Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 5

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 5

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  Cover and color illustrations
  

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  Page 15
  

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  Page 30
  

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  Page 69
  

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  Page 97
  

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  Page 131
  

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  Page 182
  

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  Page 192
  

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  Page 210
  

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  Page 256
  

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  Page 276
  

Chapter 1 – Knuckle TimeStrength, the Time It Should be Shown

Part 1

Lemegeton had one fact that she didn’t tell to the contractorKazuki.

That was the story that she heard from Futsunushi no Kami in their private talk at Distorted WorldAstrum.

{I became unable to make contact with the other Divas of Japan's Mythology.} Futsunushi no Kami informed her.

All of the humans' minds were connected. The depth of that mental world―this Astrum that should even be called [fomenting empty space] was constantly twisting muddily from the waves of all of human races’ unconsciousness.

Inside that trembling darkness, Lemegeton and Futsunushi no Kami’s figures were floating.

{The <Territory> that should be connecting me with everyone is interrupted before I realized it and I have not heard from them since then.}

Astrum was divided into each of the Mythology’s Territory. Only mutual companions with strong connections could come and go freely through the boundary. Lemegeton tied a friendship with Futsunushi no Kami. From that, she became allowed to step foot into Futsunushi no Kami’s territory. Naturally outside of Lemegeton, Futsunushi no Kami was also connected with many of the Divas of Japanese Mythology. It was supposed to be so.

{You, are you perhaps being ostracized because everyone came to hate you while you didn’t know it?}

Just like in the world of humans where a bullied child was blocked from everyone’s cell phone contacts.

―When Lemegeton pointed it out with a mean tone, Futsunushi no Kami {GUWAHHAHHA!} heartily laughing out. {That’s impossible. No, for me to be hated is possible enough, but in Japan's Mythology there is also <Takemikadzuchi> that can be called my other half though. Mine and his Territory should be impossible to be severed from each other. …With only one exception.}

{Then, that impossible thing is happening right? What is that exception that you said?}

Futsunushi no Kami’s hearty laugh was blown out, he suddenly made a dispirited troubled face.

{He might be…going through the <Wild God's Transformation>.}

Lemegeton was lost whether she should give this information to Kazuki or not.

Her feelings that yearned for Kazuki were making a disturbance in her heart that she should immediately tell this matter to him as soon as possible.

However, on the other hand, the calm consideration as <the one that supervises Solomon's 72 Pillars> was telling her to shelve the telling of this matter. [Humans wouldn’t be told of any more information than what they needed] …Lemegeton had lost the majority of her memories, but that was the principle that she recalled at the foremost.

After all, Solomon's 72 Pillars were still merely in the stage of testing the people of Japan.

If they were on the verge of danger―if that was a situation that they invited themselves, then even more so―how would they surmount it was something that humans had to display.

In the first place, if she notified Kazuki about this matter, that Headmaster Amasaki would also be told, but they wouldn’t be able to do anything about this anyway. With just the information that communications with the Divas of Japanese Mythology had gone dark, it was impossible to predict what would happen next. Even Lemegeton didn’t understand what would happen.

Rather, if she caused an excessive uproar and the Battle Election became suspended, it would be a problem for this side. Because Kazuki had to use this chance to become the king of this academy and reign over it.

This situation was the trial that he had to overcome next. Probably.

First, he had to concentrate on the fight in front of his eyes. If it was Kazuki who had finished conquering the Witch’s Manor, surely he wouldn’t suffer defeat, but…well, let’s just see what he's got.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

When Kazuki was flirting with Hikaru-senpai and continued to raise her positivity level, that time when she got chased out of the room was when Lemegeton was thinking about such things.

Part 2

And then finally, May 22nd―the appointed day of the final match came.

But there was a circumstance that delayed the final match from beginning immediately.

Even before that, first was the assembly for the opening performance matches.

“…This cheering, isn’t it the loudest among the matches until now? Even though it's an unrelated match for the overall victory.”

While being wrapped with the loud cheering in the front row of the stands, Mio was feeling overpowered.

However, it wasn't unreasonable. Kazuki, who sat beside her, thought so.

…Because when the holding of this tournament became known, the match that everyone pictured in their head. It was in a different form from the ideal, but it was realized right here.

Currently, on the grounds, Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai led their own respective teams and confronted each other.

[Team Otonashi Kaguya―Otonashi Kaguya, Hiakari Koyuki, Hayashizaki Kanae, Yamada Torazou.]

[Team Hoshikaze Hikaru―Hoshikaze Hikaru, Lotte, Kamiizumi Iori, Kimura Tomomi.]

The tournament’s big favorites and distinguished teams were these two, but Kaguya-senpai was eliminated by Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai by Mibu Akira. Their figures vanished too early in the second round from this championship tournament.

However, separately from the front tournament where the winners aimed for the championship…The [Third Place Deciding Tournament] was also performed by the eliminated teams at the same time.

Because the seat of the Chief Student Council President would be decided by the voting after the tournament, this tournament was nothing more than an appeal time. With a tournament where victory and defeat was decided by a single round, the candidates who were defeated became unable to make their appeal anymore from that point. It was slightly unfair.

For that reason, to grant all the candidates a place for their highlight, a back tournament for the sake of the defeated was also organized side by side with the final tournament. First the fellow losers of the first round fought each other, the winner fought the loser of the second round of the front tournament, the winner next fought the loser of the semifinals―this tournament was divided into two blocks, the two teams that managed to win through would perform the third place deciding battle.

These third place battles were performed throughout the morning, the final battle would begin after the afternoon recess.

“But as expected from them to win through until this place without fail. There was no powerful opponent in Hoshikaze-senpai’s block, but in Kaguya-senpai’s block there was also that clash with the Ryuutaki sisters, wasn’t there?”

At Kazuki’s right side, Mio was looking back at the battles until now while murmuring.

All present in the front row of the stands starting from the right were Mio, Kazuki, Kohaku, and Kazuha-senpai, they were all sitting in a row.

Takasugi Shūsui’s team where the Ryuutaki sisters were members were also the opponents who clashed with Kazuki’s team in the semifinals.

They were formidable enemies with the elder of the Ryuutaki sisters, Miyabi-senpai, stopping the movement of the enemy with <Gremory>’s mental attacks, then the younger sister, Shinobu-senpai, performed bombings with <Marchosias>’ [Burning Icicle] that were hard to defend against.

But their compatibility with Kaguya-senpai’s team was bad.

Kaguya-senpai was once exposed to <Nyarlatoteph>’s mental attacks for a long period of time and from that experience, she had the experience of overcoming it. A normal mental attack was not effective against Kaguya-senpai anymore.

The difference in strength between the swordsmen was also pretty big. The Takasugi brothers, who stood as the vanguard of the Ryuutaki sisters, were, as expected, unable to compete against the prominent duo of the Sword Division, Kanae and Torazou-san.

Even so, Shinobu-senpai harassed Koyuki with furiously vigorous efforts. Shinobu-senpai’s special contradicting characteristic where she could manipulate both heat and cold at the same time was a bad match-up for Koyuki who could only manipulate the ice element.

However, when the Takasugi brothers were forced to leave the stage and it became four versus two, Shinobu-senpai was exposed to fierce attacks and she fell into a state where she couldn’t chant her spell satisfactorily. The victory or defeat was slowly decided.

Be that as it may, [I heard the rumor, but those Ryuutaki Sisters were really strong to that extent huh?] ―they left a strong impression on many of the students. So this battle should be a good contest.

“Fufufu, during this strict schedule even Otonashi Kaguya won’t leave unscathed after fighting against us. Even for the eternally number 2 Hoshikaze Hikaru who reached this stage following her desires, this time will she have a chance, I wonder?”

Hearing that voice right from her side, Mio took a glancing look and glared.

“…Miyabi-senpai, why are you right next to us?”

Beside Kazuki’s team, who was watching the battle, right next to Mio, the Ryuutaki sisters in question were sitting.

“Isn’t it fine, let’s get along well. Fufufu.”

Her wavy hair with the silver color characteristic to an elf shook softly, Miyabi-senpai laughed in chuckles.

“…Onee-sama. I’m also unable to tolerate this. Why are we sitting beside this bunch?”

Shinobu-senpai wrinkled her eyebrows and murmured. She was the spitting image of Miyabi-senpai. But in contrast with Miyabi-senpai, who was always full of composure, her hair was black and she always made a scary expression.

“Isn’t it fine, let’s get along well. Fufufu.”

Even against the complaint of the little sister, Miyabi-senpai deflected it with a friendly grin on her smiling face. She has a lot of guts.

Mio too, she gave up on sending Miyabi-senpai away, who was too ‘my pace’, she faced Kazuki again.

“By the way, which one is Kazuki rooting for? Which one are you going to cheer for?”

“…Errr.” While Kazuki was troubled with how to reply, he sent his sights to the match.

On the ground, Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai were staring at here…no, at Kazuki they were staring ‘jii’ fixedly.

He was seen…both of them were “The cheering is still not here yet? Come on, cheer” looking at him with those kind of eyes….

Hikaru-senpai’s eyes shined and sparkled with expectation, Kaguya-senpai had a smile on her lips but her eyes were not smiling. Before long they became aware of each other and started to get competitive, the gazes they sent at Kazuki were gradually….

“Are you going to cheer for me (me ) or her?” Their atmosphere changed to such feelings.

Kazuki made a decision and inhaled a long breath.

“…Do your best Kanae! Prove the strength of the Hayashizaki-style!”

“You came to that conclusion!?” Mio, who was observing him while holding her breath, raised her voice from the side.

“Nii-sama!” Kanae who was on the ground turned to this side, she pranced up and down repeatedly *pyonpyon*.

“Nii-sama’s gaze is focused on me! It came…, it came…Nii-sama’s gaze energy is!! FUNUOOOOO! Full charge nyan!!”

Watching the happy Kanae going ‘nyaa nyaa’…Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai smiled wryly like it couldn’t be helped.

“Brother and sister love + sword school love…he attacked at the place where nobody could find any fault huh, as expected of Kazuki.”

Beside him, Kohaku was grinning broadly. Kohaku too had a deep love that didn’t lose or was inferior to Kazuki in regards to her sword school.

“Well, it’s in bad taste to fix an order of importance to companions that you get along well with, isn’t it fine this way?”

Unexpectedly Kazuha-senpai too gave a tolerant reaction. Even though if it was before, she would be the first to say things like “You indecisive harem guy!”…after giving her recognition to Kazuki inside the [world of mirrors], her attitude and expression had evidently changed.

Amasaki Mio―150 Lotte―122 Hiakari Koyuki―120 Otonashi Kaguya―103

Hoshikaze Hikaru―94 Tsukahara Kazuha―56 Ryuutaki Miyabi―41 Ryuutaki Shinobu―2

It was not like he wanted to rank them or anything but…Kazuki understood the positivity level from everyone.

“Well, the one who likes Kazuki the most in the world is me though. Ehehe.”

Mio was ‘goronyaaa’ and came hugging Kazuki’s arm.

“E, even this one is not losing in that!” Kohaku pinched Kazuki’s sleeve with a hurried expression.

“How stupid.” Kazuha-senpai crossed her arms while averting her face.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Kana-shishou , prepare yourself!”

At the same time with the start of the match, Kamiizumi-senpai challenged Kanae.

“Against me, who has been charged with strength from Nii-sama, the likes of you won’t stop me!”

Kanae too stood against her right from the front. The white blades clashed, fragments of blue magic power scattered everywhere.

“I'm also going to show my cool side this time for sure! Now the sure kill…TORAZOU SMASH!!”

“I won’t let an oily brute like you get near the prince!”

Torazou-san and Kimura-senpai also clashed against each other. The difference in strength between the swordsmen…Kanae & Torazou-san of Team Kaguya-senpai were overwhelmingly superior. However―,

“Howl! Civilization grants destruction to humans! The roar of wisdom scorches thy body, break apart, that dignity is buried beneath the rubble!! Mitrailleuse!”

From the rear, with fast chanting special to Possession SummoningDrive , Lotte created a magic gatling gun. Its body rotated with groans of motor sounds, rapidly scattering dozens of bullets everywhere.

Those bullets accurately obstructed the attack of Kanae and Torazou-san who were leaping close and gave a good timing “Right now's your chance!” for Kamiizumi-senpai and Kimura-senpai. It was exquisite firing support.

Lotte was able to read the situation on the battlefield with her extraordinary <Telepathy>.

“O will of the God of the whirling heavens! Gather in my hand, grant me the authority of judgment! O light of royalty's divine gift, become the brilliantly dazzling drawn bow! Lightning Line!”

Slightly behind, Hikaru-senpai produced a lightning bow and directed it at Koyuki. Similar with when Kazuki was fighting Kaguya-senpai’s team, it seemed they planned to start from Koyuki first.

“O rejection of absolute zero, protect my body and become the armor of isolation! Freeze Barrier!”

Without delay Koyuki pulled out a barrier of icy cold air.

“That Koyuki, she had anticipated that she would be targeted!”

Mio raised a passionate voice to her rival.

“But against a lightning arrow, a cold air barrier wouldn't be sufficiently effective.”

Precisely because Kazuki was able to use both [Lightning Line] and [Freeze Barrier], he understood the superiority of elements. The lightning arrow would surely slice apart the cold atmosphere sharply and pour electricity into Koyuki.

“…But that child, too, would surely understand that fact all too well I imagine. ―Look, that child is controlling the cold delicately. As expected from an elf like me.”

Miyabi-senpai pointed out with sympathy filled tones.

That observing comment was by no means an overestimation.

A streak of lightning was released from Hikaru-senpai's hands. Facing that attack, Koyuki concentrated the water particles and cold in the air in front of herself for two meters using Psychokinesis, creating a membrane of water.

The moment the arrow of lightning penetrated the insulation of the air while advancing came into contact with the membrane of water, the arrow was unable to pierce it. All of its energy went through the highly conductive water and flowed into the earth.

Hikaru-senpai’s expression was colored with disbelief. Just like that, she kept firing the arrows of lightning repeatedly, but Koyuki kept making thin films of water one after another using the cold and water particles that were fixed with Psychokinesis and held out against the barrage.

Koyuki’s delicate magic technique, knowledge and quick-wittedness were surpassing Hikaru-senpai.

It was a deadlock of offense and defense that went against Kazuki’s predictions― and left Kaguya-senpai alone.

“O shapeless and mute shadow, become the fish that swims in the darkness filled with obstructive thoughts! The origin of nightmares, vicissitudes of materialism, answer to the terror and hope and bite…! Deep Specter!”

Kaguya-senpai, who was outside of the net, indifferently invoked her level 5 magic.

“Everyone, Formation Dark!”

Asmodeus’ laughing voice reverberated in the empty sky―from the shadow under Kimura-senpai, a pure black monster rose up. Kamiizumi-senpai came to help; she blocked its big mouth that was lined up with black fangs with her katana.

Using the gap when Kamiizumi-senpai and Kimura-senpai were busy battling the monster, Kanae and Torazou-senpai broke away from that spot and went to slash at Lotte and Hikaru-senpai.

One of the options of Kaguya-senpai’s team, <Formation Dark> was a plan that created numerical superiority with the shadow monster and directing Kanae and Torazou-senpai to the enemies at the rear.

When Magica Stigma are attacked in the middle of chanting spells, their concentration would fall into disarray and their magic invocation would fail completely.

But…Lotte and Hikaru-senpai were peculiar Magica Stigma that excelled in close-range combat.

“I reach my hand to the height of Babel and become the oppressor! In accordance with my life, O lightning, let us praise the foolhardiness of the human race! Blitzkrieg!!”

An electromagnetic lance was created on Lotte’s left hand, she stabbed the spearhead at Torazou-senpai. Torazou-senpai had pride in his strength, but if he clashed with that lance he would surely get electrocuted without even any time for a contest of strength.

“O stream of atmosphere, extend to my hand, become the lance that repelled the resented person! What reaches my hand is the tip of the storm!! Ayamur!!”

A pike with the power of wind residing in it was created inside the hand of Hikaru-senpai too, it was directed at Kanae and swung.

Pike―it was a weapon that could both slash or stab with a double edged blade propped on the end of a long shaft.

On the other half of its possession of long reaches, its attack became completely large swings that made it easy to open a gap in the defense. It was born in ancient times and was one of the foremost weapons in history. But with the advancing of time the [spear] made its entrance as a weapon that specialized in thrusting and was easy to wield even in the close formation of soldier corps, making the pike’s figure disappear from history. So to speak a relic of the past, it could be called a defective weapon.

But this pike of mythology, [Ayamur] had the special characteristic of producing raging wind with each attack.

The moment it was swung, a tailwind blew that accelerated the swing. The moment it made contact, a storm was created from the tip of the pike and amplified the destructive power. Even in the case it was evaded, the storm would throw the posture of the enemy out of order and seal their counterattack. Therefore it wouldn’t create any gap even if it hit nothing but empty air and it could harass the enemy one-sidedly with its long reach. …Even defective goods if traced back in the mythology would become a fearsome weapon for decisive battles.

Things like Hikaru-senpai’s swung pike, Kanae could evade it even with her eyes closed. However, even if she evaded it, her small statured body would be blown away from the arising wind and her beginning counterattack would be arrested and taken away.

“…O divine protection of mermaid, stop the steps of the resented enemy, hasten the steps of the chosen person…. O ice blade, run! Moves in the Field!”

Unable to just watch the hard fight of the swordsmen, Koyuki froze the surface of the ground. Hikaru-senpai and Lotte slipped down with a slide. Immediately Koyuki equipped both her feet with ice blades and skated and added herself in the close-quarters fight.

“Lightning Line!”

Hikaru-senpai shot lighting arrows at her comrades underfoot without delay. It had a small range but the frozen areas the arrows pierced were melted by the heat of electricity, making it possible for the ground to be stepped on and make their counterattack.

“Five stars that shine in the interstice of life and death, turn, turn, pillaged by the whim of the God of Death, become the miserable and mute mud doll! Near Death Roulette!!”

Even Kaguya-senpai chanted a magic exclusive for close-range and gripped the scythe of the god of death tightly with both hands and launched her attack at Kamiizumi-senpai and Kimura-senpai. There was no Heaven and Earth Formation or anything like that, unexpectedly all eight people were thrown into a melee!

Witnessing the development of a never before seen before match, loud cheers were raised from the stands.

“With this development could Lotte and Hoshikaze-senpai add more reinforcement magic until Kaguya-senpai finished bringing down her two opponents, it's become a match like that huh…”

Mio murmured. Kazuki also had the same opinion. The scythe Kaguya-senpai possessed would steal one of the five senses with each of its attacks and the sixth attack would sever all of the magic power of the opponent. If the swordsmen were attacked from the side with that scythe while they were in the middle of fighting Deep Specter, Kamiizumi-senpai and Kimura-senpai wouldn’t last long.

Lotte chanted a spell with a mad rush in her quickness.

“Soaring wings, lording eyes, invading world-destroying conflagaration―manifest the authority of god right here, as the agent of civilization deeper and deeper I advance! Deep Striker!!”

The greatest magic Lotte could use, level 5. Huge thruster units were created on Lotte’s small back, the spouting heat of fire pushed her to the sky and she soared.

Lotte who prepared her electromagnetic lance in the sky and fixed her aim looked completely like an eagle that was directing its beak to the prey on the ground. And then she took a nose dive in one beat with recklessly fast speed.

Her aim was Torazou-san. Torazou-san was blown away by Lotte’s lance charge unable to do anything, his remaining magic power was lost to dangerous levels.

“Yamada Torazou, that’s the end!” The referee gave his verdict of Torazou-san’s exit from the stage.

Lotte immediately danced back to the sky again; this time, she aimed at Koyuki and took another nose dive.

Koyuki didn’t run. Against Lotte’s charge, she thrust out both her hands right from the front.

“Sinking hundred of ships, O threat of the sea lurking in ocean depths! Rise to the surface guided by my singing voice…show that whole story! …Stab your fangs! Ice Buster!!”

That offensive magic was invoked with great timing for a counter.

Lotte’s lance stabbed at Koyuki―at the same time, gigantic icebergs that grew from the ground pierced Lotte. Both of them simultaneously struck each other grandly and were blown away by the recoil.

However the damage was far heavier on Lotte, who was countered right from the front.

Moreover, what Koyuki used was level 6, an offensive magic that had high one-shot power.

All of the armaments on Lotte’s body were damaged and scattered sparks everywhere *bachi bachi*. Even so, Lotte operated her thruster unit and took off again to the sky, for a decisive charge against Koyuki who even now was standing up unsteadily.

It was like an attack made by a fool that only knew how to do just one thing, but Koyuki was unable to immediately chant the same magic.

This time for sure a promised sure-kill lance charge was approaching…!

―But just an instant before they crashed, a small shadow sprung out in front of Koyuki.

“Hayashizaki style two swords art, Wind God Instant Positioning!!”

That shadow crossed her two swords and caught the tip of the lance, the long ponytail drew an arc and rotated beautifully. That one attack was parried diagonally below.

The speed of Lotte’s nose dive had surpassed even Beatrix’s step-in. To splendidly parry it without even taking a simultaneous hit, it was Kanae’s divine work that even made the watching Kazuki, who was from the same sword school, have his breath taken away.

Lotte’s charging lance pierced the ground *ZUDON!*. The lance that was fixed in her left arm completely stabbed the ground, making Lotte flap her feet *batabata* on the earth uselessly. Cute. But only her appearance.

“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Koyuki raised a voice filled with fighting spirit that he couldn’t even imagine compared to how she usually was. With reaction speed that showed her trust that Kanae would come to help her without fail, she shifted into counterattack.

With the ice blade that was equipped on her right foot, Koyuki treaded through the thruster unit on Lotte’s back, it was destroyed in one hit.

With the right foot that was treading on Lotte’s back as the axis, Koyuki rotated in a circle. Using the left blade on her left foot she launched an accurate Savateback spinning kick into the chink between Lotte’s armor and tore it apart. Keeping the momentum she rotated once, twice, thrice, while spinning like a figure skater she hacked *zutazuta* Lotte to pieces.

When her rotation ended Koyuki lightly leaped to the air and moved to the finishing of the programme.

“O singing voice of mermaid, manifest the freezing thought. Sadness into ice flower, loneliness into light snowfall, cover the world within a freezing vacuum…White Album!”

Like an ice fairy, a silver world was spreading on the surroundings of the dancing Koyuki. Koyuki and Lotte’s silhouettes stood out inside that pure white screen, the next moment, it was dyed with the blue flash of Lotte’s defensive magic power that was receiving large damage from the cold.

“Charlotte Liebenfrau, that’s the end!”

However―because Kanae came to help Koyuki, that person became free to move.

“Lightning fall into my body and I gain lightning thoughts and godspeed…wake up the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!”

Lightning ran behind Kanae. Hikaru-senpai who scattered sparks from her whole body and having her physical ability elevated electrically, she drew near Kanae’s back unnoticed with Ayamur in her hand.

“…Damn it! No, I’m aware of this already, but damn it!!”

If she confronted her from the front, Kanae could still deal with Hikaru-senpai even with her current speed. But having her short opening taken, *DOSU DOSU DOSU!* Kanae was stabbed full of holes with lightning speed. Hikaru-senpai kicked Kanae, then she stabbed Koyuki down with a single blow. Both of them were defeated simultaneously at that spot.

“Hayashizaki Kanae, Hiakari Koyuki, that’s the end!”

But, with that Hikaru-senpai’s team stood in advantage…was not what happened.

While such events happened―Kaguya-senpai too made both Kamiizumi-senpai and Kimura-senpai leave the stage with [Near Death Roulette]. What remained was a one-on-one fight between the fellow team leaders.

Hikaru-senpai, who had become superhuman, confronted Kaguya-senpai who was accompanied by Deep Spectera shadow monster while holding the god of death’s scythe.

“I’m going to win for sure this time against Kaguya, you’ll see!” While releasing golden light, Hikaru-senpai proclaimed with fierce dignity.

“…Some nerve you have. I’ll make you sing out a pleasant voice again!” Kaguya-senpai laughed sadistically.

In the middle of the cheers from the stands that was heating up to its peak―Hikaru-senpai thrust her spear at Kaguya-senpai.

“Without hesitating that cursing thee also wounded oneself…shared agony is my delight! Cry and shout in the mirror's reflection! Suicide Black!”

Without evading, Kaguya-senpai deployed illusion defensive magic that reflected [the agony that should be produced by the opponent’s attack] in full. Kaguya-senpai’s body was enveloped by a sinister black haze.

Hikaru-senpai took a deep breath as if hardening her resolve―she thrust her pike at the black haze.

While gritting her teeth and enduring the pain, she kept thrusting her pike no matter how many times powerfully.

“O god of death’s whisper waiting impatiently for visitors, resound widely and deeply, let us paint the dream completely with agony! Reverberate the evil sounds of sadism! Ultra Violence!!”

Kaguya-senpai reverberated an evil voice that doubled the sense of pain.

At that time an unimaginable illusionary pain should be generated inside Hikaru-senpai. But even while Hikaru-senpai’s expression distorted in anguish, while raising a scream filled with fighting spirit she recklessly continued swinging her pike. Looking at that figure, even Hikaru-senpai’s fans in the guest stands were screaming.

Kaguya-senpai also swung down the scythe of the god of death. The scythe that caused fatal destruction of human senses with each of its strikes was evaded by Hikaru-senpai who was desperately keeping her consciousness in the middle of the violent agony, then she was counterattacking once more.

“Otonashi Kaguya is also having an extremely hard time, you know? Because that defensive magic only returned illusionary pain.”

Miyabi-senpai cheerfully pointed out. [Suicide Black] didn’t reduce the damage from the attack at all.

Right now, Kaguya-senpai was using <Resist>―without borrowing the power of her Diva but using her own general magic, she was only creating energy of the opposite vector of the thrusts to defend.

She couldn’t block the attacks with just that, Kaguya-senpai’s magic power too was shaved off in the blink of an eye. In short, this was an intense battle of attrition between Hikaru-senpai’s mental strength against Kaguya-senpai’s magic power.

The Deep Specter that was still being summoned was also attacking Hikaru-senpai from the side. Hikaru-senpai, who'd been superhumanly strengthened, flicked it away with her pike just as an annoyance in her one-on-one fight.

That one instant where Hikaru-senpai’s mind was directed to the shadow monster, was the aim of Kaguya-senpai.

“O desire lurking in the sea of the heart, passing through the sinful flesh reaching out that hand! O embodiment of violation, twine yourself as you desired! Desire Tentacle!”

Countless tentacles were growing out from the ground, twining themselves on Hikaru-senpai’s limbs. Hikaru-senpai raised a loud voice while shaking herself free with all her strength, she stabbed. Stabbed. Stabbing with reckless abandon at Kaguya-senpai with her pike.

However Kaguya-senpai too counterattacked using her scythe with first class simultaneous strikes. First hit. Second hit. Third hit.

Already losing her sight and hearing, Hikaru-senpai continued swinging her pike like an automatic doll. But her arms, her legs, were bound firmly by the tentacles. Finally, senpai’s movements were completely sealed, Kaguya-senpai’s scythe was inflicting the fourth hit, fifth hit―

And then, the sixth hit. Every sense and all of Hikaru-senpai's magic power was stolen, she fell down on that spot.

The golden light was swallowed by the black haze, Kaguya-senpai received the declaration as winner of the match.

Part 3

“Kazuki~, Kaguya’s way of fighting is still as brutal as ever see~! I don’t want anymore~! Comfort me~!”

When Kazuki and the others spread out a leisure sheet and prepared lunch boxes, Hikaru-senpai was running to him with crocodile tears and fake crying.

“Eh? Wasn’t Hikaru-senpai feeling good from the pain?”

“What on earth are you saying?! Oi!”

When he mentioned the reference from the previous talk, Hikaru-senpai poked ‘kotsun’ Kazuki’s head.

“Kazuki-oniisan~! Koyuki-oneesan is a bully desu~!”

Lotte too came straight at Kazuki and hugged him. While saying ‘there there’, he stroked her head repeatedly.

“Hikaru-senpai too, you were valiant till the end, that was really cool.”

“Ahaha…rather than looking valiant or cool, I want to be said to be cute see.”

While laughing awkwardly, a ‘kyun kyun’ heart mark came flying.

“Kazuki, I was working hard on the cheering too!” “This one had been working hard on cheering too you know!”

Mio and Kohaku said something incomprehensible, they came clinging onto Kazuki as if opposing Hikaru-senpai and Lotte. “You girls are different, right?” Kazuki pushed them aside. What would they need to be thanked for?

Kaguya-senpai’s team, who was doing some greeting in the stands, finally came after a bit.

“Nii-sama-! Receiving Nii-sama’s heated gaze, Kanae was working 30 percent harder-!!”

Kanae hugged Kazuki at full speed.

“I watched you clearly. Aren’t you the hidden MVP today?”

Kanae was beaten up in the middle, but the one that broke up this match was the divine work of Kanae.

Lotte could reduce her sense of pain with her advanced Telepathy skill. If that Lotte survived until the last struggle together with Hikaru-senpai, the result would have turned out differently, without a doubt.

With an understanding of that fact, Kanae went to help Koyuki even if she had to expose a fatal opening.

“Nii-sama, don’t just watch this match…tonight please watch Kanae’s everything, up to the maiden’s secret placebeeep too without sparing anything left. On top of the bed, an adult observation diary to the depths of every corner…”

“Don’t get carried away with that incomprehensible mood. Don’t make a beeep sound with your mouth.”

“Well then Nii-sama, please do the Hayashizaki-style secret technique <tossing someone into the airRising Sun>!”

“There is no such secret technique. …But, like this?”

Kazuki lifted Kanae’s small body, then exercising Enchant Aura, he flung her as high as he could directly above.

“I don’t really get it but it looks fun! Banza―i! Kana-chan banza―i!”

Kaguya-senpai too joined in the Rising Sun with bright eyes, “banza―i” Koyuki who was saved by Kanae just before this also joined, Kanae's body leaped like a beanbag to the blue cloudless sky.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The finals would be after the afternoon recess.

“The lunch box today was made by everyone except Kazuki! Come on, the fried chickenkaraage was made by me. It’s fried beautifully right? Aa―n!”

“No, I can eat by myself. Give the chopsticks to me too.”

“We didn’t come bringing Kazuki’s share of chopsticks though.”

While feeling like his human rights had been stolen, Kazuki opened his mouth like the chick of a small bird and got spoon-fed by Mio. …Though it was already too late to feel embarrassed over a mere ‘aa―n’ after all they had done together.

For the sake of Kazuki, who was going to challenge the finals, everyone of the Witch’s Manor prepared the boxed lunch. Everyone of the Sword Division, who were guessing that special atmosphere, surrounded them slightly from a distance.

“Yeah, delicious. Also there is a hidden flavor inserted that is different from usual. Is it garlic?”

“Ah, you know it. I changed the shoyu for dipping sauce into garlic soy sauce so that you will become more energetic!”

From the side, Kaguya-senpai pushed out a dish.

“Here Otouto-kun, eat the one that I made too! Charred newt!”

“Senpai, why are you making a dish that looks like something a witch would cook?”

“It will make you energetic you know! Probably!”

He had the feeling that charred newt was not vitality medicine but more like a love potion though….

While Kaguya-senpai kept making a smiling face that was pressuring him, she smoothly *zuii* presented the newt that was skewered on a stick to Kazuki.

Eh, he really had to eat this? From the head? Uwaaa….

Ah, but unexpectedly he could eat it. It had crisp texture and savory surface, leanly refined meat. It was also grotesque but when he crunched the head, a taste really preferred by food experts from the innards’ body was slowly spreading in his mouth.

“Kazuki! I grilled meat! Now! Eat! For men, it's beef for sure!”

With a meaninglessly gallant tone, Hikaru-senpai presented a galbi mixed with dipping sauce. It was certainly a flavor that was impossible to not make the blood of a man boil up. It was simple, but there was no miss in it.

“Kazuki-oniiisan, mine is tako-san wiener desu! It’s that one that you often see in anime desu!!”

Was Lotte intending for it to mimic an octopus, the wiener pursed out *nyuu* its lips and made a weird face.

“Pwease stoopp~♪” She said delightfully. She was really a happy child no matter what she was doing…

The tako-san wiener added Lotte-like charm to the big boxed lunch.

…However the whole meal was so meat heavy that it was covered with the light brown color of meat. It really gave him a lot of stamina, but these people were unexpectedly carnivorous; so if he left them alone, he had the feeling that they would just eat meat everyday. Just as I thought, if I don’t control the kitchen….

“Kazuki, what I made is onigiri. I thought if it’s this even I won’t fail…”

“Oh, right when my mouth started to become oily. Is Koyuki going to feed me too?”

“…My finger will indirectly get included into your mouth like this, but if you don’t think it’s dirty like that…”

“You're overthinking it you know.”

Far from dirty, Koyuki’s small hand was surely cute like an ice fish.

The presented onigiri was beautifully formed in a triangular shape, it was a workmanship that was really like the methodical Koyuki.

“The side dishes’ tastes are deep, I felt anxious adding my cooking poorly so it’s just a mere salted onigiri though.”

“But the surrounding foods had deep flavors, so food like this is fine. …Yes, it’s delicious.”

While chewing the onigiri, Kazuki tasted a faint sweetness inside his mouth. It was not the sweetness of the rice itself. Koyuki was also not the type to mistake between salt and sugar. Thereupon this was….

The reason why Koyuki was poor at cooking…might be because of this.

“Perhaps Koyuki unconsciously cooked food using <Alchemy Cooking>?”

Hearing Kazuki’s sudden observation, Koyuki was going “Eh…?” and opened her eyes widely.

What was called Alchemy Cooking was a technique to operate magic power on cooking and dragging out taste that normally couldn’t be let out from normal cooking. Perceiving the Prima Material of the ingredients with Extra Sense, then with delicate Psychokinesis and Pyrokinesis the ingredients were rearranged and altered.

However, common magic was the product of imagination. Just from having unneeded thoughts flash for a moment or making an error in magic power control, an impossible dish would be created from the original ingredients by the Alchemy Cooking. Because sometimes poison could be also created, there was a warning to never use this method of cooking in a household where there was someone with weak defensive magic power like children or the elderly. Even in the case of each store where they offered Alchemy Cooking, they need a license just like the license system of a Fugu chef.

“Perhaps because Koyuki’s magic power is stronger than other people's from the start, even inside your subconscious your magic power leaked out to the cooking and it completely became Alchemic Cooking. That’s why the onigiri became slightly sweet.”

Koyuki also tasted the onigiri and ascertained the taste.

“Certainly…. But for me to be unable to control my own magic power…”

“I wonder if that’s not the result of your thoughts of wanting the one who eats it to be happy. I’m really happy from the transmitted feelings that Koyuki’s heart put into shaping this.”

A strong feeling would naturally become common magic, affecting reality itself.

“Uu…” While leaking such a sound, Koyuki became completely red.

Because it was a simple cooking like onigiri, it ended with just the taste becoming sweet.

However in the past, he heard Koyuki had a criminal record when she attempted to make homemade food for the senpais, it became a great disaster where the inside of the mouths of the senpais were shining with defensive magic power (in short it was poison).

Because of that, Koyuki was totally convinced that [she is an elf that has no worth other than fighting] or that [she is a failure who can't do anything like making people happy]. However, those thoughts were a big mistake.

“If you get used to using your magic power skillfully to make Alchemy Cooking, I think Koyuki could become good at cooking too.”

“…Is that really true? Even I, can make someone else happy?”

Koyuki opened her eyes and it shined as if discovering a hope that she never even thought possible.

“Then practice together with me. I’m going to raise Koyuki as a full-fledged maid! Koyuki is a girl who can make people happy properly!”

Hearing Kazuki’s words, Koyuki’s cheeks blushed with a puff. And then,

“Kazuki…!” Overcome with emotion, without even paying any mind to the eyes of the surrounding people, she leaped into Kazuki’s chest.

Kazuki hugged Koyuki back tightly. After that they toppled over on top of the leisure sheet altogether and *goron goron* rolled around. …From that reaction, Koyuki made a bewildered face.

“Ka, Kazuki…it’s too intense…why do you need to roll around…”

“Well, when I hugged you, you looked really cute like a plushie, so unconsciously...”

In regards to Koyuki, against his better judgment he overdid his expression of affection.

“Kazuki-oniisan! Without a doubt, that’s surely an emotion called [moe rolling] desu!!”

Lotte taught him a strange thing.

“Fufu-“ Koyuki who was settled inside Kazuki’s arms compactly spilled out a laugh.

“…Then because Kazuki is teaching me the way to make people happy, you are my master now.”

And then from the angle where other people couldn’t see, she secretly kissed Kazuki’s cheek. The proof of the increase of her positivity level, a big heart mark also came flying. Once more, Kazuki did the moe rolling.

“That looks nice-. I’m not the type that can get treatment like that, am I? Cute types like Koyuki are so enviable…”

Hikaru-senpai dropped her shoulders and murmured. Kazuki abruptly stood up and denied that statement.

“That’s not true at all. Hikaru-senpai too, saying this kind of thing to senpai is a little..., but I think you are cute.”

“Really? Then can you give me a hug and roll around?”

“Of course. Though it’s a little embarrassing, come here.”

When Kazuki spread out his hands, “Waa―ii” Hikaru-senpai leaped into there. Kazuki hugged Hikaru-senpai who had a little more sensual feeling in her body than Koyuki tightly, making them glued to each other, then they *goron goron* rolled around.

“Not fair. Kazu-nii, do that to me too!” “Kazuki-oniisan, that looked fun desu-!” “Otouto-kun, me too ‘’me too―’’!”

Mio, Lotte, and Kaguya-senpai were starting to create a line in succession in front of Kazuki.

Kazuki received them in turn; they hugged, fell down, and *goron goron* rolled around.

Am I an amusement park attraction or what?

Part 4

And then finally, the appointed time of the finals drew close.

“Before the finals, there is something that I want to let everyone know.”

He couldn’t keep on doing moe rolling. Inside the portable tent that was turned into a waiting room before the match, Kazuki spoke frankly about the black shadow that was hovering over this battle election.

The new Board Chairman that suddenly proposed the idea of deciding the Chief Student Council President with this battle election, Takasugi Takayoshi.

In concert with that, the delinquent students who, until now, were never cooperating with school events like quests or the like introduced themselves as candidates. Their announcement to become a candidate was also really unnatural.

So that Board Chairman Takasugi could raise a puppet Chief Student Council President that would move according to his own will, he might have bribed those delinquent students and proposed to carry out this battle election.

The ones backing the new Board Chairman Takasugi were an extreme political organization named <Kenshitou> that was advocating [the suppression of Magica Stigma]; both sides had a close relationship with each other.

At the same time, Kazuki was assaulted by an assassin. That assassin was skilled in dangerous Chinese kenpo that ignored magic power and destroyed the opponent’s flesh. Kazuki had determined the assassin’s true identity, but that assassin was participating in this battle election as a student of the Knight Academy. She was a character that had already won through until this final match.

In addition, that girl not only used Chinese kenpo, she also used the Summoning Magic of <Chinese Mythology’s Divas>. That Diva possessed the power to brainwash other people, a few of the students that were participating in this battle election had traces of being brainwashed by someone. Adding to the unnatural participants, the brainwashed participants…

The inauguration of the new board chairman, the suspicious candidates, the assassin from China…if all of that were connected with one line. Kenshitou’s advocacy of [Magica Stigma’s oppression] would be the decline of Japan’s magic military power; it might bring an advantage for other Magic Advanced Countries―namely China. The new board chairman and Kenshitou were most likely spies from China that were aiming for this academy and Kazuki’s life.

The opponent they were going to fight after this might be the vanguard from this bottomless darkness….

“””Chinese Mythology’s Divas!?””” Everyone expressed great shock.

“You're saying that those two from the Sword Division, Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka are contracted with Chinese Mythology’s Divas?”

Towards Mio, who was looking half believing half doubting, Kazuki gave a nod filled with conviction.

“Certainly, those two aren't using kenjutsu but kenpo. So that’s Chinese kenpo. Now that you mention it, it was different from karate.”

Kohaku nodded with deep interest. As long as they were not a successor of a special old-style kenjutsu like Kazuki’s Hayashizaki-style or Kohaku’s Shinkage-style, it's recommended that the average swordsman practice <The Knight Order’s formal kenjutsu>. Because of that, meeting a user of Chinese kenpo or the like seldom happened.

“Then that time when Mibu Akira and Asamiya Anna kept getting back up even though they were done in several times by Hoshikaze-senpai, that was the <Divine Protection> of the Chinese Mythology’s Diva that is contracted with those guys?”

Kazuha-senpai inquired. Divine Protection is a type of effect that is granted to the contractor where it is always continuously active.

“Correct, it was the power of Hayashi Shizuka’s contracted Diva, <Joka>.”

“Joka!? One of the pillars of Chinese Mythology’s <Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors >!?”

Mio raised a loud voice. That name was an important one that was impossible to not be known if one was learning mythology. Besides Mio, Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai also gasped.

“From what the Einherjar were saying, that girl named Hayashi Shizuka seems to be a dangerous character that was notorious for rampaging in the strife between China and its surrounding countries. …Whether she is really is a high school student on the inside or not is doubtful.”

China was a religious country that had faith in <Taoism> that completely believed in <Sinocentrism>. They were known to be the most warlike Magic Advanced Country in the world, their quarrels with neighboring countries in Asia never ceased.

It seemed other Advanced Magic Countries dispatched their intelligence operatives to investigate those armed conflicts. Eleonora of the Einherjar knew about Hayashi Shizuka as if it was par for the course.

“From what Eleonora said, the Divine Protections that Joka has are brainwashing people to add as their comrades, strengthening their comrades and reviving their comrades’ magic power up to 70 times, those three.”

“…It’s unbeatable.” Kohaku leaked out a groaning voice.

The reviving power of immortality was not granted to Shizuka herself. Because of that, she was no threat at the level of a one on one fight, but for increasing sleeper agents in foreign countries and then leading them for battle, it could be said to be the most optimum ability.

…Exactly a power to [incite conflict].

“Of course we have no chance of victory even if we fight them directly. I think we could only use purge magic to destroy the effect of the Divine Protection, or defeat the practitioner, Hayashi Shizuka first.”

Magic that could destroy the opponent’s magic effect and possibly disregard it, from the sphere of people whom Kazuki knew were Damian’s [Mistletein II]. Hikaru-senpai’s [Beelzebub], and then―

“Is it [Futsu no Mitama]?”

Kazuha-senpai whispered. [Futsu no Mitama] was a sword of cutting evil that severed the very magic power itself.

Along with [Ride Lightning], Kazuki secretly thought if he could become able to use it…though it was also a magic that could unintentionally become unneeded.

“But according to the rules, I can’t summon Futsunushi no Kami you know?”

“Yes. That’s why I will aim for Hayashi Shizuka directly. Kazuha-senpai and the others please stop Mibu Akira and Asamiya Anna with the three of you. I will defeat both Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka.”

“Are you going to be fine by yourself? Certainly you are strong but you know…”

Kazuha-senpai’s face became clouded from worry, so Kazuki finally let his expression relax.

“Is senpai worried for me?”

“E, even I can worry a little, although the other side is someone like you!”

“As long as those guys don’t use Summoning Magic I’m going to be fine. Rather I think the side of Mibu Akira and Asamiya Anna would be the one that is going to be hard. On top of their high skill in magic, they are strengthened by Joka’s Divine Protection. They could also use poison magic that'll be troublesome in protracted battles…”

“Is, is that so…it’s not a situation where we need to worry about you huh. I’m the weakest here…”

This time senpai became completely anxious about herself. She looked down in dejection.

Kazuki stood from his chair and approached her, he grasped her hand tightly.

“There's no such thing. Senpai has become incredibly strong. I, as your master, guarantee it. Moreover, senpai is a magic swordsman. If Mio and I properly support you with magic, senpai’s real strength will also become several times stronger. Please believe that.”

“Master huh…. That’s right, isn’t it? You haven’t taught me anything wrong at all.”

“Yes. That’s why please, I’ll leave Mibu Akira and Asamiya Anna to you!”

…Moreover, Hayashi Shizuka and Katsura Karin used a technique that gave damage directly to human flesh.

He didn’t want to make such dangerous guys be everyone else's opponent, he also had such feelings.

Was Mio the only one that saw through Kazuki’s innermost thoughts, she came directing a glance full of meaning.

“I’m going to cover for Kazuki too, okay? Don’t keep trying to burden yourself with everything.”

“…Naturally. Even I’m going to look at the situation and chant covering magic to your side too. We have won and come this far from our team work.”

Kazuki turned back to Kazuha-senpai once more and put his strength into both his hands that were holding hers.

“Just in case, if Hayashi Shizuka and Katsura Karin use their Summoning Magic because they're cornered, at that time Kazuha-senpai, please don’t hesitate and use [Futsu no Mitama]. If possible, I want to get a complete victory without violating the rules, but if the opponents violate the rules first, we won’t have any room to spare.”

If they resolved to lose from foul play and used Summoning Magic―that means they are going to try to kill Kazuki forcibly. If circumstances permit, Board Chairman Takasugi is going to aim to make the Chief Student Council President his own pawn. But if the situation develops where he can only obtain one thing, then without a doubt Kazuki’s life is the highest priority. The death of the King would cause the doom of this country far quicker and easier.

The vigilance toward Shizuka and Karin is going to be even stronger after this. So for these two, this finals match is the last chance to kill Kazuki by taking advantage of it.

But with Kazuki as bait, if he could make Shizuka and Karin use illegal summoning, he could rip off the sheep's clothing of these two who had never left any evidence behind before. …That was the aim of Headmaster Amasaki.

“Got it. Breaking the rules is going to be after the other side breaks the rules first.”

Kazuha-senpai nodded decisively while keeping hold of Kazuki's hands.

“If [Futsu no Mitama] is used, it should be possible to release Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai from Joka’s brainwashing. If by any chance Katsura Karin is also brainwashed, it might be possible to free her too.”

That was this fight’s biggest objective.

{Though if My King could conquer Tsukahara Kazuha too, the story would finish far quicker.}

Idly, Leme transmitted her voice using telepathy to Kazuki’s mind.

That was certainly true but…, even so, he didn’t want to behave like trying to get close to Kazuha-senpai solely aiming for power. Kazuha-senpai is not someone that he can make into his partner just from a cheap act like that. She is one of his important comrades.

“…Oi, how long are you planning to hold my hand…”

“Ah, I’m sorry. Has senpai recovered her confidence?”

Kazuha-senpai returned a grin. A small heart mark came flying.

“Thanks, for various things, Hayashizaki. …I’m really glad to come all the way to the finals with you.

The appointed time arrived. While being greeted with thunderous cheering voices, Kazuki and the others exited the portable tent.

“Hayashizaki-kuu―n, do your bestt―!” “Kazuki-kuu―n!”

All of a sudden, shrill voices could be heard, Kazuki was taken aback and looked around the stands.

Not only Kaguya-senpai and the others, all of it was from female students who he didn’t know. Moreover, it was not just one or two people.

{Fufufu, so it is even probable to reach positivity levels around 40 even from unknown companies!}

Leme leaked out a chuckle inside Kazuki’s head.

…But somehow it was quite frightening, for the positivity levels of the other parties who he never even heard of speaking to him….

He had watched some of his classmates who were members of sports clubs receive some cheering from the girls in meetings or club activity tournaments when he was attending middle school. However, he had never even imagined for himself to be treated like this.

{…Don’t get fidgety. You are such a petty bourgeois guy in strange places huh―}

Of course Kaguya-senpai and the others too were sending him their support by forming a cheerleader line from the front row of the stands.

The venue for the final match was changed from the grounds to the fountain plaza. The fountain plaza that originally didn’t have guest stands were set up with guest stands in its surroundings so it was a little narrow, but the atmosphere was absolutely showy

From the tent on the other side, Mibu Akira and her team also entered the stage.

Immediately, the spectator stands became quiet.

“Exactly like an away game huh! I’m gonna enjoy each of these guys' crying faces ze―!!”

“Things like an away game are no biggie, no biggie, everyday we’re in away games right, Aneki―!”

“Ou! We always keep on living defying something ze!!”

Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai were making idle talk with their usual tone. But in contrast with those girls' frivolous figures, everyone already knew that they were not merely plain magicians.

Behind them, Hayashi Shizuka and Karin silently followed them.

With all their members who were proficient in close-quarters combat, the four girls formed a single line.

On the other side, Kazuki and his teammates were taking a strange Heaven and Earth Formation with only Mio in the rear column while the other three became the front column.

The spectators became noisy. The normal Heaven and Earth Formation had already become uncommon practice.

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

Mio performed Access, her body was wrapped in a Magic Dress.

That form of hers was like a single flower of red amaryllis blooming in the fountain plaza.

“I know thy name…thy name is [Astaroth]! O Diablosslanderer that is well versed in humans' history of sin, show the dark power of the empress of terror!”

“I know thy name…thy name is [Gamygin]! O depraved fallen angel that follows the LuciferMorning Star of Dawn, show the loyalty of hell!”

Both Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai too had their body transformed into Magic Dresses with black undertones.

“All members, have you finished your preparations?”

The referee is Liz Liza-sensei. However a great number of teachers are also observing the match in the staff member exclusive tent that was set up temporarily in front of the stands. There was no reason he could hope for a judging that was plainly favoring his team.

“Well then, the finals, begin!”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Hyahha―! There's no need to make Karin-chan and Shizuka get troubled zee!”

“Right right―, we’re gonna show the hidden strength of our heinous delinquent combi yeah―!”

The combination of Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai pushed out from the column line at the same time as the start of the match. It looks like the formation of one column line was only a bluff and they planned to have the two Magika Stigmas be the vanguard as usual.

They went through all their matches by overusing Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai. That must be because they were on guard to the worst possibility of Shizuka getting done in the middle of the match and having the Divine Protection of Joka and the brainwashing get undone.

“We are going to hold these guys back!” “Leave it to us, Hayashizaki-!”

Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai clashed against Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai.

Kazuki slipped through from their side and headed to the enemy’s center where Shizuka was standing.

“Wha-!? Oi handsome guy that has Akamaru sudden rise and the current center of attention there! Don’t you dare ignore us―!”

“Fun, that’s why, don’t you dare ignore this one!”

Kohaku went and slashed at Mibu. But―

“That kind of greenhorn sword, do you think it will hit us who have been granted super strength and clairvoyance huh?!”

When Kazuki took a glance at his back, Mibu-senpai skillfully evaded Kohaku’s sword.

“Does it hit, ii―diot ii―diot!! Just run crying to your moo―ther you crybaby-!!”

While Mibu-senpai made her provocation, she started her magic’s chant. Immediately aside from her―

“I know, I know already―, you're the number one small fry on this team right―!!”

Kazuha-senpai who was being toyed with by Asamiya-senpai’s skillful movements made her sword only strike at empty space, she leaked out “kuh” in a mortified voice.

Sensing his comrades' disadvantage made Kazuki stop his feet for a moment. However―

“Don’t you dare look down too much on this one…Shinkage style secret sword, Meteor Disturbance!”

As if removing Kazuki’s worry, Kohaku yelled out.

Mibu-senpai anticipated Kohaku’s sword, she had already entered evasive maneuvers before the sword had even been slashed. However, the <Meteor Disturbance> that Kohaku swung while yelling, when it was thought that the point of the katana had been evaded it suddenly looked like that the katana leaped and the slash trajectory made a sudden change.

“Wha, whattt!? It, it entered the strike zone! Nowaa―!?”

The phantasmagoric secret sword chased Mibu-senpai, who thought she had already escaped and slashed her apart.

“Burn all that is touched into ash…scorching heat of rejection without any place to go! Self Burning!”

On the other side, Mio’s support magic flew to Kazuha-senpai.

“…If I have everyone’s support, I can become strong several times over! I’m the same like that guy…a magic swordsman!!”

Kazuha-senpai, who received Mio’s backing, recovered her spirit; she collected the oxygen in her surroundings toward herself and doubled the fierceness of the flames that were armored her body.

Using Pyrokinesis she concentrated those flames onto the blade of her katana, heightening its attack power. The flames that enveloped the blade easily grew to a height that surpassed Kazuha-senpai herself. It easily became thoroughly established as Kazuha-senpai’s signature move, her magic sword.

“Wha, what the hell is with thaatt―! Scaa―ry but, it's useless if it can’t hit―!!”

Asamiya-senpai evaded the flame slash with light movements. But, “Barrett!” when Asamiya-senpai’s attention was concentrated on Kazuha-senpai, Mio’s flame bullet came flying.

“Ouch-!” Asamiya-senpai was thrown back.

“Thank you, Mio-san! YAAAAAAAAAA!”

Not missing the chance, Kazuha-senpai gave pursuit with her flame sword. “Wagyaaaaaaa!” Asamiya-senpai was blown away.

…It’s fine. If it was them then there's no need to worry.

Kazuki felt relieved, he headed to Hayashi Shizuka and Katsura Karin.

“Fuh, what are you planning coming here as a magic swordsman that doesn’t even have his sword huhh!?”

With the characteristic step of Chinese kenpo <Jouchouho>, Karin assaulted Kazuki with a momentum like a rocket. Riding that momentum, she attacked with her palm heel. When he evaded that, Shizuka came from the side and launched a kick. Kazuki parried it with the back of his hand, but his arm rattled and became numb. In spite of being barehanded, its power should be feared. Both of them were strengthened powerfully.

And then without pause, Karin and Shizuka attacked him alternately with the turning speed distinctive of unarmed attacks. Moreover, their cooperation was on the level of flawless. Before long, Kazuki was cornered into a one-sided defensive battle.

If he didn’t chant some kind of reinforcement magic, he wouldn’t be able to catch the chance to counterattack.

―But Kazuki felt a concerning magic power wave from the other side of the battlefield.

“…Don’t you dare think that such clever attacks are going to stop my chanting! …O goddess that accepts the abuse of people from the past until reaching the future…Change that darkness into deadly poison and spit it all around! Slander all these fools!! Poison Argument!!”

―Mibu-senpai invoked poisonous Summoning Magic that they needed to be cautious against.

The giant monitor lizard that accompanied the Empress Astaroth spat out foaming poisonous bubbles with pitch black color. The poisonous bubbles immediately spread out with force that made people think it would cover the whole venue of the match.

“Hyahha―, get contaminated! Serves you right, this is a protracted battle ze~. From now on you all are going to suffer from poison for a long time while fighting!!”

―Foresighting the invoked magic, Kazuki thought that he had to at least disturb this.

“O water’s surface that quivers from my singing voice, manipulate and gather the ripples and become a giant tsunami! Coming from the beyond and washed away to the far off…Tidal Wave!”

What he invoked was the magic that he became able to use from his bond with Koyuki.

A large amount of sea water welled up in the match venue, it became a undulating giant tsunami and surged forward.

The scattering tsunami in this spacious venue didn’t have the momentum to the degree of inflicting damage to people.

However the bubbles of poison that were going to fly around in the surrounding surface were all swallowed by the tsunami.

When the magic tsunami vanished―the poisonous bubbles were all washed away, after that there was nothing left.

“Tha, that’s too muchh―! That bastard, the spilt water is going back into its tray―!”

“…You, since a while ago you keep using dirty Japanese language!”

Kohaku mercilessly slashed at Mibu-senpai, who was raising a scream.

Kazuki released a sigh of relief after looking at the battle progress on the other side.

“…Fuh, you're pretty relaxed, aren’t you?! With the two of us as your opponents, you aren't chanting magic for your own sake!”

While Karin was sneering at Kazuki’s action, together with Shizuka, she poured surging consecutive attacks on him.

It was exactly like a tidal wave of fists and kicks.

Certainly devoting a long time of chanting not for reinforcing himself, but spending it for [Tidal Wave] cost him a heavy price. Karin’s palm heel caught his torso, making Kazuki’s body bend forward from the waist.

Not missing that opening, Shizuka suddenly entered from the side.

A super close distance. Shizuka’s palm softly pushed against Kazuki’s chest.

Kazuki had known already that it was an extremely ominous sign.

His face lost color and goosebumps ran through his whole body.

With a ‘SON!’ Shizuka used <Shinmyaku> on the earth. The recoil energy from kicking the earth was magnified by the spiral movement of the whole body and converged in the palm. Using Shinmyaku and the spiral twisting, it became a severe zero-distance strike!

At the same time, that palm perceived the wavelength of Kazuki’s defensive magic power and released magic power of its exact opposite wavelength. Like the yin and yang, the contrary magic powers opposed each other and expanded Kazuki’s defensive magic power!

Through that crevice in the defensive magic power, a zero-distance strike was screwed inside like cannon―Secret Technique <Shintoukei>.

His heart was going to get destroyed directly!

He must not get hit by this. Kazuki shook off Shizuka’s arm in panic, then he forcibly rolled behind and escaped from his predicament. However, Karin mercilessly came in pursuit of Kazuki, who was unsightly rolling.

“What a great sight you are, I’m going to make you correct the insulting remarks from before, you’ll see!”

Karin kicked away Kazuki as if she was kicking a soccer ball.

“Don’t get carried away, Karin. This guy is chanting a spell again.”

Shizuka spoke with a calmness that was really odious.

“We have allowed him to invoke magic before. Even if we win in exchanging blows it’s going to be bad if we couldn’t stop his spell.”

“…But your chanting ability is average right, Hayashizaki Kazuki!”

Both of their beastly fists trampled Kazuki down even now. When he showed even the slightest opening, the both of them would come aiming with the technique of instant death. Kazuki made a full rotation with both his hands and parried the two’s fists and kicks. The part that he couldn’t parry he endured. Endured it out till the end. …Because he didn’t want his chanting ability to be made a fool of forever.

Endure, endure and not letting go of the connection between the Diva and the magic power…invoke the magic!

The low level magic he could chant even in this situation yet it was a magic that would display the maximum effect!

“Suicide Black!”

“…That magic is from back then!”

When Kazuki’s whole body was covered with black haze, Karin became hesitant in her attacks toward Kazuki.

“Magic that reflects pain huh...hnn!”

But Shizuka unhesitatingly launched a kick with power outside human reaso ing. Kazuki didn't evade and intentionally received her kick. The pain that kick would bring should be reflected back to Shizuka.

However, Shizuka didn’t show even the tiniest bit of turmoil except for a slight tremble on her lips. And then immediately she hammered in a second strike, a third strike. …This girl, is she a cyborg or something!?

“Karin, don’t hesitate! Suppress your mind! If you let a BasilleusKing freely chant magic it won’t finish with just this much!”

“U, UwaAAAAA!”

While screaming in abandonment, Karin came attacking. But that attack became dull.

Kazuki easily parried that. Just from the room that dull attack gave him, it created room for chanting.

Before long the effect of Suicide Black was cut off, but now he was able to invoke an even higher level of magic.

“…Thunder descend on my body, granting me lightning mind and god speed…Wake up the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!”

“That’s my magic!” Hikaru-senpai let out an excited voice from the stands.

The electric impulses that flowed inside the neurons of his whole body whirled like a whirlpool.

Muscle strength, nerve transmission speed―all of Kazuki's specs were sped up in a flash.

Kazuki saw everything of Karin’s thrust in slow motion, he struck her with his fist in a counter. While Karin was blown away, he parried away Shizuka’s kick with room to spare and hit her back!

Kazuki’s fist grazed Shizuka’s cheek. Fury and irritation clearly floated in her expression.

He wanted to immediately pound her with consecutive attacks, but Karin immediately got back up and headed his way again. He mustn’t force himself, give undivided attention in controlling the offense and defense.

If he could do that, he could chant even more magic.

“Kazuki, do your best!” He could hear Hikaru-senpai’s delighted voice.

…I want power, but that’s not the only reason that I gained a great relationship with Hikaru-senpai.

Senpai gave her trust on that feeling, so…I borrowed senpai’s power!

“Ayamur!!”

Storm was condensing inside Kazuki’s hand, the pike of the wind god was created.

He swept the pike sideways with speed that couldn’t be caught by the human eye and blew away Karin and Shizuka altogether.

Without a moment’s delay, he narrowed his target to Shizuka and drew closer. He launched a barrage of thrusts like a meteor shower.

Shzuka attempted to parry with both her hands but she was unable to do it. Her posture was disordered thanks to the wind, just like that she got hit with multiple strikes. She was enduring with Resist but the magic power she used for that was shaved off greedily.

Karin attempted to help her from the side, but Kazuki had anticipated it earlier and swung his pike. Karin was blown away by the storm from the tip of the pike. Kazuki’s speed overwhelmingly surpassed both of them.

Just by swinging the pike alternately to Karin and Shizuka, the accelerated Kazuki was able to overpower them.

In short he was able to gain even more room to chant his spells.

“Self Burning!”

Kazuki covered himself with armor of flame, he concentrated that flame with Psychokinesis into the tip of his pike.

The spearhead of Ayamur was blazing up, he swung with all his strength.

The synergy of wind and flame―the wind incessantly supplied oxygen that strengthened the fierceness of the flame. Each time the pike was swung, a whirlwind of raging flame burst out. That pike wielded by the accelerated Kazuki was exactly like a living tornado.

“Is, is this a joke!? This is already too absurd!!”

Karin raised a scream. The girl was sadly repelled away when she tried to help Shizuka. Shizuka too was blown away like trash by the blazing wind pike.

The audience was making a stir. Manipulating multiple Summoning Magic at will, exhibiting a synergy that had never been seen before―the people were looking at the manifestation of a King at that time.

Shizuka who was blown away and fell on her backside was…for the first time, a look of terror floated on that shrewd face.

“Karin! Become my shield!!”

Karin who was trying to save Shizuka, who had been targeted constantly until now, had never tried to get in his way but she was commencing an attack from the side. Toward that girl, Shizuka was handing down an order [not to help her but become her shield]. …Without hesitation, Karin forced her way through between Kazuki and Shizuka with her body.

And then she was burned and pierced as the sacrifice to Kazuki’s pike.

That blown away body was caught from the back, Shizuka whispered into Karin’s ear.

“It’s fine, you too are able to resurrect 70 times. As long as I’m safe everything is fine…”

“Hayashi Shizuka! …You!”

Kazuki felt nausea and discomfort in his stomach. He tried to avoid Karin and aimed at Shizuka. But―

“Like that Karin! Right, left!! Block it!”

In response to Shizuka’s instructions, just like an unsightly puppet show Karin was moving right, left, throwing out her body in front of the spearhead, desperately stretching her arms and legs.

Even with the difference in speed, if there was the intuition to predict the movement, it was enough for something like just throwing out her body.

For the attack that Karin couldn’t cover, Shizuka parried it with a lot of room to spare.

Before long the effect of Kazuki’s [Ride Lightning] was used up.

“Ride Lightning!”

Without a moment’s delay the same magic was invoked. If the preparation was done while swinging the spear, he could continue to strengthen himself like this without pause. But the problem was the consumption of magic power.

Kazuki’s pike that persistently kept trying to aim for Shizuka was continuously blocked earnestly by Karin. …If the thing called defensive magic power didn’t exist, then surely there wouldn’t be any spot left in Karin’s body now that was not opened into holes or scorched away. And then, Karin’s magic power was exhausted.

“UAAAAAAAAAAA! Ku, ugu, AAAAA-!!”

Karin grasped her head and leaked out a voice of anguish. From that body, magic power was overflowing into its original amount―Joka’s Divine Protection of resurrection. But this resurrection was accompanied with agony. Surely the magic power was restored, but Karin breathed roughly with face that looked white like paper. Even so, the girl kept standing and blocking Kazuki’s way.

“Ahhahahaha! This Karin too, those guys that became the opponents of your comrades too, they are immortal! Your magic power too won’t hold out forever. What are you planning to do if this becomes a protracted battle?”

While hiding in the shadow of Karin, Shizuka ridiculed Kazuki.

In place of his reply, Kazuki swung his pike, but Karin threw out her body like a manipulated puppet and continued to cover Shizuka. While leaking out a moaning voice, even so, she continued to receive the attacks showing a ghastly figure―Kazuki unintentionally stopped his pike. With Kazuki’s will, the whirlwind of flame ceased from the spearhead too.

Suddenly a strange silence flowed between the three people.

“That’s it, it’s a chance Karin! Become useful!!” With a ‘DON!’ Shizuka pushed Karin’s back.

“A…UAAAAAA_! I am! I amm!!”

While raising a loud voice, Karin slipped through the pike and leaped into Kazuki’s chest. She made contact with Kazuki’s chest using her palm, stepping onto the earth with Shinmyaku, and scattered apart the defensive magic power using peculiar magic power. Shintoukei…!

“Kuh!” There was no reason he could ignore it. Kazuki immediately used the butt end of the pike―he swung the tip of the opposite side of the spearhead and bashed her. Karin was blown away, that magic power of hers hit rock bottom once more.

“UAA…hurts…my head, it hurts like it’s splitting apart…”

The collapsed Karin leaked out a complaint, but her magic power was restored while she writhed in pain, then she stood up once more.

The used up magic power, in what way was it restored? It made him think, as if the mental power that by all rights wasn’t supposed to be spent for magic power―the heart and the humanity itself were being whittled off in return.

“Hahaha, when she thought that she would get sympathy, she got done in again. How pitiful.”

“….kh! You, what do you think a comrade is!!?”

“They are just disposable dolls to be thrown away in the land I’m hiding of course, ribenren . What? Do you currently see these guys as anything other than puppets? I’m going to teach you the contrary.”

In rage, the color left from Kazuki’s head.

When he heard the personal history of Katsura Karin from Headmaster Amasaki about how she was a former orphan that was adopted into the Hayashi household, inside his head, Kazuki imagined that Karin and Shizuka were raised as sisters and they were taught Chinese kenpo shoulder to shoulder. Just like him and Kanae, like Headmaster Amasaki and Mio, ―he pictured a family.

Kanae’s smiling face and, Karin’s expression of anguish in front of him, overlapped in front of Kazuki’s eyes.

…Hayashi Shizuka. She is someone he couldn’t accept.

This girl…is an existence that was denied all the warmth that I received throughout my life until now.

“I am, not a puppet…I’ll show that I can be recognized…”

“Hahaha, go for it, go for it! Quickly stop the root of that guy’s breath with Shintoukei! After all, you have no worth other than your Stigma and the Chinese kenpo I taught you!!”

With Shizuka’s indifferent words at her back, Karin glared at Kazuki with a messed up face stained with tears.

“You, insulted my fist…! You denied my everything!!”

At the time when she attempted her second assassination, certainly Kazuki said something like that to provoke her. Right now, the figure of Karin with her heart whittled away and her body writhing in pain, yet still showing tenacity in that matter was bizarrely, courageously, not a figure to be pitied. This girl’s everything in her life, what in the world could it possibly be?

Kazuki stopped his pike once more. In his heart, he had decided that he wouldn’t hurt anything of Karin anymore.

“UaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Toward Kazuki who was not moving, Karin kicked the ground and approached while yelling.

“…Soaring wings, glaring eyes, invading world-destroying conflagration―manifest the authority of god right here, as the agent of civilization I advance deeper and deeper…Deep Striker!!”

Kazuki equipped a gigantic thruster unit on his back, flame spouted out from that back and leaped to the sky. Karin’s sorrowful rush was tragically hitting at nothing.

“What!?” Shizuka was taken aback and looked up to the sky.

After Kazuki drew an arc in the sky, he gripped Ayamur in one hand, and took a nose dive toward Shizuka like a falling star. The world blurred from the terrific acceleration, he became unable to see anything other than Shizuka.

The thruster system of [Deep Striker] was using Kazuki’s magic power, his force of will as fuel.

Kazuki’s force of will was amplified by the acceleration of his nervous system due to [Ride Lightning].

Even the performance of the instrument that was created from magic, was affected by the effect of [Ride Lightning].

The thruster system of Kazuki, at this time, spouted out flame explosions nearly double the intensity compared to when Lotte was manipulating hers. In addition the wind produced from the spearhead of Ayamur redirected the stream of air, decreasing the air resistance, realizing even further acceleration.

“He is still overlapping magic and enhancing it even further!?”

Shizuka raised a shrieking voice. It was already a speed in a dimension where Karin could not return to cover for her.

“―I, won’t accept someone like you!! UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!”

From the air resistance that couldn’t be counterbalanced, Kazuki’s own defensive magic power was also breaking while giving off luminescence. Kazuki that turned into the very ray of blue light itself pierced Shizuka fiercely. The earth erupted from the impact of the nose dive.

Karin was also blown away. With the buried Shizuka as ground zero, a giant crater was gouged in the fountain plaza.

Kazuki shifted the propulsive power from vertical to horizontal. Shizuka who was buried in the earth was dragged along still pierced on the pike. Kazuki reaccelerated again with her right beside.

“U…UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

With her body protected by the defensive magic power, there wasn’t supposed to be any pain in her, but Shizuka raised a scream of terror. Dragging along the earth’s surface with explosive acceleration, stormy clouds of dust and the blue light of defensive magic power danced down.

While leaving behind a straight line of track from one side of the fountain plaza to the other, Kazuki dragged Shizuka along and rotated. Just before crashing with the stands he directed the propulsive power to the sky and sprang up the spearhead. Shizuka’s body was launched to the sky with great momentum. After a passage of several tens of seconds remaining in the air, she fell to the earth.

It was a strike with power such that it wouldn’t be strange if it caused the receiver to fall into severe magic intoxication, but―was it the boon of an excellent Resist skill, or thanks to the reinforcement of Joka, Shizuka stood up even with a pallid face.

“Im, impossible! Even with Joka’s Divine Protection, if it keeps like this…! Karin, we are going to use Summoning Magic!!”

Are they finally going to use Summoning Magic? It was the proof that these guys were also challenging this match with the preparedness of their determination. With this, the match had become something other than a contention for victory!

Responding to Shizuka’s order, Karin performed Access.

“O sinfully beautiful woman decorated with peach petals, thy name is…<Dakki>! I know thy true form…O fair complexioned, golden furred nine tailed fox passing time of a thousand years, lavish despair in the party of the last days!”

Beside Karin, an avatar of a bewitching beautiful woman was floating.

{Yareyare , so in the end you are risking your life, for such a trifling matter.}

Dakki. ―Famous in [Houshin Engi] , the great apparition of a thousand year old fox spirit that brought ruin to a country with her beauty.

The incarnation of [history’s undulation] that induced revolution in ancient China in accordance with Joka’s order.

Karin, who obtained that power put on a Magic Dress tinged with the color of the great mainland , red and gold shined brightly. From her lower back, a golden fox tail grew out luxuriously.

“…The symbol of infinity, half of the yin and yang, O personification of earth. In this universe that would be deified in China, there is no one that does not know thy name…Thy name is <Joka>. Wearing the light of five colors O snake body, human headed goddess, alter the universe of Pangu's creation! …We are going! Kill this guy!!”

What floated beside Hayashi Shizuka was one of the pillars of Chinese Mythology’s Three Sovereigns, Joka.

Holding a compass in her right hand, she was a gigantic goddess with a woman’s upper body fixed on a dragon’s lower body. Both divine and ominous, filled to the brim with dignity that couldn’t be lumped together with the scale of a human, she was in waiting behind her contractor. Shizuka’s Sword Division uniform also shifted into an opal Magic Dress that was near endlessly colorless and transparent.

“…Kazuha-senpai! Access!!”

At this moment that finally came, Kazuki shouted at Kazuha-senpai and called out to her.

Part 5

“It’s foul play! Stop the match…”

“Please wait!” Towards Liz Liza, who was going to stop the match with her authority as the referee, a man leaped out from the staff member’s tent― it was Board Chariman Takasugi.

“For what kind of reason do you stop me? We have to stop them immediately, it’s dangerous.”

Liz Liza glared at Board Chairman Takasugi from inside the grounds. From the start, Liz Liza and Headmaster Amasaki planned to use Kazuki as bait and bait these guys into using illegal summoning in public, proving the suspicions about them. In addition, it was not stopping at just Kazuki surviving, if he could defeat these guys and drive them into magic intoxication then they could catch them with more certainty.

But right now, to aim for those complete victories…was too dangerous with how much Hayashizaki Kazuki and his team’s magic power had been reduced to. Kazuki’s life was at risk. Liz Liza judged that it was enough to preserve their victory for the moment.

“Certainly there are rule violations, but…” Board Chairman Takasugi talked with a calm tone.

“It’s not to the degree that you need to stop the match, is it?”

…What on earth is this guy saying!?

“Although the swordsmen are totally using Summoning Magic, there is no danger for the opposing team. If their magic power fall into a dangerous level, all you have to do is make them leave the stage as the referee to protect them, right?”

Board Chairman Takasugi shrugged his shoulders. With an expression as if what he was saying was something really obvious.

But that was a story that left behind the fact that those two, Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka possessed a mysterious technique that ignored defensive magic power and stopped the heart.

Those girls intermingled Summoning Magic together too and were going to aim for Kazuki’s life in the middle of the battle.

“This match is already Hayashizaki Kazuki’s team victory on the record, but isn’t it fine to continue the match? The objective of this battle election is to witness what the candidates are going to show in the middle of battle…to ascertain that with one’s own eyes. Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka, the both of them, when they were at their wit’s end and were going to lose, continued to fight even if they perpetrated a violation of the rules. They chose to show something by means of the fight. The students' last tenacity while resolving themselves for defeat, we as educators should watch it with our own eyes, right!?”

What last tenacity…what those guys were aiming for was an assassination in the middle of the chaos!

“…Using Divas outside Solomon's 72 Pillars whose safety hasn’t been confirmed yet in this battle election, that’s the first problem before the matter of their tenacity.”

“Let’s stop regarding forming a contract with Divas that are, until now, treated as illegal as [absolute evil]…didn’t our school just change such policies recently? If those girls are treated indiscriminately, then Hayashizaki Kazuki, Charlotte Liebenfrau and Tsukahara Kazuha, won’t those three people also have to be seen as illegal magicians too?”

So that kind of logic is coming? So that the match wouldn’t be stopped by rule violations even if Katsura Karin and Hayashi Shizuka used Summoning Magic, they really had prepared a rebuttal beforehand.

Liz Liza looked up to Headmaster Amasaki as if to surmise his opinion.

“Let the match continue.” Headmaster Amasaki informed with a grave voice.

It won’t do if the power of the King isn’t demonstrated to this guy. Headmaster Amasaki whispered inside his mouth.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuha, who guessed the situation performed Access even before she heard Kazuki’s voice.

“My bare hand grasps the red hot ore. Ridge in the sky, blade in the earth, merging in a flash become namely a single sword. Thy inscription is <Futsunushi no Kami>! O god of steel and fire, show that forging!”

Her hair lengthened with a flap, transforming into the figure of a divine red and white miko. Mibu Akira opened her eyes wide.

“Yo, you bastaa―rd! You ‘re going to break the rules even though you all are honor students!! Ain’t that the privilege of delinquents!?”

“I’m thought as one of the student council and its pleasant company but…I’m the dunce of the whole school! Don’t lump me together with them!”

Receiving an unjustified disparagement, Kazuha-senpai retorted back. Kohaku who was fighting in the side tilted her head deep inside thinking whether that was the real problem, but she circled back in order to earn the time for Kazuha’s chanting.

“Anekii―! Shit, what cowardice for a swordsman to suddenly use Summoning Magic! …O soul gathering by the calling voice of the god of death, armor my body, make this body into hell’s tormenting devil…the trump card against the heavens right here! Black Titan!!”

Asamiya Anna put a black mist on her body, transforming her own form into a jet black giant.

And then she assaulted Kazuha that began her spell chant!

“…In the middle of fighting with me, it’s unacceptable to avert your eyes!”

Mio, who spread out wings of flame and flew in the sky, was overlooking that situation and shouted.

“O bird of paradise where the light of heaven resides in that body, burn away the sin on earth following my accusation! Israel Judgment!!”

Phoenix’s avatar floated up on Mio’s back as if a halo was shining behind her. Brightness as if all the light in the world was condensing became an ultra heat laser, pouring on the defenseless back of the giant. The black mist melted in the blink of an eye inside the light, it thoroughly burned even up to Asamiya Anna.

“Flaming bird is not flame, but light!? Ain’t that the element that darkness element is poor against oii―!?”

With that one attack Asamiya Anna’s magic power was mostly used up.

“Ugu…” Leaking a voice, the girl fell to one knee with a violent shaking.

But―even so, new magic power was welling up from the depths of the girl’s mind!

“Sti…still not yETTTTTTT! Are we going to lose against the brightness of honor students huh, Anekii―!!”

“Son of a bitch―! I ain’t gonna get deceived by that handsome bastard’s bluff again―! That guy already had zero mood to chant things like that tsunami magic ain’t― it―!!”

Mibu Akira finally shouted in a burst of anger. From the trauma of having her poison magic nullified by Kazuki in the opening of the match, she had been hesitating in chanting poison magic for quite a while.

“We make sure of human nature. Thy bowels are hell’s crucible, the spouted slanders become indictment toward the sons of heaven and man. Fill the surface of earth with the anguish of the end! Apocalypse Venom!”

Astaroth that straddled a poisonous monitor lizard materialized her figure in the sky. From the mouth of that monitor lizard pitch black vomit was spewed out, pouring down on all of the match venue.

Kazuki was protected by the wind that arose from Ayamur, but Kazuha, Kohaku, and Mio were helplessly afflicted by poison. At the same time, Mibu Akira’s magic power dried up and she staggered.

“No, nooo, still not yet, it’s starting from now…! They‘re ravaged by poison, as long as we don’ get beaten, from now on we gonna beat ‘em up slowly in a long battle for surEEEEEEEEEE!”

Mibu Akira’s magic power, too, was restored by the Divine Protection of resurrection from Joka. There would be no end to this if it keeps like this.

Kazuha, while being afflicted by poison finally finished chanting the spell they had long-awaited for.

“I become the miko of sword. Rock cleaved, root torn, sin severed, that virtuous sword of crushing evil right now in this hand! Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

A light shined inside Kazuha’s hand, inside it an ancient sword that looked as if Futsunushi no Kami itself materialized was created. What Kazuha first did was slash herself as if purifying her body that was ravaged by poison.

[Futsu no Mitama] that possessed the power to sever magic effects destroyed the poison with a single stroke.

“”Kazuha-senpai!”” Kohaku and Mio who saw that state of affairs were scrambling to reach Kazuha first.

Kazuha slashed the two in turn, extinguishing that poison immediately.

“Do, don’t screw with meeeeeeeeeee! You bastaa―rds from the start ‘till the end keep screwing around making a mess outta my poison eehhhhhhh!!”

“That evil clinging on all of you too…will be severed by this sword!”

After deciding with the strict decision of a miko, Kazuha-senpai first slashed at Asamiya Anna. When the shining blade tore apart her defensive magic power, white light overflowed from the opening of the cut.

“Tha, that sword…are you seriously saying it can destroy our Divine Protection!?”

Asamiya Anna, guessing the change that happened in her own body, screamed out.

“…Joka’s Divine Protection can't be severed with just one strike!? Then, one more strike!”

Asamiya Anna turned her back while raising a scream. She was trying to escape from Kazuha-senpai.

“Stop, if you do that I’m going to go back to just a mere delinquent, stop! C’mon stop, save me AnekiiIIIIIIIIII!!”

“Barrett!”

That back was shot out by Mio’s bullet, Asamiya Anna’s movement was stopped. Right there Kazuha dealt the final blow with one more stroke of her sword. This time for sure she felt the reaction that all the magic power's effects had died out at her hand.

“If, if the Divine Protection disappears so suddenly, the recoil will…nn giiIIIIIIIII!!”

The girl having obtained empowerment surpassing her original true strength forcibly abused her physical body.

Furthermore, having already resurrected multiple times repeatedly, the girl’s soul was distorted. That distortion was corrected by [Futsu no Mitama] in one stretch. What resulted from that was…recoil.

Who knows how much pain was surging inside her all at once. Asamiya Anna raised a scream so loud it was as if her throat would be torn apart. She writhed around on that spot and then lost consciousness.

Looking at that appearance, Kazuha shuddered once more at [the absurdity perpetrated by Joka].

“So, sorry! But even though that looks like it really hurt, you are sure to get back to normal!”

Believing in Kazuki’s tactic, this time Kazuha slashed at Mibu Akira.

“Sto, stop! Don’ steal this power from mee―!!”

Kazuha’s [Futsu no Mitama] severed Mibu Akira’s strengthening halfway. Just one more slash…!

“Sto, stooOOP! Crawl out from the crack of the earth that’s besmeared by sunshine, ugly beast with lips smeared by gore! Liberate the pig of earthly worry with that big mouth! Dragon Bite!!”

Mibu Akira counterattacked with offensive magic. A giant dragon's head was summoned in the presence of Kazuha who let her guard down. That big mouth lined with vicious fangs was opened. …She was going to be bitten!

“It's dangerous, Kazuha-senpai!!”

Kohaku who predicted the danger forced her way through right there, pushing Kazuha away.

‘GUSHA!’ The dragon’s large jaw crunched Kohaku, the blue light of defensive magic power scattered.

“Hikita Kohaku, that’s the end! Get back already!!” a voice ordering to leave came from Liz Liza-sensei.

“Ko, Kohaku!” Kazuha rushed to Kohaku who was kneeling on the ground even though she was still in the middle of the match.

“This one is fine so…slash her and remove her from this match!”

“…Got it! With this it’s the end!!”

Liz Liza lent her shoulder to Kohaku and brought her off the grounds. Taking a glance back, Kazuha drew closer to Mibu Akira and swung down the second slash of [Futsu no Mitama].

White light flashed in the path of the slash. From the body of Mibu Akira, all the Divine Protection was extinguished.

“The, the power of resurrection is…! Stop, don’ steal that from us! We’re gonna keep standin’ no matter how many times and keep fighting! Whatever pain that hit us we will keep standing to show our guts, if you steal that from us…! …uugYAAAAAAAAAA!”

Similar with Asamiya Anna, Mibu Akira too was attacked by the recoil and raising a scream while writhing around.

While feeling pity toward that figure, Kazuha looked up at the direction of Kazuki who was flying in the sky.

“Hayashizaki, this side is finished!”

―Kazuki run through the sky using the thruster system of Deep striker.

“Kazuha-senpai, please lend Futsu no Mitama to me! Katsura Karin too…I’m going to release her from Hayashi Shizuka’s curse!”

Not merely winning, he was going to save Katsura Karin too. Toward Kazuki, who was saying such a thing, Kazuha felt a faith that couldn’t be expressed by words. This guy is seriously kind, that was what she completely felt once again.

“Right! I’ll entrust this to you!!” Kazuha presented Futsu no Mitama to Kazuki.

Hayashi Shizuka immediately inferred the aim of Kazuki, who was heading to Kazuha.

“…O pitiful pit viper sipping the muddy water. Disturb the flow of Yin and Yang, bring about the three thousand years of spirit essence to thee…Now, thy name is Yinglong ! Show that power of thee that had become the king of dragons running in the sky!! Yinglong Invitation!!”

Making the avatar of Joka waiting upon her side, Shizuka invoked Demon Beast summoning magic.

The sky was covered with deep black dark clouds. With a flash of light as if the rift between the clouds was torn apart, from there a gigantic dragon clad with lightning came flying. Yinlong―the dragon king that matured after the passing of three thousand years.

Looking at the flying Kazuki who was going to get [Futsu no Mitama], Shizuka directed the dragon king.

“I won’t let you!”

But to prevent the obstruction of the exchange, Mio stood in the way of the dragon king. The dragon swung down its three claws at Mio. It was Mio who was poor at close-quarters combat, but she blocked with the wings of flame.

An even defense and offense―it was not. The claws of Yinlong were not blocked but as if to say it [wouldn’t let her get away] the claws grappled Mio. Its mouth opened widely in a flash and radiating electricity was shot out.

“Self Burning!!” Mio instantly summoned an armor of flame.

However―even though the flame armor absorbed the electric heat, it didn’t defend the electric shock that flowed through her whole body. Along with all the damage that tormented Mio throughout this protracted battle, her consciousness felt far away.

It’s no good…I'm also going to protect Kazu-nii! I won’t allow this guy to become a hindrance to Kazu-nii!

“Kazu-nii, take [Futsu no Mitama]…”

Mio looked down at the ground from the air. If that sword was handed over to Kazuki, this fight would…!

“Dragon Biteee!” ―From behind Kazuha, a voice that should not be possible came.

Without even time to turn back, a gigantic large jaw of a dragon was created at her back, the perfectly off-guard Kazuha was crunched with a ‘GUSHA!”. Her defensive magic power was scraped off to the utmost limit.

“Tsukahara Kazuha, that's the end, leave the battle!!” Liz Liza ordered her to leave the stage.

Kazuha turned back with unbelieving eyes.

“Li, lies…why, even though you are supposed to have been freed already from the brainwashing…”

Even while in agony Mibu Akira was just barely getting up on her knees, with fire lighting in her eyes and a bloodcurdling expression, she carried out her spell chant.

“No way we’re fightin’ in this under brainwashing zeee―…. We’re fightin’ to prove that even useless trash has their own spirit! …We're fightin’ to make Karin-chan win!”

The girl raised her head, she shouted facing at Katsura Karin.

“Karin-chan, don’ lose! If you win against that Hayashizaki Kazuki, you're gonna get recognized by that always cold Nee-chan right!? Don’ lose okay, Karin-chan you’re not somethin’ like a pup…pet…!”

After shouting only that at the end, she crumbled down and fainted.

“So, sorry Hayashizaki…my magic power won't last much longer…”

[Futsu no Mitama] vanished from Kazuha’s hand. Kazuki and Mio looked on with astonishment.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Yosh, Karin. Use Dakki’s magic.”

“But if I use this magic now, even those three people that can't fight already will..."

Karin hesitated to carry out the spell that she had already chanted halfway, but Shizuka commanded coldly.

“It doesn’t matter. Do it, puppet. Kill that guy!”

{Again with the command for cruel things…how pitiful.}

Beside Karin who was nodding powerlessly, Dakki’s avatar sneered at this transient world’s affair.

“…O goblin flower, bloom with glossy pride! What unfolds tonight is the banquet of brutes, tilt the cup, sake of dosa . The five hundred years of heaven’s torture right here…Great Toad Lantern Thought HellDaitai Bonsou Jigoku!!”

Pitch black shadow spread from under the feet of Dakki and Karin, covering the whole surface of the fountain plaza. Even up to the bottom of the crater that Kazuki gouged out in the ground was swallowed by the magic shadow. From the depth of that shadow, innumerable poisonous serpents and scorpions were creeping up disgustingly.

It was as if the match venue had been transformed into a pit that was blanketed all over with vicious creatures.

“…!? You're using large scale offensive magic even though the defeated still haven’t left the area!”

The referee Liz Liza-sensei shouted while escaping to the staff tent outside the grounds with Kohaku borrowing her shoulder.

“Your teammates are fainting too you know!!”

“I’ll save them!”

Mio ran from Yinlong, she fluttered her wings heading under the fainting Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai.

“Bas, bastard―…No way I’ll get saved by the enemy…you bastards are still enemy right now…”

Mibu-senpai, who was caught in one of Mio’s arms, let out abusive language. The other arm also held Asamiya-senpai. Although Mio was using Enchant Aura, was strained to the limit by the weight of two people got irritated.

“You’re annoying, I’ve seen with my own eyes your spirit or perhaps I should say I’m tired of looking at it. Just rest already!” Mio carelessly threw the both of them into the staff tent. And then one more person, Kazuha-senpai was―

“Kazuha-senpai, watch out!” Kazuki, who was rushing with a plan of taking [Futsu no Mitama] just barely rescued Kazuha-senpai from a dangerous spot. With the girl in his arms, he made the thruster system of [Deep striker] spout fire and flew to the sky, away from the hell of serpents and scorpions.

He saved Kazuha-senpai but…he still couldn’t say that all’s well that ends well. Kazuki felt impatience and distorted his expression. [Futsu no Mitama] had vanished completely.

Despite his intention to also liberate Katsura Karin from Joka’s power.

If by some chance Karin was not brainwashed, perhaps nothing would change even if she was slashed by [Futsu no Mitama]. Was the current Karin fighting by her own will, it couldn’t be judged at all looking from the outside.

But…Kazuki didn’t want to think that the distortion in Karin’s mind was all the effect of undergoing abnormal education. He wanted to believe that her mind was overwritten by brainwashing magic and that was why she was made to obey so abnormally like a puppet. He wanted to believe that if the brainwashing magic was negated in this place and she was pulled away from Hayashi Shizuka, the girl would also be able to turn back into a normal girl for sure. And yet…!!

“Sorry, I weighed you down again…. Because I’m too half-baked and weak…”

Surmising Kazuki’s color of impatience, inside Kazuki’s arms Kazuha-senpai’s eyes slowly became blurred with tears.

“That’s not it, senpai has no need to apologize for anything.”

“But…to save that girl Karin, the power of [Futsu no Mitama] is absolutely needed right? Even while I’m fighting I too had heard the cries of that child many times over. …That’s just too pitiful. Even though you are trying to save her…I, I can't do anything to help…”

Kazuha-senpai, who could sympathize with a complete stranger that much, was truly a really kind person.

“Hey, don’t you have any other way!? You can use magic of so many types, right!?”

Finally, with a single line of tears going through her face, senpai raised a pleading voice to Kazuki.

However, among the magic that Kazuki could use, there was no purge magic. …I’m still inadequate as a King. If only I had made my bond with Kazuha-senpai too as something definite….

Severing all the magic power of the technique user Hayashi Shizuka was also one way to extinguish the power of brainwashing.

But Kazuki realized inside his heart that it was a difficult undertaking because at the time when he was attacked on top of the hill in the public park, he had seen Shizuka escape with Joka’s [space transfer magic].

Space transfer―if some kind of countermeasure was not arranged for that magic, he wouldn’t be able to defeat Hayashi Shizuka. Precisely because her way to escape was ensured, Shizuka could display the use of her trump card so readily like this.

Other than hitting her with purge magic before she made her escape, there was no other way to save Karin.

Things like another method…. No…. Kazuha-senpai was removed from the stage but, right now she was still inside Kazuki’s arms. If that was the case then there was still one thing left that he could still do. Right, just one….

“Oi, that face of yours, that’s a face that just thought up some kind of method huh!”

Kazuha-senpai guessed from the change in Kazuki’s expression, she rocked Kazuki’s shoulder strongly.

“If there is some kind of way, then let’s save that girl! You are…not a brutish harem guy but a kind person right!? Please!!”

However, if I do that kind of thing, I….

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! It’s dangerous for your companion that doesn’t have magic power left, so drag her here to the staff tent!”

As if cornering the hesitating Kazuki, Liz Liza-sensei’s warning from the ground came.

“Yinlong, knock him down!”

Receiving Shizuka’s command, Yinlong too headed to Kazuki and flew.

“Coming from Ken’en tomb cave, one of Chūou Teishin’s three apparition princesses, O Dakki’s truly cruel next younger sister! Nine headed pheasant spirit <Kokibi>!!”

Karin too invoked even more Summoning Magic―from the far off sky, an unknown strange bird was flying.

A gigantic beast possessing many heads; a nine headed bird spirit. Possessing mystic power from living a long time, an apparition of a pheasant.

Its speed even surpassed Yinlong, this strange giant bird too was heading at Kazuki.

“I told you already…I won’t let anything near Kazuki!!”

In front of Yinlong and the nine headed bird, flapping her wings of flame Mio cut between them and Kazuki. Mio struck the strange bird as if pushing with her wings of flame, the scream of the eerie bird rang out in the sky of the battlefield.

But from the side, Yinlong hurled a breath of lightning attack. Mio tried to block it with the wings of flame but, she failed. The shock of the lightning attack pierced through and inflicted damage.

Mio’s remaining magic power lessened, the wings of flame were shriveling down in the blink of an eye.

“The energy of the wings is exhausted…if it's exhausted, I’m going to be dropped into hell! If I fall into that kind of place in a condition of magic intoxication…I’m going to get bitten continuously by snakes and scorpions unable to escape…he, help me Kazu-niiii!!”

He could hear Mio’s scream. The situation was…rapidly becoming urgent!

…As expected there is no other way than this! Without a doubt this would hurt Kazuha-senpai but…if it keeps like this then he would regret it in the end no matter what his choice!

Kazuki while still carrying Kazuha-senpai flew to the height where they couldn’t be seen by other students in one go.

“Senpai, forgive me!!”

“What are you apologizing…nmuchu!?”

While accelerating and crossing the cloud, he pulled the bewildered Kazuha-senpai’s face closer―and piled up their lips.

He kissed her. Inside Kazuki’s chest, Kazuha-senpai was struggling with her hands and legs violently. But Kazuki kept hugging her strongly, he didn’t separate their lips immediately. Reinforcing the link of bonds between their magic power, after he felt a strong circuit was tied together―Kazuki finally separated their lips.

“Wh, wh wh wh wh wh why!”

After separating their faces with a ‘chuu’ sound echoing, Kazuha-senpai raised a panicking voice.

“Why are you suddenly kissing! My, my first kisss, why now!?”

Kazuki too, what kind of face should he make and what should he say that is good, didn’t immediately come to mind. But Kazuha-senpai immediately took notice of something unusual starting to happen inside herself, she pressed her own chest *gyuu* tightly.

“…Wha, what is, this sensation!? Something hot is linking with you, something is…”

“Senpai, I’m sorry. But there is no other way except this!”

Kazuki one-sidedly apologized like that and swooped down, he entrusted Kazuha-senpai to the staff tent.

“Wa, wait, Hayashizaki Kazuki! You, why…just explain thiss―!”

Kazuha-senpai, who was dropped on the ground, was crying with a blaming voice in a fluster. While receiving that question with his back, Kazuki silently flew up to the sky once more.

[Deep Striker]’s energy too only had a little left remaining. If he didn’t decide the match immediately…! At the same time inside his head, a spell was coming to the surface.

“O god of sword from time immemorial that is extolled together with Takemikazuchi…”

Through the link with Kazuha-senpai, he called out to the true body of Futsunushi no Kami in Astrum.

“DON’T MAKE MY CUTE KAZUHA CRY”

Futsunushi no Kami floated beside Kazuki. That vision was changing from an avatar into a real entity.

“Well, there is no other way. I understand what you are doing. Anyone will judge that what you are doing is the right thing without a doubt. Kazuha too is angry, but she doesn’t hate you. But I’m worried you know? …You, something inside you that you were intending to never let twisted, is it twisted now?”

“…!” The words of Futsunushi no Kami pierced Kazuki’s chest deeply.

I was…for the sake of power I kissed Kazuha-senpai!!

“It’s only a worry of mine that something of you had completely wavered though. Well, your decision is not something mistaken! Right now raise your face, look at the enemy in front of your eyes! If it’s my power then, in accordance to your will, you could sever every evil!! Come, chant the spell until the very end!!”

“Born from the whirl of steel and flame O god of blade that becomes pure! I’ll take hold of thee with this hand receiving glory…draw sword! Futsunushi no Kami!!”

Together with the completion of Kazuki’s spell chant, the presence of Futsunushi no Kami that was floating beside him was deepening thickly―accomplishing materialization in this transient world. Materializing a Diva…the ultimate Summoning Magic!

Futsunushi no Kami, who was floating in the air was moving airily to Kazuki’s hand.

“…Come, wield me!!” Eyes opening with a flash, Futsunushi no Kami declared.

…no wait, that’s it!? I’m just wielding you like this without anything else!!?

Kazuki made a tsukkomi inside his heart, but from the hilt that Kazuki held…a power that was without question was transmitted into both his hands. …It was extremely impertinent for him to tsukkomi or the like wasn’t it? Right now, the very thing in Kazuki’s hand…from time immemorial the people of Japan regarded katana as something sacred. This sword in his hand was that very divinity itself.

Its appearance was an ancient sword with the face of a middle-aged man fixed on it, it was just Futsunushi no Kami that was materialized as it was, without any change. [Futsu no Mitama] too was an ancient sword that looked just like a smaller Futsunushi no Kami, compared to that, this was just the same with a bigger size without any change in its appearance.

But the power hiding in its blade was like something completely different. If this real thing of [Futsunushi no Kami] was compared, that thing [Futsu no Mitama] was a shadow that was created by Futsunushi no Kami. He comprehended that it was nothing more than a cast-off shell.

Its appearance was, just a mere sword―but that blade hid a terribly frightening something.

“Kazu-nii! Save me quickly!!” Mio who was cornered by the dragon and pheasant raised a scream.

Kazuki opened the energy of [Deep Striker] on his back at full throttle.

While cutting apart through the clouds―he slashed at the Yinlong that he crossed paths with.

When the sword Kazuki wielded drew a line, Yinlong, which was touched by it, along with the three clawed fingers it used trying to block―’zuu―’ its body became two equal parts. In Kazuki’s hand, he felt the same as if he was slashing at something with no sensation of touch at all. It was not a dimension of sharpness anymore.

The root of the magic life-form which was its magic power was erased, the entity of Yinlong became countless lights and scattered apart.

Kazuki, who was dashing in the sky drew an arc and circling. This time he was heading to the nine headed pheasant spirit.

The apparition of the pheasant was not allowed any response―a flash. The nine headed pheasant spirit too became a light shower and vanished.

…What clean feedback his hand felt.

At that time the wings of flame exhausted its strength and vanished, Mio completely exhausted, freefell down into that hell. Kazuki swooped down and caught up with her just barely, taking her in his arms.

Kazuki’s [Deep Striker]’s energy too was exhausted with his consecutive maneuvers. Kazuki, while holding Mio inevitably fell naturally. At their falling destination, innumerable poisonous serpents and scorpions were waiting for them in swarms. Kazuki embraced Mio with one hand, he took a reverse grip of [Futsunushi no Kami] with his other hand―he pointed the blade toward the hell simultaneously while falling. With a flash, the match venue that was covered with darkness was ran through by light. Every vicious creature disappeared, the fountain plaza returned to its original form.

“Mio, retreat to the staff tent. Those guys’ ways of fighting are not straightforward.”

“…It’s okay to rely on the teachers and stop the match you know?”

Mio said so worriedly. She seemed to want to say what would happen if Kazuki’s heart was stopped when she was not there.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to worry. Also…if this is stopped now then there is no meaning.”

The wish of Kazuha-senpai, he would show that he was going to free Karin too here!

Sensing the obstinacy of Kazuki’s determination, Mio ran to the staff tent.

“Coming from Ken’en tomb cave, one of Chūou Teishin’s three apparition princesses, voice of Shinin, dance of Hokuhi, playing the comfort of Bibi, O Dakki’s youngest sister! Gem and stones biwa spirit <Oukijin>!!" Even during this interval, the opponent chanted their spell. At Karin’s side, a gigantic stone biwa appeared. It moved by itself and began to play music.

What kind of ominous power did that tune possess―Kazuki had no idea.

Just by thrusting [Futsunushi no Kami] right in front of himself, all of the mystical sound waves were cut apart and dispersed.

“Tha, that…how could sound get cut!?” Against that unreasonableness, Karin’s expression was taken aback.

Kazuki was naturally reminded of Prometheus’ [Olympia Forger].

As the result of the mutual hailing with Kazuki’s soul, Prometheus’ power was embodied in the shape of a sword. But to the last its essence was a [weapon]. Its blade hid energy that would explode externally, it was a weapon that released a wave motion that would defeat countless military forces altogether with one slash.

[Futsunushi no Kami] in contrast with that, hid energy that was concentrated internally. It couldn’t do something like releasing sword waves and defeating an army altogether. However the thing that was touched by that blade―whether it was a material thing or an effect of magic power― would get cut down and bisected with one stroke.

“Ride Lightning!” ―A fitting spell to wield this blade, Kazuki had already finished the chanting for it.

Kazuki accelerated his body and filled the distance with one breath, he parted the gem and stone biwa spirit into two.

And then with the returning slash, he cut Karin.

The power to cut all things―that was not all there was to it. This sword was able to cut only the thing the wielder wished to cut. At that time Kazuki was able to choose what he wanted to cut.

What was cut from the girl named Karin? …Joka’s Divine Protection. …Everything that remained of her magic power.

And then her sense of pain and consciousness. So that there would not be anything painful for the girl from the recoil of the Divine Protection’s severing.

Slowly swaying, Karin fell asleep at that spot like her battery was pulled out. Seeing that Kazuki caught her in his arms.

Kazuki softly laid the girl whose expression was only now just softened down on the ground.

“The water god of raging scarlet hair is the broken heavenly pillar, mending the chasm of destruction Joka’s greatness shines! …Distribute that light of world compilation in this hand! Five Color StoneGoshoku Seki!!”

Shizuka too invoked her magic. The tremendous magic power wave conveyed the power of the invoked magic. On the palm that Shizuka raised to the sky, a shining [sphere] was created, it emitted light of every color…!

“GUWAHHAHHA! Hey Kazuki, what that stone released is waves that overwrite and transform all existence – the world! Superficial magic power would just get rewritten magic power and all, it’s a power of instant death you see! But if your skill and me are joined then there is nothing we cannot cut!! Believe in me and just slash―!!”

Kazuki with his honed swordsmanship faced the light and swung [Futsunushi no Kami]. The light was bisected right in two, as if the impact was transmitted through the light, the [Goshoku Seki] inside Shizuka’s hand was smashed apart.

“Kuh…impossible, does anything go for that sword!?”

“GUWAHHAHHA! Strictly speaking it’s not everything. The thing that I can cut is in proportion to the skill of the user, just so you know. That’s why…putting aside Kazuha if it’s Kazuki then it’s possible everything really can be cut! Wielded by the supreme swordmaster, as a sword too it’s supreme enjoyment! GUWAHHAHHA!!”

Kazuki’s might was roused up. As a swordsman, those were words of a sword god that were really more than he deserved…!

“Che” Shizuka was clicking her tongue. The girl had noticed that [the battle was impossible to be kept on]. Even while holding up the five colored stone, she had already begun to spin an emergency spell.

“O five colors that are the shine of Joka, repaint the world! The sky I wish for is not here! To the end that compass pointed at…Kujinhen’i!”

The compass held by Joka’s avatar that was floating beside Shizuka rotated fiercely. Space transfer magic!

It was that compass! With this sword of cutting evil, if he could destroy that compass…!

Kazuki accelerated with [Ride Lightning] and approached Shizuka. But in the nick of time the compass shone. …Not enough, only with [Ride Lightning], the acceleration was not enough…!

Right in front of Kazuki’s eyes, the space distorted like jelly. And then the figure of Hayashi Shizuka thinned out and was disappearing!

Right after, feeling a slight presence at his back Kazuki looked back.

At the back, a half transparent Shizuka was standing. That form of hers was already not a material substance but an avatar.

After the girl looked down on the unconscious Karin, she glared at Kazuki provokingly.

[I’ll give that puppet to you. You, I should have met you while you were still weak…. However, I’ll soon come again to kill you just so you know. I too, cannot go back to the motherland empty handed…]

―Leaving behind words of ill omen, Shizuka’s figure disappeared.

She wouldn’t be able to show her figure anymore as a Sword Division second year of the Knight Academy.

At the conclusion of the strange final battle, the stands erupted in commotion. This match had obviously become something odd from the midway. Students who were supposed to be swordsmen were recklessly firing magic using unknown Divas, defenseless students that were in the middle of evacuating the arena were dragged into it. On top of all that, a single student’s figure was vanishing to who knows where.

Liz Liza-sensei, who grasped the situation called out a blessing with a megaphone in order to gloss over the incident.

“The match is over! The Knight Academy’s Chief Student Council President Tournament battle election, the champion team is…the candidate Hayashizaki Kazuki and his supporters! Give a big applause for them!!”

The students of the whole school in the stands, even with the many things they didn’t understand, all at once gave applause and raised loud cheers with a great mood.

Chapter 2 – Discarded Fox Diary

Part 1

The collapsed Karin was immediately transported to the school infirmary.

And then Headmaster Amasaki informed Kazuki and his companions who were gathering beside Karin’s bed―he entered the gravity of bearing the burden of a student’s fate into his voice.

“A seal will be performed on her Stigmata to make her unable to use magic power completely. I have made an arrangement with the Knight Order for a <Stigmata Suppression DeviceLimiter>. It’s the newest measure for illegal magicians with minor offences.”

“You aren't going to use the <Stigmata Removal Operation> that was recommended before for Otouto-kun?”

Kaguya-senpai asked. In comparison to seal by tool, removing Stigmata by operation was thought to be a more fundamental solution. But Headmaster Amasaki shook his head.

“If the link between Stigmata and Diva is destroyed, the injury to the mind cannot be avoided. The former Headmaster Otonashi, who advanced the research by his own accord, claimed that it had become a technique for practical use; but in reality, it’s still too inhumane. Even the illegal magicians who are caught by the Knight Order are currently restrained using the Limiter.”

“That thing called Limiter, what kind of item is it?” Kazuki asked.

“What is called Limiter is a tool that reads the wavelength of the magic power that flows inside the Stigmata and makes it so magic power cannot flow into the Stigmata. On top of fixing this tool on her, she is also going to be sent to a <detention facility>.”

Detention facility―the establishment that detains the illegal magicians the Knight Order captures. They are safely managed there; at the same time, it is also a facility for keeping them away at a distance so that they wouldn’t become a victim of persecution and revenge.

It could also be reworded as [the prison you wouldn’t be able to leave until you die].

“Please wait a second, there's no need to go that far, right!?”

Kazuki objected in a panic, but Headmaster Amasaki opposed imposingly.

“Why do you think so? Of course there is a need to go that far. You realize if the limiter is broken or removed, this girl is just going to use dangerous Summoning Magic again?”

“Headmaster, the logic that she is [dangerous because of illegal magician status] is also going to be completely disadvantageous for our position that claims the safety of Hayashizaki Kazuki and the others though.”

Liz Liza-sensei interjected in the middle and covered for Kazuki. “What kind of pretext is used to send the girl to the detention facility? Is there a basis to hand down an even more harsh treatment compared to Hayashizaki and the others?”

“There is. This girl, while there were still students in an unconscious condition remaining in the match venue, used a large scale offensive magic. Her riskiness has already been proven.”

A resolute fury stained the words of Headmaster Amasaki―in regard to someone that exposed the students to danger. ‘I’m going to send this girl to a detention facility for sure’, that is the kind of face that he is currently making.

“That was because of Hayashi Shizuka’s order that made her do it! This girl was just manipulated! Despite that, for this girl’s life to be closed here, I won’t allow such behavior!!”

“How could you know that she did it just because of the brainwashing? How much of it was by Katsura Karin’s own will, how much of it was not, can you really judge it accurately?”

“That…when the person concerned herself wakes up, we could ask her…”

“The word of the person concerned herself couldn’t become proof.”

That was just like a suspect that cried of his own innocence in a trial. There was no persuasiveness inside it at all.

“Hayashi Shizuka is the mastermind of everything, Katsura Karin just got dragged into it. Katsura Karin is completely innocent…if such thinking is considered normally, it sounds forced, don’t you agree?”

“But to be punished just for doubt and simply get sent to the detention facility like that…!”

He got the reasoning of Headmaster Amasaki that regarded Karin as a danger. However, even so…!

“Don’t fuck with mee―!”

At that time, a voice came from beyond the curtains that partitioned them from the neighboring bed.

“Don’t screw around, I won’t allow you bastards to send Karin-chan to a place that looked like jail huh!!”

The curtain was opened violently. The source of the voice was Mibu Akira. The girl, together with Asamiya-senpai, who fainted in the finals, were laid in the adjacent bed.

“Karin-chan didna’ do anything bad…no really, she might do something just a little bad but…but Karin-chan isn’ someoneee bad okay!”

“That’s right―, what Aneki said you know―!”

Snapping at the headmaster the moment they woke up, the small statured protégée Asamiya-senpai too gave her backing at that timing.

Facing defiance from an unexpected place, Headmaster Amasaki made a shocked face.

“…You two, are you going to give testimony that Katsura Karin was brainwashed? …But the testimony of the both of you is not going to fly. Both of you also continued to fight even without being under the brainwashing of Joka. Both of you also conspired with the sleeper agent of China by your own will, a dangerous element.”

Sometimes, he really felt like wanting to say something like [choose your words a little more carefully] to Headmaster Amasaki.

Against that high handed attitude, Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai became even more worked up.

“I was fightin’ for Karin-chan’s sake! Karin-chan…honestly I don’ know how far she was brainwashed. There is also some aspect of Karin-chan that chose to fight. But, that was only because she was made to choose! Karin-chan’s [own will] was not regarded at all! This girl just wanted to get recognized by her stepsister as family!! I wanna help her with that. Me and also Karin-chan don’t give a damn one bit about whether China is backing us up or whatever! No way I’m fighting for such a thing!!”

“Wishing to get recognized as family…?” Kazuki was dumbfounded and leaked out a voice in a murmur.

“Karin-chan is not a bad child! Even if she doesn’t get slammed into prison she could still start over!”

“Hmph.” Headmaster Amasaki snorted his nose without changing his attitude.

“If she could still reform then that way is better. She is still a young girl of fifteen years old, even I think so. But why can you declare that so confidently? What’s your basis? If the worst possibility should happen, what are you going to do?”

Mibu-senpai faltered. After looking down with anxious eyes, she said a [girlish basis].

“…Because that girl always made lonely eyes. If she really had gone bad, if she didn’t give a damn about the world and despaired, she wouldn't even feel any loneliness or anything like that. If she had really gone bad then she gonna become a monster that keeps cool no matter what screwed up things she get done. But it’s still not too late for guys that get lonely. If a kind hand is reached out to ‘em by someone, there's no way it’s too late for ‘em!!”

From those words, the infirmary became enveloped in silence.

That was by no means a logical argument, but it had the persuasive power of a plea from the heart.

Was there something inside Kazuki that couldn’t come to agree with this development? He had a feeling that he could understand her argument.

This was a conceited talk, but never once did Kazuki feel as strongly about Karin.

The girl, always raging and shouting at Kazuki, always clinging onto Hayashi Shizuka [wanting to get approved]. That frailness completely like an infant raising a crying voice was really transparent.

Hayashi Shizuka used that girl’s weakness to the bone without leaving anything untouched.

Even in the case that brainwashing magic was not even used, that was already the same as brainwashing.

I…if there existed a powerless person that got oppressed and fell into a fate of sorrow, it was something that I couldn’t allow.

As expected, I wanted to help Karin. Even in the case of the existing possibility that the girl was a future [enemy], even so, he wanted to discover the possibility of happiness for the girl.

“It’s not worth considering. What you called as your basis is only a really subjective story from your side.”

Despite the bitter face that Headmaster Amasaki was making, he cut Mibu-senpai’s argument without a second thought with just a sentence.

“Anyway you two, don’t forget that you are also people in suspicion. No matter how much you say that she is not bad, it was nothing more than your attempt to cover for your comrade.”

“Shit-, is it because we're delinquents…?! Really, until now we just kept doing whatever the hell we wanted and then suddenly askin’ to just believe what we're sayin’ it’s really askin’ too much but still…”

Mibu-senpai dropped her shoulders dejectedly, Asamiya-senpai too “Aneki…” had her eyes glistening with tears.

“Mibu-san, why did you become a delinquent…rather than saying delinquent, why didn’t you spend your school life seriously as a knight candidate until now?”

Kaguya-senpai once again inquired about Mibu-senpai’s real intentions.

“I didn’t…even though I didn’t even wanna become something like a knight I was forced to enter the Knight Academy, of course I won’ have any motivation. No way I’m gonna go along with it.”

”Yes, before we also had a talk like that hadn’t we?”

Until now, Kaguya-senpai had already tried to reform Mibu-senpai many times and it really weighed on her mind.

“But that kind of you really made so much effort like this with all your power in this battle election. For the sake of this child named Karin. Why in the world would you do that?”

“…Karin-chan was treated like shit by Shizuka. I too am this academy’s shit, that was why I wanna do something. Really, I don’ even know about things like with China or Japan at all.”

Kaguya-senpai suddenly became flustered.

“I said that you are delinquents, but I don’t think that you are this academy’s shit or anything like that at all! I just thought that I wanted us to do our best together as fellow Knight candidates, that’s all!

“I get it, really. But I couldna’ take an offered hand like that! Because that’s too shameful right!? When I got treated kindly, that just made me get awareness of my own wrongs!”

“Aneki…” Asamiya-senpai watched over Mibu-senpai whose eyes were wet with tears.

“Actually, I wanted to enter confectionery school…and become a cake store owner!”

“Ca, cake store!?” Hearing those too unexpected words, not only Kaguya-senpai, everyone was surprised too.

“What’s strange with that, isn’t a cake store the best! I’m gonna open my own shop in a small town, getting the auntie and the girls going home from school as my regulars…. At Christmas or birthdays, if there is something to celebrate everyone is gonna come to my shop, picking out the cake with eyes bright with hope…. For the sake of answering that hope every morning I’m gonna wake up early, I got confidence in my magic power so I’m gonna make my own flavor with Alchemy Cooking, everyone gonna say that it’s delicious…even though I have a dream like that…this arm that is for the sake of whipping up cream was suddenly got fixed with Enigma!”

From Mibu-senpai’s eyes, tears were overflowing in droves, spilling out messily.

“That’s why…what responsibility of knights, I don’ know anything like that, like that I rebelled against the academy. I don’t have any plan of doing anything mistaken, so I don’t plan to reflect on myself or anything like that. But…I noticed it while looking at Kaguya-chan.”

“M, me? Looking at me?” Kaguya-senpai pointed at herself and blinked with surprise.

“Kaguya-chan was always piling up harsh training on herself, she even challenged dangerous quests energetically. Moreover, many times she reached out her hands to shit like me sayin’ [let’s do our best together]. Not just that, despite being the student council president of the Magic Division she insisted to have an equal relationship with the Sword Division…even though there is dissenting opinion, she stuck to her own will for the sake of those guys in weak positions. …That made me think if this kind of person is what a [knight] really is. I got aware of that. If no one is fightin’ as a knight then it’s gonna be like that [Tokyo Great Destruction] fifteen years ago, there is gonna be no place for cake stores. If no one is gonna fight…even I get it that I canna’ just waste away the great power that I finally got my hands on uselessly like that. But after thoroughly saying [This academy is the one that’s bad] [I’m not the one that’s bad] continuously, I slapped away Kaguya-chan’s hand. There is no way after all that I coulda just suddenly say shameful things like [I’m going to aim as a Knight]! Kaguya-chan is just too bright, I can't take that hand…. When I see Kaguya-chan….my own shittiness is just too pathetic!”

“Aneki is seriously…Kaguya-chan’s fan really…”

Asamiya-senpai too, together with her elder sister figure, Mibu-senpai, became messed up with spilling tears.

“Err, someone like me is really not that great.” Kaguya-senpai was all shook up.

“I want to become like Kaguya-chan, so I secretly piled up magic training. But this late I already can't go back to become an honor student. Then at that time, Shizuka came invitin’ me into the battle election. If I made great showin’ in the battle election, then maybe everyone woulda looked at me differently. Everyone would get to recognize that I’m not shit, that I coulda take Kaguya-chan’s offered hand unashamedly like that, that was what I was thinking.”

“Me and Aneki, didn’t get told of Shizuka’s objectives or anything like that. We know that girl sometimes gave us special training in a secret location, she called us out. She planned to make us pawns that were easy to handle and also quite strong as the occasion suited. For that girl, we were nothing more than pawns. But for us, whatever those guys' objective were didn’t really matter at all.”

“But gradually the matter about ourselves too didna really matter! Karin-chan had a much more crappy experience than someone like me. Compared to her, my worries are just a simple half-baked thing…she was treated like trash by Shizuka! If we complained or whined that Shizuka beat us blue until magic intoxication…after that, we became reluctan’ to say any complaints to Shizuka…”

…Mibu-senpai definitely received brainwashing. But what was overwritten by the brainwashing was not their motive for fighting but only the pecking order between them.

“Please I beg you Kaguya-chan! Just like what you tried to give to us, reach out your hand to Karin-chan too! You’re an ally of justice right!?”

Mibu-senpai caught hold of Kaguya-senpai’s shoulders, while doing that she brought her tear stricken face near.

“I’m, I’m not really an ally of justice though…”

“Inside me you are ally of justice anyway―!!”

Mibu-senpai kept shaking Kaguya-senpai’s shoulders. Looking at that appearance, Kazuki too naturally sympathized. …Kaguya-senpai reached her hand to me too, I was saved by her.

“Headmaster Amasaki, we don’t need anymore reason or proof don’t you agree? Right now, I absolutely don’t want to think that these two are lying.”

“Ugh…” Headmaster Amasaki’s expression soured.

“Before, I became concerned about whatever happened to the illegal magicians that I captured, so I had went to inspect the detention facility. …It’s no good you know, to do something like sending a child to that kind of place because of false charges.”

Hikaru-senpai who once went through bitter experiences because of Karin too, that gentle face of hers distorted in sorrow.

“Tou-san, if you are a teacher, then there are times when you had to have faith in your students even without any proof right!? In drama, this is not the time to say such things!”

Mio, who until now had kept quiet and watched the situation, gave her assistance to Kazuki as well.

“Ughh…even though papa is just taking a prudent stance for the sake of the academy, even Mio now…”

Headmaster Amasaki made a grimace that added even more wrinkles in his wrinkled-covered face.

“Well then headmaster, pease, at least wait before sending her immediately to the detention facility. I will take the role of monitoring Karin for a while and make sure of Karin’s true feelings. Just like when before Kaguya-senpai did that for me and I was put in the Witch’s Manor!”

“Yo, you―, you’re gonna help Karin-chan!?”

“Don’t say stupid things! Katsura Karin is aiming for your life, you know that!! If you asked what is the most dangerous, it’s to be put and left here near you, that’s the number one danger!”

“Saying it in reverse, the only one who can prove that this girl is not a dangerous character by being together with her is the target, just me. Moreover, even in the case that the girl bared her fangs as an assassin, I am already beyond her ability to kill. If it’s this girl, that’s impossible.”

“Kazuki, didn’t your heart get stopped once already?”

From the side of Kazuki who was saying so while puffing up his chest, Mio made a swift tsukkomi and flustered him.

“Tha, that was just because I didn’t understand the opponent’s technique, that’s why I intentionally got hit to test it, that’s all! A second hit won’t succeed anymore! I have perfectly grasped this girl’s true strength!!”

“Certainly only seeing from the match, I think the difference in strength was evident. Nevertheless, can you really assert that so certainly? If for example you are to be attacked when sleeping...”

Kaguya-senpai murmured worriedly.

“The Hayashizaki-style is surprise attack proof.”

“When we first met, didn’t I creep up behind you unnoticed and prank you [Gu―ess who!]?”

Kaguya-senpai too launched a swift tsukkomi, Kazuki was “Tha, that was because senpai didn’t have any killing intent!” and made some justification in fluster. Moreover, just before this, he had been pranked [Gu―ess who!] by Beatrix.

This was bad, from some time ago, he let out too many excuses. The persuasiveness was just too doubtful even if he said so himself.

“Nii-sama…that being the case, are you planning to don the <War Preparation Spirit>?”

As if to throw out a life saving boat, Kanae said that.

“War Preparation Spirit?” Everyone other than Kazuki tilted their heads. In place of Kazuki, Kanae made her explanation.

“The Hayashizaki-style is an old school of Iai. Iai’s original doctrine is [to never let shown an opening no matter what kind of time, always being ready to sword draw and counterattack immediately no matter against any kind of attack], like that. That surprise attacks don’t work against Nii-sama is a fact. The Hayashizaki-style can detect [killing intent] even while sleeping….What is called killing intent is not a concept like the occult. Killing intent, namely the emission of offensive-like magic power. In order to be able to sense it even in the subconscious, the subconscious of oneself has to be mastered―that is the War Preparation Spirit. In short, it is a kind of Trance technique.”

The surrounding bunch felt the persuasiveness inside Kanae’s words and nodded their heads "I see".

“Putting on the War Preparation Spirit, in short if I sleep with my mind still in a half-awakened state, even if I am attacked in my sleep I could immediately wake up. That’s why it’s impossible for Karin to kill me. Headmaster, please give me time to spend with Karin! …If you recognize me as a possessor of the power of a King, then please!”

King. With that word brought out, Headmaster Amasaki grudgingly accepted that proposal.

“…One week. After one week the student general meeting will be carried out, the counting of the votes will be performed and the seat of the Chief Student Council President will be settled. Until that time, keep Katsura Karin company and don’t leave her side for even a moment. Smell out her true feelings.”

One week…if there was that much time, then it was enough.

“You said don’t leave her side for even a moment…Certainly if she is a dangerous character, then a monitoring around the clock is needed, but then that means Kazuki is going to have a life of constant attendance with this child Karin? For one week too?”

Mio talked in a whisper. And then with a blushing red face, she let out an unparalleled thoughtless remark.

“…That’s totally unfair!!”

Part 2

“…Here is?”

The time when Karin, who was laid atop the bed in Kazuki’s room, opened her eyes was several hours later.

“This is my room.”

Kazuki answered so in a posture of sitting on top of the chair by his desk.

“…Hayashizaki Kazuki!?” The instant she saw Kazuki, Karin sprang up with the force of Jouchouho.

“Wait, calm down. You don’t need to be on your guard. By the way the sheets of that bed and pillow had been changed into new ones, so it shouldn’t smell like me!”

“Smell or whatever doesn’t matter!”

That might be so but…when Hikaru-senpai said to Kazuki that his bed [smelled the smell of boy] he became bothered by it.

“You, I’m going to…!”

Kazuki quickly interrupted the words Karin was going to say.

“Hayashi Shizuka, who gave that order, has already left you behind.”

At that time when Shizuka left, she left behind a discarding talk of [I’ll give that puppet to you]. That kind of thing.

Karin looked around restlessly *kyoro kyoro*…she instantly comprehended the meaning of Shizuka’s nonexistence there, that after the fight the one who was captured was only herself. And then that expression of hers changed into a hollow expression.

“…Is that so? So I have been discarded.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

In Kazuki’s room which has a width of about six tatami mats, so that he could put Karin on the bed, Kazuki also brought the futon for his share inside. It made the room even more cramped. In there, even more monitoring equipment was arranged.

First was a lock and buzzer at the door and window. If those were attempted to be opened forcibly, alarms would ring out throughout the Witch’s Manor. The alarm’s volume was so loud that it would make any who hear it leap out from their bed.

At the corner of the ceiling, a lens of a monitoring camera was shining. Kazuki’s own privacy was also taken from him, this camera took the film and transmitted it to the staff room in real time.

The guaranteed article was the bracelet type Limiter that was installed on Karin’s wrist. It was the item sent from the Knight Order that was arranged by the headmaster. It was accompanied with vicious functions that would create a powerful shock to the mind through the Stigmata and drive the wearer into unconsciousness when they tried to destroy the bracelet forcibly or when the identified wavelength tries to perform Access.

“In short, you are put into a situation where it’s impossible to escape from cohabitation with me!”

“You, are you a pervert?”

When he explained the situation with high tension, an extremely natural tsukkomi was returned at him.

Looks like it was difficult to have a bright atmosphere in his conversation with Karin.

“If I don’t do this, you are going to be sent to the detention facility you know? You’d hate it right, to be sent there at this young age.”

“I don’t particularly mind. Whatever happens to someone like me…”

Karin, who had a thoroughly vacant expression murmured, crestfallen.

“Hey, I have one thing I want to ask you though.”

“There is nothing that I can answer. If I get interrogated with truth serum or mind magic it’s going to be useless to resist anyway so I’ll say this beforehand, but I don’t know anything.”

“I’m not asking about that. Are you a family with Shizuka?”

Against Kazuki’s question, Karin’s expression stiffened.

“You’d know if you look from the name, right? The family name of Hayashi was not given to me.”

According to Eleonora, it seemed Hayashi Shizuka had the real name of Lin Zhijing .

From the simple fake name they were using, their underestimation of Japan’s intelligence network was clear as day.

“I’m called as KatsuraGue KarinFarin. Losing my original name of Katsura Karin, I became an existence of nobody.”

“But you wanted to be recognized as family right?”

“…No. I’m a puppet. There is nothing that I wished for.”

“Is that so? …Actually I was also an orphan.”

Karin, who was averting her face to the side, looked back here. An interest was growing from a faint sympathy.

From that action, an emotion that was unlike a puppet bled out for an instant.

“I was treated kindly by the Hayashizaki household. I obtained a family. …I who became happy and you who was treated as a puppet, what’s with this difference?”

“Are you planning to boast and feel good about yourself? Just so you know, I don’t feel any jealousy or anything.”

“No. This slight difference of fate that separated you and me…I really can't tolerate it.”

After Kazuki spat out those last words behind, he went out of the room and went to the kitchen.

And then he served the girl’s share of the dinner on a plate and brought it back. It was the food that Kazuki made while Karin fainted. The usual fried chicken. Rice. Salad. The time was not enough so it became just a simple menu.

But he wanted to make the girl eat his own homemade food.

“Do you think I’m going to receive any charity from you!”

Karin knocked down the plate of food that Kazuki presented to the floor.

Kazuki wordlessly tidied up the food that was scattered on the floor. It’s great that it was a menu that didn’t have any soup on it.

“I didn’t put any poison in it. It’s delicious you know. Even though I have confidence in this food.”

Kazuki didn’t even get angry, then he put the part of fried chicken that was still safe on top of the plate into his mouth with a snap and made a show to her of him eating. “…” Karin was glaring silently at that situation.

And then they went to bed that night. There was no conversation between the two but there was also no attack.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Karin, here's breakfast.”

The menu is freshly toasted toast garnished with homemade butter and crispy bacon egg. Puffing up vapors are still visible on top of the plate, filling up the whole room with a fragrant aroma.

The exquisite grilling adjustment made the appearance and the aroma very stimulating, making the one who sees it unable to stop imagining how good it would be to feel the food texture in the mouth.

“Don’t need it. Take it back.”

“Is that so? Even though it’s so delicious.”

With the intention of proving that there was no poison inside the food, Kazuki made a show of eating it in front of Karin.

With homemade butter melted in brim on top of the dry surface of the toast that was toasted into a light brown color, when Kazuki bit it, a *saku* sound resounded. When the fork was stabbed into the sunny-side-up fried egg, the half-cooked syrupy egg yolk soaked the bacon, the egg mildly enveloped the bacon’s richness. When it was brought into the mouth, both things mixed together spread out the flavor of microcosmos.

Right there black tea was also included into his mouth. In truth, in making black tea, Mio’s way was far more detailed than even Kazuki's, this tea was made by her for him. The fresh aroma reset his tongue and he once again took a round of taste of the buttered toast.

In that situation, Karin kept taking a small glance from the side. Her lips were trembling all over as if enduring something.

―After breakfast was over, for the sake of monitoring Karin, Kazuki had taken a break from the academy.

There was plenty of time, but it presented a space where there was only Kazuki and Karin, just the two of them together. Kazuki didn’t have any intention of doing something like an interrogation. In exchange, he tried making small talk many times to relax the atmosphere, but he was ignored.

“Karin, it’s lunch time.”

In the afternoon, it was Oyakodon . Kazuki brought over two bowls covered with lid into the room, then he suddenly removed the lid. With a puff the steam puffed up from the bowl, a gentle fragrance from parsley and soup stock filled the room.

“…Don’t need it. But I’m going to say one thing. Don’t eat it in front of my eyes.”

Karin said it with sharp tone of voice, that stomach of hers was rumbling ‘kuuu’.

When he thought about it, the girl will have not eaten for a whole day soon.

He was unaware of it, but somehow, he had made a behavior of awful torture already.

“But I’m the monitor of Karin, so as much as possible I have to be here.”

Reluctantly, Kazuki consumed the food, including the share that was also prepared for Karin’s sake, heartily right in front of Karin’s eyes. Then the last remaining rice grains that had absorbed the broth were picked one grain by one grain by chopsticks. It was really fun that he cleaned the bowl until it shined.

Karin became teary eyed while her eyes were nailed looking on that situation.

In the afternoon, he studied the self-learning textbook that was prepared by Liz Liza-sensei and he also thoroughly performed muscle training and magic training that could be done in that room. For Kazuki, he went through a productive afternoon…then it became time for dinner.

“Karin, it’s dinner but…”

For dinner, it was sukiyaki . So he could just take the shortest possible time being away from this room, he made the meal as simple as possible. Furthermore, it must be something that he wouldn’t get embarrassed to serve for a guest that came from afar.

He brought the iron pot that was filled with gently boiling sukiyaki together with the gas stove. The gas stove was put onto the tea table. Inside the iron pot, the cooking hadn’t been completed yet, rather it was still halfway cooked.

Enticed by the aroma, Karin unconsciously peaked at the pot’s contents, then finally she cried out messily.

From her stomach, ‘ku―kyurupi―’ groaning voice that sounded like a small animal leaked out.

“Oi…your stomach is hungry right? Though I think that patience is meaningless.”

“…My stomach is hungry. My throat is parched…”

Karin talked in resignation.

“Your stomach is hungry…. Strange. Why is that? Why, despite being a puppet without any home to return to…even though you think that it’s okay even if you die…your stomach is hungry.”

In front of the girl that refused even drinks, Kazuki put and presented the cooled black tea pot, then he served the sukiyaki from the pot into a bowl for the girl.

“It’s really natural. You still haven’t lived in a way that would make you able to say [I can die satisfied]. Eat up. You are not a puppet, but still a human.”

After Karin drained the cup of tea in one gulp, she took and gripped the chopsticks with trembling fingers. After mixing the beef meat seeped with salty-sweet flavor and raw egg, she brought it to her mouth.

“…Delicious. This is the first time I've eaten something this tasty.”

“It’s a cooking I have confidence in after all. Sukiyaki is decided by the quality of the beef meat. I know an old man that used alchemy to raise good cows. Are you listening, the cow breeding is very deep. This is second-hand knowledge from the old man, but to raise a good cow, good grass is needed. To start with the soil is important. For the sake of choosing the soil first he needed to lick and eat the soil, he ascertained the chlorella with his own tongue you know…That pH value is…”

“You’re annoying.”

“…Sorry. In the house of Hayashi, what were you normally eating?”

“Bean sprouts or something like that.” It was curt, but that was the first time she gave a reply to his question.

“Something like stir fried bean sprouts?”

“No, directly from the bag just like that.”

“Raw!? Just as I thought Hayashi Shizukathat guy’s personality is the worst…!”

Karin continued to move her chopsticks in a daze without even wiping her tears. This time she ate with vigor that didn’t even leave Kazuki’s share untouched.

“Why, even though you are treated like trash until that much, do you still listen to what Shizuka was saying?”

“…Because I’m a puppet. There is nothing that I think as painful.”

“Wrong. You listen to me, you are not an unfeeling human to the degree of a puppet.”

Rather, even though she was an assassin, she immediately lost her cool from some provocation. Mibu-senpai too, she said that Karin had [lonely eyes that were waiting for someone to reach their hands for her].

The Karin at that time when she was treated as a meatshield by Hayashi Shizuka, that expression….

And then mixing the egg with salty-sweet beef meat and bringing it into her mouth with that brightness, this expression….

“You were coming to this point enduring that harsh way of living for a long time while hoping, wishing to become happy someday. That decided it. You are not something like a puppet.”

Part 3

“Karin, let’s watch anime or something.”

Choosing the one that he hasn’t watched yet among the anime URD that he borrowed from Lotte, Kazuki called out to her.

“Anime…?” Karin tilted her head looking at the URD package in his hand with deep interest.

“This is an appliance that projects a story, isn’t it…? How foolish, this is just a child’s amusement.”

“Is that so, well even if you don’t watch I’m still going to watch alone.”

Kazuki set the URD into the Phantasmagoria and it projected three dimensional images. At his back, Karin kept sneaking glances this way.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Hayashizaki Kazuki. Oi Kazuki.” Along with the sudden voice, his shoulder was shook from behind.

“What is it, even though now is a great scene, gusu-”

Kazuki paused the images temporarily and looked back while wiping his tears.

Even though a great scene that even made him forget Karin’s existence was currently going on.

“…I can’t comprehend the action of Ivlahimopitch just now. It’s irrational.”

Karin said with a serious expression.

The one she called Ivlahimopitch was the main character of this anime [Magical Girl Ivlahimopitch].

“Ivlahimopitch, who was a female delinquent ruffian, was reformed by her master Park Chison and she accumulated training of magical taekwondo. Finally, she surpassed the strength of her master and then she proceeds forward into a destiny of various magic martial arts battles together with the enemy of her parents, the user of magical Muay Thai Pon Saklek, I wonder if it’s that kind of scene.”

“Haven’t you grasped the story well already?”

“Ivlahimopitch is supposed to be a girl that dedicated her life to fighting. Despite that, why did she suddenly neglect the enemy of her parents and head to Mourinyo’s location. This Mourinyo was an ally but parted company with her for the sake of pursuing her revenge. Currently, she is supposed to be an enemy.”

“That’s because she noticed the futility of revenge and the awakening of her love for Mourinyo, right?”

The girl who stopped the revenge realized that she was loved, not only by Mourinyo, but also the whole world and she liberated herself from the curse that bound her life. A really moving scene.

However, Karin shook her head. “I don’t get it, how irrational.”

“That’s because the thing called love is something irrational in the first place…”

“Love…what is love ?”

“Tha, that’s…I too don’t get it…. Don’t ask such philosophical matters so suddenly!”

“You bastard, so you are showing something you don’t understand well yourself to me!”

“You don’t think about this kind of matter! You feel it!”

Kazuki and Karin raised their voices and quarreled, suddenly ‘BATA―N!’ the door of the room opened.

“Tell the story to me, Kazuki-oniisan! To talk about Ivlahimopitch without me participating is unforgivable desu!”

The one who came along was Lotte, who was wearing dog-modeled pajamas.

“Kazuki, what’s with this girl?”

“This living thing is Charlotte Liebenfrau…when she finds humans who share interest in anime, she will bite the prey and won’t let go until the prey had talked with her through three days and three nights. A ferocious anime lover wanwan .”

After Kazuki made that totally unthinkable introduction, Lotte “wanwan!” barked happily.

“What’s with that, scary.”

“She will be silent when you pet her head, see? Though she is going to immediately talk again after that.”

“Wanwan! Tonight let’s treat ourselves with all night anime admiration & debate! I will make newcomer-san not fall sleep too desu!!”

―When he noticed, the three were already sleeping together in a huddle.

Kazuki roused Lotte, who was supposed to go to school, out of the bed. Lotte, who was awakened from sleep, seeing Kazuki himself, who was taking a break from school murmured “Unfair desu…” while leaving the room. And then Kazuki and Karin, the two of them had breakfast with eyes that were still half-asleep.

“Karin, I noticed an incredible thing.”

“What?” Karin said with her head kept nodding off *kokukoku* from lack of sleep.

“You stink.”

Karin who was a target of monitoring…hadn’t entered the bath at all.

Now that he entered this topic, her attire too had been the Sword Division uniform all along.

“You didn’t use Extra Sense and Psychokinesis together to remove the filth from your body and clothes? I have been together with you continuously but I have done so with my body at the same time with my magic training though.”

An advanced magic user could remove the filth from their body with the power of magic. Because of that, in the occasion when they took a bath they put more importance in smell rather than washing and used things like <fragrance soap>.

“…I have never done that kind of thing.”

But it seemed Karin had always washed her body normally with soap. There was no mistake that she had never used luxury items like fragrance soap. She didn’t know the concept of washing her body with Psychokinesis.

“It can’t be helped huh, we're going to bathe.”

Even if he said that she stinks, it was not to the degree that would make him uncomfortable with being together with her.

Having said that, Kazuki was not a maniac; so he wanted a girl to be hygienic.

When Kazuki pulled Karin’s hand, she lost her presence of mind.

“Wait a second! I can't enter a bath alone right!?”

“You're in the middle of monitoring after all, so of course that's true but…as expected it’s embarrassing in the end.”

“Hm, hmph. I am a puppet. Such human-like emotions don’t remain inside me.”

He totally didn’t understand her need to bluff in this area.

“Is that so? Then don’t mind it. I’m going to persevere too and expose my nakedness to you. Let’s go to the bath.”

“Wait! Anyway wait a second for that!!”

“Got it, then let me give a call to Mio so that she could bring a change of swimsuit. It’s going to get hard to wash the body, but let’s enter the bath wearing swimsuits.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

…Gradually, it felt like he was picking a pet.

“Well, it’s not like it’s not embarrassing just because we're wearing swimsuits, isn’t it?”

Entering the changing room in turn, Kazuki and Karin changed into swimsuits alternately.

“U, useless feelings like shame do not exist in me.”

Karin was wearing a swimming race type school swimsuit on her body with the slenderness of a fist fighter. She hung her head down in embarrassment. It was a swimsuit that Mio brought and gave to him, but it was a little too big and baggy.

The bathtub of the Witch’s Manor had the space that could be enjoyed by all the dwellers of the manor together if they went for it.

“You understand how to use the shower, right? You enter the bathtub after cleaning your body first.”

“I know the shower, but what is a bathtub?”

“…So in the Hayashi house you used nothing other than the shower huh.”

“hotHAWTT! Hayashizaki Kazuki, this shower lets out hot water!?”

“You didn’t get any hot water there…basically it was just all-out abuse there…”

Though if it was just setting the water temperature, it could be controlled however they like by just using elementary Pyrokinesis.

Kazuki and Karin stood back to back in the washing area and began washing their respective bodies.

They looked completely like a family. That kind of emotion welled up, Kazuki’s chest became slightly warm.

“Then that thing called bathtub, what kind of item is it?”

Even if she asked what kind of item it is, it was just a mere bathtub. Kazuki explained with serious expression.

“Listen well, first you place the towel on your head. And then you submerge your body inside this hot water up to your shoulders, relax your whole body, then you say ‘Fuih―, it’s absolute heaven’. This is the custom so follow it absolutely.”

“Like this? …Fuih―, it’s absolute heaven. Fun, how stupid.”

Having said that and submerged herself inside the bathtub, her expression relaxed to the point that she looked like she was going to drool, her limbs became very loose. …The former assassin exposed her simpleton face in a school swimsuit appearance….

Kazuki too submerged himself together inside the spacious bathtub. According to what Kaguya-senpai said, this hot water was from some famous artificial hot spring. However Kazuki, who was raised with a poor person’s mentality, didn’t have the habit for long baths.

“Oi, are you not going to get out soon?”

“Wait!” Karin let flew an intense voice.

“Just wait a little bit…Fuih―, it’s absolute heaven.”

“You're that pleased huh?”

“What stupid things are you saying, I am a puppet. This kind of thing is by no means…fuhii―, it’s absolute heaven.”

Karin, who was warm and flaky, couldn’t help her mouth from loosening up slovenly and leaking ‘fuhii―fuhii―’ breaths.

“You're a really simple idiot, aren’t you?” Kazuki was amazed.

Part 4

And then it was the third night after Karin came into Kazuki’s room.

If Karin was going to try to kill him, it was supposed to be on the first night. Having that kind of thought, Kazuki went to sleep while feeling a peace of mind.

Inside the room with its lights turned off, there was a shadow that woke up while suppressing the creaking sound of the bed to the very minimum.

That shadow―Karin was slowly creeping up unnoticed to Kazuki’s spread out futon.

The moonlight shining in from the gap of the curtain illuminated Kazuki’s sleeping face. Karin looked down on that sleeping face for a while. …It was just for ascertaining the depth of his sleep, there was no other intention.

After holding her hand in front of Kazuki’s nose and making sure there was the breathing of someone fast asleep, she crouched down near his pillow.

If she wanted to aim for his heart then she must circle the futon, but that made her hesitate. Karin decided to aim for the nape of Kazuki’s neck and held her palm aloft. If it was with the power of Shintoukei, the bone of the neck could be easily broken apart.

Humans wouldn’t die instantly from just having their neck snapped. The opponent was going to have his consciousness returned from the sleep and he was going to try to call for his comrades while his magic power prolonged his life. To prevent that event…after breaking the bone of the neck, Karin was going to twist the neck immediately and block the flow of blood to the brain. She constructed the flow of sequences inside her head.

[A certain one hit kill in this age of magic] ―for the sake of achieving that, the required knowledge had been engraved inside Karin.

For the sake of this moment.

―’You are a puppet but this technique is the only thing you can be proud of’, that was what Hayashi Shizuka said. Those words were everything for her.

Karin perceived the wavelength of Kazuki’s defensive magic power with her palm. Defensive magic power that was the product of the subconscious kept protecting the whole body of the magician thinly even while in the middle of sleep.

Magic power kept flowing without pause at all. This flow was not a simple phenomena, it possessed warping *gunya gunya* and a complex mysterious wavelength. It was a complexity that was as if expressing the chaos of a human’s heart itself. There were no two humans existing that possessed the same wavelength of magic power.

Karin, who had accumulated training, perceived that wavelength of magic power. She crashed that wavelength with the exact opposite wavelength of magic power, achieving counterbalance for just an instant. This technique was without doubt the <Ki of Yin and Yang>.

With the magic power counterbalanced, that instant he became defenseless, she punched him with Shintoukei. It was difficult to succeed in the middle of a real battle, but…it was child’s play when he slept.

Now that his magic power was read thoroughly, clashed with the exact opposite magic power, and then―that instant. Like a snake aiming for its prey, Kazuki’s one arm raised like a snake head and grabbed Karin’s wrist as if snapping at the prey’s neck.

“!?” With her dominant arm sealed in the nick of time with the strength of a thousand, Karin floated an expression of terror.

“You're awake!?”

“No, I was asleep, without a doubt. But the highest summit of an Iai swordsman is [continuous battle preparation].”

Immediately clearing away his sleepiness with Mind UnityTrance, Kazuki opened his eyes in a snap.

He was having a peace of mind from looking at Karin’s situation but―it was not to the degree that made him undo his <War Preparation Ki>.

“In the first place, if you wake Leme up, things like surprise attacks won’t come true though.”

Furthermore, Leme materialized with a pop beside Kazuki.

“…Well, I don’t have any plans to pamper you until that much though―”

Leaving only those words behind, Leme’s figure disappeared with a pop again.

“If you kill me and bring that achievement back…are you thinking something like that?”

While asking, Kazuki became aware of the depressed tone of his own voice. Kazuki was disappointed.

“…I didn't think of anything like that. I don’t know the place I can go back to with my achievement. Because I don’t even know where Shizuka is right now.”

“Then why?”

“If it keeps like this, then I will be changed. …Shizuka said that the world is a scary place. I am more scared of living not following what Shizuka said, even more than dying. …It’s supposed to be like that.”

Karin’s arm desperately struggled. However, Kazuki was not going to let go of that arm.

Karin became scared of the feelings that she had never known until now.

“Shizuka was only trying to use you. …The world without a doubt is a happier place.”

It was an obvious fact that should even be said to be the significance of living. However, Karin was scared even of that fact.

“I’m not wishing for anything like happiness! I’ll kill you…and I’ll get killed too!! It’s fine already with that…!!”

“Don’t abandon yourself!”

{But…with your current strength you cannot kill that boy though.}

In the middle of the arguing two people, a voice appeared―it was not a voice. Reverberating directly inside the head of Kazuki and Karin, it was a telepathic voice. It was a voice that he remembered hearing before. But, it couldn’t possibly be…that voice was impossible.

{Wrong, it’s possible, you know? Karin, if you want to kill that fellow, it’s fine to use my power.}

“This voice is, <Dakki>!”

Behind Karin whose hand was gripped by Kazuki, a dim avatar was floating.

Karin’s contracted Diva, Dakki…!

But even though Karin and Dakki’s contact was supposed to be sealed by the Limiter…!

{Wrong, boy. Fufufu. The name of the current me is not Dakki. Know this. What is known as Diva is the state of things that are altered by the human hearts, that illusion.}

Altering the state of Divas―like how Baal became Beelzebub.

During the change of history, civilization, there existed Divas that possessed several faces.

The stigmata was shining on Karin’s body. It changed into a totally different shine compared to when he fought her in the final!

{Right now, my name is, the fox of hundred faces, golden fur nine tails <Tamamo no Mae>! Things like a Limiter that identified the stigmata of Dakki, is already useless!!}

The faint shadow that was floating behind Karin gradually linked into a clear contour of beautiful woman. Golden hair, golden tail, beautiful face accompanied with sharpness as it was. The clothes that wrapped her body transformed from a Chinese-style into the motif of Japanese clothes.

This fellow…was she transforming from a Diva of Chinese Mythology into a Diva of Japanese Mythology!?

Kazuki leaped out from the futon, his hand grasping his beloved katana <Doufuu> that was waiting at the side.

{Come Karin, let’s kill this boy together!}

“I can kill Hayashizaki Kazuki…I can, Hayashizaki Kazuki will…?”

{What’s wrong Karin? Don’t tell me…[I can’t kill him anyway] you are already half giving up like that and yet you are still trying to kill him, that’s so, right?}

Asked like that, Karin twitched as if in fright and her line of sight wandered around.

“I, I am…even if I use your Summoning Magic, I can’t win against that guy at all…”

{That might be so huh. But―it’s going to be different if you assimilate with me. Materialization, if you chant your magic with a speed that far surpasses even Contract Summoning, there is no reason that you can lose in a one-on-one fight. That’s right…if you yield your everything to me, you can kill that boy in this place!}

“Yielding my body, to you…?”

{That’s right. You planned to kill that guy and get killed anyway, right? But that…surely it’s scary, isn’t it? Living too is scary, dying too is scary…then offer everything to me…!}

A voice so sweet that even a chill ran through, Tamamo no Mae whispered. {Inside my pitch black womb, you would have no need to fear anything anymore. That is without a doubt the most comfortable choice…}

“Stop!” Kazuki yelled. Throwing away oneself―that was something that must not be done the most!

“Karin! Don’t run from this world!! This world is not a scary place!! Because the meals are delicious, because anime is interesting, because you can go to bed after entering a warm bath…everything is something ordinary you can find anywhere!! There is no meaning at all in running away!!”

Karin whose gaze was sucked in by Tamamo no Mae looked at Kazuki as if she had just woken up.

The eyes of Karin at that time were…what Mibu Akira expressed as [lonely], those kind of eyes.

That was why, Kazuki resolved himself to reach out his hand.

Just like the hand offered to me from Tou-san, from Kaguya-senpai.

“If you're not alone, there is nothing you need to fear!!”

“If I’m not alone…”

“I'm right here!!”

{Don’t lend him your ear. Close your eyes. Shut yourself. Believe in me!}

“Believe in me! Running away is useless!!”

“I, I’m…” From both of Karin’s eyes, tears were spilling out in droves.

“…I don’t want to kill. Ac, actually, I don’t want to kill Kazuki…”

Karin fell onto her knees at that spot with a slump.

Hanging her head like a withering flower, drops of tear *drip drip* were spilling out onto the floor.

“…Karin.” Kazuki let go of Doufuu. Ignoring Tamamo no Mae, he hugged Karin.

Rather than regarding her as a woman, it felt like he was embracing a child.

“Scary…it’s scary. Hayashizaki Kazuki…living by myself is…”

Karin pressed her crying face into Kazuki’s chest, she was talking while her shoulders were heaving with sobs many times.

“It’s okay, the place Karin is currently in now is not a dark scary world. I’m right here.”

“Fu. Fuffuffu…”

Suddenly, Tamamo no Mae leak out a laughing voice. Kazuki reacted to the voice and looked back, then he glared at the avatar.

Towards Kazuki, who was on guard whether she was planning to do anything else, Tamamo no Mae grinned…and smiled.

{Fufufu…o Devil King of Solomon's 72 Pillars, Lemegeton. Tamamo no Mae and that contractor, Katsura Karin are surrendering under your banner. It’s fine to add this one to the lowest seat of the 72 Pillars.}

“…Eh?”

{Hayashizaki Kazuki. Don’t you dare forget the proclamation that you made in the presence of I…a Diva. I’m entrusting Karin to you.}

Kazuki who was taken aback with surprise, slow by one beat, he finally comprehend the thinking of this Diva.

“Were you…pushing Karin’s back forward? You're planning to betray the Chinese Mythology?”

Karin, who was cornered until she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, she made Karin be true to her own feelings…?

{In the first place I don’t belong under any Mythology. I went along with Joka, but it has also been established in the Mythology about how I betrayed Joka. Surely because of that Shizuka had arranged to use and discard Karin. But how dull it is if it ends like that, I too, and also Karin’s life.}

Tamamo no Mae stared at Karin with an unexpected gentle smiling face. And then when she looked back on Kazuki again, her gaze had a different quality compared to when she was staring at Karin. Only her mouth was grinning…and it warped showing a terrifying smile.

{I won’t let you off if you slight my Karin.}

“Hayashizaki Kazuki…” Karin too stared at Kazuki as if clinging onto him.

Katsura Karin―41

He had a feeling that somehow, he had burdened himself with something terrific.

Chapter 3 – Tally of Votes

Part 1

Passing through the promised week, the end of his days of monitoring Karin, or it could possibly be likened to accustoming a wild animal to eat food given by humans. Anyway, when the end of those days came, Kazuki returned to his usual normal days once more.

And then in the school days that he had missed for quite a long while―it was also the same day for the voting of the Chief Student Council President after the election battle.

“Well then, after the distribution of the blank voting paper, write the name of the candidate that you support.”

After Liz Liza-sensei said so, she distributed the voting paper to the students in the classroom.

The paper also reached to Kazuki, who was sitting in his missed chair that he hadn’t sat in for a week.

From his surroundings, he began to hear the rhythmical sounds of pen tips dancing around on the voting papers.

…Should I vote for myself? In front of the voting paper, Kazuki felt lost.

But after he became a candidate, it might be irresponsible if he couldn’t puff out his chest and claim that [I am without a doubt fit to be the Chief Student Council President]. Finally, Kazuki wrote down his own name with a what-do-I-care attitude.

* chon chon *, Kazuki’s back was poked. Behind Kazuki was the seat of Koyuki.

“…In the period while Kazuki took a break, the academy has gone through a serious situation you know?”

“Serious situation?” Kazuki replied without turning his head.

“Because of the Takasugi brothers, they conducted an extensive election campaign…”

After the battle election tournament ended, it wasn’t like the candidates couldn’t do any appeals anymore. Public addresses, pamphlet distributions…in this one week, there were many things that could be done.

“Every time it was break time, the Takasugi brothers kept repeating speeches with unpleasant content. Those days were tedious periods.”

“Ah, I can imagine it. …Though I left my election campaign to Mio and the others, did it go well I wonder?”

Kazuki entrusted the election campaign to his teammates Mio and Kohaku as his representatives.

The advocacy that Kazuki wanted to convey―[The Magic Division and the Sword Division’s equality and friendship]

[Research of tactics unbound by the Heaven and Earth Formation and the class to incorporate it]

[Flexibility of the treatment and application toward illegal summoning of Diva outside Solomon's 72 Pillars]

[Commencement of Sacred Treasures' experimental use continuously and tactical research to make use of them] ―those matters.

Sure enough, could the students agree with those advocacies? Including the matter of how he didn’t show his face at all in front of the students in this one week, there was no doubt that it was disadvantageous for Kazuki.

“It’s fine. Amasaki-san did it properly. She also made a poster.”

Koyuki handed him some kind of paper from behind.

When he opened the folded up poster, there was a printing of Kazuki’s illustration inside that was drawn in an awfully shoujo manga chick pattern. Painting of anime tone. Eyes that were twinkling brightly. Nose and jaw that tapered angularly. Tall and thin body proportion that looked like a walking stick…

Beside the illustration, it was accompanied with a speech balloon that said [Follow me!]. The background was the universe for some reason.

“…It became like this while I was resting? I…”

Beside Kazuki who was trembling all over, the girls who were in the neighboring seats were chuckling. “We're going to follow you until the end of space you know, Chief Student Council President!”

The girls in the other neighboring seat were also looking this way. “Even more than Hayashizaki-kun’s advocacy, it was an election campaign that conveyed more of the fact that Amasaki-san likes Hayashizaki-kun so very much, right?”

“Well, it got you a favorable reputation.” Koyuki said. “It has more than just formality, there is also intimacy in it.”

Intimacy…. He had quite a feeling that to have the intimacy in it was the most important thing compared to anything else.

Noticing this side’s conversation, Mio who sat in the front row of the classroom looked back and waved her hand.

“Kazuki! That poster, I was the one that drew it you know! How is it!?”

“Shut your mouth you trash! Don’t talk of unrelated matters!! Don’t do any discussion either!!”

Having Liz Liza-sensei’s scolding resound, Mio shrunk her shoulders in a fluster and fixed her gaze back to the front.

Before long the voting paper was folded until the content couldn’t be seen and it was collected.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

And then in the afternoon of that day, the student general meeting was conducted. Finally, the voting results would be announced.

In the seats of the auditorium, all the students except the third years lined up. The third years of the Knight Academy were going through practical training in the form of rotation to the Knight Order of the whole country. Their appearance also couldn’t be seen in this day. It became that their votes didn’t get counted in the total tally.

The sixteen candidates, including Kazuki, were sitting in a row on top of the stage that overlooked the students.

Headmaster Amasaki and Board Chairman Takasugi appeared at the center of the stage in turn. They each made the greeting for their own inauguration.

And then it became the time in the program for the voting results announcement.

The auditorium returned to deadly silence. However, the presenter Headmaster Amasaki who was standing in front of the mic didn’t open his mouth.

Before long Liz Liza-sensei came running from the wing of the stage. She informed everyone of the lateness of the vote’s tally.

The students were noisy. For some reason, it seemed that the announcement of the voting results would still take some time.

Kazuki who was on top of the stage, was also feeling his own nervousness rise.

Nervousness―Kazuki was someone that was recommended by Headmaster Amasaki rather than stepping forward by his own will. Kazuki himself naturally also had a feeling like [I, who just enrolled this academy for around two months, am…].

But if there were people saying to him that he was fit to become the Chief Student Council President, a feeling that he wanted to answer those expectations also became stronger day by day when he went through the battle election.

Kazuki took a glance at the rivalscandidates that were sitting in a row beside him.

He wouldn’t mind if he lost to Kaguya-senpai or Hikaru-senpai.

But the other thirteen candidates were mixed with enemies that he had doubts about.

The first was, of course, Takasugi Shūsui who he didn’t want to get elected.

And then those other seniors from the Sword Division―Mino Tamiya, Shiraha Sekairi, Oguma Tokaku, and Mikogami Daizen too were also dangerous characters who had a high possibility of being intimate with the new Board Chairman Takasugi.

It seemed that they were doing [Anti Magic Division] speeches during the period of the election campaign.

The candidates from his own Magic Division, Miyamoto Reina, Kiritani Natsuo, Yumeno Shiori, and Tsukimiya Shion, these four people were alright. Those girls were included in the group that assaulted him in the middle of his date with Hikaru-senpai.

In short, they were candidates that were brainwashed by Hayashi Shizuka. They were already released from that brainwashing.

The next was the group of delinquent students from the Magic Division. …They weren't even brainwashed, having said that it was unclear what they even wanted to do if they got elected as student council president. Probably they didn’t even have any purpose when becoming a candidate, a doubtful group of students.

That Mibu Akira was [wanting to show her good side in the battle election], but the other candidates, Iwatami Reiko, Akihita Hibari, and Karino Mika were not limited to that kind of reason. They might be pawn candidates that were encouraged or bribed by Board Chairman Takasugi.

Saying it broadly, Hayashizaki Kazuki – Otonashi Kaguya – Hoshikaze Hikaru – Miyamoto Reina - Kiritani Natsuo - Yumeno Shiori - Tsukimiya Shion - Mibu Akira, these eight people were characters that were not related with Board Chairman Takasugi’s scheme for certain.

And then the remaining eight people, some were included in the grey zone, but they were Kazuki’s [political opponents] so to speak.

If he thought of it properly, Kazuki was the champion of the tournament, the second place was Mibu-senpai, third place and fourth place were Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai, so he had no need to worry. However, this battle election was shadowed by suspicious happenings from the start to the end. Owing to that, even now, Kazuki couldn’t wipe his uneasiness yet.

…Was there still some kind of plot remaining that would make a complete reversal of this situation….

“The tally is over!” A voice colored with exhaustion could be heard, Liz Liza-sensei came running from the wing of the stage. Headmaster Amasaki received the paper of the tally’s result and informed “Then I will conduct the announcement”. The inside of the auditorium returned to silence. Kazuki too felt dryness inside his mouth, he gulped his saliva audibly.

“I will only announce the five top names in the number of votes obtained.”

What was important was only first place. Even if the lower rank’s vote tally were announced it was nothing more than a public humiliation.

“Fifth place, Takasugi Shūsui. Number of votes obtained, 23 votes.

Fourth place, Yumeno Shiori. Number of votes obtained, 25 votes.

Third place, Hoshikaze Hikaru. Number of votes obtained, 76 votes.

Second place, Otonashi Kaguya. Number of votes obtained, 112 votes.

First place, Hayashizaki Kazuki. Number of votes obtained, 263 votes.

That’s all. Possessing the majority of the votes, Hayashizaki Kazuki is elected as the Chief Student Council President.”

After a moment of silence, the auditorium was enveloped with loud cheers. Even on top of the stage…Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai and Yumeno-san, the other candidates gave a round of applause to Kazuki.

Kazuki was dazed and listened to the loud cheers and applause for a while. After that, the self-awareness of the fact that he was being elected came late. He was being elected properly without any incident…

…Then the matter this time, could he say that he had finally reached a checkpoint where he could pause with this? Everything was over…?

“Chief Student Council President, the general policy speech.”

He was urged by Headmaster Amasaki. Kazuki brazenly walked to the center of the stage and stood in front of the microphone.

He faced the applause that reverberated through the auditorium. Already, he couldn’t act overly humble or servile anymore.

There were people that thought of him. Answering that and making great effort, gave birth to bonds―

Right now, he was standing right here.

“I receive this appointment to become the Chief Student Council President because of the support from everyone.”

Even in the case that they were not elected, all the candidates were told to think of the content of their speeches beforehand. Kazuki read out loud the script inside his head from memory.

“I have enrolled in this academy for less than two months. Honestly, there are still many things that I don’t have any idea about. I am likely going to rely on many things from both the student council presidents of the Magic Division and the Sword Division. Even so, I intend to understand the things that I should do by myself and the things that I want to do.

In the fifteen years since magic was born in this world, along with the cooperation of Solomon's 72 Pillars, this academy was established. The time has come where we should stop being in the age where we are just wielding about this new principle of the world without any idea of what we are doing. Magica Stigma have to stop being haughty of their own power. The swordsmen have to have pride in their own training. Both sides joining hands together. The strong power to cut through this [new era of swords and magic] has to be grasped within the two hands joining together.

I think it is the professional duties of this Knight Academy’s Chief Student Council President to be the keystone of that turning point.

To cause a change that had never been seen until now by our own hand is going to be accompanied with the feeling of walking inside the darkness groping about blindly. However, even inside the darkness, as long as you advance without letting go of the hands of your comrades, you should be able to discover the light without fail. The Chief Student Council President, as the existence that connects the Magic Division and the Sword Division, the one who stands as the vanguard inside this darkness, right here I will declare my resolve to face this challenge.”

Even while choosing decorated words, Kazuki intended to insert his own will inside this speech.

“…For the last, to those people that reached out their warm hands, accepted, and supported this me who is of a different nature when seen on various surfaces as far as this academy is concerned, once again I express my gratitude. With all my heart, thank you very much.”

With a lowering of his head with a bob, the applause that had stopped in the middle of the speech returned with the vigor of heavy thunder.

{Leme is going to become troubled if you don’t live up even more to Leme’s expectations okay? Shine, O future Harem King!}

Inside Kazuki’s head, Leme’s encouraging voice also rang out.

Part 2

When the student general assembly was over and it became after school, Kazuki hurriedly sprinted back to the Witch’s Manor. He went to look for Karin’s situation at the moment.

“So the school day is over, Hayashizaki Kazuki. You are slow. It’s boring playing games alone, so it’d be fine to compete against you or Charlotte.”

―Karin, who swore to enter Kazuki’s circle of comrades along with Tamamo no Mae, had become a NEET who has become addicted to anime and games in the span of a few days.

“Also, my stomach is hungry. So it’d be fine to eat your homemade food.”

In this one week period of monitoring, this girl had experienced depending on Kazuki’s life support entirely.

Kazuki seized that kind of Karin by the scruff of her neck.

“From now on, Karin will be going to school too.”

“Wha, what? Is it to the Magic Division?”

Karin’s monitoring period was already over. He also had already obtained the permission from Headmaster Amasaki about this matter.

If that had been decided, then the girl must be returned to school without delay. If she kept living like this, he had the feeling that she would become a NEET that was too late to be saved. The place she would be going was not the detention facility, but to the place where Kazuki’s eyes could reach―the Magic Division.

Kazuki had become the Chief Student Council President, so he was able to advance the procedure for changing courses speedily.

“We have to give you your own room in the Witch’s Manor too. There are several empty rooms here.”

“Wha!? You bastard-! You are planning to cancel my monitoring!?”

Being informed of the sudden separation, Karin yelled in a shocked condition.

“Are you lonely?”

“Hmph, I’m not lonely at all.”

“I’m going to be lonely, you know?”

“Fuh, what an effeminate guy. Well, if this bastard says so, it’s fine even if I stay together with you.”

“But get out. Get out right now. Come on get out.”

“Wait a second! I might be coming to assassinate you again you know, this me!?”

“You're not going to do that already, I believe in you.”

“No way―! I ‘m staying here―! Snackk―kks!!” Like that, the quack assassin kicked and struggled.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

While Kazuki dragged Karin out by the scruff of her neck, he quickly headed to the <Student Council Room>.

The Student Council Room―to the end the Witch’s Manor, was a place for living, so there existed a separate location purely for working in the main school building of the Magic Division.

For Kazuki who had never been helping except as the servant in the Witch’s Manor, this was his first time entering the student council room.

“Once again congratulations, Otouto-kun!”

The instant the door opened, the smiling face of Kaguya-senpai came flying right in front of his eyes. It seems she had been in waiting in front of the door, senpai’s forehead was so close it almost touched Kazuki’s jaw.

“Fufufu-, and also welcome to the student council room of the Magic Division! Chief Student Council President-dono!!”

Kaguya-senpai performed a bow, then she invited Kazuki to enter the room.

The student council room differed from the elegant atmosphere of the Witch’s Manor. It had a business-like uproarious space.

…So this is the place where Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai do their student council work.

What foremost stole his eye was the desk that held the four personal computers in the middle of the room. Among those, it looked like two were unused. It was transformed into a state where paperwork, coffee maker, and snacks were piled on it.

There was also a multi-functioned machine that was equipped with printer and copy functions, but papers that were printed wrongly were left alone slovenly as they were on the ejection tray.

Large numbers of paperwork files and URD that preserved electronic information were stored in the bookcase. But those that didn’t have space left in the bookcase were piled up into a mountain on the floor. The decorative plant that was put beside it was losing its vitality.

…It was a room that made him picture Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai doing their job frantically. Kazuki felt the itch to first start by cleaning up the room and then tidying and putting everything in order.

Inside this cramped space, his usual comrades were lining up in full force.

“That was very cool! If I was the one that got elected, I wouldn’t be able to say such things, ahaha.”

“Nii-sama! Kanae is filled with emotions both as big sister and as little sister in this big moment for Nii-sama!!”

“So Karin-oneesan is coming too desu-!” Lotte hugged Karin who was led here by Kazuki.

“Wha, what, I’m not playing around now!” Like that, Karin gave out a shy reaction.

“…I don’t think it’s good for the Chief Student Council President to perform his duties in the Magic Division’s student council room. It feels like he is leaning too much to the Magic Division like this.”

Kaguya-senpai murmured like she was worrying about the fellows of the Sword Division like Kanae or Kohaku.

“It doesn’t really matter, does it? Nii-sama is a student of the Magic Division. It’d be troublesome if it’s not in the Magic Division student council room and Nii-sama moves away. If from now on, there is a matter that the student of the Sword Division has to bring to the Chief Student Council President, at that time it’ll be fine to use the student council room of the Sword Division.”

Kanae’s expression became bitter while talking.

“…Or perhaps I should say, in the first place, the school building of the Sword Division is still a wreck.”

The scar of destruction that was left behind in the Sword Division by the Quad Core Magica that Nyarlatoteph directed couldn’t be returned to its former state in just two weeks, even with the use of the latest construction techniques that used alchemy freely. Currently, it was in the middle of construction with high praise.

Fortunately the student dormitory was safe so the students could continue their life in the dormitory, but the classes were conducted in a temporary prefab school building. It seems they are in a situation that prioritizes practical skills classes that are performed outside as much as possible.

“Now that you mentioned it, in the end, what happened with the organization of the Sword Division’s student council?”

“…Because Kohaku resigned as the student council president, in the end, the voting for the election of the Sword Division’s officers was also performed today. Thereupon I became the student council president and Kohaku was the student council vice president…”

Kanae answered Kazuki’s question with her shoulders dropping very low in dejection. In contrast, Kohaku’s cheeks were blushing and she cheerily said things like “I’m happy that I can work with Kana-nyan-senpai”.

“If I am supported from both sides by Kaguya-senpai and Kanae, then I can rest easy.”

“Now that we're talking, what is Kazuki's job as the Chief Student Council President anyway?”

Mio spoke of the essential question.

“The Chief Student Council President doesn’t need to take over the work that Kana-chan and I have done until now, so what Otouto-kun's going to do is [the new work that has never been done until now] or something. …Things like a totally new project designed to connect the Magic Division and the Sword Division and its implementation I guess.”

“Hee, project! Then, how about combined Magic Division and Sword Division excursion!?”

Mio made her proposal with an excited expression.

“At the very least, we should do a combined athletic festival or culture festival together! If that happened I could enjoy the school event together with Nii-sama!”

Kanae too talked in agreement with Mio’s opinion. Until now the Magic Division and the Sword Division were managed as if the two were separate schools. Because of that, their school events were all done separately.

“We should talk about everyday classes before an event like that you know. To heighten the cooperation between swordsman and Magica Stigma even more, we should adopt a combined tactics research class. Growing out of the Heaven and Earth Formation is also one of Kazuki’s public promises after all.”

Hikaru-senpai, who wore a serious expression, put out a proposal fitting for a senior.

“Sacred Treasures treatment too, this one will be troubled too if there is no class work for that.”

Kohaku too interjected with an earnest voice. Upping the battle power of swordsman with the application of Sacred Treasures was her dearest wish.

“The things the Magic Division can do, the things the Sword Division can do…so they could mutually understand each other respectively, how about publishing a school newspaper?”

Koyuki too expressed her opinion properly. Because she said newspaper, indeed it sounds fun.

“The right to sanction things like budget integration goes to Otouto-kun after all. The last responsibility is to Otouto-kun, okay?”

Kaguya-senpai talked with an expression that disallowed any pampering. A lot of opinions came out without even any time to take a memo.

“This kind of really new thing, so it’s my job to start a committee or something and then advancing it steadily. …The first priority might be to create a school newspaper for the point of contact between us and the students to let them know of our activities and also for us to take in their opinions.”

…Suddenly Kazuki looked around everyone’s face, he noticed the lack of someone from the usual members here.

There was no appearance of Kazuha-senpai. Senpai was not someone related to the student council of the Magic Division and the Sword Division, so she didn’t have any duty to come to this place, but….

“Kohaku, what is going on with Kazuha-senpai…?”

Kazuki quietly walked near Kohaku’s spot and whispered into her ear.

“This one invited her to come together here, but her expression darkened for some reason and she refused.”

Kohaku’s expression clouded as she answered. Kazuki felt his chest stir unpleasantly. He hadn’t had a conversation with Kazuha-senpai after he forcibly kissed her.

“If you have business with Kazuha-senpai, this one think she is at the [altar of the sword god] ―the usual abandoned clubroom.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

In the middle of the ringing sounds of the construction work for the rebuilding, Kazuki traversed the ground of the Sword Division that was painful to look at with the destruction that was still here and there. He walked to the abandoned clubroom where he once encountered Kazuha-senpai. Ascending the outer stairs of the clubroom building with *kan kan* clanging noises, he arrived in front of the clubroom located on the second floor. Kazuki knocked on the door while feeling nervous.

“The pingpong club is abolished so we are not taking new applications for club membership anymore―” Kazuha-senpai’s voice came back like that.

“…It's Hayashizaki though.”

“EAA!? Hayashizaki!?”

“There's something I must talk about with senpai.”

Slowly opening the door, Kazuha-senpai showed her face.

In any case, Kazuki let out a breath in relief that senpai showed her face to him.

However Kazuha-senpai, who was facing him directly had her face boiled red in the blink of an eye.

“…!” Kazuha-senpai caught her breath and averted her eyes from Kazuki in a snap. Then, with half tackling she wrenched open the gap between Kazuki and the door *dokan* and slipped through.

“Senpai!?” Kazuki was panicked and pursued her. There was a difference in their running ability. Kazuki caught up with her immediately around the area where Kanae and Kohaku once fought.

“Senpai, please don’t run and talk to me!” Kazuki caught Kazuha-senpai’s hand while gasping.

To chase a fleeing girl and catch her elbow forcibly…feelings of guilt welled up inside him overbearingly, but if he couldn’t talk with Kazuha-senpai in this place he had a gut feeling that he would completely lose something that couldn’t be recovered.

Without looking Kazuki’s way, Kazuha-senpai, whose elbow was restrained opened her mouth.

“You…I hear the more you get closer with a girl, the stronger you become.”

Kazuki’s mind froze all of a sudden.

“I want to talk about that after this but…where did you hear it from?”

“After that, Otonashi Kaguya taught me. About what you did to me suddenly, the kiss too…”

It seemed Kaguya-senpai saw the figure of Kazuki wielding Futsunushi no Kami and guessed everything.

Kazuha-senpai had already known about how he stole her first kiss looking for power.

“…Senpai, but I-” The helpless Kazuki opened his mouth to make excuses.

“That Karin too, did you help her planning to [conquer] that girl? Did you kiss me for that purpose? Helping girls for the sake of becoming closer to them…you kissed other girls for that purpose…you did that kind of thing repeatedly for that!?”

“That’s not true! I don’t have that kind of inten…!”

“…I know. Sorry, I, said something unreasonable…. I got it already, the one who said to help Karin is also me, certainly there was no other way at all before. Moreover I, that time you kissed me………I didn’t particularly hate it.”

“Kazuha-senpai…?”

“But I don’t like that kind of me! I don’t want to understand and accept you!”

Kazuha-senpai was shaking her head in an exaggerated motion and raised an exasperated voice.

“Kazuha-senpai, forgive me. To forcibly do that kind of thing…”

“It’s fine if you don’t apologize! You didn’t do anything bad! But I cannot not say this complaint!! Because…a girl’s first kiss is really important you know!! Even me, even me, even though I had imagined that my kiss would get stolen in a more romantic situation!”

Senpai’s voice, shoulders, were shaking. Even with her back turned to him, he knew that she was crying.

“Despite that…despite that, with a guy like you, that is friendly with various girls, to get kissed like this…!!”

“I’m sorry, senpai. But, I didn’t steal senpai’s kiss with a simple feeling. But certainly it was also not a pure feeling. But…even in the case that I had to redo that moment again, I’d do the same thing.”

“Do you think I can consent just like that―!! Saying but but but, don’t keep repeating contradictory things―!!”

Kazuha-senpai yelled out in order to spit out the feelings that she didn’t have an outlet to express.

“I, had changed my feelings from how I hated you. …I had fun fighting together with you. I had a feeling I can become strong without limit. …But, right now, I don’t want to see your face anymore.”

The words that came from senpai’s back were―the words of parting.

And then senpai tried to run away once more. Kazuki panicked and caught her arm once more.

“Senpai, please wait!”

“Do, don’t touch me, let go!”

“I, I don’t want to break off my relationship like this with senpai. Can’t we somehow return to how we were before?”

“…Doing things like kissing already, of course there's no way we can go back to before…!”

To make a kiss they had done once already as if into nothing, that was something impossible to do.

If he thought of the weight of that act…that was really obvious.

“Senpai said to me to not apologize. But because of that, I hate to part with senpai quarreling like this. Please let me atone in some way. Whatever it is, I’ll do it, this kind of thing is unpleasant.”

Finally, Kazuha-senpai turned to look at him. Senpai’s face from her nose to her cheeks, even further until her ear had become bright red. Her glaring eyes that were shining with tears looked completely like a flipped blade of a knife.

“………Then, take responsibility.” Kazuha-senpai said while sniffing *gusu* from her nose.

“In what way could I take responsibility?”

“………Kiss me all over again, this time in a romantic situation that could make me content.”

“Eh?” …Romantic, she said?

“In this one month! If in this one month, you cannot kiss me in a romantic situation that I can approve, on top of that, if you do it unnaturally, then it's a permanent break-off!!”

“Please wait a second senpai! Aren’t you just saying some earth-shattering things because you got carried away with the momentum!?”

“Idiot! Womanizer!! If you are just going to back away…then why did you restrain me like this! As I thought someone like you, is someone I hate the most!!”

She shook off Kazuki’s hand that unintentionally slackened. Then as if to hide her bright red face, Kazuha-senpai turned her back and dashed away at full speed. This time, unable to chase after her, Kazuki recovered from his daze. The inside of his head was dizzy. An unthinkably difficult problem came flying that he never even imagined.

Romantic she said…what is the meaning of romantic?

“…E, even though I thought that she hated me, I really have no idea what happened.”

Tsukahara Kazuha―62. By reflex the display of the positivity level floated in front of his eyes.

“Puh, kukuku…this is, I happened to witness an unexpected scene of carnage just now.”

Suddenly, a voice came from the shadow of the tree beside him. …Appearing in unexpected places and in unexpected moments, a voice he remembered hearing before…

“Kaya!?”

“Long time no see huh. As always Onii-chan, looks like you are getting along well with girls, making me laugh unintentionally, that one.”

A silver haired girl dressing her body in punk fashion of T-shirt and damaged jeans.

The companion that always caused a foreboding premonition inside Kazuki’s chest was here.

“We didn’t meet recently, so I came to give my blessing after Onii-chan became the boss of this academy. And then when I sneak around, I happened to meet this kind of farce. Kukuku…”

Kaya laughed arrogantly. But what she saw was not something like a farce for the person concerned. Also, what is called the Chief Student Council President was something that tied everyone together, it was nothing like a boss.

He noticed a girl accompanying Kaya beside her.

A black figure like a shadow―the moment their eyes met, Kazuki felt an indescribable chill.

She was a girl in the age around of a middle schooler with black hair and black skin. In order to match with Kaya’s punk fashion, she was wearing black no-sleeve parka with hood that was worn low over her eyes and a miniskirt tied with a belt decorated with studs. The legs that extended from there were also long, slender and well proportioned black legs.

It should be their first time meeting each other. Despite that, he felt a chill that was carved into his heart from somewhere….

“I also thought of introducing this child. Come on, take off your hood when you are introducing yourself.”

Kaya reached out her hand from the side and removed the parka’s hood from covering the girl.

A long ear leaped out with a ‘pyon’ along with jet black hair.

“No-!” With that she shook her head and the girl fixed back the hood to cover her head again.

The ear just now was an elf…no, but this color of hair and skin was….

“The name of this kid is, Nyarlako you know.”

Kaya called that name with a good mood as if she was singing. The girl was “That’s not true!” and raised an angry voice.

“I, I’m not something like Nyarla or whatever! I am Maya. That’s the name that Kaya gave me, so call me properly with that…!”

“Fufufu, sorry okay, Nyarlako♪”

Kaya called her like that again without correcting herself, she stroked Maya’s head over the hood and made fun of her.

The black girl was “Uu―” and she looked down with teary eyes.

…Nyarlako. Kazuki’s whole body got goosebumps. It couldn’t be, no, what was going on?

“Fufufuu♪ This child is also an elf. No, I wonder if she should be called a dark elf. The debut in this country, Dark Elf! Well, if the secret of the trick is disclosed, it’s just because [a certain black thing] was inserted into the mind of the girl that her skin and hair became black though. This kind of phenomenon, does Onii-chan happen to know about it?”

He knew. The time when a certain Diva took over the body of Koyuki temporarily―Koyuki’s body transformed into black like this. The name of that Diva was…!

“That’s right, inside the mind of this child, a <fragment of Nyarlatoteph> is residing.”

…Nyarlatoteph was supposed to be defeated already! Without even a fragment left in this world!

“A nobody but also a somebody, <The Faceless God> Nyarlatoteph can split his mind in great numbers. What a plainly awesome ability, his power of existence is not something half baked. As his insurance when push comes to shove, Nyarlatoteph entrusted a piece of his smallest ego that he divided to me you know?”

Kazuki was dumbfounded from that shocking revelation. He was not destroyed…that evil god was….

“Why are you with Nyarlatoteph…?”

“At first I…Loki noticed that the headmaster of this academy was Nyarlatoteph. That was why we made contact asking if he could become our comrade. That negotiation failed. But in exchange, the guy entrusted a fragment of his existence to me. In exchange for sheltering his fragment, in the time of ruin of Nyarlatoteph’s main body it’d be fine to add this mini Nyarlatoteph as our comrade…that was what the guy said, he exchanged a promise with us.”

Kaya pulled off Maya’s hood once more and exposed the elf ears.

“Then joyously Nyarlatoteph’s main body died, so I picked one of the elfexperimental body Nyarlatoteph stocked, and there I planted the fragment of Nyarlatoteph. That’s why this child is Nyarlako-san.”

“I’m Maya I said! …I am, going to master this power…!”

But Maya’s expression immediately distorted in pain and she held her head.

“Inside this child, Nyarlatoteph is trying to recover his power slowly. In reverse, this child is trying to not lose against that. While his power is weak, she is attempting to tame Nyarlatoteph and make him into a mere power supply. What a super interesting sample right, this child. If she could break Nyarlatoteph thoroughly while he is weak, this child might be able to control him.”

“I am not Nyarla-whatever! I’m Maya!”

While holding her head, Maya raised a scream that was the proof of her existence.

“For that reason, this is my comrade Nyarlako-san.”

“…Why are you trying to revive that kind of Diva? The worst Diva!!”

“Nyarlatoteph was going through weakening and was a worthless Diva, but a Diva that specialized in mental pollution to that degree is valuable so I want to add him to my comrades by any means. Something like [Psycho Noise] that could obstruct a large number of Magica Stigma altogether from chanting without a doubt will be useful in a fight against humans after all.”

Psycho Noise―producing sound waves that obstructed spell chanting and making Magica Stigma powerless.

The one who could break through the effect and continued to chant at that time was only Kaguya-senpai.

“Moreover Onii-chan said things like the worst Diva but…I wonder if Nyarlatoteph is really that bad? Isn’t that nothing more than Onii-chan’s own opinion? That guy was played around with by the logic of the world and got weakened. He was desperately trying what he could do in the middle of an unblessed environment with all his power. That’s all there is to it. Using all he could for the sake of his existence…there is nothing bad with that right?”

Like how humans domesticated animals and pushed them into cramped cages in order to procure the stability of their food…could that be said to be righteous, or was it something that should be called evil? If the angle of the ethics was changed it would go through an upheaval.

“Rather, aren’t the ones who dragged Onii-chan’s feet behind the incompetent government of this country and the incompetent adults of this academy!?” Kaya yelled as if spitting out.

“It was that Headmaster Otonashi who used Nyarlatoteph that was just desperate to live for his own interest! Onii-chan…how long are you going to be loyal for the sake of all these low-lives?”

“I'm …being loyal to them?”

“Even Onii-chan is just being used you know? Isn’t it absurd? Using that power not just for your sake, but for the sake of those fools!”

“…I don’t think like that. I use my own power by my own will. …In short, what is it Kaya wants to say?”

“Just become my comrade. Cast away those foolish adults.”

Then Kaya’s mouth warped and she talked to give a speech.

“People are creating groups guided by the gods <Order>, the weak humans chances of survival increase with the creation of a group!”

Order―there were two types of elements, Order and Chaos, that each Diva belonged to, Kaya once said.

The ones who aimed for Lotte’s life were the gods of Order of the Norse Mythology that pushed severe commandments onto the people.

“However, as the group becomes an organization of Order, degeneration will appear without fail. When a hierarchical relationship is born, the humans that had experienced the top position will think only about their self-protection and neglect the benefits for the whole body. A weak ideal will only get defiled and smeared all over by the shit of those sleazebags!”

The degeneration of the humans that stood at the top―certainly there were people like that in the reality that Kazuki faced in his way until now.

“Then what do you think humans should do?”

“That’s why, it’s <Chaos>. The Chaos that humankind once abandoned, now is the time that it should be revived. Obtaining the power called magic, humans are not weak anymore. The current us should realize that we have no need of things like groups anymore. Things like rules are unneeded. Live doing things that you want to do as you please. Crush the degenerated hierarchical relationship to dust, seek happiness as you please inside the Chaotic world! Before long, Onii-chan too is going to break away from the stupid chains binding you. Then come together with me, that’s what I’m saying!”

“Isn’t that merely survival of the fittest? What difference is there between your Chaos and this degenerated hierarchical relationship?” He understood instinctively that their opinions were mutually exclusive with each other. He returned a question in order to oppose her.

“A world where a human who is not even strong, without any worth to speak of, is greedily monopolized by the ruling class and a world where a human with worth always gets recognized at the top position, both of them are totally different things.”

“But with that way of doing things in the end, oppressed weak people will always appear!”

“Don’t you know that humankind would abandon the word called equality before they even realized.”

Kaya talked with a cruel expression. The girl’s logic was―whatever happened, as long as I'm fine, then it doesn’t matter, it was that kind of logic. Her own self was strong, that was why she could be so haughty….

“Then I can't be together with you.”

The smiling Kaya twitched her eyebrows and trembled. “…Recently Onii-chan is getting along well with someone like Beatrix. I wonder if Onii-chan even got indoctrinated by that girl?”

“That kind of girl has nothing to do with this. I don’t have any intention of becoming friends or anything with her.”

“Then, why is Onii-chan sticking to the side of Order.”

“It’s not the case that I went along with the side of Order or whatever. Right now I am together with my important companions. I am living together with everyone in a small place called the Witch’s Manor…occasionally there are also times when our thinking comes to a head with each other. Even so, we considered each other’s feelings…”

Particularly Lotte.

“making rules…”

Kaguya-senpai, despite appearances, skillfully restricted the conduct of everyone nonchalantly and brought them together.

“with compromise for each other…”

Even though Mio was making Hikaru-senpai look more like a girl, Hikaru-senpai was cooperating.

“With that, everyone can obtain happiness. The rules that are created from thinking of each other, tying bonds and bringing them together, I am in no way rejecting Order. That is the civilization and society itself.”

“It’s going to rot someday. The last stop of the bonds between people is degeneration.”

“I don’t think I would become happy doing only the things that I want to do. No matter how strong a human I become, I can't feel happy alone. If I live doing whatever I please, I will join hands together with someone only at that moment where our interests match…ultimately that will keep me in solitude.”

“It’s okay for strong humans to be in solitude you know? I like Onii-chan, but it’s not a reason to always want to be together forever. Surely there will be things thought to be troublesome, moments where we mutually despaired. If we are only doing the things that we both want to do, then we can only see the good side of the other party.”

“If it’s with someone that is truly precious to you, you can actually feel happy with human relationships that are even troublesome. Just like how there is worth in doing a team battle compared to fighting solo even though it’s more complicated. Just because you say humans have become stronger compared to the past by using magic, there's no need to go as far as throwing away being together with other people. Magic is for the sake of understanding other people, alchemy makes the world plentiful, it’s fine to use strong power for the sake of other people.”

“What Onii-chan is saying is merely a pipe dream. Things like using strong power for other people’s sake is impossible. What is called power is more fun to be used for trampling other people underfoot compared to using it for other reason, just so you know!”

In this world, humans who enjoyed trampling weak humans even without any reason at all, certainly existed.

However those kinds of people, why in the world did they become humans with that kind of character….

“Even so, I believe in people.”

“For me, I don’t believe in the likes of people.”

Kazuki and Kaya glared at each other.

“…Why are me and Onii-chan, who came from the same orphanage, having this much difference in our thinking?”

Because at that time when you were trembling from loneliness, there was no one that reached out their hand to you….

Kaya turned her back to Kazuki abruptly.

“Got it. I’m going to make Onii-chan regret it. If I can't obtain Onii-chan, then I don’t need you. I’ll trample Onii-chan and make you cry. I, who is stronger than Onii-chan, will teach you despair. Because I'm rapidly collecting strong allies other than Nyarlako. I still have an even greater surprise you know? With Onii-chan’s crushed and pitiful figure that is exposed because of my power, everyone around you will leave. At that time, Onii-chan will know of degeneration…”

“…Kaya…don’t you feel any loneliness?”

Kazuki asked that back. Kaya turned back and directed at him eyes without any doubt in it.

“Since I got my hands on Loki’s strong power, I never felt any loneliness, not even once.”

That became the conclusion of everything and the decisive failure of the two.

Chapter 4 – Love Simulation

Part 1

“Magic Division first year class one, Yumeno Shiori.”

A docile girl, with her hair cut and evened up shortly, said that and lowered her head down with a bow.

“Despite being a first year, you want to become the candidate for the committee chairman?” Kaguya-senpai said in surprise.

Yumeno-san smiled bashfully. “I…in my middle school, I used to be in the literature club, I was also a committee member of the library so I have experience in creating the library newspaper…with that…”

“Is that so? Then you are qualified.” Kaguya-senpai also smiled.

What Koyuki proposed, Kazuki put the matter in question all together as a plan toward [the establishment of an academy newspaper]. It was also immediately approved in the staff room and now they are taking applications for newspaper committee members from the whole academic body.

As a result, six of the committee members were gathered from the Magic Division and Sword Division. Among them, the one who was chosen as the committee chairman from the interviews with each of them was Yumeno-san. Like this, she came along to the student council room for introductions.

“You also participated in the battle election, right?” Kazuki immediately noticed and asked her.

“You won through until the third round with a team made of first years as the core.”

It was plainly a great thing. At Kazuki’s pointing out, the girl curled herself up more and more.

“It’s embarrassing…I announced my candidacy even without understanding it well myself…”

She was one of the girls who was brainwashed by Hayashi Shizuka. In other words, with that, she was a person that could be said to be innocent with certainty. Kazuki felt relieved with the election of the girl as the committee chairman. From what he saw, Yumeno-san was a good person.

“…But, I can’t reach Hayashizaki-kun or Amasaki-san or Hiakari-san, it’s a little regrettable. Just a little, I wanted to test my strength so…”

In a surprising behavior, the girl murmured warlike words. It made Kazuki think ‘Oho’.

“…This girl, if, before this I was demoted to rank B, without a doubt she’s the one who would've been promoted to rank A and come to the Witch’s Manor you know? She's the top of rank B student after all.”

Mio made a complicated face. The top of rank B….

“There is no mistake that somehow, a capable committee chairman has come to us, isn’t there? Please treat us well.”

“Plea, please treat me well too, Chief Student Council President!”

“Though, I want you to talk casually seeing as we're in the same year…”

Toward Kazuki who was smiling wryly, Yumeno-san kept bowing her head *peko peko*.

Spontaneously, a graph floated right in front of Kazuki’s eyes.

Yumeno Shiori―31 Mibu Akira―42 Asamiya Anna―38

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After school that same day, everything was completely devoted to the sample creation of the school newspaper’s first issue. Properly doing the template of the space design first was a good move. At the end of an uproarious argument, the work still couldn’t be said to be done, but they broke up for the day. Kazuki returned to his own room.

Released from the heavy responsibility of the Chief Student Council President―and then this time he faced a different worry again.

The difficult problem that Kazuki put aside in his privacy. The demand of Kazuha-senpai for a [romantic situation]. He must clear this request and then he must beg her for forgiveness.

Kazuki sat down on the bed and groaned “Uu―n”. Then with a pop, Leme materialized on his knees.

“From working phase to conquering phase! Not the worrying of the Chief Student Council President, but the worrying of the Harem King!!” Like that, she was saying some game-like things.

“What do you think romantic is?”

“It’s useless even if you ask that kind of thing to Leme.”

“That's true huh.” Kazuki circled his hands around Leme’s waist as if hugging a plush toy.

“That’s so. Generally, the King didn’t treat Leme as female for even a little bit.”

With a glance, Leme turned Kazuki’s way with a look that was a little mature. Leme-had already grown into an appearance around the same age as Lotte. Rather than a little girl, she could be said to be a girl already.

“…Do you want to be treated romantically?”

“No, if you have free time to do that kind of thing for Leme, you better use it for the girls in your harem. Even if you asked what the meaning of romantic is, how about you try asking the other girls?”

Leme left those words behind and then she disappeared with a pop from inside Kazuki’s arm.

That was certainly the most correct opinion. Kazuki assented with that and stood up from the bed.

Part 2

“Ah, Kazuki-oniisan!”

The moment he exited his room, he happened to come across Lotte, who was running in the corridor unexpectedly.

“Lotte…what’s with that appearance?”

Lotte was wearing something that looked like a blue string swimsuit and on her back, showy wings decorations were attached. The high exposure rate looked similar to a Magic Dress but it was a little different.

“Fufufu, this is the cosplay of <Bashful Angel Chirariel>, Chirariel Blue desu!”

Bashful Angel Chirariel―Kazuki also watched that anime together with Lotte and Karin. Collecting the gaze of people with their embarrassing appearance, they amassed [Glance Energy] and fought. It was the tale of angel girls of justice.

At a glance, it seems like a cunning setting to aim for the perverted hearts of the male viewers, but that was nothing more than a front to gather sponsors. The content was filled with the staff's obsession for diehard battles that knew no bounds. Unrolling the figure of flowery beautiful girls, it developed stylish battles that fired up the viewer. That gap collected great reviews, not only from the male viewers, but also from the female viewers-a masterpiece of an anime.

“Chirariel Blue appeared to be cool but with heavy emotion, she is a good character really. It’s fine for you to cosplay, however running around in the Witch’s Manor’s halls is no good, okay?”

“Sorry desu…” Lotte meekly hung her head down.

“By the way, I’m greatly changing the topic here, but what kind of romantic situation is Lotte looking for?”

“Romantic, desu…?”

Chirariel Blue, alias Lotte, tilted her head in puzzlement.

“I think my current situation is the ultimate romance, so I’m not asking for even more than this desu.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because…I am a princess that took flight from my country, you know? My life was aimed at by the motherland, even in the country where I escaped to, I was not accepted, everyone was using my life as a political tool…at that time, I encountered a man who saved me even at the risk of his life desu!”

“…Certainly, I didn’t realize as a person that was involved in it myself, but that was amazingly romantic huh.”

“Right now, I’m perfectly content with this desu♪ That’s why right now, I want to go searching for anime rather than something romantic desu. Changing the shameful heart into blue healing….CHAAAAAANGE! CHIRARIEEEEEEELLL! BLUEEEEEE!!”

Lotte took a transformation pose with movement that had sharpness in it.

Like a transformation effect, a heart mark of positivity level up was flying.

“That voice…! So you are in this kind of place huh, Chirariel Blue!”

From one end of the Witch’s Manor, a voice could be heard along with the sounds of someone dashing through the stairs.

“That voice…Chirariel Red!” Lotte also raised her voice.

“Touu!” Skipping the last step of the stairs lightly―Chirariel Red made her appearance.

Similar to what Lotte wore, the one who wore a cosplay costume that looked like a red string swimsuit was―

Karin. When Karin noticed Kazuki’s existence, her face blushed bright red and she hid her own body.

“Wro, wrong, this is, because Charlotte said that she wanted to play with me…”

“Karin-oneesan! To lose against your shameful heart…you don’t have the quality to introduce yourself as Red desu!!”

“!” Karin, receiving Lotte’s scolding, made a face of realization.

It was an expression completely like she was noticing that she almost threw away something important to her by her own hand.

“Change the shameful heart into a flame of justice….CHAAAAAAANGE! CHIRARIEEEEEEEELL! REEEEEDDDD!!” Karin stopped hiding her body and took a sharp transformation pose.

‘What are they doing, these girls’…that’s not what Kazuki was currently thinking.

Kazuki too loved that anime. Confronting Blue and Red like this, his spirit reflexively blazed up.

“…Chirariel Blue! I’ll have Takashi back!!”

“Kazuki-oniisan, please do the Takashi role!”

…Is it okay for me to do Takashi’s role!? This scene is…episode 21 part A without doubt!!

“Stop it you two! Why do you two have to fight?!”

“…So I can fight, that’s why I need Takashi!”

Lotte yelled back with a voice that had completely become Chirariel Blue’s cool tone.

“Before I even knew it…when I noticed, I already cannot feel any more shame other than from Takashi’s gaze, only you. It doesn’t matter what happened with those other people that I should protect! For me, Takashi is already my everything!”

“That completely went against the iron law of Disgraced Angel Chirariel!”

“If it’s to monopolize Takashi’s gaze for myself then…I don’t care even if you become my enemy!”

“Are you losing your mind!?” If there were somebody else that was witnessing this sight from the side, they would surely doubt the sanity of the participants of this scene. Yet even while being in the middle of the aforementioned scene, Karin yelled such.

“Stop it, Chirariel Blue!” Kazuki too got carried away by the mood and yelled.

“Takashi just step back and look at me! …CHIRAAAAAARI WAAAAAAVE!!”

Lotte linked both her hands behind her head and took a pose that highlighted her chest.

Chirariel exhibited their Super Sure-kill MoveChirariism through taking a sexy pose!

“GUWAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Karin raised a scream while trembling *buru buru* all over. Kazuki too hallucinated the violent water torrent that was created from the Chirari Energy that sprang forth from Lotte’s sexy breast valley (fiction).

“Shitt…I won’t hand over Takashi to you! CHIRAAAAAARI FLAAAAAAAAME!!”

Karin opposed the attack and pushed out her butt with a ‘boing’. From that butt, Kazuki hallucinated seeing the violent flames spouting out.

“KYAAAAAAA!” This time Lotte was the one that screamed out. Flame and water clashed against each other!

“Kuh, both of you, what a fight…!”

Kazuki completely engrossed in being Takashi and poured his gaze to the two who were taking unbelievable poses in unbelievable appearances.

“Takashi! More…look at me more!” Lotte yelled while she kept puffing out her chest.

“Takashi! The one who you have to look at is just me!” Karin too yelled while shaking her butt.

“Which one I…should look at…”

Kazuki held his head in his hands and kneeled on the spot. At that time Kazuki was making Takashi’s conflict as his own, the hall of the Witch’s Manor transformed into the battlefield of the two girls who stopped being angels.

“…What in the world are you all doing here?”

Suddenly―a voice of absolute zero dragged Kazuki and the other two back from the delusional world into the world of reality.

Koyuki opened her door unnoticed by anyone and stuck out her head into the hall.

“You two…are you sane?”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Lotte and Karin returned to their own respective rooms while Kazuki was remonstrated by Koyuki in the hall.

“Making them dress shamelessly like that and making impure poses, what are you doing?”

Though Koyuki was also such a girl that always wore only a white shirt put on top a pair of panties as her casual wear.

“No…we were just a little, heated up too much in playing around…”

When he thought back, Kazuki, Lotte and also Karin didn’t go through a normal childhood.

Kazuki, who was a senior in his orphanage, always held the awareness of [I have to be dependable] and matured prematurely through his childhood. He never had fun playing some make-believe game innocently even once.

Karin, who was also an orphan like him, and Lotte who was raised in an imperial court too, their circumstances were without a doubt, similar to his.

The three of them, somewhere in their hearts, they might yearn for that kind of childlike playing.

“Somehow it’s like we were discovering the lost puzzle piece that didn’t exist in our time as children, a refreshing feeling…”

“Are you always searching for chances to get a girl emphasizing her chest to you in flutter or for a girl to push out her butt to you bouncily since you were a child until now? That is really a serious sickness of perversion, isn’t it?”

That’s not it Koyuki…Chirariel is pointlessly lewd, but it’s a really great anime….

“Well, I’ll accept Kazuki even if you are a little perverted but…please refrain from perverted conduct that goes too far.”

Koyuki turned her back in a huff as she was heading back into her room. Unconsciously, his eyes became attracted to the butt that jutted out just a little from the end of the shirt that she wore, but Kazuki said “Wait a second” and called her to stop.

“For Koyuki, what kind of thing is a romantic situation for you?”

Kazuki was trying to rely on Koyuki who was an avid reader here. She might, unexpectedly, be a romanticist.

“Romantic…is it?”

“Things like what you are yearning for in that kind of situation.”

After Koyuki hesitated to say for a little while in shyness, she opened her mouth timidly.

“I…I yearn for a wall bang…”

“Wall bang?”

“Cornered close to the wall…then the right elbow banged the wall to block the escape path…”

Blocking the escape path? He didn’t understand why Koyuki yearned for that kind of thing, but Kazuki thought he would try it for real. He smoothly approached Koyuki as if cornering her to the wall of the hall.

“Like this?”

Right beside Koyuki’s face, who was glancing around restlessly in bewilderment, ‘DON!’ Kazuki banged his right elbow close.

Certainly, it felt like her escape path was blocked. Then Kazuki naturally brought his face near Koyuki’s.

Koyuki’s face blushed bright red and she looked down.

“In other words, it’s fine for Koyuki to be approached forcefully?”

“Ye…yes…” Koyuki murmured with a voice that almost couldn’t be heard. “I, am a shy coward, I always want to escape immediately so…even so a person that chased after me like this is…”

Kazuki decided in his heart that if Koyuki wished for this then he was going to try it.

“So you are thinking like that. Then Koyuki, I’m not going to let you run from here at all.”

“I, I’m ashamed…” Against Koyuki, who was averting her eyes, Kazuki directly put his hand on her chin.

“Look at me properly.” He made her face his way and then he stared hard at her directly at a distance where their nose tips could touch each other. Koyuki became completely bright red from her ears to her neck.

“Koyuki, right now you are making a really cute face.” Kazuki whispered. The whispering voice was naturally tinged with sweet reverberation.

“Noo…I don’t like to be looked at like that…”

Koyuki’s eyes were wet with tears, yet a heart mark flew from her chest. That appearance of hers was truly cute.

“You're saying that but, you don’t hate it right? Next what do you want to be done to you while we're like this?”

“I want a lot of embarrassing things…to be done to me…. Even though, I am made unable to escape…”

“Embarrassing things, for example what kinds of things?”

Kazuki blew his breath softly at Koyuki’s long ear. “Fuaa!” Like that, her body was trembling in shivers. Koyuki was weak in her ears. With his left hand finger, Kazuki stroked Koyuki’s long earlobe gently.

“Actually, you are not thinking of running away at all right? In truth, you want this to be done more to you, don’t you?”

“Ye…yes…! I want you to do more embarrassing things to me…!”

While trembling in shivers, Koyuki came appealing to him. Kazuki said “You are cute” and kissed her pure white cheek to convey his honest feelings. Koyuki closed her eyes tightly as if to endure the excitement in her chest. While doing that she said self-torturing things like “Lies…someone like me is cute, that’s…”.

“You're still saying something like that. Then I’m going to continue kissing you until you believe me.”

Not only her cheek, but also her forehead, chin, nose tip, Kazuki rained down kisses to all the places he could reach on her face. While he gently stroked her sensitive ear with his left hand, he caressed her whole face with his lips dearly. “Hauu…” Raising a frail voice, Koyuki leaked out rough breaths from her enchanting half opened mouth.

“After this, what am I going to do to Koyuki, who is pretending to dislike this?”

“Af, after this…even though it’s embarrassing, my clothes are stripped off forcefully…”

Kazuki stopped playing with Koyuki’s ear and moved his hand to the button on the shirt’s collar. Koyuki stared at that hand manner as if seeing a dream. One, two buttons were unfastened, and then the white shirt fell under the floor in a flutter. Koyuki who now only wore a single pair of panties was trembling with a vroom in shame.

“This kind of thin body…is embarrassing…”

While saying so Koyuki didn’t do anything like hiding her body―as if inviting him.

“That’s not true. It’s a really beautiful body.”

The skin that was white like snow drew a gentle-sloping line, forming the still unripe bulges. Kazuki’s sight unconsciously became nailed down on the reddening tip on those bulges. This is bad, he thought.

“…After this, how does Koyuki want to be treated?”

“I, I want to be touched…touch all over my body, I want to be loved…”

“…But if we do even more than this, my self control will be completely gone. Even if the time where Koyuki thinks that you truly want to escape comes, I won’t be able to notice it…let’s leave it around this much.”

*puni* Kazuki pinched Koyuki’s cheek. Koyuki’s rough breath calmed down little by little. Her eyes that were like looking at a dream returned to the color of reality slowly.

“…Puu. Then for the last please kiss me on the lips, gently.”

Embracing tightly the Koyuki who was only wearing a single pair of panties, Kazuki sucked Koyuki’s lips as strong as he could.

Koyuki’s spine was trembling in shivers.

“I, I…I’m going to enter the bath…”

When they separated their lips, Koyuki ran away after rubbing both her thighs against each other restlessly.

Part 3

When he thought back, it was really something that seemed completely unrealistic that they had done on a whim, but it was a deeply sweet time. In short it was romantic, that situation just now.

But the romantic situation just now…he had a feeling that to a certain extent it was from Koyuki’s peculiar interest….

He should try to ask for the opinion of the other girls just a little bit more. While the fast beating in his heart still hadn't settled down yet, this time Kazuki visited Hikaru-senpai’s room―.

“Romantic situation?”

“Yes, a situation that senpai is yearning for.”

Hikaru-senpai made Kazuki who suddenly visited sit on the bed, then when she sat beside him she came leaning on him. While conversing, she nuzzled her chest that as always was covered with fit-wear that tightly stuck to her skin, to Kazuki, probably intentionally. This person always nonchalantly appealed herself that she was a girl, coming at him with temptation.

“If we talk about romantic…then it’s a rapidly falling ceiling.”

“…Huh?”

“When a ceiling comes falling, I hold it back desperately. Then [Quickly go forward while I’m holding this back!] [How could I advance forward by leaving senpai behind…I won’t do that!] [Stupid idiot, if Kazuki doesn’t go, who will stop the great demon lord Kaguya!]”

With an expression and voice that were true to her nature, Hikaru-senpai made a lone performance. But great demon lord Kaguya….

“Right there with a ‘WHAM’, I kicked Kazuki away from the room where the ceiling is falling into the corridor. [Live for me too, okay…actually I held this feeling for you, I lov…] …GUSHA! BORIGORI! (Sound of being pulverized) BICHUGUCHU (water sound)!”

“Senpai died!? Moreover, the sound effects of the result is pointlessly gross!”

“…That kind of situation, that’s what I yearned for.”

While cutely leaning her body on him, what in the world was this person saying?

“It’s different. What I want to ask is not something from a shounen manga like that, but something more like a shoujo manga.”

“Shoujo manga huh―. I've never read any shoujo manga though―. If I have to say what I’m yearning for then, I want to be treated more like a girl or something―”

“Senpai is a cute girl you know.”

“Ahaha, get affectionate with me more and more pleeease♪”

With a ‘pyon’ senpai brought her face near Kazuki’s, then she rubbed her cheek with Kazuki’s *suri suri*. Against the senpai that he respected in both character and strength, should he feel shy or troubled when she fawned at him like this….

“Hey, Kazuki. I have thought this for a long time but…”

Hikaru-senpai attached their cheeks together tightly and whispered with a sweet voice.

“My second kiss…how should I beg you for it I wonder?”

―For that request, just that word is sufficient already.

Kazuki grasped one hand of Hikaru-senpai with his left hand, embraced her slender waist with his right hand, and then he touched their lips together.

“Nn…♪” Senpai rubbed their lips together enjoying the feel of Kazuki’s lips, held his lips in her mouth, and she also nuzzled her well-ordered nose at Kazuki’s nose grazingly―eskimo kiss.

Along with ticklish frolicking around, a heart mark came flying.

After she separated their lips with a ‘chuu’ sound, Hikaru-senpai was being bashful.

“Ju, just as I thought, it’s really embarrassing and makes my heart beat really fast doesn’t it, kissing. Ehe.”

―Researching more of the romanticness of the action of kissing itself might be a good idea.

“Senpai, is there a kiss like this that you want to do? Like an even more romantic kiss or something.”

“Romantic kiss? Uu―n…” Hikaru-senpai tapped her chin with her finger and pondered.

“My breasts and my butt, I want to be kissed while being touched on those two places.”

“…Eh?” Kazuki was taken aback. Looking at Kazuki's bewilderment, Hikaru-senpai grinned widely like a young boy that just thought of some mischief. Kazuki’s left hand that was linked with her hand was moved onto her breast, then Kazuki’s right hand that was in her waist toward her butt, each of the hands were guided by Hikaru-senpai.

Kazuki’s fingers that were paralyzed with nervousness reflexively dug *funyuu* into Hikaru-senpai’s flesh. Senpai’s breast and butt that was covered with only a piece of fit-wear were soft, similar with being naked―no, it could even be thought that the softness increased even more because of how it stuck to the skin tightly.

He had several experiences of breasts that were pressed on him until this much. But the softness of a breast that he grasped with an eagle’s grip using fingers where the nerves were concentrated, it had a different dimension with his experiences in the past.

Unthinkingly he kept massaging *funyu funyu* several times just like that. Looking at Kazuki whose face heated up, Hikaru-senpai was laughing “hehehe” and then she kissed him one more time. Lips, breast, butt…tasting the three places that were full of a girl’s sensation at the same time. ―He couldn’t touch them this simply in this kind of place. Even while thinking that thought, he couldn’t release his palms from Hikaru-senpai’s breast and butt in fascination.

With ‘chuu’ sounds their lips parted. Kazuki asked what was her intention with his gaze.

“Because like this I can actually feel that you are really feeling my charm as a girl…”

While smiling bashfully, Hikaru-senpai dropped her gaze to Kazuki’s lower body.

“Also…when a change happened to your penis, for me it’s really romantic you seeee♪”

“That is not romantic…but erotic you know!”

Borrowing the momentum of the tsukkomi, Kazuki somehow brought his hands far from the soft sensation.

But against Kazuki that was trying to separate their body, senpai leaped at him “Ahaha, I won’t let you escape―. Heyaaa―!” and embraced him tightly. Like fellow children innocently, but also accompanied with the sweet thrill of a man and woman, Kazuki and Hikaru-senpai entangled together on top of the bed. And then they kissed one more time.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The night gradually grew late.

“If you want to know about romantic, you should come to my place right from the start you know!”

The one that he visited next was Mio’s room. Without even sitting on chairs, the two stayed standing in the center of the room. Mio puffed her chest ‘ehhem’ and answered Kazuki’s question.

“Is Myon-chan a romantic?”

“Kazuki, stop calling me Myon-chan!”

Mio-sensei ‘kohon’ cleared her throat and began the class.

“What is called romantic is a way to stir up your feelings, a play technique just so you know.”

“I have a feeling that this is the first time I'm hearing an opinion that has truth in it.”

“There are various techniques but…the most easy to understand technique is surely [poem]!”

“Poem?” Hearing that word he was not familiar with, Kazuki leaned his ears with deep interest.

“Even with a really ordinary object, but the instant you express it with poetic words, it will make you reconfirm it with a totally fresh beauty. Changing a normal day into an extraordinary day…it’s not an exaggeration to even say that poems exist to make everything romantic.”

Now that she mentioned it, when Mio made her self-introduction she said things like liking poems.

“For example when a boy says [cute] to a girl. The girl too would be happy when it was first said to her, but it will gradually change into feeling of [okay okay I get it] if you keep saying it to her right? It’s a weak word. It’s a word that will become ordinary, become obsolete. If right there the boy comes up with a more ingenious sentence like [ah, you are really cute without question] using all sorts of poetic words to present to the girl, the girl will once again notice how she is being thought of so importantly by the boy in a really fresh sensation, turning into a romantic feeling!”

“I see…but isn't it embarrassing to say such clichéd words? Even with only saying the word cute but with sincere feelings, or maybe simple is the best, I think it will already transmit the speaker’s feelings enough though…. It’s scary to make a blunder and make the atmosphere go cold.”

“Certainly, depending on the situation there are also times when simple words are enough to pierce the heart. But you know, to a certain degree it’s fine even if you fail. [Ah, for the sake of making me happy, this person tried hard that much] thinking like that, just from that won’t she feel an emotion of love? What is called romantic is not focusing on the result, but it’s something that appreciates the process too!”

“I, I see! You won’t get anything without challenging it, is that it? But I don’t have any confidence here, doing something like using words stylishly like a poet is…”

“The, then…first you need to practice. Try it by expressing my charms poetically here!”

Mio’s charm was it…she was, so to speak, a companion that was always charming through day and night. I’m going to show her.

“Mio’s hair is…as if pure gold that is made into threads, beautifully glittering in light.”

“Fufuu, it’s a little clichéd but isn’t it quite good? So Kazuki first starts with the hair…”

“This elegant brightness suits Mio’s noble heart perfectly. Mio is always proudly, magnificently, truly a possessor of a golden heart after all.”

“That’s a good feeling! The mix of not only praising the external appearance but also the inside earned you a high score!!”

Kazuki and Mio stared at each other with rapt attention.

“Your beauty is like an unattainable flower, however…Mio’s big and beautiful eyes that are gazing at me are overflowing with charm and rich in expression, that’s why I unconsciously reached my hand with a wish to embrace you. A gem so precious that it made me timidly question myself whether it is okay for someone like me to hold it in my hand…for me that is Mio without a doubt.”

“Kyaa―!!” Mio suddenly yelled and hopped up and down repeatedly.

“Kazuki, so you think of me like that!? Aren’t you loving me too much!?”

“I love you Mio. No matter how many times I convey it, when I thought that my feelings couldn’t be conveyed and how it would make Mio anxious, it made me glad that I can convey my love like this.”

“Funyaaaaaaaaannn!”

Mio staggered as if she was being dizzy from standing too fast. Kazuki held her for support in a panic looking at her state.

“Fuwawa…I’m going to faint. Ah, but right now I’m in this kind of appearance…”

Mio suddenly noticed that she was in her pajamas right now and shook her head.

“I’m not a person like this! Kazuki, wait a little bit! I’m going to enter my serious mode after this!”

Mio suddenly hit Kazuki’s chest with her hand lightly. She pushed him out from her room to the hall.

The door was closed loudly, and then he could hear sounds of rustling and moving around from inside the room.

“Kazukii, how about this!?”

What she came wearing were clothes that looked midway between dress and one-piece, extravagant deep crimson clothes.

“The deep crimson feels like Mio’s theme color. But it’s not an offensive color and instead more of an elegant luster of silk’s softness and drape. It has the impression of your best clothes. To be able to face a girl this beautiful, it’s an unthinkable honor as a man.”

“Hanyaa―nn♪ …Yosh, next!”

―From there Mio modeled various clothes coordinated in every way…towards Mio’s effort, Kazuki used all his power to praise her using honeyed words. Mio’s fashion show crossed a lot of genres. She turned into a natural cute style, becoming an outdoor girl, dressing in celebrity style, and many others.

…How many clothes does this girl have, Kazuki shuddered in front of Mio’s girl power.

“…Then, next is this-!” What appeared next was an appearance he was used to see―her Magic Dress.

“The me in this form…once again what do you think?”

“…I think this is the appearance that let out Mio’s charm the best. Gorgeous, but at the same time a crisp awe-inspiring appearance of a fighting girl. When I’m looking at it, my feelings tighten from the dignified beauty, like standing in front of a work of art in a museum that I cannot avert my eyes from at a moment’s notice. However at the same time…Mio’s beautiful skin and the line of a girl’s body are mostly visible, that’s why my heart as man is tickled fiercely. Is it okay for me to be charmed by this sublime beauty, is it also okay for me to fall into my desire…am I human, or beast, the boundary line between those two is blurring…”

“Kazuki, you are turning into a beast…” Mio’s face boiled bright red.

“The, then I’m going for the next!”

Mio went back to her room once more. This time there were no sound of clothes being taken off or clothes being worn for a while.

After no sound at all the door immediately opened―what appeared in front of him, was the naked Mio. There was not even a single string attached on her body. The important places were only hidden by both her hands, everything else was fully exposed to Kazuki.

“The bare plain me…how is it I wonder…?”

While Kazuki’s eyes were being stolen, he gulped his saliva.

“This is not good, Mio. I become unable to restrain myself. In front of someone this beautiful and important, I still mustn’t become a beast.”

“Kazu-nii…do you really value me so importantly? Then…”

Mio parted her hands that hid her body, only to Kazuki, she exposed her everything.

However it was only just for a moment, the girl immediately leaped into Kazuki’s chest.

And then she turned to Kazuki’s face and closed her eyes. Guessing the unsaid meaning, Kazuki touched their lips together. Mio who was in the form just like when she was born, if they couldn’t mingle their bodies together then at the very least even if it was just her feelings, she kissed Kazuki greedily.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Romantic? For me I really yearn for an adult’s romance.”

Kaguya-senpai quietly smiled and said that.

“Adult’s romance, is it…? Something like night viewing?”

Hearing Kazuki’s poor imagination, Kaguya-senpai was “Right right!” and nodded.

Inside Kaguya-senpai’s room, an incense was being lit as usual. It didn’t have strong emphasis that made him concerned, just a sweetly tickling aroma at an inadvertent moment. It even resembled senpai’s own scent. Both of them were sitting on the bed, a thick sweet fragrance was also coming from Kaguya-senpai’s body who was sitting right beside him.

Kaguya-senpai’s room, compared to others had the characteristic of the collection of various analogue games inside the cupboard. Standard card games like trump or uno, chess or shogi , standard board games called game of life, furthermore there were also international-made maniac games that were imported to Japan in the past. There was even a game with the Cthulhu Mythos as its theme where Nyarlatoteph made an appearance that made Kazuki felt complicated. With Kaguya-senpai’s love of bargaining and psychological warfare, occasionally Kazuki also played together with her. The games results so far between them were even.

“Night viewing is also good! In a high class restaurant on the rooftop of a high rise hotel, where one side of the wall is fixed with glass where we could see an unbroken view of Tokyo at night! Well, though the current Tokyo’s night view seemed like it has become fairly darker when compared with the past Tokyo. Reserving such a place, with the waiter always staying on standby at one corner of the room, Otouto-kun is swirling around a wine glass that sparkled from the light reflection of the chandelier above, and then you make a toast in front of my eyes. The wine is a chateau that has aged for ten-odd years.”

“We're still minors, senpai.” Of course all the wine that was circulated in the market currently only consisted of domestic products.

“And then when the meal ended, continuing just like that we are going to the suite room of the hotel…. While I’m in the middle of showering, Otouto-kun will be waiting wearing a bathrobe and sitting on a chair. While swirling around a wine glass in one hand.”

The wine glass that was continued to be swirled around actually had an outstanding supporting role here.

“For the sake of me who seemed to be shy, Otouto-kun turned off the lights. And then the overlapping silhouette of the two people with the night view as the background…That kind of adult night…”

“That’s too adult really…. Also it takes too much money, it’s impossible…”

“Fufufu. Even if it's not that kind of place, something like watching the night parade in an amusement park with the two of us, having a date in a romantic place is great I think.”

For the sake of creating a romantic situation, going to a romantic place was certainly an easy to understand solution.

“By, by the way I wonder why is Otouto-kun suddenly getting concerned about something romantic!? By any chance perhaps it’s for the sake of enlivening the promised date with me…?”

“Hawaa!?” Kazuki reflexively let out a strange voice. …His promise of a going to a date with Kaguya-senpai, had completely faded out from his head. Looking at that reaction of his…Kaguya-senpai’s eyes were holding still.

“…Otouto-kun, by any chance…did you forget?”

The pressuring smiling face of Kaguya-senpai came closer smoothly.

The next instant, *ton* Kazuki’s shoulder was pushed and he rolled onto the bed.

“Se, senpai…” Although he was leaking out his voice, the fault was his own so he couldn’t resist. However Kaguya-senpai was taking off Kazuki’s pajama shirt with the popping sound of buttons. It’s fine going that far, but suddenly even his pajamas' trousers were also sliding down, as expected Kazuki became flustered.

“Ple, please wait a second senpai! The trousers too!?”

“Kazuki-kun, it’s punishment time♡”

―The color of Kaguya-senpai’s pupils were changing into a violet color. Affected with Asmodeus’ magic power, it was the color when her self-control was completely dyed with desire. Instantly senpai’s pajamas disintegrated into Prima Material and she transformed into the Magic Dress figure with its unnecessary ornaments omitted.

Her appearance consisted only of the small fabric that covered the upper part of her chest beginning from under her neck and the parts that resembled the letter ‘V’ on her abdomen.

“…Fufufu, because I had been using a lot of power in the deciding match for third place.”

“Wasn’t that already more than a week ago!”

And then *gachink* there was a metallic sound. There were handcuffs attached on Kazuki’s hands.

“…Please wait a second. This, where did senpai take that out from?”

When he didn’t resist, he really became unable to move his body at all.

Right there Kaguya-senpai’s sensual body was―bending forward on him. Kaguya-senpai’s big breasts, almost bare-naked in a liberated state shook *tapun tapun*, climbing on top of Kazuki’s chest with a great jolt. Her voluptuous thighs are entangling with Kazuki’s lower body.

The reality of a girl’s softness and warmth was thoroughly taught into his whole body―a body posture that could even be said to be a [meat blanket].

“This whole night, Kazuki-kun is my plaything de―su♡”

Senpai’s hand stroked Kazuki’s chest in a sliding movement. For some reason senpai liked chests.

“Kazuki-kun poke po―ke♡”

“Uwaaa!” Having his nipple suddenly poked, Kazuki let out his voice reflexively.

“Poke poke po―ke♡”

His side was poked even further, Kazuki trembled fearfully.

“Kazuki-kun pero pero♡”

Kaguya-senpai crawled her tongue in a slide from Kazuki’s nape of the neck to his cheek, and then she pursed her lips on his cheek and made out a ‘chuu’ voice. And then her soft lips sucked Kazuki’s cheek strongly.

Grazing that voluptuous body on Kazuki, Kaguya-senpai began to gain a faint pleasure. Senpai’s whole body was influenced by Asmodeus’ magic power and became sensitive. Visibly tormenting Kazuki like this, senpai’s breath began to ‘haa haa’ get disordered.

The hand that stroked Kazuki’s body moved down little by little. It was heading down to a bad place.

“Sen, senpai, you mustn’t do that.”

“Things that I mustn’t do don’t exist. …I still can't kiss with Kazuki-kun mouth to mouth, so…I have to do everything else except the kiss, or else you will be taken by the other girls…”

Kaguya-senpai leaked out her voice in a whisper. In her expression that was colored with pleasure, a slight urgent feeling of being cornered was mixed. Senpai was being impatient.

“Kaguya.”

Kazuki whispered to the senpai who was really kinder to him than anyone else since his enrollment here.

“I really love you.” With that he got his face that could move freely closer and kissed her cheek.

There were also times when a mere simple word could pierce the heart―With a flush, blood was rushing to Kaguya’s face.

“Sheesh! It’s no good for Kazuki-kun to be the one attacking right now! Even though this is the night where I’m the one who is attacking!!”

But perhaps the impatience and anxiety had disappeared from Kaguya, her hand that was reaching to Kazuki’s lower body stopped in a close call. She circled both her hands around Kazuki’s hips and hugged him tightly again.

“…I won’t do something too extreme, but it’s a waste to get satisfied immediately, so I’m going to enjoy Kazuki-kun thoroughly and comfortably through the whole night.”

Kaguya declared so and turned off the light with a remote control. And then she restarted nuzzling her body on Kazuki. Inside the pitch black room, only Kaguya’s sweet sighs reverberated in his ear. The large fruit of her breasts were kneaded on Kazuki’s chest. Kaguya’s nether region was rubbing on Kazuki’s thigh. Kaguya made her pleasant feeling get worked up greedily, that body of hers got damply wet with sweat. Around him was teeming with the sweet fragrance like nectar from the sweat and pheromones. Sometimes the girl's body trembled in a twitching way *bikun bikun*.

Kaguya made Kazuki’s hard body as a tool for the sake of pleasure without rushing in a trance.

It was fine to desist from escalating their action, but because of this and that, Kazuki as usual continued being completely in a half-dead state from the exposure of the sensual temptation.

He wanted to indulge Kaguya’s body in insatiable lust as much as he could. Even that kind of desire existed inside Kazuki.

However Kazuki was being handcuffed, also, even if he was not being handcuffed, there was also his self-restrain that forbid him from taking a step past the line. If he stepped past the line once, then his restraint would be completely gone.

Restraint…. It was not only Kaguya-senpai, he also had to stick it out with regards to everyone else…

As the swordsman of Hayashizaki…if he didn’t suppress his worldly desires….

“UOO…Namu Amida Butsu …Namu Amida Butsu…”

To suppress his worldly desires, Kazuki chanted a Buddhist prayer with a groaning like voice. Kaguya-senpai was startled.

“Kazuki-kun, stop chanting that weird spell! That’s the total opposite of romantic!!”

Part 4

He had a feeling that he had already caught a glimpse of that concept called romantic.

Last night he could make everyone happy more than usual and passed the time in a sweet atmosphere.

{If you could grow until you could create that kind of flow deliberately, then My King will become an excellent playboy!}

Leme came transmitting her voice with Telepathy.

No, it was one kind of training to acquire skills and knowledge for the sake of spending an even better time with his precious people. It was not like he was aiming to become a playboy or something but….

The problem was that everything he had done yesterday could go well because the other parties were the amiable people of the Witch’s Manor. He didn’t know if it would also go well if he did the same thing to Kazuha-senpai.

However…nothing would change if he didn’t even do anything. To face the [romantic] problem assigned to him by senpai seriously was the responsibility of the one who kissed senpai forcefully.

As a Hayashizaki swordsman, he couldn’t run away from romance!

{However when Leme thought will something happen…or nothing will happen…}

…What?

{No, it’s nothing. My King, don’t worry and make the girl fall!}

As always, the yell from Leme that made him feel bad superbly, he thought.

After school, Kazuki finally came to the Sword Division’s school building searching for Kazuha-senpai’s figure.

With Leme’s ability―the power of <Positivity Level Map>, he could perceive that for some reason today too Kazuha-senpai was at the abandoned school building. Most likely she was just alone.

When he finally arrived at the club building after traversing the Japanese garden, his timing was just right with Kazuha-senpai coming out of the abandoned club room. Toward senpai who was raising *kan kan* footstep sounds descending the outer stairs, Kazuki hurriedly called out to her.

“Senpai, I was looking for you.”

Kazuki too raised his voice in nervousness, but even more than him, Kazuha-senpai jumped in surprise. And then as if leaping down, she descended the stairs and turned her back at Kazuki. Then she dashed away like a startled rabbit.

“Wa, please wait a second senpai!?”

Kazuki chased her in a panic. The story was different with what she said yesterday when she didn’t even give him a chance to talk.

“Hayashizaki, don’t tell me you…you are coming here to do something romantic!?”

While escaping, Kazuha-senpai looked back. Her cheeks had already become slightly red.

“Even though senpai is the one that said if I didn’t do something romantic you will cut ties with me, why are you running away!? I won’t be able to do anything romantic like this!!”

“I, it’s fine even if you don’t do it! As I thought it’s fine even if you don’t do anything romantic!!”

What irrationality. With this the chance that she promised to give was only a lie and she was going to cut ties without any questions asked. No…Kazuha-senpai’s positivity level was not that low that she would cut ties that absurdly.

Or perhaps had senpai came to become embarrassed later on after she demanded that [romantic kiss]!? The senpai at that time was in an absurd temperament after all, it was not impossible….

“Wait senpai! It’s dangerous to run away while not looking at your front you know!?”

“Eh!?” Kazuha-senpai raised her voice and looked back at her front, but it was too late.

While she was looking back here, senpai, who was dashing through the Sword Division’s garden with Enchant Aura at full power didn’t notice the excellent pine tree that stood in front of her, then she splendidly collided with it head-on. “UWAAA!” She tottered while scattering away blue defensive magic power.

Kazuki caught up right there. All of a sudden, [wall bang chance] such an idea floated in his head. The escaping Kazuha-senpai was overlapping with Koyuki’s figure.

Kazuki approached Kazuha-senpai and sandwiched her between his body and the pine tree. Kazuha-senpai turned to look his way. He thrust out his right hand through the side of her face to the trunk of the pine tree with a ‘DON’. Wall bang stance―success.

“Senpai, please talk to me.”

Kazuki naturally brought his face closer. Kazuha-senpai meekly shrunk herself.

“Why are you running away? Isn’t this different from the promise?”

“Be, because when I thought about it calmly, what kind of romantic thing you were going to do, it’s strange I thought…”

“But I’m troubled if there's no chance for me to repair my relationship with senpai. Even though it’s for the sake of that, I plan to show that I will do whatever romantic things I have to do.”

“E, even if you become that overly serious to do something romantic…”

“Please give me a chance to do something romantic. For that I'd done lots of training.”

“You said training…. …You don’t have any reason to be that attached to me right? Let’s stop this already, there are a lot of other girls after all…”

“There's only one Kazuha-senpai though.”

“……..Lusting for me that much, just stop it.” She was talking in a voice that became smaller and smaller.

“Maybe this is lust, but I don’t want my bond with senpai to be gone. But, if senpai rejects me from the bottom of your heart then I'll give up, but like this, won’t the both of us just be left sad?”

“…You can't do something like a proper kiss anyway…”

“I’m sorry, but that time there was no other choice except to kiss.”

Kazuha-senpai fell into a dead-end because she had no outlet for her emotions, she was slightly trembling with a bright red face. Then suddenly “WAA―!” she yelled and pounded at Kazuki’s chest *poka poka* with both hands repeatedly.

“Even though you don’t really like me that much! Just let me go already―!!”

Kazuki hugged Kazuha-senpai tightly altogether with the arms that were hitting him.

“Why does senpai think that? There's no way I don’t like everything about senpai.”

Just like what Mio said, his own feelings had to be conveyed completely.

Exhaust all my words.

“The same magic swordsman like me, and you love kenjutsu even more than Summoning Magic. Even when you were at the very bottom of failure, you kept trying to crawl up with your sword and hard effort. That figure of senpai made me arbitrarily think of you as a companion that is similar to me.”

“Don’t just think of me as someone similar to you as you please. At any rate, someone like me is completely weak…”

“Please don’t talk like that, I want to become stronger together with senpai.”

“If you think like that, doesn’t that mean you only see me as a swordsman and nothing else…”

He thought it was a little unexpected. Senpai’s way of talking just now could be thought as behaving like a spoiled child that wanted to depend on him.

“That’s not true. Senpai is a lovely person with that straightforward personality of yours. You scold me not to hurt girls. I was anxious whether I was hated by senpai or not but senpai came to rely on me for your kenjutsu. Through one thing or another senpai worked really hard for the sake of my battle election that didn’t have any connection at all with senpai. You also cooperated with me even though it was for saving Karin who was an enemy…”

The more he looked back at his memory, the more he realized that Kazuha-senpai was a [good person].

“And then you got angry, you laughed, you got angry to hide your shyness…senpai is an energetic lovely girl. I don’t want to see such a senpai to have a sad face.”

“…Just like everyone else?”

“Yes. Just like everyone else, senpai is precious to me.”

“Even though you understand my feelings you still say something like that, how unfair…”

Certainly it might be unfair. But he had decided not to do anything unfair. It doesn’t matter even if I become a pet or I become someone with a harem, either way I will devote my everything for my precious people.

“Kazuha-senpai. It’s okay even if it is not immediately right now, so please recognize me. Because for the sake of that, I will continue to do romantic things for senpai. And then…I will kiss senpai one more time.”

Kazuki proclaimed such in Kazuha-senpai’s ear while hugging her body tightly. Senpai groaned “uuuu…” while burying her face into Kazuki’s chest―an avatar of a small key flew to Kazuki.

It was the proof of a positivity level that surpassed a value of 65. She didn’t hate him, on the contrary.

“Senpai, just now, your positivity level had gone up.”

“Wha!?” Kazuha-senpai opened her eyes wide, “Release me, release me, release me, release me alreadyyy―!!” She struggled violently and ran away from Kazuki’s arms. And then without delay she speedily slipped away through Kazuki’s side.

“I really…really, really don’t like someone like you at alll―!!”

After shouting that, she turned her back to Kazuki and dashed away.

Part 5

“Kazuha-senpai, let’s eat lunch.”

―From there on every time Kazuki had time between his work as the Chief Student Council President, he showed his face as much as possible in front of Kazuha-senpai. If the wording was changed that just meant that he followed Kazuha-senpai around.

“Hayashizaki…from now on I’m buying from the canteen…”

Seeing Kazuki who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Kazuha-senpai showed a forced scowl.

“I know, I heard from Kohaku. Usually senpai ate Kohaku’s homemade box lunch together with her at the abandoned clubroom, but unexpectedly she has work in the Sword Division’s student council during the lunch break so senpai is having bread from the canteen right? But isn’t it lonely to just eat bread alone?”

Because of the Chief Student Council President’s sudden entrance, the surrounding students of the Sword Division were making a stir.

“He's taking consideration for Tsukahara-san who lost her lunch companion.”

“The Chief Student Council President is so kind~”

Listening on the surrounding conversations, Kazuha-senpai was grumbling “gunu” and making a bitter face. Kazuki was also a little surprised by the surrounding reactions and looked around restlessly, but then he chose not to mind and continued to talk.

“Tha, that might be, but…there is no reason to eat together with you just because of that.”

“Senpai, didn’t you say before that my box lunch was delicious?”

“Even the bread from the canteen is tasty.” Kazuha-senpai turned her back in a huff.

“Hohou…does senpai like bread that much? Cheap bread with cheap quality that has unbalanced nutrition. …Senpai’s desire to improve yourself as a swordsman is only to that degree in the end.”

The canteen of the Sword Division, because it wasn’t provided with a satisfactory budget until now by the Knight Academy, they only stocked up from vendors that could be called anything but first class. Of course this matter is also one of Kazuki and his group’s targets for reform.

“Wha, what did you say!” Against Kazuki’s cheap provocation, Kazuha-senpai quickly turned back.

The moment she turned back, Kazuki took hold of Kazuha-senpai’s hand tightly,

“I brought senpai a box lunch with a more balanced nutrition, so let’s eat together. I won’t overlook this aspect as your master in swordsmanship.”

From Kazuha-senpai, whose hand was caught, a heart mark came flying. However Kazuha-senpai still resisted.

“Do, don’t grip my hand! You are just too overbearing!!”

“Hayashizaki-kun is so kind―!” “Don’t tell me you're refusing Chief President’s invitation, don’t be like that Tsukahara-san.”

The surrounding conversations were on Kazuki’s side. Kazuha-senpai was groaning “gununu”, and she continued to get dragged away by Kazuki. Just like that the both of them walked to the abandoned clubroom.

“Senpai, your positivity level just went up a little again you know?”

“You lie-! I don’t feel happy even a tiny little bit being treated like this―!!”

Kazuha-senpai kicked and struggled in vexation.

“Ah, senpai. I forgot to prepare chopsticks for two people. There's no other way except to feed senpai with ‘aa―n’ using my chopsticks then.”

“Youuu―!!”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Of course there was no way he could devote all his time just following Kazuha-senpai around.

Around the start of June, finally the first edition of the academy newspaper was finished in the form of data at the student council room.

Next they only need to print it and they would be in a situation where they could distribute it to the whole student body of the school.

The content was first about the introduction of Kazuki who became the Chief Student Council President and his declaration of opinion in the form of words, and also the introduction of the Magic Division and the Sword Division’s student councils. They also especially took pictures of the introduced characters and published it in the newspaper.

And then the introduction of various policies that Kazuki thought he wanted to perform from now on, and also the collection of opinions from the students regarding his policies. It became that students could express their opinions by mailing it to the student council.

Furthermore, the newspaper also consolidated the fundamental introduction of the Magic Division and the Sword Division. It was because the Magic Division and the Sword Division didn’t know much at all about each other. What kind of system each Division had, what kind of classes they received, what kind of activity they spent their time on…the first edition of the newspaper became really varied in its content.

“Even though I wanted to write about battle articles if there was leftover space, or maybe a poetry corner.”

Mio pouted her lips and booed. Well, he had the feeling that he wanted to try and read such things though.

“The committee chairman had also done her best and reduced her sleeping time you know?”

Yumeno-san had the color of exhaustion peeking out a little in her expression, but she directed him a smiling face filled with a sense of accomplishment.

“After that, for the time being, we're going to have Headmaster Amasaki do the last check including the design. Though I think there'll be no problem, because he had looked over the main manuscript.”

When Kazuki murmured that, the monitor that was attached on the wall of the student council room made a ‘putsun’ sound. It was receiving a signal and started automatically. On the monitor, Headmaster Amasaki’s face was projected.

This monitor was the hotline that connected the staff room with the student council room.

{Hayashizaki Kazuki…not just you, but everyone else seems to be present. Well fine.}

“Headmaster? We're just finishing the academy newspaper here. We have also sent the data to the headmaster’s address but…do you have any business?”

The time from when they had sent the newspaper data and him contacting right now was too fast for him to have finished checking already.

{This is something that I’m really not clear on either, so I’m getting right to the point…Board Chairman Takasugi had disappeared.}

“…What did you say? What is the meaning of this?”

{That’s also what I don't understand. He didn’t even leave a note of explanation, there is no trace of an incident. It’s just so sudden, that bastard’s figure vanished just like that. Even the guy’s family can't be contacted. There was a search request coming from the Knight Order.}

His family too, did that mean that the Takasugi brothers had also disappeared.

{Because of that, there will be a new Board Chairman coming in the near future. The front page for the newspaper’s next issue is decided already with this big scoop isn’t it? Hahhahha.}

“…What hahhahha, this is not the time.” Kaguya-senpai was making an amazed face with all her heart.

After leaving behind a careless laugh, the communication was cut.

Board Chairman Takasugi―all of his student protégées lost in the general election. Hayashi Shizuka also failed in her assassination of Hayashizaki Kazuki. Had he judged that he had no business anymore in this academy?

Even so there was supposed to be some value left that could be used in the position of Board Chairman….

In the end everything ended with their inability to grasp any proof of that man’s true colors.

In the end their excitement of finishing the newspaper was completely poured with cold water by this unknown uneasiness.

Part 6

The night of the same day.

Kazuki, together with Kaguya-senpai and Koyuki were playing card games in Kaguya-senpai’s room.

Reading the opponent’s thoughts and building the road to victory with [strategic thinking], for Kazuki who had experienced a lot of matches as a swordsman this card game was something familiar. However Kaguya-senpai and Koyuki were also extraordinarily strong opponents in strategy games, the match was being well fought.

Koyuki, who was set up by Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai and fell into last place showed a lovely sulky look with her cheeks bulging. During that time Kazuki’s cell phone rang out.

“WATCH THE NEWS RIGHT NOW!”

It was Headmaster Amasaki on the line with a voice so loud that it almost made his defensive magic power activate to protect his eardrums. When Kazuki tried to turn on the TV while he was soothing Koyuki who was silently burning for revenge, from the living room in the first floor “Kazuki, Kaguya, this is bad!” Hikaru-senpai’s voice came calling them.

The three people descended down from the room on the second floor to the living room. Their group was also joined by Mio who heard the commotion. In the living room, Hikaru-senpai, Lotte and Karin were becoming glued to the TV.

It looked like this group of three people were originally watching anime. However what was currently projected in the living room’s large screen TV that was bigger to the one in their room was a totally different image.

{…This is a relay from a helicopter. Please look, The Knight Order’s subdivision is burning! Amidst the flames and rubble, a state of fighting between Magica Stigma can be confirmed!}

The reporter raised an upset voice with a rough breath.

They could see that the news was transmitted in real time right from the actual location from the image’s rough quality. It was an image of a town that was reduced to rubble, reminding them of [Tokyo’s Great Destruction], and then the [flames of war].

The knights that formed the Heaven and Earth Formation to take control were unfolding a fierce battle with Magica Stigma.

{These Magic Dresses belong to Solomon's 72 Pillars.}

There was also a small clip of the news studio’s situation on the screen. There was a man that looked like an expert in it pointed at the knights that were fighting in the Heaven and Earth Formation and explained.

{Then they are the Knight Order, and then the opponents they are fighting…}

The news caster at his side asked for answers.

{The Magic Dresses of the opposing Magica Stigma―there is nothing corresponding in the database even when we make comparisons, they're unidentified.}

{So in other words, they are illegal magicians?}

{Correct. Moreover this enemy is in fairly large numbers, they are moving to take control. …Please look, right now they are showing action of taking prisoners by capturing the knights that used up all of their magic power and fainted. A movement that is taking control like this, it’s a characteristic that could be seen from <Loki Einherjar> that is led by Loki from the Norse Mythology at the center of repeated terror attacks recently.}

{Then this attack, is something caused by that Loki?}

{However…this is something on a larger scale compared to Loki Einherjar until now…Moreover, look here, we can see figures of [swordsmen] that are supporting them. There shouldn’t be any swordsmen in Loki Einherjar. Also the Magic Dresses of the illegal magicians, for some reason their design looked of Japanese origin…}

The screen image shook fiercely. The reporter’s panicked scream rang out.

{We're being targeted! The helicopter is being targeted by them!!}

Intense lightning and fireball attacks were heading to the screen one after another flying closer. The screen was disturbed together with explosive sounds―after it blacked out, the screen changed to the news studio.

{The image just now comes from Nagoya city, but information is coming in that repeated attacks are occurring in a large number of areas at the same time. The information is complicated but just now we have collected accurate information. Since the afternoon there have been reports of mass internet and radio wave disruptions in western Japan but, presently, western Japan is in a state of being isolated from all kinds of long range communication. The situation is that there is no information at all coming from the west…}

Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai were both taken aback and rooted on the spot in front of the TV.

From the cell phone that he'd even forgotten was still in a call state, he could hear Headmaster Amasaki’s voice.

{On my side as well, I’m still in the middle of collecting information from the political world but, Toyama – Gifu – Aichi, the boundary line of the archipelago including those three, all the branches of the Knight Order located on the western side of that line were attacked, every one of them has fallen. There are also branches that are still holding out but we cannot make contact, they'd already been completely isolated. This is terro…no, this is a coup d'état. On top of losing this country’s western half police – national defense ability, information is also blockaded.}

After a moment for taking a breath, Headmaster Amasaki informed him of something that was hard to believe.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

{In other words, western Japan has seceded from our country.}

Chapter 5 – Outbreak of War

Part 1

{Currently it is something only in name but not in reality, but based on the most humane world order that existed in the former era, <International Law>, we proclaim the independence of Western Japan right here!}

The morning of the next day, the one who proclaimed such a thing on TV was―the man once called Board Chairman in this academy, Takasugi Takayoshi. The footage looked like a bad joke.

At his side an image of Kaya making a peace sign toward the camera was projected on the screen.

That Board Chairman Takasugi was right there…and there was no doubt that Hayashi Shizuka was included in their forces.

Loki, Nyarlatoteph, Hayashi Shizuka…it was the worst trio!

{We are forming a new government in Western Japan now under our control, levying taxes on the people of the occupied areas to cover the expenses, and in compensation for that we promise the same social welfare the people enjoyed until now. Also, as long as there is no intervention or act of hostility for war, we promise there will be no harm done to the general public.}

He clearly said the word war.

{We proclaim right here. A true country that deified not Solomon's 72 Pillars, but the legitimate gods of Japan…this is the founding of <Yamato>! The divine protection of the gods of Japan lie with us!!}

The early morning before they went to school, everyone was gathering in the living room of the Witch’s Manor. They were watching the news report while having breakfast. Everyone’s face looked like they hadn’t slept very well.

“…When Board Chairman Takasugi's trail was followed, we knew that he went in the direction of western Japan. Not only Board Chairman Takasugi, the influential politicians of Kenshitou were also together with him. Their goal, was this.”

Headmaster Amasaki said with a loathsome face. The politicians' simultaneous migration. Most likely they were politicians under the patronage of China. Furthermore, for some reason, it seemed that illegal Magica Stigma whose bodies sheltered the Divas of Japanese Mythology were also added in their forces.

{Aside from Nyarlako, I'm also quickly gathering other strong allies after all.}

Kaya said as much. So the ones that she called 'strong allies' were the Japanese Mythology's Divas.

“What in the world is going on here?”

With a glare, Headmaster Amasaki’s gaze moved on Kazuha-senpai.

“Eerrr, I am, anything…” Kazuha-senpai looked down coweringly.

{Kazuha didn’t know anything you know? I didn’t tell her after all.}

At her side, the avatar of Futsunushi no Kami who was a Diva of Japanese Mythology floated.

{It’s just that a few days before this, my communication with the other Divas of the Japanese Mythology was cut off.}

“Break in communication…your link with the Territory is cut off?”

Kaguya-senpai asked.

{Right, the story will go faster if you already understand the concept of Territory. Those guys are most likely, in the process of becoming Wild Gods .}

“Wild Gods?” All present there returned a question after hearing a word that they weren’t familiar with.

{The Divas of Japanese Mythology don’t really ask for people to be faithful to them. It’s because we are not a monotheistic Mythology. However when they are not being cared for they grow restless. That is Wild God Transformation.}

…Kazuha-senpai built an altar at the abandoned clubroom where she properly conversed and played with Futsunushi no Kami. Mikohime ―that was Kazuha-senpai’s other name but, that title was not just for show.

{To fulfill her own dream of entering the Sword Division and fulfilling her duty as a shrine maiden at the same time, Kazuha installed an altar at the abandoned clubroom as you know. What a good natured girl. Hayashizaki Kazuki, taking this girl as a wife will surely be excellent.}

“What are you saying, Bakanushi no Kami!”

Kazuha-senpai’s face became bright red with indignation. Her positivity level had gone up to 70 with Kazuki following her around. Futsunushi no Kami was “GUWAHHAHHA!” laughing heartily.

“What are you guwahhahha-ing for! Why didn’t you tell us before that they were transforming into Wild Gods!!”

Headmaster Amasaki's temper blew up with force that almost burst the blood vessels of his head.

“But even if before you heard about how they were going through Wild God Transformation, this kind of situation is really unexpected right?”

In order to cover for Futsunushi no Kami, Leme materialized at Kazuki’s side.

“…So you also knew about this beforehand.”

When Kazuki asked her bitterly, Leme nodded “yeah” without showing any guilt. Kazuki spontaneously stretched those dark-skinned soft cheeks of hers *biroon* with both his hands. “Stooopp~!”

{Besides the gods of Japanese Mythology don’t directly interfere with each other. Even with the other guys transforming into Wild Gods, I have no right to sooth them or become their intermediary.}

That was what Futsunushi no Kami said. If it was a Mythology with such a disposition, then it couldn’t be helped.

“So the Divas of Japanese Mythology who are going wild for some reason, are going along with Kenshitou, that’s it huh.”

Their attempt to control the Knight Academy, the assassination attempt on Kazuki, their aim was not just limited to those things.

Surely because they failed on those matters, they joined hands with Kaya and moved onto this fearsome second phase. An armed revolt by touting the Japanese Mythology as their banner―it surely had the persuasive power to pull the people into their cause.

It shook the Japanese islands to the core. The residents of the occupied western Japan too, there was no doubt that they didn’t necessarily react negatively regarding the founding of nation of Yamato. There was persuasiveness in the existence called Japanese Mythology.

{…Regarding Yamato being founded in western Japan, when the government suspended the supply of electricity to the region they demonstrated a countermeasure. This decision garnered large backlash from the residents of western Japan.}

Hearing the words from the news reporter, all who are present fell quiet.

The electricity supply of Japan in this current era was provided by the large scale sunlight heat power reactorAlchimedes System constructed in the human-made islandmegafloat that was located on the southern tip of Japan’s territorial waters. Its production capacity was extremely large, furthermore the recharging of the etherlite rechargeable batteries that would never deteriorate no matter how many times it was recharged was performed in that place. The batteries from the whole country were transported there and redistributed after the recharging to each household, realizing safe, and moreover, clean power at a cheap price.

The government proclaimed that they wouldn’t circulate the rechargeable batteries to western Japan. So that Japan would still be okay even if the megafloat met with enemy attack, the thermal energy reactors and nuclear energy reactors from the previous era were left in reserve throughout the whole country as spare recharging facilities, but with that, western Japan would be able to use those facilities too.

With this, the breakdown between east and west Japan had become unavoidable.

“…Yamato had already began creating a military boundary line that separated the islands into parts from western Japan that they occupied. The circulation of trade between east Japan and west Japan has also been suspended, the people coming and going between the two regions was also becoming impossible

The freeway and railroad system that were the cornerstones of distribution were blockaded, the local streets were also being destroyed one by one. It was completely like the Berlin wall that divided East and West Germany or, the north 38th parallel between South Korea and North Korea.

“Toyama・Gifu・Aichi, those three prefectures had fallen. And then Niigata – Nagano – Shizuoka that are bordering those areas had become Japan’s current western border. In order for these prefectures to avoid further entanglement with Yamato’s invasion, the ordinary citizens’ evacuation is being hastened. The current situation is generally like that.”

Headmaster Amasaki who had connections with the government informed the situation to Kazuki and party.

“What is the Knight Academy going to do from now on? …No, rather than saying the Knight Academy’s response, what is the Knight Order planning to do?”

The one who had the say in this situation was not Kazuki or even Headmaster Amasaki, but the Knight Order.

“Regarding that matter…the classes for this morning are cancelled. There is someone that wants to meet you guys. After that we are going to open an extraordinary general student meeting.”

“Someone who wants to meet us…?”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“It's been a long time huhh―, this manor too✩”

“It’s really a relief that nothing changed here . …It looks like even without me here the cleaning is done thoroughly.”

The two people who appeared shortly at the entrance of the Witch’s Manor murmured with deep feelings.

“Kanon-senpai, Akane-senpai…”

Kaguya-senpai, who came to greet them had an expression dyed with surprise. Both their bodies were wrapped with the crisp white uniform of the Knight Order and they were donning a mantle that showed their status as officer cadets. For Kaguya-senpai to look up to them as senpai, in another words these people are….

“Yahoo―i, Kaguyan, long time no see! The idol of the Witch's Manor Koudzuki Kanon has returned home―✩”

The small statured woman of this group of two hugged Kaguya-senpai who greeted them at the entrance with lively vigor.

“You look healthy don’t you, Kaguya. Aren’t you becoming too lively when we were not here?”

At the side, the other woman who looked adult-like said so.

“Tha, that kind of thing is not true you know…. Stop it―, senpai.”

Kaguya-senpai showed a stiff smiling face. When the two separated themselves from Kaguya-senpai, they looked around the living room of the Witch’s Manor in nostalgia and then their eyes stopped at Kazuki who was looking at the situation from a distance.

“And, this boy is the rumored Chief Student Council President right? A male that entered the Magic Division, and then in one month is already reigning as the Chief Student Council President that is connecting the Magic Division and the Sword Division. When I heard about it I thought whether if it was a joke or not.”

“But however something like a Chief Student Council President is still too naïve! …This top of the highest grade third year Kanon is so to speak…a super student council president here―✩”

“A former student council president though.” The adult-like woman entered her tsukkomi there sharply.

“Nay, this Kanon-sama is a retired number super idol student council president for sure―✩”

“…It’s fine already, so stop blocking the entrance, sit quickly! This trash!”

Liz Liza-sensei made her appearance from behind and then she kicked the butt of the small statured woman swiftly.

It looks like Liz Liza-sensei was the one who lead these two here.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Well then, I’ll introduce myself once more. I was the vice student council president until last year, Yagumo Akane. Currently as a third year, I was training until yesterday at the Knight Order in Aichi regiment of Chubu jurisdiction division. …Our pitiful battle was completely relayed from the helicopter, now we are the most disgraced regiment in Japan as you can see.”

The part of the great senior talked while releasing a powerless deep sigh in the living room.

“Don’t beat yourself with that Yagumo, Chubu jurisdiction was not the only one who retreated.”

Liz Liza-sensei encouraged her from the side.

“It’s lucky that the helicopter fell in the middle there! Because after that, the battle became a truly one sided disaster…. But the media crews that were on board the heli were able to escape✩”

The other great senpai talked with a lively smiling face.

Both of them were in the actual location of that battle…so they took flight and escaped here.

“And then I’m the one who was the student council president until last year, Koudzuki Kanon! I’m the same like Akane and was interning in Aichi regiment, the Ultra Super Deluxe former student council president! So you are the Chief Student Council President, Hayashizaki Kazuki?”

This senpai also looked very bright in her behavior, though fatigue was coloring her expression.

“Yes, I’m Hayashizaki Kazuki who was appointed as the Chief Student Council President. But I’m still a first year so…both of you are the senpai of my senpai aren’t you, Koudzuki-sempai and Yagumo-senpai.”

“You can call me Akane-senpai. It’s puzzling if you are the only one who called me Yagumo when all the other children call me Akane. I want us unified. In exchange I will also call you Kazuki.”

Yagumo-senpai revised as Akane-senpai talked with a cool tone. He couldn’t feel any shyness or the like from her about men and women calling each other by their given names. It was a tone that only cared about the inefficiency of the information that entered her ear.

“It’s also okay to call me Kanon-senpai! You and I are a comrades of the Witch’s Manor after all! …But Chief Student Council President…a special post that didn’t exist in our time…gununu…”

Even though at first Kanon-senpai directed a smiling face at Kazuki, immediately her eyes sharpened into a glare.

“…I am invincible from east to west to south to north and to the center – the super former student council president, don’t you forget it!!”

“Kanon, stop making up an incomprehensible title in antagonism. You are being a child like this.”

“I, I’m not a child! The one who said someone else a child is the child herself!”

“Senpai, have some tea.”

Hikaru-senpai shared cups of tea on top of the tray she brought in turn starting from Kanon-senpai.

“How nostalgic. Hikaru can't do any other chores but, only in brewing black tea are you strictly disciplined like this.”

“Right now Kazuki and the others are also skilled in making black tea though. But it has been a long time so I want to brew some.”

“Fufufu, so that’s it. You said a cute thing didn’t you, prince. …Yes, it’s really delicious.”

For the first time Akane-senpai made a broad smile and showed a relaxed face.

Kazuki spontaneously stared at her face from the side while drinking his tea. Long slit eyes and slender bridge of the nose. The black tea suited the intellectual and cool atmosphere of her profile.

She had a similar atmosphere to Hikaru-senpai, but rather than calling her a prince she felt more like a [beautiful onee-sama ].

“Pikarun doesn't get it!? My taste is for a lot of jam and honey to be mixed you know!”

Kanon-senpai was demanding while banging her palm *bam bam* on top of the table.

“Yes of course. Here is a specially made Russian tea .”

“Yahoo yahoo! This is the symbol of Pikaru in the tea time of the Witch’s Manor✩ When I was in the Knight Order I didn’t want to be made a fool of by the other senior knights so I drank black coffee. But I really don’t understand the thinking of those guys that keep on drinking such a bitter and smelly liquid.”

“Everyone noticed that you forced yourself drinking it you know? It comes out in Kanon’s expression after all.”

“Eh!? You lie, every time I drank it everyone were praising me ‘Kanon is so mature―’ right!?”

“They were making fun of you with that you know.”

Akane-senpai said it bluntly and coldly while drinking her tea.

“Eh…lies…ugyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

While screaming, Kanon-senpai ‘BATA―N!’ collapsed on the table face down.

“…To, to be thought of like that by them. I don’t want to face those guys anymore…”

Kanon-senpai’s big and round eyes became teary-eyed, with a glance she looked at Koyuki.

“…Koyukin is really small just like usual huh―. You are more childish than even me. Fufun .”

Now that she mentioned it Koyuki had been coming and going to the manor since before she enrolled. She should be acquainted with these senpai.

“Kanon-senpai also hasn’t really changed that much have you? Just because you received a shock, please don’t vent your anger on me who is two years your junior.”

Koyuki counterattacked with cold scornful eyes. Kanon-senpai was “Mukii―! This impyertinent Koyukin kid―!!” and kicked around her feet under the table.

“…First year and apprentice of the Witch's Manor, I’m Amasaki Mio.”

With uncharacteristic meekness, Mio introduced herself while shrinking into herself.

“Sword Division second year, Hayashizaki Kanae. I am the president of the Sword Division.” “Sword Division first year, Hikita Kohaku, vice president.”

“Errr…for some reason I’m here in this place, Tsukahara Kazuha of the Sword Division second year, just a commoner.”

Kanae and Kazuha-senpai were second years, but it seemed they were not really acquainted with these two great senpai.

“Fufufu.” When all the members had finished their self-introductions, Akane-senpai suddenly leaked out a chuckle.

“According to the rumors floating around, I heard that the Chief Student Council President is popular with everyone. I wonder if everyone in this place is madly in love already? But if you’re not careful, the contraception nowadays is not as perfect as in the past after all.”

“Wha!? Co, contraception or any…” Kazuki spontaneously hitched his breath.

In the present era Japanese people, most of the young population awakened as magicians. Thereupon their magic power would be unconsciously invoked when they were doing an action that was filled with strong emotions, and accidents where it became a total hindrance to contraception had occurred repeatedly. The fact was that the power of love completely destroyed the undesired wall of contraception.

From such reasons the current era females put even more importance to their chastity compared to the previous era. Kazuki too had to have the awareness of self-control all the more because of this.

“…If I am to have a child with Kazuki, then it doesn’t really…”

Mio murmured vacantly with a boiling red face. In an instant, the Witch’s Manor became as silent as a graveyard.

“…Fufun, no matter how much popular you said this guy is, surely Kaguyan and Pikarun still liked this charismatic retired number, Kanon-chan far more, right✩”

With a broad grin Kanon-senpai directed a smile to Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai.

“”I like Kazuki better♡”” Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai matched their voices and gave instant answers.

“You heartless bunch―!!” With ‘BATA―N’ Kanon-senpai collapsed.

Ehem, Akane-senpai cleared her throat.

“Well then, let’s moderate the digression of the talk and move on soon to the main problem.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“To start, I want to inform you all of the current situation. First with the fall of the Knight Order in Chubu jurisdiction, Toyama・Gifu・Aichi, the three prefectures are occupied and Eastern Japan and Western Japan are now divided into two parts. The line that is drawn in the area that bordered these three prefectures is the military boundary line―in other words the substantial national border.”

Akane-senpai spread out a map on top of the table, and then she traced the line she mentioned with her long finger smoothly.

“It looks like Yamato is going to invade even further from now on toward Niigata – Nagano – Shizuoka. To prepare for that Eastern Japan’s battle strength have to be concentrated to the front lines. However that action has become a difficult thing to do. Even now, illegal magicians are rampaging in many aresa of Eastern Japan. Even though we managed to suppress them, our hands became completely full because of that.

“Loki’s troops are concealing themselves in Eastern Japan and in order to obstruct us from concentrating our battle strength they are sporadically taking guerilla action, is that the gist of it?” Kazuki inquired.

“Right, like that. They are working together systematically. Yamato declared that they won’t lay their hands on the general public, but we think these guerilla fighters are planning to feign ignorance as if it’s unrelated to them.”

“That’s why we can’t ignore them. Concentrating our whole battle strength of Eastern Japan to the front lines…is something we cannot do. The guerilla fighters understand that and they are running around doing hit-and-run attacks.”

Taking the general public as hostages, the Knight Orders became unable to mobilize the entirety of their fighting strength.

“On the other hand if you ask our current status, then we are a remnant of a defeated army. In the fight last night, the jurisdiction division commander was also captured as a prisoner of war. Kanon then led everyone to escape to here as the temporary leader.”

Akane-senpai explained the situation briskly, but doubt was surfacing on Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai’s face clearly.

The student council’s staff of the Knight Academy was treated as officer cadets in the Knight Order.

Be that as it may, strictly speaking they were still nothing more than students, even with the jurisdiction division's commander captured, normally it would be impossible for someone in that position to take the leader position.

“…It’s a story that sounds like a joke, however putting aside the top brass, Kanon is excessively well liked by the average senior knights. Maybe because they were saved from a pinch by Kanon’s cheerfulness, everyone is saying to make Kanon the leader. In the first place we are just a division of the army’s remnant with no order at all.”

“I’m beat―, it’s really troublesome to be this popular―✩”

“…She was also elected as the student council president at that time with that rhythm.”

Kaguya-senpai murmured. Kanon-senpai pulled her surroundings with a mascot-like unifying power and then Akane-senpai solidified their position on the practical business side. He could picture it instantly and Kazuki nodded in understanding.

“We are added in the defense of Nigata – Nagano – Shizuoka and we have to counterattack and recapture Chubu jurisdiction when we see a chance. However the battle strength of the defense army on the front lines is insufficient with only us as support. It would still take time for the other areas to suppress the guerrillas before they could send reinforcements…. With that we took along one part of our comrades and came to this academy without sleep.”

“Without sleep…that’s why Kanon-senpai is more anno…high-tensioned than usual.”

Kaguya-senpai fixed what she almost said in a deliberate manner. “Kaguyan youu―” Kanon-senpai made a fuss.

“It’s just a joke, thank you for your hard work.”

“Hmph, I’m not happy at all even if you suddenly change your attitude like that okayy✩”

When Kaguya-senpai easily changed her attitude suddenly, Kanon-senpai grinned brightly in a happy way.

“Akane-senpai, thank you for your hard work.” Hikaru-senpai thanked Akane-senpai with a sincere expression.

“Fufufu, thank you. …So because of that reason, here is the main topic. We want to make a request for a Quest to the Knight Academy to help us. We want to receive the favor of the elite Magica Stigma and swordsmen of the Knight Academy led by the Chief Student Council President Hayashizaki Kazuki to be added to our forces.”

In short what Headmaster Amasaki said before about opening an extraordinary general student meeting was for the purpose of preparing applications of the participants for this quest on a large-scale.

The students of the Knight Academy had also been experiencing real battle in the form of Quests until now, but the request this time was obviously in a different dimension than the usual Knight Order [assistance] until now.

They are asking for the students to participate in a [war] where even the real knights themselves had no experience.

Currently the Knight Order was in a pressing crisis to the degree that they had to issue this request.

“It might be difficult for students who are still halfway through the curriculum to take disciplined tactical action. However it’s fortunate that a Chief Student Council President that united the Magic Division and the Sword Division was born with this kind of timing. If it’s you then you should be able to collect this academy into one unified group right?”

Akane-senpai directed a challenging smile Kazuki’s way. It looked like Headmaster Amasaki had already acknowledged this request.

There was no need for any worry, right now Kaya and former Board Chairman Takasugi were enemies that need to be defeated. The ideal that they crowed around was just something fake. That ghastly fake was going to swallow the people and [encroach] this country…..

“Of course we will cooperate. I too think that we can’t stay like this.”

“That’s good, it looks like a gallant person has been selected as the Chief Student Council President.”

Akane-senpai whose expression was colored with exhaustion smiled cheerfully to Kazuki.

“However don’t make a misunderstanding, Chief Student Council President! Until the end the leader is this Charismatic Super Former Student Council President, the Koudzuki Kanon✩”

Kanon-senpai faced Kazuki and winked while making a side peace sign.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki stood in front of the mic and looked down from the stage on the students of the whole school who lined up in a row inside the auditorium.

The sight was just like the sight of a few days ago. However right now, the meaning of this meeting had changed drastically since before.

“I think, everyone has already heard what happened in western Japan yesterday. It is thought that the invasion of Yamato is still continuing, but because of the guerilla war that the illegal magicians conducted repeatedly in many areas, the Knight Order is unable to concentrate their battle strength for the sake of a counterattack. Accordingly, the Knight Order issued a request directed for the high ranked students of our Knight Academy in the form of a Quest for participation in this war.”

Even though he was in the middle of speaking, the students were making a stir.

“This is similar to a normal quest where it depends on the sole discretion of the students, by no means is this is a forced conscription to be a soldier. And it has become something that is followed with scale, difficulty and danger of a different degree compared to the usual quest. Nevertheless we are pressed by circumstance for applicants to form an independent corps on a scale that is only possible for this Knight Academy. Perhaps you are still in a panic from this sudden development and your heart is still not prepared, but the training that we piled up day after day until now is supposed to be for the purpose of standing against this kind of difficulty. Those people who are not merely panicking, but also finding a spark of heated desire inside themselves wishing to challenge this difficulty, please volunteer for this quest without fail.”

Heated applause was occurring provoked by those words. Then he passed the stage to Headmaster Amasaki.

Headmaster Amasaki explained the conditions and rewards for volunteering.

Conditions ― to prevent students who didn’t have sufficient strength and experience to become volunteer soldiers, application was limited only for students within of a certain rank and quest accomplishments.

Let alone the first year students of the Magic Division who had experience participating in Quests, even the number of students who had finally succeeded in contracting with their Diva and could not even chant level 1 magic was not few.

Rewards ― the usual Quest was purely for the sake of rank up evaluations, but if the quest this time achieved success then the Knight Order itself would record their notable effort.

In another words this was not for the sake of rank up evaluations but for the sake of their future career evaluations.

After Kazuki awakened their passion, Headmaster Amasaki’s explanation awakened the calm prudence in the auditorium.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“The list of the volunteers is complete.”

Saying so, Yumeno-san handed over the print-out. The data consolidation was performed by the newspaper committee members. Seeing their dedication even in something that was not included in their original work, Kazuki returned a word of thanks.

“Thank you, was it difficult?”

The cramped student council room had been transformed into operation headquarters. Everyone was gathering here.

“Not at all…approximately 150 people were signing up, so if everyone cooperated than it’s only to that extent.”

Kazuki looked at the data briefly. The proportion between the Magica Stigma and swordsmen were around 1:2. In the first place the number of students in the Sword Division was a lot higher, that ratio was more or less the ratio of students between the divisions.

150 people―it was a fair number to form an independent corps that could move freely.

The battle force of the Knight Order, that is the <Knight> was roughly numbered around 2400 people in total. With the number of students that graduated from the Knight Academy totalling 300 people in one year, because the active duty period of the Knight was from 18-25 years old where they would enter the peak of their magic power after 8 years, the number became like this every year.

Those 2400 people were assigned at eight jurisdiction zones that were Hokkaido – Tohoku – Kantoukoushin’etsu – Chubu – Kinki – Chugoku – Shikoku – Kyuushuu. There was difference in numbers according to the jurisdiction zone, but there were around 300 personnel in one jurisdiction zone. This was the <Division>.

Below that jurisdiction zone division, a <regiment> was placed in each prefecture. This regiment was mostly in the scale of below 100 people. And below that regiment existed the smallest unit of <platoon> where it consisted of several people each.

…A military force of 2400 people strong on the whole, if it was compared with the military in the era where there was no magic it was a really small scale force. To start with the reason of this was first because humans who could use Summoning Magic were limited, and also because only a select few of elite swordsmen were chosen. The quality was far more important than a mere number.

And then the second reason that was raised was because there was no other branch of the army except the two categories of Magica Stigma and swordsman. The modern weapons that need colossal resources to be transported and consumed while fighting didn’t exist anymore. The supplies needed at most were only food and water to suffice. Even those supplies, if the grass was changed to become edible or dirty water was changed into drinkable water using alchemy to procure supplies locally, there were many ways to compensate.

Everything was fine as long as the combat force itself arrived, personnel needed for weapons repair and supply was obsolete.

…Such things, even Kazuki had learned that much in class.

Manufacturing weapons for the people’s general mobilization and conscripting a great number of civilians as soldiers, and yet most of those personnel were driven into maintenance control of weapons rather actual fighting, brandishing those fossilized weapons and conducting <all-out war> like the time of World Wars. If the current era was compared to the past, this compactness felt like they returned to the ancient times of their ancestors. No, in fact, they really had returned to the time of their ancestors.

Deciding the outcome of battle not by weapon but by heroes―like the wars in the era of mythology.

“Is Yumeno-san volunteering too?” Inside the list, Kazuki found the girl’s name too.

“Yes…it’s a little scary but, I’m worried.”

“What you mean by worried is, by any chance…”

“My parents' home is in Kyoto." From Kazuki’s side, Kohaku too leaked out an empathic voice to Yumeno-san.

“…This one too is from Kyuushuu. It’s too far and the situation there is the hardest to grasp. As expected it makes one feel a little worried.”

Regardless of how dangerous this quest was, a lot of the students’ reason to gather and volunteer was also because of this. The Knight Academy gathered students from the whole country after all―what would happen to western Japan, many of the students’ hearts were crushed with feelings of anxiety.

“Yosh, the volunteers have been gathered with this.”

Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai came along to the student council room.

Behind them several females wearing the Knight Order uniform were also following along in succession.

One person among them was, “Never thought I’d be coming back to the Knight Academy in this shape” and laughed ironically.

“From among the people that escaped together with us, the third years that were in the middle of training also want to come together. Because everyone said that they want to come back to the Knight Academy after so long. Though let’s omit the introductions.”

“Ee―, that’s really mean Akanee―! Even though I also want to become acquainted with Chief President-san!”

After one person raised their voice, the other third years started to make a ruckus ‘kya kya’.

“Awe―some! There really is a male wearing the uniform of the Magic Division!” “He really looks better than those swordsmen of the Knight Order!” “So unfair Otonashi Kaguya! It should be more effective if you are the one that is in the field so switch with me!”

Kazuki faltered from the impolite gazes of the girls. Seeing that they immediately “He's shyy―!” and such voices were raised. They were two years older than him so they felt like an older lady to him for the most part and it made him feel timid.

“Fufufu, a timid Kazuki is so cute. It makes me want to hug him and break his neck…”

Mixed with the high pitched voices of the third year girls…he could hear a voice that said strange words in a deep voice.

“Eh?” Thinking it was strange he directed his gaze at the direction of the voice. There at the end of the line of the third years who were wearing white knight order uniforms, three women wearing black Einherjar uniforms were secretly coming along. The third years just now noticing them were “Eh, no way, what is this person saying…” and got startled.

“Who, who are you…” Kanon-senpai asked timidly with eyes as if she was seeing a degenerate.

“Fufufu, I am…Beatrix-chan!”

“…Hey, why is the captain recently so crazy about adding ‘chan’ to her own name?”

“She learned that in Japan a cute girl had ‘chan’ added after their name…it seems she is planning to appeal as a cute girl like this.”

Behind Beatrix, Damian and Eleonora were exchanging conversation in secret.

“Cute girl? Couldn’t the captain be mistaken for a wild gorilla…”

“FUNN!” Beatrix visited a lariat on Damian, that small statured body was blown away to the end of the hall. …Kazuki was not looking at that pleasant exchange.

“Beatrix, why are you here…”

“I heard that you are forming a unit to attack the revolting western Japan see. Because of that, we who have no ties of obligation the most and can move freely are the one that get dispatched the most. And also…Loki is in western Japan right? He is also most likely there.

“We are not hearing about any of this though?” Akane-senpai questioned Beatrix in detail with a sullen expression.

“We're going on ahead and coming here where the movement speed will be faster, rather than waiting for those slow procedures of the Knight Order to get finished. Fufufu, though there is also my wanting to see Kazuki’s shocked face that made me hurry here.”

“Don’t take every single one of your actions with the purpose of making me shocked. It really did surprise me you know.”

In front of Kazuki’s eye, a magic vision that could only be seen by Kazuki floated.

Beatrix―72 Damian―27 Eleonora―22

…Positivity level. It was temporary, but it was a display of proof that they were becoming comrades that were going to fight together with the King of Solomon. There was also a case like this where Kaya’s positivity level appeared temporarily in his vision.

…However 72. This was already a positivity level where he could use her magic up to level 2.

“I think they can be trusted, Akane-senpai. Loki, who is included in Yamato’s forces is also a sworn enemy for them after all. I have no doubt that they will become an important war potential.”

“Is that so? Well, if you say so.”

“Fuu―nn…well, isn’t it fine if they are strong? So then what are we going to do after this? Akane?”

Kanon-senpai looked back at Yagumo-senpai and tilted her head.

“We will organize these 150 volunteers as a <Knight Academy regiment>. First we are going to form platoons with the high ranked students as the platoon captain.”

Pushing out her face from Yumeno-san’s side, Akane-senpai peered into Yumeno-san’s PC screen.

“Let’s make 15 platoons of ten people. Otonashi Kaguya, Hoshikaze Hikaru, Hayashizaki Kanae, and Hikita Kohaku, these four people will establish four or five platoons each as company commanders. Above these four people, Hayashizaki Kazuki will stand as the regimental commander.”

“I see, and then even higher than him is me right✩”

An orderly organization chart rose to the fore in Kazuki’s head. With organization then the order of communication would also become smoother.

“The Einherjar too, they will follow Hayashizaki Kazuki as one platoon.”

“Kazuki’s subordinate? Just as I wished!” Beatrix gave a broad smile happily.

“Kaguya, Kanae-san, choose highly ranked and powerful students that have leadership quality from inside this list as platoon captains and form the platoons. As soon as the formation is complete, we are going to head to Shizuoka garrison. Because we left behind the 200 strong soldiers that escaped together with us there.”

What she meant by garrison was the location where the soldiers were stationed. The word ‘base’ fitted Kazuki’s image more, but the word ‘base’ indicated a place that was equipped with particular modern facilities of the navy, the air force and the like. In regards to that, the force that the army was using didn’t need any special facility and had a mobile position, that was why it was called a garrison. In the era where the magicians became the main force of war, a fixed base was mostly unneeded and garrisons basically became the main position of the army.

“200 people…is it?”

From the military force of 1200 people in western Japan, only a sixth of that force was able to escape to eastern Japan.

Looking at Kazuki whose thoughts came out in his expression, Akane-senpai looked down as if feeling responsibility in this.

“With Chubu jurisdiction captured at the foremost, the archipelago was divided into parts completely. Because of that, the knights that were fighting even further west than Chubu jurisdiction were unable to escape to eastern Japan. If only we could hold out more, we would be able to make a path of retreat, however…”

“However it’s not like the remaining 1000 people were all captured as prisoners of war. Even if they couldn’t escape to eastern Japan, they went into hiding in towns and became resistance groups that still continue to fight even now. There should be many knights that are like that there! The ones who are commencing guerilla war is not only the enemy!!”

Kanon-senpai talked with a bright voice to raise hope. Hearing that Akane-senpai raised her face.

“Most likely there are still some sporadic fighting continuing even now in western Japan, the enemy too cannot concentrate their battle strength. If not for that then Shizuoka would likely have fallen already.”

The illegal magicians that were being guerilla fighters in eastern Japan, the resistance activities of the scattered knights in western Japan. The shape of the war had becomee whesuch that the two sides mutually obstructed the opponent from concentrating their battle strength with some difficulty.

“The remnant soldiers and the Knight Academy regiment...so to speak, the <Kanon independent brigade> 350 strong in total, this is how much battle strength we can gather from eastern Japan…that total amount will become the battle strength for our counterattack, we…”

After talking until that far with commanding voice, Akane-senpai’s head nodded off. The senpai who was peering at the PC screen from the side just like that collapsed down on top of Yumeno-san powerlessly.

“Akane! Are you okay!?” Kanon-senpai supported that body in panic.

“…Sorry, I’m okay. I only feel a little lightheaded…”

“Everyone is working nonstop without eating and drinking, but because you burdened yourself as if it’s only your fault…. Sorry, Knight Academy’s people, in any event we are going to depart after taking just a little rest in the academy. Really just for a little.”

Kazuki suddenly looked at the clock. Just at the right moment, it was already time for a lunch break.

“Then…Kanon-senpai! I’m going to make some meals that will make you energetic!”

Kanon-senpai stared in wonder. “That…isn't the job of the Chief Student Council President right?”

Part 2

Without any sound or vibration, a frame with a streamlined shape that emitted blue light left behind the scenery outside the window.

Using the new metal born from alchemy, <Mythril>, abundantly, the <Magic Light Train> ran by receiving the assistance of Psychokinesis. Because of how rare mythril was even now, this train was never operated except when it was operated privately during trials by the staff.

But the rare mythril was prioritized to be circulated for the Knight Order, so a [magic light train for military use] covered the whole country from Hokkaido to Kyushu. War roads for military use were spread out running parallel with the civilian Shinkansen . It could transport the knights to major cities throughout the whole country with a capacity easily surpassing 1000 people.

There was also criticism on the military’s monopoly of mythril, but an efficient transportation method was essential for the Knight Order that was few in number to deal with all the incidents throughout the country of Japan.

The total of 150 Knight Academy students led by Kanon-senpai also settled themselves comfortably and headed to Shizuoka garrison. There was no noise, no need to decelerate the speed in curves, using the special characteristic of magic light trains to always run at it top speed, even the distance between Tokyo to Shizuoka wouldn’t take more than one hour.

“We will arrive at Shizuoka soon after this. Let’s have a soak at Atsumi’s hot springs―✩”

Kanon-senpai raised a cheer, they had arrived at Shizuoka before they even realized it.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The Knight Order’s garrison at Shizuoka was a building that was once called Shizuoka prefectural police headquarters that had been expanded and remodeled. Once they disembarked from the military train, the building was located within immediate walking distance from the station.

After passing through a bombastic entrance made from stone, they were greeted with splendid buildings that were equipped with transmission towers and the like lining up, but in contrast with that splendour, they couldn’t feel any human presences in the area.

“Right now this place has been completely deserted. The main force of Shizuoka regiment had moved to the western prefectural border…In other words, the area close to the military demarcation line with Yamato. There they had already set up a temporary front line garrison and transferred there. It’s for the sake of defense. It’s just that we have to follow a track to reach there, so we are going to travel by bus from here.”

Akane-senpai explained briskly while leading Kazuki and the others to the destination. Cars and buses for military use were lined up in a huge parking lot. If it was in the old era then this place would be used to deploy tanks or armored vehicles without a doubt, but against magicians, the shells of tanks and armor of armored cars were nothing more than a pointless waste of expenses.

Vehicles were not a method of battle but merely a means of transportation for knights.

Because of that reason these military use cars and buses that were lining up here had almost no difference with the passenger vehicle of civilians.

“Cars are well used to assist us in dealing with incidents within the prefecture, but it’s the first time for me to use the bus.”

Akane-senpai whispered. It means that a big incident that is needed to collect and transport a lot of knights had never happened until now.

There was a driver that had been already on standby at the driver seat. The driver was not a specialist in magic battles but seemed to belong to the rear support unit. He was a little older compared to the usual knight. Magic power declined at the peak of 20 years old. The knight who had reached a certain age and even more didn’t manage to get promoted to management class would be reassigned to the rear support unit like this.

Kazuki and the others were pushed inside the rustic military bus that was painted in olive drab color traditional since the time of the Self Defense Force until they were packed tightly. They couldn’t possibly wish for a comfortable ride like the train that they had just ridden before this. This uncomfortable ride really made them feel the [sense of the actual scene] of the Knight Order’s work. The number of words the students spoke started to lessen naturally.

Divided separately into four buses, Kazuki and the others headed to the military boundary line.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Oh my, Kazuki. How pleasant it is to be able ride with you. I can’t help but feel a destined throbbing in my chest.”

Inside the bus that was packed tight like a crowded train, Miyabi-senpai was there at a distance where their bodies could easily touch each other.

“…Looks like the men of the Sword Division were provided with an exclusive bus for men and got crammed there, but you could ride in this bus couldn’t you? Fufuu, so this is the benefit of being a swordsman of the Magic Division.”

“There was a different bus for that? They were saying that it’s okay to just ride this bus and I was pushed inside from the back.”

“There are only girls that will welcome to get jam packed together with you here you know?”

“…That’s not true. I don’t welcome you here.”

A quiet voice came from beside Miyabi-senpai. It was Shinobu-senpai.

“So Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai also volunteered.”

“For the moment, we believe that we are quite powerful even among the upperclassman. It’s not like there is some laudable feeling inside me that wants to fight for the world and for the people. Fufufu.”

After chuckling refreshingly, she added one more thing. “Moreover, our hometown is also under occupation.”

So Miyabi-senpai was also from west Japan.

Miyabi-senpai had a past where she was persecuted by her surroundings because she became an elf. Miyabi-senpai and others who were in the generation of [the first elves] should have been oppressed even more severely than Koyuki.

Such a senpai talking about her feelings of her hometown…was surely the proof that she had overcome her past and let bygones be bygones. Even though her words of [for the world and for the people] were mixed with a joking tone, he could also feel the nobility in it.

“It’s fine even if that kind of place got totally destroyed.”

But Shinobu-senpai murmured such words vacantly.

“Don’t say such things like it’s okay for something to get completely destroyed Shinobu. With the passing of time, the feeling of ourselves and our surroundings will also change and we might be able to think that maybe we could just let it go, isn’t that so? If something got destroyed then that’s the end of it you know?”

In fact, the discrimination against elves was thinning as the years went by. It was because of the conjecture from telepathy scan that the elf’s mind structure was no different at all from normal humans, and also elves that became knight cadets capitalizing in their excellent traits in magic power or becoming famous as young alchemists had begun to appear here and there.

The product of human experiments―such a truth still hadn’t been made public to society yet, but a part of the politicians that knew the truth influenced the mass media, and indirectly began to form the public opinion to protect the human rights of these elves. From now on their situation would surely gradually become better in time.

Although she was not the person concerned herself, Shinobu-senpai also had a past that deserved her resentment. It seemed that resentment didn’t simply fade however….

“…There is nothing that's changed. Whether it's the surrounding bunch, or my own feelings…”

Shinobu-senpai rejected all change. Even the fact that Miyabi-senpai transformed into an elf had not been recognized by her. Inside Shinobu-senpai’s eyes, it seemed she was seeing Miyabi-senpai with black hair.

Denying reality―even in the case where the truth was really obvious, if accepting that truth caused a great uneasiness then that person would reject accepting that truth, it was that kind of mental state.

“You said that nothing changed. Don’t you feel a locked up feeling that choked your breath from that unchanged situation?”

“!” Against Kazuki’s question, Shinobu-senpai’s expression tightened rigidly with hollowness somewhere in it, then she glared at Kazuki. From the side, Miyabi-senpai embraced Shinobu-senpai’s face in her arms.

“…Kazuki, thank you. This child even now should be feeling it still. Also for a person to think of us and talk this much, in these ten odd years you are the first…”

“…Nee-sama, please don’t say such irresponsible things! This kind of guy is nothing!!”

Shinobu-senpai separated herself from Miyabi-senpai’s hand and tried to take distance from Kazuki. However she crashed against other students inside the cramped bus making “Wait” troubled voice coming at her.

“…If it wasn't for Nee-sama participating then I had no intention of volunteering for this kind of Quest either. To get stuffed inside like this.

“Please be patient.” Miyabi-senpai attempted to soothe Shinobu-senpai and embraced her head once more.

From there she moved her gaze outside the window.

“I’m looking forward to this. To fight as a knight, as a hero, like that.”

The early afternoon sunlight coming from outside was reflected at Miyabi-senpai’s moist red eyes in a glisten.

“…If I make a notable service in this Quest, then this me who is an elf, will be thanked by everyone…such a thing might also happen, don’t you think so?”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki also looked outside the window. West Shizuoka―according to the signboard that they just passed they were approaching the area around Hamamatsu city. However the grave-like silence that was really unnatural didn’t show any sign of people.

Akane-senpai, who was standing beside the driver seat opened her mouth.

“The residents in the vicinity of the military boundary line have already been evacuated. This area has been emptied. Because we won’t know what kind of damage will happen if the other side invaded and it turned into a defensive battle.”

These urban areas might transform into a battlefield, it made Kazuki ponder once more. How much damage would come out in the coming battle? Even the public houses and the like might get toppled like dominos from offensive magic.

If Yamato really came invading, they would surely march to the garrison aiming for the Knight Order there. Exterminating the knights – making them retreat with their defensive ability lost, all for the sake of completing the occupation.

Where should the knights meet the enemy? Should they have unfolded the border war at the military boundary line, or should they hole up in the garrison and bring the battle into a siege battle, or else to reduce the damage to the surroundings should they lure the enemy skillfully outside the urban areas?

In this magic war where everything was still an unknown, tactics that could be called [established tactics] didn’t exist.

Suddenly the bus stepped on the emergency brake, the jam packed students staggered and pitched forward as if to fall.

When he peeked at the front glass far at the front wondering if something happened, four or five men and women carrying large baggage on their shoulders were walking this way from the opposite side of the road that was supposed to be empty from people.

Kanon-senpai disembarked from the bus and walked approaching those people and said a few words.

After senpai nodded with ‘uh-huh” listening to the people she returned. Then she explained the circumstances to the students.

“…Looks like people that got delayed in evacuating. Surely they have a lingering attachment to their city and homes and didn’t leave until the last minute. Even if they rebuild their homes again, the memories can't be recovered after all…”

Thanks to alchemy, construction costs for houses, buildings, roads and the like could be cut far cheaper than in the previous era. Actually, with Kazuki’s fight against Loki and the final match of the battle election, the fountain plaza had been destroyed twice, however he had witnessed how it was immediately repaired to be just like it was before being destroyed.

However, people who couldn’t feel good even though the broken things were restored as it was brand new existed in great numbers in society.

After seeing off those men and women passing through beside the bus, they departed once more.

―After that, for a while similar occurrences happened a few more times. When they had advanced just for a little, they would immediately encounter some people that were in the middle of evacuation. Just like the first encounter Kanon-senpai would get down from the bus and listen to their story one by one, but gradually the bus kept advancing forward without stopping even when they encountered more people without confirming each and every one of the refugees.

“…There are quite a lot aren’t there, these people that are late in evacuating.”

While pressing close to Kazuki more than she needed to inside the bus that was packed in like a can of sardines, Miyabi-senpai whispered in his ear. Certainly there was a lot. Even though the people who were evacuating didn’t necessarily need to use this road, they kept running into almost dozens of people here and there already.

“…Kazuki-oniisan!” Suddenly he heard a panicked voice, Lotte pushed her way through the jam packed bus and ran to Kazuki’s way. “What is it?” Kazuki embraced the girl.

“…It was the people who were evacuating just before, but it was from inside the bus so I can't really perceive it clearly and I don’t have much confidence in it desu but…”

Lotte prefaced her talk that she didn’t really have any confidence in what she was going to say, but as if she had conviction in the feelings that she harbored, anxiety and trepidation came to the surface in her expression.

“Those people from before…harbored hostility toward this bus desu.”

―Lotte was a prodigy in telepathy. Even without exchanging words, the girl could perceive the emotion of the people around her. …Hostility, she said? The refugees? Was it from how they had to evacuate so they harbored dissatisfaction toward the Knight Order? That was stupid.

…Then were they enemies? Were they secretly passing through the border and coming to this side for the sake of taking guerilla action inside eastern Japan? No, for dozens of sleeper agents to pass through the same route should be inconceivable.

Their aim was…to take the rear of the bus.

“Kanon-senpai! The refugees just now…!” Kazuki who became aware tried to call out in a loud voice but,

―Even earlier than him, Akane-senpai yelled some words in high emergency.

“Kanon! Magic power reaction from the front!! …Offensive magic is coming!!”

Kazuki whose attention was taken by his talk with Lotte noticed it too late. Magic power sprang forth from further ahead in the road, it swelled out as if rupturing―magic was invoked!

Several fire balls and rocks came flying from the road ahead. One moment, the front window of the bus looked like a screen of a shooting game. However they couldn’t evade like in a game. The fireball impacted the front side of the bus, the bursting heat and shockwave fused the glass and armor. Right there many rocks were launched one after another, easily penetrating inside.

“The driver’s protection-!!” Kanon-senpai yelled.

A fire ball struck the inside of the bus with explosive force, the bus was blown up and pulverized.

Inside the exploded remains of the smashed apart bus, countless blue lights of the students were shining. Just from having their vehicles blown up and getting thrown outside wouldn’t cause any damage to magicians who were protected by defensive magic power.

But, they fell into chaos―the students who were thrown onto the street couldn’t grasp the situation at all. They looked around restlessly in confusion while being enveloped in blue light inside the flame and smoke. And then from behind, of all things that could happen the following buses sent the students flying. Those buses were also bombarded with offensive magic from the front and went through the same fate as the first.

“Form the Heaven and Earth Formation!” Akane-senpai yelled with a desperate voice.

However the movements of the panicked students were sluggish.

Furthermore angry roars and footsteps of a charge that was as if an earthquake was happening came from further ahead.

What came was several dozens of <swordmen>. Young people with common clothing like shirts and parkas were charging this way holding Japanese katana in hand―Yamato’s army!

“Sword Division unit! Follow me!!” Kanae immediately reacted, she charged the enemy while yelling. “It’s okay not to think of anything, anyway just come with me!!”

Hearing that voice, the students of the Sword Division finally recovered from their confusion. A simple principle―remembering that it was fine to just follow the Sword Division’s strongest student council president blindly, they chased after her back.

Swordsmen and swordsmen clashed against each other. The sound of blades clashing informed the start of the engagement.

Yamato’s swordsmen were merely ordinary people with slightly stronger magic power that got incited by the politicians. When compared with the students of the Sword Division, they could even be said to be a disorderly mob.

However the enemy’s rear guard―Yamato’s Magica Stigma launched offensive magic one after another, the Sword Division students were blown away without even any time to bring the fight into a match of swords.

The Magica Stigma of Yamato chanted their Summoning Magic while being possessed by their Divas.

The chanting time of this <Possession SummoningDrive> was short.

The students of the Magic Division had to support the swordsmen of the Sword Division.

Akane-senpai yelled her commands to the Magic Division students who were still in a state of chaos.

“The students of the Magic Division come forward, chant defensive magic and low level magic to restrain the enemy!”

They had to come forward for the sake of confirming the enemy's figure by sight so they could invoke the Summoning Magic. If they didn’t settle the enemy into their <magic perception range> then the Summoning Magic couldn’t be chanted.

Summoning Magic that was borrowing the power of Divas need the [recognition] of the Diva by showing [ what their strength would be used for] by transmitting that intent in the shape of a spell. Only by earning that [recognition] could the Summoning Magic be invoked. For that sake, first the Magica Stigma needed to perceive the enemy’s existence clearly, and then they had to transmit the will to defeat that enemy to the Diva.

They had to catch the figure of the enemy. The students of the Magic Division advanced through the road that was still smoldering with smoke attempting to ascertain the enemy while being protected by the frontline swordsmen.

And then they were [sighting] the illegal magicians of Yamato. Their bodies were dressed uniformly with Japanese style Magic Dresses and they were accompanied with what seemed to be the avatars of Japanese Mythology’s Divas at their side.

The students of the Magic Division were also starting their chanting all at once.

“Burnt to ashes of all you touch…O scorching heat of rejection without any place to depend on! Self Burning!”

“First we start from hardening our defense right? …Mirror O mirror, lop off the gaze of the unsightly people and their craving hand! Mirror Shield of Moon CircleMoon Ring – Mirror Field!!”

“Hmph. …Thy wing bestowed by Belphegor, O <ice pillar of flame>! Cover and hide us, become the contradicting wall of irrationality! Cross Conflict!!”

Kazuki, also Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai attached defensive magic on the swordsmen.

“Dancing wing's scattered sparks. Lingering wind of spiral, become a life gouging bullet! Flap and shoot! Barrett!!”

“O nihility of ancient times, become a freezing deep sigh that resides in the vacuum of this chest. To the flowing absolute silence, freeze and be silent…Glacier Wind!!”

“O gryphon crossing over the ocean, cause the wind of the north pole with wings that well up the overturning rough wave…Northern Wave!”

Mio and Koyuki, also a great number of students invoked their attack magic with great urgency.

Defense and offense of magic had started. The enemies’ offensive magic were blocked by this side’s defensive magic, this side’s offensive magic blew away the enemies’ swordsman sporadically. Caught by the raging waves of magic, the swordsmen were tossed about.

…This was inefficient. Kazuki noticed. Conflicting elemental magic like ice and flame were launched at the same time without any prior thought and interfered with each other, weakening its power.

It might be good to divide the platoons of Magica Stigma in accordance with each element of magic that they used.

“Third years are to prepare high level magic! We are going to catch the whole herd in one throw!!”

Akane-senpai took command of the battle, the third years were being protected at the very back and began their chanting.

Looking at that situation, Kazuki was “This is bad” and remembered.

“Akane-senpai! The rear is dangerous, the refugees from before might not actually be refugees!!”

“…What did you say!?” Akane-senpai directed an uncomprehending expression at him.

When Kazuki yelled, it was the same time with the sounds of angry yells and charging footsteps from behind.

When he turned around―from the back too, swordsmen of Yamato in casual clothing holding Japanese katana were approaching with the momentum of surging waves. It was the people that they saw off from inside the bus passing through them. They pretended to be refugees and hid Japanese katana inside their baggage, and then after choosing the best timing they turned back―for the sake of taking the back of the Heaven and Earth Formation.

…The third years who were completely defenseless in the middle of chanting were aimed. Akane-senpai went pale.

“Sword Division students, go back to the rear too! From the back as well, enemies are…!!”

But the swordsmen were also in the middle of fighting the enemies right in front of their eyes while being exposed to offensive magic, they couldn’t possibly do such a thing like turning their back. Besides, to only pick one portion of the best swordsmen in a hurry to be allocated as rear guard in a good balance, executing such detailed orders without any prior planning was impossible.

Whether they heard Akane-senpai’s instructions or not, not even one of the swordsmen was moving in reaction of that command.

The one who reacted in place of that was Kazuki.

“Beatrix, come with me!”

Not as a swordsman but as a magic swordsman, he would swing his sword. At the same time, [he called on a comrade he could rely on].

“Kazuki, add [chan] when you are calling my name! Fuhahahaha…I will have a good fight, welcoming a good death, and hope to participate in even more battles in the heavens! Divine protection of blood color in my eye! Berserk!!”

“It’s a melee, just bring it on zee! …We act in accordance of Hodur’s wish, entrust the exaltation of battle in our body too! The blood and fat running in my sword the wartime fire of fury!! Stories Flame!”

“I have to engage in a close quarters battle too? …O billowing stormy sea, envelop my hand and become the whip that lashed at small thing! Undulating Sea SnakeFlöte Schlange!!”

Each one of the Einherjar who had close-range combat specialization went along behind Kazuki.

“I reach my hand to the height of Babel and become the suppressor! In accordance with my life O lightning, praise the foolhardiness of the human race! Blitzkrieg!!”

“O unrivaled master, perform once more from beyond the dream! Along with the flame of transformation, liberate the locked memory inside the silver mirror right here!! Kenki Tensei!!”

Lotte too equipped her electromagnetic lance and followed after Kazuki, Kazuha-senpai summoned the phantom of swordsmen, “Kanamaki Jisai, Yoshioka Kenbou, Miyamoto Munisai, go!” she directed him toward the enemy.

“Just a mob of swordsmen, I’m going to test just how much resolve you all have in challenging us…”

Kaguya-senpai too, she plunged alone into the crowd of the swordsmen.

“…No hesitation even when thy curse also wounds me…shared pain is my great joy! Cry and scream in the mirror's reflection! Suicide Black!”

Kaguya-senpai’s figure was covered with black haze. The swordsmen of Yamato swung down their katana all at once at Kaguya-senpai―the screams from the reflected agony reverberated.

“O the god of death’s whispering voice tired of waiting for the visitor, resound widely and deeply, dye the dream with agony! Resound O evil sound of sadism! Ultra Violence!!”

Kaguya-senpai made the evil voice of Ultra Violence resound. The swordsmen of Yamato were writhing around and lost their will to fight. He didn’t know for what purpose these guys were added to Yamato's forces, but they didn’t have any of the needed determination that could make them fight with Kaguya-senpai.

The close-range combat capability of Kazuki and the others pushed back the disorderly mob of swordsmen. The worst damage of having the rear that was in the middle of chanting getting interrupted was averted, the third years breathed a sigh of relief and they got carried by a calm atmosphere.

The students had completely recovered from the mayhem and began to make a comeback in the midst of the battle.

However…was it fine like this.

The leading actor who was the first to protect the third years, Kazuki harbored an out of place feeling inside his heart.

Performing an ambush at Kanon's independent brigade, who were made up of the students of the Knight Academy when they were going to link up at Shizuoka as added reinforcements, and then the surprise attack by posing as refugees and circling to their back...That pincer tactics.

This tactic, it was impossible to be realized without the enemy inferring beforehand that today Kanon-senpai would pass through this road at exactly this time. Moreover this enemy force passed through the military boundary line that was supposed to be currently guarded by the Knight Order and easily invaded like this.

[However he thought about it, this was a surprise attack that should not have happened.]

“…Earth Lava FlowFire Stone Flood!”

Large scale enemy offensive magic―the asphalt of the road was developing extensive cracks, from there lava was bursting out. It rained down incessantly on the whole formation of students.

On top of that magic's destructive power, the traces of magic power waves in made Kazuki gasp in realization.

…He had some experience with this magic power. The [Earth Snake] that was together with Kaya, this magic power owner was that man who was contracted with Midgardsomr. Loki’s gang was also added in this enemy force.

Defensive magic reduced the force of the lava flow and the students also endured with Resist. Even when the swordsmen fell down they immediately stood back up and slashed at the enemies, the Magica Stigma maintained their concentration and continued chanting.

“Heart Disorder Heaven DanceShinran Tenbu!”

Ame no Uzume―the avatar of Japanese Mythology’s entertainment god that was clad in bright crimson garment floated in the middle of the battlefield, then she started to dance with a twirl. The Sword Division students in the frontline that witnessed it wobbled, their sanity disappeared from their eyes, and they began attacking each other.

“If it's that kind of attack then it’s exactly the chance I've been waiting for! …I become the shrine maiden of the sword. Rock cleaved, root torn, sin severed, that spirit sword of crushing evil right now in this hand! Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Kazuha-senpai brandished the sword of crushing evil, returning the sanity of the swordsmen who lost their minds one after another.

“O goddess that arrives in the future accepting the abuse of people…change that darkness into deadly poison, vomit it all around! Slander the foolishness of these people!! Poison Argument!!”

In reverse Mibu-senpai scattered bubbles of nerve poison and dulled the movements of the enemy swordsmen.

“Way to go, when you all calmed down properly, this side’s magic skill and support power is much greater compared to the enemy!”

Kanon-senpai raised her voice and inspired everyone.

“We've also finished with our chanting here! Brace yourselves right now!!”

The third years that were protected and covered by Kazuki and the others were finally finishing with their chanting of high level magic successively. Finally the power of Magic Division’s highest school grade was made apparent―,

“Come on Akane! Match your breath, we are going to make a big haul for sure-!!”

“Right, Kanon!” Both of them lined up their shoulders and nodded to one another.

Kanon-senpai altered her clothes into a Magic Dress that emitted a clear bluish-white light.

At her side, an avatar of a beautiful angel burning in blue flame was floating.

Kanon-senpai's contracted Diva was―<Belial>. She was a god of Phoenicia similar with Baal, but she was an existence that was altered into the worst fallen angel by Christianity.

“O angel covered with wounds waving the blue flag of rebellion…under the justification of [worthlessness] liberate that looked down upon silent anger! Blue Lotus that Descend from HeavenEmission Flare!!”

When Kanon-senpai commanded Belial, several streaks of blue light poured down from heaven like lightning. That light spread out through the battlefield like an overflowing flood.

There were bluish-white flames. The flame changed color because of its high heat from red to blue and from blue to white―that heat's intensity possessing [blue color] rivaled the energy possessed by the stars in space.

The blue flame representing Belial’s fury spread out in the battlefield burning down the arrogant people. With force that even Kanon-senpai herself couldn’t hold back, friend and ally, everything in the battlefield was going to be swallowed….

―Akane-senpai too finished her chanting at the same time.

Akane-senpai was clad in a Magic Dress that was similar with traditional garmentsheath dress of Egypt’s attire. At her side, with the face of an owl, the body of a wolf and snake for a tail; the figure of a devil with atypical appearance was floating.

Akane-senpai’s contracted Diva was―<Amon>. <Amon> of Egyptian Mythology likewise had its figure degraded into a devil for being a pagan god.

“To all phenomenon of heaven, riding the wind bursting out from those wings…O wind of god, wash away the foundation of the world and rule it as I see fit! Divinity Elements TideRizomata Mastery!!”

Terrific wind burst out in Akane-senpai’s surroundings. When Akane-senpai moved her hand like a conductor giving commands, that wind was controlled in accordance with her desires, it was heading to Yamato’s forces and swept over them.

Every element that existed―flame and water and lightning brought forth by magic on this battlefield was swallowed by that wind and were flowing away inside it.

The wind of the god of atmosphere Amon put all energy under its rule and became a tidal current of power.

Even the raging mad blue flame that Kanon-senpai released, just before it swallowed and dragged even allies inside it, was entwined with Akane-senpai’s divine wind. That divine wind rotated violently forming a sphere, pressing together the blue flame until it turned into something like a line of light inside the small sphere.

That light of fire was compressed even further until it was the size of a grain of light like a shining star in the night sky. ―Condensing heat above 20000°C, an ultra density flame. He already couldn’t understand how much energy it currently possessed.

―When Akane-senpai waved her hand once more, the grain of light became a line of lightleyline and danced in the middle of the enemy formation. The enemy swordsmen and magicians that were touched by that line immediately collapsed. The extraordinary heat took away all their magic power in an instant. With delicate direction Akane-senpai was running the line of light from one enemy to the next driving them to just before an instant death.

Kanon-senpai produced an energy so enormous that even she couldn’t control, while Akane-senpai amplified, controlled it precisely and distributed it to the enemies―it was a combination that really demonstrated both of their personalities just as it was. With a silence as if a sparkler was losing its light, the blue dot of energy burned away all its flame. On the battlefield, dozens of enemies were lying down in unconsciousness.

Quality was far more important than quantity in magic…this was a sight that really impressed that truth once more into him. Just two Magica Stigma had consigned dozens of enemies into oblivion in one attack.

It was a destructive enough power that brought about a complete change in the battle situation. …As expected from third years. For the first time Kazuki really felt aware of that fact. And then the third years were not only these two.

The ten other third years that Kanon-senpai brought along also finished the chanting of their high level magic all at once right at this time. The battle was over with this―everyone was able to be convinced of that.

The third year seniors directed their Targeting at the enemy formation and ended their chanting―at that moment, an unlikely voice could be heard.

“Target change!”

It was a voice he had heard somewhere. The inside of Kazuki’s head became pure white, his memory flipped over to the past. Where he had heard this voice was…when he was going on a date with Hikaru-senpai. That time when he was attacked by the students of the Magic Division that were brainwashed. The voice of Hayashi Shizuka.

This voice was when Hayashi Shizuka [gave out the command to the humans she had brainwashed].

Why was this voice, right here at this time and place….

When he turned his eyes to the direction of the voice, inside the crowd of Yamato’s magicians―Hayashi Shizuka was there. When her eyes met Kazuki, The face of the girl that looked like a noh mask warped in a broad grin. An expression of triumph, ridiculing Kazuki.

The next instant, an abnormality occurred in the magic power waves of the third years that were going to activate their magic.

Assaulted by a premonition of unknown terror, Kazuki directed his sight at the faces of the third years.

The expression of the third years made a complete change into that of expressionless and soulless wax statues. Emotion fell out from their eyes, their mouths that were in the middle of chanting spells became half-opened.

Completely like the students that attacked Kazuki at the public park, a blank face.

Post-hypnotism―as if when a fixed requirement was triggered that their minds were suddenly converted into a brainwashed condition.

The third years who were forming a rank of troops horizontally facing the enemy force changed their formation even though no one was commanding it. The five people in the right wing faced Kazuki in a twirl, the five people in the left wing faced Kanon-senpai’s way in a twirl. And then the target of the magic that was on the verge of invocation―were overwritten to target Kazuki and Kanon-senpai.

A movement that was twisted forcibly by a third party’s will. Kazuki couldn’t Foresight such movement. With a delay that was really unlike Kazuki, he understood the situation. The third years' offensive magic was on the scale of level 7-8, five of them at once were taking aim at him. Both evasion and defense wouldn’t make it in time.

“Wh, why…!?” Kanon-senpai too was just the same as him.

The girls were brainwashed without anyone noticing it. When…?

“O rage of the bottom of the earth…release the prohibition right here, reduce to ashes the arrogance on the earth with the ardour of ancient times…Lava Flow EruptionVolcanic Geyser.”

“Time is circling, drawing a circle, the history is repeated inevitably, awaken the once forgotten era…leave behind everything inside the dream, to the era of glaciers…Absolute Ice WorldIce Age.”

“O unyelling sage Dantalion’s infinite power of words…change the wisdom of eternity into blade, gouge out deeply the depth of the heart, burn and crumble the reason with that interdiction…Last WordLast Word.”

“Lethargy is changed into degeneration before long, tears are finally changed into blood, reverberating screams will surely change into ascending souls in the end…O Laruvaseed of malicelurking in the back of the world, wolf down the living souls…Festival of NightmareCurse Stream.”

“O beast where heaven’s most important seven stars are residing in that body, descend down to this land while shaking down the earth, gulp down the stagnating people with that large jaw…Saturn’s Great CrocodileChronos Crocodile.”

Enormous lava was, sublime freezing air was, thought waves that would destroy the mind were, vengeful ghosts that would eat his soul were and a fierce beast of the underworld were all approaching Kazuki at once.

A clear premonition of death froze his brain. Resist…no, to use general magic for things like reducing the might of five different kinds of magic at the same time was impossible with the skills that he had. They got him!

“…DANGER!” At that time, there was only one person who could react against Kazuki’s predicament.

A surprise attack that couldn’t be reacted with Foresight. What could react against such attacks was only the strengthening of reflexes nerves. [Berserk]―The magician that was able to do that, there was only one person in this place.

In front of Kazuki’s eyes―a large powerful back of a female was forcing her way through in front of him.

“BEATRIX!!” Kazuki spontaneously yelled to that back.

“I told you, add ‘chan’ on…GUU!!” All the magic hit the girl right from the front. From the body of the girl, defensive magic power was shining with light as if all the magic power that she had was exploding.

You can really joke about adding ‘chan’ in this kind of situation!!?

Not ae to sustain her Access, Beatrix’s appearance transformed back to her black Einherjar uniform. She collapsed into Kazuki’s chest.

…The damage didn’t penetrate to her flesh. Kazuki confirmed that fact in a panic.

“Beatrix, why are you, for me…”

“Why, you ask…. That’s because love is an irrational thing, right…”

While saying words that sounded like a joke, Beatrix slumped inside Kazuki’s arm and fainted after losing her strength. Magic intoxication―even though there was no damage to her body, her mind was burdened radically. Could she wake up if it kept like this, how long it would take until she opened her eyes again, he didn’t know at all.

“Che, I missed the chance to kill him.” From afar, the sound of Hayashi Shizuka clicking her tongue rang out. “Give him the finishing blow!”

The third years that had blank faces directed their aim at the two people who became defenseless with magic intoxication and wounds.

“Everyone…are you all sane!?” Akane-senpai rebuked her comrades’ action.

“Captain…shitt! What are we going to do!?”

“We are Ægir’s, grant me the terror of the unknown depth of the ocean! The stormy seas that toy with the small people, to me…Himinglæva!”

Eleonora produced a wall of ocean to defend Beatrix and Kanon-senpai. These two people right now would get a fatal wound even if they only got hit with just one attack.

“Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Kazuha-senpai who sensed the situation dashed near from the back and slashed at the third years.

The sanity of the third years returned with one slash of evil crushing. “Eh…huh, I, what am I…?” Being surprised and stunned, in an unbelievable situation―they looked down at their leader who was laying on the ground.

Disturbance ran through all the knight regiment members. The swordsmen who had been holding out for a long time to become the shield of the Magica Stigma directed eyes of despair toward the scene where their leader got defeated by friendly fire inside their own formation.

“Keep it up and crush them! Go!!” He could hear Hayashi Shizuka raising a piercing cry.

“Otouto-kun, get a hold of yourself! Akane-senpai too!”

Kaguya-senpai scolded Kazuki who was still dumbfounded. Akane-senpai who was still holding up Kanon-senpai with her head hanging down also lifted her face. They went on resuming the battle.

“I’m sorry, Eleonora-san.”

Giving his gratitude to Eleonora who was protecting them, Kazuki laid Beatrix down.

“…Land Escape!”

In front of Kazuki’s eyes, the ground split all of a sudden. From that crack the illegal magician―[Earth Snake]’s figure was leaping out. His hand was holding a sword made of rock in reverse grip. “…Di, die!” With inarticulate speaking tone, he aimed at Beatrix who was in a state of magic intoxication.

He passed through Eleonora’s wall of sea by digging underground like a mole.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” Kazuki roared in order to clear away his shock and drew his katana.

The rock sword Earth Snake used in his surprise attack was repelled with his Iai draw.

The instant their blades touched, Kazuki redirected the opponent’s power using <Instant Positioning>, breaking Earth Snake's posture.

“…O Divine Protection of military men, double the Megin whirling in my body! The will of god spurring me to infinite battle, in this body! …Megingjord!”

What Kazuki immediately chanted was Beatrix’s magic.

Doubling the physical strength of his whole body, his second returning slash swung downward with twice the destructive power on Earth Snake.

“GUGAA!” Raising a scream Earth Snake rolled on the ground. “Guge…Land…” Realizing his failure in the assassination, he tried to escape using magic for going underground. “Esca…”

“…O divine protection of mermaid, stop the steps of the hateful enemy, please hasten the steps of the chosen person…. O ice blade, run! Moves in the Field!”

Koyuki’s cool and clear voice reverberated, then the ground froze. The Earth Snake who was leaping to the ground face first crashed severely on the surface that had been frozen over with ice. Koyuki plundered his right of rule of the ground.

Koyuki launched a flying kick with feet clad in boots of ice blade toward Earth Snake rolling on the ground. Keeping her pace she stepped on him with complex footwork and minced him. Having an ice dance performed on top of his own body, Earth Snake opened his eyes wide in fear and fainted. “…Kazuki, are you okay?”

“Thank you, I’m fine already. …I can fight. We have to defeat that girl. If we don’t defeat Hayashi Shizuka from the very beginning then anybody else…I have a hunch that it would become very grave later on.”

Inside Kazuki’s head, that premonition completely filled him. There were emotions inside him that were really close with hatred and repugnance. However surpassing such individualistic emotions, a terrifying premonition welled up inside him.

“Retreat! Retreaat―!”

However contrary to Kazuki’s thought, that kind of voice was starting to appear from inside the enemy forces.

The enemy army simultaneously began to move in withdrawal. While receiving covering fire from the illegal magicians the enemy swordsmen turned their backs, like a retreating wave they were drawing back from this place.

In no time at all the figures of the enemies were no longer visible.

Why are those guys retreating―he soon understood why they were doing so.

From the other side of the road he could hear the sounds of engines, knights who were riding on military vehicles were rushing here one after another. The Knight Orders at the military boundary line’s garrison noticed the disturbance and finally came here. The enemy army noticed the reinforcements one beat faster and before they became the ones who met with a pincer attack this time, they retreated in a hurry.

However the sensation of having finally repelled the enemy couldn’t be felt for even a bit inside Kazuki and the others.

Part 3

When the Knight Order that was rushing here grasped the situation that befell Kazuki and the others, they immediately made contact with the garrison and called a new military bus here. Taking a ride in that bus, Kazuki and the others headed to the garrison once more.

They gathered and transported the students who fell into magic intoxication in the battle and also the enemy soldiers who also fell into magic intoxicated and arrested on the spot.

The temporary garrison that was built for the sake of security in the military boundary line was located a very short distance from where they were attacked. By the time all the students arrived, the sun had already sunk into the horizon.

The temporary garrison was originally the hotel and public facilities that were located in the prefectural border and were confiscated to be used only for the knights to reside there. There was no special facility or the like at all here.

Though having said that, it was not like there was any surplus in the number of rooms available, so the room allocation became arranged for two people per room.

However, without even confirming who the partner he would be rooming with was, Kazuki headed to Akane-senpai’s room.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki…I have something to talk with you about.”

The moment he came out to the hall, Eleonora and Damian were waiting for Kazuki.

“Beatrix is…?” Kazuki inquired hesitantly.

“Captain is still unconscious and hasn’t opened her eyes.” Eleonora answered back with a cold voice.

“In this incident, because we were made to follow the sloppy tactics of Japan's Knight Order, serious damage had been inflicted to the Einherjar. That’s what I’m thinking.”

“…What did you say?”

“Don’t you think that this incident is enough reason to discontinue the stance of cooperation between Japan's Knight Order and Einherjar for Loki’s subjugation? We are going to wash our hands from this incident.”

“Wa, just wait a second there!? I haven’ heard anythin’ about this at alll!?”

Damian cut in from the side.

“You said you have something you want to talk about with Hayashizaki Kazuki so I thought 'what the hell this is about'…this didna make sense at all doncha’ agree!? This incident happen ‘cause Capt’n Beatrix just stuck her nose where it didna belong on her own, we haven’ even defeated Loki yet! If it had become like this then we shoulda’ take revenge for cap’n with our own hand, that’s the spirit of an admirable Einherjar right!? I said taking revenge but cap’n still haven’ died yet though!”

“Damian…this war is a losing battle. Right now Japan's Knight Order is exactly a ship made of mud . [To allow that kind of surprise attack] to happen, they have no chance in this war. We should disembark from this sinking ship even a second faster.”

Allowing that kind of surprise attack to happen…, sinking ship…, Kazuki too had the exact same feeling to what Eleonora was saying. Unconsciously, bitterness colored Kazuki’s expression. Eleonora, looking at Kazuki's expression “…So you understand the situation” having said that her expression became a little sympathetic.

“Wait wait wait! Whether or not there is any chance to win, that shoulda be thought later on after we beat up the enemy right―!” Damian spoke out an outrageous sentence. “There are enemies we’ve reason to defeat right in front of us yet we just run away, for Einherjar that is something absolutely unforgivablee―, if it’s cap’n Beatrix that’s what she woulda say ze!!”

“…Do you think you can fight with that kind of muscle brain thinking…!”

“Are you and Ægir cowards!? You won’t get to aim for Valhalla like that!”

“…Understood. If you say that much, then you and Hodur just do as you like.”

Eleonora turned on her heel and went to leave from the other side of the corridor.

“…Our bad. Even though Erii is like that but that ‘cause she really like cap’n. …Next, when you are gonna sortie out just give the call only to me.”

Damian too left behind such words before she went to leave from the other side of the hall.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“How unlucky for you huh! You might be planning to be alone with Akane just the two of you by going to Akane’s room, but I’m already awake✩”

When he entered Akane-senpai’s room, Kanon-senpai's bright voice greeted Kazuki.

This room was shared between Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai. Kanon-senpai who had fell into magic intoxication had already woken up. She directed a smiling face to Kazuki while still laying on her bed.

“…At that moment, I still had my Rizomata Mastery barely activated, so I could redirect the energy of the offensive magic going toward Kanon slightly. However, Beatrix Baumgard had gotten completely hit…”

The expression of Akane-senpai who was standing beside the bed was dark as if she was ashamed of the damage that came out.

“Well, I exposed an unsightly figure there…this is by no means a lost battle okay✩ We got some damage on our side, but we had also managed to capture several of the enemies on the other side see✩…That’s why cheer up, Akane.”

Kanon-senpai who pretended bravado with cheerful act encouraged Akane-senpai.

“So then Hayashizaki Kazuki…what do you think about what had just happened?” With a serious face, Kanon-senpai looked back at Kazuki. “Because there is something you understand so you came here right?”

Kazuki conveyed the matter regarding Hayashi Shizuka and her ability as far as he knows to the two of them.

―Her contracted Diva was Joka.

The greatest trait of that Diva was to strengthen and resurrect allies, granting such powerful Divine Protection freely.

However Yamato’s forces were not resurrected at the battle this time. …Most likely because the number of people was too many, or possibly the effect couldn’t be demonstrated except for underlings and servants that directly obeyed Hayashi Shizuka herself. It means that Hayashi Shizuka was nothing more than a guest and her nature of relationship with Yamato’s soldiers was too thin.

And then one more trait of hers was brainwashing power. She could manipulate the hearts of humans that had fallen into magic intoxication.

Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai made a face of understanding.

“…In other words, everyone aside from us…the other third years fell into magic intoxication in battle at that time when Nagoya surrendered and then they were brainwashed there. After that they linked up with us as the remnant of the defeated army…”

There was no doubt that the seed of calamity was planted in Kanon-senpai and the others at that time.

Post hypnotism―in order to make them change into a brainwashed state when they heard the voice of Hayashi Shizuka, a suggestion was implanted into the third years.

“How pathetic!” Akane-senpai raised a loud voice with her head still hanging low and she hit the wall with her fist. “Just because they are comrades we know by sight…we didn’t suspect at all those girls who were just escaping from the enemy’s occupied territory! Even though we might have noticed it if only we cautiously used Telepathy!!”

"Akane, don’t say something unreasonable. We didn’t know about this brainwashing beforehand, so suspecting them or anything is just absurd talk. We only thought of wanting to increase our battle strength even for just a little with everyone. Also, for the moment I am the leader that was decided by everyone. Don’t burden yourself with the responsibility alone.”

Even after listening to Kanon-senpai’s words, Akane-senpai was still “Kuu…!” let out a pained sound. Akane-senpai’s personality might be of those who tend to drive themselves into a corner.

However this was not a circumstance where he could give her some peace of mind.

“…What we should be anxious of is not only about the matter of the brainwashed third years.”

Kazuki said with a heavy feeling. Rather, the matter just now was already a solved problem. Thanks to Kazuha-senpai, all the third years had been released from the brainwashed state.

“An even graver problem is how the enemy sensed all of our actions and movements and then ambushed us in our own territory. Those guys passed through the military boundary line, inferred our location and then assaulted us. …They have been doing whatever they pleased far too much.”

If this kind of situation continues, saying it clearly, this war wouldn’t even be a fight for the enemy.

“…!” Akane-senpai’s face lost even more color when she raised her face. Looks like she fret over her failure in not doubting her comrades too much that she didn’t think of that at all.

“The knights in this garrison, they are doing security in order to not let the people of Yamato come and go as they pleases aren’t they?” Kazuki inquired for the moment. Kanon-senpai nodded with a bob. It was obvious.

“In other words there is a traitor here.”

“That, you mean someone was brainwashed by Joka to become a spy!?”

“No, the brainwashed state by Joka is not a perfect technique that can deceive the surrounding people that are close to you. The brainwashed human looked unnatural with how their emotions became diluted, so it’s definitely impossible to do a spy’s work or something like that over a long period of time.”

Joka’s brainwashing was not flawless. It was only manipulating a really small part of the heart in a really short period.

“Without any influence of brainwashing, there were already traitors of Kenshitou inside the Knight Order and the government of this country right from the start. And then there is Chūkadou as Kenshitou’s backer.”

“Chūkadou, you said…?”

The trouble that happened in the Knight Academy’s battle election was not something known by Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai who were nothing more than the lowest member of the Knight Order. Kazuki explained the circumstances of the incident where assassins from China came attacking Kazuki and how the former Board Chairman Takasugi tried to take over the academy to the two senpai.

“As for how we are gathering in Shizuoka…the enemy might be able to predict that even without any information just from the point of how we are going to try to recover Nagoya, which is an important transport position. But for the enemy to completely know about when we're going to finally arrive and what road we're taking…it’s just like what you said, there is a traitor that was inserted in a fairly high position in the top brass of the Knight Order isn’t there? If it had become like this then they will be perfectly waiting in ambush for this side’s offensive. From now on they will be preparing surprise attacks each time we are going out for any kind of action…like this we cannot move thoughtlessly.”

Akane-senpai hung her head down with a faint-hearted expression.

“The best aspect of superiority for the offensive side is how they could choose the location of fighting you know? Originally, the defensive side has to divide all their battle strength between the three points of Toyama・Gifu・Aichi because they don’t know where we are going to attack. However if they obtained the information of where we are going to attack ahead of time from the traitor, they can concentrate their battle strength in one place and wait for us in the targeted place. In other words it’s the same as if the number of enemies has tripled. For information to become leaked is something like that.”

It was something Kazuki hadn’t learned in class, but he nodded. It was something obvious if he thought of it carefully, but it was something that made him think ‘I see’ when it was said to him…the basis of <tactical theory>.

“With this our plan to counterattack when seeing a change is discontinued. We absolutely cannot move to counterattack. If we don’t wait patiently until we have collected the battle strength of eastern Japan as much as possible…I have to inform the regiment commander…”

Regimental commander―if this talk was forwarded to the commander of Shizuoka regiment, next it would go through to the division commander of Kanto Koushin’etsu division, and then from there it would reach the top brass of the Knight Order for sure.

…With that transmission mechanism, this information would surely also reach Yamato's spies.

In panic, Kazuki restrained Akane-senpai who was even now trying to make contact with her cell phone.

“Please wait, if senpai reported that then it will also inform the opponent of how [we had noticed the traitor], it would alert them.”

“That is true but, there is no reason we can just leave this alone right? If we don’t take defensive action…”

“No, I think it’s a mistake for us to even enter defensive action.”

Akane-senpai asked “Eh?” back to Kazuki who was talking stubbornly. Kanon-senpai too had her eyes opened wide and was staring at him. Surely that was because they never thought that a junior of theirs would be objecting this straight forwardly against them.

“We should sortie out to attack them immediately tonight. In order to not let the traitor leak out the information to the enemy, the surprise attack must be conducted with only the members of the Knight Academy.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

A silence that was doubting Kazuki’s words flowed for a while.

“…And the basis for your idea to immediately sortie out in offense?” Akane-senpai inquired in a harsh tone of voice.

“Because if it keeps like this then it would become more disadvantageous the longer the battle goes on. This whole day, I kept thinking on my own about in what way we should fight in this battle called a [magic war] but…”

“How should we fight in a magic war, is it?”

This magic war that the human race hasn’t experienced personally still doesn’t have any tried and tested tactics.

That was why the people concerned must figure it out for themselves and started thinking from scratch.

“In this magic war, the power of humans is everything. Even if all the territory of the country is occupied from the battle’s damage, even if the economy shifted completely toward one side, it still doesn’t mean defeat. Shaving off the military force is everything.”

In the wars of the previous era, the power of a country had direct relationship with their military power. For the sake of advancing the battle in a more advantageous position they performed weapons research, mass production, managing maintenanc...they had to invest in all of that. An all out war where the battle was supported by the nation’s everything. If the national power tilted in one way then the victory was decided.

But this war between Japan and Yamato was different. The military power was decided only by the quality and quantity of the swordsmen and Magica Stigma. When it was like this the victory condition became [whether the opponent’s army was annihilated or not].

Even if there was only one person standing, even if the foundation called a country was lost, if only they still had the will to fight then they could still continue to fight. Though at that stage it would become closer to guerilla warfare or terrorism rather than a war.

“Certainly it’s just like what you said…. This is not an all-out war, but an extermination war.” Akane-senpai nodded.

“However, why has that become the reason to hurry in attacking?”

“…There are Divas called Loki and Nyarlatoteph in Yamato’s camp. When the power of Joka is added there, I have this feeling that a frightening result will occur from that combination. Though it would be great if this is just a needless anxiety.”

Loki・Nyarlatoteph・Hayashi Shizuka…it was the worst trio that made him want to cover his eyes. Their extreme personalities scattered out a terrible atmosphere. He had already felt sick just from remembering each of their faces.

“Nyarlatoteph?” Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai asked back.

Nyarlatoteph’s existence was also something that hadn’t become openly known by the society at large.

Kazuki who had arrived at a different thinking from the two senpai was because in the first place he had far more information than these two.

“For the sake of finding proof of my suspicion, there is something I want to confirm from the prisoners that were caught from the battle this time. I cannot meet with the prisoners just by myself so…can I ask for senpai’s mediation to arrange an interview with the prisoners?”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

There was a wine cellar built underground in this hotel that was confiscated to be the garrison. That place which had no entrance except for one spot was the most suitable to be turned into a dungeon as long as security was performed there. The prisoners were attached with Limiters for illegal magicians and thrown inside that place.

There was binding on them but many of them were still suffering from magic intoxication.

Akane-senpai left behind Kanon-senpai who was still in convalescence in their room and led Kazuki to the dungeon.

Kazuki stopped at Lotte’s room in the middle of the way and asked her to accompany him.

“Thanks for your hard work.” Akane-senpai greeted the young man who had the shift of guarding the dungeon.

That knight who was greeted had his expression colored in shock and happiness when he saw Kazuki.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Isn’t this Hayashizaki Kazuki! …Long time no see! I heard the story already from Amasaki-sensei. Right now hasn’t something great happened to you in the academy, huh Chief Student Council President!”

After Kazuki got taken aback for an instant, he finally remembered late of the other party’s name and face.

“…Kondou-san! Thank you very much for that time. If I didn’t have the Sacred Treasure that was entrusted from Kondou-san, it would really have become very dangerous there. Because of that I was found innocent in the end.”

“Aa, for you to be cleared from all misunderstanding was also thanks to the influence of Amasaki-sensei right?”

Kondou Hajime―he was the knight that got involved at that time when Kazuki was attacked by Beatrix in the Quest that he challenged together with Lotte. After that, for the sake of Kazuki who was challenging Beatrix, he lent [Raikiri] to Kazuki without concern for himself. However, why was he here…?

“Your face is wondering why I’m here. Even though you remember my name and face, it’s impossible to remember until my self-introduction too huh. Remember, my title is <Police Knight> attached to <Chubu Jurisdiction Division>, Kondou Hajime.”

“You said Chubu Jurisdiction…does that mean that Kondou-san was in the battle of that time!?”

“Aa, I fought at Nagoya, I escaped with Akane-chan there and Kanon-chan. …But for you to come here, how reassuring. I know very well how strong you are after all!”

“So Kondou-san and Kazuki are acquaintances?” Akane-senpai inquired with her eyes wide opened.

“That’s right, various things happened. Akane-chan, this guy is a really awesome junior you know. …Oops, you have some business with the prisoners right? If it’s Akane-chan and Kazuki then I don’t need to worry, just go through here.”

Kondou-san opened the dungeon for them, then Kazuki, together with Lotte, searched for the one person they came here for among the restrained prisoners―they approached [Earth Snake].

“Lotte…can you do something like confirming his mental state with Telepathy? There is no equipment for Telepathy scans here after all, so to make up for it, can you?”

“What is it that I need to confirm desu?”

“Confirm whether he is still Possessed by a Diva or not inside his mind.”

“!?” Akane-senpai’s expression froze in place.

“…Divas that are attempting to take over the flesh of humans won’t part with the host body that they occupied that easily you know? It should be like that. Because in order to erode the ego of their host up to this point should take a long time for the Diva.”

Akane-senpai said. Some Divas that held hostility towards humans whispered sweet words about how they would grant power and then possess the human. After that they would encroach into the host’s mind slowly in their attempt to take over the host .

To do that they needed a long time. Even when Loki stole Kaya’s body, also when Nyarlatoteph stole the body of former Headmaster Otonashi, both of them needed many long years to succeed.

Once those Divas parted with the host body, the eroded mind would go back to how it once was and their hard work until that point would come to completely nothing. That was why even in the case that their host got arrested, nevertheless they shouldn’t part with that body so easily―originally speaking.

Lotte went along with what Kazuki said and reached out a line of blue light to Earth Snake. Through this link of magic power Lotte was searching around in Earth Snake's mind. Only after a moment Lotte expressed her conclusion.

“It’s empty. There is no Diva inside him.”

Just as he expected it really was like that. That was surely why Earth Snake fought in a suicidal way like that.

“That’s absurd! Then there is no meaning at all in taking this guy prisoner!!”

“Midgardsormr, who possessed this guy, had already possessed a different human and he is going to return to the front line soon. When I said that it will be disadvantageous for us when this war becomes a protracted battle, this is the reason why.”

Magica Stigmas of the Knight Order and the Knight Academy summoned the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars by means of their Contract with the Pillars. But for the illegal Magicians of Yamato, every one of them used power by means of Possessed Summoning.

The knights and the students of the Knight Academy were defeated until they fell into magic intoxication, became the prisoners of Yamato, if in the worst case they were killed, this was an obvious fact but there was no replacement for them.

Then in regards to that, the illegal magicians of Yamato could keep coming back endlessly as long as they had a new host.

“For Divas to possess the human’s body should take a fairly long time. At the very least it would take one year. Then, it would be fine if we just make sure to end the fight before that process got finished.”

“Perhaps it won’t even take one year. There are Loki, Nyarlatoteph and Joka in the enemy camp.”

They couldn’t continue the story even more than this in this kind of place. Kazuki proposed to leave the wine cellar. [There may be someone listening in on their conversation, they needed to constantly pay attention.]

They said goodbye to Kondou-san and after accompanying Lotte back to her room, they returned to Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai’s room. Kazuki explained the happenings in the wine cellar.

“Loki, Nyarlatoteph and Joka, [each of them has their own approach] in driving humans mad that they specialized in. The crazier the host’s mind becomes, the easier it would become for the Diva to encroach.”

Joka had the power of falsification. She overwrote a part of human’s mind, and with that she could stuff a small madness inside.

Nyarlatoteph entered through a weak spot and small madness of the heart. From there he could drive a person into insanity all at once. He made use of former Headmaster Otonashi’s guilt in repeating human experiments and destroyed the headmaster’s mind. There was also the time when he entered through Koyuki’s emotion of self-denial and took over her body right on the spot.

And then for Loki’s method of taking over a human’s heart, he could boast that he himself had a thorough knowledge of it.

If those threes' abilities were used in turn like a baton relay―Joka planting madness inside the mind, and then Nyarlatoteph using that madness as a foothold to corner the person into insanity in one go, finally Loki would make his Diva comrades to possess the person…they could manufacture illegal magicians in an efficient way like a factory producing canned food.

“If those guys combined their power, they could prepare human hosts in no time at all. This was why Midgardsormr could abandon the body of Earth Snake that easily.”

Lotte’s Telepathy had given credibility to Kazuki’s suspicion.

“We have to destroy this [illegal magicians reproduction cycle] without any delay. If we don’t then there is no chance of victory for us in this annihilation battle. And then I also think that tonight is the best chance to bring down Hayashi Shizuka. For the sake of manipulating the third years she brainwashed, Hayashi Shizuka participated in the battle this time. But I don’t think that she will participate anymore in the battles that come attacking us from now on.”

If it was Kazuki in Kaya’s place, then he would order such a thing for sure. He wouldn’t want to expose the important key of his tactics like Hayashi Shizuka to brave danger as much as possible, that was how it should be. Then Hayashi Shizuka would seclude herself in Yamato’s base.

When this side persisted in non-aggressive defense, they would eternally lose the chance to defeat Hayashi Shizuka.

Akane-senpai looked at Kazuki with eyes that seemed to say [I can’t believe it].

“…How are you able to predict anything and everything like that?”

“Whether it’s Loki, Nyarlatoteph or Joka too, I have fought them before. That’s all.”

“…That kind of experience is really abnormal. [You stand in the center of these incidents too much.] Despite how you are supposed to be just a student of the Knight Academy…”

That was…. Most likely that was because he is a <BasilleusKing>.

When Beatrix collapsed, for some reason Kazuki thought like that once more. I must be able to take action that is more befitting for a King.

“If right now we don’t let out our courage and move out for an offensive, if we enter defensive action, then that’s just what the enemy wants. I am an amateur in regards to war tactics but…as a swordsman facing the opponent, on top of constantly observing the opponent, [I must not do as the enemy expected] is something that I think is really important.”

Whether in a match or a game, pushing factors of uncertainty to your opponent was what is called tactics.

“If we sortie out in offense using the Knight Order, it will be reported to the top brass of the Knight Order and we have to get their approval, isn’t that right? For the lowest level of an organization to take action arbitrarily like attacking the enemy is absolutely unpermitted.”

“…Of course. Moving the soldiers as one pleases and conducting sorties can't be done. …The cause of concern is that if somewhere in the chain of command, the attack plan will be leaked through the traitor.”

“Yes. If we are attacking, we have to attack without allowing the plan to get leaked at all costs. That’s why tonight, we have to make a surprise attack using the students of the Knight Academy. If we move using only the students of the Knight Academy, we don’t need to follow the intentions of the Knight Order’s top brass. The highest authority in the Knight Academy is Headmaster Amasaki after all.”

There was no room for the traitor to come inside the simple chain of command of Kazuki and Headmaster Amasaki.

Tonight, if it had been decided that the Knight Order would not take any action until they had finished gathering the battle strength of eastern Japan, that condition would be conveyed to Yamato through the traitor. That negligence would enable the independent corps of the Knight Academy to make a surprise attack.

If this tactic succeeded, then pressure that [the traitor’s information was not omnipotent] could be conveyed to Yamato. Like that, the information from the traitor wouldn’t be able to be used effectively by Yamato.

It was vital to make the enemy feel confused.

He was an amateur in regards to war tactics, but if he perceived this battle as [a duel between him and Hayashi Shizuka], he naturally understood the moves that he should take. Kazuki had confidence in his own thought and stared at Akane-senpai directly. Akane-senpai looked down weakly from the pressure of that gaze.

“Even so, I cannot approve of a surprise attack by the students alone. It’s too dangerous to march into enemy territory from under their very nose. The rule of three times offensive power…it’s said that three times the battle strength of the enemy’s defense is needed to attack their encampment. According to Sun Tzu, we need ten times the battle strength of the defending side when making a siege against a castle don’t you know?”

Certainly there might be a theory like that.

However―a war where magic was used was something the human race hadn’t experienced personally yet. There was no tactic or the like that had been established and proven already, they had to puzzle it out by themselves from the ground up.

Kazuki thought back of that instant where the bus was destroyed in his first real battle.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily the case that the offensive side is in disadvantage compared to the defensive side.”

When Kazuki talked with that confident tone, Akane-senpai was “Eh?” and opened her eyes wide.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

…When Kazuki explained his idea, Akane-senpai wordlessly looked down.

“Let’s believe this guy, Akane. This is the junior that Kaguya is cherishing so much. Surely this guy is not just an ordinary person.”

Kanon-senpai interjected from the side.

“…That might be so.” Akane-senpai made an ambiguous reply.

“Akane. Usually I’m just constantly relying on you but, it’s fine for you too to learn to rely more on others. And then Hayashizaki Kazuki-! I recognized you but…don’t misunderstand! Until the very end you are…only getting recognized as nothing more than the right hand of this retired number Legendary Student Council President, Koudzuki・Fantastic・Kanon, okayy✩”

And then with a ‘kirarin ✩’, she winked at Kazuki.

[It’s no good if you don’t get the recognition from these two too you know, My King.]

Leme made her speech inside his mind.

Akane-senpai was “Fuu” and released a breath as if deciding in her heart. And then she talked promptly.

“Oh well. I’ll go along with your thinking. …Let’s put the arrangements in order. We won’t sortie together with you in this surprise attack, but we will give you our utmost cooperation with regards to the preparations. What we first need is, to inform the students about the situation…and then the method to break out from this hotel and also maybe wireless communication.”

Part 4

“…What’s with you, calling out someone like me.”

Before moving out to implement the plan for real, Kazuki wanted to talk with Kazuha-senpai and called her out to the hall.

“There's a little something I want to give to senpai…though it’s not really that significant.”

“Give me something?”

Kazuki suddenly presented a handmade bouquet created from the small flowers piling up in the hills and fields.

Suddenly presented with that gift, Kazuha-senpai was “Hahee!?” and let out a strange voice.

“This is because when we moved by bus and I looked outside the window, I saw beautiful flowers blooming on the hills.”

“Yo, you especially picked them up for me…?”

“Yes. The atmosphere had become bloodthirsty from the battle and the attack. I was wondering whether I could soften the atmosphere a little and when I realized it, I had dashed to gather this.”

Kazuki was out of breath and talked while sweat was showing on his forehead. Although there was Enchant Aura, making a round trip to the mountain that he noticed from inside the bus and back at this busy time was not easy.

“Are you an idiot doing something like that in this kind of situation!? Something like flowers…for someone like me…”

Kazuha-senpai’s face reddened and looked the other way with a huff.

“I’m sorry, is this a bother for senpai?”

“It’s a bother-! Even if I receive flowers in this kind of place, I don’t have anything like a flower vase, it’s just too pitiful for the flowers if it was plucked and then withered away!!”

“Is, is that so…” So the flowers are a failure, thinking that, Kazuki became despondent.

“…But to think of me when you looked at flowers and wanting to give them to me, even though you're tired after the fighting you went out of your way to collect them as a present for me….”

Kazuha-senpai hugged the flower bouquet tightly on her chest and then a large heart mark come flying.

“Kazuha-senpai, actually after this…”

Kazuki spoke frankly about his plan for launching a surprise attack on the enemy by the students of the Knight Academy after this.

Kazuha-senpai gulped after hearing the importance of the fact that was just disclosed for her. Kazuki said to the bewildered girl.

“That’s why if the plan goes well, please go on a date with me for the reward.”

Kazuha-senpai became taken aback with all strength leaving her body.

“What’s with that, when I thought that you were going to talk about a serious matter you suddenly asked for a reward!?”

“Because, if there is a reward waiting then I’ll be able to work even harder.”

“So you said that if you can go on a date with me then…you will be able to work harder?”

Kazuha-senpai asked Kazuki with an exhausted red face, as if she was utterly amazed by Kazuki’s approach. Her defense had been pushed back to the limit already. Kazuki nodded repeatedly with great enthusiasm.

“Correct. I want to go on a date with senpai and do romantic things.”

Kazuha-senpai kept averting her face without facing Kazuki.

However a heart mark came flying once more, then she talked with a reluctant appearance.

“…Okay. But, only if you make a great achievement and this plan is a success, only after that.”

Chapter 6 – Surprise Attack Operation―Magic War・Okehazama

Kondou Hajime, who had just finished his shift as the guard of the dungeon, was requested by Hayashizaki Kazuki and Yagumo Akane to do something. It was something that made his chest beat in thrill as if he was participating in a conspiracy. Kondou who liked that kind of thing agreed happily―he came to the very end of this temporary garrison.

Even though it was called a garrison, this place was only temporary, because of that there were hotels, public facilities and the like; it was a normal corner of the city that was confiscated for the military’s use. The edges of the grounds were guarded by knights in a shift system.

There were reasons why the monitoring was done in analog using humans and not using machines. The first reason was because the garrison that was set up in these grounds had only been done two days ago. Constructing an advanced monitoring system in itself would take a lot of time.

And then one more reason was because magic power couldn’t be detected using a machine. Humans who excelled in detecting magic power were posted as guards where they had to pay attention to the suspicious outbreak of magic power.

Of course something like a knight that loved to work as a mere guard or the like didn’t exist.

It was already late at night. Kondou walked approaching the lone guard standing around doing nothing while holding his yawn.

“Hey, thanks for your hard work. …Though even if I said that I wonder if there is any meaning in this, only standing watch doing nothing.”

“…Hey, I thought it’s my relief but it’s just Kondou. It’s not your shift right now, right? What a short-lived joy.” The knight who stood guard released a deep sigh. “Well, it seems there is meaning in this you know? There is no worry of an enemy attack tonight, but rather than the outside, the order is to be on guard against the inside.”

Be on guard against the inside―hearing those words made Kondou scrunch his eyebrows a little.

“So they told you to be more careful for desertion rather than the enemy. But does that actually happen? Things like deserting soldiers.”

“There is nothing like that on my shift. But, I heard that a few had been caught. Those who tried to escape were all swordsmen, but there is not a single one of the Magika Stigma who tried. As expected between those who are granted with Stigmata and became a knight, [the chosen humans] compared to the swordsmen, their resolve might be different.”

“…You can't say that it’s only because of such things you know. On the battlefield, the swordsman is in several times more danger compared to the Magika Stigma after all. If they faced something like that, then they would want to desert. Isn’t that the difference? It’s not a thing that you can think so menially.”

“Is that so? Maybe it’s really like that. …So, what did you come here for?”

“I couldn’t sleep at all, so I was thinking that I wanted to feel the night breeze for a little, and then I remember that tonight it’s your shift as a guard. There is that favor from you setting up that mixer the other day that I haven’t paid back yet. Well, though I didn’t meet any great catch at all that time either.”

“Oh, so you mean you're admirably proposing to replace me in guarding this spot?”

“Right on the mark. The soft and fluffy bed in the hole is waiting for you right now.”

‘Yossha-‘ The lookout knight started running while Kondou sent him off.

…A lookout for deserters was it? But in this society, there were also exceptions like deserting caused by bravery.

After a while Kondou called out “All clear”, he sent out a signal to Kazuki.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki divided his comrades into groups and then [ambushed] the rooms where the students of the Knight Academy were resting. And then they performed an inspection on the students' belongings and confiscated everything like cell phones and the like that could be used as a method to contact the outside.

When he explained the situation, all the students gave their understanding. There was also a possibility of a spy among the students of the Knight Academy. 'That’s why entrust me with all the communication devices before we conduct this absolute secret operation'―if Kazuki said it like that and a student was still resisting then it was the same as admitting, [I am suspicious].

And then he divided the 150 students into subdivisions and departed the garrison one group at a time. With the cooperation of Kondou-san who stood as the guard, the Knight Academy students succeeded in not being noticed by anyone.

The escaping students that numbered a little under 150 people gathered in a public park that didn’t have any human presence where Kazuki explained the operation once more in detail. If by any chance Kazuki didn’t have his accomplishments of becoming the champion of the election battle, then surely the students wouldn’t give their agreement in following Kazuki’s plan.

The students all lent their ear with serious expressions listening to Kazuki’s words.

“This plan is similar to the famous surprise attack strategy that was performed at Aichi Prefecture a long time ago in the previous era, thus…we will name this operation [Magic War・Okehazama]!”

When he said the operation’s name that really had good taste if he said so himself, the students cheered ‘Oooo’ with voices that might be audible from the garrison and applauded. The morale was high even though it was quite risky.

“Though Okehazama is more in the west from here…” Koyuki retorted with a serious face.

Next, Kazuki reorganized the platoons according to the elements of the magic that the students used. Fifteen platoons were made of ten people each where everyone had their own roles clarified. And then to the fifteen leaders of the platoons, Kazuki distributed the wireless software headset he received from Akane-senpai. While this headset was small model communication equipment, it was able to switch between several communication networks from short range to long range. It had become the standard equipment of the Knight Order. Akane-senpai pilfered all of it from the warehouse for Kazuki’s sake.

They were using wireless at this time was so that the enemy couldn’t intercept their communications, but it was also because they had to be vigilant so that the Knight Order too couldn’t intercept the signals.

“Ah, spare me from usin’ that. That’s just too effeminate zee, wearin’ this kind of appliance.”

But the Einherjar Damian who had the creed of rejecting technology refused to wear the wireless.

“Well then everyone, let’s pass through the military boundary line and hit Yamato’s frontline.”

They had already broken through the military boundary line from Japan’s side. They would keep this pace and break through the security of Yamato and then assault the front line garrison of Yamato in one go.

The location of the garrison had been thoroughly investigated by the Knight Order and Akane-senpai had also taught that to Kazuki.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“O affectionate rain cloud that grants the blessing to the earth, cry and weep fiercely just for this moment, please hide our figure inside the curtain of lamentation…Rain Cloud of OutcryCrying Nimbus.”

Hikaru-senpai in her Magic Dress form was chanting the Summoning Magic of Baal, the Diva that manipulated the weather.

In the blink of an eye the night sky was covered with dark clouds, drops of rain began to fall.

By means of Hikaru-senpai’s control, Hikaru-senpai made the rain stronger little by little so as to not make anyone suspicious.

Before long the far away scenery became hazy where they couldn’t see well from the passing shower.

“Ahaha. You know I have been doubtful for a long time wondering whether there is any use for this magic. Making rain fall down and become sopping wet only makes lightning magic hard to use. I never thought about using it for a surprise attack.”

Hikaru-senpai talked while hugging Kazuki’s arm tightly. “Why is senpai hugging me?”

“Praa―ise me♪” She said that with a voice full of charm, so Kazuki patted Hikaru-senpai’s head gently.

“Now that you mentioned it senpai, I just noticed it but reinforcement magic like [Ride Lightning] couldn’t be chanted in preparation time like this right? Even though I think it will be convenient if that’s possible.”

When Kazuki tried to chant the spell, he sensed that it wouldn’t activate.

“Right. Because spell chanting includes declaration of [what is the power going to be used for], so in the case of reinforcement magic there are many that have [fighting spirit against the enemy in front of you] as their trigger. That’s why it’s mostly unusable when you only want to use it to strengthen yourself yet there is no target you want to defeat inside your <magic perception range>.”

After Hikaru-senpai had finished teaching him such a thing so skillfully, once more she declared “Praa―ise me♪” and rubbed herself on Kazuki. Really, this senpai is….like that Kazuki kept patting Hikaru-senpai’s head repeatedly.

“Well then senpai and all the others in the lightning magic platoon, please fall back to the rear until the rain stopped.”

“Okay, I’ll leave the rest to you-”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

They examined the situation of the military boundary line from their cover. There are two soldiers standing guard in line, and then there were also soldiers coming in patrol at a fixed interval asking for the situation.

But Yamato’s swordsmen were not skilled. Even their magic power was not much different from normal civilians. Their level didn’t reach the degree where they could detect the magic power of unseen approaching humans.

The communication devices that they used were the same as the ones that Kazuki and the other students used this time.

First, in order to not let them notify their comrades―Kanae and Torazou-san crept unnoticed without making any sound and destroyed the communication devices with kodachi and sword hand strikes.

“…!? …!”

The guard was shocked from the sudden appearance of Kanae’s figure and tried to call for help but―his voice didn’t come out.

Karin moved the airflow with Psychokinesis and made the surroundings of the soldiers into a vacuum.

It was one of the assassination techniques beaten into the girl by Hayashi Shizuka.

If there was no air to propagate the vibration of sound, even voices couldn’t be produced. He was unable to call for help.

“………! (TORAZOU SMAAAAAAAAASH!)”

Torazou-senpai smashed a powerful strike even though his voice was not audible because of the vacuum, Kanae too mercilessly carved her opponent apart roughly, in no time at all the soldiers on lookout fell into the unconsciousness of magic intoxication.

The security is lax, Kazuki thought. The competency level of Yamato’s soldiers was no better than normal civilians. They were also resting on their laurels carelessly because of the traitor’s information. Adding to that, it was also because, in the first place, they hadn’t completely decided [what kind of security would be effective].

There was no doubt that they hadn’t even imagined such a thing like the guard getting defeated without even able to raise their voices.

“From here it’s a fight against time. Until the next patrol comes here again…”

Under the falling rain, Kazuki and the others penetrated the occupied area of Yamato. The inhabitants of this side had been evacuated too, there was no human presence at all.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Yamato side―there was [Yokohashi platoon garrison] around the eastern tip of the prefectural border of Chubu Prefecture, Yamato took over that place and used it just like that.

Inside the falling rain with bad visibility, the students of the Knight Academy were hiding using the surrounding buildings as cover while surrounding the building of Yokohashi garrison―a large concrete structure similar with a school, bringing the building into their <magic perception range>. Making the building itself as their attack target, the large scale magic corps with Kaguya-senpai as its platoon leader began their spell chanting.

And then if a spell was chanted at this range, the other side too would notice the outbreak of magic power.

Swordsmen leapt out from the building entrance as scouts, toward this side―they ran heading toward the direction of the magic power that Kaguya-senpai produced. If it had become like this then it was meaningless for this side to keep hiding their presence.

The swordsman corps of Kanae and the others met the approaching scouts and defeated them in no time.

It was the beginning of small scale hostilities. The enemy had sensed this side and the battle would begin from here on.

On [the other side of the windows] of the building, the illegal magicians of Yamato began their spell chanting. The other side had confirmed this side’s figures by sight―in other words this side had entered into their magic perception range. In regards to that, Kazuki and the others fixed their sight only on the building. In the end they couldn’t target anything other than the building with their magic.

[If it had to be said strongly] then the disadvantage for the attacking side was around this area.

“Defensive magic!” Kazuki sensed the magic power and gave out instructions.

“Will-o-Wisp Hundred Flowers Blooming ProfusionOnibi Hyakka Ryouran!”

“Thunder God DrumRaijin Taiko!”

“Evil Wind Sickle WeaselMagatsu Kaze Kamaitachi!” …

The Divas of Japanese Mythology emerged one after another, dozens of offensive magic came flying. Against those attacks, the students of the Magic Division matched the number of defensive magic and resisted. Various elements of defensive magic were erected all at once over and over again, defending against the offensive magic.

Offensive magic came flying in rapid succession due to the quickness of Drive’s chanting. The damage to the surrounding building and to the students came out due to their inability to defend everything with defense magic but―

Even while allowing the enemy’s preemptive attack, this side’s preparations had also been finished.

“O darkness of mind contained within the eternal cycle of death and rebirth! O seven stars shining inside that! Display the microcosm of the creation of heaven and earth and show the whereabouts of the person!! Galaxy!”

“”In the sky moon, on the earth wolf, raging howl loudly indicted the sins on the earth! O shining moon that is also shining on top of the deeply sinful person’s head, change that light of motherhood into fury, crush this earth! The nightmare of falling moon right here…Moon Strike!!””

With the garrison building as the target―the characteristic magic of the Magic Division student council president and the combination magic of the hidden powerful duo of the Ryuutaki sisters were invoked at the same time. The night sky that continuously rained down suddenly became clear.

Dark clouds parted, the burning stars and moon became a meteor shower and rained down incessantly. Light and thunderous roars that were already outside the realm of human senses were produced…,

The Toyohashi regiment garrison didn’t even leave rubble, transformed into an uneven crater and open wasteland.

[Right there several hundred people were scattered apart shining with defensive magic power.] There were unarmed humans mixed among them, surely they were non-combatants that were inside the garrison. They who were outside the magic perception range of Kaguya-senpai were mostly unaffected by the offensive magic. Only the building was annihilated.

The result of the meteor that split apart the night sky was the clean disappearance of the rain clouds that Hikaru-senpai summoned. The clearly extending starry sky spread out like a lie.

“Close-quarters combat units, charge!!” Together with Kanae’s order, the close-quarters battle units were charging.

Just as I thought, Kazuki confirmed the rightness of his own idea.

―[There were no rules of three times attack or castle siege] in a magic war.

It was an unlikely assumption but as long a lot of adamantium was not used on the outer wall, a fort or protective wall that could endure against offensive magic this powerful didn’t exist.

With the birth of magic in this world, modern weapons and forts had become obsolete. Only humans that had obtained the power called magic had become conspicuously powerful.

That was why if a war started, there would be nothing but humans that remained on the battlefield immediately. Every battle would become a field battle soon at any rate. It was unlikely for a fort capture, siege battle or the like to occur. There was no meaning at all for the defensive side to defend their encampment―after all, what decided the war was the soldiers.

And then the defending side which had their building suddenly destroyed was thrown into chaos from suddenly getting thrown outside―just like the time when the Knight Academy students were attacked while riding buses.

The surprise attack had completely succeeded. When it became like this, the defending side became far more disadvantaged compared to the attacking side. The soldiers of Yamato were unable to grasp the situation, they couldn’t adequately spread out their formation. Right there the close-quarters combat units that Kanae spearheaded made their assault. The Magic Division students were chanting magic to support their attack.

Inside this chaos, it would be hard to chant magic even in the case that they had Drive.

The swordsmen of Yamato didn’t have anything but makeshift skill , the illegal magicians too were vastly inferior compared to the knights in magic technique like Resist or the like. When the situation was reversed where they were the ones ambushed, they were weak.

In spite of the fewer numbers of the Knight Academy students that were less than 150 people, the manpower of Yamato reached around a shocking number of 300 or 400. The difference in manpower was more than double, but if they could succeed in a surprise attack and pushed forward with the momentum, they could overturn the difference in manpower!

The enemy camp had finally begun to recover from the chaos. The swordsmen of Yamato moved out to protect the illegal magicians and were forming the Heaven and Earth Formation. Right at that timing, Kazuki fired his second arrow.

“Flying column charge!” He ordered to his headset.

“O Astaroth commiserating the foolish sin! In order to be the agent of thy indictment, please lend me thy manservant which is thy mounted beast!! Trampling Down Big DragonTrampling Drake!!”

Flying column―Mibu-senpai who circled to the rear of Toyohashi platoon garrison and laid in wait caused a crack on the ground, from there she summoned a giant lizard clad in blue flame. This blue flame was not the blue color of a super high temperature like Belial, it was dyed blue from constantly burning poisonous substances, emitting a strange smell like sulfur. On top of that blue flaming lizard, the platoon that was led by Mibu-senpai mounted it.

“Loyal manservant of Lucifer, O Gamigyn! Please lend me thy swift horse, the symbol of thy loyalty!! Hell’s Fine HorseGallop Racer!!”

Mibu-senpai’s protégée Asamiya-senpai too invoked her magic together. The space in the immediate side of the girl was ‘BIKIBIKIBIKI!’ forming a rift, summoning a horse with a body clad in red flame. The platoon led by Asamiya-senpai was riding up on the back of that horse.

At that time changes happened to the giant lizard and the flaming horse―the giant lizard transformed into a huge blue armored car, and the horse into a large red bike.

Kazuki was startled after using his sight that was reinforced with magic power and witnessing the transformation of the Demon Beasts into machines.

………What in the world is happening there?

{When the summoner’s individuality is excessively strong, there are cases like that where the Diva’s Summoning Magic is stretched by that individuality. This phenomenon is quite similiar to the characteristic magic that Otonashi Kaguya became able to use.}

Leme taught him using Telepathy with a whispering voice. I see, so their character is just too deep.

Anyhow, Mibu-senpai and her group could be said to be able to use magic with high mobility and high transportation capacity, so they were grouped together to compose a special mobile corps. The armored car and bike that were loaded with a great number of students took off with great momentum. The engines were *BOOOOONN!!* roaring explosively, its music horns were *PARARIPARARIRA!!* playing the biker gang’s peculiar enigmatic music.

“HYAHHAA―!! We're gonna cross over the period zee―!!”

“Anekii―! We're gonna transform into wind Anekii―!!”

Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai raised their voices like a biker gang themselves and assaulted the rear of the enemy’s formation.

The illegal magicians of Yamato turned back and intercepted with offensive magic. However the armored car and large type bike that were created from Summoning Magic were different than a mere bus and couldn’t be destroyed that easily.

“UOOOOOO! This situation is interestiIIIIIING!! LET”S RAMPAGEEEEEE!!”

Damian too was riding on the armored car. She was not inside the car but clinging onto the car roof. She was in a great enjoyment while her hair messily trailed behind from the pouring wind from the front.

“””HYAHHAA―!!””” Together with those voices of rapture, the armored car and bike flew to the enemy formation and sent the illegal magicians flying.

“We are following the wish of Hodur, I too entrust my body once more to the exaltation of battle! Wartime fire of violent emotion running in the blood and fat of my sword!! Stories Flame!”

Among the agonizing cries of the enemy formation, Damian leapt while chanting reinforcement magic.

From inside the armored car and the back of the large bike, swordsmen were leaping out in a bustle.

The enemy formation that had been temporarily recovering their composure from the chaos fell once more into pandemonium.

Heaven and Earth Formation was weak against a pincer attack. It was a fact that Kazuki also learned from Yamato’s surprise attack.

{Kazuki! Hayashi Shizuka has been discovered!!}

In his ears―the headset that Kazuki equipped let out Kohaku’s voice.

Kazuki had told the swordsmen that were fighting in the front line to inform him immediately once Hayashi Shizuka had been discovered.

“Drilling the far away, <Doutanuki>! Battou Kaikon―Tenran Kamaitachi!!”

Together with Kohaku’s voice, a storm of magic power was blowing violently toward the sky in a certain location of the battlefield. That was the power of Kohaku’s Sacred Treasure. She was making that scene in place of a beacon to mark her location.

“Karin!” Kazuki gripped Karin’s hand tightly and dashed.

“You are going to settle with your destiny now!!”

“…Okay!” Karin nodded with obedience that she had never shown until now.

Defeat Hayashi Shizuka. That was this battle’s most important objective. All the other enemy soldiers were trivial.

Kazuki pulled Karin’s hand and drew her near him, then he circled his hands around those slender hips and took her in a princess carry.

“Waa!? What’s with this posture!” Kazuki ignored Karin who had her eyes opened wide.

“Ride Lightning!” Kazuki kicked the ground with all his strength while accelerating the strength of his whole body.

{It’s going just as I anticipated huh…}

The Telepathic voice resounding inside Kazuki’s head―Tamamo no Mae.

{I’d never expect that this leadership was your first campaign, boy. No, O Little King.}

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

While carrying Karin with his left hand, Kazuki cut a swath through the swordsmen obstructing his path with Doufu in his right hand. He stepped over the enemies that he defeated with a single blow and stormed into the deepest area of the enemy’s formation. Before long just like what Kohaku informed him, Shizuka’s figure entered his eyes in front of him. What emerged in that expression of hers was fury and impatience.

“You finally came huh, you bastard…”

With a look that was grinding her teeth audibly, Shizuka began to chant her spell.

Kazuki too, at the same time he caught the appearance of Shizuka, let Karin down from his arm while invoking his magic.

“O divine protection of military men, double the Megin that is swirling in my body! The will of god spurring me to endless battle, in this body! …Megingjord!”

At the same time he perceived the nature of the magic that Shizuka was in the middle of chanting. And then he gave the signal.

“Miyabi-senpai, please!”

―Kazuki had made a request to Miyabi-senpai for her to be in a position where Kazuki was always fixed inside her magic perception range as much as possible. She should be coming along here while somehow being able to keep Kazuki, who was dashing at full strength, inside her line of sight. …Shizuka used a powerful offense magic that Kazuki couldn’t defend with the defensive magics that he had in hand. He had been aware of it beforehand, that was why Kazuki had to take countermeasures in preparation for this moment.

“The water god of red hair awoke world destruction, restoring the rift of heaven, O the great power of Joka…lining up to that heaven and earth creation please distribute the light of world compilation in this hand! Goshiki Seki!!”

Shizuka invoked her magic with one hand raised high to the sky. A stone that contained Joka’s power was created inside that hand, emitting light of every color!

“…Mirror O mirror, lop off the ugly person’s sight and greedy hand! Moon Ring’s Mirror ShieldMoon Ring・Mirror Field!!”

At the same time, Miyabi-senpai invoked her magic with time to spare.

An avatar of the moon floated in front of Kazuki, then it became a materialized mirror.

Moon―the shining mirror of heaven that even reflected the power of the sun.

The Goshiki Seki released the light that altered the existence of physical material. If defensive magic of other elements was used then it would surely have its existence erased and made powerless. However the ultimate mirror perfectly reflected the very light itself.

“Kazuki doesn’t have defensive magic that protects against light, do you? Fufufu, with this the reason to conquer me increased.”

Miyabi-senpai was “fufufu” laughing daringly. In contrast, Shizuka was groaning “Impossible…!”.

But even so the magic of Joka was not only to that extent. The power of Joka, whose name was well known in Chinese Mythology, was supposed to possess a terrific power in each of her magic.

―But it was only in the case that if Shizuka could chant, that is.

“O earth of Pangu…!”

Kazuki too began chanting his spell. And, he swung down his beloved katana Doufu with power reinforced by Megin simultaneously. Shizuka too parried that katana with spiraling movement while maintaining her spell chanting.

The kick that she launched in return as counterattack was not parried by Kazuki, instead he forcefully repelled it.

“Reveal those every possibilities of the abyss in accordance with my wish…!”

“Stone cleaved, root torn, sin severed, that spirit sword of crushing evil right now in this hand!”

Kazuki too, Shizuka too, the two of them were magic warriors that skillfully used both Summoning Magic and close-quarters combat.

While mutually chanting spells, they were unfolding a fierce offense and defense.

However, it was as if Kazuki had completely become like Beatrix, he felt his whole body was overflowing with strength. More than usual, he was several levels faster, stronger, swinging down his beloved katana. Shizuka’s arm that was attempting to redirect that attack lost to its pressure and her posture broke. Right at that timing, Kazuki’s second slash surged like an avalanche. Receiving a severe attack, Shizuka staggered along with a blue defensive magic power.

What got disordered in instability was not only her posture―her chant too. Therefore Kazuki managed to invoke his magic earlier.

“Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Sheathing Doufu back into his sheath, he gripped the sword of crushing evil in return. Shizuka who was slightly late from Kazuki in her chanting almost managed to carry it out to the finish, but right at that moment Kazuki swung down the sword that severed magic power.

• BAKIN* The magic power that was kneaded until just the moment before invocation was destroyed.

“!?” Haggardness came to the surface of Shizuka’s expression.

[Futsu no Mitama] also had the effect of obstructing the chanting of a spell. With the disordered chanting ability that Shizuka had right now, she became unable to chant a powerful magic―except for mostly simple low level magic.

In reverse, for Kazuki who advantageously advanced the offense and defense, he had even more room to chant spells.

Kazuki wielded the sword of crushing evil even further. Shizuka, whose heart was thrown out of order by impatience lost sight of even her original martial art and became flustered from Kazuki’s fierce attack until she was finally blown away.

“Kuh, even in the worst case, this me, no way I’ll lose in this kind of place!” The haggardness in Shizuka’s expression changed into faintheartedness.

While escaping from Kazuki’s sword by rolling about on the ground, the girl managed to chant a short spell somehow.

“…O Joka’s shining five colors, repaint the world! The heaven I wished for is not here! To the other side that compass pointed at…Kuujin Hen’i!”

…Escape magic! At Shizuka’s side, an avatar of a huge Diva with a female upper body and naga lower body was floating. She was carrying a compass in her right hand where its needle was beginning to spin and spin reacting to the magic that Shizuka invoked.

…This girl mustn’t escape from here!

“Ride Lightning!!” Kazuki accelerated his physical ability even more electrifyingly.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

He kicked the ground with all his strength while raising a war cry. [Megingjord] and [Ride Lightning] created a synergy, producing tremendous explosive power for Kazuki.

What invoked that escape magic, was that compass. The needle of the compass was spinning, spinning―however Kazuki closed the distance even before that magic power completely activated. And then with the sword of crushing evil, he slashed.

The compass that Joka’s avatar held was the same like Joka, it was not material matter. It couldn’t get slashed or the like by a normal sword. But [Futsu no Mitama] was able to cut the magic power itself, even an avatar.

The compass was bisected in two and fell from Joka’s hand.

{Hohou} Joka let out a voice of admiration. The escape magic was crushed due to Kazuki’s speed.

This girl surely was intending to fight from the inside of a safety zone. Like that time in the finals too.

“Prepare yourself, you cannot escape from this losing war.”

“Sh, shit…cannot escape you say…this me is, in this kind of poor and boring island country…”

Even chanting spells was pointless, even doing close range battle was already hopeless against the current Kazuki.

“Karin!” With a desperate voice, Shizuka yelled “Karin, protect me!!”

Kazuki relaxed the stance of his katana and turned to Karin’s direction. Karin too looked back at Kazuki and nodded.

Kazuki could defeat Shizuka by keeping the current pace. However that wouldn’t become any conclusion.

“…Karin, you , are my family…. Protect your family…”

Toward Shizuka that so shamelessly spouted out that falsehood, Karin directed her fist and prepared a stance with low center of gravity.

“Shizuka-[neesan]…you taught martial arts to me…”

“You bastard…what are you intending to do, that fist is…. You are saying you are going to defy me…!”

“The fist that Nee-san taught me, was my pride…!!”

“You bastarrd!” Both of them kicked the ground with Jouchouho simultaneously.

Shizuka launched a fierce kick filled with fury to Karin. Karin slipped under the kick by lowering her body like a beast, her foot at the rear stepped powerfully on the ground. Then all that energy slammed into Shizuka from her shoulder with force―<Iron Mine LeanTetsusankou>.

“Guh…!” Even with her magic power scattered and her body bent backward, Shizuka still adjusted her stance and swung down a palm heel like an iron hammer. Karin tilted her neck and evaded the counterattack with minimum movement while forcing up her palm heel. The mutual attacks passed each other, Shizuka whose face was hit with the palm heel staggered. Even while staggering, Shizuka launched a kick with her left foot as if to show her will. Karin crouched down and evaded that kick while making a sweeping kick to sweep out Shizuka’s left foot―<Sweeping ThighSoutai>.

With her right foot driven off, Shizuka fell on her backside.

“Wh…why is…” Having herself overpowered by Karin, she leaked out a shell-shocked voice.

“In power and also in speed, Nee-san always has the upper hand. However Nee-san’s technique doesn’t work against me.”

There was not even a fragment of intensity in Karin’s fight, she was only looking down at Shizuka with an expression that merely filled with earnest grief. “I have been watching Nee-san’s technique the whole time. I yearned for that technique, I have been watching the whole time trying to steal it…. Nee-san had never tried looking at me at all but…”

“Stop prattling-!” Shizuka sprang up in the middle of Karin’s words and thrust out her left fist.

Karin flipped up that thrust with her right arm and parried it. Shizuka immediately thrust with her right fist. Karin repelled it down with her left hand. Both Shizuka’s hands were opened to the above and below, making her face unguarded. With her raised right elbow, Karin struck a blow to Shizuka’s face like an iron hammer. ―<Hard Open GateKoukaimon>.

Katsura Karin was seeing through every movement of Hayashi Shizuka.

“I, wanted to be useful to Nee-san…”

Karin whispered crestfallenly. Looking at such a Karin, a furious expression emerged in Shizuka’s face and she struck out aiming at Karin’s face.

“I wanted you to look at me more. I wanted to get praised, even just one word…!”

Karin opened her body to the side and dodged, at the same time she stepped forward strongly while piercing her elbow on Shizuka’s face in a counter. ―<Outer Gate Spire ElbowGaimon Chouchū>.

“…Nee-san didn’t love me. However in these few days I knew. What kind of feeling love is…”

Right there Karin looked at Kazuki in a glance. There was no mistake that the warmth of the Witch’s Manor flashed in the back of her head right now. “Kazuki and Charlotte and everyone, had taught me!!”

“What love, what family, that kind of nonsense…!”

Shizuka tried to launch a counterattack. However she was beaten to the punch, Karin stabbed her claw to Shizuka’s neck who was full of openings―<Tiger Claw PalmKosoushou>. With that one attack as the beginning, she procured strength with a powerful Shinkyaku while launching an elbow strike, thrust, and elbow strike filled with strength of a one-hit-kill consecutively piercing the vital spots of Shizuka. A technique of combo attack just like a fierce tiger running up the mountain powerfully slashing its front leg―<Sever Beckoning・Fierce Tiger Firmly Ascending MountainZesshou・Mouko Kouhazan>.

Finally her magic power was disconnected, Shizuka stepped back in a stagger.

“…Do, don’t mess with me-! You are just a puppet-!!”

Shizuka exerted both her legs strenuously and fixed her stance. Taking a step forward she fitted her right palm on Karin’s chest―the stance of the girl’s sure-kill technique. Karin didn’t even try to dodge and accepted it while she too fitted her own right palm on Shizuka’s chest in response. And then they yelled simultaneously.

“I’ll teach you your place, puppet! …With this <Shintoukei> of mine!!”

“At the very least I’ll finish this with my pride…with Nee-san’s <Shintoukei>!!”

Shinmyaku―both of them simultaneously, powerfully stepped firmly on the ground. ‘DON!’ With one reverberating roaring sound, both people simultaneously had their hips, shoulders, elbows rotated like a spiral. And then the impact broke through the palms.

Which one of them shot out their release internal powerHakkei first couldn’t be understood by outsider’s eyes.

“Good bye, Nee-san…this is our first conversation…in our last moment…”

―Karin whispered with teary eyes while her nose sniffled in a sob. With her eyes still opened wide and her expression looking like an ogre, Shizuka collapsed down to the ground like a [puppet] with its strings cut.

{You finally did it, Karin…} Tamamo no Mae said affectionately.

{This is only the fall of one of my contractors. This is not even a crack in Chūkadou.}

Joka’s avatar floated for a moment and only said that before she vanished.

“The destiny of all things in nature is inside the great celestial sphere…O binding of constellations, suspend the movement of heaven! Horoscope Stasis!”

Kazuki invoked Baal’s binding magic on Shizuka whose heart had already stopped beating. Star lights flickered on Shizuka’s hands and feet, becoming the thread of a constellation from the links between lights and restrained Shizuka’s whole body.

“Kazuki…what are you planning?” Karin asked in wonder.

“…We are not just killing her like this. Because if she completely died then that’s the end. We are arresting this girl.” And then Kazuki chanted resuscitation magic that he had experienced personally.

“…O elegant, beautiful fire of reincarnation, burn the surface of life and sprout the restoration of the inside…Anti Aging!”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Retreat!” ―A voice came from the night sky. When he looked up, a black dragon―Fafnir was covering the sky, Kaya and Maya were straddling its back.

It seemed that she was informed of the surprise attack and came here in a rush from a different region―might be from Gifu or Toyama, or else might be from even further inside Yamato.

Following that order, Yamato’s military force began to withdraw. Attack magics were launched at their back in order to take even one more prisoner. The enemy soldiers that were defeated became Kazuki and the others’ prisoners just like that.

“…You really got me. I never thought at all that Onii-chan unexpectedly wouldn’t get held back by the idiots and come preparing an attack this fast.”

Kaya murmured. At her back Maya was “Hi, high, high, scary, scary…” trembling.

“Nyarlako, you have defensive magic power so even if you fall you'll be fine, so despite that why are you trembling?” Like that Kaya scolded Maya. “Well then see you, Onii-chan. Next time it won’t go well like this you know.”

Leaving behind a parting threat like that to Kazuki, the black dragon disappeared to the north night sky. The end of the battle. Experiencing such a feeling Kazuki looked around his surrounding, he was confirming the safety of everyone from the Witch’s Manor. And then the fatigue of the very long day weighed on him all at once, making him almost flop on the ground.

Intermission – To the Journey of Pilgrimage

Part 1

The students of the Magic Division returned to the garrison triumphantly where they were greeted by the great shock of the Knight Order because of the Knight Academy’s students unpermitted attack and their achievement. In any case, tonight everyone would get some rest.

When the excitement of victory was starting to cool down, subsequently fatigue was weighing everyone down.

A long day had ended and the time had turned into a late night.

Kazuki too returned to the room that had been prepared for him, then after immediately going to the public bath he returned to his room, “That reminds me, who's the one I’ll be sharing the room with anyway?” He thought at this late hour. And then when he opened the door―

“Welcome back, Kazuki-kun♡”

Maybe she had just gotten out from bath, the steamy and flushed skin and face of Kaguya-senpai greeted him.

Moreover she had already changed into Asmodeus’ passion mode, her eyes were dyed violet and her Magic Dress was the simple version where all its decorations had been removed.

…The body that was piled up with fatigue searched for healing from the girl in front of his eyes as a matter of course. Kazuki unwittingly gulped and his breath stopped. “…Is senpai going to share the room with me?”

“Fufufu, what a coincidence isn’t it♡ Don’t call me senpai when it’s just the two of us alone.”

While laughing brightly…Kaguya came embracing him. The room allocation was decided by Kaguya and Kanon-senpai using lottery. The results were announced by sending individual mail containing the room number.

“…It’s not really a coincidence is it?” Kazuki returned the embrace for the moment while he retorted.

“It’s a coincidence okay~” *gyuu gyuu* Embracing strongly while rubbing her body, Kaguya talked like she was reading in monotone.

And then she pushed her lovely lips passionately on Kazuki’s cheek and sucked.

Even while Kazuki was dumbfounded, he accepted Kaguya’s sweet temptation completely….

“The event won’t go like that!”

A dignified voice as if exposing an evil plot reverberated, the blanket on top of one of the two beds in the room was *perori―n!* turned over. And then from inside, Hikaru-senpai leaped out.

“Hi, Hikaru-chan!?”

“Fuffuffu, I thought that this was going to happen so I followed after Kazuki and snuck inside his room just as you see!”

Hikaru-senpai too changed her appearance into a simple mode Magic Dress and without the decorations, her appearance looked like a high leg risqué leotard.

Hikaru-senpai was walking heavily near him and stole Kazuki from Kaguya…Kaguya-senpai.

“Ogling Kaguya like that is noo― good!” And then she kissed Kazuki.

“AAAAAAA―!” Kaguya-senpai raised a scream.

“Hehehe, Kaguya still hasn’t kissed Kazuki on the lips yet right♪”

Hikaru-senpai deliberately talked about a provocative matter, “Uuuuuuuu―” Kaguya-senpai became teary eyed.

Between the two girls, Kazuki was unable to do anything except grow cold from the two seniors' quarrel.

Kaguya was hugging at Kazuki as if jumping him, one more time, she pushed her lips strongly at Kazuki’s cheek. Filling it with emotion that she couldn’t have her way with Kazuki, she kept pushing her lips *muchu muchu*.

“Kaguya-senpai, I’m not doing such things for the sake of power so…don’t worry about something like a one time power, even if we kiss…”

“We must not!” Separating her lips, Kaguya-senpai rejected Kazuki’s words with a harsh tone.

“The level 10 that becomes usable from kissing is a trump card that must be valued importantly, that’s why…”

“Kaa―zukii♪” From the side, Hikaru-senpai kissed his lips one more time.

Not only on the lips, the kiss that was as if nuzzling on the whole face that Hikaru-senpai is fond of.

“A, again with thattt! Purposely kissing in front of me like that!!”

“Hehehe! After all a kiss on the cheek is only a greeting between friends, but a kiss between lips is the proof of relationship between a man and a woman…♪”

“Hikaru-senpai, you mustn’t say something that is bullying Kaguya-senpai you know.”

Kazuki hit the head of Hikaru-senpai *kotsun*.

“I’m sowwy♪ Ahaha, because looking at Kaguya’s expression makes me feel really good.”

“Senpai is not supposed to be an S but an M right?”

“Hey you!” *kotsun* Hikaru-senpai returned a knock on Kazuki’s head.

“Gununu, even now you two keep flirting…. That’s just fine, someday when it’s my time to kiss…it won’t be that kind of kiddy kiss, because I’ll do a more earth-shattering adult kiss for sure…”

“Adult kiss? Eh? The kiss that I’m doing is a kiddy kiss you say?”

“I won’t teach youu―”

“That’s! Not fair, come on teach mee―!”

Though if senpai looked it up on the internet senpai will understand, I think.

“That’s just fine, I won’t ask Kaguya anymore. I’m going to ask Liz Liza-sensei later.”

Hikaru-senpai hugged at Kazuki even stronger from the right side. Her breasts pressed at Kazuki.

“Wait Hikaru-chan. Your room is different right? This one is my room with Otouto-kun.”

Kaguya-senpai too came hugging him from the left side strongly. This side too was pressed with breasts.

Kuh…for a swordsman of the Hayashizaki-style, losing one’s presence of mind with just this much is not allowed!

“But Kaguya, you were doing something unfair in the room allocation after all! I’m going to tell on you to everyone!”

“Mumumu. …It really can’t be helped, Then let’s share Otouto-kun with the two of us.”

“Ok, there's no other choice except striking that deal is there?”

“Err, you two senpai, aren’t you two too calmly treating me like a thing here?”

With Kazuki’s tsukkomi inside his heart as an unrelated matter, Kaguya-senpai rubbed her voluptuous body to Kazuki just like usual. Hikaru-senpai too was undauntedly rubbing her body repeatedly. Hikaru-senpai had a slender body proportion, but the places where it should be developed were really developed. Just as he thought her body was soft.

“Kazuki, is your penis not changing?” Again Hikaru-senpai was observing that kind of place!

The two of them kept gluing their bodies to Kazuki and all together pushed him down, collapsing on the bed.

This was…before this, there was also the situation where he slept together with Lotte and Koyuki in a sandwich of risqué appearance but…in the case of this duo, should he say that they had even more volume…!!

“Sen, senpai…are we going to sleep together in one bed with three people even though there are two beds here?”

“Otouto-kun, in this kind of situation, who on earth is going to sleep alone on the bed over there with loneliness?”

“…Me? And then Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai will get along well with the two of you in this one bed.”

“”There's no way anyone's going to benefit like that!!”” Both senpai matched their voices together.

Part 2

Because Yamato’s military force was concentrated at the military boundary line, if that military force withdrew then the group that Kanon-senpai spearheaded could advance until Nagoya, located in the heart of Chubu jurisdictio, in one go.

The <Aichi regiment garrison> that was once called Aichi prefectural police became the new base of operations from now on. From here they could choose whether to invade even further west to the area of Shiga or to invade to the area of Gifu in the north….

Not only recovering the territory, they also discovered the Knight Academy students that were taken prisoner when their buses were attacked. Originally these prisoners were supposed to be transported even further inside the territory of Yamato the next day without fail. This was just one more result that they earned from their swift action using the surprise attack strategy.

The prisoners were treated courteously. It seemed that their humane policies regarding welfare programs for the people and prisoner treatment were somehow the truth for the sake of obtaining support from the people.

In reverse from the battle this time Japan too was able to take prisoners of Yamato’s soldiers in large numbers―and then interrogations were conducted.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai happened to be present in the interrogation of Yamato’s illegal magicians.

This was because inquiring about the Divas of Japanese Mythology was the biggest objective of the interrogation.

{And so, who is the Diva that possessed you?}

Yamato’s illegal magician that was restrained in the wine cellar―the [shrine maiden] was questioned by Futsunushi no Kami. It seemed a female that hosted the Diva of Japanese Mythology was called a Shrine Maiden.

The Shrine Maiden didn’t reply. She kept both her eyes closed and stayed silent in resistance.

{You had used up your strength in battle, you should have been released from the Wild God Transformation already shouldn’t you. Make your reply.}

Hearing the question of Futsunushi no Kami, {…It’s me} a voice of a female came, beside the Shrine Maiden a female Diva clad in flowery clothing was floating.

“Ame no Uzume-sama!” The Shrine Maiden opened both her eyes and opened her mouth in a fluster.

{So it’s Ame no Uzume. Why have you, who has the reputation and personality of a gentle soul, become the likes of a Wild God? If asked which side you are in, you should be on the side that dances and sings, soothing the angered Divas don’t you agree?}

{The shrine was…} Ame no Uzume murmured. {The shrine where we are deified was destroyed. The shrines that are located in western Japan, every one of them were defiled you know.}

{What did you say?}

{Japanese people were…saying that they are worshipping Solomon's 72 Pillars from now on so this shrine is not needed anymore… Because of that a lot of Japanese Mythology’s Divas lost their power, and they fell into a dormant state. Even so, a lot of Divas that barely maintained their strength became Wild Gods, they are lending their power to Yamato and going against the oppression of Japan…}

Ame no Uzume glared with a dangerous glint in her eyes towards Kazuki and the others. Shrines were defiled―because of that the Divas of the Japanese Mythology were in the process of losing their original power and burning in indignation. In the end they were rampaging.

{Did something like that really happen? My shrine was moved by Kazuha inside the school so I didn’t know though. …Kazuki, what do you think of this?}

“Headmaster Amasaki, what do you think? For the government to take such action, is it possible?”

Kazuki inquired to Headmaster Amasaki who finally arrived late this morning.

“It shouldn’t be easily possible. In the first place the government doesn’t perceive Solomon's 72 Pillars as a religion.”

{That’s right, of course it shouldn’t be possible. Leme and the others don’t demand any faith from the government.}

At the side of Headmaster Amasaki who talked with an astonished expression, Leme too talked while pouting.

{What did you say…?} Ame no Uzume raised her eyebrows.

“In other words I wonder if it’s not something like this. For the sake of enraging the Divas of Japanese Mythology, there was some fellow that spouted some lies and destroyed the shrines. And then to the enraged Divas, someone instigated matters by saying let’s overthrow the accursed government and build a country of Japanese Mythology.”

When Kazuki expressed that hypothesis―it seems the fact that the Divas of Japanese Mythology were easy to enrage was something true. The expression of Ame no Uzume that had the appearance of a lovely dancer “Whuat did you saaaaaaaayy?” together with a voice that seemed to come from the bottom of hell was ringing out, became a demon hag in the blink of an eye.

“If this is just a pure misunderstanding then it’s a simple story. If we can persuade them then a fight can be avoided right?”

Hearing Kazuki’s words, Futsunushi no Kami shook his face together with his sword body to the left and right.

{That’s impossible just so you know. Any argument won’t go through a Diva that is in the middle of being a Wild God. We have to make them like Ame no Uzume here where their host fell into magic intoxication. They will calm down after expending their strength completely once.}

“As expected, so crossing swords once against them is something unavoidable.”

{No, that’s not the only method available.} Ame no Uzume said with her expression that had returned to the former look of a girl.

{If the fury of our chief god is calmed down, the composure of Japanese Mythology’s other gods will also recover.}

“So if the Shrine Maiden that is possessed by that chief god is defeated and made to fall into magic intoxication, everything will be fine?”

{Exactly like that. And then the chief god of Japanese Mythology is…located in Ise.}

Futsunushi no Kami nodded gravely.

Ise―Mie prefecture. It was located in the west across the bay from Aichi prefecture they were currently staying at, in the eastern tip of Kii peninsula.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“…Oi, Kazuki. There is something I have to tell you about a prisoner’s matter but…”

Kazuki, who was going back to his room from the dungeon was called to stop by Kondou-san. Kondou-san was also leading Karin who he had found somewhere. …A prisoner with connections to Kazuki and Karin.

Kazuki and Karin were let to pass inside a private room in the underground for a [special prisoner] that was captured.

Inside, a single corpse was lying down.

Because there was a step called magic intoxication, even though this was a war, there was no one that really died. During the period concerning with the battle this time…this was the first time for Kazuki to see directly this thing called death.

“…The cause of death of this girl is?” Squeezing out his voice, Kazuki inquired.

“Her arms and legs were bound but…it looks like suicide using Psychokinesis to block her own blood flow to the brain. When she was discovered, it was already too late.”

There was no method of prevention.

“…Nee-san.” Karin too leaked out a squeezed voice.

That was the corpse of Hayashi Shizuka. An expression that could be called tranquil that she had never shown in the middle of battle, with not a single wound on that body, she looked like she was sleeping with a body that was growing cold.

Inside the atmosphere of tranquility, emotions of condolence were naturally growing full inside.

It’s the end when you die…. The time when she could be forgiven someday was…

“…Kazuki.” Karin, who before he knew it, had started calling him with his first name, whispered.

“…Even so, things where we couldn’t do anything about it, exist…”

“It’s like that huh.”

Karin’s shoulders shook in small trembling, those eyes of hers were blurred with tears. What this girl obtained, and what she lost. Kazuki understood everything of it. That was why Kazuki embraced her.

“U…uAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!”

Pushing her face into Kazuki’s chest, Karin screamed while crying.

Part 3

The knights in the garrison forgot the battle in the past and began to move for the next fight.

Kazuki, who returned to his room was called out by Akane-senpai this time and led to the corridor.

“Kazuki, now that I think back I didn’t even say words of appreciation did I?”

Senpai said so while walking somewhere. “Congratulations to your victory. It’s a really overwhelming achievement. …You are really amazing. I am acting as a staff officer at Kanon’s side, but I’m completely no good.”

“That’s…I’m just an amateur who knows nothing after all, rather I’m only hitting upon strange ideas.”

“It’s not like that at all though…[Magic Eye OgreCyclops].”

“Eh?” Suddenly being called with his alias in the past, Kazuki was taken aback.

“Fufuu, actually I had met you once long ago in the past. I wonder if you have completely forgotten?”

“Ee!?” He had this trauma from that one case with Mio where he couldn’t remember someone he had met and made her mad.

“Well, it’s only natural for you not to remember. The truth is I was attending a dojo when I was small. In an inter-style match, I have this experience of being instantly killed by a young man called Cyclops. It was an experience that taught me my standing.”

“Senpai was a swordsman too!?”

“Fufufu, I had no talent at all and stopped completely soon after you know. Even so I wanted to be connected to the Knight Order in some form, so I aimed to be a strategist and studied for it. Confucius, Clausewitz…it was fun imagining myself holding the baton of command and become a hero. Nevertheless a Stigma emerged on me before I even became a strategist, and I could become a cadet of the Knight Order normally in the end.”

“…So senpai became that well-informed in military science not from studying the advanced strategy theory of the third years.”

“But even if I study the theory, I’ve never been in a real battle at all. I foolishly studied properly, fell into the way of thinking exactly according to the mold and unable to think differently, and cannot cope at all when something unexpected happened. I can’t think like you who didn’t get caught in common practice and managed to grasp the essentials.”

“But in reverse, I cannot do what senpai can do. Even if it is the case that I can learn that essential something, isn’t this only a simple story of strengths and weaknesses for each person? Then, if I and senpai compensate for each place we are lacking in, we are going to be the strongest!”

“Cooperating between you and me…that sounds interesting though…fufuu, I’ll decline that offer. If a plain ugly woman who studies too much like me is together with you, then the other girls are going to begrudge me.”

“What begrudge…senpai is not a plain ugly woman who studies too much at all!”

“No, rather than mixing tactical theory together with someone like me …being together with Kanon or Kaguya, or with girls like that Amasaki-san will be more enjoyable right, for a boy like you.”

“Such a thing is not true, I also want to talk with senpai all night long until the morning you know, about Clausewitz.”

“There you go saying such things again.” Akane-senpai’s clever expression crumbled and a smile emerged.

“…Senpai, your smile right now is really pretty.”

“Fufufu, you just keep joking. But…thank you. That’s right, rather than cooperating together with you, from now on I’m going to aspire for you, I will be diligent and aim to reach your level, how about that I wonder?”

From Akane-senpai, a large heart mark came flying. Yagumo Akane―40

“Please stop that, what aspiration…even though you are my great senior.”

Akane-senpai looked back to the front direction of the corridor, “Well then” saying that she changed the subject.

“Actually it’s really enjoyable talking with you that, against my better judgment, I deliberately took the long way in our walk, however…”

“So it’s like that. I thought that we kept going round and round in circles for a while. What a schemer.”

“Fufufu, for you to also notice it properly, just as I thought, you have an eye for the essentials, don’t you?”

Both of them faced each other and grinned broadly. Though when he thought that, Akane-senpai’s face immediately became serious.

“…While we were going around in circles meaninglessly, the truth is that we had seriously become lost children. Where in the world is this place currently?”

“Eh!? Wai, is senpai seriously saying that!?”

“Just as I thought I’m a no good person…. Kazuki, do something with your intuition of the essentials somehow…”

“Eeee, please don’t say such pathetic things senpai! Understood, I’ll do something somehow! But even I’m going to try somehow, with not much information to go on…!”

“What I was saying just now is just a joke, our destination is right here.”

Akane-senpai suddenly moved her body right to the side, then she knocked on the door to a room that was in that direction. Kazuki reflexively pitched forward foolishly in an almost falling position.

It was one of the hotel’s rooms that had been transformed into the [strategy meeting room] so to speak.

Inside, Headmaster Amasaki, Kanon-senpai and then the regimental commander of Shizuoka regiment whose name was Yamagata Koyata, a man in the prime of his life were already in the room surrounding a table. On top of the table was a map that was spread out.

“The time for us to counterattack has also come.” Commander Yamagata said when Kazuki and Akane-senpai took a seat.

“Pardon me for suddenly entering the main topic, but the battle strength of eastern Japan is currently massing little by little in this garrison of the military boundary line. If it becomes like this then it's irrelevant even if our movements are leaked. Even with our movements leaked we are going to hit Gifu prefecture with our maximum strength, no question asked.”

“Why Gifu?” Kazuki interjected a question. There should be an option to march to the west too.

“If we are invading in the direction of further inside with Aichi prefecture as the beginning of our counter offensive, the defensive line will naturally become a great length, then the placement of soldiers will become difficult.”

So that’s it, when the military boundary line turned long, the defensive battle strength was going to be dispersed completely.

When the battlefield became a wide area, it was overwhelmingly advantageous for Yamato’s side who could obtain information through the traitor.

“Because of that we are going north from Aichi prefecture and aim for Gifu prefecture. Against our maximum battle strength, the other side will surely intercept with their maximum battle strength too. It’s convenient. Because if we shave off the opponent’s battle strength in one go then this conflict is as good as over. This all-out war of East and West…following your naming we are going to do [Magic War・Sekigahara]!”

“If we win this then the efficiency is good, but won’t our side’s damage become great too?”

When Akane-senpai interjected with a skeptical objection, Commander Yamagata was “I know” nodding.

From there he looked around restlessly at his surroundings as if searching for a monitoring camera and lowered his voice.

“…Of course we are not going to clash with them without any plan. This side too is preparing a plan. That bunch turned up in our territory working their tricks before, this time we are going to return the favor. Preceding the invasion to Gifu, we will send the minimum number of people to the enemy territory…”

He pointed at a certain point in the map on top of the table.

“…They are going to penetrate Ise Grand Shrine, beat the chief god of the Japanese Mythology and resolve the misunderstanding. I listened to the report. If we manage to do that, won’t the Divas of the Japanese Mythology all return to their senses and withdraw from the war front? With this Yamato will lose their military force all at once…and we will commence an all-out attack.”

I see, Kazuki nodded in comprehension.

If the danger to this [someone] that would invade Ise was not considered, this was a perfect idea.

“This is the strategy decided from the discussion with me and Kanon-kun. No one knows about this except the people here in this place right now. We have no intention to inform any other people―even the top brass of the Knight Order. In other words this strategy to invade Ise will not be conducted by the Knight Order, but we want the students of the Knight Academy to be the ones that do it. Because of that, this strategy’s arbitrary judgment…will be done by the Chief Student Council President and Headmaster Amasaki’s own judgment. You two will be the ones who will move the realization of this plan.”

In other words, the one who would execute this strategy was….

“Hayashizaki Kazuki. Making a student carry this great burden makes my heart heavy, but there is no other choice except having you do this.”

I understand…he couldn’t say anything else other than that.

“But what are we going to do about the penetration route? Those Yamato bunch entered our territory through the traitor, but we cannot do that kind of thing so simply.

“Use a sea route.”

“Using the sea is the idea that I thought of you know-☆“ Kanon-senpai gloated.

“In the first place, our country traditionally has insufficient maritime defense on the Pacific Ocean side. It’s because we were concentrating the precaution in Japan’s seaward side that are facing North Korea and Russia. The minimum monitoring is performed but the radar site is mainly directed to the sky.”

Commander Yamagata used his own finger as the comparison of an antenna and faced diagonally above.

“From the beginning, radar that is installed on the surface is weak at monitoring the sea's surface and low altitude sky anyway. For that purpose we are using patrol planes to look out for suspicious ships, but patrol planes don’t really get deployed in the side that is facing the Pacific Ocean. …Essentially, if there is going to be any violation of territorial sovereignty from the side of the Pacific Ocean then it’s going to be from the air.”

Ise Grand Shrine, the target destination, was in Mie prefecture. Between Aichi prefecture and Mie prefecture, Ise Bay was stretching.

Commander Yamagata traced a line on top of the map using his finger to show the route that the ship going to pass in Ise Bay.

“In the case that Yamato doesn’t make this oversight, what then?” Kazuki pointed out in a prudent tone. “They might see through the danger from the phase of our recovery of Aichi prefecture and shift the patrol planes from the side of the Sea of Japan to Ise Bay.”

“We had confirmed that there is no such movement using our satellite observation system.”

…Satellite observation system. Kazuki was lost for words. So even that kind of thing had entered the stage.

If he thought about it, there was a great number of fields outside combat where using technology was far better than magic. He was only putting his attention to Summoning Magic so he tended to unconsciously forget completely about the application merit of such things but….

“Even if we have a satellite monitoring system, it’s not an omnipotent system that can only be used in limited time and condition though. Anyway we have confirmed that there is a hole in the coastal security of the Yamato side from satellite images. Although all the facilities that were possessed by the Knight Order in western Japan are all taken over and it can be said that excellent politicians are gathering there within limitation, Yamato is still a new country that was just built in a short period and they are still in a period of disorder. They have a lot of gaps.”

Period of disorder…Just like when Chūkadou was sending spies to Japan when Tokyo was destroyed. So this time it was Japan that was going to take advantage of the disorder there.

“A small type boat is being prepared for the sake of this covert operation. So only a minimum number of members needed is going to be sent to carry out the operation.”

“You said the minimum number, in other words how much is it?”

“Two persons. Actually we just want only you alone to go, but surely you are going to need a person that can interact with the Divas of Japanese Mythology. Accordingly we want the same Knight Academy student like you, Tsukahara Kazuha to mobilize together with you.”

Kazuki felt a slight nervousness in his chest. With Kazuha-senpai…just the two of them alone?

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“So that’s how it became like this.”

When Kazuki conveyed that development through his cell phone, “Eh…eeeeeeeeehh!?” such a loud voice was the reply. While making a wry smile toward senpai’s reaction, Kazuki had instead become even calmer.

“Somehow the date that I promised seems to be becoming a fairly romantic situation, senpai.”

Afterword

It has been three months, this is Mihara Mitsuki. And then and then with the pace of every three months until this fifth volume, Magika is going to greet its one full year!

Even if the author is going to welcome his own birthday but “I have passed half of my twenty and the course of the thirty is approaching, there is not even a bit of feeling joyous here…” that kind of feeling, but the birthday of Magika-chan really makes me deeply emotional.

Five volumes. Totally unbelievable. Thinking back I have come far.

It’s only five volumes you are too exaggerating, people might thinks so but the truth is that I am an abnormally negative human. On the other hand Kodama-san who is in charge of editing is an S realist.

It’s a combo that combine two moods in bad meaning. When I and Kodama-san interact with each other we constantly bite at each other shrewdly with the talk heading to minus direction, the guided conclusion always ended with me cornered to a precipitous cliff without fail.

First Kodama-san was saying “But there is this kind of data so the next volume is already no good you know” things like that.

“As, as expected is Magika no good already!?” like that, I got scared.

“Surely it’s no good right? Please struggle to write an interesting manuscript as best as you can. I’m waiting for the manuscript.”

“UWAAAAAAAAAAN! If I don’t write an interesting manuscript then Magika is dead~!!”

Continuing the argument back and forth from this [even] had already become a beautiful pattern, no matter how favorable the sales is let’s make an additional printing and let’s finalize the comicalization, there is not even one thread that is out of order.

However even while my heart is totally disarrayed, “I’m waiting for the manuscript” when that was said additionally in nonchalant tone, “Ah, this or that are said, the fact is what is needed for me is given…” like that my chest tightened and “I’m going to do my best” such feeling boiled up inside. That’s why I too am a simple man that appear negative.

With this kind of state I’m always getting cornered with my mind pushed to the utmost limit just like usual. When I wrote the manuscript wholeheartedly, before I realized it I achieved one full year…this is an actual condition.

No good, no good, while being told that isn’t this unexpectedly still okay….

Although actually, when a light novel lost the support from all of you readers it’s easily discontinued and become a gate of hell. Scary. So from now on too the more the volume advance it will become the more interesting. I’m going to do my best with my whole heart and soul for that so that next two full years, three full years, I’m thinking to aim for ten volumes. Please I beg for the support to keep continuing. I’ll be very happy if you readers also recommended this to the people around you, like that. Wink wink. Magi love is taking application.

I’m moving to thanks. CHuN-san, with new characters one after another making their entrances whatever kind of child they are with no compromise they are really cute. As the one in charge of writing it makes me feel that I too have to work hard and makes me tense. And then to the person assigned to be in charge of Magika’s comicalization Monrin (SDwing)-san, I’m extremely looking forward for it every month. This is not thanks but advertisement, though last month the first volume tankoubon had been released for sale! Each coma one by one are overflowing with spirit and service mind becoming a magnificent quality.

The two of them and that agent-san are Taiwan gentlemen, but in the end of last year my wish to meet eye to eye was fulfilled, things like myth and culture, I heard various story that become a great stimulus for me!

I too feel some love from the editor Kodama-san. And then the support of the readers, everyone is the source of energy for all the staff concerned with this book. In the sixth volume not only that character but that character and that character are planned to play active roles! I’ll do my best! Look forward to it!

Mihara Mitsuki

Translator's Notes & References

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