Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 3 Chapter 2 (section)

=== Part 6 ===


After having left the scene where Mio was kidnapped on the tennis court.

Basara joined with Yuki, and was made to hear that the one who manipulated Aikawa and Sakaki were still unknown. Because the master-servant contract cannot trace Mio’s whereabouts, they lost their only lead.

But——even if the road is coming to an end for Basara and Yuki,

The way to help out Mio, has not completely closed yet.

Therefore, Basara tried to contact the young man—— Takigawa Yahiro, which was absent from school today. Since Maria was connected with the enemy after all, all the conditions have overturned.

Although he was cooperating with Takigawa in seclusion, it is likely that the other party might just be playing pretend. Actually, Takigawa hid himself three days before and had met up with Maria. In addition to that he was absent from school at the same timing. These may be irrelevant but it is not. Therefore he thought that it was usual that he won’t accept this appeal, but it is surprising that Takigawa answered the telephone of Basara.

And now—— Basara who made Yuki wait on standby in their home, was alone in the coppices that stretched out on the metropolitan park. For Takigawa whom he told to meet, Basara chose this park as a meeting place. And then,

“Good grief…… of all the places, why this one? It brings back unpleasant memories.”

Appearing before the eyes of Basara, Takigawa whom he called already stood.

“And? Calling me to this place, Basacchi, what on earth do you want now?”

“Don’t pretend that you don’t know. You who is Mio’s observer, must know the current situation already.”

To Basara that reported in an irritating tone, Takigawa shrugs his shoulder.

“I know. Though there are stories you want to hear, I believe that it is slightly too late for that."

“What do you mean by that……?”

“It is as what I said. When Maria and I had met three days ago, you should have seen it with your very own eyes.”

“You… so you noticed that I saw you?”

“Aah. Because you have been into danger here and there, even seeing it in this way, myself is a quality that is sensitive to your eyes, right? I had certainly thought that you would have questioned me for that, but you didn't. From your desire to not suspect Maria, that’s an excuse for a guy that is swallowed on trust or something like that.”

“Then, Maria, after all…”

“That’s right. Maria had been following Zolgear’s orders the whole time.”

To Basara who is still clinging for hope, a cruel declaration from Takigawa was released.

Biting his lips and clutching his right fist in pain, Basara asked.

“……Tell me, Takigawa. Is Maria really the guardian the Moderates have dispatched? Where the hell is the truth——where the hell are the lies?”

That fellow being sent as Naruse Mio’s escort is true. However, she following Zolgear’s orders wasn’t a lie either. By the way, the secret meeting that Maria and I held recently… to tell you the truth, I came to be in touch with that. Not coming to school for a long time, I was running here and there. Finally I thought that Zolgear has begun to move, even with a little check.”

“Do you mean… you and Maria are acquaintances in the past?”

“You might say. But, that fellow doesn’t know that I am really from the moderate faction.

To Zolgear and that right hand of his, I was only an observer sent by the present Demon King faction. On one side, the official reason why Zolgear came to let Maria follow him, is for the purpose of securing Naruse Mio at once in case of emergency, and even the upper echelons of the present Demon King faction consented about this kind of thing. Though they are not allowed to lay a hand on Naruse, it is an effective strategy in case of emergency.” Takigawa added.

“Naturally, I knew that information too —— therefore, I took that underhand and said to that fellow. I appreciate your efforts.”

“…how did Maria reply?”

“Nothing. ‘Thank you’ and that’s it. This matter as to speak, is Zolgear’s reckless actions. Nothing can be said true by that fellow.”

''Is that really it?''

“Even living together for a long time is not necessarily as knowing the real thing to Naruse and Basacchi.”

To the fact that Takigawa had mentioned, Basara didn’t have any words for it.

“By the way Basacchi—— Have you thought what do Maria wish for?”

“Wha-What was that all of a sudden?”

Asking so sudden leaving him confused,

“As I thought, you still don’t know… Well, I guess so.”

Sighing afterwards, Takigawa informs.

“Even if you throw away your situation and place to stay, the strong feelings cannot be handed over to anyone even if life is at stake. Coming a certain day when her adoptive parents are murdered, Naruse continued on fighting in order to take revenge on that enmity. Nonaka chose to follow Basacchi instead of the the mission of the Hero clan. Naruse not being able to defend against the Hero clan, Basacchi decided to defend as well as Nonaka that had abandoned the mission of the clan for himself. If anything, this is an exceptional degree.”

However,

“It wouldn’t be funny to Basacchi in Maria’s case either. Because of Naruse’s circumstances, and because Nonaka was a childhood friend, I understand it somehow. If that’s what you are, then, why didn’t you ask Maria for that sort of thing?”

“That’s...”

Basara who was charged with a question became loss for words in a moment. Certainly, what Maria wished for, is still unknown to him. He haven’t thought of it in particular. The reason is,

“But Maria is… unlike Mio and Yuki who were in danger at some aspects, she always do it with a smile on her face. Even if she do pranks or something ridiculous, there is always a peace of mind in her—— So”

“Hey Hey Basacchi, C’mon now.”

As if disgusted; Takigawa,

“She is Naruse’s guardian. Her feelings and wishes, all of it must be postponed for the sake of devoting herself to Naruse. Also, her true feelings are not a deadpan, or there will be no reason to hide it taciturnly. Even a smile can be one of the excellent masks.”

“……Aaah”

From Takigawa’s words, Basara couldn’t do anything but bow his head. Takigawa, feeling relieved,

“It is not rally a reason to blame yourself. Maria wanted to hide the truth. Even if you weren’t able to notice it, Basacchi, you don’t have to worry about it.”

But,

“Supposedly, if Basacchi thought about Maria even a little, the true feelings that person was carrying all alone… you might be able to catch up before it had reached this state”

“…Since when, when on earth did Maria…”

''What would a kind like her sow to reap this kind of situation?'' 

“Basacchi was deceived from the very beginning. When Basacchi met with Naruse and Maria in the family restaurant for the first time, that person had been following Zolgear’s orders already.”

“No… no matter how long did Maria deceive me, it doesn’t matter. The question is, how long Maria did had been serving Zolgear.”

To Takigawa who came telling him the truth without hesitation, Basara shakes his head side to side.

“Before Zolgear tried to get Mio into his own hands, though her adoptive parents were murdered in his obstruction, did he made a blunder because Mio was able to flee with Maria? But then, Zolgear being of high ranked demon, should have disposed Maria that tried to take Mio off to begin with, and it should have been easier for him to take Mio away. However, he didn’t do it——"

“for that person, that was unnecessary. After all, Maria, was with Zolgear in advance——“

“——No, it’s impossible. In the first place, it is not only Zolgear who desires Wilbert’s power residing inside Mio to begin with. The demon lord who stood after Wilbert. If Zolgear were to forcibly obtain Mio, he surelywent through a lot of questions. After that happened the surveillance was replaced by you. and it has already been done until the order not to approach Mio has been done.”

Basara, weaving words rapidly, assembled his own deduction like a detective.

That Maria’s yearning, he will find the cause that tormented her heart.

“That’s right……I didn’t think he didn’t understand the risk very well. If Maria was a subordinate of Zolgear from the very beginning, all should have been over on that day when Mio’s adoptive parents were killed. If the murder the adoptive parents of Mo was done, why won’t you approach that fellow—— even if a bad job was made and heavy punishment will be received, there is no reason to overlook Mio because they are subordinates already."

“…I see”

Hearing Basara’s conjectures, Takigawa who was listening gave off a smile of interest.

“Say, also that time when you found out my real nature… your power of reasoning is quite a great feat.”

Those words that made up Basara’s guess were not wrong. Therefore, Basara;

“Perhaps ——No, it is certain that Zolgear is doing something behind our backs. Getting rid of the adoptive parents of Mio and Maria in an order not to be discovered by anybody, he should have obtained Mio. Still, he was not able to obtain Mio, so there is a possibility that something unexpected has happened. And when the matter which is the murder of Mio’s parents has come to light, his post being the observer of Mio was dismissed from him and he was replaced.”

Therefore,

“Supposedly, if Zolgear was then accompanied by Maria, the next should be—— Takigawa” 

At last, Toujou Basara found out the truth about the questions himself.

That is undoubtedly, the beginning of Naruse Maria’s tragedy.

He announced.

“A hostage —— what if Zolgear has been holding something that is considered Maria’s weakness?


<center><big>◊◊◊◊</big></center>


From the original question that he gave, Takigwa smiled, and lightly opens his both arms.

"That’s a clever answer. Naruse was able to run away with Maria, and Zolgear was dismissed in his post as the observer of Naruse and returned to Hell right away, then targeted Maria’s family instead. Maybe a younger sister of her or someone like her has been caught. Afterwards she decided to be with that guy. She seemed to have received various orders given by that guy, in order to obtain Naruse. By the way Basaacchi, is there anything strange regarding Maria’s speech and behavior recently?”

“You mean… that trouble regarding the reversal activation of the master-servant contract with Mio and me?”

To Basara being taken aback by the question, Takigawa nodded.

“That is too what Zolgear wanted to let Maria do on purpose. Have you talked with her before? The aphrodisiac characteristic of the succubus is added on purpose to the curse of the master-servant contract, is the thing that gives pleasure that gives the maximum betrayal, which is being deprived of her chastity by anyone other than her master, beyond her limits until she breaks apart. If he tried to violate Naruse who had pledged loyalty to Basara, the intensity of the curse of the master-servant contract will be immense. Probably, anytime now —— Naruse is on the verge of falling to the pit of bottomless pleasure.”

Basara held his breath momentarily and his body turned rigid. The worst case scenario has played in his mind at once. At first, Mio resisited violently, while forcibly violated by Zolgear, and cannot compete with the curse of the master-servant contract for long, Mio succumbed herself to pleasure gradually, reaching the point until Zolgear’s demands are satisfied. However,

“―Well, Because Zolgear wants the power of Wilbert within Naruse, it is not strange that he would not do it at once.”

Takigawa said as if consoling him. Basara looked at him with a bitter expression. 

It might be true that there would be delay as Takigawa said, yet the worst case scenario is still imminent.

Therefore―Toujou Basara was not pressed down by his feelings anymore.

“Why didn’t you even tell me...? Maria even. You! This could have been resolve at once, without the situation beoming this worse!”

He then fumed all of his anger to Takigawa.

“Hey, hey, Basacchi, don’t be unreasonable. They took a hostage for Maria. Besides, even I wouldn’t guess it until you told me beforehand. If it were Basacchi’s personality,

“Anyway if you know about Maria’s circumstances, you have turned and ran frantically already. Then, doing such behavior you will draw their attention, and if the information leaked was to be traced back by the present Demon King faction, it will be the end of me in no time.”

“if that is the case, when it had become clear that Maria was proved to have taken a hostage, why don’t the Moderate faction send help and take measures quickly!?”

Takigawa then; declared onto the ear of the doubting Basara.

“the answer is easy——the order given by the Moderate faction is: Leave it as it is.”

“Wha… what the, Why?”

From those words that is impossible to believe, Basara asked, perplexed. 

“Although the Moderates have lost its power in their faction, they are still considered a major part of the forces of Hell. As a matter of course, there are large labs of rocks on the inside”

“So you’re saying that there are people in there who dislike Mio?”

"No… No one hates that Naruse. She’s the daughter of the predecessor who is His Majesty Wilbert after all. However, there is one troublesome person who finds Naruse disagreeable."

“…troublesome person?”

“the top of the present Moderates. The elder brother of His Majesty Wilbert that died, Ramses. That one is as stubborn as hell… though I don’t know whether it was mortifying or not for his younger brother to get the throne of the Demon king before himself, but he seemed quite displeased in Naruse somehow or other. Even if the other VIP’s treat Naruse with outmost care, he doesn't pay any attention to that at all. He doesn't even regard her as the Demon king’s predecesor’s daughter, and sending guards to a bare minimum, was all in his orders.”

“…That guy”

It was Basara in a voice so low that it could freeze anything.

“Is that fellow trying to get rid of Mio? Letting only Maria and me as her guards, even knowing that Maria’s family has been taken as hostage, does he intend to become silent without doing anything?

“By the way…well anyhow, don’t you have any plan to take measures? I had searched for the hostage in various ways, besides, when Maria was chosen as the escort, I have a trump card given especially to that guy.”

“Trump card…? Can you really be able to break in this situation?”

“No. it’s not that kind. It’s the trump card as a guard of Naruse to the end.”

And so Takigawa:

“If I use that, Maria’s fighting power will be raised drastically… Basacchi and Naruse, not to mention Nonaka, will become of a level that is higher than before. For sure, as for the battle with Basacchi’s childhood friends just recently, it seems to be of level that she can easily settle with alone. Well, you might say that there is a restriction to this in various ways, and cannot be used indiscriminately without thinking.”

“Maria, has such power…?”

“Ah. Well, even though I have never seen it before, I think that this is not a lie, probably. After all, that has been used once, and that power has been proven already”

“Proven… did you mean…”

“That’s right. She had seemed to use it one time —— to protect Naruse from Zolgear. However, because Naruse had lost consciousness by the shock that her parents are murdered by then, she was unable to see what Maria has done that time.”

After telling that much, Takigawa making him feeling relieved said;

“However, no matter how much strong our trump card is, even if we shift the situation, it is not possible to expect it from Maria whom has a hostage taken on her. That’s why from now on, while avoiding to be discovered by the present Demon King Faction, you will come to save Naruse.”

Well,

“For this occasion, the objective of finding the hideout of Zolgear has already been done.” 

“Is that true!?”

Taken aback, Basara’s complexion changed and suddenly asked,

“Tell me Takigawa! Even with the power of the mater-servant contract to locate, I can’t find Mio’s whereabouts!”

“It’s probably the magical barrier of Zolgear’s doing. That guy is a specialist in master-servant contract. If he isn’t, then there wouldn’t be any trouble, right?”

However, Takigawa:

“There are slightly complicated circumstances at the moment… the fact that I cannot move recklessly is the reason that it can’t be done.” As he said in a light tone while scratching his cheek, Toujou Basara’s feelings exploded.

“Your being too carefree is at fault, Takigawa! Mio has been caught by Zolgear! And I don’t think that even after he succeeds he will still be keeping Maria and the hostage alive for any longer. You are a part of the guards of Mio similar to Maria, so there is no reason for you to be standing still ——"

He said in a sharp tone, attempting to grab Takigawa’s collar——However, he wasn’t able to do it. Because, coming from his side, Takigawa gave off a sharp right knee.

“GUHA….GuAh”

“ooh, my bad, Basacchi… to tell you the truth, I got a habit of hitting with my knee on reflex when a bastard tends to grab my by the collar. Are you alright? Is it quite painful? Or”

Takigawa took a large step behind Basara and flew to the rear. Basara who is still in a state where he received a strong knee to his side, drawing irregular breaths, materialized Brynhildr and brandished it beside.

Because it is not a fight to risk one’s life, he retaliated with the back of the blade, but a hit would surely hurt. But then,

“I held back my power… Even though these events happened, letting Zolgear’s subordinates of the Demon Clan steal that troublesome girl, just who are you cooperating with?”

Landing in a composure as if nothing happened, Takigawa then declared, with eyes that suddenly turned serious,

“But, you guys are the same too. There are some things that I couldn’t hand over either. No matter what the circumstances are.”

“…As for that, even I am the same…!”

Basara with a painful expression glared at Takigawa, 

“Takigawa… what on earth do you exactly want from us? I don’t understand whether you have exposed Mio and Maria to danger. And I have no rights to deny that you are going to give priority to your own desires over those guys either.”

However,

“I am Mio and Maria’s big brother. Since there is no other way to help those two, if you can’t tell me, I will knock you down to your knees, and make you spill out where are those two’s whereabouts!”

“My, my. To think that I have been wondering why am I called in a pace like this, but to settle it with brute force? I give up. It seems that our precious alliance will be over, although I thought that were beginning to get closer to each other… what a short friendship.” 

Smiling wryly, Takigawa’s expression had changed into something ghastly.

“However, I just want to confirm something—— with that way of talking, it seems like you are sure to totally beat me at all. Indeed, that’s what you think… but don’t think that this person will give you credit like the last time, kay? Toujou Basara.”

The same time he said his name filled with hostility, a dark aura was released around Takigawa.

“……!”

The moment Basara had set up Brynhild, Takigawa’s figure had already disappeared in front of his eyes.

“―Too slow”

The same time a voice was heard from behind, an impact came.

“GUAAAAaaaaaaaaa?!”

Beyond the reactions of a speed type, his back was taken in an instant.

No doubt. Takigawa the other day has held his power in check. However, I cannot not be defeated here.

Being blown off violently and rolled around the coppice grandly, Basara still endured the impact that attacked his whole body.

Kicking the large trunk which he was about to crash into, he performed a dash at once. However,

“…is that the speed that a speed type boasts of? There is a big difference between me and the childhood friends you have the other day.” 

With a ‘hmph’, Takigawa shot countless dark spheres, and Basara utilized his top speed to the maximum. Evading in a zigzag motion by irregular side steps, combined with interception slashes by Brynhild, the distance was reduced in a blink of an eye.

“Takigawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

While breaking the distance with Brynhild with a roar, he threw a combo of rapid attacks at once. At the spot where Takigawa stood, more than 70 strikes were hit.

Consecutive attacks were drawn out in full strength of his whole body that an opponent won’t get away with only just a single strike.

In the myriad of countless sword sparks、Takigawa yahiro sighed in the opposite side.

“These tricks are the same as that time—— I’m getting bored of it.”

However, together with a voice of foolish tone, everything has been repelled.

“wha——…?!”

Toujou Basara saw. All of the sword attacks that he himself drew out, has been repelled by Takigawa’s barrier before his own eyes. Accomplishing it with such ease, Takigawa held his right handin front of his face. A darkness-colored glow converged in front of Basara’s eyes right away.

“I want to help Naruse. I want to help Maria too. I only want to obtain information without killing anyone. What’s next? You want to defeat Zolgear? What a splendid greed you have, although your idea is too naïve as expected, don’t you think?” Takigawa smiled wryly.

“Aside from ability, I expected this fellow to use his head a little more——what a disappointment.”

At the same time while saying so, a wave of darkness was unleashed, swallowing Basara at point-blank range. Shortly after that, an impact shook the earth and an intense roar sounded.