Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 10

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 10

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  Cover and color illustrations
  

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  Page 19
  

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  Page 50
  

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  Page 76
  

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  Page 98
  

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  Page 127
  

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  Page 184
  

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  Page 197
  

Chapter 1 – King Sailing Out

Part 1

Everyone wanted to know about [Hayashizaki Kazuki]―.

Carrying a lofty mission inside their chest, a group of three people were lurking inside a forest. While being wrapped inside the chorus of the crickets and the grassy-smelling greens, they were squatting inside a thicket.

Their figures with their eyes sparkling fiercely even while avoiding people’s eye was endlessly close with that of criminals.

“Even if he is hiding inside the toilet, I’m not going to let even a hair of his ass escape and make the article for sure.”

A man wearing a worn out shirt and chino pants murmured with a low voice that sounded sticky.

His alias was <Turtle Oota>. He chased around people that were famous in society vindictively, if he didn’t see any smoke then he would fabricate the source himself, even people in the same profession called him [Information Pyromaniac] in dislike, he was a [scandal specialist journalist].

“The glimmer of my lens cross over the far away space and cut through an instant…”

Beside the Turtle, a man that was setting up an old fashioned film camera murmured.

This man’s alias was <Simo Heyhe Iijima>. With his telescope lens and magic reinforced eyesight he caught his target accurately from extraordinary distance, he then burned that perception sight into his Magic Impression Heat FilmPsychofilm like a sniper, he was a [peeping photo specialist cameraman].

“It’s in that direction see. I caught wind of information that says if Hayashizaki Kazuki is staying in that lodging house.”

The one who was pointing at the sea from between the trees and saying that to Turtle and Simo Heyhe was the woman that was the third person of the group.

The woman’s alias was <Anal Kirishima>. She retired from the Knight Order due to a mental injury from her battle against the Demon Beasts, besides using her experience for military analyst activity, she also sold the Knight Order’s secret information to the mass media and made a killing in profit, she was a [former knight with a lax mouth].

Journalist, cameraman, informant, the group of three were hiding their body inside the national forest that spread along the coastline. There was a cove ahead of the forest. It was a calm natural harbor without any wave.

Any kind of large-type ship surely could anchor there.

“A hidden cove in the forest that is forbidden to enter… it’s completely a [hidden harbor] isn’t it?”

Turtle murmured. Anal was “Right, it’s a hidden harbor” and nodded.

“When the knight order received people and material from a foreign country, they secretly used this cove. Even if there is no diplomacy, we are still rarely exchanging things with the outside. This is made a secret from the people by them.”

Anal once again leaked out an important secret of the Knight Order.

Talking about the recent happenings, the Einherjar―Beatrix and her team that came to Japan for the sake of temporary cooperation was also entering this country from this cove with the Knight Order’s guidance.

“But why does… Hayashizaki Kazuki that just became this country’s BasileusKing and his companions had come to this kind of place, I wonder.”

Kirishima narrowed her lip. Turtle’s thick lip warped in a grin and he laughed.

“Exposing those guys is our job here. Maybe it’s a secret meeting with an important person from abroad, perhaps even a secret transaction for suspicious things from abroad that came here. By chance it’s Hayashizaki Kazuki himself that is going to a foreign country?”

After Turtle said that out loud, “No way though…” he immediately denied it himself.

Ten-odd years had passed since Japan severed diplomatic relations with all foreign countries, for the Japanese people that lived in an island country, the place beyond the sea had naturally turned into something like an alternate world for them. It was an unimaginable place that was full of the unknown.

Stepping out into the unknown world―it was unthinkable for a person who had just become a King to brave that kind of danger. He didn’t really understand in truth just what was this existence called as King, but… they were big shots right?

What a human thought of the first thing when they rose to a seat of power was [their own self-preservation]. As a journalist, the [big shots] that Turtle had observed until now were all like that.

Turtle held hatred towards influential people. When he heard that a high school student, a young boy named Hayashizaki Kazuki obtained a seat of power, that hatred of his flamed up especially fierce.

He was going to put that guy in an article and make him into his own source of income, he couldn’t help but think that reflexively.

“Well, if he is really here then anything he does is fine. If it’s material about Hayashizaki Kazuki, then any kind of article will sell at a high price. And if that happened to be a scandal then that’s just the best. If we can just get his figure having an affair with a woman in a photo then…”

The facts that were understood about Hayashizaki Kazuki were few. At best there was the graduation album from his middle school period or the interview of his schoolmates of that time, the scoop the public got was just around that much. But something like that wouldn’t satisfy the curiosity of society. Everyone wanted to know more in regards to [Hayashizaki Kazuki].

Society sought stimulation, but the Knight Order was strictly protecting that young man’s privacy.

That incurred the anger of Turtle.

What <King>. This country is a Democratic Country. The people were exactly the King, wasn’t that it?

Things that the people wanted to know had to all be reported.

If they were trying to hide information, then that was evil. To expose that was a journalist’s justice.

A single small article would blaze up society. A single small article would throw down the fame of an influential person to the ground. To be able to achieve that was exactly the happiness of a journalist.

The public would surely snap at it just like Turtle… he would exaggerate even trivial thing into something grand… he would mislead… stir up society… he was going to cause a large blaze.

Oops, he must not become only too heated up, he also had to be vigilant of the surroundings calmly.

Turtle lowered his breathing and concentrated Enchant Aura into his ear to search for sounds. The danger detection ability that he cultivated from his long journalism activity. Even in the case that the Knight Order was putting up security, Turtle had the confidence to succeed in escaping before he was discovered.

“Can you see something even from here, Simo Heyhe? Something like a strange movement of human shadow or…”

“If I don’t get a little closer… No wait… that’s! That’s!?”

Simo Heyhe that was kneeling on the wet ground and peeking into his finder passionately, aimed his shutter with raging vigor.

“What, did you find something, Simo Heyhe!?” Turtle’s voice reflexively turned loud.

“You uncles, what are you all doing in this kind of place?”

―Suddenly a voice came from behind them.

The group of three had their hairs stand on end from shock while turning back.

A girl that looked like an outdoor type with her short-cut lively hair style was tilting her head with her eyes wide open.

“Si, since when!? There were no footsteps at all!”

“I don’t sound off any footsteps after all.”

No, not only her footstep. There was not a single sound coming from the girl. Even when Turtle fully strengthened his hearing with his magic power, whether it was her heartbeat, or her blood flow, even the creak of her bones or muscles were not audible.

The membrane of magic power that faintly covered the girl’s whole body was erasing all vibrations.

It was an advanced magic technique he had never even seen before.

It was exactly a modern ninja. But a long sword was holstered on the girls’ waist, he also had seen the uniform she was wearing before. This uniform was―the uniform of the Knight Academy’s Sword Division.

“Wh, why is a student, in this kind of place”

“That’s my line you know. Eerr… this place is a state-owned land where entry is forbidden. I am a student but I received a quest for the security of this place and I am given with the rights to apprehend or forcefully expel any suspicious person.”

The girl talked with an awkward way of speaking and took out her student identification from her skirt’s pocket. [Sword Division Second Year・Tsukahara Kazuha] was written there.

No matter how her atmosphere felt like she was not used to dealing with adults, but―she had no opening.

The girl’s stance was always prepared to draw out her katana anytime. If they tried to run they would immediately get cut down.

“Thi, this child, I’m sure she is the <King>’s close associate. You know, that [Chouki(Favored Princess)].”

Kirishima who was a military analyst was trembling. She had heard that right now in the Knight Academy there were special students. The King’s close associates, several people that were Chouki… It was a phrase that was not suitable for this democratic country.

“I, I’m not one of the Chouki. …Not yet.”

A bitterness ran through the expression of the girl named Kazuha for an instant.

“Not yet?”

The instant the three’s awareness reacted to Kazuha’s reply, all of a sudden Kazuha’s hand reached out smoothly. Her thin fingers entwined around the camera and took it from Simo Heyhe’s hands. “Ah” He leaked out a foolish voice.

It was a move that was like a wind that blew through the opening of the awareness. As if they were facing against a master of martial arts.

“Errr, so all of you are journalist? I’m confiscating the film.”

Kazuha’s expression relaxed when she understood that she was not facing dangerous opponents. She was a beautiful girl. But with a forceful manner she pulled away the film from the camera and crushed it in her grips.

So the elite cadet of the Knight Academy was this kind of monster.

“WHY-!” Turtle turned desperate and yelled.

“Why is the King concealing himself!? The people have the right to know!”

“That’s, because even the King has privacy.”

Kazuha huffily scowled. “He is also a normal student besides being a King you know?”

“This country is a democracy! We the people cannot just go along with this just because suddenly we are told that a young boy is a King! Everyone wants to know about the King! Being a spectacle like a panda is also included among the duty of someone like a King!!”

“…Even though Loki and his comrades might still conceal themselves in this country, there is no way we can just publicize his every single action like that don’t you think. Besides even if he is called the King, he already fights without asking for any reward already, asking him to be like a panda or whatever is just too much.”

The three snorted their nose ”fun” all at once. Whether Turtle, Simo Heyhe, or Kirishima, all of these three didn’t think of anything at all except for their own profit.

A King that continued to fight without asking anything back, such thing couldn’t possibly be true. Besides that kind of person wouldn’t become an interesting article. He undoubtedly had a hidden side. They came here fishing for that hidden side.

“Mentioning the King… there is the rumor that every holiday he was walking around the town with a different girl each time. If you are also a girl, what do you think about that kind of thing?”

Turtle inquired expecting a bitter reaction from a fastidious girl at that age.

If this girl was hiding even a little antipathy towards the King… he was going to pull that story out of her, stir her up, until she was ablaze with fury from his prided smooth-talking. And then if he could record that, he could turn it into an article just with that. Turtle shrewdly pressed the switch of the recorder he hid inside his pocket.

“Eh? That’s… i, isn’t that just fine? There is a circumstance that can’t be helped and all. Also… he faced all of them sincerely with all that he got, those of us around him properly understand that… even me, that…”

Kazuha looked down while her cheeks reddened with a puff, she defended the King while her body was fidgeting around.

“…As I thought, this child is the King’s Chouki. She is completely making a face of a maiden in love.”

“It’s no good, seems like she is not holding even a single speck of antipathy for the King.”

Kirishima and Turtle exchanged words with each other secretly with small voices.

Those voices were clearly captured by the ears of Kazuha that had been reinforced with magic.

“…I’ll cut and kick out all of you.”

Kazuha put her hand on her katana and a threatening tone entered her voice. The three panicked while saying “Wait, waiit!”

“What are you all doing since a while ago-! All of you have no intention at all to lend your ear except for the story that you want to hear! Writing with that kind of self-important behavior is just going to create a crazy article!! With what kind of feelings do you think Kazuki became the King in that snowy mountain…!!”

Right there, a footstep that parted through the grass and came closer could be heard.

“Tsukahara Kazuha. It’s going to be the guard shift soon. Go eat some breakfast, it’s the navy curry.”

“Eh, curry straight since the morning?” Kazuha looked back to the voice.

“Nn? Who are those guys?”

The one that appeared was a small statured girl that was wearing a similar Sword Division uniform. She had the cherubic face like a kitten with her hair tied into a ponytail that resembled a cat’s tail.

“Ah, Kanae-san. These people, they are gossip reporters that want to write bad articles about Kazuki.”

Kazuha talked with an expression of anger that she was unable to clear away.

“WHHAATT?” The cherubic face of the ponytail girl underwent a complete change into that of a Hannya.

Sharp sounds rang out from the mouths of the sheath that were at their waists.

“Let’s cut them down.” “I too think so.”

Both of them faced each other and nodded.

But that act became an opening for an instant. Turtle yelled “We are escaping!!” and pulled the hands of Simo Heyhe and Anal, then they dashed away at full speed.

“Oi, they escaped.”

“It’s fine even if we don’t purposefully chase them, that kind of people. It looks like they are unrelated to Loki.”

Even though violence seriously appealed to her but Kazuha felt a hesitation, she released a deep sigh while being disgusted.

―After running back until the entrance of the forest, Turtle and the others finally noticed that they were not pursued and stopped their feet.

But they already didn’t have the mood to enter the forest once more.

“Simo Heyhe, in the end what picture did you managed to take just now?”

“A ship.”

Simo Heyhe murmured with a tone as if he had even seen a ghost.

“…An extravagant and shiny ship like the [Titanic] at the movie a long time ago was peeking out from the gap between the trees. This is the first time I saw that kind of amazing ship.”

“Amazing ship…? Is it for the King…?”

Turtle who was supposedly a man who thought of nothing else other than his own profit was taken aback.

“The King… is he seriously going outside the country? Isn’t that something amazing?”

If this was really true, then it overturned the common sense. Due to the King that ignored the danger, the relationship between Japan and the foreign country―namely the [world] was going to shake and move on a grand scale, there was no mistaking it.

This was not a scandal or anything. But…

Part 2

The pure white ship that was floating on the secret cove was sparkling radiantly from being bathed in the morning sun of summer.

It was as if a holy woman was bathing in cold water in the spring inside a forest.

“What do you think, Hayashizaki-kun. This is what the Knight Order gambled their dignity to construct―[Solomon the 2nd].”

Kazuki and all the others were lining up on the wharf that was sticking out from the cove. Vice Chief Yamagata puffed out his chest proudly.

Kazuki and the others were staying at the small lodging house of the Knight Order that was hidden inside the forest.

Solomon the 2nd was constructed in a certain workshop and then it was transported here during the night into this cove. And then this morning, it was making its debut in front of Kazuki and the others who just woke up.

Kazuki and co. would traverse across the sea towards the mysterious continent―<America> with this ship.

Rather than feeling shocked, Kazuki felt astonished instead.

“Should I say it’s amazing… Or perhaps I should say that it’s fine even if you didn’t go this far…”

Looking at the really wide gap compared to the first [Solomon] that time when he was infiltrating the Ise Imperial Shrine, he reflexively lost his words.

This ship was truly an [extravagant passenger ship]. But Vice Chief Yamagata was from the generation where traveling abroad was still done, a generation that Kazuki couldn’t even imagine.

With the people of the country becoming unable to travel overseas, the culture called a cruise travel also went through a decline.

The very concept of [extravagant passenger ship] itself―it already didn’t exist inside Kazuki and co.’s common sense.

They couldn’t see this ship with the total length of 100 meters and total mass of 10000 tons other than a gigantic monster of the sea.

It was just too overdone. In the first place, Kazuki had a sincere and healthy poor person mentality that was fine with anything as long as it had the minimum ability. He didn’t get what need there was to make the ship until this gigantic. To say nothing of why inside this gigantic ship there was a pool, a fitness room, a movie theater, a dance ballroom, a sushi shop, and a burger joint wholly installed, he didn’t get the meaning at all.

“Is there any meaning in all of these?” ―His frank impression was all expressed in that one sentence.

“After all, now is different than when you went to Ise, you have no need to escape or hide. And above all you are different than at that time, now you are the official [King] of the country. Moreover Arthur and the others that are honored visitors from another country are going together with you to America, there is no way we can make you all ride a poor looking ship.”

“So it’s concerning the honor of Japan.”

“I know you don’t really want to be extravagant or anything, but we want to have you who is the King of this country to ride the best ship there is. That’s how it is. This is service.”

“…I really can’t calm down at all.”

“Actually I’m also thinking of doing something about that student uniform but…”

Vice Chief Yamagata made a wry face at Kazuki’s outfit.

“There’s just no way, wearing something that looks really like a king is just too much. On the other hand, I’m not at the age of wearing suits, a student uniform is the proper attire for a student, don’t you agree?”

There was no summer or winter arrangement with the uniform of the Knight Academy, but Kazuki was matching the feel of the season and took off his jacket and turned out with his light shirt appearance. Because he was the only male in the Magic Division, his shirt that was an order-made was hand-sewn with smooth alchemic threads, a definite article of rare beauty even if it was worn out of shape.

But it was undeniable that its base design was really like a student.

But before he was a King he was a student first, Kazuki thought. It didn’t mean that he really liked to study, but he had the feeling that he wouldn’t become a respectable adult if he neglected his duty as a student too much.

Kanae came close to Kazuki’s side and pulled lightly at his sleeve.

“If it’s Nii-sama then you will be fine even if you are completely naked, you are the pride of Japan no matter where you go.”

“Don’t think that everyone in the world is a brocon like you, you idiot.”

“Fufu-, but Otouto-kun is a King of Magika Stigma. You should be at the top in exposure rate too.”

Kaguya-senpai hugged his back tightly. Her thin fingers moved swiftly and unfastened the buttons of his shirt in turn from the top. “Wa, wait senpai…”

“That’s right―! I too think so―!!”

Hikaru-senpai crouched and tackled Kazuki’s legs, she then tried to pull down his trousers.

“Senpai!? Hey, senpai!”

Kazuki held his shirt with both his hands and his knee was pushing back Hikaru-senpai’s face.

Kaguya-senpai was smiling while cheering “Eei pull~, eei pull~”, Hikaru-senpai too whose face was quite roughly kneed was happily laughing “Ahaha!”

“Certainly it’s unfair that it’s only us whose appearance has a high exposure rate. I too want to see Kazuki naked.”

With a passionate gaze, Koyuki was staring at Kazuki whose clothes were in a half opened state.

“Ye, yeah, Kazuki’s naked body… as expected the charm of a warrior dwells inside the physical beauty…”

Beatrix’s cheeks were slightly reddening. She who was an Einherjar(Norse Knight) of Germany was also here in order to go together to America as the representative of the cooperation set-up between Japan and Germany.

“You are just going to approve this? Wait, stop it, don’t look at me with those hungry eyes of a predator, don’t blush on your cheeks.”

Kazuki felt a terror that was like a fear of a prey in front of a predator while holding back and fixing his shirt.

“Something like getting naked is no good. I’m going to design a King’s clothes that will bring out Kazu-nii’s coolness into prominence!”

Even Mio came butting in. Her skill in sewing shamed even a professional but…

“I’m getting anxious that you will make something sparkling that strangely looks like shoujo manga style here…”

It felt like she would make him wear a shirt made from gold and silver thread attached full of frills. He wanted frills to be attached only to maids.

…Was it really that selfish to want to wear a normal male uniform just like this?

“Kazuki-oniisan, I want you to appear like [Muscle King Sugure] desu!”

“That’s a cosplay then. Isn’t that a King of a different world already.”

Although he said that but he really wanted to listen to Lotte’s request whatever it was for her. Kazuki took that character’s cool pose while yelling a cool line of the character, “Worthless punk is not needed here…!” The eyes of the otaku Lotte and Kamimura-san were shining, even Kazuha-senpai had a heart mark flying from her while saying “I don’t really understand the meaning of the sentence but maybe it looks cool…”

“I see…” The King of Britain, Arthur, nodded.

“Please wait, what are you understanding from that exchange just now?”

Kazuki became worried about the honor of Japan but Arthur was “Hahaha” laughing largeheartedly.

“Well, it’s just as Vice Chief Yamagata said. It seems in Japan modesty is included among the virtue, but a King also has the dignity that is demanded from a King. Your retainer will be self-aware as a retainer with your king-like behavior which in turn will make them offer their allegiance even more.”

Arthur looked up at the extravagant passenger ship and nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s a beautiful ship. Once there were also famous ships in my Britain that were called The Britannia and The Queen Elizabeth. After all, Britain is a similar island nation―an oceanic country like Japan.”

“Leme too is pleased with this ship! An idiotic name like Solomon the 2nd doesn’t suit this elegant ship! Just name it as the Queen Lemegeton!!”

Leme materialized beside Kazuki and hopped up and down even though her appearance was already an adult.

“Your character is just not fitting a queen’s character. Arthur-san, don’t you feel uncomfortable riding a ship that moves using an engine?”

Kazuki became slightly worried and sneaked a look at the true feeling of Arthur who looked largehearted.

This person was also accompanying them to America. Rather, this person was the one who proposed the idea in the first place.

“Of course I don’t like it. But you have your own culture, I’m the guest here. And then thinking from the view point of your culture, I can understand that this ship is something reasonable. Though if Queen Regina also comes with us, she will surely turn angry without doubt though.”

The Magic Advanced Countries other than Japan really put their faith in their Mythology. They possessed the creed that rejected science civilization.

But it seemed the degree of that rejection was different for each Mythology. Germany and Italia were really fierce in their rejection, but Arthur‘s Britain seemed comparatively lenient.

Surely the reason why Arthur was more friendly to Kazuki compared to the other Kings was also because of that.

―On the other hand, they had no idea what would happen in America where they were going to head to.

By any chance, perhaps they were worshiping a Mythology that was even stricter in this respect.

If they flew carelessly using an airplane to that kind of place, they might be shot down by magic.

Therefore this ship. Furthermore they were going to efficiently use engine to advance until halfway and when the land was near they would unfold the sail, this was a ship that adopted hybrid form that could also become a sailing ship.

“…An engine ship huh. I wonder if I’m better off swimming…”

Beatrix murmured with a real determination in her voice.

Kazuki caught the scruff of her neck forcefully.

“Don’t you separate from me for even a moment.” When he whispered that, Beatrix’s cheeks reddened with a puff once more.

“…I, if Kazuki said until that far then…”

“After all you are a dangerous character that I cannot take my eyes off carelessly.”

Beatrix fell down on top of the wharf in great shock. And then “Don’t you toy around with the pure heart of a war maiden!”, saying that she kicked and struggled while rolling over on the ground.

“Besides no matter how much you swim it’s impossible to cross the Pacific Ocean like that don’t you think? We are the ones who forcefully dragged you to go so you are not going against your faith at all.”

Civilization was the symbol of arrogance. But Kazuki was using cooperation as an excuse to forcefully make Beatrix board the ship, so it couldn’t be said that Beatrix was being arrogant. She was just a victim.

“This ship, was it constructed just in one week?” Kazuki turned back to Vice Chief Yamagata asking that.

They decided that they were going to America using a ship one week ago.

“No, this is a small-type passenger ship of the old era that is not used anymore now that we thoroughly repaired. After all there is no time. This ship is quite small to be called as extravagant.”

“Whaaat, so this is not its maiden voyage then.”

Roshouko butted in and chuckled ‘kishishi’. The leader of the anti-China resistance organization <Ryouzanpaku>, Roshouko too was also going together with them to America by Kazuki’s order. She turned to Leme.

“Queen Lemegeton, it’s old y’know. Yaa―ii, old, old.”

“Gu, gunu―! What a humiliation to call a woman old!! As I thought this ship is just Solomon the 2nd!!”

Leme kicked and struggled vexedly and stamped her foot in frustration.

Beside her Beatrix was still rolling around kicking and struggling on the wharf.

Even though these girls had the appearance of beautiful lady…

One more person, Silirat who was the combat specialist of Ryouzanpaku’s leadership was also going with them. The girl with features that looked like a boy, Silirat was “Awesome shipp―!” Her eyes were honestly turning round in admiration.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO- The steam whistle was sounding. With consideration so it wouldn’t be audible outside, its reverberation was low-key. The steam whistle made them feel the beginning of the journey.

“Yosh, the time for sailing out has come! Now, please get on aboard!! And then sweep away the darkness of the enigmatic America!!”

Vice Chief Yamagata yelled in great mood. He was a honest uncle.

The door in the flank of the pure white ship opened, from there a ramp was coming down to the wharf.

With that stair, Kazuki and the others went up with a certain stride.

“Please take care of Japan!” He looked back for the last time.

Vice Chief Yamagata was not going together with them. Just like that he saw off Kazuki and co. from the wharf.

Another person was taking the duty as the [ship captain] and that person had already been waiting for Kazuki and co. inside the ship.

The spacious and wide corridors inside the ship looked completely like a high grade hotel.

“ “Awesome―!!” “ Karin and Silirat let out their voices together and ran around like kids.

They really couldn’t think that currently they were inside an engine vehicle, it made them doubt whether they were really floating on top of the sea.

A red carpet was spread out at their feet, the mahogany wall and ceiling emitted a mature gloss, handrails of marble metal with gold blended into it were continuing ahead.

It was an overwhelming splendor but―at the same time it was also a decoration he had seen somewhere before.

“This, isn’t this ship renovated based on the image of the Witch’s Mansion-!?”

Kaguya-senpai immediately noticed and raised an excited voice. Kazuki too was thinking of completely the same thing.

Surely this was the tasteful discretion of Vice Chief Yamagata.

“Then this ship is Queen Kaguya isn’t it? Talking about the Witch’s Mansion means Kaguya-senpai after all.”

“Queen… but the King is Otouto-kun. I’m not the queen though.”

“The word Queen doesn’t only mean a female ruler of the country, it can also be used to refer to the King’s empress so it’s fine. The word queen by no means is referring to someone that is aiming for the throne.”

When Arthur pointed out, Kaguya-senpai’s expression brightened “That’s it!” and she hugged at Kazuki’s neck. “Queen Kaguya! Otouto-kun… ehehe, I’m Kazuki-kun’s wife-♪”

Kaguya-senpai was a person that had acted a lot like a big sister as a senior student council president, but she was hiding a feeling of wanting to rely on someone and getting spoiled.

Kazuki stroked gently the head of Kaguya-senpai as if treating his little sister. He had become able to do that even more naturally compared from before. Kaguya-senpai narrowed her eyes and moaned “nn~” pleasantly.

Kaguya-senpai stared at Kazuki ecstatically. Her expression told him her desire to kiss. A charming soft and full lips. For the sake of preserving the level 10 magic that could be used just once from kissing… Kazuki had never kissed Kaguya-senpai with whom he felt a bond this deep. Kazuki had never kissed with her. He really wanted to do it.

“Now that I remember, America where we are going is perhaps using English language right? Arthur-san, can you teach us English during the voyage?”

The Knight Academy―not only there but the school education of this generation’s Japanese had few classes about foreign language.

Because they lost diplomatic relations, the classes about that area decreased little by little.

Having said that, now that he thought back, not to mention the Kings that were Arthur and Regina, even Roshouko and Beatrix were really fluent in Japanese that made him feel the difference in their international awareness.

He was told that Lotte learned the Japanese language in three days using the power of Telepathy. Even though that was a prodigious act, it was possible for Kazuki and co. too to learn the fundamental speaking ability during this long voyage.

“That’s fine. Before I came to Japan I too was cramming Japanese language, but it was very useful when Mr. Yamagata became my conversation partner in practice. Putting language study into practice is the best way to learn.”

“Thank you very much. We can also spend the voyage without boredom.”

Leading his companions in groups, Kazuki headed to the bridge where the ship captain was waiting.

Even if this usual extravagant passenger ship had extravagant rooms, the inside that had never been visited by guests anymore would become coarse. But this ship, for the sake of welcoming the [King], there was no oversight at all from one end to another end. Even until the vicinity of the engine part, even until the parts that were only trivial, all of it maintained a perfect exquisiteness.

So to speak this ship was a lady so beautiful even until its intestine.

Hikaru-senpai laughed “Ahaha-“ looking like she had thought of something interesting.

“Even though Kaguya is black-hearted, but this Queen Kaguya is beautiful even on the inside eh.”

“I, I’m not black-hearted you know!?”

“Even though Kaguya fell constipated, but Queen Kaguya is clean even until inside its stomach eh.”

“My bowel movement is not that bad!!” Kaguya-senpai swung around her hands in anger.

It was hard for Kazuki to comment on that so he only moved forward while smiling wryly.

Cabins and lounge where they could watch outside were gathered at the front area that had the most beautiful scenery, there were various amusement facilities in the middle part, and the back part was filled with practical facilities that were essential for the ship to move like the engine room.

At the top level of that practical facilities, there was the bridge where they could look over everything. Advanced computers and GPS were loaded there, it was the brain where the control of all the equipment inside the ship was performed.

They ascended to the highest floor with a low volume elevator.

When the elevator door opened, the atmosphere of the top level was different with the sight until now.

This floor was not for the sake of making people feel welcomed, it was a space for the sake of designing and implementing strategy. Extravagant ornaments kept a low profile and stylish sense of cleanliness was pushed out to the forefront. The wallpaper was pure white and there was no more carpet under their feet making their footsteps reverberate with hardness.

“Even though Kaguya’s head is full with perverted things, but Queen Kaguya’s brain is…”

“That’s enough already!”

“As I thought this ship is not suitable with Kaguya so let’s name this ship Prince… no, Princess Hikaru.”

“You are secretly jealous!? No way, just no way, this ship is Queen Kaguya―!!”

Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai began to quarrel when they reached the top floor.

“Both of you, please stop your fight.” Kazuki finally mediated between the two.

“Besides it would be better without all this gorgeousness and make it more like a tough warship.”

“If it is that kind of ship, then what kind of name should we give it?” Mio asked.

“Shouldn’t it be Barbarian Beatrix then.” Kazuki gave an unserious rude reply.

“Calling it barbarian… that makes me blush.” Beatrix’s cheeks reddened with a puff.

“That’s the name of other country’s people you know!? No wait, you are blushing from that!?” Kaguya-senpai retorted.

“As I thought let’s just call it Pretty Sister Kanae from now on!”

“No, this ship should be called Forever Love Mio-Mio!”

As for Koyuki, “It’s not like I want my name to be included in this ship’s name or anything but… but this ship’s exterior is white isn’t it? Talking about white then it’s me isn’t it?” like that she kept glancing at Kazuki. Kohaku went “Even thought this is exactly the time where this one have to say some cool name and stood out but this one cannot think of anything…!”, she was holding her head. Behind her was Lotte and Kamimura-san holding hands happily singing the theme song of some old anime about the sea.

“Everyone don’t just say anything as you please.” Kazuki made a troubled face from being unable to put the situation in order.

“All of you are really getting along well, it’s so interesting.” Arthur looked fondly at them while smiling.

“Geez! It’s decided already that this ship is Queen Kaguya!”

While Kaguya-senpai was declaring so, they finally arrived at the bridge and pushed open the door.

A whole surface of ocean blue spread out in their field of vision.

Large reinforced acrylic panel was laid out around the bridge that was located in the highest place of the ship so that they could look over the surrounding 360°, it was to the degree that they even hallucinated of almost getting hit by the wind.

From the flowing panorama, it made them feel the moving of the ship―heading toward America.

“Welcome, Kazuki.” The person waiting for them in the bridge―the captain of this ship called out to him.

“No, I wonder if it’s too impolite to call the King without honorific?”

“Akane-senpai!”

With various sailing gauges behind her, Akane-senpai was standing with an intellectual smile on her face.

She was not wearing the uniform of the Knight Order, but an invigorating white sailor uniform.

It was an outfit that wanted to impress the style of the navy, but it was complemented with a cute miniskirt.

“Also Kanon-senpai too.”

Beside Akane-senpai was a sulking Kanon-senpai that was sitting on the floor grasping her knees.

“By any chance is this ship’s captain… one of you?”

“Fufufu-, we have learned all the knowledge and skill necessary to become a navigation officer in just this past week.”

When he looked carefully at Akane-senpai, her eyes had faint black circles around them from lack of sleep. She looked like she had been losing weight too, but the sense of fulfillment of a hard-worker was also mixed in her tone of voice.

Kazuki didn’t understand how great of exploits was that but just from watching the monitor and gauges variation lining up the bridge, he could imagine that what she had done was not so simple a thing.

But certainly for the sake of the sailing this time there was a need for someone to do that job.

“In the operation this time there was an indispensable need for an ocean specialist. But on top of going to an unknown country, we cannot bring anyone weak that will only be a hindrance. There was no one among the knights in active duty that was convenient like that. That’s why an order to become that came to me and Kanon.”

When Akane-senpai said that, Kanon-senpai who was sitting still on the floor yelled “Who can do something like that, idiott―!”

“Kanon could only finish half the course, that’s why I became the ship captain, and Kanon is the slave.”

The faces of everyone of the Witch’s Mansion were shaken from shock. The power relation dynamic of the two who were once president and vice president had been completely overturned.

“Kanon has to be absolutely obedient to the order of me and Kazuki in this ship, so if there is anything troubling you just give any order you like to her.”

“Gugii―! I am a third year here―! I’m the true super ultra student council president that is the most important in the Witch’s Mansion you know―! Why to a first year I have to―!”

“What are you saying to the King. Watch your words carefully, you are just a mere slave here.”

Akane-senpai stepped her foot on the back of Kanon-senpai who lost her temper. …She stepped on Kanon-senpai!

“Akane-senpai is so cool!”

Hikaru-senpai’s eyes shined. Both of them had the close relation as the present vice-president and the former vice-president.

“If it’s Akane-senpai it makes me want to get stepped on a little… it really makes you think like that right, Kazuki!”

“Eh, I didn’t think that, what’s with that?”

“I too want to step on Kaguya like that!” She said that with her eyes shining in sparkles.

The latent thing Hikaru-senpai hid inside her really cannot be measured huh, Kazuki thought.

“…Next, Roshouko-san, I heard that you too have the knowledge about sailing technique.”

Akane-senpai called out to Shouko that was following along in the back.

“Nn? Well, Ryouzanpaku is constantly moving between small islands using ship after all. But even though I have the knowledge as a sailor, I don’t know at all about the way to use machines like this yeah.”

“That’s fine. Charlotte, you are half-assimilated with Prometheus, so you also understand how to control this ship don’t you?”

“Yes.” Lotte nodded obediently. “The wise man Prometheus that granted civilization can handle anything that is a machine all with his instinct. Though I don’t understand about sea or weather desu…”

“In other words if both Shouko-san and Lotte combined their strength they can become a full fledged sailor.”

When Akane-senpai said that, Lotte made a smiling face like a sunflower and rushed close to Shouko.

“Shouko-oneesan, please take care of me desu!”

“O-, what’s with you, what a cute girl huh.”

Shouko hugged Lotte’s neck roughly and stroked her head grindingly. Lotte went “Please don’t grind my head~” while laughing.

Shouko was a dangerous character whom he didn’t know what she was actually thinking inside.

…He had asked Lotte before whether she could sense Shouko’s state of mind with Telepathy. However the security of the heart of Shouko and Arthur were constantly solid, Lotte was mostly unable to sense their mind.

When someone became the top class human of another country, surely they would need to accumulate such training.

“I, Kanon, then Shouko & Charlotte will control the ship alternately in 8 hour shifts on the voyage from now on. Even though it’s called controlling the ship but most of it is done by the computer, however a human watching over it is still needed. I’ll also have everyone except Kazuki to form a duty chart and help on various works inside the ship, okay?”

Everyone replied “Yes!” all at once.

“…How about me?”

“You are the King, so just relax dignifiedly.”

Everything in front of Kazuki turned dark.

“…Don’t do any work… is that what senpai is saying…!?”

Even though he was not even tired, he was told something like don’t do any work. How could such a thing be possible?

“Senpai, that sailor uniform, is there more for our share too!? That sailor uniform is cute!”

Mio who liked western clothes immediately had her eyes brightened.

“Of course. So that we can differentiate between who are in duty and who are off duty, I’ll have everyone else wear sailor uniform too while they are working in the ship.”

“Akane-senpai, is there no sailor uniform for me…?” Kazuki said that imploringly.

“Originally sailor uniform is an outfit that a man can wear too, but here I didn’t prepare anything else other than the skirt-type for girl use.”

“Can you let me work too if I wear that…”

“…That’s disgusting you know.”

When Akane-senpai answered so with an expression that was holding back her laugh, Kazuki hung his head down powerlessly.

“By the way… you have got to decide the ship’s name now. What are you going to name this ship?”

Akane-senpai asked Kazuki the owner.

“It’s Cool Beauty Akane.” Kazuki who was ruled by despair carelessly said that.

“…Eh? Wha, what are you saying.”

“Otouto-kun-!” Kaguya-senpai shook his shoulders with a desperate face.

“I’m sorry, that’s a joke. Captain Akane, the name is Queen Kaguya please.”

“I, I got it. Like this it’s a strange name isn’t it… why is it featured Kaguya?”

“Please don’t say that it’s strange!” Kaguya-senpai said in a huff.

“…Well then once again, Queen Kaguya, leaving port!!”

Along with Akane-senpai’s declaration, the steam whistle rang out once more.

It announced their separation with Vice Chief Yamagata who was seeing them off from the wharf.

The speed of the ship increased and the scenery outside the window sped off.

Suddenly a goose flesh sensation welled up inside Kazuki and he rushed to the back window of the bridge.

The land was rapidly becoming farther. Already he couldn’t even make out the figure of the person that was standing on the wharf.

Japan was gradually becoming distant. He went away from Japan―just from that he was driven by an unknown feeling of loss and drifting feeling as if he was becoming someone that was not him.

Ten-odd years since Japan lost the diplomatic relations with foreign countries. Kazuki was raised until now with his roots firmly planted in the land called Japan without being particularly aware of the existence called a foreign country.

That everything was overturned…

He finally embarked to a [foreign country] where everything was unknown―

According to Arthur, the founder of magic that was the alchemist Basileus Basilleon left behind these words―[When all the Kings truly are present, the battlefield of the Kings will rise from the bottom of the sea].

Arthur thought that Kazuki was the last King and came to Japan, but, even with Kazuki becoming a true King, there was no unusual phenomenon that happened anywhere in the world.

Then it was the unknown continent [America] that was separated from east and west with Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean and had cut off all relation with other Magic Advanced Countries. In that land that was without a doubt a Magic Advanced Country, A King still hadn’t been born.

Right now the balance of the world was in the middle of breaking down. Loki who had his stronghold in Japan and performing guerilla war was lending his hand to China who selfishly wanted to invade Japan, and then Russia was added into that alliance.

In order to oppose China・Loki・Russia, Japan needed an ally.

Kazuki had to pull the King of America that was going to be newly born to his side.

Kazuki had to prevent Loki from pulling even the King of America to his side.

This was a journey for the sake of that.

Part 3

Loki didn’t think that he had failed.

But for the person in front of his eyes that was a betrayal.

Because of that he had to be cautious in his behavior.

“Oh mann, what a failure this is! Even though our side had collected two Sacred Treasures, who will ever think that we are the ones that lost eh! Even though Ikousai too had also completely mastered using Susanoo’s power flawlessly at that! This is a conclusion that even the god-sama cannot predict yeah!”

For the time being Loki would laugh hard while saying that and took a peek at the other party’s reaction.

“Fufufu…” Fu Zi also laughed.

The imperial capital of Chukadou, Beijing. They were in the magnificent palace of that city, <Shibi Palace>.

Loki was invited inside the extremely luxurious private room of the emperor.

“Fuhahahaha! Tis’ no problem at all, my friend! Our heart is not that small to lose our composure just from a failure of that degree! After all our heart is the heart of China!! Fuhaa―hhahahaha!!”

Pishi-…a crack entered the pure white make up of her imperial face. The excessively thick make up was split from laughing too much. The jewels and ornaments with weight several times her own body weight that decorated her whole body rang out clinking sounds jaran jaran.

If according to Loki’s aesthetic sense that saw through all of that addition, Fu Zi who had just welcomed her age of fifteen was a natural beauty even without relying on all of that makeup and jewelry. But the Emperor of Chukadou was the ultimate star that shined bright in the center of the world. Her beauty had to transcend ultimately above human’s comprehension.

And as the result of aiming at the beauty that surpassed the ultimate, the heavy makeup conducted on her imperial face was already a mask. What was attached on her body was not clothes but armor made from precious stones―no, she was a robot made from gems. The gems were arranged geometrically in accordance with the rule of divination, it could even be seen like a mandala.

Fu Zi was not a beautiful girl―her appearance was an abstract painting.

The culture of China is just incredible… Loki who was facing her thought so.

But, however―at the same time Fu Zi was also a compassionate human.

“Fuhahahah―! Gefu-! Gofun!!” Fu Zi laughed too much and choked.

“Euuu-!” Letting such hoarse voice escaped, glob of tears appeared on her eyes. She couldn’t wipe her tear or anything with her sleeves that were covered with gems, so the tears were evaporated using Pyrokinesis. For a while she leaked out painful breath of “Hi―, hi―” and then Fu Zi recovered her calmness.

“However… Loki…”

Fu Zi slowly raised her imperial face. When the smile vanished from that expression, the crack that entered the make up was naturally mending. Throughout that beautiful face that was all like a sculpted model, only the glint of her eyes were like a flame.

“…We feel a slight tedium… We won’t act narrow-mindedly like asking responsibility from you but… because of your failure now the [invasion] is far away…”

“I guess so. If we interfere even more forcefully than this, Britain and Italy will seriously come attacking. The real point will be how Germany who is acting like a third party will act then.”

―’After that was America perhaps.’ Loki added inside his heart, now that he was mentioning about important point.

“…How sluggish it is to peek at the movement of the third party or the like. Look…”

Fu Zi dignifiedly raised both her hands and thrust them in front of Loki. Small palms like maple leave peeked out from the opening of the sleeves that were sewed through with jewelries. Those palms were trembling over and over as if being poisoned by something.

“The <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree> that is residing inside us is rampaging inside… Also, our head hurts. Our skull is pressured creakingly by powerful impulse… Swallow up new land he say… rule over new people he say…”

The light that dwell inside those eyes, if Loki had to be the one to express it then he could only call it as madness.

<Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>―the Diva that the girl was contracted with was that kind of being.

It was not a god or a devil. It was an existence that originally shouldn’t exist inside the Taoism Mythology.

Fu Zi when she was driven by her impulse was… dangerous.

It even made him think whether her mind that had been strained until the limit was going to pop with a snap exactly now.

Loki changed the topic of their conversation.

“But there is also a thing that we obtained see. Rather what we got was perhaps even greater. We was able to make an unshakable relationship of cooperation with Russia.”

“Is that so? …But our friend Loki, our tediousness, our headache, its unbearable.”

“Ha?”

“If you say that Ilyailiya is cooperating with us―call Ilyailiya here. It would be best for us to deal with her here and liberate Russia. That’s the best cooperation she can give. For the current us.”

“Wha… what are you saying!?”

Deal with her―kill her. Loki panicked from this reason that had transcended the dimension of a mere quick temper.

“You are saying that anywhere is fine, that you want to rule, so you are going to just kill the guy that became your ally! You do that and on top of losing Russia, after that Britain, Italia, Japan, three countries are going to attack you all at once!! Even if I can take on Japan, your load is just gonna be too heavy taking on the remaining two kings, have you ever thought of that!!?”

“You are making a single mistake in your thinking.”

Fu Zi waved one of her trembling hand. Her voice was also trembling.

“You keep making balanced calculation by considering that factors like Advanced Countries or Kings whatever in equal measures―but those factors are not equal. We… just taking on two Kings of Britain and Italia as opponents simultaneously at most, there is no way we will be the one that fall behind.”

She was going to show that she could take on Arthur and Regina simultaneously. Fu Zi was saying such things with a trembling voice.

‘That’s just a big talk’, Loki was unable to laugh it off like that.

The battle ability between Kings was not equal. The power of each Mythology was not equal.

“Watch, my figure.”

As if an overflowing power that couldn’t be held back, Fu Zi’s whole body was emitting radiant light.

The thick makeup, the countless jewels, all were reduced by the magic power. Inside the light only for an instant Fu Zi returned to her original human appearance―at once <the emperor’s Magic Dress> was formed on that body.

White skin was exposed. Even while exposing feminine beauty, both her arms that were the symbol of [strength] were covered by violet dragon scale like amethyst, horn and claws were elongating out ominously from her head and fingertips. On the other hand her chest and waist that should be hidden as an aristocrat were covered by golden garment, on her back a [halo] was shining.

Violet and yellow were once colors that were restricted by China’s royal family. …A human dragon clad in restricted color….

In order to let Loki know of that power , Fu Zi showed her transformation into her battle mode.

“So this is the Magic Dress of the <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>… even I who am a god is overwhelmed. This is certainly a [gravity].”

Chinese Tao’s chief god <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>―that was certainly too different in nature compared to other Divas. One factor that made Loki want to get closer to China was also because he wanted to confirm that peculiarity from up close.

China’s abyssal history―4000 years. The current population of Chukadou―was actually 1.8 billion people.

What was called as Mythology was the crystallization of the thought the people who lived in that sphere of civilization had stored. At present the people of China with the number that reached 1.8 billion human had continuously stored for 4000 years until now a colossal volume of prayer―the Sinocentrism.

Even while believing that China was exactly the center of the world, the people was constantly tormented by the reality of starvation and wars. Inside that cruel reality, the people excessively and earnestly prayed, that someday the possessor of heaven’s decree would appear in this land, build the ideal China, and brought about the ultimate equality and peace.

That torrent of prayer―turned into a savage dragon. Not a god and not even a devil, a single dragon.

This dragon completely swallowed Taoism Mythology as the superior fantasy―that was how Loki interpreted it. It was different with a normal Mythology. Compared to a normal Mythology―it was in a different league. Powerful. It was not a weak truth.

“Our suffering is the prayer of the people… there is no possible way this power will fall behind against the likes of Mythology…”

A trembling voice―however it was not a weakly trembling voice. Rather it was a voice that was trembling from the inability to hold back the overflowing power. It was by no means a big talk. Certainly the <Reborn Emperor> Fu Zi was shouldering the volume of desire that could possibly utterly defeat both Arthur and Regina at the same time.

But Fu Zi who was shouldering the Sinocentrism itself in that small body was constantly tormented by Sinocentrism desire of invasion. If the girl didn’t continuously invade, the dragon inside her would rampage madly and corner her mind into the edge of madness.

Loki utterly scorned the too powerful strength that couldn’t be restrained.

“We ain’t gonna understand how the relation between Japan and Germany is going to roll from now on. After all the Einherjar had completely acted rashly like assaulting the comrades of Hayashizaki Kazuki in Fuji’s sea of trees. But between Russia and Germany there is no obligation or resentment, a flat relationship. If you attacked Russia, then there is the possibility of Germany being added to the list of your enemy as the sanctions of that. You are gonna turn the whole world as your enemy.”

Suddenly, Fu Zi released a part of the power and recovered her composure.

“…Certainly putting Russia under our rule immediately is an imprudence. Then… if Russia had become our ally, it’s better to quickly attack Japan. It’s no matter even if Britain and Italia turn into our enemy, we don’t need any just cause or anything. This way of thinking is just natural isn’t it?”

“Don’t you say something of such small caliber.”

“…Are you saying that we are narrow-minded.”

“Even if you are not small but you don’t have any strong patience.”

“We are just loathing an unnecessary patience.”

A furrow of violent emotion appeared on Fu Zi’s forehead. Her eyes were blazing. But Fu Zi didn’t show short temper against Loki. She was going to listen to Loki’s story until the end. After all it was something that a person with large caliber would do.

She was just a mere girl overstretching herself.

“I’m saying that it’s just idiotic for someone so powerful like you to make a bet where the worst case is possible. Picking a fight ‘Come on, I dare you’ at Japan, Britain, and Italia where they might be waiting for you with all sorts of preparation, no matter how you gonna think about it, it just ain’t smart. Even if it’s you, the worst case always exists.”

“There is no such thing as the worst case. …No.”

Even while Fu Zi was denying it with her anger exposed, she immediately reconsidered.

“Certainly it’s undeniable that we don’t understand well about Arthur, Regina, or Japan’s new King. There is no doubt of the result if we are compared against a known opponent, but it’s just as you said, that [there is something unknown] means that [the worst case exists].”

“The time to attack is when you have composure while you can sense your opponent’s movement. Whether the opponent is really waiting for us with all sorts of preparation, or perhaps he is doing something else… Perhaps they are even going to America right now.”

Even Loki didn’t know about that continent’s current condition. Knowing about that place through Kazuki was also interesting.

“Mu? In the case that he is being absent than isn’t it easy to capture the country instead? Let’s go.”

“That’s why I said that it’s not certain whether that guy is really away or not. Regina returned to her country and it seemed that she opened a meaningless grand parade. On the other hand we don’t know what the hell Japan and Britain’s Kings are doing right now. We also don’t know what kind of attitude Germany is gonna take against Japan. That’s why I told you to first investigate it for the time being. After doing that we can do anything without any trouble waiting for us right?”

“There should be the former Yamato’s spies still hiding in Japan shouldn’t it? Something like what kind of action the King is currently taking should be easily known.”

“Because of the current progress those spies are in the middle of being purged, there is still some that survived but they are completely on high alert there. They cannot move. Those like the press want to know about the King, if they published a scoop about what is the King doing right now then that would be great, so we are right now waiting for them to do our job for us.”

Loki laughed jokingly.

“We see… if there is only that information then we can immediately attack them but…”

‘I don’t wanna have the situation become like that for now though’, Loki thought. He would also be troubled if China won overwhelmingly.

‘Don’t you guys dare to leak the information easily’, Loki prayed to the government of Japan.

“Well, those guys are also not as naïve as we thought. They are hiding their movement carefully. I thought because that country is full of peace idiots that they will even expose more about Hayashizaki Kazuki in a variety show or something y’know.”

“The King is the country’s greatest battle power. Surely the people are immensely curious about the new King, but if the King become a spectacle following the demand then it’s the same as leaking out their most important military secret. It was also a path that we once went through. We thought that Japan is still an inexperienced country, but it seems they are able to understand the importance of a King.”

Fu Zi nodded. As long as she was not driven by her madness then she was a wise girl in the first place.

“Understood. First we should grasp the movement of Japan’s new King and Arthur Basileus, isn’t that right?”

Loki nodded back, “Also, Germany’s movement too.”

In the first place Loki wanted time. Loki’s Einherjar was the weakest force among this whirlpool of power. They had obtained China and Russia as allies where they finally could steadily advance the materialization of their comrades that were Chaos Side’s Divas. Now they were in the middle of doing that.

Even so if they were going to attack, then rather than targeting Japan that had Hayashizaki Kazuki, it was more convenient to target Britain. That place was the center of magic civilization. The legacy of Basileus Basilleon was there. In other words there was the secret of the world that even Loki didn’t know there. If he could make China attack Britain and received that legacy secretly from the sideline without being discovered….

Would he be able to control however much great power in front of his eyes and moved to his own convenience then…

She was driven by madness therefore this should be simple.

By nature Fu Zi was a young wise girl therefore it was simple.

The trembling of Fu Zi’s fingers stopped―the girl’s power of will halted.

“We clearly understand the advice of you who are a friend. We are going to reflect on our imprudence that tried to walk an easy path from yielding to our internal pain. Tis’ no problem.”

“So it becomes no problem, that’s good then.”

“We like you and Kaya.”

Suddenly, Fu Zi’s expression burst open in wide grin that suited a girl her age.

While Loki was taken aback by that frank way of talking―he pitied the weight of the thing this girl shouldered.

The 4000 years fervent prayer of 1.8 billion people. When it was turned over, it was the resentment of the people toward China’s successive generations of dynasties―to the powerful people. It was only natural that the power of resentment had an aspect that brought about madness as a curse. On both shoulders of the wise girl that was still young, all of that weight was burdening her. A colossal volume…

“Kaya too said that she likes Hiroko-chan yeah.”

“Fufu… fuhaa―hhahha! Tis’ no matter!!”

Being called by her nickname Hiroko-chan, Fu Zi puffed her chest with that small body and laughed delightfully.

“Thinking back… I think I have never heard about your political philosophy. If you obtain the world in your hand, what will you who are carrying the will of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree bring about to this world?”

“Hmm!” Fu Zi replied brightly as if she was going to reveal a valued treasure.

“Our wish is for the people’s peace. Our prayer is for the people’s equality. For all the people to be in our hands, to make all the people―into [crimson nopperabou].”

Part 4

When Akane-senpai operated the control panel, a large table of marble gradually rose from the floor of the bridge. The bridge was transformed into a meeting room that was balanced with the feeling of liberation of the blue ocean.

Kazuki and co. encircled that round table and began the briefing.

“Regarding the voyage… even though I called it that but the majority of the distance we advance will be managed by the computer. We anticipated that when we get closer to America the GPS will be unusable, but until that point there will be no problem to confirm our position with GPS, we can still get in contact and coordinate with the home country.”

Kazuki thought “Eh?”

“We cannot use GPS when we get closer to America?”

“It’s not just limited to GPS, we also cannot take satellite pictures. All the action to find out about a foreign country using the power of technology is blocked by magic power. …You have never seen such thing in practice have you? Like the situation of a Magic Advanced Country’s city’s photograph taken using a satellite picture.”

Now that she mentioned it he had never seen it. He didn’t notice when he was not told like this, but now that she said it that was a picture that he really wanted to see. Arthur shrugged his shoulders.

“If that kind of thing is taken from the space and Japan is constantly monitoring other countries like that, the other Magic Advanced Countries will quickly declare war on Japan.”

Certainly. This was why America was said as mysterious.

“Even if we photograph a satellite picture, we won’t be able to differentiate anything other than a blur of blue magic power light. This blur of magic power light was named as [magic power cloud]. Its source is not really clear. Some people say that perhaps it’s a magic that is unconsciously manifested by the ‘exclusion against foreign countries’ mentality of the people that lives in that country. Unconsciously… or rather, perhaps I should call it… group latency consciousness.”

Magic that was exerted unconsciously or group latency consciousness―certainly he had heard before that there was that kind of thing.

Something like, because of the strong feeling of man and woman, the magic phenomenon that was unconsciously invoked made it hard to avoid pregnancy.

“Most likely the magic power cloud obstructs the GPS signal. No matter where, all kind of waves are blocked. Maybe they had confirmed the existence of satellite photos, so the cloud is put in the sky, or so we thought, but even the access through the undersea cable that connected the mainland Japan with overseas is also repelled away. Though this is only if the other country still hasn’t thoroughly destroyed the facility there.”

“We haven’t.” Arthur shook his head. “That kind of facility is still remaining in our Britain and the other Mythology countries too. After all it’s not like the instant we became a Mythology country we immediately abolished and destroyed all civilization leaving nothing behind.”

“Yes, Germany and the surrounding vassal states are also like that desu. The abolition of civilization was progressed little by little. It’s by no means that everything had already been completely abolished.”

“Now that you mentioned it, Lotte was watching Japanese anime from your sickbed right, using a DVD player.”

When he said that from recalling the information, Lotte nodded “Yes desu”.

Germany was abolishing the civilization even fiercer than Britain. Even so that Lotte could hide a DVD player in her possession where she could still use it, that meant that science civilization was still surviving there.

“The act of trying to know about other countries using the power of technology is repelled away. That’s why the countries of the world are so mysterious then.” Kazuki was convinced.

“Lessons regarding the magic power cloud is given in the second year. It’s not unreasonable that you didn’t know about it. After all, the Knight Academy gives the maximum priority of training the students until they reach the level of strength where they could participate in quests.” Liz Liza-sensei added.

“Right, we the second years knew about it. But it is really strange don’t you agree?”

Kaguya-senpai knitted her eyebrows.

“Despite it being a school that should be teaching us the right way to use power, anyway first they taught the way to use power right from the beginning and the knowledge only came later…”

“Situations where reality cannot catch up with ideals often happen.”

Arthur said a philosophic view from his position as a statesman in reality.

“Japan’s government is really able. They are very interesting. With how our country turned into a Mythology country, there are some aspects where we are a little distant from this kind of systematic way.”

“But Japan has some aspects where its perception is a little pampered.”

Shouko who was not at the table but leaning on the wall suddenly added to the conversation while gazing as if looking at somewhere far away.

“Pampered?” Kazuki asked back.

“The people of this country are still―even when they have experienced the outbreak of war with Yamato―thinking that, it’s impossible for a war to happen with a foreign country, or something aren’t they?”

“Perhaps that’s true.” Kazuki nodded while feeling the bitterness of making an excuse.

“Rather than that, I think that we have become unable to have a real feeling of the foreign countries’ existence…”

Conception’s outside―it became a blind spot. Even Kazuki in the first place didn’t have the conception of obtaining information about overseas with the power of technology.

“Anyways, we have the satellite assistance for the majority of our voyage, so rest easy.”

Akane-senpai concluded that for the time being.

“In our estimates, the fastest we can reach America is in ten days. We will stop the engine when we get closer to America and open the sail. We don’t need to worry about the sail operation because the computer will manage it, but the speed then will be dependent on the wind. That’s why the food was prepared with extra.”

“Well, just leave it to me when you cannot rely on the machine anymore.”

Shouko hit her chest loudly. Akane-senpai directed doubtful eyes to her.

“…Is it really okay, to rely on this person?”

“For the time being, I think it is okay senpai.” Kazuki took the responsibility like so.

“The Knight Order and Ryouzanpaku are maintaining the defense of Japan, but… even if there is something happening in Japan we are going to need around the same ten days to return back using this ship.”

Akane-senpai said. If something happened then surely it was because of China. But…

“I think perhaps there will be no such thing. After all, Regina returned back to her country flashily.”

Mio who sat beside him tilted her head asking “Why?”

“Even if the enemy sense that I and Arthur are not in the country, Regina would have to make an appeal that at the very least she is in the position where she can move anytime. On the surface Regina won’t cooperate with us, but perhaps even if she doesn’t come along with us to America, she is still thinking some about us.”

“…I see, there is also that kind of way of thinking.”

Arthur’s eyes opened wide and he hit his palm in realization.

“I felt betrayed in my heart thinking that she would just overlook the disturbance in the world’s balance you know. So she made that kind of flashy parade while returning to her home was actually to hold in check the enemy by saying ‘I’m right here’.”

“I wonder if you can feel relieved with a diversion just from Regina alone? After all the King of China is abnormally eager in her desire of invasion. If there is any opening then she is gonna come to take your country even with a high-handed method.”

Shouko’s expression turned sharp as if she was a different person the moment the topic about China came out.

“It’s going to be fine as long as we don’t show any opening right?”

Akane-senpai said. “There should not be anyone that knows we are departing to America. This Solomon the 2nd… no, Queen Kaguya was constructed and transported under the veil of secrecy. Kazuki and others’ action are also completely concealed.”

If this side’s absence was detected―this talk was done with such premise, but in the first place they didn’t have the intention to let the enemy detect them.

“I think it is better for you guys to have the readiness that the instant your absence is exposed they’re gonna come invading. That country is… no, that King is… someone that ain’t possible to understand what she is gonna suddenly come up with.”

Shouko said with a heavy tone.

“…Ah.” With a twitch Kazuha-senpai’s spine was trembling and she let out a small voice escape.

“Is there something wrong, Kazuha-senpai?”

“Ee,rr… about the story just now… if Kazuki’s absence got exposed, it’s going to be bad isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“E, errr… this morning, some people that looked like newspaper reporters came… they looked like they got wind of Kazuki’s stay at that hidden harbor, they were taking pictures from afar… at that time I was the lookout but…”

Kazuha-senpai’s countenance turned pale in the blink of an eye.

“I, didn’t understand the gravity of the situation so… also I didn’t know that China is going to come attacking… I thought that only confiscating their film and chasing them away might be fine…”

At that time, the ship might have been seen. Kazuha-senpai continued mentioning that.

An article could be made even without picture. If an article about this came out to the public, then China will come to invade and it would become war.

―Kazuki immediately pondered. ‘Is there any way to stop the reporters from here?’

They could make contact with the mainland, but they didn’t have any pictures of the reporters or even their names.

He couldn’t get any idea at all about a sensible way to do something about this immediately.

Part 5

There was a single picture in Turtle Oota’s hand.

His sworn friend Simo Heyhe Iijima rephotographed this picture of the ship that was mooring in the cove using his Thoughtography(Spirit Photography Magic). But with the memory of seeing the ship only once and Simo Heyhe’s magic skill, he could only create a hazy picture as if everything was covered with mist.

The picture couldn’t possibly become any strong evidence.

Even if he used the picture to prop up his article, it wouldn’t have any other meaning except of something in the degree of an image illustration.

―’Just this is enough. This can be made into an article.’ Turtle warped his thick lips and laughed alone.

His workplace in Tokyo that doubled as his residence―a six tatami room that was buried in trashes, laundry, and materials. Only his desktop PC that was his work tool and the equipment around it looked taken care of splendidly.

He couldn’t even collect the evidence about the information that the King was staying in the Knight Order’s lodging house at that hidden harbor. It couldn’t become anything except something like a gossip article.

But even so, he was a gossip journalist. He wouldn’t hesitate at all to write an unreliable article.

Besides, an article about the King departing overseas with a personal use ship was just too wild an idea, it would just result in the opposite and had no persuasive power at all. There shouldn’t be any human that was going to come up with such a made up story.

He would spread out ripple in the society without fail.

But now just when he was going to write the article, Turtle’s both hands stopped above the keyboard.

The world was in the middle of changing on a grand scale―such strange feeling that seemed real stuck in his head and wouldn’t go away.

‘He is doing this without looking for anything in return.’

That girl talked about the person that was the King with a serious gaze.

Not even looking for anything in return, the King went to an unknown world―departed toward the open sea that had been forgotten from the common knowledge of the people during these 15 years. It was supposed to be a journey where there was only danger awaiting.

To do such a thing without even informing the public, perhaps there was some kind of reason.

The people with old sense of values were just holding back the symbol of this current era that was the King. Such composition kept floating inside his head. Wasn’t what he was going to write an ugly composition? For him to write this article…

…No, so what if it was ugly? He was Turtle that welcomed any ugliness, wasn’t he the gossip journalist.

Information about the King would become money. That was enough as his reason.

How much credibility this article, that didn’t have even a single proof in it, could bring about, that was the only thing he needed to think about. ‘The soul of my work dwells exactly in this kind of thing. It’s fine for me, who is a worker in this field, to be a machine that just thinks about that.’

People would believe what they wanted to believe. The people were hungry for rage towards influential people. In order for someone like him to taste the real feeling that he was a virtuous human, he kept looking for an excuse to persecute evil.

That was why proof was unnecessary. As long as there was something people could just feel the sweet rage towards… they would believe anything.

Just imagine the best story. Aboard an unbelievably luxurious and extravagant cruiser ship, while being served by a lot of beautiful girls that were called Chouki(favored princess/favored mistress), the young man who was just chosen as the King was going somewhere.

What about, that there was actually a secret southern island resort that was secretly purchased by the government, that supposedly had already severed all diplomatic relations? There was no doubt that in that place where they didn’t need to worry about the public eye, a completely shameless debauchery was extravagantly, immorally, waiting for the King.

Not looking for anything in return…? No, that was wrong. That King was surely a debauched harem King.

The instant he ran his imagination wild, Turtle’s head was boiled with a sweet rage. Imaginations were surfacing in his head one after another, the hesitation vanished from his fingertips, inflammatory leading words were produced.

He was lively depicting the figure of the sworn enemy of the people that couldn’t be allowed to live under the same heaven.

Who could ever imagine that this kind of refined text could be written only from the imagination of a journalist that was full of lies.

No matter where he brought that article, it surely could be publicized in no time at all…

Chapter 2 – Sea Route in Full Bloom (Harem Cruise)

Part 1

The article that was written throughout the night was finished with magnificent shape and quality.

Even the Thoughtography picture that accompanied the article would stir up the obscene imagination of the reader instead of how it didn’t depict anything vivid.

Surely even before the people that read this could doubt the nonexistence of the evidence, their head would already become full with envy and rage.

Rather than calling this article information, it was more like a novel, ‘To make myself write this kind of article, as expected I’m really a genius’ Turtle was praising himself.

He wondered which publisher could accommodate his article in their pages as fast as possible.

He made an appointment with an influential editor that was his acquaintance.

He took a bath in the shower, shaved his beard, and changed the clothes that he had worn for three days.

He printed the article on A4 paper using the household printer he owned.

―At that time the bell unexpectedly resounded inside the six tatami room.

He didn’t expect any guest or anything. Turtle dubiously strode over the clothes that were scattered everywhere on the floor and opened the door standing at the entrance.

The moment the door opened, the right hand of Turtle who was pushing open the knob of the door was pulled strongly forward. His left hand that was still holding the A4 paper was also quickly caught, and he got dragged outside the room. He was thrown down onto the floor like the judo move he learned in his student period.

BAM! A hard sound resulted from his crash, both of his wrists profoundly felt some weight on it.

A handcuff that was using adamantite as its core was fixed on both his hands.

“…What the?” Turtle leaked out a befuddled voice.

“This is police knight Kondou Hajime, the target has been secured. There is no doubt, it’s the man himself.”

Turtle directed his eyes to the other party, the white uniform was the Knight Order’s. A katana was attached on his waist, so surely this was a swordsman. The police knight was the lowest rank of a knight.

The man didn’t even look at Turtle and was talking to his wireless.

“Hey wait, oi. Just why is this, why am I being arrested? Do you have arrest warrant or anything?”

“There is none.” The man looked at Turtle for the first time. “This is really sudden so we don’t have anything like that.”

“Then you can only ask me to go voluntarily, I should be able to refuse. I’m not going to go with you okay, take off this handcuff. After this my article needs to…”

“No, there is this thing called arrest without a warrant.”

“That’s why, why do I get arrested!?”

“Certainly you are not doing anything really bad. Looks like you trespassed into a national forest, but you were not even caught red handed. But we cannot let you write your article by any means.”

This police was saying something that was just too sketchy to this common citizen that was restrained by a handcuff.

“You say that you cannot let me write the article… what kind of right you have to do that! As a journalist I have the freedom of expression! That’s a basic human right! I’m going make this into a big issue!!”

The man who introduced himself as Kondo also made a face that looked troubled.

Surely for himself this was the first time he had ever done violence like this.

“I wonder how should I explain this… freedom of expression or your human right or whatever, you cannot say any of those things. We are going to completely ignore all that law and regulation stuff. You, have you thought of what will happen if you wrote the article?”

Information about the King would become money, only that was enough for him.

“What is going to happen you say… this is really not that outrageous right… The right of the public to know will be fulfilled. And money will come to me. That’s all. This is my purpose in life.”

“If you write the article, China will come invading Japan you know.”

Anger fell off from Turtle’s expression. “What the hell’s with that” Turtle leaked out a dispirited voice. He then remembered the course of events in that East-West War―how China was taking part at Yamato’s side. His face lost all color.

His face turned expressionless and he looked down at the handcuff. This is, not an exaggeration at all is it?

“Anyway just come along with us. We are not going to make you undergo any prosecution process or anything. Don’t complain at all. This is for your sake. You will be put under the monitoring of the Knight Order for a while. It still hasn’t been decided yet how you are going to be monitored. Everything depends on your attitude…”

He imagined the extravagant ship that was mooring in the hidden harbor inside his head. The incomprehensible human that was called as a King or whatever who suddenly appeared in this country, was boarding a ship that had never been seen before and departed towards an unknown foreign country. And if he made that into an article, China would come invading.

“…Hey, has the world completely changed?”

Hearing Turtle’s abrupt words, the man knitted his eyebrows and said “What are you saying?”

“Yeah, it has changed. In these three months a lot has been overturned. That’s right huh, there’s even more of such things the public has yet to be informed about.”

Part 2

“A contact just came, the three were able to be taken into custody safely. Kondou-san was surprised, he said that the thoughtography picture is just like the spitting image of the real person.

Finishing her communication with the mainland, Akane-senpai put the receiver of the satellite communication device(INMARSAT) on the control panel. With the INMARSAT satellite relaying the electromagnetic wave between this ship and Japan’s mainland, it made it possible for transmission of phone and internet.

On top of the round table, a camera that was built-in with Psychofilm and thoughtography pictures that hadn’t been developed yet were scattered. These thoughtography pictures were changed into digital data and then they were sent to the mainland with INMARSAT‘s net.

Using that image data, the Knight Order performed investigations to collect information and quickly resolved the situation.

However… the thoughtography picture was absurd. Kazuki once again thought.

“Tha, that’s great-…”

Kazuha-senpai who was standing beside Akane-senpai nervously while watching over her conversation released a sigh of relief while stroking her chest. Tension left her expression and tears were spilling out from her eyes in drove.

When Kazuki embraced her shoulder from the side, Kazuha-senpai clung at him closely.

“However… as I thought, this is really shocking. Is this really your first time using Thoughtography? To be able to project the face of people that you saw only once in a mere short period this clearly is just…”

The faces of the two men and woman were projected on the thoughtography pictures. The pictures were truly detailed but because the background was pitch black it looked more like a computer graphic.

The truth was that Kazuki was not that worried. He thought that it was impossible doing this with ordinary method but… he immediately hit the idea that “If it’s Kazuha-senpai then perhaps she can do Thoughtography even though she has never done it before.”

It was not a simple thing but Kazuha-senpai was a genius of general magic. Since she understood the usefulness of general magic from that time of turmoil with the spies, Kazuha-senpai had made an effort to train herself to find out its various practical application by her own initiative. Kazuki knew that.

By the way because Kanae had also witnessed the faces of the journalists she also attempted to use Thoughtography, but for some reason what came out was Kazuki’s picture. Even if she tried to concentrate and recall the faces of the journalists, she was pleased to say that in the middle she would always completely think about Kazuki. She was an idiotic little sister as usual.

Everyone else was also interested and attempted Thoughtography but, the result, there were a lot of pictures that looked like scribbles of kindergartners scattered on the round table.

“It looks like when they questioned the journalist association, they could immediately identify the three people in question. They are an infamous gossip trio, Turtle Oota, Simo Heihei Iijima, and Anal Kirishima.”

Akane-senpai laughed amusedly. “I understand why Turtle but, I wonder about the meaning of the other two’s nickname.”

“Kazuha-senpai is really a genius.” Kazuki said that while caressing Kazuha-senpai’s back, but Kazuha-senpai pressed her face into Kazuki’s chest and her crying didn’t look like it would stop soon.

“What is being done to those three?” For the time being Kazuki faced Akane-senpai again.

“Until our trip is finished, they are going to be either confined or monitored.”

“What, you are not going to kill them?”

Shouko who was sitting on a seat of the round table and watching over the situation said that in amazement.

“Killing them is the fastest way to seal their mouths right? How naïve.”

“It’s different for Anal-san or whatever that leaked out information, but there is no reason to lay the blame on the journalist and the cameraman. This country is a democratic country.”

Shouko said that they were naïve but, democratically what they were doing to the journalist and the cameraman were already a great injustice.

Saying it clearly, it bothered him.

“For some reason the journalist man seems like he keeps muttering [The world has changed, changed] or something, so it looks like there is some talk that come out about what if we make him work as the government’s information official instead.”

“Why’s that?”

“When Kondou-san read the article he wrote, that journalist is quite good as an agitator… saying it positively he seems to have writen an article that moves people’s hearts, they are going to try to win him over during the monitoring.”

Perhaps that was not a bad point of a compromise.

The world changed―certainly perhaps they had to make the people to be aware of those changes for real.

“Hey, King. Do you know, about the political philosophy of Chukadou’s Emperor, Fu Zi?”

Suddenly Shouko asked.

“Political philosophy? Something like Regina’s <Olympia Aristocrat Doctrine>?”

“<Red Nopperabou>.” It was an astoundingly mysterious word.

“If I’m not mistaken, Chukadou… they don’t recognize the surrounding countries as a country and invaded them viewing them as [barbarian], they stole the culture, language, and religion of the invaded country, and assimilated them into Chukadou… isn’t that right?”

“The politics is the story from there. The ideal shape of governing that Fu Zi is aiming, that is the Red Nopperabou. After assimilating all countries, next she will assimilate the whole human race. She is going to terminate the fence between individuals. With the characteristic magic of the Diva Fu Zi is contracted with, she is going to make the whole human race into one colony. With that the riches are shared equally and all the problems in the world will be resolved.”

Regina raised the explosion of human population as the forthcoming problem of the world and she said that she was going to sort the human race into aristocrats and slaves, where the slaves would be [culled]. What she meant by culled was to kill them.

Then there was Fu Zi who was aiming to solve the problem with this exact opposite approach.

“Even with a population explosion happening, if the difference between individual humans disappeared, then it’s going to be the same no matter who gets culled… consequently all of them are equal, is that it?”

“That’s right. Rather than calling such a thing human, it’s better to call it a cell of colony organisms. Humans are going to be made into a single cell that live for the sake of the whole body.”

Such method was certainly flawless. If there was a person that controlled it supernaturally, surely a flawless order could be maintained eternally. But something ghastly that he couldn’t express crept through Kazuki’s spine.

The whole human race became the Red Nopperabou…

“That’s the kind of country that is gonna invade Japan.”

Sneer vanished from Shouko’s expression.

“Your country almost became like that just because of a single joke article of a journalist that never even dreamed that such a thing can happen. Ignorance, insufficient sense of crisis, those are sins.”

It was a danger not to inform the people of this country about what had happened in their own country.

Kazuki felt a niceness from Shouko whose expression turned serious.

“Thank you, Shouko-san.”

Shouko’s eyebrows twitched in surprise. “Oh? You attached ‘-san’ again on my name just now.”

“It has been transmitted to me your advice that you have given is from your heart.”

“Heh. You guys are just too naïve.”

Most likely that was the sincerity of someone whose birthplace had been stolen already.

The shoulder of Kazuha-senpai who was inside Kazuki’s embrace was trembling. When he looked at her, the globs of tear that were gathering in her eyes were growing a lot more where those were going to spill over anytime.

“I, I… didn’t think of anything at all… that it might become something like that… I thought that even though those people were irritating because they were aiming for a bad article about Kazuki but they were not particularly evil people…”

Kazuki also liked the Kazuha-senpai that was kindhearted like that.

“But senpai can make a recovery with your own power already.”

“I… I’m really pathetic…”

“Senpai is a great person you know.”

This time was not Kazuha-senpai’s failure but it was a failure invited by the insufficient recognition of the whole group. Accidentally, it was senpai that became the scapegoat here but it could also be said that it was thanks to her ability that they could recover.

That was why there was a need to change how he treated this, not with reason but as a problem of feeling.

Kazuki embraced Kazuha-senpai strongly and pressed her crying face onto his chest tightly before he stroked her head.

“I’m the senior, so don’t you stroke my head-“ She leaked out a complaining voice through his shirts.

To continue even though she said to stop was the basics of interacting with Kazuha-senpai.

“Perhaps there are times when things don’t go well and it turns into failure. But senpai is a great person so it’s okay. At times when senpai becomes uneasy, please depend more on me and your Peerssurroundings".

He earnestly continued to stroke Kazuha-senpai’s head. Thereupon a heart mark of positivity level up came flying.

“…If I act too spoiled, you won’t hate or feel disgust at me because I’m a quack…?”

She moved away her face just a little and asked him with upturned eyes.

“Senpai.” Kazuki tilted up Kazuha-senpai’s face and forcefully stole her lips. From the light touch between lips, he then strongly sucked at her lips. “…!” As if a fire was lit in her, she sucked back strongly at Kazuki’s lips. Heart marks were flying everywhere. Finally excessive tension vanished from Kazuha-senpai’s body and she abandoned her body to Kazuki.

When they separated their bodies after suckng chuu chuu at each other for a while, tears finally disappeared from Kazuha-senpai’s eyes. Kazuha-senpai was gazing at Kazuki dazedly with eyes as if looking at a dream.

Tsukahara Kazuha―142

After that she noticed with a ‘hah’ and she looked around restlessly toward the other people that were in the bridge.

Mio, Koyuki, Lotte, Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai, Kanae, Kohaku, the Ryuutaki sisters, Karin, Kamimura-san, Liz Liza-sensei, Akane-senpai, Kanon-senpai, Arthur, Shouko, Silirat.

―All members were looking while still sitting on their seats.

“I, I won’t make any more trouble and will work hard-!!”

Kazuha-senpai raised a scream and dashed out from the room in full speed.

“…Somehow even my heart is beating fast. Tsukahara-san is cute. I too want her to rely more on me.”

Akane-senpai murmured with a cool expression.

“Amaziiing…” Silirat’s eyes turned round.

“Is a kiss something that feels that good?” Karin touched her own lips softly.

“I want to kiss…” Kaguya-senpai’s body dropped onto the table.

“However the girl’s ability is certainly surprising.”

Arthur murmured while curiously fiddling around with the camera that was loaded with Psychofilm.

Arthur also challenged the making of a thoughtography picture just now―he exposed an awfully failed creation.

It proved that Kazuha-senpai’s genius in general magic was far above the rest even when compared with a King.

“Well, I’m the King and a knight that doesn’t worry of anything except fighting. Perhaps, if it’s about the skill in general magic, then Queen Regina is the one that is far more skilled though.”

“That person… her way of fighting is also profusely skilled isn’t she? There is no openings in her offense and defense.”

There was no opening―that meant that Kazuki’s way of fighting that pierced at the enemy’s weak point using countless magic would hardly work against her. By some chance, perhaps she was the strongest natural enemy for him.

“Anyway, this case can be closed happily. With this we can sail without anything burdening us.”

Akane-senpai pulled the mood together as the ship captain.

“With this the briefing is over. Once again, Kazuki, as the King, please leisurely relax with the beginning of this cruise.”

Part 3

An hour later, Kazuki was at the pool side.

He deposited his body that was only wearing shorts on a spacious deck chair, there were even fruits that decorated the side table beside him, even fruit juice was there.

The surface of the pool that, was located on the ship’s roof, was sparkling radiantly from the strong sunlight.

He couldn’t calm down as if he was going to die.

The girls who were assigned with duty inside the ship had changed into sailor uniforms and ran around doing their job. This ship was just freshly finished, but due to its nature that was constantly floating on sea water, the maintenance examination had to be diligently performed throughout the voyage. It seemed that the girls were being taught how to do that by Ship Captain Akane.

Kazuki also tried to participate but he was chased away.

There were also girls that were on a lookout at the bridge. Was the ship really moving at the planned direction, was there sign of other ships (though in this current era there was almost no such thing) or obstacles on their route, furthermore they also had to constantly check the weather’s change or the like without pause. Lotte was teaching everyone the controls of the ship. Shouko was also teaching the way to read the weather caringly with big-sisterly disposition.

Kazuki also tried to get taught but he was chased away.

There were also girls in the kitchen preparing lunch. Inside Queen Kaguya there were several extravagant restaurants and burger joints, but the crucial chef would only become a hindrance so there was none that came along on this journey. In the end they had to prepare their food themselves, but the kitchen was arranged with the ultimate ingredients and supreme facilities, the place became a dazzling environment for people who liked cooking.

Kazuki was extremely excited but, he was chased away.

The King should just leisurely relax―since everyone understood Kazuki’s personality, they said that with an expression of mischief on their face. This was nothing more than a bullying.

“What in the world is the meaning of life I wonder…”

Kazuki was anguished. During the time where everyone was busily working, for him alone to drink a tropical juice at the pool side, ‘This is not me… This is not supposed to be me at all…’

For the first time since he became a King, Kazuki became worried about the shakiness of his identity.

Kazuki was reclining on the deck chair like on a bed.

He was bathed in sunlight with a face of someone dying.

There was no excitement at all that came to him in this resort situation.

“Kaa~zukii-!” Something came flying together with an excited voice.

“DOO~N!!”

A girl that rounded her body fell at his side, the deck chair shook with a thud.

It was Hikaru-senpai. Similar with the time of presentation before this, she was wearing a glossy swimming race swimsuit of the pool.

“Hehe~♪ Let’s play too~gether-!” Hikaru-senpai clung beside him and frolicked at him.

There was enough room even though there were two people lining on the deck chair.

“Please wait for me, Hikaru-senpai!” From behind there was a different voice catching up.

“Me too! Eii-!”

One more person leaped at Kazuki’s side―this side was Mio in a red bikini.

It became just a little cramped with three people lining up. Both of them sandwiched Kazuki tightly.

Being clung at by girls in swimsuit with high exposure rate, Kazuki huddled his shoulders.

“Are you two not being on duty?”

“Uh-huh. But not letting the King get lonely is also a girl’s job, isn’t that right?”

Hikaru-senpai kissed Kazuki’s right cheek lightly.

“Me too-!” Mio also kissed his left cheek in rivalry. Instantly, the pool side turned cheerful.

“Come on King, look, look! I’m going to put sun oil on you!”

Hikaru-senpai pulled the chest part of her swimming race swimsuit and took out a bottle of sun oil from the valley of her breasts. For her to take that out from the valley of her breasts… as usual she was someone that seriously did something right out from a manga.

“Even if you don’t purposefully put sun oil on me, I won’t get sun burned. I don’t particularly intend to get a tan anyway.”

“It’s no good like that, you have to put on sun oil.” Mio scolded Kazuki from the side.

“Sun oil is not put on for the sake of getting an excessive tan, it’s put on in order to protect the skin from the damage of the UV-rays even while your skin tans. If you are under this kind of sunlight, it’s no good unless you put either sun oil or tan block on!”

Something like UV-rays that inflicted damage on the body gradually without him being aware couldn’t be blocked by the defensive magic power. Kazuki nodded if the reason was that.

“Kazuki, let’s compete in tanning after applying the oil! It’s a match of browned body!”

Hikaru-senpai who was usually already high-tensioned became even further high-tensioned.

“Come on, face this way-!”

If she wanted to apply sun oil for him then he wouldn’t be reserved. “Pl, please take care of me” While Kazuki was feeling a slight shyness, he turned his body.

Hikaru-senpai seemed to think of something, she slipped off both her arms from her shoulder strap and slipped down the upper part of her swimming race swimsuit. Her lustrous skin was exposed as if a fruit with its skin peeled, and her drooping breasts shook like jelly.

“Hikaru-senpai!?” Mio raised her voice.

“Why is senpai suddenly getting topless!?” Kazuki too looked up to the sky.

“Because I’m going to apply the oil after all. I’ve got to apply the oil myself.”

Hikaru-senpai grinned brightly while putting oil on her hand and spread it syrupyly on her upper body.

Her slender body and beautiful rocket breasts were giving off shiny luster under the sunlight and made her body dimensions even more conspicuous.

The boyish Hikaru-senpai lasciviously radiated sensual charm. Even while she was smiling innocently, an atmosphere that was like a beast aiming for its prey was hiding in the depths of her eyes that were staring at Kazuki.

Kazuki unintentionally gulped his saliva at that perverse appearance.

“Take this, slippy, slippy!” And then she embraced him tightly.

Just when he thought that her bouncy breasts would get smashed softly on him, it slipped due to the lacquered oil and escaped from him. Hikaru-senpai shook her body and once more pressed back her breasts on him softly, and then it slipped away again because of the slippery oil. She repeated that many times and spread the oil with her breasts as a sponge replacement.

“Se, senpai, this is…!”

Kazuki was provoked. Thanks to the oil, the friction became zero and the sensation of Hikaru-senpai’s skin was conveyed to him 100%. Friction was just a hindrance. The ultimate sensation that couldn’t be tasted when they were just hugging normally. The deliciousness of a girl was purely extracted… no, it was as if it got doubled.

“Ahaha-♡ Breast sponge, my tips are tingling, it feels good-♪”

Hikaru-senpai was also feeling pleasure and her body was trembling in shivers.

The breasts rubbed him with elasticity and slippery sensation, yet there was also a stiffness mixed in it that got highlighted. When Kazuki got conscious of the swelling nipple, Kazuki’s head was boiling even more.

After sliding around Kazuki’s chest for a while, next Hikaru-senpai was going to sandwich his right shoulder and keeping like that she was sliding down his arm smoothly. After making round trips several times, she arrived at his fingertips. And then she made his palm to rub on her own breasts.

“The face has to get oiled properly too-“

Hikaru-senpai oiled even her face and rubbed her cheek on him as if getting spoiled.

Kazuki took a glance to the right thinking whether Mio would put a stop to this or not.

“Me… me too!”

But Mio felt rivalry and without hesitation took off the bra of her bikini and flung it away, she hugged tightly at Kazuki.

Mio’s symmetrically shaped breasts also shook like jelly. And then she spread oil in plenty on her body, making her naked body that was slightly more voluptuous than the slender Hikaru-senpai glitter.

Kazuki was also mesmerized by Mio’s figure, he realized the magic power of oil. Looking was great, touching was also great. What a thing, it strengthened the charm of a girl both visually and tactility.

“Eii-“ Mio too hugged at Kazuki’s back and the two soft sponges squishily and slipperily made its presence known.

Puni-nuru, Puni-nuru, Puni-nuru… he was sandwiched by a sensual sensation from behind and front by the two.

“Ahn-“ There an ardent voice was mixed among all the sound. Sweet sensation, sweet voice, sweet fragrance… Sweetness of a girl was soaking into Kazuki’s whole body until his brain.

“Just the upper body is no good, the lower body has to be oiled until its nook and corner…♪”

Hikaru-senpai slipped off both her legs from the remaining swimming race swimsuit on her lower body and threw it away.

Her naked body was splendidly exposed in broad daylight, her thighs were also spread with oil syrupily. She sandwiched Kazuki’s thigh around her knees, and then she was sliding down slipperily from her thighs until the root of both her legs―her secret nether region. And then she began to rub her nether region back and forth on top of Kazuki’s thigh,

“The butt too-!”

Hikaru-senpai followed her own whim and half-rotated her body rapidly, she coated oil on her pudding-like butt, then she held Kazuki’s arm between the chasm of her butt and got sliding. Even though his arm had already got oiled from before, the chasm of the butt was slipperily making a round trip through the arm. Kazuki stiffened, even while having this act done to him, his fingers twitched reflexively.

Thereupon his fingertip gently grazed the contraction of the chasm of Hikaru-senpai’s butt.

“Kazuki-! I liked it just now-!!♡”

Hikaru-senpai shook her butt even more and more in badgering him. His stiffened fingertip was pressed strongly at the contraction and it slipperily entered inside on its own accord, Hikaru-senpai’s waist shook happily.

“But as expected feeling only good in my butt, it’s really not enough―♪”

She returned her body’s direction to the front again and rubbed her breast and waist to Kazuki closely.

With a sexually excited face facing him, with a posture that rubbed her body covering the maximum widest area she possibly could, Hikaru-senpai slide her body by her own whim, ‘Haa―’ she leaked out a hot breath.

“How amazing… this oiling feels amazingly good more than I thought…♡ It makes me want to get oiled until the inside of my body…”

Hikaru-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hand and held it between her crotches. Kazuki’s rugged hand pressed persistently on her sensitive spot and made her enjoy the stimulation. With the slipperiness of the oil, Kazuki’s fingertip smoothly entered into the inside. There a once more different sensation with even more heat than other places was making his finger sticky.

“It feels good Kazuki-♡ That spot feels good-♡“

Hikaru-senpai rubbed Kazuki’s finger persistently at the inside of her body that felt wet with a wetness that couldn’t be explained with just the slipperiness of the oil.

“To, to completely go that far feeling good like that…”

Mio opened her eyes wide looking at Hikaru-senpai’s innocent silliness. And then Mio too smoothly took off the panty of her bikini and threw it away. She coated her long legs with oil and entwined them on Kazuki’s leg. She fawned at him rubbing her body with a movement that was slightly more reserved than Hikaru-senpai. Her breathing, too, soon became ardent.

Kazuki’s both ears were surrounded by the sounds of “Haa♡ Haa♡” “Ahnn-♡“ “Nnn-♡“ from the two. His head became dizzy.

The bold figures of the two were illuminated by the sun of midsummer without even a single shadow that was hidden.

Even saying it conservatively, on top of the deck chair was the very heaven itself. Despite it was only a few hours that had passed since they departed from Japan, he had the feeling that he had arrived to some place far away beyond the horizon.

“Kazuki too, come on, take off your swimsuit―. Let’s make your penis slippery okay?”

Hikaru-senpai whose eyes were appearing intoxicated was tempting him.

Kazuki hesitated. Being sandwiched between two naked girls, bodies slippery with oil, the swimwear that was remaining on him could be thought of as his last reasoning. The moment this got taken off and thrown away and the three became naked under the sun, he had the feeling that he would leave his body to his instinct and completely turn into a single beast.

“It’s no good senpai, I don’t have any intention of getting a tan in that kind of place.”

He tightly held his swimwear and held his ground.

“Kazu-nii… for you to endure yourself in this situation… how cool…”

It was unclear what was so cool for her but Mio’s eyes glittered ecstatically.

Mio was not as innocent to the degree of Hikaru-senpai, she understood to a certain degree of a male’s instinct. She understood how much Kazuki was enduring himself currently.

Mio was deeply moved and showered him with a kiss while saying “Kazu-nii, I love you! I love you so much!” Even while kissing him she was still wriggling her body lasciviously.

The posture of Mio, who was kissing Kazuki, became as if she was the one who was in charge of Kazuki’s upper body, and then Hikaru-senpai’s posture was as if she was the one in charge of his lower body. With Kazuki in the center, the two girls continued to move their nude body as if they were becoming a perpetual machine that kept producing pleasant feelings. Both of them got carried away by the pleasant feelings many times over, their bodies convulsing.

“Haa, haa… even with my body twitching like this the good feeling continues even further… my head feels completely numb…-♡“

The breathing of Hikaru-senpai who was greedy for the pleasant feeling was not so trivially turning rough.

Kazuki was desperately enduring his desire of wanting to get his lower body oiled in addition. But the sweet sensation was gradually spreading to his waist as it pleased, something electrifying was discharged running from the center of his waist.

Kazuki’s body was shaking intolerably. At the same time Mio and Hikaru-senpai’s bodies were also noticeably trembling fiercely.

It was an animalistic instant that laid bare an urge that was hard to resist.

The three people finally stopped moving and laid down on the deck chair.

“…Just now, Kazuki was also twitching…?”

Hikaru-senpai was trying to lower Kazuki’s swimwear with her expression still in a dreamy state of mind.

“…My, head feels dizzy from the heat, so I’m going to take a shower for a little.”

Kazuki stood up while pinning down his swimwear and hurriedly headed to the shower room.

After that, the three were playing beach ball wholesomely for a while.

Part 4

Kazuki, who was somewhat tanned when he rose from the pool, finally arrived at the [King’s Room] that was prepared for his sake.

When he opened the door, what entered his sight was a deluxe suite that was illuminated by a golden chandelier.

For the time being he sat on the bed that had the width that could be used by around four or five people. It completely made him wonder whether this bed was actually put here for the sake of calling girls over or not.

The size of the bed was around five times wider than the one he owned in his private room at the Witch’s Mansion. The furniture was all made from valuable natural wood like mahogany or rosewood that were combined with the latest alchemic metal and resin, all of them possessed both the classic appearance together with futuristic modernity.

Excess luxury… he thought that but the feeling of Vice Chief Yamagata who prepared a room like this for him was also conveyed. He was greatly touched by this assistance for him that was done with the full effort of someone.

While he couldn’t really calm down, there was the sound of knocking.

“Come in” When he invited in the guest, the door opened thinly and Koyuki’s face peeked out from the gap.

Koyuki acted as if she was confirming that there was no one else inside the room before she hurriedly approached the bed where Kazuki was sitting. Her movement looked like a small animal.

“Koyuki, have you finished your work?”

Koyuki was wearing the previously mentioned cute sailor uniform. The clean whiteness of it suited Koyuki so much it made him dizzy. That she was wearing it meant that she was being on duty to do some kind of work on this ship, that made Kazuki jealous.

“Kazuki… I’m a hopeless elf…”

“Eh?”

“I was learning the way of machine’s maintaining and inspection as my job throughout the morning but… I’m not good against machines and my comprehension was falling behind the others… I completely became a bother. I’m disqualified as a sailor.”

She said that with her shoulder dropping dejectedly.

“I think it’s still too fast for you to have the consciousness as a pro sailor, but is Koyuki really that bad with machines?”

This was Koyuki who was born possessing a lot of magic power and even in battle she had saved Kazuki with her quick-wittedness.

Moreover she was also at the top in school record.

Kazuki felt reliability more than anyone of the same generation from Koyuki who was cool and intellectual.

This side of her that was not good with machines was unexpected, but when he recalled her room that was buried in books, he got the feeling that he could understand her even if he was told that she was actually an analog person.

“Kazuki… as the King, please punish this me that is a no good sailor.”

“Eh? Punish you as King you said?”

Kazuki was flabbergasted. “Surely you don’t need anything like a punishment right?”

“There is no value in punishing me even when I failed… a deserted existence, in other words I’m just the dregs of an elf.”

Koyuki’s voice became even more wilted. …Why did it turn out like that? It was a puzzling self-condemnation feeling from her. Koyuki was a serious person so when she failed she might be worrying too much that she then wanted to be scolded properly.

Certainly, to not be questioned at all even though she failed, could be thought in reverse as no one had any expectation on her at all from the start. Interpreted broadly it could also be seen as deserting her.

However, just because of that he had to punish her, their relationship was not a relationship between master and servant here.

Even though he thought of Koyuki as his friend and also his comrade… she was an existence that was close to being his lover.

“Is it fine even if I spank your butt?”

When Kazuki said that jokingly, Koyuki unhesitatingly took off her sailor uniform’s skirt altogether with her panties.

…’WHY!?’ Kazuki fell into a panic.

“It’s humiliating to be subjected with spanking at this age, but… I have no choice but to obey…”

She was not hesitating in slipping off her skirt and her panties from her legs, there was no superfluous hair growing on her body, her lower body that was white and smooth like an egg was laid bare in front of him.

No one was telling her to take off her panties or anything.

Koyuki climbed on the lap of Kazuki who was sitting stock still on the bed and lying on her stomach.

It was the traditional posture of butt-spanking.

“It’s embarrassing but… if this is what Kazuki ordered then… come.”

‘Even if she said come’, Kazuki thought but Koyuki faced him with a face red from embarrassment while a color of expectation could be peeked out from her eyes.

With his mind still half-suspended Kazuki stared fixedly at Koyuki’s butt.

This was not his first time seeing a girl naked but surprisingly he had never seen it fixedly in a calm situation like this. A round butt that looked elastic like a pudding that was shaking fidgetingly. And then the thighs that were drawing soft curves from there. It was hard to see from this posture but the plump roundness that was surrounded in a triangle by both thighs and the butt was also exposed.

“Pl, please don’t stare… at this kind of shameful appearance…”

Koyuki said that in a rough breath but she looked like she wanted to be watched instead.

With a stiff movement like a tin plate toy, Kazuki hit her butt for the time being.

Rather than calling it hitting, his palm was more like pressing on her surface with a snap. The softness was spreading on his palm.

“Kazuki, like that it won’t become any punishment-”

“Li, like this?”

He swung his hand down putting just a little bit more strength in it. pechin! Her butt made an undulation. There's supposed to be some pain from that but there was no defensive magic power generated as if she was receiving that contentedly.

“Nnn-!” Koyuki let a voice escape her mouth.

He said spanking so this wouldn’t finish with just a single hit. He swung down his palm on Koyuki’s lovely butt several times. Her white skin reddened slightly.

“…I’m, a hopeless no good elf so… please spank me more…!”

In short this was her behaving like a spoiled child to him.

There was a masochist-like aspect in Koyuki. But by no means that it was because her inborn nature liked to be abused verbally or because she could feel pain as pleasure. She created a situation where [he would accept her no good self] , she only wanted to feel that she was loved for real.

His hesitation vanished all of a sudden. This act they were doing was not particularly so abnormal. This was just the usual Koyuki, who greedily wanted to be minded about.

Of course it was also due to the fact that she failed her job, he guessed that she also wanted to get a fresh start mentally.

“…Really, Koyuki is a hopeless pervert that always need to be looked after.”

After Kazuki released a sigh, he said something mean in a theatrical way of talking. And then he put just a little more strength and hit her butt. “Ye, yess-!” Koyuki’s voice turned excited.

“I’m a hopeless no good elf! Please spank me more-♡“

pechi―n, pechi―n Such sounds rang out, Koyuki was happily wriggling her butt.

“It will be no good to leave alone this kind of hopeless child unless I keep being together with you forever.”

Kazuki suddenly stopped the force of his swinging down arm and gently caressed Koyuki’s reddened butt. He felt the roundness on his palm. Her butt twitched then.

“Su, suddenly turning gentle like this, my butt, it turned sensitive…!”

tsuu― A single line was dripping down from Koyuki’s thigh. It caught Kazuki’s attention and he caressed the wet thigh.

“Koyuki, there is sweat here. Is your butt feeling hot?”

“That’s not sweat… that’s because, on top of being unable to do my job, I’m a perverted elf…♡”

Koyuki was shivering even more conspicuously while saying some masochistic words.

She was lovely, however, somehow, she really made him feel that she was a hopeless girl and he could only make a bitter smile. He once more hit her butt sharply.

After that, until the time for lunch came he kept spanking and caressing her butt.

Before long he lifted in his arm the body of Koyuki that was limp like a doll while her expression was in a dreamy state of mind. “The punishment is over”, he said that and kissed her. Koyuki embraced Kazuki with a “puu” and acted sweet towards him like normal.

Part 5

Everywhere on the ship was extremely extravagant, but the ship also made him filled with admiration that even extravagance had a variety of variations.

The inboard restaurant where they gathered for lunch was a space that made the visitors feel the impression of middle age Rome. Perhaps this kind of place is just like where the Sun King Louis XIV ‘Le Roi Soleil’ held a banquet in Versailles palace.

Its wall and also the ceiling were applied with detailed carving in Baroque style, they were painted in different colors of golden and white. That golden and white were resplendently reflected by the light of the chandelier and the candlesticks, illuminating the space. That appearance was exactly like the Versailles palace that was extolled as the palace of the sun.

Even all the tables and chairs were antique articles of Europe. Right now the diplomatic relationship between Japan and Europe is severed, the antiques that currently existed inside the country were mostly cultural assets.

There were Japanese, Chinese, and Western restaurants available inside Queen Kaguya, it was terrifying to think that this was just nothing more than one of them. However the essential chef for it was not here.

It couldn’t be helped that Kazuki became concerned with the kitchen. For all humans that love cooking, that place was a space that would make them water at the mouth.

“ “ “ “The lunch today is made by us.” “ “ “

The ones who were talking with matched voices in a tone as if they were playing house that didn’t suit this ultimate kitchen were the Ryuutaki sisters, Karin and Liz Liza-sensei, these four were wearing a sailor uniform covered with an apron and the long and narrow chef hat on their heads.

What an amazing quartet.

No, when he looked carefully there was also Kamimura-san half hidden by the group of four. There were five people.

“Hmm? Kamimura-san is also working?”

‘Don’t tell me, how could that be,’ he thought that.

“I was told that it’s fine even if I don’t work but… being seen with eyes of [only this girl is not working] is also painful so…”

From now on Kamimura-san would be forced to a community life with a large number of eighteen people for ten days, whether she wanted it or not, in this closed space that was a ship. After that, where they would arrive at was on a foreign country called America.

This was a harsh environment for the NEET Kamimura-san.

But the girl was concerned by the eyes of her surroundings and set out to act from herself. That… Kamimura-san!

That was a great step forward. Calling it a brilliant achievement was not an exaggeration in the slightest.

“I pressed a switch on the rice cooker and cooked the rice.”

Kamimura-san raised her thumb with a triumphant look.

“Amazing Kamimura-san! Thank you Kamimura-san!!”

Kazuki got carried away in praising her. Kamimura-san when she was in a good mood was fundamentally like an anime character so being exaggerated this much was better.

“Kazuki, I made the hamburger see!! This is Tamamo no Mae’s specialty cooking!!”

When Karin raised her voice, the avatar of Tamamo no Mae floated besides her.

{Uh huh. This is the specialty cooking of mine since my time as Dakki. I used to summon the lords that got too impertinent and treated them to hamburger like this. In addition, the ingredient was the minced meat of the guy’s son.}

“What’s with you, telling that episode that ruined the mood.” Kazuki was drawing away from her.

{That’s because the I at that period was Dakki of heaven’s decree, right now I’m the highly moral Tamamo-san. …Mu?}

Tamamo directed her face to Shouko’s direction. She was staring fixedly at Shouko’s face.

Besides Shouko, her contracted Diva―Taikoubou’s avatar emerged out along with a blue light.

{It has been a long time, Dakki.} The old man with enlightened face called out to her like that.

{Gee―!? Taikoubou!!} Tamamo was shocked and jumped with a 'pyon'.

{Dakki? Who are you talking about kon?! I am Tamamo kon.}

{It would be best even if you don’t change your character and play dumb. Currently I have no heaven’s decree to dispute against you.}

{Tha, that’s so but… no matter what, the trauma is…}

Tamamo huddled her head with both her hands while trembling fiercely 'gata gata'.

{What an adverse fate isn’t it? For the fate between I and you to develop where we are fighting together shoulder to shoulder like this.}

{Smashed… my head is smashed…}

{Diva is established by the Mythology… but in the first place I am given the mission to escape from the heaven’s decree. And you escaped from the heaven’s decree as the servant of Joka by shifting into Tamamo. Due to that you created and obtained the chance meeting of adverse fate.}

{It’s scary having your head split open by a whip… It’s scary having your head split open by a whip…}

{In a certain meaning the both of us are exactly the symbol of the battle ahead… ah, wait.}

The figure of Tamamo no Mae vanished despondently.

{She vanished… Even though I wanted to renew the old friendship. No matter how hard one tries, I can’t mesh well with her when I try to get closer to her…}

{Taikoubou…} Besides Lotte, Prometheus emerged out.

{If you talk too long then the meal will get cold.}

{I cannot taste it anyway.}

{I’m assimilated with Lotte so I can taste it.}

{Cheh-} Leaving behind childishness that seemed unbecoming of a sage, Taikoubou’s avatar vanished.

“…Old man Taikoubou is unusually Friendlyjovial huh.”

The contractor Shouko had her eyes turned round.

“We were baking this pie together with Liz Liza-sensei.”

The Ryuutaki sisters were holding what appeared to be a pie that was baked in the open from the kitchen.

“There is also King Arthur here. When talking about Britain, then pie cooking will come to mind. Because recipes from all over the world is prepared inside the kitchen, we made this with that as reference.”

Liz Liza-sensei who was born in Britain yet raised in Japan talked. Her appearance where a tall and lanky chef hat was put on top of the head of her tiny body, he would be scolded if he said it out loud, but she was cute.

“I created a meat pie with potato and cheese filling.”

Shinobu-senpai said that while slurping her own saliva.

“That composition really hit the spot of a meat pie’s deliciousness.”

Arthur smiled broadly.

“Hee, so if we mentioned Britain, then pie cooking will come to mind. I didn’t know that at all.”

“Do you know nothing about Britain’s cooking? …Before in the old era, the people from the gourmet countries that were Japan, France, or China came harassing us with a gaze of mockery saying that Britain was a land with a savage palate… Such humiliation, by no means we, the inheritor of Britain’s genes, have forgotten it. It’s fine if we said that as a self-ridiculing joke, but for other countries to call us as a savage land is just something that is only a shameful thinking. How dare you, you Jap!”

Suddenly Arthur flung off his usual gentlemanly composure to the wind and he raised his voice roughly.

“What does he mean by Jap?” Kazuki tilted his head. Liz Liza-sensei explained “It’s a derogatory term for Japanese that existed in the past.”

“Well, around our generation it was a common sense that Britain’s food was bad anyway.”

Liz Liza-sensei who was from the older generation talked with a tone that was a little fired up.

“Many countries were mocking our Britain’s food culture, but unexpectedly the reason for that wasn’t known. I heard there is a lot of Japanese that thought that the Anglo-Saxon race are fundamentally people with a savage taste. This is a good chance, I’m going to gamble the pride of the meat pie in this place in order to recover the honor of Britain’s gene in this place without fail. This is also the duty of a King.”

“The food will get cold if the talk goes too long though…”

Kazuki attempted to interrupt but Arthur ignored him and began to talk eloquently.

“There were actually many primary factors that caused the food culture in our country to fail to blossom. The theory about our bad relation with France or the industrial revolution were raised but the biggest cause was the cold climate that made it hard to raise vegetable and wheat. The only one we could harvest was potato, we ate only potato and we were called potato knight. It’s the equivalent of rustic samurai in Japanese language.”

“Something like country bumpkin then.” Kazuki back-talked with an indifferent feeling.

“Next because stock-farming was also possible, we also ate beef meat often. That’s why roast beef and meat pie were greatly refined that we could even boast it to the world as our prided cooking. But the combination of potato and meat only reinforced the impression of us as savages. There we then bluffed [We don’t have any interest in something trivial like food! We are just putting importance on efficiency!] that only made the surrounding countries to make fun and look down on us. So vexing.”

Arthur was trembling fiercely even though there was no person from that time at all here. He could take a glimpse of a King’s patriotism from this.

“But when the 21st century of the old era came and the international exchange between countries was turning into a huge boom, the ingredients and food culture from other countries freely flooded Britain without any restriction. In this modern times you have never seen other countries with such an unprecedented sudden development of food culture to the degree of Britain, don’t you agree? But even so it’s not so simple to overturn the label that had once stuck to us.”

Arthur’s voice was filled with a deep sadness.

“Before we could even overturn that label―a great encounter and disaster happened and the era changed. The encounter with Diva. For the sake of our faith, we had to once again sever our ties with the world. Once again it appeared that the palate of the British Empire would be isolated inside the oatmeal of darkness.”

“What in the world is this oatmeal of darkness?”

“However, in exchange of losing our diplomatic relation we obtained the power of alchemy. As the King, I developed a large scale country project in order to enrich Britain’s food culture. We restored the soil, adapted the plant species of the old era to cold climate… we recovered the bright era once more! Any kind of crops exist in the current Britain! I did my best! I won’t let anyone call us as a tasteless country anymore!!”

He learned a little bit more about foreign culture again. For the time being Kazuki and the others gave an applause, but Lotte was murmuring “Thinking of it in anime perspective this is a loss of individuality you know desu.”

With a “Fuu” Arthur took a breather from his long talk and directed his gaze onto the meat pie.

“Meat pie with cheese filling really hit the spot of a meat pie’s deliciousness. This is a special cooking that unites our pie cooking’s culture with our prided stock farming and dairy producet that were once numbered so few in our country. Thank you, Shinobu-kun, you have gathered and expressed the history of Britain’s food culture on top of a single plate. Well… though fish and chips that is wrapped inside an erotic newspaper is also not that bad.”

“Meat… Cheese… A pie with a lot of butter… There is no reason that it will taste bad… gau…”

Shinobu-senpai whose saliva kept gathering in her mouth was even now still making a face as if saliva would dribble down from her mouth anytime. There was no doubt that she just wanted to eat oily and meaty food, she was a carnivore that didn’t think of anything that profound.

“If I left everything to everyone else, then everything will be completely covered by meat, so here I made a lot of vegetables.”

Miyabi-senpai was also carrying a pie on her hand. When she put it on the table and divided it, that cross-section view was depicting a stylish marble pattern of colorful vegetables, cheese, and egg.

She further brought our potage soup and salad from the kitchen.

“This pie is a quiche isn’t it? Also if you ask what kind of potage soup is this though… it’s not from Britain but France.” Arthur’s tone hardened from his antagonism towards France.

“She kept trying to look good and tried to make something elaborate and kept failing, that’s why she got this delayed!”

When Karin pointed that out while laughing, Miyabi-senpai whose showing-off personality got exposed “Don’t tell them that!” her face turned red. Liz Liza-sensei also laughed with a mean expression.

“If you don’t have defensive magic power, your left finger and the tip of your foot will be gone already huh.”

“I can understand finger but even the toes?”

“She dropped the knife from the cutting board onto her foot many times. Exactly like a guillotine.”

‘Uwaa…’, Kazuki imagined it and his spine froze.

Shinobu-senpai also divided the pie that she baked herself. The pie texture of this one felt more like cookie that crumble rather than the usual flaky texture, the masses of meat was peeking out all over the cross-section with syrupy cheese spilling out. Just looking from the visual it looked absolutely tasty.

“Ahaha! The quiche one has the feels like Paris, but this one, should it get called rough or wild, it really has the feel of savage cooking isn’t it! Though I like this kind of food more!”

The thing that, although Kazuki was thinking it but he didn’t say it out, was said out by Hikaru-senpai while laughing.

The face of Arthur who was the King of a country turned white and he stared at Hikaru-senpai.

“What actually is a Diva and Mythology?”

In the middle of the meal, Kazuki asked to Leme and Lotte―no, to Prometheus that was inside Lotte.

“You two should have gradually recovered your memory, so isn’t it fine if you two teach me more about various things?”

The conversation between Taikobou and Tamamo from before was weighing on Kazuki’s mind.

Diva was established by the Mythology―sometimes the Divas talked about this kind of thing that made him get an idea like that, but what was a Diva, what was Mythology, he always lacked the concreteness of their existence and didn’t understand well.

While Leme was stuffing too much food into her mouth and she couldn’t reply while chewing 'mogu mogu', Prometheus emerged out beside Lotte. Prometheus was able to perform a skillful act of conversing with Kazuki using his avatar even while tasting the food with the senses that he shared with Lotte.

{I have a memory loss but with the power and memory I have recovered little by little… there is something that I noticed. Though I think that perhaps Lemegeton-sama who has recovered more memory and power than me is the same like me.}

“Mogu mogu gokun. …Right, I understand what Prometheus wanted to say. O King. It seems that Leme and others cannot bring the detailed information

from that Astrumplace to this Real Worldplace.”

“You cannot bring it here? What do you mean? It’s your own knowledge right?”

“When Leme was inside Astrum, I understood well about Astrum. It was as if knowing about myself. But when Leme appear in the real world as an avatar, Leme gradually become clueless about Astrum. Like this when I have a flesh body in this world, Leme becomes even more detached from Astrum, and Leme becomes even more clueless. It cannot be explained with the language of this world. It cannot be turned into information.”

{Just now Kazuki said, our own knowledge, but that’s not accurate. Most likely, we are nothing more than a part of Astrum. At the same time we can also have our own individual personality. The more we have a characteristic nature, the more I become this individual called Prometheus, the more I will become farther from Astrum’s whole body.}

Kazuki’s head turned complicated.

“Saying it in a sensible way… that’s right… if now Leme go back to Astrum, Leme will immediately get the idea [Aa! It’s should be easier if I just explained Astrum like this!] and become frustrated. But if Leme materialized here again and try to explain to Kazuki, Leme will go [How should I explain it again?] and become clueless once more. It’s not like I can take memo there.”

“…I see.”

“If there is a Diva that was established in his Mythology as someone that understand everything and can act in this real world, that kind of guy will perhaps be the exception to this. An existence with some kind of an established omniscience… that [Nyarlathotep] who we fought before had that kind of atmosphere.”

The Diva of Cthulhu Mythos that possessed Headmaster Otonashi and repeated an inhuman experiment underground the Knight Academy. That Diva clearly said out loud of the awareness of his own objective―a game.

He couldn’t remember the majority of what that Diva said, but he talked about an annoying game that the forces of Mythology were competing in. If he remembered correctly―the struggle for Astrum.

He had already come in contact with an existence that knew about the secret of the world before.

But Nyarlathotep was already terminated. There was no way Kazuki would allow that insane Diva to exist in this world for even a second longer. Because the Cthulhu Mythos was weakened, even Kazuki and co. at that time could somehow defeat him.

If he could extract a little more detailed information from him before he was terminated…

No, wrong―Nyarlathotep was not terminated. He remembered that the Diva entrusted the seed of his slight existence to Loki, and supposedly Loki had planted that seed into a girl.

The pitch black girl that Kaya jokingly named as Nyarlako or something.

Whether Loki knew it or not, he might be placing a girl that grasped the secret of the world beside him.

“You two are not intentionally explaining this in a way that is hard to understand are you?”

“How unexpected. Leme likes Kazuki, so Leme won’t do that kind of harassment. Leme want a second serving of hamburger for Leme’s anger!”

“Yosh, come―!” Karin put a hamburger on Leme’s plate. She seemed happy that her cooking was happily received. Kazuki understood well that feeling that it made him jealous. He wanted to work.

“Hayashizaki-kun, it’s not like I too have been taught everything by the chief god I’m contracted with you know.”

Arthur too interjected while asking for a second serving of meat pie with a complicated expression.

This person too could eat really well unlike his appearance. Moreover, he kept eating only meat.

Kazuki lent his ear while asking for seconds of the salad and the quiche.

“There is a stern wall between Astrum and this world. That’s why an <agent> called King is necessary. I think that making this wall gone is the task a King should perform.”

“…Is that something that can be obtained from the victory in the battle between the fellow Kings?”

“From the words that Basilleus Basilleon left behind, supposedly, at the very least, we will obtain something.”

It was as if this person might be a believer of Basilleus Basilleon in some meaning, when he talked about those words, a passionate conviction filled his voice.

“It’s not like we are particularly wanting for something or wanting to do something that we fight like this though… Loki is scheming something, China looks like it’s going to come invading…”

“We are also the same. Rather than some kind of ideal, we just want to do something about the threat right in front of our eyes.”

Shouko expressed her agreement with Kazuki’s words.

“However this is just tasty. Yosh, next time I’m gonna make some Ryouzanpaku cooking.”

“This is also delicious but, Kou-jie’s cooking is also great y’know!”

Silirat talked proudly as if boasting about herself.

“Does it have any difference with Chinese food?”

“My hometown has a little different history with China, or perhaps I should say there is influence from the outside.”

When the conversation touched her hometown, Shouko’s expression softened just for a little.

However both Shouko and Silirat were also eating meat with amazing vigor.

“Right, meat is for a warrior!!!” Beatrix too said that as if to say that protein was exactly her faith.

“My vegetable cooking… it’s not really decreasing isn’t it…”

Miyabi-senpai’s white face whitened even more. Kazuki and Lotte noticed in the middle and changed direction to prioritize vegetables but… a cooking contest also happened to have a cruel facet in it.

“Miyabi-oneesan! I prefer the quiche desu!!”

“This is because senpai was thinking about the balance for us. I ate the vegetables properly too, see!”

Kazuki and Lotte gave a follow-up in fluster for the delicate Miyabi-senpai.

Miyabi-senpai was half-crying for the shock of having her own cooking avoided.

“Kazuki, you won’t grow big if you don’t eat meat.”

“Muga”

However Shinobu-senpai screwed in a mass of meat pie into Kazuki’s mouth from the side. With a tight hold.

“As I thought meat pie is the one that reigns supreme. Fufufu, what capital of flower Paris. That kind of thing is merely something foolish.”

Arthur who was watching that situation was murmuring with an intimation that was filled with a grudge somewhere.

“Hayashizaki! Are you saying you won’t eat my hamburger!!”

“Moganbo”

Karin too stood up from her chair and rushed at him before screwing in hamburger into Kazuki’s mouth. With a tight hold.

“Kazuki… I had lived all this time rejecting other people but, making food for another person where they are happily eating it makes me glad. Eat more Kazuki.”

With her sagacious beauty enchanted with happiness, Shinobu-senpai continued to screw in meat into Kazuki’s mouth.

“mogemogera”

Having meat stuffed into his mouth one after another, a sound effect with unintelligible meaning escaped his mouth.

“Geho-! Goho!? …My throat got choked…!”

Kazuki took a tea cup and a rice bowl in his hands and washed down the meat lump that got caught in his throat with rice and tea.

“Are, are you okay…? Kazuki?”

Kamimura-san got worried about Kazuki who got stuck in a situation that turned strange and she was patting his back at his side. Kazuki’s throat was swelling big, with a big gulp that swelling passed through his esophagus.

“Fuu…” After releasing a sigh he noticed.

“Hm… this rice… it’s springy with the bulging of the grain strangely smooth, it passed through the throat smoothly… On top of its delicate cooking adjustment, all the grains are uniformly cooked. It was hidden in the shadow of the cooking with strong flavor, but this rice is extremely delicious…!!”

“O, amazing. Even though I was already thinking that, as expected something this inconspicuous wouldn’t be noticed.”

Karin’s eyes widened. Miyabi-senpai recovered her spirit and smiled.

“That rice, Kamimura-san used Extra Sense to pick out the grains that were too big or too small, also the grains that were damaged, and then she removed the grains one by one before cooking it you know?”

“To go that far…”

Kazuki was staring at Kamimura-san with a gaze of deep admiration. Kamimura-san averted her eyes shyly.

“Something like this even someone like me… because I wanted everyone to feel happy eating it.”

Beside her, the avatar of Amaterasu emerged out with her eyes wide open in shock.

{I’m also surprised… this child who was indifferent to her surroundings is, saying until this far.}

“I’m not indifferent. I’m always thankful to the people of the Witch’s Mansion. It’s just that there was no chance to say it out…”

Kamimura-san looked around at all the people present at the table and looked down shyly.

When everyone was staying quiet waiting for her next words, she began to mumblingly leak out her feeling.

“Kaguya is always kind… Though I’m troubled how to react being hugged impulsively and getting my head petted, treated like a pet.”

“That’s because Itsuki-chan is really cute.” Kaguya-senpai grinned broadly.

“Hikaru-senpai, when I was watching anime of the shounen manga category, she always came out of nowhere getting close to me to watch the show together. Though when her tension got too high and she tried out the anime’s technique on me I got troubled of how to react.”

“Hikaru-senpai, it’s no good to challenge people to a sword play without minding who or where like that.” Kazuki retorted.

“Mio has too different hobbies with me, so she didn’t have time to converse with me but, she came giving me a lot of western clothes wanting me to try it out like playing with a doll. Though I’m troubled how to react because I have the feeling that the clothes didn’t match me.”

“There is just no way that the clothes that I chose will be unsuited, okay-“

“Koyuki lent me books, we didn’t really talk much but we read books together. I like Koyuki.”

“Her positivity level to Koyuki is the highest!?” Kaguya-senpai was vexed.

“Also Kazuha that called me her friend, also Kohaku that made a fuss of me as the Celebration King, of course Lotte-shishou and Kazuki too… everyone is nothing but kind and strong people so I don’t feel any uneasiness. But I just keep receiving, so if there is something that I can give out instead…”

Her wandering gaze turned in a circle before she looked up at Kazuki beside her. She was making an upturned eyes just like a small animal. Kazuki’s feeling became just like when he was confronting the Demon Beast <puppy> in the cosplay café <Solomon>, he reflexively stroked Kamimura-san’s head fervently. Kaguya-senpai too leaped from her chair with a 'pyon'.

“Itsuki-chan! Yo―u―are―cu―te―!!”

Kaguya-senpai too hugged Kamimura-san and she fervently rubbed her head briskly.

“Be, because you do this kind of thing, that I’m troubled how to react.” Kamimura-san’s face reddened.

Kazuki felt something warm lit up inside his chest. He always kept thinking of making someone happy, but of course receiving kindness from someone like this was also pleasant.

He tended to forget it, but good will was not a one-way road.

This overly extravagant ship too was also the good will right from the heart of Vice Chief Yamagata and the government.

Perhaps he also had no choice but to get himself more used to receiving something like this.

Part 6

“For a bath to exist on a ship that is floating on the sea, it feels mysterious somehow.”

With a bathing tool set in hand, Kazuki was walking alone inside the ship. The curtain of the night had already descended down outside the window, illuminated by the faint star light, the pitch black sea surface was undulating with waves.

There was nothing else. This place was right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

He went down to the lower level with the elevator aboard the ship. There was the tank to preserve the water and the water making device that boiled the sea water in the lowest level of the ship. It seemed there was a [resort spa] right beside those facilities.

And then it seemed there was also a different open air bath at the roof of the ship.

He understood what was an open air bath, but about a spa, he couldn’t imagine anything other than a cod roe spa. Anyways, for the time being Kazuki was going to challenge an unknown experience.

Because there was no other facility, he soon found the entrance where it was divided between the men and women sections. As expected there was no mixed bath for men and women. He passed through the curtain and entered inside, where Kanae in her swimsuit was there.

“Ni・i・sa・ma~♡”

Perhaps she had reflected on her fundoshi from before, this time she was wearing a black one piece swimsuit with high leg that had the slit digging into her skin, but her silhouette’s black streamlined shape also suited her alias [Storm Cat].

Kazuki lightly poked Kanae’s forehead. “Get out.” “Funyaa-“

“Just why are you in the man’s section?”

“Because, Nii-sama, isn’t Nii-sama the only male on this ship? In other words there is no man section but Nii-sama section. Nii-sama section… what a wonderful sound… even just imagining it makes Kanae feel dizzy like burning under fire…”

“It’s really embarrassing to use English language so idiotically like that even though we are going to learn English properly from Arthur from now on.”

“How can I not be inside such a wonderful place! That’s impossible! Unbelievable(Anbiriivaburu)!”

“Your English is really messed up.”

Kazuki poked Kanae’s forehead one more time stronger this time. “It’s enough already, just・get・out.” “Funyanya-“

“But, but, Nii-sama, even though there is this rare chance using this kind of facility, won’t you be lonely just alone in there?”

“Certainly that might be so though.”

“Talking about a spa, it’s about massages! However, even though there is this valuable facility, there is no staff! And there, this unworthy Kanae will have the honor to become Nii-sama’s exclusive esthetician(esutetishan)!”

Because Kanae was the other party he completely refused her following his habit, but thinking of it carefully there was no reason for him to refuse.

“Well, it should be fine.”

“Really!? Brother(Burazaa)! Not that, bravo(buravoo)! Uehihi, the body that is nii-sama’s body, with this hand… uehihi…! Well then Nii-sama, please change your clothes in this changing room over here! Ah, I have already prepared a swimsuit for the sake of Nii-sama who is a shy person, use this!”

Kanae took out a black speedos from the chest of her one piece swimsuit, it was a heartless swimsuit with its fairly low-rise. ‘Why are you taking that out from that kind of place’, Kazuki thought.

“Kanae has prepare(purepara) preparation so Nii-sama’s change is just fit(jasuto feito)~♪”

When he wore the speedos, the uneasiness from the area that the cloth covered made him feel like he could slightly understand the feeling of everyone that was wearing a Magic Dress.

When he looked around, it seemed that what was called a spa was a relaxation facility that was centered around a bathing facility.

With the spacious bathroom as the center, there were various doors that continued on to a sauna, massage room, and esthetic salon. Kanae was waiting inside the massage room.

He opened the door. The room was dim, only the surrounding of the massage stand was illuminated by faint light.

There was a fragrance that made him feel like his brain was going to melt. Tension naturally left from his body and unconsciously his walk became slower. While Kanae was burning some aroma, she was also saying “Quick, quick-“ beckoning him to the massage stand.

This was also his first time having something like a classic aroma therapy. When he laid face-down on the massage stand just as he was told, he was wrapped in a sweet haze, he felt like his body would really melt down.

He understood that the aroma was showing its effect on his brain. Wasn’t this thing close enough already to a drug like this?

“Haa haa… the back of my lovely angel(mai ravurii enjeru) Nii-sama… I can see angel wings…”

Kazuki couldn’t see it from where he laid face-down, but Kanae went around his back and for some reason she was nuzzling around Kazuki’s shoulder blade. Most likely she was not using her palm but nuzzling with her whole face.

“Why are you not massaging but nuzzling with your cheek there?”

“What are you saying Nii-sama, a massage is not done by suddenly rubbing the body, it’s first started from gently patting the body.”

“…Now that you mentioned it, that’s true, but wicked thought is…”

“Haa haa, Nii-sama’s back looks delicious… uehihi… slurp”

“Oi, isn’t that a drool dripping down just now?”

“Yo, yo, you’re wrong! It’s only the oil just now, massage oil.”

“If it’s oil then it should be before the patting right, normally.”

“Shut up(Saranrappu) Nii-sama!”

“Eh, you’re saying to shut up?”

“Chaiya!” Kanae drove a sharp blade hand onto Kazuki’s spine not different from her nickname Storm Cat.

“Chaiya! Sei! Nyaa!”

“It feels not strong enough I think.”

“Oh…” Kanae expressed her mental shock by the English that she used correctly for the first time.

Kanae was not using Enchant Aura. If someone carelessly used reinforcement magic when they were doing something like massaging and then mistaken the adjustment of their strength, the bone of the other party could easily get broken. That was because the side that was receiving massage had to shut down their defensive magic power in order to be massaged after all.

Even in the case where the person had confidence in their control, there was taboo for a magician to use reinforcement magic against human who was not clad in a defensive magic power. But, a barehanded Kanae was too feeble.

“The, then I’ll switch to finger pressure massage.”

Kanae straddled Kazuki’s waist and pressed her thumbs with full effort onto his back.

“Make it a little stronger.”

“Mumumu… then Hayashizaki-style Secret Art, Dangerous Kanae Bunker(Denjarasu・Kanae Bankaa)!!”

Kanae floated her body, putting her body weight into it, like an iron hammer she drove her fingers onto his back.

“I’ll carve the love of a little sister into this baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!” Kanae yelled hot-bloodedly like in a battle anime.

“It’s not really working you know.”

“Oh my god-(Oo mai ga-)!” Kanae abruptly fell onto Kazuki’s back.

“Jesus Onii-sama(Jeezasu Onii-sama)… your muscles are hard! Were you doing muscle training!?”

“I did now and then before and after the meals when there was time.”

“Gununu… that kind of serious Nii-sama is lovely… if it became like this, then I can only do this!”

Kanae hopped up and then she landed on Kazuki’s back and stamped hard.

“Oh, just now felt good.”

“What the. Nii-sama, for you to get excited by your little sister’s kick… what a hopeless Nii-sama you are! Fufufu, Kanae too feels like I have somewhat reached a new frontier! Like this!? Please leak out your voice more and more like a pig! Hee―re, and here!”

Kazuki got irritated.

“Then this time I’ll give you a massage as my thanks.”

Kazuki caught the foot that was coming to stamp him and he toppled her over. Immediately their bodies changed place and Kazuki pinned down Kanae.

“Funyaa-!?” He stroked the squishy skin of Kanae who was stunned and blinking with surprise with his palm. “N, noo- Nii-sama-“ Like that she leaked out a coquettish voice. With a serious face Kazuki sensed the stiffened muscles beneath the skin and pressured there in one go.

“Fu, funyaaaaaaa♡”

Kanae raised her voice, small heart marks were flying everywhere.

After ranking up the power of bond, Kazuki became able to sense the really small change of the positivity level. Making use of this ability, he immediately grasped the degree of strength and acupuncture points where Kanae felt it the best. He had obtained the talent where even while being a King he could also become a prodigious masseur.

“Ah, Nii-sama… there… n-! Aaann-!”

“Don’t you get too carried away! Hayashizaki-style Secret Art, Kazuki Bunker!!”

Because Kanae’s positivity level was high, Kazuki was also able to use Kanae’s technique so skillfully.

“Ah, Nii-samaaa, it feels good thereee-! Please mercy-!”

Kanae’s body twisted wrigglingly. He thought that it was somewhat erotic, but the other side was Kanae so he swept away his worldly thought and he continuously pressed on secret spots one after another.

“Comee―♡ Nii-sama, Kanae is cominggg-♡“

“Just where are you coming.”

“Nnn, nnhooooooo! Comiiiiiiing! Funyaaaaan!!”

Kanae made a peace sign with both her hands, the white of her eyes kept rotating in circle and her tongue lolled out from her mouth.

“You, your face right now really throws away yourself as a woman you know.”

“Haa haa… the too good feeling really made Kanae completely run on the joke material.”

“You stupid little sister.” The erotic feeling that welled up inside him shriveled down in one go.

The relationship between him and Kanae had turned into one where they were conscious of each other as man and woman. However because he had continued as a big brother and his stupid little sister for a long time, it was also difficult for him to decide how to treat each other that would be fine.

Surely Kanae was also like that. Even if she hid her shyness but before long an outrageously unfortunate look appeared on her.

“You are really still the same idiot little sister huh.”

Kazuki kneaded Kanae’s cheeks 'munyu' with both his hands. Her face returned to the usual cute little sister. He had to meet her halfway from his side too. Thinking so he brought his lips closer to Kanae.

Kanae’s eyes brightened in dreamy color and she pushed her lips at him―no, wait a second.

Just before their lips touched each other, Kazuki twisted his neck and took emergency evasion. Kanae yelled.

“Wha!? Feint(Feinto)!? Why(Howai) Nii-sama so malicious like that!?”

“Thinking it carefully there is still the one time use trump card for the level 10.”

“Tha, that’s!?” Kanae’s expression turned pale. Her face was a face that had just received a shock that was not a joke. Exactly because they were always just joking around with each other that he really didn’t want to see this kind of face on her.

He wasted no time to direct Kanae’s face to the side and touched his lips on her cheek.

“Ah, kiss on the cheek…”

Her cheek that was kissed reddened. He turned her face to the other side and kissed the cheek on the other side too, he then further turned her face down and kissed her forehead too. Kanae’s face became wholly red and she was dazed.

“Tehehe… My face got kissed all over by Nii-sama…”

The cheeks of the happy Kanae loosened, heart marks were forming a swarm and flew.

‘I have to make her expression to always be like this’, Kazuki thought.

Part 7

When they soaked together inside the bath, Kanae began nodding off sleepily. When he noticed the night had already became the time when it could be said as late hours for the people of Hayashizaki family who was a believer of early to bed, early to rise.

Rising from the bath, he sent off the girl who was rubbing her eyes sleepily until her room before going back to his own room.

In the middle of the corridor he walked, there was Kamimura-san standing there.

Kamimura-san’s eyes that usually looked sleepy were currently shining glaringly.

This girl was a resident of the night. The prime time of the day of a shut-in otaku began from now.

“E, err… the theater room is amazing, it completely looks like a movie… there is also Lotte-shishou there so, let’s watch anime together?”

She rushed closer to Kazuki like a puppy and tightly pinched Kazuki’s sleeve before looking at him with upturned eyes while saying that.

He must have looked a little uneasy because she corrected herself “…You won’t go?”

There was no way he could possibly refuse her.

They walked through the corridor that was bright even in the night side by side.

“This is the continuation of the story from the afternoon in that dining hall but…” Kamimura-san abruptly began to talk.

It was as if she didn’t want to lose the chance to talk about something no matter what.

The up and down of Kamimura-san’s emotion was really drastic, just when he thought that she was being reserved and stayed quiet, she suddenly began to talk. He had to get used to that gap of mood swing at all cost.

“I, am scared of having expectation placed on me, and then betraying that.” She began to talk.

“The reason I became a shut-in… it was just a really stupid reason but… originally, I was from a family of priests so I aimed to enter a university in Shinto major and I was made to study hard.”

“You mean something like a Shinto priest when you said priest right? So there is a university to attend to for that kind of thing then.”

Kazuki once trained aiming to become a swordsman, and now because he was attending the Magic Division he was distant from worldly affairs.

After Kamimura-san nodded, she added in her explanation.

“Since Divas appeared in this world, the popularity and the standard score for acceptance for a Shinto major rose suddenly…”

“Aah, because the existences of Mythologies were proved, of course it’s only natural then that it happened.”

Now that Japanese Mythology finally appeared in front of the people, he guessed that the major would only become more popular.

In other words, that was why she had to study hard, aiming to enter the major that became hard to enter similar to those who aimed to become a lawyer or a doctor.

“I attended cram school since my time in elementary school, I managed to pass middle school entrance exam and entered the middle school of my choice but… there I became a dunce that completely couldn’t keep up…”

At this point Kamimura-san pouted her lips “Perhaps I didn’t have a smart brain anyway from the start… besides, at papa and mama’s time they could become priest even without studying, even though they don’t have any right to protest because this is from the lineage of the family…” she grumbled for a little.

“I didn’t go to class, everything became scary… I feigned illness to the school several times. I just planned to take some emergency evacuation temporarily with light feeling. But like that my study was falling behind all the more, it became scarier and scarier… I made papa and mama disappointed, if it’s like that then I won’t work hard anymore I thought… And then when I shut myself in my room and played net games, there I discovered my place to belong…”

Kamimura-san went on “There, a shut-in that can continuously login the whole day will be relied on by everyone. Exactly like a hero. Once you become like that you won’t be able to go back anymore.” She laughed cynically.

“I spent my whole time and spending money into net games, but even so [the hero’s war fund] was insufficient. …So I pestered mama for money saying that I will buy reference books and question collection because I will study at home, I received a lot on purpose and used it all for the game’s bill. Then I got found out that I almost never even used the few teaching material that I bought, how I used the money also got exposed soon… after that papa and mama stopped expecting anything from me.”

It was something that was far removed from anything like Diva or battle or the peace of the country, a problem that existed in households everywhere. Nevertheless, there was a heaviness from the bottom of a deep darkness in her tone of voice.

If he was also… Kazuki couldn’t stop himself from imagining. With people putting expectations only in his talent for the sword and he got adopted because of that, his current self was fortunately able to succeed in that and even Kanae was accepting him happily.

If he actually failed in that, what would happen to him then? His step-father and Kanae were kind people but―even so, perhaps it would still be unbearable. And then perhaps he would become a complete shut-in. Once he became a shut-in…

In anyone’s period as a child, when their ego was still fragile, the source of feeling that wanted to try their best had always came from their desire to be recognized, that they wanted to be praised by their surroundings.

Eyes of disappointment from a person’s surroundings would make people unable to do their best. It would completely bog them down into an inescapable quandary.

The difference between failure and success was only paper thin. Kamimura-san’s fall vividly pressed even Kazuki’s heart.

“My net game was also taken away. But for me, that was my single link with the outside world. That was the time when Amaterasu appeared and became my friend. I deviated from the elite path that aimed to become a priest, but there was magic power from birth inside me that could easily let me make a contract with Amaterasu. I never even noticed something like having magic power that is higher than average people.”

That time when she was making everyone around her disappointed―Kamimura-san was chosen by the highest god of Japanese Mythology. Was that irony, but the feeling of making fruitless effort from choosing to aim to become a priest that had its admittance score raised just because of some half-hearted popularity was staggering.

“At first I just thought that it was [too much] for me. But Amaterasu said to me that it’s fine even if I don’t force myself. It’s impossible for the current me to fight something, she said that kindly to me. If an Enigma appeared on me and the shut-in me was made to attend the Knight Academy then it would be a disaster, that was why Amaterasu said to me [make a contract with me and let’s play together].”

How much that became a salvation for her―when he imagined it, a tear gathered in Kazuki’s eyes.

“…Why, does Kazuki get teary eyed?”

‘Even if I’m not the person concerned I can understand’, if he said that kind of thing to her than she would surely be happy.

“From then on various things happened and I got killed though.”

She talked as if the event where she got killed was the trivial happening instead.

“I also met Kazuki, everyone is kind to me… however everyone is also not having any expectations or anything from me. That’s why it feels really comfortable… that’s why the feeling of wanting to return the favor to everyone, is welling up inside me. ‘I want to become someone that can fight properly’, I thought of such thing just a little. Since I gave up becoming a priest, I didn’t have any wish of becoming anything, I came to think that I don’t want to work, but… I wanted to do something for the sake of everyone. I didn’t have any confidence in doing anything difficult, I tried to get enthusiastic like Miyabi-san, but it was impossible, getting so enthusiastic itself was embarrassing so I only cooked the rice but, but… I secretly, just a tiny, bit devoted my best effort, and there Kazuki noticed, I was happy.”

Kazuki was driven by a feeling of wanting to hug Kamimura-san tightly very much, but he endured.

Just when he endured, it was Kamimura-san that grasped Kazuki’s hand tightly.

“Kazuki… I, I’m a shut-in otaku but, get along better with me. Then… conquer me more? Like that I… can repay Kazuki properly. I’ll do my best, not getting sly anymore for something like billing.”

Kamimura Itsuki―57

The anime appreciation meeting with Kamimura-san and Lotte continued until late at night. Kamimura-san was talking about the anime with an amazingly high tension, but Lotte started to nod off, and when Kazuki too had his eyes getting bleary, Kamimura-san realized for the first time that the people in her surroundings was not limited to a nocturnal person like her. She then went ‘awa awa’ at her wits end while her tension got a sudden drop with her desperately apologizing, Kazuki soothed her saying “Don’t mind it” “It’s fine you know” while carrying up Lotte who already fell asleep in his arms before breaking up from Kamimura-san.

Finally after getting lost before he remembered that he actually didn’t know where Lotte’s room was, so he kept carrying Lotte and returned to his room, where he found Mio and Koyuki sleeping on the bed of his room.

It was a situation where they were going to ask him to sleep together and waited for him. Even though it would be fine if they just contacted him instead of waiting like this.

He then put Lotte on the bed too with them before laying down himself. It was a bed with a width that would be fine even with four people sleeping on top of it. It was an unpleasant way of saying it, but there was no other way to call this bed other than a harem exclusive bed.

“Kazu-nii lhove―♡” Mio gave a light kiss at the cheek of Kazuki who was going to sleep. He wondered whether she was awake, but her breath was completely like someone asleep. It seemed that it was an unconscious act. “Puu puu” Koyuki too hugged at Kazuki.

…He tended to only think of always and always devoting his effort for someone else.

Good will was not a one way street. Being enveloped by everyone’s kindness like this, relying on them too, perhaps he had to get used to this without fail. In exchange, he had to work hard for the duty that couldn’t be shouldered by anyone else except him… perhaps that was the attitude that a King ought to take.

―That kind of thinking didn’t continue for long.

“GIVE―ME―SOME―WORK―TOO―!!”

When the time turned into the evening of the next day, Kazuki lost his patience and assaulted the kitchen while yelling.

In this second day, throughout the morning “Ka, Kazuki… want to play?” he played a game with Kamimura-san that approached and pulled his sleeve, in the afternoon he was dragged to the pool by the Ryuutaki sisters that wanted to show their new swimsuits, doing those were also fun, but, there was no human that could feel satisfied only by having fun.

The time that was too enjoyable fanned his anxiety. If good will was not a one way street then balance was supposed to be important.

“Give me some work too―! It’s unpleasant just getting serviced―!!”

“Waa, Kazu-nii is coming!” Along with Mio’s voice, the door of the kitchen was closed and locked just like a castle under siege. DON DON Kazuki knocked the door.

“Kazu-nii is the King so you must not work~♪ After all we are going to entertain Kazu-nii to your heart’s content!”

The voice of Mio that sounded teasing was returned back to him from across the door. For Kazuki, there was no way he could possibly smash down the door of the ship that was prepared for him by the country, he clung to the door and begged.

“Let me work… it’s fine to do it together with everyone so…”

“No way~♪”

Shouko and Silirat that were participating in the cooking preparation duty were staring at that situation while diligently doing vegetable preparation.

“…The King of this country is really eccentric eh.”

“What a happy-go-lucky bunch.”

Shouko shrugged her shoulder to what Silirat murmured.

“But I have fun and like this bunch yeah! The meal is delicious, and the friend increased! Doing practice with that gal named Kohaku, playing with that gal named Karin yeah-“

“…Don’t you get beaten by this bunch’s carefreeness too. Ain’t you getting along too well with ‘em?”

Taikoubou’s avatar emerged out beside Shoukou.

{Carefree, is it? Hmm, the freedom of the soul is that kind of thing.}

“Old man Taikoubou… you, are you by any chance saying that this kind of thing is actually your ideal?”

Shouko scowled and pointed at the commotion around the door. Without any reply, Taikoubou’s avatar vanished.

“…Geez, ain’t any way I can follow along with this bunch―” Shouko scratched her head.

Chapter 3 – Encounter

Part 1

The inboard broadcasting that signaled an emergency reverberated on the fifth day’s twilight of their voyage.

According to the GPS, at that time the ship was crossing just right around the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Lotte was bringing up her discomfort to attention just before the emergency rang.

“I felt a wavelength of emotion of something mysterious but… was someone thinking about something?”

Even if she asked if there was someone thinking something strange, all present tilted their heads.

“I was thinking about Nii-sama!” “I was thinking about Kazu-nii!”

Kanae and Mio said at the same time, then they glared at each other with a mysterious rivalry. But that kind of thinking shouldn’t have any relation whatsoever with this.

Lotte also couldn’t sense that sense of discomfort for the second time and the talk was closed without finding out the true form of that feeling.

And then the first one that noticed the emergency broadcast {Emergency Situation} was Kazuki.

Kazuki who was not given any work could participate in shadowing his companions that were working, and then by forcefully learning by imitation he remembered the work they did, on that day he added himself as a lookout by his own accord.

The one with the most excellent eyesight among the ship’s members was Kazuki. While he was peeking into the lens of the telescope that was fixed on the lookout, there was a visible shadow on the horizon that was supposed to continue on forever.

The sun had already descended down and the boundary line between the twilight and the horizon was darkly vague. But when he focused reinforcement magic into his eyesight, the scenery across the lens turned clearer and he caught the sight.

A shadow was visible on the horizon. It was a silhouette with minute jaggedness. He didn’t think it was a rock.

―He thought that perhaps it could be a sail.

“Eh, isn’t that a ship’s silhouette?”

When Kazuki said that, Akane-senpai who was weak in an unforeseen situation easily tossed her usual calmness to the wind and she turned on the on-board broadcasting in panic.

“E, emergency situation occurred! All crew aboard please assemble on the bridge!”

No one had imagined this kind of situation. …With the exception of the Magic Advanced Countries and its surrounding patronage countries, the diplomatic relation of the world was completely closed between each other, that was how it should be.

There shouldn’t be any ship sailing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean like this.

To say nothing of this vast ocean, the possibility of two super tiny ships passing each other like this was like a miracle.

…That was as long as one of the two parties didn’t intentionally attempt to get in contact with the other.

It was not unreasonable for Akane-senpai to get shaken like this. There shouldn’t be anyone that had guessed that this kind of situation would happen beforehand.

“ “Wing soaring the sky, lording over eye, invading world-destroying conflagration―manifest the authority of god right here, as the agent of civilization I advance deeper and deeper! Deep Striker!!” ”

Both Kazuki and Lotte equipped [Deep Striker] and flew to the sky.

Scout―they didn’t understand whether the other ship had also sensed them or not. But they judged that even if they had to bear the risk, they should obtain information.

Kazuki and Lotte flew through the twilight sky, that was changing color from orange to deep blue, like meteors that were drawing two streaks of lines.

On the other side of the horizon, they once more confirmed the shadow of a ship with their naked eyes. Kazuki slowed down their speed just a little and carefully got closer. They should be discovered already if there was also a lookout on the other ship. But there was no action at all from the other ship. Both of them boldly got closer from the sky to the ship.

“Kazuki-oniisan, that…”

“Yeah.” Kazuki nodded. “It’s a ghost ship.”

Returning to the bridge, Kazuki and Lotte made their report to their companions.

Akane-senpai knitted her eyebrows and replied with a hard voice.

“How unbelievable, something like a ghost ship. …I’m, weak against something occult like that.”

“Akane is really a coward huh―. Don’t make that kind of scary face okay―”

Kanon-senpai poked Akane-senpai from the side while teasing.

“Rather than that, I think that ship is a Haunted Ground.”

“A ghost ship Haunted Ground… if it’s that then, I can still understand.”

In short Akane-senpai was poor with things that were outside her own understanding. Her criterion that it was okay if it was a Haunted Ground allowed Akane-senpai to relax her expression from her frown and she nodded. Kazuki continued his report.

“Its appearance is a pitch black sailing ship, its speed is slow. I couldn’t see any sign of life on the deck.”

“Nonetheless it’s really baffling. Not on land, but a ship―for a construction to be turned into a Haunted Ground and drift around. I have never heard of any precedent like this. In the first place, which country does that ship come from I wonder?”

Akane-senpai who had recovered her calmness was mumbling in low voice.

“Is it a coincidence that it is getting closer, heading to our ship?”

“Perhaps it’s not really strange if it’s a Haunted Ground. Haunted Ground and Demon Beast possess an awareness of harming humans as their objective.”

“There is also a way to take a detour and shake it off if we increase the speed of our ship. …But I wonder if it will follow us until America. That’s going to be really unbearable if that happens. It will be horrible in the end.”

“If we liberate the ship from being a Haunted Ground and it returns to normal, perhaps it’s a ship that comes from America, so maybe it can become a clue regarding America’s current situation.”

“…Then, it’s decided. Let’s line up our ship and board it.”

Kazuki and Akane-senpai nodded at each other.

“When Kazuki and Captain talk with each other, the tempo is fast and it’s hard to interject isn’t it~”

Mio leaked out her voice with a sigh. Akane-senpai said “There is no time” while shaking her head.

Even now the distance between this ship and the ghost ship was shrinking little by little.

“Kazuki, organize the members that will board the ghost ship. I will remain on this ship.”

“Because senpai is scared?”

“Don’t tease me. Someone knowledgeable about ship voyage has to be ready to protect the ship when push comes to shove. If in the case that the ship sinks… even your [Deep Striker] or [Blazing Wings] won’t be able to take you back from the middle of the Pacific Ocean until Japan you know.”

Above this vast ocean, their definite foothold was only this ship. But this ship didn’t have anything like a defensive magic power. If some kind of attack magic came flying here, its defensive power was zero. It would sink really easily.

Imagining the endlessly spreading out ocean outside the window, a shivering chill ran through his spine.

“We have to prepare defensive magic as much as possible while getting closer then.”

“Naturally. Leave behind members skilled in defensive magic here, you should board the other ship with members that are good in hand-to-hand combat.”

Kazuki wrote out the members he thought of on the whiteboard.

Kazuki, Arthur, Beatrix, Shouko, Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai, Kazuha-senpai, Kanae, Karin, Kohaku.

Something like this perhaps.

“You are skilled in hand-to-hand combat right?” He exchanged looks with Arthur.

“But of course. Even though I have been thoroughly watching your fight until now, I still haven’t show any of my trump cards at all, so it’s not fair. I shall try a little bit harder here.”

“Well, of course you won’t expose everything and fight seriously though.”

“Ha-ha-ha! Naturally!”

What a honest person. This person was gazing to the future, even while he was not overlooking Loki and China trying to disturb the world order, he was still thinking calmly that he had no duty to go as far as devoting his whole strength for Japan which was currently on the verge of the danger of getting invaded.

“Oi, I ain’t any good in hand-to-hand combat or anything y’know. Why are you taking me and not Silirat?”

Shouko yelled her objection.

“Don’t tell me, are you worried that it gonna be bad if you ain’t constantly looking over my shoulder and so you ain’t gonna leave me alone, is that your thinking?”

“No, it’s a place where we don’t know what can happen so I want someone like you with excellent sharp-sight, quick-wit, and balanced intuition.”

“…What’s with you, so you are unexpectedly confident in me huh. Well, if that’s your reason then just leave it to me.”

Shouko scratched her cheek.

“Boarding a ship from another ship and rampaging, it’s really like a Viking, making me excited. As an Einhrejar, this is the greatest situation.”

Beatrix was trembling all over.

“Don’t get too wild and destroy the ship okay.”

“Fufufu! Boarding the opponent’s ship without sinking it and plunder the whole cargo of the ship is the way of the Viking!”

Was Einherjar in the same line with Vikings? What’s going to happen with Germany like this.

Anyway, no matter what kind of Haunted Ground it was, he couldn’t really imagine that with this lineup they were going to find themselves in a situation where they had to take flight.

Rather than feeling anxiety toward the unknown, the feeling surging inside his chest was rather more like [Let’s see what you’ve got].

“How unfortunate―, I also want to go but the attack magics I can use are only in the group of large scale destruction―”

Kanon-senpai said that while laughing. She had no anxiety at all towards the picked out members. She could be at ease while feeling happy.

This great senior was also a powerful person that was worthy of attention, but they wouldn’t use any large scale attack magic aboard the ship so in the end he asked her to remain on the ship.

When they gazed at the path ahead from the bridge, they finally could see the shadow of the ship with their naked eyes.

In other words this was inside the range where both sides could perceive each other―they had entered the range of attack magic.

The stay behind group began to chant defensive magic all at once.

“…I, don’t have any defensive magic that can protect a shipp―”

Kaguya-senpai waved around her hands in flutter from being on her loose end.

“I too don’t have anything like defensive magic! I cannot do anything!”

Kanon-senpai too puffed out her small chest defiantly. Putting aside Kaguya-senpai, being unable to use both hand-to-hand combat and also defensive magic, she was a great senior that was thoroughly useless in this kind of situation.

“Perhaps having peaky performance is a tradition of the Magic Division’s student council president.”

The sadist who only had pain magic that was the current student council president, and the previous student council president who only had large scale destruction magic. What a terrible duo. In contrast Hikaru-senpai and Akane-senpai had flexibility so it was interesting.

“I’ll protect this ship.” Kamimura-san who had confidence in her defensive magic said that vigorously.

“The ship is coming alongside! Prepare to jump!!”

Akane-senpai changed into manual operation and directed the ship closer to the other ship.

By operating the control panel, the acrylic panel at the left side of the bridge opened. The wind blew inside with great force. Everyone of the storming unit gathered on the edge of the panelwindow. With the reddish black twilight horizon as its background, the black shadow of the ship that looked like a speck rapidly became bigger.

It was not a ship that was really that big. A classic sailing ship that was insisting its old era’s atmosphere with a loud voice.

But surely it was because of the effect of its transformation into a Haunted Ground, that it was stained pitch black.

It was similar with the [Naglfar] that Hel summoned before.

Should he feel eerie, or should he feel fortunate, but there was no attack magic coming from the other side. Even when the bows of the two ships were closing there was still nothing that came. Akane-senpai slowed down the ship.

Kamimura-san went “Nothing to protect…” with her shoulders drooped from losing her chance to be useful.

But seeing that there was a Haunted Ground, he couldn’t imagine that there would be no enemies.

“Yosh, I’ll give a count and then I’ll jump. Everyone follow after me.”

The ships were gradually passing each other. Because the window they were at was in a high place, if he jumped from here using Enchant Aura, he would surely be able to jump down on the deck of the other ship.

His companions performed Access altogether and changed into their Magic Dress.

“There is no way Kazuki should take the dangerous position in the lead, this is this one’s turn.”

“No, it’s set already that this is my place to shine!”

The easygoing duo of Kohaku and Karin competed with each other to dispute the front spot at the window.

“Wait, we don’t know what is waiting for us there, I, that can use various kind of magic, am …”

“Fufufu” Beatrix was chuckling fearlessly and smoothly cut into the front. “If it was about something like that than the guest that is me should stand in front and bear the full brunt of what is waiting for us right? No one will regret it even if you use an outsider like a sacrificial pawn.”

After Beatrix said that, everyone got quiet and nodded. By no means that they were treating her like a sacrificial pawn, however they had the feeling that the role of rushing in at the front undoubtedly suited her really well.

Her veteran back was so reliable. He felt like he understood the feelings of Eleonora who yearned for her so much.

“FUHAHAHAHA! The true identity of the opponent is unknown just mean that! I’M GOING TO ENJOY THIS!!”

As the ships came alongside each other, with tough legs and loins, Beatrix jumped to the black ship lightly.

“If she said that, then we are also guests! We have to follow after her. We are going, Shouko-kun!”

“Eh, you mean me too!Oi, don’t pull my hand!!”

Arthur pulled Shouko’s hand while stepping on the window frame. Arthur didn’t change into his Magic Dress. In a battle, there should be no merit at all for a Magika Stigma to not equip their Magic Dress. …Was there a reason he didn’t want to show his Magic Dress to other people he wondered.

Shouko gave up and matched her breath with Arthur, both of them then jumped together onto the black ship.

“Yosh, we are also following after them!”

Kazuki too jumped. His whole body cut through the salty wind and dove down aiming for the pitch black landing spot!

“I’m doing a good fight, welcoming a good death, and wish to participate in even more battles of heaven! The Divine Protection of blood color in my eye! Berserk!!”

Beatrix who was rushing ahead had already invoked her spell and swung around her large sword against someone as her opponent.

Kazuki observed his surrounding at the same time with his landing. They couldn’t see anything of the situation aboard the black ship from the bridge. Here and there atop the deck was magic power that looked like black miasma drifting around in place.

Several human shadows were there as if they were going to melt into that haze of black magic power.

“Be careful, Kazuki! They are already here!!” Beatrix aroused his vigilance.

The unidentifiable human shadow also rushed and attacked Kazuki.

“Berserk!!”

Kazuki also chanted the same magic like Beatrix and drew out <Ame no Murakumo> in an Iai slash towards the unidentifiable human shadow. At his waist was a sheath that was custom made for Ame no Murakumo’s exclusive use.

An out of place feeling. Rather than feeling like he had cut apart a Demon Beast, he felt a feedback as if he had cut a human that possessed a defensive magic power from his blade. The black shadow was repelled and blown away from the impact.

“…How can you use my magic? I have been bothered from some time ago about how you can use magic from multiple groups.”

Beatrix leaked out a surprised voice towards Kazuki who was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her at the corner of the deck with the fence behind them.

“I can use the magic of allies whose positivity level is high.”

“…Wh, what? Wh wh wh wh wh, what!? Then you mean my, my my my my my fee…”

Beatrix was at her wits’ end. Beatrix―72

Well, it was fairly, high.

“Talk later! These unknowns are coming!”

“Why didn’t you say about such important things as soon as us traveling together was decided!? EM―BA―RAS―SING―!!” Beatrix-chan held her large sword in hand while covering her face with her body fidgeting around.

When he saw from the drifting black magic power, moving like a slippery eel, a figure of a black shadow appeared, it suddenly came charging. It swung around both of its hands randomly and trying to hit at them.

Although that movement was reinforced by magic power, there was not even a single sign of martial arts presence in it.

The enemy’s behavior was similar with the zombie that he had faced before.

Kazuki and Beatrix went out to meet the enemy attack from the front. Arthur and Shouko also began a battle with the shadow in a place slightly separate from them. With Kazuki and the others going forward, a space where people could land was created. There Kanae, Karin and the others jumped one after another.

“It turns into melee. It’s not smart to swing around large swords here… O meteor leaving trail, gouge white scar on the night sky! Small White Meteor SwordCarnwennan!!”

Arthur chanted a spell and he created a silver gauntlet on his right arm with a short sword that was fixed into one into that gauntlet. Pure white magic power shone from the blade that was on the gauntlet, it spread to Arthur’s whole body―Arthur’s figure was accelerated and he vanished.

The swarm of black shadow that attempted to assault Arthur was blown away all at once.

Perhaps it was a short sword that bestowed a divine protection of acceleration. Its power was also high. Arthur dashed around the ship with a speed that couldn’t be caught with your eye cutting apart the black shadows. It was a force that could clean sweep on board the ship alone.

“Hu… hurt…”

He could hear a voice. Hurt, did it say that? Just now…

“That become the whip of god that strike the soul! Wake up the wave motion that disturb the divine element right here… Dashinben!”

Shouko too grasped in her hand a pole of white wood created from her chant. Its appearance was just a really normal stick, but she hit really hard the crown of the black shadow with it, that it made him think she might even have made a home run.

Dashinben was a Sacred Treasure that possessed the power to disturb magic power. When he saw it before, just from swinging it at empty air in the battlefield it could strongly obstruct the magic chanting of the skillful Magika Stigmas in the surroundings.

When a black shadow was hit directly at its head with that pole, it struggled, violently kicking and punching around. The magic power that it had inside its body was whirling, it behave as if rampaging around. Its whole body was trembling in convulsion, the shadow was writhing on the deck in a condition that was not fit to fight.

Its agonized condition was frightfully full of human traits.

It seemed that Shouko herself didn’t have much grounding in martial arts, when she was attacked from all direction by the black shadows, she was hit completely by those simple attacks, unable to dodge. But she repelled those with a high standard Resist, then with a look as if she took no notice of the attack she swung down Dashinben at the enemies’ heads in turns.

The shadows that were hit by Dashinben had their bodies trembling and withered on the floor without exception.

“O god Thor of heaven! Delight in my sword dance and echo the roar! Entrust the thunder of sky in this sword, without even allowing anymore resistance, consign to oblivion!! Fjörgyn Megin!!”

Beatrix too filled her sword with lightning and mowed down several black shadows altogether.

“Hu, hurts…” “A, aa…” “Painful…”

Kazuki, Beatrix, Arthur, and Shouko who went ahead into the ship witnessed the downed black shadows leaking out painful voices while standing up unsteadily.

Kazuki finally earned some room and focused his eyes on the shadow’s figure.

That figure was―a human. All of the shadow were equally young, there were males and/or females, each of their faces and physique were also different from each other.

Their whole body was covered by black magic power, seeping into their body where the shadow should even be called [shadow human].

Something was different from them compared to Demon Beasts. These guys felt pain and possessed awareness.

They had magic power that bounced back attacks. Nevertheless they felt pain from the attack.

‘Are they human? But it feels like they are like a zombie…’

Their figures were like… humans that were ravaged by black magic power and reconstructed into something different.

His comrades were crossing near to his direction one after another and got their attack preparation ready.

“Wait!” Kazuki halted them in fluster.

“The condition of these guys are strange… they are in pain.”

“Eh?” His comrades were taken aback.

These guys were only manipulated by the black magic power, perhaps they were innocent normal humans.

With that possibility, Kazuki focused his eyes even more.

No, that was not it. When he looked carefully at the black flesh of the shadow humans, there were external wounds there.

It looked like all of their blood flow was stopped, but no matter how he saw it, fatal wounds were already inflicted on them.

They were dead bodies. His recognition that they were zombie was correct. Dead bodies were controlled by the black magic power. But their awareness as humans slightly remained and they felt pain when they were attacked.

A drifting ship fully loaded with controlled dead bodies in order to attack people…

Desecration of dead bodies. Such words floated inside his head. At the same time he recalled the time when Hel tried to manipulate his mother’s death. That instant, Kazuki’s will to fight was repulsed to the opposite direction.

“Stop the attack! I’m going to liberate these people from the black magic power!!”

“How!?” Shouko immediately yelled.

But other than her, all his other comrades surely had an uncomfortable feeling towards these enemies. When Kazuki said that, everyone stopped their attack altogether and drew back like a receding wave.

But even if they stopped their interference, the black shadow humans stood up while in agony and they once again formed a crowd and headed to this direction.

…What should he do? Kazuki and the others were slowly cornered until the corner of the deck. His comrades turned into a single clump in the corner of the deck. Kazuki, Kanae, Kohaku, and Kazuha-senpai, then after that Arthur stood in the front and bore the brunt of the attack.

The black human shadows gradually appeared from the darkness inside the ship, several dozens, no, perhaps it even passed a hundred of human shadows formed a crowd, they filled the deck completely and surrounded Kazuki and the others.

The black shadows were hitting at the swordsmen that were standing at the front.

Kazuki dodged, redirected, he was handling the assault with non-aggressive defense while chanting.

“I am the shaman of sword. Rock cleaved, root torn, that virtuous sword of destruction right now in this hand! Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Kazuha-senpai too yelled “Futsu no Mitama!” at the same time, they cast the same magic of Futsunushi no Kami.

It seemed their thinking were the same. With this holy sword of crushing evil, they were going to tear apart the black magic power!

Kazuki sheathed Ame no Murakumo back in the scabbard and slashed with [Futsu no Mitama] in exchange.

'PACHIN!' The blade of Futsu no Mitama was bounced back with a feedback that was similar with hitting defensive magic power.

“!?” Kazuki caught his breath.

“Kazuki, it bounced back just now!?” Kazuha-senpai also raised a panicked voice.

But he remembered this feedback from before. The time when they were attached with Cloud String BindingKumo Ito Shibari from Susanoo’s barrier magic [Izumo Yaegaki], they had also failed like this when they tried to sever the cloud string. This was the same sensation with that time. This black magic power was even more superior compared to Futsunushi no Kami’s level 3 magic.

“Hayashizaki-kun! We are going to get cornered if we just defend one-sidedly like this!”

Arthur yelled while dodging the attacks of the black shadows with the quickness of the short sword’s acceleration.

The attack of the black shadow was monotone. It was simple for Kazuki whether to defend or evade them.

But the number of the black shadows itself was extraordinary.

Even if not all the shadows could attack, but by forming a crowd and pushing forward they could rob the space for moving from Kazuki and the others.

The black shadows swung around their both hands, even while dodging those they were slowly cornered back.

They were not a strong opponent but… if it kept like this they would be pushed back and crushed.

“We’ve been patient enough here. …But looks like that magic ain’t good enough huh.”

Shouko murmured while just staying still and got hit by the black shadows’ attack without looking concerned and defended all the attacks with Resist. She invoked the magic that she was chanting.

From the scale of the magic power wave it was undoubtedly high level attack magic―but it was not a power to crush evil.

“Thy voice is the pole of heaven that determine death… release the urge sleeping in mystery of enlightenment for 1500 years, the beast that reap and take life… Heaven Number Death Commandment Hermit Beast FangTensuu Sakkai Senjuu!!”

The magic power that whirled from Shouko was shot to the sky and it turned into the figure of a beast.

Countless limbs, countless eyeballs, and countless fangs that lined up in its mouth, a beast that was like [the incarnation of violence].

An ominous beast that couldn’t be imagined to be created by Taikoubou who was a sage that was also a hermit materialized, it fiercely flew into the crowd of the black shadows.

Its countless arms mowed down the black shadows altogether, it crushed the fallen shadows under its feet, and its countless fangs tore apart.

“A… AAaAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

The screams of the shadows reverberated. The blackened fleshes of the shadows were protected by the black magic power that acted similar with defensive magic power. But the protection was made to vanish in the blink of an eye by the beast’s atrocity.

The black shadows were blown away one after another like pomegranate.

It was a massacre. The black dead people that possessed a sense of pain were forced to feel the pain of death for the second time.

Because the black magic power safeguard the shadows from everything except pain, they were instead feeling a pain longer than even the pain of death…

The beast acted a pure quiet massacre without even making any howl.

“Shouko!!” Kazuki unintentionally blamed her.

But it was also a fact that Shouko’s magic cleared back the black shadows and rescued them from the predicament.

“You’re too naïve! There ain’t no other way than this, don’t you get it! If the gentle way ain’t working, then don’t waste any time to change your sentiment!!”

Shouko disparaged Kazuki while controlling the hermit beast. The black shadows didn’t die so simply and continued to raise an intensely awful scream, it was a scenery of screaming hell that should be feared.

“It pains the heart but… it can’t be helped. We must not get stopped in this kind of place.”

Arthur too gripped back his short sword and assisted Shouko. With a high speed short sword technique he carved the shadows.

“Kazuki…” Beatrix turned to Kazuki and leaked out a troubled voice.

‘Stop. Please wait.’ He thought that but those were not words that would be fine to be said out loud without thinking.

But, was there no better way to do something about this?

When he couldn’t sever Susanoo’s barrier, what did he do at that time?

In order for the light to pierce through the darkness, an idea emerged inside Kazuki’s head. But…

“Kazuki!” There was a voice from behind.

When he looked back, Kamimura-san was leaning out her body from the window of Queen Kaguya.

“You forgot this!” Saying that, the girl threw out something that shined silver to him. When he accepted that while paying attention, so that the thing wouldn’t fall down because of the awkward throw, he noticed that it was <Yata no Kagami>.

Kamimura-san then 'pyon' jumped from Queen Kaguya to this side.

“I saw the situation from the bridge so I know what is happening. It’s going to be fine if you use this mirror.”

What Kazuki remembered was also this mirror.

When talking about something that possessed a power to crush evil that was even more powerful than Futsunushi no Kami, then it was this Sacred Treasure mirror.

These shadow humans were similar with the armored warriors in Ise Imperial Shrine.

“But I’m still, I can’t use this mirror skillfully.”

That was why he left it behind in the first place.

“It’s okay, because I will show you an example after this.”

While grasping Kazuki’s hand tightly, Kamimura-san said that and began to chant a spell.

Shouko and Arthur were also guessing that something was up and halted their attack for a moment.

“…O guiding light that illuminate the four seas and all countries! Gather inside my master’s idol, release the light that purify the impurity… Sun Flower Single FlashYata no Kagami・Youka Issen!”

Kamimura-san also created a Yata no Kagami in her hand. It was a copy product created by Amaterasu’s magic power. The Yata no Kagami that was raised on Kamimura-san’s hand emitted a light like a sun at the same time when it was raised, illuminating the dim light of the twilight brilliantly.

Kamimura-san’s left hand was still holding Kazuki’s hand. From there the flow of the magic power was conveyed to him.

―Some kind of magic was formed inside her, some kind of magic phenomenon was requestedOrdered from Amaterasu.

The black human shadows in front of Kamimura-san had the black magic powers that were clad on their body evaporated and they fell down. They recovered their original human complexion while collapsing down.

What was there was not a shadow in agony. The light embraced the soul while pulling it out from the flesh body, returning them to a normal dead body. At the same time there was a sign that the ghost ship was slightly liberated from being a Haunted Ground.

“I cannot hit them with light in too much range alone, so Kazuki too, do it together with me.”

Kamimura-san filled her hand that was grasping him with strength and said that.

“That Sacred Treasure has the feeling of goodness, so for Kazuki who don’t know any of these stranger, that they are enemies who already lost their lives, yet you still want to save them anyway, if it’s your wish then surely it will answer you. Don’t give up just because you cannot use it. It’s Amaterasu’s Sacred Treasure after all, so it’s a good child you know.”

―It would answer him. Believing those words, Kazuki strongly wished to the mirror.

‘I want to save them. As painless as possible, I want to let them rest.’

‘That’s why, lend me your strength!’

The mirror, it sought and tried to absorb his magic power as if appealing for something. It was a calling that couldn’t be translated into human language. Something like a vague blueprint of a magic phenomenon was flowing into his mind.

Kazuki responded to the calling and poured magic power into the mirror, the magic power was operated inside the mirror.

The mirror that obtained energy, shined in a flash.

“Illuminate the four seas and all countries, <Yata no Kagami>! Fuukyou Kaikon―Youka Issen!”

Kazuki too―he invoked the magic phenomenon that was invoked by Kamimura-san just now with the power of the Sacred Treasure.

The black magic power evaporated in the blink of an eye, the human shadows that had recovered their normal complexion collapsed one after another.

The jet black color also vanished from the ghost ship.

When all the black magic power had finished being purified, [Yata no Kagami] responded to Kazuki’s will by emitting a high pitch sound 'kiiiin' and it turned into a type of bracelet with a small mirror fixed onto it like a gem that twined around Kazuki’s left wrist.

He had a feeling that the mirror was telling him it wouldn’t be a hindrance like this, even if he brought it while walking around.

Part 2

A tragic stage became exposed. There was the appearance of that ship which had been returned to its original appearance.

As if a coating was peeled off, the color of ominous jet black vanished from the ghost ship and it returned into a sailing ship made from wood. The sails of the ship was still spreading out fully where it was receiving wind to wrong direction.

It didn’t have any mechanical part as its driving force. That was to say, it could be predicted that this ship was drifting from a country that had retrogressed until a degree of civilization where they were using a sailing ship.

Only the deck where Kazuki and the others were fighting was still colored pitch black even thought it had been liberated from the Haunted Ground.

Reddish black blood spread abundantly through the whole surface of the floor, this was caused by the blood that had seeped into the floor.

The tranquil dead bodies that had been purified due to Kazuki and Kamimura-san’s mirror had collapsed and covered their surroundings completely. A white person, and also the first time Kazuki saw it, a black person were also mixed among the bodies.

All of them had already bore fatal wound. There was a massacre here.

And then with some kind of magic they were then controlled by the black magic power.

“If this ship was transformed into a Haunted Ground because of that magic’s influence, then surely the one that used that magic was a Diva from the Chaos Side. The magic of the Chaos Side leads to Haunted Grounds.”

Arthur murmured that while investigating the dead bodies.

There was still faint temperature remaining in the dead bodies. It was still not that long since they died… no, their state was preserved while they were being manipulated by the black magic power.

That was why they had a feeble consciousness and s sense of pain… was it because of this?

“Kazu-nii, there is someone that is still conscious!”

Mio was grieving over the dead while adjusting their posture into a peaceful position one by one. And then, she yelled.

If there was a living witness, there was no greater information than that. The gaze of all the members gathered at Mio. While receiving the gaze of everyone on her back, Mio embraced the upper body of the male that was collapsed face up and invoked her magic.

“…O elegantly beautiful fire of reincarnation, burn the surface of life, make bud the regeneration inside… Anti Aging!”

There was a deep wound gouged on the male’s body. The flame that Mio produced moved into the male’s mind and spread, accelerating the renewal of his flesh.

The face of that white male became even paler like someone who already bled out all their blood. Just like a dry paper. There was no strength left in his eyes, it was a near miracle that he still had consciousness.

{Aa… go, goddess…} The focus of the male’s eyes were fixed on Mio, he let out a withered voice.

The words of the male was English, but he could listen to it thanks to lesson from Arthur.

{I’m not a goddess, pull yourself.} Mio also called to him with English.

{Why…} Rather than talking to Mio, it more like the male was murmuring to himself. {Even though they came to help us… why…}

Something. Like this the male would keep holding something unfinished in him.

{Tell us the circumstances. I will do what I can for your sake.}

Kazuki too called to the male with simple English. The male wouldn’t last long. He asked right to the point.

{Who, you all did this kind of thing?}

Just for an instant, strength returned in the light green eyes of the male. Regret, sorrow, fury, such emotions appeared in his eyes.

{…Coming to help us… we who are slaves… but that guy that help… why!}

{Who was it, who do you mean by that guy!?}

{RE…D…….}

As if breathing the last breath from his mouth, the male’s eyelid and lips wilted powerlessly.

Mio ended her healing magic.

[Anti Aging] was not a magic that granted the flame of life, it was a magic that strengthened the flame of life.

It was powerless for those who had expired.

Mio gently closed the male’s half opened eyelids and lips.

“The English just now” Arthur opened his mouth. “It’s not something from inside the sphere of Britain’s culture, but English from America’s sphere of culture.”

“Is that something you can understand?”

“It matched with the American-English’s characteristic I learned from the literature of the past. I’m sure of it.”

Indeed, looked like it could be counted on.

“It seems that this man was a slave. So this means that in America there is a slave system then.”

Most likely it was not a rare thing in many countries outside Japan.

Even Italia that Regina ruled had a slave system from what she said.

Even Germany, whereas there were humans with the social standing of a noble like Lotte there, even if it couldn’t be said to be something like a slave, but the existence of a low class that was near such a thing existed.

“This ship is a slave ship that transported these slaves somewhere. And in the middle of that, someone came to help.”

…What they didn’t understand was why the result became like this.

“Thanks to Kazuki’s way of doing things, we could obtain information.”

Beatrix said that. After that she glanced at Shouko’s direction. Shouko was unreservedly investigating the death bodies that collapsed everywhere by rummaging them around, but she said a short sentence, “My bad”, to Kazuki.

“But I won’t say that I’m mistaken.”

“Of course, I too don’t think that it will go this well every time with my way.”

Kazuki was thinking. “Surely, I’m naïve.” There was no feeling that he had handled this well appearing in his chest. A heavier self-reproaching feeling was settling inside him.

Depending on the conditions, he too had to be able to make a decision just like the decision that Shouko took.

Coldheartedly, rationally, the cardoption to [abandon].

“But” Kaguya-senpai who watched over the exchange interjected.

“I think this is Otouto-kun’s way. It’s not about right or wrong…”

Kaguya-senpai’s words got into his head directly.

Way. Style. He could use both sword and magic. He was able to chant a manifold of magic types compared to an average person. He was in a position where he could always select an option from many. That was exactly why―he had the feeling that he must have something inside his heart that was always consistent and straight.

‘What kind of thing do I have to be consistent on from now on?’

“Kazuki!” Hikaru-senpai’s voice came from the inside of the ship that could be entered from the stair on the deck.

“There is a person inside the ship’s hold!”

Inside the ship, there were swaying flames still remaining on the torches without being extinguished.

The condition right before a place turned into a Haunted Ground was preserved even while being a Haunted Ground.

The feeling that people lived here was remaining, it was completely like the <Mary Celeste> ship.

Descending down the stairs that were painted with blood, they entered the ship’s hold.

Ship’s hold. The thing that was called as the cargo of this ship, was it the slaves?

The ship’s hold was also dirty with blood all over the place. However that there wasn’t any dead bodies here at all, it must be because the dead bodies that fell here had crept up the stairs to the deck and assaulted Kazuki and the others.

An abundant amount of blood was covering the whole surface of the floor reddish black.

On the black floor, there was a pure white girl laying down while curling her body.

She was like the single star shining in the night sky.

Her hair and her skin were pure white like a fantasy. The T-shirt and jeans she were wearing looked out of place with how clean they were without a single stain on it. Her eyes were closed and she collapsed on the floor, but a rhythmic sleeping breath was escaping her nose.

“For her to sleep soundly in this kind of place, she really has a nerve huh!”

Hikaru-senpai that crouched beside the girl said a hysteric thing. No way it was something that stupid.

“She is not waking up?”

“I still haven’t tried it. I thought that I’m going to call Kazuki first. Can I wake her?”

When Kazuki nodded, Hikaru-senpai shook the sleeping girl calling “Ooo―ii!” with an excited look.

Hikaru-senpai… should he say that she was not a coward or something, but she was a person that was really following her own pace.

The eyelids of the girl shook and a voice as if she was having a nightmare leaked out from her pink colored lips.

{You woke up? You’re fine? No wound or anything on you?}

Hikaru-senpai asked the girl’s name with a natural pronunciation. Hikaru-senpai who strangely had some genius aspects in her was the fastest among them all who had improved in English.

The girl opened her eyes with a blink. He was able to believe once again that the girl was really alive from the light in her eyes.

{Wo… und? I’m, fine…}

Her eyes that were slightly slanted were colored blue that was so light to the degree it was slightly unnatural.

{That’s great, that’s great. Well then, what is your name then?}

Hikaru-senpai asked her with English that flowed smoothly.

{Name… my name… call me my name? My name, call me my name?}

Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai looked at each other.

{Even if you ask me to call your name, but I don’t know your name. What is your name?}

{I don’t know…} The girl whispered again with her expression unchanging.

{My name, call my name?} The girl caught Hikaru-senpai’s hand pleadingly.

Calling her the name…

{Uu―nn} Hikaru-senpai was troubled.

{Let’s change the question. Where did you come from?}

{Where…} Her empty tone answer was as if the inside of the girl’s head was pure white and she let out that pure whiteness exactly as it was from her mouth―{I don’t know.}

“This is really bad huh, Kazuki. This child, she looks like she is an amnesiac.”

The girl looked around the surroundings restlessly.

When she noticed that her surroundings was dyed reddish black with blood, she leaked out “Hyi-“ voice and she clung even stronger at Hikaru-senpai’s arm. She didn’t understand how she ended up in this kind of place.

They led the girl back to the bridge.

They quietly burned the ship where the scar of tragedy remained with Pyrokinesis, letting the ship drifted away to the sea.

The pure white girl they brought along had her eyes turned round at everything in the bridge as if looking at something rare and she looked around restlessly. When looking at her appearance that stood up and walked around, she was even smaller and younger than Lotte.

He should call her a little girl rather than a girl.

“I wonder if we cannot make her recover her memory. I think if we can do that then we will understand many things.”

Kazuki said to everyone who gathered on the bridge with Japanese. He still didn’t have the confidence to have a complicated conversation in English.

The information about the girl’s birth country, what happened on that ship, was the people killed by someone―if the girl’s memory was recovered, perhaps they could understand about all that.

―Kazuki had promised to that person just before he died, that he would do all that he could.

“Lotte. Can you pull out the memory of this child using Telepathy?”

It was a violation of privacy to use Telepathy on another person’s mind. But surely they couldn’t let this child to be amnesic like this from now on just to respect her privacy.

“That’s so desu, I’ll try. …For this power of mine that is like a peeping tom to be useful in a correct way like this is a rare chance desu.”

“Lotte is always being considerate to your surroundings, so I think you are not like that at all though.”

Lotte crouched in front of the pure white little girl and stared at her fixedly.

{Is it okay for me to peek into your heart for a little desu?}

Lotte asked in English. When the white little girl nodded, there was a string of blue magic power that lighted up faintly and connected between them.

“…She has almost no magic power desu. Her wall of the heart is… weak desu.”

Lotte murmured. What that meant was that the little girl was in a state that was mostly [security free].

When he thought that Lotte could do this, if it was Lotte then surely she could also even freely conduct something like brainwashing.

Magic power would undergo a sudden growth at the puberty period. He guessed that this white little girl hadn’t yet entered her growth period. That was why, it was possible that her magic power could be that empty in her age.

“…The inside of this child’s head, it’s pure white desu.”

“You mean she doesn’t think of anything at all? Like a thoughtless person then?”

Hikaru-senpai asked. Though mentioning about thoughtlessness, Hikaru-senpai was also quite like that though.

“No… she is thinking. Though its only in small scale. But her mental territory is mostly blank desu.”

The inside of her head was mostly pure white and only a little part of it was performing thinking activity…

“And then her old memory is not here at all desu…”

“She has no memory? If what she has is amnesia, then that kind of thing is impossible.”

Akane-senpai interjected.

“No matter what kind of memory, human preserve them all in their deep psyche. They only completely forget the way to [access] the memory that they hadn’t used for a long time. In short people just forget the way to remember.”

That’s correct. Kazuki too, long before he became aware of his surroundings―the memory of the moment where he was abandoned at the orphanage, he once succeeded in miraculously remembering that memory. From that he remembered the face of his mother.

Knowledge and memory were two different things. In a lot of cases where people lost their memory, they could still properly talk their native language and possessed the fundamental information of common sense. They even remembered the way to drive a car.

It was just that people couldn’t access [the episode memory], like when they were able to walk, it was only that.

“It’s as if… her soul was substantially damaged desu.”

“You said that her old memory is not there, then does she have the very recent memory?”

“Her new memory is… how should I say it… all of it is acting buggy desu.”

“Buggy?”

“It’s like she cannot recognize her memory as memory… or like her memory is scattered everywhere as jumbled data that is impossible to read… or like every single component is not attached with meaning that can connect to another. It’s chaos desu. To pull this out forcibly… it seems impossible for me desu.”

So it was impossible even for Lotte’s magic skill. However, this little girl’s condition was…

“…Is her hippocampus damaged?”

When the part of brain that changed recognition into memory―[hippocampus] was damaged, the person’s condition would become something like what Lotte described.

When that kind of memory bug was created like that, it was supposed to be like Yumeno-san’s double personality.

“No… it looks like even now there is no damage or anything remaining in her desu. The really new memory of her meeting with us is normally accumulated in her brain, so right now she is normal desu. The majority of her mental territory is pure white desu but… a normal activity is being carried out only in the remaining part. It’s like her mind was messed up, then her mind is trying to reconstruct itself to adapt with that messed up condition… something like that desu.”

A human even with his right brain wholly broken, he would have the adaptation ability where the left brain could take over the role of the right brain simultaneously with its own role.

“This child, what in the world was done to her…?”

Yumeno-san’s heart was broken by abuse, but for this little girl to be subjected under a condition even crueler than that…

With nothing else that could be done, Lotte halted her Telepathy. The blue string vanished quickly.

The white little girl looked around restlessly because she didn’t understand the Japanese that they used to converse, but she once more murmured out {Name…}

{Someone call me… my name…} It was a voice that somehow made them feel the tenacity.

A mind that was messed up and barely reconstructed itself by connecting its remaining parts.

A name was the symbol of identity.

Perhaps for her reconstructed heart to seek a name was only something natural.

{Let’s give her name ourselves!}

Kaguya-senpai suggested. She talked in English so that it would also get conveyed to the girl.

The blue of the white girl’s eyes felt like it became a little deeper. And then with a half shout,

{Name! I want it!! My name!!!} She yelled in succession.

“We don’t know the circumstance of this child, but it looked like she met something cruel and got reborn right? Then we are this child’s new parents, I think we have to take care of her as a family! That’s why a name is necessary!”

Kaguya-senpai talked in Japanese again. Certainly it was just like she said.

Kazuki once again faced the little girl. It was as if a fire had been lit inside the girl, {Name! Name me!} she kept yelling. She was searching for something that would define her new self.

This child was not a tool for the sake of obtaining information. She was a living human.

Even in the case that she could recover her memory in the future, for her to go back to her family and country where she had lived until now… was most likely impossible. After all this child was found on a slave ship.

Moreover she had a mind where there were traces that she had been subjected under something unimaginably cruel.

They became involved with a little girl that had no place to go. Hereafter, they had to bear the responsibility of building up [relation] with this girl.

“But even if senpai told us to think of a name so suddenly…”

The white little girl stop calling repeatedly for name and stared at them fixedly with a serious gaze.

“Ah, I cannot act stupid in this kind of flow huh?” Kanon-senpai said.

“That’s obvious.” Akane-senpai hit Kanon-senpai’s head.

“Actually, I already have an idea!”

Kaguya-senpai raised her hand energetically. “Stella, how about a name like this I wonder?”

“Stella… I see, so it means star.” Liz Liza-sensei murmured.

That was an extremely fitting name for this girl.

“Isn’t that fine?”

When Kazuki answered, everyone also nodded to each other. There was no one that felt any out of place feeling of that name.

Most likely everyone held the same impression the moment they saw this little girl for the first time. Right in the middle of a reddish black blood-stained floor, the appearance of the pure white girl that curled her body into a small figure certainly looked like a single speck of a star.

{Stella.} Kaguya-senpai called out to the girl in English like that.

{Now your name, given from us, is Stella.}

Like a flash, a radiant smile rose to the surface of Stella’s white face.

{Stella! My name is… Stella!!}

Stella jumped at Kaguya-senpai with a force as if her small body just got launched.

The short Stella buried her face around the stomach of Kaguya-senpai.

{Fufufu… your name is Hayashizaki Stella you know―} She said that while boisterously petting Stella’s head.

‘She is in Hayashizaki house?’, a wry smile floated on Kazuki’s face a little.

{Maa―ma!}

“Otouto-kun, I’m a mama she said!”

Kaguya-senpai’s face reddened with a puff.

{Yooosh, you are Hayashizaki Stella! And then I’m Madam Hayashizaki Kaguya!!}

Kaguya-senpai hugged Stella and twirled round and round. {Merry go Round} Stella laughed brightly. So it came to Hayashizaki Kaguya… Of course he intended to have this bond continue for life but, for some reason his chest throbbed hard. But for her to call herself Madam when she became like that.

“In my case, it’s Hayashizaki Mio then.” “Hayashizaki Koyuki…” “Hayashizaki Hikaru huhh.”

The girls around them were making their name into Hayashizaki family altogether and ascertained how their names rang out.

“Hayashizaki Kazuha… hehehe, I have the feeling that my name rings out the best…”

Kazuha-senpai’s expression slackened into a broad grin.

“Hayashizaki Kanae… uh huh.” Kanae murmured with a quiet face.

‘No, your history as Hayashizaki had been a long time already right? This is not a moment for you to go uh-huh.’

This time Stella rushed to Kazuki and hugged at him with {Paa―pa!}

Hayashizaki Stella. …He had created a family beyond the harem.

“Ahaha, but calling yourself Madam Kaguya even though you haven’t even kissed yet is just somehow surreal isn’t it.”

Hikaru-senpai said that kind of thing again innocently and laughed.

“My goodness!”

Kaguya-senpai who was concerned about how she was inexperienced in kissing was hit by a shock and trembled.

“…Otouto-kun!” Kaguya-senpai kissed Kazuki’s cheek in an outburst of anger.

Rather than calling it a kiss, her lips was sucking 'muchuu―' with all her power as if it changed into a suction pad.

Stella was watching that with completely rounded eyes and asked them {Paapa and maama, love-love?}

'chubon' Kaguya-senpai stop her sucking and petted Stella’s head while saying {We are love-love see~}

Otonashi Kaguya―148

Stella was caught between Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai and she showed them a smiling face that was like a blooming flower.

It looked like she was happy from the bottom of her heart from how good the relationship between Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai.

What was with this hugging act of hers?

Perhaps she was instinctively wanting for [a stable relationship] from her state that was being an amnesiac person without a single relative. Perhaps she was feeling a [need for a hug] from her instinct as a child.

She had established her self with the name and obtained the feeling of safety from the [parent and child relationship] even though it was only a mock relationship.

Even if this was only something transient, she was instinctively seeking for the most primordial happiness called [family].

And then for Kazuki and the others too―Stella’s smiling face tickled their instinctual desire to protect. The smiling face of a little girl… was super cute. It was a smiling face that was impossible to not love.

Big and beautiful eyes, smoothly lengthening bridge of the nose, cheeks that puffed up when laughing.

“Oo―kay, okay, okay.” Kazuki too got carried away in the mood and patted his daughter’s head.

{Nn… Paapa’s hand feels really good! It makes me shiver somehow! Why?}

…Was it probably because he was always caressing girls?

{Stella-chan, your clothes are dirty, do you want to enter the bath together with mama?}

{Nn-} Stella obediently nodded. Kazuki even thought that ‘I also want to go together’.

“But if she enters the bath, what will we do about her clothes?”

Lotte raised her hand saying “Heree-“.

{Onee-san will lend you a change of clothes desu-}

Lotte acted like an older sister… Kazuki received a shock.

Part 3

With Stella as an addition, their voyage through the vast Pacific Ocean continued even now.

Akane-senpai finally halted the driving force of the ship and deployed the sail.

Even though the sail looked analog at a glance, but everything was controlled by computer. In their current position they could also acquire their position information through GPS so it didn’t mean that there were more special work they had to do.

“To intend to rule over the wind with just a single button. As expected of the Japanese, Japanese are unfair.”

Beatrix who had a reluctance against civilization made a complicated face.

Among the work that the [sailor] girl on duty had to do, [looking after Stella] was added.

Staring from distance the girls crowding around Stella while going “Cute, cute!”, Kazuki had the feeling that if he who was a man was the one that tried to do the same approaching towards Stella while going “Cute, cute!” it would be looked at a little different. Kazuki secretly agonized himself what he should do in his aim of wanting Stella’s skinship very much.

{Paapa!}But when it was Stella herself that found Kazuki’s figure, she would be the one that approached him without fail, so Kazuki reflexively hugged the girl tightly from her unfair cuteness.

“Kazu-nii… by any chance, do you also have that kind of feeling for a child around this age…?”

Mio asked him with an amazed face.

“There is no way I’m looking at Stella with that kind of eye. Even though you also got affectionate to Stella like a cat, why are you making an amazed face like that when I do the same thing?”

When Kazuki grindingly stroked his hand on the head of Stella that he hugged, {Paapa’s hand feels good―} she nuzzled back at him, it was so cute to the degree that he wanted to just eat her up. He wanted to lick her all over.

Stella also learned Japanese from Arthur. With the absorbing power of children, Stella gradually learned how to talk Japanese brokenly.

And then Stella’s sense that had almost no like or dislike had her eyes shine brightly from all the recreation facilities aboard the ship. She did a fighting game with Hikaru-senpai, appreciating anime with Lotte and Kamimura-san, and had fun learning language from Koyuki’s novel and Mio’s shoujo manga that they translated for her.

Before they realized it, she had became familiar among his companions as a little girl that should be loved.

Once, when Kazuki had heard that Kaguya-senpai and Stella were playing analogue games, and he went to Kaguya-senpai’s room, he heard the muffled crying voice of Stella.

Incidentally he also heard Kaguya-senpai’s voice in great panic saying “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong!?” Kazuki rushed into the room in a great haste.

“Paapa! Maama is unfair~!”

When he entered the room, Stella clung at Kazuki.

“I, I’m not unfair you know~-, it was still within the category of the rule…” Kaguya-senpai was in a troubled feeling.

One of Kaguya-senpai’s analogue game collection was spread out on top of the table.

Kazuki had played it before, so he could understand the war situation in general.

In regards to Stella’s forceful attack with brute force approach, Kaguya-senpai toyed around with her with an obscenely coordinated method, and while Stella didn’t understand anything, Kaguya-senpai shut her out completely. Kazuki was amazed.

“Kaguya-senpai, your way is just too nasty there… you should be a little, discrete or something, like be more adult in Stella’s eyes or something…”

She didn’t hold back any punch even against a child as her opponent.

“I, I planned to do that you know!? But when I noticed it already became like this, like it’s impolite to go easy on your opponent…”

“Kaguya-senpai is really stoic with a match after all.”

Since her childhood, Kaguya-senpai was raised by receiving education from her father to [become the strongest Magika Stigma even if you have to throw away everything else]. Rather than calling that an education, it was more like a suggestion that was imprinted into her.

At the bottom of Kaguya-senpai’s heart, her [obsession towards strength] hadn’t disappeared yet.

That was why, when she was in a match, even while playing, she tended to completely become [I absolutely mustn’t lose].

It was fine when she was against Kazuki, but it was not really mature when she did that with a little girl as her opponent.

“Uu…” Stella directed eyes that seemed to be a little scared at Kaguya-senpai.

Kazuki felt like he understood her feelings.

Kazuki too, when he was a little child, didn’t have any relative that was connected by blood around him. Because the adults around him were not his blood relatives, he couldn’t believe that he was being loved and felt anxious from even little things.

“It’s okay, Mama doesn’t hate Stella at all you know.”

“…Really?”

“It’s true. Mama is just a little bit a sadistic pervert so she just wanted to fight seriously even against an opponent that she loves, that’s all. She is not scary, see.”

“I think a pervert is scary…” Stella said out a staggeringly sound argument.

“I’m not a sadistic pervert at all…” Kaguya-senpai became teary eyed.

“Then let’s beat mama with papa and Stella’s cooperation play and cure mama from her perversion.”

“Ok-! I’ll cooperate with Paapa and lead Maama back to the path of a correct human!!”

Stella’s eyes brightened.

“I’m happy that she stopped crying but, it feels complicated somehow…”

Kaguya-senpai was turned into a common enemy for the sake of Stella’s mood, and she grumbled while setting back the game components, like the cards and everything else.

Part 4

“Soon our ship should be detected by America’s side.”

Inside their routine meeting place, Akane-senpai said that to everyone who gathered on the bridge.

Only Kanae was not here where she had the duty to be the lookout.

According to the GPS, the ship was going to finally reach the coastal waters of America.

“I think that perhaps America won’t have GPS, but exactly because of that, if they are a country with proper awareness of their country’s defense and so they will constantly conduct security surveillance.”

“So the sphere of America’s surveillance will depend on the height of their civilization then.”

The possibility was weak, but if an equal level of civilization still remained in America, then they should immediately notice this ship on the Pacific Ocean using GPS surveillance.

They should have noticed this ship at the point of time when this ship went out of Japan’s magic power cloud.

If they conducted surveillance using binoculars, then surely they would notice this ship at almost the same time with this side’s lookout noticing them.

In the case that they performed surveillance primitively only using naked eyes, then this side should be the one that would be able to find them first.

“I panicked when we encountered the ghost ship right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean because it was unexpected, but if we have come until this far then it wouldn’t be strange that we could make contact with America’s ships anytime. All members, make your preparation.”

Akane-senpai was extremely reliable when the situation was within her expectations.

“Everyone’s English has improved considerably but… we should rely on Arthur as the first voice of negotiation when we make contact.”

“My status is as a guest here but, is it fine?”

Arthur asked back, all present nodded and it was decided.

It was at that moment. Kanae rushed down from the lookout on the rooftop of the bridge.

“A shadow of a ship is visible. I think that perhaps this time it’s an American ship.”

The other ship also seemed to immediately approach to this side’s direction.

In other words they noticed each other. In the distance when they had approached where they could see with a naked eye―when they entered the <magic perception range>, both ships then would be able to aim at each other with attack magic.

“While we prepare defensive magic, we’ll count on Arthur to negotiate.”

“Understood.” Arthur climbed to the bridge’s rooftop to the lookout together with Kanae.

He directed his eyes to the window. Even Kazuki who had confidence is his eyesight reinforcement still couldn’t catch the sight of the other ship with his naked eye.

Finally they were going to begin making contact with an unknown country.

Might the other side also know about the matter regarding Stella…

“Nii-sama, they will soon get close until the distance where they will be visible with the naked eye!”

Kanae’s voice came from the rooftop. He passed through a tense time of waiting.

The outline of the ship was visible even to Kazuki’s eye. As far as they could see from the silhouette, it seemed that the other ship unexpectedly didn’t look like a sailing ship.

“Arthur! Take care of the first greeting!”

When Kazuki said that, the sonorous voice of Arthur shouted from the rooftop.

{O dear ship of America, we have come for the sake of tying a friendly diplomacy! Now, let’s sit together on the table of negotiation!!}

It was quite an elegant appeal. Would the other side give response for dialogue?

The ship’s outline began to emit blue magic power light.

“…I wonder if the other side is also making preparation for defensive magic.”

In the ship of Kazuki and co. too, his companions transformed into their Magic Dress figure one after another and began to chant their defensive magic.

Even Kazuki who was skilled at Foreseeing magic phenomenon was, as expected unable to clearly sense the magic power wave at this range.

“No, I think those are attack magic.” Shouko murmured.

“How do you know?”

“It’s an instinct that comes from real battle experience. I can’t read magic power wave so detailed like you but, I can somehow understand if there is enmity filling the magic power. A troop preparing to attack looks like that. …It’s coming y’all!”

Exactly at that timing she warned, attack magic came soaring from the ship’s outline to here.

Fire ball, electricity… and countless things that looked like bullets.

All of them were low level magic, but if those hit the ship then it would sink without a doubt.

“Is this the substitute of your response!?” Arthur raised an angry voice from the lookout.

“Burn to ash all that is touched… the scorching heat of denial without any place to go! Self Burning!”

“O rejection of absolute zero, become the armor of isolation that protect my body! Breeze Barrier!”

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

“O piling up wisdom in human history, become an armor that protect my body in many layers! Heavily, thickly, reject all brutality! Seusenhofer!!”

“Cloud movement above the serpent, we who are the sky is the throne of the god. The oath of the country’s tutelary god is established in the steel of white cloud… the touted sword is, Ame no Murakumo! Armor of White CloudShirakumo no Yoroi!”

All the defense magic that their side had cast formed layers and protected the ship, repelling back the attack magic.

After they defended against the first wave, the attack stopped for a while. Surely this was the chanting time of the other side.

“It’s sea a battle now, you have any idea how to proceed from here!?”

Shouko asked Kazuki. In place of a reply, Kazuki gave instruction to Akane-senpai.

“Akane-senpai, please put out the full speed!!”

Akane-senpai ignited the engine and accelerated the ship. If the opponent was willing then this side also didn’t need to hide the power of civilization. They were going to approach closer for even a second faster. The ship shook fiercely.

“Everyone continue with defensive magic! As soon as the ship is adjacent, the same members like in the ghost ship will board the other ship!”

“So you ain’t intending to counterattack at all until we get closer like that!”

Shouko raised an unsatisfied voice.

“That’s obvious, we won’t sink the other ship! We’ll corner them to surrender with close quarter combat! This is a dialogue until the end!”

If they sank the ship and the crews became scattered on the sea, they wouldn’t be able to talk with them.

“You’ll only burden our side one-sidedly with the risk of sinking like that! …Just look, the second wave still ain’t coming yet. You know what this means?”

Just as Shouko pointed out, the attack from the other side had stopped. That meant…

“If they see us not attacking, that side is gonna give up defense and begin preparation of chanting high level magic that takes time instead. Those guys are used to fighting yeah.”

Next a fierce attack would come. If they couldn’t block that with defensive magic then this ship was finished.

Queen Kaguya accelerated in order for their ship to make contact for even an instant faster.

Outside the window, that ship’s silhouette was gradually looking bigger.

In order to attack this ship that was approaching them―attack magic with even larger scale than before surged at this direction from the other ship. It was a situation completely like the Titanic that crashed into an iceberg.

“Self Burning!” “Freeze Barrier!” “Storm Fort!” “Seusenhofer!” “Shirakumo no Yoroi!”

They also expanded several layers of defensive magic again. …Could they block with this…!?

“We who look down from the sky are the fatherly mastershifu, Yin Yang five elements combine in we, the god’s soldier building up the seat of honor of ten calendar signs please pile up the divine protection of six carapace… Six Shell FormationRokkojin!”

Shouko, who until just before was spouting out abusive language, invoked her magic.

Taikoubou’s avatar emerged out and light that was like divine aid poured down on Queen Kaguya from the sky. Thereupon the force of the surrounding defensive magic increased. The flame wall and the tornado towered as if reaching the sky, the protection of cold together with the white cloud armor increased in thickness, the black luster of armor had its density heightened tightly.

It was a magic that amplified defensive magic. A rare kind of magic…

The second wave of attack magic with increased force was defended by the reinforced defensive magic.

The ships finally came close to each other.

The other ship was unexpectedly a modern ship of gray steel.

…Was America not throwing away their civilization?

Perhaps he should even call it a small type military patrol boat. Its appearance was in between that of a large type boat or a small type battleship.

They could confirm that military force was deployed on the ship’s spacious deck.

Akane-senpai took the helm of Queen Kaguya. While Queen Kaguya evaded from collision, it accelerated and passed beside the other ship.

“We are boarding it!” Kazuki gave the order the moment the ships passed each other, they all leaped at the other side altogether from the window.

'GATSUN!' The sensation of steel floor reverberated on Kazuki’s sole.

At the same time black shadows assaulted him simultaneously from four directions. Fast.

He instantly made his judgment. The approaching attacks were slashes from edged tool.

Kazuki drove back the many piles of the slashing line and took some distance.

After taking some distance, the figure of the attacker came into his sight―he focused his eyes.

Most likely they were supposed to be American people. But he couldn’t make sure of that just by looking at them with one glance.

What was in front of his eyes were mechanized soldiercyborg with their whole body protected by armor of steel.

“What the hell is this!?’ Kazuki thought, but there was no time to get shocked.

The opponents were observing Kazuki with their gaze through the visor that covered the majority of their face. He could only slightly peek at their white skin at their mouth. Other than that there was no part of their skin that was exposed at all, even the joint parts were complicatedly entangled by metal that shined silver. They had a smooth streamlined silhouette.

Perhaps it was even something like a <strengthening exoskeleton> that often came out in SF anime or manga.

Blue blade was stretching out from their right arm―those blades were vibrating 'BUUUUUN!'

High Frequency Blade!?

An uncomfortable feeling. He didn’t understand what was the meaning of it. There was no meaning in this kind of weapon.

Kazuki’s companions that boarded this ship one after another together with him were also perplexed with their eyes turning round.

Their feeling was like an explorer that discovered a rare animal on an unknown island.

'BUSHUU―!' Smoke came out from the cyborgs’s body… they are coming !

Their strengthening exoskeleton was not a mere armor. The electrically operated actuator inside the exoskeleton converted electricity into movement energy and it was transmitted to the movements of the four limbs―in other words it was [reinforcement].

The opponents came slashing at them with terrific speed.

With their momentum as it was they swung down the HF blade lengthening out from the gauntlet of their right arm. That blade had its friction and heat quantity magnified due to the vibration. It was not hard to imagine that the blade hid a cutting and heat ability that should be feared.

They had an unknown nature, but it was not worth fearing when he Foresighted their movement.

Kazuki composedly parried a single attack and slashed back in counterattack.

'BACHIN!' Along with recoil of a strong defensive magic power, the body that was overflowing with the heaviness of the cyborg was blown away to the back. The cyborg was endowed with defensive magic power.

That should be something impossible.

In addition that strengthening exoskeleton the opponent wore was covered by blue Enchant Aura that reinforced their body. On top of being reinforced by machine, the cyborg was further reinforced by magic power.

This was the source of his uncomfortable feeling. Magic power that was human’s mental energy was an energy that was exhibited by one’s own consciousness, which meant that it couldn’t be endowed to anything other than <human strength>.

He had seen before cavalries that endowed even their beloved horses with magic power by heightening their horse riding technique until they reached the extreme territory of unity of rider and horse but…

To do something like spreading through Enchant Aura into the power assist due to electrical booster device and a blade that vibrated at high frequency, that was something that couldn’t be imagined using common sense.

That was exactly why modern weapons should have disappeared from the battlefield.

Beatrix also blew back the opponent that assaulted her and then she murmured to Kazuki.

“A single attack from them is fast and heavy. But these guys’ sword technique is amateur. I don’t know what kind of trick they are using but… there is no way we will lose to this bunch. It would be a warrior’s disgrace.”

Improvised soldiers born by means of power assist.

Standardized strength that could be mass produced in a really short time.

They were existences that were the antithesis of an Ikkitousen warrior.

Wasn’t this age of magic the age of heroes?

The force of Kazuki and co. that had aboard the ship consisted of ten names that were skilled in hand to hand combat. And the number of cybrogs in front of their eyes were double their number, twenty cyborgs in total.

The opponents were also taking a formation that was similar with Heaven and Earth Formation, there was the indication that Magika Stigmas were performing chanting inside the ship.

“Beatrix, we two are going to break through these guys and aim for the Magika Stigmas inside. Let’s bet our pride as warriors.”

“…Right!”

When Kazuki whispered back to Beatrix, her cheeks reddened with a puff and a heart mark flew from her.

So this girl had her heart flutter in this kind of situation. …But certainly this was a situation that made a person’s heart dance.

“Thunder fall on my body, obtaining lightning thought and god speed… wake up the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!”

“O divine protection of military man, whirl in my body and double the divine powerMegin! The will of god that urge to unlimited battle, in this body! …Meginjord!!”

Kazuki and Beatrix stood shoulder to shoulder and went out in offense. They had left behind their companions that were bad in close quarter combat back on the ship, so they were able to rampage as they pleased without having any awareness to protect anyone.

The cyborg soldiers stood in their way in order to protect the Magika Stigmas inside.

Their speed and power from the assistance of their device were led around by the nose by Kazuki who Foresighted them. While Beatrix overwhelmed the cyborgs right from the front using Thor’s reinforcement magic.

Both of them beated and knocked down the opponent in front of them with a single blow and broke through the opponent’s formation. The other cyborg soldiers tried to stop Kazuki and Beatrix, but Kanae and Arthur obstructed them from both sides.

The path before Kazuki and Beatrix was clear.

Inside the long and narrow ship, the enemy Magika Stigmas were chanting magic. Before Kazuki and Beatrix could be allowed to approach them, the magics that they chanted were invoked earlier.

Against the approaching magic, Kazuki by Foresighting the magic power, and Beatrix with her reinforced reflexes evaded them and ran to the inside.

There were five Magika Stigmas that were chanting magic, being protected by the cyborg soldiers.

That meant that there was a unit of 25 people in total here. And there Kazuki and co., ten people boarded the ship and the situation turned into an unfolding battle aboard the ship that couldn’t be called as wide.

Two people among the five enemy Magika Stigmas intercepted Kazuki and Beatrix as if to proclaim that they could also fight in close quarter combat. It was as if they were forming back Heaven and Earth Formation with five people.

The two who came intercepting were wearing strange Magic Dresses that didn’t lose to or was inferior to the cyborg soldiers on their bodies.

One was a black girl with a toned body build like a warrior. She gave an impression like a black panther that leaped toward their prey with her gallant and handsome features. Her body was wearing Magic Dress that looked like bikini with red-white-blue color scheme and gloves on both her hands―saying it in a single word, she was like a <boxer>.

The other one was a white girl with an expression as if it was made from ice somewhere. Sharp looking eyes and quirky blond hair could be peeked at through her cowboy hat and scarf, both her hands were holding silver handguns, and a figure that was almost naked was exposed from her long coat Magic Dress―she was like a <gunman> that came out from an old western film genre.

…What’s with these girls!?

But what he could say without mistake was… that these girls were American people!

They were through and through, from their whole aspect, no matter where he saw them from, from the crown of their head until the tips of their toes, they had the feel of American people! It was as if they were taken blatantly from inside a skit!

The black boxer girl yelled. She yelled in English that even Kazuki could follow.

{Jeremy and I are each going to take one of these two! Ginny will cover us, the rest of you all will aim for the ship to hold them in check!!}

Following that instruction, the five Magika Stigmas moved.

The boxer girl headed at Kazuki and the gunman girl headed to Beatrix. The two Magika Stigmas at the back dispersed deeper inside to get away from Kazuki and Beatrix and directed the brunt of their magic power to the ship. The last one whirled a large magic power and entered her chanting of some kind of powerful magic of support type.

{Shih-} The boxer girl struck at Kazuki.

It was a sharp straight left jab. Because the jab came flying in a straight line, its movement was hard to catch and it looked excessively fast. Kazuki didn’t rely on his eye and read the destination of the magic power flow to evade.

{!?} It seemed she didn’t think that her jab would be evaded, the boxer girl had her eyes widen in surprise while swinging her right fist at him. But her agitation was expressed in her movement.

Kazuki easily evaded and slashed with Ame no Murakumo.

But at that moment, the boxer girl showed that she was not a mere fist fighter but a <magic fist fighter>.

{Attack like the wind, uncatchable like the smoke, fluctuation is exactly the height of rule! … Battle God of SmokeSmoke Work!}

The black boxer’s body vanished as if it dispersed into Origin ParticlePrima Materia.

She disappeared. Kazuki’s slash cut empty air.

“!?” This time it was Kazuki that was surprised from having his attack evaded.

The next instant, he received an impact to his face.

Most likely it was a left jab. And then in barely no time at all he was hit consecutively by a right straight with a flash like speed.

Kazuki staggered from the recoil of his defensive magic power. It was just a blow, but it was heavier compared to a slash.

The figure of his opponent vanished―he could only sense the presence of her magic power flowing like a smoke.

Was her fist the only thing materializing when she struck him?

The attack from him passed through her, but her attack hit him completely.

He could feel his opponent’s magic power creeping up at him accompanied by a presence of killing intent.

Even without seeing it, if he could sense the flow of magic power than it was enough for Kazuki.

Kazuki dodged the unseen punch with a sway of his body.

{!?} The invincible boxer let out a surprised indication from his evasion.

“The wings flapped, what is scattered is spark. Trail behind the spiraling wind, become the bullet that pierces life! Flap and shoot out! Barrett!!”

Physical attack hit only empty air, but he wondered how a flame bullet would fare.

When Kazuki shot out a level 1 magic, the invincible boxer’s presence showed that she easily dodged it. This girl was different than the cyborg soldiers! She possessed an excellent skill on the level that could evade if it was a simple attack magic, that came from piling up training!

But the fact that she evaded meant that even though she had turned into a smoke of magic power she still could be hit by attack magic.

Kazuki reflexively let out a smile. She was an interesting opponent. He wanted to fight her one-on-one slowly.

But he couldn’t do that.

{Rhythm give ardor to fighting spirit, singing voice light courage, melody is changed into the brilliance of blade… bring the stage of victory into our battlefield! Song of Promised VictoryFight Songǃ}

The Magika Stigma that chanted support magic from the depth of the ship invoked that magic.

―That girl also had a staggering appearance. The white girl with glamorous blond hair wore a Magic Dress in the form of a costume with stars and stripes pattern decorated with glittering spangles―her appearance was exactly like that of an [idol].

It made him wanted to doubt whether what she wore was really a Magic Dress.

Guitar and mike were created in her hands, the idol girl suddenly started to sing.

While strumming her guitar, her singing voice echoed loudly through the battlefield.

{~♪} The singing voice in English had an upbeat tempo, Kazuki couldn’t make out the lyrics of the song.

Instantly the movement of all enemy troops on the battlefield accelerated and their power amplified.

The cyborg soldiers that were located at a more distant location and also the boxer in front of his eyes, all were affected.

All member support magic. It was a magic that could possibly change the war situation in a big way. It would be bad if that song was not stopped…

“O undying bird that soar from dusk to dawn, please grant that wing of hope on my back! The destruction for the sake of rebirth right here…! Blazing Wings!!”

While Kazuki was evading the unseen boxer’s prickling jabs, he invoked a large scale attack magic. Wings of flame spread out largely on Kazuki’s back and he directed it to the presence of the boxer’s magic power, Kazuki rotated his body and wing in order to swallow that presence.

An approaching curtain of flame. It was a large scale attack magic that couldn’t be avoided and gave no room to escape.

But the boxer girl also chanted her magic.

{My daring knows no retreat and become a storm in the ring! Awaken the infinite great power… Carnage Tornado Whirlwind FistDempsey Hurricaneǃǃ}

She invoked that just before the curtain of flame approached, a fierce wind burst forth in the surroundings of the girl’s presence.

Something rotated fiercely and disturbed the air.

Kazuki sensed from the magic power what the girl was doing―she was giving rise to a fierce wind by doing boxing’s characteristic upper body rotation movement, <weaving> while further swinging around both her hands 'bun bun'.

From the rotation of her upper body and both arms, she became a three pronged tornado and just like that she plunged into the curtain of flame.

―The wind had the power to blow away the flame.

The wind that rotated at high speed stirred the flame. The flame got enfolded and scattered away everywhere before disappearing.

Like that the girl slipped into the flame curtain. The Blazing Wings―were breached.

The boxer girl went through the flame curtain and leaped into Kazuki’s bosom.

{I got you!! Double Hurricane Cockscrew!!}

The boxer girl raised a satisfied voice while thrusting forward both her arms that were conceived with tornado at Kazuki.

Such development could be predicted beforehand.

“Zekorbeni!!”

Kazuki created a small Magic Dress of pendant shape on his neck and strongly thought of his bond with Mio.

Kazuki’s body was enveloped in dress of flame. At the same time he poured magic power into [the circuit of positivity level] and pulled out Phoenix’s power directly.

Instant chanting―because the boxer girl had just invoked a large scale attack magic she became completely careless and leapt at him with her movement already entering an attack motion.

Because he had already lured her enough, he invoked Zekorbeni. It was a timing where dodging was impossible.

“O bird of paradise where the light of heaven reside in that body, respond to my accusation and burn to ash the sins on the earth! Israel Judgment!!”

{Wh, WHAT!? How can that kind of magic, this fast…!?}

If she was taken completely by surprise, than she wouldn’t be able to even use Resist.

The avatar of Phoenix emerged, a light that was as if the sun itself was compressed was fired in a straight line. It was a magic that would have its power decreased in proportion depending on the distance because it was light, but if one got hit from zero distance it would have a power outside the norm.

The boxer girl who was greeted by flying fire as if she was the one who jumped into it herself was blown away to the sea while her form was made to materialized.

{What happened!?}

Splash! The sound of someone falling into the sea could be heard. But for a possessor of magic power and physical ability of that level, she would surely able to climb up the ship again soon.

Kazuki immediately stopped pouring magic power into Crest of SolomonZekorbeni and vanished the flame dress. He must not display more power than what was necessary towards an opponent with unknown power.

And then when he was going to hurry to head towards the idol who was singing the song of reinforcement magic, he paid attention to how Beatrix was doing with a glance.

{No people that can escape against the law of the wilds… Dancer of Throwing RopeRoping & Jitterbugǃ} “Nuwaa―!!”

The gunman girl with a bad look in her eyes threw a rope that was permeated by magic power and bound Beatrix hands and feet. When the rope was pulled tightly, Beatrix rotated like a spinning top.

It was as if a cowboy was controlling a ferocious bull with a rope.

What in the world was she doing! Was the opponent really that powerful!?

The gunman girl directed a sharp look at Kazuki.

{I won’t let you go… shoot fate to death, magic bullet of black death! Death Flying StarGhost Snipe!}

She turned the two silver handguns in her hands at him and pulled the triggers in succession.

A total of seven bullets were fired―all of those bullets were enchanted with magic power.

The bullets vanished in the middle of its firing line.

Right after that―vortexes of magic power were created at Kazuki’s surroundings and the bullets came flying, tearing apart the space.

Bullets that warped and came attacking from all directions―'gin gin!' Kazuki repelled the bullets with Ame no Murakumo and his body dodged.

{My bullets were blocked…!?}

‘I see’, Kazuki understood the situation. Beatrix who was the type that blocked attacks using her reflex had bad compatibility with this attack.

“Barrett!”

Kazuki shot back at the gunman with Phoenix’s level 1 magic.

{Shoot down all shots… Reaction FiringQuick Aegis!}

With a speed that far surpassed human’s reflex speed, the gunman shot back with her guns.

Defensive magic―it was not the girl’s own reflex but a creation of [interception’s cause and effect] from the magic, it created the result of his Barrett getting shot by her gun. The bullet that was fired magically surpassed the speed of sound, collided with Barrett without any deviation, and it annihilated Barrett’s magic power.

All of her chanting was fast like a quick draw gunman.

But it was enough to just make her awareness directed to him for only an instant.

Beatrix had already escaped from the rope with brute strength “Fun-!” and approached the gunman’s back. The large sword of the Einherjar swung down without letting escape the good chance, making the gunman went ‘hah’ in realization and turn back.

{Something like your sword or whatever is useless no matter what you do…. O cloud of iron dust, curse and become the blessing that wrap my body… Cloak of WastelandDesperado!}

Cloud of sand sprang forth around the gunman. The sand cloud was whirling while gluing closely to the girl’s body and the iron content that was strangely included in it solidified, forming a black coat.

“The same method to defend won’t work the second time against the Einherjar! …O the god of Asgard Thor! Delight in my sword dance and let your roar resound! Entrust the thunder of sky into this sword, already even the exchange of attack is not allowed, consign to oblivion!! Fjorgyn Megin!!!!”

His catchphrase was copied…!

Lightning fell onto Beatrix’s raised sword and the sword that was wrapped by lightning was swung down as it was,

“It’s difficult for a blade to affect that coat, but electricity will go through that really well!!”

Blue sparks scattered on the body of the gunman who was protected by black clothing. It was the light of defensive magic power that resisted the rushing about electricity. “Guh.” The girl leaked out her voice and stepped back.

Looks like Beatrix was fine.

Kazuki turned to the idol wind magician that continued to sing the troublesome song in this battlefield and rushed at her.

His eyes met the gaze of the idol girl. She further invoked another magic while she was singing. She chanted not using her mouth but by telepathy towards Astrum so it was something possible.

It was high level attack magic. The idol girl was convinced that her attack magic would be invoked faster than Kazuki’s attack and she grinned broadly.

Certainly he wouldn’t make it in time. But Kazuki kept running without trying to defend or dodge and raised Ame no Murakumo. …That was because he had noticed the magic power surge that happened quite far behind.

“Dashinben!”

While Shouko who according to her personal statement was bad in hand to hand combat was performing opposition to the cyborg soldiers, she kept watching over the battle state of this side and she invoked that magic at a perfect timing.

A stick of plain wood that fiercely disturbed magic power. If that got swung down on empty air, it could emit wave that obstructed the chanting of all Magika Stigmas in the surrounding.

'DOON!' Even though there was no such sound but along with such a sensation echoing inside her head, the idol girl groaned “Uu-!?”. A moment of delay was created in the chanting that was almost completed, Kazuki stepped close to her.

“Haa!”

A flash of a diagonal slash along with his fighting spirit, and then a second strike further with the returning blade, he had no worry of anyone becoming a hindrance so he continued to give pursuing attack with large swings. He hacked to pieces the idol girl who seemed to have weak skill in fighting at the front lines.

Kazuki directed his gaze at Arthur’s direction. ‘Please’, he informed with his eyes.

Arthur also sensed the balance of the battle and nodded in understanding at his gaze’s meaning.

{This battle is decided already! We are not coming to fight, sheath your weapons!!}

Arthur who had the role of negotiating yelled in English.

The gazes of the enemies gathered altogether at the collapsed idol girl in front of Kazuki.

It seemed that this idol was the one with the highest position among them.

The idol girl replied with a tense and awe inspiring look.

{Visitors from other country! We the, Americans have adopted isolationism! We will intercept any who come from the outside, no matter who it is!!}

As expected they were really American.

“Arthur! What is the meaning of [isolationism]!?”

Not understanding the word that was too technical, Kazuki asked to Arthur in a large voice using Japanese language.

Arthur too replied back to Kazuki using Japanese language with a loud voice. “It means isolation doctrine!!”

At that time, the momentum of the enemy shook.

{ { { {Ja, Japanese!?} } } }

{Time, time, tiiimee!! Wait, waitt―!!}

The idol girl swung around both her hands up and down. But this side had already stopped attacking since a while ago.

The cyborg soldiers gathered around the idol girl in great panic and they began to discuss something in whispers as if in a huddle.

Kazuki was taken aback by the sudden human reaction that they showed.

{Who’d have thought that they are Japanese…} {They were talking in English so I thought that they might be British…} {Britain is no good, but Japan is fine, this is fantastic.} {No wonder I thought that their skins are yellow…} {But this is the first time I have seen the yellow monkey…} {Oi, stop it with the improper calling.}

At that moment from the edge of the ship, the boxer girl that Kazuki had thrown into the sea just before climbed up onto the deck. Looking at the battle that was halted, her eyes turned circle while saying {What happen?} and she got added into her comrades huddle. Only the gunman girl was outside the circle alone waiting for the conclusion of the discussion to come out.

{Yes, ohh~, yes!}

The idol girl yelled. It seemed that something like a conclusion had been decided.

The huddle was dissolved and the idol girl went a step forward to Arthur’s direction. She took a glance at Kazuki, and after hesitating which one was the representative, she talked in Japanese.

“Please forgive the sudden rudeness. We misunderstood that all of your are envoys from British because you negotiated using English. We are adopting isolation doctrine, but only Japan is the exception. We had been anticipating contact from Japan. Even now our heart is burning with the soul of Japan-America alliance. Once again, we welcome the arrival of all of you from the bottom of our heart. Welcome, to the USA!”

The cyborg soldiers raised their fist all at once and yelled “USA!” “USA!” repeatedly.

Kazuki and the others became even more dumbfounded.

Chapter 4 – Country of Freedom and Prosperity (Utopia)

Part 1

The American’s patrol boat that they had fought until not long ago was leading in front of Queen Kaguya.

And then finally the two ships arrived at America’s west coast: San Francisco.

A giant hamburger was served in front of Kazuki’s eyes. The bottom size of it was nothing special, but its height was extremely abnormal. It was truly a hamburger tower. The red of the ketchup, the green of the avocado, the white of the onion rings, the brown of the hamburger built colorful layers, hearty amount of cheese was melting vertically down piling up a striped pattern. Not to mention its puffing steam and thick aroma.

“This is how you eat it!”

The black boxer girl who had fought Kazuki laughed cheerfully.

“Secret Technique Merry Go Round・Bite!”

The girl pierced a stake into the center of the hamburger, and after pressing the hamburger lightly so as to not destroy the texture of the bread, she put an angle from the bottom to the part of the hamburger’s rim and sank her teeth into it. Just like that she rotated the whole hamburger and ate the lower half’s rim as if erasing it. After a rotation next she moved to the rim of the upper half and sank her teeth into it, then she rotated the hamburger in full circle once again.

Kazuki raised a shocked voice “Ooo-“ from the culture shock. So that was how you eat it.

“…It’s super delicious…!” Shinobu-senpai’s eyes shined glaringly.

“Now then, let’s introduce ourselves once more.”

The boxer girl said that with her mouth sticky all over from ketchup and mustard.

“My name is Mary Mayweather Junior. I’m a boxer.”

“I’m Virginia Dance. Call me Ginny. For the time being, I’m an Idol you know.”

The white idol girl that sang the song in the battle just before also showed a friendly smile.

“The girl that fought with guns like in a western movie is Jeremy Barett.”

They told him that the girl Jeremy and other cyborg soldiers were heading to the government to report.

And then these girls, Mary and Ginny, volunteered to be the guide for Kazuki and co.

Kazuki was musing inside his head. Mary Mayweather Junior. Virginia Dance. Jeremy Barett. The names of the foreigners that were introduced to him all at once was hard to memorize.

They were in a port city named [Fisherman’s Wharf] in San Francisco.

They finally arrived in America for the first time. Here and there were loud jovial laughs from the American people with physiques that were far better than the Japanese.

Mary and Ginny reserved a restaurant of the port city and invited Kazuki and co. Perhaps they were giving consideration to how there were many of them that were still in a student’s age that they guided them to a place where they could relax the tension.

At the white tables in the open terrace that had the scent of salt water, Kazuki and co. took a seat divided into several groups, and had a feast of an American meal.

Kazuki also challenged the hamburger. It was the flavor of junk food that interweaved monotone seasoning and fat that was too aggressive. But, it was absurdly delicious.

“Next if I have to say what is the specialty of this place, then it’s surely the marine product! Eat as much as you like!! Don’t you dare think that you can go home to Japan with your current body fat percentage!!”

Mary ordered in high spirits and food was lined up on the table one after another. Seafood pizza that was violently thick, large amount of fried squid, lobster and crab that looked like a monster, clam chowder that was filled into hollowed bread as a bowl. Everything was jumbo sized.

“Piyoo―n” When Kaguya-senpai ate pizza with its cheese lengthening elastically, Stella mimicked her and went “Piyoo―n! Piyoo―n!” happily.

They were hiding Stella’s circumstance here.

“…Your Japanese is really skillful isn’t it?” Kazuki asked.

“America’s [Knight Order] have all the upper echelons class learning the Japanese language. We cannot understand each other with other advanced magic countries, but perhaps we can understand each other with Japan, that’s why. Just look there.”

The jovial black girl Mary pointed at a distant view with her finger.

There was no high building in the port city. When they looked far ahead from the restaurant, they could command a view of a metropolis’ townscape. There were countless high buildings that made their sense of distance disarrayed lining up there.

A super modern Megalocitymetropolis. It was not a city of a country that had thrown away their civilization at all.

Rather it was the look of a world that had welcomed a mature science culture even beyond Japan.

Arthur and Beatrix lost their words from too much shock.

“How shocking… we had thought that perhaps America too had abolished their civilization beyond doubt. So this is what you mean by the possibility that Japan can understand each other with America. The current America is not contracting with a Mythology that forced faith.”

Kazuki talked frankly in surprise.

“No, we are having a faith you see. …We have faith in the USA!!”

When Mary said that, she and Ginny who sat beside her placed their arm around each other’s shoulder while yelling repeatedly “USA!” “USA!”. The waitress that carried the food to their table also formed a chorus “USA! USA!” with them.

Kazuki and co. stiffened completely from this mood that they didn’t understand.

“We have to thoroughly explain so that you won’t misunderstand. After all this is the contact between America and Japan that we have been eagerly waiting for. What a serious responsibility this is. For this kind of important task to be left to us, this is big!”

It was Ginny, the girl who made one feel a sexy adultness with an atmosphere that was calmer than Mary, that said that.

“Following in order, let me introduce about this country. When magic was born in this world… America was also exposed to the danger of Demon Beast and illegal magicians similar to the other countries.”

The words of Knight Order, Demon Beast, illegal magician, they were designation that was also used internationally when the diplomacy between the countries was still barely remaining. There was no need to redefine the concept once again from the start.

“And then, similar to other countries who had the Mythologies of Cosmos Side extending their hand in rescue, there was also a Mythology who extended their hand to America. …That was [Indian Mythology].”

‘Eh?’ Kazuki thought.

“I cannot see how the Summoning Magic that the both of you displayed before can come from the Indian Mythology though.”

“Right. …The helping hand from Indian Mythology was something that would have us sacrifice all of our science culture and prosperity. That was why a large number of us American people [rejected] that helping hand.”

During the chaos of society from the rampage of Demon Beast and illegal magician, they refused a helping hand.

That was something absurd.

“After all in the first place the Indian Mythology is not the mythology of us American people.”

Mary told them straight out after consuming the hamburger really quickly.

“You see, us American people doesn’t have a history of fantasy that we had been piling up since time immemorial. The foundation of heart that acted as a mass illusion for us until that point of time was not faith towards Mythology. It was the patriotic heart that America is without a doubt the leader of the world, and then the heart that loves freedom and prosperity. Such thing was incompatible with the Indian Mythology.”

“That was why America was divided right into two.”

Ginny and Mary opened their mouth alternately.

“The people that accepted the help of Indian Mythology gathered in the south side and introduced themselves as [Indian], and they were founding a nation of [South America] as a religious country. The patriots that were in conflict with that were driven out to the north, and became [North America]. The side of North America was continued to get exposed to the threat of Demon Beast and illegal magician. But then after that, again there was a different Mythology that reached out their hand to us. They were the cultures and sense of values that the modern American people ought to be most proud of that transformed into the image of Divas.”

…Cultures and sense of values were… transforming into Divas?

“That is… [American Justice Mythology] ―!!”

Mary yelled. 'Puho-' Several of Kazuki’s companions almost spewed out the food that they were eating. The restaurant’s waitress and the cooks inside the kitchen, anyway all the America people around them went “USA!” “USA!” in a chorus all at once.

“American… Justice Mythology…?”

What in the world was that? No, were they even a Diva, that…?

Mary aka Mary Mayweather Junior pointed her own thumb at herself.

“My contracted Diva is <Fighting GodPound for Pound>. He is a Diva that embodied the American people’s [ideal strength], betting everything on their fist in a showdown… in other words, he is the god of boxing.”

Ginny aka Virginia Dance also said while hitting her pal to her abundant breasts.

“My Diva is <IdolPop Star> Coloring all the world’s everything in American color with the power of song. She is a Diva that embodied [the fantasy towards the feeling of unity].”

They were not Divas that made faith as their source of strength.

They were things that built a form of a completely different fantasy.

“The Diva that the gunman from before, Jeremy Barett, is contracted with is <Trail-blazing SpiritFrontier Spirit>. It’s the symbol of the American people’s soul that doesn’t yield to hardship and advances forward.”

Beyond Kazuki and co., Arthur and Beatrix were also dumbfounded.

But in the first place, what was the source of power for Diva?

It was not limited to just faith. After all both Solomon Mythology and Japanese Mythology weren’t demanding for things like faith.

The source of power of Diva was… fantasy. A universal fantasy that a group of humans shared latently.

…If that was the case, then what about magic power? Astrum?

…The things that the Philosopher Stone brought about?

“We who got chased to the far north and north were given help by the America itself. And then under the American Justice we the <North America Knight Order> was formed.”

Mary said that with bright eyes.

“American Justice Mythology that is the spirituality of the present American people taking shape is not really that strong of a Mythology though. Perhaps it’s because our history is short, our gods’ personalities are thin.”

No, that was strange.

“From the impression that I got from our battle before, I don’t think that that’s the case though.”

“I think so too.” Arhur too agreed after he came back to his senses.

“The strength of all of you are high level even compared to the knights of other magic advanced countries. I guarantee it.”

“That’s… it’s because we have established a little <restriction> with our contracted Divas. In exchange of losing our power when we break this restriction, if we can satisfy this restriction we can exhibit strength more than we originally have. Fantasy that is tied with rules can be strengthened.”

“Restriction…?”

“The content of the restriction is a secret okay.”

Mary winked at him in a snap. Ginny immediately changed the topic.

“Like this America was split into two. The North America of the American Justice Mythology, and then the South America of the Indian Mythology… Two orders had appeared in one country, both sides are incompatible with each other, and so the [South-North War] that is betting the hegemony of America began.”

It was just like the conflict between Japan and Yamato.

Now he see, he could understand the circumstance in America.

“After talking this far, you can understand why we can speak Japanese right?”

“With Japan as the only country with the same sense of values like America, you are making preparation for the sake of tying friendship in order to oppose the other Magic Advanced Countries… it’s something like that isn’t it?”

Mary and Ginny nodded satisfiedly.

“Correct, when we defeat Indian Mythology, we also plan to openly propose an alliance to Japan. It’s hard to ask for help from our side. But honestly, we wanted your help.”

This circumstance was as he expected yet there was also some things that he didn’t wish for.

In the first place they came to America because they predicted that the King still hadn’t been born yet in America and the reason for that was because, like Japan and Yamato, the country was split into parts and a conflict happened.

This was for the sake to decide which side they would cooperate with and then to tie a friendly relationship with that cooperation.

It was for the sake of opposing Loki, China, and Russia.

But the problem was… which was the correct side to support. North America of American Justice, South America of Indian Mythology, which should they pick.

“I understand. I rea~lly understand your feeling! You cannot say that simply which sides you’re going to cooperate with, I know!”

Suddenly Mary sat beside him over-familiarly and firmly put her arm over Kazuki’s shoulder.

Rather than calling her over-familiar though, it felt more like that she wouldn’t let him get away.

“Is there a slavery system in America? It looks like its quite common in other Magic Advanced Countries to have them.”

Kazuki asked to the face of Mary who came really close to him.

“…Slavery system? There is no such thing here.”

“After all America is a country that loves freedom and equality see.” Mary nodded too.

“…Is that so?”

Kazuki observed the expression of the two. He could even see that they were replying with a really natural behavior, He also felt the tension suddenly lowered. With a glance, he sent his gaze to Lotte.

Lotte shook her head. Most likely her Telepathy was not effective, it was that kind of meaning.

Guess that these two were also trained for that.

…North America and South America, which one was the owner of that slave ship they encountered on the Pacific Ocean? What Kazuki was bothered with was that.

…Who in the world was the group that came to rescue the slave ship yet for some reason slaughtered all the people in it?

“By the way, are you the leader of this group?”

“…Yes, I’m the leader of this [delegation].”

Against Mary’s inquiry, Kazuki hid his status as a <BasileusKing>.

“Heee, you are really young but looking from our fight before, you conspicuously showed strength that was towering above the rest.” Mary who fought him before gave him admiration.

“If the King directly comes then the talk will be fast though. Even if what you have is not a Mythology of faith, but your side also has a BasileusKing that is contracted with the chief god right?”

While shivering from Ginny’s words, Kazuki asked back “Yes. America has a King too?”

“Yes, we are calling the BasileusKing as King here. It’s really American isn’t it.”

American… He thought that the popular name that was Basileus had became the popular custom, but it seemed that America didn’t go along with that.

“Anyway you should know about us better. After all America is the best!”

With her arm still over his shoulder, Mari slapped Kazuki’s shoulder friendly.

“First we will have you all visit our capital city. The capital of North America is Las Vegas.”

Mary said that.

“It’s not Washington DC?” Kazuki asked back.

“New York and Washington DC that are located in the east were completely stolen by the South America side. I said that the country is divided into South and North, but more accurately it’s more like Northwest and Southeast, the border line between us is pulled diagonally through the country.”

“We have the fighting spirit that someday we will take back Washington DC someday, and so we put the provisional government on the front line that is Las Vegas.”

Mary added some more explanation to Ginny’s words.

When they finished their meal in the restaurant, several limousines had been prepared outside for them. Kazuki rode them separately and then they headed to the airport of San Francisco.

From there they were going to change transportation into the private jet of North America’s Knight Order and fly to the nearest airport from Las Vegas, McCarran. That was their arrangement.

“I don’t wanna use an airplane…” Hikaru-senpai who had a fear of heights was making a bitter face.

He innocently gazed at the scenery from the window of the limousine. At first he didn’t get any deep impression to the degree that he was in a [foreign world]. This country had the feel of a civilization that bordered on Japan.

Their start point of the Fisherman’s Wharf had the scenery of a tranquil port city, when he looked to the direction of the sea he could see something like earless seals. Kaguya-senpai who loved cute thing made a huge ruckus.

Their cars ran at full speed on a highway that stretched out straight in great speed and then they entered a highway in the shape of a transparent tube. An electronic voice 'pii' sounded out and the limousine became automatically driven.

They gradually climbed to higher altitude going through the uphill tube highway and it seemed like they were floating in the sky above the city. Inside the tube, the distances between their car and the cars at the front and the back were automatically measured and their speed was in the state of automatic control.

The rest went following the route that was entered into the car navigation heading to the San Francisco airport.

“Oi, there is no one holding the wheel at the driver’s seat, and this road that looks like a tube, it’s like we are completely floating in the sky… what’s going to happen to us…”

Beatrix who only barely understood the concept of a driving wheel was losing her presence of mind.

“We only need to drive manually in the urban area you see.” Ginny laughed.

Far from having their civilization regressing, they even had technology that didn’t exist in Japan.

While running through the tube highway that had great visibility, they could see a terrific metropolis in the east direction.

Super highway buildings as if they were going to pierce the sky were lining up like a forest of bamboos. It was an amazing three dimensional scenery of the tube-shaped sky highways countlessly entangling with each other.

“The night view of this must be amazing…” Mio leaked a voice that sounded like she was going to faint.

“I had thought that perhaps by any chance this country is going to be amazing when I saw the soldiers that looked like cyborgs but… this really feels like a futuristic alchemic city.”

“I guess so. With the combination of alchemy and science, North America had accomplished a rapid development of civilization.”

Ginny threw some appropriate words into the conversation. Kazuki asked about something that was bothering his mind.

“There is also alchemy at Japan but, in the first place the compatibility between science and magic power should be bad. But in the previous battle, America’s soldiers were pouring magic power through mechanical equipment. Through what kind of principle can such a thing work?”

Japan’s alchemic machine couldn’t do anything except inputting magic power into machine interface. For example when someone [inputted] the image inside their mind into a thoughtography camera that were loaded with Psychofilm, it would then be projected as a picture.

But America’s alchemic machine was in a level that was able to pour magic power into the machine’s dynamic force and then it could control or amplify the energy itself.

That aspect became the decisive difference. Perhaps that was the reason why such a difference of scenery like this could be created between Japan and America.

“If Japan gives us the promise to ally with our country then I think it would be fine even if we teach you the secret though.”

Ginny laughed amusedly. Kazuki also thought that they wouldn’t so easily tell them like that.

“But as expected you don’t have the authority to teach us such secret like that right?”

“That’s not true you know. For the moment, I am the number 5 of this country’s Knight Order. Mary is number 6.”

Kazuki’s expression reflexively turned serious.

Part 2

Las Vegas was located right in the middle of the desert.

In order to block such a harsh environment, the zone from the airport until the Las Vegas strip was covered by a gigantic dome, making it a half-indoor environment.

Of course the current Las Vegas was in a different appearance compared to when Japan still had diplomatic relation with America.

“There is a story from the past of drunk tourists that walked around and collapsed from a heatstroke.”

From what Ginny told him, it seemed that the outside of the dome had a temperature that surpassed 40°.

Their small plane slipped through the [window] of the dome to enter and landed on an exclusive terminal.

When they got out of the terminal, they saw high speed automatic walkways that controlled inertia manipulation laid out like nets in front of them. All of it was heading to every destination possible.

He was told that because every single building in Las Vegas was stupidly huge, thus automatic walkways like this were created.

“That bunch of South America… those Indians’ attacked and destroyed these fairly often, so each time we reconstructed them again.”

Mary said that in a loathing tone.

In the area called Strip, where hotels were lining up, buildings where he couldn’t say anything except that their scaling ratio was just weird were lining up countlessly. It was as if they were in a country of giants.

It seemed that all of the buildings here were hotels.

“We are going to reserve the whole floor in any hotel that all of you like, so please take your stay there.”

Ginny said so about their accommodation from now on.

“We are going to stay in a hotel? Not in an official facility?”

“In this temporary capital of the current North America, Las Vegas, there is no state guest house. After all, we have never assumed that honored guests from foreign countries are going to come.”

“But Las Vegas is a city that boasted the greatest amenity and service in the world! This is not only limited to America, I can declare that this city is the greatest of its kind in the world right now! You should be able to be satisfied without fail!”

Mary raised her fist saying that. Though Kazuki, who was not particularly wanting to be welcomed that much, was holding doubt whether it was really okay for them to stay at a civilian hotel.

…Most likely observation devices would be hidden there.

“We cannot meet with the King of America yet?”

“Please wait a little bit more for that. We also want to have a talk with all of you, so… while waiting, we want you all to enjoy Las Vegas.” Ginny evasively said that.

Kazuki and co. headed to Las Vegas Strip by choosing the fastest high speed automatic walkway among the walkway variations available. When they got near the crowding hotel buildings, the true state of the buildings that made them even more amazed entered their eyes.

There was a hotel that took the shape of an Osaka castle. Pyramid, Sphinx, Ancient Rome palace, Arch of Triumph and Eiffel Tower, the Purple Forbidden Castle, Buckingham palace, Koeln Great Temple, further a giant Moai statue… hotels with such shapes were built near each other as if telling that that sense of unity could just go to hell.

Moreover, each one of them had the scale of several times the size of Tokyo dome.

“There were many theme hotels that copied famous places in the world in the old era Las Vegas, but that inclination was even more accelerated when we lost the diplomatic relation with the world. We cannot travel abroad anymore, but if you just come to Las Vegas you can enjoy everything in the world.

“Even though there are no tourists that come from abroad anymore…”

“That’s right, this place is a palace of amusement created by American people for the sake of American people.”

Ginny puffed out her chest proudly.

“So, which hotel do you want?”

The hotel [Yggdrasil] was a hotel that imitated the world tree from Norse Mythology.

While it was a gigantic hotel, it also fulfilled the role as a center supporting pillar of the roof of the dome that was covering the sky of Las Vegas. Therefore it was Yggdrasil, it seemed that was the reason.

“Are, are you kidding…” Beatrix was trembling. Her reaction was almost exactly like Leme that time when they visited the cosplay café ‘Solomon’.

“However a casino hotel with Norse Mythology as its theme is… really savory with irony desu.”

Lotte made an evil smiling face a little and said such impression.

The one whole floor of the highest floor of this high-rise hotel, that boasted the highest height in Las Vegas, was completely reserved for Kazuki and co.. What their host did was just too generous.

The room where Kazuki was guided to was a spot where he could take in an unbroken view of Las Vegas’ gorgeous yet chaotic scenery. The sky was still in evening but when night came the scenery would surely be amazing.

His room had the size that gave the feeling of a size double of that of his room in Queen Kaguya. Thinking again, thanks to spending ten days aboard Queen Kaguya, he had some resistance against extravagance attached to him.

The fundamental was the same so he was not shocked.

“…Somehow it really feels like the treatment for a King huh.”

At this late hour he felt just like what Vice Chief Yamagata told him, he had the feeling that his uniform appearance was losing to the atmosphere.

Kazuki and his companions put their luggage in each of their rooms for the moment. Then they were going to meet in the casino. Because there were guests that appear without reservation besides the hotel guests itself, the hotels everywhere in Las Vegas had turned their first floor into large casinos.

“In Las Vegas, there are also all kinds of amusements and shows. Even Cirque du Soleil is coming. However, after checking into a hotel, the first thing you have to do is play in that hotel’s casino!”

Mary was saying that brightly, so

“But we don’t have any dollars at all you know.”

“Then we will present you some seed money from the North American government. If you can increase that money then you only need to return the original amount. Hahaha, I’ll take a look at the skill of Japan’s Knight Order here!”

“Wait, I mean most of us are still underage though…”

―And it became like this from that.

He never thought that a day where he was going to gamble would come.

To play around with money like this, he felt that an adult’s entertainment was really terrifying.

Moreover, it was with other people’s money.

But this was a welcome that a country granted them with, so it was also improper to decline, he also had quite an interest to a foreign culture that differed so much like this.

Kazuki resolved himself to win without fail and return the money properly.

When he descended alone to the first floor with the elevator, the casino zone immediately spread out right in front of him.

In Las Vegas’ hotels, no matter where you came from and where you were going you would always be able to cross a casino without fail.

Red carpet was spread out, golden colored light was pouring down from the ceiling. But the casino gave a terrific impact more to the [ear] rather than to the [eye]. The sound of ball rolling on the roulette. The sound of coins falling down jinglingly. The calling voice of the waitress saying “Cocktail” and voice asking for chips. And then the bellows of American people that were mismatched with their formal attire deafened his ears.

And then it went without saying that the place was huge.

As expected it was uneasy to be here alone. Rather, he stood out as a student wearing a student uniform here that made him feel ashamed. He was anxious whether he was going to get chased out because he was underage but the eyes of the officials and the waitresses that he met only returned a bright grin to him. It seemed they had been properly told about the circumstances.

Everyone else still hadn’t come down yet.

“We made you wait~!”

When he looked back to the voice, the girls, with Kaguya-senpai at the head, were there coming out from the elevator in succession.

Everyone was shining bright that didn’t lose to the casino’s atmosphere.

Everyone had taken the matching appearance of a bunny girl.

From the sexy black leotard, their slender beautiful legs were emphasized with the net tights.

Kaguya-senpai’s nice body was exactly a royal bunny, the bunny look also suited Mio’s gorgeous look well, talking about Koyuki she was a bunny, the gap from Hikaru-senpai doing a sexy appearance made his heart skip a beat, Kazuha-senpai’s appearance that was fidgeting around being shy from the bottom of her heart was cute.

“When we said to Mary-san that we want to become a bunny because this is a casino, she prepared this for us!”

Mio, who likes everything when it came to clothes, was saying that happily. He guessed that everyone else also got carried away with that idea even though they were half-opposed.

“…Even Beatrix and Shouko are also wearing it?”

“Well, it shows spirit of cooperation doing things like this.”

Shouko, whose dark brown skin was captivating, answered that with a face that didn’t seem that bothered.

“Kazuki… this is an outrageous warrior garment you know.”

Beatrix said with a serious face. “Ha?” Kazuki asked back.

“The chest part is too airy. My chest muscle is insufficient…”

Beatrix said that while repeatedly pointing at her chest. Certainly there was a gap there, even now it brought about the feeling of anxiety that the chest cloth was going to droop down anytime.

Beatrix-chan, 19 years old. When he looked at her again, she had tiny breasts.

“If I don’t train my chest muscle, I won’t be suited to this warrior garment… fufufu, this is an outfit that really makes you thrilled with excitement.”

“You are making a fatal misunderstanding but, I cannot say anything anymore.”

“I too will train my chest muscle together desu.”

Lotte who also had gaps between her chest and the cloth said that with a friendly smile.

When Lotte was wearing a sexy outfit… why did he feel some kind of feeling of corruption, he wondered?

“Charlotte, your body is thoroughly meager isn’t it? After this, I’m going to work you hard through the Einherjar’s training menu.”

“I’m going to die desu―”

Both of them who were once someone who aimed for life and the one whose life was aimed at, now they were exchanging words without any hangup at all.

“Fufufu… win… I’ll absolutely win…”

In contrast with the showiness of the bunny outfit, Kamimura-san was gripping dollar notes while mumbling with a bloodcurdling look. She was not cute or sexy, her face was scary.

“What’s wrong, Kamimura-san?”

“Kazuki… just like I told you before, I got done in by a gamble called net game bill and my life was ruined. I had to live burdened with that cross for my whole life. But in this place… if I win this gamble then I can be free from this cross, perhaps I will be able to live facing forward positively… I have that kind of hunch right now.”

“Is that so… well, it depends on the way one looks at things.”

Perhaps it had no connection whatsoever with the past, but in the first place she was already a personality that liked to gamble he guessed.

“Liz Liza-sensei is… not wearing bunny?”

Hidden behind everyone, Liz Liza-sensei and Akane-senpai didn’t become bunny girls, Liz Liza-sensei was in a gorgeous dress while Akane-senpai was in her usual Knight Order uniform.

“There is no way it’s going to suit me right, me becoming a bunny.”

Liz Liza-sensei said in a way that seemed sulky.

“Something like bunny is something that an adult wears after all.”

The oldest loli teacher was completely entering self-torturing mode.

“I thought that there will be occasion where we are going to be asked to follow dress code and so I properly brought formal clothes coming here. After all, there is no way I can wear a student uniform.”

Certainly it was a gorgeous dress, she completely blended in with this high class casino hotel.

“It really suites sensei. Sensei has her own charm that I can feel.”

Though rather than calling her adult-like, she more like a cute western doll.

“Hmph… I’m just a lolicon bait old maid anyway.”

She really couldn’t be reasoned with anymore, saying that…

“Arthur, you are not going to wear bunny?”

Arthur was in his usual suit appearance. He was a formal person in the first place.

“…What disgusting thing are you saying so naturally like that? I’m a man you know.”

However before this, Hikaru-senpai told him that she sniffed [the smell of the same kind] from Arthur. There was some aspect that couldn’t be looked down from Hikaru-senpai’s instinct, so Kazuki too completely felt suspicious about Arthur’s beautiful features in some respect.

“I want to see Akane-senpai’s bunny girl look.” He also moved his gaze to Akane-senpai.

“I’ll only look painful in something like a bunny suit. As expected the outfit of a knight is the Knight Order uniform.”

“Akane-senpai is also cool like that but… now that you mentioned it, I don’t see Kanon-senpai’s figure anywhere though.”

“That girl ate too much and locked herself in the toilet right now.”

As expected even Kazuki who was a junior was thinking… What in the world is that person doing?

Part 3

Las Vegas turned the table on the Japanese guests one by one.

The first ones that achieved dying in action flashily were Mio and Karin. The two of them whose personality was just not suited to gambling no matter how one looked at it were at first repeatedly winning small in good progress, but they got carried away and moved on to the slots with high limit while humming unconcernedly, which became their downfall. They reached their hand too far when they took on the forbidden fruit that shaved off 100 dollars in 10 seconds.

Kaguya-senpai who loved brain games challenged the dealer in strategy using blackjack. But after all she was just a beginner and in the end all her possessions was tragically stripped off by the veteran dealer.

Beatrix and Shinobu-senpai were poker-faced so they challenged poker even though their personalities were the farthest beyond such game, and so they got a trip to Valhalla.

Akane-senpai and Shouko both had good command of statistic and challenged roulette, at the end of their fairly well fought brave fight, they strangely became able to get along well with each other. They became friends but, both of them had their trick truly ineffective and died in battle.

“We are just beginners after all, so despite how special we are we shouldn’t reach out our hand too far huh.”

“It’s meaningful to last long in this kind of game isn’t it?”

Kazuki and Koyuki discussed together like that and took a permanent residence at the slots with the lowest rate. The other moderate member of their group was also following them.

But Kazuha-senpai, Kamimura-san, Miyabi-senpai, and Liz Liza-sensei, even though all of them were similarly making extremely steady bet in the lowest rate, they met with an extremely bad luck streak and died without any wins at all.

The four of them let out a matching voice of “As expected, someone like me is just…”

Kazuki, Koyuki, and Lotte repeated small winnings and losses, while their face color kept being red and blue, they enjoyed the game for long. Mio who died the first also approached them to cheer “do your best, do your best” in her bunny appearance.

“Paapa, the coins are all gone…”

Against Stella who said that dejectedly, Kazuki shared some of his coins with her. Stella then headed to a match with the slot in great joy. …As expected he had the feeling that this was a bad education.(Editor: Ya think?)

“Now that I remember, where is Hikaru-senpai?”

After getting satisfied like a lower middle class from having his money improved in a plus just for a little, Kazuki suddenly became concerned.

“That person, she was heading to the high limit area right from the start I think.”

Kazuki leaked out “geh” voice after hearing the information from the witness Koyuki. It wouldn’t be strange even if Hikaru-senpai got cleaned up just in the opening five minutes there.

“But when I looked at the high limit area, that person was still silently turning around the slots you know.”

Mio said. When it came to it, it seemed that Hikaru-senpai was having quite a strenuous fight.

Kazuki and others brought their feet in groups to step into the high limit area in order to look at the situation there.

In that holy ground where even the other guests didn’t really step into, Hikaru-senpai was still continuing to pull down the lever of her slot machine.

“How is senpai doing?”

“Nn~, I think I’m in a little minus here-.“

“Isn’t it better to have the game in the slot with a little lower rate?”

“But you see this tree mark? I have the hunch that it sort of going to line up in three even now, don’t you think?”

“Hee, Yggdrasil mark. This is the symbol of this hotel isn’t it? If this symbol line up how much will it give out?”

“Ahaha, I don’t really know. Ah, looks like I’m going to be broke soon.”

“This is a rare chance after all, so please use my coins too.”

Kazuki entered his own coins into Hikaru-senpai’s slot machine and both of them pulled the lever with their hands piling up.

“Thanks-! Ah, it lined up in two again.”

“Well, it does this as a trick to keep us in the mood to keep playing right?”

“Ahaha, if you say that kind of thing then you won’t hit jackpot even when you can hit it you know? Yosh, this will be the victory of us two! Come on come on come on!”

At that moment, Hikaru-senpai had become familiar with Las Vegas more than anyone else.

‘If anyone is going to get jackpot then surely it’s this kind of person’, Kazuki thought.

There were three Yggdrasil lining up.

Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai spontaneously had their eyes opened wide and yelled “IT CAME ―!”, but that voice was drowned by the sudden fanfare that echoed throughout the casino. The unfamiliar American people in their surroundings pointed at Kazuki and co. and shouted “JACKPOT!!”, “BRAVO―! BRAVO ―!!” they were calling repeatedly in blessing. From the inside of the casino, staff members in black clothes and Mary were rushing to them in fluster,

“Mary-san, what is "jackpot?”

When Hikaru-senpai said that blankly, “So it’s from there.” Saying that Mary hung her head down crestfallenly.

“The losing portions of the people that played in this slot were all tallied in a deposit called a jackpot. When you lined up three Yggdrasil, the content of that jackpot spitted out to just one person in one go.”

“Hee, we regain the losing portion of me and Kazuki then?”

“It’s not just the losing portions of you two. This slot of Yggdrasil series is also put in other casinos and linked with each other in a network. And then no one has gotten this jackpot for half a year. You two monopolized the losing portions of the whole of Las Vegans of this half a year.”

“Ahaha! It looks like an amazing system isn’t it? I don’t really get it but how much do we get?”

“…The amount is shown over there.”

When Mary pointed at the top part of the slot area, now that she mentioned it there was an electric light display board that displayed numbers hanging there, the last three digit of the number there was constantly turning and turning. It was counting the gambled money. Right now its rotation was stopping,

Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai took quite long to count the digit of the figure there.

Unable to bear the two’s sluggishness, Mary said it out.

“34,320,000$. As a reference, in the era when Japan and America still had diplomatic relations, if this number is converted into the rate of the yen in that era it roughly amounted to 3,000,000,000 yen. Sometimes this kind of thing happens in Las Vegas. Congratulation, Japan. Welcome to Las Vegas in the true meaning.”

Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai’s faces turned serious.

The Las Vegas strip at night was even brighter than its afternoon where the sun of the desert was shining. The huge hotels asserted themselves with neon of various color, lights of rainbow color mixed and illuminated the strip. “Shiny shiny-!” Stella raised her voice.

It was a dream world that didn’t exist in Japan.

“Rather if we stay permanently in this country, we can live playing around for our whole life then.”

Hikaru-senpai that stepped her foot to the night strip while pulling Kazuki and Stella’s hand laughed amusedly. Hikaru-senpai that had become an immeasurably rich person was leading out Kazuki and Stella to the town.

“There is no way we can do that.”

“Ahaha, that’s also because we received money that won’t be usable anymore when we go back home to our country isn’t it? At the very least let’s use it as much as we can and change it into things and memories to bring back home!”

There was 20 million dollar left after it was substantially taken for tax. Kazuki thought that the things that could be bought with this much money was not of that much importance, right now he also thought so but… he felt like that he started to think that when in Las Vegas, perhaps you could buy any kind of dream with money.

He could see in this city the dream called American dreammoney.

“I’ll have magic in this city!”

Hikaru-senpai that had changed into a boyish clothes turned to the brilliance of the city and proclaimed. “With this money I’ll by all the high class fashion I can get my hands on! Those girly items that normally I cannot buy because it’s too embarrassing!”

“Senpai doesn’t need to be shy because senpai really is a proper girl though.”

“Hehehe… Those words, I’ll have you prove it properly. With Kazuki in this town… I’ll have the magic of a princess put onto me. …Look at me that becomes feminine from right besides me!”

Even though she had already innocently done perverted thing like smearing oil onto him, at this kind of time, Hikaru-senpai’s expression was colored with shame. Kazuki thought that this was the moment where Hikaru-senpai was at her cutest.

“Stella-chan too, I’ll buy you a lot of cute things-“

“Really-!? I want shiny things-!!”

“Yoshh, both of us are going to be shiny! Stella-chan is really cute! Like this I can understand Kaguya’s feelings a little~, it make me want to hug and lick you all over!”

“Lick? Whats lick!? Do it do it!”

“Yoo~ssh, lick lick lick! Lick lick lick lick lick! Delish!!”

Hikaru-senpai separated her hand from Kazuki and hugged Stella up, then she brought her face near that puffy cheek and began to fiercely lick it pero pero pero pero pero. “FUYAAA!?” Stella’s eyes turned circle. For her to seriously lick like that… Kazuki shuddered from that aggressiveness.

“Its a suspicious person’s lickity-lick! Nee-ne, is doing a suspicious person’s lickity-lick!!”

“Oy you, I’m not a suspicious person! But calling me Nee-ne instead of Nii-ni, good job seeing through me-!”

“Nee-ne is also cute so I’m going to lick lick too-! Lick lick lick lick-!!”

“Uwaa, now you’ve done it! Hehehe, but you are cute, so I’m happy-…lick lick lick-!”

Both of them were earnestly licking each other’s face. Their face became covered with saliva.

“Kazuki, what are you doing there! Kazuki too, start licking!!”

“Ee―, me too, as I thought, for me to do that too is a little strange I think though…”

“You really cannot read the mood huhh. That kind of Kazuki needs to get this-!”

Hikaru-senpai rushed at Kazuki while still holding Stella and kissed Kazuki’s cheek.

“Waa, Nee-ne is also love-love with papa! Paapa, you are cheating?”

“You are wrong~, paapa doesn’t belong to just Kaguya-maama. He belongs to everyone!”

Hikaru-senpai laughed cheerfully and repeatedly kissed Kazuki’s cheek many times.

“Stella is also everyone’s cute Stella! Lick lick lick lick!”

And then Hikaru-senpai licked Stella all over once again. Stella repeated “Everyone’s Stella…” and then she made a smile that filled her whole face.

“Everyone’s Stella! …I, will be together with everyone forever!!”

“That’s goes without saying―, you brat―!” This time Hikaru-senpai stroked Stella’s cheek grindingly.

When they wandered to the side street from the main street of the casino heaven, Las Vegas, there was also shopping heaven there. The streets of Las Vegas were connected with all kinds of human desire and dream.

There was show window with the light overflowing from the shop as its background.

“Come on-, we are going Kazuki! Let’s buy a lot of girl clothes!”

“Paapa, quick-! I want a lot of Las Vegas’s sparkly things!”

Both of them pulled Kazuki’s hands and lightly leaped into the light, taking the step forward.

When the night got late and they returned back to hotel, everyone came gathering in Kazuki’s room.

Everyone was looking at the night scenery from the balcony of the highest floor.

“What an amazing country isn’t it… though just because it’s wealthy doesn’t mean that it’s strong.”

“Kaguya-senpai murmured looking at the overwhelming night view as if the light shower over there could even reach until here.

National power―richness―just at that point, not to mention the other Advanced Magic Countries that received restriction of their faith, America even surpassed Japan by a large margin.

The only thing he was bothered with was… the technique that enchanted machines with magic power, what was that?

They had to know more about this country.

“Stella, does she remember anything after coming to America?”

The moment Stella saw the night view, she suddenly became quiet. The moment the night view of America was reflected fully in her transparent light blue eyes… “Battery…”

“Eh?”

It was as if Stella’s heart was captured by the night view, an appeal repeated on her face that looked vast somehow.

“Err, you see, my battery… is here… somewhere in the city…”

Part 4

The next day they were also spending a spectacular time.

They were told that the preparation to meet with the King of America still hadn’t been finished yet.

At evening, Akane-senpai, Arthur, and Shouko came to Kazuki’s room.

“We are being monitored huh.”

Shouko opened her mouth first to talk. But what she said was only something natural.

“How extensive is the extent of the monitoring you think?” Kazuki asked back.

“Las Vegas strip.” Shouko grinned widely.

“I completely agree.”

Akane-senpai was making a slightly surprised face, but Kazuki nodded.

“We are not going to let you take even a step outside the strip just so you know, it feels like that.”

In order to search for Stella’s memory―in order to investigate what this battery was about―Kazuki walked around the strip in the afternoon. All the people in the surroundings were being conscious even though they were not looking at Kazuki and co..

When he directed his consciousness to the direction that deviated from the strip―just by directing his consciousness to that―he could understand that the surrounding people, all of them had their nervousness suddenly heightened. Just from that Kazuki understood everything and he stopped his feet from turning to the way out for real.

Even if he tried to investigate something at the strip, he could only get his hand on information that painted the government of North America in a good light. There was nothing inside the strip except [answers that they had prepared beforehand].

The people gambling in the casino, he wondered how many percent of them were actually real civilians?

The ruling ability to finish all these preparations in less than half a day from them having a meal in Fisherman’s Wharf until they arrived here in Las Vegas, the government of this country―the King had such ability.

“We came here not for something like winning the jackpot or looking at Cirque du Soleil. Well, though all of those were extremely awesome.”

“If you want to look at the true state of a country then as expected you gotta go to a place like its slums or something.”

Shouko froze the surrounding air of the talking four people as if it was only natural. She sealed all vibration so that even if there was a listening device here, their talk wouldn’t reach anyone else.

“Hayashizaki-kun, what do you think of this country based on the current state?”

Arthur furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth.

“Honestly, I don’t really have a good impression. Their behavior regarding us that came here amicably was not really fair, and this townscape of Las Vegas, say what you like but I have the feeling that this place is just too distorted… I have a hunch that making the Indian Mythology as our ally is better.”

“That’s, Arthur-san, is that because you are a believer of a Mythology that rejects civilization?”

Akane-senpai said in an unreserved tone.

“That’s… perhaps that is so. Perhaps it’s in a different sense than with all of you.”

“The aspect where this country is looking at Japan as the same civilized nation like them should be honestly considered as a plus in our situation that is looking for alliances to fight against Loki and China.”

Kazuki too agreed with Akane-senpai.

“I don’t think that making an alliance with Indian Mythology’s South America is good at this point of time. It’s just… I’m concerned with the mysterious technique that enchanted magic power to machines, and also about the slave ship.”

“Looking at the map, there are separate downtowns in Las Vegas other than the strip main street. This city is historically a city for the masses.”

Akane-senpai took out a map of America and said.

“Let’s slip out from the monitoring and gather information there.”

Shouko proposed.

“That kind of intrigue is the field of expertise of this Ryouzanpaku’s Shouko-san. I’ll lend you my wisdom.”

“Even without borrowing your wisdom, if it’s just a plan then I have an idea. There is the most suitable magic for this.”

They had been doing the countermeasure for the spying, but Kazuki still conveyed his thinking to the other three with an even smaller voice.

“Hohou. It’s ain’t bad. If that kind of uproar happens, settling down the situation is also the work of North America’s Knight Order so they should become unable to monitor us at that time. If you use that magic then the timing is…”

“Hmm, I see… though I feel that you still need one more scheme other than this.”

“I wonder what do you think about having the other members pretending of proposing to help and attract their attention? They wouldn’t be able to ignore it right? As for the place, it should be here or around here.”

Kazuki and Shouko went “ “That’s it” ” with matching voices hearing Akane-senpai’s interjection.

Both of them had exactly the same timing. Arthur who was looking over the situation made a bitter face.

“It seems that there is proverb in Japan that said when three people gather a transcendent wisdom will result but… somehow it feels quite terrifying huh, I don’t really want to make the three of you into my enemy.”

“Because they don’t officially say we are being observed, so even if we slip through the commotion to go outside they won’t have any ground to protest. That’s really good for us. It’s fine to not think of the cleaning up afterwards,” Shouko laughed ‘kekeke’.

“It’s a petty idea, but it’s unpleasant how accurate that is…” Arthur grimaced.

Part 5

That day, Las Vegas was visited by a heavy rain that set a new record.

The localized and short heavy rain easily surpassed Las Vegas’s rain water disposal ability and it even flooded until the inside of the dome city.

In the first place it rarely rained in the desert area, in this local color where a heavy rain never even once rained down that heavily, the city design had never included a counter measure for flood disaster.

The rain water that the drainage system couldn’t deal with overflowed out and flooded the inside of the dome city until the height of people’s ankles. Because of the fierce rain, here and there of the dome’s ceiling that was made from light weight glass fiber was damaged, causing roof leaks making it seem like a bucket was flipped over.

Ginny and Mary commanded the North America Knight Order in great panic and rushed around to deal with the situation.

Most people in the casino took refuge outside the dome, but some percentage of them were added under the command of Mary and Ginny and worked out briskly. In other words they were the Knights that disguised themselves as civilians to monitor Kazuki and co. In the sudden disaster that happened, they couldn’t manage to keep their monitoring Kazuki and co.

Kazuki’s companions were also proposing here and there “Can I help with something?”, attracting the attention of the people there. Using that opening in the monitoring, Kazuki led Stella and slipped into the crowd of civilians that were evacuating, he secretly exited from the dome to the outside.

There was no inspection at the entrance. The place looked similar with the entrance of the shopping district arcade of Japan.

Looking back at the dome he just slipped out from, Kazuki unintentionally talked to himself.

“[Crying Nimbus]…chanting it with two person is amazing as expected.”

[Crying Nimbus]―it was Baal’s level 6 magic that created a rain cloud. It was seldom used in battle, a rare magic that controlled the environment.

When he thought that there was also Magika Stigma like Eleonora that could convert her own body into water and seep from material to material, the way these American lot monitoring Kazuki and co was too soft.

When Kazuki escaped, the magic rain quickly stopped. Kazuki wiped the water drop sticking on Stella’s clothes and hair with his handkerchief.

He dropped away the rain water on his own balmacaan coat using Psychokinesis.

Because he would stand out in his student uniform, he compensated by wearing American clothes.

Las Vegas―the outside of the dome after the rain stopped was like a different world.

He had anticipated it. In a society where magic power meant everything, it was easy for the gap between the rich and the poor to widen.

By covering the town with a dome, the wealthy was going to live inside the dome, like that the world would naturally be completely divided into the inside and the outside.

The Las Vegas downtown that once lined up with the strip as a tourist attraction had completely became a slum area. It was easily understood just with a glance.

“What we should look for is…the factory for the alchemy machine I think. That place might understand something about the mysterious technology, if there are slaves in this country then they should be working there.”

“Battery…” Stella whispered again. But even when he asked what did she meant by battery, Stella herself didn’t understand what was it she was obsessed with.

“…I wonder if we can understand about this battery if we investigate the alchemy factory.”

While petting Stella’s head briskly, Kazuki started to walk.

Walking.

Walking. Walking.

Walking. Walking. Walking.

He walked carrying Stella on his back.

He didn’t find the factory, but there was trash disposal spot. The moment Stella’s eyes met a certain scrap, she raised her voice saying “Battery, battery!” Was something like this also fine?

“Yossha.” The King of Japan aka Hayashizaki Kazuki was bending his back on the land of foreign country rummaging through pile of garbage.

He discovered the scrap of a large type motor. It seemed that it was using the aforementioned mysterious technology in a simple way. Why in the world they could even enchant magic power even to the energy of science?

He didn’t have any tool to take apart the motor, so he wrenched open the iron exterior with Enchant Aura.

Even looking at the content, Kazuki didn’t understand at all what kind of difference it had with the machine of Japanese made.

A large battery came out from its inside.

“This machine, is it working using a battery?”

In Japan the etherlite rechargeable battery had also become popular so this was nothing strange.

“This is not my battery…”

Stella murmured to herself. So perhaps she could judge [whether it was her battery or not] by seeing.

However she said [my], what kind of meaning that [my] meant?

“This is too big to carry back isn’t it?”

Kazuki picked out a small type machine from different scrap and dug out small type battery from it and thrust it into his pocket.

No matter which machine he looked at, there was not a single one that had a cord attached to obtain energy from external source, it seemed that all of it was working using a battery.

And then Stella shook her head to all the battery he found.

“Looks like the mysterious technology is hidden in the battery…. It feels like the energy produced by this battery is amplified by the magic power of the user and it then can be controlled freely, I think.”

[My battery], [slave girl whose heart was damaged], and then…[battery that was filled with energy that was extremely familiar with human’s mental power]. And then using that resulted in a [prosperous country].

He had the feeling that the keywords floating in his head was turning into a terrifying connection, Kazuki’s spine got a shiver from an unknown chill.

“Whether this country has a slave system or not, that has to be confirmed. If possible the production location of the battery too…”

‘Let’s move on.’ At that time when he just thought so, he felt presences behind him. Around four people.

{Oi, you. What is an outsider like you doing loitering around this town since some time ago?}

Kazuki was only able to understand about 80% of that English, but he turned back and replied.

{Outsider? I’m a Japanese descent that is born and raised in this country.}

When he turned back, as expected there were four people lining up there, all of them exploded in laughter altogether.

{Born and raised in this country you say!? What a funny joke, you baby talk bastard!!}

Kazuki who secretly had confidence in his English improvement was deeply wounded.

The men had piercing hanging down throughout their face and tattoos engraved in their body. They had the appearance of [ruffian] that even Kazuki who was not an expert in this country’s culture could understand in a glance.

The talk was simple if he was against ruffians. Perhaps he could settle this with money.

{Certainly I’m an outsider. I want to know about this country. I have the money of this country, so can you not ask me anything and give me answers to my question?}

In order to not get Stella into trouble, he kept holding Stella on his back while talking. He had received a share of dollar notes from Hikaru-senpai. He didn’t understand clearly its market price but it was supposed to be an outrageous amount of money.

{You want us to answer question for money!? It’s simpler to just beat you bastard and take it ourself!!}

‘So it’s going to be like that’, Kazuki admired.

The four ruffians assaulted Kazuki all at once. In order to not let Stella on his back got even a scratch, Kazuki carefully slipped through between the four people.

The ruffians turned back in blank amazement at Kazuki who circled to their back like a ghost.

They immediately started their assault again. All of them only swung their fist without any weapon. Their swing and footwork was strangely trained for mere ruffians.

It was the same like Mary, a boxing movement.

{It’s pointless. I have money. Information please.}

Kazuki gave up using difficult English.

As expected there was some difficulty in being assaulted by four people like this.

{Wha, what’s with this bastard!? Are you a newcomer alien!?}

But it seemed that Kazuki’s expression face that feigned calm and his broken English that had no intonation looked eerie and made the men trembling instead. They lost their calm and their punch became rough large swing.

When Kazuki kept evading without counterattacking at all, the men soon got exhausted with heaving shoulders.

{I have money. Please sell information.}

“Haa, haa…fuck! You can have anything with money somehow only in the surface of stripLas Vegas! Fucker like you that think you can make it somehow with money is hated by us of Las Vegas’s downtownhidden just so you know! Everything in downtown is decided not by money but by your fist!! We are going to steal your money using our fist! We are going to rise in the world using our fists!!}

They were unexpectedly men that kept their principle straight, inside his heart Kazuki felt guilty that he thought of them as mere ruffians.

{Got it, if you say that much then I’ll hit you!}

Kazuki evaded the men’s attack and hit them back with counter. One of the men was blown away with a good momentum and crashed into the scrap deposit.

{From now on I’ll hit you guys flying in turn. After that hand over the information.}

Kazuki approached them with extremely clumsy pronunciation. The men trembled even more.

{We are a team, we have comrades! After we stole the money from you bastard we gonna bring it back to our team and split it equally! That’s why…just because the four of us lose ain’t mean that it’s our lose!}

{Eh, what’s with that…what kind of logic is that?}

{Certainly we know about both the beautiful place and also the dirty place of this country! We should be able to satisfy what you want yeah. It’s not over with just this! If you want information…come with us until our hideout!!}

“…I wonder why it turned out like this.”

Kazuki unintentionally talked to himself using Japanese that nobody there understood.

{Hei, Japanese samurai! Your opponent next is me!!}

The place he arrived at was a conspicuously large bar that towered in the center of Las Vegas downtown. There was a boxing ring in the middle of the bar, around it were tables where many rowdy fellows were drinking alcohol while betting who was going to win.

Perhaps this was an underground boxing coliseum.

Stella was raising encouragement “Paapa, do your best!” at the ring side that was going to be bad for her good education. He had left behind words to the fellows around that [It won’t end with just wound if anyone laid even a single finger on this child].

Kazuki constantly paid attention to Stella if there was any threat, he planned to use <Zekorbeni> and instantly invoked attack magic if something happened.

{You think we gonna do something like that, don’t look down on us! I don’t know about attacking rich person on the road, but we ain’t gonna do anything cowardly at all after inviting an opponent to exchange blow man to man on the ring!!}

The men entered the ring one by one in turn and challenged Kazuki. They each did a total of three rounds where a round took three minutes, if the opponent’s magic power couldn’t be extinguished during that time then the rule was there would be a decision. The surrounding men went {I’m gonna bet on that proud man!} and threw their money at the bookmaker.

This place was a space of foreign culture where the smell of alcohol and enthusiasm were enveloping it steamily.

Kazuki Foresighted the movement of the opponent that came at him and evaded. He was also superior in Enchant Aura. Compared to the attack of Ikousai or Beatrix, the opponents were so slow he could yawn.

He perfectly saw through the opponent’s movement and constantly knocked down his opponent with a single counter.

‘It feels fresh hitting with fist instead of sword huh’, Kazuki thought.

{I understood that the sense of values of all of you is that fist is everything. But, how many people I need to defeat before I get the information?}

{You bastard, you can only get carried away until that far! Kukuku, after all the strongest champion of this underground is going to come after this!!}

Kazuki was relieved. If they were going to present a representative, he was thankful that this would be over soon.

{Now, take a good look at boss’s entrance!!}

While intentionally playing entrance music with music player, the door of the bar’s entrance was opening.

Along with a huge cheer, a silhouette was walking lumberingly toward the ring.

{It’s troublesome that you guys suddenly called me…. I was busy dealing with unknown heavy rain. Calling me just when the work was finally over and I thought of going home…besides I’m already taken in by the Knight Order and graduated from the underground, you guys don’t just always really on me forever…}

That character entered the ring gallantly while letting out complaints escaping her mouth.

That figure was exposed when she entered the ring right under the spotlight.

Kazuki spontaneously leaked out “Ah” voice.

That person was also leaking out her voice “Ah” when her eyes met Kazuki.

The one that made appearance in front of Kazuki was Mary Mayweather Junior.

“Boxers that left behind good result in this underground ring will be taken in into the Knight Order. It’s a framework where you can rise in life just a little. And then the champion that is the strongest even among them will be tied in a contract with <Pound for Pound>.”

So that was why, this was the reason that he felt high pride and principle from these guys that was different from mere ruffians.

Mary explained frankly to him in Japanese about her connection with the underground.

“I came here because I want to know about the face of America behind the scenes, not only its surface.”

Mary showed him an exaggerated deep sigh.

“By any chance that rain was also the work of you all then…we have no ground to stand on to complaint but, you had done something outrageous. Shit. Then, you already have enough sightseeing right? Don’t get too greedy of wanting the champion belt too and go back to the hotel.”

{I want you to teach me the connection between this country and the slave system.}

In order to convey to the surrounding people what did Kazuki want that he was here, he changed his words into English. His surrounding turned noisy. Mary made a deep frown on her eyebrows.

“…Haven’t I said before that there is no such thing like slave system in this country? So you don’t believe me then.”

Kazuki pointed at Stella on the ringside.

“That child was a slave. She had lost all her memory except that she was a slave though. This country and her shouldn’t be unrelated.”

Mary’s dissatisfied expression was convulsing in agitation.

“…..Is that so? Then there is nothing else to do other than to box. If you want to force your point through in this town, then you can only do it by your fists.”

Mary put her fist into glove and fixed it on her hand by her teeth biting the glove’s string to pull it.

“My bad but katana or Summoning Magic is no good here. I’ll have you fight only with the fair weapon for all human race, your fist. That’s the American strength.”

“I understand it. What are you saying is that the loser has to listen to what the winner say because this is a fight where you bet your honor right? I’ll do my best.”

“You, your experience in bare-hand fighting?”

“None. I only have sword art.”

“Is that so? …Entering this ring so nonchalantly like that, don’t underestimate this place Samurai!!”

Mary’s spirit swelled up. At the same time 'KAA―N' the high-pitched sound of the gong rang out.

Mary stepped-in before Kazuki sharply and her left arm disappeared in a blur.

…He didn’t mean to look down on boxing.

Jab. Among all the martial arts that Kazuki knew, perhaps it was the fastest.

If thinking simply only about fast movement, than Beatrix and Kanae were overwhelmingly superior, but the movement of swinging a sword was easy to understand visually no matter what.

Compared to that, this left jab that straightforwardly and unerringly flew from a stance where the fist was already lifted and prepared was completely like a needle that came flying.

That skilled movement was impossible to Foresight from the muscle’s preliminary movement or the breathing.

But since the opponent was moving while her body was clad in Enchant Aura, the magic power would flow even earlier before the flesh was moving. From that omen, he was able to Foresight the movement.

When Mary’s left jab flew, Kazuki evaded his body to the left side exactly at the same time.

Next a right straight came flying at the direction Kazuki moved his whole body at.

It was the same straightforward movement, but if the jab before was needle than this time it was a cannon.

It was a fundamental of boxing that even Kazuki knew about, one-two.

Kazuki who moved his body to the left avoided his body to the right side this time as if he was bounced by an unseen spring.

He sensed the flow of magic power that was drawing an arc.

To intercept Kazuki who slide his whole body to the right as it was, a left hook came flying as if it was taking a big detour from the outside.

The hook came flying from outside the field of vision after Kazuki’s eyes had already been made used of straightforward punch. It was a completely unseen punch. Surely if Kazuki had relied to his eyesight for even a little, he would eat that punch completely. But Kazuki was Foresighting the flow of magic power with the intention so that he could dodge even with his eyes closed.

Even while his whole body was sliding to the right, he lifted his right arm that could move freely until the right side of his face to guard and blocked the hook that was going to gouge his face.

When he released a sigh of relieve, he soon noticed.

His body wavered to the right side and lost stability, his posture that was currently raising a one armed guard highly.

His guard was wrenched open.

He was guided into this posture by the combination punch.

It was no good to only read one move ahead. He was being led around because of that.

Weaving its way through that wrenched open opening―a right straight flew at him.

‘UOWAAAAA-!’

Kazuki raised a scream inside his mind and bent his body back forcibly. It was a movement originally impossible for human’s muscle that could even break the backbone, but it was done forcefully using Enchant Aura.

The right straight lightly grazed the face of Kazuki who was bending back, the blue spark of defensive magic power scattered.

Aiming at the upper body of the bending Kazuki, Mari shot a chopping left downward. Kazuki forcibly swiveled his bending upper body. He felt like his hips had completely become a mollusk. This was a dodging movement that was impossible for boxers of the old era.

Due to that Mary was taken by surprise and refrained from pursuing attack.

“That’s astonishing prediction and physical ability…!”

Finally able to catch a breath from the combination attack, Kazuki readjusted his stance in panic while back-stepping. Mary immediately stepped-in and began a combination once more.

She wouldn’t let him stopped her. She was unstoppable.

Fast, was Mary this fast when he fought her on the ship?

No, that time he was using [Ride Lightning].

Furthermore he held his katana and counterattacked when there was opening that time.

But the current Kazuki couldn’t make a move so carelessly. Mary’s boxing skill was not in the dimension where an amateur could so simply interfere. Mary understood that Kazuki wasn’t able to attack so she unleashed a combination like surging wave without any reserve.

Kazuki didn’t have any experience in boxing. Therefore, he couldn’t fire the most optimized punch in boxing. Even if he understood the theory of how to punch, but if he didn’t repeatedly train the move countless time, his body wouldn’t move in the optimum way.

If he made a move carelessly, the punch would only become something unsightly that far from what he pictured in his imagination. Even so as long as it hit with certainty there would be no problem. All his opponent until now would have their movement stopped even with that kind of punch. It was effective to deceive them if it hit.

But there was no such opening in Mary. She evaded with certainty and his unsightly punch only hit empty air. If he hit empty air his body balance would crumble from the momentum of the swing and exposed a defenseless opening to the opponent.

If it was only evasion then he was on a level that could put a good fight against Mary, but if he didn’t stick to evasion than fault would start coming out.

But if he didn’t let out attack from his side, the opponent’s momentum would only increase and his situation worsened.

“What’s wrong, you are just going to keep running!? Samurai!!” Mary also instigated Kazuki.

If he didn’t open a path of survival amidst this rain of fist, he would…!

Just when he resolved himself and was going to finally let her have it―the inside of Kazuki’s mind became pure white.

What should he do, was it okay for him to attack? What kind of option he had.

You couldn’t use anything other than your two fists in boxing. Kazuki reconfirmed the terrifying fact once more.

There were only six kinds of options one could choose in boxing punch! Right or left straight, right or left hook, right or left upper.

The only target that could be aimed were just two, the face and body. There were twelve kinds of options.

Compared to all the fight he had until now where he had mastered the Hayashizaki-style sword art and furthermore he could freely use the countless magic of <72 Pillar All MagicGoetia>, the available cards here were just too meager.

How could he possibly broke through that Mary’s guard and footwork just with these options!? Against an opponent that gave him so much hardship at the battle aboard the ship even when he had all his cards!

―Once again, he was made to notice how much calculation using logic that Mary made with the combination from before.

She checked him with a jab followed with right straight. Right after she exchanged straightforward punches from left to right, a side blow came from outside his field of vision. When he was unable to escape and raised his right arm to guard his body, she aimed at the opening of his disordered guard with a precise straight punch.

Even though he was able to Foresight, he was completely led around in the direction his evasion and guard took. Before he realized it he had already been cornered to a situation where he didn’t have any way to defend anymore.

A feeling of someone that had solve a difficult math formula personally struck Kazuki’s chest.

He had the image that boxing was a wild clash between two fighters, but when one became as skilled as Mary, it became something completely like a chest or shogi.

Even if he was told to copy her right now, there was no way he could do that.

He had been forced to take on a really absurd challenge.

However―this was a really deeply moving experience.

It was too fast to give up saying this was impossible. This was the world’s greatest [practical practice]. This was a time even more luxurious than the extravagant ship or Las Vegas.

Learn. In order to strike at least a single punch.

The pursuit of the most optimum movement―he was not necessarily an amateur in that respect.

Observed Mary’s movement. The rotation that produced efficient motion energy. Starting movement without any deviation. Her footwork that while being light stepped firmly on the ground the instant she hit.

It had some similarity with Karin’s Chinese kenpo.

If he couldn’t do any repeated training, there was nothing he could do except doing image training in this place.

He would download the perfect movement of Mary in front of him into his body. But when someone saw somebody else’s movement and tried to move their own body exactly like that, a framework called [subjectivity] would become a hindrance.

Looked at one’s own self objectively. Looked down at one’s own figure taking the stance on top of the ring like having bird’s eye view of a doll.

The first time he had swing a sword and got knocked down so many times, the gap between ideal and reality.

Reduce that just with a perfectly objective image training.

In order to make succeed a single counter in a single exchange with certainty.

The cheek of Kazuki who was working his mind at full capacity in the world of imagination was grazed by Mary’s right straight. Suddenly it hit him that this was exactly the moment. He could catch a glance of an opening at Mary who let out combination thinking that Kazuki wouldn’t attack. If he could launch a counter exactly as he pictured it, this was the timing where it would hit.

His body moved even before he thought of it.

The instant gap of Mary’s combination where she was pulling back her fist and began to move her other fist.

With the speed of a light that shined in from an opened curtain, a counter drove in there like a needle―Mary’s face was accurately seized.

The sole of Kazuki’s foot rubbed with the ring’s surface solidly. He killed the momentum of the swing underfoot and straightforwardly pulled back the straightforwardly swung fist and recovered his stance. It was the optimum jab with no openings in it.

Mary staggered from the recoil of the defensive magic power, yet even so she still tried to return a counterattack…she panicked looking at Kazuki who didn’t leave any openings for a counter and stepped back.

The audience of the underground froze.

“You really got careless thinking I’m an amateur. Just now was a good jab if I say so myself.”

When Kazuki said that a little conceitedly, Mary clicked her tongue ‘chih’.

“…I don’t get any feeling that I’m fighting an amateur, that‘s why I wanted to finish this immediately!”

Once again Mary sprang forward with a flexible body like a black panther.

But because of Kazuki’s counter that was like an Iai draw, Mary began to become cautious and her barrage of punch was slightly growing blunt from vigilance. The situation turned better with him not needing to repeat avoiding attacks just barely like walking in a tightrope. Kazuki secretly felt relieved.

‘Yosh, let’s try repeating a counter just like now.’

Right there the magic power at mari’s right arm swelled up and her shoulder moved forward in a twitch.

Kazuki Foresighted it and took evasive evasion even before the shoulder could move.

But there was no punch coming with only the magic power and the shoulder moved.

―It’s a feint! So there is also that kind of thing!

The feint where her right shoulder moved to the front created a twist of the hips at the same time, it was then functioned as the accumulation punch motion of the left arm as it was. The instant he noticed it was a feint, Kazuki who mistakenly took evasive action for left straight had his face completely hit.

His [Foresight] was [led around]!

“Even I am observing you. What make you separated from amateur is your fast reactions that even look abnormal. From now on I won’t be hurried in my attacks and take my time whittling you off.”

The audiences of the underground exploded in cheering and clapping.

What was superior than Foresight was Leading.

When one competed in equal speed, they would completely rely on their reflexes no matter what.

Even in his fight against Beatrix, Kanae, or Ikousai, those rivals with super high speed, there was none among them with whom he could exchange [exquisite leading] with like this.

It was not like there was no feint in sword art, but in regard to the sharpness of the feint of boxing punches that was really compact even under normal circumstances, it was in a different dimension altogether.

―When Mary weaved feint together into her pattern, Kazuki became unable to aim for a counter.

He was unable to estimate the timing of an instant from this change of rhythm that was full of tricks and wiles.

No…remember, how did he get absorbed in resisting Ilayiliya’s [no beat that extremely surpassed the concept of speed]? In Ilyailiya’s attack, there was no telltale sign at all from her whether physically or magically.

But only killing intent was released from her just before her attack.

He sensed that and evaded, only because of that he could exchange blows with Ilyailiya.

Foresight that sensed the persons killing intent. The sign that was released the fastest which could be used to predict an attack.

There was no killing intent inside a feint. It was fine as long as he only sensed the existence of the killing intent.

He sharpened his concentration. He became unable to think of anything except of the opponent in front of his eyes. At time where Kazuki faced against a martial artist that deserved respect, his feeling always became like this.

Kazuki’s Hayashizaki-style that [looked] at the opponent during the fight was a sword art that respected the opponent.

Looking at Kazuki’s expression, Mary was showing a slightly surprised expression. Was he also smiling?

Mary moved. But that move was not filled with killing intent. He knew that it was a feint.

It was a mere pointless movement if he overlooked it. Kazuki launched his fist with big swing without reservation.

Mary whose face was hit stumbled her step and stepped back until the ropes in the edge of the ring.

“The same technique won’t keep working against Hayashizaki-style.”

Kazuki offered his usual catchphrase even to the boxer of a foreign country.

“Don’t you guys dare to give me home decision! I’m the one who know best which one is the loser! Shit, this unbroken continuous victory record from mother is completely broken!”

Mary yelled at the same time when all three rounds had finished. None of them had been KO-ed with their magic power used up, but their breathing was similarly rough, he felt like hugging each other and praised for a fight well done.

“Shit-, even though I planned to give a lesson to a beginner. Your eyes were shining gold when you’re fighting you know. What the hell is that?”

His eyes shined gold…?

Was that why she got surprised seeing his face?

He had a memory of the same phenomenon. When he faced off against Kanae, the moment she had an extreme concentration, the magic power that wrapped her eyes were changing color from blue to gold.

The respect and concentration toward one’s opponent. By any chance perhaps when he was fighting Beatrix and Ikousai, the same phenomenon was also happening in his own eyes.

“Anyway I’ll have you fulfill your promise.”

“Slave huh…. Slave isn’t it? Even without me explaining it, you come in good timing, tonight is the time where it’s going to come soon.”

“Time? What will be coming?”

{Soon the specialty of this downtown, the time of the slave director’s hunting is going to start.}

Mary changed into English so that it would get conveyed to the surrounding too.

It was an answer that couldn’t be said except frankly like that.

The bar was suddenly enveloped in a silence of unrest.

{Who is going to get taken away because their payment is overdue this month?} {Shit-, the tax just keeps getting higher.} {If I remember right the family of Timothy, Emil, Marcus…} The men leaked out stifled voices.

{You can watch it if you wait a little. You are going to wait?}

Mary asked him. Mary herself looked like she was disgusted to explain it from her own mouth.

Kazuki nodded and chose to wait.

'PO―N, PO―N' The clock of the bar informed that the time was 9 P.M.

Mary exited the doorway of the bar and gestured at Kazuki to follow.

They peeked at the situation outside from the opened door.

From the inner direction of the downtown’s street that was still wet from the rain, he could see a procession that was walking in groups. It looked like a Hyakki Yakou.

An eerie man with high stature wearing crimson mantel and the same goggle like the cyborg soldier was walking in the lead. Several cyborg soldiers that seemed to be his underlings were following after him behind, and further behind several dozens of young male and female were following after them with expressionless blank faces.

Mary whispered.

“The guys that couldn’t pay their tax in this country are led away to be turned into slaves.”

“…As I thought, so the poor are the people with weak magic power then?”

“Well, generally it’s like that. But if you’re born with high magic power even if you are poor, you can be taken into the Knight Order if you increase your combat skills. That’s the downtown’s boxer, in other words us.”

When the procession came closer, Mary closed the gap of the door slightly, saying “I don’t really want to show you what happens in downtown.”

Suddenly, Stella was trembling in shivers.

When he looked back, “A…aaa…” she was leaking out voice that seemed to man in terror. “Stella?”

“That, that person…I know him…I feel like I know him…”

The one that she was pointing at was the man in red mantel that stood in the head of the procession.

“…Red!” Stella let out a voice that felt like it was squeezed out from the bottom of her throat.

“That man is the director of slave ministry, Red Metallica. He was the favorite close aide of <King>, the number 2 of this country. It seems he can use Summoning Magic that makes the slave work efficiently. He is an authentic Indian that is already rare in this country, his skin is red under that contraption.”

It seemed that the people of South America that put their faith on Indian Mythology called themselves an Indian but―it looked like that man was the real descendant of Indians in the historically true meaning.

“He is called things like the traitor Indian by many people.” Mary added.

The people in the back of the procession that were led away as slaves were completely like they had their soul left out, like they had hypnotism applied on them, like a sleepwalking person, they had unsteady look and gait.

They didn’t show any resistance whatsoever against the fate that was waiting for them from now on.

On the night street after the rain that was shined slipperily with the gloomy dim street light, the procession of slave hunting slowly passed through the road. After seeing them off, Kazuki and Mary returned inside the bar.

“It’s something that can’t be helped.” Mary sounded like she was making excuse saying that.

“Because American Justice is a weak mythology, <restriction> is attached in order to compensate. That restriction is that their power will increase the more America become a prosperous country, that’s how it is. In opposite, if we become poor we will lose the power. In order to win against Indian Mythology, and then to further compete with other Magic Advanced Countries, there is no other way but to press forward with the extreme rationalization of capitalism.”

The extreme rationalization of capitalism…. That was the ideal ruling of American Justice.

“Frankly speaking, what do you mean by that?”

“The taxes keep getting raised one-sidedly every year, social welfare and livelihood protection doesn’t exist at all. The disparity of wealth that is created from doctrine of strength based on magic power cannot be reconsidered at all, the human basic right is also ignored, if there are people that drop-out from society they are not helped but taken advantage of to be completely used as slaves, it’s that kind of society. But if we don’t do that, we will be defeated and everything will fall to ruin! Those Indians, they are destroying all the civilization that America has build until now!”

All the dissatisfaction that Mary had been harboring until now was spitted out to the outsider Kazuki in telling him this.

Las Vegas strip―the America that he had seen until now was just beautiful thing only.

“With the combination of alchemy and slaves…even just imagining it is the worst don’t you think?”

“That’s so isn’t it. But what is called alchemy is to consume a person’s mental power and they can create wealth even from zero using that. In other words alchemy is an industry that can exhibit the greatest result by trampling humanity! Who can deny this fact!? It’s a flame that burn using humans as the fuel!”

It was a truth that should be feared,

Surely those slaves would be taken away to the alchemy factory after this.

“In what way is this battery created?”

Kazuki took out the battery that he thrust inside his pocket and asked.

There was no doubt that this was the key of America’s alchemy culture.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know about this. It’s called <Cyberbrain StorageElecbrain>. But the production facility of this battery is under the jurisdiction of the Slave Director and not even I know.”

Ginny and Mary were the Knight Order’s number 5 and 6. But for this thing to not be made clear even to them was…of course there was no doubt that it was also completely hidden from the public.

A battery that he pilfered from the scrap spot. Its content was already empty. But―what in the world was entered into it?

The instant he imagined it, he felt repulsion toward all machine that was working in this America.

Those soldiers that had their whole body clad in machine…what in the world they had their whole body wrapped with?

“It can’t be helped. If we don’t do this then America cannot win through this staying as America.”

“This country right now…is it really America?”

“…It’s America. Saying it truthfully, Japan is really enviable. You guys only got lucky to be chosen by the Solomon Mythology right? But as long as we just have prosperity, even America can compete against other countries. If the King’s contracted Diva <Transcendental PersonSuper One> can just gather wealth, King won’t lose to any other Basileus of other countries,”

<Super One>. So that was the chief god of American Justice.

Mary’s cell phone rang out in its ringtone. The ringtone was America’s anthem <Star-Spangled Banner>.

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming….

Mary stopped their talk with “Sorry” and took out her phone. Her expression was stiff with nervousness.

When her phone was over, she immediately made the topic known to Kazuki.

“It seems they can see the movement of attack preparation heading to Las Vegas from the other side of the military boundary line. There was emergency summon. Shithead, what a day.”

“…By any chance is the rain the cause?”

“Las Vegas fell into confusion because of the heavy rain’s sudden visit, so they are going to use this chance…that’s the gist of it. But well, the rain immediately cleared up unnaturally, so the other side’s attack became leaked to our side. We are going to turn the table on them with our perfect condition.”

Mary said that cynically, she looked at Kazuki with a bitter look that seemed hateful and imploring.

There was no mistake that Kazuki and others became the trigger that set off this situation. But….

“We won’t participate in the battle. Right now we cannot cooperate with you all.”

“Is that so? …Well, I won’t say that this is all your fault. Something like this is a skirmish that often happen. After all those shitheads are always aiming for Las Vegas that is the symbol of civilization.”

“I think we are going to surrender to the Indian side and take a look at the other side’s situation.”

“Is that so? …Are you completely disappointed in America? But there is no mistake that doing it that way is the best for you guys. This means that you are going to put us and the Indian on the balance.”

He couldn’t possibly imagine that a heaven was waiting in the Indian side, however….

“I want to see through the deception of the things that I cannot agree with no matter what, that’s all.”

“You said that’s what you want, but in the end do you have the authority to influence the national policy of the country called Japan?”

“I am the KingBasileus.”

Mary had her eyes wide open in shock, she was at a loss of words.

Chapter 5 – Foreign Country Baring Its Fang (Dystopia)

Part 1

Kazuki returned to the hotel and immediately headed to observe the battle between North and South America.

The military boundary line of North and South America crossed the former United States of America diagonally from east to west, it was an extremely long line. Therefore it was different with the East-West War in Japan, the war front here was wide.

In this wide range, a lot of skirmishes were happening.

To assume that there was a great number of battlefields meant that every single battlefield was made into a small scale and it naturally presented a situation of a protracted war.

The population of America exceeded Japan, but there was really not that much difference in the number of the Magika Stigmas who obtained the Divine Protection of the Diva’s itself. Therefore the thinking of North America’s side that strengthened humans who were not Magika Stigma as cyborg soldiers is extremely rational.

There was seldom a battle with the number of both forces surpassing a thousand troops. But the <Indians> of South America prioritized Nevada’s [Las Vegas] and California’s southern part [Silicon Valley] as the attack target because those were the symbol of civilization, and so it seemed that they concentrated their battle power at Arizona state’s front line aiming for those places. Arizona state right in the south and Las Vegas held the Colorado River between them.

North America held the determination to not lose more territory and put their provisional government in Las Vegas, and they developed that dome city more than ever. The Divas of American Justice bestowed powerful Divine Protection towards the heroes who fought protecting the prosperous land behind them.

Nevada state’s North American Knight Order that was glaring at the enemy with Colorado River between them, and the glare of the Arizona state’s Indian army, the situation should be called exactly what it is a [battleground].

North America that had its battle strength increased the more their civilization prospered, and South America that stopped relying on civilization, their battle naturally become a battle between the guardian and the aggressor.

The Indians attacked Las Vegas and aimed for the destruction of that city’s facilities. However in the opposite, it was extremely difficult for the North American Knight Order to attack Arizona state. The Indians didn’t have fixed a frontline base because they were hiding from place to place inside Arizona’s mountains and valleys that were abundant with undulations. After all, magicians didn’t need a large scale military base, so when they hid their figure they wouldn’t be discovered so easily. From where they sallied forth and where they returned back were always indefinite. Because they didn’t have civilization they didn’t even have land to protect. From the North America’s point of view, they couldn’t see any target to attack at all.

The North American Knight Order was set on protecting the city and aimed for development, while the Indian army attacked many times to inflict wounds towards civilization even if it’s a little before going back.

The actual circumstance of the South-North War was a terrifying repetition of destruction and rebirth.

Before they separated from each other, Mary gave such explanation to Kazuki about the South-North War.

The battle that Kazuki and co. witnessed actually turned out exactly as she told him.

When the alarm of an enemy attack rang out, the people of Las Vegas were taking refuge inside underground shelters with familiar practice.

From the southeast direction of Las Vegas, about several hundred cavalries came, raising a cloud of dust behind them.

They froze solid the Colorado river’s mountain stream with freezing magic and the cavalries approached near like a surging wave with feet strengthened with magic power stepping over the frozen surface. Similar with the cavalry troops of China, all those cavalries had reached the level of unity of rider and horse and the rider’s magic power aura was extending until their horse.

In order to not let this army got closer to Las Vegas, the North American Knight Order Las Vegas Residential Army formed three layers of rank at the wasteland to meet the enemy. It seemed that Mary was the one who took command of the force, he couldn’t see any figure that seemed to be the King.

Because the area around Colorado river was used many times as the invasion route to Las Vegas when the Indians attacked, the wasteland where everything in it had been completely laid to waste was abandoned as it was. In order to not let the destruction spread any more than this, the North American Knight Order met the enemy right here.

A surface of yellow ochre color. The dry wind of the desert climate blew, it was a battlefield that made one get reminded of a western movie.

The moment the Indian cavalries showed their figures, attack magic were fired. The cavalries were all holding spears, but he guessed that the Magika Stigmas among them might of reached around half of their total number. It was a troop of the elite few.

Other than magic that manipulated natural phenomenon like flame or wind, he caught sight of magic that summoned animals and plants wrapped in magic power―it was the magic of the Indian Mythology that loved nature.

The troops of the North American Knight Order defended against that with defensive magic and waited for the enemy to approach. On this side, the number of the cyborg soldiers was far greater compared to the Magika Stigma. There was a vast number of those cyborg soldiers. Perhaps their number might have even reached twice the number of the Indian army.

Kazuki and co. informed Mary and Ginny that they would observe the battle and now they were looking down on the battlefield’s situation from a far away hill.

Against the charge of Indian’s mighty warriors, the cyborg soldiers that boasted their great number made a wall obstructing the advance.

Ginny was singing that army strengthening magic throughout the battlefield and reinforced hundreds of the cyborg soldiers all at once. <Pop Star>―that magic displayed terrifying results in a group battle.

The song of Pop Star encouraged the cyborg soldiers, shouldering America itself, they became one and opposed the enemy.

Indian’s cavalries had the objective of [the destruction of America] and aimed for [breaking through the formation] rather than defeating the enemy. In order to oppose that, theNorth American Knight Order was forming three layers of people in a line. Even if the first line was broken through, the second line would stop the enemy, during that time the first line would stab at the enemy’s back and attack from both sides. During this time, the Magika Stigmas in the third line that were waiting in reserve at the rear would launch attacks and support magic.

Looking from afar it was a strategy that took fascinating leadership, but every single one of the Indian cavalry was acting as if all of that was nothing.

“One, there is one person there that is absurdly strong.”

Kazuki murmured while observing the battlefield in a crouched position.

Among the Indian army, there was a single cavalry that rode a monster-like horse that was around twice as big as the other horses. The giant horse that was completely like an elephant that stood up on its two hind legs, and then with its front legs and the spear that the woman mounting the horse brandished, three cyborg soldiers were mowed down all at once.

Just when that cavalry was going to breakthrough if she was left alone, Mary finally came in panic to cover the spot. The giant horse kept standing with its two legs while striking with its front legs, Mary contested against it using her boxing footwork.

“Awesomee―…that horse is boxing you see. That might be the leader huh.”

Shouko was raising an awestruck voice.

There was no doubt that both sides were using Summoning Magic at the same time, but from here they couldn’t sense much of the fight’s detail. That Mary was blown away by a single fierce strike from the spear of that cavalry.

And then the cavalry with that giant horse finally broke through the formation and ran at full speed heading to Las Vegas. The moment Las Vegas’s dome entered her magic perception range, she began chanting attack magic.

On the other side, several people that seemed to be the last defense squad that was only left in minimum number at Las Vegas came out from the dome and began chanting defensive magic and attack magic.

The magic entangled with each other. The terrific high level attack magic couldn’t be stopped by the defensive magic and shook Las Vegas’ dome city. It was an attack that clearly inflicted some manner of damage.

On the other hand the cavalry with the giant horse was also bathed in attack magic from the last defense squad, and then as if to say that all of that was not a big deal the cavalry alone turned her horse and escaped.

For the Indians, falling into magic intoxication and becoming prisoners, therefore losing their battle strength was surely the worst case. In other words they were aiming for hit and run tactics, retreating after a single attack.

He could peek at their unbending [civilization destruction doctrine], that earnestly aimed to attack civilization, from their approach of attack.

He had said that he couldn’t agree with North America’s slave system… but could he get along with these Indians then.

The Indian cavalries began to breakthrough the formation bit by bit. They fired attack magic at Las Vegas before withdrawing.

Before long the cavalry on the giant horse from before that seemed to be the leader gave out some kind of signal, then the Indians began to retreat all at once as if a wave that was retreating back to the sea.

They had already gained war results and also not letting damage reach their own army. They retreated in that kind of timing.

But naturally, the back of the Indian army that was trying to retreat was pursued by the North American Knight Order. To push aside such pursuers, the cavalry on the giant horse who played great efforts from before was becoming the rear guard.

“Yosh, let’s follow them.”

Kazuki and others that were laying down on top of the hill overlooking the battlefield stood up all at once.

“Wait! Take me along too!!”

Suddenly they felt a presence from behind, when they looked back, a girl that couldn’t be mistaken as anything else than a black haired Asian was there. She had a low stature, wearing glasses, and a plain atmosphere that didn’t suit the battlefield.

Confusion spread among his companions. “Who are you?” Mio asked.

But Kazuki felt a flow of magic power he had remembrance of.

“By any chance, are you Ginny-san?”

They shouldn’t be meeting any Japanese they only saw for the first time in this kind of timing.

“To see through me just from a glance, how amazing. As expected from a Basileus.”

He had the feeling that she was being sharp tongued from how he hid his status as Basileus.

That Ginny who was a tall and sexy Caucasian with blonde hair was transformed into an exact opposite figure of herself.

Moreover she was supposed to be on the battlefield until just now.

…Did she have a transformation and movement magic? It seemed that <Pop Star> had a set of magic with really interesting effects.

“What are you planning to say that you want us to take you along?”

Kazuki asked while paying attention to the Indian army that began to withdraw. They would lose sight of them talking long like this. When they shook off the pursuer, they would immediately disappear using their horses.

“I too want to reconsider what is this ideal called [American Justice]. And then I want to make sure, what are you all feeling about the current America that you have seen, what kind of conclusion you all make. After all even I don’t agree that slave system is something good…”

“You are going to enter enemy territory that is even more dangerous for you than for us you know?”

‘If we decide that we are going to ally with South America’s side, you are going to be isolated there.’

He was intending to say that implicitly.

“I have resolved myself. I have the confidence to escape with my <Pop Star> here.”

Kazuki pondered for a while. About the possibility that she would become a hindrance if she came along.

But rather than such calculation, he felt an interest towards what she would feel as a pure American person to what was going to happen from now on. She wanted to reconsider about this [American Justice]…

“I have a condition. I want you to tell me just one thing. In this fierce battle, why didn’t I see the figure of the King? Why didn’t the strongest person come out to the battlefield and roundup the whole Indians?”

Against Kazuki’s question, the expression of Ginny who was transformed into a Japanese disguise stiffened.

It was something that Kazuki recently experienced personally. The information about King was equal with the greatest military secret.

“…The ability of the <Super One> that increased in strength from the prosperity, it’s not something that can be used as one pleased you know.”

What did she―most likely it consumed prosperity.

“I understand, let’s go.”

After Kazuki nodded, they descended down the hill and headed to the direction of the Indian army.

“…The talk from before, is it okay for you to believe it so simply?”

Suddenly Shouko whispered to him with a small voice.

“Ginny is still groping for the possibility of us becoming her ally. That’s why she shouldn’t be saying anything that will only hurt our trust later on.”

In the end the possibility of Kazuki and co. becoming the North American side’s ally wasn’t gone yet.

If she was telling them lies here, the lies would come to light at the essential time when they had to fight together.

“If I were the one in Ginny’s position, right now I would already change my thinking of [how to make a surprise attack to these Japanese]. Of course the trump card is the King’s power.”

Kazuki felt admiration even while feeling astonished at Shouko, whose way of thinking was so terrifying.

“I will believe, so Shouko is the doubting one. This is a sharing of roles.”

Contact.

―Kazuki and co. raised their hands high while rushing down the hill.

The cavalry on the giant horse who finally shook off the North American Knight Order’s persistent pursuit immediately noticed Kazuki and the others and sent her gaze to them as if saying ‘Who are you guys?’

There was no carelessness in her gaze.

Seeing her from up close, she was beautiful but also huge, moreover the pressure of the woman atop the horse was not something normal.

Her short red hair that was cut evenly looked gallant, she was called Indian, but she was a white woman.

In the battle of Changban bridge at the Annals of the Three Kingdom, where Zhang Fei who served the lord of Shu army dispersed the large army of Cao Cao that was pursuing them with a single glare. This woman was oozing with the aura of a great hero that made one associate her with such a famous legend, that such a hero from a story like that must be like this.

Kazuki could feel Ginny who was mixing among them had her body stiffen nervously.

{We came from Japan for the sake of understanding the battle in this country.}

Kazuki talked in English.

{…So interference from other countries into our battle has finally come. Very well, we are going to make you listen to the voice of the <Great Spirit> too. Follow me.}

The cavalry said so with a brusque tone before she turned around her horse.

Part 2

After passing through Colorado river, the harsh landscape increased even more around them.

A sweltering blue sky. Under it was surface of sand and rock tinged with red was spreading wide.

The earth split, certain parts were protruding out, certain parts split off into chasm, the earth displayed roughness as if it was boiling. It was a landscape where the mountain and the valley were compressed.

[Grand Canyon]―When that name was mentioned, even Kazuki and co who was Japanese of the present era where they had long forgotten the world knew about that name. It was a savage canyon located right in the east of Las Vegas desert.

Las Vegas and Grand Canyon could be contrasted as the ultimate artificial beauty and natural beauty.

{This place is our holy ground. It gives us a peek of the geological formation in the period where the origin of life was born from the fissure of the earth. The universal soul of earth become exposed in here.}

The cavalry said that while slowly advancing her horse so that Kazuki and co could follow on foot.

{My name is Crazy Horse.}

The woman introduced her name. Her naming was continuing the naming method of the legendary Indian as it was.

It was a same kind of naming like that of Arthur Basileus that succeeded the name of that King Arhtur.

{I’m the <Guiding MentorChief> of this <Navaho Territory>. I’ll have you all introduce your name too.}

Starting from Kazuki, each of them introduced their name in turn. Ginny introduced herself as Yamada Hanako.

When Arthur, Shouko, and Silirat also introduced themselves, Crazy Horse said {So people from various countries are taking action together in your group} with a flat voice that one couldn’t feel any surprise or admiration at all from it.

Rather than paying attention to always be calm, she had the presence like that of an unshakeable large rock.

Looking from afar, it was only her giant horse that stood out, but looking at her face to face like this, this woman that had peerless masculinity looked even more gigantic than her horse.

When looking at her face from the side fixedly, Kazuki guessed that she was around the same age only slightly older than him.

It was hard to call her a girl, but naturally she was young because she was an owner of a powerful magic power.

She was a beauty with deep chisel on her side face and ghastliness in her eyes.

She was a Caucasian, but she was wearing head ornament that was bundled with a lot of feathers, vest made from animal leather with collar jewellery embroidered with colorful beads, Indian jewelries that shined in turquoise color were attached on her body. But he felt that this was not her Magic Dress by any means.

{As the chief of Navaho Territory, does that mean you are the one who govern over the people in this land?}

Kazuki asked in regards of the characteristic noun of a foreign culture.

{There is no vertical relationship in our tribe. It’s just that I’m the one who excelled in fighting and negotiation more than anyone and so I’m standing in the position where I give advice to everyone. The governing is left to those who excel in governing, the cooking is left to those who excel in cooking, each companion advice each other. That’s us.}

{What about the reward that should come toward those who displayed wisdom and ability? I think with that a vertical relationship will be naturally created though.}

{We had thrown away the concept of personal possession. Even if there are those who excel and those who are inferior, everything is shared under mother nature. We can only return to the cycle of nature by conducting so thoroughly.}

Cycle of nature….

The traces of civilization society that were once existed around Grand Canyon had all completely vanished. It was as if there was nothing to protect as long as mother nature existed.

Crazy Horse was unexpectedly talkative, she taught them what there was in regards of Navaho Territory.

{This place has desolate climate, but there are some meadows in the bottom of the valley, we are carrying on sheep farming and agriculture there. Even so farm products and hunting result are few here, that’s why we are given the share of nature from the other territories.}

They were walking through brown ground that had steep undulations.

When they descended down to the bottom of the valley that looked like the chasm of the world, certainly there was sparse greenery in the bottom of the valley. Before them, there was a light brown settlement inside the valley.

As if nestling close to the rocky mountain, there were buildings created from soil―it looked completely like apartment, but they were built in a row. It was a sight of multi unit apartments made from soil.

{It’s called pueblo. It’s a residence created from clay pressed together and hardened with magic power. There is only a little bit of wood here. But there is no need to build excessively.}

When Crazy Horse returned, her comrades that had retreated from before came out to greet her and surrounded her. Certainly looking at their behavior there was no vertical relationship here. Crazy Horse only explained {They are guests} about Kazuki and co that she brought back before she led them to the pueblo in the center of the settlement that looked conspicuously bigger.

{This is our gathering place. If all of you intend to stay the night then you can use this place for the time being.}

There was a rug spread out inside, Crazy Horse took off her western boots that were finely embroidered, so Kazuki and co also took off their shoes.

The weaved rug that was weaved with detailed scrap leather had a rough texture at the bottom of his feet.

{You are really open about everything aren’t you.}

{I don’t know what are you looking for coming here, but we have nothing to hide.}

Yamada Hanako aka Ginny that transformed into a black haired Japanese averted her face awkwardly all of a sudden. The North America tried to show only good things to Kazuki and others while keeping secrets.

{It’s better to sit forming a circle. I’ll hear your story like that. What do you want to know that made all of you come here?}

{What is your country trying to bring about in this continent of America, that’s the story that we want to ask.}

Several of the inhabitants peeked into the gathering place. If there was those who looked interested while passing through, there was also those who entered inside and sat in the circle.

The inhabitant’s race was various, there was white person and also a black person, there was also people that looked like they were of Japanese descent.

{We are returning the earth to the way it should be, we too as a part of the earth wish to return to the cycle.}

Crazy Horse began the talk saying that.

{The nature that should originally exist on earth, and the livelihood that should exist there, at the time where we completely blend into one with all those, we will surely become one with the great flow of <Great Spirit>.}

…Great Spirit. Did she mean something like what was called the chief god in other Mythology?

No, perhaps she meant Astrum. He couldn’t make the distinction.

{You said the form it should has, do you mean for example filling this desert and wasteland with greenery all over it?}

{Navaho Territory…this land that was called as Arizona state in the old era has unsparing climate, except for some oasis and the bottom of the valley, greenery couldn’t be raised here. But we are not thinking of trying to change that forcibly. Not to mention of bringing machine civilization into this inconvenient land, we are not even thinking of performing greening in this land forcibly. The desert has its own meaning of existence as desert, it has its own ecosystem. With the wind carrying the sand of the desert into the sea, the sea obtained iron content…. There is meaning in every flow. The desert is by no means unproductive. What is unproductive is human’s greed. We live in way that counterbalance with nature. For example…even this kind of land can be used to cultivate corn.}

And then what she showed them next was a <blue corn> with blue grains that they had never seen before in Japan.

{What a hardcore civilization exclusion.}

Arthur leaked out words of admiration. Arthur was a statesman that put all kinds of hard work making free use of alchemy in order to make prosper the eating habits of his own country that had cold climate.

The South America that accepted everything as it was didn’t even do that.

{In contrast if you go slightly to the east from here, there is the land that was once called as [Great Plains]. It boasted wonderful climate where the in the ancient times the Indians live chasing after buffalo there. But due to the old America’s machine civilization it was polluted, it only needed a slight effort in order to return it back into the original Great Plains. In such a land, we mustered magic power as our repayment to the earth, we supplied nutrition to the land and performed greening.”

{Then―the buildings of the America civilization before this, there is nothing left of them in the South America?}

Kazuki asked in shock. This was America, the country with the greatest civilization in the world once.

{None. Everything is dismantled and is in the middle of greening.}

Crazy Horse answered with a flat voice.

That was a terrifying fact that made one tremble.

The human race who lived a long history, everything that was piled up from that was made vanished….

{Hunting and harvesting are carried out in the territories that are blessed by nature, that’s how it becomes. Farming is performed in territory with water abundance. We correspond with every circumstance and carried out the appropriate livelihood, we share our respective yields. The thing that we are aiming for is such happiness.}

Beatrix was nodding in agreement with an expression that wasn’t necessarily that dissatisfied.

{The building in this land, the rug and clothes that used leather, how do you draw the dividing line between those and America’s machine cilization?}

{It’s in how much we can preserve the nature in its natural state. To not harm the nature means that what we received is just a borrowed thing from nature. That’s why we must repay the nature. The share from nature, the repayment to the nature. Those are joys that must exist.}

{That kind of thing is not human’s happiness-!!}

The one who suddenly raised a strong voice was Ginny who was currently pretending to be Japanese.

{That share from nature cannot support the livelihood of the modern human! You know that our body is not retaining the immunity just like the time of the primitive man in the long time ago. If the current modern human is suddenly make to return to nature, whether human or society will have their health broken.}

{It’s only a matter of the passage of time.} Crazy Horse calmly answered.

{The share from nature that is just too little, sharing everything fairly without maintaining the concept of personal possession, how are you going to support all the population? How are you going to protect the weak children that just have been born? …You cannot support them can you? As long as you are not [culling] the children that just have been born and the old people that have served their purpose, just like the primitive society in the long past!}

Culling meant―killing the human that couldn’t be supported.

{It’s only a matter of time. We only need to wait until the share from nature increases.}

Hearing that tone of voice which had not even a slight agitation, Kazuki’s spine was again shivering in chill.

This person, she really didn’t feel any emotion at all from the depth of her heart of knowing that children and old people were culled.

{In the primitive society, people were terrifyingly systematic you know…you say something about being a part of nature right? But even though they have never done anything wrong, the children are killed without having their birth blessed, what is going to happen to their feelings? Don’t you think at all about the feelings of the mother that painfully give birth to the children ?}

{There is no concept of personal possession in us. There is no distinction given to the child oneself give birth to and the child the neighbor give birth to. The tribe is their family. Moreover, we the Indians …}

Crazy Horse clearly called herself Indian even while being a Caucasian herself.

{Have no fear of death. Returning back to the Great Spirit, we become the power of Indian Mythology, we are returned as a new life. That is also happiness.}

{…You are crazy. I can only see that all of you are slaved by nature, a mere cog in the machine without any emotion!}

{Surely someone like you also viewed the insect as worthless cog in the machine.}

{All of you that cannot differentiate between insect and humans are the weird one that has no sympathy that is only obvious for humans!}

{Even though all the other guests are talking in Britain English, but you are talking really well in American English aren’t you?}

With a start, Yamada Hanako aka Virginia Dance was trembling all over. He didn’t know if it was in the old era of Japan, but there was no way someone like this Hanada-san that could talk America English this fluently could exist in the modern Japan.

Crazy Horse closed her eyes and said quietly.

{If I have to say my imagination…these guests from the outside world called Mr. Hayashizaki Kazuki and Mr. Arthur came to America as a referee. To decide which side is worthy to obtain the victory over this America continent. You two made the masquerading North America person over there and this me who you come into contact with by chance as the model of each force and witness the altercation.}

{I don’t mind if you recognize it as such.} Kazuki nodded.

{If this is such a thing, then it’s going to be unfair unless I can say my piece too regarding the North America. Even the North America has a culture that you guests surely won’t be able to obediently recognize. Their side too is unable to support all their people. The slave system.}

{We have already know that.}

{Hou. They are more open than I thought. I thought that because they are the black hearted North America people that they will surely hide their inconvenient aspect though. Then, I wonder if you know about the slave trading.}

Kazuki went ‘hah’ in realization and looked at Stella who was watching over the adult talk.

―Slave ship!

{As much as we could tell, slave trading from North America follows various trade routes are exported throughout the whole world. The trade is crossing through the Atlantic Ocean from the northeast coast and we have even confirmed secret trading with Europe’s vassal countries as their destination.}

{ {What do you say!?} }Arthur and Beatrix yelled at the same time.

{…Wait, I don’t know anything like that at all.}

Ginny had her face transformed face that looked like Japanese turning pure white in turmoil.

{This is something certain. We have captured slave ships that went out from America continent heading to the outside many times. The exportation of slave culture is being performed in reality without doubt. I give you my promise and assurance.}

Hearing those words, the puzzle was being cleared.

{You captured slave ships. And the slaves that were aboard that ship…}

Kazuki interjected quicker than Ginny could talk.

{…What did you do to them?}

The slave ship where they found Stella at that time came from North America, and the one that came to rescue them was the Indian of South America. That was how the event progressed.

{We welcome them to our tribe…but, if the share from the nature is not enough then there are also times where we decrease the number of mouths we have to feed. We do no favoritism.}

Really? Was Crazy Horse a human that didn’t tell lies at all, or was she a human that would tell lies without any hesitation at all for the sake of her objective, which one she was?

Not all of the puzzle was cleared.

A slaughter occurred in Stella’s slave ship. The warriors that the slave thought came to save them massacred all the slaves in that ship. Why did they left Stella alone?

Moreover the killed slaves became living corpses in the end.

What kind of magic was that?

Kazuki hesitated to press Crazy Horse with deeper question.

That was because he felt certain that kind of magic was in a different system that Indian Mythology’s magic.

Rather wasn’t that a phenomenon that totally contrasted the blessing from nature instead….

American Justice, Indian Mythology, even now inside these two Mythologies there was something eerie still hiding.

{We have nothing more that we particularly need to say, we are simple.}

Cutting of the talk, Crazy Horse stood up.

{It’s fine for you all to stay here as you like. During your stay, we will also treat all of you to food without distinction. If you leave without saying anything, then the next time we meet we will treat you all as enemy.}

{Thank you.}

Although Kazuki said that, there was no story that could kill his appetite better than this.

After all it was a meal they were treated to after being told that there were children killed to decrease the number of mouths to feed.

Inside the pueblo at night was silent to the degree that it felt eerie.

There was no man-made light at all. But if one was a magician then they could make light with magic, they could also see effectively through darkness with magic power. That was the way human did thing in this land where everything during such trivial ordinary day was resolved with magic power.

But it would increase the death rate of infants whose magic power was immature, the adults whose magic power was emaciating would also gradually get culled.

“For the time being, I’m thinking that it’s not a bad idea even if we leave this land to Indian Mythology.”

When Arthur said that all of a sudden, his companions went “Ee-“ inside the darkness.

But among these members, Arthur and Beatrix were the ones with the closest sense of the values with the Indian, if he had to say it was only natural for Arthur to think that.

“As for me, I don’t understand what it is these American Justice lots did that is so bad.”

The one who said that so clearly was Shouko.

“Even without Shouko saying so, I already understand that the human named Roshouko will surely think like that.”

When Kazuki answered like that, Shouko laughed sarcastically while saying “Haha-, the distance between our hearts has also shrunk considerably huh.”

“Doing something about the urgent national crisis takes priority rather than human rights. That’s just obvious. If the prosperity has direct connection with their battle strength, it’s only natural they get idea of using slaves. Compared to get your country trampled down by enemy country like China, this is still far better.”

“But.” Beatrix interjected with a hard tone of voice. “The slave export smuggling is unforgivable.”

“Does German and Britain’s sense of values oppose slavery?”

Beatrix and Arthur looked at each other hearing Kazuki’s question.

“I think regarding this matter Britain and German are quite similar in some respect.”

Arthur explained.

“German and Britain are hierarchical societies that are influenced by the strength of magic power. But I like to think that each social class has their own role and responsibility. The knight has the duty of a Noblesse Obligeknight, the merchant has the pride that there is something that only they can do as merchant. And as for children, they have the possibility that they can become anything.”

“Low class like slaves that pluck all kind of possibility is not interesting at all, it’s unpleasant.”

Beatrix was in indignation.

“Adding to that, the problem is the fact that the vassal countries that are under Britain and Germany’s protection are staying quiet to their suzerain country that is Britain and Germany about the slave smuggling! This is not only about that the exported thing are slaves. The problem is that America bring in a lot of prohibited items, tempt the vassal countries, and make them fall into deprivation. What North America is doing is the same as picking a fight with us!”

Kazuki was a little pressured by that vigor.

When Beatrix got serious about something outside of fighting―her difference in sense of values with him became exposed. That fact made Kazuki unable to calm himself. But saying it in reverse, it was also the proof that he felt intimacy for Beatrix. That he was wishing they could understand each other.

“This is also because of an oversight in our management.” Arthur showed himself holding his head.

“A country that change prosperity into strength huh. What an astonishing greed!” Beatrix spitted out.

“I have never heard anything like that, something like slave culture exportation….”

Ginny who had come back to her original appearance groaned with a great stupefaction that he couldn’t imagine was faked.

Mary too also said that they had never been informed about the slave ministry.

Ginny said that she wanted to ascertain the American Justice once more.

They still didn’t understand about the method of production for the battery.

What happened in that ship?

“Muu―…” Kaguya-senpai moaned while hugging Stella like a stuffed doll.

“This country, there is nothing satisfactory no matter where we look…that’s my honest feeling. To not treasure children is just…”

Next thing he knew, Kaguya-senpai hugged Stella even tighter.

“It’s really like that isn’t it?” Kazuki smiled wryly.

“Paapa, Maama, you know, I feel like I remember somehow about the brown soil of this mountain…”

With her body still hugged by Kaguya-senpai, Stella murmured in a faint voice.

“Eh-“

The shocked presences filled the darkness of the night.

“Stella’s slave ship was crossing over Pacific Ocean, so it won’t be strange if she has a connection with this land in the side of the west coast…”

After Kazuki said out that thinking of his, he immediately shook his head.

“No, it’s strange. After all if she was a slave then her origin should come from North America.”

“Paapa, I want to look outside.”

They were not particularly forbidden from going out. They were told to do whatever they liked.

Kazuki and co nodded and went outside.

In a complete contrast with Las Vegas, this settlement had no lighting at all when the night came. The stars in the sky felt really close as if they were going to rain down. Sheep were sleeping on the pasture of the valley’s bottom. The time wasn’t that late yet, but all the Indians were confining themselves inside the pueblos only leaving several guards outside.

The guards didn’t warn Kazuki and co from going out.

Without any timidity, Stella was walking with a somewhat familiar gait through the valley’s fringe agilely. It was as if she was an Indian guide.

Leaving behind the settlement of Crazy Horse, they advanced through a desolate road.

“Is there more settlement out there?”

“I don’t know…but I feel like my body remembers it.”

The majority of her heart was erased and she used the remaining part to adapt. But perhaps what was called memory also existed outside the brain in other part of the flesh body. Perhaps it resided somewhere in the soul, and or changed into magic power.

They walked for quite a distance.

They saw a different settlement on their path. There were pueblos lining up in smaller scale compared to the previous settlement.

They could see faint light from the square in the center of the settlement. Were they doing something using fire?

“Perhaps this place is my hometown.”

Stella said that with a tone filled with confidence, but she stood stock still in place.

It was as if she didn’t really want to go back there. As if she was just guiding them there.

There were people gathering in the square. Despite how the settlement of Crazy Horse took their sleep that early, this place seemed like it was still doing something.

In order to not get found out by the people there, Kazuki and co approached while hiding themselves.

The eyes of Kazuki that was reinforced with magic power took in the situation.

There were a lot of children gathered in the square.

Adults wearing Indian clothing displayed the children as if they were goods.

There was a man staring at the children as if determining the goods quality. Behind that man, baggage carriers with large amount of things were standing by. The carriers were shouldering a large rucksack that was even bigger than themselves supported by magic power.

When the man the evaluated the goods invoked some kind of magic, the children became unsteady and they gathered around with steps like they were sleepwalking. In exchanges the carriers of baggage lowered down their burden one after another on the ground and presented them to the Indians while opening the content.

Large amount of alcohol and chocolate, some kind of drugs, many luxury items fell out from the baggage.

The adults in Indian clothing leaped on those items.

As if the transaction had been concluded, the man who determined the goods turned on his heel. With steps as if they had completely lost their own will, the children went along with him unsteadily.

The adults of the settlement were completely absorbed in the items they received and didn’t even take a glance to the children.

That was…a scene of slave transaction.

The man that determined the goods was…wearing a mechanized goggle and red mantel that covered his whole body―the one he witnessed in Las Vegas downtown, the man that was the slave director named Red Metallica!

Those baggage carriers too, all of them were cyborg soldiers! They were member of the North America Knight Order.

He caught sight of them in Las Vegas downtown yesterday night. And then tonight he caught sight of them in this settlement. So that man was going around collecting slaves.

Moreover he went past the military boundary line…? Certainly there was no security at all there but….

Beside Kazuki, Arthur had his eyes opened wide with his body trembling in rage. And then when he almost yelled while jumping out, Kazuki barely stopped him and blocked his mouth.

“Why do you stop me! Something like that cannot possibly be forgiven!”

Kazuki thought uncertainly why did Arthur get this angry.

But he soon realized. Arthur’s burning eyes were directed at the adults that sold off the children. Despite how the people there were supposed to be believers of Indian Mythology, they jumped at luxury items that was prohibited by Indian Mythology by selling off their children. Arthur was angry at those people’s lack of piety.

“Even if we stopped them now right here, the only one we can save will only be those children.”

Kazuki whispered to Arthur in order to persuade him.

“It’s better to pursue them and cut down the big boss himself.”

“Just wait, what are you gonna do after chasing and freeing the slaves? Bringing them back to the Indian’s place will only get them culled later.”

Shouko cut into the talk and showed a gesture of cutting her own neck.

That was right. There was not much difference in their fate either way.

Shouko pressed Kazuki even further.

“Also have you decided to become the ally of South America’s side? To save those slaves means that we become a hindrance for North America. No matter how much Ginny said that she didn’t know anything, but this is undoubtedly the action of North America’s government.”

Kazuki hesitated. He still didn’t have any conclusion.

But he didn’t want to overlook this situation.

And then it certainly wasn’t realistic to be burdened with a large number of children while they were still in the position of wait-and-see without the decision which side they would have as ally yet. He couldn’t do anything…was he…?

“Please act following what Hayashizaki-san wanted.”

Ginny said, as if to clear away the haze that obstructed Kazuki’s thought.

“In case we happen to liberate those slaves, I will shelter them for a while in downtown. If you’re so inclined, you can also build an orphanage using the jackpot money Hoshikaze-san won using my name.”

…Really? Kazuki couldn’t so suddenly believe that proposal and he stared fixedly at Ginny.

“We are going to become a hindrance to your country, but is that okay?”

“This kind of thing, I have never been told anything of it!”

Ginny spitted out making clear of her fury.

“Only by taking action with you I can know about the true state of this country. That’s why I won’t become a hindrance toward what you want to do. I will also cooperate to remove the obstacle if need be.”

Ginny’s tone of voice was once again filled with a determined resolve.

The slave director Red Metallica moved out. He led along the children who moved with gait like a person sleepwalking and walked heading somewhere.

Ginny continued her words while chasing that back with her glare.

“Let’s follow him. I too want to know the truth. I will make sure of American Justice with my own eyes. Let’s do what we want to do without thinking of the consequence and move only following our feeling. Our respective conclusion can wait until we know everything.”

Kazuki believed those words.

This time Kazuki and co were following after Red Metallica.

Red boldly advanced through the complicated valley of Grand Canyon. The children were obediently following after him half running without being able to use their own will. There was no children that complained of exhaustion or trying to run away.

The bottom of the valley gradually grew smaller as if they were pressured by the rock from their both sides.

“I wonder if the direction itself is following along the Colorado river. The direction of the sea, in other words they are heading to the sea I think.”

Ginny said while listening to the sound of the river flow.

“How does the military boundary line between the South America and the North America around here turn out exactly?”

“The Colorado river itself becomes the military boundary line almost exactly as it is. It’s mostly the same with the boundary of the states in the past.”

“In other words its shaving close with North America then. By any chance the factory where they make the slave work and the harbor are also being hidden around here don’t you think?”

“…! Perhaps so.”

Not to mention the general public, but this was the [slave industry] that even got concealed from Mary and Ginny. If it was easy to come and go from this side, then it would be more convenient to have their base here.

As long as the Indian didn’t discover and destroy it.

But at any rate the security of the Indians was sloppy. They performed security vigilantly around the settlement at night too, but they also had the principle that made one think they wouldn’t mind even if one trespassed through the military boundary line a little. Rather they didn’t even have the concept of territory. Inside that defenselessness resided their belief. For them who didn’t have the concept of personal possession, war was only a simple matter of the life and death of people.

But he couldn’t even imagine…the people of North America was secretly sneaking into non-combatant settlement, there they tempted the residents with contraband items, and then they bought the children that were most likely be disposed in the culling, for such a thing to happen, did that pious Crazy Horse could even imagine that such thing was happening under her nose?

There was a figure of building appearing on their path inconspicuously buried into the valley of the rocky mountain.

The slave procession that Red led disappeared into the inside of that building.

It didn’t look like any fort or factory, a building with boorish cube shape made from steel.

It was not as big as the hotel in Las Vegas, but it had the size around a school building.

There was no window, its entrance was only a small door.

Several meters separated from the building, there was fence surrounding it.

Kazuki and co concealed their body at a distance and observed the situation.

“We cannot just blow it away with attack magic can we? It’s going to be dangerous for the children inside like that.”

Mio murmured. He guessed she was recalling the time when they destroyed Yamato’s garrison in a surprise attack.

“We are not only rescuing the children, I also want to investigate the inside of that building. Perhaps we can understand something regarding the slave industry that is hidden even from Ginny and Mary and also the mysterious technology from here.”

Kazuki and co would decide how their relationship with North America was going to be after all the truth had been made clear. If they destroyed this place then they wouldn’t know anything else.

That building is the base of [slave industry] that they finally discovered.

“Also we don’t want our action here to be communicated to their home country. I want to somehow contain our act here as a secret mischief.”

If they chanted Summoning Magic, there was the risk that the wave of that large scale magic power would be detected.

“I think I can make interference if they are using electromagnetic transmission. It’s impossible if they are using underground cable for transmissions though.”

Kazuha-senpai said from the side.

“Kazuha-senpai has really entered the territory of a sorcerer…”

“…I wonder if I can [infiltrate] without getting discovered if I’m using general magic skillfully.”

Kazuha-senpai said with a tense expression. Her eyes were carrying a strong sense of responsibility.

“I’ll go inside.”

Infiltration―it was an overambitious act but it would be ideal if they could pull it off.

But it didn’t mean that she could enter alone.

“Then let’s sneak inside with me, Kazuha-senpai, and Lotte. While investigating the inside, we are also going to destroy the transmission device if there is one. If we succeeded in destroying the transmission device I’m going to call everyone using the telepathy conversation of Zekorbeni and apprehend all the people inside the building without letting even one escape. We are going to free the slaves.”

“My role is to control the machine that might be inside using the power of Prometheus isn’t it desu?”

Lotte said. Kazuki nodded at that.

“Wait right there-! This one is my turn!”

Karin shouted from the side.

“Eh, why?” Kazuki opened his eyes wide in plain surprise.

“…You, are you forgetting what I am exactly?”

“Simpleton kid!” Hikaru-senpai pointed while laughing.

“The simpleton kid that is Lotte’s friend?” Mio said.

”I don’t want to be told that by empty headed duo like you two-!” Karin got irritated and bared her teeth.

“I’m a professional assassin that received China-style training you get that! If I feel like it I can even masterfully do mission like sneaking into important facility and assassinate some big shot! Though I have never done that for real! I’m far more skilled in infiltrating than someone like Kazuha just so you know!!”

Now that she mentioned it, Karin was a possessor of such a history. …He forgot.

“When you got tamed you became a completely noisy and innocent kid, so after that I really cannot associate something like assassination or infiltration with you at all.”

“Don’t say I got tamed! I never remember that I got tamed by someone like you at all!”

Was it because she was abused and didn’t know so many things about outside world, but when Karin saw the Witch’s Mansion for the first time, she was moved in great joy by everything that she experienced.

Because of that she looked completely like a childish child…she gave off impression of a simpleton kid.

Even though she was the same age like him in outline.

“Ah, right now you too just thinking that I’m a simpleton kid right!? See here, I’ll say this but it’s absolutely impossible to enter that building with just you and Kazuha! From what I see, that building is constructed with a highly advanced surveillance system. Because I’m a pro I know that from seeing it. If you guys get close there carelessly it’s going to be over instantly.”

“Eh-, really?”

“That fence is perhaps attached with vibration sensors. After all there is a suspicious cable crossing from it to the wall. After that around the entrance there are a lot of security cameras.”

“You really can understand that just from looking?”

“Security cameras will emit infrared rays when night come. If you expand your eyesight’s visibility spectrum using magic power, that infrared rays will become visible in your eyes.”

“Aah, it’s true. There are infrared rays coming out, there are security cameras over there.”

Kazuha-senpai raised her voice.

“Kazuha-senpai can also see the infrared rays?”

“When I try I can see it. It’s because I had been training to sense radio wave and clash it with waves that would obstruct it.”

Since quite a while, Kazuha-senpai had been training to work out various tricks that could be useful using basic magic.

“The wavelengths of radio waves and infrared rays are different, but both of them are still electromagnetic waves.”

Indeed, it seemed that Kazuha-senpai could really see it.

“…Cyberbrain Fort PlanElecfort Project.”

Ginny who was listening to their talk murmured in a faint voice.

“Do you know something about that building?”

“No…before this King and Red requested in absolute secrecy to the alchemy technology department for the development of the state of the art security technology. If I remember it correctly, it was called the Elecfort Project. It’s just there is no trace at all where is such a new security technology is made use of practically…. Though I guess that it might be used there perhaps.”

Security technology that was supposed to be researched and developed in an absolute security, yet there was no trace at all that it had been applied inside the North America.

That meant―perhaps it was actually used in this side instead.

“Are you saying that building might be that [Elecfort]?”

Ginny nodded. There were several bases of slave industry in South America, and then for the sake of protecting those a security project was researched and developed….

“If that’s really true, than the strength of a pro like me become all the more necessary.”

Karin puffed her chest saying that.

A pro assassin, Katsura Karin. Genius of general magic, Tsukahara Kazuha. The ruler of machines, Lotte.

If it was with these members, he didn’t know anything about this elecfort or something, but surely there was nothing lacking in this lineup.

“Well then everyone, we are going!” Kazuki proclaimed.

Chapter 6 – Truth and Judgment

Part 1

“The security cameras are set up in concentration around the front entrance. So if we are going to get closer it has to be from the outer wall side or the roof.”

Karin said so and circled the [Elecfort], wasting no time to get closer.

The fence that she said might be installed with vibration sensor was fixed in place with Psychokinesis which Karin agilely climbed. Kazuki and others followed after her.

“…It seems there is nothing here.”

Karin cautiously looked around the slight distance from the fence until the fort before killing the sound of her footsteps and crept closer silently. And then when she finally reached the outer wall of the fort, she touched the wall with her palm all over.

“For them to concentrate the security cameras at the front mean that they don’t assume that the wall can be broken. If this wall is made from material in the class of adamantite then…”

“They are so confident that they don’t make such an assumption you mean. By any chance, are you at an impasse right now?”

The adamantite at Japan had an extreme thickness and hardness, because it was a material that was hard to handle, surely it was impossible to transport such material in the amount that could create this kind of fort in absolute secrecy.

But America possessed alchemy technology even more advanced than Japan, what if they had developed a metal material that was lighter yet harder than adamantite for the sake of this Elecfort Project…?

“…No, this material is also metal made from alchemy, but it’s far inferior compared to adamantite.”

Karin lightly gripped her fist and tapped the wall *kon kon*.

“It’s hard but it has no elasticity. Because the cyborg soldiers of this country use HF blade, I guess they naturally made that hypothesis. It will repel back slash, but it’s weak against impact. In short… America doesn’t know about Chinese kenpo’s mystery.”

“So you can do it, Karin-sensei!?”

Karin pushed her ear on the wall. Most likely she was searching for any presence on the wall’s other side. Kazuki gulped his saliva. After that Karin tapped her palm on the wall one more time.

“You can read the arrangement of the metal’s Prima Materia… because of the <crystal grain boundary>, there are partial gaps and disarray even in the metal’s particle arrangement. That is the [metal’s vital point] that’s weak against impact. Japan’s adamantite is amazing because in that respect all the particles are uniform.”

Karin was saying difficult things…

“By sensing the crystal grain boundary with my palm like this, I can discover the vital point. And then on that point… reverberate the impact! That’s the Shintoukei for objects!!”

While Karin put her palm on the wall, she stepped on the ground and drove the whole joint of her body to amplify that energy where she transmitted it into her palm. Her body’s rotation brought about energy.

Cracks ran all over the metal wall. All the sounds were terminated by Karin’s general magic. Karin did the same thing once more. The cracks became far deeper―from there the wall crumbled down without any sound.

On the thick wall, there was a hole opened in the size that a person could slip through.

Kazuki, Kazuha-senpai, and Lotte gave a small applause.

“Karin-sensei’s great accomplishment really makes us tremble in excitement here.”

Karin-sensei peeked into the inside of the hole and groaned.

“Hayashizaki and Lotte need to get on my and Kazuha’s back. …It seems like this fort is not a place where humans that cannot see infrared rays can properly walk around.”

Kazuha-senpai also peeked into the inside and raised her voice “Uwaa…”

Was it? Was it that bad?

“The corridor has infrared lasers put all over. If someone passed through there and obstructed the infrared rays, they are out immediately. But now that they have gone this far, there is also the worry that vibration sensors are also installed in the floor. The magic skill to terminate vibration while walking is also necessary.”

Kazuki obediently climbed onto Kazuha-senpai’s back while Lotte climbed onto Karin’s back.

It was quite a novel feeling to be carried on the back of a girl with shorter height than him like this.

…Perhaps he also needed to train in this kind of field too.

“Are you perhaps thinking that you need to train more? This kind of thing is just a division of role, the right person in the right place.”

Kazuha-senpai leaned her head behind and *gon* headbutted Kazuki’s forehead lightly.

“Kazuha, make sure you follow my instructions in using magic and moving.”

Karin instructed such in which Kazuha-senpai obediently nodded. Both of them slipped past the hole and infiltrated inside.

The place where they entered was suddenly the corridor. When he observed the situation of the surrounding, there was some kind of wide space in the middle of the building, it seemed that around that space was this corridor surrounding it in full circle.

In short, rather than calling this a corridor, it was more like a passageway.

The surface of the wall and the ceiling was pure white, but there were also small holes on it.

It was made to seem like a pattern of design, but after listening to the talk from before, he guessed that there must be infrared rays coming out from these countless holes.

As if crossing over the infrared rays here and there, Karin and Kazuha-senpai were walking forward while evading, stepping over, going under, hopping over something unseen.

So this was what they meant by only humans that could see infrared rays could freely walk here.

…Most likely the goggles that the cyborg soldier wore was installed with a function to see infrared rays.

In the middle of the corridor’s wall, there was a door that he guessed would lead them to the wide space in the middle. There was nothing like a window where they could peek at the situation inside anywhere. Karin pressed her ear on the door.

“There are a lot of people inside doing something. Perhaps it’s the slaves forced to work of something for the whole night.”

…So was this the factory where the Elecbrain(Soul Battery) was manufactured, therefore they brought the purchased slaves here?

He wanted to see behind the door very much but… it was impossible for now.

The length of the corridor was around a hundred and few dozens meter. When they walked until the end of it, there was a staircase.

They could go up and down through the stairs.

“Where should we go?” Karin looked for instruction from Kazuki.

“Assuming that slaves are made to work inside that big space from before… perhaps the space for the slaves’ living and the warehouse are in the underground, and the upper level is where Red Metallica and the other staff are located don’t you think?”

“Then if our aim is for the transmission device and important data, we should go to the second floor then.”

They continued climbing the stairs for quite longer than needed to reach the second floor if this was a stair of a normal building. It was likely that the floor together with the ceiling was high.

“The security system here uses a lot of infrared rays. After all it is unseen by eye. It’s also simple to disregard the sensor that detects sound and vibration using Psychokinesis.”

Karin talked while climbing the stairs.

“There are two kinds of sensor that use infrared rays. The [active sensor] like the infrared rays that are laid everywhere in the corridor just now. It shined infrared rays from a projector that get received back by a receptor. When an intruder entered between the two device and obstruct the infrared rays, it will sound out the alarm.”

“So those projector and receptor are hidden inside the holes of this wall inconspicuously then.”

Kazuki made an appropriate response while obediently being carried away on Kazuha-senpai’s back.

“The other kind is a [passive sensor]. It detects the faint infrared rays that human body’s emitted to discover the intruder. This kind of sensor doesn’t emit their own infrared rays so we won’t be able to discover them no matter what if such a sensor is being hidden. That’s why actually since a while ago for our peace of mind, I vanished the all the infrared rays of everyone using magic. Doing that is pretty hard.”

Karin took a glance at Kazuha-senpai.

“I think I can also do that.”

“Please.” Both of them had a short talk and nodded at each other.

When they reached the end of the stairs, it was the highest floor already regardless of how big this fort was.

It was the reason why they felt the stair was so long. Surely that space in the middle of this building was really just that huge.

When they came out on the second floor and looked around, there were a lot of rooms on this floor. Sounds could be heard from each room. There was still not much time that had passed since Red Metallica and his comrades came back to this fort.

“Seems like infrared rays are not put up on this floor. Perhaps this means that the security system has the strong implication of not letting the slaves escape.”

Karin said so. “But this doesn’t mean that there is no passive sensor or any other kind of security here.”

They ignored the room that had people inside it. They guessed that perhaps those rooms were the normal rooms of the staff here.

Deeper inside, there was a space that was separated from them with glass.

There was a door in the glass wall, it seemed there was nothing like a lock on it.

On the other side of the glass, there was a space that continued for few meters where there was nothing in it, and then passing through there was a door. Looking from here, that door also had no keyhole.

Both door didn’t have any gap with the walls―the door gave off the impression of an airtight space.

Karin made a complicated face.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, in the first place what do you think is their reason to construct this kind of security system?”

The Elecbrain Project that his country purposefully developed…

“Tha, that’s… for security right?”

“Naturally there is also that, but then why, this door is not attached with electronic key that is impossible for Psychokinesis to lock-pick? If they use a lock that needs body identification, infiltration should become absolutely impossible.”

It was true what she said. Before this in the research facility under the academy, the reason Nyarlathotep didn’t use body identification lock there was because he had the plan to exchange his host body, if there was no such special circumstance, there was no reason at all to not use body recognition lock.

Then, the meaning of this security system was…

“That is because they prioritize the capture of the infiltrator?”

“…That’s their purpose. If there is a door locked with body recognition standing in their way, the infiltrator would honestly give up. Completely giving up. But for this facility to not do that and instead lay out sensors everywhere, all of that was for the sake of challenging the infiltrator with moderate difficulty.”

The perfect security system would completely accomplish [crime prevention]. It would make the perpetrator completely abandon their effort. Such thing was no good for this place. The system of this fort was not based on such a wholesome idea of crime prevention.

“By any chance the securities we met until now are all lax?”

“In the end we don’t know whether there are really any vibration sensor or passive sensor, but at the very least there is no such state of the art security that has been researched and developed in absolute secrecy so far. All the securities are only on the level within my knowledge that I can deal with. If it’s the case that the scope of America cyborg soldiers are all equipped with infrared rays sight as the default, then perhaps any person from the North American Knight Order can arrive until this far. In other words…”

“You are saying that this is a system for the sake of luring out the betrayer from the inside.”

The absolutely secret research development project was dangled in front of all their colleagues as if daring them to come look.

In the first place if it was the Indian, they wouldn’t do anything like rescuing the slaves and destroyed the whole building altogether right from the start.

“Human that is potentially harboring doubt towards slavery like Ginny will secretly seek and pursue the hidden truth and in the end reach this fort. Here they will capture and deal with the dangerous character that go against American Justice. So this fort has that kind of concept.”

“And then all the securities until now are just the preliminary test, the other side of this glass holds the main event.”

Everything until now was to lure the infiltrator and slacken their vigilance with the moderate difficulty, and then the sure thing trap was saved until the final…

“Here is the same until now, there are several lasers of infrared rays coming out from the side wall.”

Kazuha-senpai said while looking at the other side of the glass.

“There are so many laser that there is no gap to avoid them and go through. But, if we produce infrared laser with general magic to send to the receptor while passing through, it looks like we will able to pass through normally. Next is… is there some kind of sensor in the ceiling?”

“There is, but perhaps those are passive sensors. But if that is really a passive sensor then that means they purposefully let us discover that even though they can hide it. If this is a normal situation then we can interpret their intention is to make the infiltrator give up, but the case with this facility is absolutely different. In other words that passive sensor is a decoy to attract our eyes from the real sensor.”

“Then there are vibration sensors?” Kazuki asked.

“Perhaps there is also that, but that kind of thing cannot possibly be the real trap. …Tsukahara Kazuha, switch the frequency of your eyesight reinforcement, look at the electromagnetic wave.”

Kazuha-senpai raised her voice “Ah-!”

“This is a plan to deceive us to overlook the electromagnetic wave on a different frequency by attracting our eyes with the infrared rays.”

Jab, straight, straightforward punches followed by a flying hook that came next. This is a leading arrangement.

“Is that sensor that use electromagnetic wave? If we already see it through then there will be no more problems right?”

Kazuki directed a gaze of respect at Karin, but Karin shook her head. Kazuha-senpai too fell quiet.

“From the left side of the wall, a large number of projector are transmitting electromagnetic waves in preposterous directions. These electromagnetic waves are reflected without any gap throughout the room while the electromagnetic wave receptors in the right wall are receiving them. Most likely those receptor devices are detecting the angle of incidence of the incoming electromagnetic waves. If you step inside this room even for just a centimeter, the angle of the flying electromagnetic waves inside the room will all change and the alarm device will function. If this is just simple infrared rays then there is the way like what Kazuha said before where we can reproduce the laser using magic while going forward. But to reproduce these electromagnetic waves that are irregularly reflected this complicated, it’s impossible. You have to calculate in real time the angle of the colliding electromagnetic waves on you while moving forward, then you have to reproduce the electromagnetic wave accurately as if the lasers are going straight through you, that’s absolutely impossible. They are not using a technology that is really that special here. But this is… it’s absolutely impossible to be broken through by the present era human race that specializes in the power of magic, it’s a perfect security system.”

“…Kazuki, right now we are doing something extremely important aren’t we?”

After a long silence, Kazuha-senpai murmured in a faint voice towards Kazuki that was on her back.

“Depending on our action, the fate of many children who got sold as slaves will change. Not only the children, the fate of this country too, even the fate of Japan will change. We are… Kazuki is, shouldering such a thing as the King aren’t you?”

Kazuha-senpai talked in order to ascertain it once more.

Certainly it was just as she said, Kazuki was aware of that fact the most in his decisive battle with Ikousai. If he lost that battle, it was the same as Japan losing against Yamato completely, it was a duel that occurred only once in a lifetime.

But it didn’t mean that he was suffering from such heavy pressure even more than usual.

Rather than calling it heavy pressure… he was thinking it irreplaceable, that he could protect those things important for him with his own power, that he could save them.

With the power he had obtained in his hand, he was also feeling a suitable conceit in proportion with that.

“I, before I boarded the ship, that time I caught the reporter that aimed for Kazuki’s article, I was really furious. When I thought that even though they didn’t know with what kind of feeling Kazuki became the King on Mt. Fuji… But I too didn’t understand at all the gravity of everything. I never even imagined that my careless action could invite the war between Japan and China. Shouko-san said that causing such situation from ignorance is a sin, but the truth is I think what she said was right.”

“Is senpai still concerned about the matter of that time?”

‘That’s not it’, Kazuha-senpai shook her head as if saying that.

“Before we even realized it, we are not fighting for something like saving our close friend, or fighting to protect the academy, suddenly, we are right now fighting in a place that has a completely different scale, isn’t that right?”

As if to fill herself with fighting spirit, Kazuha-senpai slapped her cheeks with both her hands hard.

“I want to challenge this obstacle. I want you to believe and leave this to me. If there really is a special talent in me then… it will only have meaning if I can succeed right here, right now, that’s what I think.”

“Wait-, that’s impossible you know!” Karin interjected.

“The electromagnetic wave must not get shifted for even a hundredth of a second even once! There is no way a human can do such an exact calculation like a computer!”

“This is also magic. This is perhaps not something that can be done by calculating the reflection angle or something. If you do it by feeling, I think this is unexpectedly something possible.”

Karin made a face as if such idea was really stupid, but Kazuki got down from Kazuha-senpai’s back.

In exchange he placed Lotte onto Kazuha-senpai’s back.

After all Lotte would be necessary to manipulate the computer that would be there ahead of this security.

“It’s fine even if senpai fails. After all even if America turns to become our enemy, we can turn the table on the guys that come chasing us with everyone’s power and escape back to Japan.”

“But if I succeed praise me properly okay.”

When Kazuki encouraged her, Kazuha-senpai laughed with an easy tone.

“I’m… contracted with Futsunushi no Kami that is not one of the Solomon 72 Pillar, so even if my positivity level gets higher I won’t be able to become a Chouki Magician, so perhaps there is no meaning at all in something like my positivity level.”

“So senpai is worried about such a thing.”

“There is no way I’m not worried right? It feels like everyone of the Witch’s Mansion is special while I’m not. But even me, that… I want to become a favored princess. I want to become useful, a human that is special for Kazuki…”

“I love Kazuha-senpai just so you know.”

“I too, love Kazu-kun. …Yosh, then I’m going!”

A large heart mark flew to him.

Tsukahara Kazuha―150. For this number to have no meaning or anything was absolute bullshit.

Kazuha-senpai opened the door of the glass wall.

“Don’t forget about the infrared sensor and the vibration sensor! You got to do all of them simultaneously!”

Karin called her in panic. After that she whispered in small voice to Kazuki’s ear.

“…What you said just now, just resolve yourself to really have the situation turn out like that. Something like this is an impossible game you know.”

“It’s going to be okay, perhaps.”

Kazuha-senpai entered inside. Her footsteps were light where he couldn’t feel any desperation in it.

The electromagnetic waves that were flying about were all absorbed into Kazuha-senpai’s body without even allowing any reflection.

At exactly the same time, Kazuha-senpai emitted electromagnetic waves at exactly the same vectors of the disappeared waves from the opposite side of her body. According to her talk, she was not making any calculation to counterfeit those but with feeling.

What was terrifying was that she was doing that not only for her body, but also for the electromagnetic waves that collided into Lotte’s body.

Inside that space, the existence of Kazuha-senpai who was carrying Lotte became transparent.

“She reached the center…!” Karin raised her voice in disbelief.

Kazuha-senpai was advancing forward. Each time she moved, the electromagnetic waves that collided on her body presented a completely different state. It was an inexhaustible irregular reflection that changed in real time for every moment. Surely a super computer would be necessary to [grasp] all of those by calculation. Kazuha-senpai [grasp] the situation only by feeling and continued to produce fabricated waves according to that.

“That’s not a human technique…” Karin moaned.

For Karin who could see electromagnetic waves unlike Kazuki, surely she understood just how terribly unrealistic, how devilish the prodigious scene that was currently enfolding in front of her eyes.

“That person is a prodigy of Japan that can be boasted to the world.”

Like a slug, Kazuha-senpai slowly, however without stopping for even an instant, as if she was being aware of her whole body―finally reached until half of the distance. Only half left.

At that time they could hear sound from the corridor. The door of the room somewhere was opening.

And then footsteps―it was not heading here but to the direction of the stair.

They hadn’t been noticed yet.

He stroked his chest while releasing a sigh of relief. …However he noticed an instant later.

If someone went to the first floor, they would discover the crumbling wall.

Their infiltration would be exposed.

But he couldn’t hurry this. They mustn’t hurry. They were not in a situation where they had the allowance to hurry.

Kazuha-senpai was… unshaken and continued to act precisely.

She was advancing with a step that had no agitation in it.

How much time extension they had until the person that went downstairs noticed the hole and found them in this spot? During this irritating time, Kazuha-senpai who moved forward slowly as if she was in a different dimension, finally reached the door in the wall of the other side.

She pulled off something amazing.

Kazuha-senpai slowly opened the door without any fluster until the end and entered inside.

Kazuki prayed that their goal was inside that room. He wished that there was no more trial waiting ahead from there.

“The security is cut off!” Lotte’s voice came from the other side.

“The electromagnetic waves and infrared rays behind the glass disappeared!” Karin too raised a surprised voice.

In other words, behind that door was the computer that controlled this whole [Elecfort], and Lotte had seized control of that. Kazuki and Karin leaped inside as if flying.

Part 2

It was a pure white room. There was a single computer that was comparatively large inside the room alone by itself and there was nothing else, but even so the computer was by no means special.

The room was actually a space that enabled a person to really concentrate on their work.

“As expected there is an underground cable that is connecting transmissions of data to North America’s home country. That cable cannot access any other terminal other than this terminal. It’s just that they arranged it so that all the data is sent to their home country at a fixed interval, leaving no data behind on this computer at all desu.”

“Nothing? We cannot try to read the data in their home country or download it with this computer?”

“This computer is performing data transmission, but it doesn’t have any recognized authority to accept data. I can use this computer skillfully using Prometheus’s power, but something that this computer cannot do, Prometheus also cannot do it desu.”

“In other words you are saying that we still don’t understand anything.”

However they had rescinded the security, they had already accomplished their role just by cutting off all the transmission to the outside.

Next was… they could only investigate using a manual method to look for something analog.(A person or thing comparable to another)

They had to do that while paying attention to not let any single human escape from within this fort.

“There is no betrayer here but you guys that have come instead. Guests from Japan.”

He felt a presence behind them. Kazuki turned back.

It was Japanese language. He had heard that all the leadership of the North American Knight Order were learning Japanese.

Leaning on the opened door, while wearing goggles and a crimson mantel that covered his face and body, a man was standing at the door of this pure white room.

“―Red Metallica.”

They had made it. They had managed to sever the transmission just before they met face to face like this.

Standing this close to this man, he was a tall man with a height that might even reach 2 meters.

“You are not surprised at all? In other words you guys have turned to become our enemy? …But then why do you act sneakily sniff around our America?”

Red was talking with a tone that was full of leisure.

“If you are standing on the Indian’s side, you should not need to act like this.”

“We are not standing on either side. We are coming here to rescue the people that were made to be slaves.”

“Coming to rescue the slaves, you say? KUHAHA!”

Hearing Kazuki’s words, Red curled up his tall body like a cat and laughed hard in a harmful way.

“KUHAHAHAHA!”

“Lotte, destroy that computer!”

Feeling the strange eeriness, Kazuki said that to Lotte.

They couldn’t feel safe just by cutting the line of the computer setting. It would be bad if the computer terminal was controlled remotely.

Lotte leaped from the desk instantly, she chanted [Mitrailleuse] and turned the computer together with the desk into Swiss cheese.

“What are you planning to do?” Stopping his laugh completely, Red tilted his head.

“We did it to stop you from calling for help from anyone.”

“No, the help is coming you know. See, they are here already.”

Countless footsteps were resounding.

Some group was heading here. The well-regulated footsteps made them imagine an army.

Red shifted his body as if to open the entrance to the room.

From the door that was left open, what entered into the room in groups were―children with countenance(a person’s face or facial expression) that had lost its vitality. The focus of their eyes were all unfixed, their mouths were half-opened with their drool almost hung down from there.

Surrounded. The blank space of the pure white room was overflowed by the children that entered one after another. Kazuki and the others gradually stepped back, striding over the remains of the computer and when they noticed they had been cornered to the wall,

“You guys are coming to rescue the slaves? That’s wrong, you guys are coming to be killed by the slaves.”

Mary had told him before that this man was using Summoning Magic to make an efficient practical use of the slaves.

Magic power was swelling up from Red―the sign of Summoning Magic.

“O death, announce the birth here. Embraced in the chest of the eternal father…! Dead Rising(Black of Encroachment)!”

The children melted muddily―no, it was only his hallucination that they looked melting, the [color] of the children were melting muddily, blackening their appearance.

Something like a melting color was muddily mixing into the children, changing into an aura of black magic color.

The moment that sight entered into his eyes, a hunch flashed in Kazuki’s mind.

This was the same with those black human shadows that were like zombie on that slave ship! That magic phenomenon that didn’t fit with the explanation of the Indian Mythology was something caused by this man!

But… was this the power of the American Justice’s Diva!?

The magic power aura strengthened the four limbs of the children, where they immediately, yet slowly started approaching Kazuki.

“Illuminate the for seas and all countries, <Yata no Kagami>! Fuukyou Kaikon―Youka Issen!”

Kazuki released the seal of Yata no Kagami that had been miniaturized into a bracelet shape and unleashed its power.

The pure light of the sun was supposed to erase away the black magic power that was making the children strange.

Now that they were in a cramped place where the children were crowding close, he would finish this in one go… no, it wasn’t working!

Red laughed.

“This is different with when you were aboard that ship, this me is right in front of you now! Light of that degree won’t clear my commandment!”

The children didn’t even pay any attention to the light and were gradually approaching!

The children were not moving to attack.

They were just making Kazuki and co. lose their space to move their bodies―the children were approaching to completely destroy the distance.

“Kuhaha! I saw it you know! If I do this you guys cannot do anything right?”

Red raised one of his arms from the sleeve of his mantel and put an eagle grip on the head of the child beside him.

He raised that child to Kazuki’s direction turning the child into a human shield. While holding them in check, Red was drawing near while kicking away the packing close together children in his path.

The hands of the children that were surrounding Kazuki gripped tightly on his uniform and trouser’s cuff. Kazuki was unable to meet the attack or even move his body.

The next moment, Red’s mantel opened with a flap from the front and eight streaks of light flashed at the same time.

What appeared from under the mantel was an atypical body.

The body of the cyborg soldiers were silver, but Red’s body that appeared was jet black.

There was a total of eight arms of steel that spouted out smoke. Red threw away the child he used as a shield and at the same time from inside that hand a crimson HF blade lengthened out *gichin!*, the blade was directed at Kazuki and raised overhead.

“KUHAHAHAHAHA!!”

“Kazuki, this way!!” Karin yelled.

At the wall, Karin was putting her hand behind her and pushed her palm on the wall, “Break!” she yelled with fighting spirit. Her whole body twisted like a screw and the wall was destroyed in one breath―the Shintoukei for objects.

The instant Red’s blade swung down, Kazuki shook off the children and threw his body into the path of escape created by Karin, the hole in the wall behind her back.

“…They are here too!”

At the corridor too, the space was completely packed with the blackened children. Just how many child slaves were collected in this building?

Eight lines of rifts were running on the wall behind Kazuki and co..Kazuki and co. forcefully parted through the swarm of children and took some distance. The next moment, the wall was all coming apart and broke down. The rubble of the wall buried the children before Red leaped out from there stepping on top of the rubble while swinging around his eight arms.

“KUHAHAHAHAHA, there is nowhere to escape for all of you! Whether in this fort… in this whole America, or in the place of those Indians, you won’t get away!!”

Those HF blades took apart the wall!?

Wasn’t the wall of this building completely resistant against slash attacks!?

When Kazuki directed his awareness to Red trying to attack him, Red grabbed the head of the child around him and raised the child at Kazuki’s direction. …Shit!

“Barrett!!”

Kazuki shot aiming only at Red. In this situation he couldn’t use large scale attack magic that could also swallow the children.

Red quickly reacted. The inside of his goggle flickered with red light and instantly saw through the trajectory of the attack magic that had a speed rivaling that of a rifle bullet, making him easily evade it. The next moment Red kicked, on the surrounding children, on the wall, on the ceiling, he leaped through the space completely like an insect.

“Kuhaha, my body is all in the middle of a practical test of the latest special make equipment! This is what they called being one with a machine!”

“Tangle Calamity(Entangling Wretched Attack)!!”

Using the eight arms, eight streaks of slash were raining down on Kazuki.

With Ame no Murakumo, Kazuki parried two slashes among them at the same time. The rest was…

“Seusenhofer!”

His body was wrapped in jet black armor at the same time that blocked the attacks. *GARIGARIGARI!* His whole body was shaken in vibration as if he was cut using a chainsaw that took its sweet time.

Originally, sharp things like a chainsaw would get backlash from meeting something hard like armor. Yet with this attack, the [Seusenhofer] was all smashed up.

Red shouted out some kind of technique name, but it was not any Summoning Magic. Kazuki was trembling.

What happened just now was a power assisted body by the reinforcement exoskeleton and the crimson HF blades combined that produced mere slashes.

For example Kazuki’s reaction speed from his mind’s eye, Kanae’s high speed movement, destructive power like that of Karin’s Shintoukei―something equal to superhuman feats of the martial artists around Kazuki that became possible through training, this man could accomplish them through the mechanization on his whole body.

Furthermore among the remaining six arms, one was holding a child as a shield substitute.

Red whose certain kill attack was defended, landed on the ground while crushing the children beneath him that filled the corridor. At the same time with him raising the children that he grabbed in the head as a shield, he even further invoked his Summoning Magic.

“We are under the blessing of the Baron(Baron Samedi)… o cursed life, burst into flames! The Evil Red(Demon Flame of Black Death)!!”

Black magic power erupted from the surrounding blackened children. The black magic power transformed into a black flame.

The corridor was wrapped in a sea of black flame…

{Aa… aaaa…} {Hot!} {No! Aaaaaaa-!!}

Besides Kazuki and co., no, even more than Kazuki and co., the black flame burned the children that became the origin of that black flame. All of the burned children raised screams that was squeezed out from their throat. The scream of the children whose number might even have reached the hundreds was exactly a screaming hell that was the picture of Avici(TN: The eighth and most painful of the eight hells in Buddhism).

It was the same like when they were on the slave ship. The thing that perhaps should be called as the will―possibly the souls of these children, even though those things had been robbed, yet their sense of pain was still remaining!

This was… was this something that a Diva under the American Justice would do!?

The black flame also attacked Kazuki and co..

It couldn’t be helped…!

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

Kazuki brought forth a typhoon at their own surroundings, blowing away the children that were spouting out black flames while he adjusted the force. Several of the children were crashing onto the wall where they leaked out voices of agony.

But the wind distanced the black flame from the children.

The black flame moved to the fort and began to burn.

“Kuhahahaha! Don’t hurt these pitiful children-!!”

Red raised a high pitched laughing voice like in a horror movie, he kicked away the blown away children and then he further kicked the wall, kicked the ceiling, and leaped at Kazuki with a three dimensional motion.

“Tangle Calamity!!”

But Kazuki saw through everything with that speed―he moved to the track that would let him slipping through the eight streaks of slashes and launched a thrust using Ame no Murakumo right from the front.

The tip of the sword that reached out straight hit the target.

Red’s goggle flickered in red. “NUOOO_!?” He raised his voice while taking a sudden break that stepped hard on the head of the surrounding children. He was ignoring the law of inertia with his tough mechanical legs and loins.

Red stopped suddenly. Opening―an opening for the sake of counterattack didn’t exist.

Kazuki didn’t choose to pursue with any more attacks and yelled at Karin.

“Destroy the wall to the outside!! We are escaping!!”

Karin had already moved to do that even before Kazuki had said that.

“Shintoukei-!”

Slipping through the blank space created from blowing away the children, Karin further destroyed the wall. Kazuki also followed that track and leaped down to the outside.

“Kazuki-!?” His companions that had surely noticed the commotion raised their voices, Kazuki rushed to their position and regrouped with them.

Mio, Koyuki, Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai, Kanae, Kohaku, the Ryuutaki sisters, Kamimura-san, Liz Liza-sensei, Akane-senpai, Kanon-senpai, Arhtur, Shouko, Silirat. Also Ginny.

―He let out a sigh of relief after regrouping with everyone.

His feeling felt like he had escaped from the stage that was like a nightmare horror movie.

But, it didn’t mean that it was all over.

“Kuhahahahahahaha! I should have told you already, I won’t let you get away!!”

From the hole where Kazuki and co. escaped, the master of that high pitched laughing voice also jumped down.

“Red Metallica!!” Ginny raised a yell that sounded like a scream.

“Virginia Dance! Why are you here!? What are you planning to do!?”

At the same time with Red’s landing right below the fort that was burning in black flame, Red invoked his magic.

“Now, let’s begin the black festival party! O my black children, distort those bodies and dance madly like beasts! Orgy Party(Ghost’s Lantern Festival Dance)!!” (Editor: Interesting name, that one…)

Countless black beasts jumped out from the building. With a speed like a falling meteor, they surrounded Kazuki and co. in order to block their escape path.

No, they were not black beasts. When he looked around―it was the children transformed into beasts that stood on all fours. That speed they showed was from the reinforcement of the black magic power, their body construction was strengthened magically and they became even faster than Red himself. But every time their body moved following Red’s manipulation, their bones creaked, snapping sounds *buchi buchi* sounded out from their muscles, the children’s mouths opened wide, as if their jaws were going to come off, and painful breaths together with saliva were vomited out from their mouths without pause. Tears were spilling out like a river from their eyes.

All the children that should be called children that numbered in hundreds inside that fort turned into a swarm of beasts and surrounded Kazuki and co..

As expected Red was carrying a single child from that swarm and continued to use the child as a shield.

“Wha, what is this…” Kaguya-senpai raised a shuddering voice.

Red said that they had no place to escape, but they didn’t plan to run. They came to rescue the slaves after all.

But the more this man piled up his magic, these children would…

Were these children still in the state that could be saved? What should he do to save these children?

“Is this magic, also a part of the American Justice’s embodiment…?”

There was no reason to be angry at Ginny, but Kazuki spat that sentence out at her.

There was a madness like Nyarlathotep in front of his eyes.

“Red’s Diva is… I heard that it’s the power of <Zombie Movies> I think…”

When Ginny answered hesitantly like that, Red exploded in laughter from the amusement that came from the bottom of his heart.

“KUHAHAHAHA! Diva of zombie movies!? Although it’s said that you Americans really like your zombie movies, but are you really going to believe such bullshit, Virginia Dance!? That being the case, you, you really don’t understand what is this thing called zombie huh!? The one that identified with me is…”

At the side of Red, an avatar of a skeleton wearing a black bowler hat and tailcoat emerged out.

“The Diva of the Chaos Side from Voodoo Mythology, this <Baron Samedi>-sama!!”

…Voodoo Mythology!

Was that so, just because he was a Magika Stigma that belonged to the North American Knight Order, didn’t mean that he had the Diva of American Justice. After all American Justice didn’t force the people to hold faith in them.

With such conditions, it was possible for them to coexist with the Chaos Side. With a Diva of the Chaos Side residing in that body meant that it would bring about destruction to the host’s personality though…

“So it’s the Mythology that came into existence from the African slaves that were taken away to Haiti, at the center of America.”

Liz Liza-sensei whispered. “Hou, so there is a walking dictionary here.” Red showed his admiration.

“What do you think the America government in the old era did in order to suppress the slaves that united under the Voodoo Mythology? They were using happy-go-lucky thoughts that was just like Americans. They downplayed the image of Voodoo Mythology by making it a theme in Hollywood movies. The terrifying Voodoo Mythology that controls zombies with suspicious sorcery! After that, the Americans recovered their conscience and abolished the slavery, but zombies had already become entrenched as lovable characters. However, do you know? What is called a zombie in the first place is… the depiction of the slave’s figure that will work following whatever they are told to do you know. The Americans just cannot stop toying with slaves no matter what era it is…”

American Justice once again demanded slaves for the sake of prosperity…

For that they called back the Diva of the slaving mythology(Voodoo)…

Red raised a laugh that sounded broken somewhere.

“What irony that is, how wretched it is huh! Is there any other Mythology with a way to disgrace more humorously than this in this world? Aah, then I who have red skin will dye them completely with the power of Samedi! I’m going to color this America with the jet black color of slaves! Just look, these figures of American children crawling like animals!! KUAHAHAHA!”

Red looked down on the children who were crawling on all fours while in agony before laughing at a high pitch.

The avatar of Baron Samedi was staring at such a Red with emotionless eye sockets.

“Aa… aaa… Red…! Red!!”

Stella who was being hugged by Kaguya-senpai began to tremble from the scorning laugh of Red.

Red’s laugh stopped all of a sudden and he directed his gaze behind the goggle at Stella.

“…Why is that girl there? Why are you traveling together with these Japanese?”

“Battery!” Stella yelled in frenzy as if losing herself. “My… my battery!”

“Battery? You mean your elecbrain(soul battery)?”

As if putting aside the baffling matter, a vulgar smile was once again spreading on Red’s mouth.

“Aah, I have it. I’m always carrying the elecbrain produced from the slaves I’m pleased with next to my skin until it’s all used up. No, the other cyborg soldiers only equipped reinforcement exoskeletons on their body, but for me my flesh is completely mechanized, the elecbrain of you guys is equivalent to my life.”

“Give it back-! My battery, give it back!!”

“Kuhaha, if you beg me that much I’ll return it, okay. Here.”

Red fiddled around *gacha gacha* with the forehead area of the goggle that covered the majority of his face, from there he took out a single small battery. He threw it at Stella’s direction.

The battery that rolled on the ground made Stella shake herself off from Kaguya-senpai’s arms and fell over to pick it up.

“Aa… aaaa…” When she picked the battery in her hand, a pure black light flashed along with her voice.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!”

Stella emitted black light while screaming―she froze up just like that.

Kazuki rushed to Stella in panic and embraced her shoulder.

With her eyes kept opened, there was no reaction coming from Stella as if she had frozen.

“What did you do!? …What is this elecbrain!?”

“What is called elecbrain is a battery stuffed with that black magic power emitted from these slave zombies you know. Magic power is human’s mental power, their very soul itself. The slave zombies that are dyed black with my will consume the black magic power to fight following my wish, they will consume the black magic power to labor.”

Consuming magic power to fight, consuming magic power to work.

But if that was all, there shouldn’t be any difference at all with a normal human using blue magic power.

“The black magic power breaks down the individual’s ego and turns it into pure energy. That’s why it can mix into a machine. Normal humans cannot even try to pour their blue magic power into the battery. If you ask why, that’s because that human has the natural self-awareness that [I’m not a battery]. But the slave zombies that follow my command, they can mix their own emotionless black magic power into the battery. Doing that they produce an elecbrain. The elecbrain emits energy that while being electricity is also magic power at the same time, moving the machine.”

Energy that is magic power while also being electricity! So that was why the cyborg soldiers could overlap the energy of their machines. Their own magic power amplifies that very power!

“Just the problem is that the black magic power that has been expended like this cannot be replenished a second time. The missing part of the soul that was discharged out while having themselves defined as [I’m a battery] won’t recover naturally anymore as [themselves]. That’s why these slaves are just throwaway items.”

The blue magic power of normal human twisted the rule of the world with one’s own will, they had such self-assertion. In contrast with that, the black magic power was… an energy that came from truly burning the holder’s own self.

Kazuki gripped tightly the empty battery that he had thrust into his pocket all this time. This was just like the unpleasant premonition he had when he picked up this thing…!

“I, I…” Stella whose shoulder was held by Kazuki, murmured while holding her battery as if she had recovered her awareness. “This is my battery… this is, my…!”

“That’s the reason that child shouted at me to return back her soul. But how strange… why is that child not dyed black…? Why I cannot control her… has she escaped from the shackles, and restored back to being white…?”

“Maama, paapa… I re… member…”

Stella was murmuring. With a shuddering feeling, Kazuki embraced her shoulders and filled his hand with strength.

“Has the blank part of the soul gotten filled… recovering back the memory…!?”

“I… was born in that settlement. No one put any expectations towards me when I was born… Right after I was born, it had been decided already that I would be sold as a slave…”

Floods of tears spilled out from Stella’s eyes and she began to speak her original tale.

“Stella was the first name I had ever received. We, the children that had been decided to be sold, were called as [It(that)] by everyone in the settlement. Everyone that is here, was like that.” (TN: The ‘It’ is said in English)

Along with a trembling voice, Stella looked around to the children who where surrounding them in a beast-like posture.

Surely it was not the whole group, but the majority of these children… were in the same position as Stella, there must be childhood friends among these children. What a terrifying reunion.

“What a foolish group, those bunches in that settlement huh.”

Red interjected with ridiculing words.

“Even though they are Americans, they put their faith in the Indian Mythology, but if they are exposed to the temptation of prohibited items, they would easily fall into deprivation. They were polluted from alcohol, drugs, and calories by my hands, becoming an Indian settlement that deserved scorn.”

Even more than scorn, that tone Red was speaking with was marked with rage and disdain.

“This too is a humorous irony. Even though we, the humans that inherits the blood of the red skins… have become far estranged of just what in the hell the meaning of being an Indian is. We were driven away to incomprehensible land, had our tribe name grouped together with unknown bunches that we had never even heard about, even when it became the 21st century we were domesticated by the control laws… in exchange of our traditional food we were supplied and drowned in greasy foods and alcohol. We barely preserved our economic independence inside America by the casino management. It was attached with the defects of control laws that lured those from the nuclear power generation. Where can you see any [Indian]’s in that appearance…? The time when the age of magic visited and the Indian Mythology appeared, the Indians had already vanished. In their place the Americans began to put their faith in the Indian Mythology. But those Americans that pretended to be Indian are unable to forget the taste of civilization, they submitted under my temptation and presented their children as slaves. That settlement doesn’t put their aged people under culling. Kuhaha… this country doesn’t deserve to be visited by this age or magic or whatever.”

Red Metallica that was supposed to be a pure Indian didn’t choose to put his faith toward the Great Spirit at this late hour. Together with a Diva of the Chaos Side, he chose to disperse and swallow America with the black slave zombies and the doctrine of money worshiping.

And then Stella that was a Caucasian child that was born under the Indian Mythology as a sacrifice.

“We that were called as [It] were made to work at the same time with the sprout of our magic power. We poured our own magic power that had changed color to black into the battery that was transported to us on conveyor belts. The whole day… if one or even two years had passed, we would realize that our substance had diminished, it was that kind of work…”

“Kuhaha… Among these Americans, I especially love it to make these white children become slaves. Looking at the children of those white people who cosplay as Indians, losing themselves, wondering what the hell they are, just like me before, it can’t be helped just how much fun that is.”

“I was still not as empty as the others but, one day, I was loaded onto a ship.”

“We always choose the left-over slaves to be the one that gets exported, but there was this order from those respectable nobles of the pious Mythology country you see. It couldn’t be helped so I sent them my favorite. Right, that girl over there was my favorite.”

Red did as he pleased explaining Stella’s past in parallel with Stella’s speech.

“We were piled up inside the cramped ship like things.”(Items)

“Even though they wanted slaves so bad that they even went against their belief towards their Mythology, they gave orders to not use motorboat and instead transport the slaves using a smelly old sailing ship. What a troublesome customer they are, don’t you think? The majority of those bunches, the believers of the Divas of the Cosmos Side are just acting devout when it’s convenient. But well, I can control the zombified slaves remotely so it’s not really even that hard. I set sail the ship with only the slaves on it.”

“In that ship I…” Stella’s voice sank even deeper and heavier.

“It was just too wasteful handing over my favorite like that, so I got affectionate for just a little.”

Red Metallica controlled the slaves and furthermore he could share their senses.

That was why he knew Kazuki had the personality that couldn’t lay his hands on the slaves and he fought while using the slaves as shield.

…Being affectionate, using the slaves he shared his senses with…

“But the bother entered in the good place.” Red continued detestably.

“That Crazy Horse discovered the ship right after it set sail and seized it. Because we who got sold as slaves are the people from a different settlement, they came to help us, that was what we thought. They would bring us home, give us a name, and raise us as normal children, we thought.”

Stella said. But “No way that could happen.” Red laughed sarcastically.

“The brave warriors that wore Indian costumes came to us whose defensive magic power didn’t work well because of our thinning ego and stabbed us with sharp spears. They told us to accept our death while piercing our body many times over with spears. That black magic power spilled out from the wounds opening like a flame and our body moved by itself, and it became a fight. Even though it was hurtful and painful, the body moved by itself…”

“That was my remote control magic. But if all their black magic power got used up then even I would become unable to control them, I don’t really know what happened after that. I thought that they likely drove away those Indian bunches, but… something happened, that you can be here now?”

That slave ship turned into a <Haunted Ground>.

The power of chaos that lost control, was it able to influence the Haunted Ground?

“Those people pierced me time and time again, telling me to die and become one with the <Great Spirit>. That death will become the power of the <Great Spirit>.”

Crazy Horse told them that the Indians didn’t fear death. In contrast with America Justice that had their prosperity as the source of their power, was death the source of the Indian Mythology’s power…!

This country was ruled by either wealth or death.

“I didn’t want that. …I was thinking just what is the meaning of my birth. Being treated like a thing since I was born, sold as a slave, getting violated, and at the end of all that, I will get swallowed by something incomprehensible like the Great Spirit and become something [that is not even anyone]… it was repulsive from the bottom of my heart! I wanted to shout that I am me just for once! I wanted to be called my name by someone!!”

Just before they found the slave ship, Lotte said something about an uncomfortable feeling. That someone was calling.

{I felt some kind of wavelength of a mysterious emotion, however… was someone thinking of something desu?}

The slave ship was guided by some kind of will and headed straight at them that time.

“When I noticed… Papa and Mama were hugging me and gave me a name. The things since then, was completely like a dream…”

“Stella…” Kaguya-senpai called with a trembling voice that was filled with anxiety.

Stella’s body was shining with the light of magic power.

“In my time as a slave, I had heard that Las Vegas is an amazing city, it was a dream to play there… It was a dream… Papa, Mama, I remember everything now.”

Stella’s body that was a real substance changed into magic power and it was vanishing.

In the first place the girl was not a real substance.

“I have already died, since a long time ago.”

“Stella! Stella!!” Kaguya-senpai hugged Stella like a real mother.

“Stella…!” Kazuki too called Stella’s name with a squeezed out voice.

“If I get reincarnated as the real child of everyone, how happy that will be… But, I can welcome the end as myself. …Thank you for giving me a name, and calling me with it, Papa, Mama. All of the Nee-ne too…”

And then everything of Stella became light and with a thud there was only the clothes borrowed from Lotte remaining, vanishing from the arms of Kaguya-senpai.

That was not a black magic power but a blue magic power light, the original color of the soul of a free human.

Silently, tears in large drops flooded out from Kaguya-senpai’s opened eyes.

“I see, so that’s how it is!”

Red raised a bright voice.

“Her last scream that she wanted to become a human and not a slave overcame the magic of my Baron Samedi that has its root in slave culture… that was a dream and fantasy born temporarily as a happy child! Is such a thing even possible… in this country that is only filled with unsightly irony, isn’t this the sole beautiful irony that existed! This little white girl rejected the dark side of this country’s history by her lonesome! That humans are not something that should easily get controlled like this! That it’s a sin for someone to treat others like livestock!”

Red, as if he had discovered his own fixation inside Stella, raised a joyous voice as if he had the chord of his heart touched.

Kazuki glared at Red. Everything inside his head was ruled by mixed fury.

He was harboring fury towards this man in front of him.

But it was not only Red Metallica, this country, and even further toward the fate that was larger than life itself, the disconsolate feeling of wanting to swing his fist at all those kept coming and going.

…What was the root of all these evils? Even this Red, was nothing more than a broken human since a long time ago.

“Everyone is glaring at me with really sharp eyes but, what are you all going to do against my slave zombies, I wonder if you happen to have the answer in hand?”

Red was pleased to say that sarcastically while thrusting forward a child as a shield.

“Kuhaha! There is nowhere for you guys to run… just die in this America unable to do anything! The Evil Red!”

Due to that magic, for the second time, the children that were surrounding Kazuki and co. spouted out black flames. The children raised screams and while burning black, they assaulted Kazuki and co. as if to shrink the circle.

“…Oi, are you planning to keep holding back!” Shouko shouted angrily.

“That guy is fightin’ like this after seeing through you bastard’s weakness ain’t he! …I’m really gonna slaughter these brats wholesale y’know! Ain’t no way I’m letting that guy keep laughing nastily like that!”

That decision was not mistaken. He was unable to reject that thinking.

But… was he really going to completely forsake all these hundreds of children that easily?

“Wait!”

Even while her tears kept flowing out, Kaguya-senpai yelled decisively with a voice that was not so loud.

Shouko was glaring, but Kazuki turned his back to her and looked back.

“This is nothing naïve at all. Compared to this kind of hopeless world, Otouto-kun’s way is absolutely not mistaken at all. Don’t waver, keep floundering until the very end, whether there really is no more way anymore or not.”

…Some kind of way.

Looking from among the many options he had―Kazuki looked back at Kaguya-senpai.

Their companions were forming a circle around both Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai, protecting them from the rushing children clad in black flame leaping with the posture and speed of beasts.

“We are the gathering of people that love Otouto-kun, that’s why we will endure and wait until the last moment. …Your greediness to protect those important to you, don’t give up on them.”

Each King had their own respective style as a King.

―’For me, it’s just like what Kaguya-senpai says.’

And then Kazuki kissed Kaguya-senpai.

‘That’ which had been saved importantly until now, was where he discovered a way. Surely Kaguya-senpai also talked to him with the same feeling, she embraced Kazuki back without hesitation.

The bond of Kaguya-senpai’s positivity level that had become something unshakable already, flowed through the contact between lips, turning into a circuit that further reinforced temporarily. From there the vast power of a Diva all flowed into him.

“ “Thy name is Asmodeus! Thy strength become the desire almighty! O jet black contract, in accordance with my command, show that power!!” “

When Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai separated their lips, they connected their hands and overlapped the chant’s consciousness.

“Until now I couldn’t control this magic alone. I couldn’t do anything with this magic except driving the opponent to death. However the true power of this magic is not only that. This power is Hell’s judgment that rules over life and death. …It should also be possible to grant not punishment, but mercy to humans that are not worthy of death.”

Saying that, she began the chanting once more.

The children that rampaged around with beast-like motion clad in black flames attacked with momentum that was completely like a storm. The agonized scream of the children that were forced to move like beasts deafened their ears. Even while his companions bore damage on their magic power from their lacking defense, they kept persisting in non-aggressive defense to protect Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai’s chanting.

“…Is your wish mercy, Kaguya?”

At the side of Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai―a witch that symbolized desire materialized.

“My desire is the compassion of hell. Salvation for those children.”

“Very well―let’s bring about the light of compassion from hell to this [correct desire].”

“Reject this reality, Asmodeus!!” Kaguya-senpai yelled.

The witch clad in ominous violet magic power was hiding a dual nature that could do that.

“ “ “Seventh Inferno(Seventh Hell Materialization)!!” “ “

Kazuki, Kaguya-senpai, and Asmodeus piled up that power and the purple gate of hell gradually rose from the ground of the wasteland. That gate opened heavily. That gate which was once overflowing with miasma so thick it would choke the hated enemy―right now, it was overflowing with shining light towards the children who were in hell despite their innocence.

The movement of the children stopped. Their companions also looked back in relief. In the blink of an eye the overflowing light purified the evil black magic power binding the children that even Yata no Kagami couldn’t so easily exorcise. When the light passed, the black magic power was absorbed into the gate and the light breathed into the children.

The flame of black death was erased due to that breath. The scream of the children came to an end.

The children that the light breathed into recovered their color and collapsed like puppets with its strings severed. Their expression was soft and they also had breathing and pulse.

“Kukuku… my cute Kaguya. This time it’s the correct way of using power… its a good desire!”

In a good mood, Asmodeus gave them a strange parting words and vanished from this world.

“There is a Diva that surpassed Baron Samedi… in the power to rule over life and death, that’s…”

Red stopped laughing madly with his lips trembling.

Losing the slave children, Red looked around his surrounding in fear.

His state was completely like a lost child that had no place to go to.

“Red Metallica.” Kazuki called that name and approached with one step.

While taking a step back, yet Red’s mouth that could be seen from the goggle was warped in a smile.

“Kuhahah… but, but still, not yet. Are you thinking that I was just staying quiet while looking?”

Red was chanting a spell. Magic power of a high level magic was whirling and manifested that power.

“…O dictator of the boundary line(Baron Samedi)! Lure the sheep to the final reached place! Give me the pretense of that power, please let me line up there too… Messiah of Dead(Eternal Intersection)!!” (TN: The raw really use the word dead, not death)

From the sky―from the sky of the wasteland that was fully littered with stars―countless lights so big they drowned out those stars were soaring, they rained down like meteors on Red. The inexhaustible raining light all became aura of magic power and reinforced Red’s everything.

“I’m summoning the magic power of the slaves that I still possess in this America to this place see!”

A terrific reinforcement magic that was in a top category even among all the magic Kazuki had seen until now―it was even on the same level as Ikousai and Susanoo’s [Bougyaku Bujin(Tyranny God of Military Arts)]―made its appearance visibly obvious in Red.

“Moreover, this body of mine is… the latest ‘one of machine’! It’s moving using the souls of my favorite slaves! Its fuel consumption is bad, but in the dawn of the time when souls of the slaves had been piled up a lot more and this body mass is produced… the likes of other Magic Advanced Countries…! This me, is clad in this much reinforcement power!!”

Red’s jet black body that boasted overwhelming mobility even when it was without magic power was covered in solid black magic power that was forming a layer. His figure completely became like the incarnation of negative power―he fiercely kicked the ground of the wasteland.

“In the first place I don’t need to rely on the likes of slaves! I’ll slaughter you all just with me alone!!”

Kazuki sheathed Ame no Murakumo into the sheath on his waist.

He already didn’t want to use any special power to fight against this guy.

If it was with just this one body, in this country it was considered as fair.

“Tangle Calamity!!”

That attack was the ominous black flash itself.

But for Kazuki it was a technique he had seen before. Using Foresight, he was able to dodge with paper thin difference. Kazuki’s front bang shook from the black wind.

Red whose first attack was dodged stepped in powerfully with both legs and put a sudden break on his phenomenal acceleration that raised clouds of dust. Suppressing the opening from hitting empty air into zero, Red took a stance that was ready for Kazuki’s counterattack.

Kazuki pushed out his right shoulder to the front. He showed a motion that was going to hit with his right fist. Red’s goggle flickered red, it [automatically detected] that [preparatory movement] mechanically and derived a [response], fiercely driving that machine body half-automatically.

Reflex speed of electrical signal(impulse) ―but that was not something obtained from training.

There was no Red’s own will in that movement. It was not an experienced decision.

Kazuki stopped the right arm that pretended it was going to hit―a simple feint.

Red’s body was already leaping to the wrong direction in evasion intend. Red himself that left all the reaction to the machine surely didn’t understand what had happened.

A twist in the waist was created from the movement of the right shoulder and the starting movement of Kazuki’s left fist had already finished.

With another kind of speed that was different with speed difference created from physical ability, Kazuki’s left fist snapped up Red’s face.

Red swung around his eight arms that were attached with blades in a struggle.

Certainly they were fast, sharp―but all the attacks were scattered all over without coordination. The simple attacks that only relied on speed and strength were meaningless against a warrior of Kazuki’s level.

If Red just had the idea to make the computer learn battle patterns from many mock battles with Mary, surely it wouldn’t become like this.

He was an enemy Kazuki didn’t feel any respect for.

Kazuki concentrated on Red’s mechanical part and hit his fists thoroughly there.

The magic power scattered sparks and got shaved off, before long the machine itself also scattered sparks and got shorted out.

He hit with his fists while thinking that he had to liberate the batteries from this man. Red took out a battery in the middle of his conversation with Stella from the ejection port around his forehead. When he hit his fist there and warped the goggle, muddy liquid that carried black energy inside was spilling out from the damaged part, it changed into black smoke and vanished.

“Error… Error…” From Red’s mouth, electronic voice that was not Red’s own sound leaked out.

Red’s body did an unnatural way of jumping like an insect whose antenna was cut and collapsed down, unable to preserve its vertical posture. His eight arms and two legs wriggled around in rampage and before long they came to a stop.

Red collapsed down as the defeated. His broken goggle came off and his bare face became exposed.

“Im, impossible… there is no losing factor in me anywhere…”

Both his eyes couldn’t even blink and were wide open. His bare face was exposed ―when his face was exposed to the air of the wasteland, for some reason it was aging old in the blink of an eye. The gloss of the fat loss from the surface of his face, drying up completely like the ground of this land, wrinkles were deeply cracking his face.

The energy of the soul that was supplying this man from the machine was disappearing.

“But… there is no place to escape for you all…”

Even so Red Metallica was laughing.

“Using the transmission system inside my body… your brutality is being reported to the King. Whether it’s in the place of those Indians, or in American Justice… there is no place for you all… You plan to craftily maneuver around the situation, but now you will have all America turned into your enemy where you all will be pulverized…”

“If it’s about the transmission signal that came from your head, all of it had been blocked right from the start though.”

Kazuha-senpai cut into Red’s talk. “You were saying something?”

“Ah…? Eh…?”

At that time, for the first time Red’s bare face was dyed with the color of pure despair.

Kazuki was looking down on Red while feeling pity. “This is your loss.”

Loss… Repeating the word with his cracked lips, strength was disappearing from Red’s eyes.

At that time Kazuki finally understood that all of Red’s life activities were dependent on the machine. He planned to just destroy the machine, but doing that was the same as cutting off Red’s life.

But he had no regret or guilt at all. However, just a little, for some reason he felt a little bit of pity.

“Place… our place, to belong… Indian’s… place to go home… ……Ame, rica……”

Along with the unclear meaning of his last words, Red’s everything came to a stop as if he had spent all his soul. The thing lying down on the ground was not a corpse, but a wreckage that couldn’t even return into the dust of the wasteland.

What was it that this guy was laughing so happily for about this kind of thing?

This man’s mistaken firm conviction really was something empty.

The avatar of his contracted Diva, Baron Samedi was standing still beside the wreckage. With the eye sockets of his expressionless skeleton, he was watching over Red Metallica.

When he looked back, Kaguya-senpai was picking up the clothes that Stella left behind on the ground, she was hugging it tightly. Kazuki too thought longingly of the warmth that was surely still remaining in those clothes.

Even looking up to the sky with his feelings that had no outlet, he still hadn’t the faintest idea when the sky that covered America would become dawn.

Epilogue – Plan

Part 1

In the end they returned back here.

After all the cleaning up afterwards ended―Ginny called Mary and her other comrades that would lend a hand, where they carried back the weakened children and the several restrained cyborg soldiers from the hidden path―Kazuki and co. returned back to the hotel [Yggdrasil].

The overwhelming night view from the window felt like just an empty light right now.

Stella was gone, and it took time until Kaguya-senpai stopped crying.

Kazuki, and Kaguya-senpai who came along into his room were on top of the bed in their sleep-wear.

“…Tonight, I want to kiss all night long.”

When she stopped crying, Kaguya-senpai said that while directing a lonely and wanting face to Kazuki.

When he responded while hugging each other tightly, they fell on the bed just like that.

Kaguya-senpai went into his mouth. Kaguya-senpai’s greedy kiss made him unable to think that this kiss was practically her first kiss. Once, when their faces separated, before he had his attention diverted by her tears all along that he didn’t notice, but because they had wielded the power of Asmodeus together, her eyes had changed color faintly.

But Kaguya-senpai who usually always gave the excuse that [it’s Asmodeus’ fault that I have lewd feeling], now she was seeking Kazuki with a different ferventness and loneliness.

“Kazuki-kun…”

After kissing many times over, they were staring at each other during a breather. Kaguya-senpai let her words escape her mouth.

“Someday, I want Kazuki-kun’s child…”

As if trying to fill the gap that was born in the heart from somewhere of the body, Kaguya embraced him tightly and she rubbed that soft body to him. Otonashi Kaguya―150

Kazuki answered that with loving caress and spent a long night.

Part 2

Dawn finally came to the night of Las Vegas.

“Have you decided what you are going to do?”

Inside Kazuki’s room, Mary and Ginny, and then Arthur, Beatrix, and Shouko, the alliance members were gathering. Mary was the one who began the talk.

“I’m going to side with American Justice and defeat the Indians.” (TN: It’s unclear whether Kazuki speak for the group or for himself here)

Kazuki answered―while remembering the matter they had observed at the Indian’s settlement and the truth of what happened on the slave ship.

Under the name of mother nature, they were trying to erase the civilization and history that human race had piled up until now. They have to stop that even if its a second faster.

And then there was no way he could live in harmony with the Great Spirit that made death its source of power.

Ginny and Arthur, also Beatrix directed surprised looks at him. ‘Then are you going to endure yourself regarding this slavery?’, they gazed at him with such a question. But before they could give voice to that question, Kazuki answered the question faster.

“While being an ally of American Justice, I’ll also look for an opening to defeat the <King>.”

Hearing those words that overturned the premise, the four people had their breath taken away and were at a loss of words.

He denied everything in this country―that was the conclusion he was led to from his honest feelings.

“The fate that is waiting for the weak people in this country is only death or slavery, nothing else.”

He recalled the last moment of Stella. Stella had taught him everything that happened in this country…

“It’s no good for this country to stay on its course. It has to be changed.”

“You are going to say that far about other people’s country…”

Mary talked with a frail voice. Beside her, Ginny who was looking at Mary, shook her head.

“…I too think so. The current America is not justice. But… what about Japan, what are you planning to do with this country?”

“The slavery in this country is done in order to oppose the threat right before your eyes because there isn’t any other way. If the threat of the Indian’s civilization destruction can be removed and this country can obtain an [ally] for the sake of resisting other Magic Advanced Countries, such thing would be unnecessary. Japan will become that ally. If this country potential sense of justice is really true, then this country should reject things like slavery.”

If they could just have an ally where they could help each other, then this cruel reality could be avoided.

“All of you were learning Japanese because you supposedly have the wish of looking for help from Japan. We will answer that feeling. …However the current King that you have was borrowing the power of the Chaos Side’s Diva, a King that became the accomplice of Red. That’s why I will cooperate, but I’ll defeat the King.”

Ginny and Mary were looking at each other with anxious faces.

“All that you say is coming from someone looking down from an above standpoint, but… the thing that you are trying to do right now, isn’t it just the same like the American people of the old that ruled over the indigenous people of this country under the pretext of advancing civilization and giving religious guidance?”

“After you defeat the King… are you saying that you are going to turn this country into your vassal state?”

‘That’s not it’, Kazuki thought. They had to trust him just in that alone.

“Whether I’m going to rule this country or not, whichever doesn’t matter. Stealing something by force is not something I think about. That’s… the thinking of Loki and Kaya. I came to this country in order to deny that.”

Kaya and Loki adopted an ideal where the strong ruled over the weak in a world of chaos. Denying such an ideal was his start as a Basileus(King)―from now on too he had to consistently persist in his ideal.

“The strong have to exist in order to protect the weak. As the Basileus of Japan, I will persist in this [way of mine].”

Afterword

I did it, finally I reached the tenth volume! Now that I mentioned it, in the previous afterword when I wrote [turning point], I got tsukkomi-ed by the editor K-nyan and my contemporary Iwanami Ryou-sensei that “Normally the turning point is not in the ninth volume but in the tenth volume you know”… But that ninth volume was a stopping point speaking from the author’s point of view, the tenth volume that reach double digit gives off the feel of a brilliant new development, so it’s just as I thought that the end of the ninth volume is a moment that feels like a turning point. I think just barely not saying anything is strange.

And with that reason this is the tenth volume of the new development! I was completely packed with various plots because I want to write this and I also want to write that, and when the time to write had come, I write and I write and yet I couldn’t advance at all, it was a great trouble. “What’s with this plot! Are you going to give trouble to your future self!?” While half crying like that I finally finished settling the epilogue just now, it was a point where I could put down my pen.

What is called plot is something like the blueprint of the work, so typically creating light novel first start from making a simple settled plot from the story outline and the points that are worthy of note, then it would get checked by the editor and from there the author begins writing, but that’s only typically. It seems that this procedure is different for each person, but in the case of Mihara Mitsuki, I am a maid author that swore absolute obedience to the editor K-nyan and so I took the challenge with all my power like Shakariki. (TN: A bicycle manga) Anyway it was scary to get rejection from K-nyan, so I entered my idea into the plot. I don’t have the courage to have the match with simple thing.

Thereupon when I compared the plot that turned out with ramen, it became something like [the peak of Everest with a mountain of fat pig added with a mountain of vegetables added with a mountain of garlic]. Is this really ramen? Like that K-nyan’s reply wafted off signs of being fed up with the content and with a feeling as if saying “This is pig’s feed (free translation… please summarize it more simply)” it became rejected.

After that, the exchanges of I rewriting the plot and getting rejected continued for a while, but in the very end “Well, if you say you can go through with this then it’s fine” like that somehow a GO sign came out with feeling as if giving up, a rice bowl was given in front of me… there was the progress of beginning the foundation writing, but when the time came for me to begin eating “This is impossible for my eating ability(writing ability) you know! Who the hell is the guy that ordered this kind of ramen!?” I cried every time but I already had gotten done in.

The writing and writing of this volume where it feels like the main character cannot reach America feels similar with the feeling of despair of eating a mountain of ramen where you keep eating and eating but you never reach the noodle.

Actually I repeatedly wrote and erased, using all that I had to keep consistency from this plot that I made without thinking of the consequences, so does the completed product really feel like a mountain heap of ramen?

Personally I feel like that this is my best work so far! But authors always feel like that each time they finished writing so it cannot really be trusted. If you, the reader, enjoy it then I’m happy!

Also when I saw the frontispiece, “I’m glad that I bring the main character to America!” I earnestly thought that. Bunny-san Banzai! CHun-san, thank you very much for your amazing illustrations in this volume! Ilyailiya in the front cover too make me feel like calling her as [Butt King]. Receiving a lot of support from many people, the series of Magika can continue until the tenth volume. Especially everyone of you honored reader, please take care of me from now on too!

Mihara Mitsuki

Translator's Notes & References

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