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Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume14 Chapter2

2015-08-29T13:19:16Z

Shufers: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 2 - The Awakened Girl==

===Part 1===

"Please come this way."

Led by head maid Natalia, Kamito and company arrived in front of Judia's room.

To avoid frightening her with too many people showing up at once, only Rinslet, Mireille and Kamito entered the room.

Initially, Kamito wanted to decline, thinking it would be best if the two Laurenfrost sisters entered alone, but Judia's apparent wishes were to have Kamito brought along as well.

(...Oh well, I'm hoping to ask her some things too.)

"—Judia, we're coming in."

Rinslet called out nervously then pushed the door open lightly.

Gentle sunlight was streaming into the room through the window.

Over there, lying on the bed was an endearing young girl.

Her emerald eyes and pretty platinum-blonde hair were common characteristics shared by the Laurenfrost sisters. However, she gave off a different vibe compared to her other two sisters.

She seemed like a girl of fantasy, so fragile she might break upon touch.

(So this girl is Judia Laurenfrost...)

Kamito examined the girl carefully.

Judia's imprisonment in cursed ice by the Water Elemental Lord had happened before the Calamity Queen's rebellion, on that day of the Water Elemental Festival held in Laurenfrost four years ago.

Rinslet's junior by three years, she should be thirteen right now, but her appearance was much younger than her actual age. Currently, she looked roughly as old as Mireille.

It was possible that her physical body's growth had been halted during her imprisonment in cursed ice.

While she was lying on the bed at this moment, Judia's gaze was empty and suddenly wandered.

"...Rinslet, Nee-sama?"

Kamito heard her hoarse voice. It was like calling for someone far away.

"Judia... Thank goodness... This is truly wonderful..."

"Nee-sama... Nee-sama... I..."

Judia buried her face in Rinslet's chest, crying.

"There was not a single day when I was not thinking of you."

Rinslet sounded like she was about to cry. It was truly rare to see her acting this way in front of others, given her overweening pride.

"Judia-oneesama..."

"...This voice, Mireille?"

Reacting to Mireille's voice, Judia's hollow gaze began to wander again.

This unnatural movement of her gaze filled Kamito with a sense that something was wrong.

(No way...)

"Judia, Onee-sama?"

Mireille seemed to noticed something was off and cocked her head.

"I'm over here, you know?"

Called by her younger sister, Judia's gaze looked towards the space over Judia's head.

"Judia...?"

Rinslet looked up suddenly.

Instantly, her expression froze.

...So she noticed too.

"...Your eyes, don't tell me..."

Judia's emerald eyes had lost their shine.

Due to being imprisoned in cursed ice for many years and the influence of the Otherworldly Darkness, the girl's body and mind had been corroded—

"Worry not, Nee-sama—"

Judia shook her head lightly.

"I am guilty of handing my mind over to that darkness and destroying the Forest of Ice Blossoms—"

"You are not at fault for anything, Judia!"

"I-Indeed. Onee-sama, you were only possessed by something bad!"

"No, even if my mind was controlled, the fact remains unchanged that I enabled Zirnitra to revive and destroyed the Forest Dweller's homeland."

"Judia..."

Rinslet spoke in a pained voice while she gently wrapped her arms around her younger sister's shoulders, embracing her against her bosom.

"I will arrange for the best healers. Surely, healers from the imperial capital will be able to do something for those eyes—"

"Thank you, Nee-sama, but I believe that spirit magic probably cannot heal these eyes."

Judia shook her head helplessly.

—Suddenly, she looked up as though noticing something.

"May I ask who is the person over there?"

"I'm Kazehaya Kamito, Rinslet's classmate."

Kamito approached the bed and knelt down in front of the girl.

"You are..."

Instantly, the girl's face lit up.

"It was you who liberated me and Zirnitra."

"Rinslet's the one who saved you, not me."

Kamito shook his head.

"If she hadn't hurried over that time, I would've been locked in cursed ice too."

"Yes, I still remember. Nee-sama and you rescued me together."

"...Huh?"

Kamito exclaimed in surprise and exchanged looks with Rinslet.

"You were conscious inside the cursed ice?"

"I was kept in an unconscious state, in a place that was essentially pitch black. But from time to time, I would regain consciousness like a dream. Hence, I could not help but remember that Rinslet-neesama came to visit me at the shrine countless times."

"R-Really?"

Rinslet asked in a trembling voice and Judia nodded to her.

Hence, Rinslet's voice, thinking of her sister, had—

Definitely reached the depths of her little sister's heart, imprisoned in Otherworldly Darkness.

(However, if that's the case...)

Kamito felt excited.

"Judia, I've got something to ask you."

"...You want to ask me about something?"

"Yeah. Umm, though it might be a memory you don't want to recall—"

Kamito spoke slightly hesitantly but soon made his decision.

"Do you by any chance remember what happened when that darkness devoured you?"

Instantly, Judia's expression froze.

Her fingers, clutching her knee, began to tremble uncontrollably from fear.

"Onii-sama?" "Kamito-san, that is too—"

"...Did you see something?"

Holding the girl's trembling hand, Kamito asked again.

Before long, the hand's trembling subsided—

Judia nodded slightly and began to speak gently.

"Yes, I still remember. What I saw on that day, I remember clearly."

"..."

"On that day, what I saw in the darkness, packed densely in the darkness, countless ''angels''—"

Hearing such words from the girl's lips—

Kamito could not help but gasp.

(Angels... huh.)

Somewhere deep in his mind seemed to hurt.

(Yes, I definitely saw it too—)

On that day when he had emerged victorious from the Blade Dance tournament, earning the privilege for an audience with the Elemental Lords...

Just before he could reach the Fire Elemental Lord's throne, Kamito's entire body had been devoured by Otherworldly Darkness.

—I had seen it.

Restless inside darkness that did not exist in this world, they were neither spirits nor humans.

—Thousands if not tens of thousands strong, an army of countless ''angels''.

(Sure enough, I was not mistaken.)

Cold sweat broke out of the hand he was holding.

Winged humanoid giants glowing with silver-white light.

According to legends on the continent, angels were primordial beings that gave birth to spirits.

However, the existence of such beings had never been proven, not even once.

—I don't think there was any mistake in what we saw.

Kamito did not know if what he had seen was truly a so-called angel. But ultimately, given such an appearance, it was inevitable he would associate them with the beings he recalled from bedtime stories.

(But it looks like Judia is thinking along the same lines as me...)

Judia's dull pupils wandered emptily while she continued.

"I was simply stunned by that sight. Too afraid, I could not move at all. At the time, one of the angels arrived before me out from the darkness. The silver-white radiance swallowed me—"

(A being from the depths of the Otherworldly Darkness—an angel? And it chose Judia?)

So far, Kamito had pegged the Otherworldly Darkness as a calamity that corrupted the Elemental Lords' minds, an existence with neither thought nor free will.

However, according to what Judia recalled, the angel that had made contact with her was clearly sentient.

"Umm, what did you feel when you were swallowed by the darkness?"

Kamito asked urgently again.

However, Judia shook her head.

"...I am very sorry but that is all I can remember from that day. Afterwards, inside the darkness, all I have are fragmentary memories form the few times when I regained consciousness—"

Then she rubbed her temples painfully.

"Judia, are you alright?"

Rinslet asked with worry.

"...Do not worry. I just have, a little headache..."

"Then you'd better get some rest. Besides, you only just woke up from your coma."

"...Indeed. Yes, I'm a bit, tired."

The girl on the bed smiled briefly.

"...Sorry for making you remember unpleasant things."

"Not at all. I am very glad to be of slight assistance."

Seeing the girl shake her head to muster optimism, Kamito stood up from the bedside.

"Then I'm leaving first. Sorry for intruding on your reunion as sisters."

"You don't have to worry about that, Onii-sama. After all, we're both going to end up as your sisters in the future, Onii-sama."

"...Onii... -sama?"

Hearing Mireille, Judia cocked her head in puzzlement.

"...Uh... M-Mireille, what on earth are you talking about!?"

Rinslet instantly turned bright red and started hammering her fists on Mireille's shoulder.

Smiling wryly, Kamito exited the room.

===Part 2===

(...Angels huh?)

Kamito muttered while walking along the corridor.

He originally thought that by asking Judia about the Otherworldly Darkness, he could find clues to recovering Restia's memories that were lost after the darkness devoured her.

(...But it seems like something a bit unexpected happened.)

Restless in the depths of the Otherworldly Darkness, an army of countless angels. Simply having one of them possess a human princess maiden to manifest in the human realm and it was already enough to obliterate the Forest of Ice Blossoms.

(...If this army of angels appeared in the world all at once...)

Just imagining it made him feel bone-chilling terror.

"...Oh, Kamito."

He encountered Claire coming up the stairs.

"...Claire. Where's everyone?"

"Ellis is sleeping in the room. Well, it's only expected since she had been using her spirit throughout the night since yesterday. The darkness spirit is at the tent, helping to treat wounded soldiers."

"I see..."

In the past, Kamito had received Restia's treatment before.

Naturally, as a darkness spirit, she could not use healing-type spirit magic. All she could do to help was simple things like applying medication and bandages.

(...She was unexpectedly clumsy at that.)

"Kamito, what's wrong?"

"No, nothing."

Kamito shrugged and walked alongside Claire.

(...I'd better not mention that "angel" topic to Claire and the rest of them for now.)

There was too little information and even Kamito himself had not organized what little he had in his mind.

Also, unlike Judia's room, someone might overhear if he brought up the topic here. Spies sent from Ordesia might have already infiltrated the castle.

"What were you doing just now, Claire?"

"Since everyone was feeling cold, I used magic to light up the furnaces in the castle."

"That's really wonderful, Claire. You're amazing!"

"Ehehe... Hey, what the heck!? Your gaze looks like you're praising a child!"

Claire acting shy for a bit then pouted angrily.

"By the way, how's Judia's condition."

"Oh, she's currently resting because she's too tired but it doesn't seem like she has any memory problems. However—"

"However?"

"Her eyes can't see anymore—"

"...Huh?"

Claire gasped.

"I think it might be something like an after effect of being locked in cursed ice for a long period of time. She might recover naturally or with healing from spirit magic—"

"Really..."

Claire murmured with a complicated expression on her face.

"Even if spirit magic were to be used, trying to heal eyes that have gone blind is still very difficult, especially since she spent many years imprisoned in an Elemental Lord's cursed ice."

"Even the imperial capital's best healers are helpless?"

"No matter how high their healing powers, trying to recover lost flesh would already be a problem on a totally different level. This is really something that can only rely on a miracle from the Elemental Lords."

"A miracle..."

At this moment, this word jolted Kamito's memory.

"Speaking of miracles..."

"Hmm?"

"...Well, I was wondering if it's her, she might be able to heal Judia."

"Her?"

"Eighth of the imperial knights' Numbers—Lurie Lizaldia the Miraculous."

Kamito spoke the name that had surfaced in his mind.

"...A-Are you serious?"

"...I know. But it's just a question of possibility."

Faced with Claire's shock, Kamito shook his head.

As far as Kamito knew, Lurie was the top-ranked healer even across the entire continent. If it was her, she might have a chance at healing Judia.

But those miraculous healing hands had currently gone missing.

Why did Lurie conspire to use militarized spirits to attack the Academy? Her motives and goals were still unknown. Also, why did the higher-ups in the imperial army cancel the mission given to special agent operative knight Virrey Brandford, to stop tracking Lurie down?

(...Oh well, anyway, that's that.)

Kamito tried to think about it. The reason why Lurie had been able to lurk for many years among the Numbers was because there was a traitor among the ranks of the Empire's top echelon.

The Ordesia Empire was a major nation with a long history. Precisely because of that, its internal corruption was reaching an irredeemable state.

Back when Kamito was living in Greyworth's house, the corruption perpetrated by the Empire's nobles was already a common sight. The imperial council was where demons walked the earth, a demonic den of political and power struggles.

That was a world where the Strongest Blade Dancer's sword skills did not work.

At this point in his thoughts, Kamito began to worry about Fianna who was at the imperial capital.

(...Fianna is in that kind of demonic den right now.)

Although Greyworth was with her, Kamito still felt a bit worried.

—Thus Kamito and Claire returned to their bedroom.

"What do we do after this?"

"My initial goal is achieved. Now we take Restia back to the Academy."

Kamito replied to Claire's question with a shrug of his shoulders.

"...We'll probably be a nuisance for Rinslet if we stay here for too long."

===Part 3===

—Thus, Kamito and his friends immediately started to pack up and get ready to leave.

"...Y-You could stay a few more days before going, you know?"

In Winter Gulf Castle's hall, Rinslet murmured, looking very disappointed.

After bidding Kamito and the others goodbye, Milla and Mireille had gone ahead with Claire, Ellis and Restia, apparently to get the horses ready.

Hence, Kamito and Rinslet were currently alone.

"Well, it's because we sneaked out of the Academy because of my willfulness. Also, we'll probably be a nuisance for the people in the castle if we keep staying here."

"...Of course not."

Rinslet gripped the hem of Kamito's clothing tightly.

Until Margrave Laurenfrost returned from attending the All Nations Conference at the imperial capital, Rinslet had to manage the castle as the head of the Laurenfrost family.

Normally, she could leave the job to Mireille and the Wolf Ritters garrisoned at the castle, but that was not an option given the current circumstances.

"I'm so grateful to you, Rinslet. Thanks to you, I was able to bring Restia back. If I had been alone, I would've definitely met my demise in the Kyria Mountain Range in a blizzard."

"Not at all. I did not really help that much~"

Rinslet shook her head.

"Kamito-san, you are the one I should thank. You helped me rescue Judia and Laurenfrost itself. As the head of the Laurenfrost family, I hereby offer you my gratitude."

Faced with her bowing her head at him sincerely, Kamito smiled wryly.

"Okay, see you back at the Academy. You can count on Claire and I to copy down lecture notes for you."

"Oh, p-please hold on—"

Just as Kamito was about to leave, Rinslet tugged his clothing.

"...Rinslet?"

"Oh, u-umm..."

Pulling his sleeve, she fidgeted for some unknown reason, her face turning bright red.

"...What's up?"

"U-Uh... Well, umm.."

Smooch♪

A surprise kiss.

"...Huh!?"

Rinslet's gorgeous lips had pressed themselves upon Kamito's lips—

Then reluctantly, she parted lightly from his lips.

"Y-Y-You... What are you doing...?"

Kamito was rendered incoherent by her sudden action.

"...~U-Umm... I, well, huaaah..."

Compared to Kamito, Rinslet was in even greater confusion. Her entire face was red, even her ears.

"Calm down, Rinslet, I should be more confused that you."

Kamito's comment finally calmed her down. She cleared her throat and looked at Kamito with her clear, emerald eyes.

(S-So cute...)

Kamito was mesmerized by those watery eyes. His heart raced.

Rinslet took a deep breath and her lips vibrated to speak.

"D-During our journey, Kamito-san, there was something that bothered me greatly."

"Something bothered you greatly?"

Rinslet nodded.

"Ah, yes, umm, when on the snowing mountain with you... during that k-k-kiss, I felt a mysterious power flowing within me."

"W-Wait, what are you talking about?"

Kamito yelled frantically.

"I-I am not lying. It was the same as when the ice dragons were assaulting the castle. I-It was thanks to your kiss, Kamito-san, that I was able to achieve victory!"

"What the heck is going on here!? W-Why would a k-kiss with me cause..."

Blushing, Kamito stuttered. That time in the mountain ravaged by a blizzard, the series of actions she had performed to heal his wounds surfaced clearly in his mind.

"...~Uh, I am not too sure myself why this phenomenon arose."

Rinslet cast her glance away in extreme shyness.

"But I-I definitely received power from my kiss with you, Kamito-san."

"N-No way..."

Before he could say "this can happen," Kamito suddenly realized something.

(Come to think of it...)

He recalled what Ellis had told him this morning.

...Before setting off for Laurenfrost, what had happened before leaving the Academy.

When Kamito had gone to visit the hospitalized Ellis, she had kissed him to apply Wind's Protection, a blessing for keeping travelers safe.

(Indeed, I heard that Ellis recovered her physical strength rapidly after that—)

"...Kamito-san?"

Looking very surprised, Rinslet frowned.

"Have you found some kind of clue in your memories?"

"...N-No, I don't think it's like that..."

While Kamito was frantically trying to gloss over things to get out of the embarrassing situation, Rinslet pretended to cough.

"P-Please do not get the wrong idea. I-I simply... wanted to receive that mysterious power, nothing more!"

Twisting her hair around her finger, she seemed very embarrassed.

"...O-Oh okay, I get it."

When Kamito nodded repeatedly...

"My goodness! Kamito-san, you don't understand anything at all—"

Smooch♪

Sneaking another surprise kiss, Rinslet blushed and ran away.

===Part 4===

"Kamito, what the heck were you doing!?"

"The sun is going to set if we do not hurry and depart."

At the castle's main gates, Claire and the others had the horses ready, waiting for Kamito.

"...S-Sorry. I was too engaged in the conversation with Rinslet."

"With Rinslet? ...Hmm, that somehow sounds a bit suspicious."

"What did you talk about?"

Glare—Claire and Ellis were staring at Kamito with widened eyes.

"Meow—?"

Scarlet also seemed to have suspicions about Kamito and meowed before walking back and forth at Kamito's feet.

"I-It was just a farewell conversation. Let's hurry and head out—"

Taking his horse's reins in his hands, Kamito avoided the girls' eye contact and spoke.

"By the way, where's Restia?"

"The darkness spirit is over there—"

Kamito followed Claire's pointing finger to look.

"...N-No, not this side...!"

Restia was currently struggling against a pony.

"Restia, you don't know how to ride a horse?"

Kamito approached Restia and asked. Restia pouted in a sulk.

"I know nothing of the skills required to ride a horse."

"...Well, it can't be helped."

Restia probably never rode a horse before losing her memories, because she possessed a pair of jet-black wings. They were extremely beautiful. Speaking of which, how could there be spirits who would ride a horse when they had a pair of wings of their own?

"Then ride with me."

"...D-Don't worry. Just watch and I shall master the skills required to ride a horse!"

"The sun would've set by then. Upsy-daisy."

Kamito suddenly wrapped his arms around Restia's waist and seated her on his own horse.

"...~!"

"See, now you're riding, right?"

"S-Seriously, you scared me..."

Restia pouted and sulked.

"Hmm, Kamito..." "...You are spoiling the darkness spirit too much!"

Ellis and Claire pouted angrily.

"...Wow—it feels higher than I expected."

"You'll get used to it soon enough. Grip the reins tightly, okay?"

Restia shifted herself forward a bit and Kamito held the reins too.

"—Then let us depart. O bird of calamity ruling over demonic winds, I beseech thee to use thy wings to guide us towards the correct path!"

On horseback, Ellis raised her hand in the air and gestured, summoning the demon wind spirit to lead the way.

"Kehhhhhhh!"

Appearing out of midair, Simorgh responded to his master's call, gliding in the sky.

"What an adorable bird~"

"—Huh?"

Everyone looked at Restia at the same time without thinking.

"...Did you say cute?"

"Yes, the feathers are so fluffy, it's too cute."

But upon hearing Restia's praise—

Suddenly, Simorgh cried out emotionally while soaring in the air.

"Kehhh, kehhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Wow, Simorgh is so happy that he is crying..."

"...C-Crying? I don't get it at all."

"I knew it, your spirit is a bit scary..."

Simorgh flapped his wings fiercely, creating a great gust of wind. Demon wind spirits were spirits that conferred the wind's protective effects upon travelers.

"—Well then, let us hurry back to the Academy."

With Ellis in the lead, Kamito and company advanced on horseback.

At this time, Kamito glanced back—

Standing on a balcony in Winter Gulf Castle, Rinslet was waving goodbye to them.

Waving lightly to her in return, Kamito thus departed from Laurenfrost territory.

<noinclude>
{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume14 Prologue|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume14 Chapter2}}</noinclude>

Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 4 Chapter 5

2015-08-15T02:44:37Z

Shufers: /* Part 1 */

{{Incomplete|parts=1|tparts=2}}

==Chapter 5 – Love Simulation==

===Part 1===

“Senpai, she still hasn’t come huh.”

Before he was waiting for Mio in the afternoon at the front of the station. This time he was waiting for Hikaru-senpai.

He designated this place in an instant, but like this it was as if he….

{As if you are taking and replacing girls constantly, right? Exactly like a Harem King!!}

Leme came jeering at him through telepathy. However it was exactly like what she said.

Next he had also promised to go on a date with Kaguya-senpai. He also had the feeling of wanting to lead Koyuki, who tends to shun other people, outside. He also needed to find a suitable time for Lotte, who wanted to check for the new productions of the workshops in Akihabara again.

{Isn’t it fine to have fun with everyone? When Leme looks at all of you, Leme too feels the desire to become human. …That’s right, I get the feeling that in the past too, I also thought like this along with the <King of Solomon>…}

Leme had said once before that she was [a Diva that harbored a longing for humans]. Because of that [she became a Diva that could materialize easily] also.

“Is that so…even for you to regain your memory, you have to recover your strength completely too right?”

{It’s fine even if you don’t worry too much about Leme though. Well, it’s a good thing to stay positive.}

That was right, he had to stay positive when he faced Hikaru-senpai.

Hikaru-senpai was a girl. She harbored a shirking feeling toward males. He had to correct senpai’s [distortion] that made her keep insisting that she was a male on this date!

{King…you are really heated up for your proactive date, huh. Oops, looks like Hoshikaze Hikaru has come.}

“…I, I made you wait! Sorry, I didn't realize how time had passed…!”

When Kazuki turned back while calling out “Senpai!”―right there, what he saw was a handsome guy.

Even in TV shows, there was not such a cool guy as the one before Kazuki now.

Not only a good looking face, the clothes were also so stylish that even Kazuki could understand. She was wearing a crisp black tailored jacket and denim pants that were not too formal. The denim was a slender thing for men, but there was room for Hikaru-senpai, who was actually not a man. It also went well with her small face, an extremely stylish appearance.

There was the stylish feel that was not too rough, having said that it was also not too exaggerated. Right in front of him was one of the examples that men should try to follow in what clothing they had to wear on a date. Even Kazuki was taken aback in admiration, wondering whether he also should dress like this.

The problem was that this handsome guy was actually a girl.

“Ho, how is it?”

Feeling Kazuki’s stare, Hikaru-senpai fidgeted around. It looks like her injuries have completely healed.

“It’s very cool. For the first time, I understand the feeling of senpai’s fans. There is no doubt that if I were a girl, I would fall in love.”

“Really? Hehhehhe, as expected. I wonder if it’s like that~. But even something like that could also happen I wonder~”

Hikaru-senpai’s expression burst open brightly just like a young boy.

She was cool, but also cute. She had a smiling face that gave you an unknown throbbing inside when you saw it.

“Please don’t be happy! …Even though I said before to please go on a date with me as a girl, why does senpai look that much like a handsome guy!?”

To have nothing but men’s clothing to this degree, she was a prince that far exceeded his expectations.

“I was thinking about whether I should wear a jersey. But I wonder if it will make you ashamed instead.”

“Even if senpai came looking like that much of a handsome guy, I only got this huge feeling of failure you know…”

“I, I think you are looking cool though!”

“I don't really feel that I got praised. By the way, for the date, of course for today.”

“As expected, this is really a date?”

“Even I don't really understand something like a date, I didn't really plan anything but…the thing we should do first is decided! Let’s go shopping for women's clothing!”

Kazuki forcefully pulled Hikaru-senpai, who repeatedly said, “It’s impossible, impossible you know―” and finally arrived at a {{furigana|boutique|Fashion Workshop}}.

It was a boutique he had visited before with Mio. Saying it clearly, Kazuki didn't understand a thing about women's clothing, but if it was the boutique that the stylish Mio favored then there would be no problem, he thought.

Moreover this workshop made western clothes by themselves to sell. Of course they only gathered [truly good products] from other workshops and sold them too. These kinds of business conditions were called <Select Shop>, that was what Mio-sensei taught him. If it was here, then they should be able to look for various brands of stylish clothes that were not leaning on just a particular brand.

“I want to escape.”

The stylish aura that was emitted from the shop overpowered Hikaru-senpai and make her whisper such.

“No way. After this, I will dye senpai with my color!”

With forcefulness from the experience he had when he was led around by Mio, Kazuki pushed Hikaru-senpai’s back forward.

“Geez, you're really forceful―” saying that, Hikaru-senpai made a troubled expression. However, a skull mark didn't come flying.

When the automatic door opened and they entered the inside of the shop, the stylish shopkeeper Onee-san was,

“Welcome…?” she said.

Her words trailed off in the end, showing her confusion that was surely because she was seeing two males entering this store for females.

When the shopkeeper took a glance at HIkaru-senpai, her expression of confusion was receding and her cheeks were dyed with pink color.

However, as expected of a stylish professional. She immediately saw through Hikaru-senpai’s real identity as a female and floated a smiling face as if having apprehensions toward this side. “Today, what kind of item you are looking for, dear guest?”

Kazuki felt relieved and was going to consult the shopkeeper, at that time―

“Eh, Kazuki? And senpai?”

“Mio!?”

Mio was inside the boutique. Kazuki unconsciously twitched in surprise like a man whose affair was discovered by his wife.

However, when he really thought about it, this was a boutique that Mio regularly visited after all. It was just normal to unexpectedly come across her on a holiday here in this store if he just used his brain.

After Mio tilted her head seeing Kazuki’s behavior, she pulled Kazuki’s arm suddenly and forcefully.

“…Kazuki, come here for a second. Tell me the situation.”

Trailing behind, Kazuki was dragged into one of the corners inside the store, leaving behind Hikaru-senpai.

“Are you taking Hoshikaze-senpai on a date to raise her positivity level for the sake of winning the battle election?”

Mio unreservedly cut to core of the matter.

“I’m not taking her on a date aiming for her magic! It’s just…there is something distorted in the relationship between me and Hikaru-senpai. I want to correct that distortion so I can create a bond with senpai in the true meaning.”

“…Distortion?” Mio made a dubious face.

“The relation between me and senpai has become completely wrong by something. I understand that from Leme’s power. Because of that, I cannot use Hikaru-senpai’s magic, but…I'm not doing this for that reason! I just don't want us two to stay like this forever!”

“Fuun. Certainly Kazuki and Hoshikaze-senpai looked on good terms with each other, yet Kazuki had never used the same magic like senpai huh.”

“For the sake of correcting my relation with senpai into how it should have been originally is…first senpai has to be made to look feminine, that’s what I am thinking.”

“I see. Then I'll cooperate too.”

Mio gave that response decisively. “Eh?” Kazuki was raising such voice.

Because Mio talked with a small voice, Kazuki thought she was angry, but it seemed it was not like that. Right at this point, she changed completely and made a lively voice.

“It'd be great if we make Hoshikaze-senpai look cute using this store’s clothes, wouldn't it? It sounds fun! I too have been thinking for a long time that I wanted to do something about senpai!! If it’s about such things, then leave it to this Great Teacher Mio!!”

“If you say that, then it’s a great help! I really don't understand anything in this area! …But I, after this, I am still planning to continue the date with Hikaru-senpai though…”

“I don't really mind. I have been given a kiss from the other day after all. Right now, I'll believe in Kazuki’s feelings. But the things that you do to senpai today, I will hate it if later on, you don't do it all for me too, okay!”

Mio was not feeling jealous toward his other companion, but she was demanding for the same treatment or if possible even more of it for herself.

Mio was the type of girl who used that method to make herself content.

“Nevertheless, Hoshikaze-senpai’s personal clothes are really cool, aren’t they? She looks like the second most handsome man in the world.”

“That is the second best you say? Then, who is the first?”

“That’s Kazu-nii without doubt!”

Suddenly Mio kissed (chuu) Kazuki’s cheek.

“Yo―sh, I'll show you Hoshikaze-senpai’s fresh start in life! Follow me!!”

Mio exultantly returned to the area of the store’s entrance where the vacantly standing Hoshikaze-senpai was left behind. After Kazuki was dumbfounded for a while, he followed along behind her.

By then, a lecture by Great Teacher Mio began.

“For the sake of saving money too, if I can, I want to make use of the clothes that senpai wears right now and spend as little money as possible but…this tailored jacket is completely men’s wear, so I wonder if it’s possible.”

“Don’t girls also wear jackets like this?”

When Kazuki interjected, Mio said “Chihchih. The silhouette is completely different” and waved about her finger.

“There is also a way to make use of this denim as a boyfriend denim and coordinate it.”

“Boyfriend denim?”

“A somewhat large denim that looks as if it is borrowed from a boyfriend and worn is called that. A boyish denim with the cuff rolled-up and then from there the slim ankles are tightly exposed and also wearing something like cute pumps. With that, the girliness would be all the more increased. It’s super cute!! Wearing boyfriend denim for the purpose of falsifying fat legs is no good! Slim ankle is the greatest!!”

“I see, I don’t get it.”

However, the shopkeeper kept nodding while making voices of agreement (un un) with a full, smiling face. It seemed there was nothing mistaken in Mio-sensei’s words. Hikaru-senpai was staring vacantly with round eyes.

“But a first date with a boy should use a more orthodox style that looks as girly as possible right? As I thought, rejected, let’s replace the whole outfit! …Hey, Hoshikaze-senpai, is it okay to let the hair down too?”

“Eh!? …No, no way, it’s embarrassing, it will become disheveled!”

“It will be okay, we are going to use a brush after all.”

“Mio, so you carry around a mirror and brush? You are really a girl.”

“Fufu, this is only natural for a girl! Come on senpai, please don’t move.”

“U, uuu…” From behind, Mio combed down Hikaru-senpai’s curly hair.

“If we use this product, created by the greatest alchemist of the fashion industry, Junko Takeo…”

When Mio brought out a cream that looked to be very treasured by her and used it in the brushing, in the blink of an eye, Hikaru-senpai’s hair became silky.

“L, lies…” The person herself was the one that was most surprised.

“How great. So there is this kind of secret behind how Mio’s twintails look so pretty.”

“Though this is really expensive you know~. Even though father is like that, he is really generous when it comes to this. At first, I too was hesitating, but he really had fun dressing up his daughter to be stylish, so like that, it couldn't be helped.”

‘Is that so?’ was what he thought, but as expected it seems that Headmaster Amasaki was extremely doting on Mio.

“Yosh, looks good! As expected, senpai is cute! If it's like this, then senpai already looks extremely girlish and attractive! But still~, there are a lot of spring one-pieces with flower patterns, but it looks a little too sweet though~. On the other hand, now is still not the time to use summer’s color.”

“Myon-chan, what if it's this newly arrived product I wonder!? Though this is not something we made ourselves!”

The shopkeeper came bringing a yellow mustard one-piece in her hand. Myon-chan?

“There is something like that!? Masumi-chan, this is good!!”

So you too were calling the shopkeeper by adding -chan on her name?

Mio was like “Yee―ii!” and did a high-five with the shopkeeper. They are too friendly with each other.

“These clothes are not good if they are not worn by someone like Hoshikaze-senpai, who would look like a college student or an office lady when wearing them. If that point is coordinated with this one-piece, then it would endow senpai with the combination of the impact of a leading actress and elegance! Yellow suits Hoshikaze-senpai, the fashionable color of the year!”

Mio checked the correctness of the sewing and then she fluently flipped off the tag to confirm.

“This is from a still nameless workshop!? This kind of great bargain…Masumi-chan, not only as {{furigana|couturier|attire alchemist}}, but your skill as {{furigana|buyer|stocking officer}} had gone up too, hasn’t it?”

“This is nothing big.”<ref>This is a reference to something though for the life of me I don't know what. The original phrase is ‘Oyasuku shito kimasse’/’お安くしときまっせ’</ref>

When Mio’s eyes shined brightly, the shopkeeper Masumi-chan talked strangely while rubbing her hands together.

“Wearing a one-piece means you don't need trousers or a skirt. Then only this is enough right?”

“Idiot! Just by calling pants "trousers" already shows that you are an idiot! Kazuki, are you planning to combine this one-piece with the leather sneakers that Hoshikaze-senpai is currently wearing!? Isn’t it obvious that the underfoot is the most important thing!!”

―A few dozen minutes later, Hikaru-senpai who was holding a lot of items in her arms and Mio entered the dressing room.

“Senpai, why are you wrapping something like sarashi<ref>Wrapping clothes woman used to wrap their breast, usually used by female character who crossdress as male where they wrapped it so tightly their chest looked flat.</ref> on you!?”

Mio’s scream could be heard from the dressing room.

“I, if I’m going to look like the appearance of a cool boy, then the breasts are just a hindrance so…”

“There is that but, please don't do things to the degree of pressing your own breasts just to look cool! Senpai, even though you have beautifully shaped breasts, they were completely crushed!”

“It’s, it’s going to be fine see, it’s not a tofu after all.”

What a conversation they were having.

Before long, the curtain was opened swiftly. The figure of Hikaru-senpai, who was starting a fresh life, appeared.

A beautiful lady was standing there. It was not a handsome man no matter how you saw it.

She looked like an adult. But for Kazuki, the fidgeting and embarrassed figure was cute.

“Senpai, you look really beautiful. I don't really get what Mio was talking about for even a little, but it really suit you!”

“Th, that’s a lie~. There is no doubt that someone like me dressing as a woman will look like wearing a costume.”

“That is not true at all; even I had said that it suited senpai, hadn’t I? Hey, Masumi-chan thinks so too right?”

“It matches dear guest very well, to the degree that I want to have you as the exclusive model for our boutique aimed at the media.”

Even Mio and the shopkeeper said such things. Hikaru-senpai looked down because she couldn't deny it anymore than this.

“Kazuki, I'll bring the clothes that senpai wore before back to the Witch’s Mansion. It would be a hindrance on the date, don't you agree?”

Mio held a paper bag while saying that. And then she quietly drew near Kazuki and whispered in his ear.

“My bra, I lent it to Hoshikaze-senpai after adjusting the size. That’s why right now, I am wearing no bra.”

And then Mio hugged Kazuki’s arm as strong as she could. Her breast was pressed on his arm as if mixing together.

(munyuu munyuu munyuu) Softness was transmitted almost directly across just one piece of cloth.

“Yo, you, what are you doing!?”

“Ehehe, Kazu-nii’s face is red! Yosh, I’m satisfied, see you later!”

Mio left the store while laughing mischievously.

“By the way, if dear guest is planning to purchase all of this, the total amount is as followed.”

Looking at the memo the shopkeeper suddenly presented, Kazuki almost screamed.

But to show the memo at Kazuki first was the nice consideration of the shopkeeper.

“Of course, I'll buy it all.” With that, Kazuki took out his wallet.

Kazuki had some savings. The Hayashizaki household was not a wealthy family, but Kazuki had also received some amounts of pocket money, just like Kanae. At first he was reserved to receive it. But his stepfather kept saying “You are already my son.” and scolded him in return; it made him sad so Kazuki obediently accepted it in the end. But with no other way to use the money except for something like buying presents for his family’s birthday, he was doing nothing but continuing to save up the money.

He never imagined that western clothes were this expensive, but this was by no means an amount that he couldn’t afford.

It was for his long-cherished ambition that he was using this money for the sake of making Hikaru-senpai beautiful.

“Wait, I'll pay it myself! I won’t do something like making my junior pay!”

Sensing Kazuki trying to settle the bill, Hikaru-senpai tried to butt in.

“Isn't this something that I am forcing senpai to buy? Please let me pay it.”

“I'm not really forced to buy it, this is not something I am grudgingly doing. I was thinking if it would be better to have at least a piece of clothes like this…”

“Senpai says that, but will senpai really wear this kind of clothes by yourself if you buy it?”

When Kazuki pointed that out, Senpai went “Uu” and muddled her words. Right now, she was wearing a one-piece and became a cute girl, but it was obvious that when they returned home she would be going back to being a prince.

“Then let’s do it like this, at least please let me pay half the amount.”

Kazuki proposed while taking out some bills.

“On top of senpai paying with your own money, senpai can't let these clothes just lay around uselessly. At the same time with me paying half the amount, I will have only half the right of meddling for what will be done with these clothes.”

“Half of the right…? It feels complicated somehow, but what kind of meddling will you do?

“When senpai is going out together with me, I beg you to please absolutely dress yourself like now. It’s already forbidden to look like a male when senpai is together with me!”

“Bu, but when the winter come, this appearance will be cold you know?”

“When it happens, let’s come shopping together again for the season’s clothes.”

With exhausted face, senpai went “Uu―….. Okay.” and nodded her head.

For some reason, a heart mark was came flying from her chest.

For some reason. In other words, senpai didn't hate it to look like a girl deep inside her heart.

Even for senpai, deep inside her heart there were the feelings of wanting to become a normal girl.

That was why the [male friendship] that senpai was hoping to create was not actually senpai’s true feelings.

This distortion, he would rectify it throughout this whole day!

When they exited the workshop, the sun was still high in the sky. The date was still in the opening phase.

“What are we going to do after this?”

Hikaru-senpai asked helplessly while holding the short hem of her one-piece.

The moment they came out to the street, the stares of men in their surrounding were nailed towards senpai. It was different from the usual female fans of Hikaru-senpai. Right now, she was in the state of being unable to calm down from the impolite and vulgar stares of men.

When he saw senpai, who was tightly pinching the hem of her skirt, he was hesitating to take her for an active event.

“How about going to the movie theater? I think we can calm down and have fun there. I also think we can watch a romantic movie and ought to learn the thing called adult love between male and female.”

“…Until now, I have never seen any movie except for the hero or ranger squad genre.”

“Actually I also have never seen movie except for those kinds of things. Kanae liked that kind of thing since we were small.”

“Even now I still like them you know, hero!”

Hikaru-senpai took a characteristic pose of some kind of hero with a snap.

“That is the reason why we need to learn from the romantic movie! Watching a romantic movie and learning the examples of dating from there…and then let’s try to imitate various things that are done inside the movie!”

“We are going to imitate it!?” Hearing Kazuki’s idea, Hikaru-senpai made a troubled face again.

―Two hours later, both Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai came out from the movie theater while crying aloud together.

“For those two happy people to be torn apart from each other like that…I can't bear watching it, it was too heartbreaking…”

Hikaru-senpai wiped her tears while her nose kept sniffling.

Senpai, who was very honest in everything, had really great empathy.

“But isn't it great that in the last scene, they could reunite once more?”

Desperately surviving in the battlefield, the main character returned home for his lover.

Kazuki thought back upon that scene gradually, that was the best last scene without a doubt.

“But I have the feeling that the scene can be interpreted in various ways…for some reason the last scene was depicted in vague shade. Don't tell me the main character at that time had been a ghost already!?”

“Pl, please stop it! It’s decided already that in the aftermath, the main characters lived happily ever after, okay!”

Kazuki’s tears leaked out once more, he desperately wiped it away with all his strength. Shit, for a Hayashizaki swordsman of all people to become this serious just from romantic movie…

“Love is great, isn't it…”

Strangely, senpai too was solemnly whispering what Kazuki was currently feeling in his heart.

Kazuki reflexively stared intently at senpai’s face from the side. When she noticed, she made an excuse in panic.

“No, for me it’s an impossible story though!? It’s gross for someone like me to say something about love, isn’t it!?”

“It’s not impossible for senpai. With that in mind senpai…your hand is cold, isn't it?”

Kazuki chose the timing, when their tears had stopped for the time being, he said those words while walking.

“It’s not cold at all because right now, it's May, you know? Ahaha, what’s wrong?”

Hikaru-senpai said it calmly, so Kazuki felt like he was making a fool of himself.

“That’s not it, it’s about that scene in the movie! We were going to study the things that were done in the movie and imitate it ourselves, we had talked about it before we watched, right!?”

“Ah, that one! We are really going to do that!? There are a lot of amazing things that were done in that movie, you know!?”

“We are going to do it, that is something that we currently need, the main event of today. Having said that…Really, why are you coming here looking that cold?”

While saying that, Kazuki grasped Hikaru-senpai’s hand as if wrapping it with his hand.

In the movie, the main character brusquely said so and grasped the heroine’s hand tightly.

“You are asking why, isn't this the clothes that you guys chose for me…no, saying that is no good huh. Eerrr…because, I thought if I came like this then you would hold my hand.”

Even while being shy, Hikaru-senpai still said it while looking a little happy.

Even senpai’s male phobia looked like it had become okay even if she was holding hands with Kazuki.

When Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai exited the movie theater, they found a bench and sat down.

“Hey, your face might be cold too…aaa!”

Hikaru-senpai said that as if she had become the heroine completely, but when she noticed the meaning of what she was saying, her face immediately exploded into a red color. When the heroine was saying [your face might be cold], the main character kissed the heroine and said to the heroine whose face became red [now, your face has become hot], it was that kind of scene in the movie.

It stinks. It was just too stinky. Was it okay to imitate the scene this much?

A lot of agitation like [what should I do] was floating in senpai’s expression.

If senpai herself didn't stop, then Kazuki as the one who was the first who suggested to do this didn’t have any excuse to not continue.

“Senpai…is it okay, if I kiss your cheek too?”

“If you don't dislike it…but, are you really going to do it…?”

Hikaru-senpai’s cheek was softly smooth, just like a snow field that had never been stepped by anyone before. Kazuki brought his face near that cheek―and touched his own lips softly on it.

“Your, your face, has become hot see…”

It was extremely embarrassing saying that line himself. Hikaru-senpai’s face that had been already red to the limit already didn’t change more than this. But from her chest, a heart mark came flying.

Hikaru-senpai’s positivity level that was really hard to increase had gone up again.

“This is really strange, to do something like this to someone like me…”

Hikaru-senpai averted her boiling face away from Kazuki and whispered.

“Ah! Just now those guys are kissing in cheeks! ‘chuu―’ at the cheek!”

Suddenly, a jeering voice was coming from the side.

“Chih, how annoyin’…showing their flirting around like that.”

“That girl is totally cut eeh! Look here a little hey, Onee-san!”

“They look like they're in a romantic movie, and then while reaffirming their own happiness they are ‘chuu―’ see!”

“Happiness huh, oi you there! How infuriating!!”

When they turned to look at the voices that kept continuing, there was a group of four ill-bred men, who had just come out from the same movie theater. They were glaring at them without reservation.

‘Let’s ignore them’, Kazuki stood and took Hikaru-senpai’s hand and tried to leave this spot.

However before he could do that―

“You four men are seeing a romantic movie together?”

Hikaru-senpai tilted her head from wonderment deep inside her heart and asked the group of men.

…What a terrific reply that really hit the bullseye.

According to Kaguya-senpai, occasionally Hikaru-senpai would say thoughtless words in an airheaded fashion without any malice behind it.

“Al, all of us are the fans of Koidzuka Nozomi-chan, the leading actress of this movie you knoowwww!”

One of the men screamed right from the depth of his soul.

“Don’ screw with us! You are only showing off and looking down on us huh!!”

“We, we are not particularly intending to look down on…”

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.04 130.png|thumb]]

It seemed Hikaru-senpai really didn't have any ill-will behind her words, she shook in surprise.

“Don’ get carried away you shitty bacouple<ref>Word play of baka(idiot) and couple. Couples that really didn't know the place and time and flirted around even in public.</ref>!!”

“Waa, sorry! I’m sorry!”

The men were enraged without even noticing Hikaru-senpai’s apology, magic power was starting to be refined in their whole body. …It was a considerable Enchant Aura. Looks like they were fairly used to brawling.

They didn’t even show any sign of noticing the katana that was attached on Kazuki’s hip.

“…Kazuki, this is bad. We need to run.”

Even for knights and knight candidates, using Summoning Magic without reserve was a no-no.

It was similar with a katana, even though they were specially allowed to wear it freely.

If they used a katana or Summoning Magic on ordinary people outside of the official business or quest, it wouldn't be recognized as legitimate self-defense, even in the case where the other side was the one who started the fight first. A strict punishment would be levied against them.

“We are going to make even you two bacouple taste the feeling of the protagonists that were torn apart by the fight!!”

“Hyaa!” Hikaru-senpai spontaneously raised a scream.

The man entered between Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai and then he tried to grab at senpai.

“…Don't touch senpai!”

Instantly, Kazuki was seething in rage. He gripped the man’s wrist as if he was going to crush it.

With strength that was almost crushing, “You, bastard…” the man’s eyes opened wide.

It was not only because senpai couldn't use magic because the opponent was a civilian. Her magic power still hadn't recovered from the match the other day; there was the danger of her getting wounded just from a little violence.

Moreover senpai had a phobia of man. …This kind of event was undoubtedly scary.

“I, I can’ move. I can’ move at all.”

From the mouth of the man, a voice that seemed scared leaked out. Rather than saying this was because of the difference in physical strength, it was the difference in strength compared to the Enchant Aura of a swordsman that had been tempered earnestly.

Kazuki read the brute strength and the breathing of his opponent. He pushed the movement of his opponent and suddenly reversed his own strength.

“Uwaa!?” Swung forcefully, the man’s body lightly danced on the air.

<Aikido>―Kazuki didn’t learn martial arts until Aikido. But by reading the breathing and strength of the opponent, he could apply the principle of kenjutsu’s sword locking technique in this kind of way too.

“You bastard, what are you doing to Yoshio-kun!?”

The remaining men were coming to assault Kazuki too.

Fellows, who after they were able to produce and hold strong magic power, thought that they were a special existence and wield violence against weaker humans without even batting an eyelid…this kind of bunch were not rare in this current era.

Even in the area surrounding Kazuki’s orphanage in the past, there were a great number of these kinds of delinquents and punks that went around looking for and demanding reasons to go wild, picking fights with weaker humans. Kazuki hated these kinds of fellows.

“Don't you dare think you can touch senpai with those dirty hands!”

Evading the strengths of the opponents, warding off, and also using those strengths to fling them away.

The men were pounded into the concrete in turn to their wit's end.

Against strength that was used only for the sake of trampling down other people one-sidedly, Kazuki had the confidence to ward them off and fling them all away no matter how many they were. With furious eyes that weren't cooling down, Kazuki looked down on the group of four men that were dropping down in line.

“Ka, Kazuki! It’s no good if you overdo it!”

Right at that time, Hikaru-senpai entered between them. She turned back in panic and lowered her head to the four men.

“Forgive me, I really didn't mean any ill will!”

The group of four men that were scared from Kazuki’s demonic atmosphere changed completely from there and looked at Hikaru-senpai as if they were seeing a goddess. With a puff, their faces turned red suddenly.

“Do, do you think it will be all ok just because you didn’t mean bad? Besides, to flirt around like that as if to show off right in a public place.”

“That’s not it! That was because I’m really not like a girl at all, so he gave me an intensive training to make me more like a girl, that’s all there is to it!”

“Not like a girl…you say…” With red face, the men's mouths hung wide open.

“Aren't you absurdly cute already? Try to look at the mirror…”

“To say something like that with that face, youuu, apologize to your dear mother that gave you birth with that cuteness…”

“Eeehh!? Tha, that’s not true at all!”

Hikaru-senpai waved her hand with feverish haste. However, that panicked state of hers was also cute.

“So today I was thinking of trying to study about girliness from Koidzuka Nozomi-chan…I, I completely became her fan just now! She is cute, isn't she, that Nozomi-chan.”

“Is, is that so, if you are a fan of Nozomi-chan, then in deference to Nozomi-chan, we will let you off this time…”

They averted their eyes from Kazuki while they hurriedly stood up.

“Remember this you two! Watch Nozomi-chan’s weekly highlight program every Friday for sure!”

Leaving behind that parting threat, those guys went away.

Hikaru-senpai turned back and “Ahaha” laughed.

“Sorry, Kazuki. Because of me, a troublesome thing happened.”

“Senpai, are you not scared anymore?”

“Yes…I’m scared, just a little. Ahaha, how pathetic.”

She was laughing, but the fear and upset were coloring her smiling face; it looked just a little stiff.

That was why Kazuki gripped those slender hands tightly and embraced her in his arms. Hikaru-senpai was terrified of men, that was why he hesitated, but there was no doubt that this was the way to treat a girl.

Now that he thought back, there was also this kind of scene in the movie.

“Senpai is mine. That’s why I won't let another man lay even a finger on you.”

When Kazuki whispered in her ear, blood was rushing to Hikaru-senpai’s head in a rush.

“Wha, what are you saying! Sheesh, stupid!!”

“Senpai, looks like even being this close, your man phobia is okay, isn't it?”

While walking for some times with both of them glued to one another, Kazuki talked once more.

“Ri, right. If you are the companion then, as expected, it is fine…”

While Hikaru-senpai talked, she pinched at Kazuki’s clothes as if clinging on him.

“But the guys from before were scary. It’s not that my man phobia is healed, as I thought it might be because you are the one that is with me…”

Kazuki strengthened the hand that was hugging Hikaru-senpai. A refreshing aroma drifted from senpai.

“Senpai. Certainly men are; essentially, they can be aggressive and commit violence against other people.”

While remembering the group of men from before, Kazuki murmured.

If senpai was a flawless prince, even compared to those men in that area, senpai was far stronger. And she also had guts from the experience of how she risked her life in the real battle of quests. However, the fear that senpai felt was not something of that level, surely it was something more instinctual.

“However, men are not just about violence, there is also the aspect in them that wants to protect their important things and girls by themselves. I think protecting is also a man’s instinct.”

“The strength of men who are protecting something, reliability…”

Hikaru-senpai murmured as if she was noticing this for the first time.

“For a long time senpai was, as a prince or as a knight, treated as [the substitute of man who protects] by the girls around you, weren't you? While being told that you are more knight-like even compared to real men. That’s why in regards of men, senpai was seeing nothing except their one aspect of violence. The one that protects the girls is not the men, but the job of yourself, from that kind of thought. …For senpai, men are nothing but an object of fear. I have the feeling that is how senpai’s phobia of men looks like.”

“I wonder if this is about how I didn't know to [rely on boys]. But certainly it might be just like Kazuki says. Boys are not just about scariness, right now I understand it from the bottom of my heart…”

Exhaustedly, Hikaru-senpai leaned her head on the area of Kazuki’s neck.

“When I'm inside your embrace, I feel a great persuasiveness that makes me think that being like this is something appropriate…. After all, you are stronger and cooler than me.”

From senpai’s chest―shining avatar of a key was floating, it was absorbed into Solomon’s ring.

<Key of the Heart>―the proof of the bond that connected him and Hikaru-senpai.

Well, girls nowadays were…they were weaker in physical strength compared to males. But their magic power was stronger, so machoism like men were stronger was by no means applicable anymore though.

“Now that I think about it senpai, you were told that you are [cute] from other people that you didn't know, weren't you? Like this, in a certain meaning, you are certified as a girl already.”

“Sto, stop it okay! That was embarrassing! …Was everyone saying that seriously?”

Mio had the self-awareness of her own attractiveness, but Hikaru-senpai and Koyuki were troubling because they didn't have such awareness of their own attractiveness.

“Of course they were serious. Senpai is cute, you are totally beautiful. If it is the usual senpai then you might not need it, but this makes me want to protect you.”

“…It’s not true that I don’t need such things. I’m happy, really…”

Hikaru-senpai’s figure with her hair down and wearing a one-piece was fidgeting around inside Kazuki’s arms.

“…Kazuki, now that I remember, your speech from before…we are still continuing from the movie, aren't we…”

In the movie, after the main character said [you are mine] to the heroine, as if to prove that, he kissed the heroine intensely and passionately. As expected, Kazuki wouldn’t imitate the scene until that far but….

Hikaru-senpai, who looked up at him with hope and fear mingling together, said such a thing.

“As, as expected, it’s nothing! What should we do next!?”

Hikaru-senpai denied her own words and changed the topic of the talk.

===Part 2===

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==Translator's Notes and References==
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