign of the Haunting Ground.

The Haunting Ground’s location was even further inside than before, there was no mistaking that this was because of Koyuki’s great effort. The more Demon Beasts inside the Haunting Ground decreased, the original nature would also revert back.

―Then the battle started. Kazuki protected Mio and Lotte from the attacking slime that came one after another. As the rearguard, Mio’s flame magic burned away the slimes.

As they defeated the Demon Beasts, their surroundings were also turned back little by little into the original nature forest.

“―Prophet…blitzz!”

The red slimes who were strong toward heat were lured to Lotte’s surrounding, they were then imprisoned inside the electric barrier and brought down in one go. The slimes who received lightning were, borrowing Liz Liza-sensei’s words, it was like the acute heart paralysis of a heart patient―shaking fiercely in unsteadiness, ‘PAN!’ the mucus scattered everywhere and the curtain of their body’s activity were closed.

“Kyaa!”

Maybe because they were allowed to get too close, a little of the scattered red slimes splashed into Mio and Lotte.

Kazuki instantly remembered Mio from before. That liquid―was a poison that affected the mind.

“Are you guys okay!? You guys were only splashed by a little though.”

“Yes…It’s okay if it’s only about this much…”

Mio replied with a blushing face and slurred tone. Then without reason, she came clinging on Kazuki while hugging his arm sweetly. Lotte did the same thing and also came to hug Kazuki while mumbling ‘funyafunya’.

…Isn’t this turning into a dicey situation?

Both of them were in their Magic Dress that had a high exposure rate, so Kazuki who was being clung to turned uneasy.

“The place we passed through before had a lake, so let’s go there to wash off the mucus.”

“It’s fine to take a break while getting intimate with Kazu-niii―. Happyy♪”

“I don’t understand but I’m so happy desu♪ Everything okayyy♪”

“Wake up you two! No matter how you look at it this is a no no! Come on, let’s go.”

Kazuki held their shoulders and led them to the lake.

He pushed them both to the watering place then sat down on the base of a nearby tree.

The Demon Beasts around this area were mostly exterminated, once it was a muddy swamp but it reverted back into a clear lake. Mio and Lotte soaked in the water while in their Magic Dress and cleaned up the mucus in their body.

With Lotte frolicking around by throwing water at Mio as the start, they both started to splash water at each other while laughing cheerfully.

“Kazuki you too, come here!”

“No, it will be troublesome if my uniform gets wet.”

It’d be fine if he uses psychokinesis to shake off the drops of water, and pyrokinesis to dry off later but… both of them were wearing flimsy Magic Dress, while he was wearing a uniform that consist of shirts topped with a jacket. It’d take too much time.

Using the opportunity when Mio called out to Kazuki, Lotte threw water at Mio’s face. Mio soon returned fire in revenge. Both of their hair and body were wet with water and sparkled brightly.

Both of their Magic Dress were designed to expose most of their skin and body line as it is.

Their skin emitted glossy smoothness because of the wetness, their feminine body stood out in three dimension. A lovely sight could be seen out of their soaked body along with their beauty.

Their alluring navels and thighs and Mio’s wet chest, pulled Kazuki’s gaze…he shook his head in guilt because he stared at them both with a strange look.

“…Don’t play too long―!”

Kazuki said that and then turned his back.

Really, a Magic Dress was poison to the eye even under normal circumstances. Now it was even more so. But it was an outfit for the sake of fighting that’s why, he was disqualified as their comrade in arms if he had wicked thoughts like this too often.

This was only a little rest time, but Kazuki wished that it would end soon.

But the instant he turned his back, the scream of those two girls reverberated.

Kazuki turned back in panic, and from the surface of the lake, a gigantic―Demon Beast resembling a sea anemone’s face came out. Several squirming tentacles were stretching and headed towards the two girls!

“Prophet…Fire!”

Lotte sensed the abnormality and quickly chanted her spell but the bullets were fired blindly.

On the other, hand Mio was caught by the tentacles and were binding her wet body.

“Wa, wait! I really hate tentacleee!!”

At some of the sea anemone’s tentacles, there were some traces of being sliced, tentacles that were cut short were being regenerated in the same place. There was no mistake, this was the master of those tentacles that attacked Mio from the quest before.

“Mio! …I won’t let these tentacles do as they please!!”

When Mio was only a hair breadth away from being groped by the tentacles, all the tentacles were bisected in a flash and in one go by Kazuki’s Iai draw.

“Ka, Kazu-nii! Thank you! Saying things like [I won’t let these tentacles do as they please to my Mio]…ehehe.”

A heart mark flew from Mio to Kazuki after being saved from her predicament.

…’My Mio’, I don’t remember saying that though.

“Hurry with the spell chant!” Kazuki scolded her, and with that Mio replied “Yes!” then switched to her battle mode. Hearing that reliable reply from his back, Kazuki focused on mowing down the tentacles that keep aiming at Mio and Lotte one after another.

These tentacles…why did it only aim at girls! Which Mythology’s influence was this!?

Kazuki’s katana and Lotte’s bullets couldn’t inflict any fatal wound to such gigantic Demon Beast. However…

“This debt from before…I’ll return it now! These pervert tentacles!! Blazing Wings!”

Mio was able to finish a high level magic because of Kazuki’s protection, wings of flame spread out and she leaped into the sea anemone. Countless tentacles along with the main body were swallowed by the wings of flame―it became the finishing blow. Heaven and Earth Formation. In the end, what decided the battle was the high level summoning magic.

“We did it, Kazu-nii!”

Mio raised an excited voice and came to hug Kazuki. The chest that he stared at strangely not long ago was now pushed softly into his body.

“Do, don’t hug me when you are like this!”

“Why?”

“…My uniform will get wet, see.”

Kazuki averted his eyes from the soaking wet Mio and looked around his surrounding. …It seems this sea anemone was the last big game in this area as the lake’s surrounding had returned into beautiful nature.

“Looks like this area has mostly been liberated, isn’t it…. Let’s go a little a deeper when the Magic Dress dry, okay?”

Before, this place was an extremely large Haunting Ground, now it had been fairly narrowed up to this size.

If they keep this pace, it was possible they could liberate this forest completely today.

Mio and Lotte also harbored that presentiment, they agreed to Kazuki’s proposal.

When they advanced deeper into the Haunting Ground, its atmosphere as well as the type of Demon Beasts appearing were also changing.

The dense foliage interrupted the sunlight making the surrounding gloomy. From the darkness of the gap of the trees, ivy leaped out entwining, and Demon Beast's came out in a surprise attack.

The Demon Beasts that prepared the surprise attack were the ferocious types that resemble wild beasts.

For example, the monkey type Demon Beast that leaped out from the interval of the trees and attacked with sharp claws. An average swordsman wouldn’t be able to catch their speed and would get mangled one-sided.

However Kazuki foresaw those movements and ended their lives by using lightning fast Iai draw.

For example, the wild boar type with their steel-like skin. Its raging charges possessed terrible destructive power, physical attack or the heat of flames couldn’t pass those hardened skin.

Lotte’s electricity however was able to scorch the inside of those hard skin.

Mio from the rear, supported using attack magic, striking the large type Demon Beasts using level 5 magic.

The Demon Beasts that had their life snuffed out were reduced into black magic power and disappeared one after another.

This forest is a place where one couldn’t be careless, but the balance of the party was very good. If he wanted to be greedy, Kazuki would have wanted one more vanguard so he could also chant magic at a critical moment, but…

Kazuki could use Phoenix’s magic up to level 6 as the result of increasing Mio’s positivity level. But because Kazuki fights by himself at the frontline in this three man party, he didn’t have any spare time to chant magic. The Magica Stigma inside Kazuki felt a little irritation because of that.

When they progressed deeper into the forest, they found a stone stair that climbed a small hill. The height was not to the degree of climbing a mountain, but at the top of the stone stair, there was a space that opened up.

There was a torii<ref>Shinto shrine archway</ref> erected at the open space and through that torii, was a shrine. Its brilliant scarlet color was lost due to the Haunting Ground transformation, the whole body of the shrine was black. It originally enshrined a local Shinto deity. This place was supposed to be a tranquil sacred location, but an ominous heavy atmosphere was now pressing down.

The moment they stepped in there, fox type Demon Beasts leaped out from the surrounding forest. Kazuki instantly intercepted their lightning fast charge with his Iai draw, but at that instant―

“Kuu…!”

―The fox's golden hair scattered ‘biriri’ sparks around!

A barrier that really resembled the magic that Lotte used. The electricity was flowing through the Katana and into Kazuki.

Kazuki’s defensive magic power was consumed and the electricity had no effect but when a defensive magic power extinguishes a phenomenon, the backlash called the <shock of smashed magic> occurs.

Because of that, Kazuki’s swordmanship was disturbed.

The fox slipped out from Kazuki’s Iai draw and rammed into his body.

Kazuki twisted his body and somehow evaded the attack.

But even with only that, Kazuki’s work was already finished.

“Prophet…Fire!”

“Barrett!”

The fox who missed its attack was hit by the bullet of the gatling gun and the flame bullet successively. That body turned into black magic power and disappeared.

“Hm, the atmosphere of the enemy changed the moment we entered this place.”

“…At a place with especially thick magic power even inside the Haunting Ground like here, there should be a Sacred Treasure around!”

Mio pointed at the direction of the shrine and raised an excited voice.

Sometimes there were discoveries of <Sacred Treasure> at the Haunting Grounds. A manmade thing here was transformed by the thick magic power’s influence, or possibly magic power was condensed and forms the Sacred Treasure from nothing. In the end, it turned into magic items of Mythology in this world.

Sacred Treasure had a distorted foundation that was impossible even with alchemy, it sucked the magic power of the user and brought forth magic phenomenon that transcend the law of physics.

From the enemy that was appearing even stronger from the surrounding, the area’s magic power was thicker and more stagnant when compared to other places. Just like Mio said, it was told that such places made it easier for Sacred Treasures to occur.

“Be that as it may, to search this shrine…we first need to exterminate all the Demon Beast in this area.”

After Kazuki whispered so, the forms of a golden colored fox appeared one after another from the trees surrounding this open space where they were standing. It looks like the animals were the protector of the shrine.

This time, when Kazuki lured the foxes near enough,

“Fire Wall!”

―they were all burned up by the fire wall.

At the same time, Mio and Lotte released their respective magic.

“Is this…an enshrined katana?”

The inner sanctuary of the shrine that lost its color and blackened. On its altar, there was an offering of a Japanese katana made from plain wood. Only that katana hadn’t lost its color and exuded an atmosphere of holiness.

Originally, it was an enshrined katana of the shrine, but it transformed into a Sacred Treasure because of the magic power flowing into it.

When it touched his hand, the texture felt like the plain wood was breathing. Kazuki’s magic power was absorbed naturally into the katana. Sacred Treasure's exhibited their special power by sucking the user’s magic power.

“This Sacred Treasure is surely connected to Japanese Mythology. Moreover something like a katana is perfectly suited for you, right? Hey, Kazuki come on, let’s test what kind of power it has!”

Mio said that in high spirits. Kazuki laughed wryly while already pushing his magic power into the Sacred Treasure then―’katsukatsukatsu’ sounds were heard from the direction of the shrine entrance.

The sound of footsteps that came here directly―

“What the hell are you bastards doing? It’s forbidden for an individual to pick a Sacred Treasure. Hand it over to us at once.”

A two-man group consisting of a Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress and a swordsman appeared at the entrance of the inner sanctuary.

Judging from their height and age―they were not students but knights of the Knight Order.

Kazuki harbored an uncomfortable feeling. Why did the Knight Order who had labor shortage dispatch their people in this quest with this kind of difficulty?

“…We plan to submit this in our quest’s report.”

Kazuki replied so, but the female Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress seems to ignore it and approached Kazuki briskly, she snatched the Sacred Treasures katana from Kazuki’s hand.

The girl’s gaze fell into the katana in Kazuki’s hips and spat out.

“Even though you’re just a swordsman brat…holding something like Sacred Treasure…”

From there she turned her back, “Let’s go Kondou!” she yelled to the swordsman and left the inner sanctuary.

“Yes.” The swordsman replied and faithfully followed behind her.

“Wha, what is that, disgusting! I mean, if we present that Sacred Treasure at the quest counter, it will reflect at our results you know!”

Mio’s well formed eyebrows bristled in indignation.

“Even though they looked so self-important, there is no doubt that they are just lowly underlings, being dispatched at this simple quest in this busy time! Kazu-nii is far stronger compared to quack knights from nowhere like you guys in a duel!! Stupid!! Idiot!!”

When the knight had gone, Mio insulted them vehemently and stuck out her tongue.

Lotte imitated her too and she also stuck her tongue. They looked like really close sisters.

“…Well, in any case we won’t be able to bring it back, so let’s ignore it and return to the quest. The Knight Order is also participating, so let’s liberate this whole area today somehow or other.”

I want to try it out, that Sacred Treasure katana…Kazuki couldn’t get rid of that feeling.

“Looks like there is no boss here like the sea anemone from the zone before.”

Mio said so like she was trying to calm her emotions.

The more someone approached the central part of the Haunting Ground, the magic power would become thicker and will stagnate in the middle of the space.

Because of that, in many cases, a Demon Beast that was one rank stronger would be born in the heart of the Haunting Ground.

Kazuki and the others had already been at the heart of the Haunting Ground.

“I wonder if the party of those two knight before had already fought it.”

“I don’t think that was the case though.”

Each time we defeat a Demon Beast, there was an actual feeling that the scenery of the Haunting Ground also changed, but there was not even a time that the scenery of the Haunting Ground changed when there was no fighting.

In other words this Haunting Ground is not so large, but Kazuki and the other two were more than enough to purge the remaining Demon Beasts.

Everyone’s magic power were already quite exhausted, but they still had some composure for this.

“I’m a little bit tired…my stamina is not so good.”

This whole thing felt a little bit like hiking physically. Lotte who spent the majority of her life laying down on a sick bed let out a bitter smile mixed with fatigue.

“Sorry, we forced you too much, didn’t we? How about I carry you on my back on the way home?”

Carrying her in the back was like treating her like a kid, but Lotte let out reminiscence-like words.

“I’m happy if onii-san’ll do that desu!”

Lotte looked a little awkward and embarrassed.

“…Wait Kazu-nii, not fair! If you’ll carry Lotte in the back then…I’ll be the one in the front, that…it’s unfair if you don’t use princess carry for me too!”

“One person each in the front and the back…that’s unreasonable even if I used Enchant Aura, you know?”

For some reason the atmosphere became harmonious while the three people headed toward the center of the forest―

“…Barrett!”

The last Demon Beast was pierced by the flame bullet.

Right at that moment, the surrounding trees returned perfectly into their original appearance of bright and fresh green leaves in May.

The eerie atmosphere disappeared and the cool summer breeze blew bringing in the smell of summer.

When all present reflexively smiled broadly―Kazuki’s back felt a chill of [something’s presence].

“What’s wrong, suddenly you look scared?”

“…Right now, a huge magic power of something is breaking out near this area.”

“Eh, that magic power…. …!?”

It seems Mio also sensed the outbreak of magic power using Extra Sense, her countenance changed.

Before long, sounds of someone stepping on the falling leaves could be heard from the back.

“…Hmm, I was a little late. The Haunting Ground liberation is already finished…so that means, they only have little strength left to have fun, won’t they?”

With a low voice that was rare for a woman, the voice with a sense of intimidation like steel could be heard.

They turned back to look. Inside the grove of trees, a blonde woman clad in pitch black military uniform was looking to their side.

The black clothed woman suddenly chanted her spell.

“…Yo. For the sake of soldiers desiring Valhalla, descend from Asgard and show those brave figures. I too will show the spirit of a hero. Oh Asgard’s gods of war…Right here to me.”

She was a woman with a bizarre form. On top of wearing a military uniform, a large sword sheathed in its scabbard was attached to her hips and a boorish shield was held on her left hand. It was not a shield used by swordsmen in Japan.

At the same time with the end of her spell, those pitch black military uniform was wrapped with the light of {{furigana|Astrum Connection|Access}}―she transformed into an armored form that shined fantastically like it was made from blue jewels. This is…Magic Dress?

This woman is…there is no way, Germany’s Einherjar?

“…Mio, Lotte, enemy!!”

That female soldier was just like a Valkyrie, she drew her sword out and dashed toward this side. They didn’t know the reason, but it was obvious that she was showing hostility to them!

Kazuki too took the stance of Iai while chanting his spell and dashed towards the opponent.

At his back, Lotte and Mio too started their spell chant one beat later.

The fight was―intricate!

“…I will do a good fight, meet a good death, and hope to participate in the fight of Asgard even more! Grant the crimson blood divine protection on me! {{furigana|Berserk|Crimson Eyes of War God}}!!”

The armored female soldier chanted a spell. She invoked some kind of magic and her eyes shined crimson.

At the same time, her running speed also fiercely accelerated. …This was unmistakably a reinforcement magic.

“Mitrailleuse! Prophet…Fire!!”

“Barrett!”

First the gatling gun, and then one beat later, the flame bullet overtook Kazuki and flew to the female soldier.

The female soldier opened wide her crimson eyes that look like it were burning and quickly stuck out the shield in her left hand.

The gatling and flame bullets were accurately deflected by the small shield.

…Her reflexes were superhuman. Having said that, it was not foresight like Kazuki. The magic from before might not have reinforced just her body but also her reflexes.

…Moreover that shield, how could it deflect Barrett without even a scratch!?

Kazuki and the female soldier who ran in a straight line finally came into contact.

The female soldier swung down the large western sword that she carried on her shoulder. Kazuki promptly drew his Iai.

As for Kazuki, his first draw of the sword was not for the sake of attacking.

He met the slash of the female soldier, he then shifted his body while redirecting the opponent’s strength. Strong!

However, for Kazuki who had already experienced countless locking of swords, that slash’s weight was in the realm he had never before experienced.

Even so, the posture of the opponent was broken, Kazuki released his second slash with the timing of hitting the enemy.

However the left hand of the female soldier moved with the speed that looked like it could even repel light, Kazuki’s slash was repelled by the shield.

“…The moment the sword touched each other, it felt soft and my posture was thrown out of order. You use an interesting technique huh, lad.”

The female soldier laughed so to Kazuki. …She could speak Japanese!?

The counter attack of the female soldier instantly came. Kazuki having foreseen the slash evaded it.

The desperate offense and defense put a stop to Kazuki’s concentration. The spell Kazuki prepared was dispersed.

To chant magic in this level of crossing swords was still difficult for Kazuki.

The gatling bullet and Barrett gave some cover fire for Kazuki in the middle of these, but the female soldier manipulated her shield with precise movement. She prioritized defending against Barret that had more damaging power rather than the gatling gun.

A soldier and at the same time also a Magica Stigma. Like seeing himself in the mirror…

“Are you Germany’s knight? If you understand Japanese then answer, why did you attack us?”

Kazuki inquired without letting his guard down, but the female soldier only leaked a laughing voice.

“Rather than that, let’s have a good battle, lad.”

And then she slashed at Kazuki once more. Kazuki desperately fought back but―the female soldier was too composed.

While performing sword locking with Kazuki, the enemy chanted her spell.

“Divine protection of military man, whirl inside my body, double the {{furigana|might of heaven|Megin}}<Ref>Megin is the norse word of might or power</ref>! Spurred into endless battle by god’s intention, in this body! …{{furigana|Megingjörð|The Belt of Whirling Heaven’s Might}}<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megingj%C3%B6r%C3%B0</ref>!”

…Glittering light swooped down from heaven to the female soldier’s body. The limbs of the female soldier that absorbed the light grew like it was augmenting the muscle.

The female soldier stepped in with an acceleration completely like a cheetah.

If Kazuki was not an expert in foresight he would be cut up like a scarecrow for sure.

However, Kazuki observed the premonition of her movement, grasped the distance, predicted the trajectory of her sword, and finally dealt with the godspeed slash. He didn’t oppose the power of the slash, and by redirecting it with a flowing motion, he used the momentum to break his opponent's posture.

His hands became numb from the extraordinary weight of the slash.

Kazuki returned with his counter-attack, but the female soldier who had her whole body reinforced easily blocked it with the shield in her left hand.

And then―the superhuman strong sword flew once again.

…It doesn’t feel like facing a human opponent!

“You don’t use summoning magic huh, lad! How, what kind of way that you use to throw my sword off balance!? Really interesting huh, so this is Japan’s sword skill, isn’t it!? The mystery of the east!”

The female soldier with blazing eyes smiled with great joy in the middle of the fight.

“…Fire Wall!”

While redirecting his opponent’s sword, Kazuki desperately chanted level 2 magic and invoked it.

A wall of flame was rising from the ground under the feet of the female soldier in a perfect surprise attack.

The female soldier stepped back with her sharp reflexes, but she couldn’t avoid it perfectly and the blue lights of defensive magic power were scattered. …the first attack from this side.

“Is this Japan’s summoning magic? What a cowardly attack.”

The female soldier laughed in a broad grin. The damage was thin.

What a joke, why must we suddenly get attacked by this kind of monster.

“Mio, Lotte, spread out crosswise! No matter how fast she is, the shield can only defend from one side!!”

“You give a troublesome direction huh, lad! Then I’ll deal with the son of the bitch vanguard quickly!!”

The female soldier swung down her strong sword once again, Kazuki redirected that attack and repelled it.

The sounds of the sword fight resounded fiercely. Mixed with those sounds―a woman’s angry voice could be heard.

“You guys, what are you doing there! Why are you fighting when the Haunting Ground was already liberated!? …Who is that one!?”

Was she sensed with the flow of magic power? The two knight Kazuki encountered in the shrine was rushing here.

The female soldier was “Oh?” and made a surprised face.

“I see, in other words the information about me was only shared to…Loki’s subjugation team, does it?”

Hearing those whispers, Kazuki was “What is she saying?” pondering that in his mind.

“The [protection target] is being attacked! Kondo, go!”

“…Roger!”

The female Magica Stigma passed down an order, the male swordsman called Kondo was approaching here.

Protection target…? Did she mean Lotte? No, these two knights…was looking at Mio?

“Is this only coincidence…are you bastards also as fun as this lad!?”

The German female soldier clad in blue helmet and armor separated from Kazuki and went to face Kondo.

This is bad. Even though this Kondo was a knight, an average swordsman might be instant-killed!

The female knight eliminated their respective distance with terrific speed and slashed at Kondo. That sword movement was simple but rigid. Even while Kondo was gazing in wonder to that speed, he somehow used his katana to block the female soldier's sword.

When their blades locked against each other, Kondo was trying to force back the sword right from the front. But that was a thoughtless move. The female soldier's superhuman herculean strength easily sent Kondo’s sword flying.

The surprised expression was erased from his face, changing into fear.

“…So not all Japan’s swordsman use the same skill like that lad before.”

The female soldier whispered as if bored, and cut down Kondo without a second thought. Kondo was blown away like an old rag by the smashed magic’s<ref>I’m using smashed magic as the phrase for the magic backlash when someone’s defensive magic power was hit by strong attack</ref> shockwave. The majority of his defensive magic power was stolen in only one attack.

“…I lost my interest. You bastard, die.”

The female soldier pointed the tip of her sword in order to grant the finishing blow.

“…I won’t let you!!”

At that time Kazuki sprinted with all his strength and entered between them, he barely deflected the female soldier’s slash.

Just like that Kazuki redirected the female soldier’s consecutive attacks one after another to protect Kondo.

“What the, what kind of sword skill is this…?”

While in the state of falling in his backside, the swordsman, Kondo leaked a voice of admiration toward Kazuki’s sword handling.

“You bastard! Abandon the like of swordsman and attack the opponent!! And yet you called yourself knight cadet!!”

The female Magica Stigma was being protected by a swordsman, yet she yelled a misdirected thing.

“This is not an opponent that you can fight upfront, don’t you understand!?”

Kazuki unintentionally forgot that the other side is an adult in the heat of sword fighting and yelled back.

“Cadet…a student huh. But you have a considerable skill for a mere child. Come, what fascinating thing you’ll show me next!?”

“Don’t make light of a student…Einherjar!”

The female soldier’s bored expression returned a smile. Getting pleased like that…

“You guys’ Heaven and Earth Formation has been undone! Go escape first!! We will look for a chance to escape too!!”

The female Magica Stigma took in his male swordsman partner's exhaustion and “Chih”
clicked her tongue. Thereupon she gave instructions just like what Kazuki said.

“Forming Heaven and Earth Formation with lowly swordsman like you, let’s retreat for the moment!”

“So, sorry, cadet young man! I’m indebted to you!”

The female Magica Stigma escaped one step ahead, Kondo was also chasing her back while stumbling all over himself. …The sooner they weren’t here would make it easier to try to escape.

“Mio! If there is a chance let’s escape with level 5 magic!”

“…Using that magic for escaping!? …Aahh! Understood!”

Mio showed her displeasure for only an instant, but in the light of the abnormal situation, she soon consented.

“Discussing your escape…what a kill-joy. Do you think I’ll give you the chance? Resolve yourself…the resolution to enjoy the fight with me till the end!!”

The female soldier slashed at Kazuki with the mixed expression of anger and joy. Kazuki redirected it and sealed off the opponent attack by disturbing her posture. The two’s dance was restarted.

If they used Phoenix’s level 5―[Blazing Wings], they should be able to escape with Phoenix’s wings as long as the opponent didn’t use any movement magic.

The problem wasn’t the rear guard Mio, but whether the vanguard Kazuki had the composure to chant such high level magic or not…!

Even while crossing swords against each other, Kazuki and the female soldier respectively chanted their spell. However, due to the fierce offense and defense, it was not a simple thing. ―Especially in regard to Kazuki who was still inexperienced in Summoning Magic.

“If you said you’re going to escape, then I won’t go easy anymore! …Thor, god of Asgard! The roar of the applause for my blade dance resounded! The thunder of the sky reside in this sword, no longer even the exchange of shield and halberd are allowed, send to oblivion!! {{furigana|Fjörgyn Megin|Thunder Sword}}!!”

The atmosphere was vibrating, a flash of lightning fell from the sky aiming at the female soldier’s sword.

Electricity dwelled inside the sword, it was swung down at Kazuki in that condition.

Immediately, Kazuki attempted to redirect the attack with his katana. But the moment the blades touched each other, electricity flowed into Kazuki’s body. Defensive magic power protected Kazuki from the electric shock, but the shockwave of smashed magic was sent to his whole body.

The magic to keep lightning element in a sword―it would turn into a huge damage even with just touching swords.

Just like the foxes tinged with electricity that they encountered in the shrine.

“With this your sword skill have no chance, lad!”

With this Kazuki must perfectly evade all her attacks. If Kazuki couldn’t disturb the opponent’s posture anymore, the severity of the consecutive attacks would increase even more.

With his opponent’s sword attached with <attribute>, as a swordsman, Kazuki was cornered into a predicament at once.

This woman just now said about the god, Thor…. Thor of Norse Mythology!

“…Are, are you okay!?”

The male swordsman, Kondo who seems to not have escaped and watching over the situation, shouted because he saw Kazuki’s predicament. …I’m happy that you’re worried but, why are you still here? Kazuki made a bitter face.

“I’m fine, so run away!”

Kazuki shouted back, this time the man turned his back once again and escaped for good.

The cover fire of gatling gun and flame bullet were also flying but there was no effect.

Was it impossible…to escape? At least Mio and Lotte need to escape…

The moment despair crossed in his mind―A crack ‘bikibikibiki!’ ran on the air behind the female soldier.

“What!?” She leaked out a surprised voice and turned back.

The sound of the world being cracked resounded, a large black drop spilled over from the crack.

Cancer―in this timing!? …Is this kind of coincidence possible?

The large black drop was―changed into the form of a giant with its body covered in red hot flame.

“The giant of Muspelheim! …There is no way this is a natural occurrence with this kind of timing! Lad, is this you bastard’s plan!?”

There was no way that was true. But―Demon Beast summoning. He happened to know that magic!

This timing was as if to save them, Kazuki was not fully satisfied with this but…

“Mio, now! Start to chant!”

Kazuki dashed to Mio and Lotte’s direction. The female soldier clicked her tongue ‘chih’ from Kazuki’s flight. The flame giant looked down on the female soldier. Its fist that looked like a log on fire swung down.

The female soldier blocked it with her shield. …That woman’s shield could even block that kind of attack!

Kazuki held up Lotte in a princess carry.

“”Blazing Wings!””

Kazuki and Mio matched their timing to invoke their magic. They adjusted their wings of flame expansion so as not to spread the fire to the trees, weaving their ways to soar up to the sky.

“Rage and blessing exist together in my war! Acting as the agent of the god of war, in thy crown rage and blessing poured on existence…!!”

The female soldier facing the giant swirled terrific magic power while shouting her spell.

Without a doubt, a high level summoning magic. An avatar of a muscular military man raised from the back of the female soldier. A red glint of eye that looked burning, also a red beard that look like a flame, he carried a large hammer in his right hand. An unrefined hammer with an extremely short handle.

The avatar of the military man overlapped with the female soldier and disappeared. And then only the hammer was left behind in the female soldier’s right hand. The female soldier jumped to the top of the giant’s head with that hammer in one hand.

“{{furigana|Mjollnir|Smashed Skull's Noise}}!!”

‘ZUTON!’ a loud reverberation rang out, the female soldier swung down the hammer on the giant’s head.

The giant’s head was sunk down up to its abdomen in one go. A dreadful power was produced to hit the head until it sunk down to the middle. The body of the giant distorted flabbily. And then it was blown away as particles leaving no trace.

…That kind of power…. If she used that kind of magic….

While feeling shivers, Kazuki and Mio flew away as far as possible until the effect of the wings of flame were cut off. The intrusion of the German Norse knight, the intrusion of the Japanese knights whose intentions were not known, and then the last was the intrusion of the mysterious Cancer―

The second quest of Kazuki and the others were over with many puzzles jumbled together.

===Part 3===

―That place was the room encroached by the dusk.

What greeted Kazuki and the others, who were going to report the result of the quest, were instructions for him to head toward the student guidance room alone.

Mio showed her disapproval towards the idea of Kazuki going alone, but Kazuki could imagine the reason of those instructions.

…It seems that they didn’t want Lotte to be present at the place, so they named a representative to come alone.

There was no doubt that this talk was about that female soldier.

Inside the student guidance room, that was dyed dark red by the evening sun from the window, Liz Liza-sensei was waiting alone.

“Sensei, please explain what in the world is going on.”

Before Liz Liza-sensei opened her mouth, Kazuki jumped the gun and pressed his question.

“We were targeted by Germany’s Einherjar at the end of the quest. The other party was contracted with a Diva of Norse’s Mythology, Thor. The one who was targeted was probably Lotte. …This incident wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Kazuki reported dispassionately.

“I don’t understand how things could turn out like this, but if things doesn’t change, then Lotte will be in danger. Lotte needs to be transferred from this academy to the Knight Order, then we ought to request the Knight Order to strengthen the monitoring of the Einherjar. A firmer security is needed.”

Kazuki dared to say an obvious matter stupidly.

“We can’t do that.”

Liz Liza-sensei only spat out a sentence.

“…Why is that?”

“Because all of you weren’t attacked by anyone. Publicly that is.”

The light of the evening sun from the window, cast a deep shadow on Liz Liza-sensei’s face.

Liz Liza-sensei donned the expression of a cold adult.

“The name of the Einherjar that’s contracted with Thor is Beatrix Baumgard. She slipped out from the lodging house of the Knight Order alone at 14:23, Japan time. She trespassed Okutama’s Haunting Ground. Even without your report, the Knight Order had already grasped all her movement. Her monitoring was not neglected for even a second.”

“You understand to that extent, and she already attacked with impunity, yet you will keep saying that there was no attack?”

Though that reply was just as Kazuki expected―a cold sweat ran on his back.

The attack on Lotte by Einherjar was not supposed to happen. Moreover the government and the Knight Order were not planning to get involved. In short…

“…The government and the Knight Order didn’t plan to shelter Lotte from the start. All those refusal to hand over Lotte’s person and the protection were just for [outward appearance], is that so?”

“Japan didn’t accept Germany’s proposal and respected the life of the refugee. Germany was understanding and came to Japan only for the sake of defeating their common enemy, Loki. Then unrelated at all to Japan and Germany’s united front―Lotte died in an unfortunate accident. That sort of plot. It couldn’t be helped if it was an accident.”

“Don’t fuck with me! …There is no way that kind of forced [It can’t be helped] could exist!”

“Speaking honestly, for Germany, it seems it doesn’t matter whatever Loki did. Their order of priority is the opposite. That’s why entrusting Lotte to the academy was only a feint. The matter of Einherjar coming to Japan under the pretext of subjugating Loki to secretly assassinate Lotte, the Japanese government recognized it implicitly. All for the sake of preserving favorable relations with other foreign countries and Germany.”

“Even my encounter with Lotte…was that nothing more than an arrangement to lure Lotte to the ideal place for assassination in the quest?”

“There was no other way to preserve the balance of power between the Magic Advance Countries.”

“…Lotte didn’t seek power only for the sake of her greed. Didn’t she do it only to escape her destiny of death by sickness?”

“Everyone knows her circumstance already.”

Liz Liza-sensei just shrugged her shoulder to the words that Kazuki squeezed out.

“That girl only tried desperately to live! The nation is an enormous existence, but they are going to gang up on one girl and trample her underfoot just like that? Even arranging a forced plot like this! Isn’t there any other way?”

“There is no need to search for any other way. Other than the misfortune of Lotte whose existence is trivial, everything else would work out just fine, don’t you agree? …The only object a country has the obligation to protect is its people. The current era Japan doesn’t have any allowance to recognize the human rights of a refugee who came as she pleased.”

Is she saying that seriously?

To agree that Lotte is not a human deep from the heart after seeing her smile…

“Someone who could let a person die because of that kind of reason is not a human!”

Kazuki never thought that Liz Liza-sensei was this kind of person who could explain such unreasonable, behind the scenes plot, without even cracking an expression. Was Liz Liza-sensei really aware of this reality?

When she encouraged Kazuki that he would be able to succeed in the quest, was she already aware of this?

“…If you can’t agree, then what are you going to do? Trash.”

While leaning her back on the chair, Liz Liza-sensei questioned with a testy tone.

At that instant, an obvious reply naturally floated inside Kazuki’s mind.

“If the government doesn’t have any intention to involve themselves in the supposed incident that would befall Lotte…no one shouldn’t have any complaint if someone saved Lotte from the accident willfully.“

His expression warped unconsciously. Kazuki floated a smile half in desperation.

“Even if Beatrix had the tables turned on her and she gets into an accident, in a place where there is supposed to be no one, Germany won’t have any right to complaint. …We are of equal status in this regard.”

If this was not an official matter then the story is simple.

“Don’t say such reckless things like a child. The opponent is Germany’s ace you know?”

“I will―protect Lotte! I won’t accept such thing!”

Liz Liza-sensei’s rock hard expression…broke suddenly.

She suddenly bent her back with all her strength and released a huge sigh.

Thereupon she stood from her chair and turned on the light of the student guidance room that had turned dark.

“…Sorry, Hayashizaki. I was anticipating from the start that a student like you will say such thing.”

Liz Liza-sensei sat back on the chair and said so while leaning on her back powerlessly.

“The order that was handed down to me was to forbid you and Amasaki from speaking, when you come back, where Lotte is killed while you guys survived. But forbidding you to speak is useless talk, isn’t it? Moreover, I thought that Lotte’s chances of returning alive was high with two people that can use Phoenix’s level 5 magic, if you guys devoted yourself to escaping. Stop underestimating my student, that kind of talk.”

“…So Liz Liza-sensei already predicted everything from the start…including my action…was it? You don’t plan to let Lotte die…”

“You are still not trusted by anyone and evaluated too little but, you are the possessor of a King's power. Other than entrusting Lotte to you, there is no one else who has any chance of saving her. Sorry Hayashizaki. If you are really the King of Solomon―ignore the likes of the country's scheme and save the girl. …I’m counting on you.”

Liz Liza-sensei had already seen through that the person called Hayashizaki Kazuki was that kind of human.

However…rather than saying things like aiming to become a harem king, this objective was much more easier to consent.

{If your caliber is only to the extent of letting Lotte die at this point, even Leme won’t acknowledge you as our King. It’s obvious that you have to save Lotte if you’re a King, so to speak. This is the ordeal you need to pass to become a King.}

Leme’s voice resounded inside Kazuki’s mind. Leme was enthusiastic too.

Mio would also approve of this.

“Well then, what is going to happen from now on in regards to the previous scheme?”

“You guys keep your mouths shut and take Lotte to challenge a quest once more, at that time it will be arranged for Beatrix to attack again. There won’t be any witnesses if it’s inside the Haunting Ground. The role of you guys are to shut your mouth and guide Lotte once more to that kind of place.”

“…In other words if we know the timing of the attack beforehand, we can anticipate Beatrix with any kind of preparation of our own, right?”

“However, you cannot take Otonashi Kaguya and the others. If the student council president is present in the scene, we won’t be able to say that [Our academy’s student protected her by their own initiative though―]. Nonetheless, the time to prepare for Beatrix is not long. …One month. If you can turn her away one more time, they shouldn’t be able to meddle so openly and the period of cooperation with Einherjar would be over. If it turned out like that, they would lose all excuse and they would eventually go back to their country.”

So we couldn’t rely on our senpais. And even then…the opponent was a formidable enemy.

“A student overreaching himself cannot become an opponent who can oppose Beatrix. After all, she is Germany’s ace. But you are a King. Lotte’s Diva is originally a Diva with considerable power. If you could use him well, then the chance of victory would appear. For the sake of defeating an enemy with your limited power…”

King, the moment he heard that word, Kazuki felt an unpleasant premonition. Liz Liza-sensei announced.

“In this limited time of preparation, increase Lotte’s positivity level as much as possible from now on.”

So in the end this ended up like that, Kazuki cradled his head.

“By the way, we met the knights of Japan’s Knight Order in the Haunted Ground. They barged on the fight with Beatrix too, but what’s with that?”

Kazuki inquired so before he left the student guidance room.

“…What are you talking about? All the knights in Tokyo should be already informed about Beatrix. To show hostility to Beatrix, what is…?”

Liz Liza-sensei knitted her eyebrow, this was the first time that she was baffled by the situation.

“Its impossible for Japan’s knights to be in that place.”

===Part 4===

“Don’t screw with me! …This kind of thing should not have happened!!”

―A voice of an old man rang out behind the closed door of the headmaster’s office.

“If there was even a little mistake, my Mio-tan would…ehem, my step daughter would have died! For Germany's Einherjar to attack our students in the middle of the quest…!!”

“How could Board Chairman Amasaki know about…Aah, I see. So the two knights mentioned in the report are your protégés, is that so?”

Headmaster Otonashi responded so while leaning his back in the cushioned creaking chair.

“…Those knights were the kids I taught previously. I called them from other provinces.”

“I see. That bit was the only thing incomprehensible in this incident. Even though all the member of the knights in the metropolis were already gathered into Loki’s subjugation team and got informed about Beatrix’s movement, why were those knights loitering on that quest uninformed…. By any chance, will you always rely on your former students to shadow and protect your step daughter everytime she challenged a quest?”

“Not always, this is the first time. She failed on those quest before so…it can’t be helped! Because Mio-tan formed a party with a useless rank E! Taking into account of that risk…this is a reasonable measure!!”

“So you call your step daughter something like [Mio-tan] habitually…. I received the report about Amasaki Mio’s personality, but…I think I see how that personality could take form.”

“Fuh, there are also things I want to say about you bastard’s training plan for your daughter, but right now it doesn’t matter. Why did Germany’s knight attacked the students? I never heard anything about this. Don’t joke around, you knew this before it happened.”

“A gag order was planned for the aftermath, but there was no danger to their life. The Einherjar had been informed that the only one that could be killed was Lotte. Nonetheless, I guess there was still the risk of those battle-crazy savage going overboard, they didn’t change at all since they were still called Vikings. Those rabble are really the same as the one told about in Norse Mythology.”

“Stop your bullshit! …In the worst case…. Shit, she got swallowed in this kind of plot because she grouped together with that kind of brat…!”

Board chairman Amasaki changed the brunt of his wrath because he realized there was nothing he could do by himself about the diplomatic relations between Japan and Germany. If Mio was not in the same party with Hayashizaki Kazuki, then she wouldn’t be in any danger.

Headmaster Otonashi twitched his eyebrows toward that words.

That kid was certainly a hindrance…

It was not the same stupid reason because he had similar tastes about his daughter, like this old man.

There was no way in the world that they could welcome the likes of a 15 year old kid as the [King of Magica Stigma].

Knight Academy, Knight Order, government…all those organizations had already possessed [vested interests] regarding Magica Stigma. All the people had already solidified their status up to this point, then suddenly they were told that they had to serve a 15 year old kid, who in the world could do that….

The power and influence of the King must be chipped off as much as possible.

The extremist like Liz Liza Westwood advocated that they [ought to support] the King. But [Reduce the power of the King], that was the consensus of all the people that stood at the top of the organizations.

“…Your knight protégée shouldn’t make their report regarding the quest public.”

“That’s obvious, do you think we can report that kind of thing? Is there something wrong with that?”

A new scheme came to mind inside Headmaster Otonashi’s brain.

“…There is something interesting from the report of those knights. If we could use that a little, we could also get rid of that eyesore child from this academy while also taking care of Charlotte at the same time. Your daughter could also move into a more proper girl-only party then.”

This old board chairman also shared the common position of not welcoming the King after all.

And then the step daughter he doted on above all things could stay far away from Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Nonetheless, Hayashizaki Kazuki was also one of the students that he need to protect as a teacher.

For a while, Board Chairman Amasaki’s eyes were wavering in hesitation while feeling the weight of his duty.

But in the end―he nodded for the sake of his step-daughter. Headmaster Otonashi smiled.

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{{SimpleNav}}
</noinclude>

Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2 Chapter 3

2015-05-10T17:06:12Z

122.178.114.124:

==Chapter 3 – Quest, Re-challenge!==

===Part 1===

“Recently Onii-sama is licentious! Lecherous Onii-sama!!”

“I never thought the day will come where you can say licentious…”

“Then, receiving private lessons from an older woman…what in the world does she plan to teach Onii-sama? Does Onii-sama plan to climb the stairs of adulthood!?”

A morning in the Witch’s Mansion―when Kazuki did special training with Hoshikaze-senpai, Kanae came out of nowhere.

“Kanae-san, you don’t need to be that nervous, I won’t take your big brother, okay? Besides Hayashizaki-kun doesn’t see me as a woman. We are friends, you see.”

With a clear, beautiful face that glittered with light, Hoshikaze-senpai soothed Kanae with eloquent speech.

“…Nii-sama, Kanae doesn’t understand at all what this [beautiful girl] is saying. If Kanae’s common sense is still normal, then this person is enough of a beauty, isn’t it?”

“Ahaha, what are you saying? Against some female like me….compared to me, your cuteness can’t possibly be expressed in words. Here, I’ll show you, so raise your head.”

Hoshikaze-senpai held up Kanae’s chin, and then she whispered while staring directly into Kanae's eyes. Toward that beautiful face which destroys the barrier of gender, Kanae’s eyes were stolen and she fell into a daze, and then suddenly “hah”! came to her senses.

“Nii-sama, this person is dangerous! There is a dangerous aura around her!!”

Kanae came clinging to Kazuki in fright, but Kazuki honestly understood that feeling.

In exchange for Kazuki’s instructions in sword skills, Hoshikaze-senpai gave Kazuki magic lectures. Yesterday, it was Kazuki’s turn to teach her sword skills, so today was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn.

“Honestly, I was like Kanae, sometimes while I was teaching Hoshikaze-senpai, I was also charmed by her…I thought of senpai as a really charming woman.”

Hoshikaze-senpai blushed slightly due to Kazuki’s words, and a heart mark flew from her.

However she soon shook her head lightly, “Geez, stop it already―” and laughed it away.

“Hayashizaki-kun, it’s no good to be too kind, okay? If you said that kind of thing to everyone, then when the crucial time comes, your precious person won’t be able to believe that word anymore!”

With a scolding tone, Hoshikaze-senpai flicked Kazuki’s forehead .

“Onii-san, so you are in this kind of place desu. Good morning!”

Suddenly a bright voice came from the direction of the mansion, the figure of Lotte in her uniform approached.

“I didn’t see onii-san anywhere, so I searched for you. I want to talk with Onii-san…about the matter yesterday evening, I don’t mind about the nakedness! I want to talk to clear the air between us desu!”

Hoshikaze-senpai exclaimed “Naked?” blinking her eyes in surprise.

This is bad, Kazuki thought. This is the worst timing.

“Ni, Nii-sama, what the hell is this about―! Even though you have me but to make another little sister somewhere else…also what is that about, the nakedness of yesterday evening―!?”

Kanae trembled ‘buruburuburu’ like a volcano just before eruption, and ‘gogogogogogo’ shaking like crazy.

―Toward the howling Kanae, Kazuki desperately explained about the matter of Lotte as the special transfer student and the force majeure of yesterday evening. However, Kanae ignored all of that and drew her kodachi<ref>Japanese short sword</ref> and a dangerous smile floated on her face.

“…Nii-sama…for a long time Kanae wanted to face Nii-sama seriously…”

“I, I have a feeling that I’m going to lose for the first time in a while against today’s Kanae…”

Lotte watched the sibling's face alternately, then she looked down downheartedly.

“Does my existence somehow disturbed Onii-san’s complex human relationships desu…?”

“Calm down, Kanae-san. It was just about increasing the number of comrades in the Witch’s Mansion.”

“I won’t accept it! …This puppy-like foreigner, does she have befitting strength to be included in {{furigana|Magic Division|Magica}} Student Council!? Even though it looked like I was staying quiet, I only allowed Amasaki Mio and Hiakari Koyuki to stay in Nii-sama’s side because they are competent, I recognized them, but only limited for staying in Nii-sama’s side!”

Kanae had the personality of not opening up her heart other than towards people with real strength. Kaguya-senpai was another matter, for her to also evaluate Mio and Koyuki that highly…it was unexpected.

“Competent? …Someone who is not strong is forbidden to stay beside Nii-sama desu…?”

“Yosh, her real strength will be tested personally by this me―!”

Kanae held her kodachi with an expression like a Shura toward Lotte, who was puzzled. At a glance, this scene looked like a one-sided bullying. At that moment―a person cut in.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 109.jpg|thumb]]

“Wait!”

A vivid voice came from the interval between the trees that surrounded the Witch’s Mansion.

From the opposite side of the voice, The figure of first year swordsman, Hikita Kohaku, appeared like an actress entering the stage.

“…Fufufu, there is no need for Kanae-kaichou<ref>President</ref> to expressly come out for that puppy. The duty of testing the hooligans clinging around Kazuki, I will be the one to accept it!”

Kohaku appeared while puffing her chest grandly―however, Kazuki couldn’t hold back from retorting.

“…You, did you hide in that bush while peeping on our situation?”

“Tha, that, I had business with Kazuki but because of nervousness, I couldn’t catch the timing to come out…, that, the truth is yesterday, I kept worrying how to get along with Kazuki, however…”

Kohaku presented the huge package that she kept holding in both her hands, in front of Kazuki.

“One’s self had a good idea of appealing as seasoned good wife! Kazuki, I had made a bento so come with I to eat lunch together today! Then let’s get married!”

“Hayashizaki-kun, you had finished my portion of the lunch box, haven’t you?”

The moment when Kazuki was going to accept the lunch box, Hoshikaze-senpai said something that was best left unsaid.

“Wha, what…for a manly person like Kazuki to have that family-oriented side in him…it is outside I calculation…”

Kohaku’s face turned pale, the bundle of lunch box was dropped with ‘gashan’ a crashing sound.

“Kohaku! You bastard, you planned to butter up Nii-sama huh!? Forget that, what is this about, marriage!? Explain it in detail!! Nii-sama will marry his little sister!!”

Kanae’s complexion changed and she threatened Kohaku. No, there was no way he would marry his little sister.

“Humph, Kanae-kaichou who had already wagged her tail to Otonashi Kaguya of Magic Division has no right or anything to question the action of I who is focused on the future of sword skills. Forgive I rudeness, but please stay out of this.”

“Wagging my tail to Kaguya!? Wh, whwhwhwho the hell are wagging her tail to that kind of person!! Sure, recently I am in a same party with her, I also recognized her strength, but I hate that girl!!”

While swinging her hand around like the tail of cat in panic, Kanae bared her fang and yelled.

“What a tsundere. Even though in the student council room you talk about nothing but Otonashi Kaguya or Kazuki…rather than that matter, what matters now are these hooligans who are approaching Kazuki!”

Kohaku belligerently grinned and glared at Lotte.

“…I feel a strong hostility desu. In short, if I fight this person and win, then it will be okay for me to stay at the Witch’s Mansion with everyone, right desu? …Then, let’s do it desu!”

Unexpectedly, Lotte showed a burning spirit and glared back at Kohaku with flaring eyes.

“This kind of thing is I strong point! Summoning Magic is nothing to be afraid of, I will show the skillfulness of one’s own sword style!”

Acting in concert with Lotte’s spirit, Kohaku increasingly roared.

Kazuki was lost whether he should stop this fairly useless quarrel. However―

“I wanted to do a mock battle around today to witness Lotte’s magic, so isn’t this a godsend?”

Hoshikaze-senpai was “Ahaha” laughing without care, the matter of the fight between the two was settled.

There was still enough time until the morning assembly, so like that, the four people moved into the ground.

“Because the student council president of Sword Division, Kanae, is here…it’s okay even without the acknowledgement of Kaguya-senpai, isn’t it?”

“This is not a formal duel that influences the ranking. Kaguya is weak in the morning, so she is still sleeping while drooling, you know. It’s fine as long as we, the judges doesn’t let anyone get hurt.”

And then Kohaku, the strange swordsman that carried seven katanas, and Lotte, the princess of another country, faced each other while separated by a distance of 50 meters. Lotte chanted her incantation and called out Prophet.

“{{furigana|The truth shall set me free|Veritas me Liberabit}}••••••the wise man who became father the protector of humanity, show that wisdom right here.”

Along with light, the girl’s uniform was changed into her {{furigana|Décolleté Oblique|Magic Dress}}. The magic dress that covered her white smooth milky skin was a bikini that only hid the little surface of the girl’s chest and lower body. It was strangely dull compared to all the Magic Dress that Kazuki had seen until now.

Kohaku drew one of her katanas among the seven that she carried. It seems she wouldn’t use several katanas at once.

“Yosh. Then, begin!”

Kohaku ran at Hoshikaze-senpai’s signal, and Lotte chanted her spell.

“Howl! Civilization teach human destruction! The roar of wisdom scorch thy’s body, break, shut those dignity below the rubble!! {{furigana|Mitrailleuse|The Opening Curtain of the Age of Black Steel}}!”

That chanting speed was exceedingly short, immediately light concentrated on Lotte’s right arm. The light was―transformed into a gatling gun almost as long as Lotte’s own body.

“…!?” Toward that sight, even Kohaku opened her eyes wide, dumbfounded.

“Heavy firearms!? Is that kind of magic possible!?”

Originally, weapons couldn’t pierce magic power, it didn’t have the power to kill or wound magicians. Toward the defensive magic power that distorted reality, nothing would pierce it unless it was a weapon that was filled with the same magic power.

Swordsman magic sword could pierce magic power, because of the swordsman's trained Enchant Aura. It had the effect of stretching until the blade of the swordsman's beloved sword because the swordsman was so familiar with it that it could be even said it is a part of their own body.

However it was hard to endow magic power to a projectile weapon type, not to mention heavy firearms. Even bow and arrow―not only hard, but it was supposed to be impossible. Many alchemists tried to experiment whether it was impossible or not to endow scientific weapons―like nuclear weapon, but only a history of failures have appeared.

“Prophet…Fire!”

‘ZUDADADADADADADA!’ Thunderous roar that split the eardrum were scattered, the gatling gun spouted fire. Kohaku ran diagonally just before the firing and avoided the line of fire, however no matter how fast she ran, Lotte only needed to shift the muzzle a little for the bullet to keep chasing her. It was a violent rapid-fire unlike the single shot Barrett, avoiding this was impossible even for Kazuki.

All those bullets were filled with magic power. Kohaku’s defensive magic power were smashed-up looking like it was gouged with countless holes. But Kohaku pressed on despite the shock of her smashed magic and charged toward Lotte.

After the bullets were strewed around to a certain extent, it was cut off and the gatling gun disappeared.

“In a glance, one shot of that seems to be fairly weak, isn’t it? It doesn’t have any power to stop a swordsman, but it’s power to disrupt the concentration for chanting a spell is high. It’s also interesting that as long as there are bullets remaining, it will stay in her hand like my Thunder God Bow.”

Hoshikaze-senpai analyzed from the side. Occasionally, she seemed inattentive, but she was a person that could think fast.

“…Mitrailleuse!”

Lotte immediately finished her second spell. Once again a storm of gatling gun bullets swept over toward Kohaku from the front, but Kohaku unmindfully charged ahead and raised her katana.

“One’s self can’t be stopped by an attack only to that degree!”

“Wisdom accumulated over the course of human history, armored my body over and over! Heavily, thickly, reject all brutality! {{furigana|Seusenhofer|Radiant Steel Mobile Armor}}!!”

A large armor appeared on top of Lotte’s simple Magic Dress along with a bright light. Kohaku’s strong slash was ‘Gakin!’ repelled by the armor with solid brilliance.

“Heavy armor defensive magic! That’s pretty solid. But I wonder if the gap between it was the weak point?”

Just like what Hoshikaze-senpai pointed, that armor didn’t cover the whole body.

Kohaku sheathed her sword in a flash and immediately choose from her seven sword and drew out the shortest wakizashi<ref>another type of short sword, Usually, samurais brought this together with their normal katana.</ref>. This swordswoman had the skill to accurately aim the gap between the armor.

On the other side, Lotte took some distance from Kohaku with nimbleness unthinkable for such heavy equipments while bullets keep raining on her. Her side was already possibly, couldn't be thought of, as the way of fighting of a magician.

“Kohaku’s reaction regarding the bullets is fast…. Kanae, does Kohaku know how to predict the magic power?”

“That girl’s Shinkage-style seems to be practiced with the premise of fighting a magician. It’s not organized nearly as practical as our style’s [Foreseeing] but…she seems to compensate that with her considerable [Wild Intuition] to take evasive action.”

The gatling gun broke Kohaku’s magic power. Even so, Kohaku didn’t let Lotte escape, chased her, and stabbed the point of her sword into the gap of the armor. Kohaku tried to disturb Lotte’s spell chanting with that damage but―with Lotte’s chanting speed as the opponent, it was difficult.

“This hand reached toward Babel’s height, now this hand grasped God’s thunderbolt! In accordance with my life, oh lightning, whirl at your will! {{furigana|Collider Field|Super Electromagnetic Barrier}}!!”

Lotte’s level 3 magic―Lotte’s left hand was armed with a large gauntlet. Her armored body, with her right hand holding a gatling gun and her mechanical gauntlet in the left hand, drew an imposing figure.

The more Lotte chanted magic―the more that delicate body would be covered with weapons.

“Prophet…blitzz!”

At the same time with Lotte’s shout, the gauntlet armament scattered some sparks ‘BIRIRI’ and radiated light.

On the center of Lotte’s left palm―lightning barrier was taking form. Kohaku who didn’t have any method other than close range combat, was caught by that net barrier, so she stepped back while taking a huge damage.

Close range combat was difficult as long she was checked by that gauntlet.

“Damn…don’t make light of I!”

Kohaku sheathed her wakizashi and pulled out a different katana. Was there any kind of meaning in that action?

Kohaku was thinking while keeping that position, then her face warped in frustration and she sheathed that katana again.

“Kohaku still has a trump card…but she choose not to use it here huh.”

Kanae whispered so. …Trump card.

Now that she mentioned it, Kohaku said before that she had a countermeasure toward opponents that had resistance against a sword.

Did that countermeasure have the flexibility to break the deadlock of this situation where it could be said that the swordsman's moves had been sealed?

“Both of you still have magic power left but…if you continue to fight more than this, then it will obstruct your class, right? This is over! …Shall this become Lotte’s win by decision?”

Hoshikaze-senpai stopped the battle with a somewhat awfully pragmatic reason.

“Does this mean, it’s fine for me to stay together with all the big brothers and big sisters here desu!?”

Lotte who was still covered in her armaments rushed over to Kazuki with ‘GASHAAN-GASHAAN’ noise. Uwaa…it’s scary somehow! “Onii-san, why do you run away desu!?”

“Nuuu…I real strength is only this much…Kazuki, it’s vexing but I will come again! Someday you’re going to eat I bento, farewell!”

Kohaku who was crouching because of her damage, hit the ground once in frustration, then she turned her body swiftly and left from that place.

“Charlotte Liebenfrau is contracted with a different Diva than Solomon 72 Pillar.

In other words she is legally an illegal magician but…according to the result of her psychology test and telepathy scan, etc. there was no trace of intrusion in her mind. Because it was considered that there was almost no danger, she was entrusted to our school to be monitored. Around that area, it was similar with the rank E trash―Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Diva’s traits differed based on the Mythology they belonged to. Solomon 72 Pillar that we handle, have a lot of magic that are really magic-like. In addition to that, battle tactics like the Heaven and Earth Formation was developed but, Charlotte’s contracted Diva is a fairly different type. Watch carefully, it will be useful when fighting unknown Diva. In addition, there are also some worth to watch the girl’s chanting speed. Now you should be prepared when it come's time for you to face against the magic of {{furigana|Possession Summoning|Drive}}. Use that for reference too.”

At Lotte’s first practical magic class since transferring to this school, Liz Liza-sensei introduced one part of Lotte’s special characteristic to the students. As expected, the matter about being a refugee was not touched.

Lotte deployed her Magic Dress, then fired her gatling gun for real, after that, the classmates surrounded Lotte with gleaming eyes of interest. Basically the students that aimed to become knight's for real were gathering, so there was no frivolous atmosphere at this kind of time. Kazuki who had already witnessed Lotte’s magic, was outside that circle and inquired Liz Liza-sensei:

“Liz Liza-sensei…Lotte will compensate the weak point of our party, but”

The attack magic that Lotte had shown so far were bullets and electric shock. For Kazuki and Mio who had few attack patterns, the new attack patterns were added with Lotte’s joining. But…

“Could we fight an enemy who is resistant to heat with the party consisting of me, Mio, and Lotte? Aren’t fire and electric shock, any of them was [heat] in the end…”

“Trash, it would be good for you to experience getting shocked once. If you observed the wound, you will understand the differences for sure.”

Liz Liza-sensei returned a harsh reply toward Kazuki’s question,

“Electric shock burn has two aspects. First, it’s certainly just like you said, it produces heat damage but, in contrast with the normal burn that is produced on the outside body, the electric shock burn inside the body’s interior have some difference with the spot that was burned by heat. That’s why in the case of facing against an enemy with strong skin or armored body, using electric shock to inflict damage from their inside can be said to be effective.”

Kazuki was reminded with that red slime. That slime, he couldn’t see the difference between its surface or its inside. This lesson was not applicable to that case.

“One more thing, an electric shock can also destroy living things nervous system. Many living things operate their body structure like muscle using electric signals. A strong electric current will exert large influence against that activity. If you apply electricity to a human, his heart will stop. Do you think someone with their heart stopped can move? Like ventricular fibrillation<ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventricular_fibrillation </ref> and AED<ref>Automatic External Defibrillator</ref>. Why do patients with paralyzed hearts can be resuscitated with an electric shock? It is because the muscle composition of the heart moves using electric signals.”

Kazuki was immediately reminded of Hoshikaze-senpai’s reinforcement magic, [{{furigana|Ride Lightning|Thunder God Body Flicker}}] that strengthened the whole body muscle and nervous system. "I see, so electricity also has that kind of effect".

“What came out in the quest that you guys accepted the other day…it was slime according to the report. How do you think that slime’s body can move? Of course slime doesn’t have any muscle and it is formed by mucus, but what is the source of those mucus’ operation? The study of Demon Beast’s ecology is still not progressing, but at least from my real life experience, electricity was effective against slime. The moment strong electric current flowed, the slime was shaking intensely because of the vortex of abnormal electric signals. Before long, it couldn’t maintain its body’s activity and was scattered and turned into just a mucus. Interesting right? They look like they came out of fantasy, but surprisingly, they are not some separate existence that ridiculed our logic. It is a very interesting lesson.”

“You said those slimes use the same system as human's to move their body around!?”

“Maybe. Even though it was scattered around, it was still possible for them to act. That was its core that transmitted electric signal so the mucus that make its composition can gather back. It seems that slime is a colony of living things linked with each other.”

“Now that sensei mentioned it, Hiakari-san also said that she killed the slime by drowning it…”

Breathing by taking in oxygen and moving their body by electric signals, it was really a [living thing].

“It turned into a good lesson huh, teacher will give a blessing of special knowledge to students who asked.”

Liz Liza-sensei’s tone was harsh but inside, she was a gentle person. She then stood on her tiptoe and knocked on Kazuki’s head.

“With your party right now, there should be no more problem clearing the previous quest where you failed. It’s fine even if you re-challenge the quest over the weekend. Remember, it’s also for the sake of keeping Amasaki Mio’s rank.”

===Part 2===

Suppress the Demon Beast that lived in the forest of the Haunting Ground that spread out in the West Tokyo, and liberate the forest―

Kazuki and the others applied to re-challenge the quest that they failed during Golden Week.

There was no class in the Knight Academy on Saturday, but this holiday was not spent to play, it was recommended as the knight cadet to challenge the quest in their spare time.

Kazuki and the others headed to the station after taking their meal at the Witch’s Mansion.

The traveling method to perform the quest was mainly using rail transport. Thanks to the magic light train to travel inside the metropolis area and the new type Shinkansen<ref>Japan’s bullet train</ref> to travel outside the city, the time needed to travel didn’t take too long. Of course the cost was burdened by the academy.

Quests were done for the sake of the students' growth to become knight, it was linked with the class work.

“Will it really go well by just adding me to the party?”

In the middle of their walk to the station, Lotte came to asked Kazuki anxiously.

Kazuki was interposed between Lotte to his left, and Mio to his right, The three of them walked down the road.

“It’s reassuring to have Lotte with us. It’s going to be ok this time around when the red slime comes out like last time.”

“Then I will always keep the electric magic in standby desu.”

It seems the armament that Lotte produced with her magic would continue to be equipped as long the number of bullet or energy remained. If she prepared it beforehand, she could move to attack immediately without needing to chant the spell.

The destructive power was lowered but it could be said that it was a fairly convenient magic for quests.

…Once again Kazuki recognized anew the importance of using various magic to respond against different circumstances. If only he could use Lemegeton’s power more skillfully…

“Kazuki, that, look there.”

Suddenly Mio pulled Kazuki’s sleeve and pointed her finger to one side of the street corner.

At the shopping street before the station, the [Knights] in their white uniform with the coat of arms attached were walking.

This group of several knights were investigating by collecting information in the vicinity of the Knight Academy.

Most likely the Knight Order was searching where Loki was hiding.

Loki hid while taking along the illegal magicians who lost their sanity, so there should be some sign of them somewhere for sure. Interviewing witnesses should be fairly effective. If the knights keep collecting information about the area with connection to Kaya and Loki steadily, the possibility of obtaining related testimony to Loki was not low.

“…Hey, I wonder if that [Black Knight] mixed with the other white uniformed knights is the one mentioned at the news, the knight from Germany’s Knight Order?”

Mio noticed it and whispered.

Among Japan’s Knight Order’s group who were wearing white uniforms, a person wearing black was mixed in.

Only one head looked taller than the heads around her and that face’s facial features had the appearance of a foreigner.

It seems the uniform of Germany’s Einherjar was black.

“I heard that they had arrived in Japan but…it only feels real after witnessing it directly like this.”

Kazuki had already heard this information from Kaguya-senpai one step ahead though.

A few days after that night, the news of Einherjar’s arrival in Japan spread even to the world at large.

Cooperation to subjugate Loki with the leading power of North Europe, Germany’s Einherjar. It was a cooperation set for one month.

With the current situation where Japan had severed all diplomatic relations, the coming of a foreign knight was a major event.

Of course the undisclosed circumstances of the negotiation between Japan and Germany was hidden from the news.

“…” Besides Kazuki, the refugee Lotte was cowering because of the German knight’s presence.

“It’s okay. She is not chasing Lotte, she only came here to defeat the Diva named Loki.”

Kazuki tapped the shoulder of the shivering Lotte ‘ponpon’ lightly.

“Tha, thank you very much, Kazuki-oniisan.”

Lotte made a smiling face that seemed forced, then came clinging on Kazuki’s arm like she was depending on him. A flying heart mark came from her chest.

“…muu.” For some reason Mio also let out a moan and hugged Kazuki’s opposite arm.

…It’s hard to walk. While three people were sticking to each other, they continued along the street to the station without minding the knights.

Facing those three people, Germany’s female knight, wearing a black uniform, stole a glance toward them…Kazuki had such a feeling.

“…Chih. Isn't this the Knight Academy brats who ran back home immediately the other day?”

When they arrived at the gate of the Haunting Ground, the soldier who kept guard spat out such a thing.

“Forgive us from the last time. But this time, we reinforced our party properly, so we will be showing results.”

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 123.jpg|thumb]]

At Kazuki’s words, the guard saw Lotte’s figure, “Caucasian? How rare…” and his eyes opened wide. It was a discourteous manner of speaking but [Caucasian with Japanese citizenship] in truth, was a rarity.

In any case, Kazuki and the others passed through the station gate and into the inner part of the Haunting Grounds.

A short while after passing the gate, the scenery was just a normal forest but there was no sign of the Haunting Ground.

The Haunting Ground’s location was even further inside than before, there was no mistaking that this was because of Koyuki’s great effort. The more Demon Beasts inside the Haunting Ground decreased, the original nature would also revert back.

―Then the battle started. Kazuki protected Mio and Lotte from the attacking slime that came one after another. As the rearguard, Mio’s flame magic burned away the slimes.

As they defeated the Demon Beasts, their surroundings were also turned back little by little into the original nature forest.

“―Prophet…blitzz!”

The red slimes who were strong toward heat were lured to Lotte’s surrounding, they were then imprisoned inside the electric barrier and brought down in one go. The slimes who received lightning were, borrowing Liz Liza-sensei’s words, it was like the acute heart paralysis of a heart patient―shaking fiercely in unsteadiness, ‘PAN!’ the mucus scattered everywhere and the curtain of their body’s activity were closed.

“Kyaa!”

Maybe because they were allowed to get too close, a little of the scattered red slimes splashed into Mio and Lotte.

Kazuki instantly remembered Mio from before. That liquid―was a poison that affected the mind.

“Are you guys okay!? You guys were only splashed by a little though.”

“Yes…It’s okay if it’s only about this much…”

Mio replied with a blushing face and slurred tone. Then without reason, she came clinging on Kazuki while hugging his arm sweetly. Lotte did the same thing and also came to hug Kazuki while mumbling ‘funyafunya’.

…Isn’t this turning into a dicey situation?

Both of them were in their Magic Dress that had a high exposure rate, so Kazuki who was being clung to turned uneasy.

“The place we passed through before had a lake, so let’s go there to wash off the mucus.”

“It’s fine to take a break while getting intimate with Kazu-niii―. Happyy♪”

“I don’t understand but I’m so happy desu♪ Everything okayyy♪”

“Wake up you two! No matter how you look at it this is a no no! Come on, let’s go.”

Kazuki held their shoulders and led them to the lake.

He pushed them both to the watering place then sat down on the base of a nearby tree.

The Demon Beasts around this area were mostly exterminated, once it was a muddy swamp but it reverted back into a clear lake. Mio and Lotte soaked in the water while in their Magic Dress and cleaned up the mucus in their body.

With Lotte frolicking around by throwing water at Mio as the start, they both started to splash water at each other while laughing cheerfully.

“Kazuki you too, come here!”

“No, it will be troublesome if my uniform gets wet.”

It’d be fine if he uses psychokinesis to shake off the drops of water, and pyrokinesis to dry off later but… both of them were wearing flimsy Magic Dress, while he was wearing a uniform that consist of shirts topped with a jacket. It’d take too much time.

Using the opportunity when Mio called out to Kazuki, Lotte threw water at Mio’s face. Mio soon returned fire in revenge. Both of their hair and body were wet with water and sparkled brightly.

Both of their Magic Dress were designed to expose most of their skin and body line as it is.

Their skin emitted glossy smoothness because of the wetness, their feminine body stood out in three dimension. A lovely sight could be seen out of their soaked body along with their beauty.

Their alluring navels and thighs and Mio’s wet chest, pulled Kazuki’s gaze…he shook his head in guilt because he stared at them both with a strange look.

“…Don’t play too long―!”

Kazuki said that and then turned his back.

Really, a Magic Dress was poison to the eye even under normal circumstances. Now it was even more so. But it was an outfit for the sake of fighting that’s why, he was disqualified as their comrade in arms if he had wicked thoughts like this too often.

This was only a little rest time, but Kazuki wished that it would end soon.

But the instant he turned his back, the scream of those two girls reverberated.

Kazuki turned back in panic, and from the surface of the lake, a gigantic―Demon Beast resembling a sea anemone’s face came out. Several squirming tentacles were stretching and headed towards the two girls!

“Prophet…Fire!”

Lotte sensed the abnormality and quickly chanted her spell but the bullets were fired blindly.

On the other, hand Mio was caught by the tentacles and were binding her wet body.

“Wa, wait! I really hate tentacleee!!”

At some of the sea anemone’s tentacles, there were some traces of being sliced, tentacles that were cut short were being regenerated in the same place. There was no mistake, this was the master of those tentacles that attacked Mio from the quest before.

“Mio! …I won’t let these tentacles do as they please!!”

When Mio was only a hair breadth away from being groped by the tentacles, all the tentacles were bisected in a flash and in one go by Kazuki’s Iai draw.

“Ka, Kazu-nii! Thank you! Saying things like [I won’t let these tentacles do as they please to my Mio]…ehehe.”

A heart mark flew from Mio to Kazuki after being saved from her predicament.

…’My Mio’, I don’t remember saying that though.

“Hurry with the spell chant!” Kazuki scolded her, and with that Mio replied “Yes!” then switched to her battle mode. Hearing that reliable reply from his back, Kazuki focused on mowing down the tentacles that keep aiming at Mio and Lotte one after another.

These tentacles…why did it only aim at girls! Which Mythology’s influence was this!?

Kazuki’s katana and Lotte’s bullets couldn’t inflict any fatal wound to such gigantic Demon Beast. However…

“This debt from before…I’ll return it now! These pervert tentacles!! Blazing Wings!”

Mio was able to finish a high level magic because of Kazuki’s protection, wings of flame spread out and she leaped into the sea anemone. Countless tentacles along with the main body were swallowed by the wings of flame―it became the finishing blow. Heaven and Earth Formation. In the end, what decided the battle was the high level summoning magic.

“We did it, Kazu-nii!”

Mio raised an excited voice and came to hug Kazuki. The chest that he stared at strangely not long ago was now pushed softly into his body.

“Do, don’t hug me when you are like this!”

“Why?”

“…My uniform will get wet, see.”

Kazuki averted his eyes from the soaking wet Mio and looked around his surrounding. …It seems this sea anemone was the last big game in this area as the lake’s surrounding had returned into beautiful nature.

“Looks like this area has mostly been liberated, isn’t it…. Let’s go a little a deeper when the Magic Dress dry, okay?”

Before, this place was an extremely large Haunting Ground, now it had been fairly narrowed up to this size.

If they keep this pace, it was possible they could liberate this forest completely today.

Mio and Lotte also harbored that presentiment, they agreed to Kazuki’s proposal.

When they advanced deeper into the Haunting Ground, its atmosphere as well as the type of Demon Beasts appearing were also changing.

The dense foliage interrupted the sunlight making the surrounding gloomy. From the darkness of the gap of the trees, ivy leaped out entwining, and Demon Beast's came out in a surprise attack.

The Demon Beasts that prepared the surprise attack were the ferocious types that resemble wild beasts.

For example, the monkey type Demon Beast that leaped out from the interval of the trees and attacked with sharp claws. An average swordsman wouldn’t be able to catch their speed and would get mangled one-sided.

However Kazuki foresaw those movements and ended their lives by using lightning fast Iai draw.

For example, the wild boar type with their steel-like skin. Its raging charges possessed terrible destructive power, physical attack or the heat of flames couldn’t pass those hardened skin.

Lotte’s electricity however was able to scorch the inside of those hard skin.

Mio from the rear, supported using attack magic, striking the large type Demon Beasts using level 5 magic.

The Demon Beasts that had their life snuffed out were reduced into black magic power and disappeared one after another.

This forest is a place where one couldn’t be careless, but the balance of the party was very good. If he wanted to be greedy, Kazuki would have wanted one more vanguard so he could also chant magic at a critical moment, but…

Kazuki could use Phoenix’s magic up to level 6 as the result of increasing Mio’s positivity level. But because Kazuki fights by himself at the frontline in this three man party, he didn’t have any spare time to chant magic. The Magica Stigma inside Kazuki felt a little irritation because of that.

When they progressed deeper into the forest, they found a stone stair that climbed a small hill. The height was not to the degree of climbing a mountain, but at the top of the stone stair, there was a space that opened up.

There was a torii<ref>Shinto shrine archway</ref> erected at the open space and through that torii, was a shrine. Its brilliant scarlet color was lost due to the Haunting Ground transformation, the whole body of the shrine was black. It originally enshrined a local Shinto deity. This place was supposed to be a tranquil sacred location, but an ominous heavy atmosphere was now pressing down.

The moment they stepped in there, fox type Demon Beasts leaped out from the surrounding forest. Kazuki instantly intercepted their lightning fast charge with his Iai draw, but at that instant―

“Kuu…!”

―The fox's golden hair scattered ‘biriri’ sparks around!

A barrier that really resembled the magic that Lotte used. The electricity was flowing through the Katana and into Kazuki.

Kazuki’s defensive magic power was consumed and the electricity had no effect but when a defensive magic power extinguishes a phenomenon, the backlash called the <shock of smashed magic> occurs.

Because of that, Kazuki’s swordmanship was disturbed.

The fox slipped out from Kazuki’s Iai draw and rammed into his body.

Kazuki twisted his body and somehow evaded the attack.

But even with only that, Kazuki’s work was already finished.

“Prophet…Fire!”

“Barrett!”

The fox who missed its attack was hit by the bullet of the gatling gun and the flame bullet successively. That body turned into black magic power and disappeared.

“Hm, the atmosphere of the enemy changed the moment we entered this place.”

“…At a place with especially thick magic power even inside the Haunting Ground like here, there should be a Sacred Treasure around!”

Mio pointed at the direction of the shrine and raised an excited voice.

Sometimes there were discoveries of <Sacred Treasure> at the Haunting Grounds. A manmade thing here was transformed by the thick magic power’s influence, or possibly magic power was condensed and forms the Sacred Treasure from nothing. In the end, it turned into magic items of Mythology in this world.

Sacred Treasure had a distorted foundation that was impossible even with alchemy, it sucked the magic power of the user and brought forth magic phenomenon that transcend the law of physics.

From the enemy that was appearing even stronger from the surrounding, the area’s magic power was thicker and more stagnant when compared to other places. Just like Mio said, it was told that such places made it easier for Sacred Treasures to occur.

“Be that as it may, to search this shrine…we first need to exterminate all the Demon Beast in this area.”

After Kazuki whispered so, the forms of a golden colored fox appeared one after another from the trees surrounding this open space where they were standing. It looks like the animals were the protector of the shrine.

This time, when Kazuki lured the foxes near enough,

“Fire Wall!”

―they were all burned up by the fire wall.

At the same time, Mio and Lotte released their respective magic.

“Is this…an enshrined katana?”

The inner sanctuary of the shrine that lost its color and blackened. On its altar, there was an offering of a Japanese katana made from plain wood. Only that katana hadn’t lost its color and exuded an atmosphere of holiness.

Originally, it was an enshrined katana of the shrine, but it transformed into a Sacred Treasure because of the magic power flowing into it.

When it touched his hand, the texture felt like the plain wood was breathing. Kazuki’s magic power was absorbed naturally into the katana. Sacred Treasure's exhibited their special power by sucking the user’s magic power.

“This Sacred Treasure is surely connected to Japanese Mythology. Moreover something like a katana is perfectly suited for you, right? Hey, Kazuki come on, let’s test what kind of power it has!”

Mio said that in high spirits. Kazuki laughed wryly while already pushing his magic power into the Sacred Treasure then―’katsukatsukatsu’ sounds were heard from the direction of the shrine entrance.

The sound of footsteps that came here directly―

“What the hell are you bastards doing? It’s forbidden for an individual to pick a Sacred Treasure. Hand it over to us at once.”

A two-man group consisting of a Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress and a swordsman appeared at the entrance of the inner sanctuary.

Judging from their height and age―they were not students but knights of the Knight Order.

Kazuki harbored an uncomfortable feeling. Why did the Knight Order who had labor shortage dispatch their people in this quest with this kind of difficulty?

“…We plan to submit this in our quest’s report.”

Kazuki replied so, but the female Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress seems to ignore it and approached Kazuki briskly, she snatched the Sacred Treasures katana from Kazuki’s hand.

The girl’s gaze fell into the katana in Kazuki’s hips and spat out.

“Even though you’re just a swordsman brat…holding something like Sacred Treasure…”

From there she turned her back, “Let’s go Kondou!” she yelled to the swordsman and left the inner sanctuary.

“Yes.” The swordsman replied and faithfully followed behind her.

“Wha, what is that, disgusting! I mean, if we present that Sacred Treasure at the quest counter, it will reflect at our results you know!”

Mio’s well formed eyebrows bristled in indignation.

“Even though they looked so self-important, there is no doubt that they are just lowly underlings, being dispatched at this simple quest in this busy time! Kazu-nii is far stronger compared to quack knights from nowhere like you guys in a duel!! Stupid!! Idiot!!”

When the knight had gone, Mio insulted them vehemently and stuck out her tongue.

Lotte imitated her too and she also stuck her tongue. They looked like really close sisters.

“…Well, in any case we won’t be able to bring it back, so let’s ignore it and return to the quest. The Knight Order is also participating, so let’s liberate this whole area today somehow or other.”

I want to try it out, that Sacred Treasure katana…Kazuki couldn’t get rid of that feeling.

“Looks like there is no boss here like the sea anemone from the zone before.”

Mio said so like she was trying to calm her emotions.

The more someone approached the central part of the Haunting Ground, the magic power would become thicker and will stagnate in the middle of the space.

Because of that, in many cases, a Demon Beast that was one rank stronger would be born in the heart of the Haunting Ground.

Kazuki and the others had already been at the heart of the Haunting Ground.

“I wonder if the party of those two knight before had already fought it.”

“I don’t think that was the case though.”

Each time we defeat a Demon Beast, there was an actual feeling that the scenery of the Haunting Ground also changed, but there was not even a time that the scenery of the Haunting Ground changed when there was no fighting.

In other words this Haunting Ground is not so large, but Kazuki and the other two were more than enough to purge the remaining Demon Beasts.

Everyone’s magic power were already quite exhausted, but they still had some composure for this.

“I’m a little bit tired…my stamina is not so good.”

This whole thing felt a little bit like hiking physically. Lotte who spent the majority of her life laying down on a sick bed let out a bitter smile mixed with fatigue.

“Sorry, we forced you too much, didn’t we? How about I carry you on my back on the way home?”

Carrying her in the back was like treating her like a kid, but Lotte let out reminiscence-like words.

“I’m happy if onii-san’ll do that desu!”

Lotte looked a little awkward and embarrassed.

“…Wait Kazu-nii, not fair! If you’ll carry Lotte in the back then…I’ll be the one in the front, that…it’s unfair if you don’t use princess carry for me too!”

“One person each in the front and the back…that’s unreasonable even if I used Enchant Aura, you know?”

For some reason the atmosphere became harmonious while the three people headed toward the center of the forest―

“…Barrett!”

The last Demon Beast was pierced by the flame bullet.

Right at that moment, the surrounding trees returned perfectly into their original appearance of bright and fresh green leaves in May.

The eerie atmosphere disappeared and the cool summer breeze blew bringing in the smell of summer.

When all present reflexively smiled broadly―Kazuki’s back felt a chill of [something’s presence].

“What’s wrong, suddenly you look scared?”

“…Right now, a huge magic power of something is breaking out near this area.”

“Eh, that magic power…. …!?”

It seems Mio also sensed the outbreak of magic power using Extra Sense, her countenance changed.

Before long, sounds of someone stepping on the falling leaves could be heard from the back.

“…Hmm, I was a little late. The Haunting Ground liberation is already finished…so that means, they only have little strength left to have fun, won’t they?”

With a low voice that was rare for a woman, the voice with a sense of intimidation like steel could be heard.

They turned back to look. Inside the grove of trees, a blonde woman clad in pitch black military uniform was looking to their side.

The black clothed woman suddenly chanted her spell.

“…Yo. For the sake of soldiers desiring Valhalla, descend from Asgard and show those brave figures. I too will show the spirit of a hero. Oh Asgard’s gods of war…Right here to me.”

She was a woman with a bizarre form. On top of wearing a military uniform, a large sword sheathed in its scabbard was attached to her hips and a boorish shield was held on her left hand. It was not a shield used by swordsmen in Japan.

At the same time with the end of her spell, those pitch black military uniform was wrapped with the light of {{furigana|Astrum Connection|Access}}―she transformed into an armored form that shined fantastically like it was made from blue jewels. This is…Magic Dress?

This woman is…there is no way, Germany’s Einherjar?

“…Mio, Lotte, enemy!!”

That female soldier was just like a Valkyrie, she drew her sword out and dashed toward this side. They didn’t know the reason, but it was obvious that she was showing hostility to them!

Kazuki too took the stance of Iai while chanting his spell and dashed towards the opponent.

At his back, Lotte and Mio too started their spell chant one beat later.

The fight was―intricate!

“…I will do a good fight, meet a good death, and hope to participate in the fight of Asgard even more! Grant the crimson blood divine protection on me! {{furigana|Berserk|Crimson Eyes of War God}}!!”

The armored female soldier chanted a spell. She invoked some kind of magic and her eyes shined crimson.

At the same time, her running speed also fiercely accelerated. …This was unmistakably a reinforcement magic.

“Mitrailleuse! Prophet…Fire!!”

“Barrett!”

First the gatling gun, and then one beat later, the flame bullet overtook Kazuki and flew to the female soldier.

The female soldier opened wide her crimson eyes that look like it were burning and quickly stuck out the shield in her left hand.

The gatling and flame bullets were accurately deflected by the small shield.

…Her reflexes were superhuman. Having said that, it was not foresight like Kazuki. The magic from before might not have reinforced just her body but also her reflexes.

…Moreover that shield, how could it deflect Barrett without even a scratch!?

Kazuki and the female soldier who ran in a straight line finally came into contact.

The female soldier swung down the large western sword that she carried on her shoulder. Kazuki promptly drew his Iai.

As for Kazuki, his first draw of the sword was not for the sake of attacking.

He met the slash of the female soldier, he then shifted his body while redirecting the opponent’s strength. Strong!

However, for Kazuki who had already experienced countless locking of swords, that slash’s weight was in the realm he had never before experienced.

Even so, the posture of the opponent was broken, Kazuki released his second slash with the timing of hitting the enemy.

However the left hand of the female soldier moved with the speed that looked like it could even repel light, Kazuki’s slash was repelled by the shield.

“…The moment the sword touched each other, it felt soft and my posture was thrown out of order. You use an interesting technique huh, lad.”

The female soldier laughed so to Kazuki. …She could speak Japanese!?

The counter attack of the female soldier instantly came. Kazuki having foreseen the slash evaded it.

The desperate offense and defense put a stop to Kazuki’s concentration. The spell Kazuki prepared was dispersed.

To chant magic in this level of crossing swords was still difficult for Kazuki.

The gatling bullet and Barrett gave some cover fire for Kazuki in the middle of these, but the female soldier manipulated her shield with precise movement. She prioritized defending against Barret that had more damaging power rather than the gatling gun.

A soldier and at the same time also a Magica Stigma. Like seeing himself in the mirror…

“Are you Germany’s knight? If you understand Japanese then answer, why did you attack us?”

Kazuki inquired without letting his guard down, but the female soldier only leaked a laughing voice.

“Rather than that, let’s have a good battle, lad.”

And then she slashed at Kazuki once more. Kazuki desperately fought back but―the female soldier was too composed.

While performing sword locking with Kazuki, the enemy chanted her spell.

“Divine protection of military man, whirl inside my body, double the {{furigana|might of heaven|Megin}}<Ref>Megin is the norse word of might or power</ref>! Spurred into endless battle by god’s intention, in this body! …{{furigana|Megingjörð|The Belt of Whirling Heaven’s Might}}<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megingj%C3%B6r%C3%B0</ref>!”

…Glittering light swooped down from heaven to the female soldier’s body. The limbs of the female soldier that absorbed the light grew like it was augmenting the muscle.

The female soldier stepped in with an acceleration completely like a cheetah.

If Kazuki was not an expert in foresight he would be cut up like a scarecrow for sure.

However, Kazuki observed the premonition of her movement, grasped the distance, predicted the trajectory of her sword, and finally dealt with the godspeed slash. He didn’t oppose the power of the slash, and by redirecting it with a flowing motion, he used the momentum to break his opponent's posture.

His hands became numb from the extraordinary weight of the slash.

Kazuki returned with his counter-attack, but the female soldier who had her whole body reinforced easily blocked it with the shield in her left hand.

And then―the superhuman strong sword flew once again.

…It doesn’t feel like facing a human opponent!

“You don’t use summoning magic huh, lad! How, what kind of way that you use to throw my sword off balance!? Really interesting huh, so this is Japan’s sword skill, isn’t it!? The mystery of the east!”

The female soldier with blazing eyes smiled with great joy in the middle of the fight.

“…Fire Wall!”

While redirecting his opponent’s sword, Kazuki desperately chanted level 2 magic and invoked it.

A wall of flame was rising from the ground under the feet of the female soldier in a perfect surprise attack.

The female soldier stepped back with her sharp reflexes, but she couldn’t avoid it perfectly and the blue lights of defensive magic power were scattered. …the first attack from this side.

“Is this Japan’s summoning magic? What a cowardly attack.”

The female soldier laughed in a broad grin. The damage was thin.

What a joke, why must we suddenly get attacked by this kind of monster.

“Mio, Lotte, spread out crosswise! No matter how fast she is, the shield can only defend from one side!!”

“You give a troublesome direction huh, lad! Then I’ll deal with the son of the bitch vanguard quickly!!”

The female soldier swung down her strong sword once again, Kazuki redirected that attack and repelled it.

The sounds of the sword fight resounded fiercely. Mixed with those sounds―a woman’s angry voice could be heard.

“You guys, what are you doing there! Why are you fighting when the Haunting Ground was already liberated!? …Who is that one!?”

Was she sensed with the flow of magic power? The two knight Kazuki encountered in the shrine was rushing here.

The female soldier was “Oh?” and made a surprised face.

“I see, in other words the information about me was only shared to…Loki’s subjugation team, does it?”

Hearing those whispers, Kazuki was “What is she saying?” pondering that in his mind.

“The [protection target] is being attacked! Kondo, go!”

“…Roger!”

The female Magica Stigma passed down an order, the male swordsman called Kondo was approaching here.

Protection target…? Did she mean Lotte? No, these two knights…was looking at Mio?

“Is this only coincidence…are you bastards also as fun as this lad!?”

The German female soldier clad in blue helmet and armor separated from Kazuki and went to face Kondo.

This is bad. Even though this Kondo was a knight, an average swordsman might be instant-killed!

The female knight eliminated their respective distance with terrific speed and slashed at Kondo. That sword movement was simple but rigid. Even while Kondo was gazing in wonder to that speed, he somehow used his katana to block the female soldier's sword.

When their blades locked against each other, Kondo was trying to force back the sword right from the front. But that was a thoughtless move. The female soldier's superhuman herculean strength easily sent Kondo’s sword flying.

The surprised expression was erased from his face, changing into fear.

“…So not all Japan’s swordsman use the same skill like that lad before.”

The female soldier whispered as if bored, and cut down Kondo without a second thought. Kondo was blown away like an old rag by the smashed magic’s<ref>I’m using smashed magic as the phrase for the magic backlash when someone’s defensive magic power was hit by strong attack</ref> shockwave. The majority of his defensive magic power was stolen in only one attack.

“…I lost my interest. You bastard, die.”

The female soldier pointed the tip of her sword in order to grant the finishing blow.

“…I won’t let you!!”

At that time Kazuki sprinted with all his strength and entered between them, he barely deflected the female soldier’s slash.

Just like that Kazuki redirected the female soldier’s consecutive attacks one after another to protect Kondo.

“What the, what kind of sword skill is this…?”

While in the state of falling in his backside, the swordsman, Kondo leaked a voice of admiration toward Kazuki’s sword handling.

“You bastard! Abandon the like of swordsman and attack the opponent!! And yet you called yourself knight cadet!!”

The female Magica Stigma was being protected by a swordsman, yet she yelled a misdirected thing.

“This is not an opponent that you can fight upfront, don’t you understand!?”

Kazuki unintentionally forgot that the other side is an adult in the heat of sword fighting and yelled back.

“Cadet…a student huh. But you have a considerable skill for a mere child. Come, what fascinating thing you’ll show me next!?”

“Don’t make light of a student…Einherjar!”

The female soldier’s bored expression returned a smile. Getting pleased like that…

“You guys’ Heaven and Earth Formation has been undone! Go escape first!! We will look for a chance to escape too!!”

The female Magica Stigma took in his male swordsman partner's exhaustion and “Chih”
clicked her tongue. Thereupon she gave instructions just like what Kazuki said.

“Forming Heaven and Earth Formation with lowly swordsman like you, let’s retreat for the moment!”

“So, sorry, cadet young man! I’m indebted to you!”

The female Magica Stigma escaped one step ahead, Kondo was also chasing her back while stumbling all over himself. …The sooner they weren’t here would make it easier to try to escape.

“Mio! If there is a chance let’s escape with level 5 magic!”

“…Using that magic for escaping!? …Aahh! Understood!”

Mio showed her displeasure for only an instant, but in the light of the abnormal situation, she soon consented.

“Discussing your escape…what a kill-joy. Do you think I’ll give you the chance? Resolve yourself…the resolution to enjoy the fight with me till the end!!”

The female soldier slashed at Kazuki with the mixed expression of anger and joy. Kazuki redirected it and sealed off the opponent attack by disturbing her posture. The two’s dance was restarted.

If they used Phoenix’s level 5―[Blazing Wings], they should be able to escape with Phoenix’s wings as long as the opponent didn’t use any movement magic.

The problem wasn’t the rear guard Mio, but whether the vanguard Kazuki had the composure to chant such high level magic or not…!

Even while crossing swords against each other, Kazuki and the female soldier respectively chanted their spell. However, due to the fierce offense and defense, it was not a simple thing. ―Especially in regard to Kazuki who was still inexperienced in Summoning Magic.

“If you said you’re going to escape, then I won’t go easy anymore! …Thor, god of Asgard! The roar of the applause for my blade dance resounded! The thunder of the sky reside in this sword, no longer even the exchange of shield and halberd are allowed, send to oblivion!! {{furigana|Fjörgyn Megin|Thunder Sword}}!!”

The atmosphere was vibrating, a flash of lightning fell from the sky aiming at the female soldier’s sword.

Electricity dwelled inside the sword, it was swung down at Kazuki in that condition.

Immediately, Kazuki attempted to redirect the attack with his katana. But the moment the blades touched each other, electricity flowed into Kazuki’s body. Defensive magic power protected Kazuki from the electric shock, but the shockwave of smashed magic was sent to his whole body.

The magic to keep lightning element in a sword―it would turn into a huge damage even with just touching swords.

Just like the foxes tinged with electricity that they encountered in the shrine.

“With this your sword skill have no chance, lad!”

With this Kazuki must perfectly evade all her attacks. If Kazuki couldn’t disturb the opponent’s posture anymore, the severity of the consecutive attacks would increase even more.

With his opponent’s sword attached with <attribute>, as a swordsman, Kazuki was cornered into a predicament at once.

This woman just now said about the god, Thor…. Thor of Norse Mythology!

“…Are, are you okay!?”

The male swordsman, Kondo who seems to not have escaped and watching over the situation, shouted because he saw Kazuki’s predicament. …I’m happy that you’re worried but, why are you still here? Kazuki made a bitter face.

“I’m fine, so run away!”

Kazuki shouted back, this time the man turned his back once again and escaped for good.

The cover fire of gatling gun and flame bullet were also flying but there was no effect.

Was it impossible…to escape? At least Mio and Lotte need to escape…

The moment despair crossed in his mind―A crack ‘bikibikibiki!’ ran on the air behind the female soldier.

“What!?” She leaked out a surprised voice and turned back.

The sound of the world being cracked resounded, a large black drop spilled over from the crack.

Cancer―in this timing!? …Is this kind of coincidence possible?

The large black drop was―changed into the form of a giant with its body covered in red hot flame.

“The giant of Muspelheim! …There is no way this is a natural occurrence with this kind of timing! Lad, is this you bastard’s plan!?”

There was no way that was true. But―Demon Beast summoning. He happened to know that magic!

This timing was as if to save them, Kazuki was not fully satisfied with this but…

“Mio, now! Start to chant!”

Kazuki dashed to Mio and Lotte’s direction. The female soldier clicked her tongue ‘chih’ from Kazuki’s flight. The flame giant looked down on the female soldier. Its fist that looked like a log on fire swung down.

The female soldier blocked it with her shield. …That woman’s shield could even block that kind of attack!

Kazuki held up Lotte in a princess carry.

“”Blazing Wings!””

Kazuki and Mio matched their timing to invoke their magic. They adjusted their wings of flame expansion so as not to spread the fire to the trees, weaving their ways to soar up to the sky.

“Rage and blessing exist together in my war! Acting as the agent of the god of war, in thy crown rage and blessing poured on existence…!!”

The female soldier facing the giant swirled terrific magic power while shouting her spell.

Without a doubt, a high level summoning magic. An avatar of a muscular military man raised from the back of the female soldier. A red glint of eye that looked burning, also a red beard that look like a flame, he carried a large hammer in his right hand. An unrefined hammer with an extremely short handle.

The avatar of the military man overlapped with the female soldier and disappeared. And then only the hammer was left behind in the female soldier’s right hand. The female soldier jumped to the top of the giant’s head with that hammer in one hand.

“{{furigana|Mjollnir|Smashed Skull's Noise}}!!”

‘ZUTON!’ a loud reverberation rang out, the female soldier swung down the hammer on the giant’s head.

The giant’s head was sunk down up to its abdomen in one go. A dreadful power was produced to hit the head until it sunk down to the middle. The body of the giant distorted flabbily. And then it was blown away as particles leaving no trace.

…That kind of power…. If she used that kind of magic….

While feeling shivers, Kazuki and Mio flew away as far as possible until the effect of the wings of flame were cut off. The intrusion of the German Norse knight, the intrusion of the Japanese knights whose intentions were not known, and then the last was the intrusion of the mysterious Cancer―

The second quest of Kazuki and the others were over with many puzzles jumbled together.

===Part 3===

―That place was the room encroached by the dusk.

What greeted Kazuki and the others, who were going to report the result of the quest, were instructions for him to head toward the student guidance room alone.

Mio showed her disapproval towards the idea of Kazuki going alone, but Kazuki could imagine the reason of those instructions.

…It seems that they didn’t want Lotte to be present at the place, so they named a representative to come alone.

There was no doubt that this talk was about that female soldier.

Inside the student guidance room, that was dyed dark red by the evening sun from the window, Liz Liza-sensei was waiting alone.

“Sensei, please explain what in the world is going on.”

Before Liz Liza-sensei opened her mouth, Kazuki jumped the gun and pressed his question.

“We were targeted by Germany’s Einherjar at the end of the quest. The other party was contracted with a Diva of Norse’s Mythology, Thor. The one who was targeted was probably Lotte. …This incident wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Kazuki reported dispassionately.

“I don’t understand how things could turn out like this, but if things doesn’t change, then Lotte will be in danger. Lotte needs to be transferred from this academy to the Knight Order, then we ought to request the Knight Order to strengthen the monitoring of the Einherjar. A firmer security is needed.”

Kazuki dared to say an obvious matter stupidly.

“We can’t do that.”

Liz Liza-sensei only spat out a sentence.

“…Why is that?”

“Because all of you weren’t attacked by anyone. Publicly that is.”

The light of the evening sun from the window, cast a deep shadow on Liz Liza-sensei’s face.

Liz Liza-sensei donned the expression of a cold adult.

“The name of the Einherjar that’s contracted with Thor is Beatrix Baumgard. She slipped out from the lodging house of the Knight Order alone at 14:23, Japan time. She trespassed Okutama’s Haunting Ground. Even without your report, the Knight Order had already grasped all her movement. Her monitoring was not neglected for even a second.”

“You understand to that extent, and she already attacked with impunity, yet you will keep saying that there was no attack?”

Though that reply was just as Kazuki expected―a cold sweat ran on his back.

The attack on Lotte by Einherjar was not supposed to happen. Moreover the government and the Knight Order were not planning to get involved. In short…

“…The government and the Knight Order didn’t plan to shelter Lotte from the start. All those refusal to hand over Lotte’s person and the protection were just for [outward appearance], is that so?”

“Japan didn’t accept Germany’s proposal and respected the life of the refugee. Germany was understanding and came to Japan only for the sake of defeating their common enemy, Loki. Then unrelated at all to Japan and Germany’s united front―Lotte died in an unfortunate accident. That sort of plot. It couldn’t be helped if it was an accident.”

“Don’t fuck with me! …There is no way that kind of forced [It can’t be helped] could exist!”

“Speaking honestly, for Germany, it seems it doesn’t matter whatever Loki did. Their order of priority is the opposite. That’s why entrusting Lotte to the academy was only a feint. The matter of Einherjar coming to Japan under the pretext of subjugating Loki to secretly assassinate Lotte, the Japanese government recognized it implicitly. All for the sake of preserving favorable relations with other foreign countries and Germany.”

“Even my encounter with Lotte…was that nothing more than an arrangement to lure Lotte to the ideal place for assassination in the quest?”

“There was no other way to preserve the balance of power between the Magic Advance Countries.”

“…Lotte didn’t seek power only for the sake of her greed. Didn’t she do it only to escape her destiny of death by sickness?”

“Everyone knows her circumstance already.”

Liz Liza-sensei just shrugged her shoulder to the words that Kazuki squeezed out.

“That girl only tried desperately to live! The nation is an enormous existence, but they are going to gang up on one girl and trample her underfoot just like that? Even arranging a forced plot like this! Isn’t there any other way?”

“There is no need to search for any other way. Other than the misfortune of Lotte whose existence is trivial, everything else would work out just fine, don’t you agree? …The only object a country has the obligation to protect is its people. The current era Japan doesn’t have any allowance to recognize the human rights of a refugee who came as she pleased.”

Is she saying that seriously?

To agree that Lotte is not a human deep from the heart after seeing her smile…

“Someone who could let a person die because of that kind of reason is not a human!”

Kazuki never thought that Liz Liza-sensei was this kind of person who could explain such unreasonable, behind the scenes plot, without even cracking an expression. Was Liz Liza-sensei really aware of this reality?

When she encouraged Kazuki that he would be able to succeed in the quest, was she already aware of this?

“…If you can’t agree, then what are you going to do? Trash.”

While leaning her back on the chair, Liz Liza-sensei questioned with a testy tone.

At that instant, an obvious reply naturally floated inside Kazuki’s mind.

“If the government doesn’t have any intention to involve themselves in the supposed incident that would befall Lotte…no one shouldn’t have any complaint if someone saved Lotte from the accident willfully.“

His expression warped unconsciously. Kazuki floated a smile half in desperation.

“Even if Beatrix had the tables turned on her and she gets into an accident, in a place where there is supposed to be no one, Germany won’t have any right to complaint. …We are of equal status in this regard.”

If this was not an official matter then the story is simple.

“Don’t say such reckless things like a child. The opponent is Germany’s ace you know?”

“I will―protect Lotte! I won’t accept such thing!”

Liz Liza-sensei’s rock hard expression…broke suddenly.

She suddenly bent her back with all her strength and released a huge sigh.

Thereupon she stood from her chair and turned on the light of the student guidance room that had turned dark.

“…Sorry, Hayashizaki. I was anticipating from the start that a student like you will say such thing.”

Liz Liza-sensei sat back on the chair and said so while leaning on her back powerlessly.

“The order that was handed down to me was to forbid you and Amasaki from speaking, when you come back, where Lotte is killed while you guys survived. But forbidding you to speak is useless talk, isn’t it? Moreover, I thought that Lotte’s chances of returning alive was high with two people that can use Phoenix’s level 5 magic, if you guys devoted yourself to escaping. Stop underestimating my student, that kind of talk.”

“…So Liz Liza-sensei already predicted everything from the start…including my action…was it? You don’t plan to let Lotte die…”

“You are still not trusted by anyone and evaluated too little but, you are the possessor of a King's power. Other than entrusting Lotte to you, there is no one else who has any chance of saving her. Sorry Hayashizaki. If you are really the King of Solomon―ignore the likes of the country's scheme and save the girl. …I’m counting on you.”

Liz Liza-sensei had already seen through that the person called Hayashizaki Kazuki was that kind of human.

However…rather than saying things like aiming to become a harem king, this objective was much more easier to consent.

{If your caliber is only to the extent of letting Lotte die at this point, even Leme won’t acknowledge you as our King. It’s obvious that you have to save Lotte if you’re a King, so to speak. This is the ordeal you need to pass to become a King.}

Leme’s voice resounded inside Kazuki’s mind. Leme was enthusiastic too.

Mio would also approve of this.

“Well then, what is going to happen from now on in regards to the previous scheme?”

“You guys keep your mouths shut and take Lotte to challenge a quest once more, at that time it will be arranged for Beatrix to attack again. There won’t be any witnesses if it’s inside the Haunting Ground. The role of you guys are to shut your mouth and guide Lotte once more to that kind of place.”

“…In other words if we know the timing of the attack beforehand, we can anticipate Beatrix with any kind of preparation of our own, right?”

“However, you cannot take Otonashi Kaguya and the others. If the student council president is present in the scene, we won’t be able to say that [Our academy’s student protected her by their own initiative though―]. Nonetheless, the time to prepare for Beatrix is not long. …One month. If you can turn her away one more time, they shouldn’t be able to meddle so openly and the period of cooperation with Einherjar would be over. If it turned out like that, they would lose all excuse and they would eventually go back to their country.”

So we couldn’t rely on our senpais. And even then…the opponent was a formidable enemy.

“A student overreaching himself cannot become an opponent who can oppose Beatrix. After all, she is Germany’s ace. But you are a King. Lotte’s Diva is originally a Diva with considerable power. If you could use him well, then the chance of victory would appear. For the sake of defeating an enemy with your limited power…”

King, the moment he heard that word, Kazuki felt an unpleasant premonition. Liz Liza-sensei announced.

“In this limited time of preparation, increase Lotte’s positivity level as much as possible from now on.”

So in the end this ended up like that, Kazuki cradled his head.

“By the way, we met the knights of Japan’s Knight Order in the Haunted Ground. They barged on the fight with Beatrix too, but what’s with that?”

Kazuki inquired so before he left the student guidance room.

“…What are you talking about? All the knights in Tokyo should be already informed about Beatrix. To show hostility to Beatrix, what is…?”

Liz Liza-sensei knitted her eyebrow, this was the first time that she was baffled by the situation.

“Its impossible for Japan’s knights to be in that place.”

===Part 4===

“Don’t screw with me! …This kind of thing should not have happened!!”

―A voice of an old man rang out behind the closed door of the headmaster’s office.

“If there was even a little mistake, my Mio-tan would…ehem, my step daughter would have died! For Germany's Einherjar to attack our students in the middle of the quest…!!”

“How could Board Chairman Amasaki know about…Aah, I see. So the two knights mentioned in the report are your protégés, is that so?”

Headmaster Otonashi responded so while leaning his back in the cushioned creaking chair.

“…Those knights were the kids I taught previously. I called them from other provinces.”

“I see. That bit was the only thing incomprehensible in this incident. Even though all the member of the knights in the metropolis were already gathered into Loki’s subjugation team and got informed about Beatrix’s movement, why were those knights loitering on that quest uninformed…. By any chance, will you always rely on your former students to shadow and protect your step daughter everytime she challenged a quest?”

“Not always, this is the first time. She failed on those quest before so…it can’t be helped! Because Mio-tan formed a party with a useless rank E! Taking into account of that risk…this is a reasonable measure!!”

“So you call your step daughter something like [Mio-tan] habitually…. I received the report about Amasaki Mio’s personality, but…I think I see how that personality could take form.”

“Fuh, there are also things I want to say about you bastard’s training plan for your daughter, but right now it doesn’t matter. Why did Germany’s knight attacked the students? I never heard anything about this. Don’t joke around, you knew this before it happened.”

“A gag order was planned for the aftermath, but there was no danger to their life. The Einherjar had been informed that the only one that could be killed was Lotte. Nonetheless, I guess there was still the risk of those battle-crazy savage going overboard, they didn’t change at all since they were still called Vikings. Those rabble are really the same as the one told about in Norse Mythology.”

“Stop your bullshit! …In the worst case…. Shit, she got swallowed in this kind of plot because she grouped together with that kind of brat…!”

Board chairman Amasaki changed the brunt of his wrath because he realized there was nothing he could do by himself about the diplomatic relations between Japan and Germany. If Mio was not in the same party with Hayashizaki Kazuki, then she wouldn’t be in any danger.

Headmaster Otonashi twitched his eyebrows toward that words.

That kid was certainly a hindrance…

It was not the same stupid reason because he had similar tastes about his daughter, like this old man.

There was no way in the world that they could welcome the likes of a 15 year old kid as the [King of Magica Stigma].

Knight Academy, Knight Order, government…all those organizations had already possessed [vested interests] regarding Magica Stigma. All the people had already solidified their status up to this point, then suddenly they were told that they had to serve a 15 year old kid, who in the world could do that….

The power and influence of the King must be chipped off as much as possible.

The extremist like Liz Liza Westwood advocated that they [ought to support] the King. But [Reduce the power of the King], that was the consensus of all the people that stood at the top of the organizations.

“…Your knight protégée shouldn’t make their report regarding the quest public.”

“That’s obvious, do you think we can report that kind of thing? Is there something wrong with that?”

A new scheme came to mind inside Headmaster Otonashi’s brain.

“…There is something interesting from the report of those knights. If we could use that a little, we could also get rid of that eyesore child from this academy while also taking care of Charlotte at the same time. Your daughter could also move into a more proper girl-only party then.”

This old board chairman also shared the common position of not welcoming the King after all.

And then the step daughter he doted on above all things could stay far away from Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Nonetheless, Hayashizaki Kazuki was also one of the students that he need to protect as a teacher.

For a while, Board Chairman Amasaki’s eyes were wavering in hesitation while feeling the weight of his duty.

But in the end―he nodded for the sake of his step-daughter. Headmaster Otonashi smiled.

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{{SimpleNav}}
</noinclude>

Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2 Chapter 1

2015-05-10T13:17:35Z

122.178.114.124:

==Chapter 1 - Before the Storm==

===Part 1===

Above the swamp, earth, sand and dry leaves were piling up, Kazuki stepped onto the wet ground and ran towards the approaching enemy. From between the poisonous trees with violet trunk and leaves, Demon Beasts that looks like jelly-beans with brightly colored slimy mucus——<Slime> were approaching one after another to attack.

[Suppression of Demon Beasts that nested in the Haunted Ground]——That was the <Quest> that Kazuki and the others accepted.

A silver flash surged from the mouth of his scabbard, Kazuki drew his Iai to the approaching blue slime in front of his eyes.

The slime that released chilly air became two equal parts but——the blue slime immediately stuck to each other and returned to how it was previously.

Kazuki's eyes were opened wide because of the unknown enemy's mode of life. ······Sword was not effective toward these things!

All at once the multi-colored slimes on Kazuki's way leaped toward him.

"The calling voice of the ruler of flame, liberate the rage deep inside the earth! Create the rampart of mine here······soaring on heaven and earth, isolate the impurity! Fire Wall!!"

However Kazuki invoked Phoenix's Summoning Magic to assault the enemies. From the start Kazuki chanted the spell while breaking into the center of the enemies and waiting for the right timing.

Along with flashes of light, fissures ran on the ground under Kazuki and from there, walls of flame burst out.

The slimes who attacked Kazuki carelessly were swallowed by the walls of flame and evaporated all at once.

The few numbers of slimes that managed to slip out of the flame walls attacked Kazuki but he brushed them off with his katana. Thereupon, the dignified voice of the partner that support Kazuki from the back echoed.

"Scattered sparks of dancing wings! Lingering spiral wind, become life piercing bullet! Flap your wing and shoot! Barrett!!"

Red lights lingered like wings from the stigma on her back, Mio invoked Barrett.

The slime was attacked by the flame bullet, its body fused with the heat of the bullet.

While Kazuki stepped back, he chanted Barrett matching with Mio and hit the slime.

"Kazukii! Hooray, we beat them with the same magic♪"

Mio raised her voice excitedly and clung to Kazuki's arm after scattering the enemy's group.

Although until a little while ago, she was still saying "How impertinent for someone like Kazuki to use the same magic······", was it because of the exaltation in the battlefield?, Mio was unusually honest and became bold.

No, before when Mio died, she seemed to not remember that time, however since Kazuki kissed and saved her, he had a feeling that her attitude instantly softened.

······Was it because the positivity level with high number of 120?

"Co, come on, don't let your mind wander in the middle of a quest!"

Because of the embarrassing sensation of being pressed by the chest's high exposure rate of the {{furigana|Décolleté Oblique|Magic Dress}}, Kazuki spontaneously uttered words of resistance. Mio slightly made a pouting face.

"What, I properly watch the surroundings, and after that I took action you know. Bee~"<ref>the voice of sticking your tongue</ref>

While clinging to his arm, Mio brought her face near to Kazuki and stucked her tongue towards him. Even though she was doing an expression of cheekiness, Kazuki soon became strangely conscious of Mio's lips near his cheek.

Right there, a voice rang out from the thicket in front of them and a new group of slimes came to attack them both. Mio who said that she already observed the surrounding properly, reacted quickly and sprung up just like she said and turned to Kazuki's rear——the swordsman protected the {{furigana|Magika Stigma|Summoning Magician}}, Heaven and Earth Formation.

"Barrett!" "Fire Wall!"

The flame wall of the vanguard, Kazuki and the fire bullet from the rear guard, Mio, reduced the interweaving bunch of slimes to ashes. ——No, wait a second, what was that!?

A crimson slime flew out from inside the flame. ······Did it have resistance to heat!?

Somehow this Demon Beast Slime seems to have its own attribute based on the color.

Immediately Kazuki leaped and cut the slime that gradually released heat. Because of the slash, the slime scattered in pieces, however it slipped past Kazuki while still in the scattered state.

"Damn it!"

"Kyaaa! What is this!?"

The scattered slime became a spray of red mucus and rained incessantly on Mio.

Mio tried to clear the mucus that fell onto her body and her magic dress in a fluster. However immediately, the magic dress that already has high exposure rate under normal circumstances melted in the area where it was touched by the slimy mucus.

"No way! The, the clothes are melting!!"

——If the <Magic Dress> that supplemented the spell chanting was not there, the war potential of the Magika Stigma would be reduced by half.

Because magic dress was created by magic power, it could be regenerated if the user Request the Diva to fix it but······for Mio it was just not possible, she crouched down to try to hide her skin.

From the swamp behind Mio who currently crouched down——cylindrical things <Tentacle> leaped out.

A Demon Beast different from the slime! Just like he was completely waiting for that opportunity until now!?

They were just Demon Beasts and yet they matched their breath superbly and did combination attack.

The slimy tentacles entangled Mio who was almost naked.

Just like wrenching open flower petals, the tentacles twined around Mio's limbs pulled Mio's white skin and exposed what should be hidden. The girl's face flushed bright red because of the unbelievable shame.

"No way no way, don't look Kazuki! I will do something by myself so don't come here!!"

Mio shouted with tearful, panicky voice toward Kazuki who approached to help. However a shadow floated up in the muddy water surface, the owner of the tentacle's real body was now in the verge of surfacing.

"Is this the time to say that kind of thing!? You are going to be eaten!!"

Kazuki drew his Iai and severed the tentacles in one go. What kind of aquatic creature was it that lurked inside the swamp? It was unknown, but the tentacle could be cut, different from the slime.

Mio who fell from the tentacles was caught in princess-carry by Kazuki.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 013.jpg|thumb]]

But the problem was that currently they didn't have any means to defeat the red slime.

The mission was to defeat the Demon Beasts, but if they didn't escape from here somehow······!

"······Nihility of ancient times, the nothingness residing inside this heart, become the freezing breath. The streaming silence of rejection, freeze and be silent······Glacier Wind!!"

A chilly wind blew from next to Kazuki. That was the breath of a mermaid. The red slime that assaulted Kazuki was frozen in the blink of an eye because of the wind. ——Ice attribute summoning magic!

"Hiakari-san!? ······Thank you! So you came to save us!"

Turning around, over there was the mystical classmate clad in magic dress that resembled a white leotard. Hiakari Koyuki, who is standing there with no expression.

Her attitude toward Kazuki was sharply aloof, identical with her sharp ears that was the characteristic of elf.

"When I thought that we received the same quest by chance······this is a totally shameful sight, isn't it? You are only a hindrance if you can't fight already, how about you just go back home."

After moving her sight toward the naked Mio briefly, Koyuki briskly turned her back to Kazuki.

"······Hiakari-san, be careful of the blue slime okay!"

Identical with the red slime that radiated heat, the blue slime also radiated chilly air.

That was why there was no doubt that the blue slime had strong resistance against cold.

Koyuki's ear twitched hearing Kazuki's warning, but without even glancing back, her figure disappeared between the strange trees that grows wildly inside this Haunted Ground.

"······No choice then, let's return to the academy for the moment Mio."

Kazuki talked to Mio who was in his arm. All of this was the swordsman's responsibility because he couldn't protect the rearguard.

"······Kazu-niii" Mio who was carried in the arms, naked, released a drowsy sweet voice.

"Mio? Now that I think about it, are you fine being attacked by a slime like that?"

"Kazu-nii······my chest is hot, my body, my chest and stomach are itching······"

Mio hugged Kazuki tightly. Somehow her condition was strange.

While being bothered where to look, Kazuki peeked at Mio's face. Her face flushed red like she got cold, her eyes were intoxicated like they saw a hallucination, released rough panting breath from her half-opened lips.

······Perhaps it was because of the hot liquid from before!

That liquid melted the magic dress. Magic dress was created from magic power, namely the force of will. If that was melted then——that liquid was a poison that influenced the mind!

No wait, rather then poison, this liquid was······a type of sake and aphrodisiac······.

"Kazu-nii······I love you! I love you I love you, I love you so much!! Hug me more!!"

Heart marks scattered around, Mio pushed her bare-naked breast and her legs coiled around. A sweet scent resembling milk drifted in the air. Her sighs hitting the neck were hot and amorous.

This is bad. This situation is very bad! ······If we don't escape to place where there were no Demon Beasts and people then···!

Her sanity should return if time passed for a short while , and then she could reform her magic dress.

······If I don't preserve my reasoning power until that time, then in this strange situation, towards Mio I will···!

"I am the swordsman of Hayashizaki style! No way I'll lose to this kind of temptation!!"

While shouting 'UOOOOOO!' Kazuki was running throughout the forest carrying the soft body of Mio.

===Part 2===

Going back in time three hours before——

"Traveling in a train like this, somehow it feels like a trip, isn't it~"

Kazuki and Mio, both of them wearing uniform sat side by side inside the magic light train.

"Don't get relaxed too much okay. The quest is an actual combat you know."

Kazuki made a bitter face toward the partner who wasn't nervous at all in their first quest.

Though having said that, it's not like Kazuki didn't understand what Mio said. Today hit the Golden Week, it had been one month since the enrollment. The pleasantly warm breeze of the late spring season poured from the window, repeatedly blowing the nape of their neck.

"Kazuki also feel this mood right? Waking up early in the morning and making onigiri. What is the ingredient?"

"This is for the preparation if the quest turned out to take a long time you know!? Canned tuna and salted salmon roe."

"My favorite dish from a long time ago. So you remember!"

Mio's face was bursting with smile along with a heart mark that came flying toward Kazuki.

That heart mark was sucked into Kazuki's magic dress, the <Solomon Ring>.

This ring received the change of positivity levels of other people and had the power to measure them.

In the span of one month since meeting with the former childhood friend, her positivity level had thoroughly gone up.

Mio looked around the surrounding restlessly to confirm if there was no other passenger.

"Kazu-nii, wake me up when we arrive~"

Mio approached and leaned her head to Kazuki's shoulder.

"Are you intending to sleep before fighting!?" As expected Kazuki was surprised.

"It's okay, I'm not really sleeping. I just want to do this······"

While saying that Mio clutched Kazuki's hand like she was entwining their finger together. 'gatangoton' Within the vibration of the train's movement, Kazuki stayed silent while feeling Mio's body temperature.

Humankind obtained the power of magic and met with the residents of a parallel dimension who are called Diva.

——Thereupon an outbreak of phenomenon called <{{furigana|Extraordinary Malignant Spot|Cancer}}> happened.

Tearing off the world, from there the magic power of a parallel world, {{furigana|Astrum|Distorted World}}, spilled over. The spilled magic power transformed into the form of Demon Beasts and spirit. Demon Beasts attacked humans, the surrounding space where the Demon Beasts gathered was polluted by magic power and became Demon Beasts' soil where humans couldn't live——the Haunted Ground.

The defense organization that protected Japan's public order, the Knight Order had three main duty, [Defense against the invasion of other country], [Suppression of illegal magician], and [Subjugation of Demon Beast · liberation of Haunted Ground].

Because of the frequent terror attacks against the Knight Order performed by a group of illegal magician [Loki's Einherjar] led by Loki of Norse Mythology, the Knight Order didn't have enough hand to perform their original duty.

To compensate for that, the knight training academy that Hayashizaki Kazuki attended——The National Knight Academy <Caryatid>, gave the work that the Knight Order couldn't finish to the students in the form of a quest.

The students formed parties and challenged the quest in place of the Knight Order.

The Haunted Ground's location was a few minutes walk from the station.

The Haunted Ground's surrounding was covered by a fence, the civilians were prohibited from entering.

Demon Beast attacked humans instinctively, however Demon Beasts couldn't come out of the surrounding space that hadn't been transformed into Haunted Ground. They mostly took defensive stances and only attacked humans that invaded the Haunted Ground.

Haunted Ground became the production base of Demon Beasts. It further encroached the surrounding area because of the Demon Beasts' propagation and kept expanding.

Inevitably, the people that originally lived in the soil that became Haunted Ground were evacuated.

Like this, the longer the Haunted Ground was left alone, it would become an out of control situation.

The dispatching of the Knight Order prioritized the urban area at any cost while forest and mountain Haunted Grounds were postponed easily and tend to be distributed as quest for Knight Academy's students.

Kazuki and Mio headed for the only entrance of Haunted Ground, the gate. {{furigana|Ex-knight|Old person}} was standing guard at the gate to check the people that entered the Haunted Ground.

"We were dispatched from the Knight Academy and came here, please give us the entry authorization."

"······Cheh, the academy brats huh. Moreover, only two came."

The guard spat out in a whisper and started the processing of Kazuki and Mio's entry.

"Why doesn't the Knight Order come here themselves, they are making light of the refugees here. ······Then I'll do the scan, so flow your magic power into your Stigma until it shines. Hm? What is this stigma?"

The guard put his hand and scanned the magic light of the stigma at the back of Kazuki's hand with <Scanner Device>. Next, Mio's stigma was also scanned by peeking into her neck from the back.

Thereupon, the device did the comparison with the data that had arrived from the quest counter of the academy, and confirmed that Kazuki and Mio were the appointed person of an official quest.

"You're not a mere swordsman, it became a hot topic some times ago, someone who received Enigma despite being a man. Although as expected, your magic power seems to be low compared to the woman huh. Don't overdo yourself until it becomes a situation where we need to call reinforcements, okay?"

After seeing off Kazuki and Mio, the guard entered the gate's post, Mio pulled her eyelid down and sticked out her tongue.

"What is that, saying things like just a student or just a man, making fools of us! If I and Kazuki unite, we are unrivaled! Starting from now is the beginning of the legend of me and Kazuki!!"

"······Mio saying things like unrivaled or legend, however you heard it, it only sounds like failure flags."

"Why are you saying things like that~!!"

While advancing forward with Mio hitting Kazuki repeatedly, the scenery gradually changed into strange crooked things. It was a country road that could exist anywhere, but it changed into wetlands filled with moisture, and the surrounding trees' color changed into poisonous color. The Demon Beasts' presence were starting to drift around in the surrounding.

······And then three hours later, Mio's flag splendidly turned into reality.

===Part 3===

Mio cast her eyes down in shame and blushing bright red while going home in the magic light train sitting side by side.

"······hey, how much did you see······?"

How much, was it? It was about the matter with the mucus and tentacle some times ago wasn't it?

"I swear I didn't see most of it, the tentacles were in the way."

"Af, after that too I was naked for quite long right!? Though I don't remember it well······"

"After that I didn't watch your body too. It was obvious that time I was in the middle of fighting you know."

"······Then Kazuki, you really don't have any interest at me after all?"

Mio glared at Kazuki with sulking eyes. Why did it became like that······.

"Talking about that, what kind of condition happened to you at that time?"

Was it something like aphrodisiac that manipulated the mind, or was it like drinking alcohol and then losing all restraint and made merry like drunk——which one was it? Mio's face became increasingly bright red because of Kazuki's inquiry.

"Don't remember, I don't remember! I don't remember anything at all!"

"As expected, a two men party might be too difficult."

Kazuki changed the topic and Mio, taken aback, raised her head.

"I don't wanna. I don't want a strange person added to my party and Kazuki!!"

"But······with only us at the moment, the breadth of our tactics are too narrow."

The current Kazuki and Mio——cannot use attack magic other than flame element. Like today, if they encountered enemy that had resistance toward flame and heat then a hard fight was inevitable.

But with a strong expression Mio shook her head.

"It's fine! I······will become even stronger for sure!! To the extent that we won't ever need any other people!!"

Kazuki had a feeling it was not a problem that could be solved simply by growing strong. But toward Mio that grasped his hand and stared hard at him with upturned eyes, Kazuki lost his words and couldn't say anything.

······However if I could use a lot more magic, then this problem would be settled.

Kazuki's contracted Diva——{{furigana|Lemegeton|Solomon's small key}} was a unique Diva who had the [Power of King] to control Solomon 72 Pillar.

That ability was the ability to be able to use all 10 of the characteristic magics owned by the other Solomon 72 Pillar. In contrast with normal Diva that could only use 10 variety of magic, Lemegeton could use at maximum 720 variety of magic. The problem of [the width of tactics were narrow] would become irrelevant, an extraordinary existence.

But that ability had conditions. If Kazuki couldn't make other Magika Stigma become lovestruck with him, then he wouldn't be able to use that ability. Currently Kazuki could use the same summoning magic of [Phoenix] like Mio because he was able to make the contractor of Phoenix, Mio to fall for him.

He could also use only two of Kaguya senpai's summoning magic, but ······they were not magic really suitable for quest.

I wanted to become strong and protected Mio. But for that purpose then with another girl I'd need to······.

Unconciously Kazuki poured magic power into Solomon's ring, magic light vision floated in front of Kazuki's eyes. A graph of the girls positivity level that only Kazuki could see was projected there.

The graphs extending horizontally like they were competing before one's eyes were also provided with a number.

Amasaki Mio——124 Otonashi Kaguya——75 Hiakari Koyuki——46 Hoshikaze Hikaru——39

Mio was staying quiet motionlessly, before long the magic light train stopped at the station in front of the knight academy.

——Like that the two persons' first quest that they challenged in the golden week was over without leaving behind any result.

===Part 4===

"Amasaki Mio will fall into rank B for sure if she keeps this up."

After school end at the first day of class after golden week——Kazuki was called to the staff room. There the home-room teacher, Liz Liza Westwood spouted a shocking word out of the blue.

"Eh?" Liz Liza sensei who had a figure that completely looked like a child, continued her strict words toward Kazuki, who leaked an idiotic voice.

"Losing to rank E like you was already fatal. And then after that she failed a quest, her evaluation has dropped drastically. If she keeps this up she will be demoted to rank B."

"Ple——please wait a second! Certainly she hasn't brought any result yet, but it's obvious her true power is one of the best compared to her surrounding, right!?"

"There are also other students who grew remarkably. Chances must be given equally."

First year students who were evaluated as [rank A] from the academy could stay in dedicated dormitory for the student council, [Witch's Mansion] as a privilege. There, they could receive introduction to magic from the senpais in the student council.

Demotion from rank A to rank B means eviction from the Witch's Mansion.

Kazuki was rank E, but because of the special circumstance of being contracted with a mysterious Diva, he could live in the Witch's Mansion so the student council president could safeguard (while monitoring) him.

Mio wouldn't be in Witch's Mansion any-more. Even though they were finally getting along again like the old times.

"Right now with Loki acting violently, the situation is that the students have to receive quests rapidly. Real ability that cannot produce any result cannot be valued. Even if she is a rank A, but if she is slacking off, being demoted might fire her up though."

Loki attacked the branches of the Knight Order in the whole country every few days, but before real interception even began, they only fought a little and escaped immediately. As though they were just ridiculing the opponent.

It seems there was still nothing that resulted in death but it became that the Knight Order needed to be constantly vigilant against attack. At the same time, the investigation for Loki's hiding location must also be done.

Like that the duties that became neglected were distributed to the students as quest.

Originally the quest system was intended for the students' personal learning experience, however in the current emergency situation, they were completely regarded as precious war potential.

Because there were strong bashing from society regarding the coercion of students into actual battle, the quest even now was formally a [practical class that student accepted voluntarily], but——rank A student like Mio was constantly under untold heavy pressure and expectation to produce results.

"······But Mio is not slacking off at all!"

Since forming a party with Kazuki, every morning Mio always stealthily performed magic training as if to hide it from him——though Kazuki who was very sharp toward any magic power outbreak noticed it immediately.

"It's because rank E like me dragged her feet."

"Fuhn, my eyes is not so blind that I still thought your real ability is still the same with your current rank."

"······Why does this matter not told to the person herself, but instead told to me?"

"Both of you are in a two-man party, aren't you? If you think that girl's evaluation is undeserved then you have to support your team mate."

If I could support her then I wanted to do so. I really wanted to do that, but for that to happen······.

"The quickest and easiest way for me is to add Hiakari Koyuki to your party, I also thought that if you can use that chance to become closer with her then it will be two birds with one stone."

A glint of light appeared in Liz Liza sensei's eyes. Liz Liza sensei also knew about Leme's special characteristics.

Maybe from the start she called me here to say that matter.

"······Neither Mio nor Hiakari-san will agree to form a party together though."

"Fuhn, it's evident that your sense of danger is not enough that you're being so particular about this. ······By the way, this is a completely different topic, but in the case that you became friendly with a magician that has a contract with a Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar, what would happen? Can you also draw the ability from that Diva?"

Liz Liza sensei asked about a topic that really had no relation at all with the topic until now.

Lemegeton materialized besides Kazuki.

She was a completely nude little girl the first time she appeared in front of Kazuki, but with her power returned little by little, her stature already grew reaching about an elementary student's size and a one-piece tunic covered her body.

With Leme regaining her power due to Kazuki's friendlier relations with various girls, her original form was also slowly returning. It was a wonder what kind of form her original appearance was as Diva.

"With Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar, as long the other party has the will to cooperate with Leme, then Leme can draw that Diva's characteristic magic you know-. However it's considerably a rare case for such Diva of other mythology to cooperate with Leme though-. Fundamentally the relation between mythology are running counter with each other."

"Hmm, is that so?"

While looking down, Liz Liza-sensei whispered 'Is there any worth in testing this······'.

Testing? ······In Japan contracting with Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar was illegal. There should be no chance of getting along with illegal magician, but······

"Understood. It's okay for you to go back now." Liz Liza-sensei waved her hand like she was chasing Kazuki out.

An unexpected character was waiting for Kazuki when he came out of the staff room.

"Kazuki. Were you messing up something that you were getting called by sensei? ······mugu."

Because of her small build, she didn't enter into Kazuki's sight and that character ran her face into Kazuki's chest and leaked that 'mugu' voice. Even though that kind of voice was still said coolly······

"Hiakari-san!? ······Are you okay?"

Kazuki supported the girl's shoulder in panic, though the girl said "I'm fine" and shook off that hand.

"Rather than that, please don't ignore my question. Why were you called?"

"Aaa——that was······Because of the failed quest yesterday, Liz Liza-sensei came to give a warning that if our evaluation keep declining like this, it will become serious trouble. It's because I'm a rank E you see."

Kazuki immediately explained while shading off about Mio's matter. Koyuki's expression 'mu' became stiff hearing that.

"······It's unreasonable isn't it? Kazuki had won in a duel against rank A, so failing a quest just once shouldn't make your evaluation drop."

"Does Hiakari-san worry about my problem?"

When Kazuki started walking to the Witch's Mansion, the girl also came alongside him.

"It's not that. It's not worry or anything, I don't care whatever happened to you. It's just, I thought I want to say my thanks where there is nobody······. If it's not now, whether Amasaki-san, or the president, or little sister-san, somebody will be around you."

The girl said thank you and bowed her head.

"······By any chance, is it about the slime's attribute at yesterday's quest?"

"Yes. Thanks to that I could finish the quest successfully. If not for Kazuki's advice, I'd lost my composure when I found out about the blue slime's resistance to cold and might have fallen into a predicament."

Yesterday's quest was about holding back the encroachment of the Haunting Ground in western Tokyo's forest.

Koyuki annihilating all the Demon Beast that lived in that Haunted Ground——did not happen, it seems exterminating one area of the Demon Beast and liberating the area part by part was already considered as success.

If there was no Demon Beast in the Haunted Ground, then the plot of land would return to how it was originally. Poisonous plants grew densely and that Haunted Ground became marshland, but if the Demon Beast were all gone then it should return back to the original forest.

"But how did Hiakari-san defeat the slime that had strong resistance against ice Summoning Magic?"

"My contracted Diva, Vepar, rules over cold and water. I suffocated it to death by water magic."

"······Eh? Does slime need to breath? Was it foaming inside the water?"

"I tested it half in doubt······yet it died. I don't think it had an organ for breathing like mouth or lung, so perhaps it breath's by using the surface of the cell. And then it was a living thing that had its activity on the land so I thought that it didn't have any structure to take oxygen from the water. Just like earthworm that can breath through its skin inside the earth, but it dies by suffocation above the asphalt."

If you think about it, as long as it was a living thing, excepting some small exception, then it should need oxygen for its activity. Even though the Demon Beast was the resident of a fantasy world, there were many things that had similar motif with the real world, like dragon that closely resembled a lizard.

Demon Beast's ecology and traits were still not understood.

But when we challenged quests from now on, there was no doubt that we would need to observe unknown Demon Beast calmly and do trial and error with various elements magic and fighting style.

I and Mio couldn't do that——the girl in front of me could do that.

"······As I thought Hiakari-san, won't you enter our party?"

Koyuki knitted her eyebrow sullenly toward Kazuki's proposal.

"Because you failed the quest and fell into a pinch, you want me to lend you some help?"

"Sorry, frankly I'm weak. Besides compared to us, this time Hiakari-san was mostly okay, but even so going solo is dangerous. I think it's better to team up with someone even if not with us."

"Weak? You are not weak, rather isn't it Amasaki-san who lost in duel against you that is weak? For example······as it is that girl will be demoted in rank B, won't she?"

Koyuki took a deep breath toward Kazuki who was startled, like she had seen through everything.

"I think if I enter the party because Kazuki is the one that is in danger then Amasaki-san will be able to accept it, but if it's because she herself that is in danger then······I think she will reject it resolutely you know. Her pride is high, and she also hates me."

"Certainly that girl's pride is high but······she doesn't hate Hiakari-san you know."

"She really hate me though. She came to oppose me in every single thing."

"That's not it, Mio said 'I don't want a strange guy added to the party!'. In short that means, if it's not a strange person then it's okay to add them to the party. And then Hiakari-san is not a strange person! So it's all okay!"

"······What the heck is that? That logic you said was really pushing it. I am a plenty strange girl."

"Hiakari-san is not someone strange at all. You are an extremely kind person, aren't you? When I was made fun in the class introduction because I said that my special skill was sword skill, Hiakari-san said that sword is not worthless and gave me some encouragement. How much those few words saved me. Even the time when I became friendless in the class, only Hiakari-san was impartial regarding me. Hiakari-san is a girl that is fair and hate discrimination and bullying. I feel respect toward that kindness and strength."

"Wa——what are you saying······"

Koyuki's expressionless face became stiff toward Kazuki, who started to talk passionately while tightly gripping his fist.

"Beside that, you also have calm judgement, there were already many times when Hiakari-san saved me from tight spots. Kind, strong, and cool, there is no way a girl this reliable exist."

"That is······my only worth is magic battle, that's why······"

"Hiakari-san is too humble saying that kind of thing so quickly. But every time I was doing some housework, Hiakari-san always watched me patiently and saying 'Thank you' honestly. Even though Hiakari-san disliked it when I invited you to do the housework together. For me, every time I did some housework, I was thinking that I want to receive Hiakari-san's delight. Hiakari-san is showing a cold attitude, but in truth you are a warm person."

"Tha——that was because of my incompetence, that I gave you some trouble so······"

Hiakari-san look downward while blushing red. A heart mark flew from her chest.

"······Certainly Hiakari-san is unsociable, so maybe there are some misunderstanding from the surrounding people. However I'm absolutely not overlooking Hiakari-san's charms! If Mio doesn't notice Hiakari-san's charm, then I will keep talking to her to make her understand how good a person Hiakari-san is!! Yosh, I'll immediately do the campaign to show Hiakari-san's charm from now on!!"

"······Ple——please stop, to campaign like that!"

Koyuki gripped and pulled back Kazuki's sleeve and raised a loud voice which was unusual from her. A small skull mark that look like a speck floated from her chest. That was a proof that her positivity level dropped a little.

Koyuki released 'haa' a long breath, and said "What a person, that can't be helped huh."

"Are you an idiot? That talk just now, if you do that to Amasaki-san it will have opposite effect you know."

"Why? I thought that Mio will properly understand Hiakari-san's charm though."

"She wouldn't want to hear that kind of thing from your mouth······you are really a person that don't understand a girl's heart. Somehow it makes me angry······"

In the mean time they had arrived at the Witch's mansion and stopped in the garden.

The door opened and Mio came flying from the living room.

"Kazuki! Welcome home, where did you go just now······eh, Hiakari······!"

When she noticed Koyuki besides Kazuki, Mio quickly stopped and glared at Koyuki.

Toward that look, with disinterested voice Koyuki——announced.

"Amasaki Mio, I challenged you to a duel."

Kazuki and Mio froze because of those unexpected words. They didn't understand what that meant.

"You who lost a duel against rank E and exposed unsightly, disgraceful behavior in a quest will be demoted to rank B if you keep this up. If that happen then you won't be able to stay here."

"I, I will be rank B!? And then······from this place······"

"Hiakari-san! Why are you saying that!?"

Kazuki whose complexion changed pressed the question but Koyuki abruptly glared back to Kazuki.

"I refused your invitation, it was troublesome. Annoying. Besides······Besides if the person herself doesn't have any real ability and she got dropped into a suitable rank, isn't that for her own good? A person without any real strength that keep insisting she is rank A is, unsightly. I will hand the requiem for such person."

Koyuki announced to Mio who was still frozen in shock with an absolute zero gaze.

"······Amasaki Mio. If you lost to me then you will be demoted to rank B immediately. So, will you accept my duel challenge? ······I don't mind even if you turned tail and run though."

Mio's expression who had high pride was turned red in rage in a blink.

"There······There is no way that I'll run, right!? Before it was the rank E Kazuki who challenged me to duel, and now it is you who challenge me to a duel······Bring it on!"

Far from turning tail, Mio pointed her finger to Koyuki with her twintails shaking.

"I'll finish you quick and easy and prove that I am an appropriate rank A for sure!!"

Certainly if Mio fought equally or more against Koyuki whose rank was A, Mio might be able to prove that demotion to rank B is not appropriate for her. However······

"Please wait, calm down! If you lose you won't be able to stay here you know!?"

"Shut up Kazuki!"

"······Then please wait outside. I'll call senpai and sensei so they can become the witnesses needed for the duel."

Koyuki slipped from the side of Mio whose blood had risen to her head and climbed the stairs.

"······Kaguya-senpai, why did you acknowledged this kind of duel?"

The students of knight academy could perform <Duel> under the presence of the student council.

Duel was a mock battle performed under a safe rule where if each other's magic power were shaved until zero then the attack stopped. Acknowledgement was needed from the student council president for its execution.

The student council president of {{furigana|Magic Division|Magika}}——Kaguya-senpai, if it was her I thought she would stop this quarrel.

"Nnn······because when I heard the circumstance, I thought this was for the best?"

"So you think that using the principle of strength to decide right and wrong is the best······is it?"

Fundamentally senpai was kind, but she also had an aspect where she was a person with strict principle of strength.

"That's not it······maa, let's just see what will happen, ok? Come on, it's starting."

Kaguya-senpai pointed at the center of the ground. Over there were——Mio and Koyuki facing each other with distance of 50 meters between them according to the custom. The referee standing between them was Hoshikaze-senpai.

Kazuki, Liz Liza-sensei, and others were attending in the guest seat that surrounded the ground.

"······Amasaki Mio had made up her mind huh. But to show whether she has the strength as rank A or not, certainly this is the easiest set up to understand."

That was what sensei said. Because this duel was performed so suddenly, there were no other curious students that were watching.

"{{furigana|I know thy name|Shem ha-Mephorash}}<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shemhamphorasch</ref>······Thy name are [Phoenix] ······Namely a poet, transform to magician! Poetic bird toying logic with its sweet tongue, show thy strength in accordance with my life!"

"{{furigana|I know thy name|Shem ha-Mephorash}}······Thy name are [Vepar] ······Mermaid singer imparting icy thoughts, shed drops of tear of sadness in this world."

Both of them performed {{furigana|Astrum Connection|Access}} at the same time. Mio was wrapped with orange magic power's light while the wing stigmata floated up on her back, her figure transformed into a red magic dress.

Koyuki was emitting blue light while scale shaped stigmata floated up on both her thighs, her body was wrapped in a white magic dress. Kazuki's breath was taken away, he was pressured instinctively by the figure of the two confronting each other.

——Duel of fellow Magika Stigma. If he thought about it, this was the first time Kazuki watched this kind of thing.

Their specialty respectively were, flame magic used by Mio, and ice magic used by Koyuki.

"Well then······Begin!" With that cry, Hoshikaze-senpai pushed the trigger of the duel.

Both Mio and Koyuki emitted magic power's light at the same time and began the chanting of the spell.

The one who finished her chant first was——Koyuki. An avatar of a mermaid floated on her back.

"Glacier Wind!"

Chilly winds blew across the fifty meter distance. Mio who was concentrating on her spell's chant couldn't defend against that, defensive magic power protected her body from the chill.

Defensive magic power——the body couldn't be inflicted with injury, but in exchange large amount of magic power was exhausted.

However Mio's concentration on her spell was not interrupted, she retaliated and invoked her magic one move late.

"······Barrett!!"

This time Koyuki was hit by the familiar flame of bullet. Blue light of defensive magic power scattered around Koyuki too.

"First was confirming each other's chanting speed using the level 1 offense summoning magic. If it were swordsmen, then it's like confirming each other's range. ······The fight will start from here."

Kaguya-senpai whispered from Kazuki's side.

Koyuki's side was faster in spell chanting speed. In other words——the receiver side was turned to Mio.

"Kuh. ······Burn out all that were touched······No person to depend on, scorching heat of denial! {{furigana|Self Burning|Repelling Flame Armor}}!"

Mio first solidified her defense and chanted defense magic. Her whole body was covered with flame armor.

To activate a spell, first the magician need to request for magic phenomenon to Diva in Astrum using {{furigana|imperative statement|Programming}}.

Because the target of defense magic like Self Burning was their own body, the time needed to transmit the {{furigana|coordinate designation|Targeting}} to the Diva could be omitted, the spell could be invoked quickly.

"······Divine protection of mermaid, halt the advance of the hateful enemy, expedite the advance of the chosen person······. Run oh ice blade! {{furigana|Moves in the Field|Skating Rink Grand Dancing}}!"

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 034.jpg|thumb]]

Koyuki also finished chanting her spell——cold air was starting to spread from the girl's underfoot and in the blink of eye the ground had been frozen. Mio carelessly tried to move and her foot slipped.

On the other hand, by using cold air Koyuki created ice shoes with edge attached in both her feet similar to skating shoes, she sped up and slid across the fifty meter distance in one go.

"Does Hiakari-san plan to enter close combat!?"

As might be expected from someone who fight solo, it seems her Vepar was an all-purpose Diva.

Koyuki approached Mio who couldn't move her body and did a dance-like jump. ——Her visible white leotard coupled with her magic dress, it was as though the performance of a figure skater had began.

And then while Koyuki spun in the air, a sharp kick using the edge of the ice shoes visited Mio. The slash of the sharp ice managed to pierce the flame armour.

However the instant Koyuki's kick landed, Mio concentrated the fire of her whole body in one spot using psychokinesis. Koyuki's kick was swallowed inside the fierce growing fire unexpectedly.

The ice shoes evaporated inside the over-concentrated flame, making Koyuki's kick powerless.

"——!?" Koyuki opened her eyes in surprise because of the practical skill Mio showed using common magic.

And then the moment Koyuki did icing on her foot again——Mio read that timing and shifted to attack.

"{{furigana|Fire Wall|Flame Emperor Founding}}!"

Fissures ran in the ground that Koyuki froze under her feet, from there flames blew up.

"Singing voice of mermaid, manifest the frozen thought! Sorrow turn into ice flower, solitude turn into light snow······cover the world in cold nothingness!! {{furigana|White Album|Silent Pure White}}!!"

However Koyuki too was already chanting a different large-scale spell since she was sliding on the ice surface.

The surrounding of Koyuki and Mio were repainted with different space. It became a world of winter blizzard.

In the space covered with cold——the flame wall blew up from Koyuki's underfoot, the flame armor covering Mio's whole body, everything were vanished by the cold.

The alternate space that Koyuki produced also had used up its energy and the surrounding returned to normal space.

But an ice shoe was still left behind in one of Koyuki's feet.

"Fuh!" Using an unexpectedly beautiful form, Koyuki released a high kick hunting the neck. Drawing a silver line resembling an Iai<ref>Art of high-speed sword drawing</ref>'s slash, the ice edge ripped apart Mio's magic power.

A splendorous arching kick pursued Mio who staggered powerlessly from the impact of smashed magic power.

"Mioo!!"

"Otouto-kun, so you lost your cool if it was about Mio-chan huh······I might be a little jealous."

Kaguya-senpai smiled bitterly beside Kazuki.

"Even while Mio-chan was receiving damage, she still continued to chant a different spell, you see."

Kazuki sharpened his senses and finally saw, Mio who looked like she was at her wit's end from the kick······certainly waves of magic power could be felt. And then that was——an explosion happened all of sudden.

"Maybe Otouto-kun values Mio-chan so much that you underestimate her. You consider her as someone who you have to protect at all cost······certainly Koyuki-chan is superior at the amount of her innate magic power, but even with that, both of them are——equal."

"Immortal bird soaring from dusk to dawn, grant that wing of hope on my back! Destruction for the sake of rebirth, here! {{furigana|Blazing Wings|Ash Ember Ending in Crimson Wing}}!"

Mio chanted the spell in dignified voice. ······Phoenix's level 5 summoning magic!

An enormous flame sprouted from Mio's back, transformed into wings of flame with the width of ten-odd meters.

Mio slammed the wings of flame toward Koyuki, this time it was her turn to attack.

However while receiving the enormous fire to her body, Koyuki also carried out the spell of high level magic.

"······Sinking hundred of ships, the menace of sea lurking inside the depths of the sea! Rising to the surface guided by my singing voice······show that whole tale! ······Pierce through, oh fangs! {{furigana|Ice Buster|Iceberg Grand Waves}}!!"

Koyuki slapped her palm onto the ground——from there a great number of iceberg flew out.

The emerging icebergs soared fiercely to the sky toward the flying Mio to skewer her. Mio slammed her flame wing to oppose one of the iceberg assaulting her.

Large scale destruction magics crashed into each other, flame and ice offset each other mutually.

"Mio-chan is really skilled at manipulating magic power from Astrum you know. If she falls into a pinch she is able to draw out a large amount of magic from Astrum."

The alternate world connected from the depth of the mental world——Astrum, enormous magic power of the root of human's mind rolled in whirlpool inside that world.

When human's magic power reached the bottom, human's mind could access Astrum and drew magic power from there. However if someone carelessly drew magic power from Astrum, that human's mind would be the one that was pulled into Astrum and there would be risk of falling into fainting states, that state was called <Magic Intoxication>.

"Mio-chan in a pinch can unconsciously pull and use large amount of magic power that will make normal people faint into magic intoxication. When she was cornered to the brink she became strong, using abnormal utter gutsiness. This is one kind of talent that won't even lose to Koyuki-chan, see."

"Now that senpai mentioned it······I've never seen her faint because of magic intoxication."

"Koyuki-chan's Ice Buster is a level 6 magic. Mio-chan should lose if she clashed from the front. However even now······Mio-chan is still chanting her spell further!"

Mio's flame wings kept weakening because it's losing to the glaciers that kept coming one after another.

"Blazing······Wings!"

However with a strained voice, Mio chanted the spell even more. Two consecutive level 5 magic!

The regenerated wing of flame was tiding over against the glaciers, on the contrary it even pushed back the glaciers.

Even against an elf like Koyuki that should have extraordinary magic power, gradually the bottom was starting to become visible, finally——

"It's over!" The referee, Hoshikaze-senpai, stopped the battle.

For the safety in the duel, the duel would be stopped when the magic power was shaved until the point where it reached critical section.

Both of them used up all of their energy and willpower at the same time, Koyuki sat on the ground, Mio too fell down and squatted from the momentum. Both of their magic dresses released light and returned back to their uniforms.

"It won't have any persuasion power if she is demoted after showing high level battle until this point, huh."

Liz Liza-sensei who was spectating silently until now whispered with a sigh.

"In the case of a draw, the evaluation of the side with lower rank will be upped slightly. Hiakari Koyuki is the top of her grade, so in this case Amasaki Mio's evaluation will be upped. ······Hiakari, you didn't go easy on your opponent deliberately right?"

"······With Amasaki-san as the opponent······there wouldn't be any room for that······"

Koyuki who sat down said that looking completely exhausted.

"······Everyone······overestimated me too much because I'm an elf······"

"Fun. With this Amasaki will keep her rank for a while. But as long she can't clear a quest then this is no more than a stopgap measure."

Leaving those words behind Liz Liza-sensei went back to the direction of the school building.

"Mio!" Kazuki who heard Liz Liza-sensei's word rushed over to Mio who was crouching down and breathing roughly, looking liked she had just finished a marathon.

Even while totally exhausted, Mio fought to the bitter end to float a smiling face and showed a V-sign to Kazuki.

===Part 5===

After the dinner Kazuki knocked Koyuki's door.

"Please come in." With that permission, Kazuki opened the door with a little nervousness.

What entered the eyes was——bookshelf.

"······This room look completely like a library huh."

Smell of books pierced the nose. There was no element of girl's atmosphere at all, what were inside were only bookshelves made from steel that could be stowed with book both in the front and in the back, aside from a bed and a desk there were only bookshelves lined orderly in this room.

"There are always times remained to read books anyways."

Between the gap of the bookshelves, Koyuki could be seen sitting on her bed wearing her usual underwear along with white shirt. An old rabbit stuffed toy was propped up besides the bed. That was the only color scheme in this room.

"······That appearance again as expected, it's troubling where to put my eyes though······"

Kazuki's eyes keep getting attracted to the gap between the shirts hem and shirttail. Glimpses of white clothes and a girl's legs keep appearing and disappearing. But he raised his line of sight with strong willpower and stared at the girl's face.

"I don't want to change my lifestyle just for the sake of your eyes' convenience."

"——If that's the case, I'll watch Hiakari-san as much as I want then."

Kazuki said that to try to bully her even though he actually didn't have the intention of watching for real. Koyuki was startled because of that.

"Why······why would you do that? There is nothing worth seeing anyway in the body of someone like me."

"Haven't I said it many times before that Hiakari-san is beautiful. I'm going to push you down soon you know."

"You don't have that kind of courage right? Even though you have Amasaki-san."

······Why did she mentioned Mio there?

Koyuki closed her thighs while fidgeting, and then "What kind of business do you have?" glared at Kazuki scornfully.

"Hiakari-san was······regarding today's duel, did you know from the beginning that it would turn out like this?"

"You too are saying that I was going easy in that fight, is that so?"

"Even if Hiakari-san were not going easy on that duel, but if two people with equal ability dueled each other then it would become a draw. If that happened then Mio would keep her rank. Because Hiakari-san thought that, that's why Hiakari-san challenged Mio to duel, am I right?"

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand Amasaki-san her requiem because your invitation was annoying, that's all."

"When Hiakari-san requested the duel, I was panicked because I didn't know what were you thinking, but······certainly rather than challenging the quest once more, the possibility that Mio could keep her rank is higher if both Hiakari-san and Mio battled each other, I realized it after the duel finished."

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand that girl's requiem because it was annoying how much you and her flirted in this mansion, that's all."

"Thank you Hiakari-san. As I thought, Hiakari-san is a cool, kind, and reliable person."

"······Please listen when people talk. I'm getting angry you know."

"But on top of that I also have a request······in any event Hiakari-san has to enter our party."

If the girl really acted for Mio's sake then——as expected I want to fight together with her and become comrade, that was what Kazuki thought.

"I don't want. ······I don't want to have any illicit relation in the place of battle. I hate party like yours and Amasaki-san where you two keep flirting."

"Be, before too Hiakari-san mentioned about flirting, but I never flirted with her before!"

"I know that. If I'm going to party with someone, then I expect to have a mercenary relationship."

"I think I can understand that kind of sentiment. But isn't it lonely to fight like that without any rapport with your comrade? You can't even encourage each other in difficult times with that kind of relationship."

"Searching for something like contact of feeling in battle is strange. If you have that kind of wish, then get someone other than me······"

"I want to party together with Hiakari-san, and then get along better with Hiakari-san."

Toward Kazuki's proclamation——Koyuki averted her face like she was running away from that straight forward gaze.

"······I hate it, speaking things like that frankly!"

Despite saying how she dislike that kind of thing, a heart mark floated from Koyuki's chest and absorbed into the ring. The girl's positivity level was raised up to 48.

As expected, the girl's heart and words were always contrary.

"······Even though she was doing nothing but flirting with you, today's Amasaki-san was strong. Where does that kind of will power come from. I'm looking at her in new light, just a little."

"It's not flirting, precisely because we are together with each other that we also become stronger."

Toward that, Koyuki didn't give any reply and ignoring Kazuki altogether, she crawled into her futon.

"In any case I refuse to party with you. Please get out already from the room."

While turning her back to Kazuki, Koyuki hugged her rabbit stuffed toy inside the futon.

"······If you get more friendly with various girls, then the problem with your lack of battle tactics will also get resolved. Be more serious about the harem plan, oh my king."

When it became night, Leme said that while entering Kazuki's bed to sleep together at his side.

Because Leme materialized using Kazuki's magic power, it was better if she was near Kazuki as much as possible.

It was more economical and practical if she withdrew to Astrum, however as a girl it seemed having a real body and existing in present world as much as possible was much more comfortable.

"But, I don't want getting intimate with any girl without caring who she is just for the sake of getting stronger."

"But you are thinking that you want to get along better with Hiakari Koyuki right?"

"Aah······that's so but"

But this feeling was totally different from the emotion of love, it should be only a matter of friendship and affinity with each other.

Even though her positivity level increased a little, but Hiakari-san hadn't opened her heart at all.

"——Kazuki, do you have time?"

While Kazuki closed his eyes and waiting for the arrival of sleepiness, Mio's voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's okay but······what kind of business is it that you come this night?"

"······My king, don't do a blunder that decreased positivity level. If you do that then the usable magic will also decrease."

After only whispering that, Leme withdrew to Astrum and her physical body disappeared.

Mio who wore a light crimson pajama entered the dark room inside timidly.

"Tonight······is it okay to sleep together?"

"Haa!?"

Kazuki raised his voice spontaneously, but without even waiting for reply Mio quickly crawled inside the futon.

"I'll say this first, there is no weird meaning about this! ······I'll get angry if you do strange things okay!!"

While saying that Mio willfully pulled one of Kazuki's arms to the place where her head was located and using it as pillow.

Aroma of citrus fruit drifted from the honey colored hair with its twintail unfastened. The body was covered with pajama, but the cloths was thin, a girl's softness could be felt from the location where their body touched each other. Sweet heat that tickled a man's instinct filled the night.

"Wha, what is your intention, is this a test for my will power as a swordsman, is that it?"

"What are you talking about. ······Tonight just a little, I don't want to sleep alone. It's okay right? In our past, it looks like I also took a nap together with Kazu-nii······"

Once Kazuki was living together with Mio in orphanage——at Nanohana institute there was time for nap after lunch. The one that was always in Kazuki's side at that time was Mio.

Around that time Mio was thought to be younger than Kazuki because her body was small, her existence was completely like a little sister. Remembering that——mysteriously Kazuki's heart calmed down.

"That's right isn't it, somehow it's a nostalgic feeling. But······has something happened?"

"······Yes. You see, for a long time since I was taken into Amasaki household, I've lived without relying on anyone. ······After all, I was an orphan. I couldn't show any weakness to my new family."

——Hearing those words, it was impossible for Kazuki to not be sympathetic.

"I'm saying this myself, but······I was training in desperation, struggling to the death. Because I was recognized from my talent of magic. On the way an enigma appeared on me and I was skipping grade, but even so I didn't lose to my surrounding, and then I entered the magic division as rank A······"

Kazuki was also the same. For a long time he thought that his only worth was his talent in sword, there was a time when he couldn't believe his step-father and Kanae's [love as family].

That was surely the trauma that himself and Mio shared in common.

That's why he could understood somehow——when the tension was so high he almost snapped, surely there were moments when he wanted to be spoiled. However the time when he couldn't show his weakness to anyone, that was a bitterness like being suffocated in the bottom of darkness.

"The truth is that today is bitter too. Being told that I will be demoted to rank B, I have a feeling that I will keep holding Kazuki back forever······"

Mio's voice was shaking inside the darkness of the room, her voice became tearful.

"But hadn't you proved your true strength? Both of you were strong. Sensei was surprised too."

"Yes, when I thought that I still can stay as rank A, that I still can stay in the Witch's Mansion, that I still can stay together with Kazuki······suddenly I wanted to feel Kazu-nii just like those old days."

While using Kazuki's arm as pillow, Mio nuzzled her face against his chest.

"That's why just like this is okay. If you do strange things now then I'll get angry."

"I won't. For me, being just like this is okay too."

Mio was "hehehe" giggling like a child toward Kazuki's reply.

"······Hey, from now on it's okay to add someone to the party if Kazuki thought it is essential. I don't like if it is someone strange, but I won't say anything selfish anymore. ······As I thought, until now rather than prioritizing about battle, I was only worrying about different things. But in exchange, lend me your arms like this once in a while. I can feel that I will be together with Kazu-nii for a long time."

{Everyday is no good you know! If Leme's place is going to be gone then it's not allowed at all!}

Leme send her words from Astrum with telepathy in great panic.

While Mio moved her body closer to Kazuki, her breath started to 'suyasuya<ref>light breath of someone sleeping</ref>' and she slept soundly. Mio always had her face in displeasure immediately following their reunion, but her defenseless sleeping face was excessively lovely, and cute.

Suddenly——'Hiakari-san, is she sleeping while holding that stuffed toy right now?', a lonely imagination crossed Kazuki's head.

===Part 6===

The next morning. A girl's voice resounded in the garden of the Witch's Mansion.

"YAAAAAAAAAA!"

The number 2 of Magic Division in real strength, Hozhikaze-senpai in a gym uniform brandishing a katana came swinging at Kazuki.

Kazuki dodged with agility, then the girl turned the katana with fluid motion and slashed for the second and third times. The [forms] that Hoshikaze-senpai learned were still few, but she learned those few forms perfectly.

Kazuki counter-attacked and stabbed at the gap in the middle of the flow.

Hoshikaze-senpai blocked that with her katana in panic.

An instant of sword locking against each other——Hoshikaze-senpai forced back Kazuki's sword straight-forwardly but Kazuki warded off that force in circle trajectory, he manipulated the sword blade skillfully and strongly repelled senpai's katana.

The moment the swords separated, in that one move Kazuki's posture was in the position of releasing a slash, whereas Hoshikaze-senpai's posture was disturbed in which it was impossible to counter attack.

Freely controlling the momentum of the swords in the moment the swords locked against each other, that was the technique of old school's sword art.

"That technique is called [Alter Position]."

Kazuki's katana hit Hoshikaze-senpai's forehead lightly, which was repelled by the blue defensive magic power.

"Senpai, when locking swords, it’s no good to push directly opposite you know.”

Of course even if it became a contest of strength Kazuki would win, in that case it was not something to teach.

“••••••I see! Whether {{furigana|Enchant Aura|Physical Reinforcement Magic}} or physical strength, a genuine swordsman will absolutely surpass me in both areas. That’s why I must constantly parry my opponent’s attack. This is a very important knowledge isn’t it? Ha! It’s even more true if the enemy is Demon Beast that boasted their strength!”

Just from one word that Kazuki said, Hoshikaze-senpai could understand ten things on her own and nodded her head repeatedly.

Everything was done with this enthusiasm, she was a great student with tremendous quality.

Moreover when Hoshikaze-senpai learned the form at the beginning, the form was engraved into her body only by seeing and practice swinging a little. When Kazuki showed an example, it seems she traced that movement by aligning her consciousness with Kazuki using advanced telepathy. Kazuki was dumbfounded when he realized there was that kind of method.

“Keep in mind that strength is not all there is to be in a match••••••Senpai has {{furigana|Ride Lightning|Thunder God Body Flicker}}, so being defeated in close range combat should not happen.”

Ride Lightning was the characteristic magic of Baal, the Diva that Hoshikaze-senpai was contracted with. Special electricity signal was sent to the whole body’s nervous system and muscle, making it possible for the body to move at lightning speed.

That’s why for the sake of using those summoning magic, senpai begged Kazuki to teach her in close quarter battle.

She only learned the fundamental movement so far, but even those basics would become terrifying if used in high speed with Ride Lightning.

“I’m glad that I became your apprentice! Honestly saying, until I met you, somewhere in my heart I was also looking down on swordsman. But swinging sword together with you everyday, I had a feeling that a new world rapidly opened up!”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s handsome beautiful face suddenly changed into smiling face. She was a senpai that looked like a prince and was popular with student of same gender, but it was also impossible for Kazuki to not be attracted toward her character.

“Moreover your way of teaching is kind. Somehow getting knocked down on the palm was a happy thing. You’re not savage at all, so••••••
Even though you are a man, I want to know you more through this sword teaching.”

Senpai said that with ecstatic tone, a heart mark floated up from her chest.

“••••••I was like you for a long time, I was wishing for a friend of the [same gender]!”

“No, please wait a little senpai. Me and senpai are not the same gender.”

“That is true but••••••however I am, see, somehow my appearance look like a boy, isn’t it? The behavior of the girls around me somehow are••••••a little strange. I’m happy receiving adoration from them but that is quite lonely. But if it’s with you then I feel that we can face each other as friend immediately!”

“Of, of course! I don’t have any idea other than friendship!”

“Thank you, I’m happy! ••••••Oops, eh?”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s feet staggered while laughing. She didn’t realize it when she reinforced her body with magic power, but when she relaxed her attention, unexpectedly there was fatigue piling up.

“Are you okay senpai?” Kazuki immediately supported her shoulder.

Hoshikaze-senpai instantly trembled. ——This senpai, the truth was that she was not good with boys.

She was mostly getting used with dialogue face to face, but••••••it seems she was bad of getting touched.

Senpai ‘Hyaa!’ raised a shrill and nervous voice and pushed away Kazuki who was getting closer.

Kazuki was staggered because of that surprise attack. It was hard to predict a reflexive action.

“Ah••••••sorry! You okay!?”

This time it was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn that supported Kazuki reflexively, she pulled Kazuki close with good momentum.

But she did that with too much force, senpai staggered backward while embracing Kazuki closely.

Both of them staggered around while in the position of embracing——for a while it looked like a complicated exchange of energy like when they were locking swords, in the end both of them tumbled down on the lawn.

Blue light of defensive magic power burst out. Thanks to it there was no pain.

Kazuki was wrapped with warmth and softness. When he opened his eyes, his head was buried into Hoshikaze-senpai’s chest that was covered with gym clothes. It was soft, a sweet aroma of girl’s sweat tickled the nose.

The gym clothes in front of the eyes was wet with sweat, water colored sports bra was showing through. Kazuki’s body was forcing through the spats covered legs of senpai, a posture that looked like he was completely drowned into senpai’s body.

“Ha, Hayashizaki-kun••••••” Hoshikaze-senpai’s face blushed bright red.

Through an act of God, it became that he pushed down a girl!

••••••Kazuki hopped up and separated his body. However before Kazuki could ask for forgiveness,

“So, sorry! It looks like I was trampling down on your kindness again!”

Senpai bowed her head down toward Kazuki because she thought she had done a very embarrassing thing.

“Senpai, please don’t apologize! There was no harm down anyway!!”

{Getting apologized to even though a lucky pervert event happened, what a great harem king huh, my king!}

Leme who saw Kazuki’s situation from Astrum sent ridiculing words to his head.

True, rather it was a good feeling••••••stop, having such wicked thought like that toward senpai was no good!

Senpai’s pupils were blurred with tears because of self-condemnation thought.

“I’m really sorry••••••. Despite my intention to rely on you in my mind, but when a man approached I got surprised. ••••••Am I disqualified as your friend••••••? Please don’t hate me because of••••••”

That eyes were not like a prince, spontaneously it became the eyes of a girl that had to be protected.

“It’s fine senpai! The unshakeable friendship between senpai and me won’t be destroyed just by this much!”

“Unshakeable friendship! ••••••Hayashizaki-kun, you really say it that much! I like it very much!!”

Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hands in deep emotion.

But even though it was the cases that Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hand because she was overcame with emotion, she gradually started to feel scared of the fact that she was grasping the hand of a man, however she trembled so much that she couldn’t even separate her hand by herself.

“Senpai, please don’t force yourself.”

Kazuki separated their hand with bitter smile. This senpai was really a person that moved without thinking first.

“For, forgive me. Why did I became like this? ••••••Haa. I wish that someday you and me can do a hot-blooded hug of friendship between men and ascertain our friendship of each other.”

“••••••Normally, there is no hugging in friendship between men you know.”

“Eh? In my favourite manga, they hugged each other while their face getting closer and then they whispered ‘I love you’ in the ears mutually and bite the earlobes of their partner though? I didn’t really understand but it made my heart beat faster you see.”

••••••That was not friendship, but boys love wasn’t it!?

“I want to get along better with you however, just like that you seee••••••”

The positivity level of Hoshikaze-senpai that leaked such honest and dangerous word was——39.

It was only 39. Heart marks often flew out from Hoshikaze-senpai, but the amount the score raised up each time was strangely low. Moreover, sometimes the score decreased by itself even when Kazuki was not doing anything.

{It is because of her man phobia. The point decreasing arbitrarily too, it was because even though she doesn’t hate you, she is also wondering whether it’s okay to like you, her positivity level is restrained by her feeling of guilt.}

Leme was giving explanation inside Kazuki’s mind. To get along with senpai better••••••not just simply raising her positivity level, the phobia of men must also be conquered, was that it?

But the more Kazuki knew about the matter of this person, the more he wanted to get along well with her.

That moment——suddenly, a voice that seemed to ridicule the situation came out from the bush behind.

“——Fufufu, it’s not a mere child play to get along with Kazuki-dono of all people.”

“••••••Who is it?”

When Kazuki turned back, a figure of a female student appeared from inside the bush.

——She is not a normal person. That was what Kazuki felt, the figure that appeared, when she walked, her head didn’t shake up and down at all. That’s because her footwork moved like she was sliding, the characteristic of ancient school of martial arts.

Regardless that this was the site of Magic Division, the girl wore the Sword Division uniform brazenly.

It was rare for swordswoman with long hair to keep their hair extending free and not braiding them instead, a daring smile floated on her lips. The majestic atmosphere around her had the taste of the coexistence of calmness and wildness.

Drawing the eyes even further——there were three pieces of sword each tied in her left and right hip, and on her back she bore an {{furigana|oodachi|large war sword (carried across the back)}}. Seven swords in total. ••••••What kind of swordsman is she?

“If you accompany her playing around like that, your precious skill will grow dull, Kazuki-dono.”

While walking to Kazuki’s side, the swordswoman threw a laugh toward Hoshikaze-senpai’s special training.

“As I thought, I’m only bothering you, am I? ••••••Sorry, Hayashizaki-kun.”

“That’s not true, please don’t be downhearted senpai! ••••••And you are?”

“The name of one’s self is Hikita Kohaku. ••••••The next year student council president of Sword Division!”

••••••Somehow this manner of speaking felt like a déjà vu. Is this the swordsman version of Mio?

“The department is different, but are you the same first year like me?”

Kohaku faced toward Kazuki and politely bobbed her head down.

“I am Hoshikaze Hikaru. Second year in Magic Division.”

Hoshikaze-senpai also gave a self-introduction••••••but Kohaku didn’t seem to give Hoshikaze-senpai any consideration and ignored her and only poured her gaze to Kazuki.

Kazuki knitted his eyebrows. People in Sword Division that still held animosity against Magic Division existed, this girl might be one of them.

She perfectly ignored Hoshikaze-senpai——but rather then getting angry, Hoshikaze-senpai laughed mischiveously instead.

And then she encircled around to Kohaku’s back and raised her katana’s overhead.

Kazuki was shocked. Kaguya-senpai said it before, but Hoshikaze-senpai had a strange kind of playfulness.

Hoshikaze-senpai swung down a single stroke in a complete surprise attack.

That instant——Kohaku perceived the killing intent and turned around while unsheathing a katana.

“Foolish thing-!” ——While shouting she performed sword drawing in the state of turning around.

Hoshikaze-senpai already swung down her katana, that was why someone with average skill couldn’t possibly make it in time. However with blue light of Enchant Aura condensed into Kohaku’s arm, it produced staggering acceleration.

‘GIIIIN!’ A loud reverberation rang out, Hoshikaze-senpai’s surprise attack was repelled with a single stroke that should be called god speed. Kohaku immediately fixed her grip of the katana she already drew with both hands, turned the blade and swung it down. ——A perfect example of two stage Iai sword-drawing.

Hoshikaze-senpai barely stopped Kohaku’s katana closely above her head.

“••••••If a child try to measure his strength against a tiger, he will die.”

Hoshikaze-senpai stared in wonder towards the point of the sword she barely stopped, “I underestimated you!” then she sheathed her katana and clapped her hand. Kohaku’s mood became better toward the honest praise of Hoshikaze-senpai, then she turned back toward Kazuki with a proud expression.

“••••••Though in relation to Iai sword-drawing, one’s self still cannot compare with Kazuki-dono.”

“No, I saw that your skill was not average though••••••So, what kind of business you have with me?”

That sword drawing technique, she wouldn’t be able to achieve that kind of speed if she was not honing her body in sword discipline for most of her life. What kind of business that kind of girl had to come into Magic Division’s site expressly?

Don’t tell me that it is to challenge me for a duel••••••.

“Kazuki-dono••••••I request you to [marry<ref>You read this kekkon in japanese</ref>] me!”

“Please pardon me, currently I'm already sick and tired of [duel<ref>Read as kettou in Japanese, sound quite similar with kekkon.</ref>]!”

“You are already tired of marriage!? Kazuki-dono already have history of divorce at this age!? How licentious••••••!!”

Kohaku was taken aback with utter astonishment, watching that Kazuki ‘eh?’ tilted his neck.

“What are you saying, licentious how?”

“Hayashizaki-kun, it is a misunderstanding because you heard wrong. What this girl said was marriage you know.”

Hoshikaze-senpai corrected the confused Kazuki’s misunderstanding from the side. ••••••Marriage?

“Wai——wait a minute! That is strange right!? We were encountering each other just now, so how could it turned into marriage proposal so suddenly!?”

“Whether it is marriage or first meeting, there are no relation between those two.”

‘DO-ON!’ Kohaku declared with great pomp.

“Of course there are! There are relation between those two in the extreme, normally there are!! What were you saying so boldly!?”

“Rather than that kind of thing, more importantly... With ourselves marriage, then the Shinkage-style succeeded by Hikita household and the Hayashizaki-style that was succeeded by Hayashizaki-dono, with the unification of those two style, the strongest school of sword-style will be born!”

“————The strongest sword-style? You want to marry for the sake of strengthening the sword-style, does it?”

“Quite so. Both of ourselves<ref>If anyone want to edit Kohaku’s speech, keep in mind that her way of talking is quite archaic and polite.</ref> inherited ancient school of sword-style used in real battle that are almost extinct in the present Japan. It can be said that it is our duty as the successor to advance this precious art, couldn’t it?”

What the... To suddenly be proposed out of nowhere, for that kind of reason.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 055.jpg|thumb]]

Hikita household’s Shinkage-style——I had heard that name. If I remember correctly it was an ancient sword-style handed down in Kyushu.

Kazuki had faced a lot of schools since his period of childhood, but he didn’t have any experience against schools from such a distant place like this Shinkage-style.

To what extent the real strength of this style had reached ———— an eagerness to test it surged out inside. However,

“I can understand the talk about the school’s sake but... to decide marriage partner based on that is not good. Marriage are for the sake of staying together with your truly important person for your whole life after all.”

Hoshikaze-senpai was nodding along beside Kazuki while saying “Yes, yes, just like that!”

“Prioritizing free love rather than the sword-style... Kazuki-dono is unexpectedly a modern youth.”

It’s not this side that was modern but that side is the one that mistaken the present time, that was what Kazuki thought.

“Certainly Hayashizaki-style is as important as my life... However, we must not advance the path of sword at the cost of people’s happiness. If we do that, you too will be hurt for sure.”

“Hmm... If ourselves become husband and wife, one’s self doesn't think that ourselves will become that unhappy but••••••If that is Kazuki-dono’s sense of values then one’s self will act in accordance with that. If one’s self will wed with Kazuki-dono, then one’s self need to go through the wall of free love! That is a field that one’s self is poor at, but there is nothing to be done other that!”

“Eh, you don’t have any intention to give up?”

Kohaku gazed at Kazuki with eyes that looked like burning flames resided within. Even though that was not words that didn't seem like a girl, she said it sharply that it was engraved deep inside with a determined look.

“My King, there is no point even if you get along well with a woman that was not Magika Stigma you know.”

Leme’s voice echoed inside his head... This Diva, whispering into his head while calculating each and everything. Of course I don’t have any intention at all to have a love relationship with this girl though.

“Well then Kazuki-dono, setting aside the marriage how about forming party with me?”

“Party? You mean party for participating in a quest?”

“Correct. From the story I had heard, even though Kazuki-dono had formed party in Magic Division but you failed your quest. Rather then staying at that kind of party, won’t it be better to enter one’s self party instead? One’s self doesn't want to adhere to Heaven and Earth Formation, but one’s self desire to form a [swordsman only party].”

Ignoring Heaven and Earth Formation, a swordsman only party!?

“Hey wait, Sword Division students cannot challenge a quest by themselves though?”

Hoshikaze-senpai interjected from the side of the surprised Kazuki.

The students of the knight academy can challenge a quest through the reception desk called Guild. However a party must have satisfied a certain requirement before undertaking a quest.

That requirement was——the party must included Magika Stigma.

“Affirmative, just as you say. Therefore one’s self party still cannot challenge an actual quest. That is where the [Magic Division Swordsman], Hayashizaki-dono’s assistance will be imperative!”

“————In short I am not needed as Magika Stigma, but you need my title as Magic Division while I myself is a swordsman, is it?”

That was a really rude way of talking. However Kohaku continued calmly.

“Affirmative. Even though all will be well as long there is a Magic Division student in the party, but one’s self doesn't want to recognize a human being that doesn't follow the same path of sword as comrade. If Hayashizaki-dono is added into ourselves party, I wish yourself won’t use summoning magic at all. If ourselves can produce accomplishment like that, surely it will become proof of swordsman's true strength!”

“Why are you so fixated to raise accomplishment with only swordsman until that much? Even if you don’t force yourself like that, the true strength of swordsman currently is in the process of being recognized, isn't it?”

Because of the incidents that happened in sequence since Kazuki enrolled a few weeks ago, the true strength of swordsman was re-evaluated and the distance of Magic Division and Sword Division had shrunk immediately.

Both the student council of Magic Division and Sword Division had combined their strength and formed the Student Council Party and that [That is the strongest right?] became the topic inside the academy, the progress keep continuing and party's that combine the strength of Magic Division and Sword Division keep increasing.

Of course Magic Division students that were still looking down on swordsman is still not few, however————.

“Certainly the attitude of Magic Division’s students toward Sword Division’s students have improved. But there are still a lot of inequality remaining in this knight academy. Even though this has not been improved and yet they shake their tail happily, the other side has become conveniently domesticated doesn't it?”

“When you said inequality, was it the matter about how swordsman cannot challenge a quest by themselves? ————But if a party that only consisted of swordsman encountered enemy that has resistance against slashing attack, it’s checkmate you know.”

Kazuki had experienced that himself, for example enemy like slime.

“Of course one’s self understand that. However a counter measure has been already worked out.”

————Widening the width of tactics only by using swordsman? How?

“And then there is one more thing that is unfair to swordsman, ownership of sacred treasure that swordsman discovered is not recognized!”

Sacred Treasure——That was an item that originally was a man-made tool that contained spillover magic power from Astrum and transformed.

It was treasures that would rarely appear when searching the Haunted Ground.

“Many of the sacred treasure has the form and nature of [weapon], if swordsman uses it then it’s possible that we can surpass Magika Stigma! However because those Magika Stigma were scared that their position would be threatened by us swordsmen, they won’t distribute Sacred Treasures for the use of swordsman! Of course it’s not only applied to Sword Division’s swordsmen, but even the Knight Order’s swordsmen is not allowed to use Sacred Treasures, the Sacred Treasures are only kept in storage and left to waste!”

“Utilization of Sacred Treasures are prohibited because on top of its nature to consume magic power to display its power, the possible influence caused to its user’s mind is regarded as dangerous.”

Hoshikaze-senpai explained it like that but Kohaku shook her head obstinately.

“Taking that kind of official stance even though there are no clinical experiment performed, do you think there is any persuasive power on that? If you insisted on that, then do you have any actual proof that the contract with Solomon 72 Pillar doesn’t have any negative influence on mind?”

——Certainly, that kind of thing might also be possible————.

The top brass of the Knight Order had been solidified around Magika Stigma, Japan's government and it’s citizens had also regarded Magika Stigma as heroes, using that view as political measures to guard the stability of the nation’s public order.

Restricting the swordsmen from using Sacred Treasures was a nation-wide conspiracy——it might not be such a wild story after all.

If it was Kaguya-senpai then [Other country use Sacred Treasures fully, if they came to attack then it will become too late for us! They are such peace idiots!] it will become such furious talk.

“Thus one’s self advocated these points, acquirement of Sacred Treasures’s ownership, the treatment of swordsman at quest, and the abolishment of various inequality with other division in budget allocation!”

“So the first step to achieve that————is by adding me to a swordsman only party is it?”

Aiming for the elevation of swordsman social status by achieving a result with swordsman only party and becoming heroes.

“Correct, and then please marry with one’s self someday.”

However with that grand marriage proposal, suddenly all strength spontaneously left Kazuki.

“Sorry, but no matter how just Hikita-san’s cause is, in the first place I have no intention to leave my current party. Because it is a party of only two people with a very precious person.”

“I see————One’s self will respect Kazuki-dono’s sense of values. In short if one’s self become even more important than that very precious person then everything will be fine right! And then we will enter a love relationship and marry each other! Love and the like is a field one’s self is poor at and doesn't really understand it well————However, there is no other way then to do it! I will do it!”

“Eh, that’s not it, I want you to obediently give up there though————”

“I won’t give up! This unworthy Hikita Kohaku is ignorant of the subtleties of the heart of a gentleman but I will [conquer] Kazuki-dono’s heart without fail, I’ll show you!”

Kohaku straightened her chest grandly and proclaimed to Kazuki. That’s not a nice thing to say, to [conquer] ————!

{For you who must conquer the girls of Magika Stigma, conversely to be conquered by a swordswoman————! A weird girl has come approaching——!!}

Even Leme’s shocked voice had reached Kazuki’s mind.

“Well, it’s fine if we are on good terms with each other but————can you stop using such polite language?”

“————Do you mean calling with casual language and saying name without honorific to a gentleman even though ourselves are not spouse!?”

Kohaku who owned a wild beautiful face, however she was unexpectedly refined and hesitated.

“I don’t feel that we can get along well if you are so formal despite being classmates.”

“It, it can’t be helped then if it’s needed for the sake of getting along————Hayashizaki————no, it will be easily mixed up with calling Kanae-kaichou<ref>president</ref> without honorific so————Kazuki————”

Kohaku’s face became bright red while she fidgeted when she called Kazuki’s name.

“Well, even if we get along well as friend, I still don’t have any intention to abandon my current party or enter a love relationship though. If that’s fine then let’s become friend.”

“One, one’s self is troubled with that! But, I'm fired up against such huge obstacle! That being the case, I’ll show you that I’ll conquer Kazuki’s heart! ————Kuh, somehow it suddenly become embarrassing!”

Suddenly————a black shadow sneaked up behind the spirited Kohaku.

“Ko~ha~ku! You little, what are you doing in this kind of place!?”

“Killing intent!?” Kohaku used an Iai sword-drawing simultaneously with the voice while turning back. “OWA-!” The one who raised a scream while avoiding the sword was——the senpai called Yamada Torazou. A male student of Sword Division’s student council.

“Don’t just slash abruptly from nowhereee!”

“What————Torazou huh. From the presence I thought it was something like a beast.”

“Don’t call a senpai without honorifiicc! It’s improper!”

“Torazou is weaker than one’s self so I won’t use honorific language.”

“Really, you are————. Yo! Kazuki and Hoshikaze-san!”

Torazou-senpai’s eyes met with Kazuki then he approached while waving his hand with a cheerful smile.

“————What were you guys doing with that kind of appearance? Has Kazuki taught Hoshikaze-san sword techniques?”

“Fufufu, Yamada-kun, let’s do a rematch with me<ref>For additional information, all this time Hikaru used boku to refer to herself, usually only boys used that word to refer to themselves.</ref> now. I have received the instruction of secret measures just now.”

Hoshikaze-senpai who was poor with men nonchalantly hid in Kazuki’s shadow even while saying that.

“Spare me this time, I don’t have a feeling I can win no matter how many times we fight. ••••••Rather than that Kohaku, what are you doing in this place even though you were absent from student council meeting?”

“Torazou, one’s self won’t go any-more to student council okay! I withdraw my application as apprentice!”

“What the heck are you saying. It’s disgraceful in front of Kazuki and the others. ————Event though until just a while ago I was somehow made president to consider. Yet suddenly you become rebellious in this place.”

Torazou-san talked like he was explaining while ignoring the stare of Kazuki and the other.

“Certainly one’s self was respecting Hayashizaki-kaichou. But currently she is degraded as the pet dog of Magic Division’s student council! Wagging her tail to Magic Division’s student council, one’s self doesn't have any intention to follow such Sword Division student council! Farewell!!”

Kohaku turned her back toward Torazou-senpai in a flash, then blue light of body reinforcement shined in both her feet and she left with violent force. The three people could only see off that back dumbfoundedly.

“So Kohaku is a member of Sword Division student council?”

“She was an apprentice as a promising first year. The same position like you huh. But well————she only create troubles because of that kind of personality. I was her superior, but.”

Torazou-senpai held his head tiredly while he breathed a sigh.

“————Your elder sister and the vice-president in my student council, even though they are strong in battle but they are good-for-nothings, so normally I was the only one who does most of the practical work... Both the president and vice-president are capable, the first year are also respectful, I'm envious with Magic Division’s student council——”

“Ahaha, our student council was praised♪ That’s because Hayashizaki-kun and the others are our prided first years.”

Hoshikaze-senpai clapped her hand on Kazuki’s shoulder. It was an unconscious action based on pure good will toward Kazuki, but soon she realized that she touched a male got startled.

Kaguya-senpai, and Hoshikaze-senpai too, both were very good senpais.

The atmosphere around the Witch’s Mansion was really like a family——it was really embarrassing to speak of when all the other members were girls but once again Kazuki thought that he really liked this student council.

It was the story of different student council, but seeing a first year defying her senior felt painful.

“It is a really shameful story but, the guys in Sword Division that still hold a grudge toward Magic Division are still a lot.”

“That kind of thing is the same in Magic Division. People who looked down on swordsman are still a lot.”

“This is a matter that won’t be able to go quite smoothly immediately huh. ••••••Well, see you guys later.”

Torazou-senpai left from this place. Hoshikaze-senpai slipped out a chuckle while seeing him off.

“Hikita Kohaku-san. She is a somewhat strange child right? That kind of rashness is cute.”

Certainly a charm of wildness was hidden inside her calm demeanour, impudent and yet modest, bold but also somewhat shy••••••a girl that left a mysterious impression.

“I wonder what’d happen if Hayashizaki-kun fell into her temptation and parted from Mio-chan.”

“There is no reason that’d happen. Because Mio is a very precious partner to me.”

“————Actually today there is a request we want to ask from your party, so in the unlikely event that your party broke up because of things it will be troubling.”

“A request? For us who doesn't have any success in quest?”

“Yes, but it’s really not something too troublesome. Rather it could be the resolution for your trouble... Well, I think you will hear the story from Kaguya after school so just wait. Fufufu~”

A small storm had just passed••••••However a premonition of trouble in the future came again from Hoshikaze-senpai’s manner of speaking.

“Okay then Hayashizaki-kun, let’s take a shower and do the morning preparation okay!”

————Wait, of course there was no reason to take a bath together though.

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{{SimpleNav}}
</noinclude>

Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2 Chapter 1

2015-05-10T12:37:05Z

122.178.114.124:

==Chapter 1 - Before the Storm==

===Part 1===

Above the swamp, earth, sand and dry leaves were piling up, Kazuki stepped onto the wet ground and ran towards the approaching enemy. From between the poisonous trees with violet trunk and leaves, Demon Beasts that looks like jelly-beans with brightly colored slimy mucus——<Slime> were approaching one after another to attack.

[Suppression of Demon Beasts that nested in the Haunted Ground]——That was the <Quest> that Kazuki and the others accepted.

A silver flash surged from the mouth of his scabbard, Kazuki drew his Iai to the approaching blue slime in front of his eyes.

The slime that released chilly air became two equal parts but——the blue slime immediately stuck to each other and returned to how it was previously.

Kazuki's eyes were opened wide because of the unknown enemy's mode of life. ······Sword was not effective toward these things!

All at once the multi-colored slimes on Kazuki's way leaped toward him.

"The calling voice of the ruler of flame, liberate the rage deep inside the earth! Create the rampart of mine here······soaring on heaven and earth, isolate the impurity! Fire Wall!!"

However Kazuki invoked Phoenix's Summoning Magic to assault the enemies. From the start Kazuki chanted the spell while breaking into the center of the enemies and waiting for the right timing.

Along with flashes of light, fissures ran on the ground under Kazuki and from there, walls of flame burst out.

The slimes who attacked Kazuki carelessly were swallowed by the walls of flame and evaporated all at once.

The few numbers of slimes that managed to slip out of the flame walls attacked Kazuki but he brushed them off with his katana. Thereupon, the dignified voice of the partner that support Kazuki from the back echoed.

"Scattered sparks of dancing wings! Lingering spiral wind, become life piercing bullet! Flap your wing and shoot! Barrett!!"

Red lights lingered like wings from the stigma on her back, Mio invoked Barrett.

The slime was attacked by the flame bullet, its body fused with the heat of the bullet.

While Kazuki stepped back, he chanted Barrett matching with Mio and hit the slime.

"Kazukii! Hooray, we beat them with the same magic♪"

Mio raised her voice excitedly and clung to Kazuki's arm after scattering the enemy's group.

Although until a little while ago, she was still saying "How impertinent for someone like Kazuki to use the same magic······", was it because of the exaltation in the battlefield?, Mio was unusually honest and became bold.

No, before when Mio died, she seemed to not remember that time, however since Kazuki kissed and saved her, he had a feeling that her attitude instantly softened.

······Was it because the positivity level with high number of 120?

"Co, come on, don't let your mind wander in the middle of a quest!"

Because of the embarrassing sensation of being pressed by the chest's high exposure rate of the {{furigana|Décolleté Oblique|Magic Dress}}, Kazuki spontaneously uttered words of resistance. Mio slightly made a pouting face.

"What, I properly watch the surroundings, and after that I took action you know. Bee~"<ref>the voice of sticking your tongue</ref>

While clinging to his arm, Mio brought her face near to Kazuki and stucked her tongue towards him. Even though she was doing an expression of cheekiness, Kazuki soon became strangely conscious of Mio's lips near his cheek.

Right there, a voice rang out from the thicket in front of them and a new group of slimes came to attack them both. Mio who said that she already observed the surrounding properly, reacted quickly and sprung up just like she said and turned to Kazuki's rear——the swordsman protected the {{furigana|Magica Stigma|Summoning Magician}}, Heaven and Earth Formation.

"Barrett!" "Fire Wall!"

The flame wall of the vanguard, Kazuki and the fire bullet from the rear guard, Mio, reduced the interweaving bunch of slimes to ashes. ——No, wait a second, what was that!?

A crimson slime flew out from inside the flame. ······Did it have resistance to heat!?

Somehow this Demon Beast Slime seems to have its own attribute based on the color.

Immediately Kazuki leaped and cut the slime that gradually released heat. Because of the slash, the slime scattered in pieces, however it slipped past Kazuki while still in the scattered state.

"Damn it!"

"Kyaaa! What is this!?"

The scattered slime became a spray of red mucus and rained incessantly on Mio.

Mio tried to clear the mucus that fell onto her body and her magic dress in a fluster. However immediately, the magic dress that already has high exposure rate under normal circumstances melted in the area where it was touched by the slimy mucus.

"No way! The, the clothes are melting!!"

——If the <Magic Dress> that supplemented the spell chanting was not there, the war potential of the Magica Stigma would be reduced by half.

Because magic dress was created by magic power, it could be regenerated if the user Request the Diva to fix it but······for Mio it was just not possible, she crouched down to try to hide her skin.

From the swamp behind Mio who currently crouched down——cylindrical things <Tentacle> leaped out.

A Demon Beast different from the slime! Just like he was completely waiting for that opportunity until now!?

They were just Demon Beasts and yet they matched their breath superbly and did combination attack.

The slimy tentacles entangled Mio who was almost naked.

Just like wrenching open flower petals, the tentacles twined around Mio's limbs pulled Mio's white skin and exposed what should be hidden. The girl's face flushed bright red because of the unbelievable shame.

"No way no way, don't look Kazuki! I will do something by myself so don't come here!!"

Mio shouted with tearful, panicky voice toward Kazuki who approached to help. However a shadow floated up in the muddy water surface, the owner of the tentacle's real body was now in the verge of surfacing.

"Is this the time to say that kind of thing!? You are going to be eaten!!"

Kazuki drew his Iai and severed the tentacles in one go. What kind of aquatic creature was it that lurked inside the swamp? It was unknown, but the tentacle could be cut, different from the slime.

Mio who fell from the tentacles was caught in princess-carry by Kazuki.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 013.jpg|thumb]]

But the problem was that currently they didn't have any means to defeat the red slime.

The mission was to defeat the Demon Beasts, but if they didn't escape from here somehow······!

"······Nihility of ancient times, the nothingness residing inside this heart, become the freezing breath. The streaming silence of rejection, freeze and be silent······Glacier Wind!!"

A chilly wind blew from next to Kazuki. That was the breath of a mermaid. The red slime that assaulted Kazuki was frozen in the blink of an eye because of the wind. ——Ice attribute summoning magic!

"Hiakari-san!? ······Thank you! So you came to save us!"

Turning around, over there was the mystical classmate clad in magic dress that resembled a white leotard. Hiakari Koyuki, who is standing there with no expression.

Her attitude toward Kazuki was sharply aloof, identical with her sharp ears that was the characteristic of elf.

"When I thought that we received the same quest by chance······this is a totally shameful sight, isn't it? You are only a hindrance if you can't fight already, how about you just go back home."

After moving her sight toward the naked Mio briefly, Koyuki briskly turned her back to Kazuki.

"······Hiakari-san, be careful of the blue slime okay!"

Identical with the red slime that radiated heat, the blue slime also radiated chilly air.

That was why there was no doubt that the blue slime had strong resistance against cold.

Koyuki's ear twitched hearing Kazuki's warning, but without even glancing back, her figure disappeared between the strange trees that grows wildly inside this Haunted Ground.

"······No choice then, let's return to the academy for the moment Mio."

Kazuki talked to Mio who was in his arm. All of this was the swordsman's responsibility because he couldn't protect the rearguard.

"······Kazu-niii" Mio who was carried in the arms, naked, released a drowsy sweet voice.

"Mio? Now that I think about it, are you fine being attacked by a slime like that?"

"Kazu-nii······my chest is hot, my body, my chest and stomach are itching······"

Mio hugged Kazuki tightly. Somehow her condition was strange.

While being bothered where to look, Kazuki peeked at Mio's face. Her face flushed red like she got cold, her eyes were intoxicated like they saw a hallucination, released rough panting breath from her half-opened lips.

······Perhaps it was because of the hot liquid from before!

That liquid melted the magic dress. Magic dress was created from magic power, namely the force of will. If that was melted then——that liquid was a poison that influenced the mind!

No wait, rather then poison, this liquid was······a type of sake and aphrodisiac······.

"Kazu-nii······I love you! I love you I love you, I love you so much!! Hug me more!!"

Heart marks scattered around, Mio pushed her bare-naked breast and her legs coiled around. A sweet scent resembling milk drifted in the air. Her sighs hitting the neck were hot and amorous.

This is bad. This situation is very bad! ······If we don't escape to place where there were no Demon Beasts and people then···!

Her sanity should return if time passed for a short while , and then she could reform her magic dress.

······If I don't preserve my reasoning power until that time, then in this strange situation, towards Mio I will···!

"I am the swordsman of Hayashizaki style! No way I'll lose to this kind of temptation!!"

While shouting 'UOOOOOO!' Kazuki was running throughout the forest carrying the soft body of Mio.

===Part 2===

Going back in time three hours before——

"Traveling in a train like this, somehow it feels like a trip, isn't it~"

Kazuki and Mio, both of them wearing uniform sat side by side inside the magic light train.

"Don't get relaxed too much okay. The quest is an actual combat you know."

Kazuki made a bitter face toward the partner who wasn't nervous at all in their first quest.

Though having said that, it's not like Kazuki didn't understand what Mio said. Today hit the Golden Week, it had been one month since the enrollment. The pleasantly warm breeze of the late spring season poured from the window, repeatedly blowing the nape of their neck.

"Kazuki also feel this mood right? Waking up early in the morning and making onigiri. What is the ingredient?"

"This is for the preparation if the quest turned out to take a long time you know!? Canned tuna and salted salmon roe."

"My favorite dish from a long time ago. So you remember!"

Mio's face was bursting with smile along with a heart mark that came flying toward Kazuki.

That heart mark was sucked into Kazuki's magic dress, the <Solomon Ring>.

This ring received the change of positivity levels of other people and had the power to measure them.

In the span of one month since meeting with the former childhood friend, her positivity level had thoroughly gone up.

Mio looked around the surrounding restlessly to confirm if there was no other passenger.

"Kazu-nii, wake me up when we arrive~"

Mio approached and leaned her head to Kazuki's shoulder.

"Are you intending to sleep before fighting!?" As expected Kazuki was surprised.

"It's okay, I'm not really sleeping. I just want to do this······"

While saying that Mio clutched Kazuki's hand like she was entwining their finger together. 'gatangoton' Within the vibration of the train's movement, Kazuki stayed silent while feeling Mio's body temperature.

Humankind obtained the power of magic and met with the residents of a parallel dimension who are called Diva.

——Thereupon an outbreak of phenomenon called <{{furigana|Extraordinary Malignant Spot|Cancer}}> happened.

Tearing off the world, from there the magic power of a parallel world, {{furigana|Astrum|Distorted World}}, spilled over. The spilled magic power transformed into the form of Demon Beasts and spirit. Demon Beasts attacked humans, the surrounding space where the Demon Beasts gathered was polluted by magic power and became Demon Beasts' soil where humans couldn't live——the Haunted Ground.

The defense organization that protected Japan's public order, the Knight Order had three main duty, [Defense against the invasion of other country], [Suppression of illegal magician], and [Subjugation of Demon Beast · liberation of Haunted Ground].

Because of the frequent terror attacks against the Knight Order performed by a group of illegal magician [Loki's Einherjar] led by Loki of Norse Mythology, the Knight Order didn't have enough hand to perform their original duty.

To compensate for that, the knight training academy that Hayashizaki Kazuki attended——The National Knight Academy <Caryatid>, gave the work that the Knight Order couldn't finish to the students in the form of a quest.

The students formed parties and challenged the quest in place of the Knight Order.

The Haunted Ground's location was a few minutes walk from the station.

The Haunted Ground's surrounding was covered by a fence, the civilians were prohibited from entering.

Demon Beast attacked humans instinctively, however Demon Beasts couldn't come out of the surrounding space that hadn't been transformed into Haunted Ground. They mostly took defensive stances and only attacked humans that invaded the Haunted Ground.

Haunted Ground became the production base of Demon Beasts. It further encroached the surrounding area because of the Demon Beasts' propagation and kept expanding.

Inevitably, the people that originally lived in the soil that became Haunted Ground were evacuated.

Like this, the longer the Haunted Ground was left alone, it would become an out of control situation.

The dispatching of the Knight Order prioritized the urban area at any cost while forest and mountain Haunted Grounds were postponed easily and tend to be distributed as quest for Knight Academy's students.

Kazuki and Mio headed for the only entrance of Haunted Ground, the gate. {{furigana|Ex-knight|Old person}} was standing guard at the gate to check the people that entered the Haunted Ground.

"We were dispatched from the Knight Academy and came here, please give us the entry authorization."

"······Cheh, the academy brats huh. Moreover, only two came."

The guard spat out in a whisper and started the processing of Kazuki and Mio's entry.

"Why doesn't the Knight Order come here themselves, they are making light of the refugees here. ······Then I'll do the scan, so flow your magic power into your Stigma until it shines. Hm? What is this stigma?"

The guard put his hand and scanned the magic light of the stigma at the back of Kazuki's hand with <Scanner Device>. Next, Mio's stigma was also scanned by peeking into her neck from the back.

Thereupon, the device did the comparison with the data that had arrived from the quest counter of the academy, and confirmed that Kazuki and Mio were the appointed person of an official quest.

"You're not a mere swordsman, it became a hot topic some times ago, someone who received Enigma despite being a man. Although as expected, your magic power seems to be low compared to the woman huh. Don't overdo yourself until it becomes a situation where we need to call reinforcements, okay?"

After seeing off Kazuki and Mio, the guard entered the gate's post, Mio pulled her eyelid down and sticked out her tongue.

"What is that, saying things like just a student or just a man, making fools of us! If I and Kazuki unite, we are unrivaled! Starting from now is the beginning of the legend of me and Kazuki!!"

"······Mio saying things like unrivaled or legend, however you heard it, it only sounds like failure flags."

"Why are you saying things like that~!!"

While advancing forward with Mio hitting Kazuki repeatedly, the scenery gradually changed into strange crooked things. It was a country road that could exist anywhere, but it changed into wetlands filled with moisture, and the surrounding trees' color changed into poisonous color. The Demon Beasts' presence were starting to drift around in the surrounding.

······And then three hours later, Mio's flag splendidly turned into reality.

===Part 3===

Mio cast her eyes down in shame and blushing bright red while going home in the magic light train sitting side by side.

"······hey, how much did you see······?"

How much, was it? It was about the matter with the mucus and tentacle some times ago wasn't it?

"I swear I didn't see most of it, the tentacles were in the way."

"Af, after that too I was naked for quite long right!? Though I don't remember it well······"

"After that I didn't watch your body too. It was obvious that time I was in the middle of fighting you know."

"······Then Kazuki, you really don't have any interest at me after all?"

Mio glared at Kazuki with sulking eyes. Why did it became like that······.

"Talking about that, what kind of condition happened to you at that time?"

Was it something like aphrodisiac that manipulated the mind, or was it like drinking alcohol and then losing all restraint and made merry like drunk——which one was it? Mio's face became increasingly bright red because of Kazuki's inquiry.

"Don't remember, I don't remember! I don't remember anything at all!"

"As expected, a two men party might be too difficult."

Kazuki changed the topic and Mio, taken aback, raised her head.

"I don't wanna. I don't want a strange person added to my party and Kazuki!!"

"But······with only us at the moment, the breadth of our tactics are too narrow."

The current Kazuki and Mio——cannot use attack magic other than flame element. Like today, if they encountered enemy that had resistance toward flame and heat then a hard fight was inevitable.

But with a strong expression Mio shook her head.

"It's fine! I······will become even stronger for sure!! To the extent that we won't ever need any other people!!"

Kazuki had a feeling it was not a problem that could be solved simply by growing strong. But toward Mio that grasped his hand and stared hard at him with upturned eyes, Kazuki lost his words and couldn't say anything.

······However if I could use a lot more magic, then this problem would be settled.

Kazuki's contracted Diva——{{furigana|Lemegeton|Solomon's small key}} was a unique Diva who had the [Power of King] to control Solomon 72 Pillar.

That ability was the ability to be able to use all 10 of the characteristic magics owned by the other Solomon 72 Pillar. In contrast with normal Diva that could only use 10 variety of magic, Lemegeton could use at maximum 720 variety of magic. The problem of [the width of tactics were narrow] would become irrelevant, an extraordinary existence.

But that ability had conditions. If Kazuki couldn't make other Magika Stigma become lovestruck with him, then he wouldn't be able to use that ability. Currently Kazuki could use the same summoning magic of [Phoenix] like Mio because he was able to make the contractor of Phoenix, Mio to fall for him.

He could also use only two of Kaguya senpai's summoning magic, but ······they were not magic really suitable for quest.

I wanted to become strong and protected Mio. But for that purpose then with another girl I'd need to······.

Unconciously Kazuki poured magic power into Solomon's ring, magic light vision floated in front of Kazuki's eyes. A graph of the girls positivity level that only Kazuki could see was projected there.

The graphs extending horizontally like they were competing before one's eyes were also provided with a number.

Amasaki Mio——124 Otonashi Kaguya——75 Hiakari Koyuki——46 Hoshikaze Hikaru——39

Mio was staying quiet motionlessly, before long the magic light train stopped at the station in front of the knight academy.

——Like that the two persons' first quest that they challenged in the golden week was over without leaving behind any result.

===Part 4===

"Amasaki Mio will fall into rank B for sure if she keeps this up."

After school end at the first day of class after golden week——Kazuki was called to the staff room. There the home-room teacher, Liz Liza Westwood spouted a shocking word out of the blue.

"Eh?" Liz Liza sensei who had a figure that completely looked like a child, continued her strict words toward Kazuki, who leaked an idiotic voice.

"Losing to rank E like you was already fatal. And then after that she failed a quest, her evaluation has dropped drastically. If she keeps this up she will be demoted to rank B."

"Ple——please wait a second! Certainly she hasn't brought any result yet, but it's obvious her true power is one of the best compared to her surrounding, right!?"

"There are also other students who grew remarkably. Chances must be given equally."

First year students who were evaluated as [rank A] from the academy could stay in dedicated dormitory for the student council, [Witch's Mansion] as a privilege. There, they could receive introduction to magic from the senpais in the student council.

Demotion from rank A to rank B means eviction from the Witch's Mansion.

Kazuki was rank E, but because of the special circumstance of being contracted with a mysterious Diva, he could live in the Witch's Mansion so the student council president could safeguard (while monitoring) him.

Mio wouldn't be in Witch's Mansion any-more. Even though they were finally getting along again like the old times.

"Right now with Loki acting violently, the situation is that the students have to receive quests rapidly. Real ability that cannot produce any result cannot be valued. Even if she is a rank A, but if she is slacking off, being demoted might fire her up though."

Loki attacked the branches of the Knight Order in the whole country every few days, but before real interception even began, they only fought a little and escaped immediately. As though they were just ridiculing the opponent.

It seems there was still nothing that resulted in death but it became that the Knight Order needed to be constantly vigilant against attack. At the same time, the investigation for Loki's hiding location must also be done.

Like that the duties that became neglected were distributed to the students as quest.

Originally the quest system was intended for the students' personal learning experience, however in the current emergency situation, they were completely regarded as precious war potential.

Because there were strong bashing from society regarding the coercion of students into actual battle, the quest even now was formally a [practical class that student accepted voluntarily], but——rank A student like Mio was constantly under untold heavy pressure and expectation to produce results.

"······But Mio is not slacking off at all!"

Since forming a party with Kazuki, every morning Mio always stealthily performed magic training as if to hide it from him——though Kazuki who was very sharp toward any magic power outbreak noticed it immediately.

"It's because rank E like me dragged her feet."

"Fuhn, my eyes is not so blind that I still thought your real ability is still the same with your current rank."

"······Why does this matter not told to the person herself, but instead told to me?"

"Both of you are in a two-man party, aren't you? If you think that girl's evaluation is undeserved then you have to support your team mate."

If I could support her then I wanted to do so. I really wanted to do that, but for that to happen······.

"The quickest and easiest way for me is to add Hiakari Koyuki to your party, I also thought that if you can use that chance to become closer with her then it will be two birds with one stone."

A glint of light appeared in Liz Liza sensei's eyes. Liz Liza sensei also knew about Leme's special characteristics.

Maybe from the start she called me here to say that matter.

"······Neither Mio nor Hiakari-san will agree to form a party together though."

"Fuhn, it's evident that your sense of danger is not enough that you're being so particular about this. ······By the way, this is a completely different topic, but in the case that you became friendly with a magician that has a contract with a Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar, what would happen? Can you also draw the ability from that Diva?"

Liz Liza sensei asked about a topic that really had no relation at all with the topic until now.

Lemegeton materialized besides Kazuki.

She was a completely nude little girl the first time she appeared in front of Kazuki, but with her power returned little by little, her stature already grew reaching about an elementary student's size and a one-piece tunic covered her body.

With Leme regaining her power due to Kazuki's friendlier relations with various girls, her original form was also slowly returning. It was a wonder what kind of form her original appearance was as Diva.

"With Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar, as long the other party has the will to cooperate with Leme, then Leme can draw that Diva's characteristic magic you know-. However it's considerably a rare case for such Diva of other mythology to cooperate with Leme though-. Fundamentally the relation between mythology are running counter with each other."

"Hmm, is that so?"

While looking down, Liz Liza-sensei whispered 'Is there any worth in testing this······'.

Testing? ······In Japan contracting with Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar was illegal. There should be no chance of getting along with illegal magician, but······

"Understood. It's okay for you to go back now." Liz Liza-sensei waved her hand like she was chasing Kazuki out.

An unexpected character was waiting for Kazuki when he came out of the staff room.

"Kazuki. Were you messing up something that you were getting called by sensei? ······mugu."

Because of her small build, she didn't enter into Kazuki's sight and that character ran her face into Kazuki's chest and leaked that 'mugu' voice. Even though that kind of voice was still said coolly······

"Hiakari-san!? ······Are you okay?"

Kazuki supported the girl's shoulder in panic, though the girl said "I'm fine" and shook off that hand.

"Rather than that, please don't ignore my question. Why were you called?"

"Aaa——that was······Because of the failed quest yesterday, Liz Liza-sensei came to give a warning that if our evaluation keep declining like this, it will become serious trouble. It's because I'm a rank E you see."

Kazuki immediately explained while shading off about Mio's matter. Koyuki's expression 'mu' became stiff hearing that.

"······It's unreasonable isn't it? Kazuki had won in a duel against rank A, so failing a quest just once shouldn't make your evaluation drop."

"Does Hiakari-san worry about my problem?"

When Kazuki started walking to the Witch's Mansion, the girl also came alongside him.

"It's not that. It's not worry or anything, I don't care whatever happened to you. It's just, I thought I want to say my thanks where there is nobody······. If it's not now, whether Amasaki-san, or the president, or little sister-san, somebody will be around you."

The girl said thank you and bowed her head.

"······By any chance, is it about the slime's attribute at yesterday's quest?"

"Yes. Thanks to that I could finish the quest successfully. If not for Kazuki's advice, I'd lost my composure when I found out about the blue slime's resistance to cold and might have fallen into a predicament."

Yesterday's quest was about holding back the encroachment of the Haunting Ground in western Tokyo's forest.

Koyuki annihilating all the Demon Beast that lived in that Haunted Ground——did not happen, it seems exterminating one area of the Demon Beast and liberating the area part by part was already considered as success.

If there was no Demon Beast in the Haunted Ground, then the plot of land would return to how it was originally. Poisonous plants grew densely and that Haunted Ground became marshland, but if the Demon Beast were all gone then it should return back to the original forest.

"But how did Hiakari-san defeat the slime that had strong resistance against ice Summoning Magic?"

"My contracted Diva, Vepar, rules over cold and water. I suffocated it to death by water magic."

"······Eh? Does slime need to breath? Was it foaming inside the water?"

"I tested it half in doubt······yet it died. I don't think it had an organ for breathing like mouth or lung, so perhaps it breath's by using the surface of the cell. And then it was a living thing that had its activity on the land so I thought that it didn't have any structure to take oxygen from the water. Just like earthworm that can breath through its skin inside the earth, but it dies by suffocation above the asphalt."

If you think about it, as long as it was a living thing, excepting some small exception, then it should need oxygen for its activity. Even though the Demon Beast was the resident of a fantasy world, there were many things that had similar motif with the real world, like dragon that closely resembled a lizard.

Demon Beast's ecology and traits were still not understood.

But when we challenged quests from now on, there was no doubt that we would need to observe unknown Demon Beast calmly and do trial and error with various elements magic and fighting style.

I and Mio couldn't do that——the girl in front of me could do that.

"······As I thought Hiakari-san, won't you enter our party?"

Koyuki knitted her eyebrow sullenly toward Kazuki's proposal.

"Because you failed the quest and fell into a pinch, you want me to lend you some help?"

"Sorry, frankly I'm weak. Besides compared to us, this time Hiakari-san was mostly okay, but even so going solo is dangerous. I think it's better to team up with someone even if not with us."

"Weak? You are not weak, rather isn't it Amasaki-san who lost in duel against you that is weak? For example······as it is that girl will be demoted in rank B, won't she?"

Koyuki took a deep breath toward Kazuki who was startled, like she had seen through everything.

"I think if I enter the party because Kazuki is the one that is in danger then Amasaki-san will be able to accept it, but if it's because she herself that is in danger then······I think she will reject it resolutely you know. Her pride is high, and she also hates me."

"Certainly that girl's pride is high but······she doesn't hate Hiakari-san you know."

"She really hate me though. She came to oppose me in every single thing."

"That's not it, Mio said 'I don't want a strange guy added to the party!'. In short that means, if it's not a strange person then it's okay to add them to the party. And then Hiakari-san is not a strange person! So it's all okay!"

"······What the heck is that? That logic you said was really pushing it. I am a plenty strange girl."

"Hiakari-san is not someone strange at all. You are an extremely kind person, aren't you? When I was made fun in the class introduction because I said that my special skill was sword skill, Hiakari-san said that sword is not worthless and gave me some encouragement. How much those few words saved me. Even the time when I became friendless in the class, only Hiakari-san was impartial regarding me. Hiakari-san is a girl that is fair and hate discrimination and bullying. I feel respect toward that kindness and strength."

"Wa——what are you saying······"

Koyuki's expressionless face became stiff toward Kazuki, who started to talk passionately while tightly gripping his fist.

"Beside that, you also have calm judgement, there were already many times when Hiakari-san saved me from tight spots. Kind, strong, and cool, there is no way a girl this reliable exist."

"That is······my only worth is magic battle, that's why······"

"Hiakari-san is too humble saying that kind of thing so quickly. But every time I was doing some housework, Hiakari-san always watched me patiently and saying 'Thank you' honestly. Even though Hiakari-san disliked it when I invited you to do the housework together. For me, every time I did some housework, I was thinking that I want to receive Hiakari-san's delight. Hiakari-san is showing a cold attitude, but in truth you are a warm person."

"Tha——that was because of my incompetence, that I gave you some trouble so······"

Hiakari-san look downward while blushing red. A heart mark flew from her chest.

"······Certainly Hiakari-san is unsociable, so maybe there are some misunderstanding from the surrounding people. However I'm absolutely not overlooking Hiakari-san's charms! If Mio doesn't notice Hiakari-san's charm, then I will keep talking to her to make her understand how good a person Hiakari-san is!! Yosh, I'll immediately do the campaign to show Hiakari-san's charm from now on!!"

"······Ple——please stop, to campaign like that!"

Koyuki gripped and pulled back Kazuki's sleeve and raised a loud voice which was unusual from her. A small skull mark that look like a speck floated from her chest. That was a proof that her positivity level dropped a little.

Koyuki released 'haa' a long breath, and said "What a person, that can't be helped huh."

"Are you an idiot? That talk just now, if you do that to Amasaki-san it will have opposite effect you know."

"Why? I thought that Mio will properly understand Hiakari-san's charm though."

"She wouldn't want to hear that kind of thing from your mouth······you are really a person that don't understand a girl's heart. Somehow it makes me angry······"

In the mean time they had arrived at the Witch's mansion and stopped in the garden.

The door opened and Mio came flying from the living room.

"Kazuki! Welcome home, where did you go just now······eh, Hiakari······!"

When she noticed Koyuki besides Kazuki, Mio quickly stopped and glared at Koyuki.

Toward that look, with disinterested voice Koyuki——announced.

"Amasaki Mio, I challenged you to a duel."

Kazuki and Mio froze because of those unexpected words. They didn't understand what that meant.

"You who lost a duel against rank E and exposed unsightly, disgraceful behavior in a quest will be demoted to rank B if you keep this up. If that happen then you won't be able to stay here."

"I, I will be rank B!? And then······from this place······"

"Hiakari-san! Why are you saying that!?"

Kazuki whose complexion changed pressed the question but Koyuki abruptly glared back to Kazuki.

"I refused your invitation, it was troublesome. Annoying. Besides······Besides if the person herself doesn't have any real ability and she got dropped into a suitable rank, isn't that for her own good? A person without any real strength that keep insisting she is rank A is, unsightly. I will hand the requiem for such person."

Koyuki announced to Mio who was still frozen in shock with an absolute zero gaze.

"······Amasaki Mio. If you lost to me then you will be demoted to rank B immediately. So, will you accept my duel challenge? ······I don't mind even if you turned tail and run though."

Mio's expression who had high pride was turned red in rage in a blink.

"There······There is no way that I'll run, right!? Before it was the rank E Kazuki who challenged me to duel, and now it is you who challenge me to a duel······Bring it on!"

Far from turning tail, Mio pointed her finger to Koyuki with her twintails shaking.

"I'll finish you quick and easy and prove that I am an appropriate rank A for sure!!"

Certainly if Mio fought equally or more against Koyuki whose rank was A, Mio might be able to prove that demotion to rank B is not appropriate for her. However······

"Please wait, calm down! If you lose you won't be able to stay here you know!?"

"Shut up Kazuki!"

"······Then please wait outside. I'll call senpai and sensei so they can become the witnesses needed for the duel."

Koyuki slipped from the side of Mio whose blood had risen to her head and climbed the stairs.

"······Kaguya-senpai, why did you acknowledged this kind of duel?"

The students of knight academy could perform <Duel> under the presence of the student council.

Duel was a mock battle performed under a safe rule where if each other's magic power were shaved until zero then the attack stopped. Acknowledgement was needed from the student council president for its execution.

The student council president of {{furigana|Magic Division|Magica}}——Kaguya-senpai, if it was her I thought she would stop this quarrel.

"Nnn······because when I heard the circumstance, I thought this was for the best?"

"So you think that using the principle of strength to decide right and wrong is the best······is it?"

Fundamentally senpai was kind, but she also had an aspect where she was a person with strict principle of strength.

"That's not it······maa, let's just see what will happen, ok? Come on, it's starting."

Kaguya-senpai pointed at the center of the ground. Over there were——Mio and Koyuki facing each other with distance of 50 meters between them according to the custom. The referee standing between them was Hoshikaze-senpai.

Kazuki, Liz Liza-sensei, and others were attending in the guest seat that surrounded the ground.

"······Amasaki Mio had made up her mind huh. But to show whether she has the strength as rank A or not, certainly this is the easiest set up to understand."

That was what sensei said. Because this duel was performed so suddenly, there were no other curious students that were watching.

"{{furigana|I know thy name|Shem ha-Mephorash}}<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shemhamphorasch</ref>······Thy name are [Phoenix] ······Namely a poet, transform to magician! Poetic bird toying logic with its sweet tongue, show thy strength in accordance with my life!"

"{{furigana|I know thy name|Shem ha-Mephorash}}······Thy name are [Vepar] ······Mermaid singer imparting icy thoughts, shed drops of tear of sadness in this world."

Both of them performed {{furigana|Astrum Connection|Access}} at the same time. Mio was wrapped with orange magic power's light while the wing stigmata floated up on her back, her figure transformed into a red magic dress.

Koyuki was emitting blue light while scale shaped stigmata floated up on both her thighs, her body was wrapped in a white magic dress. Kazuki's breath was taken away, he was pressured instinctively by the figure of the two confronting each other.

——Duel of fellow Magica Stigma. If he thought about it, this was the first time Kazuki watched this kind of thing.

Their specialty respectively were, flame magic used by Mio, and ice magic used by Koyuki.

"Well then······Begin!" With that cry, Hoshikaze-senpai pushed the trigger of the duel.

Both Mio and Koyuki emitted magic power's light at the same time and began the chanting of the spell.

The one who finished her chant first was——Koyuki. An avatar of a mermaid floated on her back.

"Glacier Wind!"

Chilly winds blew across the fifty meter distance. Mio who was concentrating on her spell's chant couldn't defend against that, defensive magic power protected her body from the chill.

Defensive magic power——the body couldn't be inflicted with injury, but in exchange large amount of magic power was exhausted.

However Mio's concentration on her spell was not interrupted, she retaliated and invoked her magic one move late.

"······Barrett!!"

This time Koyuki was hit by the familiar flame of bullet. Blue light of defensive magic power scattered around Koyuki too.

"First was confirming each other's chanting speed using the level 1 offense summoning magic. If it were swordsmen, then it's like confirming each other's range. ······The fight will start from here."

Kaguya-senpai whispered from Kazuki's side.

Koyuki's side was faster in spell chanting speed. In other words——the receiver side was turned to Mio.

"Kuh. ······Burn out all that were touched······No person to depend on, scorching heat of denial! {{furigana|Self Burning|Repelling Flame Armor}}!"

Mio first solidified her defense and chanted defense magic. Her whole body was covered with flame armor.

To activate a spell, first the magician need to request for magic phenomenon to Diva in Astrum using {{furigana|imperative statement|Programming}}.

Because the target of defense magic like Self Burning was their own body, the time needed to transmit the {{furigana|coordinate designation|Targeting}} to the Diva could be omitted, the spell could be invoked quickly.

"······Divine protection of mermaid, halt the advance of the hateful enemy, expedite the advance of the chosen person······. Run oh ice blade! {{furigana|Moves in the Field|Skating Rink Grand Dancing}}!"

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 034.jpg|thumb]]

Koyuki also finished chanting her spell——cold air was starting to spread from the girl's underfoot and in the blink of eye the ground had been frozen. Mio carelessly tried to move and her foot slipped.

On the other hand, by using cold air Koyuki created ice shoes with edge attached in both her feet similar to skating shoes, she sped up and slid across the fifty meter distance in one go.

"Does Hiakari-san plan to enter close combat!?"

As might be expected from someone who fight solo, it seems her Vepar was an all-purpose Diva.

Koyuki approached Mio who couldn't move her body and did a dance-like jump. ——Her visible white leotard coupled with her magic dress, it was as though the performance of a figure skater had began.

And then while Koyuki spun in the air, a sharp kick using the edge of the ice shoes visited Mio. The slash of the sharp ice managed to pierce the flame armour.

However the instant Koyuki's kick landed, Mio concentrated the fire of her whole body in one spot using psychokinesis. Koyuki's kick was swallowed inside the fierce growing fire unexpectedly.

The ice shoes evaporated inside the over-concentrated flame, making Koyuki's kick powerless.

"——!?" Koyuki opened her eyes in surprise because of the practical skill Mio showed using common magic.

And then the moment Koyuki did icing on her foot again——Mio read that timing and shifted to attack.

"{{furigana|Fire Wall|Flame Emperor Founding}}!"

Fissures ran in the ground that Koyuki froze under her feet, from there flames blew up.

"Singing voice of mermaid, manifest the frozen thought! Sorrow turn into ice flower, solitude turn into light snow······cover the world in cold nothingness!! {{furigana|White Album|Silent Pure White}}!!"

However Koyuki too was already chanting a different large-scale spell since she was sliding on the ice surface.

The surrounding of Koyuki and Mio were repainted with different space. It became a world of winter blizzard.

In the space covered with cold——the flame wall blew up from Koyuki's underfoot, the flame armor covering Mio's whole body, everything were vanished by the cold.

The alternate space that Koyuki produced also had used up its energy and the surrounding returned to normal space.

But an ice shoe was still left behind in one of Koyuki's feet.

"Fuh!" Using an unexpectedly beautiful form, Koyuki released a high kick hunting the neck. Drawing a silver line resembling an Iai<ref>Art of high-speed sword drawing</ref>'s slash, the ice edge ripped apart Mio's magic power.

A splendorous arching kick pursued Mio who staggered powerlessly from the impact of smashed magic power.

"Mioo!!"

"Otouto-kun, so you lost your cool if it was about Mio-chan huh······I might be a little jealous."

Kaguya-senpai smiled bitterly beside Kazuki.

"Even while Mio-chan was receiving damage, she still continued to chant a different spell, you see."

Kazuki sharpened his senses and finally saw, Mio who looked like she was at her wit's end from the kick······certainly waves of magic power could be felt. And then that was——an explosion happened all of sudden.

"Maybe Otouto-kun values Mio-chan so much that you underestimate her. You consider her as someone who you have to protect at all cost······certainly Koyuki-chan is superior at the amount of her innate magic power, but even with that, both of them are——equal."

"Immortal bird soaring from dusk to dawn, grant that wing of hope on my back! Destruction for the sake of rebirth, here! {{furigana|Blazing Wings|Ash Ember Ending in Crimson Wing}}!"

Mio chanted the spell in dignified voice. ······Phoenix's level 5 summoning magic!

An enormous flame sprouted from Mio's back, transformed into wings of flame with the width of ten-odd meters.

Mio slammed the wings of flame toward Koyuki, this time it was her turn to attack.

However while receiving the enormous fire to her body, Koyuki also carried out the spell of high level magic.

"······Sinking hundred of ships, the menace of sea lurking inside the depths of the sea! Rising to the surface guided by my singing voice······show that whole tale! ······Pierce through, oh fangs! {{furigana|Ice Buster|Iceberg Grand Waves}}!!"

Koyuki slapped her palm onto the ground——from there a great number of iceberg flew out.

The emerging icebergs soared fiercely to the sky toward the flying Mio to skewer her. Mio slammed her flame wing to oppose one of the iceberg assaulting her.

Large scale destruction magics crashed into each other, flame and ice offset each other mutually.

"Mio-chan is really skilled at manipulating magic power from Astrum you know. If she falls into a pinch she is able to draw out a large amount of magic from Astrum."

The alternate world connected from the depth of the mental world——Astrum, enormous magic power of the root of human's mind rolled in whirlpool inside that world.

When human's magic power reached the bottom, human's mind could access Astrum and drew magic power from there. However if someone carelessly drew magic power from Astrum, that human's mind would be the one that was pulled into Astrum and there would be risk of falling into fainting states, that state was called <Magic Intoxication>.

"Mio-chan in a pinch can unconsciously pull and use large amount of magic power that will make normal people faint into magic intoxication. When she was cornered to the brink she became strong, using abnormal utter gutsiness. This is one kind of talent that won't even lose to Koyuki-chan, see."

"Now that senpai mentioned it······I've never seen her faint because of magic intoxication."

"Koyuki-chan's Ice Buster is a level 6 magic. Mio-chan should lose if she clashed from the front. However even now······Mio-chan is still chanting her spell further!"

Mio's flame wings kept weakening because it's losing to the glaciers that kept coming one after another.

"Blazing······Wings!"

However with a strained voice, Mio chanted the spell even more. Two consecutive level 5 magic!

The regenerated wing of flame was tiding over against the glaciers, on the contrary it even pushed back the glaciers.

Even against an elf like Koyuki that should have extraordinary magic power, gradually the bottom was starting to become visible, finally——

"It's over!" The referee, Hoshikaze-senpai, stopped the battle.

For the safety in the duel, the duel would be stopped when the magic power was shaved until the point where it reached critical section.

Both of them used up all of their energy and willpower at the same time, Koyuki sat on the ground, Mio too fell down and squatted from the momentum. Both of their magic dresses released light and returned back to their uniforms.

"It won't have any persuasion power if she is demoted after showing high level battle until this point, huh."

Liz Liza-sensei who was spectating silently until now whispered with a sigh.

"In the case of a draw, the evaluation of the side with lower rank will be upped slightly. Hiakari Koyuki is the top of her grade, so in this case Amasaki Mio's evaluation will be upped. ······Hiakari, you didn't go easy on your opponent deliberately right?"

"······With Amasaki-san as the opponent······there wouldn't be any room for that······"

Koyuki who sat down said that looking completely exhausted.

"······Everyone······overestimated me too much because I'm an elf······"

"Fun. With this Amasaki will keep her rank for a while. But as long she can't clear a quest then this is no more than a stopgap measure."

Leaving those words behind Liz Liza-sensei went back to the direction of the school building.

"Mio!" Kazuki who heard Liz Liza-sensei's word rushed over to Mio who was crouching down and breathing roughly, looking liked she had just finished a marathon.

Even while totally exhausted, Mio fought to the bitter end to float a smiling face and showed a V-sign to Kazuki.

===Part 5===

After the dinner Kazuki knocked Koyuki's door.

"Please come in." With that permission, Kazuki opened the door with a little nervousness.

What entered the eyes was——bookshelf.

"······This room look completely like a library huh."

Smell of books pierced the nose. There was no element of girl's atmosphere at all, what were inside were only bookshelves made from steel that could be stowed with book both in the front and in the back, aside from a bed and a desk there were only bookshelves lined orderly in this room.

"There are always times remained to read books anyways."

Between the gap of the bookshelves, Koyuki could be seen sitting on her bed wearing her usual underwear along with white shirt. An old rabbit stuffed toy was propped up besides the bed. That was the only color scheme in this room.

"······That appearance again as expected, it's troubling where to put my eyes though······"

Kazuki's eyes keep getting attracted to the gap between the shirts hem and shirttail. Glimpses of white clothes and a girl's legs keep appearing and disappearing. But he raised his line of sight with strong willpower and stared at the girl's face.

"I don't want to change my lifestyle just for the sake of your eyes' convenience."

"——If that's the case, I'll watch Hiakari-san as much as I want then."

Kazuki said that to try to bully her even though he actually didn't have the intention of watching for real. Koyuki was startled because of that.

"Why······why would you do that? There is nothing worth seeing anyway in the body of someone like me."

"Haven't I said it many times before that Hiakari-san is beautiful. I'm going to push you down soon you know."

"You don't have that kind of courage right? Even though you have Amasaki-san."

······Why did she mentioned Mio there?

Koyuki closed her thighs while fidgeting, and then "What kind of business do you have?" glared at Kazuki scornfully.

"Hiakari-san was······regarding today's duel, did you know from the beginning that it would turn out like this?"

"You too are saying that I was going easy in that fight, is that so?"

"Even if Hiakari-san were not going easy on that duel, but if two people with equal ability dueled each other then it would become a draw. If that happened then Mio would keep her rank. Because Hiakari-san thought that, that's why Hiakari-san challenged Mio to duel, am I right?"

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand Amasaki-san her requiem because your invitation was annoying, that's all."

"When Hiakari-san requested the duel, I was panicked because I didn't know what were you thinking, but······certainly rather than challenging the quest once more, the possibility that Mio could keep her rank is higher if both Hiakari-san and Mio battled each other, I realized it after the duel finished."

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand that girl's requiem because it was annoying how much you and her flirted in this mansion, that's all."

"Thank you Hiakari-san. As I thought, Hiakari-san is a cool, kind, and reliable person."

"······Please listen when people talk. I'm getting angry you know."

"But on top of that I also have a request······in any event Hiakari-san has to enter our party."

If the girl really acted for Mio's sake then——as expected I want to fight together with her and become comrade, that was what Kazuki thought.

"I don't want. ······I don't want to have any illicit relation in the place of battle. I hate party like yours and Amasaki-san where you two keep flirting."

"Be, before too Hiakari-san mentioned about flirting, but I never flirted with her before!"

"I know that. If I'm going to party with someone, then I expect to have a mercenary relationship."

"I think I can understand that kind of sentiment. But isn't it lonely to fight like that without any rapport with your comrade? You can't even encourage each other in difficult times with that kind of relationship."

"Searching for something like contact of feeling in battle is strange. If you have that kind of wish, then get someone other than me······"

"I want to party together with Hiakari-san, and then get along better with Hiakari-san."

Toward Kazuki's proclamation——Koyuki averted her face like she was running away from that straight forward gaze.

"······I hate it, speaking things like that frankly!"

Despite saying how she dislike that kind of thing, a heart mark floated from Koyuki's chest and absorbed into the ring. The girl's positivity level was raised up to 48.

As expected, the girl's heart and words were always contrary.

"······Even though she was doing nothing but flirting with you, today's Amasaki-san was strong. Where does that kind of will power come from. I'm looking at her in new light, just a little."

"It's not flirting, precisely because we are together with each other that we also become stronger."

Toward that, Koyuki didn't give any reply and ignoring Kazuki altogether, she crawled into her futon.

"In any case I refuse to party with you. Please get out already from the room."

While turning her back to Kazuki, Koyuki hugged her rabbit stuffed toy inside the futon.

"······If you get more friendly with various girls, then the problem with your lack of battle tactics will also get resolved. Be more serious about the harem plan, oh my king."

When it became night, Leme said that while entering Kazuki's bed to sleep together at his side.

Because Leme materialized using Kazuki's magic power, it was better if she was near Kazuki as much as possible.

It was more economical and practical if she withdrew to Astrum, however as a girl it seemed having a real body and existing in present world as much as possible was much more comfortable.

"But, I don't want getting intimate with any girl without caring who she is just for the sake of getting stronger."

"But you are thinking that you want to get along better with Hiakari Koyuki right?"

"Aah······that's so but"

But this feeling was totally different from the emotion of love, it should be only a matter of friendship and affinity with each other.

Even though her positivity level increased a little, but Hiakari-san hadn't opened her heart at all.

"——Kazuki, do you have time?"

While Kazuki closed his eyes and waiting for the arrival of sleepiness, Mio's voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's okay but······what kind of business is it that you come this night?"

"······My king, don't do a blunder that decreased positivity level. If you do that then the usable magic will also decrease."

After only whispering that, Leme withdrew to Astrum and her physical body disappeared.

Mio who wore a light crimson pajama entered the dark room inside timidly.

"Tonight······is it okay to sleep together?"

"Haa!?"

Kazuki raised his voice spontaneously, but without even waiting for reply Mio quickly crawled inside the futon.

"I'll say this first, there is no weird meaning about this! ······I'll get angry if you do strange things okay!!"

While saying that Mio willfully pulled one of Kazuki's arms to the place where her head was located and using it as pillow.

Aroma of citrus fruit drifted from the honey colored hair with its twintail unfastened. The body was covered with pajama, but the cloths was thin, a girl's softness could be felt from the location where their body touched each other. Sweet heat that tickled a man's instinct filled the night.

"Wha, what is your intention, is this a test for my will power as a swordsman, is that it?"

"What are you talking about. ······Tonight just a little, I don't want to sleep alone. It's okay right? In our past, it looks like I also took a nap together with Kazu-nii······"

Once Kazuki was living together with Mio in orphanage——at Nanohana institute there was time for nap after lunch. The one that was always in Kazuki's side at that time was Mio.

Around that time Mio was thought to be younger than Kazuki because her body was small, her existence was completely like a little sister. Remembering that——mysteriously Kazuki's heart calmed down.

"That's right isn't it, somehow it's a nostalgic feeling. But······has something happened?"

"······Yes. You see, for a long time since I was taken into Amasaki household, I've lived without relying on anyone. ······After all, I was an orphan. I couldn't show any weakness to my new family."

——Hearing those words, it was impossible for Kazuki to not be sympathetic.

"I'm saying this myself, but······I was training in desperation, struggling to the death. Because I was recognized from my talent of magic. On the way an enigma appeared on me and I was skipping grade, but even so I didn't lose to my surrounding, and then I entered the magic division as rank A······"

Kazuki was also the same. For a long time he thought that his only worth was his talent in sword, there was a time when he couldn't believe his step-father and Kanae's [love as family].

That was surely the trauma that himself and Mio shared in common.

That's why he could understood somehow——when the tension was so high he almost snapped, surely there were moments when he wanted to be spoiled. However the time when he couldn't show his weakness to anyone, that was a bitterness like being suffocated in the bottom of darkness.

"The truth is that today is bitter too. Being told that I will be demoted to rank B, I have a feeling that I will keep holding Kazuki back forever······"

Mio's voice was shaking inside the darkness of the room, her voice became tearful.

"But hadn't you proved your true strength? Both of you were strong. Sensei was surprised too."

"Yes, when I thought that I still can stay as rank A, that I still can stay in the Witch's Mansion, that I still can stay together with Kazuki······suddenly I wanted to feel Kazu-nii just like those old days."

While using Kazuki's arm as pillow, Mio nuzzled her face against his chest.

"That's why just like this is okay. If you do strange things now then I'll get angry."

"I won't. For me, being just like this is okay too."

Mio was "hehehe" giggling like a child toward Kazuki's reply.

"······Hey, from now on it's okay to add someone to the party if Kazuki thought it is essential. I don't like if it is someone strange, but I won't say anything selfish anymore. ······As I thought, until now rather than prioritizing about battle, I was only worrying about different things. But in exchange, lend me your arms like this once in a while. I can feel that I will be together with Kazu-nii for a long time."

{Everyday is no good you know! If Leme's place is going to be gone then it's not allowed at all!}

Leme send her words from Astrum with telepathy in great panic.

While Mio moved her body closer to Kazuki, her breath started to 'suyasuya<ref>light breath of someone sleeping</ref>' and she slept soundly. Mio always had her face in displeasure immediately following their reunion, but her defenseless sleeping face was excessively lovely, and cute.

Suddenly——'Hiakari-san, is she sleeping while holding that stuffed toy right now?', a lonely imagination crossed Kazuki's head.

===Part 6===

The next morning. A girl's voice resounded in the garden of the Witch's Mansion.

"YAAAAAAAAAA!"

The number 2 of Magic Division in real strength, Hozhikaze-senpai in a gym uniform brandishing a katana came swinging at Kazuki.

Kazuki dodged with agility, then the girl turned the katana with fluid motion and slashed for the second and third times. The [forms] that Hoshikaze-senpai learned were still few, but she learned those few forms perfectly.

Kazuki counter-attacked and stabbed at the gap in the middle of the flow.

Hoshikaze-senpai blocked that with her katana in panic.

An instant of sword locking against each other——Hoshikaze-senpai forced back Kazuki's sword straight-forwardly but Kazuki warded off that force in circle trajectory, he manipulated the sword blade skillfully and strongly repelled senpai's katana.

The moment the swords separated, in that one move Kazuki's posture was in the position of releasing a slash, whereas Hoshikaze-senpai's posture was disturbed in which it was impossible to counter attack.

Freely controlling the momentum of the swords in the moment the swords locked against each other, that was the technique of old school's sword art.

"That technique is called [Alter Position]."

Kazuki's katana hit Hoshikaze-senpai's forehead lightly, which was repelled by the blue defensive magic power.

"Senpai, when locking swords, it’s no good to push directly opposite you know.”

Of course even if it became a contest of strength Kazuki would win, in that case it was not something to teach.

“••••••I see! Whether {{furigana|Enchant Aura|Physical Reinforcement Magic}} or physical strength, a genuine swordsman will absolutely surpass me in both areas. That’s why I must constantly parry my opponent’s attack. This is a very important knowledge isn’t it? Ha! It’s even more true if the enemy is Demon Beast that boasted their strength!”

Just from one word that Kazuki said, Hoshikaze-senpai could understand ten things on her own and nodded her head repeatedly.

Everything was done with this enthusiasm, she was a great student with tremendous quality.

Moreover when Hoshikaze-senpai learned the form at the beginning, the form was engraved into her body only by seeing and practice swinging a little. When Kazuki showed an example, it seems she traced that movement by aligning her consciousness with Kazuki using advanced telepathy. Kazuki was dumbfounded when he realized there was that kind of method.

“Keep in mind that strength is not all there is to be in a match••••••Senpai has {{furigana|Ride Lightning|Thunder God Body Flicker}}, so being defeated in close range combat should not happen.”

Ride Lightning was the characteristic magic of Baal, the Diva that Hoshikaze-senpai was contracted with. Special electricity signal was sent to the whole body’s nervous system and muscle, making it possible for the body to move at lightning speed.

That’s why for the sake of using those summoning magic, senpai begged Kazuki to teach her in close quarter battle.

She only learned the fundamental movement so far, but even those basics would become terrifying if used in high speed with Ride Lightning.

“I’m glad that I became your apprentice! Honestly saying, until I met you, somewhere in my heart I was also looking down on swordsman. But swinging sword together with you everyday, I had a feeling that a new world rapidly opened up!”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s handsome beautiful face suddenly changed into smiling face. She was a senpai that looked like a prince and was popular with student of same gender, but it was also impossible for Kazuki to not be attracted toward her character.

“Moreover your way of teaching is kind. Somehow getting knocked down on the palm was a happy thing. You’re not savage at all, so••••••
Even though you are a man, I want to know you more through this sword teaching.”

Senpai said that with ecstatic tone, a heart mark floated up from her chest.

“••••••I was like you for a long time, I was wishing for a friend of the [same gender]!”

“No, please wait a little senpai. Me and senpai are not the same gender.”

“That is true but••••••however I am, see, somehow my appearance look like a boy, isn’t it? The behavior of the girls around me somehow are••••••a little strange. I’m happy receiving adoration from them but that is quite lonely. But if it’s with you then I feel that we can face each other as friend immediately!”

“Of, of course! I don’t have any idea other than friendship!”

“Thank you, I’m happy! ••••••Oops, eh?”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s feet staggered while laughing. She didn’t realize it when she reinforced her body with magic power, but when she relaxed her attention, unexpectedly there was fatigue piling up.

“Are you okay senpai?” Kazuki immediately supported her shoulder.

Hoshikaze-senpai instantly trembled. ——This senpai, the truth was that she was not good with boys.

She was mostly getting used with dialogue face to face, but••••••it seems she was bad of getting touched.

Senpai ‘Hyaa!’ raised a shrill and nervous voice and pushed away Kazuki who was getting closer.

Kazuki was staggered because of that surprise attack. It was hard to predict a reflexive action.

“Ah••••••sorry! You okay!?”

This time it was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn that supported Kazuki reflexively, she pulled Kazuki close with good momentum.

But she did that with too much force, senpai staggered backward while embracing Kazuki closely.

Both of them staggered around while in the position of embracing——for a while it looked like a complicated exchange of energy like when they were locking swords, in the end both of them tumbled down on the lawn.

Blue light of defensive magic power burst out. Thanks to it there was no pain.

Kazuki was wrapped with warmth and softness. When he opened his eyes, his head was buried into Hoshikaze-senpai’s chest that was covered with gym clothes. It was soft, a sweet aroma of girl’s sweat tickled the nose.

The gym clothes in front of the eyes was wet with sweat, water colored sports bra was showing through. Kazuki’s body was forcing through the spats covered legs of senpai, a posture that looked like he was completely drowned into senpai’s body.

“Ha, Hayashizaki-kun••••••” Hoshikaze-senpai’s face blushed bright red.

Through an act of God, it became that he pushed down a girl!

••••••Kazuki hopped up and separated his body. However before Kazuki could ask for forgiveness,

“So, sorry! It looks like I was trampling down on your kindness again!”

Senpai bowed her head down toward Kazuki because she thought she had done a very embarrassing thing.

“Senpai, please don’t apologize! There was no harm down anyway!!”

{Getting apologized to even though a lucky pervert event happened, what a great harem king huh, my king!}

Leme who saw Kazuki’s situation from Astrum sent ridiculing words to his head.

True, rather it was a good feeling••••••stop, having such wicked thought like that toward senpai was no good!

Senpai’s pupils were blurred with tears because of self-condemnation thought.

“I’m really sorry••••••. Despite my intention to rely on you in my mind, but when a man approached I got surprised. ••••••Am I disqualified as your friend••••••? Please don’t hate me because of••••••”

That eyes were not like a prince, spontaneously it became the eyes of a girl that had to be protected.

“It’s fine senpai! The unshakeable friendship between senpai and me won’t be destroyed just by this much!”

“Unshakeable friendship! ••••••Hayashizaki-kun, you really say it that much! I like it very much!!”

Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hands in deep emotion.

But even though it was the cases that Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hand because she was overcame with emotion, she gradually started to feel scared of the fact that she was grasping the hand of a man, however she trembled so much that she couldn’t even separate her hand by herself.

“Senpai, please don’t force yourself.”

Kazuki separated their hand with bitter smile. This senpai was really a person that moved without thinking first.

“For, forgive me. Why did I became like this? ••••••Haa. I wish that someday you and me can do a hot-blooded hug of friendship between men and ascertain our friendship of each other.”

“••••••Normally, there is no hugging in friendship between men you know.”

“Eh? In my favourite manga, they hugged each other while their face getting closer and then they whispered ‘I love you’ in the ears mutually and bite the earlobes of their partner though? I didn’t really understand but it made my heart beat faster you see.”

••••••That was not friendship, but boys love wasn’t it!?

“I want to get along better with you however, just like that you seee••••••”

The positivity level of Hoshikaze-senpai that leaked such honest and dangerous word was——39.

It was only 39. Heart marks often flew out from Hoshikaze-senpai, but the amount the score raised up each time was strangely low. Moreover, sometimes the score decreased by itself even when Kazuki was not doing anything.

{It is because of her man phobia. The point decreasing arbitrarily too, it was because even though she doesn’t hate you, she is also wondering whether it’s okay to like you, her positivity level is restrained by her feeling of guilt.}

Leme was giving explanation inside Kazuki’s mind. To get along with senpai better••••••not just simply raising her positivity level, the phobia of men must also be conquered, was that it?

But the more Kazuki knew about the matter of this person, the more he wanted to get along well with her.

That moment——suddenly, a voice that seemed to ridicule the situation came out from the bush behind.

“——Fufufu, it’s not a mere child play to get along with Kazuki-dono of all people.”

“••••••Who is it?”

When Kazuki turned back, a figure of a female student appeared from inside the bush.

——She is not a normal person. That was what Kazuki felt, the figure that appeared, when she walked, her head didn’t shake up and down at all. That’s because her footwork moved like she was sliding, the characteristic of ancient school of martial arts.

Regardless that this was the site of Magic Division, the girl wore the Sword Division uniform brazenly.

It was rare for swordswoman with long hair to keep their hair extending free and not braiding them instead, a daring smile floated on her lips. The majestic atmosphere around her had the taste of the coexistence of calmness and wildness.

Drawing the eyes even further——there were three pieces of sword each tied in her left and right hip, and on her back she bore an {{furigana|oodachi|large war sword (carried across the back)}}. Seven swords in total. ••••••What kind of swordsman is she?

“If you accompany her playing around like that, your precious skill will grow dull, Kazuki-dono.”

While walking to Kazuki’s side, the swordswoman threw a laugh toward Hoshikaze-senpai’s special training.

“As I thought, I’m only bothering you, am I? ••••••Sorry, Hayashizaki-kun.”

“That’s not true, please don’t be downhearted senpai! ••••••And you are?”

“The name of one’s self is Hikita Kohaku. ••••••The next year student council president of Sword Division!”

••••••Somehow this manner of speaking felt like a déjà vu. Is this the swordsman version of Mio?

“The department is different, but are you the same first year like me?”

Kohaku faced toward Kazuki and politely bobbed her head down.

“I am Hoshikaze Hikaru. Second year in Magic Division.”

Hoshikaze-senpai also gave a self-introduction••••••but Kohaku didn’t seem to give Hoshikaze-senpai any consideration and ignored her and only poured her gaze to Kazuki.

Kazuki knitted his eyebrows. People in Sword Division that still held animosity against Magic Division existed, this girl might be one of them.

She perfectly ignored Hoshikaze-senpai——but rather then getting angry, Hoshikaze-senpai laughed mischiveously instead.

And then she encircled around to Kohaku’s back and raised her katana’s overhead.

Kazuki was shocked. Kaguya-senpai said it before, but Hoshikaze-senpai had a strange kind of playfulness.

Hoshikaze-senpai swung down a single stroke in a complete surprise attack.

That instant——Kohaku perceived the killing intent and turned around while unsheathing a katana.

“Foolish thing-!” ——While shouting she performed sword drawing in the state of turning around.

Hoshikaze-senpai already swung down her katana, that was why someone with average skill couldn’t possibly make it in time. However with blue light of Enchant Aura condensed into Kohaku’s arm, it produced staggering acceleration.

‘GIIIIN!’ A loud reverberation rang out, Hoshikaze-senpai’s surprise attack was repelled with a single stroke that should be called god speed. Kohaku immediately fixed her grip of the katana she already drew with both hands, turned the blade and swung it down. ——A perfect example of two stage Iai sword-drawing.

Hoshikaze-senpai barely stopped Kohaku’s katana closely above her head.

“••••••If a child try to measure his strength against a tiger, he will die.”

Hoshikaze-senpai stared in wonder towards the point of the sword she barely stopped, “I underestimated you!” then she sheathed her katana and clapped her hand. Kohaku’s mood became better toward the honest praise of Hoshikaze-senpai, then she turned back toward Kazuki with a proud expression.

“••••••Though in relation to Iai sword-drawing, one’s self still cannot compare with Kazuki-dono.”

“No, I saw that your skill was not average though••••••So, what kind of business you have with me?”

That sword drawing technique, she wouldn’t be able to achieve that kind of speed if she was not honing her body in sword discipline for most of her life. What kind of business that kind of girl had to come into Magic Division’s site expressly?

Don’t tell me that it is to challenge me for a duel••••••.

“Kazuki-dono••••••I request you to [marry<ref>You read this kekkon in japanese</ref>] me!”

“Please pardon me, currently I’m already sick and tired of [duel<ref>Read as kettou in japanese, sound quite similar with kekkon.</ref>]!”

“You are already tired of marriage!? Kazuki-dono already have history of divorce at this age!? How licentious••••••!!”

Kohaku was taken aback with utter astonishment, watching that Kazuki ‘eh?’ tilted his neck.

“What are you saying, licentious how?”

“Hayashizaki-kun, it is a misunderstanding because you heard wrong. What this girl said was marriage you know.”

Hoshikaze-senpai corrected the confused Kazuki’s misunderstanding from the side. ••••••Marriage?

“Wai, wait a minute! That is strange right!? We were encountering eah other just now, so how could it turned into marriage proposal so suddenly!?”

“Whether it is marriage or first meeting, there are no relation between those two.”

‘DO-ON!’ Kohaku declared with great pomp.

“Of course there are! There are relation between those two in the extreme, normally there are!! What were you saying so boldly!?”

“Rather than that kind of thing, more importantly••••••With ourselves marriage, then the Shinkage-style succeeded by Hikita household and the Hayashizaki-style that was succeeded by Hayashizaki-dono, with the unification of those two style, the strongest school of sword-style will be born!”

“••••••The strongest sword-style? You want to marry for the sake of strengthening the sword-style, does it?”

“Quite so. Both of ourselves<ref>If anyone want to edit Kohaku’s speech, keep in mind that her way of talking is quite archaic and polite.</ref> inherited ancient school of sword-style used in real battle that are almost extinct in the present Japan. It can be said that it is our duty as the successor to advance this precious art, couldn’t it?”

What the••••••To suddenly be proposed out of nowhere, for that kind of reason.

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.02 055.jpg|thumb]]

Hikita household’s Shinkage-style——I had heard that name. If I remember correctly it was an ancient sword-style handed down in Kyushu.

Kazuki had faced a lot of schools since his period of childhood, but he didn’t have any experience against schools from such a distant place like this Shinkage-style.

To what extent the real strength of this style had reached••••••an eagerness to test it surged out inside. However,

“I can understand the talk about the school’s sake but••••••to decide marriage partner based on that is not good. Marriage are for the sake of staying together with your truly important person for your whole life after all.”

Hoshikaze-senpai was nodding along beside Kazuki while saying “Yes, yes, just like that!”

“Prioritizing free love rather than the sword-style••••••Kazuki-dono is unexpectedly a modern youth.”

It’s not this side that was modern but that side is the one that mistaken the present time, that was what Kazuki thought.

“Certainly Hayashizaki-style is as important as my life however••••••we must not advance the path of sword at the cost of people’s happiness. If we do that, you too will be hurt for sure.”

“Hmm••••••If ourselves become husband and wife, one’s self doesn’t think that ourselves will become that unhappy but••••••If that is Kazuki-dono’s sense of values then one’s self will act in accordance with that. If one’s self will wed with Kazuki-dono, then one’s self need to go through the wall of free love! That is a field that one’s self is poor at but••••••there is nothing to be done other that!”

“Eh, you don’t have any intention to give up?”

Kohaku gazed at Kazuki with eyes that looked like burning flames resided within. Even though that was not words that didn’t seem like a girl, she said it sharply that it was engraved deep inside with a determined look.

“My King, there is no point even if you get along well with a woman that was not Magica Stigma you know.”

Leme’s voice echoed inside his head. ••••••This Diva, whispering into his head while calculating each and everything. Of course I don’t have any intention at all to have a love relationship with this girl though.

“Well then Kazuki-dono, setting aside the marriage how about forming party with me?”

“Party? You mean party for participating in a quest?”

“Correct. From the story I had heard, even though Kazuki-dono had formed party in Magic Division but you failed your quest. Rather then staying at that kind of party, won’t it be better to enter one’s self party instead? One’s self doesn’t want to adhere to Heaven and Earth Formation, but one’s self desire to form a [swordsman only party].”

Ignoring Heaven and Earth Formation, a swordsman only party!?

“Hey wait, Sword Division students cannot challenge a quest by themselves though?”

Hoshikaze-senpai interjected from the side of the surprised Kazuki.

The students of the knight academy can challenge a quest through the reception desk called Guild. However a party must have satisfied a certain requirement before undertaking a quest.

That requirement was——the party must included Magica Stigma.

“Affirmative, just as you say. Therefore one’s self party still cannot challenge an actual quest. That is where the [Magic Division Swordsman], Hayashizaki-dono’s assistance will be imperative!”

“••••••In short I am not needed as Magica Stigma, but you need my title as Magic Division while I myself is a swordsman, is it?”

That was a really rude way of talking. However Kohaku continued calmly.

“Affirmative. Even though all will be well as long there is a Magic Division student in the party, but one’s self doesn’t want to recognize a human being that doesn’t follow the same path of sword as comrade. If Hayashizaki-dono is added into ourselves party, I wish yourself won’t use summoning magic at all. If ourselves can produce accomplishment like that, surely it will become proof of swordsman's true strength!”

“Why are you so fixated to raise accomplishment with only swordsman until that much? Even if you don’t force yourself like that, the true strength of swordsman currently is in the process of being recognized, isn’t it?”

Because of the incidents that happened in sequence since Kazuki enrolled a few weeks ago, the true strength of swordsman was reevaluated and the distance of Magic Division and Sword Division had shrunk immediately.

Both the student council of Magic Division and Sword Division had combined their strength and formed the Student Council Party and that [That is the strongest right?] became the topic inside the academy, the progress keep continuing and party's that combine the strength of Magic Division and Sword Division keep increasing.

Of course Magic Division students that were still looking down on swordsman is still not few, however••••••.

“Certainly the attitude of Magic Division’s students toward Sword Division’s students have improved. But there are still a lot of inequality remaining in this knight academy. Even though this has not been improved and yet they shake their tail happily, the other side has become conveniently domesticated doesn’t it?”

“When you said inequality, was it the matter about how swordsman cannot challenge a quest by themselves? ••••••But if a party that only consisted of swordsman encountered enemy that has resistance against slashing attack, it’s checkmate you know.”

Kazuki had experienced that himself, for example enemy like slime.

“Of course one’s self understand that. However a counter measure has been already worked out.”

••••••Widening the width of tactics only by using swordsman? How?

“And then there is one more thing that is unfair to swordsman, ownership of sacred treasure that swordsman discovered is not recognized!”

Sacred Treasure——That was an item that originally was a manmade tool that contained spillover magic power from Astrum and transformed.

It was treasures that would rarely appear when searching the Haunted Ground.

“Many of the sacred treasure has the form and nature of [weapon], if swordsman uses it then it’s possible that we can surpass Magica Stigma! However because those Magica Stigma were scared that their position would be threatened by us swordsmen, they won’t distribute Sacred Treasures for the use of swordsman! Of course it’s not only applied to Sword Division’s swordsmen, but even the Knight Order’s swordsmen is not allowed to use Sacred Treasures, the Sacred Treasures are only kept in storage and left to waste!”

“Utilization of Sacred Treasures are prohibited because on top of its nature to consume magic power to display its power, the possible influence caused to its user’s mind is regarded as dangerous.”

Hoshikaze-senpai explained it like that but Kohaku shook her head obstinately.

“Taking that kind of official stance even though there are no clinical experiment performed, do you think there is any persuasive power on that? If you insisted on that, then do you have any actual proof that the contract with Solomon 72 Pillar doesn’t have any negative influence on mind?”

——Certainly, that kind of thing might also be possible••••••.

The top brass of the Knight Order had been solidified around Magica Stigma, Japan's government and it’s citizens had also regarded Magica Stigma as heroes, using that view as political measures to guard the stability of the nation’s public order.

Restricting the swordsmen from using Sacred Treasures was a nation-wide conspiracy——it might not be such a wild story after all.

If it was Kaguya-senpai then [Other country use Sacred Treasures fully, if they came to attack then it will become too late for us! They are such peace idiots!] it will become such furious talk.

“Thus one’s self advocated these points, acquirement of Sacred Treasures’s ownership, the treatment of swordsman at quest, and the abolishment of various inequality with other division in budget allocation!”

“So the first step to achieve that••••••is by adding me to a swordsman only party is it?”

Aiming for the elevation of swordsman social status by achieving a result with swordsman only party and becoming heroes.

“Correct, and then please marry with one’s self someday.”

However with that grand marriage proposal, suddenly all strength spontaneously left Kazuki.

“Sorry, but no matter how just Hikita-san’s cause is, in the first place I have no intention to leave my current party. Because it is a party of only two people with a very precious person.”

“I see••••••One’s self will respect Kazuki-dono’s sense of values. In short if one’s self become even more important than that very precious person then everything will be fine right! And then we will enter a love relationship and marry each other! Love and the like is a field one’s self is poor at and doesn’t really understand it well••••••however, there is no other way then to do it! I will do it!”

“Eh, that’s not it, I want you to obediently give up there though••••••”

“I won’t give up! This unworthy Hikita Kohaku is ignorant of the subtleties of the heart of a gentleman but••••••one’s self will [conquer] Kazuki-dono’s heart without fail, I’ll show you!”

Kohaku straightened her chest grandly and proclaimed to Kazuki. That’s not a nice thing to say, to [conquer] ••••••!

{For you who must conquer the girls of Magica Stigma, conversely to be conquered by a swordswoman••••••! A weird girl has come approaching—!!}

Even Leme’s shocked voice had reached Kazuki’s mind.

“Well, it’s fine if we are on good terms with each other but••••••can you stop using such polite language?”

“••••••Do you mean calling with casual language and saying name without honorific to a gentleman even though ourselves are not spouse!?”

Kohaku who owned a wild beautiful face, however she was unexpectedly refined and hesitated.

“I don’t feel that we can get along well if you are so formal despite being classmates.”

“It, it can’t be helped then if it’s needed for the sake of getting along••••••Hayashizaki••••••no, it will be easily mixed up with calling Kanae-kaichou<ref>president</ref> without honorific so••••••Kazuki••••••”

Kohaku’s face became bright red while she fidgeted when she called Kazuki’s name.

“Well, even if we get along well as friend, I still don’t have any intention to abandon my current party or enter a love relationship though. If that’s fine then let’s become friend.”

“One, one’s self is troubled with that! But, I’m fired up against such huge obstacle! That being the case, one’s self’ll show you that I’ll conquer Kazuki’s heart! ••••••Kuh, somehow it suddenly become embarrassing!”

Suddenly••••••a black shadow sneaked up behind the spirited Kohaku.

“Ko~ha~ku! You little, what are you doing in this kind of place!?”

“Killing intent!?” Kohaku used an Iai sword-drawing simultaneously with the voice while turning back. “OWA-!” The one who raised a scream while avoiding the sword was——the senpai called Yamada Torazou. A male student of Sword Division’s student council.

“Don’t just slash abruptly from nowhereee!”

“What••••••Torazou huh. From the presence I thought it was something like a beast.”

“Don’t call a senpai without honorifiicc! It’s improper!”

“Torazou is weaker than one’s self so I won’t use honorific language.”

“Really, you are••••••. Yo! Kazuki and Hoshikaze-san!”

Torazou-senpai’s eyes met with Kazuki then he approached while waving his hand with a cheerful smile.

“••••••What were you guys doing with that kind of appearance? Has Kazuki taught Hoshikaze-san sword techniques?”

“Fufufu, Yamada-kun, let’s do a rematch with me<ref>For additional information, all this time Hikaru used boku to refer herself, usually only boys used that word to refer theirselves.</ref> now. I have received the instruction of secret measures just now.”

Hoshikaze-senpai who was poor with men nonchalantly hid in Kazuki’s shadow even while saying that.

“Spare me this time, I don’t have a feeling I can win no matter how many times we fight. ••••••Rather than that Kohaku, what are you doing in this place even though you were absent from student council meeting?”

“Torazou, one’s self won’t go anymore to student council okay! I withdraw my application as apprentice!”

“What the heck are you saying. It’s disgraceful in front of Kazuki and the others. ••••••Event though until just a while ago I was somehow made president to consider. Yet suddenly you become rebellious in this place.”

Torazou-san talked like he was explaining while ignoring the stare of Kazuki and the other.

“Certainly one’s self was respecting Hayashizaki-kaichou. But currently she is degraded as the pet dog of Magic Division’s student council! Wagging her tail to Magic Division’s student council, one’s self doesn’t have any intention to follow such Sword Division student council! Farewell!!”

Kohaku turned her back toward Torazou-senpai in a flash, then blue light of body reinforcement shined in both her feet and she left with violent force. The three people could only see off that back dumbfoundedly.

“So Kohaku is a member of Sword Division student council?”

“She was an apprentice as a promising first year. The same position like you huh. But well••••••she only create troubles because of that kind of personality. I was her superior, but.”

Torazou-senpai held his head tiredly while he breathed a sigh.

“••••••Your elder sister and the vice-president in my student council, even though they are strong in battle but they are good-for-nothings, so normally I was the only one who does most of the practical work••••••. Both the president and vice-president are capable, the first year are also respectful, I’m envious with Magic Division’s student council••••••”

“Ahaha, our student council was praised♪ That’s because Hayashizaki-kun and the others are our prided first years.”

Hoshikaze-senpai clapped her hand on Kazuki’s shoulder. It was an unconscious action based on pure good will toward Kazuki, but soon she realized that she touched a male got startled.

Kaguya-senpai, and Hoshikaze-senpai too, both were very good senpai.

The atmosphere around the Witch’s Mansion was really like a family——it was really embarrassing to speak of when all the other members were girls but once again Kazuki thought that he really liked this student council.

It was the story of different student council, but seeing a first year defying her senior felt painful.

“It is a really shameful story but, the guys in Sword Division that still hold a grudge toward Magic Division are still a lot.”

“That kind of thing is the same in Magic Division. People who looked down on swordsman are still a lot.”

“This is a matter that won’t be able to go quite smoothly immediately huh. ••••••Well, see you guys later.”

Torazou-senpai left from this place. Hoshikaze-senpai slipped out a chuckle while seeing him off.

“Hikita Kohaku-san. She is a somewhat strange child right? That kind of rashness is cute.”

Certainly a charm of wildness was hidden inside her calm demeanor, impudent and yet modest, bold but also somewhat shy••••••a girl that left a mysterious impression.

“I wonder what’d happen if Hayashizaki-kun fell into her temptation and parted from Mio-chan.”

“There is no reason that’d happen. Because Mio is a very precious partner to me.”

“••••••Actually today there is a request we want to ask from your party, so in the unlikely event that your party broke up because of things it will be troubling.”

“A request? For us who doesn’t have any success in quest?”

“Yes, but it’s really not something too troublesome. Rather it could be the resolution for your trouble••••••Well, I think you will hear the story from Kaguya after school so just wait. Fufufu~”

A small storm had just passed••••••However a premonition of trouble in the future came again from Hoshikaze-senpai’s manner of speaking.

“Okay then Hayashizaki-kun, let’s take a shower and do the morning preparation okay!”

••••••Wait, of course there was no reason to take a bath together though.

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==Translator's Notes and References==
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